Anurognathus - Facts and Figures

Anurognathus - Facts and Figures Name: Anurognathus (Greek for without tail and jaw); pronounced ANN-your-OG-nah-thuss Habitat: Woodlands of western Europe Historical Epoch: Late Jurassic (150 million years ago) Size and Weight: About three inches long and a few ounces Diet: Insects Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; stubby tail; short head with pin-shaped teeth; 20-inch wingspan About Anurognathus Except for the fact that it was technically a pterosaur, Anurognathus would qualify as the smallest dinosaur that ever lived. This hummingbird-sized reptile, no more than three inches long and a handful of ounces, differed from its fellow pterosaurs of the late Jurassic period thanks to its stubby tail and short (yet extremely strong) jaws, after which its name, Greek for without tail and jaw, derives. The wings of Anurognathus were very thin and delicate, stretching from the fourth fingers of its front talons back to its ankles, and they may have been brightly colored, like those of modern butterflies. This pterosaur is known by a single, well-preserved fossil specimen discovered in Germanys famous Solnhofen beds, also the source of the contemporary dino-bird Archaeopteryx; a second, smaller specimen has been identified, but has yet to be described in the published literature. The exact classification of Anurognathus has been a subject of debate; this pterosaur doesnt fit easily into either the rhamphorhynchoid or pterodactyloid family trees (typified, respectively, by the small, long-tailed, big-headed Rhamphorhynchus and the slightly larger, stubby-tailed, slender-headed Pterodactylus). Lately, the weight of opinion is that Anurognathus and its relatives (including the similarly tiny Jeholopterus and Batrachognathus) constituted a relatively unevolved sister taxon to the pterodactyloids. (Despite its primitive appearance, its important to keep in mind that Anurognathus was far from the earliest pterosaur; for example, the slightly bigger Eudimorphodon preceded it by 60 million years!) Because a free-flying, bite-sized Anurognathus would have made a quick snack for the much bigger pterosaurs of its late Jurassic ecosystem, some paleontologists wonder if this diminutive creature nested on the backs of large sauropods like the contemporary Cetiosaurus and Brachiosaurus, similar to the relationship between the modern Oxpecker bird and the African hippopotamus This arrangement would have afforded Anurognathus some much-needed protection from predators, and the bugs that constantly hovered around skyscraper-sized dinosaurs would have provided it with a steady source of food. Unfortunately, we dont have a scrap of evidence that this symbiotic relationship existed, despite that episode of Walking with Dinosaurs in which a tiny Anurognathus pecks insects off the back of a docile Diplodocus.

Recycling Old Paper to Make Beautiful Handmade Paper

Recycling Old Paper to Make Beautiful Handmade Paper You can make paper from recycled scraps of just about any paper  you can find. By adding decorative items, such as petals, you can create beautiful personalized stationary. This is a fun craft that teaches about recycling while making a useful handmade product. Types of Paper You Can Recycle You can use pretty much any type of paper product for this project, but steer clear of waxed cardboard.   Construction paperPrinter paperMagazinesToilet paperPaper towelsPaper bagsNewspapers (will produce a grayish paper)CardstockNon-waxed cardboardNapkins Decorations There are many materials you can add to the paper for a decorative effect. You may wish to add flower or vegetable seeds to the paper, which can be planted. Flower petalsSeedsFine leaves or grassFoilString or yarnDryer lintFood coloring (for dyeing your paper)Liquid starch (to make your paper less-absorbent so that you can write on it with ink) Build a Frame While you can pulp your paper and make a rough product just by pouring it out and allowing it to dry, you can also form your paper into a rectangular sheet if you use a frame. You can make a frame by duct-taping an old piece of window screen onto a small rectangular picture frame. You could also staple the screening onto the frame to make the mold. Another option is to bend a wire coat hanger into a shape and slip old pantyhose around it to act as a screen. Make Your Own Paper You are going to pulp the old paper together with water, spread it out, and allow it to dry. Its that simple! Tear the paper (feel free to mix different types) into small bits and put it into a blender.Fill the blender about 2/3 full with warm water.Pulse the blender until the pulp is smooth. If you are going to write on the paper, blend in 2 teaspoons of liquid starch.Set your mold in a shallow basin or pan. You can  use a cookie sheet or a sink. Pour the blended mixture into the mold. Sprinkle in your mix-ins (thread, flower petals, etc.). Shake the mold from side to side, keeping it in the liquid, to level out your paper pulp mixture.You have few different options to absorb the excess water. You could remove the mold from the liquid, let the paper dry in the mold, without absorbing the liquid. You can also flip the paper  paper out onto your countertop and use a sponge to wick away excess water or you could press a cookie sheet onto the paper to squeeze out the excess liquid.

The Volcker Rule and its Consequences for the Financial and Banking Essay

The Volcker Rule and its Consequences for the Financial and Banking System - Essay Example Federal Reserve has publicly announced that the banking system of US does not need to accept and operate according to the rule before the month of July of 2014 but the banks will have to conduct the process of â€Å"good faith planning efforts† to get ready to accept the rule in the future and during the temporary phase. As banks and the financial system is still not aware of the bans that will be levied, there will be a cloud of uncertainty that these systems will experience for two years (Ciro 2012). These systems are experiencing ambiguity in understanding what does the Federal Reserve means by good faith planning efforts. The ambiguities are making condition worse thus decision makers should make the scenario clear and present the effects of the rule on US and other nations. The cloudy situation was made clear when a draft of the regulation was prepared and this draft consisted of details regarding the services offered by financial system and the way these services are use d by the common public. The situation is still quite unclear for financial institutions as even the draft wasn’t clear enough to identify the effects that the rule will have on financial sector. The European Union and other countries have even showed concerns as they expect that the rule will decrease the liquidity in world financial markets, thus it is quite clear that the rule will impact the financial systems negatively. Body The delay in implementing and clearing the effect of the rule may not help the banks and make situation worse as banks do not have the correct idea of when the rule will be implemented and banks will have to accept the rule legally regardless of whether they understand its effect or not. Legally it is stated that those banks that have operated in good faith effort during the temporary implementation phase will experience less problems in complying with the actual rule. The policy makers should make the scenario clearer instead of making the financial system of US and overseas operate according to their own guess work. The delay is making the financial system take decisions under ambiguous situation which is already hurting the system. Volcker Permitted Bank Activities According to the rule there are certain permitted activities that can be performed by the banks, these activities comprise of banks acting as market maker, underwriter, hedger, deals of government securities and other activities that are stated under the act as permitted activities. These activities have been permitted to ensure that banks continue to provide liquidity to the markets and help companies in raising capital. But these activities have been restricted to ensure that banks do not cross the line and the funds with the bank do not become unsafe. If the permitted activities cannot be conducted in a safe environment and without risky conditions, then the federal system has the right to barge banks from conducting such activities or increase charges and fines on these activities so these activities become unfavourable to the banks. The activities that have been stated as acceptable in the rule are done on the basis that the bank conducts these activities for the customer and only to meet the short term demands of the customers. Rule Effect The Volcker Rule has received its name from the Paul Volcker who was the Federal Reserve Chairman during the period of the financial crises of 2008. The

Electronic Portfolio Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Electronic Portfolio - Assignment Example Generally, my education was more closely aligned to the Jeffersonian model of education as compared to others. I joined Virginia University at the age 15 years, obtaining a post-graduate four years later. Naturally, I am an analysts and bibliophile, all to which I give credit to my teachers and parents. I am strong opponent of division within the society and as such, an advocate of an equitable society. Nonetheless, I disdain ethno-racial abhorrence. My thoughts are largely influenced by Marx’s ideas. Additionally, my perceptions are inspired by a distinguished educationist, Horace Mann. I have risen across various professional levels to reach my current position. I started out as an army recruiter in 1997 after completing my degree in General Studies from Central Texas College, Grantham University. Consequently, I have risen across ranks to reach the current position, JROTC Instructor. In general, I am an accomplished professional possessing experience directing logistics, an d transportation of freight for the US Army and Federal Express. Where I stand today: I believe life has given me immense opportunities to reach where I am today. I have nothing to regret about my past. Today, I am lucky to be amongst the few Indians to attend IB schools. This is a great opportunity for me. Educational/learning philosophy I believe education offers every individual a unique opportunity to explore and make use of their potential. Each person is uniquely endowed with some intrinsic potential which if well nurtured within an educational setting, can offer immense benefits to the society. An educational setting must therefore offer a secure and stimulating environment which allows emotional, physical, social and intellectual growth to the individuals. It is my belief that a good educational environment should have a guide (teacher), a curious learner (student), and more importantly, respect from both parties. Other than the aforementioned, it is my sincere belief that e ducation is only useful if learners have the opportunity to build knowledge through a self-discovery opportunity and access to practical skills in realistic environments. Offering learners a hands-on approach and sufficient time and space to make use of their potential and knowledge gained. In essence, I hold a strong opinion that self-discovery is just as important as is the opportunity to study and implement new ideas. Such should revolve around meaningful and relevant educational experiences. In general, school act as a pillar, social institution in human life, which provides individuals with a comprehensive learning program, and trains them on the ways necessary to lead a cultured and disciplined life. Given that the educators takes learners through disciplines in formal ways and fulfills their educational necessities, it assists them get qualified and ready to participate in economy building. Professional training accumulated during my career I must say my work experience has b een unique and one of its kind. Through this uniqueness, I have been able to accumulate immense professional training. I started out as an army recruiter and I must say dealing with different people from different backgrounds taught me a lot. Not only did I learn the importance of being able to accommodate and tolerate different cultures but also ways through which you can delve into these cultures and find that potential your organization really needs. Coming from the army recruiter position, I

Wales Hunt For An Elite Overseer Essay Example for Free

Wales Hunt For An Elite Overseer Essay Wales place are rather popular nowadays because the number of players who are willing to achieve potential competition there is swiftly increasing. The application process for an elite hunt ends in May and the World Cup will take place in September. Instead of applying, Gareth Jenkins, however, decided to continue his career as a national coach. Kevin Bowring, ex-coach of elite hunt, is the head of coach development in Wales and he is satisfied with his new post. Therefore, WRU suggests that Wales team members should come from rugby and other kinds of sport, commercial and business environment. Roger Lewis, group executive of WRU, admits that the goal of coach department is to develop talent of the team, as well as to identify proper players and to nurture them. Elite performance and the national squad are also believed to succeed. The idea is to choose the best players in Wales in order to make them able to deliver the game that will be remembered in sport environment. RFU claims that their aim is to show that elite coaches are able to create highly talented performance of the game. The EPD supports positions taken by RFU noting that EPD will be present on the WRU’s executive board in order to reassure that everything is done to achieve the desired success. Special attention will be paid to whether facilities and resources are available. EPD is expected to on board, though the crucial point is to find the right person, as Roger Lewis mentions. Tete-a-tete conversation will take place between WRU and high-profile individuals in order to realize better the demands and requirements. Background works have been already done and the positive moment is that WRU managed to create detailed job descriptions.

Technology Through the Decades :: essays papers

Technology Through the Decades Technology has come a long way since the first institutionalized classroom. The bounds in advancement have been their greatest in the past 100 years alone. But the classroom we know today in American culture has made many adjustments and achievement over many centuries of work, but this paper will only address the past 2 centuries. The modern classroom, with computers, internet, graphing calculators, and video apparatus’, would not exist if not for the many people who worked to invent the machines we have. The 1800’s produced many advancements to the classroom that, though very rudimentary to today’s standards, became the foundation for learning on a large scale. Some of which are still in use today. In 1841 the chalkboard was introduced into the classroom. This was very beneficial to learning integrating audio and visual techniques to learning. Teachers could now draw for students concepts such as atoms and molecules, that were complicated to express. Students found this invention beneficial because now the student knew what teachers were saying, what key points they needed to know were, and nothing was lost in the communication. The inclusion of the radio in the 1920’s (Studio Miramar), was also a beneficial invention. When the radio was invited to be a part of classroom learning, teachers were able to more effectively keep the students on top of current event, involve others’ opinions or knowledge of different topics, and be able to include culture into history classes. This last reason would become the base for broadening of curriculum multiculturally. Another major change to the curriculum came in the 1940’s when movies became a part of the classroom scene (Studio Miramar). This had an impact both politically and with general education. Politically, propaganda or reprogramming with videos would be a purpose that movies would play. With such films as those that expressed how the â€Å"proper American† should act could be view, such as during World War II with â€Å"Duck and Cover† or â€Å"Evil Communists† or even â€Å"Uncle Sam Wants You† videos became a meaningful nationalism method of reaching children. But movies also play the part of an educational tool. Films about chemicals, of both the dangers and benefits of them, or safety films like â€Å"Stop, Drop, and Roll† became prevalent. Like the radio, television, introduced in the 1950’s to the educational scenes (Studio Miramar), has become an even easier method of keeping students on top of current event.

Lawrence’s Use of Time in Sons and Lovers

Examine the author’s handling of time. The use of time by the author is an important component of prose, as it provides the framework for the entire novel by manipulating the themes and characters by the use of techniques such a setting and narration. Sons and Lovers is set in the early 1900’s during the second industrial revolution in a small mining town in England. By choosing this time period and place, Lawrence isolates the themes to be addressed, as well as provides context for the relationships, occurrences and behaviour in the novel.The activity of coal mining is an important one in the book as it provides income for the Morels as well as many major problems. This reflects the views of Lawrence who grew up in a similar situation and explains his interest in the theme of industrialisation and its impact on individuals. Lawrence, as a writer of the Romantic Movement great opposed industrialisation as he believed it severed the bond with nature and ruined relationsh ips between persons.These views are evident in his writing as we can see the impact of Morel’s job as a coal miner on his family; this represents the situation in many households during the period. This also explains the emphasised relationships that many main characters have with nature such as Paul, Miriam and Mrs. Morel. This relationship represents their spirituality and their escape from industrialisation, especially so by Mrs. Morel’s refusal to let her children work in the mines as she believes it will dehumanise them, as it did her husband.The use of nature imagery, pathetic fallacy and the accentuated description of nature throughout the novel highlight Lawrence’s own sentiment toward nature. This theme is one characteristic of the era and is only able be addressed because of Lawrence’s choice in setting. The narration and structure are other techniques use to influence time. Sons and Lovers a semi-autobiographical, psychological novel that addre sses the relationship between a mother and her son and the psychological consequences of this relationship.Lawrence purposefully arranges his novel in chronological order so as to trace the development of the characters throughout the years. This technique allows a change in protagonist, from Mrs. Morel to her son Paul. This change is necessary to highlight the mother-son relationship and its growth and development throughout the years as well as their relationships with other characters. When we are first introduced to Mrs. Morel, she had been married for eight years. Lawrence uses flashback to briefly explore her relationship with her father as well as illustrate her first meeting and eventual marriage to Morel.Here he establishes the theme of parent-child relationships and their effect on romantic love in the novel and provides necessary information the reader needs to understand Mrs. Morel’s behaviour. The use of a chronological sequence also functions to increase the rea der interest as it keeps them curious to the outcome of events and the resolution of conflicts between the characters. Although the book is chronologically sequenced, the events are not evenly spaced. Lawrence carefully chooses events that are of importance to the development of his characters rather than simply narrate their day to day activities.This allows the reader to observe the changes in relationships in a concise manner, such as the deterioration of the Morels’ relationship and the events that led to it. We are able to see how Morel cutting William’s hair and locking Mrs. Morel out affected their relationship and caused her to depend on her children’s affection rather than her husband’s. The transfer of affection from William to Paul after William’s death is also made evident. Paul’s growth and development into adolescence and the increased possessiveness his mother as a result of his relationship of Miriam is also a key occurrence. This manipulation of time serves to keep the audience interested rather than overwhelm them with monotonous details as well as highlights only key events in the life of the Morels so as to ensure readers are made aware of the themes that Lawrence wishes to highlight, especially those dealing love and relationships. Lawrence’s deliberate manipulation of time serves to effectively depict the themes he wished to address, such as industrialisation, family and romantic relationship through the use of setting, sequencing and structure in a timeless way that still continues to engage audiences.

Critical Discourse Analysis, Organizational Discourse, and Organizational Change Essay

Discourses is an element of all concrete social events (actions, processes) as well as of more durable social practices, though neither are simply discourse: they are articulations of discourse with non-discoursal elements. ‘Discourse’ subsumes language as well as other forms of semiosis such as visual images and ‘body language’, and the discoursal element of a social event often combines different semiotic forms (eg a television programme). But the use of the ‘term ‘discourse’ rather than ‘language’ is not purely or even primarily motivated by the diversity of forms of semiosis, it is primarily registers a relational way of seeing semiosis[i], as one element of social events and practices dialectically interconnected with other elements. The overriding objective of discourse analysis, on this view, is not simply analysis of discourse per se, but analysis of the dialectical relations between discourse and non-discoursal elements of the social, in order to reach a better understanding of these complex relations (including how changes in discourse can cause changes in other elements). But if we are to analyse relations between discourse and non-discoursal elements, we must obviously see them as ontologically (and not just epistemologically, analytically) different elements of the social. They are different, but they are not discrete – that is, they are dialectically related, in the sense that elements ‘internalize’ other elements, without being reducible to them (Harvey 1996, Chouliaraki & Fairclough 1999, Fairclough 2003, Fairclough, Jessop & Sayer 2004). A realist view of social life sees it as including social structures as well as social events – in critical realist terms, the ‘real’ (which defines and delimits what is possible) as well as the ‘actual’ (what actually happens). There is a general recognition that the relationship between structures and events must be a mediated relation, and I follow for instance Bhaskar (1986) and Bourdieu (Bourdieu & Wacquant 1992) in regarding social practices as the mediating entities – more or less durable and stable articulations of diverse social elements including discourse which constitute social selections and orderings of the allowances of social structures as actualisable allowances in particular areas of social life in a certain time and place. Social fields, institutions and organizations can be regarded as networks of social practices. Networks of social practices include specifically discoursal selections and orderings (from languages and other semiotic systems, which are counted amongst social structures) which I call ‘orders of discourse’, appropriating but redefining Foucault’s term (Foucault 1984, Fairclough 1992). Orders of discourse are social structurings of linguistic/semiotic variation or difference. Realist discourse analysis on this view is based in a dialectical-relational social ontology which gives ontological priority to processes and relations over objects, entities, persons, organizations etc, yet sees the latter as socially produced ‘permanences’ (Harvey 1996) which constitute a pre-structured reality with which we are confronted, and sets of affordances and limitations on processes. Epistemological priority is given to neither pre-constructed social structures, practices, institutions, identities or organizations, nor to processes, actions, and events: the concern is with the relationship and tension between them. People with their capacities for agency are seen as socially produced, contingent and subject to change, yet real, and possessing real causal powers which, in their tension with the causal powers of social structures, are a focus for analysis. Social research proceeds through abstraction from the concrete events of social life aimed at understanding the pre-structured nature of social life, and returns to analysis of concrete events, actions and processes in the light of this abstract knowledge. Discourse and non-discoursal elements of social events and social practices are related in many ways. I distinguish three main ways: representing, acting (and interacting), and being. At the level of social practices, orders of discourse can be seen as articulations of specific ways of representing, acting, and being – ie specific discourses, genres and styles. A discourse is a particular way of representing certain parts or aspects of the (physical, social, psychological) world; a genre is a particular way of (inter)acting (which comprises the discoursal element of a way of inter)acting which will also necessarily comprise non-discoursal elements); a style is a way of being (the discoursal element of a way of being, an ‘identity’, which will also include non-discoursal elements). I shall use the term ‘text’[ii], in a generalized sense (not just written text but also spoken interaction, multi-semiotic televisual text etc) for the discoursal element of social events. Texts are doubly contextualized, first in their relation to other elements of social events, second in their relation to social practices, which is ‘internal’ to texts in the sense that they necessarily draw upon orders of discourse, ie social practices in their discoursal aspect, and the discourses, genres and styles associated with them. However, events (and therefore texts) are points of articulation and tension between two causal forces: social practices and, through their mediation, social structures; and the agency of the social actors who speak, write, compose, read, listen to, interpret them. The social ‘resource’ of discourses, genres and styles is subject to the transformative potential of social agency, so that texts do not simply instantiate discourses, genres and styles, they actively rework them, articulate them together in distinctive and potentially novel ways, hybridize them, transform them. My focus in this paper is on organizational change, and this version of CDA has indeed been developed in association with research on discourse in social change. Social change comprises change in social structures, social practices, the networking of social practices, and (the character of) social events; and change in languages and other semiotic systems, in orders of discourse and relations between orders of discourse, and in texts. With respect to orders of discourse, social change includes change in the social structuring of linguistic/semiotic variation, therefore change in discourses, genres and styles, and change in their articulation in orders of discourse, and change in relations between orders of discourse (eg political and media orders of discourse). With respect to texts, social change includes tendential change in how discourses, genres and styles are drawn upon and articulated/hybridized together in various types of text. The process of social change raises questions about causal relations between different elements. Causal relations are not simple or one-way. For instance, it would seem to make more sense to see new communication technologies (ICTs) as causing the emergence of new genres than vice-versa – changes in discourse caused by changes in non-discoursal elements. In other cases, change appears to be discourse-led. A pervasive contemporary process (for instance in processes of ‘transition’ in central and eastern Europe) is change initiated through the recontextualization[iii] in an organization, a social field, or a country of ‘external’ discourses, which may then be enacted in new ways of (inter)acting including new genres, inculcated as new ways of being including styles, and materialized in for example new ways of organizing space. These enactments, inculcations and materializations are dialectical processes. There is an important proviso however: these processes are contingent, they depend upon certain conditions of possibility. For instance, when a discourse is recontextualized, it enters a new field of social relations, and its trajectory within those social relations is decisive in determining whether or not it has (re)constructive effects on the organization, social field etc overall. In contexts of social change, different groups of social actors may develop different and conflicting strategies for change, which have a partially discursive character (narratives of the past, representations of the present, imaginaries for the future), and inclusion within a successful strategy is a condition for a discourse being dialectically enacted, inculcated and materialized in other social elements (Jessop 2002, Fairclough, Jessop & Sayer 2004). Discourses construe aspects of the world in inherently selective and reductive ways, ‘translating’ and ‘condensing’ complex realities (Harvey 1996), and one always needs to ask, why this particular selection and reduction, why here, why now? (For a discussion of ‘globalisation’ discourse in these terms, see Fairclough & Thomas forthcoming. Locating discourses in relation to strategies in contexts of social change enables us to connect particular representations of the world with particular interests and relations of power, as well assess their ideological import. Discourses do not emerge or become recontextualized in particular organizations or fields at random, and they do not stand in an arbitrary relation to social structures and practices, forms of institutionalization and organization. If we can construct explanations of change in non-discoursal elements of social reality which attribute causal effects to discourses, we can also construct explanations of change in discourses which attribute causal effects to (non-discoursal elements of) structures and practices, as well as social and strategic relations. The social construction of the social world may sometimes be a matter of changes in non-discoursal elements caused by discourses (through the concrete forms of texts), but discourses (and texts) are also causal effects, the dialectics of social change is not a one-way street. We can distinguish four elements, or moments, in the social trajectories of discourses: their emergence and constitution (through a re-articulation of existing elements); their entry into hegemonic struggles from which they may emerge as hegemonic discourses; their dissemination and recontextualization across structural and scalar boundaries (ie between one field or institution or organization and others, and between one scale (‘global’, macro-regional (eg the EU), national, local) and others; and their operationalization (enactment, inculcation, materialization). These are distinct moments with respect to the causal effects of discourses on non-discoursal (as well as discoursal, ie generic and stylistic) elements of social life, and they are all subject to non-discoursal as well as discoursal conditions. CDA claims that social research can be enriched by extending analysis of social processes and social change into detailed analysis of texts. More detailed (including linguistic) analysis of texts is connected to broader social analysis by way of (a) analysing texts as part of analysing social events, (b) interdiscursive analysis of shifting articulations of genres, discourses, styles in texts (Fairclough 2003). The latter locates the text as an element of a concrete event in its relationship to orders of discourse as the discoursal aspect of networks of social practices, and so allows the analyst to (a) assess the relationship and tension between the causal effects of agencies in the concrete event and the causal effects of (networks of) social practices, and through them of social structures (b) detect shifts in the relationship between orders of discourse and networks f social practices as these are registered in the interdiscursivity (mixing of genres, discourses, styles) of texts. Text can be seen as product and as process. Texts as products can be stored, retrieved, bought and sold, cited and summarized and so forth. Texts as processes can be grasped through seeing ‘texturing’, making texts, as a specific modality of social action, of social production or ‘making’ (of meanings, understandings, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, feelings, social relations, social a nd personal identities, institutions, organizations). The focus is on ‘logogenesis’ (Iedema 2003:115-17), including the texturing of entities (objects, persons, spaces, organizations) which can, given certain preconditions, be dialectically internalized (enacted, inculcated and materialized) in non-discoursal elements of social life. See for instance the discussion of the significance of nominalization as a logogenetic process in texts in processes of organizing, producing organization objects, in Iedema (2003). Organizational Discourse  I shall construct my very selective comments on organizational discourse analysis around the following four themes: organization and organizing; variation, selection and retention; understandings of ‘discourse’; and intertextuality. Organization and organizing Mumby & Stohl (1991) argue that researchers in organizational communication most centrally differ from those in other areas of organization studies in that the former problematize ‘organization’ whereas the latter do not. ‘For us, organization – or organizing, to use Weick’s (1979) term – is a precarious, ambiguous, uncertain process that is continually being made and remade. In Weick’s sense, organizations are only seen as stable, rational structures when viewed retrospectively. Communication, then, is the substance of organizing in the sense that through discursive practices organization members engage in the construction of a complex and diverse system of meanings’. Another formulation of this shift in emphasis from organizations as structures to ‘organizing’ (or ‘organizational becoming’, Tsoukas & Chia 2002) as a process is that of Mumby & Clair (1997: 181): ‘we suggest that organizations exist only in so far as their members create them through discourse. This is not to claim that organizations are â€Å"nothing but† discourse, but rather that discourse is the principal means by which organization members create a coherent social reality that frames their sense of who they are’. Despite the disclaimer at the beginning of the second sentence, this formulation can as argued by Reed (forthcoming) be seen as collapsing ontology into epistemology, and undermining the ontological reality of organizational structures as constraints on organizational action and communication. From the perspective of the realist view of discourse I have outlined, it makes little sense to see organizing and organization, or more generally agency and structure, as alternatives one has to choose between. With respect to organizational change, both organizational structures and the agency of members of organizations in organizational action and communication have causal effects on how organizations change. Organizational communication does indeed organize, produce organizational effects and transform organizations, but organizing is subject to conditions of possibility which include organizational structures. The paper by Iedema, Degeling, Braithwaite and White (2004) in the special issue of Organizational Studies is an analysis of how a ‘doctor-manager’ in a teaching hospital in Australia manages ‘the incommensurable dimensions’ of his ‘boundary position between profession and organization’ by positioning himself across different discourses, sometimes in a single utterance. The authors identify a heteroglossia ‘that is too context-regarding to be reducible to personal idiosyncracy, and too complex and dynamic to be the calculated outcome of conscious manipulation’. They see the doctor-manager’s talk as a ‘feat’ of ‘bricolage’, not as a display of ‘behaviours that are pre-programmed’. Nor is it an instantiation of a ‘strategy’, for ‘strategies are they assume ‘conscious’. Although the authors recognize that organizations can ‘set limits’ on what workers can say and do, impose ‘closure’, they see the doctor-manager as successfully ‘deferring closure on his own identity and on the discourses that realize it’. One can take this as an interesting and nuanced study of organization as the ‘organizing’ that is achieved in interaction (nuanced in the sense that it does not exclude organizational structures, though it does suggest that they are more ‘fluid’ and less ‘categorical’ than they have been taken to be, and it does recognize their capacity to impose ‘closure’). I would like to make a number of connected observations on this paper. First, one might see the doctor-manager’s ‘feat’ in this case as a particular form of a more general organizational process, the management of contradictions. Second, discourse figures differently in different types of organization (Borzeix 2003, referring to Girin 2001). The type of organization in this case seems to be in Girin’s terms a ‘cognitive’ (or ‘learning’, or ‘intelligent’) organization, in which the normative force of (written) texts (rules, procedures) is limited, and there is an emphasis on learning in spoken interaction. There seems to be, in other terms, a relatively ‘network’ type of structure rather than a simple hierarchy, where management involves a strong element participatory and consultative interaction with stakeholders. Third, connecting the first two points, spoken interaction in this type of organization accomplishes an ongoing management of contradictions which contrasts with the management of contradictions through suppressing them by imposing rules and procedures. Fourth, the doctor-manager’s ‘feat’ can be seen as a performance of a strategy as long as we abandon the (somewhat implausible) claim that all aspects and levels of strategic action are conscious – the doctor-manager would one imagines be conscious of the need to sustain a balancing act between professional and managerial perspectives and priorities, and of certain specific means to do so, but that does not entail him being conscious of all the complex interactive means he uses to do it. Fifth, while particular performances of this strategy (or, indeed, any strategy) are not ‘pre-programmed’, the strategy is institutionalized, disseminated, learnt, and constitutes a facet of the type of organization as a network of social practices, ie a facet of organizational structure. Sixth, it strikes me that bringing off a sense of creative bricolage is perhaps itself a part of the managerial style of this type of organization, ie part of the strategy, the network of social practices, the order of discourse. My conclusion is that even in a case of this sort, rather more emphasis is needed on the relationship between organizing and organization, performance and practice, ‘feat’ and strategy[iv]. Organizational discourse studies have been associated with postmodernist positions (Chia 1995, Grant, Harvey, Oswick & Putnam forthcoming, Grant, Keenoy, Oswick 2001), though the field as a whole is too diverse to be seen as simply postmodernist. Chia identifies a postmodern ‘style of thinking’ in organizational studies which ‘accentuates the significance, ontological priority and analysis of the micro-logics of social organizing practices over and above their stabilized ‘effects’ such as ‘individuals’. As this indicates, the focus on organizing rather than organisation is strongly associated with this ‘style of thinking’. Like the dialectical-relational ontology I advocated earlier, this ‘style of thinking’ sees objects and entities as produced within ontologically prior processes. The key difference is that this ‘style of thinking’ tends towards a one-sided emphasis on process, whereas the realist view of discourse analysis I have been advocating centres upon the tension between (discoursal) process and pre-structured (discoursal and linguistic, as well as non-discoursal) objects. This form of realism is not subject to the tendency within modernist social research which is criticized by Woolgar (1988) to take the objects it arrives at through abstraction (which would include in the case of CDA orders of discourse, as well as language and other semiotic systems) to be exhaustive of the social reality it researches. The key difference in this case is whereas this form of modernist research moves from the concrete to the abstract and then ‘forgets’ the concrete, the dialectic-relational form of realism I have advocated crucially makes the move back to analysis of the concrete. CDA is not merely concerned with languages and orders of discourse, it is equally concerned with text and texturing, and with the relations of tension between the two.

Globe Limited Model of Organizational Behavior

Globe Limited Model of Organizational Behavior Introduction Organizational behavior is the field of study that focuses on application of knowledge to solve organizational problems. It pertains to how individuals and groups behave in the organization. The concept of organizational behavior utilizes the system approach to address various problems afflicting the organization. It interprets the relationships between workers and the organization in order to determine the position of the firm in the market.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Globe Limited Model of Organizational Behavior specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aim of organizational behavior is to create a superior relationship by realizing individual objectives, organizational aims and social objectives. The field encompasses a wide range of topics including human behavior, transformation, leadership and teamwork. Organizational behavior holds that employees should be guided by organization’s philosop hies, values and goals. Organizational principles should drive organizational culture, which consist of formal and informal associations, as well as social environment. Organizational culture determines leadership style, nature of organizational communication and group dynamics. Furthermore, employees view organizational culture as the value of life, which influences their motivation in the organization. The results of good management is high performance, employee satisfaction and individual growth and improvement in the organization. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of organizational behavior in increasing sales at the globe limited. The organization should adopt some models and theories in order to encourage its salespersons to achieve maximum benefits for the organization. The paper looks at some theories that are related to organizational behavior as well as techniques of motivating salespersons. The paper concludes that Globe limited must adopt supportive and collegial mod els of organizational behavior in order to realize its objectives. The organization must keep off from autocratic model, which suggests that employees must be forced to deliver positive results. Even though there is a problem at the company, the management must consider other techniques of motivating workers and adopt autocratic model as the last resort. Importance of Motivation Motivation is critical to management in the organization because it puts human resources into action. Each objective demands that physical, monetary and human resources are organized in order to realize it. Scholars have established that it is only through motivation that human resources can be used maximally. Motivation instills the spirit of willingness and cooperation in employees. Employees might be able but unwilling to use their proficiencies to achieve organizational goals and aims. Motivation would allow Globe limited to make use of both human and capital resources.Advertising Looking for ess ay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, motivation would improve the efficiency of salespersons, which would lead to high performance. Effectiveness of employees does not only rely on their academic qualifications and capabilities (Murphy 43). Motivation helps in filling the gap between capability and willingness. Through motivation, salespersons would improve their productivity, the firm would reduce the costs of operations and finally overall efficiency could be realized at the Globe limited. Nonetheless, motivation leads to realization of organizational goals and objectives because organizational goals are only achieved when there is efficient use of human resources and teamwork. This means that salespersons at the Globe limited should be goal-directed in order to behave in a purposive manner. Therefore, goals can be attained if harmonization and teamwork occurs concurrently, which ca n only happen through motivation. Recent researches show that motivation builds friendly relationships among employees. It naturally follows that motivation is a significant aspect of employee satisfaction. Top managers at the Globe limited should always remember this aspect and try to frame an appealing incentive plan that would benefit sales persons. In this regard, scholars have established some plans that can be used to motivate employees, which include financial and non-monetary inducements, promotion opportunities and sanctions for non-performing salespersons. Policy makers at the Globe limited must adopt these plans in order to motivate salespersons to perform better. Adoption of the above plans would guarantee effective collaboration, which might bring about constancy in the organization hence boosting sales. Unnecessary conflicts and inconsistencies among employees would be eliminated through adoption of the plans. Globe limited could be facing difficulties because some emp loyees are against change. The above plans could allow some employees to accept change and aspire to fulfill the wishes of the employer. Finally, motivation, especially monetary inducement, would allow salespersons to align their interests to those of the organization. The outcome of both financial and no-monetary motivation would be profit maximization because of increased productivity. Motivation encourages stability in the organization because it promotes a good reputation and benevolence. In fact, research confirms that employees’ loyalty is tied to the actions of the management. If employees are involved in decision-making processes, they tend to take active roles in the organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Globe Limited Model of Organizational Behavior specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Salespersons are tempted to develop extra-skills that they can use to convince customers to accept Globeâ€℠¢s products. Customers are encouraged to buy Globe’s products because of the assurances from salespersons not the company. In this respect, changing employees’ perception is critical to the performance of any organization. Motivated employees are easy to convince and manipulate. From the above analysis, it is noted that motivation is a complex concept that can only be understood by the management. Motivation is related to internal feelings, which makes it hard for any individual to understand its nature. Only managers can comprehend it because they are usually in close contact with employees. Therefore, managers are supposed to frame sound motivation plans that can boost sales at the Globe limited. It is also true that motivation is a continuous process mainly because it is based on limited needs. Increasing Sales Some actions, programs, conditions and incentives can be employed by the management to improve sales at the Globe limited. One of the actions is making use o f what is under control in the organization. The salespersons have the ability to influence buyers to purchase company products. This calls for careful handling of customers, by taking care of their demands. Some customers have no time to meet or talk to the sales team but the salespersons must strategize in order to be awarded some time by customers. In case a customer decides to talk to one of the salespersons, maximum time must be awarded to such a customer. This would give the salesperson a chance to convince the customer to accept company products. It is believed that the more the salesperson spends time with the customer, the more he/she makes sales. Whenever a salesperson handles a customer, he/she must present him/her self in the best way possible. Customers are influenced by the seller’s attitude and impression. In this case, customers must be handled with all the care that they deserve. Their concerns must be addressed fully and salespersons should always have posit ive impressions towards customers. Salespersons must be taken through orientations in order to be able to differentiate between potential and stubborn customers. Some customers may perhaps inquire about products but they do not intend to buy them. Another action would be encouraging salespersons to familiarize themselves with the company’s products, as well as competitor’s goods and services. This would help salespersons to be prepared than their competitors in the market. Through this strategy, sales persons would be ready to answer any question from customers touching on Globe’s limited products. However, this cannot be achieved unless salespersons are made to trust and believe in company products.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Motivation Theories A number of theories have been formulated to explain the conduct of employees in relation to motivation in an organization. Surprisingly, not all theories have the same postulations hence it is the role of managers to apply the best. These theories apply well under different circumstances. It should be remembered that there is no a powerful theory than others. Fredrick Winslow Tailor formulated the first theory at around 1856 to 1917. The scholar observed that workers are motivated by financial incentives. The theory was coined within the context of scientific management. The theory notes that workers are not interested in working because of various reasons. In this regard, they should be monitored closely to ensure that they comply with the company’s rules and regulations. For efficient supervision, managers should group workers into small units. Each unit is assigned a specific task and a deadline for each task is put in place. Tailor suggested that work ers should be paid according to their productivity. The less productive workers are subjected to sanctions such as demotion and salary cuts while hardworking employees are given salary increment and promotion. Each employee would be encouraged to work hard in order to keep away from negative sanctions and try to win the confidence of managers (Cofer and Appley 90). Tailor’s theory is closely related to autocratic theory of administration. At the Globe limited, Dave should apply this theory as the last resort. The model is however successful because Ford utilized it in Europe and realized high results. Globe limited can also use it successfully, especially after other techniques have failed. Dave should in fact embrace Mayo’s theory, which argues that employees are not simply interested in money. Other social needs can easily distract workers from their tasks. Dave must identify that workers are human beings whose performance rely on satisfaction. Economic contentment i s not the only type of happiness that workers pursue. Other things must be considered carefully. Mayo suggests that improving communication would be helpful in boosting sales. There must be clear lines of authority and workers must have a way of airing their views and concerns. Furthermore, Davies must participate actively in sales because it boosts the morale of employees. Mayo supports Tailor’s sentiments that workers should be encouraged to work in groups that is, forming a team with clear objectives. Maslow was not far from Mayo’s ideas when he formulated his theory that is closely related to human relations theory. In fact, his theory is referred to as Neo-human relations school. The theory focuses on psychological needs of workers. According to Maslow, employees aspire to fulfill five human needs. The needs are hierarchically arranged meaning that one is fulfilled after the other. Workers are motivated to fulfill the higher need in the hierarchy after the lower n eed in the hierarchy is fully met. Maslow posits that psychological needs such as hunger and thirst are met first. An employee dying of hunger would work hard to acquire basic salary that would help him/her obtain basic needs such as food. It is therefore the role of managers to identify the needs of each worker and move on to fulfill them. In this respect, not all employees are motivated at the same time. Therefore, managers need to learn the character of each employee in order to design an appropriate incentive. Learning Theory Apart from motivation theories, scholars have also formulated social learning theory to explain the behavior of workers in organizations. The theory postulates that human behavior can be explained in terms of continuous reciprocal interactions among cognitive, behavioral and ecological determinants. The theorists holding this view observe that an individual is not dependent. Therefore, the environment influences his/her behavior. In every organization, an i ndividual has to follow some laid down regulations. This is achieved through learning, which takes time. Unless employees are given time to adjust accordingly, they cannot deliver in their work. The management must therefore realize this and try to help workers to adjust. Dave must learn the experience of each salesperson and award tasks basing on qualifications. Some employees could have attained their experiences in different settings, which are incompatible to the existing environment (Ishmael 76). Dave must investigate this and act immediately in case sales are to increase. Human beings have five capabilities that are used in strengthening skills and knowledge. The first one is symbolizing, which is concerned about processing visual experiences. This helps an employee to sharpen his/her wits in future. Another important technique is forethought that enables workers to plan their actions in advance. Other capabilities include observation, self-regulation and self-reflection. Cof er, Charles and Appley, Mortimer. Motivation: Theory and Research. New York, NY: John Wiley Sons, 1967. Ishmael, Jones. The Human Factor: Inside the CIAs Dysfunctional Intelligence Culture. New York: Encounter Books, 2008. Murphy, Jim. Inner Excellence. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Uneasy vs. Uneased

Uneasy vs. Uneased Uneasy vs. Uneased Uneasy vs. Uneased By Maeve Maddox I read the following quotation in a newspaper account of a local city council meeting: Im uneased by the fact that we have land in the city [that is not zoned]. Surely, the councilman meant to say that he was uneasy about the fact! At once I began a Web search and discovered that this strange use of uneased is not- so far- in the millions, but its out there in the thousands: I am uneased by heights, but I love zip-lining for some reason. I am personally uneased by even letting my kid walk to the front door by himself. They were uneased by your appearance and took a few days before getting used to seeing you about town. Its not always clear what uneased in the expression uneased by is intended to convey. Sometimes, as in the councilmans quotation, it seems to be used where uneasy would be idiomatic, but sometimes it seems to mean uncomfortable, in pain, or frightened. In the following paragraph on a professional medical site, any of the four could be intended: A mammogram should never be painful. This common conception is the reason many women put off scheduling their annual mammograms. If you ever are uneased, inform your mammography technologist so that they may alleviate your discomfort. Note: This illustrative quotation contains other writing errors, but for now, let’s just consider uneased. The word ease can be either a noun or a verb. For example: Miss Hannigan desired a life of ease. (noun) We admire aid workers who ease the suffering of refugees. (verb) The verb ease (ease, eased, has eased) has acquired numerous meanings since its earliest OED citation: to give ease to (1340) to relieve or lighten a burden (1374) to give ease of mind (1385) to relieve the bowels (1440) to relax (1863) to make to fit (1891) to break in gently (1892) The following examples (all in past tense) illustrate these meanings: Joplin home eased orphans plight Following advice he had received from Pollard, Woolf had eased up on Seabiscuit, allowing his horse to see his rival, then asked for more effort.   The home mortgage market improved last quarter as demand increased and many banks eased their lending standards for the most creditworthy borrowers, Black and White Ointment quickly  eased  the itching, burn and sting. The A E crisis hitting hospitals all over the country could be eased if the paperwork burden was eased on family doctors. Defra has  eased  restrictions on the movement of animals in England. The man eased the injured foot into a shoe. The carpenter planed and eased the dragging door. The new governor eased the misery of the people by lowering taxes. Confessing to the lie eased his conscience. Far removed from the conveniences of indoor plumbing, the people eased themselves in the bushes. A conscience or a pain might go uneased, but in standard usage, people are uneasy about things that bother them. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Masters Degree or Master's Degree?26 Feel-Good Words8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors

Writing class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing class - Essay Example ermine the types of technical writings done by biomedical engineers and the importance of technical writing in the field, I conducted interviews over the phone; I was lucky to interview a Biomedical Engineering Technical Assistant (BETA) with a 2 months experience in the job, a Design Engineer with a working experience of 3 years, and a systems engineer who had an experience spanning over 6 years. This paper presents the various technical writings done by the professionals in the 3 different levels as well as the importance of technical writing in the field. The BETA engages in different types of writing almost on a daily basis within the work environment (2, par 1). These ranges from emails, descriptive writing of various procedures, proposals, and technical handbooks, technical guides, and reports on primary or laboratory research (2, par 2). However, the writing of research reports is more common being done almost on a daily basis. For the Design Engineer, writing of technical guides, technical handbooks, evaluation reports, feasibility reports, and recommendation reports are common. Despite the many kinds of technical reports the Design Engineer is required to produce, feasibility reports are most common at this level. The Design Engineer produces almost a feasibility report on a weekly or two-week time as may be necessitated by circumstances. The Systems Engineer primarily focuses on preparation of reports that detail standard operating procedures regarding the operation of various systems, technical specification reports, descript ive reports, user manuals, troubleshooting guides, and white papers. While writing is rare at this level, the Systems Engineer confesses that user manuals are most common, and prepared almost on a monthly basis to guide lower level employees on the use of different software. The BETA admits that while he is required to write the many reports, it is somewhat challenging considering his limited experience in the job. Though not so