7 pieces of tough but loving career advice

7 pieces of tough but loving career advice There’s an awful lot of career advice out there. Some of it is great; some of it is not so great. What most of it has in common is a general tone of optimism- †Reach for the stars! You can do anything you set your mind to!† While it never hurt to think positively, we know it also can’t hurt to hear advice that’s a little more of the tough love variety. Here are a few career advice gems that will guide you to take a more careful look at yourself and your choices, while not painting the path ahead in a completely rosy hue. Keep these in mind as you begin (or continue) your career, and you should be prepared for whatever comes your way.1. You aren’t going to be great at everything right away.Every time you start a new job or attempt to acquire a new skill, you’re likely going to be terrible at it- at least at first. And that’s fine! You cannot be perfect (at anything!) right out of the gate. Don’t despair, and don’t com pare yourself to other people. Just keep plugging away and you’ll improve.2. Not everyone is going to love you.Some people just plain aren’t going to like you. There’s almost nothing you can do about this- many times, it has very little to do with you and everything to do with them and their issues. If you don’t expect a 100% positive consensus about you in any situation, you won’t be disappointed.3. Chill out- the day to day doesn’t matter that much.Learn to find the more sustainable, moderate ground between â€Å"Everything is terrible† and â€Å"I am the most awesome worker ever† and shoot for sticking in that middle territory on average. Work hard, but don’t take things (work or home) too seriously or personally. If you don’t let things get under your skin, you’ll stay in better control of yourself- and make a better impression on those around you.4. You don’t get brownie points for overworking y ourself.There’s no trophy for the most stressed out person. Your career isn’t a death sprint to some finish line where success is waiting just on the other side. It’s a long slog, but one that will hopefully be a labor of love. It will take endurance, patience, and positivity. Work on cultivating those rather than running yourself into the ground. Don’t take on more than you can reasonably handle.5. Going the extra mile can be tough.Don’t just be a team player on paper or for show. Demonstrate to people that you have made them a priority. Seek out tasks that aren’t on your docket or directly assigned. Figure out what’s stressing your boss out the most and find a solution to that problem. Go out of your way to be helpful to others or to streamline your (or everyone else’s) workflow. Being thorough and extra attentive in these areas will make you better at your job and a better person. It takes a lot of focus and purpose, but you ’ll see results in the long run.6. Vulnerability = successThe most successful people, in work and in life, are willing to humble themselves enough to understand their own weaknesses and learn from those around them. Don’t get so caught up in getting ahead that you forget the world is made of other people too (there is no â€Å"I† in â€Å"teamwork†). Admit your mistakes and ask for help.7. Making friends is an important part of work life.Sorry introverts- you might have to channel a hidden social butterfly within. Whenever you start a new job, always say yes to coffee invitations, to that first happy hour, to the company picnic. Make friends. Be a person too, not just some shark trying to swim straight to the top.Workplace success comes when you find that ideal balance of the personal and professional. Work hard, but don’t overwork yourself. Be respectful and businesslike, but kind. Finding that ideal footing isn’t easy, so don’t be h ard on yourself. Even just striving for it puts you on the correct path for a healthy and fruitful career.

Canadian Dollar Fluctuations essays

Canadian Dollar Fluctuations essays The Canadian dollar has declined by over thirty percent versus the United States dollar, since it was at its highest in 1970. The reason for this is mainly the following factors: the Quebec factor, the inflation factor, the productivity factor, the growth in government and taxes factor, and the commodity price factor. These all come together to bring us to what the Canadian dollar is worth compared to the U.S. dollar today. The Quebec factor is partly responsible for the decline. It is no coincidence that the Canadian dollar began its descent to 69 cents in November 1976. ¹ That was the month in which the Parti Quebecois shocked political observers by winning the Quebec provincial election. It was the first, and still only, party explicitly committed to separation to assume the reins of power in Quebec City. While it is generally agreed that there is a risk premium built into the Canadian dollar because of the threat of separation, no one believes that threat is responsible for the whole, or even the bulk, of the currency's decline. ² The Canadian dollar is much lower because of separation because of what happened during the 1980 Quebec referendum. At the beginning of the campaign, in March 1980, polls showed the Yes side leading. In response, the Canadian dollar very quickly dropped from 87 cents to 83 cents. But in May, when the No side won a resounding 60-40 per cent victory over the separatists, the Canadian dollar leaped back up. It was at 87 cents again in June. The currency's movement in that period suggests a minimum 4 cent risk premium because of This is roughly consistent with what happened in the subsequent October 1995 referendum. On the night of the referendum, the television networks were showing the Yes side with a substantial lead. The Canadian dollar immediately dropped a cent. Then, however, the votes from Montreal were counted and t...

Clean Edge Case Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Clean Edge Case Questions - Essay Example This functions to maintain sales and productivity for the old products while establishing a niche in the market for the new products. The idea is to avoid the new product from cannibalizing the old products while simultaneously maintaining a competitive edge for an organization’s entire product range. The customer’s sense of utility for both products should remain high for both products. There is a real threat of the new product over-shadowing the old product; therefore, it is paramount for the marketing team to have ample preparation for such an eventuality. Defects in the new product released warrants management to either recall the released products. This is a weakness, which the organization should strive to eradicate (Beckham & Quelch). Non-disposable razor use is categorized into two general types. The first is the everyday shaver, which seeks to create an ultimate shaving experience for consumers. The product’s affordability ranges from high to low-end. Conversely, the second category is the general shaver, which is available for all consumers depending on their financial capabilities. The R&D department at Clean Edge seeks to find out consumers’ frequency of use, their budget and their expectations of the product; for example, a consumer’s lifestyle determines the type of razor they require. I would recommend Clean Edge being sold as a niche positioned product, which offers the ultimate shaving experience for men who shave routinely and who seek a superior razor and performance razor. This will appeal to the functionality appeal of the consumer for a non-disposable, high quality razor. This will maintain the competitive edge that Clean Edge has and set it apart as a high quality product- a must have which appeals to the masculine in the male consumer. I would not recommend the mainstream positioning of the Clean Edge, as it would face harsh competition form the already flooded market. It could also spell the decline in

CAN COMPASSION BE TAUGHT An exploration of the concept of teaching Literature review

CAN COMPASSION BE TAUGHT An exploration of the concept of teaching compassion to nursing staff within the field of dementia - Literature review Example In this regard, a framework was developed using the guide for critiquing quantitative research suggested by Coughlan, Cronin and Ryan (2007) and the guide for critiquing qualitative research suggested by Ryan, Coughlan and Cronin (2007). Ten journal articles were selected using an exclusion and inclusion criteria based on relevance, appropriateness and the most recent research on the subject under investigation. A Fishbone analysis was conducted to determine the challenges for implementing and using compassion in the delivery of care to patients with dementia for determining the extent to which compassion can be taught as revealed in the literature. Results: The results of the study indicate that nursing staff delivering care to dementia patients and dealing with families and carers are at an increased risk of compassion fatigue. The results indicate that compassion can be taught directly and indirectly provided the welfare and wellbeing of nurses are safeguarded and promoted. Discus sion: Implications for practice and directions for further research are discussed. The limitations and strengths of the research are also discussed. Conclusion: It is concluded that in order to successfully teach and maintain compassion in the context of nursing staff in the field of dementia, three approaches have to be taken. ... dementia are at an increased risk of suffering compassion fatigue, efforts must be made to safeguard the welfare and well-being of nursing staff to ensure that they are retained and nurses do not become over-burdened with an imbalance in demand and supply. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Chapter One: Introduction and Background 4 1.1.Introduction 4 1.2.Background 5 1.3.Aim of the Study 7 1.3.1.Objectives of the Study 7 1.3. Research Methods 8 Chapter Two: A Critical Review of Literature 11 2.1. Compassion: Definition and Concepts 12 2.2. The Role of Compassion in the Care of Dementia Patients 15 2.3. Teaching Compassion to Nursing Staff in the Field of Dementia 20 Chapter Three: Findings and Conclusion 28 3.1. Findings and Conclusion 29 3.2. Implications for Practice 34 3.3. Suggestions for Further Research 36 3.4. Limitations of the Study 36 3.5. Strengths of the Study 37 Bibliography 37 Chapter One: Introduction and Background 1.1. Introduction Compassion is described as a significant quality in nursing that has an impact on the care delivered to patients (Kret, 2011). With respect to patients suffering from dementia, care science theorises that core competence and skills among nursing staff includes patience, consideration and compassion (Rundqvist & Severinsson, 1999). However, studies have shown that caregivers administering care to patients suffering from dementia are at a heightened risk of suffering from ‘compassion fatigue† (Day & Anderson, 2011, p. 2). Compassion fatigue is associated with a lack of nursing staff juxtaposed against increasing patient demands and the physical and mental burdens nursing staff confront in meeting increased patient care demands (Bush, 2009). Effective nursing care for patients with dementia is accomplished by the ability to look

The Development of Investment Banking in Hong Kong Research Paper

The Development of Investment Banking in Hong Kong - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that investment banking is a type of financial service dealings with the creation of capital for other companies and co-operation. Investment banks underwrite new debts and equity securities for corporations.   They also offer guidance to issuers of security and placement of stock. In addition, they foresee sales of securities in some cases. Investment banks also take part in the mergers, acquisitions, reorganization and broker trades for firms and private investors.   A distinction feature between investment banking and commercial banking is that investment banks do not deal in cash deposits. Corporate finance is the fundamental aspect of investment banking; it also entails helping customers raise funds in capital markets. The banks also provide their customers with supplementary services such as market making, trading of derivatives, commodities as well as fixed income instruments. However, there are some instances where the bank exis ts as a part of a commercial bank but as a chief commercial banker. There are two categories or classes of investment banks based on their mode of operation. This is more relevantly defined as branches of operation in investment banking. The first is simply referred to as the ‘Sell Side’; it carries out functions such as trading securities for an exchange of cash or other securities. Under this section, the bank facilitates transactions and promotes securities and market making services. The other category is the â€Å"Buy Side†. It is concerned with the provision of guidance and advice. It deals with purchasing of investment services. Some of the organizations that deal with this category include unit trusts, insurance companies, private equity funds and mutual funds. The banking system can also be split into private and public functions. This comes to play when there is information barrier which makes the two sections separate since there is no information cros sing to either side of the system. The private section deals with private insider information; under no circumstance should this kind of information be disclosed to the public. The public section, on the other hand, deals with public information such as analysis of the stock, which is suitable for public consumption. The origin of investment banks in Hong Kong can be traced back to 1865 when major financial activities were carried out by HSBC. This was a name derived from Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, who were the founding members of the modern group. The bank was owned by business communities of China cost in 1869. During this period financial trade in the region was not yet developed and most banking activities were still handled by Europeans or Hongs, instead of professional bankers. However, people began to venture in entrepreneurship raising the demand of larger and more sophisticated banking facilities and services. The citizens in Hong  Kong particularly neede d a specialized banking system, which was preferably owned and managed locally. After being colonized the British the colony has rapidly become a regional hub for trade in South Asia. Also due to its strategic location in a gateway of China Hong Kong has become the most important financial center in the world and attracting a huge number of investors from all over the world in its investment banking system. The industry has been modernized and conditions set that would see investment banking flourishing. This is due to the low tax rates and also considerable economic rise are key factors that have to lead to the modernization of investment banking in Hong Kong. Hong Kong harbors the best investment banks in the region which have developed over the historic period of banking evolution. It provides regional leaders, with dedicated teams of professionals serving a wide range of clients.

Literature Review On Organisational Change Management Essay

Literature Review On Organisational Change Management Essay Part A Organisational Change: Organisational Change is the process by which organizations move from their present state to some desired future state to increase their effectiveness. Characteristically Change is vital if a company wants to avoid stagnation fast and is likely to increase further in the present competitive business Change is understood as doing things differently in order to cope up with emerging changes in the organisation environment. Change in any part of the organisation may affect the whole organisation. Change could be proactive or reactive. A proactive change has necessarily to be planned to attempt to prepare for anticipated future challenges. Generally it is initiated by management. A reactive Change may be an automatic response to a change taking place in the environment (John Lacovini, The human side of Organisation Change, January 1993, Page 35.) Change Management is a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams and organisations form a current state to a desired future state. Its major objective is to maximize the collective benefits for all people involved in the change and minimise the risk of failure to change. The major obstacle to change management is Resistance to Change. (K.Aswathappa, Organisational Behaviour, 8th revised Edition, Chapter 20, Page No.520) T John Lacovini says, The secret to real success of any organisation is effective management of the emotional vulnerability that accompanies organisational change. Types of Change: Different types of changes require different types of strategies to be implemented for effective functionality. The three types of change that occur most frequently in organisations are Developmental Change Transitional Change Transformational Change Developmental Change: Developmental Change occurs when a company makes an improvement to their current business. If a company decided to improve their processes, methods or performance standards that should be considered as developmental change. Companies are continually processing developmental changes to some degree in order to stay competitive. This type of change should cause little stress to current employees as long as the rationale for the new process is clearly conveyed and the employees are educated to new techniques. When major change such as decision to close a division, streamline the business and organisation downsizing, make developmental changes unacceptable to the employees. The employees could see that the company attempted different strategies before determining that closing the division is the only option. Transitional Change: Transitional Change is more intrusive than developmental change as it replaces existing processes or procedures with something that is completely new to the company. The period when an old process is being dismantled and the new process is being implemented is called transitional phase. A corporate reorganisation, merger, acquisition, creating new products or services and new technologies are examples of Transitional Change. It may not require a significant shift in culture or behaviour but it is more challenging to implementing than a developmental change. The future of the organisation is unknown when the transformation begins which can add a level of discomfort to the employees. (Bernald M. Bass, From Transactional to Transformation Leadership, Training and Development, May 1991 Pages 87-92) The outcome of transitional Change is unknown so employees Amy feel that their job is unstable and their own personal insecurities may increase. Education and orientation at every stage of new process implementation should be commenced in order to employees insecurity. This will make the employees feel comfortable. They will feel engaged and actively involved in change. As the employees level of engagement in new process increase, their resistance to change may decrease. Management should be a cognizant of the impact and stress these changes will have on their employees. The company should continue to inform the employees of their status offer support in helping them deal with the personal adjustments they will be forced to make. Transformational Change: Transformational Change occurs after the transition period. Transformational change may evolve both developmental and transitional change. It is common for transitional and transformational change to occur in tandem. When companies are faced with the emergence of radically different technologies, significant changes in supply and demand, unexpected competition, lack of revenue or other major shifts in how they do business, developmental or transitional change may not offer the company the solution they need to stay competitive. Instead of methodically implementing new processes, the company may be forced to drastically transform itself. (K.Aswathappa, Organisational Behaviour,8th revised Edition, Chapter 20, Page No.525) Part B Resistance to Change: The goal of any planned organisation change is to find a new and improved way of optimal utilisation of resources and capabilities in order to increase an organisations ability to create value and improve returns to its stake holders. Yet employees do not always welcome changes as expected by the organisation. As per the 2007 survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), organisational changes fail majorly due to employee resistance and inadaptability to change. Figure   Reactions to change may take various forms. Active resistance  is the most dangerous factor in change management. Employees with Active Resistance may go against the change effort and object the change in several manners. Boycotting the organisation, tending to disrupting habits and raising slogans against the organisation are some examples for high negative resistance. In the opposite nature,  passive resistance  is calm and doesnt include violence in any aspect. Passive resisters are insecure about their position after change. Instead of clearing their insecurities with the management, they tend to look for a new job and leave the organisation. Compliance, is coping up with the proposed changes with little enthusiasm. Finally, those who show  enthusiastic support  are supporters of change, who understand the value of change and contribute to the effective implementation of change. They are the defenders to organisational resistance and propagate the new way to actually encourage others around them to give support and contribute to the overall change effort. The best example of resistance of employees to change is computerisation. Change requires readjustment. Man always fears the unknown and a change represents the unknown(P Subba Rao, Essentials of Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations, Chapter 12, page 353) Factors causing resistance to change: Fear of Unknown: Such fear is due to uncertainty about the nature of change, feelings that one doesnt know what is going on and what the future holds. Loss of Control: Feeling that the change is being done to the person, worry that one has no say in the situation and events that are taking place. Loss of face: Feeling of embarrassment as a result of change and discerning it in such a way that the things one has done in the past are wrong. Need for Security: Worry about ones potential role after change and fear of losing job after change. Fear of Demotion: Employees may fear that they may be demoted if they do not possess the skills required to do their jobs, after change. Hence they prefer status quo. Loss of Power: Employees in superior cadre may assume that change may eventually result in the loss of their superior power. They give more prominence to maintaining prestige and status in the organisation, even if the change is for overall betterment of the organization. Fear of workload: Change in work technology and methods may lead to increasing workloads there by no proportional increase in salaries and benefits. This feeling creates resistance to change. Need for Training: Not all employees are interested in continuous learning and if the change necessitates relearning and continuous training, employees may resist to boredom to learn. Need for new social adjust: Any organisational change involves new social adjustment with various groups and sub groups.Some people refuse transfers and promotions, as they may need to need to break their current social comfort zone? Perceiving change as imposed from outside: Some employees may consider that change is enforced only for the development of organisation, not for their development. They perceive change as something imposed from outside on them. (Bernald M. Bass, From Transactional to Transformation Leadership, Training and Development, May 1991 Pages 93-95) Forces of Change: An organisation is affected by various forces to change. Internal forces: The forces inside the organisation which affect the change are as follows: Need to develop new products and new technologies in order to with stand in the ever changing competitive world. Focus on business diversification. Urge to implement bench marking standards in the organisation Business Process Re-engineering and Total Quality Management process implementation Cost Cutting strategies to with stand in recession times Company going for Public Issue External Forces :The forces outside the organisation which affect the change are as follows: Change in the employment and industrial laws of the country. Booming economy or recession situation. Business trends such as globalisation which helps to spread the commercial activity all over the world. Increasing competition makes companies concentrate more on customer satisfaction and customer excellence. Social, economic and political changes like terrorist attacks, political conflicts with other countries, UNO Regulations and World Bank policies. Demographic shifts like shrinking labour, droughts and drains, rising health care costs, rise in the number of foreign born workers force companies to concentrate more on matters of discrimination and civil rights. Part C: Approaches to Organisational Change Change Management Models: Management is said to be a change agent as its role is to initiate the change. It has to overcome the resistance in the organisation and make the change as a successful venture. Management must realise that resistance to change is basically a human problem and hence it must be tackled in a social and human manner. Several behavioural scientists and psychologies have studied group dynamics and organisation development and hence have proposed various theories and models to change management. They are described below. Levins Force Field Theory of Change(1936): Kurt Zadek Lewin (September 9, 1890 February 12, 1947) is a renowned psychologist and is recognized as the founder of social psychology. To his credit he was one of the first to study group dynamics and organizational development. Lewin proposed force field theory of change, which explains about various forces affecting the change and organizational equilibrium. Taken from www.change-management-coach.com An organisation at any time is a dynamic balance of forces supporting and restarting any practice. The forces supporting the practice are Driving Forces and the forces objecting the practice are restraining forces. When the forces are evenly balanced, the organisation is in a state of inertia and doesnt change. To stimulate an Organisational change managers must find ways to increase the Driving Forces and decrease the Restraining Forces. With these strategies an organisation overcomes inertia and implements change process. (John W. Newstrom and Keith Davis, Organisational Behaviour,8th revised Edition, Chapter 15, Page No.410,411) Change is introduced within a company by a variety of methods. The idea is to help change to be accepted and integrated into new practices: Adding new driving forces Removing restraining forces Increasing the strength of the supporting force Decreasing the strength of the restraining force Converting a restraining force into a supportive force A good example for this strategy is an urge for increased quality of products in an organisation is supported by forces like higher-quality work, increased company reputation and better customer satisfaction.Restrining forces being employees feeling irresponsible for the quality of product they produce. This can be overcome by implementing programs to increase employees pride, performance based hikes, providing better machines and training, quality of work life etc. Three Stages in Change: Behavioural awareness in managing change is aided by viewing change as a three step process: Unfreezing Changing Refreezing Stage 1: Unfreezing Unfreezing means that old ideas and practices need to be cast aside, so that new ideas can be learned. It basically means to have an open mind and flexibility to accept new changes. Its getting rid of old practices and accepting new challenges. Its basically breaking the current comfort zone and getting ready for change. So a manager must help employees clear their minds of old roles and old procedures. Only then they will be able to embrace new ideas. The Unfreezing stage is probably one of the more important stages to understand in the world of change we live in today. Stage 2: Change or Transition Changing is a step in which new ideas and practices are learnt.This process involves helping an employee think reason and perform in a variety of new ways. It can be a time of confusion, disorientation, overload and despair. Patience is very important in this point. There should be hope, discovery and excitement to overcome to overcome all chaos and enter a new mode of development. Stage 3: Refreezing Refreezing means that what has been learned is integrated into actual practice. The new practices become emotionally embraced and incorporated into the employees routine behaviour. Successful on -the-job practice, then must be the ultimate goal of the refreezing step. In this step emphasis is on stabilising the work process after rapid change transition. (Lewin K. Force Field Analysis and Diagram. Online. www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_ lewin_force_field_analysis.html.) Even though the world has changed ever since Kurt Lewin has published the model in 1947, it is still extremely relevant and the foundation of several other new models.(John W. Newstrom and Keith Davis, Organisational Behaviour, 8th revised Edition, Chapter 15, Page No.409) Kotters Eight Step Model (1995): John P Kotter (1995) has designed an extremely helpful model to understand and manage change. Each step in the model is characterised by key principle, in which people see, feel and then change. Kotler explained them as principles of response and approach to change. These are explained descriptively in his highly appreciated book Leading Change (1995). The eight step process is described as follows: Kotters Eight Step Change model is considered as one of the worlds best change management models. It has simplified the change process immensely and concluded that every successful change effort is messy and full of surprises. Managers have to view change process in a see-feel view where major problems in the process are highlighted and there by easily solved. Pendlebury, Grouard and Meston -Ten Keys Model(1998): These Scientists have presented Ten Key Factors which can be adapted to any particular change situation. All these keys may be needed to be implemented either simultaneously of separately based on the change process. The ten keys are as follows: Define the Vision Mobilise Catalyse Steer Deliver Obtain Participation Handle Emotions Handle Power Train and Coach Actively Communicate (K.Aswathappa, Organisational Behaviour, 8th revised Edition, Chapter 20, Page No.520) Nandler -12 Action Steps: Nandler, has developed a management frame work of twelve action steps which is helpful for Managers and Executives to apply at every level of hierarchy during the change process.This is immensely helpful for leading and managing change at every corner of the organisation. The twelve action steps are as follows: Get support of key power groups Get leaders to model change behaviour Use symbols and language Define areas of stability Surface dissatisfaction with the present conditions Promote participation in change Reward behaviours that supports change Disengage from the old Develop and clearly communicate image of the future Use multiple leverage points Develop transition management arrangements Create feedback Kanter, Stein and Jick Ten Commandments(1992): Kanter, Stein and Jick have done a wonderful research on organisation change and proposed Ten Commandments on how to plan a change process. Analyse the need for change Create a shared vision Separate from past Create a sense of urgency Support a strong leader role Line up political sponsorship Craft an implementation plan Develop enabling structures Communicate and involve people Reinforce and institutionalize change Ghoshal and Barletts Model(1997) : Ghoshal and Barlett argue for the importance of sequencing and implementation of activities in a change process. The interrelated change phases are: Rationalization : Streamlining company operations Revitalisation: Leveraging reqources and linking opportunities across the whole organisation Regeneration: Managing business unit operations and tensions, while at the same time collaborating elsewhere in the organisation to achieve performance. They claim that while change is often presented as difficult and messy, there is nothing mystical about the process of achieving change with effective strategies following the rationalization, revitalization and regeneration sequential process. (K.Aswathappa, Organisational Behaviour,8th revised Edition, Chapter 20, Page No.540) Dumpy and Stance Contingency Model of Change(1993): Dumpy and Doug Stance developed the best change contingency approach. They argue that the style of change and the scale of change have to be matched to the needs of the organisation. Scale of Change Style of Change Management Fine Tuning International Adjustments Modular Transformation Corporate Transformation Collaborative Consultative Lowers Performance (Avoiding Change) Developmental transitions (Constant Change) Charismatic Transformation (Inspirational Change) Directive Task Focussed Transistors (Constant Change) Turnarounds (Frame-Breaking Change) Coercive They identify five change approaches: Development Transitions: They refer to situations in which there is constant change as a result of the organisation adapting itself to external and environmental changes. The primary style of leadership is consultative, where the leader acts in the capacity of a coach aiming to gain voluntary, shared commitment from organisational members to the need for continual improvement. Task Focused Transitions: In this, the change management style is directive with the change leader acting as a captain seeking the compliance of organisational members to redefine how the organisation operates in specific areas. Directive leadership means that the overall change is driven from the top; this may translate into a more consultative approach by managers operating lower down in the organisation who are required to implement the changes. Charismatic Transformation: With this model, people accept that the organisation is out of step with its environment and that there is a need for radical, revolutionary change. Helping to create a new identity and a paradigm shift in the way in which the organisation conducts its operations, the charismatic leader is able to operate symbolically to gain emotional commitment of staff to new directions. Turnarounds : This is aimed at frame breaking changes. Turn around change leaders as commanders utilizing their positions of power to force required changes through the organisation. Taylorism: It is associated with the fine-tuning, paternalistic approaches to managing change. Dumphy and Stance their model indicates that medium to high performance organisations are likely to be using consultative and directive change management. (K.Aswathappa, Organisational Behaviour,8th revised Edition, Chapter 20, Page No.530) Huys Work on Change Management(2007) : Huy categorizes change into for ideal types: Commanding : Commanding change intervention is one where the time period is short term, abrupt and rapid. Change is usually implemented by Senior Managers who demand compliance from organisational members. Changes may well include downsizing, outsourcing and divestments. Engineering: This model is oriented toward a medium -term, relatively fast change perspective and often assisted by work design analysts who assists in changing work and operational systems. The change agent act as an catalyst in this process Teaching : This model takes a more gradual, long term organisational change perspective. Assisted by outside process consultants, staffs and taught how to probe their work practices and behaviours to reveal new ways of working. Socializing : This intervention is also gradual and long term. It sees change as developing through participative experimental learning based on self-monitored democratic organisational processes. Each ideal type has its limitations. The commanding approach may lead to resentment and rarely produces lasting behavioural change. The teaching approach is very individualistic and may not be aligned to corporate strategic objectives. The engineering approach may not encourage collaboration and spread of change across business units and socializing approach may lead to over focusing on individual work groups rather than on how they may operate as part of larger, corporate collective. (K.Aswathappa, Organisational Behaviour,8th revised Edition, Chapter 20, Page No.550) Part D Implementing Change: Implementation is the institutionalisation and internalisation of a change after it has been accepted by an organisation and a decision has been taken to accept and make it part of the on-going activity. Implementation is a multidimensional process whose end is stabilisation and institutionalisation of change. Support Training Resources Commitment Linkages Planning the implementation process: The objective of planning is to have an overall understanding of the nature of implementation. Planning process determines the entire process of implementation of change phasing. Phasing may be either temporal (in terms of time) or spatial (in terms of various units or the locations of the organisation) Processes: All processes involved in the implementation should be pre-determined. Various stages of the process include initiation, motivation, diagnosis, information, collection, deliberation, action proposal, implementation and stabilisation. Strategies: Management should formulate various strategies to implement processes. These strategies should focus on taking outsiders help, change agent, designing permanent organisational structures, unit/location of the organisation to be selected for initial process, openness with the environment etc.( P Subba Rao, Essentials of Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations, Chapter 12, page 358) Monitoring : It is the process of routine periodic measurement of programme inputs, activities and outputs undertaken during programme implementation. Monitoring is normally concerned with the procurement, delivery and utilisation of programme resources, adherence to work schedules to progress made in the production of outputs Implementation team : A broad based task group of implementation should be set up to look after the implementation of change programme and monitor it continoulsy.HRD department of the organisation may be asked to take up this responsibility.es and Minimum control: As monitoring is a delicate issue, control should be minimum in order to make the monitoring effective. Control attempts to develop new norms of creativity, diversity and experimentation. Feedback and communication: Implementation requires reviewing various processes and provides feedback. It involves getting data information and experiences and providing feedback to the people on how they are implementing compared to the design and plans. Action : Action covers all the minute details of what is implemented at different stages. This process involves various phases and steps for people and various group tasks in relation to change programme. Adaptation : Adaptation is the combination of two main criteria of effectiveness and implementation. It may be general or specific or both. Support : Various types of support from all concerned will be required for the implementation of change. The HRD department, Operations and management committee are some of main agencies which render major support. Institutionalisation: Institutionalisation is making change permanent part of the organisation and internalisation is stabilisation of change. (P Subba Rao, Essentials of Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations, Chapter 12, page 340) Part E: Evaluating Organisational Change The Balanced Score Card Approach: Since centuries Top Management has been depending only on financial measures to evaluate the performance after the organisation change. But this approach was not enough to provide information about overall effectiveness of the organisation.in 1992 Robert Kaplan and David Norton have published Balanced Scorecard in Harvard business review as a management tool for organisational development. Managers can get a comprehensive picture of the financial and operational measures using this framework. HR Consultants and OD strategists all over the world opine that Balanced Score Card is the best tool to enforce organizational change management and organizational development in todays technology driven world. They emphasize the principle that Businesses must develop in a multidimensional way viz., providing best value to its stake holders, achieving ultimate customer satisfaction, implementing bench marked business standards and developing a learning culture in the organisation. The scorecard facilitates managers to view critical performance factors and understand their interrelationships evaluating current performance and targeting performance to be achieved. Emphasis is on the organizational vision and long-term success. (Robert Kaplan and David P. Norton, The Balanced ScorecardMeasures that Drive Performance, Harvard Business Review, January and February, 1992.)   Performance levers in a Balanced Score Card : The Balance Score Card acts as a catalyst for driving organisational change within the organisation. It is dependent on four perspectives which are considered as performance levers for any organisation. The four perspectives of a Balance Score Card are as follows: 1. Financial Perspective How do we perform according to our shareholders? 2. Customer Perspective How do our customers see us? 3. Internal Organisation Perspective What should we excel in? 4. Innovation and Learning Perspective Can we keep on improving and adding value? Hence, the rationale of Balance Score Card is to give uniform importance to non-financial factors of business performance and balancing them with the financial factor. Therefore it is termed as a complete comprehensive framework which tries to bring a balance and linkage between the (a) Financial and the Non-Financial indicators, (b) Tangible and the Intangible measures, (c) Internal and the External aspects and (d) Leading and the Lagging indicators. (Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, Linking the Balanced Scorecard to Strategy, California Management Review, Vol. 39, No.21, 22 1996.) All the four perspectives of a Balance Score Card are explained briefly as follows: The Innovation and Learning Perspective This perspective emphasizes on developing a learning culture in the organisation.The key goals in this perspective are Employee training and self-improvement Grooming and communication Increasing quality of work life Developing skill and knowledge management The Internal Organization Perspective This perspective emphasizes on developing internal business processes in the organization. The key goals in this perspective are Value creating internal operations Innovative supply chain management Total Quality Management. Team building The Customer Perspective This perspective emphasizes on achieving customer delight. The key goals in this perspective are Reducing customer response time Timely updated information Taking regular customer feedback Achieving best vendor award from customer The Financial Perspective This perspective emphasizes on developing financial systems in the organization. The key goals in this perspective are Centralized and automated financial information system Developing financial corporate database Providing more value to stake holders Risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis. Increased working capital and current assets. (Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, Linking the Balanced Scorecard to Strategy, California Management Review, Vol. 39, No.21,22 1996.) Based on the above discussion, organsiations must develop scorecards fitting their current and future needs. Transformational leadership and strong commitment are required to initiate a change process, using Balance Score Card. Some of the worlds best Balance Score Card practises are as follows: GEs HR Score Card design and implementation HR Score card of Washington state HR Score Card of U.S. Department of Transportation Balance Score of Texas State Auditors Office (McKenzie Shilling, Avoiding Performance Measurement Traps: Ensuring Effective, Incentive Design and Implementation, American Management Association, July/Aug., 1998.)   All metrics to organisational performance

Clockwork Orange And The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction Essay -- essay

Clockwork Orange and the Age of Mechanical Reproduction For Walter Benjamin, the defining characteristic of modernity was mass assembly and production of commodities, concomitant with this transformation of production is the destruction of tradition and the mode of experience which depends upon that tradition. While the destruction of tradition means the destruction of authenticity, of the originally, in that it also collapses the distance between art and the masses it makes possible the liberation which capitalism both obscures and opposes. While commodity fetishism represents the alienation away from use-value and towards exchange-value, leading to the assembly line construction of the same--as we see relentlessly analyzed by Horkheimer and Adorno in their essay The Culture Industry. Benjamin believes that with the destruction of tradition, laboratory potentialities are nonetheless created. The process of the destruction of aura through mass reproduction brings about the "destruction of traditional modes of experience through shock," in response new forms of experience are created which attempt to cope with that shock. "Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking one element: its presence in time and space, it’s unique existence at the place where it happens to be. This unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject throughout the time of its existence. The authenticity of a thing is the essence of all that is transmissible from its beginning" when substantive duration ceases to matter, he says, the authority of the object is threatened. (Think, for example of Alex's response to high art...) "technology has subjected the human sensorium to a complex kind of training. There came a day when a new and urgent need for stimuli was met by the film. In a film, perception in the form of shocks was established as a formal principle. That which determines the rhythm of production on a conveyor belt is the basis of the rhythm of reception in a film." (Motifs in Baudelaire) Benjamin distinguishes between two kinds of experience: Erfahrung something integrated as experience, and Erlebnis, something merely lived through. Erlebnis characterizes the modern age and refers to the inability to integrate oneself and the world via experience. Erlebnis, then, ... ...lus (a "very important piece of art," ritualized and de-politicized) is made into a weapon, and the scene of her death is a nearly subliminal orgy of modern-art. Whereas she, as with the use of all high-art among the Bourgeoisie, finds only exchange value in the phallus, phallus as pure sign, Alex initiates the violent reversal of that commodification. He turns it into a tool, here a tool of violence; what she has done is to inject exhibition value into forms of art which have only exchange value, the work of art in the hands of the Bourgeoisie is reinjected with a type of aura, which only lead it further in the direction of losing control (like the reinjection of aura in the robot --Maria's aura--in Metropolis). Control is lost and the phallus becomes a weapon, a violent recontextualization by Alex. He proves to understand well this process. There are also similarities here with the State's control of his mind through conditioning. The state attempts to gain control by turning Alex into a robot (a clockwork orange), thus commodifying him (isn't this the struggle at the end for control of Alex--the liberals and state?). His use-value is a fun ction of his exchange-value.