Thursday, January 30, 2020

Teamwork Essay Essay Example for Free

Teamwork Essay Essay Reasons have been proposed to explain why teamwork exists by (Cohen and Bailey, 1997). They suggest organisations can develop and deliver products in a speedy and cost effective manner. More so, teams are the best way to establish organisational strategy. Teamwork was defined by (Kozlowski and Bell, 2003) as the composition of two or more individuals who share tasks and work towards a common goal. They emphasise the importance of collaboration and cooperation. Teamwork has three important dimensions. Firstly, technical dimension relates to the division of labour and who does what task and when etc. Governance refers to authority and relationships between members. The normative dimension refers to the norms, values and assumptions of the group directing behaviour. However, there are dimensions which can differ between teams, for example the temporal duration. Some teams are required to work together for a larger period of time. The physical proximity of teams may range depending on the organisation. Certain groups must work face to face where as others are dispersed geographically. According to (Hackman, 2002), teams need ‘teamwork’, meaning work that is designed for teams. An important factor relating to teams is interdependence, this is the extent to which people must work interactively and cooperatively (Stewart and Barrick, 2000). There are a number of benefits to an organisation by working in a team; these include efficient processes, reduced costs, increased innovation and skill utilisation (West and Markiewicz, 2004). Evidence to support this claim comes from (Delarue et al, 2008) who found associations between team work, workers outcomes, financial outcomes and operational outcomes. Godard, 2001) found with his questionnaire that teamwork positively related to job satisfaction, a sense of belonging and feelings of empowerment. This is supported by (Delarue et al, 2004) who found reduced absenteeism. The financial benefits were researched by (Cooke, 1994) who found that with the introduction of teamwork, there was a significant impact on val ue added per employee. Teamwork can have a profound effect on operational efficiency, productivity and quality. (Cohen et al, 1996) found that teams which facilitate high levels of employee involvement have a significant impact on efficiency and quality. If organisations are to reap the benefits of teamwork, then they must create and manage them in the correct way. Research into effective team working has commonly followed the input-processes-output (I-P-O) model proposed by (McGrath, 1964). The idea is that inputs affect outputs via the interaction of processes. We could argue this is too simplistic but it provides a useful framework. The first input is task design, the task must be achieved by a group of people working together so it should be demanding and complex enough to be completed by a team, as referred to earlier, there should be a high level of interdependence. The next input is team composition. This outlines the skills, knowledge and ability required (KNA). Bebin proposed nine essential roles. These are plant, resource investigator, coordinator, shaper, monitor, team worker, finisher, implementer and specialist. Bebin’s theory is not often fulfilled in practise though. Teams are often put together with little consideration for the roles required or the skills. This undermines team effectiveness. Another feature of the inputs is diversity; this is the idea that the team has a range of skills, ages, ethnicities and levels of authority. One of the most important inputs is the organisational context. Teams are often embedded in larger organisational systems, the effectiveness of teams may depend on wider contextual factors. Conflict within the organisation such as their wider objectives may impede a team so a team must operate within the company’s boundaries. (Hackman, 2002) suggests teams do not operate in an organisational vacuum. Team effectiveness relies on supportive organisational context that reinforces a team based structure. (Hackman, 2002) argues three systems can increase the likelihood of team success. Firstly, we have the education system which offers training and technical aid to a team. Then we have the information system which provided necessary data to complete the task. Lastly is the reward system which encourages rewards to all members equally to reduce inequality. The team objectives make up the first part of the processes. Teams should have a common purpose and clear objectives free from ambiguity. Reflexivity is the next stage and this helps to overcome team frustrations and any confusion regarding objectives. This is done by reflecting on immediate and long-term objectives on a regular basis by meeting and sharing information. Decision making is the next component; research has shown that teams make better decisions than individuals however there are certain process losses which can affect decisions. One of these is social conformity; the tendency to go along this the majority decision and exclude your opinion. This can occur due to leader power because the leader has more authority and influence. Groups try to avoid conflict through Groupthink (Janis, 1982), where teams sacrifice high quality rigorous decisions to conserve social harmony. Group may do this without even realising. Social loafing affect decisions when team members exert less effort and commitment. This has negative implications on the reward system especially If team members are rewarded equally. Overall, teamwork is a critical issue which organisations should develop and support real teams. Management must pay close attention to ensure they have the correct characters in the team to reap the full benefits of teamwork rather than pseudo teams which are present today. On a final note, not all organisations require teams so they should only be applied to the right tasks and situations.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

An Enemy of The People Essay examples -- essays research papers

An Enemy of the People   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dr. Thomas Stockmann was a determined and caring man who was passionate when it came to his beliefs. However, Stockmann was also an idealist who was rather naive when it came to reality. As the Medical Advisor of the baths, he wanted to expose the truth of the hazards that the baths presented before any more people became ill. He fought with the fervor of a true patriot, but was accused of trying to sabotage the hometown that he was fighting for and was condemned as a traitor. Was Dr. Stockmann really an enemy of the people or just an idealist with all the odds against him?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Right from the beginning of the play it was apparent that Dr. Stockmann was a man of character. He welcomed the company of his fellow townspeople by offering food and drinks to anyone who entered the Stockmann house. He was very active in town and was constantly publishing articles and pamphlets concerning various ideas he had to improve the health or lives of his fellow citizens. The main reason he took such a strong position on the issue of the baths was because it concerned the health of the public. Even after the whole town was against him, Dr. Stockmann was still looking out for the well-being of the people by not giving in to the Mayor’s request that he take back his accusations in order to save his job.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the several things the doctor had against him was that not many people too...

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Effective and Organizational Communication Essay

The course Effective and Organizational Communication has truly been rewarding because most of the things I have learned from my class are actually life skills that find real value in the outside world. While Effective and Organizational Communication is intended for the corporate setting, these skills are not actually specific to certain industries; rather they are universally functional in whatever field of endeavor one may wish to pursue. This paper intends to look at three major areas of learning that were tackled in the course and discuss their proper applications. The first area is Public Speaking. There are many free resources on public speaking on the Internet. Indeed, having the aptitude for public speaking is a special kind of power because you are in a position to convince people to make certain decisions and choices. What you say is as important as how you say it. In fact, the delivery is what separates a good public speaker from one who is simply good with words. In a nutshell, public speaking is all about presentation. From the websites that I have checked out, I have realized how important it is to be able to address an audience and hold their duration for the entire time that you are speaking. And this does not only take place during formal occasions; we all perform public speaking in school and in work. Among the most useful tip I have read is to let your audience be active participants in your speech. As much as possible, prepare a speech that allows for audience to demonstrate certain points of the topic. For instance, if you are talking about the power of knowledge, have someone from the audience describe the route he or she takes from home to a certain place. From there, you can segue to making a point about how one can be very comfortable discussing something that one is very familiar with, even in front of an audience of strangers. This particular talk or presentation is made all the more effective because you prove your point through random audience participation. QAR or question and answer underscores the importance of the relationship of answers to questions. In communication, it is important that your answers do not digress; that they are tightly focused and directly answer the question. Similarly, if you are the one asking the question, your statement should also be succinct and direct to the point. This is important so that any miscommunication or misunderstanding can be prevented, and the issues resolved in the soonest possible time. In education, teachers must be able to design questions that can best elicit the desired response, or the target skill. If the questions are ambiguous, the students will have a difficult time structuring their answers. From the readings that I have made, I have realized that questions serve as the frame by which answers attach themselves, and as such the ability to design effective questions is the key to an effective QAR. There are several types of QAR, and their use depends on what skills you want to assess. As I have previously mentioned, QAR is especially important for teachers as they attempt to assess different types of cognitive levels and operations. For example, if you want to test the ability of the students to analyze, then ask for information that goes beyond what is available in the text or material. In analysis, the presumption is that the fundamental concepts of the lesson are well-understood and thus be able to make generalizations or apply the concepts in other situations (Steele, 1997). In QAR, the most important issue is to determine the type of response you want to elicit in order to test the target skill. Another topic in Effective and Organizational Communication is Email Etiquette. Indeed as the world becomes more and more connected, the email is becoming the preferred mode of communication for business and personal correspondences. While the email is generally considered as less formal than a standard letter, that is slowly changing. In fact, there is an entire set of rules governing email, outlining how to use this medium in a formal and efficient way. According to the online writing lab of Purdue University, email etiquette refers to the set of guidelines that experts believe should govern the exchange of communication via electronic mail or email for short. These experts believe that the electronic medium is not an excuse to forget our manners and proper usage. (Hughes, 2002) To be safe, just write your email as you would an ordinary letter, only be more succinct. As a general rule of thumb, emails must be concise and up to the point. This is due to the fact that people read the computer differently than they would a regular book or text. Of course, the email you will be making depends on the intention of your letter. For personal letters, you are given more freedom, but for business emails, it is better to maintain a formal tone. In any case, letter should always be treated as a reflection of the writer, regardless whether it is an ordinary letter or an email. How you want to present yourself and how you want to be perceived depends on how you organize your thoughts and write them down. All of these three concepts are part and parcel of an effective organizational communication. But beyond organizational communication, all the three lessons that I have learned can be used in all aspects of my life because communication is an activity that all of us pursue on a daily basis.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Making Sense of the Prohibition of Prostitution - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 869 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/08/07 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Prostitution Essay Did you like this example? In the modern world progress is made in abolishing stigmas and prejudices that exist from the past and limit modern life. In Colorado and Washington, for example, the formerly illegal drug marijuana has been fully decriminalized and is legal for both recreational and medical use. In January of this year, California followed suit and Ohio has made marijuana legal for medicinal purposes. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Making Sense of the Prohibition of Prostitution" essay for you Create order In the example of marijuana, main arguments were used that the crime in question does not hurt others but is self inflicted, many viable resources of law enforcement were being used to apprehend the perpetrators, and ultimately that prohibition of an item or service people want will not make the demand disappear, only make it be pursued illegally. Arguably, the same can be said for prostitution. There are many more emotional connotations prostitution carries with it that make legalization far more apprehensive to the public, but the same principles can be applied. If a complete prohibition of prostitution were to be lifted and replaced by regulations to keep sex workers safe, society would benefit. The United States of America is actually surprisingly old fashioned in its methods of dealing with the issue of prostitution compared to many other first world countries. Nations like China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia are seldom shown to be similar to the United States as opposed to Canada, Germany, and The United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom and Canada, sex work is decriminalized to an extent, and in Germany prostitution is fully legalized. So why then does the United States continue to practice laws that are out of date and have clearly superior counterparts in other modern countries? There is a metaphorical mountain of emotional weight the subject carries that makes it a topic most people do not wish to talk about. People often counter legalization arguments with pathos rhetoric, pointing out the horrific lives prostitutes are forced to live. Exclaiming how these women are stripped of their dignity for money. However this rhetoric is flawed in implying that since prostitution is unethical, it should be banned to make the process go away. There are very few people who would argue that prostitution is something fair or safe in its nature. As history and politics show prohibition does not mean anything more than a lack of recognition. In reality, there are sex workers and there always will be. Prostitution itself is an issue due to its unethical nature, but the problem is simply not being addressed by its banning. Sex Works prohibition is a cause of many of its vices, such as abusive pimps and danger of the clientele. What the public should be considering are ways o f making prostitution safer for both the women who sex work and their male clients. As with the prohibition of Marijuana and of Alcohol, it is clear to see making a certain item or service illegal that many people want is simply turning the demand from a lawful and regulated source to the streets and black market. With both other substances the public has recognized that people will use alcohol and marijuana at similar rates whether it is legal or illegal. The main difference when it comes to laws regarding prostitution is the emotional stigma and connotational weight that insights fear of furthering and expanding the process by lifting laws which prohibit it. Sex work in The United States of America is an extremely dangerous profession. Over 100 prostitutes in the San Francisco area were interviewed in a study done by Doctor Howard Barkan. 82% of these women had said they were assaulted while working. 83% claimed to have been threatened with a weapon. Horrifyingly, 68% said that they had been raped while sex working. Many prostitutes turn to pimps when they are in need of management or protection, but pimps are very often abusive to their sex workers in the same way their clients could be. Pimps can also intertwine these womens lives with other illegal and dangerous activities, such as drug trafficking and gang affiliation. If the prohibition was lifted, it could allow for regulations to make sex workers lives far safer. With a legalization, new policies such as registration and background checks could be implemented to keep prostitutes away from domestic violence and abuse. Even in countries such as the United Kingdom, there are certain . If two or more sex workers are colliding together for almost any purpose, it can be classified as a brothel and they can be jailed and fined. Fining the laborers who work in the illegal sex trade is a completely counterproductive measure. Prostitutes are almost never in their profession by choice, it is almost always an issue with money where selling their body was the most viable option for them. In the aforementioned study by Doctor Barkan, 84% of sex workers said they had been homeless in the past or were currently homeless. In the same study 88% of the women said that they wanted to leave prostitution. By charging these desperate women for doing a job that they are only doing to relieve themselves of their economic difficulties, the law is forcing these sex workers to continue their illegal work just to pay off their charges for having prostituted themselves in the beginning.