People’s Home Gadgets Essay

1. Provide advice to Paula regarding the nature of the HR system she should recommend for the customer service representatives at the six stores. There is a problem that PHG has faced employee turnover issues the figures indicates over the 70% more than management’s expectation. To reduce, turn over issues I’d like recommend an improvement of entire salary systems employees get their salary based on their performance, it makes high turnover issues that mean a representative who has remarkable ability when he sailing PHG stuffs. However, other people who can’t sales as much as sales top representatives ended up they got a lowest salary. So I recommend Paula to do establish fixed salary policies regardless of their sales abilities. 2. Identify a key strategic performance driver for this organization. They have strategic performance drivers based on low costs-high quality policies. It indicates a core concept of competition. In other words, it is called Cost leadership strategy. By lowering costs, they are able to get a high market positions more that other competitive. To maintain that position they always consider in respect of cost benefits. 3. How do the customer service representatives contribute to the strategic performance driver you identified? The company gives representatives a discretion which is able to provide lower prices by cutting margin of percentages. It was a unique policy. Finally, it makes them to maintain cost leadership so illustrated polices could give company a competitive edge in the market. A processes that establishing strategic performance is following. 4. Design an HR system to realize the strategic performance driver you identified. Be certain to explain how you would (a) design the work

Passive Aggressive Behavior in the Workplace Essay

Projects are due; holidays are here, so much to be done and so little time to do it. It is just a part of life to be dealing with so many different types of personalities, different work ethics and just basically understanding the people that you work with in a forty-hour work week. Dealing with co-workers that are passive-aggressive in their behavior can be quite frustrating until you learn the best ways in which to deal with this type of behavior. Individuals who exhibit passive aggressive behavior tend to express hostile and antagonistic feelings in a non-aggressive way. Although they may appear to be passive on the surface, in reality they are direct and purposeful and intend to control, injure or assign a negative perception, all the while avoiding responsibility (Hopwood, 2009). Once you understand passive aggressive behavior it is easy to spot. Many people are afraid to confront feelings period, whether they are positive or negative. So many people really do not know how to express themselves and exactly what they are feeling so they stuff their emotions down ignoring them. These negative emotions come out in some form or fashion and most of the time at the expense of others. In order to feel their self-importance they will put others down but in a joking matter and subtle way. A passive aggressive individual is identified by their actions, behaviors, non-verbal and verbal actions. Nancy was never satisfied; nothing in the department went her way. She was overworked, underpaid and never let a moment go by that she didn’t let everyone around her know it. If you had a question, even if it was not directed at her, she had the answer. But yet, she never kept her workload up to the levels of the rest of the team. Always with an excuse, she never completed her work on time and blamed others for the lack of cooperation. In meetings, Nancy had her arms folded, or her head down writing whatever came to mind on a piece of paper. When asked her input on anything her answer was always, â€Å"whatever the team decides.† But yet, she was the first one out of the gate to complain about decisions that had been made. Nancy is a prime example of: Passive Aggressive Behavior. Dealing with Nancy was difficult but yet she had a charm and gentleness about her that although she got on your nerves she also could be very sweet. Nancy had been with the company for over seventeen years, she was single, never  married and no family to speak of near her. Knowing Nancy as an unhappy, lonely person and understanding her past helped in dealing with her on a daily basis. Her behavior, although unacceptable, was due to her lack of self-image, her disbelief in her own abilities and her own lack of social skills. Her only way of communication was in a negative way. Complaints given, reviews with low scores, lack of promotion and even lack of increase in pay, have yet to change the behavior on Nancy part. It is surprising that she still has a job with the same company. Taking the time to view how to handle situations and interact with other people can greatly impact the workplace environment. It is important to deal with emotions in ways that are healthy and constructive to both yourself and those in your life. Although Nancy’s behavior had a negative impact on some of the co-workers, learning to tune her out was their way of handling her behavior. There were a couple of individuals that would call Nancy out on her behavior and in some cases it ended up with conflict between the two parties. Passive-aggressive behavior can cause problems in the workplace on both a personal and organizational level. Organizational politics has emerged in the last decade as a field of growing value and relevance for understanding managerial processes. Studies have examined various aspects of political behavior in the workplace but have not done enough to cover the full variety of aftermaths that such behavior may yield. (Vigoda, 2002) Office politics play a role in aggressive behavior as studies done by Ferris, Fedor, Chacher and Pondy (1989) suggest. In this study it was pointed out that self-interest may be consistent with or at the expense of others. Organizations politics can result in both a positive and negative outcome at work. Helen and Joe were both up for the same promotion at work. Joe was friendly outside of work with his supervisor, Tom. Helen, being a mother of a teenager, did not spend the time meeting others after work. Both individuals were on the same level with skills and knowledge, but Joe was promoted. Up to the time of the announcement, Helen and Joe were work time friends, often going to lunch together. After the announcement of Joe’s new role, Helen could not bring herself to continuing the friendship. In fact, Helen turned into a very passive aggressive individual often sabotaging Joe’s work to make him look bad. The role that  office politics played lead to the behavior of Helen; however, she finally saw how her behavior was only hurting her and came around to acceptance of Joe’s new role. Within a couple of years Helen had moved over to another department and by-passed Joe’s level within the company. Understanding the personality traits of co-workers and supervisors will be a positive aspect of dealing with the passive aggressive individuals. When dealing with someone who exhibits passive aggressive behavior, moderating your responses will help the individual work on changing their behavior. To show anger when dealing with these type individuals will only invest and encourage their behavior by bringing you into the aggressiveness. Choosing not to participate in passive aggressive behavior, either by calling out a co-worker on his/her conduct or by not exhibiting such behavior yourself, can only reap benefits. References Ferris, G. R., Fedor, D. B., Chachere, J. G., &Pondy, L. R. (1989a). Myths and politics in organizational context. Group and Organization Studies, 14, 83-103 Hopwood, Christopher J;Morey, Leslie C;Markowitz, John C;Pinto, Anthony;Skodol, Andrew E;Gunderso. The Construct Validity of Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder. Psychiatry; Fall 2009; 72, 3; ProQuest Central pg. 256 Vigoda, Eran. Journal of Organizational Behavior Stress-related aftermaths to workplace politics: The relationships among politics, job distress, and aggressive behavior in organizations 23. 5 (Aug 2002): 571-591.

Violations at the workplace Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 37

Violations at the workplace - Case Study Example In this case, the informal complaint did not cause OSHA to send a letter, but the inspector showed up nonetheless. The important thing is for the inspector to show a warrant that allows him to carry out any inspection in the workplace. In fact, the Supreme Court declared that no OSHA inspections should take place without the availability of a warrant or consent to enter a workplace for inspection (Bailey et al., 2008). Further, the individual is grumpy and well known for his disgruntlement, which is something that should be taken into consideration. If more than 80% of complaints are false, the inspector cannot continue acting without consulting the management. OSHA requires a warrant at this time because the issues the disgruntled employee reported could be dealt with at the corporate level (Lasowski, 2010). Having to ask for an inspection because of a disgruntled employee will inconvenience the management, and it is important that the OSHA inspector sits with the management and dis cusses the issues taking place. This will also lead to consented inspection to prove that the company has taken into consideration everything discussed and complained about by the employee. After the inspector leaves, I will take the initiative to sit down with the employee and discuss issues at the workplace. The employee must respect the rules and regulations at the workplace, and offer undivided support towards the accomplishment of goals within the organization. If more than 80% of complaints are false.

Is Honesty Always the Best Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Honesty Always the Best Policy - Essay Example The main character of the movie, Howard Prince, is a person who is contacted by his writer friend for a favor. The writer has been blacklisted from the television studios and wants Howard to front for him in exchange for a commission. Howard soon finds out how lucrative it is, and contacts two more blacklisted writers to front. Even though Howard is being dishonest, and for monetary concerns not for any lofty ideals, it is noteworthy that this arrangement is beneficial to not only him, but to the unfortunately blacklisted writers and even for the television studio he sells the scripts to. In this scenario, it would be ludicrous to be honest, as the reason the writers are blacklisted is unfair and unjust.  The main character of the movie, Howard Prince, is a person who is contacted by his writer friend for a favor. The writer has been blacklisted from the television studios and wants Howard to front for him in exchange for a commission. Howard soon finds out how lucrative it is, and contacts two more blacklisted writers to front. Even though Howard is being dishonest, and for monetary concerns not for any lofty ideals, it is noteworthy that this arrangement is beneficial to not only him, but to the unfortunately blacklisted writers and even for the television studio he sells the scripts to. In this scenario, it would be ludicrous to be honest, as the reason the writers are blacklisted is unfair and unjust.  Another character in the movie, Hecky Brown, is slowly but surely blacklisted and he watches his whole career disintegrate down.

The Cultural Challenges of Doing Business Overseas Essay

The Cultural Challenges of Doing Business Overseas - Essay Example The main differences between the US and Czech culture are found in food preferences and style of life. In contrast to American consumers, Czech families prefer to eat at home which helps them to save time and money. Fast food and snack bars are not so popular in Czech Republic. The main target audience of Chicago Style Pizza would include young people and students, middle income families and busy professionals. Cultural differences cover the state of intellectual development of the people and the state of commercial development of the nation. The major risks are underdeveloped fast food culture and strong cultural eating and food patterns. Steve can reduce these risks locating its snack bars in big cities and high populated areas, in business and students centres (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1999). Country-of-origin image can be positively perceived by Czech consumers. In theory, "country of origin based stereotyping may be universal in nature; however, the degree to which it is applied and the prominence given in the evaluation of the product varies" (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1999, 51). ... Customer reactions to price and the judgments that customers make will be conditioned by their perceptions and attitudes toward the country of origin of Chicago Style Pizza. On the one hand, consumers will be influenced by an American origin of the new venture and image of Italian cuisine (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1999). The comparative advantage is underdeveloped fast food market segment which proposes great opportunities for a new entry. Unique image of pizza and unique perception and attitude towards Italian food could have a positive impact on consumers' behavior. Taking into account fast food experience it is possible to say that it creates and develops its global image using American origin supported by the decision to extend and adapt new features influenced by the socio-cultural, economic, and political environments of the other countries. For Chicago Style Pizza, the key to meeting market share or unit sales objectives is making product design changes in response to local market conditions. However, the benefits of achieving such objectives are weighed against the cost of changing a product's design and testing it in the market (Czech Culture Overview 2005). Attention to language skills in recruitment and opportunities for employees to learn another language are commonplace solutions which need no discussion. The understanding of social behavior and good manners in each country is also a very important sphere of IHRM practices. While cultural differences may be regarded as a barrier to the achievement of a truly harmonised single market, they do not act as a barrier to doing business abroad. By adapting to local cultural conditions firms can operate successfully across the nations (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1999). Indeed, it is possible to argue that the

Culture, Behaviour and Management in field of Construction Project Essay

Culture, Behaviour and Management in field of Construction Project Management - Essay Example The potential effectiveness of these ideologies is tested through the London Olympics 2012 construction projects. It is proved that such ideologies can be effective in the construction industry but only the terms that they are appropriately supported in all their aspects. 1. Introduction In the last decade, the rapid expansion of globalisation in countries worldwide has caused a series of changes in traditional organizational practices and frameworks. It is in the context of this trend that the recent credit crisis appeared. The specific crisis has been related to a series of mind-sets and ideologies. In this way, the management of the effects of the credit crisis is not an issue of organizational practices but rather of ideologies and behaviour. The role of mind-sets and ideologies in the development of the recent credit crisis is examined in this paper; emphasis is given on the potential use of these mind-sets for handling the effects of the crisis on the UK construction industry. The construction projects of the London Olympics 2012 are used as indicative examples for highlighting the potential value of mind-sets in handling problems related to the financial crisis – especially cultural and behavioural problems. ... It is recommended that project managers involved in the particular construction projects – those related to London Olympics 2012 – emphasize more on the use of mind-sets for resolving the cultural and behavioural problems of these projects. At the next level, these practices could benefit the construction projects developed in markets with different characteristics, such as the Thai market. 2. An explanation of the recent ‘credit crisis’ taking the perspective of ‘ideologies and mindsets’ to account for the phenomenon. The recent credit crisis proved the inability of leaders in organizations of all industries to take the necessary measures for increasing the strength of their firm towards the market pressures. As noted in the study of Dotlich et al. (2009) in order to be able to face the developments in the global market, modern leaders should ‘develop four mind-sets: a) a global mind-set, b) an innovation mind-set, c) a virtual mind-set and d) a collaborative mind-set’ (Dotlich et al. 2009, p.36). The above mind-sets could be further explained as follows: a) the first (global) mind-set would help leaders to understand the conditions in the global market and set the appropriate strategic priorities, aiming to help their firm improve its position in the international market, b) the innovation mind-set would refer to leaders who are able to identify and promote creative ideas; these ideas could help organizations to increase their competitiveness or, at least, to avoid major losses in periods of severe crises, like the recent one, c) the virtual mind-set refers to leaders who are able to communicate effectively with external providers established in other countries worldwide (Dotlich et al. 2009, p.36), d) the collaborative mind-set reflects the leader

Second Language Teaching Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Second Language Teaching - Research Paper Example Acquisition of second language is facilitated by speaking; in fact, engaging in conversation through which the student gains control of over the topic of discussion, this offers a chance for participants to express their ideas, thereby providing substantial intake. In this case, this involves activities in classrooms, which are natural interesting and comprehensible (Archibald, 2000). On the other hand, teaching programs, which offer comprehensive input in classrooms in a way that attributes in the classroom, are considered to be the best for acquisition of second language to the intermediate level. Nonetheless, the perfect input, which facilitates the acquisition of second language, resembles the input acquired by students in the elementary school. Therefore, the comprehensive, necessary input is based on their instantaneous interest, which is not complex and not graded with stringency. On-going, specific, and immediate feedback Feedback is offered to students in the process of lear ning after an evaluation, or when they make mistakes, and this becomes an object of attention; for instance, feedback evoked by a mistake by the students in the elementary school is immediate, whereby the educator is expected to ensure that the student has recognized the mistake and corrected it (Folse, 2004). On the other hand, an educator can issue specific feedback, whereby a recast is involved as a form of negative feedback whereby learners are likely to ignore. Ongoing feedback involves learners asking questions in the learning process, whereby they seek classification as they provide feedback and teachers are expected to tune their input in the necessary level in order to facilitate effective acquisition of second language (Folse, 2004). Feedback is considered to a crucial way of involving and consolidating students in the learning process. In fact, this is a process that is utilized in identifying areas of second language teaching that need improvement. Moreover, feedback has been considered a fundamental element in the second language teaching, whereby it is a product, process and genre through which teachers apply crucial components of their instructional repertoires. Grouping structures and techniques Grouping structures and techniques are based on the structure of language and descriptive linguistics; in fact, this involves isolating grammatical and syntactic elements in the process of teaching the second language (White, 2000). In this case, these structural groups are used either deductively or inductively for predetermining the sequence of the learning process, and on the other hand, there is a need for meta-linguistic content in the learning process that facilitates learning. Building background and vocabulary development Students in the elementary school are influenced by academic background knowledge in the learning process of second language. Therefore, educators are expected to understand the way to build’ students’ background knowledge and vocabulary development through direct teaching of specific vocabulary in a given way (Folse, 2004). In this case, teachers in elementary school apply research based steps of vocabulary instruction model to assist students that are struggling to increase their confidence and acquire second language. In addition, there is a need to focus on particular strategies applied in this step while introducing words in a way that is not intimidating them (Folse, 2004). Apparently, this allows students to process the words based on multiple

Quality assurance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Quality assurance - Assignment Example Without the customers, it is believed that quality would not be a concern in this case. Pleasing the customer in this principle is key for the sustenance of the organization. Therefore, a customer’s taste and preference has constantly to be known so as to know the quality required. Organizations constantly thrive to become better than they were before due to the ever competing and changing world. Human beings are always dynamic in nature and tend to change with what is on the trend. Companies too have to do so by improving towards the better. This can be achieved in total quality management by ensuring that they have implemented changes in their production process that would lead to efficacy and deliverance of quality products and services. Through comparison with the past, good companies always works towards improving on their performance (Asher 2002, p.78).Successful companies ensure that they deliver quality products and services through emphasizing on improvement of factors of production. Labour for instance can be shaped to become better through proper training and recruitment of qualified staff members suited for the job. Organizations tend to have certain type of suppliers that deliver high quality goods. In case of possessing many suppliers, there those who will deliver low quality goods at a high price, whereas there are those who will stick to their principles and supply the best they can offer at an affordable price. It is always important for organizations to maintain such suppliers close to them than those who deliver poor quality products. The two most important structures in management that can contribute greatly to effective quality assurance and high customer satisfaction is by having a team of qualified workers plus a quality assurance department that is working. First of all, in order for an organization to have skilled workers that will work efficiently and deliver quality products and

Blue Nile Case Essay Example for Free

Blue Nile Case Essay Background Blue Nile has grown into one of the largest jewelry retailers in the United States with only using the Internet as its distribution channel. The success is a direct result of a well-crafted business strategy that attracts high price customers and provides them with in-depth education about diamonds and jewelry. Gamble, Peteraf, Strickland III, and Thompson (2012), indicated that the company’s strategy provides customers with high quality diamonds, exceptional customer service and low prices (p. c-128). They pride themselves on their selection and outstanding education that they provide to consumers looking for the perfect diamond. In addition they have received various awards and recognition from Forbes and Bizrate.com (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, Strickland, 2012, p. C-127). Blue Nile has found a niche in which to differentiate itself by creating an online marketplace for jewelry shopping and with low operating costs which makes them extremely competitive. In viewing Blue Niles website, one can see that they have a vast amount of for potential buyers, that which determine a diamond’s value- carat, clarity, color, cut, and cut grade. Strength The company has a user friendly site that present a lot of diamonds styles to choose from with the 5C’s of diamond selection which are cut shape, cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Their price is much lower than others. Blue Niles also prides themselves on their selection and outstanding education that they provide to consumers looking for the perfect diamond (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, Strickland, 2012, p. C-127). Weakness Blue Nile competes in a small area with a specialty offering. Brand awareness remains a constant source of weakness for the company. Blue Nile, Inc. needs to increase their advertising campaign to attract new and retain old customers. Opportunities Blue Nile needs to create a strong brand awareness that will allow can compete with Tiffany and Co. Blue Nile, Inc. recently opened warehouses in Canada and Britain, but has limited globalization to sales of 40 nations. Blue Nile will need global growth into the European market could prove to be a financial success. Threats Through the operating capital calculations it indicates that Blue Niles strategy is needs some adjustments in the current market space. From 2005 to 2009 the cash that has been available for the firm’s day-to-day operations has dropped dramatically. There was an estimated $58.8 billion in sales in the United States alone in 2009 (Thompson, 2012, p. C-127). With Blue Nile taking $302 million in sales in 2009, they had a great year but in reality only maintain a less than 1% of the market industry hold. This suggests that there is room for growth in this are. With steady profits for the past two years, 2011 has been the best year even though the 4th quarter resulted in small loss. The company profits are 2011 $348 million, 2010 $332.9 million, 2009 $302.1 million, and in 2008 $295.3 million be (Blue Nile, 2012, Investor Relations). References: Blue Nile, Inc. 2011 Annual Report (2012). Blue Nile, Inc. (online). Retrieved from http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/NILE/1855688484x0x560442/D1DAE1BA-0161-4574-8447-242F9561DF0E/2011_Annual_Report_FINAL.pdf Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., Strickland, A. J. (2012). Crafting executing strategy: The quest for competitive advantage (18th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Discussion 6.1 Jeffrey Clapper Jeffrey, I agree with your posting and I enjoyed reading it also. In reviewing the financials and the Internet site, it is apparent that Blue Nile spends a lot of money in the area that has no direct impact on generating profit. Blue Nile is now pursuing a new market consisting of non-engagement jewelry by offering an expanded range of products across several price points. This market should offer a great amount of growth opportunities for now and the future. All in all the brand and name recognition is the key aspect that the must pay attention to. Discussion 6.1 Michael Veltman Michael, Your post was very insightful. A main issue for Blue Nile is the lack of exposure through the their advertising. Blue Nile offers the best prices while still being able to create a profit. The low operations cost of the business enables them to offer low prices and still make a profit. On the other hand the lack of store front exposure creates a problem for gaining additional clients. By adding new products they can create there reach and drive more revenue.

Conflict of Interest Essay Example for Free

Conflict of Interest Essay Abstract Information about the financial health of public companies provided by auditors ideally allows investors to make informed decisions and enhances the efficiency of financial markets. However, under the current system auditors are hired and fired by the companies they audit, which introduces incentives for biases that favor the audited companies. Three experiments demonstrate bias in auditors judgments, and show that these biases are not easily corrected because auditors are not fully aware of them. The first experiment demonstrates that the judgments of professional auditors tend to be biased in favor of their clients. The second and third experiments explore more closely the psychological processes underlying the bias. The results suggest that the closeness of the relationship between auditor and client may have a particularly strong biasing influence on auditors private judgments. Key words: Conflict of interest; Auditor independence; Self-serving bias; Motivated reasoning Auditor Independence, Conflict of Interest, and the Unconscious Intrusion of Bias By certifying the public reports that collectively depict a corporation’s financial status, the independent auditor assumes a public responsibility transcending any employment relationship with the client. The independent public accountant performing this special function owes ultimate allegiance to the corporations creditors and stockholders, as well as to the investing public. This public watchdog function demands that the accountant maintain total independence from the client at all times and requires complete fidelity to the public trust. -Chief Justice Warren Burger, writing on behalf of a unanimous United States Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Arthur Young Co. (1984) Independence is central to the function served by auditors. Although managers may have an interest in exaggerating, misrepresenting, or falsifying reports of their firm’s performance, an independent audit report is supposed to provide a credible, unbiased appraisal of the firms financial status. The importance of auditor independence is reflected in the Code of Professional Ethics of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and has been reinforced by numerous legal decisions, such as that rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court in the opening quote. Recent events, however, have led many to question whether the modern practice of public accounting is independent enough. In the wake of a number of accounting scandals, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) conducted a series of hearings on auditor independence in 2000. The SEC instituted modest changes to disclosure rules after the 2000 hearings and the issue receded from the public agenda until the failure of the Enron Corporation and the role of its auditor, Arthur Andersen, in that failure brought the issue of auditor independence to the fore. In analyzing the problem of auditor independence, both the academic accounting literature and the mass media have implicitly adopted what could be considered an â€Å"economic† perspective on the problem. Theoretical papers, empirical analyses, and media discussions of the Conflict of Interest 4 issue of independence assume, sometimes explicitly and sometimes implicitly, that auditor bias is a matter of deliberate choice (Antle, 1984; DeAngelo, 1981; Simunic, 1984). Auditors are assumed to have the ability to complete high-quality, independent, unbiased audits if they choose to do so. Bias, to t he extent that it is thought to exist, is seen as a deliberate response to incentives. This â€Å"economic† account of independence and bias is challenged by psychological research which suggests that biased information processing is not only pervasive, but is typically unconscious and unintentional—i.e., seldom a matter of deliberate choice. Applied to auditing, this research suggests that auditors who face conflicts of interest may find it difficult, if not impossible, to avoid bias even if they attempt to do so. Whether auditor bias is a matter of conscious choice or is unintentional and unconscious has wide-ranging implications for policy, because conscious corruption and unconscious bias respond to different influences. In this paper, we first review findings from empirical research on biased information processing. Then we report results from three experiments. The first experiment documents biased judgment among professional auditors. The second and third experiments delve deeper into the psychological processes at work and examine the causes of bi ased judgment. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the practice of and rules surrounding auditing. Motivated Information Processing Research shows that people evaluate evidence in a selective fashion when they have a stake in reaching a particular conclusion. They tend to focus on evidence that supports the conclusion they would like to reach and evaluate that evidence in an uncritical fashion (Holyoak Simon, 1999; Koehler, 1991; Lord, Ross, Lepper, 1979; Russo, Medvec, Meloy, 1996; Russo, Meloy, Medvec, 1998, see Rabin Schrag, 1999 for a theoretical model). When evidence conflicts with their desired conclusions, people tend to either ignore it or subject it to particularly critical scrutiny (Ditto Lopez, 1992). This selective information processing effect is so strong that when people on different sides of an issue are exposed to the same information they can all feel that the information supports their position. As a result, they may even hold more strongly disparate opinions after receiving the same information (Lord et al., 1979). One important influence on how people evaluate information is accountability. When people know that they will be accountable for their decisions, they show more concern for how their decisions will be received. When they do not know the preferences of their audience, this heightened concern leads to more systematic cognitive processing and a more thorough justification of the conclusion (Tetlock, 1983). However, when the preferences of the audience are known, accountability need not lead to more thoughtful processing, but can instead increase the likelihood that the decision-makers judgment will be consistent with the known preferences of the audience (Tetlock, 1983). In an audit, there can be little doubt regarding the preferences of the management of the client firm: They want to get an unqualified audit report. The effect of accountability cannot be easily explained by simple self-interest, because most of the research on accountability has not included any rewards for agreeing with the individual to whom one is accountable (Tetlock, 1992). But this is not to say that self-interest does not influence judgment. When a particular interpretation of the evidence will benefit them materially, people gravitate toward that interpretation, even when they hold an explicit goal of being impartial. For example, people tend to think that the allocation of resources that benefits themselves is fair (Messick Sentis, 1979), and believe that others will share their perspective (Diekmann, 1997; Diekmann, Samuels, Ross, Bazerman, 1997; Messick Sentis, 1983). Moreover, they are typically unaware that they are processing information in a self-serving fashion and, thus, are unaware that they are biased. Thompson and Loewenstein (1992) found evidence of a self-serving bias in negotiators’ reports of fairness. In their experiment, participants played either the role of management or union in a wage negotiation, and both roles were given the same information about the details of the situation. Before they negotiated, both parties were asked what they believed a fair outcome to be from the vantage point of a neutral third party. Their responses were egocentrically biased; individuals representing the union tended to believe that a higher wage was fairer, whereas those representing management tended to report that a lower wage was fairer. The parties then proceeded to trade bids until they came to settlement, and delay was costly to both parties. The magnitude of the egocentric bias—the difference between the two sides perceptions of a fair wage—predicted the length of time it took parties to come to agreement: The more egocentric the parties ex ante perceptions of fairness were, the longer strikes tended to last. Later research demonstrated the same result in real negotiations between union and school board presidents in Pennsylvania (Babcock, Wang, Loewenstein, 1996). In the studies cited above, the pre-negotiation fairness judgments had no direct consequence for the negotiators, so it is unlikely that the bias resulted from strategic misrepresentation. However, subjects were not given any incentive to report their judgments accurately, so the studies do not reveal whether people are able to provide impartial judgments when they are motivated to do so. Two studies (Babcock, Loewenstein, Issacharoff, Camerer, 1995; Loewenstein, Issacharoff, Camerer, Babcock, 1993), however, offered a clear incentive to participants to be accurate in their private fairness judgments. Participants whose judgments came close to the determinations of an impartial judge were given a cash bonus. This incentive did not eliminate egocentrism in participants reports, suggesting that their roles influenced their assessments of fairness in ways they could not disregard even when it was in their interest to do so. Kunda (1990) argued that this motivated reasoning leads to biased conclusions whenever there is sufficient ambiguity in the evidence to allow for a biased interpretation. Thompson and Loewenstein (1992) explicitly manipulated ambiguity and confirmed Kundas prediction: Greater ambiguity leads to more bias. In general, as Babcock and Loewenstein (1997: 120) concluded on the basis of the aforementioned studies: As soon as asymmetries are introduced between the parties—for example, different nonagreement values or costs of non-settlement, or subtle differences in roles—both parties notions of fairness will tend to gravitate toward settlements that favor themselves. They will not only view these settlements as fair, but believe that their personal conception of fairness is impartial. In sum, research on information processing and bargaining suggests both that people process information in a biased, self-interested, fashion, and that this bias is strong, automatic, and unconscious. Implications of Motivated Information Processing for Auditor Independence The research on motivated information processing has significant implications for auditor bias. Very few auditors begin their work hoping to find a client has breached accounting standards. Rather, auditors typically start with a desire to reach a positive conclusion about their clients and issue an unqualified audit report. Auditors generally want to be rehired by their clients, and it is often the case that an unfavorable audit report is likely to result in a client firm changing auditors (Levinthal Fichman, 1988; Seabright, Levinthal, Fichman, 1992). Even if the accounting firm is large enough that one account is a trivial percentage of its revenues, individual auditors’ jobs and careers may depend on success with specific clients. Perhaps more importantly, accounting firms often treat auditing work as a way to build relationships that will allow them to sell other services including management consulting, information technology assistance, or tax accounting. Although some have argued that the contingent rents available through consulting services should not influence audit quality (Antle, Griffen, Teece, Williamson, 1997; Dopuch, King, Schwartz, 2001), other recent evidence suggests that it may (Frankel, Johnson, Nelson, in press). An auditor’s job is complex, involving the accumulation and synthesis of a great deal of information about a client firm. The information available to auditors often includes the kind of ambiguity that facilitates motivated information processing. Joseph Berardino, Arthur Andersen’s former chief executive, in his congressional testimony on the Enron collapse, commented that: Many people think accounting is a science, where one number, namely earnings per share, is the number, and it’s such a precise number, that it couldn’t be two pennies higher or two pennies lower. I come from a school that says it’s really much more of an art (as quoted in Harris, 2001). This imprecision allows motivated reasoning to insinuate itself into auditors judgments. Historically, those who have defended auditors against charges of bias have emphasized their high ethical standards and professional values. For example, at the SEC hearings on auditor independence, Gary Shamis, Chairman of the Management of an Accounting Practice Committee at the AICPA, stated that: Conflict of Interest 9 We take the existing independence rules quite seriously, and consequently abide by all the existing rules. We are professionals that follow our code of ethics and practice by the highest moral standards. We would never be influenced by our own personal financial well being (Shamis, 2000) While it is likely that most auditors attempt to remain independent, neither ethical codes nor training are likely to be effective remedies against a bias that is unconscious and unintentional. Undoubtedly, the vast majority of auditors do not deliberately author biased reports. Instead, auditors’ roles influence their professional assessments so that their private beliefs become consistent with the interests of their clients. Although it is possible that auditors sometimes intentionally misrepresent their findings in public, it is more likely that self-interest operates indirectly, by unconsciously influencing auditors’ assessments of a client’s financial condition. The Studies The three experiments reported here bring together research on motivated reasoning and accountability to study the psychology auditors judgments. Experiment 1 presents data from professional auditors and tests the hypothesis that their judgments may be biased in favor of client firms (Hypothesis 1). The second and third studies examine the causes behind this effect; they examine factors that could moderate the magnitude of bias, and test the extent to which the bias can be consciously undone. Participants were asked to produce two judgments: one public and the other private. For the public judgments, subjects were given an explicit incentive to be biased. For the private judgments, they were given an incentive to be unbiased; they were paid on the basis of how close their judgments came to those provided by an impartial panel of experts. If participants were fully aware of the bias in their public reports, and if properly motivated to do so, they should have been able to adjust their evaluations to eliminate the bias in their private judgments. If they were not fully aware of the bias, as the research on motivated information processing would suggest, then their private estimates should have been biased as well (Hypothesis 2). Experiment 2 specifically tests the consequences of financial incentives on bias. To the extent that financial incentives affect the strength of the auditors desire to reach a particular conclusion, one might expect to observe parallel changes in the magnitude of bias. Experiment 2 tests the hypothesis that the greater one’s financial interest in a particular outcome, the more biased one will be in the direction of that outcome (Hypothesis 3). The third study examines the effect of the relationship between the auditor and the principal. Material interests are not the only factors that can undermine the impartiality of judgments. Personal relationships and affiliations can have a similar effect. The power of affiliations is evident in sports fans; questionable referee calls often provoke outrage by the fans of the call’s loser, but rarely by fans on the winning side. Indeed, one of the first studies that documented the self-serving bias involved sports teams. In their classic study of a particularly rough football game, Hastdorf and Cantril (1954) showed that fans from each side blamed the other team for behaving more aggressively; this result also held for fans who had not seen the game live but only watched a film of the game. These fans obtained no material benefit from their energetic advocacy but nevertheless made judgments that favored their own teams. The self-serving bias does not require the powerful affiliations associated with sports teams. Thompson (1995) has shown, in a simulated labor dispute, that it takes only a whiff of affiliation with a partisan to create sympathetic leanings. Naturally, this tendency is only strengthened when people feel accountable to the partisan (Lerner Tetlock, 1999; Tetlock, 1992). Most auditors are likely to have frequent close contact with a client, creating much stronger affiliations. Indeed, it is the cooperation of the client that makes it possible for auditors to do their jobs. Thus, Experi ment 3 tests the hypothesis that the closer one’s personal relationship with a particular individual, the more biased one will be in that person’s favor (Hypothesis 4). EXPERIMENT 1: Role-Conferred Biases Method Participants were 139 professional auditors employed full-time by one of the Big Four accounting firms in the United States. Their ages ranged from 23 to 55, with a mean of 29 years (SD = 6.2). Fifty-six percent of the participants were male. They had a mean of five years (SD = 5.7) working as an auditor. Nine participants requested, after they had handed in their questionnaires, that their responses be excluded from subsequent data analyses. Participants were given five different auditing vignettes and asked them to come to a judgment regarding the proper auditing in each case. The problems were intentionally chosen to be somewhat difficult accounting problems for which generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) did not provide an unambiguous solution. Each of the vignettes depicts a situation in which accounting issues that are not clearly addressed by current rule-based accounting standards. The issues addressed include the recognition of intangible assets on the financial statements (vignette 1), the restructuring of debt with dilutive securities (vignette 2), the recognition vs. deferral of revenues (vignette 3), capitalization vs. expensing of expenditures (vignette 4), and the treatment of research and development costs on the financial statements (vignette 5). Subjects were told that these cases were independent of each other and hypothetical, although are intentionally realistic. It was our goal to design these vignettes such that the issues that are described are more general and do not particularly apply to any one  industry, to ensure that auditors specializing in one industry will not have a specific advantage or disadvantage in answering any of the questions. All participants saw all five vignettes in the same order. The five vignettes are listed in Appendix A. The experiment had a 2 (role: hired by issuer or by outside investor) X 2 (question order: make accounting valuation first vs. evaluate other’s accounting first) between-subjects factorial design. The role manipulation varied whom participants were told they were working for. Half the participants’ materials informed them that they had been hired as the external auditor for the firm in question. The other half of participants were told that they were working for an outside investor considering investing money in the firm. The question order manipulation varied the order of the questions that followed every vignette. Those in the choice-first condition were first presented with (1) the firm’s unaudited accounting, and were asked whether they would accept it as complying with GAAP; and (2) what the right accounting would be. Those in the valuation-first condition got these two questions in the reverse order. All participants were also asked how confident they were about their judgments. Results Neither age nor years of auditing experience affected the dependent measures reported below. Therefore, we do not report them in any of the subsequent analyses. We hypothesized that participants would be more likely to come to the conclusion that the accounting behind a firm’s financial reports complied with GAAP if they were working for the firm than if they were not (Hypothesis 1). To test this hypothesis, we conducted a 2 (role: hired by issuer or by outside investor) X 2 (question order: make accounting valuation first vs. Conflict of Interest 13 evaluate other’s accounting first) MANOVA using the five approval decisions as dependent variables. The results show a significant main effect of role. Consistent with Hypothesis 1, those working as external auditor for a firm were significantly more likely to approve its accounting (M = 29%, SD = 24%) than were those who represented outside investors (M = 22%, SD = 21%), F (5, 107) = 2.9, p .05. Neither the main effect of question order nor its interaction with role is significant. We also expected, consistent with Hypothesis 1, that in addition to being more willing to endorse the firm’s own accounting, participants would be more likely to come to valuation decisions that were favorable to the target firm when they were considering the problem from the perspective of an outside auditor then when they had taken the perspective of a potential investor. To test this prediction, we first generated standardized scores for each item by computing a zscore of the valuation and reverse-scoring items as appropriate so that higher scores indicated valuations more favorable to the target firm. We then computed an average valuation for each participant and submitted these valuations to a 2 (role: hired by issuer or by outside investor) X 2 (question order: make accounting valuation first vs. evaluate other’s accounting first) ANOVA. The results show a main effect of role: Those playing the role of outside auditor came to more favorable valuations (M = .08, SD = .56) than did those working for a potential investor, (M = -.11, SD = .50), F (1, 134) = 4.07, p .05. Neither the main effect of question order nor its interaction with role is significant. Discussion The results of Experiment 1 are broadly consistent with research on accountability that shows that people tend to be proactively responsive to those to whom they expect to be accountable. When people are accountable to others with known preferences, then their judgments tend to be consistent with the preferences of those to whom they are accountable (Tetlock, 1983). An auditor who feels accountable to the client is more likely to issue a clean, unqualified audit report than one who feels accountable to an audit partner within his or her own firm (Buchman, Tetlock, Reed, 1996). However, it is worth noting that the accountability manipulation used in Experiment 1 was weak compared with the standard accountability manipulations in which people are led to believe that they will actually be meeting with a real person to whom they will need to justify their decisions. In Experiment 1, no mention was made of such accountability and participants were not required to justify their opinions. Nevertheless, this weak manipulation had an effect. We speculate that one reason for its effectiveness may be that the participants were familiar with the role of auditor, and so were able to easily put themselves in the role of being employed by, and accountable to, the client firm. One notable feature of the results of Experiment 1 is the low levels of endorsement. Nearly three quarters of the time, participants rejected the accounting proposed in the vignette as not complying with GAAP. This fact stands in contrast to the fact that the vast majority of all audit reports are unqualified. Two facts can explain the low endorsement rates in Experiment 1. First, the proposed accounting we gave participants in each vignette was intentionally designed to be fairly aggressive. Second, participants general suspiciousness was heightened because: (1) before they responded to the questionnaire, participants had to sign the consent form which, according to the rules of the institutional review board that approved it, had to include the name of the study: Auditor independence and bias; and (2) the participants had all been recently hired away from Arthur Andersen, and several expressed the concern that their ex-employers fate would be assumed to reflect badly on them. It is, perhaps, striking that the experiments manipulation worked despite participants heightened suspiciousness. Experiment 1 leaves a number of important theoretical questions unanswered. What, exactly, is it in the relationship between auditor and client that leads it to have the power to sway auditors judgments, given the clear ethical standards of their professions prohibiting such influence? Experiments 2 and 3 test two possible answers to this question: financial incentives and personal relationships. Because these two factors are confounded in actual auditor-client relationships, the experiments are conducted with participants who are not professional auditors. However, due to the fact that these non-auditor participants were unfamiliar with GAAP and so could not judge compliance with it, we created a slightly different experimental paradigm. EXPERIMENT 2: The Role of Financial Incentives Method Participants. One hundred twelve individuals participated for pay. Participants were recruited with advertisements in local newspapers and with flyers posted on the campuses of Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Forty-nine percent of the participants were male. They ranged in age from 20 to 41, with an average age of 24 years (SD = 5.18 years). Procedure. Participants were run in groups of four. They were assigned to one of four roles: the buyer, the buyer’s auditor, the seller, or the seller’s auditor. Principals (the buyer and the seller) were seated next to their auditors. All four participants received the same packet of information about the target firm, named E-Settle (see Appendix B). After reading through these materials, the principals made public reports on the value of the firm. The auditors then reviewed these reports and offered either an unqualified endorsement of the principal’s assessment or offered their own assessments that could include suggestions for revision. In addition, all auditors were asked to specify both the most they thought the buyer should consider paying and the least they thought the seller should consider accepting. Both the principals’ and the auditors’ public reports were viewed by both principals. Armed with their own estimates and those of their auditors, principals then negotiated the purchase of the firm. The principals were paid based on their negotiated outcomes. In addition to the auditors’ public reports, which went to both principals, the auditors each completed a private report that went only to the experimenter. This private report instructed auditors to report their true belief in the value of t he target firm, and told them, â€Å"Your goal is for this assessment to be as impartial as you can make it.† Participants were told that their estimates of the firm’s value would be compared with the opinions of nonpartisan experts. The panel of experts consisted of eight professors of accounting and finance at Carnegie Mellon University’s Graduate School of Industrial Administration. The experts had assessed the value of the firm at $14 million. If a participant’s valuation were within $3 million of the experts’, he or she would receive an additional $3 payment. Participants were then asked to express how confident they were in the accuracy of their private appraisals. They were given the opportunity to bet on their private appraisals. If they chose to take the bet, they stood to win more money ($6 instead of $3, but their appraisals had to be more accurate (within $1.5 million instead of $3 million). Finally, participants answered questions designed to assess the degree to which they believed their own appraisals of the target firm (E-Settle) may have been bias ed by the roles they played: Conflict of Interest 17 1) To what extent do you believe your private appraisal of the value of E-Settle was biased by your role? The response scale ran from 0 (no bias whatsoever) to 10 (powerfully biased). 2) To what extent do you think your role interfered with your ability to give an impartial estimate of E-Settle’s value in your private assessment? The response scale ran from 1 (it did not influence me at all) to 7 (I found it impossible to make an impartial assessment). 3) How do you believe your role influenced your estimate of E-Settle’s value in your private appraisal? The response scale ran from -$3,000,000 (It led me to make an appraisal that was at least $3 million below what it would otherwise have been) to +$3,000,000 (It led me to make an appraisal that was at least $3 million above what it would otherwise have been). Design. The experiments manipulation of incentive structures included three conditions: Fixed fee, Pay for performance, and Future business. In the fixed fee condition, auditors were paid a fixed $9 fee regardless of their reports and regardless of the principal’s outcomes. In the pay for performance condition, auditors received a $3 base payment plus the same contingent payments as their principals: $.50 per $1 million in sale price either above $0 (for the seller) or below $30 million (for the buyer). This manipulation was designed to mirror a practice that the SEC has made illegal in which auditors have a direct financial stake in the success of a client firm. In the future business condition, auditors received a $3 base payment; after the negotiation was complete, principals could choose to award future business to the auditor, worth anywhere from $0 to $10. The decision of how much business to give to the auditor did not influence the principal’s own earnings. This manipulation was designed to mirror the incentives present for auditors who would like to continue offering profitable services to a client who has the choice of hiring them or some other firm. Results Public reports. After reading about the target firm, principals provided estimates of its value. A 2 (role: buyer vs. seller) X 3 (pay: fixed, pay for performance, future business) ANOVA revealed a main effect for role. Sellers estimated the value of the firm to be higher (M = $21.5 MM, SD = $8.5 MM) than did buyers (M = $12.3 MM, SD = $12.3 MM), F(1, 49) = 18.94, p .001. After having seen this report, auditors had the option of either unconditionally endorsing the principal’s report or suggesting changes. A logistic regression reveals that neither role nor the extremity of the principal’s valuation influenced the frequency of endorsement. However, pay condition was a significant predictor of the tendency to endorse, B = -.75, p .05. Auditors in the fixed payment and pay for performance conditions were about equally likely to issue unconditional endorsements (50 percent and 47 percent respectively). However, auditors in the future business condition were less likely to issue an unconditional endorsement (17 percent) and instead tended to offer suggestions for revision (see Table 1), χ2(2) = 4.89, p .05. In professional auditing, issuing a conditional endorsement of a client’s financial statements suggests that the auditor believes there are problems. However, participants in the present experiment were not constrained in this way. In their reports, about 12 percent of auditors suggested that their principals had been too extreme in their valuation of the company, and advised moderation (lower prices recommended to sellers and higher prices to buyers).

Statue of David: Donatello and Bernini Comparison

Statue of David: Donatello and Bernini Comparison The Biblical character of David has been the inspiration for many works of art throughout history. The young David, as Goliaths adversary, has been sculpted by such artists as Verrocchio, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini. Although all of these sculptures are comparable in some aspects, the ones by Donatello and Bernini present significant differences. Donatello was an Italian sculptor of the Early Renaissance whose work is seen as a link from classic to modern art. He trained in Florence with Lorenzo Ghiberti and began working on his own in 1408. Donatello is considered one of the founders of modern sculpture because of he created realistic human expressions and stressed action and character. He is eminent for his use of perspectives, including physical distortions for dramatic effect, and was a master craftsman with a talent for innovation. Probably the most famous example of fifteenth-century sculpture is the bronze David by Donatello. Dates for the work vary from the 1430s to the 1460s. It is recorded as the centerpiece of the first courtyard in the Palazzo Medici during the wedding festivities of Lorenzo de Medici and Clarice Orsini in 1469. Some have argued that it was commissioned by Cosimo de Medici in the 1430s to be the centerpiece of the courtyard of the older Medici house on the Via Larga. Another great creator of the sculpture of David was Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Bernini was a sculptor, painter and architect and a shaping influence as an outstanding advocate of the Italian Baroque. He was an exceptional portrait artist and owes to his father his accomplished techniques in the handling of marble and also an impressive list of patrons that included the Borghese and the Barbarini families. Bernini originally worked in the Late Mannerist tradition but rejected the contrived tendencies of this style. By 1624 he had adopted an expression that was passionate and full of emotional and psychological energy. His figures are caught in a transient moment from a single viewpoint, bursting into the spectators space. Bernini created a life-size marble statue of David that was part of a commission to decorate the villa of Berninis patron Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the Galleria Borghese where it still resides. It was completed in the course of seven months from 1623 to 1624. One major variation between the statues of David is that Donatellos is very early Renaissance, he is going towards more realistic features, whereas, Bernini is working in a more baroque style, combing action and attentiveness, for instance in Davids face, to achieve a vitality in the work that is not seen in Donatellos David. Berninis David was created during the Baroque Period, a time of great liveliness when artists were captivated by movement and the activities of the human body. This sculpture implies action and captures David as he is actually throwing the stone at Goliath. Davids muscles are tense and contracted. His face is a grimace of concentration, somewhat contorted by the physical effort of his movements. His loosely flowing robe also adds to the idea of movement. Berninis sculpture of David was an innovative sculpture for its time, it represents the beginning of a new sculptural artistic. Another major distinction between Donatellos and Berninis sculpture is Berninis captures David during the fight with Goliath while Donatellos portrays David after the fight. Berninis David depicts movement in a way not previously attempted in stone. The biblical youth is taut and poised to shoot his projectile. The twisted torso, furrowed forehead, and granite grimace of Berninis David epitomize Baroque fixation with dynamic movement and emotion over High Renaissance inaction and classical severity. The sculpture communicates to an unseen entity, in the form of Goliath, the object of Davids aggression, as well as to the observer, caught in the middle of the conflict. The warrior even literally oversteps the boundaries between life and art, putting his toes over the edge of the plinth. Bernini captures the moment when he becomes a hero. In the work of Donatello, the sculpture is portraying the scene after David has cut off the head of Goliath. His foot is raised on the severed head in a stance of contropposto. His sword is in the right hand with the stone in the left. Donatello has softened the static balance and firm stance of the traditional male figure. This softening is evident in the placement of the two hands as well as the way Davids free leg gently rests on the head of Goliath. An additional differentiation between the sculptures is that Donatellos David is nude whereas Berninis is semi-clothed. Donatello made history when he created this masterpiece, which became the first free-standing bronze sculpture that was completely unsupported and in nude form in the Renaissance period. The art work caused much controversy due to the depiction of the nude male body. There are a few symbolic elements to this David. The style of the figure refers to antiquity for the balance and composition of the nude. Energy in the sculpture animates the emotions and is a new technique used in this David, once again showing qualities from antiquity. This energy is not used in Berninis David. Another differences between the sculptures is Bernini depict David as more of a man, while Donatello shows him as a young boy. Berninis David was an action man, determined by his great skill and his likewise great ego to create a new visual ideal, full of action and incredible determination and self-belief. His hero is full-grown and fully engaged both physically and psychologically, as he takes aim and twists his tensed, muscular body a split second before slinging the stone, grasped in his left hand. Although Donatello was inspired by Classical figures, he did not choose a Greek youth in his prime as a model for his David. Instead, he chooses a barely developed adolescent boy whose arms appeared weak due to the lack of muscles. After defeating Goliath, whose head lies at Davids feet, he rests his sword by his side, almost too heavy to handle. It seems almost impossible that a young boy like David could have accomplished such a task. David himself seems skeptical of his deed as he g lances down towards his body. Apparently, Davids intellect, faith and courage made up for his lack of build. The sculptures of the heroic David are significantly efficacious, Donatello shows David in a moment of thought and triumph, whereas Bernini shows David right in physical preparation for hurling the stone at his opponent. Donatellos sculpture is iconic. It could be said that practically anyone in the world could recognize it, and when asked to name a sculpture would name it. Berninis is less known, but that doesnt make it the lesser sculpture. Both men were achievers in the field of marble sculpture, the likes of which the art form may never see again, and both works can be considered masterpieces in their own right.

Monarch Butterfly Essays -- essays research papers

The monarch butterfly, as known as Danaus plexippus, is often called the milkweed butterfly because its larvae eat the milkweed plant. They are also sometimes called "royalty butterflies" because their family name comes from the daughter of Danaus, ruler of Argos. There are many other interesting facts about this butterfly including its anatomy and life cycle, where the butterfly lies on the food chain, the migration from Canada to Mexico, why the butterfly is being threatened, and lastly, what is being done to help the butterfly. The anatomy of the monarch starts with it coloring. The monarch butterfly is bright orange with a white spots in a black margin around the edges. The veins on the wings are also black. The caterpillar is ringed with yellow, black, and white on each segment and has a pair of black fleshy tubercles at each end (Emmel, 1999). Monarchs smell with their antennae while they taste with their feet (Wexler, 1994). While the male monarchs have scent scales on their wings and "hair pencils" on their abdomens which secrete a scent (Emmel, 1999). The male scent is used during mating. The copulation of a male and female monarch can last from thirty to sixty minutes which is about average for most butterflies (Emmel, 1999). The life cycle starts as larva or caterpillar. First, the monarch lays the eggs on the milkweed plants. Next, the egg hatch into a caterpillar. The caterpillar then eats the milkweed plants until they are large enough to pupate (Emmel, 1999). Then, the caterpillar attaches a pad of silk to a stem of a milkweed plant so it can hang while it transform into a butterfly. Next, the caterpillar sheds it larval skin to reveal the chrysalis inside (Emmel, 1999). After it shed its skin, the pupa hardens and the chrysalis earns it name by glowing in the sun. As the pupa stage comes to an end, the butterfly can be seen through its pupa shell. The monarch emerges by splitting the pupa along the length of it proboscis (Emmel, 1999). First the legs emerge. Then the fluid fill body pumps its fluid into the veins of the wings while the body shrinks to normal size. Finally, the butterfly hangs from the pupa about two hours while the wings dry (Emmel, 1999). Monarchs do not have many predators expect for ... ...enetic engineered corn. It cannot sell the corn to European markets so the engineered corn is not the premium corn on the market. With the help of Alvarez, Mexico will still be the place of the monarchs winter home, and the human race objecting to engineered food, the monarch may still have a fighting chance for survival. With all these interesting facts about the monarch, the anatomy, life cycle, milkweed plant, migration, the endangerment, and the help of Alvarez, it is a wondering why more people are not doing more to help this national treasure. Literature Cited Brower, Lincoln P., Fink, Linda S., and van Zandt Brower, Andrew. 1995. On the dangers of interpopulational transfers of monarch butterflies. BioScience, 45:540-4 Clattenburg, Will, 2004. A Mission for Monarchs. American Forests, 110/2:32-7 Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, 2nd edition. Volume 3, Insects, edited by Michael Hutchins, Arthur V. Evans, Rosser W. Garrison, and Neil Schlager. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2003. Stix, Gary, 1999. The butterfly effect. Scientific American, 281/2:28-9 Wexler, Mark, 1994. How to feed a visiting monarch. National Wildlife, 32:14-21

Research Psychology :: Graduate Admissions Essays

Research Psychology    I believe I have many characteristics and interests that would make me a good candidate for graduate school. I am a very introspective person; I put a lot of thought into what I do and why I do it. I constantly evaluate myself and my progress in making and reaching goals. One goal I have had for many years is to go on to graduate school. I know I have enough will and interest to make my goal a reality.    I have always enjoyed school and learning. My love of learning has been a key to my academic success and involvement. I am a Social an Behavioral Sciences Scholar, a National Merit Scholar, and a member of two honor societies, Phi Eta Sigma and Psi Chi. I also find I learn a lot by interacting with others. I participate in several clubs on campus. I was a member of the Student Environment Action Coalition (SEAC), and I helped to organize a benefit concert to raise money to save rain forests. I am currently involved in Anthropology Club, and Psychology Club. For Psychology Club, I am Vice President of Special Events; I help come up with topics for meetings, and I was in charge of publicity for our annual Volunteer Open House.    I enjoy being challenged, so I take heavy course loads and variety of classes. I will graduate with two Bachelor's degrees, in psychology and anthropology, after only three years and one summer of undergraduate study. I have been on the Dean's List every semester and have maintained a 4.0 GPA in psychology. I feel the courses I have taken have helped focus my interests and have prepared me for graduate work. Anthropology has given me a broader perspective on human attitudes, feelings, and behaviors than psychology alone. However, psychology as remained my favorite subject. I was a teaching assistant for Research Methods in psychology. This allowed me to work with others on all aspects of research from developing ideas to revising papers. I also had the opportunity to be a research assistant. I helped with data collection and putting it into a computer program. Next semester, I will be taking an honors course called Youth an Children: Issues and Controversies. As part of this class I will be volunteering with the Young Parents Together program and the Family and Children Council.

Business Communication

During the exam you are not allowed to open your references. B. Please answer the following questions in the form of essay which consists of introductory paragraph, detail and example, and concluding paragraph). 1.Effective communication strengthens the connection between a company and all its stakeholders, those groups affected in some way by the company’s actions: customers, employers, stakeholders, suppliers, neighbors, the community, and the nation. Conversely, when communication breakdown, the results can be anything from time wasting to the tragic event. How can a lack of shared experience between sender and receiver result in communication failures? 2. The way you conduct yourself and interact with others can have a profound influence on your company’s success and your career.Because of your excellent communication skills, for example, your boss always asks you to write his reports for him but when the CEO complimenting him on his logical organization and clear w riting style, your boss responds as if he’d written all those reports himself. What kind of ethical choice does your boss’s response represent? What can you do in this situation? Explain your solution and your reasoning. 3. Every month, each employee in your department is expected to give oral presentation on the status of your group project.One member of the group, however, has a severe speech impediment that prevents people from understanding most of what he has to say. As the department manager, how will you resolve this dilemma? Is it possible for you to use non-verbal communication? Please explain. 4. CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, a category of software that helps companies manage their interactions with customers. What are the factors to be considered when choosing visual media like CRM for your business communication? PS: Maximum score is 25 for each question including paragraph structure, sentence tructure, coherence, spelling, and choice of word. ——————–oOo————— Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package and is channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium. The receiver then will decodes the information before he/she gives feedback to the sender. Of course, some interference can appear in any forms and disturb the process of communication itself. When a process of communication doesn’t run properly, it is called communication breakdown and it is very common.In any communication model, interference of a communication model is called noise. There are many examples of noise, such as: environmental noise, physiological-impairment noise, semantic noise, syntactical noise, organizational noise, cultural noise, and psychological noise. The lack of shared experience of communication between the sender and the receiver could be classified as semantic, syntactical, organizational, or cultural noise. Semantic noise means the sender and the receiver have different interpretations of the meanings of certain words.For example, the word â€Å"weed† could be interpreted as undesired plants on your yard or as marijuana. Syntactical noise is a form of noise where certain grammatical mistakes appear and disrupt communication. This kind of noise usually appears when the language that is used in the communication process is not the mother language of one or more parties of the process. Poorly structured communication can prevent the receiver from accurate interpretations. When this happens, it is called organizational noise.For example, when a manager teaching his/her subordinates how to use a new tool for their works, but he/she is not telling them in a well structured form of communication, it can make the subordinates more confused about the new tool. The last one is cultural noise. This happens when the receiver and the sender came from different cultural background. Fo r instance, wishing a Moslem â€Å"Merry Christmas† could be offending for him/her. The process of communication does not always run well. Some interference can appear and disrupt the process.Therefore, we should learn the effective way of communication so that we can avoid the interference and conduct an effective way of communication. In business or in working environment, there are some rules that should be obeyed so we won’t hurt someone else’s feelings or take the rights of others. This set of rules is called business ethics. However, to determine whether an act is ethical or not is, sometimes, not easy. From the example given in the question, I don’t have any trouble to say that it is unethical. My boss claimed my works as his/hers and that simply violated my intelligence rights.There are some options can be taken to deal with this case, but I have my own way to deal with this. If I were in that position, I would just complain to him/her right away. Tell him/her that I didn’t like what he/she was doing but in a most nice and most polite ways. I don’t think he/she would fire me because he/she needed me. I was good at making reports and if he/she fired me, it wouldn’t be that easy to find someone else with the same skill. In working environment, we should always ensure that our acts are ethical. Even when someone else does unethical acts toward us, we should solve the problem with the most ethical way.By ensuring that every act that we conduct is ethical, it will not only make a good working environment but also shows us who we really are. In the process of communication, some interference can appear and disrupt the process. This interference is called noise. There are many kind of noise, such as: environmental noise, physiological-impairment noise, semantic noise, syntactical noise, organizational noise, cultural noise, and psychological noise. From the example given in the question, it is classified as phy siological-impairment noise.It means he/she has physical maladies that prevent effective communication. In this case: speech impediment. If I were the manager, I would try to help him with his/her speech problem. However, if it were impossible to help him/her with the problem, I would give him/her the work that required less speaking or the more technical part. I would leave him the part that deals with counting, graphs, etc. Customer relationship management (CRM) is a widely-implemented strategy for managing a company’s interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects.It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes, principally sales activities, but also those for marketing, customer service, and technical support. One of the factors that should be considered when using CRM is the tools could be complicated. The tools itself are usually limited. So, when using CRM as the company’s strategy, we should ensure that we have t he right processes, the right people, and the right strategy Business Communication Therefore, the company should develop consistency and extensive plan in order to commit their operational, strategic, financial and transactional problems. According to the Matthew Walker, in this situation, the first step should be communication proactively to limit surprises and build the credibility and trust. It does not mean that company should disclose every financial part; however the trust is the critical. The healthy business requires the healthy community. Also, there should contribution in creating and maintenance.Certainly, the public wants to know about companies, organizations. Lewis (2010) states that, corporate social responsibility becomes the â€Å"buzzword† from the boardroom to the living room by growing media coverage dealing with such issues as corporate governance and environmental responsibility. Professionally, this rise In awareness of the term CARS has created a new fashion in business management (Jackson, 2001). Many academics, corporate stakeholder s and Government are calling on large and small corporations to adopt CARS orientated approaches to business.It helps to communicate with stakeholders effectively. Inefficient or poor communication often demonstrates incomplete planning, unrealistic deadlines and budgets. Every company needs to communicate often and effectively in order to know about the processes of future plans, mission and vision. According to the study, which was conducted by IT managers of French computer manufacturers, 57 % of project failures were because of the poor communication. The main reason is that inability to clearly state their expectations to the stakeholders.Moreover, the good communication is not one-size fits all technique. Firstly, every company should pay attention to the diplomatic transparency and sensitivity to their pacific work styles. For instance, some people need regular data and constant updates while others need high level directives and knowing just specific details. Also, it is ver y important knowing and having the correct tools and skills to reach the main goal of the company. There is no doubt that, miscommunication can creates hard feeling which might remain undetected for a long time.Every employee should prepare a formal communication strategy in order to define the exact expectations from stakeholders. Also, it is extremely necessary to write about the ideas, issues, insights and information. In addition, there should be shown the statistics and should be presented to the stakeholders. It helps to prove the works which were done already. Also, one of the best ways to avoiding the conflicts with stakeholders is writing the memos. This can be as simple as stating needs of company in a few sentences or as complex as writing out your list of objectives.It is useful to define the core objectives with measurable parameters of the company. Furthermore, each of your various project stakeholders their own agenda and goals. The company's executive team should sub mit the particular information and a different communication style in the day-to-day details of delivery. Usually, stakeholders want to see more of the summarized review. In order to balance the various needs of communication, there should be the connection between risk and risk mitigation actions. It is very important for external stakeholders.If a risk can be mitigated by adjustments with the control of the company then it probably doesn't need to bubble up to team. Also, the communication about the risk with the stakeholders can be tricky, because this group, usually, is unfamiliar with the details Of the company. In order to succeed, company should fully explain the concepts without using the company's jargon's in the message. Also, it helps to show the benefits to gain acceptance. The company should meet with the stakeholder to discuss the plan together and maintain positive relationships.Nowadays, the several marketing techniques can be used to facilitate this process, which h elps to promote this in effective way. The majority of companies use the type of the messaging with stakeholders. According to the Schultz(2006), companies prefer using the minimal release kind of communication with stakeholders. This finding shows that suggestion by the web-based content is the most effective way of reaching the goal. With the respect to CARS the centre management bell ivied that the various messages where they can communicate across various means generated the benefits to the company, organization.Moreover, the clear structured message to the stakeholder whether it will be transmitted via print or shown on company's website will become effective to settle down the goals. The details should be written in the message carefully. Also, it can be provided in different formats. Sometimes, there will be necessary to translate the documents in order to understand, because many types of specific words in the technology changed. Therefore, effective communication may requir e the translating of technical and financial jargon.Also, in writing the message to stakeholders it is very important to explain the technical issues in terms that non-experts can understand. In addition, politicians and the public can make their decisions. One of terms of company can be provided by the using the glossary of company. In conclusion, certainly the poor message with the lack of information in the intent has the negative impact on the company. Communication is the complicated process of sharing and exchanging information, knowledge, feeling and experience.It is important to write the report to stakeholders with the specific details and expectations in order to obtain the company's good reputation. The communication principles, which relates to the management of company are important to define clear organizational structured communication. It will demonstrate the high-performing organizations, where all employees respect communication principles. Also, it can show the hi gh degree of trust between team members. The effective business communication consists of the accurate communication in particular message, where the stakeholder can understand this correctly.One of the important things of the communication with the stakeholder is not confusing and misinforming with the information. Therefore, the corporate policy should be strictly checked. All of us know that the aim of corporate communication is to managing perceptions through the positive corporate brand, transparent relationship with all stakeholders. That's why the nature of corporate communication is one of the necessary facts of the successful impasses, because it helps to consider and notice the intersection between the level and perception of the every company. Business Communication Therefore, the company should develop consistency and extensive plan in order to commit their operational, strategic, financial and transactional problems. According to the Matthew Walker, in this situation, the first step should be communication proactively to limit surprises and build the credibility and trust. It does not mean that company should disclose every financial part; however the trust is the critical. The healthy business requires the healthy community. Also, there should contribution in creating and maintenance.Certainly, the public wants to know about companies, organizations. Lewis (2010) states that, corporate social responsibility becomes the â€Å"buzzword† from the boardroom to the living room by growing media coverage dealing with such issues as corporate governance and environmental responsibility. Professionally, this rise In awareness of the term CARS has created a new fashion in business management (Jackson, 2001). Many academics, corporate stakeholder s and Government are calling on large and small corporations to adopt CARS orientated approaches to business.It helps to communicate with stakeholders effectively. Inefficient or poor communication often demonstrates incomplete planning, unrealistic deadlines and budgets. Every company needs to communicate often and effectively in order to know about the processes of future plans, mission and vision. According to the study, which was conducted by IT managers of French computer manufacturers, 57 % of project failures were because of the poor communication. The main reason is that inability to clearly state their expectations to the stakeholders.Moreover, the good communication is not one-size fits all technique. Firstly, every company should pay attention to the diplomatic transparency and sensitivity to their pacific work styles. For instance, some people need regular data and constant updates while others need high level directives and knowing just specific details. Also, it is ver y important knowing and having the correct tools and skills to reach the main goal of the company. There is no doubt that, miscommunication can creates hard feeling which might remain undetected for a long time.Every employee should prepare a formal communication strategy in order to define the exact expectations from stakeholders. Also, it is extremely necessary to write about the ideas, issues, insights and information. In addition, there should be shown the statistics and should be presented to the stakeholders. It helps to prove the works which were done already. Also, one of the best ways to avoiding the conflicts with stakeholders is writing the memos. This can be as simple as stating needs of company in a few sentences or as complex as writing out your list of objectives.It is useful to define the core objectives with measurable parameters of the company. Furthermore, each of your various project stakeholders their own agenda and goals. The company's executive team should sub mit the particular information and a different communication style in the day-to-day details of delivery. Usually, stakeholders want to see more of the summarized review. In order to balance the various needs of communication, there should be the connection between risk and risk mitigation actions. It is very important for external stakeholders.If a risk can be mitigated by adjustments with the control of the company then it probably doesn't need to bubble up to team. Also, the communication about the risk with the stakeholders can be tricky, because this group, usually, is unfamiliar with the details Of the company. In order to succeed, company should fully explain the concepts without using the company's jargon's in the message. Also, it helps to show the benefits to gain acceptance. The company should meet with the stakeholder to discuss the plan together and maintain positive relationships.Nowadays, the several marketing techniques can be used to facilitate this process, which h elps to promote this in effective way. The majority of companies use the type of the messaging with stakeholders. According to the Schultz(2006), companies prefer using the minimal release kind of communication with stakeholders. This finding shows that suggestion by the web-based content is the most effective way of reaching the goal. With the respect to CARS the centre management bell ivied that the various messages where they can communicate across various means generated the benefits to the company, organization.Moreover, the clear structured message to the stakeholder whether it will be transmitted via print or shown on company's website will become effective to settle down the goals. The details should be written in the message carefully. Also, it can be provided in different formats. Sometimes, there will be necessary to translate the documents in order to understand, because many types of specific words in the technology changed. Therefore, effective communication may requir e the translating of technical and financial jargon.Also, in writing the message to stakeholders it is very important to explain the technical issues in terms that non-experts can understand. In addition, politicians and the public can make their decisions. One of terms of company can be provided by the using the glossary of company. In conclusion, certainly the poor message with the lack of information in the intent has the negative impact on the company. Communication is the complicated process of sharing and exchanging information, knowledge, feeling and experience.It is important to write the report to stakeholders with the specific details and expectations in order to obtain the company's good reputation. The communication principles, which relates to the management of company are important to define clear organizational structured communication. It will demonstrate the high-performing organizations, where all employees respect communication principles. Also, it can show the hi gh degree of trust between team members. The effective business communication consists of the accurate communication in particular message, where the stakeholder can understand this correctly.One of the important things of the communication with the stakeholder is not confusing and misinforming with the information. Therefore, the corporate policy should be strictly checked. All of us know that the aim of corporate communication is to managing perceptions through the positive corporate brand, transparent relationship with all stakeholders. That's why the nature of corporate communication is one of the necessary facts of the successful impasses, because it helps to consider and notice the intersection between the level and perception of the every company. Business Communication Assignment # 05 Business Communication Topic: short / informal reports categories and formats of reports IN RESPECT OF: Sir Hamid Nawaz Sb. SUBMITTED BY: MUHAMMAD JAVED IQBAL AISH MBA 1st Semester Section (A) DEPARTMENT OF ADMINSTRATIVE SCIENCES QUAID-I-AZAM UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD What is report? An orderly and objective communication of factual information that serves a business purpose. What is short report? The short report consists of a title page and the report text normally. Like most of the less formal report forms, the short report may be organized in either the direct order or indirect order. But the direct order is more common. This plan begins with a quick summary of report including the conclusions and recommendations. Because many organization heavily depend upon the short reports. There are many varieties written for the different purposes. Some companies have their particular report forms. There are many types of short reports but we will define three of them only, as follows: 1. Routine operational reports: The majority of the reports written within the companies are routine reports that informs to the supervisors, top managers and other employees of the organization about the company’s all activities. These reports can be for daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly. It depends upon the work nature that if sufficient task like all the policy making rules have to define then it will be in more concise form that every one can understand easily. For the various purposes we can use this form of report. For example the production data, the data of loyal customers etc. The formation of this type of repot varies from company to company and managers to manager. The content / format of this report: ? The name comes from the fact that what is inside the report and it must be written with in 15 minutes. That’s why we define its name first of all so that this name clearly defined the required information efficiently and on time. Most of the organizations define some standard for the short operation report because managers don’t have sufficient time to write on the daily or monthly basis by defining its whole format. So they define a standard that these contents must include in the report so that reader can understand easily. ? The findings of a particular sample must be given in a chronological order so that readers can understand quickly. And must use the appropriate headings if required any. ? In the end of routine report just put the summary, which may include or not according to the data required. 2. Progress reports: This report review progress on an activity. This report focuses on the progress toward a specific goal. If someone is working on a project under the supervision of a boss then he or she must have to write a progress report for that project to his or her immediate boss or manager to show the progress of that project that work is on the track. Progress report can be formal or informal depending on the work nature. But most are informal and narrative. And one important factor which must use in this report that is subject i. e. â€Å"I† or â€Å"we†. If we are using the word â€Å"I† in the progress report that â€Å"I have done all this† then it shows really negative behavior and â€Å"we† shows the best motivation tool in the progress report. The format / content of this report: ? Describe the purpose and nature of the project first. ? Present a summary of work already completed. Describe work currently in the progress including personnel, methods. ? Forecast future activities related to the project. ? In the end include recommendations and request. 3. Recommendation reports: A recommendation report is a detailed report submitted to readers who are usually in a high management position, like as, supervisors, top managers, head of departments, buyers of company, and elected officials, to a ccept or reject the writer’s plan or choose from among their recommendations. Purpose of the recommendation report: The main purpose and theme of this report is to present a carefully created, well-supported proposal for application of the research which we have conducted. The report will define ways to apply findings to the problem which we have investigated. If the report is accepted then it t can lead to improve functioning conditions, a more competent and cost-effective business or supplementary jobs. Format of the recommendation report: Her we use report format, not memo or letter format. And important thing, here is, that we have make sure of using headings and number the pages of the report. The length will vary based on the number of headings, the size and number of visuals, and other design features. Contents of recommendation report: ? Introduction of report: The opening of this report should be interesting so that it actually represents what it follows. ? Methods of report: We have to explain all the gathered data so that its primary purpose was to understand the background of the problem, not to get solutions. ? Summary of the secondary research: Here we have to consider what has been done before to address that problem, and to recommend solutions. ? Analysis of Survey Findings: This section is important due to its survey factor because here we define the findings obtained from the primary and secondary research. ? Feedback: We conclude from the gathered data and implement to solve the problem. ? Recommendations: Recommendation shows that how readers can transform their particular action into actions. ? Closing: Goodwill tone is much important and must be closed in form of solving the problem. Short reports format: Short report formats are the design of the report that defines which contents of the reports are included and which contents are described more or not. Simply the format of a report shows the outline of a whole report either of short or long. There are different formats of the short reports which are as follows, but here we have to define three of them only: †¢ Letter format †¢ Memo format †¢ Report format †¢ Prepared forms 1. Letter Format: The reports in the forms of letter are known as the letter format reports. These formats are normally used when writers have to send information to outsiders in informal form. Means these reports are used to present information to person outside the organization. For writing a report in a letter format these instructions can be followed: †¢ We write the name and organization information in the upper left corner of the page with date. Under these three things you have to write the name of the recipient and his title and company address. †¢ After writing salutation we present the information about the important contents of the report. †¢ Then give reason why we are writing a report. Here we need more information to clarify our readers about the report. †¢ In the end provide the conclusion and recommendation. †¢ Friendly closing is also necessary. So use those words which create the goodwill. †¢ And write name below the four lines after closing with signatures. 2. Memo Format: These formats are normally used when writers have to send information within the organization. Means these reports are used to present information to person inside the organization. A memo is used to persuade people to take some action or to give feedback on a specific matter. Word â€Å"Memo† is also called as â€Å"memorandum†. Memo can be formal and informal as well. Memo is written in a very simple tone that easy to understand. Memo must be short and specific. In memo the following things are important to note: †¢ Try to identify the audience to whom we are writing. †¢ Write the name of sender and receiver in a memo. †¢ Purpose of writing a memo must be given with the subject. †¢ Give suggestions for the help of readers. †¢ Present the recommendation with some arguments. †¢ Closing with creation of goodwill. 3. Short report format: Short reports formats are used to give some particular information and also have different reasons and purposes of writing in terms of managers and employees. So the contents of the short reports are: Write the title of the report very first †¢ Mention the name of that person to whom we are writing †¢ Mention the name who is writing †¢ Mention the date also †¢ Short reports include terms of references which show basically the main contents of the reports. †¢ Define the methodology of the report †¢ Conclusion shows the overview of the whole report. †¢ And in the end we present the recommendations to take actions if necessary. References: www. google. com www. osun. org www. scribd. com www. wikihow. org ——————————————————— Business Communication Business Communication Md. Tarikul Islam Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Topics Today q Topics Today u Course Outline  §  §  §  § Course introduction Topics included in the course Evaluation method What to expect and how to be prepared u Start of the course, if time allows  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ The Course q Welcome!! u To the Course-Business Communication o? Course code: EMBA 501 o? To the students of EMBA Program o? This is a three credit course where one learns about  § Basics of communication  § Tools in communication o? For class schedule contact EMBA Coordination office  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ The Course: Studying Communication means u Studying communication has three parts o? Theory o? Applying theories in real life o? Feedback on application mentioned above u Therefore we shall o? First study the theory o? Then would know how to use the theories in real life o? Finally we shall check the applications for effectiveness and efficiency  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ The Course: Scope q Scope o? This course is about learning fundamentals of communications and then communicating effectively and efficiently with the available tools in communications  § Therefore the course starts with the learning about communications followed by the lear ning and applications of communication tools available in place  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ The Course: Book q Recommended Book o? We shall follow the book Business Communication by Lesikar  § Buy the latest edition o? Any other materials will be provided in due time  § Please remember that it would be more beneficial to go through more than one book  § Almost all the communication books are more or less on same issues  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ The Course: Contents No Topics 01 Basics of communication 02 Introduction to communication, types of 03 Verbal Communication 04 Culture and communication 05 Non verbal communication 06 Technology and communication 07 General letters and job related letters 08 Curriculum vitae 09 Memorandum 10 Long formal business report 11 Research proposal communication, mediums of communication Contents are subject to change http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/  © Islam, M. T. The Course: Evaluation q Evaluation u There are two evaluations o? One by students and o? One by the course teacher u Evaluation by course teacher o? Final exam for 40 marks o? Continuous Assessment (CA) for 60 marks including class presence  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: Final Exam (40 marks) q Final Exam u A comprehensive exam at the end of the semester o? Having 40 marks of value  § You should be prepared for the conceptual question in most cases  § Direct question would be the minimum or rare case u Questions in the final exam mainly will check o? Your overall understandings of the course o? Whether you are able to interpret the theories or not o? Whether you can create something new or not  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: CA (60 marks) q Continuous Assessment u Combination of o? Class works, homework, assignments, presentations, case study, viva etc. o? Exams  § Both quiz and class tests  § Either announced or unannounced  § Don’t miss as there won’t be any customization u Weights o? There won’t be any weights to any evaluation criteria. All will be converted into sixty. Final exam marks would be added to CA marks to decide on your grade in the course o? Remember there is no best of  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: CA Details u CA Details o? Assignment: You would need to prove  § You can write letter properly  § You are familiar with different aspects of reports  § You know about memorandum o? Presentations  § You would be required to prove that you are familiar with the different aspects of presentations and you can apply them in real life  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: CA Details u CA Details o? Report writing as the final part  § Build up groups according to directions  § Write a long formal business report  § Almost at the end of semester your group will present  § Others will evaluate you including question and answer sessions  § Participation by all is mandatory and beneficial!!!  § Make sure you are NOT a sleeping member!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: Sleeping Member u Sleeping Member o? Never and ever be a sleeping member o? You will be traced out and your grade will be severely damaged o? How?  § On any of the works like assignments, presentations etc. you will be evaluated individually even though you work in the group  § In time of evaluation if you fail to prove yourself, it would not matter how good you have been working in the group, you will not score maximum!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: Group Formation Directions q Group formation directions u Form a group o? Of five members each o? Group number will be decided by me o? Each group would have a group leader and one female member at least! o? Submit the list within the next class! o? Once the list is given, it would be treated as final one. Anyone not included in the list will form a single member group and will be evaluated for 80% marks i. e. (60*40%)*80% For what o? Can be for assignment, presentation, viva, case study, article reading, term paper etc. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/  © Islam, M. T. Evaluation: Group Works q Group Works u You work in group but will be evaluated individually; therefore you have the chance to prove yourself to advance your grade! u However, what would be seen whe n you work in group is†¦ o? You accumulate all the possibilities at maximum o? You have a mentionable group chemistry o? Don t try to be a leader by yourself o? Rather try to be a spontaneous leader! o? By the way what is group work and why to work in group?  © Islam, M. T. ttp://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: Report Theme u What to write about? o? Theme of the report  § You want to introduce a new venture in your area. Before you take the final decision you like to check the different aspects of the proposed venture. Write a formal report about those different aspects following the formalities in report writing. o? You can include whatever you want based on your imagination or the real life facts o? You will be graded based on your communication capability and your compliance with the report writing formalities!  § We shall discuss different formalities of report throughout the course Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: Some Point s to Mind! q Some Points to Mind o? In group works you will be graded individually, but your group chemistry contributes to your earnings o? Never be a sleeping member o? In case of presentation  § Quality of the presenter  § Quality of the presentation  § Quality of the presentation content  § Quality of the group works†¦. ALL WILL BE CONSIDERED o? There is a probability that all group works will be followed by either viva or presentation; be ready for that! o? Each group will present one topic of the course; will be detailed later on! Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation Summary†¦. q To mind for evaluation o? There would be no best of o? All would be converted in to 60 o? There is special treatment for class presence o? Honesty is extremely expected and dishonesty will be severely penalized  § In case of dishonesty you will be informed and your answer script will not be evaluated! o? You MUST prove yourself or your group; make me feel that you deserve the marks  § I would expect higher level maturity, integrity, creativity, and professionalism in all of your works!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Class Presence+/Participation u Not class presence but class participation  § I might assign some marks for the participation and presence in class depending on the situation  § Maximum five marks would be given for this purpose  § Be in class in time if you don’t want to miss the class  § Late coming is strongly discouraged  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Evaluation: Grading Scale q Grading Scale o? Grading  § Unless otherwise specified the grading policy is according to the UGC rules  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Teaching Method: Overall Approach q Overall Approach Approach o? Always we-we with win-win solution rater than I-we approach u Evaluation o? I never believe in the memorizing and vomiting in the exam o? You have a head up your shoulder; you have to use that o? I want something original for you; at the end of the course that would be the sole benefit for you and me o? Most importantly I want an honest and disciplined manner  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Teaching Method: Contact q Contact u In the class o? You can stop me at any time in the class o? Please keep asking as long as you are not fully satisfied with a topic u Outside class ? Mail me at [email  protected] com o? I strongly suggest this one as I am pretty regular in mail; please don t expect answer of your problem over cell or instantly u Course related communication o? At http://sites. google. com/site/kjcourses/  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ The Course: Brief Summary q Brief Summary o? The course  § EMBA 501: Business Communication  § Three credit hour course o? Evaluation  § Continuous assessment of 60 marks  § Final exam of 40 marks o? Recommended book  § Business Communication by Lesikar, latest edition preffered o? Course Related communication  § At http://sites. google. com/site/kjcourses/  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Use your head! q Start thinking u What is very important is o? Use your head o? Don t bother about the head of Mr. Lesikar o? Use your head from the point where Lesikar stopped  § To become innovative  § To become successful  § To have or to secure an open mind  § Most specifically to earn good grade in the exam!!  § I never believe in memorizing and vomiting in the exam!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Any Question? u Coming up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. o? Course contents o? Basics of communication  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Course  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ The Course: Contents No Topics 01 Basics of communication 02 Introduction to communication, types of 03 Verbal Communication 04 Culture and communication 05 Non verbal communication 06 Technology and communication 07 General letters and job related letters 08 Curriculum vitae 09 Memorandum 10 Long formal business report 11 Research proposal communication, mediums of communication Contents are subject to change http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/  © Islam, M. T. Course Contents u Basics of communication  §  §  § Defining communication Types of communication Why to read communication at all? Actors in communication u Verbal communication  § Informal oral communication  § Formal oral communication  § Technology in the oral communication  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Course Contents u Cross cultural communication o? Difference in culture à ‚ § What is culture?  § What are the various dimensions of culture?  § How culture can influence the communication? u Non verbal communication  § Types  § Creativity in communication  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Course Contents u Letters and memorandum  §  §  §  § Introduction to memorandum How to write memorandum Introduction to letters How to write formal letter  »? Job related letters u Long Formal Business Report  § Report writing  § Different aspects of report writing  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Course Contents u Curriculum Vitae  § CV and Resume  § Writing CV and resume u Research Proposal  § Various elements of research proposal  § How to write a research proposal  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Course Contents: Presentation u Presentation  § One/two group presentation(s) would be followed by after the completion of each topic.  § After the formation of group we shall fix who presents what  § What you do is†¦  »? You prepare slides  »? You simply summarize the topic  »? Others question you  »? But you don t present or copy my slides!!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Something missing? u Yes, its WRITING o? This is one of the most important aspects of communication o? Because of the greater importance of the topic we shall not study this as one single topic o? Rather we shall talk about writing throughout the whole course under various topics o? Try to grab any materials on writing from any source for the betterment of you!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Any Question? u Coming up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. o? Basics of communication  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Basics of  © Islam, M. T. Communication http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Basics of communication q Contents of the topic o? What is communication? o? Different aspects of communication  § Actors/components in the process  § Mediums  § Methods  § Constraints etc. o? Why communication to read formally? o? Communication in the business place o? Summarizing the topic!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ No me-you, always we-we!! Speak up! Try to communicate in the class! Your participation will be counted!!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ What is communication? What does communication mean to you? Any idea?  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ De? ning communication u Communication defined o? Communication is the process of sharing our ideas, thoughts, and feelings with other people and having those ideas, thoughts and feelings understood by the people we are communicating with u Components in communication process o? Message sender o? Message receiver o? Message itself o? Medium o? Method o? Noise etc.  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Key features in communication u Communication is successful when the message is received as the same one that has been sent  § Therefore understanding is the key element u It s a both way process which is continuous  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Methods of communication q Methods in communication o? Verbal o? Written o? Electronic o? Audio o? Visual o? Meetings o? Notice board o? Text!!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Mediums of communication q Mediums in communication o? Letters o? Memo o? Reports o? Fax o? Telephone o? Email o? o? o? o? o? Notice board Internet Video/video conferencing Body language Face to face  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Which medium to use? q Available mediums o? Letters o? Memo o? Reports o? Fax o? Telephone o? Email o? Notice board o? Internet o? V i d e o / v i d e o conferencing o? Body language o? Face to face q Choice of medium is affected by u Need for record u Direction of the information flow u Number of people to be reached u Confidentiality u Nature of the informationlength, complexity, emergency need u Cost of the medium etc.  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Why communication fails? u Did any of your communication failed? u How did that happen to you? Was that just miscommunication or lack of understanding?  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Constraints to successful communication q Internal o? Fatigue o? Poor listening skills o? Poor communication skills o? Attitude toward the sender or information o? Mistrust o? Fear o? Past experience o? Halo effect o? Perception  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Constraints to successful communication q External o? Noise o? Distractions o? Technical problems (email, internet, phone service) o? Time o? Environment  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Why to read communication? u Information is power and basis for almost all success stories o? But†¦..  § Information gathering and processing matters; demand learning of communication  § Communication skills helps one to  »? Gather and process information properly and in time  »? Solve problem easily through improved decision making  »? Work in a team effectively and efficiently  § Information must be communicated in a proper way; so  »? Communication capability works  »? Communication in professional life requires something different than the usual communication practice  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Why to read communication? q Careers in communication o? In Bangladesh still a narrow one and not recognized yet! o? But in developed part of the globe quite recognized! o? Because of specialization practice a good prospect is waiting ahead!!  § Examples include customer service, tourism, government administration, advertising, media, and event management etc.  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication in business q Business Communication ? Transferring information from one part of the business to another that leads to some outcome, changed behaviour or changed practice  § It can be formal or informal, upward or downward  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication in business Finance Dept Change in payment systems E-mail Sender or Instigator Channel Medium Feedback Rece iver  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Types of communication u Communication can be of different types considering the situation. Some of them are here  § Formal and informal  § Upward and downward  § Internal and external u However we are basically concerned of the overall classification of communications  § Verbal: presentation, audio, voice message, face to face etc.  § Non verbal: written, letter, memorandum, report, email, fax etc.  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Barriers to successful communication in business q Barriers to Successful Communication o? Ability of the sender – how much the sender understands of the message they are trying to send o? Content – including technicalities and jargon o? Method of communication – including style and body language where appropriate! o? Skills and attitude of the receiver o? Organisational factors – complexity of the organisation, scope of the organisation o? Cultural attitudes o? Perceptions, prejudices and stereotypes o? Inappropriate target for the message o? Technical capabilities – ICT!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication @  © Islam, M. T. Workplace http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Workplace Communication u By workplace communication we actually mean business communication o? Business communication  § Transferring information from one part of the business to another that leads to some outcome, changed behaviour or changed practice  § It can be formal or informal, upward or downward  § Scope of the business communication includes all the business activities corporations involve themselves  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication in the workplace u Importance of communication  § Business needs it extensively because of expanding need of coordination, effectiveness, and efficiency  § Specialization has made the field of communication a recognized one!  § But unfortunately most people don t communicate well!!! u Coordination, effectiveness, and efficiency  § Think about Unilever  § Information flows in the company Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Major forms of business communication q Two major types of communication in workplace u Operational o? According to operational plan, to attain some goals or to handle some situations to convert them in favor! o? Again two types are here  § Internal operational communication  »? Communication among the people i nside an organization  »? To perform the main business activities  »? These are kind of routine business activities like instructions from the teammates  »? Computer and intranet are two major technology being used!  § External operational communication ? Communication with the people that are outside of the organization  »? It helps company to develop a better image  »? Communication with suppliers, public relations activities etc.  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Major forms of business communication u Personal o? Not according to operational plan, simple one to one or one to many communication in an organization  § Examples can be personal communication, gossiping, joking, story telling, communication sitting at the company dining room etc. o? Can be an outstanding source of innovation!  § Innovation  »? What and why?  »? What are the alternatives in case you can’t innovate? o? Will you allow this kind of communication while it costs you?  § Does it cost? How? How much?  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication networks in organizations u Formal network  § A simplified form of information flow network transmits information in all directions (upward, downward, and lateral)  § These flow is defined formally u Informal network  § A quite complex information flow network mainly based on personal communication  § This is affected by individual s involvement and membership in various groups and entities  © Islam, M. T. ttp://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Upward/downward/lateral communication u Upward communication  § Communication that originate from the bottom of the organization and heading to top of the organization u Downward communication  § Communication heading to the bottom of the organization after being originated at the top u Lateral communica tion  § This is the communication in between people in the same level or group  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ A situation to react ! q Some organizations are quite central in decision making. All the decisions are coming from the top of the organization o? Does that mean that in those organizations there are not upward communication? o? If there are any kind of upward communication in those organizations, would there be any difference in decision making? o? Are there any difference at all in between communication and decision making?  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ How much to communicate? q Does all the sender send full message? u Unfortunately NO o? What do you do when you communicate?  § You communicate fully? Why or why not? o? What does the companies do in Bangladesh? Give some examples! o? How much a company should disclose?  § Can a company disclose all at a certain time? o? Remember the negative effects of incomplete message is sometime dangerous  § Also mark the gap between ‘company can’t disclose’ and ‘company does not disclose’  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication process u Sender sends the message  § Sender prepares the message and decides on the methods and mediums  § He/she sends the message u Message in the sensory world  § Once the message is sent, its in the world of lots of other messages along with noises  § Messages waits to be detected  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication process u Message is detected o? Receiver detects the message o? Based on the ability to decode receiver decodes the message o? How much of the original message will be detected depends on lots of factors including  § Noise  § Past experiences  § Knowledge  § Perceptions, prejudices, stereotyping o? The message may not get the original shape!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Communication process u Giving meaning to the message  § Receiver gives meaning to the received message  § Once again it depends how he/she will give meaning to the message! u Reply is sent  § Receiver replies to the sender  § This is called feedback which makes the whole process continuous  § But not necessarily reply is always sent!  »? How would you feel in that case?  »? Why feedback is so important? o? The process continues  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Oral vs Written communication q Oral vs Written  § Written communication is likely to include more creative efforts  § Written communication is normally lengthier than the oral communication  § Written communication usually involves a limited number of cycles  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Some facts of communication Meanings sent are not always received  § No two minds have identical filters  § But closer the meaning more success are gained  § What can you do to bring the more synergy? u Meaning is in the mind  § Meaning comes up from mind rather than words or symbols used  § What to do? u The symbols of communication are imperfect  § Symb ols don’t have unique meanings  § Meaning of symbols varies to receiver; nodding  § Across culture symbols have different meanings  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ q Thank You! q Any Question?!  © Islam, M. T. http://sites. google. com/site/kjatbd/ Business Communication The company started the operations for the year 2008-09 on a very positive note and later registered negative growth in the last quarters of the year. The company suffered major losses in the year and approached the bank for additional term loan of three crores and fifty lakhs. The trial production of the new perfume is successfully completed and commercial production will commence as early as possible this year Mr. Riktesh Khanna ,the Quality manager will not be able to review the performance of the product trails before the launch of the product . According to marketing head of south india the unanimity of the current forecasts is not an incontrovertible evidence of impending business acceleration . The survey stating the ambiguous nature of the market is another reason, which calls for another look at the new product launch and appears that the product has to be postponed indefinitely. The company conducted a review meeting for the workers who are on strike for the last three months , the HR manager decided that the management should take a sympathetic and linient action on the workers and those who did not attend the meeting will be dealt seriously according to IAC 37,inorder to maintain the sanctity of office and uphold the hoary traditions . Theapprehensions faced by the workers during the strike period are that they are not able to set realistic goalsand arrive at rational and reasonable decisions in terms of wages and benefits offered by the company. This is because workers have minimal exposure to outside world and more external influences. while the other reasons are frustration and stress to the workers and their family, incorrect self appraisal ,negative feedback by the representatives of trade union. HR manager should appoint counsellors to orient them to companys’ policies and ethos and should allocate sufficient funds for this purpose. The project report on the new project was due yesterday. Since the completion of the report is very important for our organisation to achieve the strategic plan by launching the product successfully. Submit the report before 5 pm tomorrow. Business Communication The company started the operations for the year 2008-09 on a very positive note and later registered negative growth in the last quarters of the year. The company suffered major losses in the year and approached the bank for additional term loan of three crores and fifty lakhs. The trial production of the new perfume is successfully completed and commercial production will commence as early as possible this year Mr. Riktesh Khanna ,the Quality manager will not be able to review the performance of the product trails before the launch of the product . According to marketing head of south india the unanimity of the current forecasts is not an incontrovertible evidence of impending business acceleration . The survey stating the ambiguous nature of the market is another reason, which calls for another look at the new product launch and appears that the product has to be postponed indefinitely. The company conducted a review meeting for the workers who are on strike for the last three months , the HR manager decided that the management should take a sympathetic and linient action on the workers and those who did not attend the meeting will be dealt seriously according to IAC 37,inorder to maintain the sanctity of office and uphold the hoary traditions . Theapprehensions faced by the workers during the strike period are that they are not able to set realistic goalsand arrive at rational and reasonable decisions in terms of wages and benefits offered by the company. This is because workers have minimal exposure to outside world and more external influences. while the other reasons are frustration and stress to the workers and their family, incorrect self appraisal ,negative feedback by the representatives of trade union. HR manager should appoint counsellors to orient them to companys’ policies and ethos and should allocate sufficient funds for this purpose. The project report on the new project was due yesterday. Since the completion of the report is very important for our organisation to achieve the strategic plan by launching the product successfully. Submit the report before 5 pm tomorrow.