Free Essays on Groups

Why is group forming and group development crucial to the success of businesses? Introduction A group is â€Å"a collection of one or more interacting individuals who maintain stable patterns of relationships, share common goals and perceive themselves as being a group.† Greenberg, J & Baron, R. A. (1997) Within the context of this essay I hope to prove the following hypothesis, that group forming and group development are crucial to organisations. In all aspects of society whether at home, school or work we participate in and interact with members of groups. A large organisation can be viewed as a collection of small groups (Huczynski & Buchanan 1991.) If an organisation is made up of groups then the goals, performance and effectiveness of these groups will have a direct affect on the organisation they are involved with. Content There are two types of groups formal and informal. Formal groups are created by the organisation and are intentionally designed to direct members. Informal groups develop naturally amongst organisations personnel without any direction from the management. (Greenberg, J & Baron, R. A. 1997) According to Tuckman and Jenson (1977) there are 5 stages to group development. 1. Forming. In this stage the group is formed, members meet and ground rules are set out. Failure of the group even at this early stage to clarify goals and objectives can lead to the group not working at maximum efficiency (Tuckman and Jenson 1977). 2. Storming. In this stage the group show conflict and resist control from group leaders. (Tuckman and Jenson 1977) â€Å"The good relationships and acceptance of the leadership helps the group perform well.† (Greenberg & Baron 1997) When an organisation creates a group, the leader has to be chosen not only considering the needs of the task but also the members of the group. Failure of a leader to recognise the needs of his group members could lead to a drop in... Free Essays on Groups Free Essays on Groups Why is group forming and group development crucial to the success of businesses? Introduction A group is â€Å"a collection of one or more interacting individuals who maintain stable patterns of relationships, share common goals and perceive themselves as being a group.† Greenberg, J & Baron, R. A. (1997) Within the context of this essay I hope to prove the following hypothesis, that group forming and group development are crucial to organisations. In all aspects of society whether at home, school or work we participate in and interact with members of groups. A large organisation can be viewed as a collection of small groups (Huczynski & Buchanan 1991.) If an organisation is made up of groups then the goals, performance and effectiveness of these groups will have a direct affect on the organisation they are involved with. Content There are two types of groups formal and informal. Formal groups are created by the organisation and are intentionally designed to direct members. Informal groups develop naturally amongst organisations personnel without any direction from the management. (Greenberg, J & Baron, R. A. 1997) According to Tuckman and Jenson (1977) there are 5 stages to group development. 1. Forming. In this stage the group is formed, members meet and ground rules are set out. Failure of the group even at this early stage to clarify goals and objectives can lead to the group not working at maximum efficiency (Tuckman and Jenson 1977). 2. Storming. In this stage the group show conflict and resist control from group leaders. (Tuckman and Jenson 1977) â€Å"The good relationships and acceptance of the leadership helps the group perform well.† (Greenberg & Baron 1997) When an organisation creates a group, the leader has to be chosen not only considering the needs of the task but also the members of the group. Failure of a leader to recognise the needs of his group members could lead to a drop in...

It Isnt About Luck

It Isnt About Luck You were lucky to have FundsforWriters to sell your books. I dont have that luxury. I hear this so much, in one version or another. First of all, there is no serious luck in this business. Its a matter of constantly putting yourself out there in terms of writing, publishing, appearing, working social media, fighting to be current, taking chances. There is no one right way or best way, only the way that happens to work for you at that moment in time. Frankly, I started FundsforWriters because I could NOT sell my mysteries. I wanted to be a writer and make an income from writing, so I figured any sort of reputable recognition could only help me in becoming a professional writer. As someone who loved stringing words, I walked through whatever door opened for me, wrote whatever might help me take one step further in my career. However, I had my conditions and parameters in who I wrote for and what I wrote and how I proceeded: 1) Markets had to pay. Even as a beginner, I recognized that being paid mattered not only in my pocketbook but also in the eyes of editors I pitched. They knew who paid and who didnt, and that mattered in their judgment of me. I wrote a column once for nothing, hoping to aid my resume, but after several issues, when the editor still could not afford to pay, I stepped away. And I learned that nobody cared that Id written that column. 2) I had to build and retain a following. I couldnt just write and build up credits. I had to have someplace to flaunt those credits (website, then social media) and some means to retain those people who read my work and liked it (newsletter). 3) Repetition matters. I wanted to become Google-able, which meant frequent and reputable appearances. If I wasnt on the first page of a Google search for my name, I strived to submit to enough magazines, websites, newsletters, and blogs to improve my search ranking. A book a year wasnt going to work. 4) Quality matters. Its a given that your writing quality matters, but be careful where you make your appearances. I wish I knew way back when what I know now about that. I wouldve been a tad more selective in some instances as to whom I wrote for. You might be new. You might be a struggling mid-lister. You might be seasoned and coming back into the fold, trying to remain pertinent. Fight to present yourself as strong, diligent, and reliable. Keep putting yourself out there, but dont give it away. People will respect you so much more.

Legal and Practical Aspects of Islamic Securitisation Essay

Legal and Practical Aspects of Islamic Securitisation - Essay Example The term â€Å"Islamic finance† is a recent invention having only appeared in the middle of the 1980s. Previously, any commercial activities that complied with Islam was referred to as â€Å"interest free† or â€Å"Islamic banking†. The impetus for establishing Islamic financial systems grew out of perceptions on the part of many Muslims that they existed in an essentially hostile â€Å"non-Muslim environment.† Spurred by the increase in rich oil resources during the 1973 – 1974 after a global oil crisis, oil producing Muslim countries were encouraged to implement innovative financial tools that closely resembled those used by Western businesses. In more recent times, Islamic Banking and Finance initiatives have expanded at a rapid rate throughout Muslim countries and in non-Muslim countries with large Muslim populations. As a result, Islamic Banking and Finance is gaining currency in significant Western businesses. This is an interesting and unique development given that Islamic finance is governed by the Shariah and as such is not a universal concept. The fact is the Shariah or Islamic law governs all daily activities of Muslims. From a financial perspective, the Shariah governs not only how capital can be acquired but also how it can be discharged. While wealth may be acquired, it may only be acquired by methods that are fair to all participants.

ANALYZE THE CORPORATE STRATEGY AND OPERATING ENVIRONMENT Essay

ANALYZE THE CORPORATE STRATEGY AND OPERATING ENVIRONMENT - Essay Example A business responds to its operating environment through the corporate strategy. Strategies need to be monitored with care with regular reviews and adjustments to make sure that they are focused on the accomplishment of organizational objectives. They involve the utilization of human resources and finances in a particular period of time through a comprehensive scheme that is targeted at achieving the business corporate goal. This paper is a critical analysis of the corporate strategy and operating environment. HRM actions that can improve the organization’s effectiveness have been discussed. Factors that can affect the operations of the business in a foreign country in comparison to the U.S. have been highlighted. There are several HRM actions that can contribute to the company being more effective and efficient. These include; flexible working, career development through training and upgrading the skills of supervisors. Flexibility can be achieved through various ways. These include policies on flexible hours. Flexibility of working hours allows fulfillment amongst the employees within the place of work as well as outside. This is usually beneficial to the business through improved productivity amongst the employees, which is attributed to job satisfaction. The employees are able to take care of family obligations as well as those of the work place (Bratton, and Gold, 2007). In that state, it is most likely that they will be more productive than working under tight schedules that do not allow them to take any other responsibility outside the paid work. The needs of employees towards work life balance are specific to individuals. These usually depend on the age, marital status, gender and oth er such factors (Bach, 2005). High productivity in employees is attributed to job satisfaction. Productivity in employees results when managers ensure flexibility in their objectives and careful analysis

My daughter smokes Essay Example for Free

My daughter smokes Essay We often think that refering people to supporting groups is enough to quit smoking, however how about if instead we educate them so that they wont even start smoking as walker mention peace on earth begins at home, meaning that we need to educate our children and surrounding about smoking and its concecuenses. Smoking not only causes health problems, it can also cause economic problems, and can harm those around you. Smoking can have many negative impacts regarding your health it can cause bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema. According to the center for disease control and prevention smoking causes 1 in 5 strokes in the United States, Menaning that a person that smokes has a higher risk of having a painful and agonizing death compare to a non-smoker person. Smoking can harm not only you but also those arounfd you. People who smoke in public make choicea for others. for example, when you smoke around a 5 year old tou are basically making a choice for them making them a second hand smoker. Also, when you start suffering smoking consequences you dont do it alone because you family will suffer along with you. In addition, smoking can not only cause health problems but economically as well. A packet of cigarettes cost o8.75 an avarage smoker smokes about 2 packets a day, which will make an average of 3200 to 6400 per year.this money can be used for food and or clothing. Also, because of the health problems that smoking will cause, smokers smokers will have to spend a alot of money on health care. In conclusion, we need to educate our familiar, and friends regarding smoking. Smoking its a very additive habit that will make you nicoti e dependent. Therefore when you try to quit it comes with withdrawal symptoms, to avoid withdrawal symtomps from smoking the best choice is to never start. Smoking will not only damege your health it will also damage you economically, and also thos around you.

Alcoholism Should Not Be Viewed As A Disease :: essays research papers fc

Most people have a confused idea of alcoholism as a disease that invades or attacks your good health. Use of such a strong word such as "disease" shapes the values and attitudes of society towards alcoholics. A major implication of the disease concept is that what is labeled a "disease" is held to be justifiable because it is involuntary. This is not so. Problem drinking is a habit in which the so-called "alcoholic" simply has decided that the benefits of drinking outweigh the liabilities; it is all a matter of personal choice. An alcoholic participates in or causes many of their own problems by their behavior and the decisions they make, so why should they be viewed as helpless victims of a "disease"(Skipper 1)? Alcoholism should not be viewed as a disease, but as an addiction brought about by the alcoholic's personal choices. What is wrong with disease theories as science is that they are tautologies; they avoid the work of understanding why people drink. People seek specific, essential human experiences from their addictive involvement. They can come to depend on such an involvement for these experiences until -- in the extreme -- the involvement is totally consuming and potentially destructive (Peele 146). The idea that alcoholism is a "disease", which is only typified by the loss of control, was only sanctioned by the American Medical Association in 1956 (Wilbanks 39). The AMA gives the following definition for alcoholism: " Alcoholism is an illness characterized by preoccupation with alcohol and loss of control over its consumption, such as to lead usually to intoxication if drinking; by chronicity, by progression and by a tendency toward relapse. It is typically associated with physical disability and impaired emotional, occupational and/or social adjustments as a direct consequence of persistent excessive use (Langone 27)". This meant that an alcoholic could now get help in a hospital, just as a person with a real disease such as diabetes or leukemia would . Moreover, the use of the words "loss of control" make it seem as though the alcoholic's free will has just been ripped away from him. On the contrary, there is no evidence that the will of the drinker has been overpowered. Besides labeling alcoholism as a disease, the AMA has also done a huge error in stating that alcoholism causes people to lose control over the consumption of alcohol. This will only negate the fact that the amount of alcohol consumed and if it is consumed at all is completely up to the drinker, not an inevitable disease that overpowers your free will.

On Education-Emerson Essay

Imaging you are the only person at a concert; now imaging yourself surrounded by other who are just as enthusiastic about the concert as you are. One may give you a certain aspect of importance, while the other could make you feel like you belong to something bigger than yourself. The situation you prefer ultimately depends on your personality, that is to say, you as an individual. Present day America has become just that, a large gathering center for individuals from all corners of the globe; the great â€Å"melting pot of the world† to say the least. With all the diversity of unique talents, ideals, beliefs, and traditions that can be found outside one’s front-door step, a few questions arise: why is individualism not sought after and praised in today’s curriculum instead of being generalized into groups as one usually is? Likewise, is our current system of education preparing young minds to be conformists while slowly killing the individual? Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of the foremost intellectuals of the nineteenth century, theorized about an education system structured around the importance of the individual as its main foundation. Emerson believed that â€Å"our modes of Education aim to expedite, to save labor; to do for the masses what cannot be done for masses, what must be done reverently, one by one: say rather, the whole world is needed for the tuition of each pupil†. To put it differently, he believed the pupil may benefit more from personalized curriculums than from an education system aimed to teach by the masses to save money, time, and labor. In my opinion, from seeing the problems with our current Education system, I feel partially inclined to agree with Emerson and his idea to distance the education system from â€Å"teaching by the masses† and focus more on the individual For one, I firmly believe that today’s education system is more focused meeting the states standards and less focused on the student itself. The amount of standards an educator has to cover over the course of the year makes it nearly impossible to make individually customized teaching plans, thus the introduction of a curriculum in which everyone learns and works at the same pace. This can come at a steep price because although exposing every student to the same lesson demonstrates fairness and indiscrimination, it may also have negative repercussions on the young and inexperienced mind. In an education system like this, the individual is not valued because he is not seen as one student but generalized and group with other, whether it is by age or grade level. In the classroom for example, we are taught the basic knowledge context that everyone is expected to know, very rarely do we see any encouragement for those who want to dive in depth into a subject or personalized assistance for those who desperately need it. From my own experienced, I have always yearned to learn more about subjects I was interested in but if one cannot do that, then going to school becomes a chore. Statistics show that 8,300 high school students drop out each day (â€Å"High†). According to Buzzfeed, an online website, one of the top 5 reasons High School Students drop out is because they start finding classes uninteresting and the same can be said for college student. When the classes get dull they start centering their life’s around their jobs and eventually drop out to go in the pursuit of money. We have statistics and the reasons for the large amount of dropout backing up the fact that there is something wrong with today’s education system, yet appropriate measures to adjust the education system aren’t being made; the personal interest and curiosity of the student are not being met to inspire ones desire for knowledge. In addition to the lack of time, the reason for why individuality is not valued is due in part to the poor teacher-to-student ratio which does not do the creative mind just. Everyone needs space to think; however, we seem to be cramming in as many students as we can into one classroom, widening the teacher-to-student ration even further. One cannot master the lesson at hand if there is still a â€Å"shaky† foundation from the previous lesson due to the lack of sufficient assistance. With the fast pace that is required to meet all the requirements set forth by the United States, educators have little or no time to teach and assist those individuals who are in desperate need of attention, while at the same time neglecting to encourage, stimulate, and challenge those who fully grasp the material. The curriculum just doesn’t allow enough room for a student to show his creativity or stand out as an individual. Is it just to teach the same material to someone who learns at a slower pace and expect him to keep up with someone who is naturally inclined to that topic? Most would say no, yet this is precisely what the education system is doing. Consequently and perhaps more importantly, by doing so we may also be pushing one student too much while holding another individual back. I am afraid that in an attempt to educate everyone, we may be putting the individual at risk. Our current education systems have failed to comprehend that every individual is different and there is no one way to teach everyone. In short, we may be better off, as Emerson believes, to leave our traditional ways of teachings and focus on the individual. Furthermore, in my opinion the current curriculum is promoting conformism by establishing certain guidelines that encourage us to stay within the â€Å"normal† knowledge one should know. This strictness towards what is taught and what is not, what is acceptable and what is not allowed may be killing the young minds creativity and curiosity for knowledge. In essence, creating a system in which â€Å"going with the flow† is acceptable, may be leading you into a lifestyle of mediocrity. One does not have to go far to find conformism being taught at a very young age. For instance, look at your local preschool center. At an early age one is taught to walk into the classroom in a line, almost military-like, sit down and face the board like everyone else, and are even encouraged to suppress ones true desires and pretend to pay attention to the instructor. At an age where creativity and imagination is in its prime, the curriculum is already teaching one to stay within the lines while they color and goes as far as to indicate what color a certain object or person should be. What happens when a student chooses to color an object a different color? More than likely he is not praised for his creativity and his decision to stand out as an individual but scolded for not following instructions. The current curriculum might be trying to teach them disciplined but It is also preaching the idea that he is more valued when he â€Å"goes with the flow† than when he stands on his own. Is it not those that defy the â€Å"norms† who create the foundation for new styles and those few who think â€Å"outside the box† who move our society forward yet that sort of thinking is not promoted in the curriculum. I take a look at myself, and my college experience and notice conformism is a real issue. I see fellow peers do the minimum required of the instructor to pass the class, with no intent to learn anything more than what is required; they have no aspiration to exceed their past grades and are perfectly comfortable being average. Very rarely does one see someone who is well-rounded in a specific subject go out of their way and learn more than what the instructor covered. Even to someone like me, who prefers to stand out as an individual, waiting till next week to learn something as a class sounds more tantalizing than researching on my own. When the thinking, as to when one will be exposed to information, is done for us there is little to motivate us to take learning into hour own hands: â€Å"people who blindly follow rules are going along with the crowd and conforming. They are doing what’s easiest and avoiding challenge and having to think† (Harrison). By not going out of our way of the normal â€Å"flow† of life and society we may be condemning ourselves to a mediocre lifestyle. James Cooper once said, â€Å"All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never have any other than existence of mediocrity†(cooper 1). Overall, I believe that by having a general curriculum dictating when and how we learn, we may be more inclined to be satisfied with mediocrity and in turn conform to the â€Å"norms† of society. In conclusion, I strongly agree with the belief that educating the masses means slighting the individual (Emerson). The current Education system was intended to teach the masses, with respectable and admirable intents, but the system may have come too far and established an environment where creativity and individualism is a rare sight to see. There are some deep concerns with â€Å"teaching the masses† that I believe should be dealt with immediately if one wishes to move along as a society and bring to the world a new era of radical and critical thinker; that is to say, people who challenge and change the way we view the world. First off, the education system should allow for a sufficient margin of time so the educator may make certain adjustment to the curriculum based on the necessity of the students at that moment. Enough time is needed so the pupil may learn his natural pace and build his knowledge on a strong foundation. As for the intellectuals in the classroom, they should be given special modifications to the curriculum that may continue to challenge and grab his interest. Secondly, in an education system where everyone is taught the same, the speed and expectations of the classroom will almost always be that of the slowest person. This may be problematic because when you live your life doing only average work, you will conform to the idea that mediocrity is acceptable and life a life of mediocrity; never realizing your true otential. With all things considered, the ideal education system is one where its main focus is not inclined towards completing the curriculum, but one where teaching for the masses can inspire creativity in the individual by collaboration and competition with fellow peers. Overall, I agree with Emerson and I find it absolutely necessary for the education system to slowly distance itself from our present day curriculum and start focusing more on the individual to promote creat ivity and individuality.