Monetary Policy of the U.S Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Inflation has seen an upward spike in the first half of 2006 as a result of the increase in crude oil prices which has resulted in an upward price spiral on a diverse range of goods and services. Even after this spike, inflation did remain within expected parameters. It seems the American economy is undergoing a transition which is visible in the delayed effect of monetary policy. During the end of the year growth in service, industries remained strong with the weakest growth in the automobile and housing sector yet housing demand continued to be considered strong in a limited number of markets. Wages managed to grow moderately with some regional exceptions. The rise in long-term interest rates contributed to an increase in borrowing costs. Inflation has been higher than expected with the increase reflecting on the prices of a range of non-energy goods and services. In addition, an increase in housing rents has contributed to higher inflation. This rise in inflation is of more conc ern to the Federal Reserve than any recession fears because the achievement of price stability is one of the core objectives of Congress's mandate to the Federal Reserve. We will write a custom essay sample on Monetary Policy of the U.S or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page It is this lag between policy actions and their effects that the Federal Reserve analyzes and basis its policies upon. As Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said in his testimony to Congress (July 19th, 2006)

Causes of the Salem Witch Trials Political, Religious and...

Between the months of June to September of 1692, the infamous witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts resulted in the hanging of 19 men and women; the deaths of five others, including two children, while imprisoned in jail; the pressing to death of an 80-year old man, and the stoning of two dogs for collaborating with the Devil. Hundreds of others faced accusations and dozens more were jailed for months during the progress of the trials. For over three hundred years these events have not only captured the general publics imagination, but that of the academic community. Beginning with Charles Upham, in 1867, historians have attempted to explain the mass hysteria that swept through Salem in 1692. These accounts vary both in their†¦show more content†¦First, the Puritan religion was under direct attack from other religious groups including the Quakers and the Baptists. The Quakers, a religious sect newly founded in England, began coming to Massachusetts in 1656. Laws were enacted to prohibit their coming, but they came in defiance of the laws. Between 1659 and 1661 four people were hanged according to these new laws. Though the Puritans tried to defend themselves by the plea that they were defending the public peace, they were roundly condemned in England. By the mid-1670s, Quakers were protected by the English law and could conduct non-religious business in New England. Moreover, in 1654 the congregation of Cambridge Church was shocked by a statement from Henry Dunster, the highly respected president of Harvard College. While a baptismal service was in progress, he arose to dispute the practice of infant baptism as un-Biblical and proceeded to take each point from the pastors sermon and to answer it with Baptist views. He was silenced, stripped of his Harvard presidency and publicly rebuked. Those perceived as religious dissidents would be accused of witchcraft during the Salem trials. Arguably, the colony had previously been beset by religi ous dissidents, dealing with each episode without incurring a public outcry of a witchcraft conspiracy; however, this time there were other more alarming developments taking place within the colony. A longShow MoreRelatedReasons : The Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials741 Words   |  3 Pagesarrested in Salem, Massachusetts. All but one of these people were believed to be witches (Background Essay). Prior to the hearing in Salem witch trials were carried out in several different towns. â€Å"In 17th century New England witchcraft was a serious crime (Background Essay).† Two girls aged nine and 11, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, identified a slave name Tituba and two other local women as witches. This led to the accused women being carted off to jail starting the Salem Witch Trials. WithoutRead MoreThe Causes of the Salem Witch Trials (DBQ)1337 Words   |  4 Pagesseem preposterous. Any behavior regarded as strange by fellow citizens was sufficient to hold a trial with a sentence of death. Though such scenarios seem unfathomable in our modern culture, it was a reality for hundreds of New England settlers. The causes of the famous outbreak of witch trials in Salem, Ma ssachusetts are rooted in social, economic, and political aspects of the late 17th century Salem community. Early New Englanders were unable to accept the increase in diversity and the break inRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Essay1349 Words   |  6 PagesBefore 1692, the supernatural was a part of people’s everyday normal life. This is so as people strongly believed that Satan was present and active on earth. Men and women in Salem Village believed that all the misfortunes that befell them were the work of the devil. For example, when things like infant death, crop failures or friction among the congregation occurred, people were quick to blame the supernatural. This concept first emerged in Europe around the fifteenth century and then spread toRead More Salem Lifestyle Triggers Death Essay1660 Words   |  7 PagesSalem Lifestyle Triggers Death The Salem Witchcraft Trials were part of an important time in colonial history. Taking place in 1692, the trials were triggered by a group of girls gathering to read palms. What started as a session of innocent palm readings, though, turned into a series of courtroom meetings. The trials resulted in chaos and disruption throughout the town of Salem. Various causes for the trials existed, but among these reasons were the religious state of the community, theRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Of 16921281 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials were a sequence of hearings, prosecutions, and hangings of people who were thought to be involved in witchcraft in Massachusetts. These trials occurred between February 1692 and May 1693(The Salem Witch Trials, 1692. ). The Trials resulted in the execution of twenty people, in fact, most of them were women. The first of the trials began in several towns in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, such as Salem Village (currently known as Danvers), Salem Town, Ipswich, and Andover(SalemRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Queen Elizabeth1598 Words   |  7 Pagespart of that history is the origin of witch-hunt, or in oth er words, the execution of witches. Witchcraft was treated as the craft of wise at the very beginning. However, as the following behind witchcraft grew stronger, the conflict between the Christian religious and witchcraft finally lead to the bloody witch-hunt; but witch-hunt is not as simple as a conflict between two beliefs, in fact, the cause behind witch-hunt is the characteristic inside us. Witch-hunt represents not only the fear of witchcraftRead MoreEssay on Primary Sources for the Salem Witch Trials1731 Words   |  7 Pagescases of witch-hunting/trails and ultimate executions. The last recorded execution in England of an alleged witch is in 1682, though trials and accusations would still be brought alleged witches right up until the 1800’s both in England and on the continent in most cases /crown rule where witch-hunting/trials and executions took place, probably the most famous and certainly one of the most written about witching episodes is that of Witch Trials of Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem Trials took placeRead MoreImpact of Religion on American History to 1877934 Words   |  4 Pagesweather. Politics and people are widely impacted by religion. Religion is the primary cause of most wars in countries across the world. Many historians believe America was formed on the basis of religion. In this research paper, I will illustrate the impact religion had on American History to 1877. Specifically, it will examine: 1) Major events impacting traditional religious beliefs in America, 2) Religious disputes which impacted land development, and 3) The impact religion had on slavery.Read MoreSalem Witch Trials : Legal Proceedings1338 Words   |  6 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials, also know as the Salem Witchcraft Trials were legal proceedings which took place of course in the Salem Village of Massachusetts. These trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in the village, claimed to be possessed by the devil accusing several local women of practicing the craft. Victims were prosecuted and executed for reputedly practicing witchcraft, when little to no evidence of the act itself existed. This historical period resulted in twentyRead MoreWhat Caused The Salem Witch Trials?1331 Words   |  6 PagesWhat Caused the Salem Witch Trials? The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most infamous events in American history, with Salem Massachusetts drawing thousands of visitors and generating millions of dollars every year, regardless of the fact that the trials did not actually take place in modern day Salem. The Salem Witch Trials took place between 1692 and 1693. By the time the court admitted that the trials had been a mistake, more than 200 people had been accused of witchcraft and 20 had been executed

10 U.S. Cities That See White Christmases Every Year

Gore Vidal and Legalization of Marijuana - 1243 Words

Gore Vidal, An American writer acknowledge for writing plays, essays, and novels is also famously known for the essay â€Å"Drugs: Case for legalizing Marijuana.† In this essay, he talks about the effects of legalizing Marijuana. As he begins to talk about the possible ways of stopping addiction, he analyzes modern society while critiquing the flaws of preventative laws against illegal substances. Using himself as an approach to explain that addiction does not occur after one intake; however after various usage. Vidal testifies that he has experimented with almost all illegal substances and can attest that he has not became addicted to any of them (Vidal). Realizing that the solution to preventing drug addiction in America is a simple task, Vidal solution is to make all drugs available, while selling them at a cost. When putting all illegal substances on the market, a label detailing the affects, good or bad, when a person consumes such substances (Vidal). As people are entitl e to their own actions, it is impossible to completely rid the world, much a country, of drug addiction. Vidal explains that everyone in this world is not sane and that there will be addicts and substance abusers. Similar to those who choose to end their life, the issue will remain persistent only just at a reduce minimum (Vidal). Realizing that due to a substances illegalization, people tend to crave more of the substance because it is not allowed. With all substances, including Marijuana, becomes legalizedShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1011 Words   |  5 Pageseveryone has lost there mind right? This very statement would categorize you as a crazy individual. California only recently legalized Marijuana and that has not yet taken into effect and now we’re talking about legalizing every drug? Although all of this sound like crazy talk, legalizing every drug would actually have positive outcomes. In the essay â€Å"Drugs† by Gore Vidal, the author explained that by legalizing every drug it would help the U.S stop most drug addictions. In this aspect I agree with theRead More Drug Legalization Essay957 Words   |  4 PagesDrug Legalization Drug abuse has progressively, over the last thirty years, become a tool for crime organizations and bureaucracies, independent and under the control of the federal government, used to transform drug addiction into a profit through the passage of countless laws against drug abuse. Gore Vidals assertive essay communicated his belief that drug addiction should be legalized in order to ensure the eventual well-being and individual freedom guaranteed to Americans by the constitutionRead Morecritical analysis of Drugs by Vidal Gore1446 Words   |  6 Pages Critical Response of ‘Drugs-Vidal Gore’ The article ‘Drugs’ by Gore Vidal was written in order to pace forward a tough case for legalizing all types of drugs in United States of America. He tends to explain the basic human philosophy and the chronological happenings to bring forward this obstacle. First and foremost he brings into front three main arguments concerning the usage of drugs. He deems and strongly claims that by making the drugs illegal does not help toRead MoreThe Political Leadership For Ending The Drug War872 Words   |  4 Pagesname another political issue, other than the legalization of drugs, which would better accomplish the party’s goals for reducing government spending while benefitting the private sector. The Republican Party has somehow successfully attached itself to the drug war while selling fears of â€Å"big government† and â€Å"the nanny state.† Republicans tout the virtues of free markets, yet they apparently don’t feel those same virtues apply to a free society. As Gore Vidal once stated, they prefer â€Å"laissez faire† economicsRead MoreEssay on American Drug Abuse1236 Words   |  5 Pagesin it for anyone (Vidal 197).† Marijuana prohibition alone costs taxpayers over $7.5 billion annually. It has been proven in the past that prohibition only increases the allure of drugs. Drug prohibition disproportionately impacts minorities. Blacks and Hispanics are over-represented both in numbers of arrests and in the numbers of drug offenders incarcerated. These two races make up 20 percent of the marijuana smokers in the United States, but comprise 58 percent of the marijuana offenders sentenced

The Secret Circle The Initiation Chapter Five Free Essays

The gray cashmere sweater or the blue-and-white Fair Isle cardigan, that was the question. Cassie stood in front of the gilt-framed mirror, holding first one and then the other in front of her. The blue cardigan, she decided; blue was her favorite color, and it brought out the blue of her eyes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret Circle: The Initiation Chapter Five or any similar topic only for you Order Now The plump cherubs on top of the old-fashioned looking glass seemed to agree, smiling at her approvingly. Now that the first day of school had actually come, Cassie found that she was excited. Of course, she was nervous too, but it wasn’t the stark and hopeless dread she’d expected to feel. There was something interesting about beginning school in a new place. It was like starting her life over. Maybe she’d adopt a whole new personality. Back home, her friends would probably describe her as â€Å"nice, but shy† or â€Å"fun, but kind of quiet.† But no one here knew that. Maybe this year she’d be Cassie the Extrovert or even Cassie the Party Girl. Maybe she’d even be good enough for the girl with the shining hair. Cassie’s heart beat more quickly at the thought. It all depended on first impressions. It was vital she get off to a good start. Cassie pulled on the blue sweater and anxiously checked her reflection again in the mirror. She wished there were something more to do with her own hair. It was soft and it waved slightly, with pretty highlights, but she wished she could do something more dramatic with it. Like the girl in this ad – she glanced at the magazine open on the dressing table. She’d bought it specially when she’d driven into town last week so she could see the back-to-school fashions. She’d never gotten the courage to walk up to the yellow Victorian house again, although she’d cruised by it slowly in her grandmother’s Volkswagen Rabbit, hoping vainly to bump into the girl â€Å"accidentally.† Yes, tomorrow she’d pull her hair back like the model in the ad, she decided. Just as she was about to step away, something on the opposite page of the magazine caught her eye. A horoscope column. Her birth sign, Cancer, seemed to be staring out at her. Automatically her eyes followed the words after it. That daggy insecure feeling has got you again. It’s time for positive thinking! If that doesn’t work, remember that nothing lasts forever. Try not to make waves in your personal relationships this month. You’ve got enough to cope with already. Horoscopes are such garbage, Cassie thought, closing the magazine with a slap. Her mother had always said so, and it was true. â€Å"That daggy insecure feeling† – just telling someone they felt insecure was enough to make them feel it! There was nothing supernatural about that. But if she didn’t believe in the supernatural, what was the chalcedony lucky piece doing in the zipper compartment of her backpack? Setting her jaw, she took it out and put it in her jewelry box, then went downstairs to say good-bye. The school was an impressive three-story red brick building. So impressive that after Cassie had parked the Rabbit, she was almost afraid to go any closer. There were several narrow paths that led up the hill, and she finally nerved herself to take one. At the top her throat closed and she simply stared. God, it looked like a college or something. Like a historical landmark. The bold stone facing on the front read NEW SALEM HIGH SCHOOL, and below was a sort of crest with the words Town of New Salem, Incorporated 1693. Was that how old this town was? Three hundred years? Back in Reseda, the oldest buildings around had been there for maybe fifty years. I am not shy, Cassie told herself, forcing herself to walk forward. I am Cassie the Confident. An incredibly loud roar made her head jerk around, and sheer instinct sent her jumping to the side just in time to avoid being run over. Heart pounding, she stood and gawked at what had almost hit her. It was a motorcycle on the bike path. But even more astonishing was its rider – a girl. She was wearing tight black jeans and a motorcycle jacket, and her trim, athletic body looked tough. But when she turned around after parking the motorcycle by a bike rack, Cassie saw that her face was ravishingly pretty. It was small and feminine, framed by tumbling dark curls, and marred only by a sullen, belligerent expression. â€Å"What are you staring at?† the girl demanded suddenly. Cassie started. She supposed she had been staring. The girl took a step forward, and Cassie found herself stepping back. â€Å"I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to – † She tried to tear her eyes away, but it was hard. The girl was wearing a skimpy black midriff top under the jacket, and Cassie glimpsed what looked like a small tattoo just above the material. A tattoo of a crescent moon. â€Å"I’m sorry,† Cassie said again, helplessly. â€Å"You better be. You keep out of my face, get it?† You were the one who almost ran me over, Cassie thought. But she nodded hastily, and to her vast relief the girl turned away. God, what a horrible way to start the first day of school, Cassie thought, hurrying toward the entrance. What a horrible person to be the first one you spoke to. Well, at least after a beginning like that, things could only get better. All around her teenagers were greeting one another, shouting hello; the girls giggling and hugging, the boys horsing around. It was an excited bustle, and everybody seemed to know everybody else. Except Cassie. She stood looking at the fresh haircuts of the guys, the brand-new clothes of the girls, smelling the scents of too much perfume and unnecessary aftershave and feeling more alone than she ever had in her life. Keep moving, she told herself sternly. Don’t stand around looking for that girl – find your first class. Maybe you’ll see somebody there who’s alone, and you can talk to them. You’ve got to look extroverted if you want people to think you are. Her first class was writing for publication, an English elective, and Cassie was glad she had it. She liked creative writing, and the Program of Studies had said that the class would offer opportunities for publication in the school literary magazine and newspaper. She’d worked on the newspaper in her old school; maybe she could here, too. Of course, the Program also said you had to sign up for writing for publication the previous spring, and Cassie still couldn’t quite understand how her grandmother had gotten her enrolled just before school started. Maybe her grandmother had special pull with the administration or something. She found the class without much trouble and took an inconspicuous desk near the back. The room was filling up, and everyone seemed to have someone to talk to. Nobody took the slightest notice of Cassie. She began doodling ferociously on the front of her notebook, trying to look totally involved in it, trying to look as if she weren’t the only one in class sitting alone. â€Å"You’re new, aren’t you?† The boy in front of her had turned around. His smile was genuinely friendly, but it was also dazzling, and she had a feeling he knew exactly how dazzling it was. His hair was auburn and curly, and it was clear that when he stood, he’d be very tall. â€Å"You’re new,† he said again. â€Å"Yes,† said Cassie, and was furious to hear her voice shake. But this guy was so good-looking†¦ â€Å"I’m Cassie Blake. I just moved here from California.† â€Å"I’m Jeffrey Lovejoy,† he said. â€Å"Oh,† Cassie said, trying to make it sound as if she’d heard of him before, since this seemed to be what he expected. â€Å"Center on the basketball team,† he said. â€Å"Also captain.† â€Å"Oh, how great.† Oh, how stupid. She had to do better than this. She sounded brainless. â€Å"I mean – that must be really interesting.† â€Å"Are you interested in basketball? Maybe we could talk about it sometime.† Suddenly Cassie felt very grateful to him. He was ignoring her blundering, her lameness. Okay, so maybe he liked to be admired, but what difference did that make? He was nice, and it would definitely improve her status to be seen around the campus with him. â€Å"That would be great,† she said, wishing she could think of another adjective. â€Å"Maybe – maybe at lunch†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A shadow fell over her. Or at least that was how it felt. In any case, she was aware, all at once, of a presence at her side, a presence that made her voice trail off blankly as she looked up, wide-eyed. A girl was standing there, the most striking girl Cassie had ever seen. A big, beautiful girl, both tall and voluptuous. She had a mane of pitch-black hair and her pale skin was touched with the glow of confidence and power. â€Å"Hello, Jeffrey,† she said. Her voice was low for a girl’s; vibrant and almost husky. â€Å"Faye.† Jeffrey’s voice, by contrast, was noticeably unenthusiastic. He looked tense. â€Å"Hi.† The girl leaned over him, one hand on the back of his chair, and Cassie caught the scent of some heady perfume. â€Å"I didn’t see much of you over summer vacation,† she said. â€Å"Where’ve you been?† â€Å"Around,† Jeffrey said lightly. But his smile was forced, and his entire body was taut now. â€Å"You shouldn’t keep yourself hidden away like that. Naughty boy.† Faye leaned in closer yet. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder top – completely off both shoulders. It left a great deal of skin exposed just at Jeffrey’s eye level. But it was her face Cassie couldn’t help staring at. She had a sensuous, sulky mouth and extraordinary honey-colored eyes. They seemed almost to glow with a strange golden light. â€Å"You know, there’s a new horror movie at the Capri this week,† she said. â€Å"I like horror movies, Jeffrey.† â€Å"I can take them or leave them myself,† Jeffrey said. Faye chuckled, a rich, disturbing sound. â€Å"Maybe you just haven’t seen them with the right girl,† she murmured. â€Å"Under the proper circumstances, I think they can be very†¦ stimulating.† Cassie felt embarrassed blood rise to her cheeks, though she scarcely knew why. Jeffrey wet his lips, looking fascinated in spite of himself, but also scared. Like a rabbit in a trap. â€Å"I was going to take Sally down to Gloucester this weekend – † he began, voice strained. â€Å"Well, you’ll just have to tell Sally that†¦ something came up,† Faye said, raking him with her eyes. â€Å"You can come get me Saturday night at seven.† â€Å"Faye, I – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, and don’t be late, all right? I hate it when boys are late.† All this time, the black-haired girl had not even glanced at Cassie. But now, as she straightened up to leave, she did. The look she turned on Cassie was sly and secretive, as if she were perfectly aware that Cassie had been listening, and she liked it. Then she turned back to Jeffrey. â€Å"Oh, and by the way,† she said, lifting one hand in a languid gesture that showed off her long red nails, â€Å"she’s from Crowhaven Road too.† Jeffrey’s jaw dropped. He stared at Cassie a moment with an expression of shock and distaste, and then he quickly turned around to face the front of the room. Faye was chuckling as she walked away to take a seat at the very back. What is going on? Cassie thought wildly. What difference did it make where she lived? The only thing she could see now of Jeffrey-of-the-dazzling-smile was his rigid back. She had no time to think anything more, because the teacher was talking. He was a mild-looking man with a graying beard and glasses. He introduced himself as Mr. Humphries. â€Å"And since you’ve all had a chance to talk during your summer vacation, now I’ll give you a chance to write,† he said. â€Å"I want each of you to write a poem, right now, spontaneously. We’ll read some of them aloud afterward. The poem can be about anything, but if you have trouble thinking of a subject, write about your dreams.† There were groans from the class, which gradually died into silence and pen chewing. But Cassie bent over her notebook with her heart beating rapidly. A vague memory of her dream of last week intruded, the one where her mother and grandmother had stood over her. But she didn’t want to write about that. She wanted to write about him. After a few minutes she scribbled down a line. When Mr. Humphries announced that the time was up, she had a poem, and reading it over she felt a thin chill of excitement. It was good – or at least she thought so. What if the teacher called on her to read it out loud? She didn’t want him to, of course, but what if he made her, and what if somebody else in class thought it was good and wanted to talk to her afterward? Maybe they’d ask her about the guy in the poem, and then she could tell them the mysterious and romantic story about him. Maybe she’d get a reputation for being kind of mysterious and romantic herself. Maybe the girl in the Victorian house would hear about her†¦ Mr. Humphries was calling for volunteers. Predictably, no hands were raised†¦ until one went up in the back. The teacher hesitated. Cassie turned to see that the raised hand had long red nails. â€Å"Faye Chamberlain,† Mr. Humphries said at last. He sat on the edge of his desk as the tall, striking girl came to stand beside him, but Cassie had the oddest feeling that he would have moved away if he could. An almost palpable air of tension had filled the room, and all eyes were on Faye. She tossed her glorious mane of black hair back and shrugged, causing her off-the-shoulder top to slip down a little lower. Tilting her head back, she smiled slowly at the class and held up a piece of paper. â€Å"This is my poem,† she said in her lazy, husky voice. â€Å"It’s about fire.† Shocked, Cassie looked down at the poem on her own desk. Then Faye’s voice caught her attention. I dream about fire – Tongues of flame licking me. My hair burns like a torch; My body burns for you. Touch my skin and your fingers will stick – You’ll blacken like a cinder. But you’ll die smiling; Then you’ll be part of the fire too. As the entire class watched, riveted, Faye produced a match and somehow – Cassie didn’t quite see how – managed to light it. She touched it to the paper and the paper caught fire. Then, walking slowly, she moved to stand directly in front of Jeffrey Lovejoy, waving the burning paper gently before his eyes. Howls, whistles, and desk banging from the audience. Many of them looked scared, but most of the guys looked excited, too. Some of the girls looked as if they wished they dared to do something like that. Voices called out, â€Å"See, Jeffrey, that’s what you get for being so cute!† â€Å"Go for it, man!† â€Å"Watch out, Jeff, Sally’s gonna hear about this!† Jeffrey just sat there, the back of his neck slowly flushing dull red. As the paper was about to burn her fingers, Faye sashayed away from Jeffrey again and dropped it in the metal wastebasket by the teacher’s desk. Mr. Humphries didn’t flinch when something in the wastebasket flared up, and Cassie admired him for that. â€Å"Thank you, Faye,† he said evenly. â€Å"Class, I think we can call what we’ve just seen an example of†¦ concrete poetry. Tomorrow we’ll study some more traditional methods. Class dismissed.† Faye walked out the door. There was an instant’s pause; then, as if everyone had been released by a spring, a sudden mass exodus. Jeffrey grabbed his notebook and was gone. Cassie looked at her own poem. Fire. She and Faye had both written about the same thing†¦ Suddenly she tore the sheet out and, crumpling it into a ball, thrust it into her backpack. So much for her dreams of being romantic and mysterious. With a girl like that around, who was ever going to notice Cassie? And yet they all seemed almost afraid of her, she thought. Even the teacher. Why didn’t he give her a detention or something? Or is lighting fires in trash cans normal in New Salem? And why did Jeffrey let her hit on him that way? And why did he care where I live, for God’s sake? In the hall, she nerved herself to stop someone and ask where room C310 was. â€Å"It’s on the third floor,† the girl said. â€Å"All the math classes are. Go up that stairway – â€Å" â€Å"Yo! Look out! Heads up, everybody!† a shouting voice interrupted. Something was whizzing down the hall, scattering students right and left from its path. Two somethings. Dumbfounded, Cassie saw that it was two guys on roller blades, laughing and bellowing as they tore through the crowd. Cassie had a glimpse of disheveled shoulder-length blond hair and almond-shaped, slightly tilted blue-green eyes as one passed – and then she saw it all again as the second one streaked by. The boys were identical, except that one was wearing a Megadeth T-shirt and the other’s said Motley Cre. They were creating chaos as they went, knocking books out of people’s arms and grabbing at girls’ clothes. As they reached the end of the hallway, one of them caught a pretty redhead’s miniskirt and deftly flipped it up to waist level. The girl shrieked and dropped her backpack to push it down. â€Å"Why doesn’t somebody do something?† Cassie blurted out. Was everybody in this school crazy? â€Å"Why doesn’t somebody stop them – or report them – or something. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Are you kidding? Those are the Henderson brothers,† the girl said, and she walked away, joining another girl. Cassie heard a fragment of a sentence float back: â€Å"†¦ doesn’t even know about the Club†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and both girls glanced back at her, then walked on. What Club? That girl had said it as if it had capital letters. What did a club have to do with breaking school rules? What kind of place was this? Another bell rang, and Cassie realized that she was now late for class. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and ran for the stairs. By lunchtime, she still hadn’t exchanged more than a â€Å"hi† or â€Å"hello† with anyone, no matter how she tried. And she hadn’t seen the girl with the shining hair anywhere – not that that was really surprising, considering the many floors and corridors of this school. In her present state of insecurity, Cassie wouldn’t have dared to approach the girl if she had seen her. A leaden, miserable feeling had settled in her stomach. And one glance at the glass-walled cafeteria teeming with laughing students made her knees go weak. She couldn’t face it. She just didn’t have the nerve. Arms wrapped around herself, she walked away and kept walking. She walked right through the main entrance and out the door. She didn’t know where she was going – maybe she was going home. But then she saw the lush green grass of the hill. No, she decided; I’ll just eat here. Partway down the hill there were several craggy outcrops of natural rock, and she found she could sit comfortably in a little hollow below one, shaded by a tree. She was shielded by the rock from the school; it was almost as if the school didn’t exist. She could look down a flight of meandering steps to the bottom of the hill and the road beyond, but no one from above could see her. As she sat, looking at the dandelions dotting the grass, the tension gradually drained out of her. So what if the morning hadn’t been the greatest? Things would be better this afternoon. The clear blue sky seemed to tell her that. And the rock at her back – the famous red granite of New England – gave her a feeling of security. It was strange, but she almost felt she could hear a buzzing in the rock, like a heartbeat tremendously speeded up. A buzzing of life. If I put my cheek to it, I wonder what would hap-pen? she thought with a curious excitement. Voices distracted her. Dismayed, Cassie knelt up to look over the top of the rock – and tensed. It was that girl, Faye. There were two other girls with her, and one of them was the biker who’d nearly run Cassie over that morning. The other was a strawberry blond with a tiny waist and the most well-developed chest Cassie had ever seen on a teenager. They were laughing and sauntering down the steps – right toward Cassie. I’ll just stand up and say hi, Cassie thought, but she didn’t. The memory of those disturbing honey-colored eyes was still with her. She kept quiet and hoped they’d pass her by, go all the way down the hill and off campus. Instead they stopped on the landing just above Cassie, sitting with their feet on the steps below and pulling out paper lunch bags. They were so close that Cassie could see the red stone blazing at Faye’s throat. Although she was in shadow now, if she moved they wouldn’t be able to miss her. She was trapped. â€Å"Did anybody follow us, Deborah?† Faye asked lazily as she rummaged through her backpack. The biker girl snorted. â€Å"Nobody’s stupid enough to try.† â€Å"Good. Because this is top secret. I don’t want you-know-who to hear anything about it,† Faye said. She took out a stenographer’s notebook with a red cover and laid it on her knee. â€Å"Now let me see, what shall we do to start this year off? I feel like something really wicked.† How to cite The Secret Circle: The Initiation Chapter Five, Essay examples

Oedipus Essay Paper Example For Students

Oedipus Essay Paper OedipusD.T. Suzuki, a renowned expert on Zen Buddhism, called attention to thetopic of free will in one of his lectures by stating that it was the battle ofGod versus Man, Man versus God, God versus Nature, Nature versus God, Manversus Nature, Nature versus Man1. These six battles constitute an ultimatelygreater battle: the battle of free will versus determinism. Free will is thatability for a human being to make decisions as to what life he or she would liketo lead and have the freedom to live according to their own means and thuschoose their own destiny; determinism is the circumstance of a higher beingordaining a mans life from the day he was born until the day he dies. Freewill is in itself a far-reaching ideal that exemplifies the essence of whatmankind could be when he determines his own fate. But with determinism, a manhas a predetermined destiny and fate that absolutely cannot be altered by theman himself. Yet, it has been the desire of man to avoid the perils that hisfate ho lds and thus he unceasingly attempts to thwart fate and the will of thedivine.. Within the principle of determinism, this outright contention to divinemandate is blasphemous and considered sin. This ideal itself, and the wholeconcept of determinism, is quite common in the workings of Greek and Classicalliterature. A manifest example of this was the infamous Oedipus of The ThebanPlays, a man who tried to defy fate, and therefore sinned. The logic of Oedipus transgression is actually quite obvious, andOedipus father, King Laius, also has an analogous methodology and transgression. They both had unfortunate destinies: Laius was destined to be killed by his ownson, and Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. This wasthe ominous decree from the divinatory Oracle at Delphi. King Laius feared theOracles proclamation and had his son, the one and only Oedipus, abandoned on amountain with iron spikes as nails so that he would remain there to eventuallydie. And yet, his attempt to obstruct fate was a failure, for a kindly shepherdhappened to come upon the young Oedipus and released him from the grips of death. The shepherd then gave the young boy to a nearby king who raised him as his own,and consequently named him Oedipus, which meant swollen feet. Upon Oedipusascension to manhood, the Oracle at Delphi once again spewed its prophecy forth,this time, with the foretelling that Oedipus shall kill his father, whom hethought to be the king that had raised him as his own, and marry his mother. Oedipus, like Laius, was indeed frightened of such a dire fate, and thusresolved to leave his land and never return, so that the prophesy may not befulfilled. Oedipus tried to travel as far away from home as he possibly could,and along his journey, he crossed paths with a man who infuriated him with hisrudeness. Oedipus killed the man without the knowledge that that man was indeedhis father Laius and ultimately, half of the prophecy had been fulfilled. Andwhen he came to Thebes, the remaining portion of the prophecy was fulfilled ashe became the champion of the city with his warding off the Sphinx, hencewinning the hand of his own mother Jocasta in marriage. Together they bore fourchildren, and Oedipus dire fate had been fulfilled, all without his knowledge. The Theban Plays begin with a plague that ravages the city of Thebes, andOedipus sets out to find the cause. At length, he discovers that he himself isthe cause for he was guilty of both patricide and incest. When that realizationis manifested, the utter shock and disgust of the horrific situation causes thetormented and disillusioned Oedipus to blind himself of a self-inflicted wound2. .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 , .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .postImageUrl , .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 , .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1:hover , .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1:visited , .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1:active { border:0!important; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1:active , .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1 .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0fe950294931a0ba3aa19405ec05a7e1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analysis Of Maltese Falcon EssayAccording to some scholars, this was the retribution he paid for his crime, butothers would argue that Oedipus had no choice in the matter and simply hadfulfilled his destiny. The latter argument seems to be more convincing becauseOedipus does not consciously know of what he was doing at the time, and thus,his crime was not entirely premeditated. And one cannot condemn ignorance nomore than one can realistically condemn good intentions, for Oedipus was bothtruly unaware of what he had done and of no desire to harm whom he had thoughtto be his parents. In the aspect

Organizational Design and Structure free essay sample

Each person assumes a role within the organization, and the organizational structure determines the reporting relationship between the individuals. The organizations strategy determines the organizational structure that will work best for a business at a particular point in time. For example, a small business that hires only experienced personnel, who require limited supervision, will likely adopt a different organizational structure than will a business that hires a number of recent college graduates, who require extensive supervision. (McShane and Steen, p. 362). In this assignment I would like to offer to your attention an ABC Ltd. IT company, it’s organizational structure, job design and other segments of corporate system. All organizational structures include two fundamental requirements: the division of labour and the coordination of that labour so that employees are able to accomplish common goals. (McShane and Steen, p. 364). ABC Ltd. is a large IT company with divisional organizational design. ABC’s design is organized around products, projects, and markets. Each division includes its own functional specialists typically organized into departments. A company has North American division, exploration division, marketing division, production divisions and others. Divisions are relatively autonomous and consist of products and services and are different from those of other divisions. Divisions executives help determine product-market and financial objectives, manage their own hiring, budgeting and advertising. Using this structure, division heads have decision-making power, which they rely on to respond to changes in their particular markets or areas of responsibility quickly. In addition, one division might compete with another division for resources and market standing, just as one company competes with another. A divisional organizational structure helps ABC Ltd. to segregate large sections of the companys business into semi-autonomous groups. These groups are mostly self-managed and focused upon a narrow aspect of the companys products or services. As with any organization structure, divisions have both strengths and weaknesses (advantages and disadvantages). Advantages: A divisional structure provides some distinct advantages for large organizations. Each division can specialize and focus its efforts on its particular product, service or market and not be distracted by competing interests. Since each division is semi-autonomous, operational decisions that you need to make are made by employees closest to the specific issues and problems. Not only are these employees closer to the problem, they also tend to have the specialized knowledge and skills best suited to resolve the problem. The divisional structure also provides a great deal of flexibility for the overall organization because each division operates separately and focuses on the most pressing issues facing it rather than being triaged by a central authority. In other words, the leader of each division can focus on the specific goals of his division and leave the overall strategic management of the company to the folks at the corporate headquarters. Additionally, it may be easier to pinpoint problems in the overall organization and hold specific divisions, and their leadership, accountable. Finally, a hierarchy is still maintained by a central authority, but it is limited to providing the strategy for the entire organization and coordinating its implementation across divisions. In other words, a corporate headquarters will generally let you do what you have to do to achieve your divisional goals, but will work with you to implement general corporate strategy and help you work with other divisions as necessary. Disadvantages: In spite all the strengths of the divisional structure, it also has some weaknesses. Maintaining an appropriate balance of power between the central authority and the divisions is often difficult. Corporate headquarters will want to maintain sufficient control to direct general business strategy, but if it is overzealous, the company will lose the flexibility that semi-autonomous divisions provide. Divisions must have operational freedom to achieve goals specific to the division, such as creating a new product, but still concede to the strategy provided by the organizational headquarters, such as the general market the company wants to target for the new product. Another disadvantage is cost. Each division, in essence, is a company unto itself, which results in functional duplication across the organization such as duplicate financial departments, research and development departments, sales and marketing departments, operation facilities and, of course, duplication in levels of management. Divisions may compete against each other rather than cooperate to achieve the organizations strategic goals. Finally, large companies increasingly have global business customers who demand one global point of purchase, not one in every country or region. (McShane and Steen, p. 366). Recommendation: To be successful, divisions must be well managed. Executive leadership is the single most important determinant of success for a company using a divisional structure. The top leaders need to understand what each division is doing and provide leadership to the division chiefs on how to accommodate new strategic directions or more effectively partner across divisions. In addition, the executives should have a solid grasp of resource use. Having a shared pool of centrally-managed resources like administrative support or office equipment can reduce costs and organizational complexity. 2. Job Design Job design is the process of assigning tasks to a job, including the interdependency of those tasks with other jobs. (McShane and Steen, p. 161). Some jobs have very few tasks and usually require very little skill. Other jobs are immensely complex and require years of experience and learning to master them. From one extreme to the other, jobs have different effects on work efficiency and employee motivation. (McShane and Steen, p. 161). Employee motivation is likely to increase if jobs are well designed. [1] Managers in ABC spend time analyzing each job to ensure that it will engage and motivate the employee while meeting business needs. Employees feel motivated if the job requires them to use a variety of skills and involves them in a range of different tasks. Having responsibility for the whole job, rather than one small part of it, and understanding the significance of their role also contribute to employee motivation. Systematic approach to designing the organization is a key responsibility of senior executives of ABC and one of the few levers they can directly manage to help them achieve competitive advantage in an extremely challenging marketplace. In ABC organization design is built on the principle that an organization consists of interrelated groups that are structured to interact with one another in ways that get work done. ABC uses scientific management design that influences work and management practice. ABC’ general principles from motivation theory: We should set goals; We should involve the employees concerned in designing and agreeing the goals; ‘Stretch’ goals’ can lead to significant increases in employee performance; We should link rewards to performance when possible; We should increase employees’ sense of ‘self-efficacy’ (confidence that they can perform the job or task well) The main motivating strategies of ABC Ltd. : Recognition Employee’s motivational recognition combined with public acknowledgement through schemes such as an â€Å"employee of the month† program or a well-designed incentive scheme. Involvement and Participation Increasing employee’s motivation by ensuring that they are involved in decision making that will have an impact on them. When possible, ABC management allows employees to have control over aspects of their work, such as how they structure their day. Give responsibility ABC hires people who have a track record of taking on additional responsibilities, and then let them have space. They should feel it’s up to them to make a customer’s day. Give power Empowering employees to make decisions that will benefit customers. Give employee the ability to fix customer problems without having to consult with their supervisor or manager first. This will ensure that problems are fixed quickly and efficiently. Give feedback Feedback is important. When structuring feedback, whether written or verbal, ABC’s managers make sure to always start and end with positive points, telling employees what they’re doing well before explaining what needs improvement. Rewarding system Performance-based rewards, Individual rewards, Team rewards, Performance Based Incentive. ABC Ltd. employs several practices to motivate its employees such as: job enlargement, job enrichment, job empowerment. They produce 3 psychological states, very important for motivation: -experienced meaningfulness (belief that one’s work is important) experience responsibility (employee’s belief in accountability for the outcomes of his effort) knowledge of results (employees want information about the consequences of their job) (McShane and Steen, p. 166). 3. Decision making Making decisions in a company or organization happens at all levels. A manager of a business shouldn’t assume he’s right in every decision he has to make. In that regard, different types of decision-making should be taken depending on the situation at hand. (McShane and Steen, p. 182). Identifying Problems Before making any decision, the ABC’s managers have to identify exactly what the problem is. According to them identifying the problem could lead to an erroneous decision. The manager of the department evaluates the issue with all employees so everyone knows about it, and then makes a decision that taps into whats worked before if that decision process is right for solving the issue. This form of decision-making can be made into a computer program with a set pattern of rules to follow in amending a problem. Multiple Perspective Analysis Sometimes using multiple perspective analysis to make a decision is best so managers force themselves out of their usual method of thinking. According to ABC’s manager Alex, by considering few different decisions you can make a decision using different thinking approaches. It is critical to be aware of how other people will react when the decision is made. Creativity in making a decision plays a significant role. Decision can be made using differing points of view from customers, clients or colleagues from different  departments. Short-Term Decisions Another decision method effectively used in ABC is the short-term method, or operational decisions. These decisions usually solve a problem in the immediate term through the action of employees. The method to this involves practical steps for a quicker outcome. Following Up and Feedback After an organization has made a decision, the manager needs to follow up on it to make sure it was implemented co rrectly. Communication with every employee involved in implementing the decision is important in this scenario. Additionally, a leader of an organization or department manager should get feedback from those directly affected by the decision. By doing so, the ABC management can know whether the decision was the right one. This helps in gauging how to make future important business decisions. As we can see management in ABC has been implementing scenario planning strategy, which involves thinking about what would happen if an environmental condition changed and what the organization should do to anticipate and react to such an outcome. (McShane and Steen, p. 192). Divergent thinking is been used as well, which helps to generate different approaches to the issue. ABC’s management considers that communication is improved when everyone in the decision-making process feels that her contribution is being respected. A group environment of acceptance leads to more comprehensive input from all stakeholders, which in turn leads to better communications and decisions that take all aspects of the situation into account. 4. Equity Equity theory is an employee’s perceptions of fairness by comparing their own outcome ratio to the outcome ratio of some other person. (McShane and Steen, p. 142). In ABC management is persuaded that inequity would harm employee motivation. Employees who feel they are on the receiving end of inequitable treatment will be emotionally motivated to gain equity. When inequities persist, employees may do any of the following: Decrease inputs (give less time, do less work) Push for more output from the company (more pay, authority) Go into survival mode (do their job and little more) Become resistant (act out on other issues) Become overly competitive (focus on reducing the outputs of others) Increase absenteeism Quit These outcomes harm an organization’s bottom line and where organizational turnover occurs the loss is two-fold (economic and talent based). Equity theory explains how employees determine what is fair and how they act upon their perceptions. As a result, employee perceptions about fairness do matter–whether they are real or misguided. For ABC managers it is better to effectively address these concerns than ignore them. As most leaders are operating in good faith in an organization, â€Å"the cure† is often just better communication. Leaders may need to manage unrealistic expectations by more open and active communication. Other solutions may involve acknowledging and addressing legitimate employee concerns. Finally, ABC leaders lead change efforts thoughtfully to avoid generating employee resentment. In ABC management works towards it’s trustworthy with employees, but they know that need to be mindful of the dynamic that human psychology plays in shaping employee perceptions, attitude, motivation, and behaviours, short and long term. Treating employees fairly and with respect remains priority for ABC that seeks successful and sustainable organizational results no matter what the market conditions are. In ABC expectancy theory has been provided throughout the departments. Management tries to increase can-do attitude by assuring employees that they have the necessary competencies (Increasing E-to-P Expectancies). (McShane and Steen, p. 366). In ABC employees get regular performance evaluation and distribute more valued rewards to those with higher job performance. Thus employees believe that higher performance will result in higher rewards. (Increasing P-to-O Expectancies). (McShane and Steen, p. 133). As Alex D. , the manager of ABC puts it wisely, The productivity of work is not the responsibility of the worker but of the manager. 5. Organizational culture An organization’s culture influences the ethical conduct of its employees. (McShane and Steen, p. 390). Organizational culture defines the way employees complete tasks and interact with each other in an organization. The cultural paradigm comprises various beliefs, values, rituals and symbols that govern the operating style of the people within a company. Corporate culture binds the workforce together and provides a direction for the company. The ABC way is about commitment and ownership, customer focus, and innovation and leadership. An executive of ABC informs â€Å"At ABC, we live our core values through our actions. This helps drive our business. Being a socially and environmentally responsible business is an important part of ABC’s culture. Set of key of ABC’s Organizational Culture: †¢ Shared understanding that members have. †¢ How things are done. †¢ The way members are supposed to behave. We believe that our employees are motivated to work hard and innovate when they see their jobs as their cause, and we offer ample opportunity for them to make a meaningful difference through the everyday work that they do†. â€Å"We support those core beliefs through: Achievement: We plan and play to win in all we do, every time. Every day matters. Accountability: We build trust by honouring our commitments. Alignment: We work as one ABC to debate, decide, embrace and execute. Agility: We continuously learn and improve in all aspects of our business. â€Å"When we look at our accomplishments, we look through the filter of our company culture, asking if we got there the right way—the ABC way†. Employees at ABC thrive on challenge and aren’t afraid to test limits. Together, they drive the innovations that break the barriers of technology. Their employees energize the industry, helping their customers win and building learning for a lifetime. Push Boundaries: ABC employees thrive on challenge and aren’t afraid to test limits. Together, they drive the innovations that break the barriers of technology. Deliver Innovation: ABC employees energize the industry, helping our customers win and building learning for a lifetime. Change the World: ABC’s employees make a world of difference, leading sustainable global communities, inspiring customer trust with innovative products and building a company to last. Effect on Performance: Leaders of ABC are confirmed that investing in organizational culture has a major effect on the organizational performance. Improvement strategies can only contribute to solving organizational problems when the organizational culture is correctly aligned. â€Å"Managing and aligning organizational culture can make your organization outperform other organizations: today and in the increasingly competitive future. † Organizational cultures can have varying impacts on employee performance and motivation levels. Oftentimes, employees work harder to achieve organizational goals if they consider themselves to be part of the corporate culture. Organizational Socialization: is the process by which individuals learn the values, expected behaviours, and social knowledge necessary to assume their roles in the organization. (McShane and Steen, p. 396). The first process of socialization in ABC is a â€Å"critical task for newcomers to acquire an understanding of the responsibilities and goals of their job expectations† and interaction with other employees. The second process the employee understands the job to perform, understands the company values and goals, and work/life balance can be establish. The third process job satisfaction becomes apparent. In the third process turnover is where an employee leaves the company for a variety of reasons. Formal socialization may occur through a mentoring process whereby values, skills and habits are communicated to a new hire by a more senior employee. In both cases, the intended effect is to alter the behaviour and values of the new employees until they are in line with those behaviours and values prized by the organization. Informal socialization in ABC occurs through any number of informal channels via peer interactions and informal interactions with management. In many ways, this is where the most effective and lasting socialization take place. As new hires observe and interact with fellow employees in the lunchroom and around the water cooler, and as they observe the accepted behaviours of both peers and superiors in a variety of workplace situations, they gain an understanding of the true values of an organization, and soon change their behaviours accordingly. Organizational socialization is a process of both learning and adjustment. (McShane and Steen, p. 396). 6. Organizational Change It is difficult for organizations to avoid change, as new ideas promote growth for them and their members. (McShane and Steen, p. 410). In ABC changes occur for many reasons such as new staff roles, increases or decreases in funding, acquisition of new technology, new missions, vision or goals, and to reach new members or clients. Changes can create new opportunities, but are often met with criticism from resistant individuals within the group. Resistance to change takes many forms, ranging from overt work stoppages to subtle attempts to continue the old ways. (McShane and Steen, p. 410). To better manage, ABC’s management introduces changes gradually into an organization. Organizational change management begins with a systematic diagnosis of the current situation in order to determine the organizations need for change and ability to change. Managers track transformation projects, organizational change management align group expectations, communicate, integrate teams, manage and train people. Areas that need to change are identified through interviews, focus groups, observation, and other methods of internal and external research. In ABC leaders clearly identify the desired culture, and then design a change process to implement the desired culture. ABC provides different types of organizational changes including: mission changes strategy changes operational changes (including structural changes) technology changes changing attitudes and behaviours restructuring Since change can threatens the organizational culture of a workplace things like a companys core values, mission and work environment fear is natural. ABC’s executive informs that sometimes in their company employees gain a sense of group identity and belonging and collect into opposition teams to gain strengths to stand against the changes if they feel that the changes may be threatening. Knowing employees have both a professional and personal stake in changes helps managers begin to understand resistance to change. The most recent change provided in ABC was organizational restructuring. One of the reasons why employees resist changes is that they lack role clarity about the change. (McShane and Steen, p. 412). Employees in a post-restructuring context are understandably wary about the future direction of the organization and their roles within it. It is crucial to examine the social-psychological impact of organizational restructuring on trust and work satisfaction. ABC management takes any organizational changes very seriously and conduct it thoroughly through several stages. Communication: communication is the highest priority and first strategy required for any organizational change. (McShane and Steen, p. 414). Leader of ABC motivate employees and tell them about all pros and cons of the change. Employee involvement: Employees who participate in decisions about a change tend to feel more personal responsibility for its successful implementation. (McShane and Steen, p. 416). Research Thoroughly: Any new additions to an organization are thoroughly researched before they are introduced to the company. Changes are examined from as many different perspectives as possible. Start with Trial Group: Whether implementing new software program or creating a new department in the company, management build a model first to see how the change works within your organizational structure. Preliminary Planning: Collect the data from research and the trial run, and put together a preliminary roll out plan. If it is possible, plan on implementing change in phases. This allows working out any problems with the change once it goes live with the rest of the company, but because it is done in phases you can limit potential problems by limiting the companys exposure to the new process. Training: Begin training employees on the change at least 30 days before implementing preliminary roll out. Designate a group of people that employees can go to with questions about the change, and allow employees to give input as the change rolls out. Ongoing Monitoring: To limit the negative effects of change, management conducts monitoring of the progress of any change as it is being introduced to the company. Solutions: supervisors who directly manage employees are prime change agents. They try to won over, are trained manage the change, with their feedback evaluated as change moves forward. Such communication is important for employees as well, since full disclosure breeds security, a remedy for resistance. Leaders address individual concerns employees might have about job security, wages and loss of control. A key element to leading change is a strategic vision. It minimizes employee fear of the unknown and provides a better understanding of what behaviours employees must learn for the desired future. (McShane and Steen, p. 418). 7. Work Groups and Teams Teams are groups of people who influence each other, accountable for achieving common goals associated with organizational objectives, and perceive themselves as a social entity within an organization. (McShane and Steen, p. 212). There are five main types of work teams in ABC: The problem-solving teams: an assemblage put together to solve a particular problem or improve activities within their own department. Once they conduct research and arrive at a proposed solution, the present their findings to the proper person or panel who may or may not implement the recommended course of action. Formal self-managed work teams: operate independent of a supervisor and are given authority to complete an assignment, coordinate across departments, and allow team members to select tasks they would like to undertake. In other words, they both manage and execute themselves. At the end, they are all held accountable equally. Cross-functional teams: on the other hand are comprised of members from a diversity of specialized backgrounds. For example, a content delivery network account representative may request a conference call with a customer, to which he may invite a solutions engineer, a channel sales director, an account development representative, and a professional services member. The expertise and information each brings to the table will aid in a smoother more efficient sales process that is not only practical but may spur the customer to request a purchase order. Work Group: people who have responsibility for the same process form a work group, also referred to as a natural team, to identify the ways in which their process can best support the organization. Work groups include employees who work in the same department or on the same product. Work groups are permanent teams that meet regularly. Theyre primarily self-managing, as each team members accountability to the group encourages active participation. Virtual team: is composed of members that are dispersed in different areas, but are still able to work together by using technology to assist them in accomplishing their communications objectives. These team members operate across space, time and organizational boundaries and are linked through information technologies to achieve organizational tasks. (McShane and Steen, p. 213). ABC leader believe in their teams contribution to organizational effectiveness such as: Retain valuable organizational knowledge that comes with the continuity of staff and sharing of information Enhance the power and feeling of satisfaction of individuals working on the team Establish trust relationships that lead to better sharing of knowledge and understanding Achieve objectives because individuals are working together Hold team members accountable to one another accountable Combine the talents of individuals and contribute more than the sum of its parts Create an environment where the input from people at all levels is valued Create new knowledge through working and learning with others Provide a process and place for multiple perspectives to be applied to complex problems and issues Generate new ideas and insights Create a climate where innovation and new ideas are supported and members listen to diverse points of view Multiply impacts while maintaining or reducing the resources needed to do the job Empower individuals, the team and the organizations All teams are groups, but teams are a special subset of groups. Work groups have a strong individual focus and teams have a strong collective focus. The individual is not lost on a team, but that persons work is coordinated to fit in with the greater good. Groups include people assembled together, whether or not they have any interdependence or organizationally focused objective. (McShane and Steen, p. 212). Informal groups are normal thing in ABC. The main reason for informal groups forming is social relationship, empowering individuals with self confidence, releasing stress. These types of group help their members minimize stress; provide emotional and informational social support. Importance of groups is in affecting the behaviour of individuals at work. Organizational effectiveness is a function of productivity that results from employee satisfaction. 8. Conflict Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that his interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. (McShane and Steen, p. 298). ABC executive admits that conflicts unfortunately are inevitable in their Company as anywhere else. Thus sometime departments have conflicts with one another, senior managements have power struggles and ABC even may have conflict with other organizations. Interpersonal conflicts happen in ABC once in a while. Some people dont mix plain and simple. Perhaps outside work they would choose not to socialize or interact. Perhaps if they werent forced to deal with one another, they could have friendly, polite conversation as acquaintances. But when forced to work together to achieve goals or to share workspace on a consistent basis, friction may arise. In these situations, managers take on the roles of mediator and counsellor to diffuse the situation and find resolution, or make a difficult choice to transfer or remove someone based on inability to function in a team. This type of a conflict is considered as relationship conflict in which people focus on the characteristics of other individuals, rather than on the issues, as the source of conflict. (McShane and Steen, p.  300). Managerial expectations: it is the job of an employee to meet the expectations of his manager, but if those expectations are misunderstood, conflict can arise. In such cases ABC managers spend time clearly communicating their goals to employees and then confirming those goals in writing. Managers also encourage his employees to ask questions about their goals, and hold regular meetings to discuss the goals and how best to reach them. Inter-gro up conflict usually occurs because of the roles and functions of teams and departments. Both are just trying to do their jobs, but somehow run up against each other. An example might be conflict between a sales and information technology department. The sales department needs software to perform certain functions that support their sales and invoicing. The IT department finds the request difficult because the requested changes would negatively impact other parts of the company database. The result is a tension or conflict through neither partys fault. This is considered a problematic conflict requiring resolution by mediation or managerial decision. If the conflict persists and becomes part of the company dynamic or culture, it can become very destructive to the organization and everyone involved. In other circumstances inter-group conflict can be healthy. Such an example would be two sales teams that compete for the best results. While there may be some jeering and prodding between them, they drive each other to perform better, producing higher commissions for everyone and better results for the company. Conflict theory holds this to be a healthy or useful conflict. For ABC management it is very critical that all the conflicts are solved as soon as possible with the potential of win-to win orientation. (McShane and Steen, p. 213). Their preferred conflict handling style is Problem solving, as their participants usually have trust and open to different solutions. In ABC third-party conflict resolution is used through Mediation. Even though mediators have high control over the intervention process, the parties make the final decision. (McShane and Steen, p. 213). 9. Leadership style Leadership is about influencing, motivating and enabling others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organizations of which they are members. (McShane and Steen, p. 328). Leaders styles encompass how they relate to others within and outside the organization, how they view themselves and their position, and to a very large extent whether or not they are successful as leaders. ABC has successfully adopted Innovative Leadership Style. Innovative leaders are not just CEOs. They are team leaders, division managers