Looking for Alaska – Miles’ Eulogy

Searching For Alaska Book Report †Eulogy Hello everybody. I might want to thank all of you for coming to respect our companion, Alaska Young. I am Miles Halter, referred to most as Pudge. I moved to Culver Creek Boarding School from Florida to ‘seek a Great Perhaps’, to abandon the inconsequential things I was doing, to look for something that was maybe more noteworthy. I gather people’s kicking the bucket words and â€Å"I go to look for a Great Perhaps†, were the final expressions of Francois Rabelais, yet dissimilar to him, I would not like to stand by to bite the dust to begin looking for it. This school has given me a lot of my firsts: first companion, first portion of wickedness and the first and last young lady. The Frozen North was the most perplexing and baffling individual I have ever met. Each component of her being captivated me, from her smell of cigarettes, vanilla and sweat, her imagination when arranging tricks on our superintendent, her astounding capacity to prevail in preâ€calculus, and her fixation on strawberry wine, which we needed to drink in mystery. The first occasion when I had a genuine discussion with her she disclosed to me the final expressions of Simon Bolivar, which I had never heard â€Å"Damn it, by what method will I ever escape this maze! At the point when I asked her what the maze was, she revealed to me that that was the riddle. Is the maze living or kicking the bucket? Is it accurate to say that we are for the most part attempting to get away from the world, or its finish? This statement totally compares my Great Perhaps, I hoped to look for and she hoped to get away. After she passed on I found a note in one of her books in her ‘life long library’, an assortment of books that she had purchased from carport deals that she had been collecting since the time she was youthful. She had composed that the main way out of the maze was straight and quick. Gold country instructed me to live at the time and not to prepare. She said â€Å"Imagining what's to come is a sort of wistfulness, you go through your entire time on earth stuck in the maze contemplating how you’ll get away from it one day, and how marvelous it will be, and envisioning the future props you up, however you never do it. You simply utilize the future to get away from the present. † (John Green, Looking For Alaska) I realize individuals have murmured among themselves pondering whether Alaska’s demise was a self destruction or an unadulterated mishap. I have been pondering the equivalent. Individuals who don't realize Alaska may consider her to be as narrow minded, seeing the individuals near her horribly heart broken. I need to demonstrate her innocence. At the point when Alaska was 8 years of age, she watched her mom having a seizure and pass away. Gold country was solidified in dread and didn't call 911 and she never excused herself. The day Alaska passed on, was the commemoration of her mother’s birthday. The Frozen North had been drinking and I recollect her awakening in the late evening reviling and crying, disclosing to us that we needed to divert our dean so she could head to her mother’s grave. She collided with a truck on her way with no endeavor to turn the vehicle. I understand now the maze was not crucial, it was enduring, fouling up and having incorrectly things transpire. How would you escape the maze of anguish? The Frozen North picked straight and quick, regardless of whether it was deliberately or not. I knew Alaska for one hundred and thirty †six days, yet I don't think anybody genuinely knew her. Her passing tossed me into the acknowledgment that I have consistently been caught in a maze of anguish. Before I got to this point, I thought for quite a while that the exit from the maze was to imagine it didn't exist, yet to manufacture a little, self †adequate world in the back corner of the interminable labyrinth to imagine that I was not lost, however home. I despised Alaska and I detested everything for some time after she was no more. I despised myself for being a weakling and not preventing her from leaving that night. It all just felt so frightfully unreasonable, every last bit of it, the inarguable bad form of cherishing somebody who may have adored you back, yet can not because of deadness. I cherished Alaska since she indicated me both my maze and my Great Perhaps †she had demonstrated to me that it was justified, despite all the trouble to leave my minor life for more excellent maybes, and now she is gone and with her my confidence in maybe. Gold country is as yet showing me a thing or two; the main way out of the maze is to excuse. I wish Alaska had understood this too before it needed to end thusly. Her mom pardoned her; similarly as I am certain Alaska excuses we all at this point. You see â€Å"we are altogether going, nothing can last, not even the earth itself. (John Green, Looking For Alaska) The Buddha said that enduring was brought about by want, and that the suspension of want implied the discontinuance of affliction. So when you quit wishing things would not self-destruct, you would quit enduring when they did. So Alaska, I have some final words for you, Thomas Edison’s, â€Å"It’s lovely over yonder. † I don't have the foggiest i dea where there is, yet I trust it is some place and I trust it is lovely. After the entirety of this I will become familiar with not any more final words since I know such huge numbers of, yet I will never know hers.

The effects of video games on children Essay Example for Free

The impacts of computer games on kids Essay These days, game is well known to the point that everyone can see its appearances wherever without any problem. There are a ton of sort of game have been concocted, for example, cosule game, Actually, computer games have become a piece of childrens life for as far back as barely any decades, since they are advantageous to such an extent that youngsters can play them at whatever point and any place to invest energy. There are a great deal of feelings about impacts of computer game on our group of people yet to come. In some investigation, computer games can be viewed as the natural of the cutting edge youngsters, and that virtual world halfway mirrors this present reality. Through that, youngsters can come up and learn more information about the genuine word. Be that as it may, computer games can likewise cause a great deal of negative impacts on youngsters on the off chance that they are dependent on those. Hence, the vast majority concur that playing an excessive number of computer games accomplishes more damage than anything else. The awful impact of game Drifting back to the historical backdrop of computer game, everything began when Atari thought of its first gaming console that incorporated an extremely straightforward round of tennis. Around then, the controller had only one stick and one catch to play with. Presently, we are having enormous assortment of gaming framework with various kinds of consoles accessible in the market with complex games that requires controllers with at least two sticks and an assortment of catches. Consistently, all gaming organization makes a race for presenting another version or refreshing better quality for their creation. The vast majority guess that playing computer game causes a great deal of negative impacts. Computer games †a reason for viciousness and animosity are one of those and primarily referenced. Computer games are very assortment of sorts, yet it appears that the savage games are predominant on the grounds that they pull in a greater number of youngsters than others. Moreover, in certain reviews, there are numerous brutal games that permit the kids to play arm bearing characters who can execute anybody that they need, take vehicles, and carry out a wide range of sorts of wrongdoing, for example, Mortal Combat, Marvel versus Capcom, and Doom. They all are intuitive in the brutality of butchering the adversary (1). As a general rule, despite the fact that the computer game makers put signs like Real-life viciousness and Violence level not suggested for kids under age of 12 on their crate covers, some of the time guardians appear to overlook those admonitions and let their kids play the games that they like (2). Besides, in some cutting edge savage games, the makers need to pull in more kids by playing out the activities of characters as detailed move when they get slaughtered. For instance, in Half-Life, when a character is murdered by others, a wicked and shocking scene shows in detail on the screen. What will occur if youngsters play those step by step? In what capacity will those influence the innocent personalities of youngsters? As everybody knows, the appropriate response is that kids will get savage and forceful. To be sure, numerous investigations appear to show that vicious computer games might be identified with forceful conduct. The kids who regularly play progressively fierce games will in general be at chances with someone and like battling and murdering. They will in general act in their genuine as though they saw and experienced in games. In another viewpoint, playing such a large number of computer games is likewise the reason which makes kids dependent. In an ongoing investigation of youngsters in their initial adolescents, the scientists found that very nearly a third played computer games day by day, and that 7% played for at any rate 30 hours per week (3). As per these factual figures, it is extremely sensible to presume that youngsters today are dependent on computer games, and the quantity of those will expand more later on. Compelling to video games can make youngsters socially secluded. With the advancement of science and innovation at present, it is helpful to such an extent that kids can play computer games wherever from enormous gadgets, for example, PCs, workstations, and play stations, to little compact gadgets, for example, DS, and Xbox†¦ With those, youngsters can go through hours in playing without resting. In the interim, they may invest less energy or even disregard in different exercises, for example, doing schoolwork, understanding books, sports, and interfacing with the loved ones. Therefore, youngsters will get languid and aloof, and they think that its difficult to coordinate into the reality. At long last, computer games may likewise effectsly affect children’s wellbeing, particularly corpulence and vision issues. At the point when kids are dependent on computer games, they tend give them chief need. This removes the youngsters from their other physical exercises and can have numerous wellbeing related issues for the kids, as they can get fat on the off chance that they dont exercise and remain at home playing computer games. Numerous examinations have additionally indicated that investing hours more energy playing videogames before TV screens than playing genuine and real games that include physical exercise can make kids experience a large number of similar side effects found in PC vision condition in grown-ups. In addition, broad survey of the game screen can prompt eye uneasiness, weariness, hazy vision and cerebral pains (4). Accordingly, the quantity of youngsters who have visual perception issues, for example, partially blind, far-located, and astigmatism†¦ is expanding. This is maybe the most exceedingly awful negative impact that videogames can have on kids. In actuality, the same number of individuals affirm, one of the best impacts of computer games is expanding the ability and readiness of a youngster and improving their deftness (5). The new present day computer games that are coming out are incredibly unpredictable, and they include the development of a wide range of sorts of sticks and fastens on the controllers. These can be generally excellent for kids as they figure out how to make quick associations between what they see and what their hands and fingers are doing. These likewise permit them to think rapidly and improve their reflexes. For instance, in shooting match-ups, now and again, the character might be running and taking shots simultaneously. This requires the kids to monitor the situation of the character, where the individual is going, the speed, where the firearm is pointing, etc. This procedure requires a lot of dexterity and visual-spatial capacity to be effective. Subsequently, we find that playing computer games can have a wide range of impacts, both positive just as negative on youngsters. Despite the fact that the kids can have benefits by expanding their ability and improving their reflexes, the expenses of them, such as losing their physical exercise, social exercises, and schoolwork, declining wellbeing, just as getting rough, are excessively. By and large, it is significant that the guardians consider this issue genuinely and implement certain principles and guidelines that can constrain and control the hour of playing computer games for their youngsters. Guardians likewise ought to urge their youngsters to participate in other physical exercise, sports, just as social exercises that can remove kids from computer games. References: (1), (2), and (3) as indicated by Video Games: A Cause of Violence and Aggression Grace Shin Submitted by Serendip Update on Fri, 01/04/2008 http://serendip. brynmawr.edu/trade/hub/1723 (4) as indicated by Playing Video Games May Cause Eyestrain. Support Safe Game Play Guidelines for Your Child By Troy Bedinghaus, O. D. , About. com Guide Updated February 19, 2008 http://webcache. googleusercontent. com/search? q=cache:INT8Liv76l4J:vision. about. com/od/childrensvision/qt/Video_Games. htm+video+games+affect+eyesightcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=ussource=www. google. com (5) as indicated by Positive Effects of Video Gaming By R. L. Cultrona, eHow Contributor http://www. ehow. com/about_5370127_positive-impacts video-gaming. html.

Initial Guide for Using Big Data in Sales

Initial Guide for Using Big Data in Sales Sales â€" the exchange of goods and services for money or other consideration, is the basis of any business. How do businesses sell products? There are multiple methods (distinguished by sales channel, consumer type and other factors), which include direct sales, agency-based sales, door-to-door sales, electronic sales, B2B sales, B2C sales, and more. Underlying all of these methods is the necessity of knowing who to sell to, what to sell to them, when to sell to them, and where to sell to them. Why a buyer decides to make a purchase is critical to answering these questions that aid in the process of making sale. In sum, the more information a salesperson and/or firm have about a customer or a customer segment, the greater the ability they will have to tailor a sales strategy that impels a consumer to buy the good/service in question.Big Data, which has evolved from business trending topic, to a widely acknowledged (though inconsistently adopted) strategic orientation across industri es, is all about providing the right kind of information to firms, departments and professionals. As such, Big Data holds tremendous potential for augmenting sales processes and procedures, and ultimately, increasing a firm’s bottom line. Sales departments across the country have long realized the importance of data-driven approaches to sales â€" many firms use customer relationship management systems (CRMs) to aggregate, filter and analyze its interactions with leads. However, Big Data analytics takes CRM data and tools to the next level, with tremendous benefits for firms, which adopt and implement them properly. © Shutterstock.com | a-imageIn this article, we will cover 1) the benefits of enhancing sales with Big Data’s tools and techniques; 2) sales forecasting and target marketing using predictive analytics; 3) gathering lead intelligence and lead scoring; 4) converting leads to sales through customized sales experiences; 5) increasing lifetime customer value; and 6) better salesforce management.  BENEFITS OF ENHANCING SALES WITH BIG DATA TOOLSBig Data â€" both, (1) the volume, variety, and variety of digital and digitizable data from internal operations and external sources, and (2) the ever-evolving set of tools, techniques and technologies designed to aggregate, store, filter, and analyze said data, can yield rich insights about all aspects of a business. This includes a firm’s consumer base, product line, and distribution chain, all of which the firm can leverage to imbue its products with enough perceived and actual value to entice customers to buy. The firm can use these insight s to manage marketing resources more efficiently, by helping marketing departments identify and target the most profitable potential customer segments, funneling them to the sales force. Further, Big Data-gleaned insights can be used to manage individual and salesforce performance, adjusting approaches where necessary to meet or exceed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).To harness Big Data requires investments in hardware/software and personnel beyond the deployment of a CRM. For Big Data includes data from every operational aspect of the business â€" from accounting to manufacturing to human resources. Big Data also necessitates the hire, insourcing or outsourcing of both IT personnel skilled in the processing and storage of large volumes and varieties of data in real-time and near-real-time; and data scientists trained in both filtering and analyzing the data, and sharing actionable insights with key actors across the firm. Integrating Big Data management systems with legacy CRMs m ay require additional outside resources. However, integrating and leveraging Big Data into a sales operation successfully requires vision, buy-in from the top, and, ultimately, firm-wide adoption of Big data management tools and techniques.[slideshare id=14869240doc=bigdatabigsalesf1-121024113828-phpapp02w=640h=330]SALES FORECASTING WITH PREDICTIVE ANALYTICSPredictive analytics â€" a powerful toolset of forecasting techniques, allows firms to determine sales revenue goals, and the probability of achieving them in real-time. By continually measuring performance and adjusting tactics where there are deficits, increases a firm’s probability of achieving and surpassing those goals.Predictive analytics allows a firm’s data scientists to create mathematical models of consumer behavior based on historical data; such sales data might include prior purchase history, customer acquisition costs, advertising/marketing messages received by the consumer, and other similarly relevant data. The se models can then be used to predict, within a particular degree of certainty, the probability of the purchase behavior changing or remaining the same. Depending on the capabilities of the firm’s Big Data architecture and personnel, this can be performed in real-time or near-real-time, allowing sales managers and sales personnel to continuously revise and adjust their selling strategies to achieve sales targets.Models can also be built around most any other type of sales question, providing sales personnel further insights on approaching clients. These models need not be built with purely internal data. They can be built with external data, or with a combination of both. Building models with external data can be particularly helpful for firms when forecasting the effects of external and/or global events on a firm’s sales. For example, a two hundred year firm with advance notice of a hurricane, may examine how well they have historically performed in the aftermath of a hurricane , as well as how similar firms/competitors have fared. This can assist in accurate projections that benefit not only the firm’s sales personnel, but also stakeholders, such as shareholders, as well.Big Data management systems are designed to deal with greater volumes of data and greater varieties of data types than traditional CRMs. With a strong data science team, and robust management systems, the increased data can be harnessed for greater consumer analysis.TARGET MARKETING, LEAD INTELLIGENCE, AND SCORINGBig Data management systems are designed to deal with greater volumes of data and greater varieties of data types than traditional CRMs. With a strong data science team, and robust management systems, the increased data can be harnessed for an improved analysis of consumer trends.Data mining enables firms to develop effective target marketing strategies, especially in B2C sales. By aggregating historical internal consumer data, and external data from a variety of sources, firms can target and qualify consumer leads before the first marketing dollar is spent. Using this data, firms can forecast a customers probable purchase behavior with a high degree of accuracy. This allows sales directors to identify and refine key target segments and/or leads, inform the marketing strategies most effective in reaching them, and determine the strategies that will convert them from leads to customers.Marketers can accomplish these goals through message testing, promotional strategies, and even product mixes. Loyalty programs provide great test beds for marketers, who can glean actionable insights into purchase behavior, purchase behavior, and price sensitivity, among other crucial factors. When a firm’s marketing efforts are optimized, the sales team, ideally, is exerting minimal effort on a large pool of interested customers. They can then spend their time on harder-to-reach, and perhaps more lucrative customers.In B2B sales, the universe of possible leads is smaller, and the purchases are also larger in absolute dollars. Further, the ultimate decision maker in purchase decision is often unclear initially; and/or, multiple individuals make decisions jointly. Accordingly, customer acquisition costs are often higher; therefore, sales departments must ensure they are not burning through capital on failed conversions. Big Data is a great source of lead intelligence; whereas historically, lead intelligence might have consisted of industry reports, and firm-lead interactions (calls and visits), lead intelligence in the era of Big Data can include everything from social network usage of purchasing directors to their behavior on the firm’s website. Lead scoring is used to rank leads based on their potential value; sales departments can then allot the appropriate amount of time, effort, and marketing/sales dollars towards the most highly ranked leads.  SALES CONVERSION THROUGH CUSTOMIZED SALES EXPERIENCESBig Data not only provides sales personnel with insights about how to approach consumers/leads; when properly managed, it provides them with the capability to provide consumers with personalized sales experiences. CRMs already aggregate data; Big Data management systems allow a greater volume and variety of data to be integrated in real-time, and near-real-time. Using this information allows salespeople to develop a more complete view of each consumer and conduct direct sales in a highly personal manner. It allows digital marketing/sales teams to offer personalized recommendations drawing on the individual’s complete history with the firm (everything from customer service calls to office visits to online community activity), as well as the opportunity to use this information to upsell. Additionally, it gives cold callers a wealth of information with which to start a conversation. Personalization deepens brand engagement. Highly engaged customers are likely to be repeat customers.Of course, even the largest multinational firms l ack the manpower to manually construct personalized sales experiences for every single consumer it touches. Big Data’s technologies include automated personalization systems that funnel digital consumer data into personal electronic communications (including, but not limited to emails, social media messages, and landing pages) as soon as the consumer fulfills certain criteria (such as registering on the firm’s website). Further, these tools allow for consistent messaging across all channels â€" whether direct mail, text messages, or robo calls. Though it is a mass marketing approach, it creates the appearance of a personal touch, which many consumers find engaging.  INCREASING LIFETIME CUSTOMER VALUEBeyond deeper brand engagement through customized sales experiences Big Data can yield, Big Data can increase lifetime customer value in a variety of ways. It can provide the firm with greater account management capabilities, and allow the firm to design products with greater perceiv ed or actual value, as well as allow it to optimize its online and offline sales channels for maximum conversions.Big Data allows for greater continuity in account management, which is especially important in direct B2B sales. Prior to the advent of Big Data, a salesman or account manager, having developed client relationships, might have pertinent client information, such as preferences and personal idiosyncrasies, that could make it difficult for other sales personnel to manage that relationship. If that employee were out sick, the client relationship might suffer. If that employee left the firm, clients might walk out the door with him. CRMs allow client information to be shared across the firm, reducing (though not entirely eliminating) organizational dependency on individual sales personnel.Big Data can also help the firm understand the psychology of its average consumer better, which can yield insights into new products, packaging, promotional opportunities, and more. Some of these insights are received by sales personnel, but for a variety of reasons, may not be shared outside of the sales department. A proper implementation of Big Data management systems (IT and firm-wide processes) ensures that no matter where consumer insights land â€" whether in accounts payable, customer service, sales, or manufacturing, they are routed to the right organizational entity, to be harnessed.It is easy to see how Big Data insights might help an online vendor optimize its landing page for maximum conversion. The vendor can test direct marketing copy, landing page graphics, However, it can also help the vendor optimize the off-page (such as online ads) and offline (such as direct mail or event marketing) factors that might drive traffic to the site as well. Moreover, it allows managers and executives to design physical sales locations that will most likely impel the greatest number of consumers to purchase.Consider the case of Walmart. Walmart took a wealth of consumer d ata gleaned from every brand touch-point â€" from point-of-sale transactions to retail sales history, and used this information to inform the design of their physical retail locations to drive sales. Walmart stores a record of every item a customer buys for two years in its data centers, and uses this historical data to fuel predictive distribution and purchasing models to forecast consumer behavior. This information in turn helps fuels its inventory management systems (as do real-time/near-real-time inventory reports), which allow for an optimal volume of goods. The store locations themselves are chosen for their location along an optimal distribution network. They are also designed to maximize customer value during the shopping experience. The Crestview, Florida store, for example, aligned the most frequently visited departments, increased signage, and added a technology testing area, during a 2010 redesign, allowing for a quicker shopping experience. The Washington, DC H Street l ocation, opened in 2013, eschewed the traditional grey-blue building, which is at odds with a thriving urban locale, for a massive brick building with multiple retail tenants and even residential apartments for rent.BETTER SALESFORCE MANAGEMENTBig Data allows firms to better manage their salesforce through people analytics â€" the application of predictive analytics to human resources. Not every individual is cut out to be a salesman, and people analytics can help an HR department “predict” the most successful candidates for openings, through the development of mathematical models of the traits of existing star performers. Recruitment software can then mine through resume, social media, and background data, as well as firm-produced skills and psychological tests, apply these variables through the models, and provide quantitative assessments of each candidate. External data mining can also help a firm identify (and then recruit) talent, even before they have applied for an openin g. Using these methods can help a firm reduce talent acquisition costs and turnover in the sales department, and acquire revenue-producing personnel.Big Data’s management tools and technologies can also help managers monitor their salesforces â€" crucial as sales personnel are often field staff. People analytics can help managers determine the cause of a staff member’s missed numbers, whether they are encountering unforeseen challenges, require additional training, or are slacking off.Finally, there is often a disconnect between a firm’s field sales staff and marketing department. No matter how sophisticated the method of predicting consumer behavior, the firm may be wrong. It might be a marketing message that did not quite land. Or a product might not satisfy the need which the firm intended. Those who hear it first are a firm’s salesforce; they must also quickly correct a firm’s mistaken assumptions in the mind of the consumer. The pragmatic knowledge of what works and w hat doesn’t is invaluable to the firm but often goes ignored, to the resentment of sales professionals. These insights can be easily shared firm-wide with Big Data tools, but when firm’s take them seriously and harness them in, say, new product development or advertising, it can have a tremendous morale-boosting effect. Sales personnel, now seeing their insights in action, may feel more connected to the firm and enthusiastic about its brand promise; and the more motivated the salesforce, the more likely it is to achieve its sales goals.

The Effects Of Eating Meals On Students - 1890 Words

Chap 4: Results Frequencies The researcher found N=2 or 6.1 percent of participants had GPAs that fell between 1.6 and 2.0. N=1 or 3 percent had GPA’s that fell between 2.1 and 2.5. N=8 or 24.2 percent had GPA’s that fell between 2.6 and 3.0. N= 18 or 54.5 percent of the participants had GPA’s that fell between 3.1 and 3.5. Lastly, N=4 or 12.1 percent of participants had GPA’s that fell between 3.6 and 4.0. 15.2 percent of participants are classified as freshman. 33.3 percent of participants are considered sophomore. 36.4 percent of participants were juniors. 15.2 percent of participants were seniors. The researcher also found that 63.6 (N=21) percent of students live on campus while 36.4 (N=12) percent of students lice off campus. 51.5†¦show more content†¦21.2 (N=7) percent of students said that they spent 4 weekends out of the month parting. Lastly, 24.2 (N=8) percent of students said they spent 5 or all weekends out of the month partying. When asked how hard it is to get to class on a normal day 3 (N=1) percent of students said they found it really hard. 45.5 (N=15) percent said they found it hard to get to class on the average day. Lastly, 51.5 (N=17) percent said they didn’t find it hard at all to get to class on a normal day. 78.8 (N=26) percent of participants reported having a job, while 21.2 (N=7) percent said they did not have a job. When asked if they worked out 75.8 (N=25) percent said they worked out, and 24.2 (N=8) percent of students reported not working out. Cross Tabs Students place of residents? Total On campus Off campus What is your GPA? 1.6 to 2.0 1 1 2 2.1 to 2.5 0 1 1 2.6 to 3.0 4 4 8 3.1 to 3.5 12 6 18 3.6 to 4.0 4 0 4 Total 21 12 33 When the researcher crossed GPA and living on campus versus living on campus in Table 1, it was found that the GPA range of 1.6 to 2.0 and 2.6 to 3.0 both had equal amounts of participants under each category, N=1 and N=4 respectively. The population was more dense for the participants who lived on campus with a GPA level of 3.1 to 3.5 and 3.6 to 4.0. what is your classification? Total Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior What is your GPA? 1.6 to 2.0 2 0 0 0 2 2.1 to 2.5 0 1 0 0 1 2.6 to 3.0 1 2 3 2 8 3.1 to 3.5 2 6 7 3 18 3.6 to 4.0 0 2 2 0 4 Total 5

The Roman Empire Was Formerly The Largest And Greatest

The Roman Empire was formerly the largest and greatest empire in the world. Nevertheless, â€Å"all good things good must come to an end.† The powerhouse empire came to an end in 476 C.E., and numerous accusations have been given for the collapse of this once great empire. Many would argue that the external pressure from invading barbarians was what prompted the fall of the Roman Empire. The fact is however that internal factors including social, economic and political problems were the reason for the demise of the Roman Empire. Existing internal problems in Rome including rapid expansion, a decaying city both physically and morally, failing economy, poor leadership, and the incompetent defense was what provoked the empire to collapse. The†¦show more content†¦(Nardo, 16) The rapid expansion that took place led to agricultural problems and lack of food for all of the occupants. (Heather, 15) To expand the military groups of the empire went on campaigns in the hope of expanding Roman territory. Due tot the fact that the army was traveling to foreign lands and invading they were transmitted diseases, including the famous plague. This epidemic was the cause of a huge population decrease. The result of the population decrease was catastrophic. Agricultural productivity declined, there was a massive reduction in tax revenues, and fewer people were being recruited for the army, all because the empire’s people were sickly and quickly moribund. (Nardo, 30) The rapid expansion upset many of the individuals in the newly conquered Roman lands, including the Barbarians who conducted frequent rebellions. (Cause of the Fall of the Roman Empire) The expansion that took place at the end of the Golden Age weakened t he Empire and encouraged the ultimate fall. Newly conquered lands led to more people, which led to a food shortage. The people of the conquered lands spread diseases like the plague. The people of the newly conquered lands did not like the Romans which led to rebellions which weakened the empire. Based on the fact that the agricultural productivity was decreasing, less food was beingShow MoreRelatedEnlightenment and the French Revolution1227 Words   |  5 Pagesinfluence over public policy; hatred of queen Marie-Antoinette who was seen to be spendthrift while the majority was languishing in abject poverty; aspirations for social, political and economic equality. Furthermore, the French people were angered by King Louis XVI decision to fire Jacques Necker, who had been appointed comptroller-general of finance. He was popular with the majority for noting that the French taxation system was regressive and subjected the lower classes to a heavy burden.Read MoreContributions of Augustus to the founding of the Roman Empire1805 Words   |  8 Pagesclear that Rome was a massive military power in the Ancient World. They conquered all, and were unstoppable. Though, this only came to be through the change from a Roman Republic to the Roman Empire, and only one man could change this. Augustus. Augustus was the first Roman Emperor, and quite frankly the founder of the Roman Empire. Augustus commanded legions of Roman Soldiers, reformed the populous to run more efficiently and started the long reign of Emperors in Rome. Augustus was the sole reasonRead MoreEssay on Alchemy: The Key to Modern Chemistry2000 Words   |  8 PagesTruthfully, it is. To be accurate and to obtain precise and desired results, it must be accurate. Alchemy, however, was not an exact science, it was a primitive approach to the elements and usually they looked to a deity to actually initiate chemical reactions. Thus we separated them, but for good reason. In todays time we us instruments to give us exactness and precision that mankind had formerly ignored. Throughout time you will see that mankind has used chemistry to solve its most complex of problemsRead MoreLong Fuse Notes Essay7198 Words   |  29 Pageshas become a fashion and a fad,† and, while there is nothing wrong with the topic being widely discussed, historians should be careful in using research and analyzing historical topics. The introduction outlines the sources of the conflict that later was known as the Great War. All of the events: hostilities between the great powers, competition for the sea, and expansionism: were what has led to that conflict. But Lafore also argues that no cause can be singled out as the most important, because theyRead MoreCultural And Religious Influence Of The European Union4203 Words   |  17 Pagescontributes access to thousands of rarely opened sites and unique events to over 20 million people every year. The initiative provides opportunities ranging from guid ed tours to open-air performances, took place across Europe every year in September. It was a collective initiative managed by the European Commission and the Council of Europe, in close coordination with national coordinators. The European Heritage Days aim to raise awareness of Europe s cultural richness and diversity, to increase appreciationRead MoreReligious Conflict in Russia5041 Words   |  21 PagesRELIGIOUS CONFLICT IN RUSSIA One of the great ironies of history is that Marxism, an atheistic theory, was first implemented in RussiaÂâ€"a land inhabited by millions of believers practicing most of the worlds great religions. In fact, religion is so integral to the culture and history of Russia, it would be impossible to gain a full understanding for the unique character of the country and its people without a careful examination of the religious factors at play throughout its history. BACKGROUNDRead MoreAbortion6774 Words   |  28 PagesD. Colombia E. Venezuela 2. Which of the following countries does not contain a portion of the Amazon Basin? A. Brazil B. Ecuador C. Peru D. Colombia *E. Chile 3. The religion most closely associated with South America is: A. Islam *B. Roman Catholicism C. Incanism D. Cokism E. Coptic Christianity 4. In South America, the richest 20% of the population control _____ of the wealth. A. 2% *B. 67% C. 90% D. 1% E. 95% The Human Sequence 5. An altiplano is: A. a low area withRead MoreMuseums Essays10752 Words   |  44 Pageserected a large library in which he stored the many gifts and tributes that allied rulers and subject peoples had given him. The  term  mouseion  was first applied to a state-supported research institute in Alexandria, Egypt, founded by King Ptolemy I early in the 3rd century bc to foster scientific studies. The Museum of Alexandria, as it is now known, was dedicated primarily to learning and attracted the finest scholars in science, philosophy, literature, and art. The community included apartmentsRead MoreSummary Article Nikes Dispute with the University of Oregon9247 Words   |  37 PagesIt is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. West Coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850... . The company was founded on January 25, 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman Bill Bowerman William J. Bill Bowerman was an American track and field coach and co-founder of Nike, Inc. He was a very successful track coach, training 31 Olympic athletes, 51 All-Americans, 12 American record-holders, 24 NCAA champions, and 16 sub-4 minute milers... Read MoreComparison Between Japan and Russia13811 Words   |  56 Pagesflowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering

Creativity and Innovation Free Essays

Introduction The nature of today’s business is highly competitive. So the success of every organization highly depends on the novel creative and innovative ideas. Creativity simply means thinking up new things. We will write a custom essay sample on Creativity and Innovation or any similar topic only for you Order Now Innovation means applying those thoughts in to work. It is the conversion of new ideas into products and services. In a rapidly changing global world, managers must use all their abilities to forecast the future opportunities and threats. All these are for achieving and maintaining strategic advantage over the competitor. 2. Produce an appropriate rationale to persuade stakeholders of Aravind eye clinic of the benefits of creative and innovative management idea No business can win without make the stakeholders participating in their business. Stakeholders can motivate a business at a higher level by giving their support to the business. But the business men should take that advantage in a productive and efficient manner. Thereby their creative and innovative ideas can be converted into reality and thus the business can also be developed to a great extent. When we consider the case study, we can see that Dr. V, as the founder of Aravind eye clinic hospital struggled a lot to get his vision and mission fruitful. After analysing all risks associated with the vision and the future consequences they conducted a risks-benefit analysis and came up with new ventures that minimize all the risks and which provides more benefits to their future. Because of their creativity and innovations they have become the only hospital which provides Catarat surgery in India. For getting this kind of achievement stakeholders like owners,employees,customers,Government,communities,suppliers,investors†¦ etc, played an eminent role. Most of the people may resist changing. The success of a business man is lying in convincing these people about what will be the future benefits of changes that the company is going to test. The stakeholders are the key participants of any organization. The important justifications to persuade stakeholders of Aravind eye clinic of the benefits of innovation are: * We can go for the valuable opinions from the stakeholders whenever we need. They are more powerful resource to help in the difficult situations such as during inflation, technological advancement, employee attrition, strikes†¦ etc. Maintaining a healthy relationship with the stakeholders will help both the stakeholders and the organization to get the new information about the environment and the ways to improve their functions to a large extent. * Through communicating with the stakeholders frequently will help us to know what will be their reactions to our novel ideas, and we can change those ideas in to new one which can win their maximum support. * We need to know how best we can make them engage in our project. 2. bAs CEO how will you communicate creative and innovative management idea to stakeholders of an organization Stakeholders are the persons who have interest in knowing the financial position and performance of the organization. As CEO we need to know how best to hold them in our project and how best to communicate with them. We should know about what information they would like from us, their financial as well as emotional interest and what motivates them most†¦ etc,. The most suitable way to know this is directly talk to them. People are often quite open about their views and asking people’s opinions often is the first step in forming a successful relationship with them. For the effective communication with the stakeholders we need to keep in mind the following stuff: * We must understand first that who are the most valuable stakeholders of our organization. A stakeholder may be an investor, Government, supplier, employee, customer, owner†¦ etc. , We should keep a healthy conversation with all the stakeholders and should keep in touch with them often according to their importance or level of influence in our organization. * There may be some very interested people among the stakeholders, others may not car what we are doing and going to do. We should treat them according to their interest in our organization. * The products or services with good quality are itself a good communicator to the stakeholders. Thereby we can earn maximum support and benefits from them. * We should manage our stakeholders depends on the size and complexities of our creative and innovative management ideas and allocate the required time to communicate with them. * Think about what we actually need from each category of stakeholders and their level of influence in our organization. By analysing it we can communicate with the stakeholders in an effective manner. The matter or the messages that are going to convey must include what will be the future benefits of creative and innovative management ideas and try to convince the stakeholders to involve in the new project and persuade them to get maximum advantage from it. * We should work on to get the stakeholders to boost their level of interest. We should ensure that what we are doing is always af fecting stakeholders because if there are any problems we can discuss as early as possible thus reduce the problem by making discussions with stakeholders. . cEstablish key goals and priorities for implementation of a creative and innovative management idea using feedback from stakeholders. It is necessary to get feedback from stakeholders to establish key goals and priorities for implementing creative and innovative management ideas. In the case of Aravind the key goals and priorities for implementing creative and innovative management ideas are the following: * Setting fascinating goals : When we set goals it should be ensured that it motivates us. If we don’t have much interest in what we are doing the outcome will also like that without having any progress. So motivation is the first key to achieve goals. To achieve the goal we should have a commitment like I can or I must do. So setting goals which motivate us is very important and it should be the first footstep in implementing creative ideas. * Setting SMART objectives : The term SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time bound. Specific means it should be well defined and clear. Measurable means it should be measurable, so that we can measure the degree of success. Attainable means we should set the goals which can be achievable as anticipated. By setting realistic goals these are goals that require us to implement our ideas and it will bring personal satisfaction also. Time bound means the goal should be achieved within the prescribed time. When we are working on our dead line our sense of requirement increases and our achievement will also come faster. * Put goals in characters The physical act of writing our creative ideas makes it real and touchable. When we write ‘we will ‘instead of ‘we would like to’ in a sentence ‘we will’ get the power and the second lacks the passion and gives us an excuse if we get unfocused. * Make an action plan We get so focused on the outcome so we will forget to plan all of the steps that are needed along the way. By writing the individual ideas and when we cross each one off as we complete it we will realise our making progress towards our ultimate goal. This is important especially when our goals are very big. Fix on it Goal setting is a continuous process. We should build our reminders to keep ourselves in track and should make a time table for reviewing our goals. The action plan we set for ourselves can change but we should make sure that our importance, value and need remain high. 2. dAssess the barriers to the implementation of a creative and innovative management idea at Aravind Ey e Clinic Innovation barriers can be considered as organizational screening devices to filter worthy innovation projects from unworthy ones. Some of the obstacles and barriers to the implementation of creative and innovative management idea are given below: * Structural Barriers: Main barriers in this category include stratification, formalization, centralization and specialization. Stratification has been described in terms of allotment of rewards throughout an organization and degree of status, equivalence and ease of intra organizational mobility. Formalization means the degree to which an organization emphasizes following rules and procedures in the role performance of its members. If organizational members are expected to behave in predefined manner and innovation is not prescribed, fewer idea proposals will be generated. However, the singleness of purpose that accompanies formalization can make it easier to accept and execute new ideas. Centralization may be negatively related to idea proposals and positively related to adoption. When Specialization is high, initiation of idea proposals and idea adoption will be facilitated. * Social/political Barriers: These barriers pertain mainly to norms and power-related influences within organizations. Although accepted standards of behaviour and power may influence many organizational processes positively, some norms and power can have an influence up on innovative ideas. * Procedural Barriers: These barriers normally refer to policies, procedures, and rules that often restrain innovation. Certain procedures or managerial philosophies are also included in this category that although not officially codified, nevertheless can wield a powerful negative influence. * Resource Barriers: Resources like people, time, money, supplies and information may be affected. Innovation needs certain amount of resources beyond those needed for routine functioning. Implementing an innovation frequently requires that resources be shifted from one area to another. It will result in internal conflicts that can be very troublesome to the innovation process. * Individual Barriers: There are some individual barriers may arise while implementing the innovation. Fear of risk and failure of intolerance of hesitation and ambiguity are the most commonly cited barriers from individuals. Perceptions to innovation may be varied from person to person. We can find some barriers in Aravind Eye Clinic. Individual barriers and resource barriers are the most affecting barriers to them. 1. To implement innovations in their hospitals they have to co-ordinate the opinions of different people. Lack of such co-ordination is a main problem. 2. They have several branches all over India, so utilization of all the resources in an optimum manner will be a problem. 3. Because having wide spread locations they don’t have adequate staff in all their branches. 4. Lack of proper communication to all the branches is another barrier. 2. Plan a strategy to overcome identified barriers to the implementation of a creative and innovative management idea at Aravind Eye Clinics. The need to improve competitiveness of companies through their innovation performance demands continued execution of the broad-based innovation strategy. Every idea management process starts with idea generation. In our work we observe many barriers to innovation. Strategies t o overcome barriers to innovations are: 1. Reason If logic is undeniable then your case will also be irrefutable. If information or logic is suspect strategy is weakened. 2. Friendliness It helps others enjoy supporting you. Overuse may lead people to suspect your motives and competence. 3. Coalition It may seem overwhelming to others. It may be interpreted as conspiracy. 4. Assertiveness It is very effective when instant action is necessary. It may create bitterness with overuse. 5. Higher Authority It is effective when dealing with those who are unwilling to change. It may weaken relationships or be interpreted as a threat. The higher authority may view it as weakness. 6. Bargaining It may provide a quick result when you have something valuable/desirable to negotiate When we take the case study, by giving proper training and development to the staffs and other people may help to overcome some kind of barriers to innovation. Communicating with the stakeholders in a healthy way will help to reduce those obstacles. Communicate very open what will be the future changes that are going to conduct in the organization. 2. f Explain how a strategy plan for overcoming barriers will ensure innovative change is achieved. Now the AEC has become one of the most successful organizations all over India. The main barriers to innovations they have are: . To implement innovations in their hospitals they have to co-ordinate the opinions of different people. Lack of such co-ordination is a main problem. 2. They have several branches all over India, so utilization of all the resources in an optimum manner will be a problem. 3. Because having wide spread locations they don’t have adequate staff in all their branches. 4. Lack of proper communication to all the br anches is another barrier to innovation. 5. Lack of proper training is also a barrier to innovation. They are now providing more than one surgery in their hospitals. So utilization of their available resources in a productive manner is achieved by them. They have limited number of staffs to treat all the patients in a good manner, but now they are providing services to a great extent by starting new branches in remote areas also and appointed large amount of employees to meet all the requirements of all the patients. The wide spread locations of their hospitals make them difficult to co-ordinate all the activities, but through identifying and taking proper remedies to this problem they have reduced this barrier to a large extent. Providing good quality services are itself a good communicator to the society. AEC has achieved this kind of proper communication to the stakeholders and thereby they have attained their vision and mission fertile. 2. g Communicate a strategy plan for overcoming barriers to relevant stakeholders in an organization Stakeholders of an organization refer to those people who have a great interest to know about the organization such as their financial positions, performance†¦ etc. Key stakeholders of an organization includes employees, owners, investors, government, customers, communities, trade unions, creditors†¦ tc,. There are lot of communication barriers faced by an organization. The message intended by the sender is not understood by the receiver in the same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these communication barriers so as to ensure smooth and effective communication. Overcoming the barriers to innovation i s much important matter in an organization. To achieve this there should be a proper communication with the stakeholders frequently. There are some points given to communicate with the stakeholders in an effective manner. . Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of confusing words and jargons should be avoided. 2. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully to all the stakeholders while they are giving their feedback. There is a difference between â€Å"listening† and â€Å"hearing†. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the message. 3. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be an ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the communication. 4. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered constructively. Productive feedback will lead to effective communication with the stakeholders. The authority of the organization should take care of the communication with different stakeholders according to their importance or level of influence in the organization. All the strategies or plans which are formulated to overcome the barriers to innovations should be carefully communicated with all the stakeholders in an effective manner in order to get the maximum advantage from them. Conclusion By doing this assignment we can understand who the stakeholders are and how effectively an organization can win their support through maintaining a healthy relationship and by frequently communicating with them. An organization has different types of barriers to innovation and its success is lying on how well it can identify and overcome those barriers and make the business very successful. How to cite Creativity and Innovation, Essay examples Creativity and innovation Free Essays string(291) " regional patterns and national of technology development fleets the significance of external economic and non-economic factors that encourage the interactions of creative on all kinds of the community, which leads to economy into â€Å"virtuous circle† of technological development\." Today, MM is a multinational powerhouse, with more than $23 billion in annual sales across a product line 50,000 deep, from adhesives to optical film. It boasts 22,800 patents, many derived from its 15 percent program. The program has been key to m’s business strategy and could be a model for other companies eager to innovate (Bogged, 2010). We will write a custom essay sample on Creativity and innovation or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2. 0 Contents 2. 1 Issues of MM 2. 1. 1 Structure in Relation to Innovation MM Company established in 1902 in Minnesota, United States, with more than 35 business units in America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. Its line of business includes sandpapers for abrasives, wet and dry papers etc. The company has a good structure which enable them to overcome the setback they had at their first market entrance, of which they come out with new creative technique to innovate ideas together, as a result of the structure of its employees to work together, the company had a major breakthrough in the global market. m’s structure is finely well- positioned to accommodate growth and enable it to respond quickly to its rapidly- changing business demands. Conventional research on organizational innovativeness has explored the determinants of an organization’s propensity to innovate. Although researchers have analyses the influence of individual, organizational and environmental variables, most of the research has focused on organizational structure. Within the field of organizational structure theories, there has been a long tradition of investigating the links between environment, structures and organizational innovation. Several studies have shown how certain organizational structures facilitate the creation of new products and processes, especially in relation to fast changing environments. The work of micro-economists in the field of strategy emphasizes the superiority of certain organizational structures such as; flat organizational structure, which is similar to the structure adopted by MM ever the tall organizational structure, which is similar to the traditional structure used by the company. These economists argue that flat organizational structure helps an organization to become more innovative, because it enables all the members of the company to take part in its decision making process (Bernard, 2011). Similarly, contingency theory argues that the most appropriate structure for an organization is the one that gives its employees the opportunity to take part in its decision making process. This is mainly a flat organizational structure. This structure enables the employees of the company to directly inform the management of any new ideas they have without any form of bureaucracy to discourage them or slow the process (Bernard, 2011). 2. 1. Leadership Relation to Innovation Goal achieved through the company to become a global spread as widely from America to include all continents, it means that the leadership was wise and act with tact, simply that the leadership of MM was commitment and role models, before they are statements and opinions without plan. The executive manager was painting a picture in his mind about the perfect ways for employees what they should be in the many, the focus of leadership was the ability to influence the workers and employees by motivating them to seek enthusiasm and commitment to achieve the targets. Opinion of the author that the behaviors practiced by executive manager with the workers and staff was effective approach, were his interaction with clear steps as planned already, the most important characteristics is coordination and organization and urged the workers to complete the work on time, and provided them with a great degree of satisfaction and degree of coherence of the group. Such an environment can be more effective than monetary incentives in sustaining innovation. The executive manager made explicit steps to foster an innovation culture based on trust among employees, in this environment the staff can be effective in sustaining innovation and the executive manager made clear steps to encourage and foster an innovation culture based on the basis of trust between staff and employees. According to (Woodlot Horny, 2002). Thinking in regularity and logical leading to organizational focus and thinking before planning and about planning is a natural evolution expresses minds, Requires basically to be clear on what we want to do at all levels for internal and external affairs And then put the appropriate plans and system for monitoring To make sure of doing things to the fullest is fine. Barnum, 2004) shows the main thing is focus to well Planning and it is what makes the Plan an effective strategy to innovate the most important things and focus is necessary to organizational success . 2. 1. 3 Linkages and Networking to Innovation The most important characteristic of the company MM is to communicate with the global and local communities and looking for the needs and interests of the customers, MM has established many of the communication skills to meet customers and hear their views. M has hired a staff to service the customers with dignity and respect and to feel the customers satisfied after the communicate with them by providing clear and sufficient information either through direct talks informally, or via email and so on. The company did not reach to the global of non-understanding of customer needs and engage them in innovation and give their opinions and their views. In cases of opening up new areas MM used the ideas and opinions of customers from outside the company as part of the development team for blending views and engaging them as part of the development team to mix views. Linking research and experience with customers led to enhance the level of customer satisfaction and knowledge of the product and how to meet its needs and helped to define the identity of the company not only meet the needs of customers but extend to many of the ideas that rise to the concept of creating a response to the wishes of the expected customers. Thus, these methods have served and satisfied the customers ,have increased activity and effectiveness of the company (Stern, 2001). The variations between regional patterns and national of technology development fleets the significance of external economic and non-economic factors that encourage the interactions of creative on all kinds of the community, which leads to economy into â€Å"virtuous circle† of technological development. You read "Creativity and innovation" in category "Papers" . 0 Analyze difficulties in using MM in different cultural situation Depending on the country of the author (Syria) has many advantages, including the presence of an important human resources and skills in the labor market academically and technically need to support and appropriate guidance to get the benefit desired and required from fresh graduate of colleges as well as international experts of Syrian origin. The establishment a futuristic company ( AZIZA ) the author will face many obstacles, including challenges related to community and economic environment and investment and business owners. Challenges related to the majority of the community members-the community in general aspiring to reach higher ranks of government and minimizing the importance of managing a business career as an option. Where the failure is treated always in a negative way and the entrepreneur in the case of failure Just for once-is considered human being failed a lifetime which limits innovation and development. In Syria, there is the problem of routine and bureaucracy in all sectors where high proportions in the institutions of the public sector and less in the private sector, which is Considered Bad of the work environment in Syria and must be combated to eliminate them through the process of contributing to the awareness community using modern technology to eliminate routine and bureaucracy and serious contribution to the idea of creating a single window (Haddam, 2012). One of the challenges and not to take full advantage of previous experience and be taken into account as a reference lichen performance of he work, as well as the policy of the state and the economic system in the country, the culture of the community is also full of routine, there is no full advantage of the technology and techniques in the field of electronic daily work, the lack of automation of processes in the offices which leads to lose time, which leads to lack of innovation (Haddam, 2012). . 0 Evidence of reflection on how insights relate to student own situation and how learning might applied in current situation Motivate the staff by a variety of ways. While a employee will rewarded by a rise of pay, another will measure their success wrought a promotion. Also the training could be a strong factor to motivate for the staff, and this also helps them to acquire a new skills. Thereby increasing performance of their Job and stimulates them to creative new things. Adoption of th e good incentives stems from a measure of fair and realistic comes the following results : Raising the level of production of employees, which is reflected on the production, cut the company costs by reducing the damage, the spread of a positive atmosphere between the members of the company because of the general sense of attestation and Justice, Increase in the number wishing to Join the company of qualified and creators, and the presence of a picture of a shiny bright and positive of the society (Fedora, 2005). What draw the attention of the author also is a constant quest of MM Company in the preparation of future plans for the administration the transitional phase. According to (Donald, 2012), organizational transition management is an approach to changing an organization situation from a current state to a desired future state. It is an organizational process aimed at helping to hanged stakeholders to accept and embrace changes in their business environment. Similarly, (Cotter, 2011) defines transition management as the utilization of basic structures and tools to control any organizational change effort. Change management’s goal is to minimize the change impacts on workers and avoid distractions. Examples of organizational change include; Mission changes, Strategic changes, Structural changes, Technological changes, and Changing the attitudes and behaviors of employees. As a multidisciplinary practice that has evolved as a result of scholarly research, Organizational Transition Management should begin with a hysteretic diagnosis of the current situation, in order to determine both the need for change and the capability to change. The objectives, content, and process of change should all be specified as part of the Transition Management Plan (Gaffer, 2012). Transition Management processes may include creative marketing to enable communication between change audiences, but also deep social understanding about leadership’s styles and group dynamics. As a visible track on transformation projects, Organizational Transition Management aligns groups’ expectations, communicates, integrates teams and manages people training. It makes use of performance metrics, such as financial results, operational efficiency, leadership commitment, communication effectiveness, and the perceived need for change to design appropriate strategies, in order to avoid change failures (Gaffer, 2012). According to ( Kings, 2012), successful transition management is more likely to occur if the following are included: ; Benefits management and realization to define measurable stakeholder aims, create a business case for their achievement (which should be continuously updated), and monitor assumptions, risks, dependencies, sots, return on investment, ad’s-benefits and cultural issues affecting the progress of the associated work. Effective Communications that informs various stakeholders of the reasons for the change, the benefits of successful implementation, as well as the details of the change (when? Where? Who is involved? How much will it cost? Etc. ). ; Devise an effective education, training and/or skills upgrading scheme for the organization. ; Counter resistance from the employees of companies and align them to overall strategic direction of the organization. ; Provide personal counseling (if squired) to alleviate any change-related fears. Monitoring of the implementa tion and fine-tuning as required. The corporation is like a tree that grows from its roots, core products are nourished by competencies and engender business units, whose fruit are products. Three tests are proposed to identify core competencies in an organization: a core competence provides potential access to a wide variety of markets, it should make a significant contribution to the perceived customer benefits of the end product, and finally a core competence should be difficult for competitors to imitate. The core products provide a tangible link between identified core competencies and the end products. Organizations need to build their strategies within different clear scenarios, in different ways, based on different competencies for the purposes of achieving real advantages in the shadow of unknown, risk, and uncertain future (Canon, 2011). 5. 0 Discussion of challenges in transforming their learning into action given their particular strength and limitations This case study taught the author the importance of organizational change and how it helps an organization to become more innovative and competitive. It also helped the author to learn a detailed method of implementing organizational change, in order to avoid any form of disruption or problem in the process. This include; Prepare, Plan, Design, implement, Operate, and Optimize processes. In addition, this research helped the author to learn the importance of focus strategy and core competency and how they help an organization to become very competitive in their respective industries. The author also learned the disadvantages of individual work and how it negatively affects the productivity and innovativeness of organizations. In the author endeavourers as a future manager, will apply this methodology whenever it deems necessary by adopting the strategy and processes used by MM – Prepare, Plan, Design, implement, Operate, and Optimize processes. This is because; the method will enable him to assess and align the organization’s threshold capabilities with its strategy before implementing it. The strategy will also help to avoid individual work and equally help the organization to focus on its core competency, thereby gaining more competitive advantage over its competitors. The challenges that the author may face when applying this insight as a manager in future could be inadequate skilful employees and employees’ resistance to change. However, the author will resolve this issue by ensuring that the employees of the organization are encouraged to adapt to the change resulting from the new strategy implementation through rewards and training on the importance of the change to them and the organization. By so doing, the organization will always successfully implement any form of strategy relevant to its success and growth. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, MM is a very successful organization and a market leader, because of TTS ability to adopt new processes and adapt to the changes resulting from it. This also makes it to innovative very often, because it employees tend to be exposed to various operational processes, which helps them to constantly think of new ways to carry out their tasks. It also enables its employees to be constantly trained in vari ous areas, thereby helping them to learn and transfer new knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities to their Jobs. How to cite Creativity and innovation, Papers

Multiculturalism vs Homonationalism free essay sample

Pim Fortuyn, being the first arguing for anti-multiculturalism to safeguard the gay community, openly dismissed religious principles and cultural traditions of the Islamic community in the Netherlands. Geert Wilders’ political party, â€Å"Party for the Freedom†, seems to move in a similar direction, where nationalist policies are promoted, multiculturalism is criticized (especially the presence of a Islamic community), and the rights of the â€Å"original† Dutch citizens, including the gay community, are centrally positioned. This â€Å"exclusion of racial and class others† rooted in the inclusion of homosexuals in â€Å"body politics† has been conceptualized by Puar as ‘homonationalism’ (Aydemir, 2012, p. 188). In this paper, the position of gay rights in the discussion surrounding (anti-) multiculturalism in Dutch politics is examined. It will be argued that ‘Homonationalism is increasingly used in Dutch politics to support anti-multiculturalist views’. Firstly, two crucial developments, i. e. the ‘normalization process’ of homosexuality on the one side and the emergence of a multicultural society on the other side, are separately presented. Next, the current clash of these two developments, and its political ramifications are examined. For this examination, the concept ‘homonationalism’ is presented. Afterwards, and lastly, the relation between ‘homonationalism’ and anti-multiculturalist movements in Dutch politics is analysed. Normalization of Homosexuality in the Netherlands During the last decades, a trend of homo-emancipation has been witnessed in Western European countries (Aydemir, 2012). The Netherlands has been a frontrunner in this process of promoting acceptance and tolerance of gay ommunities, which in a relatively short time has led to a high level of ‘normalization’ of homosexuality. Multiple milestones of homo-emancipation in the Netherlands can be identified during this process, which eventually evolved to a high level of ‘normalization’ (Mepschen et al. , 2009). The first milestone, taking place around 1971, covers the abolishment of legal discriminatio n and criminalization of homosexuality. On a global level, homosexuality was removed as a psychiatric disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association (Mepschen et al. , 2010). At the same time, the age of consent was equalized for homosexuals and heterosexuals in the Netherlands, lowering the age for homosexuals from 21 to 16 years. The second milestone concerned the further establishment of equal rights for homosexuals. This wave culminated in April 2001, when homosexuals were legally given civil marriage rights. The third milestone pertains to the social acceptance of homosexuality by society at large and commenced last decade. A high level of ‘normalization’ has been established already, with some politicians and societal groups actively safeguarding the level reached (Van der Veer, 2006).. The rapid and extended acceptance and tolerance towards homosexuality in the Netherlands can be attributed to two main factors. Firstly, the widespread secularization, taking place from 1960s throughout the Netherlands, gave way to de-pillarization (Mepschen, 2010). The fading of pillars – hierarchically structured subcultures based on religion, which originally formed the basis of the social organization of the Dutch society – freed the Dutch population from conservatism and oppressive structures. As Mepschen et al. (2010, p. 66) stated, in one generation the Dutch society transformed from â€Å"one of the most religious societies in the world to one of its most secular†. Christianity, being traditionally the most conformed religious belief in the Netherlands, became less important with the population gradually embracing expressionism and self-reflection (Wekker, 2009). This secularization contributed to the development of acceptance and toleration, since the Du tch society was freed from the Christian thought that condemned homosexual behaviour. Secondly, the Dutch political and institutional framework contributed to acceptance and toleration of homosexuality (Mepschen, 2010). The corporatist style of Dutch authorities allowed greater influence of the new movements, promoting an accepting and tolerating environment. Homosexual liberation movements â€Å"reinforced an ethos of individual freedom, autonomy and enjoyment as alternatives to the authoritarian past† (Mepschen et al. , 2010, p. 965). Due to these influences, Dutch citizens distanced themselves from traditionalism and increasingly urged for liberal policies (Butler, 2008). The existing political environment in the Netherlands eased the process of creating acceptance and tolerance towards homosexuality, where it allowed homosexual liberation movements as well as politicians, like Pim Fortuyn and Geert Wilders, to express their opinions openly and to create awareness among the population (Hekma amp; Duyvendak, 2011). The Emergence of Multiculturalism in the Netherlands After the Second World War, the Netherlands faced multiple periods of successive immigration flows. During the 1950s and 1960s, most immigrants originated from former Dutch colonies. South Europeans followed, where during the end of the 1950s most immigrants were Spanish, Italian or Portuguese citizens. Immigration flows from Morocco and Turkey to the Netherlands was almost constantly present since the 1960s, mostly as a reply to the demand of cheap labour. These immigration flows contributed to the high diversity of culture present in Dutch society, creating a multicultural environment (Ceuppens amp; Geschiere, 2005). Often however, the term multiculturalism reflects not the presence of all cultures and is used in the political sphere as a euphemism for the growing number of Muslim citizens (Jivraj amp; de Jong, 2011). Currently, around five percent of the Dutch population has an Islamic background. Noticeable, around eighty percent of the citizens with this background lives closely together in urban districts, primarily in the west of the country (the so-called Randstad) (Buijs et al. , 2009). The increasing presence of the Islamic tradition in these areas in the Netherlands has, according to some, resulted in clashing morals and beliefs. Political views on this issue are diverse. Pim Fortuyn and Geert Wilders became most well-known for their restrictive immigration policy programs and their opinions on the Dutch multicultural society, and received significant support (Mepschen, 2009). They represent the most radical political view, building on the ideas of Ceuppens and Geschiere who argue that the Dutch society and cultural heritage should be protected from lternative non-Western influences, especially from societal groups with Islamic background (2005). Homonationalism and Anti-Multiculturalism in Dutch Politics Various scholars have highlighted the two important aspect in the Dutch nationalist discussion (Mepschen et al, 2010; Mepschen 2009; Buijs et al. , 2009; Buijs et al. , 2011; Butler, 2008; Van der Veer, 2006): On the one hand, there are apparent limits in Dutch t olerance towards Muslims, while on the other hand, Muslim citizens show limits in respecting the liberal Dutch values, including secular attitudes towards homosexuality. Puar introduced the concept ‘homonationalism’, referring to gay politics as invoking a difference between the ‘West’ and the Islam (2007). In other words, gay rights have been used in Dutch politics to create a distinction between the tolerating ‘Dutch’ and the homophobic ‘others’, mostly referred to Muslims. Pim Fortuyn’s role in the entanglement of antipathy towards Islamic groups with the politics of sexual freedom has been crucial (Van der Veer, 2006). In March 2002, when his party participated for the first time in the municipal elections of the city of Rotterdam, the party received almost 35 percent of the votes. In May of the same year, his party won more than 17 percent of all votes in the national elections. This large support was based on his views and action plan to ‘close the borders’ of the Netherlands, refusing most asylum seekers to enter the country, while portraying individuals with an Islamic background as a threat to the Dutch society (Van der Veer, 2006). He described Muslims as being ‘backward’ and as a threat to his personal freedom to be an openly homosexual man. He stated â€Å"I refuse to start all over again with the emancipation of women and gays. He successfully made a connection between sexual freedoms and secularization as the symbols of modern Dutch culture on the one hand, and an Islamic culture portrayed as backward and intolerant on the other hand (Mepschen, 2009). Since 2010, also Geert Wilders’ â€Å"Party for the Freedom† gained large support for its anti-Muslim position, in the light of Islamic beliefs opposing modern Du tch secular values. Geert Wilders used a similar gay rights discourse as a language for critique on the Islam and multiculturalism. From the perspective of the Islamic community in the Netherlands, the rhetoric of Geert Wilders and Pim Fortuyn is perceived as hostile and directed at their beliefs and values. This has also been recognized by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, who conclude that â€Å"Muslims in the Netherlands are subject of stereotyping, stigmatizing and sometimes outright racist political discourse and of biased media portrayal, and have been disproportionately targeted by security and other policies† (ECRI, 2008). Moreover, half of the Dutch population reports to feel aversion to the Islam, whereas 80 percent considers the Muslim integration in Dutch society to have failed (TNS-NIPO, 2003). Finally, the majority of the Dutch, partly due to the image created by Dutch politicians like Geert Wilders and Pim Fortuyn, have the feeling that the increased presence of Islam in the Netherlands threatens national identity (Kromhouts amp; Smits, 2008). These feelings are used and even exploited by populist’s politicians like Geert Wilders. In sum, there is a conflict between established gay rights and Islamic values and beliefs, which Wilders and Fortuyn have put on top of their political agenda. The Dutch Ministry for Education, Culture and Science also recognized this conflict. Consequently, They developed a policy document in 2007 named ‘Gewoon Homo Zijn’ (translated: Just Being Gay) in which they formulate measures to appease the emerging conflicting positions. The Policy implications and other action plans proposed in the document, further strengthen homo-emancipation in the Netherlands taking cultural diversity into account. The document places two values as essential in the public agenda: social acceptance and tolerance of homosexuality and freedom to be openly gay. The main goal listed in the document refers to the promotions of ‘speak-ability’ or ‘discuss-ability’ of homosexuality within the various groups of society (OCW, 2007). When listing the goals of the action plan and when is referred to the various groups in society that have to be intensively included in the homo-emancipation, the core target groups to be addressed are the Moroccan and Turkish Muslim communities. Especially within these communities, homosexuality is relatively not tolerated and accepted (Jivraj amp; de Jong, 2011). Anti-multiculturalist politicians use this relatively low acceptance and tolerance rate of homosexuality by the Moroccan and Turkish Muslim communities to strengthen their position. To do so, gay rights are heralded as if they were part of the â€Å"traditional† Dutch culture and as if the â€Å"original† population has no conflicting values in this matter (Wekker, 2009). An examination of violence reports, providing information on the occurrence of violent and criminal behaviour in Amsterdam, shows that, surprisingly for a city having worldwide recognition to be gay friendly, the city is having severe problems with violence against homosexual citizens. Young homosexual adolescents between 15 and 25 years old are most frequently the victims of violent behaviour, where more than 30 percent of the cases recorded involved physical violence (Buijs et al. , 2009). Political parties like the â€Å"Party for the Freedom† claim that the criminals of this anti-homosexual violence in the urban areas, like the city of Amsterdam, are mostly having an Islamic background (and being almost always Moroccans). However, when further studying the examination of violence reports, it can be concluded that both native Dutch and citizens with an Islamic background are suspects of anti-homosexual violent behaviour. Though, the latter group of Islamic background is overrepresented as suspects, when taking into account the demographics of the city. The violent and intolerant attitudes, from citizens with an Islamic background as well as the â€Å"original† Dutch and various political parties, is partially also explained by public statements of both sides. In 2001 – the same year, that homosexuals were given civil marriage rights – an unknown imam from Rotterdam, Khalil El-Moumni, declared that in his view Europeans were â€Å"lower than pigs and dogs† by giving homosexuals equal civil marriage rights. He publically opposed homosexuality in all its forms. It was in the same year again, that Pim Fortuyn got large public support, opposing views similar to the ones of Khalil El-Moumni. Following Pim Fortuyn, various other politicians took up gay rights issues and did not avoid Islamophobic tones in the defence of secular Dutch rights. This Islamophobic attitude has not been contributing to the integration of the Islamic community in Dutch society and will not contribute to the development of homo-emancipation in the Dutch society at large. Hekma and Duyvendak (2011, p. 627) therefore â€Å"encourage strategies that explicitly repudiate all forms of Islamophobia but do not silence those who fight for the sexual citizenship rights of all, and therefore have to fight against those Muslim groups that reject homosexuality. Political attention and public statement for anti-multiculturalist movements, in the sake of homo-emancipation and to protect Dutch secular values, have to be more nuanced and should avoid blanket statements. These statements overlook the homosexual-friendly Muslims and are countering the positive change that is aimed for within these communities (Ke uzenkamp, 2010). Conclusion In the homo-emancipation process in Western Europe, the Netherlands has been exceptional in its pace of generating and strengthening acceptance and tolerance for homosexuality in society at large. The Dutch society even reached in this process a remarkable level of ‘normalization’ of homosexuality. Multiple milestones have been contributing to reach this level, where especially after 1971 the process has been progressing rapidly, relative to other Western European countries. The de-pillarization of Dutch society, as a consequence of the secularization, and the Dutch political and institutional environment empowered this ‘normalization’ of homosexuality. Aside of increasing acceptance and tolerance of homosexuality in Dutch society, a cultural transformation process took place, where the Netherlands faced large flows of immigration from former colonies, Mediterranean countries and, noticeably, Morocco and Turkey. Consequently, the society has become increasingly culturally diverse. These two developments, normalization of homosexuality and the establishment of a multiculturalist society, have clashed, resulting in anti-multiculturalist movements within Dutch politics. Likewise, some political parties have used homonationalism to strengthen their position on anti-multiculturalism. They justify their position upon threats of the culturally diverse society, mostly referring to the Islamic communities present in the Dutch society, on Dutch secular values. In the future it will be interesting to see how traditional Dutch political parties will position themselves in this debate. Positioning themselves in this debate is a balancing act. Since, on the one hand, they want to denounce the anti-Muslim rhetoric of Wilders, while on the other hand, they want to express full right to homosexual values in the Netherlands. Reference List Anti-homogeweld zijn geen incidenten. Inbreng PVV debat homo-emancipatie (n. d. ) URL: www. pvv. nl/index. php? option1? 4com_contentandtask1? 4viewandid1? 4906. Aydemir, M. (2012). The Postcolonial Low Countries: Literature, Colonialism, Multiculturalism. Plymouth, United Kingdom: Lexington Books. Buijs, L. , Hekma, G. , amp; Duyvendak, J. W. (2009). Als ze maar van me afblijven. Een onderzoek naar antihomoseksueel geweld in Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Buijs, L. , Hekma, G. , amp; Duyvendak, J. W. (2011). ‘As long as they keep away from me’: The paradox of antigay violence in a gay-friendly country. Sexualities, 14(6), 632 – 652. Butler, J. (2008). Sexual politics, torture, and secular time. British Journal of Sociology, 59(1), 1–23. Ceuppens, B. , amp; Geschiere, P. (2005). Autochthons or indigenous? New models in the struggle over citizenship in Africa and Europe. Annual Review of Anthropology, 34, 385–407. ECRI (European Commission against Racism and Intolerance) (2008) Third Report on the Netherlands. Strasbourg: ECRI. Hekma, G. , amp; Duyvendak, J. W. (2011). Queer Netherlands: A puzzling example. Sexualities, 14(6), 625 – 631. Jivraj, S. amp; Jong de, A. (2011). The Dutch homo-emancipation policy and its silencing effect on queer Muslims. Feminist Legal Studies, 19, 143 – 158. Keuzenkamp, S. (2010). Steeds gewoner, nooit gewoon. Den Haag: SCP. Kromhout, B. , amp; Smits, F. (2008). ‘De Geschiedenismonitor 2008 [The History Monitor 2008]’, Historisch Nieuwsblad 3. Mepschen, P. (2009). ‘Against Tolerance: Islam, Sexuality, and the Politics of Belonging in the Netherlands’. Retrieved 2 March 2013, from: http://mrzine. monthlyreview. org/2009/mepschen130709. html Mepschen, P. , Duyvendak, J. W. amp; Tonkens, H. (2010). Sexual politics, Orientalism and multicultural citizenship in the Netherlands. Sociology, 44(5), 962–979. OCW (Ministerie voor Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) (2007). Gewoon Homo Zijn: Lesbisch- en homoemancipatiebeleid 2008–2011. Retrieved 2 March 2013, from: http://www. rijksoverheid. nl/documenten-en-publicaties/notas/ 2007/11/14/nota-lesbisch-en-homo-emancipatiebeleid-2008-2011-gewoon-homo-zijn. html. Puar, J. K. (2007). Terrorist assemblages: Homonationalism in Queer Times. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. TNS-NIPO (2003). ‘Helft Nederlanders heeft Angst voor Toenemend Aantal Moslims [Half of Dutch Fear Growing Number of Muslims]’. Retrieved 2 March 2013, from: http://www. tns-nipo. com/pages/nieuws-pers-politiek. asp? file= persvannipo%5Cpol03_37. htm Van der Veer, P. (2006). Pim Fortuyn, Theo Van Gogh, and the politics of tolerance in the Netherlands. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Vrij Pers Bureau. Wekker, G. (2009). Van homo nostalgie en betere tijden. Multiculturaliteit en postkolonialiteit, George Mosse Lecture 2009, Amsterdam. Retrieved 2 March 2013, from: http://www. uva. nl/lecture2201821.