Exam on organizational culture behavior and conflict - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2790 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Organizational culture defines the shared beliefs, norms, and values of an organization that influence how employees feel, think, and behave toward others inside and outside of the organization. This can be necessary for an organization to maintain a common understanding regarding what is acceptable and expected behavior when one is representing the organization. I have worked at PFSweb for over nine years and have observed the culture of the organization change over time, while certain aspects have remained. Four factors can interact together to form and later change an organizational culture. (George and Jones) The first of these factors involves the personal and professional characteristics of the individuals within the organization (George and Jones). At PFSweb, these characteristics widely include a strong work ethic coupled with adaptability and a fun-loving attitude based on the idea that we will celebrate when the job is done. Likewise, organizational e thics, the second factor, include adaptability and an always on attitude, which encourages employees to be responsive to company needs even if it requires the employee to step outside of his job description or typical business hours. The nature of the employment relationship between a company and its employees is the third factor that shapes organizational culture. Within the PFSweb organization, the attitude of flexibility and adaptability carries over to the workers. When challenges and problems occur, the workers have the proper attitude to problem solve and think creatively. The design of PFSwebs organizational structure is very open and linear. Although managers definitely set boundaries and define tasks, they are open to ideas and suggestions on ways to improve productivity making this fourth factor a very important one for the culture of the company. Based on the interaction of these four factors, PFSweb has a strong organizational culture that is based on creative problem so lving that enables employees to respond quickly and effectively to any problem that might arise. (George and Jones) This culture is also transmitted to new employees through socialization and observation. Socialization occurs in many different ways including lunches, company gatherings, and charity initiatives supported by the organization. When new employees accompany existing employees to lunch there is often discussion regarding current or past clients and projects. Listening to these conversations can help a new employee understand how they should behave if a similar situation arises in which they are involved. Fun company gatherings are sometimes used to reward hard work and initiative to those who conform to the ethics and culture that PFSweb portrays. Additionally, new employees are often paired up with existing employees to observe how day-to-day functions are carried out as well as expectations of appropriate behavior when interacting with clients. Quarterly meetings are also a useful way to communicate organizational expectations, values and culture. Awards are given for exhibiting strong work ethics, tenure, and adaptability to certain situations. This shows new employees that they can be acknowledged by the company and given special awards by conforming to the ethics and culture of the organization. Organizational values are also important. Values, or standards that people use to determine the types of outcomes and behaviors that are favorable, can be divided into two types: terminal and instrumental. Terminal values represent a desired end state or outcome that people seek to achieve (George and Jones). At PFSweb, terminal values include the desire to provide a high quality product and service to our clients and their customers while being efficient and therefore profitable. Instrumental values are desired types of behavior that people seek to follow (George and Jones) and include adaptability and professionalism within the PFSweb organizati on. A relaxed and fun atmosphere is an additional instrumental value, as long as the work is completed. Norms are also shared expectations of behavior. The main beliefs and norms of organizational members include working hard and responding quickly and effectively to issues or problems. In terms of individual attitudes and behaviors, the employees who stay with the company exhibit a very high work ethic and often times can be found working at odd hours of the day. They respond often and quickly when needed and never object to working outside of typical business hours. As new employees join the organization, those who do not exhibit the same level of commitment and dedication to the company generally do not last as long in the organization. In some cases, management might decide to dismiss the individual because of an expectation that the employee will not adopt a similar attitude. In other cases, the employee observes this attitude and behavior, knows that he will not be a good fit, and chooses to leave. This behavior clearly seems to be influenced by PFSwebs organizational values. By having a company that consists of employees with these norms and values, PFSweb is able to move forward with the organization that the leaders desire and can be sure that each individual will demonstrate the organizational values, norms, and beliefs at all times. 2. Reflection on Organizational Behavior Organizational behavior is defined as the study of the various factors that have an impact on how groups and people feel, think, act, and respond to organizations and work, and how organizations respond to their environments (George and Jones). Most individuals are shaped by negative and positive experiences gained from working in an organization at some point in their lives. These experiences can change how a person interacts with other individuals and organizations in the future and therefore it is important to understand how to minimize the negative effects while maximizi ng the positive (George and Jones). A basic understanding of organizational behavior can assist in doing just that. Once a person has a grasp on how others respond and act within an organization, he too can understand how best to respond and control his behavior and actions. Organizational behavior replaces intuition and gut feeling with a well- researched body of theories and systematic guidelines for managing behavior in organizations. The study of OB provides a set of tools, concepts and theories, that helps people to understand, analyze, and describe what goes on in organizations and why (George and Jones). It is also important for an organization to understand the external environment around it, not just the behaviors within. In order for an organization to prosper over time, there has to be a continual adaptability and understanding of the external factors from which it draws resources. An open system view can help illustrate how the environmental factors can affect an orga nizations success and viability over time. This view has three different stages that cover gathering inputs, conversion of the inputs, and outputs. In an open system, an organization takes in resources from its external environment and converts or transforms them into goods and services that are sent back to that environment, where they are bought by customers (George and Jones). The input stage therefore begins this cycle when the organization looks to the exterior environment for inputs such as capital, raw materials, and employees. Acquiring inputs is often a challenge for an organization in terms of effectively finding high quality resources for advantageous prices. To ensure that employees are utilizing the best methods to meet this challenge, organizational procedures, or rules employees can follow to perform some task in the most effective way, should be established and enforced (George and Jones). The second stage in the open system cycle is the conversion stage, during whic h the inputs from the first stage are transformed with value-adding characteristics such as turning raw materials and capital into computers and machines that will produce goods. The output stage represents the third stage where the organization makes the outputs available to its environment. By selling these outputs, the organization makes profits, which allow it to acquire new inputs that will be used to produce new outputs. This high level of interactivity between the organization and the external environment show that in order to be successful, the organization must continue to monitor and understand how the environment changes and then adapt to those changes by altering its organizational behaviors and procedures. Organizations that fail to recognize the many changing forces in the environment lose their ability to acquire resources, to sell their products, and so they often disintegrate and disappear over time (George and Jones). In addition to understanding organizational behavior, it is also important to understand oneself and the level of value maturity one possesses. Value maturity is sometimes referred to as virtues that are believed to be internal but are not innate and have outward consequences (Denhardt, Denhardt and Aristigueta). Kohlbergs model of moral development is a theory developed by Lawrence Kohlberg that says moral reasoning is based on explicit rules and concepts, like conscious logical problem-solving; over the course of an individuals development, the rules and concepts that he or she uses to solve moral problems unfold in a well-defined, universal sequence of stages (Saxe). This model consists of three stages: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. The pre-conventional level is the first level and centers on the personal needs and the related consequences as a focus for moral reasoning. An example of this would be cheating on an exam because it does not harm the person whose paper was copied and it accomplishes th e immediate personal need to pass the exam. The second stage is the conventional level and occurs when one begins to conform to society and allows others to influence his behavior in an attempt to gain their respect. Moral behavior begins to develop based on societal norms and it is learned that cheating on an exam is wrong. By cheating on an exam, professors and others lose respect for the cheater and will therefore not trust his future actions. The final stage is the post-conventional level where judgment of ones actions based on his internalized principles is deemed right or wrong. Here, cheating on the test is still considered wrong, not because of respect or societal norms, but because of a newly developed principled judgment. Most people stop at the second level and stay there, but few people do reach the third level. (Denhardt, Denhardt and Aristigueta) 3. Conflict in a Small Midwestern City As city manager, it has come to my attention that there are two groups requesti ng funds from our current one million dollar budget surplus, each with valid requests. Crime control and economic development are of vital interest to our community, and as such, the funding requests lie in these areas. The police department wants to begin a unit to pursue career criminals which, statistically speaking, commit a higher number of crimes than non-repeat offenders do. Alternatively, downtown business is requesting funds to beautify the area in an effort to attract customers since the area has not been doing as well as predicted. One million dollars will not fully fund both requests and therefore some perceived conflict has arisen since each group understands that their goals are being hindered by the others request. As discussions continue, I anticipate an escalation to felt conflict, which results in the groups developing negative feelings towards each other and cooperation will be more difficult to achieve (George and Jones). If a fair decision cannot be reached d uring this stage, the potential for the progression to manifest conflict will arise. In this stage of conflict, one party decides how to react to or deal with the party that it sees as the source of the conflict, and both parties try to hurt each other and thwart each others goals (George and Jones). This can result in violence or open aggression between the two groups and should be avoided. In an effort to do so, a meeting should be held to discuss the underlying goals and interests of each request so that everyone fully understands the needs that the funding would address. In an effort to keep the conflict between these two groups at a low stage, I plan to employ group-level conflict management strategies in an attempt to arrive at the best possible decision while maintaining fairness and control. Group-level conflict management involves a focus on changing the attitudes and behaviors of the groups and departments in conflict (George and Jones). This is necessary for these two groups in order to maintain the vitality and performance of the city. The source of the conflict is scarcity of resources, but commonly, each group wants the resources to improve a vital area of the city. Before making any decisions, it is important to understand the interests and needs of each group. The police department wants to designate a separate unit to pursue career criminals, but this is a solution to a need. The true interest is to control crime in the city and since statistics show that repeat offenders are responsible for an overwhelming number of crimes, it does seem logical that stopping these particular criminals would reduce overall crime in the city dramatically. Additionally, there needs to be more research presented that includes crime rates and the number of known repeat offenders in the city. If a projected percentage decrease in crime was presented along with the request for funding it would help to air the viewpoint of the police department. Likewise, downtown business is requesting funding for their solution of adding brick sidewalks and planting areas. The interest of this group is to prevent small business from closing which would ensure the continual development of a vibrant downtown area, which is a current goal of the city. A successful city core is crucial to economic development and employment rates. In order to air the viewpoint of the downtown businesses, it would be beneficial to have more research on expected growth rates with the solution as well as expected rates of decline without the funding for the proposed solution. Since both requests are worthy of city funding, I would like to employ a collaborative conflict strategy with the intent and desire of finding a solution that will leave both groups better off and working together to make the city more safe and economically sound. (George and Jones) (Denhardt, Denhardt and Aristigueta) Therefore, the challenge is to find a fair solution that promotes opportunities for joi nt gain and that focuses on common goals. It could be theorized that increasing the downtown business, business owners profits would increase and therefore the amount of taxes they pay would increase. Since tax dollars help fund police department initiatives, the police would potentially enjoy more funding in the future to assist in the erection of a special unit for career criminals. Similarly, if the police department received the funding and built the special unit, a decrease in crime in the city would mean a safer downtown area and less risk of business owners and their customers being victims of crime. This could in turn increase business downtown without the beautification plan. Understanding that one groups interest potentially has a positive effect on the other groups interest, it is possible to come to a collaborative decision that includes modified versions of each request. This potential solution would involve splitting the funds between the two groups in a way that would be the most beneficial for both. For example, it would be ineffective to give a particular amount of money to a group that would not fulfill any part of the original solution. The groups should revise the originally proposed request to minimize the work, and therefore funding, necessary to accomplish a part of the goal. Perhaps the beautification plan can be revised to decrease the number of planted areas or the number of plants in each area. The police department would also be responsible for finding a minimal way of targeting repeat offenders such as starting with a smaller number of officers for the first year or limiting the enforcement area initially until more funding is available. To reduce manifest conflict, we have to get the two groups to compromise or come to a collaborative decision. The desire here is to resolve the conflict in this way before it progresses to the manifest stage, so that the conflict aftermath will promote good future working relationships. Because every type of conflict leaves behind an aftermath, which can affect the way the parties react in the future, the goal is to ensure that the aftermath of this conflict is positive so these two groups will be able to work together productively in the future (George and Jones). To achieve this objective, city council meetings to discuss these requests need to be thorough and each group needs to be heard and understood completely (Denhardt, Denhardt and Aristigueta). Once each group is able to understand the needs of the other group and the possibility of collaborating on a group decision, the conflict will be easier to resolve in a timely fashion. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Exam on organizational culture behavior and conflict" essay for you Create order

Angela’s Ashes Free Essays

A happy life could have been because of the existence of luxury and riches around you. It could also be because you are contented with the way your life goes and you feel so much lucky with all your blessings but, it is not that easy all the time. Some would need to suffer first before finding that happiness and some would need to undergo pain and hunger before coming to the point of satisfaction. We will write a custom essay sample on Angela’s Ashes or any similar topic only for you Order Now The novel Angela’s Ashes (1996) by Frank McCourt depicts a life of poverty and tells a story of a little boy’s dream of surpassing his family’s miserable state. In this narrative, Frank as a child experienced a not so typical childhood. Having to experience the death of his three other siblings, a drunkard father and a life full of hunger, it is not a normal kind of life for a child. His was a story of pain and fate that embraced his younger years up to his teenage days. It was not an easy life for a 10 year old boy who was supposed to be playing and having fun. This novel also talks about Franks religious life and his fear in committing mistakes. His ideals and his dreams were tackled in this novel and how he will be able to achieve these things despite all the hardships and the poverty he was facing. Your Name 2 Frank McCourt was the eldest son of Angela and Malachy McCourt. He was born in America and was followed by Malachy Jr. and the twins Oliver and Eugene. The family moved back to Limerick after the death of baby Margaret. As the family went back to Limerick, their grief was only added by the consecutive death of Oliver and Eugene. Two weeks before Christmas, Angela together with Frank went to a butcher and asked for a meat. What they had was the pig’s head and Frank’s classmate were laughing at him as he carries the meat while Malachy is very disgusted upon seeing them. On Christmas morning, Frank and Malachy Jr. attended the mass with their father and later on collected for coal so that their mother can cook the pig’s head. Again, Angela gave birth to another boy named Michael and whom Frank calls as the â€Å"angel on the seventh step†. This baby got ill but Malachy was able to save him by sucking the mucus out of his nose. Malachy found a job but on pay day, he got drunk again and missed his job the following day and got fired. Frank had his first communion but he missed the collection which was according to Mikey was the best thing in having to take the first communion. He was told by his mother to attend a dance class but little did Angel know, he wasn’t really attending the class. Instead, he goes to the movies with Billy. When his mother and father learned about this, they confront Frank and told him to confess his sins to the priest. Your Name 3 Malachy wants Frank to be an Altar boy but they were refused when they asked about it. After few more years, Malachy continues to drink away the dole money while Angela gave birth to another boy who was named Alphonsus. Frank at this part of the story has a job already as he was instructed by Grandma. Frank is on his 10th year and was preparing for his confirmation and after being confirmed, he had a nosebleed and was rushed to the hospital and found out that he has a typhoid fever. He was confined and there he learned more about Shakespeare and read books most of the time. He had a friend named Patricia and Seamus who shared to him the books and Seamus was the one who recited the â€Å"Highway Man†. Almost all families in Limerick were getting richer because their father goes in the war to have work and sens money back home. Malachy left home and go in the war to find a job and Angela was overwhelmed thinking that he will send money and she can buy a new coat and boots for the kids. Unfortunately, there was no money from Malachy again. Malachy did not send any money to his family. On Chapter 10 of the book, Angela got sick of pneumonia. Frank wrote to Malachy and his father went home to take care of the kids but also left the following day when Angela was released from the hospital. Because Malachy was not able to send his paycheck, Angela was forced to appeal to the Dispensary for money. The author felt bad when he saw his mother begging outside the church. Your Name 4 Because the family owes the owner of the house with 4 months rent and they don’t have money, the kids burned a wall and the owner found out and they were asked to leave. The family stayed in the house of Laman Griffin, Angela’s cousin but he treats them bad and soon, Malachy left Limerick to go to the Army School of Music while Frank worked on a post office. He stayed with Ab Sheehan and during his work hours as a mail man, he met Theresa and they had an affair. Later on the story, she died of consumption and Frank worked for Brigid Funicane where he sends a threat letter to her debtors and when she died, he stole her money and throw the ledger in the river. He then made his plans in leaving Limerick for America. Angela’s Ashes is an autobiography of a child from Limerick who tells his story of suffering and agony during his younger years. This novel also tackles how his family, the McCourts grew up in a place where poverty is such a disease and that living in a house infested with fleas and rats is such a common thing. This novel shows many aspects of inequality. Opening the pages of the book and reading each words composing a line, phrase and slowly becoming a sentence, Frank McCourt successfully described his childhood which is full of suffering and poverty. His life together with his family in Limerick shows a side of poverty in that place that was never known to people and the whole world. With this autobiography, he stated the real situation during those years in Ireland, therefore, making the whole biography more emotional and interesting. Your Name 5 Talking about the family’s suffering, one definite example is Margaret’s who brought joy to the family and the reason why for a while, Malachy stopped from drinking and focused in taking care of his family especially taking good care of Margaret but aside from this, the death of the twins also caused suffering to the family and most of all, Malachy’s vice caused most of their misery. His hobby to drink away his wage brought hunger to the family that Angela was forced to beg in order for them to have something to eat. As the mother, she decided to do something so that there will be no dead anymore and that the kids will not be in hunger but she must admit it that all she can give to the kids is a simple life, still bounded by poverty. Aside from suffering, the main theme of the novel is poverty. Frank McCourt showed in his narrative the state of their life including their neighbors. He mentioned certain things that the people do to survive. The best example for this one is Nora whose husband was like Malachy, drinks his wage away that most of the time, it resulted to Nora’s psychological problems that she has to be taken to an asylum. Frank said that he really doesn’t know if at some point, maybe Nora finds peace in the asylum that is why she choose to be brought there. ` Citing evidences from the novel regarding poverty is easy. Angela begs for food, Frank and Malachy Jr. steals so that they will have something to eat. They live in a slum and their family so does the neighbors share the same toilet. They ask for coal to the rich families in their neighborhood and they were told to live the house they were living in because they can’t pay. Your Name 6 The life of the McCourt kids is very unusual. It is not everyday that a little kid starves to death or maybe sleeps in hunger. In their case, it is natural, a common thing and it is usual. Because of the strong poverty that they had, Angela had to beg while the kids need to steal so that they can eat and somehow fill their stomach. It is really a bad thing to do but in their situation, it seems like it is a noble thing to be done. Like Robin Hood who steals from the rich people and gives it to the poor ones, Frank has no other way but to do the same thing or watch his family slowly die, one by one. He has to be sure that they have something to eat even if its not fish and chips. What matters to young frank was to have something that can fill their hungry stomachs and make them live another day. Remember a part in the novel wherein Michael asked what’s for dinner and he wished that they have fish and chips while Angela as a mother said next week they’ll eat fish together with chips, Frank knows it is impossible because life in poverty is worse and asking money from others including the dispensary is even worse. That is how their life goes as they experience poverty in Ireland wherein during those times, it was a disease, an itch of the society. It is already a disease of the society. People oftentimes neglect those who are needing assistance but in the end, what helped this family is their strong will to survive and overcome every struggle, in the end, maybe it was because of Frank’s prayers that helped him. How to cite Angela’s Ashes, Papers

Organizational Research Internal and External Consultants

Introduction Research has been widely used to generate knowledge and to solve problems. This paper will describe basic and applied research, internal and external research consultants and state the purpose of organizational research in using the PC software.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Organizational Research: Internal and External Consultants specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It will define research, state how to conduct research, state the research process and show how research is scientific. Definition of terms, explanation of their uses in research and the hypothesis testing procedure will be covered in this paper. Basic and applied research Basic or pure research is conducted for the sake of increasing knowledge. Moreover, basic research investigates the topics that are scientific in nature. For instance, research has been conducted to find out how the universe began to exist. Basic research has no c ommercial basis and does not seek to invent for commercial purpose. In most cases, basic research is supported by the state because today’s invention may be useful a decade later. Researchers believe that basic research leads to the growth of a certain field. On the other hand, applied research is done to solve problems and to improve the conditions of a situation. An example of applied research is research conducted to establish the cause of slow movement of goods in the market. Applied research builds on basic research. It can be done for commercial objectives. In simple terms, applied research can only be done in a situation where there is a problem while basic research is done in a situation where knowledge is needed for the sake of increasing information and quenching curiosity. Internal and external consultants The internal and external research consultants are people capable of doing research and giving the best results. Internal researchers are agents within the organ ization while the external researchers work for the organization because of their experiences from previous consultations.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The internal research department of a company has the advantage of knowing the company’s internal system. It is conversant with the history of the organization and is aware of the details of the organization’s goals and objectives. On the other hand, external research consultants bring new ideas and are believed to be objective. The external consultants are timed, and expensive. Besides knowing the systems, the internal consultants also understand the culture, symbols and the language of the organization Some of the challenges that can be faced when using internal research consultants include the challenge of conducting research to the same people they interact with everyday and have formed a relationshi p already. This may cause them to have preconceptions about some of the employees in the organization. Hiring internal consultants also has financial implications to the organization as the cost of keeping an internal research consultant is higher than that of hiring an external consultant. This is because they take a long period of time before the final success is realized. Despite the cost implications on the side of the organizations, it is still advisable for organizations to consider hiring internal consultants instead of external ones. This is because they have the advantage of being available all the time and they also understand the organization’s objectives better. Purposes for which organizational research can progress with the currently available PC software An organization can conduct research using the currently available PC software for it to be able to deal with a problem within the organization. The available PC software can enable a person to analyze data tha t has been computed, obtain results and interpret them. The computer, through a network, can enable the researcher to collect data by sending questionnaires to employees working in the company and receiving responses to the questions through email. This software allows progress in research because it makes collection of data easy and saves on the cost as well as time.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Organizational Research: Internal and External Consultants specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When the problems are discovered, the PC software can allow for another survey to monitor progress and changes that occur by obtaining information and analyzing it. Since the software remains the property of the organization, it can be used for doing research for all the departments within the organization. For this reason, repeated research can help the organization make discoveries that can help expand the company and o btain more revenue. For instance, it can lead to a discovery on how to motivate the employees. The motivated employees in turn become creative and contribute ways of dealing with problems. Fewer problems lead to the organizational success. Defining research, how to conduct research, research process and how research is scientific Research is an organized way of conducting investigation with the aim of getting information or solving a problem. When conducting a research, the researcher chooses a topic and clearly outlines the scope. Then, the researcher reviews literature on the chosen topic to familiarize themselves with the latest publications on the topic and to ensure their research topic has not been covered. The researcher then plans and executes the research and obtains findings. Thereafter, the findings are compared to existing knowledge so that they can come up with the conclusion. After the conclusion a report is written about the research and conclusion for different audie nces, like the general public or the authorities or the other scholars. The researcher can then publicize the findings of the research. A research process is a progression of steps that are taken by a researcher to conduct a comprehensive and accurate research. The major steps include: identifying and developing a topic, literature review, evaluation, analysis and reporting. A research is considered scientific when it adheres to the steps and standards of scientific research. Scientific research is characterized by a set goal, interpretation of the results, replication, accumulation of knowledge and a conclusion. Scientific research is also verifiable and unbiased. Explaining terms used in research Null hypothesis A null hypothesis is a type of hypothesis, usually in statistics, that indicate a possible rejection of the statistical significance. It can also be argued that a null hypothesis is a hypothesis that a researcher attempts to disapprove.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Replicability Replicability is a term used in research to refer to the potential of a research study to be repeated in diverse conditions and with different subjects to establish the accuracy of the original research. The aim is to determine if the conclusion or findings can be generalized to be true in similar circumstances and to subjects with the same characteristics. Moderator variable A moderator variable has the capability of altering the other variables in the analysis of qualitative and quantitative research. It is independent on both the qualitative and quantitative variables. It affects the causal relationship between the two variables. Cross-sectional study A cross- sectional study is a type of research method where the entire population, or a section of the population, is observed at a specific time. The study gives the observation of the population rather than selected subjects with certain characteristics. This study can provide a lot of information about prevalence of a behavior or disease and give additional information about causes. Comparing and contrasting terms Primary and Secondary Data Primary data is information collected by the researcher himself from the field. An example of primary data is observations from an experiment. Secondary data is information that has been collected by someone else other than the researcher. It includes: census, records from a business organization and books. Primary data is not recorded and translated unlike secondary data which has to be recorded. Field study versus Comparative study A field study is a method where subjects are studied in their natural setting. The researcher avoids relocating the subjects and makes observation when they are in their own setting. On the other hand, comparative study involves studying subjects by comparing observations obtained from different research studies. Comparative study allows comparison of characteristics while field study gives characteristics for a specific settin g. Bibliography and References Both bibliography and references are recorded at the end of a research. They are also written in alphabetical order. Bibliography is a list that indicates materials used in writing an essay or writing a book. On the other hand, references are the sources of information that have been referred to in the essay, article or even a book. A bibliography does not have to be in the referenced text. Criterion and Predictor Variable Criterion and predictor variables are both used to establish relationship of regression in statistics. Criterion variable is the variable that is measured in a regression. On the other hand, predictor variable is simply a variable that can be used to determine the value of a specific variable. Short notes of terms Panel Studies Panel studies are investigations done on the same subjects at different times. The study assists the researcher to note changes that occur after duration of time in a given population. It is important when a r esearcher wants to understand a cause and effect relationship between variables. Open-ended vs. Closed questions Open ended questions are questions that make the interviewee give more than one answer. The answer can be an explanation and the researcher does not limit the answers, hence it is called open ended. On the other hand closed questions are questions whose answers are finite. They can be yes, no, or no response depending on the structure of the questionnaire. Participant Observation Participant observation is a type of research where the researcher observes the subjects of research by being involved in their activities or by living with them. Besides direct observation, the researcher can interview, participate in discussion and analyze records of the subjects of study. Social Desirability Social desirability happens when respondents give a response that would be viewed as favorable by the interviewer. The respondents answer questions underestimating failures or bad actions and overestimating success or good activities in question. An example is when answering a question about the success of a company; employees will tend to talk of the positive side and overlook the negative side. Operational Definition Operational definition is used to give the exact measure of a term or variable in a research. It eradicates confusion by giving specific details of the term and its measure. It differentiates similar terms by stating what would make the observations be considered to belong to a certain term and not the other. The hypothesis testing procedure The procedure for testing a hypothesis involves first stating the hypothesis. This is done by stating the null hypothesis which should be mutually exclusive to the alternative hypothesis. For instance if 0 is obtained then X is true. Then, the next step is the analysis plan which involves selecting the significance level. They may be ranging from 0- 0.5. The testing method is also indicated and the sampling distrib utions together with the test statistic are put to test. The researcher can use the mean to establish the probability. If the probability range does not fall within the level of significance, then the null hypothesis is not accepted. The next step is to analyze the data obtained from the sample. The statistics are then tested using the standard deviation if the null hypothesis involves a mean. If there are categories, then the chi- square is used to test statistic. Interpreting the result is the final step. The researcher uses the stated hypothesis to interpret the answer. For instance, if the results show no likelihood of the null hypothesis becoming true, then the null hypothesis is rejected. This implies that the values do not fall within the level of significance, hence reject the null hypothesis. Conclusion Research is scientific and can be used to obtain accurate information following scientific process. There are various methods that can be used to collect data like participa nt observation. After collecting the data the statistics can be tested by following the hypothesis testing procedure. This assessment on Organizational Research: Internal and External Consultants was written and submitted by user Nightmare to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Use Social Media When Job Hunting With Expert Kathy Bernard

How to Use Social Media When Job Hunting With Expert Kathy Bernard Since the economy took a plunge in 2009, we’ve all heard horror stories of people spending months and months submitting application after application and not getting any responses. But what about those people who have jobs where they’re overworked and underpaid?â€Å"I think the biggest challenge for job seekers today is the unrealistic expectations of many companies,† says Kathy Bernard, creator of Getajobtips.com. â€Å"They often expect a person to do the work of three people, and they want to pay them terribly at the same time.†Bernard, who hopes to help both the unemployed and miserably employed through her site, says that today many job seekers are having to learn to adjust to working multiple jobs at poverty income. And the situation is especially frustrating because in many cases, large companies are raking in record profits and could pay fairly.â€Å"They can get away with paying horribly because people need a job so badly,† she says.At the same time, Kathy says it’s tough for small businesses that often can’t afford to hire people because of all the expenses and taxes they must pay.Kathy offers great insight on landing a job in today’s market. Here’s what she had to say:  What advantages do today’s job hunters have?Job seekers have many advantages today that earlier generations did not. The biggest advantage they have is LinkedIn, which gives them a way to establish a strong brand, research companies, reach out to recruiters, re-connect with former coworkers, get recommendations, and much more.How important are social media sites- especially LinkedIn- to job hunters?LinkedIn is huge for the job search! According to ERE.net and other sources, 94 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to find or vet candidates for their open positions. For most job seekers, it is also beneficial to have a basic understanding of all of the major social media sites (particularly LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitte r, and Pinterest) so that you can talk knowledgeably about them in interviews and use the sites (if required) for business purposes.What are some best practices for using social media when you’re searching for a job?Fully complete your LinkedIn profile. Particularly pump up your LinkedIn headline and past and current job titles. Pack each job entry with relevant duties to impress hiring companies looking for people with your background.Also, have an established account on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. It is easy to establish profiles on these sites, and just taking such a simple step gives you an easy answer if recruiters ask about your social media experience.Don’t express controversial views on Facebook and don’t post messages so frequently that you annoy people. Realize that your profiles can be seen by recruiters and that your past postings can hurt you.What are good habits that every job seeker needs to get into in order to land a job faster?Don’ t isolate yourself. Attend job-networking groups, set up networking coffees, participate in skills-building workshops and webinars, pump up your LinkedIn profile, and ask people for help (and prepare them to help you as effectively as possible). If your resume and LinkedIn profile aren’t pulling well for you or if you are continually not getting job offers after interviewing, enlist professional help to transform your application materials and prepare for interviews.

Glow in the Dark Crystal Geode

Glow in the Dark Crystal Geode Its very easy to make a glow in the dark crystal geode. The rock is a natural mineral (eggshell). You can use one of several common household chemicals to grow the crystals. The glow comes from paint, which you can get from a craft store. Glow in the Dark Geode Materials eggsglow in the dark paint (I used GlowAwayâ„ ¢ washable glowing paint)very hot water (I used my coffee maker) borax, alum, Epsom salts, sugar, salt, or use another crystal recipe food coloring (optional I used neon green coloring) Prepare the Glowing Geode There are two ways to crack your eggs. You can carefully crack the top of the egg by tapping it on a counter top. This will give you a deep geode with a smaller opening. Alternatively, you can crack the equator of the egg or carefully cut it with a knife. This will give you a geode you can open and put back together.Dump the egg or make scrambled eggs or whatever.Rinse out the inside of the eggshell with water. Peel away the interior membrane so you are left with only the shell.Allow the egg to air dry or carefully blot it dry with a paper towel or napkin.Use a paintbrush, swab, or your fingers to coat the inside of the eggshell with glowing paint.Set the painted egg aside while you mix the crystal-growing solution. Make the Crystal Solution Pour hot water into a cup.Stir borax or other crystal salt into the water until it stops dissolving and you see some solid at the bottom of the cup.Add food coloring, if desired. Food coloring does not get incorporated into all crystals (e.g., borax crystals will be clear), but it will stain the egg shell behind the crystals, giving the geode some color. Grow the Glowing Crystals Support the shell so that it wont tip over. I made a little nest for mine in a crumpled napkin that I set inside a cereal bowl.Pour the crystal solution into the shell so that it is as full as possible. Dont pour the undissolved solid into the eggshell, just the saturated liquid.Set the shell somewhere where it wont get knocked over. Allow crystals to grow for several hours (overnight is shown) or as long as you like.When you are satisfied with the crystal growth, pour out the solution and allow the geode to dry.Phosphorescent paint is activated by exposing it to bright light. Black light (ultraviolet) produces a very bright glow, also. The duration of the glow depends on the paint you use. My geode glows for about a minute before it needs to be recharged. Some paints will produce geodes that glow for a few seconds. Other paints may glow for many minutes.Store your geode in a dry location, protected from dust.

Interracial Marriages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interracial Marriages - Essay Example The US Census Bureau states that in the year 1970, there were 65000 black-white marriages in US. In 2005, this number has increased to 422000. Interracial marriages make less than 10 per cent of the total presently. Being an African-American that was first married to a man from the same race and now, is married to a Caucasian, (Landry) has sufficient experience to make a balanced approach to evaluation of the merits and demerits of interracial marriage. Landry has spent five years with the African American husband who was her college fellow. After divorce, she married the Caucasian husband and has been living with him for four years. When she reflects back upon the two experiences, she realizes that race was never a strong issue. Landry parted ways with her ex-husband because there was communication gap between them and he was disloyal to her. Besides, they had issues related to money. Therefore, when Landry searched for a husband the second time, she placed more emphasis upon his co mmitment towards budget and his tendency to exchange views frequently and maintain loyalty to her in marriage than the race he belonged to. Landry spent twelve years as a single after her divorce. In those years, she spent tome with numerous men from different ethnic origins. Having dated men of different professions and racial backgrounds, Landry reached the conclusion that two people’s resemblance in the level of intelligence, personal interests, aspirations and values were much stronger determinants of their compatibility with each other than race could ever be. Landry has evaluated the potential advantages and disadvantages of interracial marriages in this article. Discussing the pros of interracial marriages, Landry first discusses personal growth. Successful marriage requires the partners to grow together with the passage of time. Marital partners can enhance their growth by sharing with each other and appreciating the challenges arising from their cultural and racial d ifferences. Landry has noticed that her Caucasian husband’s behavior is changed for the better after marrying her. He has started to understand how people of color may feel like strangers in settings where the others don’t look like them. He had a new experience of going to church with an African American wife as a lone white man. Nevertheless, he has started to enjoy the worship services greatly. Now he responds more to his African American friends who tend not to go with him when he invites them to go to places where African Americans are not very likely to be. Such awareness has inculcated in him the need to persuade people into doing things that they would otherwise not do because of their race. Landry and her family had many preconceived notions about the Caucasian people until she and her family had an opportunity to interact with Landry’s husband and his family frequently. Same can be said about Landry’s husband and his family. Before, Landry thoug ht that Caucasian people were insensitive, stern and unaffectionate, but she found her husband’s Irish American family unusually jolly. Landry still has to resist the long cultivated urge to meet them by shaking hands with them that she has been doing all life long. Now Landry disputes with her African American friends for their baseless claims about the Caucasian people. Interracial marriage is a potential means of eliminating the social segregation. With the increased intimacy between Landry’s Caucasian and African American families developed in joint gatherings, every member of the respective families is likely to increase his/her number of friends outside his/her own race. Living together is a better way to end the differences between races than government mandated programs or diversity training. The first con

Marketing and Research Problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing and Research Problems - Essay Example The lack of experimental data and precise inputs represents a major research problem for the firm. The organization in theory could decipher the formula to create the new product. If this occurred a potential marketing problem the firm faces is that the new products might cannibalize other existing products the company offers its customers.† Product cannibalization occurs when a company decides to replace an existing product and introduce a new one in its place, regardless of its position in the market† (Komrinos, 2002). Another con is that the firm would have to spend a lot of money on research and development to introduce this product to market. The college faces a major problem associated with the inability of the organization to attract young talented college students. In the past the recruiting rate of the college was 90%, but now it has dipped to a troubling and alarming rate of only 25%. The fundamental source of the problem is the reputation and public image of the college. The academic regimen of the university became so stringent that students through word of mouth advertising hurt the reputation of the college. The public relations problem the college faces can be fixed, but the college has to be willing to be flexible in order to improve the reputation of the academic institution. The college has to make a decision on whether is willing to lower its academic requirements to attract more students into its campus. The college benefits the most when it has full tuition enrolment to fulfill the capacity of the campus. A research problem the college faces is to determine the appropriate primary research method to obtai n the information it needs. The use of questionnaires is a technique that can be very beneficial for this college. Chocoholic Candy Company faces the challenge of implementation of an expansion plan, while maintaining the same level of service it provided at the