Outsourcing And Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Outsourcing And Supply Chain Management - Essay Example India is one of the world’s top destinations for outsourced work. Companies along with manufacturing parts they also outsourced their services. Functions like customer service are often outsourced to call centers outside the United States. One of primary advantages of outsourcing is that it enables companies to reduce costs. One of the disadvantages of outsourcing work is that the company loses the ability to control its quality. Another advantage of outsourcing is that it creates flexibility for an enterprise. The cost savings achieve through outsourcing can be a critical success factor that keeps a particular company in business. In the auto industry companies often outsourced the production of auto parts. My sister was a victim of outsourcing because her company shut down operations in America to move to Asia. Answers.com (2011). Outsourcing. Retrieved February 13, 2011 from http://www.answers.com/topic/outsourcing 2. The supply chain management of an organization is a very important factor that can make or break a company. Supply chain management is the combination of art and science that goes into improving the way your company finds the raw components it needs to make a product or service and deliver it to customers (Wailgum, 2008). A company that in the 1990’s was able to separate itself from the competition due to its unique supply chain management techniques was Dell Corporation. Dell revolutionized the computer industry by becoming the first virtual computer company. The firm saved a lot of money in inventory costs by delivering turn-key computer products to its customers. A few years ago I worked for a company that changed its suppliers three times during a year due to the fact that none of the companies supplied raw materials would provide an adequate level of service. Wailgum, T. (2008). Supply Chain Management Definition and Solution. Retrieved February 13, 2011 from http://www.cio.com/article/40940/Supply_Chain_Management_Definition _and_Solutions 3. Outsourcing has gotten a bad reputation from many Americans who viewed outsourcing as an evil business strategy that is hurting the US economy by taking jobs oversee. The reality is that outsourcing is saving more jobs than what is taking away. If American companies did not utilize outsourcing on many occasions these firms would not be able to compete. Outsourcing provides companies with much needed savings. The savings achieved through outsourcing enables companies in America to keep their prices competitive. 4. Outsourcing has become a very popular concept that is gaining popularity across America. In 2010 the television broadcasting network NBC developed a parody series called Outsourcing. The series is a comedy that illustrates how American companies are moving their service operations to India in order to reduce costs. In the series only the manager is American, while the rest of the staff is composed of India workers. When I watched this series I sometimes as k myself how spread is the outsourcing movement in America. In the series the workers are highly competent salespeople that get the job done. 5. In a way outsourcing affects most businesses in America directly or indirectly. You mentioned that in your dentistry practice the business is affected by outsourcing from the material acquisition perspective. Many companies nowadays choose to buy parts and raw materials from China and India due to their lower costs. Purchasing materials from these countries enables American companies to be able to keep their prices low. Businesses are not the only ones looking for a bargain these days. The internet has allowed people to compare prices and find the lowest possible price on their purchases. 6. Your response was very insightful

Bypass the Story of a Road Analysis Essay Example for Free

Bypass the Story of a Road Analysis Essay McGirr takes virtually every detour possible and in doing so seems to suggest that life’s journey is at its most interesting when one strays from the central path. It is in the towns and rest stations that McGirr encounters individuals with interesting stories to tell – stories that give McGirr’s narrative its essential variety and ‘life’. McGirr’s interest is not only in what lies off to the side of the ‘main road’ in a literal sense. He is attracted by the lives of ‘ordinary’ people who are not famous or even particularly successful. Even when relating incidents from his life as a priest he enjoys telling stories that would otherwise never appear in print: attending the wrong wedding reception; seeing a bride answer a mobile phone. He does occasionally refer to famous or powerful people; even here, though, his preference is for the little known incident over the important, nation-shaping decision – such as John Curtin’s midnight pot of tea in a Gundagai cafà ©. In short, McGirr suggests that, although the highway itself is valuable, we must not forget or neglect places and lives that the highway bypasses, for these too constitute the ‘life-blood’ of the nation. And similarly, although the nation’s central story or history is important – that of, say, the Anzacs, the explorers, the two world wars – the stories that lie off to the side of the historical mainstream are equally worth knowing, are equally valuable. As narrator and author of this narrative, McGirr has a lot of control over how he depicts himself. Indeed, ‘the power of the person who gets to tell the story’ (p.19) is considerable, as he notes when discussing Hovell’s power over Hume in that regard. McGirr is depicted as a fairly affable, if occasionally bumbling figure whose decision to leave the Jesuit order after twenty-one years is a life-changing one. The decision prompts him to experience a number of ‘firsts’: he buys property in Gunning; embarks on an intimate relationship with Jenny whom he subsequently marries and has children with; and decides to travel on a bike down the Hume Highway and document his progress. McGirr might come across as something of an ‘everyman’ figure but his life-experiences mark him as someone rather eclectic (unusual). McGirr displays a capacity for droll humour throughout the narrative, and also a willingness to reflect deeply on his experiences and those of others. His reflective tendencies see him discuss his struggle to sincerely uphold the vow of obedience when he was a member of the Jesuit order (p.173), and also his feeling of being alone when he first joined the order (p.229). It might be argued that McGirr is depicted as someone who thinks a little too much: the discussion of his dilemma about buying orange juice with the money allocated to new Jesuits for ‘emergencies’ (p.228) is an example. Fortunately, his capacity for reflection does not make the text too ponderous. McGirr’s accounts of his developing relationship with Jenny and his self-deprecatory asides about his weight (p.31, p.98), snoring (p.227), age (p.32) and tendency to lecture others (p.142) depict him as a jovial, likeable bloke. Bypass, a hybrid work of creative non-fiction is a memoir, travel story, social history, romance and road story. The literary devices used in Bypass enliven and enrich the writing with sparkling wit. For example: ‘Hovell had been a naval captain. On land, however, he was all at sea.’(p 19) ‘They were like fishermen who were prepared to dam their own river rather than let it starve them.’(p 48) ‘A roadhouse is a place where everything that can’t be eaten has been laminated, and not all the food can be eaten.’(p 66) ‘Guerrilla warfare is the opposite of God who, for some unknown reason, makes his or her absence felt even when present.’(p 81) ‘I came to Gunning to hide, but people kept finding me.’(p 97) ‘Sturt went blind trying to see what none had seen before.’(p 170) McGirr’s anger at some social problems is often expressed in blunt metaphors, for example, when discussing gaming machines in Goulburn he writes: ‘They are abattoirs of the human spirit.’(p 90) His love for language is reflected, for example, where the text is an extended reverie on arcane words and their meanings eg panier (p 98), or in his jovial attempt to find a word to describe a group of prime ministers (pp 153-4). Humour is one of the most appealing features Bypass, for example the discussion of caravans with a fellow traveller (pp 110-1). Michael McGirr is masterly in creating punch lines to end his stories. eg ‘I don’t believe in washing your dirty laundry in public.’(p 263) The Hume Highway: The Hume Highway runs for over eight hundred kilometres inland, between Sydney and Melbourne. Early settlers, such as Charles Throsby and Hume and Hovell, made journeys overland that eventuated in the Hume Highway being developed. The road, initially sometimes called the Great South Road in New South Wales and Sydney Road in what became Victoria, has been re-routed, extended and improved over time. In 1928, it became officially known as the Hume Highway. A number of towns originally on the Hume Highway have now been bypassed to reduce both travel times and the amount of traffic (especially trucks) passing through town centres. The meaning of bypass: The term bypass means to go around something; a road bypass normally goes around a town or the centre of a town. There are many such bypasses on the Hume Highway, allowing the traveller to avoid built up areas and suburban streets. However, although Bypass is the story of a journey along the Hume Highway, the title makes it clear that McGirr’s main interest is in how the road goes around places and people, and what the effects of this might be – both positive and negative. For more about McGirr’s engagement with the notion of a bypass, see the section on Themes, Ideas and Values. The main idea in the novel Bypass is the idea of a journey. In literal terms, Bypass: the story of a road tells the story of a physical journey from one point to another: in this case, from Sydney to Melbourne. However, McGirr makes clear that a journey can have qualities that are more metaphorical. The literary references to Don Quixote and Anna Karenina, in particular, suggest very different types of journeys. The quotation from Don Quixote, ‘there’s no road so smooth that it ain’t got a few potholes’, implicitly signals Sancho’s philosophical take on the nature of relationships and life more generally. This attitude towards the vicissitudes of life clearly informs the text as a whole. For instance, McGirr comments about the degree to which his ‘silly adventure’ might impact negatively on his relationship with Jenny (p.137). Likewise, the comments he makes about the truckies whose marriages can suffer from their long hours on the road (p.52), suggest that physical journeys and emotional journeys are closely intertwined. The frequent references to Anna Karenina also signal McGirr’s interest in the romantic and tragic dimensions of life. The flirtatious comments about McGirr’s relationship with Anna Karenina, his predilection for relinquishing (and then recovering) the text from time to time and the inevitable decision to place her in close proximity to a railway (p.260) work symbolically as a comment on life more generally, as well as on the plot of Tolstoy’s novel. After all, Tolstoy’s Anna throws herself in front of a train. McGirr is all too aware of the fragility of life – both on the road and beyond it. In this novel, death and memorial are also an important theme. The ultimate destination in life’s journey is death. McGirr does not shy away from discussing the fragility of life and makes much of the memorials on the Hume Highway. Death is something that cannot be bypassed and, like ‘the road [which] has no respect for persons or status’ (p.158), it comes to us all. As McGirr notes when reflecting on the cemetery in Gunning, ‘even a long life is short’ (p.7). For McGirr the Hume Highway is ‘sacred space’ (p.15); it is ‘lined with countless reminders of death’ (p.178) and memorialises both those who have died on it and those who have died at war. While McGirr is respectful and interested in the memorials dedicated to the war dead, his main priority is to acknowledge that death comes to all and that the lives of all ordinary Australians – including soldiers – are worth acknowledging and commemorating. Indeed, this is clearly conveyed by his juxtaposition of the near-death experience of Kerry Packer (p.40) and the funerals of the Queen Mother (p.255) and the Princess of Wales (p.256) with the experiences of less well-known individuals. Packer’s blunt assertion that there is no life beyond the grave is contrasted with the more positive reflection of a woman who believed that her husband had ‘gone to the great swap-meet in the sky’ (p.41). Similarly, the vast amount of coverage and ceremony afforded the funerals of the Queen Mother and the Princess of Wales is diametrically opposed to the more poignant account of the interment of Anton, a lonely old man whose funeral was attended by three people: the undertaker, Anton’s neighbour and McGirr in his role as priest (p.256). McGirr says of those like Anton, ‘At least God knew this person †¦ even if nobody else did’ (p.256). McGirr’s accounts of death or near-death experiences are most chilling when he considers those who have endured harrowing experiences on the road. His discussion of the murders committed by Ivan Milat (pp.70–4) and by bushrangers (pp.77–83) brings home the fact that ‘the Hume has a dark side’ (p.70). Not wanting to sensationalise – or justify – the actions of these men, McGirr nonetheless provides some background details to depict them in ways that are complex, non-judgemental and at times unnerving. ENTRY SEVEN: PHILOSOPHY IN BYPASS Given McGirr’s work as a priest for much of his life, it is not surprising that this text is largely preoccupied with issues of faith and philosophical ponderings about life more generally. McGirr makes clear his continued belief in God (p.174) but is not heavy-handed in his discussion of faith. The gently humorous and respectful way in which he recounts Jenny’s aphorisms (wise sayings) about life is a case in point. His recollection of Jenny’s remark that he should ‘just accept [the Hume Highway] for what it is †¦ you’ll enjoy it more’ (p.155) is exemplary. His discussion of Jenny’s view that there is a concave (negative and convex (optimistic) way of looking at the world (p.170) – and that he ‘might be right’ (p.170) in thinking that he has a concave approach to the world is similarly light-hearted in tone but relevant to the book’s overall interest in forms of belief. The light-hearted banter continues when McGirr discusses his acquisition of the Chinese philosophical text, Tao Te Ching. Its pithy words of wisdom are for McGirr redolent of the bumper sticker sayings that he has liberally peppered throughout his narrative. At times, McGirr’s discussion of philosophical matters takes on a more earnest tone. His discussion of how, as a priest, he subscribed to the vow of obedience in an effort to ‘make up a sense of purpose which I otherwise lacked’ (p.173) and his related anxiety that he would reach the ‘point at which you can no longer recognise yourself in the things you are starting to say or do’ (p.173) signal his need to be honest with himself as well as with others. His comment that ‘the secret of being human is learning how to enjoy our limitations’ (p.301) suggests that honesty and humility are part and parcel of a reflective existence, McGirr is also interested in the ways in which others concern themselves with spiritual matters. His discussion of the House of Prayer in Goulburn shows how prayer provides respite from the manic nature of everyday life and celebrates those like Catherine who dedicate their lives to helping others in need find peace (pp.85–6). In a very different and secular vein, McGirr recounts the belief Liz Vincent has in ghosts – of people and of the road. Although Vincent does not believe in God, McGirr seems fascinated by her stories and sensitively recounts her belief that ‘the people we love can scarcely bear to leave us and sometimes hang around as ghosts’ (p.59). Perhaps more interesting is Vincent’s claim that the old Hume Highway near Picton has a ‘ghostly presence of its own’ (p.59), appearing before unwary drivers’ eyes and beguiling them into believing that the phantom road they are following is the real thing (p.59). ENTRY EIGHT: THE POLITICS IN BYPASS In some ways Bypass is a book about power – about who has it and who does not. As McGirr writes, ‘Roads are political. Building them is a sign that somebody is the boss’ (p.14). McGirr’s discussion of the impact on Merri Creek of the F2 freeway into Melbourne (p.284), the ensuing court case and the verdict that ultimately endorsed the freeway project, exemplifies the political nature of road-making. The very essence of a bypass, for instance, is a political act and McGirr makes this clear when discussing the difficulties surrounding the decision to create an internal or an external bypass for Albury in the late 1990s (pp.203–6). Concerns about the economic effect of a route directing traffic away from town are weighed up with concerns about the impact of noise and pollution that a new road near or through a town invariably brings. Tussles between federal and state governments, as was the case with the Albury bypass, certainly highlight the political nature of road-making, as do arguments between different interest groups. The issue of the Albury bypass, along with the 1979 truck blockade staged between Camden and Picton on a notorious stretch of road known as razorback (pp.47–51), illustrate power struggles of very different sorts. McGirr also points out that the amount of money spent on roads as opposed to public transport is a political act. He writes that ‘in the last ten years, for every dollar spent on laying rail in Australia, eight dollars have been spent on highways’ (p.92). This pattern of spending is, he continues, ‘a symptom of something deeper because government spending decisions simply mirror the interests of voters’ (p.92). Bypass: the story of a road is particularly concerned with the way the highway has been the backdrop for various well-known and not so well-known aspects of Australia’s history. From Hume and Hovell’s early markings of the Hume Highway, to the increased tea ration bargained for by Jack Castrisson when John Curtin visited the Niagara Cafà © in Gundagai, to Ned Kelly’s exploits, to the antics of the humble, ordinary Australians who travel on the Hume year by year, McGirr celebrates the way aspects of Australia’s history are part and parcel of the Hume Highway’s rich narrative. McGirr’s interest in Australian history is, however, not indicative of a desire to celebrate or endorse conventional representations of Australia’s past. In a number of instances, McGirr wants to query the legitimacy of idealistic views of the nation’s evolution. McGirr challenges the idea that Australia is an egalitarian nation, for example, and claims tha t this view is a ‘myth’ (p.200). He also reminds readers of the fraught relationship between colonisers and Indigenous Australians when he discusses the life and death of an Aboriginal man named Bill Punch who survived a massacre as a baby and went on to fight for the Allies on the Western Front in World War I (pp.246–7). McGirr’s willingness to temper some representations of Australia’s past is underpinned by an appreciation of the power of language. He notes that those who are in a position to write about the past can have more agencies in their lives and also more control of history than those who don’t (p.19). This awareness allows him to ponder on the way bushrangers and explorers have been depicted over time, and how being literate can impact on the type of individual one becomes (pp.77–8). McGirr is attentive to the idea that some histories are not told and that those that are relayed are not always definitive. Bypass: the story of a road offers a quirky exploration of the Hume Highway and the personalities of the people whose lives have been touched by the road in one way or another. At the age of 40, former Jesuit priest, Michael McGirr armed with not much more than a copy of Anna Karenina, some spare clothes and a less than state-of-the-art Chinese built bicycle set out to ride the 880 kilometres (547 miles) of the Hume Highway which links Sydney and Melbourne. While the ride forms the backdrop to McGirrs book Bypass: The Story of a Road, like all good travelogues the ride itself is really just a frame to hang the real story around, which as the title suggests, is the story of the Hume Highway. From its humble beginnings as a rough track across the Great Dividing Range, to its current state as a modern dual carriageway, the Highway continues to serve as the major thoroughfare linking Australias two largest cities. Bypass took me on a wonderful journey covering the history of the Hume, and the politics that helped shape it. Along the way you meet some great and not so great Australian characters that have helped imprint the name of the highway into the Australian psyche. People like the 61 year old Cliff Young (great), who in 1983 won the inaugural Sydney to Melbourne foot race against competitors half his age. And men like Ivan Milat (not so great) who was convicted of the murder of seven young backpackers and hitch-hikers, all of whom he buried in the Belanglo State Forest. Then there are the explorers Hamilton Hume (after whom the Highway was eventually named) and William Hovell, who in 1824 along with at least six others, set of from Appin (near the present day Sydney suburb of Campbelltown) for the first successful quest to reach Melbourne. Through the novel, I also met truckies; the bushrangers Ben Hall and Ned Kelly; and the poets Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson. I attended a Catholic Mass in Tarcutta officially the halfway point between Sydney and Melbourne where apart from the priest and two parishioners, the only other people in attendance are the author of Bypass and his companion Jenny, who has by this time joined him on his ride to Mel bourne. Reading this book, it seemed like I visited almost every country town along the route of the Hume Highway, and learn something about each of them. Towns like Goulburn, famous for the Big Merino and Goulburn Jail (where Ivan Milat is currently serving seven life sentences). I visited Holbrook and learn why the outer shell of the Oberon Class submarine HMAS Otway now sits in a public park in the middle of town. In Chiltern we pass by the childhood home of the Australian writer Henry Handel Richardson, and learn that Henrys real name was Ethel Florence. I learned too, that like other female writers have done throughout history, Ethel wrote under a male nom de plume because at the time it was felt that women didnt have what it took to be great writers. And I also visited the town of Yass, and drop by the Liberty Cafà © for a meal before continuing on the journey, and turning page after page. Across its many short chapters, Bypass also introduced me to some of the thousands of bumper stickers that adorn the rear ends of many Australian vehicles. In fact, McGirr uses stickers as chapter headings to introduce the readers to every aspect of his journey. Thus, the bumper sticker THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS, allows him to explain some of his own personal story and the reasons for his decision to ride the Hume Highway. In the chapter THE GODDESS IS DANCING, McGirr introduces us to his riding partner Jenny, and in DEATH IS THE MANUFACTURERS RECALL NOTICE, we pause to learn about some of the many roadside memorials that mark the sites of fatal road accidents that line the Highway. To conclude, the book is immensely readable, always entertaining and informative, often surprising, and constantly filled with odd facts and humorous anecdotes. These keep the story moving along smoothly and effortlessly which cannot always be said of Michael McGirrs monumental bike ride.

The Barriers To Communication

The Barriers To Communication While there are many subtleties to communication between people with some basic skills can actually help you to be even effective communicator. On this assignment we will explore barriers to listening and strategies for effective listening, Barriers to accurate perception and barriers to effective verbal communication and strategies for accurate perception and lastly strategies for effective verbal communication. Listening may not seem like a complicated process when someone speaks you listen. As you are ready to receive the information and being communicated you are likely not actually realizing that you are decoding the dialogue or interpreting it Barriers to Communication If noise is whatever interferes with communication between sender and receiver (and vice versa), its important to understand what causes noise-what are the main barriers to communication. There are three main types of barriers: external, internal, and semantic. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ External barriers to communications include environmental and visual distractions. Suppose you are listening to your professor and suddenly you see your favorite movie star walk by in the hallway. Do you think you would hear and understand everything your professor was saying at that moment? Or maybe youre on a date and having a hard time hearing what your companion is saying because of the racket in the restaurant. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Internal barriers come from within the receiver. They include not paying attention or not listening, boredom, and lack of interest. If a student is sitting in class daydreaming instead of listening to the instructor, for example, how much communication is taking place? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Semantic barriers come from differences in language, education, and culture. Obviously if the sender is speaking in English and the receiver doesnt understand English, theres a problem. But even if the sender and receiver speak English, they may not speak the same dialect. The words they use may not mean the same thing. If you order a soda in Washington, DC, for example, youll get a soft drink. If you order a soda in Detroit, youll get a drink made of soda water and flavored syrup with ice cream floating in it. If youre from the United States and youre speaking to a Scot from Glasgow, you may have a hard time simply understanding his Pronunciation. And your accent may be incomprehensible to him! Four Steps to Effective Interpersonal Communication If you are the sender, its your job to find ways to penetrate the noise that prevents clear communication. Following these four steps in your communication will help you do so: 1. Focus your message 2. Magnify the listeners attention 3. Penetrate barriers 4. Listen actively. Focus Your Message Focusing your message means planning before you speak. Think carefully about what you want to say and how you want to say it. Decide what your goal is: to inform, to persuade, to direct, or to do something else. Be sure you understand who your audience is so you understand where the audience is coming from as it receives your message. Make sure your message is specific and concise. Get to the point; dont be diverted into side issues. Present your message politely, and be objective-state all sides positions fairly before arguing your own. (If the listener perceives that you are biased, this itself can become an important barrier to communication.) Magnify the Listeners Attention Ask yourself: Why should my listener care about what I have to say? You must create interest-make your message relevant to the listener. If your instructor suddenly announces that something will be on your next exam, youre more likely to pay attention. If you announce that what youre about to say will save your listeners money, youre likely to grab their attention. Find something in your message that your listener can relate to and make sure you highlight that. Make it clear that your message is important. For example, if you suddenly announce that What Im about to say could save your life, before you discuss a crucial safety issue, youll grab the listeners interest. But your ideas must really be important. Simply declaring that they are wont do it-you must persuade the audience through the clarity and logic of your arguments and your evidence that your message really is significant. Again, think about your message from the audiences perspective instead of your own. This means knowing your audience. Deliver your message so that it naturally draws your listeners attention. Penetrate Barriers One serious barrier to clear communication is vagueness. If you say, There was a fire downtown last night, you have communicated little. If you say, however, Twenty fire trucks from three different towns fought an inferno last night that destroyed an entire city block, including a fireworks factory, your concrete description has communicated a good deal more. The listener now understands that youre talking about a major disaster, not a fire in a trash can. Your concrete description helps the listener create a mental picture, or visualize the blaze.

Sports and Gender Essays -- Female Sports Film Movies Essays

Sports become stereotyped as gender-neutral, feminine, or masculine based on conceptions regarding gender, gender differences, and beliefs about the appropriateness of participation due to gender (Colley et al., 1987; Csizma, Wittig, & Schurr, 1988; Koivula, 1995; Matteo, 1986). Sports labeled as feminine seem to be those that allow women participants to act in accordance with the stereotyped expectations of femininity (such as being graceful and nonagressive) and that provide for beauty and aesthetic pleasure (based on largely male standards). A sport is labeled as masculine if it involves the following: 1) attempts to physically overpower the opponent(s) by bodily contact; 2) a direct use of bodily force to a heavy object; 3) a projection of the body into or through space over distance; and 4) face-to-face competition in situations in which bodily contact may occur. These characteristics are believed to be appropriate expressions of masculine attributes such as aggressiveness, effe ctiveness, and power (Metheny, 1965; Koivula, 2001). In a recent study, 403 participants were first asked to answer a short questionnaire regarding their gender, age, and physical exercise habits. They then completed a questionnaire regarding perceived characteristics of a sport. In this latter questionnaire, the respondent was asked to rate to what degree the descriptor is characteristic of the sport or those practicing the sport using a seven-point scale from 1 (â€Å"Not at all characteristic of the sport/sport participant†) to 7 (â€Å"Very much characteristic of the sport/sport participant†). For each participant, the sport to be rated was randomly selected out of 41 different sports, 19 of which had been previously labeled gender-neutral, 7 of which ha... ...3, November/December). Women in sport: backlash or megatrend? The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 64(9), 49-52. Huckaby, A. M. (1994). Women's athletics. Unpublished Manuscript: Kenyon College Athletic Department. Koivula, N. (1995). Ratings of gender appropriateness of sports participation: Effects of gender-based schematic processing. Sex Roles, 33, 543-557. Koivula, N. (2001). Perceived characteristics of sports categorized as gender-neutral, feminine and masculine. Journal of Sport Behavior, 12-01-01, 337. Matteo, S. (1986). The effects of sex and gender-schematic processing on sport participation. Sex Roles, 15,417-432. Sports Illustrated cnnsi.com. (2000). Reactions: Women’s boxing. UNH President's Commission on the Status of Women. (1994). Report on the Status of Women Profile of Women Students at the University of NH. Sports and Gender Essays -- Female Sports Film Movies Essays Sports become stereotyped as gender-neutral, feminine, or masculine based on conceptions regarding gender, gender differences, and beliefs about the appropriateness of participation due to gender (Colley et al., 1987; Csizma, Wittig, & Schurr, 1988; Koivula, 1995; Matteo, 1986). Sports labeled as feminine seem to be those that allow women participants to act in accordance with the stereotyped expectations of femininity (such as being graceful and nonagressive) and that provide for beauty and aesthetic pleasure (based on largely male standards). A sport is labeled as masculine if it involves the following: 1) attempts to physically overpower the opponent(s) by bodily contact; 2) a direct use of bodily force to a heavy object; 3) a projection of the body into or through space over distance; and 4) face-to-face competition in situations in which bodily contact may occur. These characteristics are believed to be appropriate expressions of masculine attributes such as aggressiveness, effe ctiveness, and power (Metheny, 1965; Koivula, 2001). In a recent study, 403 participants were first asked to answer a short questionnaire regarding their gender, age, and physical exercise habits. They then completed a questionnaire regarding perceived characteristics of a sport. In this latter questionnaire, the respondent was asked to rate to what degree the descriptor is characteristic of the sport or those practicing the sport using a seven-point scale from 1 (â€Å"Not at all characteristic of the sport/sport participant†) to 7 (â€Å"Very much characteristic of the sport/sport participant†). For each participant, the sport to be rated was randomly selected out of 41 different sports, 19 of which had been previously labeled gender-neutral, 7 of which ha... ...3, November/December). Women in sport: backlash or megatrend? The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 64(9), 49-52. Huckaby, A. M. (1994). Women's athletics. Unpublished Manuscript: Kenyon College Athletic Department. Koivula, N. (1995). Ratings of gender appropriateness of sports participation: Effects of gender-based schematic processing. Sex Roles, 33, 543-557. Koivula, N. (2001). Perceived characteristics of sports categorized as gender-neutral, feminine and masculine. Journal of Sport Behavior, 12-01-01, 337. Matteo, S. (1986). The effects of sex and gender-schematic processing on sport participation. Sex Roles, 15,417-432. Sports Illustrated cnnsi.com. (2000). Reactions: Women’s boxing. UNH President's Commission on the Status of Women. (1994). Report on the Status of Women Profile of Women Students at the University of NH.

Little Prince Reaction Paper

The Little Prince â€Å"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential Is invisible to the eye. † This line struck me the most in this book because it is definitely real. It is Important to see things not only through the eyes but through the heart as well. Seeing through the heart is like looking at life with love. Life has many problems and by seeing things differently, it would make everything feel better. Looking at things in a different perspective creates a big difference.People usually tend to take for ranted those people who love them. They usually look for others whom they do not really love. But whom they want. I learned a lot of things from this book because it is all about the adventure of a little prince who went to different planets to forget about his rose and the people he met in his journey. Including the narrator. He learns the secret of the importance of life on planet Earth. The book also emphasizes the difference between the minds of the children and adult.The adult tend to see things in a different way that coincides tit the point of view of the children. In the case of the narrator, his childhood was lonely because he dreamed of becoming a painter but he failed because the adults saw his drawings in a different perspective. He was disheartened by this and so he gave up his dream. The little prince had a different problem. He left the love of his life, the rose, In his planet. When he went to Earth, he saw a garden full of roses. He felt betrayed by his love because the rose told him that it was unique and one and only rose.He was disheartened but when he met a fox who made him realize that the rose was his rose because he loves it and so it was unique from all the rest. Another important lesson that I learned from the book Is that people should learn how to value friendship. Some people tend to forget some people who made an important mark in their lives. Having a true friend is rare and we all know that mone y cannot buy love and friendship. One of the lines in the book supports this idea. â€Å"men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops.But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends anymore†¦ † These close ties would make us happy because we need people who care for us and also we need to care for someone. Just like the little prince and the fox he met on earth, when the former tamed the latter, he felt responsible for the fox. When the little prince had to go already, the fox was sad because he was already attached to the prince. The little prince was unhappy because the fox wanted to cry and that he thought he only wasted the fox's time.The tofu eel important. I learned that caring for people is essential because it would make both parties happy. The feeling that someone loves you and someone wants to be with you is a very happy feeling that no one wants to live without. As a whole, thi s book gave me many ideas and realizations that I would treasure in my whole life. I realized that is should not take for granted the people who loves me dearly. I learned the value of friendship and preserving them. And lastly, I learned to see things in a different perspective by looking things from my heart.

Organisational Behavioral Disciplines Essay

Before we start, we must first understand what Organizational Behaviour is. Organizational Behaviour is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, group dynamics, and structure have on behaviour within the organizations and its effective use for the purpose of such knowledge towards improving its performance.A multidisciplinary field devoted to understanding individual and group behavior, interpersonal processes, and organizational dynamics. . Organizational behavior is built upon contributions from a number of behavioral disciplines/sciences, this is too understand, manage and predict effectively in a work environment. The first in psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science. Psychology is the science that seeks to measure, explain, and sometimes change the behavior of humans. It is used to improve organizational effectiveness and the work of individual in the organization. This is the learning, perceptions, personality, emotions, training, leadership effectiveness, decision–making, fatigue, boredom, and other factors relevant to working conditions that could impede efficient work performance. More recently, their contributions have been expanded to include, job satisfaction, decision-making processes, performance appraisals, attitude measurement, employee selection techniques, work design, and job stress. Sociology; Sociology studies people in relation to their fellow human beings to improve organizational performance. Some of the areas within Organizational behaviour that have received valuable input from sociologists are group dynamics, design of work teams, organizational culture, formal organization theory and structure, organizational technology, communications, power, and conflict. Social psychology Social psychology blends concepts from both psychology and sociology. It focuses on the influence of the people on one another. One of the major areas under considerable investigation by social psychologists has been, how to implement it and how to reduce barriers to its acceptance. Yet we find social psychologists making significant contributions in the areas of measuring, understanding, and changing attitudes, communication patterns, building trust, the way in which group activities can satisfy individual needs, and group decision-making process. Anthropology Anthropology is the study of societies to learn about human beings and their activities. For instance, anthropologists’ work on cultures and environments has helped us understand differences in fundamental values, attitudes, and behaviour between people in different countries and within different organizations. Much of our current understanding of organizational culture, organizational environments, and differences between national cultures is the result of the work of anthropologists or those using their methods. Political Science Political science studies the behaviour of individuals and groups within a political environment. Specific topics of concern here include the structuring of conflict, allocation of power, and how people manipulate power for individual self-interest. Challenges in Organizational behaviour Similar to the evolution of man and its environment there has been a substantial change in the approach for better productivity within an organization through the brainstorming efforts applied by a business executive /entrepreneur. Understanding organizational behaviour within a corporation and particularly the factors influencing the organizational behaviour of a single entity has become the key to the success of any organization. There is no one single approach to organizational behaviour which is best for all organizations; instead, organizations/companies or businesses must evolve the system which works best for them with the help of effective planning and technological support which changes over time as their current work environment and the individuals within that current work environment similarly. They are seven organizational behaviour current work challenges I have noted: I.One of the major current work challenges of organizational behaviour is finding ways to motivate employees as a way to improve activity. Some of the ways organizations improve productivity within the organization is to empower the employees. When organizations and businesses empower its employees, it gives them a sense of loyalty to the company because they feel like they are part of the success of the business. II.Second of the challenges of organizational behaviour is hiring the right employees for the company. Hiring the right employees for the organization is not only about finding the people with the skills and knowledge that the position requires, but also employees that fit into the organizational culture or can help to improve employee relations. For example, it can be de-motivating to employees if upper management is not open to progressive thoughts and actions that can move the business forward. Hiring a progressive and forward thinking executive manager who also has the experience and knowledge can help to give the employees a new outlook on the company. III.Third of the main challenges of organizational behaviour is how to run a productive organization but also show its employees that it cares about them as well. In other words, it is about helping employees find the right work-life balance. For example, a company that provides an on-site clinic center as an employee benefit or at a reduced cost is one way for the company to show that it cares about its employees both professionally and personally. This can lead to the employees contributing to organizational behaviour and culture in a positive manner. IV.Another example in challenges of organizational behaviour is overcoming ethnic and cultural diversity among employees. Because different employees have different beliefs, opinions and ways of working, it can be challenging for employees to work together because of these differences. Some organizations choose to offer diversity training courses or workshops to help overcome these issues. The point is to illuminate how the diversity of an organization actually makes it better for the different benefits that each of the employees bring to the table. V.It is easy for corporate scandals to reach the public within a short time. Organizations often have policies that facilitate ethical behaviour within the workplace. The challenge for managers is to promote an ethical organizational behaviour and culture such that employees will not put their individual interests ahead of organizational interests. Personal interest is an aspect of organizational behaviour and managers face the task of encouraging group interest over personal interest so as to preserve ethical values. VI.Last but not least, Individual employee problems can be personality conflicts, supervisor issues, personal trauma or company structure oriented. Organizations must learn the cause of the problem and who or what keeps â€Å"fuelling the fire.† If there is no clear trigger, the answer could fall back to insufficient or confusing communications. For example, an employee in a decentralized organization may feel they must answer to multiple supervisors if the chain of command is not communicated clearly. VII.Finally, Information technology plays an integral role in workplace communication. Additionally, workplace communication also influences how people and groups behave in the organization. Although technology brings with it efficiency in collating and disseminating knowledge, it can also alienate individuals such as the elderly within the organization. The challenge here is in finding ways in which technology promotes organizational communication and inclusion rather than exclusion and discrimination. Conclusion Various challenges confront organizations within the context of organizational behaviour. With new challenges arising every day, there’s a need for adaptation in the current work environment. With the use of technology and team building tasks, one can achieve a good working environment leading to a motivated and sustained work force.