Cultural Approach to Organisations Theory

Cultural Approach to Organisations Theory The Theory Of Cultural Approach To Organisations Abstract This report will revisit the culture theory proposed by Clifford Geertz how Michael Pacanowsky claims the concept is applicable to an organisation. It will use Whitireia Polytechnic as an example for an organistain culture. When you hear the word ‘culture you often associate it with a persons background, ethnic heritage and race. However, culture is a way of living in an organisation. It is also not limited to a country or city either, even corporate organisations have culture which contain stories, symbols rituals and within it contain sub cultures. You may not even know that this is a part of your everyday life without realising it. This report will help you understand what your organisations culture is like, how this applys to you, whether it can be changed. Introduction Purpose This report is based on the Organisational culture and what I have learned about this theory. The foundations of this theory were created by Clifford in which Michael applied Greetz work into his organisational culture theory. This will help explain (in accordance to the theorists work) what the definition of culture is, what the makings of a culture are and what standards techniques ethnographers use to describe a culture. Scope My first insight into this topic was a first look at communication theory book which gave me an idea of what the topic would be about. I then utilised the resources provided by Whitireia polytechnic which was library databases in which I found little success formation. After trying a variety of databases such as Proquest, Gale proquest etc I found that I could find more sources utilising internet websites. Limitations The only limitations I found was the little use the databases were to me. I also found it difficult to find information by Michael E Paconowsky who is the co creator of the organisational culture theory. I could only find one source which elaborated more on the organisation culture limiting me to using Geertz as a primary source. I did not know whether to attribute this to my searching methods or whether the availability of information was insufficient. Research Methods The databases were of little use to me my primary sources of information came from Articles Internet websites using Google. At first finding information was difficult as I used the library database as my primary source for Information. Although I did find some sources, my primary source of information came from a website which contained a large amount of articles. In regards to my topic this site contained more information then my other internet book sources. Structure Of Report Title page – Followed by an abstract Table of contents Introduction – Includes purpose, scope, research methods, structure of report limitations Literature review – A summary of 6 sources which I used to use for my report Findings – What I have discovered about the theory Conclusion – Includes Summary critique of theory Literature Review Doing Organizational Culture in the Saturn Corporation Retrieved August 10th, 2009 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4339/is_1_22/ai_75579345/ Summary This includes an in depth look into the organisational culture in the Saturn Corporation. The Authors who researched this topic discovered how they came to their conclusions by poststructural analysis of the video advertisements, examining metaphors along with interaction interpretation of the organisations culture.. It also gives a chronological description of the significant events concerning the study of organisational culture. It also briefly covers the importance of image metaphors. However its primary focus is on the symbolic meaning of storytelling and the effects it has Saturn on its organisation culture consumer culture Accuracy Validity All three Authors Terry L. Mills, Craig A. Boylstein, Sandra Lorean are experts in the field of Sociology. Terry L. Mills earned his PHD in Sociology in 1996 at the University of Southern Carolina. He has received many honours awards and specialises in many topics concerning the age of sociology organisational organisation. He has conducted a lot of research and has published many of his works in articles, books journals. Terry L. Mills is currently a Professor in the University of Florida and is also a dean for associate affairs. The combined knowledge of these authors is apparent when they outline the history of the study of organisational using it as a base for their evidence in this subject. The concepts in this article are not new, they are simply a tool to back up their research and explain the organisational culture of the Saturn Corporation. Turner, L..H., West, R ., (2007) Introducing Communication Theory (3rd Edition) New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education Summary This book covers a number of theories including the Organisational Culture Theory covering its main points. It also delves more into the organisational side of culture by providing examples and elaborating on concepts created by Michael Pacanowsky including different types of assumptions, rituals, performances symbols etc. It also includes information on Clifford Geertz work and provides an explanation on Thick description, a technique important in Ethnography. Accuracy This information is accurate because it draws from sources which happen to be some of Geertz Pacanowsky most prominent work. It gives clear cut examples and all the examples provided are cited from reliable sources. Geertz, C. (1973) The Interpretation of Culture (2nd ed). New York: Basic Books Summary This source of information elaborates on the interpretation of culture theory from the perspective of an ethnographer. Greetz who is an ethnographer himself describes his work as being a thick description, which can be described as Intertwined layers of common meaning that underlie what people say or do. In this chapter Greetz describes his experience of a different culture of a foreign landscape. Often puzzled at the events that occur in this culture, his stance on his interpretive approach is not to just simply document what is happens in the culture. It is to reduce the puzzlement and to have a greater understanding of why it happens in the culture. Accuracy Clifford Geertz is a champion of symbolic anthropology. He has made several major publications with his most seminal being Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight. His work on interpretive theory has had a major impact in the field of anthropology and his extensive amount ethnographical work in Indonesia Morocco highlands only solidify the validity of his work. He is also the co creator of the cultural approach of organizations theory. Geertz, C. (1973) Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight† Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://www.si.umich.edu/~rfrost/courses/MatCult/content/Geertz.pdf Summary In this source of information Clifford Geertz gives an insight into the balinise cockfighting culture. This does more than what happens in these cockfights he explains the deeper meaning behind the culture. He stresses that it is much more than about money or entertainment it is about social status: The Cocks are simply there to stand in for men who are engaging in these matches. Clifford also describes the social networking and ins outs of this cockfighting culture. Accuracy Validity This is Clifford Greetz more known works and is essentially one of the core concepts of this topic: Culture. This work is simply an interpretation of a culture and is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why Cultural approach to organisations theory is here today. It is interesting to note that the cockfighting metaphor is applicable to many cultures and everyday life occurrences. Fafaeli, A., Worline, M. Symbols in Organizational Culture. August 22, 2009, from http://iew3.technion.ac.il/Home/Users/anatr/symbol.html Summary This source goes into detail about what symbols are and how they apply to organisational culture. It briefly provides four functions that symbols serve in an organisation and how the use of symbols can provide a deeper understanding in a n organisations culture. Accuracy Validity This has also been referenced in a first look at communication. It has also been published in a number of books and draws some of its concepts from Clifford Geertz work. I can also see the similarities how it relates to the ideas of cultural approach to organisation theory. Both authors have PhDs in their respective fields and have done extensive research on this topic. Ardichvili, A.,Basten, F.,Daley, B.,Kraemer, T.J.,Kuchinke, K.P.,Morgan, G.,Shindell, T.,Short, D.C.,Willis, V. The Role of Metaphors in (Re)producing Organizational Culture. August 3, 2009, from http://www.orleon.nl/publicaties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdf Summary This source discusses metaphors and provides a storyline about the NBS organisation. It talks about how metaphors can describe the NBS organisation in a six part storyline written by employees. The author also provides analysis on the metaphors that were used and what they mean. Accuracy Validity These sources concepts are very similar to those created by Geertz Pacanowsky. Although this source does not reference them there is a clear connection between Pacanowskys idea of metaphorical analysis and this source. Findings Background Of Theorists Clifford Geertz was born in San Francisco, California on August 23, 1926. For two years (1943–45) he served time in the U.S Navy during World War II. He would later attend Antioch College receive his B.A in philosophy. He later studied social anthropology received his PHD from Harvard University. After he taught a number of schools he would join the anthropology staff of the University of Chicago. Subsequently he became a professor in social science at Harvard University in whicch he would receive several honory doctorate degrees from numerous colleges including Cambridge, Harvard Chicago University. After his divorce with Hilderd Greetz he would end up marrying Karren Blu who was also an anthropologist. In his later years his decline in health due to heart complications would eventually catch up to him, he died on October 30, 2006. Outline Of Theories/key Issues What Culture Is; What Culture Is Not Clifford Geertz, a champion in anthropology found through his research that culture is a shared meaning, shared understanding shared sensemaking in â€Å"a web of significance that he (man) has spun.† The foundation of this theory especially from an anthropological perspective can be attributed Clifford Greetz who primarily focused on culture itself. In Clifford Geertz eyes no culture is inferior/superior and no culture can be changed. Thick Description – An Ethnographers Occupation In order to understand a culture one must become an ethnographer. Ethnographers are researchers who immerse themselves within a culture also meaning they are in it for the long term. Clifford Geertz spent a number of years in Southeast Asia North Africa studying various cultures which eventually led him to call his extensive material in his journals to be known as thick descriptions. Thin descriptions would simply describe an event; thick descriptions however would describe an event within a context. His primary example in The Interpretation of Cultures theory describes the puzzlement when something simple as a wink can cause when it is not described within a context. Culture As A Metaphor Of Organisational Life Michael Pacanowsky found Clifford Geertz work helpful and would use work to give a better understanding of organisational culture. This in turn would help give us a better understanding the behaviour of organisations by understanding the way how groups live and interact with one another. Michael Pacanowsky discovered that not only materials such as paperwork were crucial but also analysing the behaviour of how groups operated was equally as important to understanding an organisations culture. As part of his work he used three components to better understand a culture which were metaphors, stories and rituals. Metaphors To understand a shared meaning of a culture Michael Pacanowsky used metaphors to describe the W.L Gore organisation. He used three metaphors to describe this unique culture the first being that Gore was a cluster of peasant villages because of its decentralised environment and focused use of oral communication. This could be attributed to the fact that Gore has an all in this together attitude and though a differential status exists amongst workers, there is a lack of hierarchical authority everyone checks with other â€Å"associates† before making significant decisions. Other metaphors Michael Pacanowsky used to describe Gore was that he saw it as being an improvisational Jazz band because of its like minded workers who liked to try new things and and compared the workers as being factions in Colonial America because of its innovative approach to work. Using metaphors to describe a culture is a valuable tool for ethnography. Stories – A Window Through Which To View Corporate Webs Of Significance Stories are used in to corporate organisations to guide employees to how to function within an organisation. It can also be used as a motivational tool to draw inspiration or to simply give a historical account so that employees may find themselves and become a part of something much bigger than just the corporation. Stories also give ethnographers a way to understand a culture There are three types of stories: Corporate stories, Personal Stories Collegial stories. Corporate Stories Corporate stories are ones that can be seen in pamphlets, advertisements etc. This is the vision of the upper level and management that they want to reinforce; sometimes to the public eye. An example of this would be how a corporate boss who would spend his Christmas Eve working with his employees and would be the last to leave. Personal Stories Personal stories are something that an employee may tell about himself to help identify with other workers or how he would like to be perceived within an organisation. An example of this would be how an elderly worker describing his experience in the workplace prior to the technological dependency and how a pre robot like environment developed more personal interaction and a sense of community amongst workers. Collegial Stories Collegial stories can be positive or negative and are used to describe others in an organisation. An example of this would be how a new manager who has taken has a cut throat approach to his employees and that his technological happy approach would result in a loss of jobs in the organisation. Rather than describe what each story means (doing so is to be done with great caution) it is not the proper way for the ethnographer to dissect each piece and explain every intricate detail, it is to interpret everything as a whole and see the bigger picture. Rituals – The Rites Of A Culture Rituals are existent in all forms of culture the Balinese Cockfight written by Clifford Geertz shows this. Without looking at it without an open mind Balinise cockfighting could be percieved as nothing more than a primitive shallow form of entertainment. However Clifford Geertz insight into the topic shows it is much more then that; it is the Men who are fighting for status and the cocks are simply just a representation of that. An example of this in a corporate organisation would be casual Fridays where formal clothing is optional. Or Free lunch Wednesdays where food is catered and provides an opportunity for staff to interact with one another. Where a ritual such Balinese cockfighting would be considered sacred (although it is illegal) changing or removing it completely would meet much opposition. In a corporate environment with a free spirited approach and lack of formality, changes to rituals would in most cases see little opposition. Application Of Theory I will use a real life example when applying the cultural approach to organisations. My example is about Whitireia Polytechnic. Clifford Geertz talks about Cultures having subcultures and there are many examples of this in Whitireia. A broad example would that every sector of Whitireia e.g BIT, CIT, has its Location can affect cultures an example would be Computer Services the BIT section of Whitireia. Although in an ideal world both would work together in a fluid manner an observation I made was that many of the services provided by Computer services are not known to BIT. When working for my evaluation procurement assignment I noticed that somethings were not communicated to one another effectively this is because of the difference between subcultures. Another example I think applies to this theory is the subculture created by Teachers. Although BIT culture as a whole is relatively the same, the subcultures are different. George Tongariro has a relatively informal style of teaching which is very much ‘alive ‘vibrant. This in turn influences the students especially the ones with who share similar attributes. This type of sub culture would likely clash with another teachers sub culture that has a very reserved formal approach to teaching. Even students have sub cultures w hich result in people having different social circles because tend to socialise with people who have similar values. Stories are told amongst students and teachers, corporate stories I have read are from pamphlets and websites. However the personal collegial accounts were told to me orally from both teachers students. Personal stories I have heard about Whitireia is a students experience with a certain teacher, paper, class etc. A collegial story I have heard students express is their dislike of how work intensive a certain class is. An example of a collegial story I was told in class from a staff member was how they disapproved with how BIT section of Whitireia was run and how it ran without ‘order and how ‘disorganised it was. If I was to document every story in a journal I could create a thick description that would effectively help an outsider understand whitireia polytechnic culture. A Ritual in this context would be performing a practical lab I get given every Tuesdays and Wednesdays in which I must complete within a designated time. Another example would be students playing table tennis or pool at the student centre on their break on a regular basis. You may also notice I used metaphors to help understand the culture present in Whitireia. I have also been at Whitireia Polytechnic for a nearly two years in which (despite the lack of a PHD) adds credibility to how I can apply this organisational culture to this industry. I also tend to hear more positive things about polytechnic and with an increase of students have changed the student sub culture. Evaluation Of Theory I will be using the standards from the book ‘A Look Into Coomunication Theory† book by Em riffim New Understanding Of People Interpretive scholarship is good when it offers fresh insight into the human condition. Geertz Pacanowsky do this by interpreting their readings and using techniques to describe a culture within a context. To have an insight human culture is to have a insight to teh human condition. Clarification Of Values A good theory brings peoples values into the open. Both Greetz Pacanowsky where able to define an organisations culture by using thick descriptions, metaphors, stories rituals. Aesthetic Appeal The appeal of Greetz Pacanowsky theorie is that it used real examples in which they both experienced. The way they convey their research through narratives, stories metaphors also provides an artistic interesting insight and makes their material appealing to read. Especially through the use of metaphors which help illustrate capture the essence of an organisations culture. A community Of Agreement Clifford Geertz is considered to be a champion symbolic anthropology and some of his most famous works such as the Balinise cockfight were innovative ultimately allowed Pacanowsky to apply his ideas into the theory. Although there is some criticism towards organisational culture theory the support is much more apparent within the community. Reform Of Society Change in organisational culture is sometimes considered to be ethically challenging. Understanding an organisational culture is becoming more apparent and is now used for a competitive advantage. Conclusion Summary In summary Clifford Geertz work e.g description of culture, pioneer of ethnography inventor of thick descriptions, combined with Michael Pacanowsys interpretation of organisations through use of stories, metaphors and rituals ultimately lead to a theory that is applicable to many organisational cultures. Stories, metaphors rituals are all practical ways of describing and interpreting a culture. I have also shown a real life example of how applicable it is and though it may not anywhere near the level of Geertz or Pacanowskys work, it should show how this can be used in different types of organisations. Critique Of The Theory As you should know by now Clifford Geertz stance on Culture isnt to change it, it is to understand it. Nor did he wish to interfere or influence culture. Critical theorists however criticise this approach and see a moral obligation to make changes rather then to just describe interpret it. This is not how a researcher who uses the cultural approach to organisation sees it. An ethnographer does not use his research as a tool for change nor does he use it to pass judgement or criticise the morality of a culture. Ethnography is about providing a better understanding and how to function in a culture through symbolic analysis. It is ultimately up an organisation and its staff to make a change. Cultural approach is also not as popular as it used to be. Some say that it is because few people if any can match Clifford Geertz writing style. People have described reading his work is like reading an engrossing novel. This in turn may have affected the aesthetic appeal and until someone who can write as well as he can, resurgence in this theory is questionable. Glossary Of Terms Ethnography: a methodological strategy used to provide descriptions of human societies Ritual: Performaces that reoccur on a regular basis Sub Culture: A Culture within a culture. Thick Description: Explanation of the meaning of layers in a culture References Articles Deep Play: Notes on the Balinise Cockfight Retrieved August 13th, 2009 from www.si.umich.edu/~rfrost/courses/MatCult/content/Geertz.pdf Doing Organizational Culture in the Saturn Corporation Retrieved August 10th, 2009 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4339/is_1_22/ai_75579345/ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4339/is_1_22/ai_75579345/?tag=content;col1linise Cockfight Books Geertz, C. (1973) The Interpretation of Culture (2nd ed). New York: Basic Books Griffim, E. (2006). A First Look at Communication Theory (6th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education Turner, L..H., West, R ., (2007) Introducing Communication Theory (3rd Edition) New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education Internet Sources The Role of Metaphors in (Re)producing Organizational Culture Retrieved August 13th, 2009 from http://docs.google.com/gview?a=vq=cache:MH7Ir3IC9LAJ:www.orleon.nl/publicaties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdf+http://www.orleon.nl/publicaties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdfhl=engl=nz Fafaeli, A., Worline, M. Symbols in Organizational Culture. Retrieved August 22, 2009, from http://iew3.technion.ac.il/Home/Users/anatr/symbol.html ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Retrieved August 13th, 2009 from http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch36.html Ardichvili, A.,Basten, F.,Daley, B.,Kraemer, T.J.,Kuchinke, K.P.,Morgan, G.,Shindell, T.,Short, D.C.,Willis, V. The Role of Metaphors in (Re)producing Organizational Culture. August 3, 2009, from http://www.orleon.nl/publicaties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdf

Great Expectations - A Cinderella Story Essay example -- Great Expect

Great Expectations - A Cinderella Story In the profound novel, Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens, the main character "Pip" is put through many tests that examine the type of man Pip strives to be and the type of man Pip really is. Pip's relationships with two central characters, Tom and Magwitch, are examined closely in this essay, and through these relationships, Pip's character is visible. Great Expectations is, in a sense, a Cinderella story in which Pip's fairy godmother turns out to be a convict running from the law. This "amulet" gives Pip a gift that changes Pip and his life. In the beginning of the novel, Pip is a young boy that lives in an inhospitable home with his older sister and her husband. Although Pip's relationship with his sister is unkind, the relationship Pip develops with her husband is affable. Pip's brother-in-law, Joe, has taken Pip under his wing, and wants to take care of Pip. Critic Christopher Morris writes, "Pip claims to have developed a solicitude for Joe" in the opening of the novel, but later "that claim is everywhere contradicted by his actions." One example that Morris writes of to prove his point is, after Pip learns of the "selfless rational for Joe's acquiescence in Mrs. Joe's government", Pip writes: Young as I was, I believe that I dated a new admiration of Joe from that night. We were equals afterwards, as we has been before: but afterwards, at quiet times when I sat looking at Joe and thinking about him, I had a new sensation of feeling conscious that I was looking up to Joe in my heart. (7, 52)3 Morris* points out the fact, that throughout the novel, this is the only time Pip will regard Joe as his equal. In chapter VIII, Pip is offere... ...ip as a very low person. Later, when Pip began to except Magwhich, he was able to shut the ideas of the man's past out. Their relationship became that of a very strong friendship because they did see each other's faults but chose to ignore them. When a friendship is composed, the two parties have an unspoken agreement to except any flaws the other has. This is much more meaningful than love, because the human will is involved. The outcome of love may seem more important, but there is always the chance a lover will regain their true sight and not be able to accept your faults. In the case of friendship, there is a bond because the other is all ready at ease with your faults, and your bond can only become stronger. * In an article written by Christopher D. Morris, the actions and moral bad faith that the central character, Pip, exhibits are examined.

cold war :: essays research papers

1991 Gorbachev resigns as president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev announces that he is resigning as president of the Soviet Union. In truth, there was not much of a Soviet Union from which to resign--just four days earlier, 11 of the former Soviet republics had established the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), effectively dismembering the USSR. The Soviet Union, for all intents and purposes, had already ceased to exist. In his farewell speech to the nation, Gorbachev indicated that the recent establishment of the CIS was the primary motive for his resignation, claiming he was "concerned about the fact that the people in this country are ceasing to become citizens of a great power and the consequences may be very difficult for all of us to deal with." In words that were sometimes prideful, sometimes resentful, Gorbachev stated that he stood on his record of achievement. He had, he claimed, overseen the Soviet Union's trip down the "road of democracy." His reforms "steered" the communist economy "toward the market economy." He declared that the Russian people were "living in a new world" in which an "end has been put to the Cold War and to the arms race." Admitting "there were mistakes made," Gorbachev remained adamant that he "never had any regrets" about the policies he pursued. In reality, Gorbachev had lost much of his power and prestige in the Soviet Union even before the establishment of the CIS. The economy was unstable. No one seemed pleased by Gorbachev-some opponents demanded even more political freedom while hard-liners in his government opposed any movement toward reform. In August 1991, he survived a coup attempt only through the assistance of Russian Federation

Interview With an Elderly Person Essay -- social issues, illness, depr

Aging and being old was dominated by negative characteristics and conditions such as illness, depression, and isolation for a long time (Eibach, Mock, & Courtney, 2010). At first glance the terms â€Å"success† and â€Å"aging† seem to be in conflict to each other. When asking people about aging, their answers have many facets that are also found in psychological definitions: successful aging is seen as health, maturity and personal growth, self-acceptance, happiness, generativity, coping, and acceptance of age-related limitations. In the psychological sense successful aging is also often seen as the absence of age-associated characteristics (Strawbridge, Wallhagen, & Cohen, 2002). It seems that successful aging means is not aging. Methods I interviewed my 92 year old neighbor who, I believe, presents a case of successful aging. As far as I can tell, she has not experienced many limitations due to age. She is spirited, active, and bright. Other neighbors tell me that she has been somewhat physically restrained in the recent past, and she has been using a walker more frequently, but she seems to be fine with that. She grew up in Germany, a country that is very close to the United States in regards to how people view aging. According to McConatha, Schnell, Volkwein, Riley, and Leach (2003), Germans, compared to US Americans, view aging a somewhat more negatively. They are often more pessimistic about the likelihood of finding contentment in old age and generally do not expect to feel good when they are older. To my surprise, my aunts views about aging were very positive. The Interview Questions The following interview was held on the 1st of March 2014 over the phone. I asked my aunt a few questions and gave her the reason... ...velopment. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. McConatha, J. T., Schnell, F., Volkwein, K., Riley, L., & Leach, E. (2003). Attitudes toward aging: a comparative analysis of young adults from the United States and Germany. International Journal Of Aging & Human Development, 57(3), 203–215. Ong, A. D., Bergeman, C. S., Bisconti, T. L., & Wallace, K. A. (2006). Psychological resilience, positive emotions, and successful adaptation to stress in later life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(4), 730. Quoidbach, J., Gilbert, D. T., & Wilson, T. D. (2013). The end of history illusion. Science, 339(6115), 96–98. Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1997). Successful aging. The Gerontologist, 37(4), 433–40. Strawbridge, W. J., Wallhagen, M. I., & Cohen, R. D. (2002). Successful aging and well-being: Self-rated compared with Rowe and Kahn. The Gerontologist, 42(6), 727–33.

Media and Juvenile Delinquency

Mass media refers to the impersonal channels used to disseminate information to the public.   The information is meant for public consumption and not for personal consumption.   There are a number of channels used which include radio, newspaper, motion pictures and television.   Media is used mostly to portray cultural values and beliefs through the articles and programmes contained in them. (Travis, 2000)   For instance, through the media, national public days are aired; local shows with local touch are aired, as well as sports programs.   In addition, some societal values regarding patriotism, religious and motherhood are shown.Some sub-cultural patterns that have to do with the policeman, business executive or juvenile delinquency are shown via the media to all the people of the community or the mass society.Right from young age to the old age, the members of society are frequently bombarded by the type of stimuli which is presented in a number of mass media. (Travis, 20 00) Mass media’s perverseness is usually reflected in the statistics which are in circulation.   Studies have shown that around 5.000,000 copies if television guides are sold every week and millions of people have access to newspapers. (Joseph, 1975)From this wide dissemination of these articles, the social scientists and the laymen have become interested to find out what type of consequences those media have on human behavior and especially the children.   To be more specific, most parents have deep desire to find out the impact some books on crime and movie dramas have on young children. (Michael, 1999)On the other hand, the advertisers want to find out if their products advertised on the media are selling or not.   Unfortunately, there have been very little scientific studies of the specific impact of mass media on how they motivate humans.   Paul Lazarsfeld, an outstanding researcher on the effect of mass media on the behavior of human, gave his testimony and pres ented it before senate subcommittee in charge of investigating Juvenile delinquency.   He reported that very little is known concerning the kind of impact media has on young children.(Travis 2000)   He therefore appealed for more scientific research to be done to replace impressionistic evidence which has been quoted by some lay individuals. (Joseph, 1975)The Effects Media Has On Juvenile DelinquencyMedia has been accused many times of contributing to the juvenile delinquency.   The lawlessness which is more prevalent among the young people is mostly associated with media.   There are no restrictions placed on the youth and therefore they can access books, television programs, and pornographic magazines at will.   As a result, their way of thinking and acting has been seriously affected. (Rodney, 1990) For instance, action packed movies; detective programs which are full of crimes have a way of training young people on the effective ways of robbery, violence and murder.As a result so many cases have been received regarding youth who have been arrested for committing robbery.   There has been an increase to the crime content, sadism, horror as well as brutality in most comic books, motion pictures and television programs.(Robert, 2001)   The three types of media according to most critics deserve special attention.   They also served as a special focus for senate subcommittee in charge of investigating juvenile delinquency from the year 1954 to 1956. (Michael, 1999)Television, radio, comic books and motion pictures films have been named as significant factors contributing to juvenile delinquency.   The presentation of horror, crime and sequences of brutality is imputed in movies and more so by the lay observers, to be partly to blame for the current juvenile delinquency. (Rodney, 1990) Other effects are moral decadence as a result of watching pornographic movies and reading pornographic magazines.Many young people can be found at the brothels a nd others acts of prostitution.   There are so many dancing styles which have come as a result of the media influence, which can also be called ‘dirty dancing styles’. (Joseph, 1975)The values which have been traditionally believed in no longer matter, whatever young people see on TV are what they tend to believe in more. (Michael, 1999)According top early delinquency researchers, they were only interested with the effect the motion pictures had on the youth.   Cyril Burt made a report around 1925 that approximately eight percent of the delinquent boys had deep interests in motion pictures.   Burt’s report in the film reveals the techniques used to commit crimes as well as crimes which have been positively advertised.   Other studies on delinquents were made by Bronner and Healy. (Rodney, 1990)According to their study regarding non delinquents and delinquents in Boston and Detroit around the 1930, they revealed that the largest number of delinquents were frequent attendees of movies and films. (Michael, 1999) There were reports however, that very small number of delinquents had imitated the techniques used to commit crimes that they had seen on screens.   From the way Bronner and Healy treated movies in their studies the conclusion to be made is that they dismissed films as inconsequential as far as juvenile delinquency is concerned. (Robert, 2001)Other studies were done by Hauser and Blumer, on the impact the films and motion pictures had on juvenile delinquency.   The studies were conducted under auspices of Payne Fund for a period of four years from 1929-1932.   The studies were done by psychologists and sociologists from the university and their aim was to establish the impact motion pictures had on children’s psychological, physical and social behavior. (Rodney, 1990) The most interesting study about delinquency made by Bulmer and Hauser (Sociologists) was from entitled delinquency, movies and crime. (Joseph, 1975) The focus was on the role of motion pictures in the careers of female and male delinquents as well as criminals.   The impact of films on inmates in the rehabilitation centers and non-delinquents girls and boys was also made.   The findings however, were definitive and conclusive and should not be dismissed as rough estimations.   (Michael, 1999)It was obvious that individuals will always perceive the content in the film and make interpretations of the meaning based on the experiences they have had previously on socialization as well as the unique personality they have. (Michael, 1999)   Motion pictures therefore exert effects described as antithetical.   The conventional behavior while in some, they may be more inclined to participate in crime and delinquency.   (Rodney, 1990)According to Blumer and Hauser, the effect of movies, TV program and other media cannot be studied without studying the people watching them.     There is always an interaction between the cont ent of the film and those viewing them. (Joseph, 1975) Blumer further said that films were a significant factor in delinquent and criminal careers of around 10% of males and 25% of females studied.   To conclude their studies, Blumer and Hauser observed that those kids who are more exposed to movies are more inclined to delinquent behavior. (Robert, 2001)A study was made by Paul Cressey on the effect of media on the juvenile delinquency.   He made conclusions which were opposing those ones of Hauser and Blumer.   His study was made in New York City believed to be high delinquency area.   After making a number of observations under conditions which were controlled, Cressey made the conclusion that movies and motion pictures lacked appreciable effect on juvenile delinquency. (Michael, 1999)ConclusionIt is obvious that media has influenced the behavior of the youth in so many ways.   The dressing styles and hip hop styles are largely influenced by the media.   The situation has been made worse by the number of channels that are currently accessible in the comfort of one’s living room.   Regardless of the perspectives that are given by the researchers, we can also make our own observations and narrate our own personal experiences. (Joseph, 1975)First hand information is gotten from the media.   Wrestling techniques are also received from the television.   Despite the warnings that media gives its audience such as ‘not suitable for a person below 15,18 or 20 years’ it is still not adequate to keep off the youth. (Rodney, 1990) Even airing these programs very late at night is still not enough, because some kids stay up late.   It is the moral obligation of the media to censor programs being aired or air only those shows which cannot affect the youth negatively. (Michael, 1999)This move will go along way in reducing the juvenile delinquency currently witnessed and especially at homes.   Children have disrespected their parent s and use vulgar language without understanding the implications. (Michael, 1999) The overuse of derogatory remarks and crazy styles of dressing have made the world difficult to live in.   The erosion of moral values and failure of media to give us the role models who can be emulated by the children has largely contributed to juvenile delinquency. (Joseph, 1975)There is no middle ground.The fact of the matter is juvenile delinquency is made worse by the motion pictures among other types of media. (Travis, 2000) Talk show should replace programs which are full of scenes of violence so that virtues and societal values can be inculcated among the youth.However, we cannot deny that media has had positive impact in terms of the news channels and a host of other entertainment programs but it may not earn credit that it deserves if more of the programs that impact negatively on the youth continue to be aired. (Michael, 1999)The mass media should therefore present to the audience and the public at large, particularistic cultural norms.   There should also be other forms of recreational facilities and thus the children would not be so much into TV. (Rodney, 1990)The internet which has also become a vital part of media should also be censored since the youth can access any information they want and hence controlling juvenile delinquency has become increasingly challenging.   A better society is achievable if measures are taken to reduce juvenile delinquency, through censoring information disseminated by media. (Michael, 1999)ReferencesJoseph, S. (1975) Juvenile Delinquency, Ayer Company Publishers, 2nd EditionMichael, J. (1999) Age, Sex and the Versatility of Delinquent Involvement, Palgrave   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press, US.Rodney, S. (1990) Deviant Places: A theory of the Ecology of Crime, Harvard Press, US.Robert, J. (2001) Social Disorganization and Theories of Crime and Delinquency, New York Publishers, US.Travis, H (2000) A Control Theory of Delinquency, Palgrave P ress, UK

Ratio analysis Essay

Ratio analysis is a tool brought by individuals used to evaluate analysis of information in the financial statements of a business. The ratio analysis forms an essential part of the financial analysis which is a vital part in the business planning. There are 3 different ways of assessing businesses performance and these are: solvency, profitability and performance. Ratio analysis assists managers to work out the production of the company by figuring the profitability ratios. Also, the management can evaluate their revenues to check if their productivity. Thus, probability ratios are helpful to the company in evaluating its performance based on current earning. By measuring the solvency ratio, the companies are able to keep an eye on the correlation between the assets and the liabilities. If, in any case, the liabilities exceed the assets, the company is able to know its financial position. This is helpful in case they wish to set up a plan for loan repayment. Ratio analysis is also helpful in analysing the performance of a company. Through financial analysis, companies can review their performance in the past years. This is also helpful in identifying their weaknesses and improving on them. Polish Fine Foods needs to use ratio analysis because it is a valuable tool for the business’s management to determine the performance of a business and to control the cost measures when necessary. Also, ratio analysis helps them monitor and identify issues that can be highlighted and resolved. However, ratio analysis doesn’t take into account external factors such as a worldwide recession. Measuring the Solvency of Polish Fine Foods Now, I will use 2 rations to measure the solvency of Polish Fine Foods. First, I will calculate the current ratio for Polish Fine Foods. This estimates whether the business can pay debts due within one year from assets that it expects to turn into cash within that year. It is measured dividing current assets by the current liabilities. By looking at balance sheet I can see that Polish Fine Food’s current asset value is  £28500 and the current liability value is  £17000. I will need to divide  £28500 by  £17000 to find out the current ratio. This would give me an answer of  £1.7. This means that for each  £1 owned they have  £1.70 current asset. The figure should normally not fall below 1.5. If it reaches a value of 1 then there might be concerns  there about not being able to meet the debts of the short-term assets. However, we can see that Polish Fine Food’s current ratio tells us that this is a solvent business. This means that it is able to settle its debts when they are due to be paid. If the business is not solvent, then it means that it can’t do this. Being solvent would help the business to maintain their confidence. On the other hand, if the current ratio goes higher than 2 might indicate that too much finance is tied up in a short-term assets, which can result that not too much money are being used within the organisation. Secondly, I will measure the acid test. This is the same as the current ratio; however it is a harsher test of ability to settle short-term debts. It is more accurate as it takes away the stock and shows how well a business can meet its current liabilities. To find out the acid test I first need to subtract stock from the current assets and then divide the current liabilities by the answer of that. So Polish Fine Food’s amount of stock is  £8500 from the current assets which is  £28500. The answer of the subtraction is  £20000. Now I would need to divide the answer by the current liability which is  £17000 which would give me the final acid test ratio of  £1.20. This calculation removes the uncertain variable of stock, which might be not too important to the business. Similarly, this data shows us that Polish Fine Foods is a solvent business and it has the ability to meet its short-term debts. The business could continue to operate as it is currently looking to be successful. With the current ratio of  £1.70 and the acid test of  £1.20 Polish Fine Foods is a stable business. It is a healthy figure and shows that the business is in a good position. We can see that  £0.50 was tied up in stock and this is not a lot. Both rations show that the business is able to pay for its debts and they can also earn more income which means that the business would gave more profit as the business is solvent. Measuring the Profitability of Polish Fine Foods Profitability ratios show a company’s overall efficiency and performance. To measure the profitability of Polish Fine Foods I will use 3 ratios. First ratio is gross profit margin. The gross profit margin looks at cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales. This ratio looks at how well a company controls the cost of its account and the manufacturing of its products. The larger the gross profit margin, the better for the company. To calculate the  gross profit margin I need to divide the gross profit by the sales and then time it by 100 to find the percentage. So, to find the gross profit margin for Polish Fine Foods I have to divide  £45900 by  £145400 and this would give me the answer  £0.3156. To find out the percentage, I now need to multiply it by 100 and the answer is 32%. The gross profit margin for Polish Fine Foods is used to compare how much value is added to an item in between being bought in as stock or materials and being sold by the business. A low gross profit margin could show that there are high stock costs or maybe that retail price is being too low. If the business has a high gross profit margin then it indicates that the business is financial stable. We can see that Polish Fine Foods doesn’t have a high gross profit margin- it is a bit more than a quarter. This means that the business is in a secure position. They could be more successful if they are going to try and sell all the stock they have first instead of getting other, so in this way the profit might increase. Next ratio that I’m going to use in order to measure the profitability of Polish Fine Foods is net profit margin. The net profit margin shows how much of each sales amount shows up as net income after all expenses are paid. The net profit margin measures profitability after consideration of all expenses including taxes, interest, and depreciation. To calculate the net profit margin I need to divide the net profit by the sales and then mul tiply by 100. Therefore, to find the net profit margin for Polish Fine Foods I need to divide  £14500 by  £145400 and this would give me an answer of  £0.0997. So after multiplying the answer by 100, I got 10% which shows the amount of net profit margin. This ratio is used to decide which of a range of products are worth continuing with. A low net profit margin might indicate that costs are too high. Polish Fine Foods’ net profit margin is quite low, so they could try to improve this by trying to sell the stocks first and then get other instead of buying lots of them at once which would get more money out. At the moment, the business is in a stable position, but they should try and reduce their costs in order to increase the profit they’re making. Lastly, I would use return on capital employed (ROCE) ratio to measure Polish Fine Foods’ profitability. This is the percentage return which makes the business able to generate the long-term capital employed. To calculate ROC, I need to divide the net profit by the capital employed and then multiply it by 100. Therefore, to fine the ROCE  for Polish Fine Foods I need to divide their net profit which is  £14500 by the capital employed which is  £24500; this will then give an answer of 0.591, and then multiply that by 100. The final answer for ROCE is 60%. This ratio has been used to show how efficiently a business is using its capital. The ROCE shows us now that Polish Fine Foods is doing well at the moment and they are using their money carefully. Polish Fine Foods overall has good ratios that currently keep them stable. Basically, all these ratios show the amount of profit generated by the company as a per cent of the sales generated. The objective of margin analysis is to detect consistency or positive or negative trends in a company’s earnings. Polish Fine Foods is doing well, and looks like it is a stable business. However, there is still place for improvement, e.g they c ould try and reduce their costs and increase their profits. Measuring the Performance of Polish Fine Foods A growing business needs to be closely and carefully managed to ensure the success of new investment and expanding plans. Putting performance measurements in place can be an important way of keeping track on the progress of their business. It gives vital information about what’s happening now and it also provides the starting point for setting targets that will help owner apply their plans for growth. Now I will measure the performance of Polish Fine Foods using 3 ratios. First ration is stock turnover. This measures how long stock is being held before it is replaced. To calculate stock turnover ratio I need to divide average stock by cost of sales and the multiply it by 365 days. To find Polish Fine Foods’ stock turnover I need to find the average stock first. The opening stock is  £5250 and the closing stock is  £8500. By adding them two and then divide it by 2, it would give me the average stock which is  £6875. Then I need to divide  £6875 by the cost of sales  £99500 and it would give me the answer of 0.06909547738. Then if I will multiply it by 365 it would give me the answer 25 days which is the average number of says the stocks are being held before being replaced. If the stock goes out of date and this could happen to Polish Fine Foods as their selling food, stock should be held for a shorter period of time. It is a disadvantage to the business if they held stock for a long period of time because it can be expensive and the stock can deteriorate in value. However, a high turnover of stock can be seen as an  indicator of a stable business. Polish Fine Foods has a low stock turnover, and this might be because it is a sole trader and it has been opened up recently. Polish Fine Foods can run successfully as they are able to sell their stock in less time than a month which means that the products don’t go out of date by the time they replace the stock. Next ratio I’m goi ng to use is debtor collection period. This measures how long debtors take to pay. To calculate debt collection period for Polish Fine Foods I need to divide  £18000 which is debtors by  £145400 being the sales and multiply the answer by 365 days. This gives me the answer 45 days, on average. It means that it takes 45 days for the debtors to pay the business. Other businesses allow the debtors 90 days until they pay the money. For Polish Fine Foods it only takes 45 days which means that is less time, so they won’t face any financial problems, struggling to get money from the debtors in order to buy some stock. This ratio shows that the business is performing well as they don’t face any cash shortage which would slow the business down. The last ratio I’m going to use in order to measure the performance of Polish Fine Foods is asset turnover. It measures how high the level of sales are in relation to the assets of the business. To calculate the asset turnover I have to divide the amount of sales by the assets. For Polish Fine Foods the sales amount is  £145300 and the assets value is  £24500. By dividing them two it would give me the answer of  £6. This shows that the business earns approximately  £6 in sales for every  £1. Knowing all this measurement is very important for the business owner because they can see how they are performing in different areas. Conclusion This report was written to illustrate the financial state of Polish Fine Foods. So I used accounting rations as evidence to measure its solvency, profitability and performance. First of all, I found out that Polish Fine Foods’s current ratio is 1.70. Another ratio I used is the acid test which gave me an answer of 1.20. This is the same as the current ratio; however it is a harsher test of ability to settle short-term debts. These ratios tell us that this is a solvent business. This means that it is able to settle its debts when they are due to be paid. If the business is not solvent, then it means that it can’t do this. Being solvent helps the business to maintain their confidence and make it operate more successfully. Another set of 3  ratios that show us the profitability of Polish Fine Foods are: gross profit margin which was 31.56%, net profit margin being 10%, then ROCE which is 60%. All these ratios show how well the business is running. Also, whether they are making any money and how profitable it is compared with other competitors. From all these ratios, I have found out that Polish Fine Foods is doing well at the moment. They are making enough profit to keep their business going, as they didn’t make any loss. Lastly, I measured the performance of Polish Fine Foods using 3 ratios: stock turnover which was  £6875; then it was debt collection period which was 45 days on average, and then the asset turnover which was  £6. Each of these ratios measure different segments of a company’s overall performance. These ratios look at how efficiently and effectively Polish Fine Foods is using its resources to generate sales and increase profit. This is important for the business because Ania can notice any unusual fluctuations in the financial ratios over time and can see how the business is performing. This could also help Ania decide whether or not to grow her business and turn it into a LTD as it would give her enough information to see if she is financial stable to do so.

Memory Project: Application to Learning & Study Habit Essay

Memory is the capability to learn, retain, store and remember information from previous experiences. Memories are accumulated from prior experiences and recollected, which can influence change of behavior or thought. This ability can assist with learning and adapting to new experiences. Memory is essential to our lives. Without a memory of the past we cannot operate in the present or think about the future. We would not be able to remember what we did yesterday, what we have done today or what we plan to do tomorrow. Without memory we could not learn anything. Short-term memory is information a person is thinking of at that specific time, it is also known as working memory (Morris & Maisto, 2014, pg.188-189). Short-term memory is the ability to remember and process information at the same time. Short-term memory acts as a kind of â€Å"scratch-pad† for temporary recall of the information which is being processed at any point in time, and has been referred to as â€Å"the brain’s Post-it note†. When trying to recall a telephone number or a small number of items needed at the grocery store, this information is held for â€Å"fifteen to twenty-five seconds and is known as short-term memory† (Morris & Maisto, 2014, pg. 194-195). The problem with short term memory is that only minimal amounts of information are remembered and for small periods of time. Long-term memory is anything you remember that happened more than a few minutes ago. Long-term memories can last for just a few days, or for many years (Morris & Maisto, 2014, pg.191). Long-term memories aren’t all of equal strength. Stronger memories enable you to recall an event, procedure, or fact on demand; for example, that Paris is the capital of France. Weaker memories often come to mind only through prompting or reminding. Long-term memory isn’t static, either. You do not imprint a memory and leave it as if untouched. Instead, you often revise the memory over time; perhaps by merging it with another memory or incorporating what others tell you about the memory. As a result, your memories are not strictly constant, and are not always reliable.