The Case of Computerization and Work Organization

Question: In order to successfully redesign jobs, managers need to consider not only changing the technological components of each job; they need to also ensure that any technological change causes minimal or no disruption to the existing social system in which the work is performed. Discuss? Answer: Executive Summary Technological revolution is a universal phenomenon which most of the Organizations are going through and in this process most of the companies are being impacted with the newest trends and the changing methods which the Organizations are imbibing, the new technological processes which get introduced to them, language and culture. During this phenomenon there would be some aspects which become interdependent and they change with the introduction of the new changing systems because of political, economic and social changes. Technological revolution was a part of the changing technological environment and the newer trends getting introduced in the world. Technological revolution has also resulted in revolutionizing the economies of most of the Countries by bringing in economic changes and the economic advancements the because of which the Countries have also seen a major shift in their economies This is one of the most critical facts which is a result of the Technological revolution in the world. Technological revolution did not start all at once and all these changes took place eventually in a phase wise way. This had an impact on the attributes of culture, family, communities and the working culture. (Budhwar, P.S., Sparrow, P. R. (2002a). Introduction The presence of Technology and its revolution has set in and has increased with the introduction and its growth after Second World War. Most of the Countries were involved in this as they have signed different types of agreements which has also helped in liberalization of the process to a certain extent. These Nations have worked towards the improvement of the financial rules and policies which has given a new shape and dimension to their progress (Ehow, nd). Various factors determine the changes which are taking place to the changing patterns in the World, Organizational theorists have mainly pointed to new factors like Increasing pressures on the Organizations which can be more competitive, agile and which are to be maintained with their primary focus on customer service in order for it to be a lean enterprise. Massive changes like communication and information technology breakthroughs have taken place in different sectors like information technology focused organizations which basically work on internet where work has to be differentiated in terms of various parameters. In the context of todays work culture technology has changed the ways in which various departmental functions are performed where work has become More cognitively complex Work has become more team based and more complex It has become dependent on social and networking skills It is dependent on technological competence Is hard bound by time It is not as much dependent on geographical conditions as it previously used to be The Organizations are going through a constant pressure to change they are facing a lot of competitive pressures where they are More compliant based and dependent on Quality and Compliance procedures They are also to be channelizing their energies in getting to know the way in which they would have to define a greater value to its Customers They are more tuned to dynamic competitive requirements and strategy Job security is an issue in the changing economic trends with large competition prevailing in the sector They would have to strive continually to maintain and gain a competitive advantage Changing patterns of work for Individuals and Groups Over the past few years there has been a new pattern in which work patterns have been changing with the emerging new trends and the economy has seen a lot of improvement. With the newer technologies and new organizational models changes have been divided into different categories like Cognitive Competence Social and Interactive Competence The new Psychological contract which is made between the Management and the Employees Changes in process and place These emerging trends have set new standards in the work places for the Managers and the Employees. Most of the times these changes keep overlapping between the two levels and it sets new expectations from the employees. Individual Managers might change the expectations of the roles which have to be met however they would also ensure that any technological change causes minimal or no disruption to the existing social system in which the work is performed (Hofstede, G. 1980). Some of the changes which the individuals would have to see would be like Cognitive Competence These employees should be multi-skilled as they should be able to handle various tasks across various situations. When the span or the spectrum of work is broader there would be various changes which are brought in the organizational structure which can also create newer demands at work like Increased complexity of work - with the changing demands and increasing pressures at work the employees need to get accustomed to newer trends to perform their tasks and they should also work effectively in the teams. Some of the tasks would require some extra knowledge related to technical skills in order to perform the work in a more extemporaneous in a structured way (Klein, K. J., Dansereau, F., Hall, R. J. 1994). The requirement for improvised skills in the employees gradually increases however the employees would have to learn and enhance their skills which would also involve a lot of independent decision making Continuous competency development The employees need to get updated with their technological skills and they also have to be in the learning stream in order to be more conversant with the changing trends and newer technologies. The employees can attend various training sessions and enhance their skills for their own better prospects as well as for their Organizational growth (Kluckhohn, F., Strodtbeck, F. 1961). Different ways of applying the newer technologies The teams which are involved in cross functional work environments require a specific kaleidoscopic thinking which can enable the employees to see various alternatives and perspectives in order to create new patterns of thoughts which can promote innovation. Changing work place The changing work places also have various factors based on which it is dependent on and the organizational issues can result in various new workplace models. Methods, Solutions and the possible issues for the changing work place trends Drivers Workplace solutions Issues in the work place Cross functional work changing trends and more pressurized environment with the changing communication patterns Enhanced training programs for the employees Individual practice work stations for the employees Greater awareness programs which can be run Deviations in thinking Non - aligned focus at the work place due to increased work pressures or learning pressures cultural barriers which might even extend to behavioral changes productivity of the employees which could result as low because of extended working hours and deviated focus Deploying work force globally Cross skill training to be given to the employees The employees can be posted between various projects to save on the cost which the individual projects could incur Increased use of technological tools which could be used for video conferencing and for inter site meetings Use of facilities beyond normal working hours in order to motivate maximum no. of employees to participate in such training programs Teams might not always be prepared to focus their energies on learning as it might involve extended working hours Reduced face to face interaction in terms of managing and coordinating with the groups of people Increased dependencies on technological aspects could be a slight concern during theinitial times until the time when the teams dont get trained completely Continual reorganization and restructuring Flexible support would be available for continual development of the employees There could be reduced effectiveness in terms of work because of continual changes in the work place Example Case Let us consider Detver work place project which was to change as per the changing work trends in order to provide better work place environments to the employees. The project has developed to a great extent and the change catalyst has to come into picture in terms of maintaining work place relationships with the ultimate objectives of improvising on the goals and responsiveness to the customers. Specific goals of the project The project had goals to improve internal working relationships which could promote cross cultural working environments and also to improve the working collaboration between various employees in the work place Detver wanted to reduce the work place stress and improve the overall quality of work life of the employees They wanted to Detver to go through a major transformation in terms of showing their company as a Leader in achievements and not followers Work place solutions For all the above points the company has come up with some work place solutions which could be worked out by providing Open spaces at central notes for spontaneous interactions Cafes with larger meeting rooms and spacious settings for the employees to be more comfortable A De stress space for them to continually organize themselves in order to maintain a competitive advantage (R. Kling, and M. Zmuidzinas. Revue Internationale de Sociologie, 1994). Social and Interactive Competence Social and interactive competence are the critical factors which can change the nature of work and can also relate to the importance of the relational and interactive aspects of work. With the changing new trends the employees would have to develop newer skills by attending new workshops or training programs which are essential for their work. In the event of getting the team members get accustomed to the new work or changed skill sets the employees would have to attend all the team meetings which are set up by the Managers in order to get appraised about the facts of conflict resolution and negotiation skills. Conflicts if they would occur would result in the employees not being able to achieve the group objectives. In order to overcome this issue the team members should avoid all types of conflicts and should inculcate negotiation skills which are better when achieved to deal with the issues. This way the employees would develop a greater sense of relationship building and development which would result in enhancing their networking skills which would result in promoting important information and achieving the organizational objectives. New Psychological Understanding As work pressures change the relationship coordination is also to change as per the new environment. It is always better to have a verbal understanding or a written one which would set the expectations in a clear way between the Management and the Employers. This would help build a strong focus on the competency development, training aspects which might be required to enhance the skills of the Employees This would also help create and maintain a perfect work life balance for the Employees which would allow them to work in a peaceful environment. Conclusion By implementing all these factors and by considering the real time facts which the Employees would be able to get connected to the indifferences in types of working would reduce eventually and this would lead to increased employee loyalty and commitment towards the Organization. With little less expectations from the Management the Employees would experience a great sense of satisfaction and achievement and would further committed to all the aspects of learning and development which they might come across in the Organization during their tenure. References Budhwar, P.S., Sparrow, P. R. (2002a). An integrative framework for understanding cross national human resource management practices. Human Resource Management Review, 12(3), 377-403. Hofstede, G. (1980). Cultures consequences: International differences in work-related values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Klein, K. J., Dansereau, F., Hall, R. J. (1994). Levels issues in theory development, data collection, and analysis. Academy of Management Review, 19(2), 195-229. Kluckhohn, F., Strodtbeck, F. (1961). Variations in value orientations. Evanston: Row Peterson. Technology, Ideology, Social Transformation: The Case of Computerization and Work Organization by R. Kling, and M. Zmuidzinas. Revue Internationale de Sociologie, 2-3: 28-56, 1994.

Sample Post Interview Review Essay - How to Write a Great Article!

Sample Post Interview Review Essay - How to Write a Great Article!Sample post-interview review essays are an excellent way to obtain insight into what your interviewer is thinking. By writing an honest review, you can give a clear picture of how you fared during the interview process. If you have a history of high marks, then your essay will be less likely to reflect that fact.The easiest way to write a review is to listen closely to what your interviewer says during the interview. From there, you can make notes and sketch out an outline of your thoughts in your essay. There are a few things to keep in mind when reviewing your essay. Here are some guidelines for writing a successful post interview review.The first and most important point to note is to not focus too much on the 'why' questions. Interviewers are looking for an unbiased overview of the interview. They do not care if you supported your claim or not; they only care that you did your best and that you answered the questio n asked in the manner the interviewer instructed. This does not mean to say that you should slant your opinions either, it just means that the interviewer is looking for honesty and integrity.Be careful not to focus too much on the particulars of your job or the duties of the potential employer. Instead, focus on how well you handled the task at hand. Keep your essay short and simple so that it flows nicely. It is also important to keep your essay from being too wordy.In addition, write a review that is simple to understand, yet it still provides an honest and realistic view of your performance from your own personal view. Try to keep your reader interested while offering them a good overview of your interview experience. Avoid giving too much information in your essay. In the end, it is the one objective truth that should speak for itself.You do not need to follow all of the rules stated above but keep it under 2,000 words in article length. The more writing you do, the more chance s you have to make errors. Trying to cram too much information into the piece will actually make it harder to communicate your message. Use the summary section as a final edit.Lastly, keep in mind that your essay needs to be accurate and succinct. In the end, the goal is to provide a clear and concise overview of the interview. A poorly written article will only result in confusion.A well written article that offers a well-researched, unique review of your interview is a clear sign that you are ready to move on to the next stage of the job application process. Successfully completing the interview will then be the goal of your next steps!

The history of marijuana

MTV Case Swot Analysis Essays

MTV Case Swot Analysis Essays MTV Case Swot Analysis Essay MTV Case Swot Analysis Essay Because of MTV’s connection to popular culture, it attracts the young adult population, who are some of the strongest money spenders, to be their number one demographic of viewers. It is effortless for young adults to be loyal to MTV because it shows them what they want, such as coverage on music, lifestyle, fashion, and film. Having the loyalty of the young adult population is very important to MTV’s success because this demographic is typically known for being trendsetters in popular culture. Its first-mover advantage in the industry also played a huge role in establishing and maintaining a connection with the youth audience. This dominance over the young adult population has led cable networks and advertisers to have a high demand for advertising on MTV, which is another one of their strengths. Advertisers are eager to gain advertising slots during MTV’s most sought after programs such as the MTV music awards. Many companies, such as Burger King and Foot Locker, have sponsored MTV so that they can reach out to young adults across the country. Because MTV lead to the success of many artists, many of them hope to be affiliated with MTV so that they will continue to be relevant in today’s pop culture. This is another strength for MTV because it’s alliance with so many celebrities is another factor of why they have such a strong following in the young adult market. MTV has been successful in its expansion into the global market because it localizes itself to fit the interests of its audience. Its mergers with companies such as the Philippines’ National Broadcasting Company has also made them more relevant to the local culture. MTV has become a global brand through its expansion to China, Europe, India, and other places around the world. MTV’s support for political and social causes, such as the 2004 presidential elections or relief for Hurricane Katrina, has made it more even more relevant to viewers across the country. This has led to their influence and power in entertainment media. Another strength is that the MTV network has various channels that as a whole cater to an even broader demographic. For example, they own Nickelodeon, which is a channel primarily for children, or they own BET, which focuses on African-American music and entertainment. Weaknesses MTV continuously risks losing its dominating position because it solely serves momentary on-demand interests. This is difficult because it means that MTV must constantly find out what these interests are and be the first to expand them no matter how fast they might change. Because cable television offers several other alternatives, MTV must work even harder to continually grasp the attention of its audience. Another weakness that MTV has is the fact that their many cultural misunderstandings have led to them have difficulties reaching local audiences. In order to better reach these local audiences, it must use advertising and branding that is more appropriate to their culture. Opportunities MTV saw many of its competitors as opportunities as opposed to threats. When competitors such as BET, The Box, or VH1 gained large success across the country, MTV sought to purchase these companies and add them to their MTV networks unit, which has increased MTV’s revenue significantly. The digital age has also presented MTV with an opportunity to expand its market. Merging with mobile and Internet companies could lead to a wider distribution of their products. Also, a lot of MTV’s success has come from being a channel that is interactive with its users, so technology could add to their success by allowing them to hold polls for the VMA’s (Video Music Awards) on their mobile phones, for example. Globalization has also been a huge opportunity for MTV to expand into emerging markets, such as BRIC countries, Brazil, India, and China. For instance, the 12-34 age group, MTV’s target market, accounts for nearly two-thirds of Asia’s population. Increasing advertising in these countries also provides MTV with an opportunity to increase its advertising revenue. Threats Although MTV has bought out many of its competitors, it still has a lot of competition to face against companies such as FuseTV. New technologies that have emerged in recent time have led to the creation of even more channels that MTV has to compete against. Also, MTV initially had a hard time providing international local cultures with program material that would be of interest to them. Instead, they provided them with English speaking channels and American music without thinking that they might enjoy something that is more in line with their cultures. Although MTV has since done a better job of catering to those local cultures, many different countries such as Germany had created their own local music channels by then that started to compete with MTV. Those countries have a familiarity with the local audiences that MTV doesn’t and needs to have, giving those local music channels a competitive advantage. Also, another threat to MTV’s success is the fact that their advertising revenue has started to decrease ever since cable networks have started to lose their appeal. Because an increasing number of people are using digital cable to watch their shows and skip ads or watching shows online, advertisers are spending less money on advertising on MTV. MTV’s late addition of their online site has also put them behind on making money from online advertising. MTV’s dominance over the 12-34 market can be a threat to them as well because they, the MTV Generation, are growing old and will soon be uninterested in this channel since it largely caters to the youth. MTV needs to find a new market to please as this generation gets older, and it is a threat to their success that the young adult stage is a very short-lived stage in a person’s life. Young adult’s interests are also extremely quick to change, which could make it difficult for MTV to effectively keep up with them.

Portfolio Optimization using Linear, Non-linear and Integer Research Proposal

Portfolio Optimization using Linear, Non-linear and Integer programming and Black-schole theroy - Research Proposal Example Portfolio optimization dwells on the improvement of the portfolio and improving the value and level of the stock portfolio to that which proves attractive to the market. The criterion allows for the combination of the various aspects either directly or indirectly. The optimization aspect allows for the analysis of the expected value and the rate of return and their dispersion. The dispersion looks at the distribution of the rate of return to the stock adding value to it and through these measures, the financial risks also undergo analysis to provide evidence and confidence in the investors. It’s through portfolio optimization that investors understand the various risks existing in the market that allows them. Portfolio optimization will require identification of a portfolio that is rich in diversification to ensure it provides good support to the portfolio. Following the yahoo finance, the following portfolio was considered. Considering the modern portfolio theory as developed by Harry Markowitz, standard deviation of the various portfolios and its rate of return as means of maximizing the expected returns are considered for the risks that may engulf the portfolio. These provide an efficient portfolio. Considering the trade-off between the risks involved with the expected returns that the portfolio covers. Considering the historical factors of the stocks provides the investors with better decisions on the direction of the stock overtime. These based on the curves on the value of the stocks, its prices and volumes traded. Considering the standard deviation, the volatility of the stock, and the stock prices and volumes provides a better position on the stock. Considering these enables, the investors provide a better response to their portfolio needs. Considering the initial portfolio selection, the following portfolio is

Managing visitors space Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing visitors space - Research Paper Example Tourism has been identified to bring with it peak seasons, and also result to the decline of the economy. When such issues occur, natural resources, funding and labor suffer from fluctuations due to variations of the tourism seasons. The extension of tourist season entails of many offering festivals and keeping museums and hotels. The intensity of summer tourists season leaves an environment and the community exhausted. However, the off-season is the period where the residents return to their normal activities, and they use the facilities that are usually occupied by tourists. Peaking results to, exceptional strains on the community and the infrastructure. However, the resident population instead of the number of tourists likely determines this. The traditional mass tourists are usually replaced by various short-break visitor and diversity since they are major aspects of any tourism products. The survival of a tourism industry develops a better understanding of the local image and th is has an impact on the host community, considering the long-term effects evident in the development plans. However, it has been noted that a decline in the local management and its development cannot be realized due to the success of the hospitality industry, which rests at a local level (Morgan et al. 2011). The extension of the tourists season in the shoulder months is a goal that is usually economically beneficial for the involved businesses. However, social viability depends on the attitudes of the residents. It is also important to know that some factors usually contribute to the formation of different opinions with an aim of preventing conflicts, and to promote beneficial community factors. The social carrying capacity of any tourist attraction site depends on the resident’s attitude and their tolerance to the tourist’s presence. However, various factors are involved the formulation of a community social carrying capacity. However, the knowledgeable the resident s are concerning the tourism benefits, the greater the involvement process and the threshold tolerance (McCool and Moisey, 2008). There are several challenges that occur based on the management of different visitor visits. These have been noted to be controlled through various strategies and demand management. The community is described as the base for the tourism industry, and they must be involved to ensure that sustainable tourism is managed. It is also vital for any tourist attraction one to be aware of the effect that tourism has on the economy so that they can demonstrate the benefits that an industry offers the area. The quality in tourism and hospitality industry entails of efforts of the managers to ensure that they achieve profitability and success. This is done in a manner that meets the requirements of tourists and stakeholders involved. This means that consisted delivery of products and guest services meet the expectation of the consumer’s standards. When quality services are delivered, this is termed as a major challenge that the hospitality manager encounter since it is essential conditions that yield success (Morgan et al. 2011). The offered services are competitive and have been termed to develop global hospitality markets. Various tools are used to measure and improve the quality of services, and the mechanism of quality recognition in the tourism indus

Patterns A short documentary by Kirsten Sheridan Essay Example for Free

Patterns A short documentary by Kirsten Sheridan Essay Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that shapes the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. People with autism have difficulties with everyday social interactions, learning disabilities and difficulty in making sense of the world. Kirsten Sheridan found an interest in this and chose to portray it in a brief documentary. She lived with her autistic cousin and he was a strong influence on her which got her interested in autistic people. The short film is about an autistic boy and the way he sees things from his point of view and how he interprets things. I will be analysing; the way Tommy acts compared to the other characters in the film, the different types of sounds used to represent whats going on in Tommys head, camera angles, movement, lighting, colour and editing. Also, I will be looking at the patterns and shapes established or repeated throughout the film. At the start of the film, there is a homely rhythmic guitar chord playing when Tommy is walking down the corridor alone. By doing this, Kirsten Sheridan gives the audience the awareness that Tommy is a simple person and that he likes things in a pattern or order. You can hear children playing outside; this makes us assume that Tommy is different as he was isolated from everyone else. The long camera shots show us that Tommy is walking with his head down and taking heavy steps like he is trying to block out all the noises going on around him. At the beginning of Patterns a plain, black and white check pattern is already established and gives us the notion that this pattern will be shown throughout the film. When Tommy was at school he couldnt walk across the black and white tiled floor because he was puzzled and couldnt understand the pattern. Kirsten Sheridan illustrated this by having a scene where Tommy is stood still, staring at the floor, trying to figure out the pattern. Jimmy helps him by telling him to look up and they both count in odd numbers whilst running across the floor. Most autistic people count in odd numbers, prime numbers and so on. In the film you can tell that Tommy is autistic or has something wrong with  him because he doesnt face people when they are talking to him, he tends to turn away. When Tommy and Jimmy are walking home from school, Tommy is talking to Jimmy with his back to him, when Tommy says What time is it Jimmy? And Jimmy says Ten minutes past four. Autistic people are likely to face away from the person they are talking to. Kirsten Sheridan uses a mixture of sounds and camera shots to show unusual aspects of Tommys autism. When Tommy comes home from school and his Mother asks him what he wants for dinner, Tommy hears a lot of different noises in the house, which results in Tommy shaking and holding his head and shouting I dont want anything to eat. Tommys Mother gives him too many choices and autistic people like things in order or something they can put in a pattern. Kirsten Sheridan muffles all the sounds, which are going on around Tommy, together so it sounds confusing for the audience to hear what is going on, so we can hear what Tommy is hearing. He then goes into the bathroom and turns the tap on to watch the water run down the drain, the repetitive pattern of the running water settles him down and puts things back in order. The close up camera shot of the running water shows us what its like from Tommys viewpoint. Tommy and Jimmy go outside to play on the swing. Jimmy is pushing Tommy on the swing and they are both laughing. Tommy appears to be enjoying this as he is in a calm, relaxed and ordered environment. Kirsten Sheridan uses a camera shot from Tommys point of view, in this scene, to show us the repeating pattern of seeing the grass then the sky. Kirsten Sheridan shows a distinct line between the ways the other characters dress to the way Tommy dresses. Tommy is dressed in dull, dreary, dark clothes whereas his brother Jimmy is dressed in the complete opposite, in bright and vivid colours to show that he is a typical 8 year old. This gives us the sense that Tommy is unlike everyone else. This helps us distinguish who is autistic. Also Tommys speech and accent is different to everyone elses, the other characters all talk with an Irish accent but Tommy talks with an English accent. In one of the scenes the family are sat at the dinner table, Tommy and Kathleen are talking. What was my baby today? Kathleen says. Tommy replies He was the best baby, and Kathleen was very proud wasnt she? This shows that Kathleen isnt very close with Tommy as he refers to her as Kathleen not Mum. Tommy takes things that people say literally. Tommys Dad said he will be at home at 6 oclock and Tommy expects him to come through the door at exactly 6 oclock. Sheridan shows this by having a scene where Tommy is sitting on the stairs in front of the door waiting until the time was precisely 6 oclock. He was making clicking noises while looking intently at the door waiting for his Dad to come home. Autistic people take what you say literally; in contrast, non-autistic people dont take what people say literally because the person isnt exactly going to know whats going to happen in the future. At the dinner table, Tommy is picking letters out of his bowl to spell numbers, when he cant find the T to spell eight he starts making clicking noises with his mouth and flicking his soup everywhere. His parents dont know what to do, so then Jimmy starts tapping a rhythm on the table which calms Tommy down and seems to put everything back in order in Tommys brain. Autistic people like things in order. The camera shots Kirsten Sheridan uses in this scene are very efficient, as they show us what its like to be in Tommys mind. The camera rotates around the dinner table very swiftly, this makes you feel dizzy and awkward which gives us and insight to what Tommy feels like. Tommy is in his room listening to music when the record starts to jump which causes him to have a panic attack. Kathleen rushes over to him and tries to control him but that does nothing except instigate the problem even more. So then Jimmy has to come in and help Tommy calm down, while Kathleen stands in the doorway crying. And Tommy says Bye now Kathleen. Not realising that his Mother was upset. Autistic people are often unaware of other peoples emotions and facial expressions. Near the end of the film Kirsten Sheridan adds a turning point, where Tommy starts to let go of his brother and the assistance he gives him. Tommy says  to Jimmy Time to go now, so bye now. Jimmy responds with Youll be on your own so. Tommy appreciates what Jimmy says and goes inside leaving Jimmy to go and play with his friends. Tommy becomes more independent at this point and this is the initial start to Tommy and Jimmy leading their individual lives. Throughout the study of Patterns I have discovered that Jimmy is a big part of Tommys life and I have presented the problems caused from Tommys autism. I think this short film is a clever method of presenting to non-autistic people the way an autistic person acts, behaves and why they do so. It also gives an inside view of how an autistic person has to deal with everyday life. Bibliography: the short documentry by Kirsten Sheridan.