Friday, May 15, 2020

Rich Dad, Poor Dad Book Review - 1145 Words

Does school prepare children for the real world? Study hard and get good grades and you will find a high-paying job with great benefits, my parents used to say. Their goal in life was to provide a college education for my older sister and me, so that we would have the greatest chance for success in life. This is the introduction to the book Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki. This is especially true in the context of Asian countries where most of us are told to cram for exams, get good grades (top the class if possible) and jobs with fat paychecks and benefits. Though times are changing and so are people, there are some classic mindsets that we yet harbor-If my kid doesn’t get an â€Å"A† in mathematics and science how will (s)he be†¦show more content†¦The rich do not pay high taxes because they invest their money in tax saving assets and lower their taxable income by showing expenses. So, to summarize The Rich People With Corporations The People Who Work for Corporations 1. Earn 1. Earn 2. Spend 2. Pay Taxes 3. Pay Taxes 3. Spend Lesson #5 The Rich Invent Money In the real world, it is not the smart that get ahead but the bold. The author feels that financial genius requires both technical knowledge as well as courage. Rich people are often creative and take calculated risks. In this chapter Robert shows how understanding basic financial numbers can help in attaining financial success. Lesson #6 Work to Learn Dont Work for Money Most people need only to earn and master one more skill which would increase their income exponentially.Te author mentions that financial intelligence is a synergy of accounting, investing, marketing and law which when combined help making money easier. Robert’s rich dad taught him that one should not work only to earn money but to learn a little about a lot. People get trapped in endless rat races and think about paying their bills all the time.Most of us look forward to our pension after retirement which hardly serves the purpose at that time. The world is full of talented poorShow MoreRelatedBook Review Of Rich Dad Poor Dad1316 Words   |  6 PagesRich Dad Poor Dad Book Review The book is the account of a man (the storyteller and writer) who has two fathers: the first was his organic father – the poor father - and the other was the father of his youth closest companion, Mike – the rich father. The two fathers instructed the creator how to make progress however with extremely divergent methodologies. It ended up noticeably obvious to the creator which fathers approach appeared well and good. All through the book, the writer thinks about theRead MoreRich Dad Poor Dad (Book Review)1485 Words   |  6 PagesRich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T Kiyosaki * The book Rich dad poor dad is the 1# New York Times the Wall Street Journal seller. * The tag line of the book â€Å"what the rich teach their kids about money- that the poor and middle class do not!† says it all, what the entire book is about. * The book Rich Dad poor Dad tells us about the difference between what a rich dad teaches toRead MoreDrama And Themes Of Drama1111 Words   |  5 Pageswhat this movie is going to be about and expectations based on the previews prior to entering the movie theater. An additional spin on this movie, which often makes the actors and directors work more difficult, the book became popular prior to the movie being created. Very often when books are in place prior to the movie, readers have visualizations of what the characters look like, how they will sound, etc. The Help is categorized as a drama, and portrays excellent examples of race, social classRead MoreMy Experience In The Game1474 Words   |  6 Pageswere the returnees [they seemed to be regulars each week at the game nights]. Emma and Noah were the new people. This is the first time I actually will be playing the game, and I still wasn’t comfortable what was going on. I hadn’t even read Rich Dad, Poor Dad yet. In my first game, I chose the profession of an airplane pilot. The game has an example of financial data for doctors, teachers, mechanics, etc, so you don’t have to research that stuff. I chose the green rat and put the green cheese onRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s World Masterpieces1595 Words   |  7 Pageswas to be arranged marriages between those of equal status or class as the norm. Back then love was seen as a perfect and pure concept. Cervantes did not agree with this and challenged and mocked it in his writings. As stated by Maynard Mack in his book, World Masterpieces, â€Å" The actual method [Cervantes] followed in order to expose the silliness of the romances of chivalry was to show to what extraordinary consequences they would lead a man insanely infatuated in them..†. Due to this type of thinkingRead MoreThe Year Of The Flood By Margaret Atwood1993 Words   |  8 PagesENG4U - Interim ISU Progress Report The book I have chosen to read for my ISU is Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Year of the Flood’. The book has 434 pages in total and I am currently on page 170. The book is not hard to read, but the fact that it switches from different times and perspectives every chapter, which are not consistent or within a certain pattern occasionally makes it confusing. This book is also different from the books I am used to reading, giving me a unique and interesting change in perspectiveRead MoreAnalysis Of On Dumpster Diving Essay1671 Words   |  7 Pagesto waste resources that may be valuable to others. Aside from food, he additionally describes the emotional impact that living out of a dumpster can have on a person. He describes finding sad things such as abandoned teddy bears, shredded wedding books, and pets lying in state. Seeing the pets makes him think about his dog Lizbeth and how she is likely to end up with a dumpster as her final resting place, as Eighner does not see himself having a place for her before she passes on. Rummaging causesRead More The American Dream in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun and Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman 2744 Words   |  11 Pagesequal rights. They thought this was all they needed and they would be truly happy. Somewhere over the course of time; happiness had a new meaning for all Americans. Now material possessions are what it takes to be happy. The American dream is to be rich. A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, and Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller, both address the American Dream. Both plays discuss the desire for wealth and how the desire may lead to one’s downfall. However, each playRead MoreAffairs, Nick, and Gatsby in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby1255 Words   |  6 Pagesis the narrative reader in The Great Gatsby. Gatz was a poor person that changes his name to Gatsby. Tom was a cheater and was unfaithful to Daisy. Daisy was a flirt and rich. Myrtle is a poor women that lived over her and her husband’s garage shop. Myrtle would let Tom push her around because he was a rich man that would let Myrtle forget that she was poor. â€Å"She never loved you, do you hear he cried. She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me (Fitzgerald 139)†.Read MoreEssay on Analysis of Pirandellos The Late Mattia1209 Words   |  5 Pagessimilarities between the protagonist Mattia Pascal and the author Luigi Pirandello. Pirandello’s greatest misfortunes, which were the loss of his family fortune and a very unhappy marriage with a poor relationship with his three children both are in Mattia’s life. Mattia’s family also loses the fortune his dad had left them, and marries a woman who despises him. He also has three children, one who dies shortly after birth, another one dies a year after giving him time to love her, and the last one has

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Essay on 1984 Big Brother’s Dystopian World - 1015 Words

Hannah Porter Mrs. West College Prep Writing-Literary Analysis September 29th, 2011 Big Brother’s Dystopian World Dystopia: a society characterized by human misery and oppression. A Dystopian world is controlled by a government that can do no wrong. They weed out the individuals and groups that have the thought or intend to commit their lives to â€Å"dethroning† the ruler; Big Brother. The government will do anything to protect their way of life. They will go to the extremes of changing the past to control the future. In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, the citizens live in a definitive dystopian world where the government forces the comrades to fit Big Brother’s purpose. One way they force the citizens to fit Big Brother’s†¦show more content†¦The Thought Police would get him just the same... thoughtcrime they called it (19). When citizens remember things from the past that no longer exist according to the government, the Thought Police intervene and the person disappears. Many people believe that Thoughtcrime does not entail death; Thoughtcrime is death ( 28). The fact that people are so scared of the Thought Police gives them power of everyone. People believe that if they think of just one little thing that the government feels is against them, they will never be seen again. Even though the people who are charged with thoughtcrime do not actually die, but their memories and who they are are erased. In a sense they die from the inside out. In addition the Thought Police bring their victims to the Ministry of Love; into the dreaded Room 101. In Room 101 is literally the worst thing in the world. It is not the same thing for everyone. The Police figure out what the person they are bringing into the rooms worst fear and use it against them. They will torture the thought criminals into confessing or to confessing to something they did not do. In Winston case his worst fear is rats. When he is pushed to far he betrays the one he loves. â€Å"Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to herâ €  (283). And once the betrayal occurs, the Police and the Party has achieved their goal. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Giver And 1984 By George Orwell899 Words   |  4 PagesIn films and novels such as The Giver and 1984, a reader or viewer sees the disturbing desires for control and power in dystopian societies. Many dystopian societies congruous to those of Oceania in 1984 and the Community in The Giver, vary in that some can be more violent, controlling, or be ruled by power hungry leaders than others. â€Å"Two households, both alike in dignity... From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean...† These two works have many similaritiesRead MoreSimilarities Between 1984 And V For Vendetta1140 Words   |  5 PagesGeorge Orwell wrote 1984 as an alternative historical book for the World War II, and V for Vendetta is a dystopian political thriller film based on 1984 DC series directed by James McTeique, and written by The Wachowskis. In 1984, the dystopian future of humanity was divided into three main lands. Eurasia, Eastasia, and Oceania. History is centered in the life and politics of Oceania. They are from a historian sense a mixture of the Nazi party and the Socialist party. However, its ideology is basedRead MoreEssay about George Orwells 19841029 Words   |  5 PagesGeorge Orwells 1984 â€Å"No one is free, even the birds are chained to the sky.† This quote is not from 1984 but it may as well could be. Bob Dylan said this probably not knowing the connection it has with George Orwell’s 1984. 1984 depicts a dystopian world in which the civilians are watched and brainwashed constantly. There is no conventional freedom, there is no real individual in this world, there is a sense of coldness in 1984. The main character Winston is trying to figure out his past andRead MoreComparing The 1984 Super Bowl Ad1738 Words   |  7 Pagesbasis of using a company nearly everyone knows, a company founded most certainly on a purpose, one of being â€Å"different.† my test to find if this spirit of the founder is still present is to compare two ads from Apple: one from the very beginning, â€Å"the 1984 Super bowl Ad† as well as one from modern day with, â€Å"Broken Promises† coming from the year 2009. Both ads were chosen on the basis of time b eing the only variable in which was changed as both ads are presented through the same medium, as well as representingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel 1984 By George Orwell1602 Words   |  7 Pagesrecall a time in history more dystopian than the upside-down society that is Nazi-Germany? While no other time period comes close, the novel we have been reading in class deals vigorously with dystopian society. 1984, by George Orwell, is a dystopian, fiction-based book that features a main character named Winston Smith, a girl named Julia, and many others who come together to make for a very intense storyline and an intriguing read. It takes place in Oceania, in 1984, while it was written in 1948Read MoreThe Dystopian Society By George Orwell1287 Words   |  6 Pages George Orwell’s book known as nineteen eighty four is a story based on a dystopian society.Citizens of the dystopian society are currently spied on by their big powerful leader.This dystopian society uses all sorts of techniques to have the citizens of Oceania under control.Techniques out of this world are used in the dystopian society. The ruler of this dystopian society has absolute power over this society.Whether the citizens of Oceania realize it or not there ruler is always alert of everyRead MoreComparing 1984 And Brave New World1364 Words   |  6 Pages1984 and Brave New World First Assignment Elizabeth Schepis Class: Monday and Wednesday There is a high probability that most people have heard of the saying, â€Å"Big Brother is watching you.† The saying comes from George Orwell’s book, 1984. A story which depicts a nightmarish view of society. Big Brother plays a key role throughout the novel for his surveillance state. Surveillance functions consistently in the dystopia, affecting the way individuals view themselves by their present day technologyRead MoreThe Dangers of a Conscious Mind 1984 by George Orwell Essay1406 Words   |  6 Pages the supreme and ruling government in the legendary narrative 1984, written by George Orwell. 1984 is a dystopian, science fiction novel that is set during the year 1984 in the superstate of Oceania. In a malevolent world of continuous warfare, relentless government scrutiny, and constant human manipulation, the story revolves around a man named Winston Smith, a citizen of Oceania who lives in Airstrip One, a futuristic and dystopian Great Britain. Winston sees the tyrannical reign that the PartyRead MoreA Utopia By George Orwell1993 Words   |  8 PagesThe world is entrenched in a perpetual search to become a better place: trying to advance technology and society to reach high standards. It is continually working towards perfection with an end goal of achieving a utopia. However, the end goal may never be reached because after all, most utopias become dystopias. Utopias are meant to be impeccable societies with perfect life and people. The downfall is that the quality of flawlessness is not attainable. There are selfish people everywhere who takeRead MoreThe Real-Life Counterparts of 1984s Oceania Essay1616 Words   |  7 Pages Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are household names, but what about the more obscure individuals Muammar Qaddafi, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un? George Orwell used 1984 as a prediction of what could happen if the fascism in Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia persisted. The dystopian, fascist government that exists in 19 84 resembles the governments in the real-life, modern-day countries of Libya, China, and North Korea. The government in Orwell’s Oceania is fascist, causing citizens like Winston and

Theme Of Blindness In Trifles And Oedipus - 744 Words

Everyone has the will to acknowledge the truth or not, but there are some that are blinded to the truth. In the dramas Trifles by Susan Glaspell and Oedipus by Sophocles, Both having some type of blindness as their theme. While using the theme of blindness, the authors try to teach that the truth could sometimes be right in plain sight. In Trifles, you start to see the theme of blindness in Henry,Lewis and George during their investigation of the death of John Wright. An example of this occurs during the scene where the men look for evidence in the kitchen. Doing so they end up finding Minnies frozen and broken jar of fruit. While sheriff Henry ends up dismissing it because he declared it as unimportant, The wives of the men start†¦show more content†¦In Oedipus you can see the theme of blindness in Oedipus multiple times. An example would be during Oedipus ordering anyone who knows anything about the murder of Laius to speak. During this order he curses the murder by saying let that men drag out his life in agony, step by painful step. While thinking he knows what happened and acting quick to find the murder, Oedipus, was blinded to the truth that he didnt know he cursed at himself and the fate that waited for him. Oedipus ends up criticizes the people because of how long its taking to find the murder. While criticizing the people, Oedipus claims to fight for Laius as if he was his own father. This support the idea of blindness being the theme because Oedipus displays his own blindness to the truth. Second example would be when Oedipus accuses Tiresias of plotting to kill Laius, Tiresias being upset tells Oedipus that he is the murder, after insults being flung at each other. Tiresias calls Oedipus the blind one for not seeing the truth after Oedipus mocks Tiresias blindness. This is ironic because Oedipus was blinded by rage and couldnt realize his own blindness. The last example is when Oedipus is trying to get the truth out of the shepherd of his childhood. While the ones that knew about his fate, tried to stop him. Oedipus the only that doesnt know about his fate is so blinded that he threaten to torture and kill the shepherd if he does not speak. This support the idea

Business Communication Different Decision-Making

Question: Describe about the Business Communication for Different Decision-Making. Answer: Group 1 Different decision-making techniques have the potentiality to develop the results and effectiveness of the decisions. According to Hwang and Yoon (2012), decision-making techniques involve major categories such as intuition based, analytical and random. As this group is a medium-large group, therefore it requires quantitative, clear and transparent viewpoints regarding the decision-making. This group should follow consensus decision making, which is a dynamic and creative way of attaining the basic agreement in between every existing member of the group. This group should use consensus decision making in order to find effectives solutions to the critical problems within the group. Triantaphyllou (2013) has mentioned that consensus decision making involves transparent ideas, concerns and opinions of every associated individual within the group for listening to everybody in proper manner. As this particular group is medium-large group, therefore, this group should follow classroom-sitting arrangement. Following this specific sitting plan, the problem-solving solving groups can discuss the relevant information regarding the critical problems. Classroom sitting arrangement has the potentiality to mitigate and identify the possible distraction, which can help to streamline own knowledge and boost the entire productivity of the group. The interaction process is more transparent in this kind of sit plan than the other existing one. The leader usually discusses problems with te group member and asks for their effective suggestions on it. Classroom sitting arrangement enhances various skills of the team member involving communication, cooperation, teamwork and reflection, which are perfect for the career progression. It also encourages group discussion and work. Group 2 This group should follow brainstorming, which is a perfect combination of discussion and problem solving. As this is a small group, where the members hardly know each other, therefore, the decision-making techniques should be innovative and creative enough to solve critical problems (Thiel et al. 2012). As this problem-solving group is small, therefore, it should follow nominal group techniques in order to generate potential ides. The leader of this group should note down every suggested ideas of the team member for the entire decision-making process. Even the team members are allowed to vote for some suggestions according to their choice. On certain cases, only the leader or business experts grant the most voted option or choices during decision-making. The sitting arrangement of this problem-solving group should sit in a meeting room in order to take effective decisions for further success of an organisation. This group should seat in a round table as it fosters a perfect feeling and notion of the contribution from every participants of this group. Even this particular sit plans also suggest the equal contribution of every group member (Chiclana et al. 2013). The round table arrangements also make easier to contribute ideas and suggestions, as there is no higher sitting arrangement for leader or head individual in this sit plan. This sit plan reflects equality and high-level of interaction in between the existing members of the group. This recommendation of decision-making techniques and sit plan are appropriate enough for this problem-solving group. References Chiclana, F., GarcA, J.T., del Moral, M.J. and Herrera-Viedma, E., 2013. A statistical comparative study of different similarity measures of consensus in group decision making.Information Sciences,221, pp.110-123. Hwang, C.L. and Yoon, K., 2012.Multiple attribute decision making: methods and applications a state-of-the-art survey(Vol. 186). Springer Science Business Media. Thiel, C.E., Bagdasarov, Z., Harkrider, L., Johnson, J.F. and Mumford, M.D., 2012. Leader ethical decision-making in organizations: Strategies for sensemaking.Journal of Business Ethics,107(1), pp.49-64. Triantaphyllou, E., 2013.Multi-criteria decision making methods: a comparative study(Vol. 44). Springer Science Business Media.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Business Communication and Business System Comparison

Question: Discuss about the Business Communication and Business System Comparison. Answer: Introduction All the businesses of the world vary in their capacities. They are not created equal and neither are their working procedures similar. What may be a regular practice for one organization may be a unacceptable for the other. The size of an organization determines its functioning and way of work. There is a huge difference between a small and a large organization and in their business network and its complexity. In Australia, small and medium sized enterprise is any business that has less than 200 employees regardless of their revenues generated. In this research we have studied a large organization and its components and working and compared it to that of a comparatively small organization (Ingram, 2017). We have studied the way they conduct their business, studied their hierarchy and their organizational communication practices. This will give us an in-depth understanding of effective ways of communication in a small and large organization. The large organization, we have selected fo r the research is Apple Inc. which is an American multinational technology organization and the small business chosen to analyze is Snagajob which is a website for job search headquartered in America (Johnson Phan, 2012). We have studied the organizations and their global footprint, their business type, products and services provided by them, their organizational goals, mission, vision, their risk taking ability and their potential for further growth. Snagajob is a search engine for jobs having its headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. Founded on 17th October 1999 by Shawn Boyer, this organization has been included in the Fortune magazines great places to work list for last eight consecutive years. It has also been named in Deloittes Fast 500, a lust of the fastest growing technology, life sciences, media, telecommunication and clean technology companies in America (Deloitte, 2009). The founder of the organization Shawn Boyer has been the CEO of the organization since its inception in 1999 till 2013. In April 2013, Peter Harrison was made the CEO of Snagajob and has been serving as the same ever since. Shawn Boyer was awarded with the title of Americas small business person of the year in the year 2008 by the Small Business Administration for starting up with the organization and leading it to a national employment network. Snagajob is a privately held organization and it has raised over $141 million from the investors all over the world. The prominent investors include Adams Street Partners, CB capital, August capital, Baird Venture partners, Rho Acceleration etc. As of December 2016, Snagajob is employing about 380 people and has more than 75 million people registered on their website at over 3 hundred thousand locations all over the world (Snagajob Team, 2017). The mission of Snagajob is to put people in right-fit positions so that they can maximize their potential and live more fulfilling lives. And their vision is to create a world where anyone can get work or the workforce that they want, wherever and whenever they want. Currently operating from four different sites in Richmond, Washington DC, Charleston and Oakland, They have a strong workforce headed by Peter Harrison. The Chief Operating Officer is Jocelyn Mangan and the Finances operations are headed by Keith Haas. They have an assorted clientele that constitutes of organizational customers ranging from caf and restaurant retail services, automobile industry, real estate, healthcare, manufacturing plants to management consulting organizations. Their focus area is matching the candidates with employers within minutes by creating quality connections. They are able to carry this out by sourcing, hiring, training and scheduling the workforce for the right workplaces. Although based in Am erica, the organization has both individual and organizational customers from all over the world (Wiley, 2007). The Apple Inc. that was formerly known as Apple Computers was incorporated on 3rdJanuary 1977. It is a designing, manufacturing and marketing organization for mobile communication devices, media devices, computers and portable digital music players (Team, 2012). The major segments of the organization are divided into America, Europe, China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific. Along with the devices, the organization Apple Inc. also sells an array of software, services, accessories and third-party content and applications. The products of the organization include the iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, iPod, Apple watch and Apple TV. The organization Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in April 1976. They began their operations to develop and sell personal computers. Apple Inc. is the worlds largest information technology organization in terms of revenue and largest technology company in the world by total assets. It is the second largest mobile phone manufacturing or ganization in terms of the number of phones manufactures following only Samsung and in the year 2014, Apple Inc. became the only US organization to be valued at over 7 hundred billion Dollars (Lazonick Tulum, 2013). Apple Inc. is employing over 115,000 people working full time. Apple enjoys an extremely high brand loyalty and popularity among all age groups and all across the globe. Apples mobile phone range iPhone accounts for more than 60 percent of its total sales. The tablet computers iPad account for another 10 percent of their sales and the rest of their products like iMac desktop, iTunes store, iCloud, Apple watch and Apple TV account for the rest. Apple Inc. manufactures some of its products in Ireland and the US, but most of the manufacturing is outsourced to FoxConn that is a manufacturing industry operating in Asia. While the US accounts for 40% of sales of Apple Inc., the Europe and Greater China region of the organization each account for a quarter of the sales revenue . Apple Inc. has more than 500 Apple Retail Stores across the United States and 20 more nations. Outside of the United States, China and Canada are the largest retail store markets for the Apple Inc. They sell the products through their own retail stores and website. In addition to that, indirect sales channels are also used to sell the products like resellers, third-party retailers, telecom network carriers etc. The direct selling accounts for only about 25% of the totals sales and 75% of the product sales take place through their indirect channels. The comparison made The small and large businesses vary in terms of workforce, resources and ways of communication. All organizations work on the same principle of arranging people in a hierarchy and run processes for getting the work done in an organization. The organizational hierarchy charts may vary from one organization to the other, but the broad functioning remains the same. We cannot point out the differences and tell that which one is better than the other, but we can always study the dynamics and adapt the good things from each to make the functioning and organization in a firm even more efficient. Small organizations like Snagajob that have a fraction of employees as compared to gigantic firms like Apple Inc. varies in not just the job functions but also the culture and organizational structure. Bigger organizations are generally more bureaucratic, as compared to medium and small firms. They have more elaborate rules and procedures that are to be followed and the matrix of a small organizatio n is generally simpler and easier to navigate. In a small organization, people, although have designated tasks to do, but they get an exposure to a wider variety of functions and roles. In a large organization, the rules are more formal and well defined (Varttala, 2010). Also, the rules for a small business are more flexible and less stringent that generally leads to more work life balance for people working in small organizations like Snagajob. However, with innovation and creativity as its core values, Apple Inc. is more adaptive of flexible rules and gives its employees the benefits at par with those received at a small close knit organizational structure. Bigger companies tend to give its employees an opportunity to hone their skills and develop specialization in specific roles and fields (Jaitapker, 2013). They have more opportunities and a scope for much longer association with the employee by providing opportunities for growth and development with programs like job rotation, job enrichment etc. The businesses leverage the information technology and its application in firms functioning in different ways. This depends on their size and number of employees working for them. The bigger organizations depend upon the specialized skills of their members with the best of the lot leading the different functional divisions, however the small and medium businesses generally do not have this advantage. But regardless of the number of employees in the organization, communication is the basic need for all. The instructions and policies need to be communicated to the organization from the top to the lower level of the organization and the feedback, enquiries and grievances of the employees need to be communicated from the lower to the top level of the organization. This communication that takes place in any business organization is known as business communication. Without effective communication taking place in the businesses, it is impossible to get the work done in a systematic and plan ned manner (Sawayda, 2011). Communication also helps in avoiding conflicts, misunderstandings and problems within the organization. A good communication channel is must for a business to run smoothly and in an effective manner. Good communication channel also makes delegation of tasks and responsibilities effective, increase the productivity of the organization maintains harmony in the business and make the work place enjoyable. In order to have effective communication channels and have a good communication system in an organization, regardless of its size, it is important that the organization takes care of the following- There must be minimum distraction and ensure the communication is two-way. Organizational meetings that are infamous for being the biggest time wasters, must be short, having defined goals and agendas and planned well in advance. The organizations must also ensure that the feedbacks given in any form from the customers, suppliers, clients or the employees are taken seriously and action is taken in a timely manner whether it is rewarding or punitive (UTZ, 2012). Today, even small organizations are increasingly making use of technological advancements in the communication field. They are including technology to communicate with their stakeholders and this has brought about a revolution in the way business is being done. Business is carried out through internal telecom systems that helps in quick exchange of information in a reliable manner. This happens without any information exchange charges and the only cost that the organization has to bear is the installation cost, which is very small in comparison to the service provided by the system (Eko, 2012). The second revolutionary tool that has taken the business communication by a storm is the internet. The internet has revolutionized the way we communicate not just within the organization, but also without stakeholders and customers. It has provided us with the fastest, cheapest and most effective way of communicating. It helps in removing the time lag and the difference between the time zone of different countries has also become insignificant with the internet revolution. In Snagajob since the number of employees is limited, the communication is easier to do and manage. The important instructions are conveyed through emails and mobile phones within and across the departments. All the organizational heads report to the Chief executive officer of the organization and the board of directors practice collective decision making. Being an online community, the communication relies heavily on the internet and electronic media. They also have dedicated pages on various social networking websites to make them more approachable and customer friendly. Apple Inc. is a world leader amongst the organizations worldwide. Their organizational structure is said to be the key factor in the organizations success. The culture and organizational hierarchy of Apple Inc. is effectively developed and it is made to accelerate innovation and transparency. This is visible in their products and services as well. Apples organizational structure and communication channels hold the values of excellence, creativity, innovation and secrecy close to the core. They also believe in constantly modifying their practices and organizational structure to keep up with the changing times and employee expectations (Roberts, 2009). The pursuit of excellence, creativity and innovation makes apple the world leader that it is today. The secrecy and ability to surprise and take risks helps Apple Inc. in protecting the negatives of espionage and poaching. This also helps apple in building up on the curiosity of the public, thus increasing the popularity and word of mout h publicity. Apple promotes communication between the employees through the internal communicator application. All the employees working in Apple Inc. have an access to it and can communicate freely. This ensures a two-way communication between employees, board of directors and the top management. Apple believes that it is extremely important for the employees to voice their opinions, concerns and ideas. The team Apple Inc. has always been open to suggestions about the functioning of the organizations, products, services and their production methods. Random audits are conducted in the retail stores and supply chains to ensure the implementation of the best practices and communication of the concerns of the employees. Regular meetings are held with the stakeholders to obtain pertinent information regarding the brand (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 1998). Monthly newsletter that contain accomplishments of the employees and the organization and trends of the current practices are published and made available to the employees to have a stronger connect with them, but secrecy regarding the product development and production practices prevails all communication practices in Apple Inc. They have code names for products being developed and have total control over the information being exchanged over the internet and official phones. They keep a track on the social media platforms, blogs, communicators and messages to ensure absolute discretion in the information being communicated. They take the feedback very strongly and work is compared to and judged by not just the managers but also the peers to make sure only the top quality products hit the market and brand apple is able to maintain the huge mass following. The communication in the organization has been that of a closed nature. Honesty, respect, confidentiality and compliance are the four pillars of communication policies of Apple Inc. Based on these principles, Apple Inc has developed a communication system to exchange information with their stakeholders. This is well understood and emulated in their day to day working by all Apple employees ranging from the top management to the floor staff. But the success of apple stems from the innovative and remarkable products that are launched by them and the uniqueness of these will be lost without taking the necessary steps to safeguard the confidential informa tion against the leaks (Hamel, 2017). The type of business being carried out by Snagajob varies on various levels. The biggest difference between the two is the size of the organization. While Snagajob has just about 400 employees working for it, Apple Inc. has a work force of 115,000 dedicated Apple employees. Snagajob is a service provider and they provide employment services to the individuals and organizations. They provide with the information of available jobs for the individuals looking for one and make available talented workforce to the organizations looking for the same. It is an online portal which is a database of information providing employment services. Apple on the other hand, in addition to online services and applications like iTunes and iCloud, have the products as the prime focus of their business. Their signature product iPhone brings about 60% of the sales revenues of the organization. It is a very large organization spreading its facilities across the globe (OECD, 2009). Conclusion On studying the organizational culture and internal communication processes of both organizations, we came to know about the differences in operations and functions of an organization as small as Snagajob having a workforce of only about 400 people and that of Apple Inc. employing 115,000 people. Snagajob is a search engine for jobs, that is headquartered in America and has customers in the form of individuals looking for jobs and organizations looking to hire talented individuals. It is an organization that works over the internet and the customer base is spread across the world, but a majority of their customers are from the United States. They have four offices that are all located in different parts of the United States. Their internal communication process is simple and takes place through mails and messaging applications. The information is communicated from top down and bottom up very easily due to the limited number of employees in the firm. The communication structure of the organization is very transparent and not complex (Letourneau Letourneau, 2011). The communication in this forms will rely heavily on the internet being an online search engine. One only has to become a member of the website to have access to information like job openings and available candidates for the job. The grievances and complaints of the customers and employees must also be easily communicated to the top management due to the simple communication structure. On the other hand Apple Inc. is a gigantic organization with operations and production facilities all over the world. Their manufacturing is primarily outsourced to FoxConn that is located in Asia. They have their retail stores and corporate offices all over the world. Their communication process is complex and contains a lot of channels and layers to it. Their commitment to keep the information regarding the products and services a secret only adds to this complexity. Their internal business communication is closely mon itored by the IT teams and their officials. The people working at Apple Inc. are made to sign contracts that prohibit them from sharing any information related to the organization and its working out in public. They value innovation and creativity and promote thinking and ideas outside the box (Hooker, 2008). They pursue excellence in both product development and functioning of the organization. Thus the organizational policies and structure is not made public. They have their own ways of monitoring the competitors and stay one step ahead in the race with them and please their loyal customers at the same time. They publish annual reports for the stakeholders and newsletters for the employees to keep them in the loop about the required information. The motive is to share only what is required and keep a tab on what is being communicated. The internal and external policies at Apple Inc. are quite strict and they have zero tolerance for information security breach. References Deloitte, 2009. Deloittes 2009 Technology Fast 50: Annual ranking of the fastest growing technology companies in North America, Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/technology-media-telecommunications/us-tmt-2009-fast500-winners-020515.pdf Eko, L., 2012. New Media, Old Regimes: Case Studies in Comparative Communication Law and Policy: Lexington Books, Available at: https://books.google.co.in/books?id=cHItD1p8dyoCdq=apple+inc+communication+policy+pdfsource=gbs_navlinks_s Hamel, G., 2017. The Difference Between Big Businesses Small Business, Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/difference-between-big-businesses-small-business-35285.html Hooker, J, 2008. Cultural Differences in Business Communication, Available at: https://public.tepper.cmu.edu/jnh/businessCommunication.pdf Ingram, D., 2017. Organizational and Structural Differences Between Small and Large Businesses, Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/organizational-structural-differences-between-small-large-businesses-10678.html Jaitapker, N., 2013. The Apple Store Refreshing Fearless Feedback: A Strategic Communication Plan, Available at: https://nabeeljaitapker.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/apple-strategic-communication-plan.pdf Johnson, K. Phan, H., 2012. The Innovative Success that is Apple, Inc., Available at: https://mds.marshall.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1420context=etd Lazonick, W. Tulum, O., 2013. Apples Changing Business Model: What Should the Worlds Richest Company Do with All Those Profits?, Available at: https://www.theairnet.org/files/research/WorkingPapers/LazonickMazzucatoTulum_AppleBusinessModel_AIR-WP13.0701.pdf Letourneau, B. Letourneau, C., 2011. Accessible Information and Communication: A Guide for Small Business, Available at: https://www.oaa.on.ca/images/docs/1311167633_AIC_Guide_GuideforSmallBusiness.pdf OECD, 2009. Small businesses, job creation and growth: facts, obstacles and best practices, Available at: https://www.oecd.org/cfe/smes/2090740.pdf Roberts, P., 2009. Differences between large and small firms application to oil leasing policy, Available at: https://www.mcleveland.org/working_papers/Differences_Between_Large_and_Small_Firms.CV.pdf Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 1998. Small business and electronic commerce: An Australian survey: RMIT, Available at: https://mams.rmit.edu.au/7zg84s7cucfq.pdf Sawayda, J., 2011. Apple Inc.s Ethical Success and Challenges, Available at: https://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu/pdf/apple%20case.pdf Snagajob Team, 2017. We're Snagajob and we're here to work for you. [Online] Available at: https://www.snagajob.com/about/ Team, A., 2012. Apple: Company Overview, Available at: https://www.simpletense.com/assets/files/apple.pdf UTZ, C., 2012. Guide to social media: Risks and opportunities for business, Available at: https://www.claytonutz.com/ArticleDocuments/178/Clayton-Utz-Guide-To-Social-Media-Risks-And-Opportunities-For-Business-2013.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y Varttala, T., 2010. Challanges and successes in multicultural corporate communication: HAAGA-Helia, Available at: https://www.haaga-helia.fi/sites/default/files/Kuvat-ja-liitteet/Palvelut/Julkaisut/challenges_and_successes.pdf Wiley, 2007. Information and communications technology (ICT) in small business, Available at: https://www.wiley.com/legacy/Australia/PageProofs/BUS_MAN/1_2/KC_VCE_BusMgmnt_U12_3E_c07__WEB.pdf

Monday, April 13, 2020

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in the Civil War

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in the Civil War Battle of Kennesaw Mountain - Conflict Date: The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought June 27, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders: Union Major General William T. Sherman16,225 men Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston17,773 men Battle of Kennesaw Mountain - Background: In the late spring of 1864, Union forces under Major General William T. Sherman concentrated at Chattanooga, TN in preparation for a campaign against General Joseph Johnstons Army of Tennessee and Atlanta. Ordered by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant to eliminate Johnstons command, Sherman had under his direction Major General George H. Thomass Army of the Cumberland, Major General James B. McPhersons Army of the Tennessee, and Major General John Schofields small Army of the Ohio. This combined force numbered around 110,000 men.   To defend against Sherman, Johnston was able to gather around 55,000 men at Dalton, GA which were separated into two corps led by Lieutenant Generals William Hardee and John B. Hood. This force included 8,500 cavalry led by Major General Joseph Wheeler.   The army would be reinforced early in the campaign by Lieutenant General Leonidas Polks corps.   Johnston had been appointed to lead the army after its defeat at the Battle of Chattanooga in Novemb er 1863.    Though he was a veteran commander, President Jefferson Davis had been reluctant to select him as he had shown a tendency to defend and retreat in the past rather than take a more aggressive approach. Battle of Kennesaw Mountain - Roads South: Commencing his campaign in early May, Sherman employed a strategy of maneuver to force Johnston from a series of defensive positions.   An opportunity was lost in the middle of the month when McPherson missed a chance to trap Johnstons army near Resaca.   Racing to the area, both sides fought the inconclusive Battle of Resaca on May 14-15.   In the wake of the battle, Sherman moved around Johnstons flank forcing the Confederate commander to withdraw south.   Johnstons positions at Adairsville and Allatoona Pass were dealt with in a similar fashion.   Slipping west, Sherman fought engagements at New Hope Church (May 25), Picketts Mill (May 27), and Dallas (May 28).   Slowed by heavy rains, he approached Johnstons new defensive line along Lost, Pine, and Brush Mountains on June 14.   That day, Polk was killed by Union artillery and command of his corps passed to Major General William W. Loring. Battle of Kennesaw Mountain - The Kennesaw Line: Retreating from this position, Johnston established a new defensive line in an arc to the north and west of Marietta.   The northern part of the line was anchored on Kennesaw Mountain and Little Kennesaw Mountain and then extended south to Olleys Creek.   A strong position, it dominated the Western Atlantic Railroad which served as Shermans primary supply line north.   To defend this position, Johnston placed Lorings men in the north, Hardees corps in the center, and Hood to the south.   Reaching the vicinity of Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman recognized the strength of Johnstons fortifications but found his options limited due to the impassable nature of the roads in the area and the need to control the railroad as he advanced.   Concentrating his men, Sherman deployed McPherson in the north with Thomas and Schofield extending the line south.   On June 24, he outlined a plan for penetrating the Confederate position.   This called for McPherson to demonstrate against most of Lorings lines while also mounting an attack against the southwest corner of Little Kennesaw Mountain.   The main Union thrust would come from Thomas in the center while Schofield received orders to demonstrate against the Confederate left and possibly attack up Powder Springs Road if the situation warranted.   The operation was scheduled for 8:00 AM on June 27 (Map). Battle of Kennesaw Mountain - A Bloody Failure: At the appointed time, around 200 Union guns opened fire on the Confederate lines.   Approximately thirty minutes later, Shermans operation moved forward.   While McPherson executed the planned demonstrations, he ordered Brigadier General Morgan L. Smiths division to commence the assault on Little Kennesaw Mountain.   Advancing against an area known as Pigeon Hill, Smiths men encountered rough terrain and dense thickets.   One of Smiths brigades, led by Brigadier General Joseph A.J. Lightburn, was forced to wade through a swamp.   While Lightburns men were able capture a line of enemy rifle pits, enfilading fire from Pigeon Hill halted their advance.   Smiths other brigades had similar luck and were unable to close with the enemy.   Halting and exchanging fire, they were later withdrawn by Smiths superior, XV Corps commander Major General John Logan. To the south, Thomas pushed forward the divisions of Brigadier Generals John Newton and Jefferson C. Davis against Hardees troops.   Attacking in columns, they encountered the entrenched divisions of Major Generals Benjamin F. Cheatham and Patrick R. Cleburne.   Advancing on the left over difficult terrain, Newtons men made multiple charges against the enemy on Cheatham Hill but were repulsed.   To the south, Newtons men succeeded in reaching the Confederate works and were repelled after extended hand-to-hand fighting.   Retreating a short distance, the Union soldiers entrenched in an area later dubbed the Dead Angle. To the south, Schofield conducted the planned demonstration but then found a path that allowed him to advance two brigades across Olleys Creek.   Followed by Major General George Stonemans cavalry division, this maneuver opened a road around the Confederate left flank and placed Union troops closer to the Chattahoochee River than the enemy. Battle of Kennesaw Mountain - Aftermath: In the fighting at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman suffered around 3,000 casualties while Johnstons losses were approximately 1,000.   Though a tactical defeat, Schofields success allowed Sherman to continue his advance.   On July 2, after several clear days had dried the roads, Sherman sent McPherson around Johnstons left flank and forced the Confederate leader to abandon the Kennesaw Mountain line.   The next two weeks saw Union troops force Johnston through maneuver to continue retreating back towards Atlanta.   Frustrated with Johnstons lack of aggression, President Davis replaced him with the more aggressive Hood on July 17.   Though initiating a series of battles at Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Ezra Church, and Jonesboro, Hood failed to prevent Atlantas fall which finally came on September 2.    Selected Sources: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield ParkCivil War Trust: Battle of Kennesaw MountainGeorgia Encyclopedia: Battle of Kennesaw Mountain

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

10 Pros and Cons of Being a School Principal

10 Pros and Cons of Being a School Principal There are many pros and cons that come with being a principal. It can be a rewarding job, and it can also be an extremely stressful job. Not everyone is cut out to be a principal. There are certain defining characteristics that a good principal will possess. If you are thinking of becoming a principal, it is crucial that you weigh all the pros and cons that come with the job. Take all factors of both sides into consideration before making your final decision. If you do not feel you can handle the cons, stay away from this profession. If you believe that the cons are only roadblocks, and the pros are well worth it, then go for it. Being a principal can be a terrific career option for the right person. Pros of Being a School Principal Salary. The median expected annual salary of a principal is over $100,000, while the median expected annual salary for a teacher is under $60,000. That is a significant increase in salary and can have a substantial impact on your family’s financial status, as well as on your retirement. That increase in salary is well-earned, as you will see when we look at the cons. There is no denying that a significant increase in salary makes it appealing to a lot of people to make that jump from teacher to principal. However, it is essential that you do not make that decision based on salary alone. Variety. Redundancy is never an issue when you are a school principal. No two days are ever alike. Each day brings new challenges, new problems, and new adventures. This can be exciting and keeps things fresh. You can go into a day with a solid plan of things to do and fail to accomplish a single thing that you expected. You never know what will await you on any particular day. Being a principal is never boring. As a teacher, you establish a routine and mostly teach the same concepts each year. As a principal, there is never an established routine. Each day has its own unique routine that dictates itself as time passes. Control. As the school leader, you will have more control over virtually every aspect of your building. You will often be the lead decision-maker. You will typically have at least some control over key decisions, such as hiring a new teacher, changing curriculum and programs, and scheduling. This control allows you to put your stamp on what your building does. It provides you with the opportunity to implement the vision that you have for your school. You will also have total control over daily decisions, including student discipline, teacher evaluations, professional development, and so on. Success. As the building principal, you will also get credit when credit is due. When an individual student, teacher, coach, or team succeeds, you also succeed. You get to celebrate in those successes because a decision you made somewhere along the line likely helped lead to that success. When someone associated with the school is recognized for outstanding achievement in some area, it typically means that the right decisions have been made. This can often be traced back to a principal’s leadership. It may be as straightforward as hiring the right teacher or coach, implementing and supporting a new program, or offering a particular student the right motivation. Impact. As a teacher, you often only have an impact on the students you teach. Make no mistake that this impact is significant and direct. As a principal, you can have a larger, indirect impact on students, teachers, and support personnel. The decisions you make can affect everyone. For example, working closely with a young teacher who needs some direction and guidance has a tremendous impact on both the teacher and every student they will ever teach. As a principal, your impact is not limited to a single classroom. A single decision can be transcendent throughout the entire school. School Principal Cons Time. Effective teachers spend a lot of extra time in their classrooms and at home. However, principals spend a much greater amount of time doing their jobs. Principals are often the first one to school and the last one to leave. In general, they are on a 12-month contract, getting only two to four weeks of vacation time during the summer. They also have several conferences and professional development duties they are required to attend. Principals are usually expected to attend almost every extra-curricular event. In many cases, this can mean attending events three to four nights a week during the school year. Principals spend a lot of time away from their homes and their families throughout the school year. Responsibility. Principals have a greater workload than teachers do. They are no longer responsible for only a few subjects with a handful of students. Instead, a principal is responsible for every student, every teacher/coach, every supporting member, and every program in their building. A principal’s responsibility footprint is enormous. You have your hand in everything, and this can be overwhelming. You have to be organized, self-aware, and confident to keep up with all of those responsibilities. Student discipline issues arise every day. Teachers require assistance on a daily basis. Parents request meetings to voice concerns regularly. You are the one responsible for handling each of these, as well as a plethora of other issues that occur within your school every day. Negativity. As a principal, you deal with many more negatives than you will positives. The only time you typically deal with students face-to-face is because of a discipline issue. Each case is different, but they are all negative. You also get to handle teachers complaining about students, parents, and other teachers. When parents request a meeting, it is almost always because they want to complain about a teacher or another student. These constant dealings with all things negative can become overwhelming. There will be times you will need to shut your office door or go observe an extraordinary teacher’s classroom just to escape all the negativity for a few minutes. However, handling all of these negative complaints and issues is a substantial part of your job. You must effectively address each issue, or you will not be a principal for long. Failures. As discussed earlier, you will receive credit for successes. It is also crucial to note that you will also be responsible for failures. This is especially true if your building is a low-performing school based on standardized test performance. As the leader of the building, it is your responsibility to have programs in place to assist in maximizing student performance. When your school fails, someone has to be the scapegoat, and that could fall on your shoulders. There are many other ways to fail as a principal that could jeopardize your job. Some of those include making a series of damaging hires, failing to protect a student who has been bullied, and keeping a teacher who is known to be ineffective. Many of these failures are avoidable with hard work and dedication. However, some failures will occur no matter what you do, and you will be linked to them because of your position in the building. Politics. Unfortunately, there is a political component to being a principal. You have to be diplomatic in your approach with students, teachers, and parents. You cannot always say what you want to say. You have to remain professional at all times. There are also occasions where you may be pressured into making a decision that makes you uncomfortable. This pressure may come from a prominent community member, school board member, or your district superintendent. This political game could be as straightforward as two parents wanting their children to be in the same class. It may also become complicated in a situation where a school board member approaches you to request that a football player who is failing a class is allowed to play. There are times like this when you must make an ethical stand even if you know it may cost you. The political game can be hard to play. However, when you are in a position of leadership, you can bet that there will be some politics involved. Sources Public School Teacher  Salary in the United States. Salary.com, 2019.   School Principal  Salary in the United States. Salary.com, 2019.