The Impact of Values on the Workforce Essay -- Business Organizational

The Impact of Personal Values, Organizational Values, and Cultural Values on the Workforce When we are called upon to make decisions, several factors are taken into consideration before this decision can be made. Depending on the type of decision, such factors could be cultural beliefs, personal beliefs, and organizational beliefs. We have come to realize that there are fundamental challenges in trying to apply ethical principles in a cultural and organizational environment. Each culture has unique distinctions in values, which may or may not be considered ethical by each individual within society. These differences in culture and personal beliefs influence any decision, whether personal or professional, of any individual. Certain cultures within the work force may decide not to adhere to organizational codes of conduct because of not only personal feelings, but also because of the varying differences in cultural backgrounds. The intent of this paper is to identify values that are important to me personally, organizationally, and culturally, and the effects that these v alues have on decision making in regards to my personal and professional life. Personal values are most important to me since these values define individuality. David Peters (2003) said it best when he said â€Å"an examination of our beliefs can offer valuable insights into our character and help us determine a clear pathway to a more satisfying life.† Honesty, integrity, loyalty, and respect are highly valued and these values are present in my everyday life. However, this does not necessarily mean that each individual within my society share these same personal values, thus creating an environment filled with varying personal beliefs, expectations, and philosophies that may not be logically connected with the society’s culture or ethics. Nonis (2001) states: â€Å"Values reflect the most basic characteristics of adaptation that guides individuals in deciding which situations they should enter and what they should do in them (Kahle 1980). According to Williams (1979), explicit and fully conceptualized values become the criteria for judgemen t, preferences and choices† (p. ---). My decisions whether personal or professional, are dependent on my values and the environment that I am in. Before accepting my current position, I made sure that the company had similar ethical beliefs as m... ...ead of forcing our beliefs unto others we need to respect the practices and traditions and get a better understanding why certain practices are done. Chris Jenks states: â€Å"Westerners, convinced that they are morally superior, have failed in their attempts to stop local practices because they did not take into consideration the culture and the reason for the practice† (p. 22). In relations to the work force, organizations are diversifying their workforce. They are realizing the importance of diversity and how it can benefit the organization, given that diversity brings different point of views and values to light. As an organization, we should not simply proclaim a set of values. Instead we should immerse both managers and employees in the organization’s ideology. Any disconnect in behavior between mangers and employees will strongly undermine the values of the organization. The undermining of these cultural values creates uncertainty in the minds of employees thus leading to potential conflicts. Work Cited Gardner, John W. "On Leadership" New York: The Free Press, 1990 Jenks, Chris. "Western Culture: An Introduction." Culture. Ed. Chris Jenks. London: Routledge, 1995

The Role of the Individual: A look inside the Galactic World of Star Wa

Star Wars takes place a long time ago in a galaxy that is unlike anything modern society could conceive as being authentic. It exists in a time before Earth was even thought of. At the start of the movie, a civil war is occurring between the Rebel Alliance and The Galactic Empire. A leader of the Rebel Alliance, Princess Leia, stole plans from the Galactic Empire (also known as the Imperial forces) for the Death Star. The Death Star was a very heavily armed space station with weapons capable of destroying an entire planet. After stealing the plans, Princess Leia sent two droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, to the planet Tatooine with a copy of the plans in R2-D2's memory bank. The droids are then captured and sold to a farming family. The nephew of the farming family was Luke Skywalker. Skywalker decided to clean the droids and triggered a message from Princess Leia requesting assistance from an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Skywalker doesn't know who that is but he does know of a Ben Kenobi. The next day he seeks out Ben Kenobi and Ben introduces himself as Obi-Wan Kenobi. He reveals to Skywalker that he was a former Jedi Knight. A Jedi Knight is a peacekeeper in the Star Wars galaxy. This is the point in the movie where some action begins. Kenobi reveals to Luke that Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker, was also a Jedi Knight. Ben and Anakin fought together in the galactic wars. Luke is told his father was killed by Darth Vader. Kenobi gives Luke his father's light saber. Kenobi views the message that the droid R2-D2 contains. In the message, Princess Leia begs Kenobi to take the plans stored in R2-D2's memory bank to the planet of Alderaan. Princess Leia wishes for her father to analyze the Death Star plans. Luke is asked by Kenobi to accompany him on... ...TH 32). The light saber is much more than just a weapon in the Star Wars galaxy. The lightsaber must be used actively. It is not like a magical amulet or talisman that provides passive protection against evil. It is something that must be actively used and the way it is used can be for good or evil. The wielder holds a lot of power when it comes to a light saber. If Luke uses it for good, the light side of the force, then the light saber is a symbol of justice. However, if he uses it for evil, the dark side of the force, then it is a symbol of destruction. The light saber being given to Luke is just one of Kenobi's responsibilities. The other responsibility of Kenobi is to help Luke find his place in society by introducing him to the Force. In order for Luke to understand what the force is about, Kenobi must guide him how it is used for both good and evil (MYTH 36).

Various Laboratory Tests on Cement

VARIOUS LAB TEST ON CEMENT: Checking of materials is an essential part of civil engineering as the life of structure is dependent on the quality of material used. Following are the tests to be conducted to judge the quality of cement. 1. Fineness 2. Soundness 3. Consistency 4. Initial and Final Setting Time of Cement FINENESS OF CEMENT: We need to determine the fineness of cement by dry sieving as per IS: 4031 (Part 1) – 1996. The principle of this is that we determine the proportion of cement whose grain size is larger than specified mesh size. Apparatus: The apparatus used are ) 75Â µm IS Sieve ii) Balance capable of weighing 10g to the nearest 10mg iii) A nylon or pure bristle brush, preferably with 25 to 40mm iv) bristle, for cleaning the sieve Figure No. Sieve No. 200 Procedure to determine fineness of cement: i) Weigh approximately 10g of cement to the nearest 0. 01g and place it on the sieve. ii) Agitate the sieve by swirling, planetary and linear movements, until no m ore fine material passes through it. iii) Weigh the residue and express its mass as a percentage R1,of the quantity first placed on the sieve to the nearest 0. 1 percent. v) Gently brush all the fine material off the base of the sieve. v) Repeat the whole procedure using a fresh 10g sample to obtain R2. Then calculate R as the mean of R1 and R2 as a percentage, expressed to the nearest 0. 1 percent. When the results differ by more than 1 percent absolute, carry out a third sieving and calculate the mean of the three values. Reporting of Results: Report the value of R, to the nearest 0. 1 percent, as the residue on the 90Â µm sieve. Test To Check Soundness Of Cement: SOUNDNESS : Soundness of cement is determined by Le-Chatelier method as per IS: 4031 (Part 3) – 1988.Apparatus – The apparatus for conducting the Le-Chatelier test should conform to IS: 5514 – 1969 Balance, whose permissible variation at a load of 1000g should be +1. 0g and Water bath. Procedure to determine soundness of cement i) Place the mould on a glass sheet and fill it with the cement paste formed by gauging cement with 0. 78 times the water required to give a paste of standard consistency. ii) Cover the mould with another piece of glass sheet, place a small weight on this covering glass sheet and immediately submerge the whole assembly in water at a temperature of 27 Â ± 2oC and keep it there for 24hrs. ii) Measure the distance separating the indicator points to the nearest 0. 5mm (say d1 ). iv) Submerge the mould again in water at the temperature prescribed above. Bring the water to boiling point in 25 to 30 minutes and keep it boiling for 3hrs. v) Remove the mould from the water, allow it to cool and measure the distance between the indicator points (say d2 ). vi) (d2 – d1 ) represents the expansion of cement. Test To Check Consistency Of Cement : CONSISTENCY : The basic aim is to find out the water content required to produce a cement paste of standard consis tency as specified by the IS: 4031 (Part 4) – 1988.The principle is that standard consistency of cement is that consistency at which the Vicat plunger penetrates to a point 5-7mm from the bottom of Vicat mould. Apparatus – Vicat apparatus conforming to IS: 5513 – 1976, Balance, whose permissible variation at a load of 1000g should be +1. 0g, Gauging trowel conforming to IS: 10086 – 1982. Procedure to determine consistency of cement i) Weigh approximately 400g of cement and mix it with a weighed quantity of water. The time of gauging should be between 3 to 5 minutes. ii) Fill the Vicat mould with paste and level it with a trowel. ii) Lower the plunger gently till it touches the cement surface. iv) Release the plunger allowing it to sink into the paste. v) Note the reading on the gauge. vi) Repeat the above procedure taking fresh samples of cement and different quantities of water until the reading on the gauge is 5 to 7mm. Reporting of Results Express the amount of water as a percentage of the weight of dry cement to the first place of decimal. Test To Check Initial And Final Setting Time Of Cement : INITIAL AND FINAL SETTING TIME : We need to calculate the initial and final setting time as per IS: 4031 (Part 5) – 1988.To do so we need Vicat apparatus conforming to IS: 5513 – 1976, Balance, whose permissible variation at a load of 1000g should be +1. 0g, Gauging trowel conforming to IS: 10086 – 1982. Procedure to determine initial and final setting time of cement : i) Prepare a cement paste by gauging the cement with 0. 85 times the water required to give a paste of standard consistency. ii) Start a stop-watch, the moment water is added to the cement. iii) Fill the Vicat mould completely with the cement paste gauged as above, the mould resting on a non-porous plate and smooth off the surface of the paste making it level with the top of the mould.The cement block thus prepared in the mould is the test block. A)Â  INITIAL SETTING TIME : Place the test block under the rod bearing the needle. Lower the needle gently in order to make contact with the surface of the cement paste and release quickly, allowing it to penetrate the test block. Repeat the procedure till the needle fails to pierce the test block to a point 5. 0 Â ± 0. 5mm measured from the bottom of the mould. The time period elapsing between the time, water is added to the cement and the time, the needle fails to pierce the test block by 5. 0 Â ± 0. mm measured from the bottom of the mould, is the initial setting time. B)Â  FINAL SETTING TIME : Replace the above needle by the one with an annular attachment. The cement should be considered as finally set when, upon applying the needle gently to the surface of the test block, the needle makes an impression therein, while the attachment fails to do so. The period elapsing between the time, water is added to the cement and the time, the needle makes an impression on the surface of the test block, while the attachment fails to do so, is the final setting time.

Robin lane fox

It is an immense task to relate the story of the world’s most successful conqueror in 553 pages but Robin Lane Fox manages to narrate the tale of Alexander the Great in a way no other author ever has.A story that has been repeated over and over again, and every account of the life of Alexander the Great has many versions which is somewhat shrouded in mystery, with elements of ambiguity.Main Body:  Fox manages to find a completely new angle on the intriguing account of the history’s most enigmatic leader, putting aside mundane details and stiff diction used by historians and instead using the evidence and facts and enveloping them with all the energy, passion and vigor which the incredible account of Alexander’s life deserves.Born in 336 BC Alexander became the king of Macedonia at the age of 20, from there on he established an empire far greater then any other conqueror could ever even think of, he was the only military leader who was never defeated in any batt le. The book has all the dramatic and tragic elements to make it seem like a work of fiction but the historically accurate details and facts used by the author makes this book a reliable source for historical information.Fox really made a reader see what Alexander’s times was like and how the people belonging to his times were like, he plunges into the depths of this man’s desires in a desperate need to narrate to the reader what motivated this young King to conquer the world.The account of Cleitus’s murder by Alexander is an exceptionally well written part; Mr. Fox writes that â€Å"the gist of the taunts that resulted in his murder can still be recovered today†. The description in the book about various aspects of the surroundings whether it be nature or interiors is superb the author really wants the reader to experience the times and events of Alexander the Great.Every chapter narrates the famous battles and conquests making them even more interesting with myths and legends related to them. Fox not only gives the report of the events happening at that time but also comments on how they affected the later civilizations. He writes about the various events that took place during Alexander’s life and what changes his conquests brought about in the world.  However there are shortcomings in the book as well for instance the author does not analyze the militarily tactics, all historians agree that military tactics show the true brilliance of Alexander the great, also the battle of Granicus is described very briefly and the description accepted by most historians is rejected by Fox where he says that it never took place as is told, but Alexander and his army fought in an open ground on the other side of the river.Conclusion:Many readers may find this book lacking in insight to the military life of this great leader. Fox perhaps wanted to give the reader an insight into what kind of a person Alexander the Great was instead of wh at he accomplished, since he often got distracted from narrating the story and goes on to making his own assumptions.The book is not an easy read but it does present Alexander the Great in a completely new light.WORKS CITEDBook Rags â€Å"Alexander the Great by Robin Lane fox†, Accessed October 9, 2006, from:http://www.bookrags.com/

How the threat of an imminent fiscal cliff is directly related to Research Paper

How the threat of an imminent fiscal cliff is directly related to income inequality - Research Paper Example The whole problem was triggered by the quarrel over tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% percentage of Americans. It can be argued that the prospects of the future global economy depends much on the debate circling to distribution of income or equality among all sections of the society. The republicans support the tax cuts on the argument of the role played by income in the development of incentives. They argue that the role of the government is not ecstatic in managing the money of the tax payers. They put the example of the CEO who may feel the disincentive on working harder if the government levies a tax of 10% more on his income. The Republicans states the money that is paid by the tax payers can be more efficiently invested in profitable investments instead of wasting the amount in the inefficient programs of the government. Research question How the threat of an imminent fiscal cliff is directly related to income inequality? Literature Review The law makers of the country are facing three unattractive options. They can keep the policy on hold till the beginning of next year. With the implementation of the policy the spending rates are anticipated to go down and therefore the economy will again be on the verge of inflation. Again the deficit of the current balance is anticipated to fall as well. They can opt for the middle course which would address the issues of the budget to a certain extent and will also have modest impact on the rate of growth. Two dimensions can be put forwarded regarding the inefficiency of the government. The spending in the public sector cannot be identified as waste because some of the expenditures roll out to the private sector as well. In some cases the roll is large enough. Moreover some profitable investments can only be done by the government. An individual cannot be held responsible for his resources and the same individual can be held responsible for the choices he makes. It is undoubted that the policy maker will opt for the pro grams that bring equalization in the society rather than increase the taxes for the wealthiest population. The term economic inequality is used to define the gap between the rich and the poor. The disparities in distribution of the economic assets among individuals or groups of population are regarded as economic inequality (World Bank, 2005, p. 27-28). There are many causes for economic inequality and primary of them being the differences in wages and salaries of the employed. Inequality in the labor market leads to concentration of wealth in the hands of the few. Some of the other causes are racial inequality, gender inequality, tax loopholes and increasing costs of education. The distributive inefficiency gets reduced by economic inequality. Inequality acts to reduce the total personal utility. The simplest form of measuring inequality arranges the entire population from poorest to the richest and pictures the percentage of spending attributable to either quintile or decile of th e arrangement. One of the most popular measures on inequality is Gini coefficient (Cullis and Koppen, 2007, p. 2-3). It ranges from 0 showing perfect equality to 1 showing perfect inequality. It is derived from the Lorenz curve which also arranges the population from the poorest to the richest. The Lorenz curve is drawn using the cumulative proportion of the population and the cumulative expenditure on the horizontal and the vertical axis

Dream house Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dream house - Assignment Example A dream house has to be designed to meet the preferred color schemes, locations as well as other special features (Ransom, 8). People should understand that it is possible to buy a house that does not have all preferences, but they can later make improvements on the house to meet the specifications intended. In this case, house improvements should not just be directed towards fixing a certain problem, the owner has to know that pampering a house is a daily activity (Smith, 7), there will always be preference for certain features in the course of staying in that house. The most important thing is to ensure that the value of that particular house remains intact. It is important to note that improvements in the dream house can be expensive in some cases, this means that the person who intends to have it must do it gradually, he needs to begin with areas that are most unpleasant to those areas which are sometimes unnoticeable. A dream house should always be designed to withstand various environmental factors; it should not expose the occupants to environmental risks. However, it is important to note that some environmental hazards are unpredictable and unavoidable, for this reason, people should always understand and derive better ways to handle them when they come. Nonetheless a dream house should be stable and conducive for its inhabitants in all seasons, whether it is in hot summers or cold winters Eileen is considered one of the most important and competent designers and architect of the 20th century, at the same time; she is among the women who are termed as most influential in this field. She has risen to become very much renowned and inspired many other people including modern approaches in design and architecture as well as decors for various types of property (Eileen. 4). Eileen started up her career amidst hard circumstances that would have made anyone rubbish her off. However, she persisted with her

UK Law-Succession Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UK Law-Succession - Coursework Example However, circumstances exist whereby the requirement of a grant can be waivered. In the first place, where the value of the estate is worth  ?5,000 or less, secondly, where the value of the estate is greater than ?5,000 but has neither a house, shares nor any bank account, with more than ?5,000. Further, a grant of representation will not be necessary where all houses, bank accounts and other assets had been under joint tenancy. The estate in question in this case is one that is above the value of 5000 and an asset in form of a bank account worth ?7800 thus making a grant necessary and not susceptible to the first two exceptions. It should however be noted that part of the deceased estate viz a house worth ?400,000 was jointly co-owned with the surviving spouse Andrea, broaching out a significant legal implication. Thus the issue is whether or not a grant of representation necessary in this case. W Swadling, ‘Property: General Principles’ poses that where two co-owners of a property, if they co-owned a house under joint tenancy then the surviving co-owner shall take ownership of the deceased share automatically through jus accrescendi regardless of any will or rule of intestacy. As such the property co-owned may not be subject to any grant of representation. ... The question that arises therefore in relation to the rest of the estate is what type of grant is accruable to whom and what share of the estate ought to be provided for the representatives. There exist three types of grants viz, grant of probate, grant of letters of representation and grant of letters of representation with Will annexed. A grant of probate only applies when the deceased has left a valid will appointing one or more executors to perform duties regarding the estate as provided by the will. Only the appointed have the right to ‘prove’ the Will. In the current case, Peter died without a Will and therefore no appointed executors and thus no one among the persons with interest to the estate can apply for a grant of representation to probate. Similarly, a grant of representation annexed with a Will, requires first that the deceased ought to have died with a valid Will, having appointed an executor but that the executor is unable or unwilling to apply for the gr ant then an applicant may be granted. Thus the type of grant that is applicable in this case is that called ‘grant of letters of administration’. This is because the deceased died intestate. The persons (or would be administrators) entitled to this grant are commonly one or more of nearest relatives alive. It is important to note that any of these types of grants could be classified as either general or limited grants. There exist two extensive procedures on how to apply for probate or administration. First is by way of employing a solicitor to undertake the process on the person’s behalf. Secondly is by applying on one’s self via the Personal Applicants Section of the Probate Office, or one of the District Probate Registries. One can