Earth Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Earth Science - Essay Example Moreover, an analysis of current strategies as well as alternative energy dependence will also be discussed. It is hope of this author that through an analysis of these different mechanisms, the reader will be more fully able to integrate an understanding and appreciation for the fragile environment that humans currently exist within. Firstly, it should be understood by the reader/researcher that many natural processes that take place within the current system have a contributing effect upon the mass of CO2 that is released into the air atmosphere; thereby directly contributing to the greenhouse effect that impacts the planet as a whole. Recent research into this topic has indicated that processes such as volcanic eruptions or even the methane gas released by the Earth’s bovine population have an even greater impact upon overall CO2 levels than all human activity within any given year. However, this should not be seen to delegitimize the processes whereby humans can provide ad ditional negative impacts upon the global environment. Due to the fact that the Earth is ultimately a closed system, it can only integrate a certain amount of change before negative impacts are seen. As such the Earth’s ecological system might be able to integrate with volcanic eruptions or the methane gas produced by cows; however, further integration of the ever-increasing levels of human CO2 emissions is likely well beyond the capabilities of the system as a whole. Although human CO2 emissions have commonly been viewed within the context of emissions from internal combustion engines, the fact of the matter is that industrialized nations as well as power generation from a variety of sources, rainforest instruction, and a litany of other activities contribute to the overall levels of CO2 that are produced within any given year. Due to the fact that the earth’s population has continued to increase at an exponential rate of growth over the past centuries, it is only rea sonable to assume that the impacts of technological advancements as well as further urbanization and construction play a prominent role in the overall level and extent to which humans affect the environment. Whereas the preceding analysis has focused solely upon whether or not, and to what extent, humans’ impact upon the global environment is, the proceeding section will seek to place a level of focus upon some of the strategies and means by which humans can seek to wean themselves from fossil fuel dependence and become more reliant upon alternative energy. Whereas few individuals promote industrialization as a means of promoting the global environment, the most rational and reasonable strategy is to seek to find alternative means to continue the technological and industrialization advancements while at the same time promoting the environment. One of the most powerful mechanisms to accomplish such an end is by focusing upon the means of energy production that humans so readil y consume. Some of the most effective means of accomplishing this are by integrating a further reliance upon solar, nuclear, wind and other alternative means of energy production. Although the â€Å"dirty† forms of energy generation provide for the current needs of the system, they have a massively negative impact upon the environment.

Criminal Acts and Choices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criminal Acts and Choices - Essay Example In this assignment I shall discuss the choice theory and its relation to crime. â€Å"Rational choice theory (choice theory) is the view that crime is a function of a decision making process in which a potential offender weighs the potential costs and benefits of an illegal act.† (Seigel 2011) The word choice involves the selection of options. People select options with predictable results or they might want to take risk and choose an option with an element of chance. The chance may be with or without the given probabilities depending upon which option is selected. When people decide upon options with a negative result or a wrong doing after weighing its costs and benefits then the crime breaks out. According to the choice theory criminal behaviour is a very deliberate attempt. This behaviour is a result of a well organized thought process and planning. When an offender of law decides to commit crime he considers all personal and situational factors. He analyses personal factors like the excitement of taking risks, the money involved in the illegal act, the satisfaction of taking the due revenge etc. Also he does sound calculation of the situational environment like how and when the target is available and approachable, the security risks involved, and the presence of law enforcing agents at the place where he will commit the crime etc. The choice of target, the method of committing crime and the post crime plan are all very systematic and selective. Thus the choice theory relates to crime by explaining the fact that criminals choose crime after analysing its pros and cons and it is a matter of choice that people break the law and indulge themselves in criminal activities. There are no mathematical equations for calculating crimes. However, there are models which are used by the society to determine criminal acts. The two most common models used by the society for determining crime are the consensus

Essence Of Decision: Explaining The Cuban Missile Crisis

Essence Of Decision: Explaining The Cuban Missile Crisis Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis, by Graham Allison and Philip Zelikow examines the momentous Cuban Missile Crisis, which was one of the most successful acts of diplomacy during the Cold War. Allison and Zelikow explore through three different conceptual lenses accommodating the reader to look further into common methods of foreign policy analysis. Allison and Zelikow evaluate the events of the thirteen days in October 1962 to demonstrate the models of policy analysis from different perspectives. The authors provide ample historical reviews, evidence and documents of the events, and offers thorough analyses of the crucial time of the nuclear age by also presenting new methods to consider with foreign policy actions. The three conceptual models, which can be used to analyze policy actions; the Rational Actor, Organizational Behavior, and Governmental Politics Models are described and applied to the Cuban Missile Crisis case. Each model demonstrates different fe atures and areas of the fundamental decisions made by both the United States and the Soviet Union during the crisis. Allison and Zelikow clarify that even though there is no whole understanding of the situation as it happened at the time, and it will never be likely, however using these three theoretical lenses it will help gain a closer understanding and more of an awareness of all of the elements and the choices that were made at the time. In this essay I will attempt to draw some understanding of the decisions the United States made towards the Cuban Missile Crisis by using Allisons three conceptual lenses from the Essence of Decision, which is an analysis of the crisis itself and the decision making in the resolution procedure. Graham Allison and Philip Zelikow present Model I as the most commonly used method of evaluating foreign policy actions, this method is titled the Rational Actor Model, also known as RAM. RAM is a way of understanding policy actions taken by states, by considering the country as a rational unitary actor. The rational framework is also the most frequently used method in determining decisions between policy choices in the adoption and evaluation stages of the policy cycle. Whilst analysing an action undertaken by a state towards another state, the RAM presumes the actions taken place are intended, value maximising and strategic. The authors quote for each explanation an act consists of showing what goal the government was pursing when it acted and how the action was a reasonable choice, given the nations objective (Allison Zelikow, 1999, p. 15). This allows us to understand how people go about making decisions, as it is done implicitly, without the person unintentionally realising the y are doing it. The main questions in the Essence of Decision book that were answered in regards to the crisis are; Why did the Soviet Union place offensive missiles in Cuba? Why did the US respond to this action with a blockade around Cuba? And why did the Soviet Union withdraw missiles in response? Looking at the situation in understanding the US decision-making reaction to the actions, the RAM analysis considers after evaluating a number options, and considering Kennedys goals, by assessing the quality of the search for options and their respective outcomes, and check whether the final choice promised to achieve his original goals to the extent that the decision-making process comes close to this ideal model, we can say that it was rational (Allison 1999, p.33), and a blockade would have the best chance of sending the desired message to Moscow without provoking a military response. Allison and Zelikows Rational Actor Model, examines the question of whether we can understand clea rly the move made by a country in the international policy arena as a rational choice? For instance, the concept of bounded rationality appears clearly in foreign policy decision making, even when there is a central decision maker of a state, for example a leader or president who has supreme choice over all courses of action, their rational decision making will be hindered by the fact that they have no idea what the opponent is thinking. This can be referred back to the Cuban Missile Crisis; where President Kennedy and his advisors, the ExComs failed attempts at trying to understand why Khrushchev made certain decisions and actions. Since the international policy arena often deals with competitive oppositional opponents who keep their true intentions hidden as a means of accomplishing what they want (Lindbolm, 1959, p.113-127). President Kennedy becomes the driver of the debate by making sure his team cautiously takes each step of the crisis to probe deeper implications of each opti on and to stretch their imagination (Allison Zelikow, 1999, p. 357) as the mass of diverting nuclear war cascades upon him. Thus helps us understand why the US made a rational decision with the blockade as it had several advantages, one being it did not constitute direct attack, secondly it placed the burden of the next move on Khrushchev, and also kept other options open. This is when the USSR decided to withdraw, that is because it recognised US strategic superiority. The book argues that in fact the USSR backed down in face of US warnings that further actions would follow if the missiles were to become operational. The second Model, Allison and Zelikow presents are the Organisational Model of foreign policy. In this model, it is understood that countries and governments are not unitary actors but are stated as vast conglomerate(s) of loosely allied organisations, each with a substantial life of its own (Allison Zelikow, 1999, p. 143). The authors state that Governments perceive problems through organisational sensorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they define alternatives and estimate consequences as their component organisations. And process information So, the government movements are not so much logical choices decided upon by one central decision maker, but are the productions of many organizations all functioning according to standard patterns of behaviour. The effects to consider with this organisational model illustrate that the importance of looking at governmental actions this way gives us a clear understanding of why the United States made the decisions in this crisis. For example, nearly all govern ment actions in foreign policy are carried out by organizations, whether it is the Forces or the CIA, in this case, the government carrying out the policies are divided with the military and intelligence agencies. Furthermore, organizational actions are also limited and known by standard operating procedures, with what has been done before. The model which the authors present provides us with a curious opportunity to look at the role of bodies that play in foreign policy making in different ways. In Model II, Allison and Zelikow present a way of looking at policy decisions that are completely well ordered by the bureaucracy, although it may not be the government that makes the decision. In understanding the United States decision-making process with Model II, the deliberations of the EX-Com that produced possible alternatives were alternatively answered by the organisations, What specifically, could be done? (Allison Zelikow, 1999, p. 225). President Kennedys actions were limited b y what the military organisations could do, since their actions and decisions made were backed up with experience and previous choices in foreign policy. Essence of Decision illustrates that organisational capacities are fundamental in international policy making. Model II also allows us to understand examples of how organizational behaviours shake the implementation of certain policies. For example, the situation by the Soviet troops lack of camouflage of the missiles in Cuba, and President Kennedy rushing to control with the test flights over Soviet air space. If this occurred after the crisis had begun, there might have started a nuclear war due to wrong interpretation other than a test flight. This example suggests that there is always more to the situation of a rational decision. The authors allow us to look through other lenses to give us more of an understanding of how the US made certain decisions throughout the crisis. The third model that Allison and Zelikow illustrate in the Essence of Decision is the Governmental Politics model also known as the Bureaucratic model. Model III consists of policy actions as a process where state actors bring their personal thoughts, opinions and ideas together to achieve separate goals and decide upon a course of action collectively, which may conflict with each other. In Essence of Decision the authors explain why it is necessary to identify the games and players, to display the coalitions, bargains and compromises, and to convey some feel for the confusion (Allison Zelikow, 1999, p. 257). In this case, various individuals, representing various organisational interests engage in a process to achieve a negotiated group decision, which will represent the policy of a state. During the Crisis all US decisions were created by ExCom, President Kennedys inner circle of advisors that were composed together specifically for the missile crisis. Allison and Zelikow discusse d the Ex-Com members and their ideas, the significance of the Cuban issue to Kennedy, and generally try to illustrate an overall political atmosphere behind the U.S. decisions. Allison proposed in the book that because of the failure of Bay of Pigs invasion, the Republicans in the United States congress made Cuban policy into a major issue for the upcoming congressional elections later in 1962. Therefore President Kennedy decided on a strong response rather than a diplomatic one. Although the majority of ExCom initially favoured air strikes, those closest to the president, (his brother Attorney General, Robert Kennedy and Special Council General Theodore Sorensen) favoured the Blockade. At the same time Kennedy got himself into disputes with supporters of the air strikes, such as Force General Curtis Lemay. After the Bay of Pigs fiasco, Kennedy also distrusted the CIA and their advice. This combination of push and pull led to the implication of a blockade. (Essence of Decision Prese ntation, u.d) Because of the nature of many foreign policy decisions and the ultimate importance of the decisions they attempt to make, the public and congress can generally defer any decision-making powers to the president even if they know the situation. For instance, in Essence of Decision, we see that the president makes his decision very quickly and through complete blankness, where there were no influence from Congress, or the public as they were unaware of the actions until the White House made the statements. Allison and Zelikow mention a few times in Essence of Decision how different the situation of the Missile Crisis would be if it had happened in todays world with the immense public knowledge forcing decisions within hours rather than days. As it was, the president only had to challenge with the rivalry of ideas of his team of advisory. They brought in organizational and political thoughts from the head of agencies such as the military, which all had their own aims and o bjectives within the whole situation. As Wildavsky states, the president can nearly always gain support for his foreign policies, however his problem is to find a viable policy (1966, p. 237). For many parts of the politics Kennedy had to perform, were very limited in comparison to the domestic policy situations that occur. This model in comparison to the first two models may not illustrate an informative policy analysis, however it does offer a strong case in understanding why Kennedy came to the decision of a blockade. With essentially no opinion from the populous, the small governmental group made their decisions that could have meant life or death of millions of people. Thankfully, the Cuban Missile Crisis was settled by USs decisions. Graham and Zelikows Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis helps us understand USs decision-making throughout the thirteen days by allowing us to look through three distinctive conceptual models. The three models shown throughout the book can be used to help understand policies at any level, from domestic to foreign. Looking into actions by governments through a rational, organisational and political lens seems necessary to fully understand the moves that Kennedy took and the game Khrushchev played. I believe we are used to taking a more full approach to accepting domestic and local policy decisions because we are more alert of the aspects going into the decisions. This book helps us understand why Kennedy and ExCom made a rational decision after evaluating options ranging from doing nothing to a full invasion of Cuba, and then finally a blockade was selected because it wouldnt necessarily escalate into war, as well as forcing the Soviets to make the following move. The organisational process model allowed us to understand how Kennedy operated under time and information constraints whilst engaging in satisficing behaviour. Kennedy and Excom never really considered any other options besides the blockade or air strikes, and initially were almost solidly in favour of the air strikes. However, such attacks created huge doubt because of the US Air Force, as they could not guarantee it would disable all nuclear missiles. The blockade felt to be the safest option in that case. The bureaucratic politics model also helped us understand Kennedy and ExComs different level of power based on charisma, personality, skills of persuasion and personal ties to the head of the decision maker. Even whilst sharing the matching goals, the leaders contrast in how they accomplish it because of elements such as personal interests and background. These all have an impact on why the US made certain decision on choosing the blockade. This book constructs us to comprehend why international decisions are made, and helps simplify why rational reasons are behind certain actions. Applying the organisational process model and the governmental model to the foreign policy actions it gives us an insight to the possibilities of miscommunication, misunderstandings and disagreements that can also happen in such situations more than what we believed. Overall, Essence of Decision has helped to an extent with relevant information and evidence to support Allison and Zelikows three conceptual models, with an understanding of why the United States decided to choose the blockade option.

Welfare to Work: A New Response to Poverty Essay -- Exploratory Essays

Professor's Comments: This student has done an outstanding job of fulfilling the requirements of the assignment in his analysis of the Welfare to Work Program. Abstract: This study defines poverty, explains its causes and consequences on various systems, and traces our governmental response to this problem from the New Deal efforts to the present system of welfare. Drawing from recent literature to examine specifically the efficacy of TANF’s welfare to work (WtW) initiative, this writer focuses on the following: (1) on the target population, single mothers and children, and (2) on how this initiative is affecting both this group and the overall problem of poverty. Also included are a discussion of the historical and contemporary issues regarding this initiative as well as implications for social work policy and practice. Â   Â   Welfare to Work under TANF: A New Generation of Responses to Poverty Existing in all cultures and affecting people from many walks of life, especially single mothers and children, poverty does not discriminate. What is poverty, then? Is it simply a condition, or does it create conditions that reach far beyond a simple social issue? In order to understand these questions, one must begin with basic definitions. Poverty is technically broken into two categories – absolute poverty and relative poverty. Absolute poverty exists when a family cannot provide for its basic needs – which include nutrition, clothing, and shelter. A measurement for this category is the poverty line, a calculation that is based on three times the amount of a family’s normal food budget. On the other hand, relative poverty measures economic status and compares it between families within the same geographical locus (Ka... ...y Longman, Inc. Egendorf, L. K. (1999). Poverty: Opposing viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Evaluating Welfare Reform (1999, June 1). Retrieved from http://speakout.com. Karger, H. J. & Stoesz, D. (1998). American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach (3rd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Reichert, D. (1998, July). TANF appropriations in state legislatures. National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/statefed/welfare/moememo.htm. Segal, E. & Brzuzy, S. (1998). Social welfare policy, programs, and practice. Itasca, IL: F. E. Peackock Publishers, Inc. Trattner, W. (1999). From poor law to welfare state: A history of social welfare in America (6th ed.). New York: The Free Press. Vallianatos, C. (2001, October). Child support, cohabitating families studied. NASW News, 46(9), 12.

Global Organization Management in the Year 2000

â€Å"Technological advances at the end of the 20th century have allowed companies to globalize, facilitating the sale of their goods and services in foreign markets. Communications, empowerment, and learning will be the three greatest deciding factors in the success of these new multinational firms. † To be more successful in business in the global environment, it will be necessary to expand to the global market. An increase in production, sales and profits are some of the compelling reasons why most companies will seek to go beyond the limited sphere of strictly selling to US consumers. But as companies in the year 2000 and beyond will surely find out, it isn†t always easy to manage an organization when the work force and management teams are thousands of miles and an ocean away. Consequently, there are a few strategies that can ensure the success of a business located in the global market. First of all, the 1990's have already taught us that people are proud to work for companies that treat them well. They become linked to companies in more than an employer/employee relationship — they come to feel as if they are truly a part of an organization; not just one of the employees. In the year 2000 and beyond, it shall be the presence of this feeling more than any other that sets excellent companies apart from the ordinary, and therefore less successful. Companies which are expanding to the global market will need to make all the positive contributing employees feel more than just workers. One thing that employees in the future will – more than ever — ask themselves continually is how personally beneficial or detrimental their work environment is to there wn well-being. By establishing a research study to investigate the psychological climate of the overseas workplace, several important factors can be established which will help in the effective management of the global firm. More than ever before, employees in the global will show a genuine appreciation for fairness within their workplace, as well as some amount of recognition for a job well done. This is especially important when the parent company is located in another country. The prevailing attitude may be that the new organization isn†t as important to company success, simply because the head of the organization isn†t a daily, or even monthly, presence at the workplace. By recognizing the achievements of foreign employees, employers will ensure that their global family feels appreciated and part of the team, which in turn will create an atmosphere where the employees take pride in their work, and feel as if they are an integral part of the entire production process. There may also be problems with job stress, or harmony within the work group (possibly a lack of warmth and friendliness which does not provide a pleasant working environment). All these potential problems are part of the psychological climate within a workplace already, and will need to be addressed as part of an effective management program of a global organization in the future. Every day, employees will form a perception of how their organization values them in their contributions. It is important that these global employees feel that the organization cares about their well-being and is willing to fairly reward their loyalty or effort. How the global employees will perceive this support from the parent organization is important to them as they try to understand their role in the production process. Maslow (1954) argued a hierarchy system of human needs. The hierarchical needs are fixed from the bottom to the top. The bottom is physical needs; next is safety and security needs; third is social needs; forth is self-esteem; and fifth is self- actualization. Maslow's theory suggests that an individual's motivational needs aspire to the next level once the lower level needs have been achieved. The global firm must address the needs of the foreign and expatriate worker, to keep their commitment to the organization. The individual wants money not just to live on but also acquires some degree of personal satisfaction from earning it. Money will be used for housing, foods, and health care, for himself and his family. Receiving an increase in salary will contribute to the individual's status and self-worth, both of which are identified needs that require satisfaction. The overlapping areas in the motivation model suggest that the Maslow's needs are satisfied simultaneously. There are three overlapping areas in the model, an overlapping of individual needs and external influences, an overlapping of individual needs and business, and an overlapping of individual needs, external influences, and business. The first area includes the physical needs, the safety and security. The second area includes the social needs. The last area includes self-actualization and self- esteem because the two needs are satisfied when the three factors are met. Furthermore, a size of each overlapping area can explain management's attempt to satisfy the degree of employees' needs. The global firm must attempt to satisfy the needs of all the workers, not only in monetary terms, but also in fulfillment of self worth. All the workers should not just feel as if they are a ‘cog in the machine†, but part of the whole process. The expectancy theory presented by Vroom (1964), is a frame work for our ideal global firm to operate within. We assume performance, reward, and satisfaction are interconnected. The theory suggests that an increase in effort leads to increasing performance and then proper rewards with satisfaction help keep the relationships. The factor not taken into account is the relationship between a person and external influences. The relationship between performance and rewards relates to the interaction between individual needs and business. Our global firm will provide a systematic rewards process which meet the individual needs as performance occurs. The size of the overlapping area of individual needs and business can illustrate the degree of matching individual needs and the respective rewards. Our eventual long term goal is to increase long term commitment to the firm. If workers meet goals, and targets they will be rewards. The global firm does not want to lose good workers. It is hard enough to maintain a domestic workforce, finding and maintaining a global workforce is an immensely large task. Employee perceptions of the global organization organization†s support will strongly influence their commitment to the organization. When they see the organization as being supportive of employee efforts, this also affects and influences their attitudes and behaviors. How employees perceive support from the organization is directly influenced by positive feedback from the organization. As in everyday life, praise and approval for a job well done is the best way to let people know they are appreciated. This is very important in global management to increase employee morale. This positive feedback lets the employee know that the organization recognizes and values the contribution of their global employees — a key message in all forms of support. The 21st century organization will find it helpful to take monthly surveys of the global employees in which to get their assessment of the employee-organization relationship, and if they feel there is positive feedback or communication occurring within the organization. When an employee feels that the management†s actions and policies communicate employees are easily replaced, he or she may feel well-being within the workplace, and be less likely to identify with the organization. It is important for global employees to feel as if they play just as much of an important role within the organization as does the core group of employees in the home base organization. If an employee perceives top management communicates consistently — and in several different ways — that employees are valued, he or she may feel increased well-being and report a stronger identification with the organization, which would result in better performance and a company loyalty. ). Concern and caring for employees can be communicated through statements sent to the foreign workplace from organization. Loyalty to the company can be reinforced by publicly recognizing employee achievements in company newsletters. Organizations can also communicate their support of their foreign production team by providing tangible benefits, such as child-care facilities or flexible work arrangements. This allows employees reducing uncertainty about their jobs through job training or information about what would happen if the company had to layoff a certain number of employees. Overseas production teams will assume responsibility in the event of profit or losses. The global team would be the first to be cut. Knowing ahead of time that there is an established plan for handling such a possibility will go a long way in increasing employee feelings of well-being and loyalty to the company. Ambiguous policies, on the other hand, only serve to promote uncertainty among global employees. It is also important to understand how organizational events are interpreted by employees, which can lead to increased understanding of the organization and improve the employee/employer relationship. Organizations of the future allowing global teams to be part of the decision-making policies and practices will generally have more supportive organizational climates. This shall show the foreign production team to feel they are part of the entire organization and not that the parent organization is deciding for them on work practices and policies, which don†t directly affect the organization as much as they would affect the foreign team. Allowing the global team into the decision-making process will signify management†s respect for them as an important part of the entire organization. Positive evaluations of employee value and their decision-making abilities are also important. Participation in decision making is related to increased motivation and increases in employee attitude toward commitment to the organization. One of today's biggest buzzwords is â€Å"Teams†. Most companies are leaning toward a team concept. One way to enforce teams is by empowering employees. Many companies striving to edge their competition are turning to the empowered employee teams initiative. The difference between a group and a team must be understood. A group is two or more people who interact to achieve their goals. In contrast a team is a group in which members work together intensively to achieve a common goal. Therefore the fact that there is no camaraderie in the groups is not only because of the lack of proper interaction and understanding but also because of the fact that workers are not trained enough to realize the importance of working in groups. The difference between groups and teams Groups work individually to achieve a common goal, or target. Teams work and communicate together to achieve common goals. The global organization must achieve form teams, and not groups. The global empowered teams will be part of a much larger global composition of teams that will form the companies network. In the global organization empowered teams will make the difference between the company being a multinational that meets the regional demands, or an international corporation. Regional needs will be satisfied because the teams distributed throughout the world will be responsive to the needs of the customer. The ultimate goal of the corporation is â€Å"to market itself globally, but act locally. † (Stein, 1999) Most businesses want to achieve total customer satisfaction by anticipating and solving a problem before it occurs. Thus a new kind of team has emerged with the goal of insuring customer satisfaction from the start. In the global environment empowered teams will be able to react regionally to the needs and wants of the consumer. Empowered teams are built with empowered people whom have the authority and autonomy to make significant changes within the organization. The global teams will consist of several members from different functions. Instead of one individual making decisions, the group or â€Å"team† makes decisions collectively with the middle manager position eliminated or acting as the coach. The use of these empowered regional teams is to solve problems, lower costs, increase quality, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction. The global team will understand the national culture of each individual country it operate in. They will identify that particular set of economic, political, and social values that exist in that nation. Throwing people together does not always mean they should be called a team. They must first be made up of the right people who understand and can define a task. The strength of the team depends on proper training, timing, and communication. Before a regional empowered team is created, the goal of the company and mission of the team must be defined. The top management must identify how much of empowerment is needed, and recruit the best people to work on the problem. For a team to work successfully it should ideally be comprised from a diversified workforce. The diversification will facilitate more idea†s and openness with the team. An article in the Wall Street Journal mentioned Honda, Motorola, and General Electric as examples of companies who form diversified empowered teams. Honda motor company for example, attempts to compose it each of teams from a minimum of three different countries. This allows Honda to incorporate regional needs, and use other non regional concepts. Recruiting the right people, and insuring they represent the cross-section of discipline†s and regional diversity is very important. One person missing out of this formula can ruin a team. Within every team, a cross-functioning method must be used for the team to be successful. If one of the team members is hard to get along with, they still can be beneficial to the team. Everyone's input is important, the output of the team is greater than any individual's output. A strong facilitator is also needed on the team. The facilitator guides rather than leads. Usually middle management, this person is set equal to the other members of the team. The facilitator must recognize and understand each member's participation, as well as, coordinate the reporting progress. In order for team to be successful, senior management must be committed to recognize the team should be put in charge. This is done only when senior management defines a specific goal for the team to strive for. Too much management can kill a team. The team might spend more time on reporting the progress than the task that needs to be completed. Middle management is the biggest obstacle for teams. To be successful, middle management must surrender its power and let the team empower themselves. Setting time limits are also important to the team success. Never let a team go beyond six months, everyday should be treated as an important day. Training is also important for team to succeed. Everyone in the organization, including all suppliers must work together to improve customer satisfaction. Outside vendors should be reminded that increased sales by the corporation will lead to increased revenue for them.

Puritan Influence on American Culture Essay

Write an essay in which you evaluate the influence of Puritan values on the development of American culture. Use specific examples of Puritan ideas, traditions, and institutions, and discuss how these were affected by the end of the first century of American colonial development. (Be sure to rely heavily on Morgan’s The Puritan Family, as well as lecture, text and primary sources, for material and examples. ) Cultures often rely on past beliefs to shape their values or way of life. Puritans had a great impact on American society today. Their primary focus was on that of religion and how it guided their lives in aspects such as relationships, social order, and education. They did not accept many who fell outside of these standards and I think that today, many are marginalized if they do not conform to the common beliefs. Many people today use the Ten Commandments as an outline of how to live and what to believe which shows that religion is still an important aspect of lives in America. Although their ideas have been manipulated over the years, they provided a strong basis for American Culture. The husband and wife relationship is an area that has evolved its basic ideas from the Puritan lifestyle. A pastor or magistrate was not allowed to perform a marriage unless it was already â€Å"published† by the law which is similar to a marriage certificate today. It is a legal union as well as a religious one. After the ceremony was a feast to celebrate which is still common nowadays. A difference is in that they forbid dancing and other extensive â€Å"fun† activities. This is where some of our laws originated from, such as anti-smoking or censorship laws. Domestic abuse was forbidden in Puritan marriages and this was also taken as far as punishment for speaking ill words of one another. Their idea of marriage was that a relationship was based on companionship and this remains a main reason couples get married. They also believed in a subordination of the women which has been challenges but there are some areas where it is still seen in society. The Puritan’s education was closely related to religion which is not the case in American culture however there are similarities in the importance of education. They believed that the education of children would lead to salvation therefore it was of high importance for young children to be educated. Both Puritans and today’s society believe that the importance of education is so that advancement is possible to bring wealth. Their entire system of order and belief relied on this, â€Å"Every Grace enters into the soul through Understanding† (Morgan, 1944). Therefore education and religion went hand in hand. This is not as common today with the separation of church and state. There are some separate school systems that are closely associated with religion however it is not the norm.