Introduction to Organizational Politics Essay

This piece consists heavily of quotations from and adaptations of material from several sources (see references at the end). There still may be some unreferenced quotations because I have lost track of their genesis over many years of moving content through various notes. I don’t claim originality, other than the choice and organizing of material – Rex Mitchell. Pfeffer (1992, p. 30) defined politics as â€Å"the processes, the actions, the behaviors through which potential power is utilized and realized†. Another author (Dubrin, 2001 , p. 92) defined organizational politics as â€Å"informal approaches to gaining power through means other than merit or luck†. It could be argued that politics are used primarily to achieve power, either directly or indirectly, e. g. , by being promoted, receiving a larger budget or other resources, or gaining desirable assignments. Many people regard organizational politics as something negative (e. g. , pursuing selflnterests at the expense of others) and something to be minimized. Consequently, although most people know that organizational politics are common, they avoid saying so when it concerns one=s own ehavior. It is more common to talk about politics when complaining about a loss to a friend than it is in the context of one’s own political maneuvering. When we win on an issue, we call it leadership; when we lose, we call it politics. In many organizations, politics is a taboo subject, which makes it difficult for individuals to deal with this crucially important aspect of organizational reality. I believe a leader must skillfully use organizational politics to acquire and retain power and to accomplish major goals. Therefore, it would be a mistake to pretend that politics does not exist or to antasize that a leader can be effective without appropriate (and ethical, I would add) use of politics. As Pericles wrote over 2500 years ago, â€Å"Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you. † I regard organizational politics as neither good nor bad, per se, although it is important for us to distinguish between ethical and unethical political behavior.

Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry Essay

‘Delilah’ by Carol Ann Duffy has an undeniably sexual element running throughout – an element which is highlighted by its suggestive language and presentation of gender roles between the characters ‘Samson’ and ‘Delilah’. Many of Duffy’s poems have a similar element running through them such as in ‘Salome’, ‘Little Red Riding Cap’ and ‘Pygmalion’s Bride’ therefore it can be said that her poetry is mainly concerned with the politics of sex. However, Carol Ann Duffy states in an interview in 2005 that ‘Delilah’ is not about sex but is a love poem exploring the nature of Samson’s wish to become ‘gentle’, ‘loving’ and ‘tender’. This would therefore suggest that the main concern of the poem is more to do with love, power and gender. There are several references to sex throughout the poem, however the most direct reference comes in the fourth stanza where Samson ‘fucks’ Delilah. This is in stark contrast to his request in the third stanza only three lines above of wanting to learn how to ‘care’, or ‘be gentle or loving or tender†. Despite wanting to become gentle, Samson ‘fucks’ Delilah rather than ‘makes love’ to her, implying that his wish was only a half-hearted one i.e. a wish he only makes but not something he would act upon. ‘He fuck(s her) again’ further shows this is not the first time Delilah has been ‘fucked’ suggesting a repetitive nature of this act. Furthermore, Delilah allows herself to be ‘fucked’ – through Delilah’s submission, Duffy could be making a statement that women can not break free from this subordinate role in sex. Samson’s language is also sexually suggestive, possibly implying that a man can not have his libido driven out of him regardless of the situation. For example, in the second stanza Samson is boasting about his achievements which demonstrate his strength and fearlessness, however he is distracted by a sexually suggestive note, telling Delilah to ‘put your hand here -‘. This continues in the third stanza; he asks for a cure for his inability to be gentle and in the following line proceeds to ‘fuck’ her as though he believes the cure is in ‘fucking’ her. The situation – Samson opening up to Delilah about something personal- would usually be assumed to be free from anything conjuring violence however Samson ‘fucks’ her anyway suggesting that regardless of the time or place, sex is something which remains rampant in a man’s mind. On the other hand, it could be said that rather than sex, the main concern of the poem is with power distribution in this relationship. Whilst many would argue that Delilah was dominated by Samson in the poem due to the sex, in the end Delilah cut Samson’s hair which biblically represented the demise of his strength. Cutting his hair in the poem may be symbolic of her dominating Samson as she has successfully seduced him and at his most vulnerable (during slumber) she has taken away his strength. This is also in sync with the biblical story in which Delilah disarms Samson and gives him up to the Philistines, ultimately dominating him. Sex is only a way by which Samson is pacified after which he goes to sleep and becomes ‘soft’, thus vulnerable. Furthermore, Delilah cuts Samson’s hair with ‘deliberate, passionate hands’ suggesting she enjoyed disarming him and stealing his power away from him. This is a reversal of the typical gender roles in literature and Delilah’s ‘passionate hands’ may be showing that Delilah enjoyed this. Furthermore, the idea that Delilah had to pacify Samson through sex suggests an element of power on Delilah’s side as sex was a method through which she satisfied Samson and put him to sleep, leaving him vulnerable. Duffy may be making a statement through this that women can use their sexuality as a weapon to weaken men and thus overpower them. This interpretation is concerned with both sexual politics and power distribution demonstrating that Duffy’s poetry is not only concerned with the politics of sex.

Lord of the Flies Coursework Essay

â€Å"Show how Golding creates a world of increasing violence in the novel Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel, written shortly after the Second World War. It tells a story of school boys deserted on a island , and their struggle to manage, by an omniscient narrator who comments on setting and movement. This is similar to the story of Coral Island, however Golding is challenging the ideas in this, instead of the boys resorting to team work and success like expected, they resort to activism and create a environment of â€Å"increasing violence†. By purposely setting the novel on a isolated island Golding can show his impression of the true nature of humans, and that he believes they would act sadistically and slowly become more and more distant from any means of civilisation. Golding manages to create a small world and community filled with violence by the end of the novel through a number of aspects; the settings, the characters and their behaviour, events, and general themes that run through the novel. Golding purposely sets his novel Lord of the flies on an isolated island so the boy’s natural behaviour can emerge when taken away from rules or boundaries. This setting creates a small community, and the island is like a microcosm of the world. The first setting we are introduced to when reading Lord of the Flies is the lagoon along with when we meet Piggy and Ralph. This setting is peaceful, â€Å"Dazzling beach† this is an idealistic setting which is parallel to the boy’s behaviour at this point. The first aspect of any violence in the novel is when Ralph pretended to be a fighter plane and â€Å"machine gunned Piggy† this in contrast to the behaviour in the final chapters emphasizes Golding’s point and shows the huge difference in the boy’s actions and the amount of violence. The protagonist Ralph is not a violent character, his main aspect whilst on the island is being rescued. Whilst being the leader in the beginning of the novel he tries to maintain civilisation and a sense of democracy however Jessica Johnson 10h violence, activism and sadism takes over any sense of development. An example of this is when a group of boys including Jack where told to keep the fire alight; instead of keeping it alight so they could be rescued the boys decide to hunt, they use violence instead. This is where it first becomes clear the boys are starting to lose interest in being rescued and are more engrossed by the power from using violence and hurting other living beings. Ralph doesn’t represent savagery or violence he represents democracy, courage and is associated with the conch, he â€Å"clutches† it. The conch is also a symbol of civilisation. Furthermore the conch in Greek mythology was used by Triton the sea god, to raise or calm the oceans; this is exactly what it does in Lord of the Flies with the boys during the meetings. The boys increasingly lose their moral values and innocence in the novel, this is shadowed by the way the conch loses it’s colour. The antagonist Jack could be seen as Golding’s main tool that increases the boy’s use of violence in the microcosm setting. Jack is first described as wearing black and having â€Å"red† hair, these colours could be symbolic of the devil and relevant to Golding’s themes of evil. He becomes the chief after Ralph and leads the boys to act savage like and use violence towards each other, and to hunt. Jack is shown to have a lust for hunting as it gives him a sense of power, and pleasure, it becomes clear through his character the evil that can be latent within man kinds character. Because of the literal period that Lord of the Flies was written in, Jack could be seen as a representative of Hitler as he constantly uses violence and increases the use of it in others; this makes him essential to Golding’s increasing of violence in the novel for example his first prime instinct in the novel was to hunt. The use of hunting, violence and unkindness the boys use continues to grow through out the novel, by chapter nine all the boys are involved in a ritual dance which results in the â€Å"accidental† killing of Simon. This death is foreshadowed by Golding’s use of pathetic fallacy, â€Å"storm clouds built up over the island† , â€Å"thunder roars† and Piggy- the wise, intelligent character also predicts trouble. After Simon’s meeting with the â€Å"beast† he returns to talk to the boys however they are involved in the ritual dance and they mistake him for the beast, chanting and shrieking they beat him to death. Here is a obvious turning point in the novel, as the first â€Å"murder† is committed, and that is notified by Piggy, the boys are losing innocence and use of violence is clearly increasing. Jessica Johnson 10h In Chapter eleven the violence has increased so much it becomes out of hand, and whilst Ralph and Piggy try to negotiate with Jack’s tribe Roger kills Piggy and breaks the conch. In the beginning of the novel Roger through rocks, however â€Å"he aimed to miss† because he still considered rules, morals and society. Now the violence has clearly increased in the world the boys are living in as Roger is now enabled by the current environment to push a balder onto Piggy’s head and kill him. It has also become clear here that Roger has become mindlessly atavistic. Piggy’s death is not as personal as Simon’s is described. When Piggy is killed he lands â€Å"on his back across that red square, red rock in the sea† this positioning and description is highly symbolic along with the colour imagery Golding uses, of possibly a sacrifice on a primitive altar. After his death nature’s indifference is described similar to after Simon’s death, â€Å"the sea breathed again†, this may change a reader’s response to Piggy’s death perhaps adding more sympathy as it makes it seem like it is insignificant. This scene and the final Chapter where Ralph is betrayed and is being viciously hunted by all the boys are obvious increasing of the boy’s use of violence. In the final chapter the boys are finally rescued, ironically it isn’t by the signal fire as the aspect of that was taken over by savagery and violence. However it is a fire that is symbolic of violence as the use of it was meant to help kill Ralph. However it summons a ship, when the boys are met once again with a well groomed civilised human, they are described by the omniscient narrator as little boys and their use of violence disappears. Heightened by the character Percival who at the beginning of the novel could say his name and address, however by the end has completely forgotten his true identity. â€Å"Ralph wept for the end of innocence† the tears that Ralph weeps could be symbolic of his realisation of failure to fight the evil within man kind. Ralph can no longer see the world as a secure safe place where violence won’t be used against him, as he has seen it increase and the pleasure from it overtake people. When looking at the full grown groomed adult compared to the dirty â€Å"little boys† in front of him, it is ironic that the little boys now have more knowledge about the innate desire within all man kind.

Business plan= Open restaurant in Chelsea NY Essay

Business plan= Open restaurant in Chelsea NY - Essay Example Mr. Berkeley Thai Restaurant is a start-up business specializing in thai foods. The business will offer a wide variety of menu items from basic appetizers to more deluxe entrees, ranging from highly affordable to more upscale signature meal selections. Our intended clientelle will consist of the local culture, most suited as a market which actively supports ethnic restaurants, as well as customers in the surrounding areas, including Greenwich Village and Hells Kitchen. Mr. Berkeley will offer a wide variety of menu items which will be designed to cater to the most discriminating customers, as well as providing a relaxed atmosphere for quiet socialization. The hours of operation will be Monday-Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Mr. Berkely will maintain seating for 50 customers. Mr. Berkeley will be established as a sole proprietorship, with WeiChengChien as the primary owner and manager of the restaurant. The company will be established as a sole proprietorship due both to the more convenient ability to terminate the business, if desired, and to offer WeiChengChien full operational control over financial, purchasing, and quality matters. Legal: $1000 - Due to the complexities of paperwork involved in establishing a start up restaurant, Mr. Berkeley will rely on the services of a professional attorney specializing in business matters. These fees are also intended to cover permit (or similar associated fees) as they arise during start-up. Office Supplies: $400 - For all of the companys electronic processing needs, such as credit card paper, printer/computer paper, and company stationary, a projected sum of $400 should adequately cover the business needs. Advertising: $800 - Mr. Berkeley has determined that a modest sum be allocated to initial advertising efforts in the pursuit of establishing name recognition within our local market. Our intial start up advertising campaign will consist of various newspaper advertisements and the distribution of creative flyers which

Pregnant Adult Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pregnant Adult - Essay Example If it does, all is well; but if it does not, no other source of sustenance is available and the fetus will not thrive. The single most critical nutrition period in pregnancy occurs before a woman knows she is pregnant. Improper balance of proper nutrients can not only affect the mother and the child but the child’s child and so forth. Since so many negative critical results can occur; such as, for example, Spin Bifida, the US Congress passed a law that certain foods be fortified with critical nutrients; such as Folate, Vitamins B6 and B12, iron, magnesium, and all the other major and minor trace minerals that are involved in normal cell division and replication If a woman’s nutrient status isn’t what it should be at the time she becomes pregnant; and, as a result these very early fetus developments do not take place properly, there is no second chance. Since a pregnant woman is only allowed 300 more calories than a non-pregnant one, she Just writing about a pregnant adult does not give an age range; and that can be very important as there is certainly a vast difference between a 25 year old and a 40 year old pregnant adult. However, for better or for worse, child bearing seems to have shifted in large measure from the 20s to the 30s as more and more women are furthering their education, developing their careers and travelling before settling down to motherhood. As with younger mothers--to—be, all women of child bearing years should have an excellent nutrient status in case a pregnancy occurs. Eating a balanced diet, having an exercise program, having medical conditions controlled, not smoking or taking drugs, and drinking very little alcohol, if any, should be the norm. . It is difficult to say that everyone in a certain age group has similar economic and social problems. A 35-year-old pregnant adult may be more financially

Negotiations - Getting to Yes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Negotiations - Getting to Yes - Essay Example This paper tends to explain the significance of the theme stated above on the grounds of practical evidences and the findings of scholarly volumes on negotiation. To begin with, a person’s point of view of a certain topic has a straight-line relationship with his behavior as an individual. The intensity of his responses and reactions to counter arguments in a debate of win-to-win contexts reflects how passionate he is towards his ethics or prejudice. Hence, being soft on the people is important while at the same time being hard on the problem so as to achieve the goal. Planning covers the major portion of entire strategic negotiation procedures. When a manager utilizes all skills, knowledge, and potential to create a favorable condition for negotiating with someone, the tactics he initiates can be termed as ‘negotiation strategy’. According to Rojot, the first process of three-stage model of negotiation is ‘getting to know each other’ including their starting positions, range, and limitations. The second stage involves the attempt to reach a settlement either through official or informal actions; and finally persuading other group for decision making (174-75). While considering the scope of negotiation in a disturbed atmosphere, it is important to see that the process of negotiation passes through different phases that create stage for analysis, understanding, and effective communication. Importance and necessity of interaction are also determined only if the negotiation process is identified well. To be more specific, on initiating a negotiation process, one has to determine the actual reason for negotiating an issue. Although issues are more important than people concerned to them, ‘being soft on the people’ is also important. Otherwise, people tend to get defensive and refuse to listen (Chapter 3). On the other hand, gathering adequate

Is enterprise risk management (ERM) an effective form of risk Dissertation

Is enterprise risk management (ERM) an effective form of risk management and value creation in the oil and gas industry and to w - Dissertation Example In effect, the major strengths and weaknesses that have been associated with BP Oil’s risk management policies shall be outlined and compared to risk management practices at Tullow Oil Ghana. This comparison will be done so that in later chapters, particularly the discussion chapter, the researcher will draw inferences on how Tullow Oil Ghana can learn from the strengths and weaknesses of risk management policies from BP Oil perspective. In relation to the general aim of the study, particular attention shall be paid to how BP Oil have both benefited and failed to benefit from the use of Enterprise Risk Management practices at different times of risk situations that the company faced. In order to follow the qualitative philosophies of the research, the researcher is going to dwell on the analysis of secondary data instead of the use of primary data. This will be done because of the impact that secondary data has on qualitative data, making it more subjective, but backed by empi rical evidence from related literature (PSA, 2007). 4.1 Analysis of Secondary Data on Risk Management Practices at BP 4.11 Risk Management Options at BP As far as risk management practices are concerned, there are a number of options that can be found throughout of existing data for oil and gas companies, of which BP Oil is one. Generally, BP Oil has been identified to have used three major risk management practices at different times of its operations. These options have been avoidance, knowledge and research, and controlling. Avoidance has been used in very high risk situations to ensure that there exist alternative approaches that do not bear any risks at all (Vinnem et al, 2007). The effectiveness of avoidance has however been found to be vested in a risk management environment where risk managers can be proactive enough to identify alternative options (Bly, 2011). Knowledge and research has been pointed out in some existing research data as not being an independent risk managem ent option but an effective tool for equipping the functionality of other risk management options. At BP Oil therefore, knowledge and research is not used in dealing with initial risks but is used as mop up risk management option to consolidate the efficacy of other options on practice. Commonly, research and knowledge is used in relation to the final risk management option at BP, which is controlling. Controlling has been found to be the commonest risk management option at BP for day to day risk situations (PSA, 2007). It has been found to involve the creations of a risk reduction plan made up of parallel development programmes (Vinnem et al, 2007). From the graph above, it can be observed that BP Oil chooses different risk management options depending on the level of risk that the company is presented with at any point in time. Where there is high risk, the company employs the use of avoidance; where there is medium risk, the company employs the use of controlling; and where there is low risk, the company employs the use of knowledge and research (K & R). 4.12 Risk management failures in the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill In several sectors of risk management application, BP Oil was sharply criticised in the academic and professional cycles for some levels of inefficiencies that accompanied the handling of the Gulf of Mexic

The Layoff Procedure and the Effect of Layoff on Remaining Workers Assignment

The Layoff Procedure and the Effect of Layoff on Remaining Workers - Assignment Example Any organization especially those formed for the purpose of profit has different stakeholders (like shareholders, owners, the top management, employees, creditors etc). it could be said that workers have conflicting interests with the management and or stakeholders and owners. The former seeks to hold a secure job with maximum compensation and other benefits while the latter group is focused on cutting costs and developing a lean organization able to cope up the increasingly global business environment. If the economy is healthy, a fine balance can be achieved between these two conflicts. But factors beyond the control of an organization like competition and more severe recession on a national and global scale can force the management to bring down expenses through such procedures like layoffs. While the management generally goes about this procedure with a level of cold and inhuman attitude, it is the workers that bear the blunt (economic and social) of being left without a job. Thi s section deals with the attitude of the workers subject to layoffs. There could be genuine reasons why such an action is taken by the management. For example, a worker or a group of employees may not be up to the mark of performance criteria set up by the organization. According to a business article, such actions can even extend to acts of insubordination. These can be justified that workers have gone against the common good of that organization. But in other instances, layoffs occur due to no fault of the employee. In such cases, the mindset of those affected can be encapsulated as follows – â€Å"No matter the cause for dismissal, telling a worker that his or her services are no longer required is a difficult statement to make. You may cushion the blow with praise, you may justify it with numbers, or you may cite the worker's poor performance as the reason, but no matter what you say to the fired employee and no matter how you explain it, the end result can be devastatin g to both parties involved† (Davis, 2009).

Have you had Your VSauce Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Have you had Your VSauce Today - Essay Example The videos are narrated by the creator of Vsauce, Michael Stephens, in his signature style beginning each video with â€Å"Hi Vsauce!† Vsauce provides educational content that is beneficial to students as well as general online users. The content is always interesting and intriguing, and arouses the curiosity of the users. The videos are about topics most people think about but do not try to actively investigate them. Questions about dreams and alien life are used to elaborate scientific research and phenomena because people are naturally curious about these topics. Vsauce videos explain such topics and encourage students to learn about things that puzzle them. Some of the videos that offer such intriguing content are What if You were Born in Space? and Why do We Get Bored?. After watching these videos, viewers are able to enhance their knowledge. In addition, the videos inspire viewers to be more observant of their surroundings. The information in the videos helps students de velop greater interest in science and other subjects. Entertainment is one of the main distinguishing features of Vsauce. Michael Stephens appears as the narrator in all the videos and ensures that the viewer remains engaged from beginning to end. The videos uploaded on the channel are informative and provide scientific explanations to the viewer. However, they are packaged in a very different way from regular informational videos. The captions of the videos, for instance, are worded in the same way as feature stories and articles on mainstream websites. This feature helps to attract readers to the content and view the videos to be entertained. For example, a video titled How Many 5-Year Olds Could You Fight? explains concepts of force and power. Another video titled Guns in Space discusses important concepts of space, gravity, and motion. The video discusses the theories and concepts introduced by scientists such as Newton and Einstein. This strategy of combining information with e ntertainment is the reason why the videos receive a large number of hits. Just two years after its inception in 2010, Vsauce reached a subscription level of 1 million users. The tools used in the videos are effective at explaining the concepts vividly. The videos combine the use of animated diagrams and photographs to illustrate abstract concepts such as gravity and motion. Such use of animated diagrams is effective in explaining temporal features of a concept (Lowe, 168). At times, a comic effect is created to make apparently complex subjects seem interesting. For instance, a video entitled We Can’t Touch Anything uses diagrams and animation effectively to explain atomic structure and contact between two surfaces. Another video titled What Can You do Without a Brain? uses teaching aids as well as animated illustrations to explain brain anatomy and neurological processes. This feature distinguishes Vsauce from other online educational content because it is lively and engaging . It uses techniques other than background narration and text to make concepts more explicit to the viewer. Vsauce makes educational content accessible to the target audience. Accessibility is vital to the success of distance education (Burgstahler, Corrigan, & McCarter, 234). With several alternatives offering similar services in the print and electronic environment, it is important for content providers to reach out to the intended audience instead of expecting

Downtown Denver Water Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Downtown Denver Water - Research Paper Example This is because in the recent past, there have been reports of health hazards on the same. A scenario in the year 2012 saw more than 100,000 people drink contaminated water which raised concerns in the public domain. A high percentage of these cases were reported in the demography that included small locations and districts (denverpost.com). In the year that was 2008, there was a virus related i.e. salmonella epidemic which affected a very large group of people. Its victims suffered from chronic diarrhea and vomiting. Out of a sample of 400 infected people studied, one succumbed. This saw it being reported as the worst case of water epidemic reported since the early 2000s. The cause of the epidemic was reportedly from depleted infrastructure with instances where some pipes had not even been inspected or replaced for a prolonged duration unlike what is expected. Cracked water storage tanks and unattended inspection requirements with a case that a storage tank had not been inspected fo r more than ten years prior to the outbreak of the epidemic (epa.gov). Other causes involved cases where the drinking water tower had loose sealing that saw contaminants having direct contact with the water. There were instances where squirrels and bird droppings were found in storage tanks due to lack of proper lids and sealing on the same. This made the concerned agency bring out policies that required use of bottled water by residents and drinking of boiled water in as much as some people did not take the caution seriously, it was a shot the administration was willing to take. This made the concerned agency bring out policies that required use of bottled water by residents and drinking of boiled water in as much as some people did not take the caution seriously, it was a shot the administration was willing to take. This made the concerned agency bring out policies that required use of bottled water by residents and drinking of boiled water in as much as some people did not take t he caution seriously, it was a shot the administration was willing to take. In the year ending 2012, the administration administered more than 60 orders to push for people to boil water which has seen the number of water related hazards reports go down. The other contributor to this ill as was established was that there was poor planning in terms of the water supply system and the sewer system. During the establishment of the town, some settlement that was not meant for human habitat was occupied. A good example was a golf course that was turned into a residential area. Due to the mere fact that the water supply of the same was meant for golf course irrigation, the new demand overwhelmed it. This has seen failure of the infrastructure with reports of worn out pipes characterized with corrosion effects as a result of non-maintenance and the huge strain on the facility (denverpost.com). As a measure to restore the glory days of the area, the concerned administration has established me asures and policies to redeem the state. In the recent years there have been a lot of investment in the water infrastructure where for instances more than a billion dollar has been used since the year 2005 in improving the water systems.(U.S Environmental protection Agency) the target of the said investments in the water system is to see more that 90 percent of the Denver residents access safer drinking water as required by the EPA. The