Organizational Communication Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organizational Communication Master - Essay Example The former is a process of sharing information and understanding between two people or a small group: the latter makes use of systems to share information and understanding with large number of people. Both type of communication occur at all level within an organization, with people outside the organization, and between organizations. Organization learning focuses on the way people make sense of their experiences at work. The aim of organizing is to enable people to relate other and to work together for a common purpose. The organized group of people in a collective sense is known as organization. (Yvonne 129) "Organization is the process of identifying and grouping work to be performed, defining and delegating responsibility relationships for the purpose of enabling people to work more effectively together in accomplishing objectives." (Yvonne 149) (b) Facilitates Organizing - Communication facilitates organizing function of management by providing information about the duties, responsibilities, authority, relationships, positions and jobs. Delegation and decentralization of authority is accomplished in an organization. (c) Facilitates Directing Function- Communication facilitates directing function by providing proper interaction between and their subordinates and between members of work groups. It improves superior-subordinate relationships by promoting exchange of ideas and information between them continuously. (d) Facilitates Controlling Function - Communication facilitates controlling function by providing feedback of actual performance against planned targets. In an organization, effective communication facilitates in promoting innovation as well as control and coordination. (e) Facilitates Decision-Making- Communication facilitates decision making by providing the required information needed. The quality of decision made in an organization depends largely on the amount and quality of information available to the decision maker. (Kathryn) (f) Facilitates co-ordinating - Communication facilitates coordinating by providing proper upward, downward and horizontal interaction between members of different departments or sections at all levels of authority. (g) Helps the Process of Motivation

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Assignment Example In cyanobacteria, strains with a clock period length that matched the environmental photoperiod outgrow strains with no clock or with an out of phase period length in competitive culture conditions (Woefle et al., 2004). This does gesture to the probability of the clock being an important evolutionary step that allowed survival of early organisms. Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important intrinsic functions. Organization and function Function: The main principle of circadian clocks is oscillatory gene activation. The initial gene activation is regulated by the last one in the sequence, making up an auto-regulatory feedback loop that lasts about 24 hours. That is, feedback loops of transcription and translation, whereby the protein product of a clock gene will indirectly shut off its own expression. Such feedback loops are controlled and probably lengthened by post-translational modifications of most proteins involved (Ha rms et al., 2004) Organization: They have three major components: 1) A central oscillating mechanism with a period of about 24 hours. 2) Several output pathways associated with distinct phases of the oscillator. These control the activities of the organism. 3) Several input pathways to this central oscillator to allow programming of the circadian clock. Metazoans possess circadian clocks in most cells of the body. Each of these clocks is autonomous (Welsh et al., 1995). This means that each of the cells has to be entrained autonomously as well. But, since the oscillations of the clocks are roughly 24 hours in length, there has to be a form of synchronization. In the case of direct light entrained organisms, such as the drosophila, this entrainment occurs in cells independently (Plautz et al.,1997) (Whitmore et al., 2000). In drosophila, the Drosophila ring gland and Malpighian tubules show some sort of rhythms. This autonomous cell entrainment may also be seen in higher organisms wh ere the parasympathetic system is responsible for entrainment (Ishida et al., 2005). It is itself entrained by the central master clock. In higher organisms, the process is more complex and requires what is known as hierarchical entrainment. This is discussed below. In higher organisms such as man, the entrainment of the clock is hierarchical. This is similar to most other vertebrates. In mammals, the suprachiasmic nucleus acts as the main/master clock. It is a paired neuronal structure located at the base of the hypothalamus. It is just above the optic chiasm/bifurcation (Klein et al.1991). It facilitates entrainment and synchrony of all other tissues by direct and indirect methods. These include use of hormones, temperature regulation, feeding regulation and metabolism. The suprachiasmic nucleus undergoes entrainment by relation with the optic apparatus via optic tract. This is the retionohypothalamic tract (Ben-Schlomo and Kyriacou, 2002). The SCN consists of a mixed population o f neuronal and glial cells, but which types of cells might be capable of acting as circadian oscillators is presently unknown . Since they are autonomous in function, several theories have been proposed as to their synchronization. One is the synchrony of circadian rhythm due to production of melatonin by the pineal gland. It

Enron collapse A look back Essay Example for Free

Enron collapse A look back Essay Enron was formed as a result of merging with another company and it became a successful corporate. The joy of the business owners is to see how it grows fast and to attract more investors. There are rules and regulation that governs the corporate financial report that is open for inspection by potential investors (Folger, 2011). The audit of these financial reports should disclose the accurate financial state of the company and this should be made known to the stakeholders of the company. The stakeholders of a company play an important role in progress of the business and the going concern of the company (Sterling, 2002). The company of Enron did not manage its debts and therefore looked for means of hiding the truth from its stakeholders so as to continue making profit. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   The aim of a business is to make profit and be able to pay the debts of the creditors and also attract investors who are interested in the business. Most investor relay on the financial statement to determine whether to invest or not to invest (Folger, 2011). The Enron Company was a big company that was famous and successful before its fall. The corporate attracted many investors since they financial report showed how the business was growing at high rate (Bauer, 2009). However the corporate management did not disclose the true and fair view of the financial reports. The financial report of a company should not mislead the shareholders or its members. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Moreover, in the Enron scandal there were some cases in which it showed misconduct of its financial reporting since the corporate did not display true and fair financial accountings to its stakeholders. The corporate used financial fabrication and mark- market accounting to hide its actual debts and real financial situation (Folger, 2011). These reports made the investor believe that the corporate was making profit while it was making losses in real sense. It is also a form of fraud to stakeholders since it cannot meet all its debts and in case of winding up majority of the investors and shareholder would suffer greatly. The Enron scandal was deemed to be great since it had huge debts to settle and its assets could not settle these debts. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Indeed, financial misconduct affects a large group of stakeholder and leaves a great mark that cannot be erased (Sterling, 2002). For example the shareholders of Enron corporate were highly affected and suffered a loss of billions that were not recovered since the corporate went bankrupt and the assets of the business were also false in existence. The investors also suffered greatly from these financial misconduct, they lost their resources. In addition, the employees suffered greatly by losing billions of pension benefits due to the misconduct of financial reports which led to the bankruptcy of the Enron therefore could no longer pay them (Folger, 2011). Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   The financial statement of a company is very important to the investors, it gives an over view of the stability of the business and its ability to pay debts. The Enron corporate failed to disclose true and fair view financial statements by hiding its real financial reports and the investors were misled and also due to many investments made by the company lead to its bankruptcy (Sterling, 2002). The purpose of accurate financial reports is to help the investors and also the company to know to what extent they should contract or invest in other businesses. It also helps in managing of the company’s debt thus making profit but the Enron was only interested in making a lot of profits that led to their down fall. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  Ethics are rules that govern every business and its members on how to conduct their daily roles in the company (Brady, Dunn, 1995). In other words, the managers of this corporate owe their loyalty to its stakeholders and their interest ought to be the interest of the business (Bauer, 2009). In deontology of the Enron corporate, the management had a duty and obligations to display the true statement of finance and also to operate the business in the interest of the stakeholders and not their interest. As the leaders they ought to make sure that the going concern of the business is kept and the assets of the company are secured. In addition, the duty of the Enron managers was to disclose the true and fair view of financial reports (Bauer, 2009). Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  On other hand, utilitarian is a form ethic that is used to show the positive side of the organization, for example by disclosing the false statement to stakeholders thus blinding them of the real situation (Folger, 2011). The Enron leaders used different methods to conceal the truth about its debts and faked the profits. They made the business look attractive and therefore more investors invested in the business. At the end, the ethics rules were violated and the leaders had a role to play .Enron had a role to disclose the truth which could have rescued the company (Bauer, 2009). If at the beginning, the company revealed the truth it would not have ended bankrupt and the employees would have secured their jobs. Finally, the company had a duty to disclose the true financial statements and also save the company from falling and the scandals would have been avoided. The companies should put into practice the ethics governing the corporates. Therefore, to pre vent any future happenings such as the past frauds in the company, there has been an enhanced regulation as well as oversight in the company (Folger, 2011). References Bauer, A. (2009). The Enron scandal and the Sarbanes-Oxley-Act. München: GRIN Verlag. Brady, F. N., Dunn, C. P. (1995). Business meta-ethics: An analysis of two theories. Business Ethics Quarterly, 385-398. Folger, J. (2011). The Enron collapse: A look back. Investopedia, December 1. Retrieved October 25, 2014, at http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1211/the-enron-collapse-a-look-back.aspx Sterling, T. F. (2002). The Enron scandal. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Source document

Financial Capability | Policy on Pensions and Debt

Financial Capability | Policy on Pensions and Debt How far does policy towards pensions, debt and the financial sector reflect the publics level of financial capability? The public’s level of financial capability is an area that is causing policy makers great concern, especially in these times of economic uncertainty and instability. Financial capability is about being able to being able to manage money and keep track of your finances. It is also about being able to plan ahead and choosing the right financial products and about staying informed about financial matters. The rapidly changing demographics of our population and the associated changes in our society means that policy makers are having to This essay will firstly look at the concept of financial capability. It is a relatively new idea without an established consensus about what it actually means. This essay will try and determine some of the key characteristics of this concept. It will then turn to consider how financially capable the public is as a whole. Finally this essay will consider just what this means for policy makers in pensions, debt and the financial sector and how in line current policy is with the how the public view these areas. Atkinson et al (2006) provide the most comprehensive study of financial capability in the UK. From their studies they have determined that this concept can be broken down into four key domains. These are, managing money, planning ahead, choosing products and staying informed. It is worth looking at these terms in a little more detail. Managing money is how well you are able to make ends meet and how well you are able to keep track of your money. It should be noted that those on a higher income may be able to make ends meet but have no money management skills. Planning ahead is the ability to deal with financial commitments that are coming in the future and also unexpected events. Retirement is one of the most significant financial commitments that people are expected to deal with and plan for. Choosing products is the knowledge and the ability to choose financial products that are best suited to the needs of the individual such as credit cards, mortgages and loans. The final domain o f financial capability is staying informed. This is measured by how well people keep informed about financial issues, whether their own or financial issues in the wider world. It would be useful to now look at how financial capable the public is in the UK. Again, the most comprehensive work in this area comes from Atkinson et al (2006) who conducted a survey of over 5000 people to determine just how financially capable we as a nation are. It is important to note from the outset that because financial capability is broken into these four separate domains, it is possible that an individual can be capable in one but not so capable in the others. This essay will now turn to look at each of these separate domains in turn to determine the financial capability of the public. Atkinson et al (2006) found that on the whole the UK is quite good at making ends meet. They did identify a minority who did not do so well. Those were young people who rented their homes and managed a cash budget. This group included lone parents, the unemployed and those who had been out of work for a while due to illness. Atkinson et al (2006) found that there was no pattern to those who kept track of their money. They suggest that it is a skill that some people acquire over time. Planning ahead was an area that Atkinson et al (2006) found that the UK was not very good at. They found that over half the people they surveyed had made any provisions for a drop in income. This trend was also evident in preparing for retirement. The survey found that older people and those on higher incomes were better at planning ahead. Education also played a key role with those having achieved A-levels or higher being more likely to plan ahead. However, the survey found that if presented with the opportunity to plan ahead by an employer then people are more likely to take them up. The 2006 survey found that the public was generally poor when it came to choosing the appropriate financial products for them. It found that people were not willing to shop around to find the best product for them. Only a small minority had sought advice before purchasing products and only a small minority of this group had read the terms and conditions on these products. The survey did find that capability usually went up with the more products that people bought. In a sense, you learn by experience. Middle-aged people scored most highly in this domain, while young people scored badly. Atkinson et al (2006) found that most people surveyed felt it was important to keep up to date with financial changes but few actually did so. The survey found that an important aspect of financial capability is the ability to deal with disputes and complaints. Here, people are more likely to complain about financial services rather than about financial products. This could be that they didn’t know who they could complain to. On the whole this survey paints a picture of the UK public not being that financially capable. The public is strongest when it comes to making ends meet but in the 3 other domains there lacks any level of real financial capability. This essay will now turn to look whether policy in pensions, debt and the financial sector reflects that. The 2006 white paper from the pensions department entitled, Personal accounts: a new way to Save, sets out the governments vision when it comes to pension policy. It recognises the fact that the public isn’t so capable when it comes to choosing the best financial products for them. Therefore, the government is trying to limit the amount of choices that the individual has to make. The white paper states that it is trying to give savers, â€Å"flexibility without complicating their decisions†. The government is also trying to improve the public’s knowledge about financial products so that in the future they will make better informed choices. Raising awareness and educating people about financial products is a key government policy in this area. John Tiner, the FSA Chief Executive argues that, â€Å"if people know what they want and how to get it, the market for financial services becomes less one-sided and a lot more efficient. Consumers will demand better, cheaper and more appropriate products and services† (2004). Debt is an interesting area because it is an area where there has been massive change over the past few months. A Treasury Study conducted in 2007 stated that most consumers were able to manage their credit successfully and that over-indebtedness was only a problem for a small minority. This is certainly in line with the findings of Atkinson et al (2006). However, recent events have shown that the problem of over indebtedness is much larger than could have been anticipated. The government is trying to ensure that there is transparency in the financial sector and better access to services such as debt advice. The government currently has three priority areas for tackling this financial exclusion. These are access to banking, access to affordable credit and access to face-to-face advice. The 2006 survey found that the public as a whole are far from capable when it comes to seeking out help and advice so the government policy certainly reflects the public’s capability in this are a. Government policy in relation to the financial sector has also been affected by the events of the past few months. Perhaps the most obvious example of the government’s commitment to making sure that the public are treated correctly was the formation of the FSA with consumer protection and awareness at the heart of it’s remit. The government is trying to get the financial sector to simplify it’s products so that the consumer has a better chance of choosing the right product for them. The government has also called on the financial sector to lend responsibly so that levels of over-indebtedness don’t go up. The government recognises the value of financial capability as an important life skill. Having a public that is financially capable means that they are less likely to go into debt, can handle unexpected financial obligations and they are more likely to save for future events such as retirement. Good financial capability also increases competition in the financial sector as customers seek out the best deals for them. The government’s policies largely reflect the public’s current levels of financial capability. However, more effort must be made to increase awareness about financial products and services that are available to them. Bibliography and References Department of Trade and Industry, Tackling over-indebtedness: annual report, 2006. Department for Work and Pensions, Personal accounts: a new way to save Regulatory Impact Assessment, December 2006. Financial Services Authority, Building financial capability in the UK, 2004. Financial Services Authority, Personal Finance Research Centre: University of Bristol, Levels of Financial Capability in the UK: Results of a baseline survey, March 2006. HM Treasury, Promoting financial inclusion, December 2004. HM Treasury, Financial Capability: the Governments long-term approach, July 2007.

Working Essay -- essays research papers

Work And The Indivdual   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Simply put, work is a major contributor in shaping an individual's life. Our lives revolve around the work we do and the rewards that we get from our work. Work provides the individual not only income to live by, but also identity, value, social belief, social relation and respect. The type of work we choose to do determines our status in society and measures our level of success in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this society, being without a job is almost like being invisible. Every one has to be involved in some type of work whether it is for self or for someone else. We do work to survive. The only means we have to get what we need is money. And money is earned, not given. Money is most commonly earned through work, which makes work the center of our life. This being said, it would be easy to assume that studying and analyzing the history of work can lead to understanding ourselves as society and as individuals. For example, two hundred years ago, most people did not go to work; instead they worked at home on the farm. In the 1800s about 90 percent of Americans were farmers. People did not use clocks. They worked with the sun and seasons. People made a living by growing their own and trading. They did not rely on wages. As industrialization hit America, within a century most farmers came into cities and became part of the industrial wage system. As a result, they had to adapt to changes that affected their liv...

adult brain :: essays research papers

The study of emotion was once relegated to the backwaters of neuroscience, a testament to the popular conception that what we feel exists outside our brains, acting only to intrude on normal thought. The science has changed: Emotion is now considered integral to our over-all mental health. In mapping our emotions, scientists have found that our emotional brain overlays our thinking brain: The two exist forever intertwined. There is a critical interplay between reason and emotion. We are well aware of how brain malfunctions can cause pain, depression, and emotional paralysis. We must also understand that the brain affects positive emotional responses such as laughter, excitement, happiness, and love. Scientists have been able to pinpoint the section of the brain that causes laughter. Some clues for the physiological basis of laughter have come from people who suffered brain injuries, strokes or neurological diseases. C.B., a landscaper in Iowa, is one of them. Three years ago, at the age of 48, C.B. suffered a stroke. Fortunately, he recovered quite well and was expected to return to his normal life. However, since the stroke, C.B. and those around him, have been perplexed by certain changes in his behavior. Though he seems healthy, and doesn't suffer any pain, occasionally, for no noticeable reason, he bursts out into uncontrollable, wild laughter. In other cases, out of the blue, he is swept into tears in a similar attack. C.B. has joined a long list of clinical cases that are described in medical literature as pathological laughter and crying (PLC). All of these patients suffer from brain damage that has destroyed or impaired small areas in their brains. Usually, the lesions are no bigger than a few cubic millimeters. However, since the lesions do not always occur exactly in the same spot in the brain, it is hard to determine based on these cases, which brain areas are in charge of laughter. Nevertheless, PLC suggests an interesting linkage; the same tiny lesion can cause both laughter and crying. That means that the same brain regions are involved in both laughter and crying. But most surprisingly, these laughter and crying are not associated with mirth or sadness. PLC patients suffer from "mechanical laughter". The pleasant feelings, happiness, amusement or joy that usually accompanies laughter are absent. Patients like C.B. often even suffer anxiety and fear with their laughter. The case of a French woman who suffered from Parkinson's disease sheds more light on the association between laughter, crying and emotions.

International Business Essay

Review Questions 2.- Why is it important for you to study international business? * Almost any large organization you work for will have international operations or be affected by the global economy. * You start your own business, you may find yourself using foreign-made materials or equipment, competing with foreign, and perhaps even selling in foreign markets. * Keep pace with your future competitors. 5.- What is portfolio investment? * Foreign portfolio investments (FPI) are purchases of foreign financial assets (stocks, bonds, and certificates of deposit) for a purpose other than control. An example of portfolio investment is the purchase of 1,000 shares of Sony’s common stock by a Danish pension fund. 6.- What are the basic reasons for the recent growth of international business activity? * There are two broad reasons: strategic imperatives, which motivate globalization, and environmental changes, which facilitate it. Questions for Discussion 5.- What are some of the differences in skills that may exist between managers in a domestic firm and those in an international firm? Domestic firm; * Local workers. * Legal system. * Local supply. International firm; * Languages. * Currency * Cultures and new markets. CHAPTER # 02 Review Questions 2.- How do differences in income levels and income distribution among countries affect international business? The most important piece of information needed by international business people about a country is its income level because it provides clues to the purchasing power of residents. One important source of income statistics is the World Bank, which divides the world’s countries into high-income, middle-income, low-income categories. 4.- What is keiretsu? * Japanese industry is controlled by large families of interrelated companies, that is typically centered on a major Japanese bank. The bank takes primary responsibility for meeting the keiretsu’s financing needs. Members are also protected from hostile takeovers by an elaborate system of cross-ownership of shares in which keiretsu members own shares in one another’s companies. 8.- How did import substitution policies affect the economies of Brazil and Argentina? * The companies must pay higher prices for domestically produced inputs than do their foreign competitors. The government must subsidize these firms and often nationalize them to preserve urban jobs. The high costs of doing this are passed on to taxpayers and to consumers through higher prices, but over time the government runs a budget deficit. The result is inflation and destruction of middle-class savings. The continent is still plagued, however, by an inability to create policies that bridge the chasm between the rich and the poor. The lack of economic and social mobility has trapped generation of South Americans in poverty and despairs and created political instability in many of their countries. Questions for Discussion 3.- Ethnic ties, old colonial alliances, and shared languages appear to affect international trade. Why might this be so? If true, how does this affect international business’ strategies regarding which markets to enter? * It’s easier to do business with people who have same culture, religion, language, and is better for companies to get into these markets first. CHAPTER # 03 Review Questions 1.- Describe the four different types of legal systems with which international business must deal. * Common law: is based on the cumulative wisdom of judges’ decisions on individual cases through history. These cases create legal precedents, which other judges use to decide similar cases. * Civil Law: is based on a codification, or detailed listing, of what is and is not permissible. * Religious Law: is based on the officially established rules governing the faith and practice of a particular religion. * Bureaucratic Law: the legal system is communist and in dictatorships is often described as bureaucratic law. 9.- What is the impact of differing accounting standards on the international capital market? * Comparing the financial reports of firms from different countries is exceedingly complex, making it more difficult for international investors to assess the performance of the world’s business. 10.-What is political risk? What forms can it take? * Political risks are many changes in the political environment that many adversely affect the value of a firm’s business activities. * Forms: * Ownership risk, in which the property of a firm is threatened through confiscation or expropriation. * Operating risk, in which the ongoing operations of a firm and/or the safety of its employees are threatened through changes in laws, environmental standards, tax codes, terrorism, armed insurrection, and so forth. * Transfer risk, in which the government interferes with a firm’s ability to shift funds into and out of the country. Questions for Discussion 2.- What is the impact of vigorous enforcement of intellectual property rights on the world economy? Who gains and who loses form strict enforcement of these laws? * The impact vigorous enforcement of intellectual property rights on the world economy will be very benefits for development countries but for poor countries it will be a big economic problem because they have a habit to live with piracy products, and the familiar economy can’t pay for medium cost products like dvd, books, music, etc. * The real authors publishing companies will gain and mafias of piracy will lose because they live of that kind of work.