Organizational behavior terminology

Objective Many organizations that command a massive market share in their areas of operations have put in place organizational behaviors that work to their advantage. This essay gives a detailed explanation of organizational culture, organizational behavior, diversity, and communication. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational behavior terminology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It also undertakes to describe each of these concepts’ observable aspects. It will also give a brief analysis of culture and behavior in an organization of choice. Organizational culture entails values, both cultural and personal; the experiences of a people; psychological endowment; and attitude of persons that belong to an organization. It is founded on the values that people or groups that belong to a particular organization cherish and how these values impact the way they interact with people outside that organization (Schein, 2004). There has been no consensus on what exactly should be the definition of organizational culture. However, there is unanimity on aspects touching on its holisticity, its social construction, and its historical nature. Organizational behavior involves study of behavior of persons that belong to a given organization or a business enterprise. Such studies are done using systems approach where aspects of how people relate to organizations are brought into perspective. This approach is supposed to enhance better relationship between the people and the whole organization. It also helps in attaining organization’s human and social objectives. Organizational behavior indeed integrates aspects of individual human behavior, change, and leadership (Davis, 1967). Organizational behavior boasts of its inherent elements, models, and social systems. An organization can operate out of myriad organizational frameworks. Autocratic organizational model is where much power is ves ted on the managers. Employees are left with no option but to be obedient. Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Custodial framework entrusts the managers with the responsibility of looking after the economic resources where as employees are oriented towards organization security and benefits. Collegial and supportive organizational frameworks are other examples of organizational frameworks. These organizational frameworks normally overlap and it is absolutely impossible for organizations to run exclusively on one type of framework. On countless occasions, many people have taken organizational diversity to imply equity at work place. However, its meaning is not only limited to the confines of equity but it also encompasses creation of environmental values and differences while maximizing individual employee potential. This helps in enhancing employee creativity and innovativene ss. A satisfied employee will offer quality services to the customer. This will translate into increased productivity in an organization. Organizational culture adopted by a corporate body should be one that supports its diversity (Laura, 2005). This calls for integration of elements such as needs analysis; goodwill from the organization’s management and administration; education and training of the staff; revamping of organization’s culture and its management system; and continual evaluation exercises (Axley, 1984). An organization that I was once attached at had a system where a close relation with the customers was highly emphasized. Autonomy and entrepreneurship were also highly emphasized. The organization put into place strong corporate values and emphasizing on what they do best and adopted both centralized and decentralized organization forms. Besides, the management was open to change. Conclusion Culture is a very important element of any organization because when an organization does not possess a healthy culture, it can encounter several challenges in its daily operations. Culture is important in decreasing employee turnover. It helps in altering the employees’ behavior, improve the company’s image, and generally improve service delivery towards achieving the goals and objectives of the firm.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational behavior terminology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Axley, S. (1984). Managerial and organizational communication in terms of the conduit metaphor. Academy of Management Review, 9, 428–437. Davis, K. (1967). Human relations at work: The dynamics of organizational behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill. Laura, M. R. (2005). Changing Faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings. Academy of Management Review, 30 (4), 685 711. Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: John Wiley Sons. This essay on Organizational behavior terminology was written and submitted by user Paulina Sears to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Alcoholics Anonymous Essays - Alcoholics Anonymous, Free Essays

Alcoholics Anonymous Essays - Alcoholics Anonymous, Free Essays Alcoholics Anonymous Defining "Alcoholics Anonymous" Following is the definition of A.A. appearing in the Fellowship?s basic literature and cited frequently at meetings of A.A. groups: Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues of fees for A.A. membership; they are self-supporting through their own contributions. A.A is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, of institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Their primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. Alcoholics Anonymous can also be defined as an informal society of more than 2,000,000 recovered alcoholics in the United States, Canada, and other countries. These men and women meet in local groups, which range in size from a handful in some localities to many hundreds in larger communities. Membership Because A.A. has never attempted to keep formal membership lists, it is extremely difficult to obtain completely accurate figures on total membership at any given time. Some local groups are not listed with the US/Canada General Service Office. Others do not provide membership data, thus are not recorded on the G.S.O. computer records. The membership figures listed below are based on reports to the General Service Office as of January 1, 1996, plus an average allowance for groups that have not reported their membership. There is no practical way of counting members who are not affiliated with a local group. Estimated A.A. Membership and Group Information Groups in US.50,671 Members in US1,153,795 Groups in Canada5,259 Members in Canada..97,397 Groups Overseas..37,082 Members Overseas614,466 Internationalists. 145 ~Groups in Correctional Facilities~ US/Canada..2,154 Lone Members333 Internationalists~Aproximately 145 persons in naval science or the merchant marines on sea duty describe themselves as "A.A. Internationalists." Staff members of the US/Canada General service Office correspond with those members and make it possible for them to correspond with each other. Internationalists have been responsible for starting and encouraging local A.A. groups in many foreign ports. Loners~ Some 33 men and women living in isolated areas throughout the world, (or in areas where it has not been possible to form a local group), are listed at the G.S.O. of the US/Canada as Lone Members. Many achieved sobriety solely through A.A literature. They correspond with G.S.O. and with their counterparts in other sections of the world. In a number of cases, notably U.S. military installations overseas, Loners have been responsible for establishing local groups. Historical Data: The Birth of A.A. and it?s Growth in U.S./Canada A.A. had it?s beginnings in 1935 at Akron, Ohio, as the outcome of a meeting between Bill W., a New York stockbroker, and Dr. Bob S., an Akron surgeon. Both had been hopeless alcoholics. Prior to that time, Bill and Dr. Bob had each been in contact with the Oxford Group, a mostly nonalcoholic fellowship that emphasized universal spiritual values in daily living. In that period, the Oxford Groups in America were headed by the noted Episcopal clergyman, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker. Under this spiritual influence, and with the help of an old-time friend, Ebby T., Bill had gotten sober and had then maintained his recovery by working with other alcoholics, though none of these actually recovered. Meanwhile, Dr. Bob?s Oxford Group membership at Akron helped enough to achieve sobriety. When Dr. Bob and Bill finally met, the effect on the doctor was immediate. This time, he found himself face to face with a fellow sufferer who had made good. Bill emphasized that alcoholism was a malady of mind, emotions, and body. This all-important fact he had learned from Dr. William D. Silkworth of Towns Hospital in New York, where Bill had often been a patient. Through a physician, Dr. Bob had not known alcoholism to be a disease. Responding to Bill?s convincing ideas, he soon got sober, never to drink again. The founding spark of A.A. had been struck. Both men immediately set to work with alcoholics at Akron?s City Hospital, where one patient quickly achieved complete sobriety. Though the name Alcoholics Anonymous had not yet been coined, these three men actually made up the nucleus of the first A.A. group. In the fall of 1935, a

How to write an excellent resignation letter (examples included)

How to write an excellent resignation letter (examples included) I quit. J’arrete. Ich gebe auf. Me rindo. Whatever the language, the sentiment is the same:  I’m outta here. However, as a professional person, you need to express that maturely and firmly- ideally, one that doesn’t alienate anyone at the job you’re leaving. I’m sure we all have that fantasy where we tell off everyone who wronged us on the way out the door, but that person in the fantasy/movie/TV show never seems to have to live with the consequences afterward. Or meet up with said colleagues at an industry event, because the world is awkwardly small. So it’s in your best interest to make sure that your resignation letter is clear, concise, and polite. Here are some best practices you can follow to make your big exit a professional one. Why a Resignation Letter?In these digital times, why should we submit a resignation letter, anyway? A paper trail does seem old-fashioned, but in this case, it’s a best practice. It makes your intenti ons clear, as well as the conditions. You’re removing any ambiguity about the end of your time there.And sure, this could be an email (all of the same principles would apply), but a letter makes things official in every sense. It also gives you a prop to take along to the face-to-face meeting with your boss, when you let him or her know that you’re leaving. A resignation letter can also help your boss and your company start the transition process, get a replacement for you approved, and start planning internally, etc. The paper trail is beneficial all around.So what should go into your letter? Let’s look at some examples of what to do (and perhaps more importantly, what not to do).Necessity #1: A Professional GreetingYour letter should be addressed to your boss. There’s a good chance that this letter will merely end up in a file in HR, but it starts with your boss. Assuming this is someone with whom you work reasonably close with on a daily basis, it does n’t have to be super stiff and formal. Specific and professional is the right tone here.For example:Dear Mary,Mary,Bad examples:Dear Ms. Stone,Hey Mary,To whom it may concern:Dear Human Resources representative,Even if you’re not close with your boss, chances are you have a working, first-name-basis relationship. Maintaining that in your official letter is okay. You don’t need to keep a Victorian level of formality here- just make sure it’s a professional tone.Necessity #2: State Your IntentThe whole theme of your resignation letter is the statement that, well, you resign. You don’t need to play coy- the time has passed for you to fish around for a counteroffer if it’s gotten this far. At this point, you’ve made your decision to leave, and this letter needs to reflect that.For example:I will be leaving my position as Customer Service representative.I resign my position as Customer Service representative.Bad examples:The time has come for me to think about parting ways with this company.All good things must come to an end.I will not be coming in after August 30.You want your intent to be as direct as possible. You are leaving, plain and simple. There’s no need to mention where you’re going. You can discuss that with your boss (though you’re not obligated to do so) and your colleagues if you want, but there’s little purpose for including that in your resignation letter. That’s especially true if you’re moving over to a competitor- you don’t want to create ill will in this letter or cause any drama.Necessity #3: Your End DateThe most crucial detail in a resignation letter is your end date. Legally and according to your company’s policy, you might be required to give a minimum amount of notice (two weeks, or possibly more, depending on the company and the role). If that’s the case, you don’t want there to be any confusion about how much notice you give. If it’s right there in writing in a letter dated two weeks before your last day, you’re saving yourself the hassle. It also starts the clock for your boss and your company, kicking off the transition plan of training, hiring, and otherwise covering your impending departure.For example:My last day in the office will be Tuesday, June 30.I am leaving my position as a Customer Service representative, effective June 30.Bad examples:I will be leaving in a few weeks.I will be leaving the company after a period of time. Here is my required notice in accordance with company policies.The bad examples here are all too vague. With the last one, you’re aligning yourself with company policy, which is good, but it still doesn’t tell the reader how much notice that actually is. Be as specific as possible on the time you have between now and your last day.Necessity #4: A Gracious ToneYour resignation letter is not the time to air grudges, take passive-aggressive sh ots, or otherwise be unpleasant. Regardless of how you feel about your (soon to be former) job or your boss, this letter should be an exercise in professionalism and graciousness. An excellent way to do that is to say a simple â€Å"thank you.† Even if you hated your job, you got something from it at some point. Focus on that positive bit if you need to.On the flip side, if you loved your job, your coworkers, your boss, the cappuccino machine, everything about the place, don’t write page upon page waxing rhapsodic about all that you’re giving up by leaving. A brief, heartfelt compliment to the company, or a thank you, is fine.For example:I’ve appreciated the opportunities I’ve had here.Thank you so much for the opportunity to work and grow as part of the Customer Service team.This company has been a great home for me for the past six years, and I thank you for being a big part of that as my boss and mentor. I’ve learned so much in my time he re, and I know that this company will continue to grow and thrive.Bad examples:I’ve enjoyed SOME of my time here.I think we both know that this has been a terrible place to work, but I appreciate the opportunity.This is a great company, but the management leaves a lot to be desired, so I am leaving.I hope the next person in this position enjoys the challenges of micromanagement and stressful workloads that I have experienced in my time here.You’ll have plenty of time to vent personally about your work grievances as you leave, but really, you stand to gain nothing by putting negativity into your resignation letter. And unless you’re leaving the state and your current industry, you always run the risk of running into the same people later on. So you’re far better off taking the high road and making sure your exit is a classy one.Necessity #5: Your End GameWhen you hand in your resignation letter, it can kick off a bit of chaos- your position will need to be filled, but your duties will also need to be covered until they can replace you. As part of your resignation letter, it’s a good idea to convey what your availability is during that transitional period.For example:Over the next two weeks, I would like to work with you on training or any necessary transition duties as I wrap up my time here at the company. Bad example:I will be available to train a replacement.I plan to be very busy until my last day.These are vague†¦ are you available to train a replacement anytime, even after your last day? Are you saying you’ll be too busy to help prepare someone else or that you’ll be busy helping with the transition? As with everything else in your resignation letter, clear and concise are the way to go.After that, you’re ready to close out your letter and move on. The basic closings are fine here- again, you don’t need to go overly sentimental or formal, but you should also write as if it will be read by anyone at the company.For example:Sincerely,Best wishes,Bad examples:Adios,Bye Felicia,Warmest eternal regards,And with that signing flourish, you’re done! You’ve resigned, and you’re ready for your exciting new job. Let’s recap the good example resignation letter as a whole.Dear Mary,Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation as a Customer Service representative. My last day in the office will be Tuesday, June 30.Working here has been an incredible opportunity, and it was not an easy decision to leave to pursue another opportunity. This company has been a great home for me for the past six years, and I thank you for being a big part of that as my boss and mentor. I’ve learned so much in my time here, and I know that this company will continue to grow and thrive.Ahead of June 30, I would like to work with you on training or any necessary transition duties as I wrap up my time here at the company.Thanks again for the opportunity to be a member of this team!Sincerely,David

System in organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

System in organization - Essay Example This has been a prerogative to the development of information systems (IS) to facilitate a vivid perception and interpretation of the realistic world and the ever changing regulations to be adhered to. The process does not endeavor to alter existing social laws against the laws of natural sciences. But it champion findings the social reality from the reference of IS development. Implicitly this becomes crucial conduit through which human agents holistically make sense of the world they conceptualize. However these perceptions are relative in their variance from persons to persons. Caren. (2000) During this process every participant air ones own personal conviction. The convergence implies that all participants have a voice on the final decision. The divergence period is where participants grumble, while airing their opinions to confirm that their beliefs are well resounding in a group setting. In this stage person hangs behind other persons opinions to rediscover their reasons, assumptions and mental models. This zone sparks innovation which results from heated arguments that enhance exchange sharing and resolution of ideas and rhyming opinions. Services are therefore arrived at that are centered on the mission profile. The PBL paradigm for collaboration expose participants to the collaboration with their projects task, Problem Based Learning engages participants divided in groups in opportunities for knowledge seeking for problem solving. Fisher, M (2001). Students are required to get familiarized with each other in establishing the ground work that enriches a conducive climate for amalgamated learning. Students are then require to meet in small groups for orientation purposes to envision and moot concrete expertise across the group. The establishment of an open forum is vital since it enhances the promulgation and articulation of what is comprehensible and where trouble lies. Fisher, M (2001). The PBL starts by

Genetically Modified Organisms and Concerns of Safety Research Paper

Genetically Modified Organisms and Concerns of Safety - Research Paper Example Humans have long sought to push the boundaries and experiment well outside the zones of comfort and recommendation. Such pushing of the envelope has given us the age of jet travel, space exploration, advanced science, and many other inventions and realities that we would not otherwise have. Yet, the fact remains that pushing the envelope and seeking to engage in something that is unknown is a process which only certain individuals within society have been comfortable at performing. Due to such an understanding, it becomes obvious that expecting all of society to engage in an activity that might be entirely outside of their comfort zone is neither ethical nor advantageous. This is very much the situation with regard to the use of GMOs in food supplies around the globe. With the rapid advance of science, scientists and researchers have been able to genetically modify a host of different plants and organisms as a means of tweaking the way in which they produce. This level of scientific manipulation has been able to provide the world with heartier and more productive crops; however, the fact of the matter is that the true levels of drawbacks that are exhibited within these genetically modified organisms are not fully understood. Due to the level of incomplete knowledge that exists with regard to GMOs within the food, many nations around the world have banned them entirely. However, the United States and several other developed nations have not. As a means of analyzing the potential drawbacks and negatives that GMO might exhibit within a nation’s health and food supply, this particular analysis will focus upon several of these determinants and seek to provide relevant and up-to-date information.

The balanced equation shows that two moles of silver nitrate react with one mole of copper Essay Example for Free

The balanced equation shows that two moles of silver nitrate react with one mole of copper Essay Qualitative Observations: * The copper was a orange/red colour before being submerged. * While the silver nitrate AgNO3 was a clear colourless liquid. * Immediately after the copper was submerged it turned black. * The copper wire was resting on the bottom of the beaker. * After prolonged submersion the wire became thicker as more precipitate was formed on the wire. * After prolonged submersion the solution became a clear light blue solution. * After 24 hours a silver/grey crystalline structure formed around the wire and on the bottom of the beaker. Processed data table: What I measured Value (unit) 3sf Uncertainty Mass of reacted Cu 0.332(g)  ±0.002g Number of reacted Cu 0.00522 mol % uncertainty =  ±0.605 Mass of reacted Ag 1.804(g)  ±0.002g Number of reacted Ag 0. 0167 mol % uncertainty =  ±0.166 Constants table: Constant Value Mr(Cu) 63.55 gmol-1 Mr (Ag) 107.87 gmol-1 Calculations Balanced chemical equation between copper and silver: Cu (s) + 2Ag+ (aq) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2Ag (s) Mass of reacted Cu: Uncertainty: m(Cu)= Original weight – final weight m(Cu)= 2.020 – 1.688 =  ±0.001 + 0.001 m(Cu)= 0.332 g =  ±0.002 Number of reacted Cu: Uncertainty: Mr(Cu)=63.55 gmol-1 n(Cu)= 0.00522 mol (3sf) n(Cu) % uncertainty =  ±0.605 Mass of reacted Ag: Uncertainty: m(Ag)= Original weight – final weight m(Ag) = 105.139– 103.335 = 0.001 + 0.001 = 1.804 g =  ±0.002 Number of reacted Ag: Uncertainty: Mr(Ag) = 107.87 gmol-1 n(Ag) = 0.0167 mol (3sf) n(Ag) % uncertainty =  ±0.111 Calculation of Ratio n(Cu) : n(Ag) 0.00522 : 0.0167 total % uncertainty =  ±0.111+0.605 1:3.20 % uncertainty =  ±0.716 1:3 % uncertainty =  ±0.7 Conclusion This reaction is an example of a single replacement redox reaction, as the copper element replaces an element in a compound, silver nitrate producing silver and copper nitrate. During the reaction the silver is reduced as it gains electrons and the copper is oxidized as it loses electrons. Cu (s) + 2AgNO3+ (aq) → Cu(NO3)2 (aq) + 2Ag (s) The balanced equation shows that two moles of silver nitrate react with one mole of copper to produce one mole of copper nitrate and two moles of silver. The molar ratio between Copper and Silver should be 1:2, which you can see by the coefficients in the balanced equation. Therefore my hypothesis is wrong as I have 1 more mole of silver than I should have, therefore my mass of silver was larger than expected or the moles of copper was lower than expected and my mass of copper was lower than expected. Yet our small precision error, or random error attributed to the precision of instruments is  ±0.716%, which indicates that our range excludes the accepted value of 2. Therefore our must have some experimental error. This experimental error can be determined as a percentage through the following formula: % This experimental error is incredibly large. As my systematic error is small, I can determine that experimental error is the cause of the deviation from the accepted value. Evaluation The random error in this experiment was due to the number of operations needed to determine the ratio therefore an increased level of accuracy in the equipment would have increased our ability to determine a more accurate result. Increasing accuracy in equipment would have aided the experiment although the accepted value was still outside the range of random error. There are several possible factors for the large experimental error. The first and most prominent of these reasons is the likelihood of the silver crystals still being saturated with water. Due to the time constraints on the experiment there was limited time to leave the crystals drying in the oven, indicating the possibility of there being water contamination with the silver. This would have increased the measured mass of the silver and therefore increased the value of n(Ag) increasing our ratio. This experiment could be improved if the crystals were left to dry in the oven for a longer time period, which would enable all of the water molecules to evaporate and not contaminate our sample. Another possibility as that during the decanting some crystals were removed from the beaker. This would have decreased the mass of silver, thus decreased the n(Ag) decreasing our ratio. As our ratio was larger than accepted value it is unlikely that this played a significant part in the experimental error of my experiment. To ensure that this would not effect a future experiment I would use a filtration system using filter paper instead of using a decanting method. Experimental error could also have been generated through having an incorrect copper measurement. An incorrect copper measurement could have been caused by copper flecks flaking off the wire into the solution and then being decanted out, though our method did try to remove this possibility by adding more silver nitrate it is still a possibility. This would have meant that we calculated less moles of copper than actually reacted. To ensure that this would not effect our results we should have left the extra silver nitrate for longer to allow it too react with any left over copper flecks.

Rhetorical Figures in Leda and the Swan Essay -- Leda and the Swan Ess

Rhetorical Figures in Leda and the Swan   Ã‚   "Leda and the Swan," a sonnet by William Butler Yeats, describes a rape.   According to Perrine, "the first quatrain describes the fierce assault and the foreplay; the second quatrain, the act of intercourse; the third part of the sestet, the sexual climax" (147).   The rape that Yeats describes is no ordinary rape: it is a rape by a god.   Temporarily embodied in the majestic form of a swan, Zeus, king of the gods, consummated his passion for Leda, a mortal princess (Perrine 147).   The union produced two offspring: Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's wife.   In recounting this "momentous rape" with "large consequences for the future," (Perrine 147) Yeats uses rhetorical figures in each of the sonnet's three stanzas.    The figures in the first stanza create tension and portray the event.   All definitions for the rhetorical figures mentioned in this essay are derived from Lanham's A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms.   Yeats opens with an example of brachylogia, brevity of speech.   His elliptical fragment, "A sudden blow," recreates the stunning impact and tension of the assault.   The poet uses alliteration in the form of consonance: the plosive "b" first found in "blow" subtly batters the ear throughout the quatrain--"beating," "bill," and "breast," which occurs twice; the initial "g" found in "great" echoes in "girl"; and an initial "h" repeats in "her," which occurs three times, "he," "holds," "helpless," and "his".   Yeats ends the first line with "beating still," an example of anastrophe, a kind of hyperbaton, the unusual arrangement of words or clauses within a sentence, frequently for poetic effect.   The figure not only creates tension through arrangement but also throug... ...idled sexual passion, the coexistence of power and wisdom in human life, and the potential for combining youthful vitality and passion with mature knowledge and wisdom.    Works Cited Lanham, Richard A.   A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms.   2nd ed.   Berkeley: U of California P.   1991.   1-161. Perrine, Laurence.   Instructor's Manual to Accompany Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense.   4th ed.   New York: Harcourt.   1983.   147-48. Yeats, William Butler.   "Leda and the Swan." Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense.   4th ed.   Ed. Laurence Perrine.   New York: Harcourt.   1983.   636 The Spiritual Marriage of Maud Gonne and W.B Yeats (excerpt from Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses by Mary K. Greer--an account of Yeats's fascination with the beautiful Irish revolutionary Maud Gonne, who inspired his greatest poetry and plays))   

Race and Gender Schemas Essay

A person’s gender schema affects how they treat all other people regardless of age, race, or social position; because we assume that everyone fits into one of two categories: male or female. There are other cultures that do not have a binary gender schema, and allow people to occupy a â€Å"third position† combining traits that Americans would see as male or female. It is unfortunate that gender schemas are so restrictive and create expectations and judgments about people’s authentic selves that can damage the psyche (Valian, 208). As a way to navigate the social world, gender schemas can be important, but like schemas for race and social class, they can reinforce hierarchies that restrict a large part of the population. Below, I will talk about my own gender schema, how I view the gender schema of my society, and how it could be changed to better As media becomes an ever more powerful force in shaping the world’s perception of itself, an individual’s struggle to maintain a unique identity and self-understanding apart from media influence becomes increasingly difficult. Damaging to the idea of the self are the racial, gendered, and class-based stereotypes (always artificial and frequently physically, fiscally, and emotionally unattainable), which are broadly perpetuated and, because of their persistence, are apparently not broadly questioned. The prevalence and power of gender (especially female) stereotypes in the media are addressed in this p My own gender schema has changed radically from when I was younger. I can remember asking my mother â€Å"is that a boy or a girl? about a person whom my mother identified as a woman, but who had a very square, angular face with large eyes. Later, I learned to incorporate larger scale features (curvy hips or breasts; large shoulder-to-waist ratio) into my schema. Although I was raised as a girl and have always looked female (if not always perfectly feminine), I don’t always â€Å"act like a girl† – I am somewhat aggressive when playing sports, I’m not shy about asking questions, and I’m sometimes stoic about my emotions. This reflects my gender schema for males: â€Å"typical men† are aggressive in sports, readily ask questions, and do not express emotions. By contrast, â€Å"typical females† in my gender schema are concerned with their appearance, are not aggressive on the playing field, tend to be shy if they ask questions, usually assume that they are not in a position of authority, and express their emotions freely. My schematic representation of male and female physical features has relaxed slightly since childhood; plenty of the women I was with in high school were more angular than curvy. Even though I grew up in a fairly enlightened part of the world, men and women still used nonconformity to gender stereotypes/schemas to insult each other across group lines (women insulting men for being too female-like; men insulting women for being too male-like). Also, I was more cautious of people who did not fit my gender schema, because these schemas predict behavioral and cognitive tendencies, however unreliably. Although our society has changed significantly even in the past 30 years, gender schemas themselves are still very restrictive. It may be the case that fathers have increased their contribution to childrearing time so little because the gender schema for males still dictates that a man spend the best hours of his day at his job (TenenbaumLeaper, 616). Women are expected to conform to people’s gender schemas by liking children and being caring, sympathetic people – all qualities of good mothers. However, it is never clear that every woman you meet wants to be, or is even capable of being, a mother. Many people still retain a gender schema that does not allow for women in positions of power in the workplace. The industrialized nations’ gender schemas â€Å"support a sexist society by propagating an ideology of an innate and entirely pervasive, sex determined social structure† (Devor, 147). This is as bad for men as it is for women. For every woman passed over for promotion at work because their boss’s gender schema classifies them as a â€Å"mothering type,† unsuited for the fast-paced world of their chosen industry, there is probably a man in a high-pressure job that would like to ask for paternity leave, but doesn’t want to be belittled by â€Å"the guys. From my perspective as a woman, and as someone who has felt pressure to conform to a feminine gender schema, it seems like women get a worse deal if everyone uses the male/female gender schema in which typically-feminine behavior includes letting other people have their way, assuming you are not in a position of authority, and paying more attention to your appearance than your skill set. For gender schemas to change in society at large, gender schemas must change for children. The best way to do this is by exposing children to gender-atypical men and women in an accepting way, expanding children’s gender schemas and symbolically making it acceptable for men and women to be as â€Å"masculine† or â€Å"feminine† as they feel like. Another way to take the claws out of the American gender schema would be to legitimize between-gender roles, either by working towards acceptance of transgendered and transsexual populations or by studying the gender schemas of other cultures as a way to shift our own prejudices about what constitutes â€Å"maleness† and â€Å"femaleness. Shifting our gender schemas will allow people’s inherent strengths and weaknesses, rather than their adherence to stereotypes, to be the most important determinant of how we treat others. Heightened public awareness of both the existence of and potential damage caused by these stereotypes is essential if they are to be eliminated. Frequently, though, they are d ifficult to combat and even to identify because of the ways in which they are presented. Overwhelming amounts of time and energy are devoted to uplifting a small, specially selected portion of the population as models of physical perfection. These individuals are, predominantly, television and movie celebrities, fashion models, and sports figures. The glamorous ways in which these occupations are portrayed by the media are seemingly impossible to separate from the physical appearance of the people who hold them. The glamour that surrounds the media presentation of the lives and careers of these individuals extends, not surprisingly, to the clothes that they wear and the way that they look. In fact, so much attention is given to celebrity appearances that entire television programs are devoted to little else but visual exploitation of celebrity clothing and their tangible products of their latest fad workouts. The media presentation of the celebrity body has a single unifying thread, regardless of the specific job title of a given celebrity. Celebrity bodies are desired, both subjectively and objectively. The media, without question, shapes this public response. It can be argued (and has been, on many occasions) that, because the media portrays celebrities’ bodies as attractive, desirable, and â€Å"good,† they become national symbols of these characteristics. Conversely, bodies that do not meet this lofty goal frequently are, consciously or unconsciously, regarded as â€Å"bad† or ugly. Consider the most recent (and extremely popular) advertising tack used by Subway, the national fast food sandwich chain. Jared,† the protagonist of the recent slew of television commercials, allegedly lost hundreds of pounds while on a diet consisting primarily of the chain’s fare. Jared’s â€Å"before† pictures show him considerably larger than his current size, but they also show him alone, with no friends or family. In stark contrast, however, his â€Å"after† action shots consistently show him not only thinner, but also constantly in the presence of a beautiful woman, presumably his significant other. The advertising message is clear: fat=bad, ugly, unhappy and alone, thin=happy and with attractive partner. Through these commercials, Jared has assumed celebrity status, solely on the basis that his body has changed to approximate more closely the current standard of attractiveness. Sadly, though, there is a severe disconnect between the male and female body types lauded in the media and those of the public at large. A shockingly small minority of the population has the genetic dispensation to match with what the media purports to be attractive. For women, â€Å"desirable† physical characteristics (as they are portrayed in the media) include being thin, long-legged, slim-hipped, and large-breasted. The media-portrayed â€Å"desirable† physical characteristics for men include being muscular and possessing a full head of hair. Some characteristics are portrayed as desirable in both sexes, such as being tall, fit, athletic, young, and light-skinned. In the gap between what is implicitly beautiful in the eyes of the media and the physical reality of the popular majority flourishes a market of â€Å"self-improvement† products and services, ranging from hair dye and makeup to tanning salons, dieting, and plastic surgery. It seems as though nearly everyone, at some point in his or her life attempts to alter him- or herself in a physical way, in order to conform more closely to the marketed â€Å"norm† of attractiveness and desirability. Television, magazines, and newspapers are filled with advertisements promoting self-loathing, while offering â€Å"miracle,† body-altering â€Å"cures. † The body that does not conform to a sexy, sleek stereotype becomes a thing to be hated, improved upon, and generally tortured into submission. A portion of the damage caused by such a mentality is quantifiable, though observation of the huge profits accumulated yearly by various diet programs and plastic surgeons. The harm of this presentation of the human body can also be seen in our current societal epidemic of disordered eating, including anorexia, bulimia, over-exercising, excessive dieting, and over-anxiety over food. While the population subset living with and recovering from disordered eating is still predominately composed of women, the number of men with disordered and dangerous eating habits is on the rise. In addition to physical damage, intangible psychological harm results from body image problems to which the media contributes daily. When men and women are faced with the implication that their bodies, if they fail to conform to an impossibly stringent set of standards, are unattractive, unhealthy, and unlovable, they begin to lose confidence in themselves. The perception that a single, narrow range of body types is acceptable and healthy for men and women is not only in error, but contributes to widespread social discontent. Instead of celebrating the diversity and beauty of the human form, the media stifles our desire to feel comfortable with ourselves in an attempt to fool us into supporting a billion dollar self improvement market, from which the media garners tremendous financial benefits. In addition to (and perhaps more devastating than) the physical and emotional damage caused by the current media-driven obsession with achieving an arbitrary physical â€Å"perfection,† our society faces losing serious social perspective. As it is currently used in the media, the body is stripped of its uniqueness and forced into frustratingly narrow constraints: good/bad and attractive/unattractive. Little or no public attention is given to the countless other factors around which a person’s identity is structured: kindness, generosity, honesty, friendliness, work ethics, personal motivation, intelligence, and spirituality. By focusing too intensely on the physical, our society risks losing sight of the fuller sense of what people are, and what makes us truly beautiful. My LAP is going to talk about a personal experience that I have encountered with a family member. I have a brother who fits the schemas that we have spoke about in class. I feel that my brother has been dealing with identity issues for a long time since his childhood. How do you deal with being something that you don’t feel you are? Being in this class has me see that everything is not black and white. Schemas are just a stereo type and everyone that may be something does not always seem to be the case. Sometimes there are many reasons that people feel that they are a part of a schema it can be caught up in how people act. Many things on TV make people want to try things like being attracted to the same sex. But sometimes it can be what is going on in your environment. Sometimes I feel that I am a part of a schema I am one of the only black females at my job that is around wide variety of Reform Jews and to me I feel sometimes that I am not suppose to be there but I hold my head up high and keep my enthusiasm very high. So schemas are every day and it just does not have to be about sexuality.

Cultural Artifact Essay †Blue Jeans Essay

Blue jeans in the last thirty years have attained such world wide popularity that they have come to be considered an American icon. However jeans have not always been held in high stead, but rather have had a troubled history including its beginnings within the working class movement, being considered unsavory by religious leaders and also seen as a rebellious statement about ‘western decadence’. According to the University of Toronto, no other garment has served as an example of status ambivalence and ambiguity than blue jeans in the history of fashion. Throughout this essay I will discuss how jeans have become such a common treasured and even expensive item crossing over class, gender, age, regional, and national lines as reflected by the many changing political views and acceptance from various social classes over the past 50 years. History of Blue Jeans According to the University of Toronto, blue jeans were originally created for the California coal miners in the mid-nineteenth century by the Morris Levi Strauss, a Bavarian immigrant who relocated to New York in 1847. Mr Strauss’ fate and the history of clothing changed forever when in 1872 he received an offer from Jacob Davis, a tailor from Reno Nevada. Mr. Davis, in order to improve the durability of the pants that he made for his clients, had been adding metal rivets to the highly stressed seams. The idea was successful and he wished to patent it, but due to financial constraints required a partner and hence Levi became the financial backer and partner. In 1873, the new partners received a patent for â€Å"an improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings†, and thus the history of blue jeans as we know them began. Blue jeans were originally called â€Å"waist overalls† by Levi Strauss and Co and in the 1920’s these were the most widely used worker’s pants in America. The name of these trousers changed to â€Å"jeans† in the 1960’s when Levi Strauss and Co. recognized that this was what the product was being called by the young, hip teenage boys. The history of â€Å"waist overalls† continues as the history of blue jeans. â€Å"Jeans† is now generally understood to refer to pants made out of a specific type of fabric called â€Å"denim† (Fashion Encyclopedia). Blue Jeans through the decades The popularity of blue jeans spread among working people, such as farmers and the ranchers of the American West. According to the Encyclopedia of Fashion, in the 1930’s jeans became so popular among cowboys that Wrangler formed just to make denim work clothing for those who rode the range. Jeans have tended to follow along in popularity with popular culture as evident with the popular Western films which found adventure and romance in the adventures of the cowboys who rode horses, shot bad guys, and wore blue jeans. Those who wished to imitate the casual, rugged look of the cowboys they saw in films began to wear jeans as casual wear (Fashion Encyclopedia). This effect is not hard to understand, as even today fashion trends are greatly influenced by what highly publicized celebrities choose to wear. During World War II blue jeans became part of the official uniform of the Navy and Coast Guard, and became even more popular when worn as off-duty leisure clothing by many other soldiers. In his book, â€Å"Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon†, James Sullivan states that the rise of the popularity of jeans after the WWII can greatly be attributed to the influence of the film and music industry, during the 1950s many young people began to wear jeans when they saw them on rebellious young American film stars such as Marlon Brando and James Dean. By 1950, Levi’s began selling nationally and other brands started emerging, such as Lee Coopers and each with its own particular fit (Sullivan 287). According to the University of Toronto, in the 1960’s and 1970’s jeans were embraced by the nonconformist hippie youth movement, and the history of blue jeans even gets linked to the downfall of communism. Behind the iron curtain, jeans became a symbol of â€Å"western decadence† and individuality and as such were highly sought. Jeans had become extremely popular, but were still mainly worn by working people or the young. In the 1980’s through to the 1990’s jeans were no longer seen as rebellious or a source of individuality, but they were transformed as the term ‘designer jeans’ was discovered. Many designers such as Jordache and Calvin Klein came on board to create expensive jeans and some jeans even reached haute couture status (Fashion Encyclopedia). In the new millennium denim is seen on designer catwalks and there are now hundreds of styles, types and labels available and of various price ranges. Changing Popularity According to Peter Beagle in his book â€Å"American Denim: A New Folk Art†, the popularity of jeans can be attributed to the fact that jeans can be seen to embrace the American democratic values of independence, freedom and equality. Some Americans even consider jeans to be the national uniform. Blue jeans have evolved from a garment associated exclusively with hard work to one associated with leisure. What began as work clothes has transformed into one of the â€Å"hottest† items available on the consumer market today. What was once apparel associated with low culture has undergone a reversal in status. Blue jeans were the first to accomplish a rather revolutionary cultural achievement bringing upper class status to a lower class garment. Conclusion At one point or another throughout history, blue jeans have been the uniform of many groups and are considered the one garment of clothing that has remained hip for over a century and has survived everything from World War II to the eighties. For half a century blue jeans have helped define every youth movement, and every effort of older generations to deny the passing of youth. Fifty years ago America invented the concept of teenager, and it is probably no coincidence that the enduring character of blue jeans, claiming independence and the right to self-expression, can be traced to the same time. Jeans were once seen as clothing for minority groups such as workers, hippies or rebellious youth, but are now embraced by the dominant American culture as a whole. Works Cited â€Å"Material Culture†. Utoronto. ca. University of Toronto Department of History, University of Toronto, n. d. Web â€Å"European Culture 19th Century – Blue Jeans†. Fashionencyclopedia. com. Fashion Encyclopedia, Advameg, June 2010. Web. â€Å"Modern World 1980 – 2003, Designer Jeans†. Fashionencyclopedia. com. Fashion Encyclopedia, Advameg, June 2010. Web. Sullivan, James. Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon. New York: Penguin, 2007. Print. George, Diana and Trimbur, John. Reading Culture: Contexts for critical reading and writing. New York: Longman, 2007. Print. Beagle, Peter. American Denim: A New Folk Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1975. Print.

McCarthyism and Salem Witchcraft.

McCarthyism and Salem Witchcraft. We are innocent until proven guilty, we have the right to remain silent, and the right to a lawyer and fair trial, unfortunately for the people of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, these rights were not in existence. Victims of these trials were faced with a hard decision, confess to witchcraft and live meanwhile commit a sin in a Puritan society, or keeping your pride. Sadly, keeping your pride meant you lose your land, your family and friends, and your life. Justice definitely hit a low and people learned from their mistakes, as did the founding fathers when they ensured the right to a fair trial. But, if history has had one constant it is that it will repeat itself, and in the early 1950's, Sen. Joseph McCarthy accused members of the Government as Soviet spies. Though they are very similar, they are some key differences between the Salem witchcraft trials and the McCarthyism Hearings.English: Sen. Joseph McCarthy chats with his attor...The trials were both based on fear. The witchcraf t trial took place in a Puritan society that believed the Devil is real and on Earth, the fact that religion was involved made things more difficult for the people. How were they to know that the judge himself wasn't possessed by the Devil, this is why the trials were unjust. The McCarthy Hearings was based on the belief that Communism was in the United States and was a great threat to the country. In both trials, little or no evidence was needed to try or question someone as a Communist or a witch, as a result, over 140 were arrested of suspicion of witchcraft and many government officials and even the U.S. Army were accused of Communism or "anti-anti-Communism".The accusers of both trials were very unique. Joseph McCarthy was a very determined anti-Communist. Unlike...

Apush Brinkley

The failure to ratify the Treaty of Versailles was mainly due to the lack of ability to compromise between Lodge and Wilson. . The idea of maintaining the stance that America would stay UN-involved n foreign affairs. 2. Treaties to replace the Treaty of Versailles and the League of d. The Washington Conference was an attempt to prevent a costly naval Nations armaments race between America, Britain, and Japan. Hughes proposed a plan for dramatic reductions in the fleets of all three nations and a ten years moratorium on the construction of large warships. This was mostly an attempt to create a kind of safety net for the U. S to keep from getting into war again. E. The Kellogg-Brand Pact was a diplomatic treaty outlawing war as an instrument of foreign policy- protect the peace f. These are connected to the retreat to isolationism because we were trying to create systems to keep us out of any foreign problems. 3. International Debt and Diplomacy g. Calvin Coolidge was opposed to offering aid to those in debt, the general attitude of our gob. Was they hired the money, didnt they? suggesting that they could pay it back. . One major problem of debt was the circular pattern the money was making: we gave Germany a loan, the lent it to France/England, France gave it back to us- resulting in no solution. The debt these nations acquired caused an imbalance of trade. I. Charles G. Dates, an American banker, negotiated an agreement between France, Britain, Germany, and America by stating (how plan worked) that American banks would provide huge loans to Germany (allowing them to meet their reparations. In return, Britain and France would agree to reduce the amount of those payments. However, Dates plan did little to solve the problem it addressed- (what it did) creating a growing economic presence in Germany, along with a growing circular pattern of international finance. It was an attempt to stabilize J. High tariffs caused additional problems, the Forefend-Encumber Act Germany. As designed to protect American product by raising the tariff rate to 38%. This gave the president the power to raise the percentage on any product he felt necessary. This was passed in the beginning to protect the farmers, who were taking a post WI decline, this tariff hoped to use the surplus on a domestic level and eventually leak into international trade- this effected the European nations trying to pay back debts because they were unable to export goods and make a profit. 4. Failure of New Era Diplomacy, Hoover and the World Crisis k. Hovers attempts to help included placing a moratorium on war debt loans- meaning European nations did not have to make payments for six months. During this time Hoover hoped to stabilize the currency and stop the circular cycle. This idea caused Hoover to be given very little support in America- resulting the idea to die before he really had the chance to work with it. Disarmament- Hoover was trying to extend the ideas of the Washington Conference and the Kellogg-Brand Pact. L. Rise of Dictatorships: In the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin became dictator in 1929 and Bonito Mussolini came to the front of Italy in 1925, Doll Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933, and later on dictator, and Hide Tool led Japan. Germany stopped reparation payments and occupied czar valley, Soviet Union was persuading expansion against borders, Japan was invading China and extending its power into China, Mussolini invades Africa. Anything we wanted to do in terms of peace and disarmament was in shambles. M. U. S. Foreign Policy crumbles: there was the choice to be interventionists: and try to influence things before they happened (economic, military, political) or move into Nationalism that we relied on our own devices for dealing with problems at hand. . Isolation, Isolationism and Nationalism n. World Economic Conference- London, 1933. Roosevelt went off the gold standard and said they were going to make payments, limit loans to end cycle, and the negotiations in 1933 fell apart because other nations were not willing to move away from backings of gold and silver. Roosevelt in 1934 foreboded American banks to make loans to foreign countries- hoping to end that circular systems- which it did. These were isola tionist ideas because we were going on our own standard. Roosevelt helped international trade by pushing through the reciprocal trade agreement act- empowered Roosevelt to lower tariff rates as much as 50% to get some currency flowing internationally and positively. Roosevelt also broke with past policies by recognizing the Soviet Union- hoping to establish strong trade, not very successful but an attempt to expand trade. However Roosevelt was too late and economic crisis deepened. America began turning to isolationism. O. They also forayed trading on the basis of loans. The concept of cash and carry came out of these acts- if companies were going to trade with belligerence in war, the only way that was okay was if it was paid for in cash. Q. Failure of appeasement, Munich: This marks the end of creating an international policy. Hitler went through a series of marches with no opposition. Appeasement is the idea of giving someone what they wants to get them to shut up, even though it isnt good for them. The Munich Conference Hitler lies and promises that the expansion was over. Hitters book, Mien Kampala explained he was going to continue expanding. R. Isolation as a tort to appeasement: Our tailored to become part to the international community in 1920 created problems throughout the world because there was no enforcement. The U. S. Didnt get involved because we were involved one time and were rejected (14 points) 6. From Neutrality to Intervention s. Western Europe Falls, Great Britain alone:

Planned Parenthood organization and social media Case Study

Planned Parenthood organization and social media - Case Study Example The organization had formally moved to the online platform in 2002 and had its own web space. It had joined social spaces such as Facebook in 2004, YouTube in 2005, and Twitter in 2006. However, in 2011, the fight over the defunding of the organization made the people in the organization to rethink on how to change their approach of the online space to make it more interactive and engaging to improve user experience (Planned Parenthood, 2012). When the campaign commenced, it resulted to a thousand of calls and emails from the organizational supporters. Within a short time of voting, the organization had received thousands of messages from e-mails, YouTube, Facebook, and other social media channels from supporters and even Chaperoned emails from partners (Perry, 2012). 2. In this case, social media played a big role in the defunding conflict as a lead for the TV reporting. This means that, TV reporters only got news after supporters, organizations employees, partners and all the other individuals involved gave their views on the social media platforms. For example, Wining states that, â€Å"in the meantime, the press began to report claims that Komen was deleting negative social media posts† (Winig, 2012, p. 18). Certainly, it is evident that this press release was done after the media personnel realized what Komen was doing on the social media platforms. Otherwise, this statement would not have been released if social media was not there. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube were the main social media platforms that played the largest role in the conflict.