Abuse of Power in Doubt, by John Patrick Shanley - 1177 Words

Power is earned, not given. There are many different types of power that people can earn. Power becomes a problem when it is not questioned or tested. Therefore, the one with the power would have total control over anything or anyone they wanted, or they would feel that way. People with power feel invincible when it is not questioned. Throughout history it has been proven that this creates a problem. For example, Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal is similar to the scandal with Father Flynn in Doubt. Doubt, by John Patrick Shanley, exemplifies an underlying message that unquestioned faith leads to abuse of power. Specifically, shown in Father Flynn’s reputation, cover up, and resignation, which all correlate to Richard Nixon’s†¦show more content†¦In the election of 1972, Nixon won by over sixty percent of the votes and won all states except Massachusetts against George McGovern (â€Å"The History Place†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). This is one of the biggest landslide s in U.S. Presidential election history. In January 1973, Richard Nixon’s approval rating was sixty-seven percent, which is relatively high compared to current president Barack Obama’s forty-seven percent and many other Presidents before him (â€Å"The History Place†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Therefore, he had a great reputation and was in the highest possible position, the leader of the free world, just like Father Flynn was in his parish. Richard Nixon also had a very positive relationship with members of the White House. For example, members of the White House were caught breaking in and violating the law to get President Nixon re-elected (â€Å"The History Place†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Abuse of power comes from a high reputation that is unquestioned. When one’s unquestioned reputation is being attacked one often feels obligated to make a plan to cover up accused actions to save their reputation. When Sister Aloysius first accuses Father Flynn of having an inappropriate relationship with Donald Muller he responds, â€Å"Happened? Nothing happened. I had a talk with the boy.† (32). Finally, Father Flynn says he did have some interaction with Donald after denying it for a while, but he still clearly states nothing happened. Father Flynn ends the conversation by saying, â€Å"I don’t wish to continue this conversation at all further. And if

Cynthia Ozick - 993 Words

Cynthia Ozick (1928 - †¦.) Cynthia Ozick was born in New York City on April 17, 1928. She was the second of two children. Her parents, Celia (Regelson) and Wiliam Ozick immigrated to the US from the northwest region of Russia. The family came from the Litvak (Lithuanian) Jewish tradition which was a tradition of skepticism, rationalism and antimysticism. Her parents owned a pharmacy in Pelham Bay section of Bronx. They worked very hard, usually fourteen hours a day. Cynthia delivered perscriptions sometimes. Her mother was a generous, lavish, exuberant woman full of laughter whereas her father was a discreet, quiet man. He was also a Jewish scholar, and knew Latin and German. When she was five and a half, her grandmother took her to†¦show more content†¦Three of her stories have won first prize in the O.Henry Prize Story competition, and five of her stories were chosen for republication in the yearly anthologies of Best American Short Stories. The editor of the 1984 volume called her one of the three greatest American writers of stories living today. Ozick has been nominated for the National Book Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award and the National Book Critics’ Circle Award. She has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. She also received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Mildred and Harold Strauss Living Award, Edward Lewis Wallant Memorial Award and The B’nai B’rt Jewish Heritage Award. Cythia Ozick has the unique honor of being the first writer to be given the Rea Award for the Short Story. In making this selection, the first Rea Award jurors, William Abrahams, Shannon Ravenel and Peter Schimdt said: A writer of great intelligence, moral energy, and imaginative power, Cynthia Ozick has appreciably widened the range of what the short story is able to be. Reading The Shawl we are moved past the truth of fact to a deeper, different understanding; we bear witness to the truth of art. Only rarely does this happen, and when it does, it must be celebrated. She has turned 80 earlier this year and has won not one but two lifetime achievement awards. In April 2008, she was receved the PEN/Malamud Award for short fiction and the PEN/Nabakov Award forShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis : Blue Tigers By Cynthia Ozick1718 Words   |  7 PagesCynthia Ozick exploits figurative language in The Shawl to create a grim and surrealistic atmosphere representative of The Holocaust’s brutality and impression of interminability. Though depicting The Holocaust– which is often recounted through biographical narratives–Ozick, uses abstract yet stirring metaphors when recounting her characters’ plight to attain emotional precision. From lines like â€Å"a walking cradle† when describing Rosa to â€Å"blue tigers† when describing Magda’s eyes, readers immediatelyRead MoreCynthia Ozick uses several symbolisms throughout the course of this compelling story of â€Å"The1300 Words   |  6 Pages Cynthia Ozick uses several symbolisms throughout the course of this compelling story of â€Å"The Shawl†. Ozick uses descriptive details to have interaction the reader. This use of symbolism is extremely vital to the story. Themes of survival, humanity, motherhood, tolerance, and prejudice course through the canvas of the vivid image the author tries to color for the readers. The author uses symbolism copiously to assist the reader envision the setting. Ozick uses several symbols and imaging as an exampleRead MoreThe Shawl, By Cynthia Ozick1319 Words   |  6 Pagesthought the Jews were the reason that Germany lost World War I (Jews in Nazi Germany- History Learning Site). Hitler blamed them for almost all of Germany’s problems and he wanted to exterminate the entire Jewish population. â€Å"The Shawl†, written by Cynthia Ozick, tells one of the many horrifying stories from the Holocaust. The story has three main characters: the young mother Rosa, her baby Magda, and her fo urteen-year-old niece Stella. They were victims of the Holocaust who had an awful experience inRead More Comparing the Use of Setting in The Shawl and The Portable Phonograph859 Words   |  4 PagesThe Shawl and The Portable Phonograph  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In literature, setting is often used to enhance or develop characters, provide realism, and create a mood or atmosphere for a story (Roberts 256). Two short stories, The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick and Walter Van Tillburg Clark’s The Portable Phonograph explore victims of war in the vivid settings that the authors have created. Although both works are vague as to geographic setting and place in time, the authors’ detailed descriptions ofRead MoreA Short Story Usually Forms A Conflict Or Multiple Conflicts894 Words   |  4 Pageshelp the readers to see the symbolism. When the readers pay attention, and analyze the stories can give them opinions while discussing to other people. In â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, and â€Å"The Shawl† by Cynthia Ozick, show symbolism in each story. In the story â€Å"Everyday Use†, Momma is a strong-willed woman, with strong hands. Momma has two daughters; Dee is the oldest and Maggie is the youngest. The two daughters struggle with their identities and their heritageRead MoreWhat Is The Theme Of The Shawl By Cynthia Ozick701 Words   |  3 PagesIt is human nature to strive for comfort, to seek ease in a burdensome situation. When deprived of this sense of comfort, as demonstrated by Cynthia Ozick in â€Å"The Shawl†, it is through the suffering that ensues in which humanity is lost. This is made evident in her sparse writing style, the duality of the setting, and the use of illusionary symbolism. Ozick exhibits a degree of sparsity in the style of which â€Å"The Shawl† is written that mirrors the dehumanizing effect of suffering. There is almostRead MoreTravelers: Fantasists, Conjurers, and Seers of the World Essay1137 Words   |  5 PagesWorld What makes traveling to foreign lands such a coveted and memorable experience? What does one get out of exploring new cultures and atmospheres? In â€Å"The Shock of Teapots,† by Cynthia Ozick, the quality and nature of traveling and travelers themselves is explored. Within this work of creative nonfiction, Ozick strategically uses genre, diction, and exemplification to effectively emphasize that travelers see ordinary things in a new light when visiting other places and countries. She startsRead MoreThe And Of The Red And Black Ink By Gloria Atwood1381 Words   |  6 Pagestheir message is by presenting their own language into their writing.The use of language in writing creates and identity in the act or experience of writing. As it is shown in the text How it feels to be forcibly fed by Djuna Barnes, The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick, and Tlilli, Tlapalli/ The path of the Red and Black Ink by Gloria Anzaldua. In the text how it How It Feels to be forcibly fed by Djuna Barnes, is about the way a woman goes through the experience of women being fed forcibly in order for herRead MoreAccording to Arp and Johnson, â€Å"Literary fiction plunges us, through the author’s imaginative vision1200 Words   |  5 Pagesyou because of how he looked being turned into this gross cockroach is done so well by Kafka so you can empathize with Gregor and understand the story much better by putting yourself in Gregors shoes. In addition to Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Cynthia Ozick wrote a brilliant short story The Shawl which also uses such great vision to feel like you’re in the story. As one reads the short story, it has such an effect on you the way that she brings you into this trance like if you’re in the HolocaustRead MoreJewish American Literatue2224 Words   |  9 Pages Jewish American Literature â€Å"Duty Matters† Throughout the course of the semester, the concept of duty has been a major theme in various novels, such as in Anzia Yezierska’s Bread Givers, Cynthia Ozick’s The Shawl, and Saul Bellow’s Herzog. Although Yezierska, Ozick, and Bellow offer different circumstances, they all suggest a sense of responsibility from parent to child. I will show how the relationship between Sara and her father in Bread Givers differ from Rosa and the living incarnation of

Gut Feeling free essay sample

My friend Jerome called me talking about a party that was supposed to be the party of the year across town. My gut was telling me it was a bad idea, because across town were our rivals, Alcovy. A lot of animosity was built up from the game the other night. The game was so intense the basketball teams were even getting hostile towards one another. Once again that was my gut. My mind was telling me to go have fun. â€Å"What can possibly happen? I told myself. â€Å"My boys are going to be there. † As it got closer to the afternoon, more and more people began to tell me about this party. So my mind was made up that I was going. Problem was I didn’t want to tell my mom. She’s the type to go into a lecture about fighting, curfew, all the stuff mothers worry about. We will write a custom essay sample on Gut Feeling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Honestly I wasn’t trying to sit through or hear all that, but I couldn’t lie to her so I told her. Two hours later I’m getting off the couch trying to shake out the cob webs from my ears. Some of what she was saying was processing in my head, but my main focus was on how the girls were going to look at the party.So you know I had to bring out one of my best outfit. As it came closer and closer to party time I began to think about what my gut was telling me earlier. â€Å"Don’t go† is what I kept hearing in my head. All I repeated to myself was that nothing was going to happen and I have nothing to worry about. My friend Jerome called me again and asked can he ride with me. Of course with him being my friend I said yes. I hopped in the shower, threw on my clothes, and was on my way to pick up Jerome. When I pulled up, his mother answered the door. When I walked through the door I saw Jerome on the couch.His mom was giving him the same lecture my mother gave me. When she was done we jumped in my beat up Ford Explorer. As we pulled up to the party I could see something hanging out his pants where his waist was. It was a gun. I pulled into the parking lot and before he could step out the car I grabbed him. I asked him why he brought the gun. He told me just in case anything popped off. I shook my head and got out the car. I told him to keep it in the car. The party was on point like I knew it was going to be. Then I saw my crush, Taija Bradley. I’ve had a crush on her since 9th grade.She had short hair with beautiful brown eyes. Her body made everybody double-take. This was my chance to actually talk to her face to face. As I approached her Tamarco Robins intercepted. Tamarco was the man at Alcovy. But with me being who I am I didn’t let that stop me. As he was talking to her I grabbed her hand and pulled her my way. Tamarco was heated. The whole part he began to mug me as I was dancing with Taija. The party was coming to an end, and I had got Taija number. When I turned around Tamarco was standing in my face. He pushed me and his boys surrounded me. I looked and my boys rushed in.Next thing I know there is a big brawl inside the party. Security got between us and broke us up. All I could hear was Tamarco and his crew talking about continuing the fight outside. So my friends and I looked at each other and proceeded outside. When we got outside Tamarco’s brother was at his car. As I turned around Tamarco punched me. I fell to the ground. When I got up I saw everybody fighting. Then I turn around and seen Tamarco’s brother coming towards the crowd with a gun. Before I could say anything he began to shoot. Everybody started to scatter. When he was done shooting, Tamarco and his boys got in their cars and left.I began to look around and saw somebody lying on the ground. â€Å"Jerome† I said to myself. I ran to him screaming his name. As I got to him I rolled him over and I could see he was shot twice. He was shot in the back and the chest. My friends and I put him in my truck and we took him to the hospital. Two hours had past, and his family and friends were in the waiting room. As we waited all I could think about was him. This was my fault for getting into it with Tamarco. All I wanted was revenge. When the doctor came out everyone stood up and waited for him to tell us what condition Jerome was in.Jerome didn’t make it he told us. It was like the world came to an abrupt halt. I had lost my best friend to nothing. My friend I had known my whole life was gone in one night. I turned to his mother and hugged her real tight as tears ran down my face onto her shoulder. To this day I think about him. The brother I always wanted. My gut feeling was right. I should have never gone to that party. Nothing was worth losing my best friend. He taught me a great lesson. Before you make an important decision, think about all the consequences. You never know how severe they may be.

Relative Truth Essays (727 words) - Epistemology, Truth,

Relative Truth One version of relative truth is used when people disagree. A person might say Well, that may be true for you, but its not true for me. The implication here is often that there is no real truth to the matter but is instead a matter merely of belief. You believe what you want to believe and I'll believe what I want to believe and let's go on our merry way. You can see what a boon to self-deception a mechanism like this could be. You can believe anything and no one would have the right to tell you that you can't rationally believe it. So, one can isolate oneself and one's beliefs from the critical evaluation of others, because what also goes without saying in this framework of relative truth, is that no one besides yourself can tell you what is true for you. The closest another could come would be to say something like It's true for me that it's not true for you. This is never actually done in the 'true for me' game. But if it were, then since all that the other would be expressing is what is true for them, even though your beliefs are the subject of their 'truth', there opinion has no real importance (except to them). It is only true in their world which is inaccessible to you. You can dismiss it and forget it. We can see that by this view true for me just means that I believe it. The word 'true' is in there to give the belief its own legitimacy. You may ask: What does 'I believe it' mean?. There doesn't seem to be any way of answering this without saying I believe it to be TRUE. And so we see that for it to mean anything to have a believe, we must already presuppose that there is an actual truth or falsity to the matter that is the subject of the belief. This is another thing denied by the relativists. He often says, there is no real truth, only what is 'true for me'. It is as if the relativist by the mere act of believing something can make it true in his/her reality. And this suggests that everyone has a different reality. Of course, we all have a different concept of reality, but there is only one reality. Thus, the confusion that the relativist makes between belief and truth is mirrored in a confusion between concept of reality and reality. If everyone really does make their own reality, then you are alone in your world and everyone else is your entertaining fiction. You are a solipsist, the only real person in the world. Now this is real isolation. But anyone who tries to think about this in a serious manner, doesn't really believe it. We know, for instance, that a belief can be wrong. If a belief can be wrong, it is because there is a truth out there that the belief conflicts with. If beliefs could never be wrong, there would be no reason to ever change a belief, unless it became clear that something else would be a happier thing to believe. So, most relativists don't believe that 'all truth is relative' but instead that there are some relative truths, especially in those areas where people argue the most: Politics, religion, ethics. But the reasons given above would still apply except to a smaller domain of discourse. And so we can see that if there were any area where the truth of something was just a matter of believing that something, then the legitimacy of that belief is questionable as coherent. If you think it is coherent, then try spelling out the meaning of It is true for me and try explaining what information is conveyed by an 'it is true for me' assertion. One might think that it means 'I believe it. But what sense does it make to 'believe it' unless you 'believe it is really true'? Thus to hold a belief at all requires the presupposition that there is truth, otherwise the belief would be nothing. If all truth were relative then language would be worthless when attempting to convey information, for that information would only be about your reality in which I have no access. But even if only certain areas were the domain of relative truth, then claims in those areas would carry no information, and would be the

Organizational Behavior Taking Motivation and Teamwork Into Perspective

Organizational Behavior Taking Motivation and Teamwork Into Perspective Free Online Research Papers TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Declaration 1 2. Acknowledgement 2 3. Summary 4 4. Introduction 5 5. Findings 7 5.1. Teamwork 7 5.1.1. Creative Innovation 8 5.1.2. Cultural aspects 10 5.2. Motivation 11 6. Discussion 14 6.1. Teamwork 14 6.2. Motivation 15 7. Conclusion 18 7.1. Teamwork 18 7.2. Motivation 18 8. References 20 9. Annexure 21 9.1. Starbucks Corporation: Case Study in Motivation and Teamwork 22 9.2. Diagram of Maslows Needes Pyramid†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦31 9.3. The Saint Paul Hotel 31 SUMMARY This report is made with the intention of displaying how motivation and teamwork are two pivotal factors ensuring success in hospitality. Literature finding coupled with case studies like that of Starbucks and Saint Pauls hotel will be used to illustrate the above statement. Using GAP analysis, the difference in theory and practical working of the company will be seen. INTRODUCTION The evolution of economies worldwide showcases the fact that the hospitality sector is expanding the fastest. Contrary to this, the quality of service and product in this sector is declining. The success of the hospitality sector depends on various aspects. These aspects remain constant under any given circumstances. The application of these factors in an efficient and accurate manner is what dictates the success of the establishment. Due to a rapid rise in globalisation in the recent past, competitiveness has increased tremendously. This is even more so, between companies marketing the same product or service, as in the case of the hospitality industry. Researchers have found that it costs for more to attract new customers than to retain current customers (Oliver, 1999; Rosenberg Czepiel, 1983) Motivation and teamwork are two of these integral factors. Here, there is a constant connection felt by the patrons and the employees. This forms a potential situation where the glass can be viewed as half full or half empty. Optimists believe that this medium of connection is what enables companies to initiate and hopefully sustain a steady relationship. The initiation can be created. It is the sustainment that poses the potential problems. The entire burden of this endeavour lies in the hands of the employees. Motivation of the employees is one of the key factors to ensure augmented success. Rensis Likert, one of the pi oneers in the field of motivation theory, and after which the Likert Scale is named, said The greater the loyalty of a group toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals. The hospitality sector, as mentioned above, attains success based on various factors, like motivation. One of the other key factors that assist this attribute is teamwork. Any unit in the hospitality sector relies on their employees working in a single, cohesive unit. Hoegl Gemuenden (2001) observed that the definition of teamwork is a social system including more than three people in an organization or context. These members identify others as one member of the team and they have the same goal. Robbins (2001) stated that the factors influencing teamwork are relation of leadership, roles, principles, status, size, composition and the power of agglomerate. This is true in case of the hospitality industry as well. Being dependent primarily on the abilities and capabilities of its employees, teamwork forms an important aspect. FINDINGS TEAMWORK Different hospitality units focus on teamwork in different ways. None the less, the motive is the same, which is to improve results for better customer satisfaction and better revenue. Few organizations, however, are totally pleased with the results their team improvement efforts produce. If a team’s improvement efforts are not living up to the organization’s expectations, there are self-diagnosing check points that may illustrate why. Successful team building, that creates effective, focused work teams, must lay emphasis on the following. Competence Clear expectations Context Commitment Charter Control Collaboration Communication Creative innovation Cultural change Coordination Consequences In this report, focus will be given to the creative innovation and cultural aspects of teamwork. CREATIVE INNOVATION In today’s world, the level of competition cannot be faced with primitive methods. To give the guest something that is not being offered by another organization is the prime motive. This is not a responsibility that can be successfully carried out by any one individual. In the hospitality sector, every member of each organization may have creative input that may not be replicated. Since group processes have been said to be an important predictor of innovative performance (West and Anderson, 1996) and creativity (Amabile et al., 1996), there has been an expanding focus in research on elaborating factors within teams that facilitate team and innovative performance. A comprehensive model is offered by Hoegl and Gemuenden (2001) as well as Hoegl et al. (2004) who link the success of innovation projects to team performance and holistic success. For successful team performance communication, its frequency, degree of formalization, structure, and openness is important. Communication contributes to team performance (Hoegl and Gemuenden, 2001) as well as to the achievement of exceptional outcome (Sethi and Nicholson, 2001). Coordination, the synchronization and harmonization of individual tasks, is fostered by aligned goals with clear sub goals as well as defined roles which do not overlap each other (Hoegl and Gemuenden, 2001). Shared objectives and vision are linked to innovativeness (Anderson and West, 1996; Pearce and Ensley, 2004). Also, including all team members in the decision making process without having individuals on a team, who dominate discussions (balance of team member contributions), has been found to be links positively to innovation (Anderson and West, 1996; De Dreu and West, 2001; Hoegl and Gemuenden, 2001; West and Anderson, 1996). Mutual support refers to intensive collaboration and cooperation between tea m members (Hoegl and Gemuenden, 2001). Collaboration is also one of the dimensions of Sethi and Nicholsons (2001) charged behaviour that is linked to innovation; trust and support is found one factor that enhances creativity (Amabile et al., 1996). Also, the finding that an equally high level of effort contributes to team work quality (Hoegl and Gemuenden, 2001) is in line with Pearce and Ensleys (2004) argumentation that social loafing is affecting innovation negatively. Feeling committed to the work of the group supports individual creativity (Amabile et al., 1996). Finally cohesion has been a topic of several studies around creativity and innovation (Craig and Kelly, 1999; Gully et al., 1995). It covers interpersonal attraction of team members, commitment to the teams task and team spirit. CULTURAL ASPECTS Within cultural concepts we concentrate on two different aspects. Hall and Hall (1990) identified three dimensions of culture though interviewing practitioners who are interacting with other cultures. In their communication model they suggest the following dimensions to differ between cultures: Various degrees of tabulating information via language. A different need for areal space. Dissimilarity in the applicability of time and working styles (monochronic/polychronic). Hofstede (1983) instead delivers less visible concepts than Hall and Hall. The cultural concept of Hofstede (1983) identified four cultural dimensions which refer to values as a guiding idea. Power distance, the acceptance of differences in hierarchical status. Uncertainty avoidance, an individuals motivation to keep away from uncertainties and changes. Individualism/collectivism, the importance of independence from ones company, and own activity. Masculinity/femininity, the importance of income, recognition and advancement as well as the degree of role allocation between men and women. Confucian dynamism or the long term orientation of a country was added to the concept (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005). Throughout the term multi-cultural team it is seen that the considered teams have expansive cultural values and communication styles due to their affiliations to different nationalities and socialization in diverse cultural groundings. Through this approach, the fact that cultural values can differ within one country (Kirkman and Shapiro, 2005) and that only concentrating on a diverse national background ignores potential changes of personal behaviours which are culture related are take into account. MOTIVATION Motivation is a key factor that influences the daily operations of any hospitality unit. It is the key factor which influences an employee to go above and beyond the call of duty. The pioneering hospitality organizations in the world believe that in some way or the other, employee motivation plays an integral role in their success. â€Å"There is one key to profitability and stability during either a boom or bust economy: employee morale.† - Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines. There are various factors by which motivation can be attained. Many of these factors are based on models. Some of these models are:- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. -Dr. Abraham Maslow. ERG Theory of Motivation. –Clayton P. Alderfer. ARCS Model of Motivation. – John Keller. Motivational Theory. -Frederick Herzberg. In this report, Maslow’s theory will be used. This is done as they have some overlapping views, which will assist a simpler understanding. According to Maslow, there are general types of needs (physiological, survival, safety, love, and esteem) that must be satisfied before a person can act unselfishly. He called these needs deficiency needs. As long as we are motivated to satisfy these cravings, we are moving towards growth, toward self-actualization. Satisfying needs is healthy, while preventing gratification makes us sick or act evilly. As a result, for adequate workplace motivation, it is important that leadership understands the exertive needs active for individual employee motivation. Maslows model indicates that basic, minor needs like safety and physiological requirements have to be satisfied in order to pursue higher-level motivators along the lines of self-fulfilment. Maslows Needs Pyramid or Maslows Needs Triangle, shows how after a need is satisfied it stops acting as a motivator and the next need one rank higher starts to motivate(Diagram present in Annexure). To summarise the above theory, a manager’s goal is to ensure that his employees have a reason to be motivated at all times. The needs that will motivate employees, changes with time. To recognise these needs is the job of the manager. Given below are the various needs of the employees. Physiological Motivation: Provide ample breaks for lunch and recuperation and pay salaries that allow workers to buy lifes essentials. Safety Needs: Provide a working environment which is safe, relative job security, and freedom from threats. Social Needs: Generate a feeling of acceptance, belonging, and community by reinforcing team dynamics. Esteem Motivators: Recognize achievements, assign important projects, and provide status to make employees feel valued and appreciated. Self-Actualization: Offer challenging and meaningful work assignments which enable innovation, creativity, and progress according to long-term goals. There are a few limitations present in Maslov’s theories. In some cultures, social needs are higher on the priority list than others. Maslows hierarchy fails to explain the starving artist scenario, in which the aesthetic neglects their physical needs to pursuit of aesthetic or spiritual goals. Additionally, little evidence suggests that people satisfy exclusively one motivating need at a time, other than situations where needs conflict. DISCUSSION TEAMWORK Starbucks is an internationally recognized hospitality chain. A case study based on this organization will be taken into consideration. This establishment is known for its ability to sustain its customers and have a relatively low turn-over rate. Here, team work is given monumental importance as they believe it to be the reason for their holistic success. The managers of the establishment refer to their peers and the people working under them as â€Å"partners†. By doing so, the corporate gap of title is bridged. The managers of the unit work aside the employees at the front line of service. This shows no discrimination in work, leading to self respecting employees who love their job. This is transmitted via the employees to the customers, creating satisfaction and loyalty. Simultaneously, it creates an open environment that contributes greatly to expression of innovative thinking. Starbucks has invested in creating a place where its employees can rest and enjoy. This also for ms a platform for creative inputs which are valued. As has been mentioned before, creativity of a person may never be replicated. The cultural barrier is present in every organization. How it is dealt with, is subject to change. Starbucks’ managers have authority to reschedule work timings of individuals. This is done in accordance with an employee’s personal or religious needs. Furthermore, emphasis is given to understanding an employee’s needs and problems. By following such exercises, the cultural barrier is overcome. At a particular shift, there are 6-8 employees working. As the unit of people working together is relatively small, people of various religious and ethnic backgrounds converse and know each other well. This again is another manner in which the cultural barrier is overcome at Starbucks. MOTIVATION The Saint Paul Hotel is a four star hotel located in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. This will be the case study for motivation that will be used. The hotel believes, like many others worldwide, that employee motivation is an important aspect attributing to the company’s success. The Saint Paul Hotel will provide training both for job skills and safety. Standards-based training occurs weekly in each department. Managers and employees will spend about 15 minutes to talk about their ideas. It is an opportunity to fine-tune or learn new skills. This training provides an opportunity for communication within the departments. For the employees to have their ideas heard and processed (if valuable) creates a sense of belonging and motivates them, as they have instilled in them the fact that they are valuable. Given below is a list of benefits given to the employees with the intention of motivating its employees. Uniforms: provided and maintained on the premises. One meal a day in employee dining room at no cost. Health, dental and life insurance. Employees of the month/year Manager of the quarter/year. Paid time off program used for sick pay, day off, vacation. Departmental incentives for safety/revenue generation/expense savings. Higher pay than the other hotels: Salary increases will occur on a schedule for Union employees, or annually for non- union employees. The Saint Paul Hotel will reward longevity with a watch for five years and a diamond pin for ten years. That diamond pin then has a new jewel set in it at each subsequent five year interval. After twenty years with the Hotel, a pin would have a diamond, a ruby and a sapphire. The Saint Paul Hotel prefers to promote from within whenever possible. However, this can be frustrating because often employees assume they are entitled to promotion based on seniority. Sometimes attendance/performance issues preclude allowing transfers or promotions. Sometimes lack of required experience interferes. While the Saint Paul Hotel trains many individuals in their jobs, even if they have had no experience, certain jobs (sales, accounting, etc.) require a certain level of expertise that must be grown into, as opposed to handed over (Personnel Communication, October 25, 2001). As said by Maslov (1943), there are various needs, that when fulfilled, create a motivated spirit and environment to work in. Saint Paul’s hotel is providing their employees with various benefits and perks. It can be seen that basic psychological needs are being fulfilled. By doing so, the basic level of motivation is instilled. Safety needs, being the second level of Mallow’s Hierarchy of needs, is also being given, in the form of health, dental and life insurance. By doing so, it is visible that the hotel cares about its employees and their well being. Gina Soucheray, training and employee development manager at the Saint Paul Hotel, stated that â€Å"right now we continue to look at how to get better support in the transportation process. However, nowadays we would like every employee to take the bus. We are looking at providing a better support structure for people who have to 29 take the bus or people who have to drive. Moreover, we are looking for the opportunit y for childcare for both union and non-union employees. That’s two key things right now transportation and childcare. We have a lot of employees who have problems with a good childcare system and we have a candidate who has come down to fill out memo about not enough parking space what we should do, and who’s going to pay for parking† (Personnel Communication, October 25, 2001). This is the extent to which Saint Pauls hotel engages itself in employee satisfaction, which is grounds for motivation. CONCLUSION TEAMWORK Teamwork is a wide field of study. In this report, two aspects of teamwork have been dealt with. These aspects are creative innovation and cultural aspects. A GAP analysis has been shown by applying views of established authors, like Hoegl and Gemuenden, Hofstede and Kirkman and Shapiro, to a case study of Starbucks. The importances of the two aspects shown are explained in this report. It is shown how Starbucks, being a multi-national company, promotes creative innovation from its employees. It also focuses on overcoming cultural backgrounds of individuals. Two people hailing from different backgrounds are evident not to have everything in common. The aim is to understand the other individual’s culture and needs, and to compromise. By doing so, the employees and managers of Starbucks are able to work harmoniously. MOTIVATION Today, there is an irrefutable connection between employee satisfaction and financial performance. This is based on numerous studies that support the analogue. Therefore, companies have a rare opportunity to emolument competitive leverage and contrasting by domesticate their greatest asset which is their employees. Employees are the most critical point of differentiation for any company in today’s business environment. The correlations are evident. Satisfied employees transfer their joy to attain satisfied customers, who in turn build long-term relationships, and spend more money. This presents a finding for American corporations, most of which do not utilize their employee potential to the max. A major survey conducted by the Public Agenda Forum indicates that fewer than 25 percent of American workers are working to their full potential. And 75 percent said they could be significantly more effective in their jobs than they are. Plus, 60 percent believe they don’t work as hard as they did in the past. These are not the characteristics of satisfied, engaged and happy employees. With a closer analysis of the different models mentioned in this report, and practical implication of those guidelines, would open doors to financial growth and holistic betterment of the industry. REFERENCES 1. Hoegl, M Gemuenden, H G (2001) Teamwork Quality and the Success ofinnovative Projects: A Theoretical Concept and Empirical Evidence Organization science, Vol 12, No. 4, pp 435-449. 2. Nicholson, N (1998) Encyclopedic Dictionary of Organizational Behaviour Blackwell, pp 215 3. Robbins, S P?2002?Organizational Behavior America: Prentice-Hall, pp 335 4. Assessing the Work Environment for Creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 39(5), 1154-1184. 5. Hoegl, Martin and Gemuenden, Hans Georg, 2001. Teamwork quality and the success of innovative projects Organization Science, 12(4), 435-449. 6. Hofstede, G., 1983. National Cultures in Four Dimensions. A Research-based Theory of Cultural Differences among Nations. International Studies of Management and Organization, 13(1-2), 46-74. 7. Kirkman, Bradley L. and Shapiro, Debra L., 2005, The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Multicultural Team Performance, vol. 18. Elsevier Ltd. 8. Sethi, Rajesh and Nicholson, Carolyn Y., 2001. Structural and Contextual Correlates of Charged Behavior in Product Development Teams. Journal of Product and Innovation Management, 18, 154-168 9. West, Michael A. and Anderson, Neil R., 1996. Innovation in Top Management Teams. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(6), 680-693. 10. Amabile, Teresa M., Conti, Regina, Coon, Heather, Lazenby, Jeffrey and Herron, Michael, 1996 11. Pearce, Craig and Ensley, Michael, 2004. A reciprocal and longitudinal investigation of the innovation process. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25, 259-278. 12. De Dreu, Carsten K. W. and West, Michael A., 2001. Minority dissent and team innovation: The importance of participation in decision making. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(6), 1191-1201. 13. Abraham Maslows book Motivation and Personality(1954), formally introduced the Hierarchy of Needs. Websites 1. http://orgsci.journal.informs.org/cgi/content/abstract/12/4/435 2. www.netmba.com 3. envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html 4. envisionsoftware.com/articles/ERG_Theory.html 5. uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2002/2002petcharakp.pdf 6. employeebenefits.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?h=365;category_cs=14;link_cs=2 7. articlesbase.com/sales-articles/using-incentives-to-effectively-motivate-employees-1169188.html 8. http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Motivate-Employees-Effectivelyid=1864705 9. businessballs.com/employeemotivation.htm Research Papers on Organizational Behavior Taking Motivation and Teamwork Into PerspectiveResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Project Managment Office SystemOpen Architechture a white paperInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductDefinition of Export QuotasEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self

5 Strategies That Will Help You Build Strong Workplace Skills

5 Strategies That Will Help You Build Strong Workplace Skills As we look at a brand new year, you might have the classic resolutions lined up: eat better, sleep better, be better. If your revamped goals also include being better at your job (or stepping up your game so you can nab a new job), there’s a great way to make progress without changing everything at once: build your workplace skills. This can mean bolstering skills you already have, or seeking out new ones. Saying â€Å"go forth and build skills† is one thing, but how to actually do that? Let’s look at some strategies for how to start your growth process.1. Be realistic.If you decide you want to brush up your Spanish language skills, don’t expect to be fluent in six months’ time (no matter what that app tells you). Make sure you’re setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Bound). Make sure your skill-building goals have concrete steps that can be achieved in the time and brainspace you have available.For exampl e, if you’ve been saying you’ll take that management seminar when you have a magical period of free time that never materializes, chances are you’re not going to do it this time around, either. Make sure you have the time and space in your life to work on these skills before you dive in.2. Focus on quality over quantity.Making a little progress on 10 skills is nice, but wouldn’t you rather make tons of progress on 2 skills? Pick a few areas where you can really dig in and put in the work, with the time you have available.3. Focus on process over end result.Let’s say your current plan (realistically) looks like this:1. Improve communication skills.2. Yada yada yada.3. †¦Promotion!That’s a system that isn’t going to work. It’s great to envision where you want to end up (that’s a key part of any goal setting exercise), but you can’t let the details in the middle get muddled while you focus on the end. Make sure you know exactly how you’re going to get to that endpoint by creating specific steps and touchpoints along the way. Where do you want to be in two months with this? Six months? A year?4. Pick skills that will be useful.Don’t learn Swahili because hey, why not learn Swahili? Learn Swahili because your company just opened an office in Tanzania, or because your boss’s boss is fluent, and you’d love to drop some key phrases at next year’s office holiday party. Focus on skills that will be useful to you in the short term, and that are specific to your career path. For example, if the next level at your job involves presentations, work on your public speaking skills. If data analysis is an emerging trend in your field, seek out online lessons for some ninja tricks to improve your Excel game.5. Know your existing strengths.Yes, the whole point of this exercise is to learn new things. But it will be very difficult to learn these new things if you’re going too far outside your comfort zone, and want to give up because your new skill is hard. It could very well be that you’re just not learning the skill in a way that makes sense to you. Make sure that you understand how you learn best. If it’s by watching other people do things, take online tutorials. If you process information by hearing it, seek out lectures. If you would rather read about it, head to the library. If you try to align your skill-building with your best learning style, you increase your chances of success.So what skills will you be building in the new year? We’d love to hear about your progress!

The Business Strategies of Google Inc and Its Effects on the Business Essay - 2

The Business Strategies of Google Inc and Its Effects on the Business and the Industry - Essay Example This paper illustrates that a research study conducted by Morgan Stanley pegs the total number of internet users at about 1.8 billion as of the year 2009. The number is expected to grow by about 13 percent annually on a year on year basis. The report also states that approximately 18.8 thousand minutes was spent on internet browsing by ‘netizens’ across the world. Geographically China followed by USA and India have the largest number of active internet users with the numbers growing geometrically over the years. The analysis of the strategic framework of an organization can be done by using the framework of the Generic model proposed by Michael Porter. The model states that a firm can pursue four strategies that include overall cost leadership, focus, differentiation, and differentiation focus strategies. Depending on the business and the market environment a firm can either chose one strategy or a combination of these strategies. Overall cost leadership strategy involve s a strategic framework in which a business organization lowers its cost of operations and uses the cost benefits to sell products at lower prices than their competitors. Business organizations using a differentiation strategy provide a unique product or service offering that is unmatched by the competitors in the industry segment. Firms using such a strategy normally charge a premium for their uniqueness in the product or service offering and generate their core competence based on their innovations. Focus strategy involves targeting a very core and niche consumer segment and providing services that tend to cater to the very specific needs of the customers.