Literary Synthesis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literary Synthesis Paper - Essay Example The modern concept of PTSD has always been with us. It was first officially introduced into the mental health nomenclature-in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III) in 1980 after a hard-won struggle by activist-professionals. During the Vietnam War like Henry many soldiers had to fight an unseen enemy that's eating them inside out. Henry was caught and given the status of Prison of War. Prisoners of war (POW) have been found to have high rates of PTSD. Its been estimated as high as 30 to 70 percent for POWs of World War II and 15 percent for Vietnam veterans have been proposed. The conditions POWs are exposed to are often severe and include captivity, fear, terror, pain, suffering, shame, humiliation, beatings, untreated medical problems, being deprived of food and shelter, forced relocation, excessive work regimes, and witnessing executions. Levels of comorbid conditions are also high, including depression and even neurological impairment. Lyman though not a doctor tried to control his brother's emotions and treated him as a normal person. Treatment for veterans is unique in several keys way. To begin with, research indicates that overall, treatment is less beneficial for veterans; they come to treatment much longer after the initial trauma and have a more complex presentation, higher levels of comorbidity, and higher levels of social and occupational dysfunction. Those veterans with PTSD currently serving in the military present another complex group, and treatment suggestions include focusing on increasing coping and resilience factors and preventing relapse. Veterans may also have a tendency to focus on somatic complaints. Without any knowledge about disorder Lyman helped his brother way out in a cognitive manner. Most of the Vietnam War veterans suffered from PTSD. Cognitive therapy is built on an information-processing model of psychology, viewing pathology as a consequence of systematic biases in the processing of information. In essence, the mediating role of thinking between stimulus and behavior is the critical point of change and alteration in cognitive therapy. Errors in thinking and the processing of information, be it environmental or more internal in nature, are the targets of therapy. Many different concepts and terms are used to characterize and describe thinking and dysfunctional cognitions in cognitive therapy, such as schemas, automatic thoughts, conditional assumptions, maladaptive cognitions, and cognitive distortions. A specific type of cognitive errors characterizes different classes of mental disorders. Henry used cognitive method to treat his brother without any knowledge that he was treating his brother. Henry used to get irritated at minute disturbances and in one scenario he bitten his lip and blood oozing out. It didn't effected Henry. Behavior therapy emphasizes the unlearning of maladaptive or problem behavior and the acquisition of more adaptive and healthy behavior. Therapists attempt this with a number of techniques, including behavior modification, guided imagery, role-playing, self-monitoring, relaxation training, progressive relaxation, behavioral rehearsal, activity scheduling, and exposure techniques. Behavior therapy works in many ways

The Economic Value of Sports on National Development Research Paper - 2

The Economic Value of Sports on National Development - Research Paper Example The mega sporting events are said to be good stimulators of economic growth and development. Sydney and Atlanta Olympics were highly associated with the macro economic development plans of Australia and United States of America respectively and left positive impact on the business environment. Again the business groups that associate with such mega sporting event also gets benefitted through their promotional activities in terms of increased future business potential. Considering the Sydney Olympic Games, the Business Club Australia provided networking opportunities as well as attracted around 16,000 visitors by linking to the Common wealth’s Trade Visitors Program. The sporting events also provide huge economic benefits to the host country through increased tourism. To manage greater number of tourists the infrastructure of a country must be renewed and revitalized. This leads to fresh investment in sectors like transportation, construction etc. This eventually creates higher employment opportunities. In 1999, the Sports Travel Magazine estimated that sports related travel and the tourism market possessed an approximate value of US $ 118.3 billion (Jordan et al, 2011, p. 29). The NBA in the United States of America has also led to the enhancement in the economic forefront with its tremendous popularity and the market has reached out and has spread its influence to Asia as well as in Africa (Abrams, 2010). The economic value of sports can be understood through the fact that economic performance of areas with stadium is better than those without it. Moreover if a popular team is hailed from an area it often reflects through the areas better economic performance; this might be due to more exposure that the concerned area gets through that team in all most all the spheres. However, among the works of some eminent scholars like that of Baade (1994), no such significant

Social And Emotional Development Of Children

Social And Emotional Development Of Children Social and emotional development underpins effective learning, positive behaviour and the judgements they make in and out of school. Schools need to be places where emotions are accepted as normal, unthreatening, discussed freely, expressed safely strategies and support are written in statements and policies. A successful strategy that has been introduced into schools is SEAL, SEAL stands for social, emotional aspects of learning, and this is a school programme that focuses on the development and the application of social and emotional skills. Not only does SEAL consider the needs of the children but also all that work in the setting, providing support for them to implement the strategies that it highlights. Its important in the early years that practitioners understand that children develop at different rates; emotionally others are more mature than others. This is a similar situation for social development children that dont have enough social experiences from a young age are less likely to be social in a classroom due to lack of confidence. The theorist Bowlby is most famous for his attachment theory he devised the term maternal deprivation (Bowlby, n.d.) this was because he believed that if children were separated from their mothers at young age then they would be psychology damaged (Squire, 2007) this supports the theory that without enough social attachment and experiences in the early stages of life then children are more likely to be unconfident in social situations and find it harder to adapting to school life. The EYFS believe that all children are ready to learn. The EYFS (2012, pp.2) states that Development is not an automatic process, however. It depends on each unique child having opportunities to interact with positive relationships and enabling environments being a unique child emphasises more on the fact that children do develop at different rates. So having relationships with people and being in a encouraging environment helps develop children socially and emotionally, this is why its essential practitioners and schools provide these are much as possible. It is proven that in the 21st century children are more likely to worry about family, school, friendships from two decades ago (Blake, 2007). This is a worrying result because most people have the view that childhood should be carefree and trouble free. Schools have more pressure now more than ever to ensure that children have a safe and worry free environment to learn in. Social development is promoted in all child care settings, teachers are using group tasks more and involving children as much as possible, if they realise that a child is withdrawn then action is taken to involve this child such as talking to them and introducing new provisions such as a buddy system at play times so children can always have someone to socialise with. However when it comes to emotional development, I havent seen many provisions put into place to support this, some schools introduce schemes such as emotion sticks in which the children place their name in the pot with the emotion that they are feelin g that day, this quickly faded out because the children forgot and the practitioners forgot to remind the children that they need to do this, circle time is a popular way that schools choose to support emotional development, this is very effective in the early years, unfortunately not every school use circle time often because they dont have time and it wont fit into their curriculum so its often put aside. One way in which some schools promote emotional and social development is interacting with the community in which they live in, this gives children the sense of belonging and a strong self-image, this in turn builds self-esteem, the higher their self-esteem is then the more confident the child will be, making the most of opportunities especially throughout the school, because they have already had the experience of being involved with the charity event or helping the elderly they will be more confident in the social aspect of new activities but also emotionally because they have more confidence in what they can do. The every child matters document supports this strategy, the ECM has a section titled make a positive contribution helping the community is part of this. There are several strategies that schools use to support emotional and social development, in order to keep these as effective as possible, the school need to review the strategies as often as needed to ensure that they are working, if a method isnt working then another is chosen and used in the school. This can be done by monitoring the children whilst they are taking part in the strategies to see how they are using them, if they are engaged and involving themselves in them then this is a good sign however if a couple of children dont feel comfortable or utilising the method as desired then a different approach may need to be taken. Reviewing the strategies every term is a good way to see how effective it is, another strategy can then be introduced in the next term, and once the method that is the most effective in the school for the pupils, teachers and parents then it can be used throughout the school, different age groups may also need different strategies, older childrens emotio nal and social developmental needs will be different to the early years, this needs to be taken in consideration when planning approaches. Some schools may end up with 2 or 3 different methods being used in the school. One of the most recent strategies that schools use to support emotional and social development is the healthy schools scheme. This was set up to promote healthy eating and exercise in schools, not only does this promote concentration in the classrooms but it involves children in activities organised by the school, the way in which the schools implement this strategy is up to them, some may decide to use Activate or Wake Up Shake Up in their school day or by introducing healthy snacks at break and lunch time. A Healthy  School  promotes  the  health  and  well ­being  of  its  pupils  and  staff through  a well-planned,  taught  curriculum  in  a  physical  and  emotional environment  that  promotes  learning  and  healthy  lifestyle  choices (Departement of Health, 2007) This strategy was more important than ever in 2012 due to the London Olympic Games, children wanted to be more active in and out of schools, so having sports days and Olympic challenges was an ideal way to promote healthy schools further. The walking and cycling provisions that some schools use, involve the children in the community as well as being sociable, this supports the emotional and social development of children. However not all schools provide strategies such as these, some schools dont have the funding whereas others dont see it as an important aspect of childrens learning. When the scheme was first introduced thousands of schools took it on board however as the years have passed its become increasingly difficult for schools to motivate themselves to continue the strategy. In order for healthy schools to once again be a priority for schools, new ways of promoting healthy eating and exercise need to be put into place, schools could involve the children in this process, this would also make the children more motivated to actually do the activities because they have had an input. If a child is constantly being told that they are unhe althy therefore they need to take part in the schools activities, then their self-esteem is going to get lower and lower which has a considerable effect on the childs emotional welfare, they will eventually have a negative view of themself, schools need to be aware of this and ensure that no child is told they are unhealthy or lazy, every child needs to take part in the scheme as much as possible. In contrast to the recent impact of healthy schools, there has been numerous research and discussion about gender roles. There is the ultimate question of, are girls born automatically liking pink and boys liking blue? There will never be an exact answer to this question some will say its to do with nature whereas others will say affected by nurture. When children first come into a setting, they may feel pressure to go and play with the construction area if they are a boy or immediately go into the role play area if they are a girl. This attitude is changing and children are becoming more confident in their own decisions as to where they should play, however some parents heavily promote girls playing with dolls and putting on makeup the same is for boys, parents may want their son to play football or rugby which are heavily male influenced. This goes against the various strategies that schools are implementing to help prevent children feeling as though they dont have an individual id entity, which affects their emotional understanding. Dowling (2012, pp.159) agrees with this point young children will only become confused if values at home and nursery are in direct opposition Every classroom should be gender neutral with pale walls, and pictures of girls and boys playing in the different areas of the classroom, providing activities that both girls and boys can play with for example not just providing colouring pages for girls but for boys as well. However even though this method is being implemented, the media still goes against a gender neutral environment, portraying women in Disney films as being helpless and in danger and having a dashing knight coming to save the day, this gives children the perception that women are weaker and less brave then men. However this attitude will almost never be changed, companies know what makes them money and if it means giving children mixed views about themselves then they will continue to do it. Its essential that schools co ntinue to use the action that they are taking to help prevent these views coming into schools. Not only is it important that classrooms are inclusive, the practitioners also need have an understanding and agreement about inclusion, in order to provide equal opportunities for every child (Beaty, 2006) One of the most effective provisions that schools have introduced is circle time. Jenny Mosley is the brains behind the whole school approach towards circle time. Good behaviour management is key when doing circle time, the children need to know the rules that surround circle time, its a trusting place where the children can communicate with each other and discussing issues that they feel are important and is also a great opportunity for children to socialise with the rest of the class. Circle time can also be used as a anti bullying technique, if children arent getting along in or out of the classroom then this strategy can be used to give the children the opportunity to talk about their issues, this also opens their eyes to the fact that they may of really upset the other children, providing emotional awareness that a childs actions may affect another child and they may not even know it. Circle time works best when its not done too often; having circle time every day would be borin g for the children and the teacher and would lose the desired effect. It provides opportunities to learn how to listen and respect others; its also an emotionally safe place for children to be in with trusting people and a comfortable environment. (Circle Time, n.d.) However because circle time is the most effective when its done regularly, it can be easy to forget the routine of circle time missing circle time several weeks in a row can effect children because they may have something specific they want to say in circle time and dont get the opportunity to say it because the teacher has forgotten about circle time, this can be easily resolved the children could be responsible for reminding the teacher about circle time, having a day activity planner in a visible place that consists of pictures and words so the children can see what they are doing also, is a good way to inform that circle time will be happening, reassuring the children. Circle time additionally provides important tim e for children and practitioners to develop a trusting and positive relationship; this is why circle time is especially important in the first couple of weeks of term. The professional relationship between parents and teachers is just as important, parents and carers need to know that their child is safe and happy in the setting, if a parent has concerns about their child then the teacher is the first person that they will go to, for example if a parent thinks that their child is being bullied by another child in the class then the teacher and parent can work together to think of techniques to use in order to stop this happening, circle time could be one of the strategies used. A method that was used in a school to promote the relationships between child and teacher and parent and teacher was stay and play. This occurred once a week and parents or relatives had the choice to join in on activities in the classroom, it would start off by the teacher explaining what the activities were for, how they linked in with the curriculum and what the parents could do to further encourage the learning at home, the stay and play session lasted for 45 minutes, th e teacher answered any questions that they were asked, and the children enjoyed playing with the various activities in the classroom with the support from parents and teachers. This was a very effective strategy used in this school, and they can continue to maintain the building relationships by having parent councils like the one in Bruce Grove Primary School, they found a parent council very effective it provided opportunities for parents to communicate with one another and have their input into how they wanted their children to learn. This continues the positive relationship between schools and parents/carers, its essential that there is constant communication because they both want the children to learn and develop to the best of their ability, when children see the positive relationship between their parents and their teacher, it makes them comfortable around the teacher. Not only is the relationships within school important but the environment is equally important, the EYFS approach to the unique child consists of positive relationships and an enabling environment. An environment that provides opportunities and exploration also needs to make the child feel safe and secure. These positive environments from the EYFS (2012, pp.2) explain that they need to have stimulating resources, relevant to all the childrens cultures and communities successfully combining play and learning especially in early years settings, this is important because then children will link learning with being fun. Not only do schools need to support children with their emotional and social development but they also need to support them to take risks and explore new environments, children learn the most effectively through personal experiences so promoting these gives children more confidence in their abilities and having a better perception of themself. Positive relationships and e nabling environments ensures learning and development. Observing, assessing and planning ensures that strategies work in the setting and meet the childrens individual needs. Each section of the EYFS document are individual however they are all underpinned by the basic factors to successfully support childrens social and emotional development. Every unique child needs positive relationships from every direction; parents, teachers and fellow peers. Enabling environments that are supportive and positive these together will equal to learning and development.

International Software Piracy Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

International Software Piracy Disclaimer The ideas and arguments presented in this paper are provided solely for purposes of academic discussion. The author wishes to make it clear that he neither condones nor promotes software piracy in any form, and that he encourages all software practitioners to familiarize themselves with the relevant intellectual property laws of their respective countries and to adhere to the highest level of ethics in the conduct of their professional duties. I. Background Software piracy has been around since the beginnings of personal computing. The first paper tape of a BASIC compiler passed from one hobbyist to another was essentially pirated software, although, at the time, it may not have been recognized as such, and in fact, may not even have been illegal[7]. The extension of copyright protection to software coincided with an explosive proliferation of low-cost computers and an expanding market for software packages that went beyond the hobbyist and into the commercial and mass consumer segments. As the software market matured and software vendors became multi-billion dollar enterprises, concern about piracy and the resultant lost revenue increased. The proliferation of Information Technology (IT), fostered in part by the Internet, have made piracy a global issue, with one estimate placing the loss to business world-wide in a single year at over $13 billion [1]. Though illegal in most countries, the rate of piracy world-wide remains high, even in developed countries with established traditions of protecting intellectual property (IP). For example, the United States has one of the lowest piracy rates in the world, and yet its piracy rate remains at 23%. Countries with the highest p... ...lt;http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/02/14/pirate_plays_third_world_card/>. Salon, Profits from piracy, 2002, www.salon.com, 4-May-2004, . ZDNet, Microsoft slashes Windows XP price to fend off Linux, 2003, 11-May-2004, . USA Today, Software piracy takes toll on global scale,2001, 20-May-2004, . Computer Science and Telecommunications Board of the National Academics, The Digital Dilemma: Intellectual Property in the Information Age, (Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2000) 55. Nader, Ralph, Consumer Harm in the Microsoft Case: Address to The Bazaar - An Open Source Software Event, 1999, 3-Jun-04, .

Leadership in the Work Environment

The ability to be a successful supervisor does not center on being an expert in the tasks of the company. If one is a supervisor in a bottling company, success will not derive from the number of bottles that are capped, but by orchestrating personnel to be effective in the product line that caps the bottles. As such, the supervisor must pay a firm – yet benevolent – role with employees in order to make the employees as productive as possible within the grand scheme of company goals. When it comes to the personnel who comprise the totality of the workforce, there can be issues that exist that are somewhat hostile. Whether employees are unhappy with co-workers or there is an anger directed towards management, such hostility must be addressed by an effective supervisory leader so as to return to a level of harmony and productivity. So how would I apply my skills to be an effective leader? By using my skills at understanding diversity; and effectively communicating in order to facilitate my leadership role. No work environment will be completely harmonious and it is the supervisor’s responsibility to effectively restore a sense of harmony to the work environment. This will require a great leadership role on the part of the supervisor, but far too often people will assume leadership means being firm or, worse, dictatorial. Such actions may work on a short term basis, but ultimately, such a heavy handed approach will lead to failure. In order to be an effective leader, one needs to temper firmness with a compassion and sensitivity that will greatly allow for stronger bonding between management and employee. This bonding will eventually provide the impetus for  subordinates to follow the guidelines of those in leadership roles and managerial positions. On a baseline level, there needs to be an understanding as to the complexity that can exist within the workforce. Often, that complexity derives from the great diversity of the people who comprise the entirety of the workforce. People come from all walks of life, from a multitude of cultures, ages, backgrounds, etc. Because of this, misunderstanding can result from a lack of understanding of the cultural sensitivities of the individuals. On a baseline level, it is the supervisor’s/manager’s responsibility to become well versed in diversity. There are those critics of diversity training that suggest that such training is a waste of productivity. This is a very knee jerk reaction to the subject that is not entirely based in reality. The reason for this is that the time spent on diversity training will allow the supervisor to understand how to communicate effectively with those under his or her supervision. This ability to communicate on a culturally sensitive level will eliminate a great many problems that may exist in the office environment. By eliminating these problems, productivity is no longer seriously threatened. Of course, there needs to be a solid development of basic communicative school (written and oral) in order to effectively deal with their subordinates. Without solid communicative skills, a supervisor will never be able to effectively present company policies or important issues to employees. In other words, there can be no leadership without effective communicative abilities. How successful could any supervisor be if the ability to supervise was undermined by being ineffective in the role as a company  communicator? More than likely, the supervisor would be very ineffective in even the most minor aspects of the position much less highly complex and sensitive aspects. Consider the following: when a supervisor effectively communicates with subordinates while tempering sensitivity to the employees’ specific needs and concerns, then the employees develops and attitude that will be more willing to follow the guidelines of the supervisor. In other words, leadership becomes effective because faith and trust in the leadership of the supervisor becomes affirmed. Consider the opposite extreme: the frustrated supervisor who uses threats of disciplinary action or verbal belittlement as a means of ‘motivating’ employees. While such tactics may force employees into following the directives that have been put forth, they will do so begrudgingly. In most cases, such employees will be looking to leave such a job as soon as the opportunity permits. While these employees may take orders from a superior, the superior is hardly being an effective leader and CERTAINLY such actions can not be used to smooth over any hostilities that might exist in the workforce. As such, belligerent tactics of this ilk must be avoided at all costs. In summation, in order to be a successful leader and smooth over any issues that may arise in the workforce requires two things: a sensitivity towards the diversity of the workforce and a solid skill in communicative abilities in order to effectively convey the message of leadership. If these areas are lacking, effective leadership will be undermined. If these skills are developed to a significant degree, the ability to be an effective leader will be greatly enhanced. Ultimately, it becomes the choice of the individual whether or not to develop such skills and it will be a true leader will take up the challenge.

Home Depot Essay

Home Depot is considered to be one of the top ranking home improvement organizations. The mission statement of this organization was formulated around being â€Å"committed to maximizing long term shareholder value while supporting management in the business and operations of the company, observing the highest ethical standards and adhering to the laws of the jurisdictions within which the company operates† (Homer TLC INC, 2010). The Home Depot transformed the â€Å"home improvement industry† by providing a well round reputation for products, corporate governance and strong values within the community. The purpose of The Home Depot remains to build relationships, have social responsibility, and concrete ethics as an organization. Employees are respected, offered growth and reputable incentive plans. Public policy makers and Home Depot collaborates on ideas to assure prosperity in our society. Home Depot delivers great customer service by revealing the best techniques in home improvement for amateur clientele. There are over 2,200 retail stores in the United States and 272 internationally. Overall, these features promote essential organizational communication dynamics. Organizational communication sets the organization apart from the rest. This also promotes a clear understanding of cultural dimensions. Home Depot History Founded in 1978, The Home Depot, Inc. is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer and the fourth largest retailer in the United States with fiscal 2010 retail sales of $68. 0 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $3. 3 billion. The Home Depot has more than 2,200 retail stores in the United States (including Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands and the territory of Guam), Canada, Mexico and China. The Home Depot employs over 255,000 associates, and operates 478 warehouses. The Home Depot is the fastest growing retailer in U. S. history. In 1981, the company went public on NASDAQ and moved to the New York Stock Exchange in 1984. The 1980s and 1990s spawned tremendous growth for the company, with 1989 marking the celebration of its 100th store opening. From the beginning, The Home Depot developed strategic product alliances directly with industry-leading manufacturers to deliver the most exclusive assortments to customers. Through a combination of national brands and proprietary products the company sets the standard for innovative merchandise for the do-it-yourselfer From the start, associates were able to offer the best customer service in the industry, guiding customers through projects such as laying tile, changing a fill valve or handling a power tool. Not only did store associates undergo rigorous product knowledge training, but they also began offering clinics so customers could learn how to do it themselves. The Home Depot revolutionized the home improvement industry by bringing the know-how and the tools to the consumer and by saving them money. Home Depot History Bernard March, Arthur Blank and Ronal Brill incorporated the Home Depot in 1978. They found financing from a New York venture capital firm and started Home Depot in Atlanta, Georgia. This team Recognizing that more than 60% of building supply industry sales were do-it-yourselfers and that most did not have the precise knowledge to successfully accomplish home repair or home improvement projects themselves; Home Depot opted to offer that service to the public. The management team of Home Depot devised a two part plans to insure success. 1. Ensure the Home Depot had ampule stock; their target was at least 25,000 items. 2. Train sales staff in every store to be product knowledgeable. They also wanted to make the experience of shopping at Home Depot and experience that would bring you back to the store for additional sales and expert services. The Home Depot story is one of success due to clever thinking and good ideas. Today they are involved in the upscale interior design market, and taking on some leadership roles in the communities that their stores have entered. They have also become involved in humanitarian efforts such as local welfare organizations, Habitat for Humanity to the Boys and Girls Club of Canada and the United States. Bob Nardelli is Watching Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank left their posts without any warning. There wasn’t any evidence or indication that the founders would leave Home Depot. Employee morale was high and customer service was great! Expansion of the company was going along wonderfully and there was no doubt that Home Depot was a contender in the home improvement industry. Home Depot needed a major revamping and few people knew about the financial state of the company. Marcus and Blank allowed a very disjointed culture to exist within the company. Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, the founders of Home Depot, had paved a road to bankrupt the company. In comes Bob Nardelli to save the day. The Home Depot board of directors sought after Bob, once he was passed over for the top position at GE. Immediately upon taking over as CEO, Nardelli started to centralize processes. This proved to be extremely radical for existing personnel. Bob upgraded computers, software, and hired a Director of Human Resources, which Home Depot had never had before. Nardelli started a recruitment program, which had been very successful for him at GE. He focused on retirees, Hispanics, and military officers. Walking into a culture where there was little to no structure, Nardelli knew that he would need personnel that would â€Å"understand the mission,† (Regingold 2007) which is why there are so many employees with military experience. Nardelli brought discipline to Home Depot. Under Bob Nardelli, Home Depot doubled their sales, opened a contractor’s sales division, and boosted Home Depot’s commitment to volunteerism. Frank Blake is Home Depot’s ‘Calmer-in-Chief’ Almost immediately after assuming the role of CEO, Frank Blake used The Home Depot’s existing intra-communication system to read to the employees from a book written by the founders. This gesture set the tone for his leadership style and relayed a clear message to the employees, The Home Depot was returning to their grass roots leadership style. Blake intended to â€Å"recapture some of the culture fostered by its founders. It also syncs with his push to get the company back to its service-oriented roots. † (Tobin, 2010) Blake is described as mellow and a sharp contrast to his predecessor, Bob Nardelli, who is portrayed as emotionally high strung. Unfortunately Blake was given the daunting task of having to lay off thousands of people, close stores and spearhead and internal restructuring. Although Blake has improved employee morale and customer satisfaction, â€Å"Home Depot still lags archrival Lowe’s and smaller hardware stores for customer service, according to external surveys. And the housing market that fueled the chain’s growth remains moribund, leaving much on Blake’s plate. † (Tobin, 2010) In contrast, Home Depots claims that their internal surveys show that employee morale and customer satisfaction are up. â€Å"By most accounts, Home Depot needed cultural healing when Blake was named chief executive. (Tobin, 2010) As CEO, Blake sought the advice of consultants like Marcus and Blank and embraced their motivational techniques as demonstrated this by allowing them to speak annually with his management team. Blake has accomplished reestablishing the organizational culture that was dismantled under Bob Nardelli. Home Depot Foundation The Home Depot Foundation was created to help those who are having financial difficulties with home improvements and repairs. The Home Depot Foundation decided to contribute $30 million to our veterans who are struggling with significant financial concerns. The Home Depot Foundation has also teamed up with â€Å"Gift In Kind International† to address financially disadvantage families. A noticeable goal within this project delivers lower energy cost and consumption. A contribution of $100 million for supplies or products was noted for donation across non-profit agencies since 2008 on a national level (Homer TLC INC, 2011). The â€Å"Framing Hope Program† was also noted as assisting with home repair or improvement through Home Depot. Home Depot provides non-profit agencies or organizations material that is discontinued from stock. This business transaction offers a win-win scenario for all arties involved. The shareholders and Home Depot give resources to those in the community in need and avoid landfills being occupied. Landfills are designed to bury trash underground. The trash has a supportive barrier to prevent it from leaking into our ground water. However, eliminating the overflow of this process is an eco- friendly suggestion. This benefits the environment and business strategic management objectives. Most of the companies being used are Fortune 100 organizations in the United States. Close to $270 Million has been donated to programs that support families in need. The Home Depot Foundation and the Gifts of Kind International have assisted thousands of families in need. These organizational leaders show that their organizational values and culture are productive in nature. The reputation of Home Depot and those that are similar, demonstrate strength in its business model. Theory Research states that The Home Depot is one of the best companies to work for with a high customer focus, great product selection, high employee morale, and an entrepreneurial spirit. The key to The Home Depot’s success is treating people well. Associates are encouraged to share the company’s vision on volunteerism and participate in the many causes that The Home Depot supports in the community and in society. The Home Depot uses their values to guide the beliefs and actions of all associates on a daily basis. These values are The Home Depot’s advantage in the global marketplace. Theory: The Home Depot is a Theory Y organization because employees are encouraged to speak up and take risks, they are recognized and rewarded for good performance, and they are provided with leadership and development so that they can grow. Evaluation and Measurement of Organizational Culture Examination of an organizations ability to communicate within its culture is vital for success. The Home Depot has proven that it holds the record for being a reputable organization among competitive industry peers. The Home Depot functions as a â€Å"Theory Y† organization according to how the management responds to operational goals, employees and production. The Home Depot uses teleconferencing to immediately reach associates. This proved to be a great tool when Frank Blake took over as CEO after Bob Nardelli. Nardelli was a leader that provided structure and streamlined processes, and at the time of Bob’s arrival The Home Depot needed both. Nardelli did not include customers and associate morale in his vision for the company. Nardelli ran the company with military precision and this created a climate of fear. On his first day as CEO, Arthur Blake read from a copy of â€Å"Built from Scratch,† the company biography written by The Home Depot founders, Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. Using this channel to communicate with the company allowed Blake to send the message that, â€Å"We are who we are, because of the way that things were done in the beginning. Choosing this channel of communication at this time gave Blake a chance to start the healing process at The Home Depot. This showed a small degree of power distance within the organization. Every employee had been through radical changes with the former CEO and everyone needed to know that things were going to be okay, and they needed to hear that from the CEO. The Home Depot uses face-to-face channels of communication to encourage sociability. Diversity is encouraged within the employment population to generate a creative perspective. The diversity ranges from different cultures, out of country suppliers and divisional council groups. The morale of the those involved are high due to the focal point being to improve one’s community and growth of your own personal endeavors through training. These two factors encourage employees to be creative in handling outside community functions while feeling at ease with their responsibilities at work. The informal communication networks are established within this organization by means of group councils, Diversity panels, employee social functions, community interaction, being a team player, and a customer centered focus. There are copies of The Home Depot’s list of Values almost everywhere you turn throughout the organization. These rules are considered to be The Home Depot’s bread and butter. Writing the rules down and ensuring that there is mass distribution shows employees of the organization that the company is committed to the success of each employee. The Values state that good performance will be rewarded and associates will be developed so that they may grow. The Values also state that associates are to embody the â€Å"orangeblooded entrepreneurial spirit† of The Home Depot and take risks and initiate creative and innovative ways to serve the customers. The Values ask the associates to build strong relationships and to have respect for all people. These two requests prove that The Home Depot is tolerant of conflict but encourages solving the problem at the lowest level. The organization recognizes that there will be disagreements, and each associate is given the communication tools to operate effectively in any situation. ?

Integrative Intercultural Communication Paper Essay Example

Integrative Intercultural Communication Paper Essay Example Integrative Intercultural Communication Paper Essay Integrative Intercultural Communication Paper Essay Organizations that are viewed as biased against Hess groups will not attract the competent workforce and can face not only legal troubles also the life span of their business can be greatly reduced. Today, it is vital that organizations prove their ability communicate intercultural in order to be successful in a constantly changing business environment. This is why it is important that we train our management to deal with people from many different places. Many believe enhanced communication abilities will prove profitable, in which case its in the companies own interest to support it. Communication is necessary if the organization is to prosper. Intercultural communication in the global business world is accomplished by adding diversity and understanding of the many different cultures that are in the work force. Potential contributors are most often not naturally attracted to an enterprise that they do not perceive as having a culture and micro society that would be comfortable, interesting and supportive. When we talk about intercultural communication we mean all the differences between people, whether they are gender, religion, race or any other differences that connect with each other and commutate whether verbally or nonverbally. It can also be seen as culture within the workplace, culture relates to gender, age, language, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation, religious belief and family responsibility. Intercultural communication also explores to the ways we are different in other respects such as educational level, work experience, socio-economic background, personality profile, geographic location, marital status and whether or not one has career responsibilities. As well as the widely recognized ethnicity an gender variables of diversity, being able to communicate with all kinds of people regardless of location is important to creating and keep important relationships with companies across the world. Diversity, performance and the competitive advantage we have all heard the old saying, variety is the spice of life. But are we taking full advantage of that as we look to meet our business goals? More and more businesses are finding a direct connection between a diverse workforce and competitive advantage. A diverse workforce gives companies competitive advantage by enabling them to better meet TFH needs of their customers, successfully compete in the global marketplace an ire from an expanded labor pool. Providing opportunities for people of all backgrounds is the right thing to do from an ethical standpoint. But it is also great for business. So this is why communication within organizations are important. This allows each person to be able to feel comfortable within thee work environment no matter where they are. For instance, if your company does business in Asia, having Asian Australians on your negotiating team will greatly improve your chances of success. The best way to do that is by recruiting a diverse workforce that mirrors your customer base. This allows someone from that culture to connect with others in the global business environment that will allow they to be productive and everyone benefits fro it. Hiring those from other cultures can create a competitive advantage for a company. Training employees to work with people of different cultures is beneficial to every organization no matter how large or small. Intercultural communication in the workplace is achieved by promoting and creating a more inclusive word environment that is leveraged and maximizes the understanding of others and their way of life. The leverage intercultural communication is almost impossible to achieve without effective training. Communication training aid in understanding how the human differences can effect or influence relationships in the workplace between peers, subordinates, supervisors even customers. The modern workforce is made up of many people who are of different races, genders, sexuality, culture, and ages leading to a vast cultural differences. Many companies have recognized this fact and are beginning to pay close attention to the need for intercultural communication training as a number one priority. Employees should be educated on how to deal with people who have different traits than themselves. They also gain skills necessary to deal with and function in a diverse world. Intercultural communication in the workforce has been growing steadily over the years. Prior to the sasss, there was a very different profile in the workforce, in boot demographics and attitudes. It was more harmonious, with a large majority a few visible cultural differences. The individuals who were different were either assimilated into the workforce, isolated from the majority Of workers or ignored. The average member of the workforce from past was male, white, approximately twenty-nine years old and had fewer than two years of higher education. These men were usually married to homemakers and generally worked in the region of their birth. The global workforce of today does not look, act or think like the workforce of the past, nor does it pursue the same needs and desires. The global workforce has changed significantly from many different perspectives such as age, gender, culture, education, disability, and values. A new model of a diversified workforce is needed before the Rockford of the new millennium becomes even more discouraged, potentially creating further declines in productivity. In these times of slower labor growth, competent, high demand workers are choosing to move to companies that will accommodate and support their lifestyle requirements, and through management practices that enhances their dignity. In order to achieve this ideal place of employment that provides a comfortable and welcoming environment, intercultural communication training is a necessary tool. Training is usually divided into two sections: one or top-down employee and the other is middle managers. In most cases, it is only required for targeted groups in the company. Of the companies who take part in the training, almost half of them reported spending thousands, even millions of dollars on training. A small percentage reported that they really do not have the funds to support the training. The claims are that money spent went to resources, salaries, and consulting fees. Intercultural communication programs have been considered as good investment whose returns have been very beneficial to an organization. Successful professionals are learning to demonstrate the contribution of intercultural communication abilities to the business on many levels. We have to remember that having diversified workforce is not something a company should have, actually it is something that has happened or is soon going to happen due to the fact that we have a more diversified population. There are so many different people in the world that work in many different places of the world. Diversity in the workplace is becoming more and more prevalent. Corporations in all industries are encouraging minorities, women, men, and people with disabilities as well as foreign workers to join the dominant workforce in the workplace around the world. Diversity of the workforce is clearly here to stay. Business owners and managers, experts say, will still need to maintain or step up efforts to recruit and advance ethnic minorities so everyone should know how to effective communicate with one another to ensure productivity is not lost. Essentially, because having a diverse work force and managing it effectively will simply be good business for various companies across the oral. During a training session, topics such as valuing diversity, biases, the philosophy Of the company, and action planning are covered. Employees learn about diversity through films, speakers, and exercises so that they may have a greater impact on any situations that may develop. After receiving the training, many employers have noticed a significant difference in the way the staff behaves and its sensitivity towards each other. People develop a broader definition of intercultural communication after going through the training sessions. The word wide web was used to develop the facts from rebellions in the global business world. Organizational communication in the global workplace can bring up an employment equality issue. Although, intercultural communication in the workplace can be a benefit in the success of an organization. The understanding of cultural differences goes beyond employment equality, it provides an environment that respects employee differences. Diversity nurtures an environment that values the differences and maximizes the potential of all employees. Intercultural communication IR the workplace is important in many ways. In order to create an organization ultra that supports diversity, you must have management commitment, education with training, and follow up evaluation. First, you must adequately determine workforce and organizational needs for creating a comfortable workplace for those of all cultures. Find out what employees are concerned about. Management can form focus groups. The needs and expectations Of a global workforce vary by organizational and functional levels. You may determine if the organization has trouble communicating and being sensitive to employees that would add to the diversity. In an organization with cultural preferences, which, if any, areas of the workforce are being treated inappropriately. Administrative and management of global businesses commitment is crucial for intercultural communication efforts. Senior management must provide leadership through example. To gain support from administration you need to directly link diversity to the business when dealing with people from another culture. Be specific as to where any cultural issues lie. Are they employee or customer issues? Or both? Provide data regarding the opportunities in the global marketplace for diversity.