Community Service Is a Personal Commitment Essay Example for Free

Community Service Is a Personal Commitment Essay Community Service is a personal commitment, not a corporate responsibility. Community Service, in another word, means doing something that is meaningful for the welfare of the people who are in needs. To involve or not to involve in a social work depends on our own decision, not a corporate’s decree. Social Services is defined as the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities in enhancing and restoring their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to the goal (The National Association of Social Workers Board of Directors, 2011). Personal commitment is an act or quality of voluntarily taking on or fulfilling obligations (Wikipedia, 2012). What makes the personal commitment ‘personal’ is the voluntary aspect. Anyone can become a part of the community services regardless of their race, language or citizenship status. People participate in community and social work because of their desire in serving the society who are in need and their interest in involving themselves in community project. It is our own choice of whether or not to get involved in community service. Once we have decided, a personal commitment in servicing the community is made. Getting the intention right signifies how deep one’s commitment is towards servicing the society. Ask ourselves these questions: Why am I doing the community work? What is the motive of participating in social work? Do I really have the desire to help them, or am I ‘performing’ just to gain compliments from my supervisors? Being in a community work and a real community work is different. A real community work occurs when a group of true and honest people come together and work with the common goal of assisting people who are in need by providing them resources they need. Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in (Moore, 2004). Every single person has their own lawful human rights to ‘vote’ in this society. Whether or not one wants to spend their time and money to the community is a matter of choice. We can expect every single one of us to participate in social work, but we cannot force someone to perform social work because that violates human rights. Since the year of 1986, the Atlanta’s 100 Black Men Inc. ith their community service program, ‘Project Success’, has become one of the city’s most effective community organization. They are successful because of the love and care they have towards the children who are in need. One of the members in the company, Ed Frances said, ‘Personal commitment often produces some touching moments. ’ (Atlantas 100 Black Men Inc. , 1990) Each and every member in the community organization has had the desire and strong will of shining for the others. Without the commitment from each member, the organization would not be successful. We may not be shining as brightly as we need to shine, but we are definitely shining, and we are doing something,’ said the President of the organization, Dr. Joseph I. Hoffman Jr. The persistence they show, together with the commitment they have has made a difference to the world. Community Service is an individual personal commitment because it is often performed outside of our working hours. It is the time where you can be yourself, the time where you enjoy the moment of assisting people who needs love. It is the time where we enjoy being in our ‘sacred place’ a place where we recognize ourselves and our commitments. Turkle, 2011) There is a person whom I respect commits her time in doing voluntary work after her retirement as a teacher. She was my primary school Chinese Language teacher. I remember when I first asked her, why do you travel around the world as a voluntary worker after your retirement? Why don’t you just stay at home and be a lady of leisure? ’ She smiled to me and said, ‘There are many people in this world who are less fortunate than we are. I have been blessed for 60 years, it is more than enough. It’s my time now to be a blessing to the others. It gives me a break in everything that I do while helping others. Being a voluntary worker is the most awesome moment I have ever had in my life. I have no regrets now. ’ Community service is a personal commitment because it only works well when we have desire and interest in it. Community service should not be a corporate responsibility, but a personal commitment because of the passion in each of us. Every one of us has different passion in things, don’t we? Only people who have the passion and joy in serving the community can make a personal commitment to the community. Personal commitment tends to produce a more effective and fruitful result compared to an organizational commitment. (Curtis Eby, 2010) Not everybody has the similar pursuit and hobby. Some people love swimming, diving, and some even have assisting people as their hobby. We only decide in doing something when we feel that we can do it, and we want to do it. Once decision is made, we will put in our extra attention and effort into it. The result will be promising because not only we put in our strength, but we place our heart in serving the community too. Conversely, if we are forced to perform something that we are not fond of, the result will never be impressive. For instance, XYZ Company organize a Chinese Festival and make it compulsory for all regular officers to work as voluntary workers outside their working hours. Some will love it, some will grumble, some will nag and some will protest. Complaints from the workers will not produce a satisfying result. This is because company forces them to do so, but in their heart, they are not committed in performing community service. They ‘appear’ to be committed, but actually they are not. In conclusion, who is a real volunteer? A real volunteer is a person who gives their personal commitment into serving others, who remembers to do things to make other people happy, who takes the loneliness out of the alone by talking to them, who is concerned when others are unconcerned, who has the courage to be a prophet and to say the things that have to be said for the good of all. (Moore, 2004) Being able to participate in serving the community is a great privilege we have. Mother Teresa once said: â€Å"Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go. (Teresa, 1990) Money is not everything in the social service network. Patience, love and strength are the important criteria we need to have in serving the community as well. Volunteering in a service to the community is a personal choice and responsibility. Only those who have the desire to love, to care and are willing to devote fully into helping others unconditionally are able to make a commitment to the community. A real, hidden and personal commitment we make to ourselves and to the society. Therefore, I strongly believe that servicing in the community is a personal commitment and not a corporate responsibility.

Mall Preferences Essay Example for Free

Mall Preferences Essay Mall Attractiveness and Shopping Preferences is a study conducted to find out what variables attract shoppers to a mall, their preferences and how mall operators should consider this significant analysis to implement an effective strategy to position their strategy. The study involved five major shopping malls in Davao City: SM City Davao, NCCC mall of Davao, Gaisano Mall of Davao, Gaisano South City Mall and Victoria Plaza. Factor analysis is applied for this study and complimented by a cluster analysis of the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The respondents composed of mall shoppers who were equally apportioned across the malls and clustered according to classifications: Traditional shoppers, Destination Shoppers and Enthusiastic shoppers. The result of the study reveals that SM City of Davao is well positioned in attracting shoppers, the mall is favored by customers in terms of mall atmospherics, service, promotion and entertainment. SM is followed closely by NCCC mall of Davao and Gaisano Mall of Davao, while Gaisano South City mall and Victoria Plaza were far behind in their market positioning and viability. Ever since its existence, shopping malls become the integral part of the shoppers’ lifestyle because of the convenience, entertainment and products’ availability it offers to the consumers, no doubt, these establishments helped enhance the day-to-day life of the people. With several malls mushroomed in the city in recent years, people have given wide choices based on their needs and leisure like where to spend time bonding with friends and love ones and where to shop . Mall operators, due to stiff competitions, must decide what positioning strategies they would implement to lure consumers and move ahead with their competitors. In this study, which factor analysis is applied, mall operators were given an idea what are the significant factors that drive shoppers to a shopping mall. The respondents of this study, which were thoroughly clustered into three categories, represent all the socioeconomic classes of the society, which is very specific for the study to have an accurate result in identifying shoppers’ preferences on what mall attributes they will be easily attracted. The study, which revealed SM City of Davao as the most preferred followed by NCC mall of Davao and Gaisano mall of Davao, tells precisely the real and actual sentiments of shoppers in the city on where they would want to go to for pleasure and for shopping activities. I do agree with the result that Gaisano mall of Davao ranked high among the top three malls in terms of accessibility because of its proximity to the downtown area where most students and professionals are living, though the study revealed that this lead is very slim, it is still a big factor for Gaisano mall operators to carefully tap their best resources in attracting customers in order to maintain its loyalty, giving them a competitive edge against NCCC and SM in attracting more shoppers. SM City clearly shows its best advantages against competitors because of implementing a good positioning and marketing strategy, it caters and answers the needs of shoppers why they want to go to the mall in the first place, because most of the respondents can be categorized as young adults, professionals and fun-loving individuals, their preferences are always be on the entertainment, convenience, elegant products and good mall atmosphere. These shoppers can be easily attracted with a mall atmosphere that is favorable to their lifestyle choices. This result of the most preferred mall in Davao does not follow that most shoppers are price conscious, this only tells that, especially the young respondents, most shoppers prefer an establishment that is highly innovative, friendly, having cool brands of products and offers a terrific environment for socializing with friends. Therefore, the recommendations presented is appropriate as young shoppers are easily attracted to an environment which offers entertainment, greater value of merchandise and stylish amenities, but the purchasing power of the shoppers should not be ignored as shoppers from class C and D are potential market. Mall operators should also balance the elements mall atmosphere innovative products and moderate pricing of the merchandise.

Approaches To Implementing Appreciative Inquiry Cultural Studies Essay

Approaches To Implementing Appreciative Inquiry Cultural Studies Essay Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is an organizational development process or philosophy that engages individuals within an organizational system in its renewal, change and focused performance. Appreciative Inquiry was adopted from work done by earlier action research theorists and practitioners and further developed by David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University. It is now a commonly accepted practice in the evaluation of organizational development strategy and implementation of organizational effectiveness tactics. Appreciative Inquiry is a particular way of asking questions and envisioning the future that fosters positive relationships and builds on the basic goodness in a person, a situation, or an organization. In so doing, it enhances a systems capacity for collaboration and change.0#cite_note-0[1] Appreciative Inquiry utilizes a cycle of 4 processes focusing on: DISCOVER: The identification of organizational processes that work well. DREAM: The envisioning of processes that would work well in the future. DESIGN: Planning and prioritizing processes that would work well. DESTINY (or DELIVER): The implementation (execution) of the proposed design.1#cite_note-1[2] 2#cite_note-2[3] The basic idea is to build organizations around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesnt. It is the opposite of problem solving. Instead of focusing gaps and inadequacies to find blame and remediate skills or practices, AI focuses on how to create more of the occasional exceptional performance that is occurring because a core of strengths is aligned. The approach acknowledges the contribution of individuals, in order to increase trust and organizational alignment. The method aims to create meaning by drawing from stories of concrete successes and lends itself to cross-industrial social activities. It can be enjoyable and natural to many managers, who are often sociable people. There are a variety of approaches to implementing Appreciative Inquiry, including mass-mobilized interviews and a large, diverse gathering called an Appreciative Inquiry Summit (Ludema, Whitney, Mohr and Griffin, 2003). Both approaches involve bringing very large, diverse groups of people together to study and build upon the best in an organization or community. The basic philosophy of AI is also found in other positively oriented approaches to individual change as well as organizational change. As noted above, AI fosters positive relationships and builds on the basic goodness in a person, or a situation . The idea of building on strength, rather than just focusing on faults and weakness is a powerful idea in use in mentoring programs, and excellent performance evaluations. It is the basic idea behind teaching micro-affirmations as well as teaching about micro-inequities. (See Microinequity Rowe Micro-Affirmations and Micro-inequities in the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association, Volume 1, Number 1, March 2008.) AI has been used extensively to foster change in businesses (a variety of sectors), health care systems, social profit organizations, educational institutions, communities, local governments, and religious institutions. Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a major breakthrough in organization development, training and development and in problem solving, in general. AI is based on the assertion that problems are often the result of our own perspectives and perceptions of phenomena, eg, if we look at a certain priority as a problem, then we tend to constrain our ability to effectively address the priority and to continue to develop in our lives and work. AI is a philosophy so a variety of models, tools and techniques can be derived from that philosophy. For example, one AI-based approach to strategic planning includes identification of our best times during the best situations in the past in an organization, wishing and thinking about what worked best then, visioning what we want in the future, and building from what worked best in order to work toward our vision. The approach has revolutionized many practices, including strategic planning and organization development. Various Perspectives The following links are by no means a complete list of online resources about AI. Like any other topic in the Library, the following links are to resources that can help to get you started in learning more about this topic. Appreciative Inquiry Commons AI : the Quest Appreciative Inquiry Resources Appreciative Inquiry and Community Development Appreciative Inquiry 5D Spiral of Development Taos Institute on Appreciative Inquiry managementhelp.org/commskls/appr_inq/appr_inq.htm Appreciative Enquiry . . . it is through language that we create the world, because its nothing until we describe it.   And when we describe it, we create distinctions that govern our actions.   To put it another way, we do not describe the world we see, but we see the world we describe.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Joseph Jaworski As it has evolved, there are a number of ways in which to conduct an Appreciative Inquiry (AI)Team Building but the processes all tend to follow a common path of four phases: Discovery (conducting appreciative interviews and identifying the themes and life-giving forces), Dream (developing provocative propositions for the future), Design (integrating wishes for the future with plans for needed changes to structure, systems and processes) and Destiny (making it happen and making it sustainable over time Appreciative enquiry is a new way of approaching problem solving, team-building and solution development. Appreciative Inquiry works from a set of assumptions. 1. In every society, organisation or group, something works well. 2. What we focus on, becomes our reality. 3. Reality is created in the moment, and there are multiple realities. 4. The act of asking questions of a person, or group influences the group/person in some way. 5. People have more confidence to journey to the future (the unknown) when they carry forward parts of the past (the known). 6. If we carry forward parts of the past, they should be what is best about our past. 7. It is important to value differences. 8. The language we use creates our reality and experience. The Appreciativer Inquiry Way While these may seem obvious, we know from our own experience that we can look at what isnt working and start problem solving. This pulls us backwards/downwards rather than forwards.   If we focus on difficulties in the past, people become self defensive and feel that life is hopeless.   When we ask them about their successes, they become enthusiastic and start to hope again and explore possibility. Appreciative Inquiry 5-D Cycle Discovery: The Appreciative Inquiry approach to personal, or organisational, change is to begin by looking for what is working -APPRECIATING the best of our experience. Dream: This is to consider what might be ENVISIONING RESULTS Design: What should be the ideal? CO-CONSTRUCTING Destiny: How to empower, learn adjust or improvise    SUSTAINING Do-It: Action towards achievement Commitment, response, action The tangible result of the Appreciative Inquiry process is a series of statements that describe where the person or organisation wants to be, based on the best moments of where they have been. Because these statements are based in real experience and history, people know how to repeat their success. They have created before, they can create once again. The purpose is to reconnect with the life giving forces-what is working, and then go beyond that to, what could be if we expanded our paradigm of possibility. What is Appreciative Inquiry? from A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry by David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney. Ap-preci-ate, v., 1. valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value. Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING, ESTEEMING, and HONORING. In-quire (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms: DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION, STUDY. Appreciative Inquiry is about the coevolutionary search for the best in people, their organizations, and the relevant world around them. In its broadest focus, it involves systematic discovery of what gives life to a living system when it is most alive, most effective, and most constructively capable in economic, ecological, and human terms. AI involves, in a central way, the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a systems capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. It centrally involves the mobilization of inquiry through the crafting of the unconditional positive question often-involving hundreds or sometimes thousands of people. In AI the arduous task of intervention gives way to the speed of imagination and innovation; instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, and design. AI seeks, fundamentally, to build a constructive union between a whole people and the massive entirety of what people talk about a s past and present capacities: achievements, assets, unexplored potentials, innovations, strengths, elevated thoughts, opportunities, benchmarks, high point moments, lived values, traditions, strategic competencies, stories, expressions of wisdom, insights into the deeper corporate spirit or soul and visions of valued and possible futures. Taking all of these together as a gestalt, AI deliberately, in everything it does, seeks to work from accounts of this positive change core-and it assumes that every living system has many untapped and rich and inspiring accounts of the positive. Link the energy of this core directly to any change agenda and changes never thought possible are suddenly and democratically mobilized. appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/whatisai.cfm What is Appreciative Inquiry? Appreciative Inquiry is the study and exploration of what gives life to human systems when they are at their best. It is an organization development methodology based on the assumption that inquiry into and dialogue about strengths, successes, values, hopes and dreams is itself transformational. It is founded on the following set of beliefs about human nature and human organizing: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ People individually and collectively have unique gifts, skills and contributions to bring to life. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Organizations are human social systems, sources of unlimited relational capacity, created and lived in language. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The images we hold of the future are socially created and, once articulated, serve to guide individual and collective actions. Through human communication (inquiry and dialogue) people can shift their attention and action away from problem analysis to lift up worthy ideals and productive possibilities for the future. In short, Appreciative Inquiry suggests that human organizing and change, at its best, is a relational process of inquiry, grounded in affirmation and appreciation. One way to understand Appreciative Inquiry is to consider the meaning of its two words. Each word alone has implications for the practice of organization change. The power of Appreciative Inquiry, however, is the by-product of the two words working together. Like hydrogen and oxygen that combine to make water the most nurturing substance on earth appreciation and inquiry combined produce a powerful, vital approach to leadership and organization change. Appreciation: Recognition and Value Added Appreciation has to do with recognition, with valuing and with gratitude. The word appreciate is a verb that carries a double meaning. It refers to both the act of recognition and the act of enhancing value. Definitions include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to recognize the best in people and the world around us; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to perceive those things which give life, health, vitality and excellence to living human systems; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to affirm past and present strengths, successes, assets and potentials; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to increase in value (e.g., the investment has appreciated in value). Indeed, organizations, businesses and communities can benefit by greater appreciation. Around the global, people hunger for recognition. They want to work from their strengths on tasks they find of value. Executives and managers long to lead from their values. They seek ways to integrate their greatest passions into their daily work. And organizations strive regularly to enhance their value to shareholders, employees and the world at large. Inquiry: Exploration and Discovery Appreciative Inquiry is about more than appreciation, recognition, and enhancement of value. Its also about inquiry. Inquiry refers to the acts of exploration and discovery. It implies a quest for new possibilities, being in a state of unknowing, wonder and a willingness to learn. It implies an openness to change. The word inquire also a verb means: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to ask questions; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to study; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to search, explore, delve into or investigate Inquiry is a learning process for organizations as well as for individuals. Seldom do we search, explore or study what we already know with certainty. We ask questions about and query into areas unfamiliar to us. The act of inquiry requires sincere curiosity and openness to new possibilities, new directions and new understandings. We cannot have all the answers, know what is right, or be certain when we are engaged in inquiry. The spirit of inquiry is the spirit of learning. How Does Appreciative Inquiry Work? The process used to generate the power of Appreciative Inquiry is the 4-D Cycle. Based on the notion that human systems people, teams, organizations and communities grow and change in the direction of what they study, Appreciative Inquiry works by focusing the attention of an organization on its most positive potential its positive core. The positive core is the essential nature of the organization at its best peoples collective wisdom about the organizations tangible and intangible strengths, capabilities, resources, potentials and assets. The Appreciative Inquiry 4-D cycle unleashes the energy of the positive core for transformation and sustainable success. Affirmative Topic Choice: The 4-D Cycle begins with the thoughtful identification of what is to be studied affirmative topics. Since human systems move in the direction of what they study, the choice of what to study what to focus organizational attention on is both essential and strategic. The topics that are selected provide a framework for collecting stories, discovering and sharing best practices, and creating a knowledge-rich work environment. They become the organizations agenda for learning and innovation. Once selected, affirmative topics such as inspired leadership, optimal margins, or culture as competitive advantage guide the 4-D Cycle of Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny. Discovery: The Discovery phase is a diligent and extensive search to understand the best of what is and what has been. It begins with the collaborative act of crafting appreciative interview questions and constructing an appreciative interview guide. Appreciative Inquiry questions are written as affirmative probes into an organizations positive core, in the topic areas selected. They are written to generate stories, to enrich the images and inner dialogue within the organization, and to bring the positive core more fully into focus. The results of Discovery include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The formation of new relationships and alliances, that bridge across traditional barriers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A rich description or mapping of the organization s positive core. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Organization-wide sharing and learning from stories of best practices, golden innovations and exemplary actions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Greatly enhanced organizational knowledge and collective wisdom. These results, in turn, inspire the emergence of organic, unplanned changes well before implementation of the more planful phases of the 4-D cycle. Dream: The Dream phase is an energizing exploration of what might be: a time for people to explore their hopes and dreams for their work, their working relationships, their organization, and the world at large. It is a time for groups of people to engage in thinking big, thinking out of the box, and thinking out of the boundaries of what has been in the past. The intent of the Dream phase is to identify and spread generative, affirmative, and hopeful images of the future. Typically this is accomplished in large group forums, where unusual combinations of stakeholders explore: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Creative images of the organization s most positive potentials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Innovative strategic visions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ An elevated sense of purpose. Design: The Design phase involves making choices about what should be within an organization or system. It is a conscious re-creation or transformation, through which such things as systems, structures, strategies, processes and images will become more fully aligned with the organizations positive past (Discovery) and highest potential (Dream). Destiny: The Destiny phase initiates a series of inspired actions that support ongoing learning and innovation or what will be. Since the entire 4-D Cycle provides an open forum for employees to contribute and step forward in the service of the organization, change occurs in all phases of an Appreciative Inquiry process. The Destiny phase, however, focuses specifically on personal and organizational commitments and paths forward. The result of destiny is generally an extensive array of changes throughout the organization in areas such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Management practices à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ HR processes Measurement systems à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Customer service systems à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work processes and structures In many cases, the 4-D Cycle provides the framework for ongoing activities. Thus, the cycle begins again . . . and again . . . and again. Why Does Appreciative Inquiry Work? Appreciative Inquiry works because it treats people like people, and not like machines. People are social. We create our identities and our knowledge in relation to one another. We are curious. We like to tell stories and listen to stories. We pass on our values, beliefs and wisdom in stories. We like to learn and to use what we learn to be our best. And we delight in doing well in the eyes of those we care about and respect. Appreciative Inquiry enables leaders to create natural human organizations knowledge rich, strength based, adaptable, learning organizations. www.positivechange.org/appreciative-inquiry.html Appreciative Inquiry Consulting AI Consulting, LLC offers a collaborative, strength-based approach to strategic change and transformation. At the heart of our practice is Appreciative Inquiry (AI), an approach that draws on the strengths and values of an organization in order to implement its change agenda and achieve its highest goals. AI Consulting has the greatest concentration of AI expertise and our consultants span the globe. Among them are the thought leaders, authors, and founders of AI. Our whole-systems approach, global reach, and collaborative partnerships are reflected in our success stories. AI Consulting combines features of a large consulting firm, a knowledge web, an alliance of change agents, and a socially responsible business entity. We are a principle-driven organization, valuing integrity, learning, generosity, and the common good. Our leading-edge design makes us highly flexible and responsive to client needs. We always seek to enhance the core strengths that give life to an organization while growing its economic vitality, ecological integrity and organizational health.   www.aiconsulting.org/ Appreciative Inquiry Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a process for catalyzing positive change developed at Case Western Reserve University by David Cooperrider, a professor of Organizational Behavior at their Weatherhead School of Management. As a graduate student, Cooperrider noticed that most organizational change was driven by consultants going into an organization and looking for problems and then attempting to fix them. He decided to see what happened if he took the opposite approach. During his graduate thesis work, Cooperrider went into the Cleveland Clinic and, rather than seek out what needed fixing, he sought out what was working well. He then developed a structured process to concentrate information about these success factors in what is called the positive core and to then amplify that positive core throughout the organization. The experiment was a great success and Cooperrider went on to establish the process as Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry is both a specific methodology and a perspective and has been defined as the study of what gives life to human systems when they are at their best. As such it ties deeply into fields such as Positive Psychology and Flow which, like AI, stand in contrast to our cultures typical problem-based or deficit-based mindset. To understand the phrase more deeply, we need simply look at the two words that make it up. Appreciate has two meanings: to look for the best in something and to increase something in value, such as when a stock or real estate appreciates. Inquiry means to seek understanding using a process based on provocative questions. So the idea is that provocative questions are used to draw out powerful success stories and identify the factors that are already working well within a human system. We can then use this understanding to help bring about what people want more of (as opposed to the usual cultural focus on reducing what they want less of). The specific methodology of Appreciative Inquiry gives us the tools to do this, while involving both left and right brains, and exploring the past, present and future. It consists of five main phases: Affirmative Topic Choice An interview is carried out using several provocative questions and, from the clients responses, several themes are chosen as the focal points for the rest of the inquiry process. Discovery Further provocative questions are explored regarding each of the Affirmative Topics and, from the clients responses, several themes are again chosen. These themes, a virtual DNA sample of the system at its best, reflect its central success factors its best strengths, talents, assets, values and ideals and are known as its positive core. Dream Creative processes are used to verbally and/or experientially explore what the future might be like if the positive core were more thoroughly enacted throughout the system and to examine, looking back from that vantage point, what must have happened in order for it to have reached such an optimal state. Design The system is organized into an architecture, and preferences chosen for each element of that structure, that will enable further enactment of the positive core and lessons from the Dream phase throughout the system. Provocative Propositions, in which clients put in writing broad goals or ideas that will help encourage the organization to move in the direction of optimization, may also be developed. Destiny Concrete plans are made and supporting resources put in place for enacting the chosen preferences in the service of amplifying the positive core and making the clients dreams a reality. Notice how these phases, in many ways, mimic the evolutionary process. That which is working best in a system is selected for and then those successful elements of the system become the raw material for its next stages of development. Thus, I like to consider Apprecative Inquiry a process for facilitating and accelerating evolutionary processes. Appreciative Inquiry has now been used to aid optimization in many large companies such as British Airways and Verizon, in schools such as at UC Berkeley, and even in whole cities such as in the Imagine Chicago project. It has also been adapted for use with families, individuals, and in many other settings. In developing my company, Emergent Associates, we synthesized a number of other tools and methods within a framework deeply based in Appreciative Inquiry to create our unique coaching and consulting process. Though a simple and enjoyable process for clients to experience, Appreciative Inquiry ties into fields as diverse as evolution, chaos theory, Systems Thinking, and other systems sciences. A quote from 3creativeASIN=1576752267creative=373489camp=211189The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change sums up the mindset of this field well. We are not saying to deny or ignore problems. What we are saying is that if you want to transform a situation, a relationship, an organization, or community, focusing on strengths is much more effective than focusing on problems. www.systemsthinker.com/interests/appreciativeinquiry/    APPRECIATIVE APPROACH The Challenge The underlying belief of todays paradigm is that there is one best way to do things; one perfect way for an organization to be formed; one preferred way for employees to perform; one acceptable way for people to behave. We have been trained and educated from an early age to look for things in our human organizations that are not the best, perfect or preferred so that we can to fix them. We are a world of problem solvers. Our basic assumption of problem solving seems to be that organizations are problems to be solved. The process traditionally involves: (1) identifying the key problems; (2) analyzing the causes; (3) locating logical solutions; and, (4) developing an action plan. The result, change happens through a linear process that assumes we can repair human beings and organizations much as we might repair our car or computer. If we fix the problems, the organization will succeed. While this problem solving mentality has dominated business for years and led to some success, we are starting to see the limitations of this approach. The problem-solving approach directs attention to the worst of what is, constantly examining what is wrong with the organization. This continuous focus can have some very limiting and unintended consequences: We assume that because we know the problem, we must know the solution. No innovation. The organization creates no visions/images of the future. Breakthrough changes happens slowly, if at all, because we put attention on yesterdays causes. Visionless voice leading to organizational fatigue. Not another problem to deal with! Weakened fabric of relationships, defensiveness blameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the creation of a negative culture. However, recent advances in the sciences and other related fields of study are causing a shift in how we understand the world. This new research and experience is leading us to an entirely new way of thinking about our organizations and how we improve them. There is a BETTER way! A Positive Change Model The fact is that our organizations are not predictable machines, but rather human constructions that are molded and changed by the images that human beings have of them. If we think that our organization is dysfunctional, unhealthy, and a bad place to work, most of what we see will be the behaviors, attitudes, and values that prove us right. If, on the other hand, we look for those things in our organizations that are healthy, creative, and supportive, we will begin to see an entirely different organization. We actually have a choice on what we focus on and Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a method that can help us see the true potential or our organization. In contrast to the problem solving approach, the underlying assumption of Appreciative Inquiry is that organizations are solutions to be embraced. AI Definition To appreciate means to value to understand those things that are worth valuing. To inquire means to study, to ask questions, to search. AI is, therefore, a capacity building approach that selectively seeks to locate, highlight, and illuminate the life-giving forces within an organization or community. AI seeks out the best of what is to help ignite the collective imagination of what might be.   The aim is to generate new knowledge that expands the realm of the possible and helps people envision a collectively desired future and to carry forth that vision in ways which successfully translates images of possibility into reality, and belief into practice. AI is not a methodology. It is a philosophy, an orientation to change, and a way of seeing and being in the world!   AI 4-D Model Tirawa Consulting uses a change process, called the 4-D Model (see below), that: (1) Discovers what gives life to an organization; what is happening when the organization is at its best; (2) Dreams about what might be; what the world is calling the organization to be; (3) Designs ways to create the ideal as articulated by the whole organization; and, (4) Delivers through an on-going and iterative processes. This is not a static solution but rather a dynamic process of continuous change. The 4-D Model has been used successfully in multiple cultures, in all sizes of organizations, working in every sector of relief and development, at every level of the organization. The 4-D Model has also produced tremendous results in the governmental and business sectors as well.   Tirawa Consulting can help integrate AI into your strategic change agenda and work with you to design a solution that will involve your people, identify your strengths, and chart a course for unbelievable transformation! Here are just a few examples of how AI can be used to drive your organization to higher levels of performance: Culture transformation Vision building Team building development Feedback performance management Organization redesign Partnership creation / relationship building Strategic Many other applications

Electricity Generation Essay -- Energy Fossils Electical Environment P

Electricity is a secondary form of energy, the primary being fossil fuels, which are used to generate it. The world’s production of electricity was twelve trillion kilowatt hours in 1997, and is expected to be close to twenty-one trillion kilowatt hours by 2020. (Fay and Golomb, 2002, 16) This is a cause of concern because based on the United States Department of Energy’s International Energy Outlook 1997 the world’s electricity generation is primarily (63%) from fossil fuels, which release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when burned. The unnatural amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is already beginning to make some changes in our weather patterns, and predictions for the future look grim. Therefore, alternatives in electricity generation must be explored. In order to be able to take alternative electricity generation techniques into consideration, one must know the basics about how electricity is generated. The generation of electricity is usually done in a power plant of sorts and then sent out over the power grid to homes. The employment of step up transformers that convert the twelve kilovolts normally outputted by the power plant, into four hundred kilovolts for long range transmission over high voltage transmission lines are critical to insure minimal power loss during transport. (Urone, 2001, 573) A step down transformer is then used to bring the voltage down to levels that are safe for home use, thirteen kilovolts over normal power lines, and two hundred forty volts or one hundred twenty volts (Europe and United States respectively) to the actual home. The actual driving force behind electric powered appliances is electric current. Electricity is merely electric current used as a ... ...logy, could take off in the future. Of course, as with any type of technology, each method does have it’s own list of pros and cons. However, one thing is for sure, the current trend calls for fossil fuels to continue their domination of the energy market, which poses severe environmental risks for the future. Advancements in research and technology are making people more aware of the dangers that lie ahead. The time is now to demand a responsible energy policy from the government, in hopes of a brighter tomorrow. List of Sources: Fay A., James and Golomb S., Dan. 2002. Energy and the Environment. Oxford University Press, New York. Ristinen A., Robert and Kraushar J., Jack. 1999.Energy and the Environment. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. Urone Peter, Paul. 2001. College Physics, 2nd ed. Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole. Thomson Learning, Inc., New York.

Workplace Literacy: Its Role in High Performance Organizations :: Workforce Work Jobs Essays

Workplace Literacy: Its Role in High Performance Organizations During the past decade a number of issues have been raised about the goals and purposes of workplace literacy; chief among these has been the debate surrounding the conceptualization of workplace literacy as a functional context program with its focus on analyzing the gaps between a workplace's literacy requirements and the abilities of its work force. Critics have felt that, too often, the job context approach was interpreted too narrowly and failed to involve workers. Frequently, the result was a curriculum designed to "fill in the gaps," usually through a top-down process with decisions made primarily by company management, human resources development specialists, and higher-level educational experts (Pritz and Imel 1993). At the same time, workplace educators were discussing how workplace literacy programs should be created, the concept of high performance organizations was emerging. Conversations began about how workplace literacy could be conceived of as a means of changing not just "the behavior of individual employees but of the larger work organization as well" (Imel and Kerka 1992, p. 4) by reinforcing critical thinking and teamwork required to transform workplaces into high performance, continuous improvement organizations. Sometimes referred to as the "collaborative" approach, the perspective that links workplace literacy to collaborative ways of organizing work-and that broadens the functional context approach-is gaining support (Jurmo 1994b). This ERIC Digestdescribes the relationship between collaborative approaches to workplace literacy and high performance work organizations, reviews some principles underlying the collaborative approach, and presents results of research on literacy development in high performance work organizations. High Performance Work Organizations and the Collaborative Approach In a high performance work organization (HPWO), employee basic skills are just one of many components (Jurmo et al. 1994). HPWOs feature flatter organizational structures, work done by teams of highly skilled workers, and a focus on quality, customer service, and continuous improvement (Kerka 1995). In addition to producing high-quality products and services, an HPWO also "provides a high quality of work life for all employees" (Jurmo et al. 1994, p. 4). HPWOs need workers who can take initiative, identify and solve problems, make decisions, and engage in a wide range of tasks. Traditional basic skills such as reading, writing, math, and communication are important primarily within the context of these higher-level skills (ibid.). Although many organizations have not achieved high performance status, they are moving in that direction and are seeking to develop a work force with a broader range of skills (Kerka 1995).

Knowledge M Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s economy, corporations are constantly seeking was to achieve faster decision making, higher levels of product, better service, and process innovation to gain competitive advantage over other corporations. Various information technologies have been adapted in to corporation’s business plans in order to optimize competitive advantage. However, with the increase in competition, information technology’s applications in business no longer serve as a great advantage. The need for new business strategies arises along with the emergence of the knowledge society (Styhre, 2003) having information is no longer a source of competitive advantage. In today’s business environment, organizational knowledge is recognized as a significant source of competitive advantage, how quickly organizations determines knowledge and creates value out of it determines its competitiveness. (Shukla) In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of competitive advantage is knowledge. When markets shift, technologies proliferate, competitors multiply, and products become obsolete almost overnight, successful companies are those that consistently create new knowledge, disseminate it widely throughout the organization, and quickly embody it in new technologies and products. -Harvard Business Review (1998) Knowledge management is a business strategy that identifies, organizes and shares information essential to the company so it can be applied to optimize business performance. The content of this paper provides the fundamental concepts to the practice of Knowledge Management and how it should be applied. Explanation of the technology, its application in business, benefits, and the essentials of designing a knowledge management program are introduced and explained in further details. Knowledge Management: Technology and Trends   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The practice of knowledge management is often confused with information management. So what is knowledge management? And exactly how should it work? B. Begeron (2003) defines knowledge management as â€Å"the ability to selectively capture, archive, and access the best practices of work-related knowledge and decision making from employees and managers for both individual and group behaviors.† Knowledge management is still a relatively new practice in business organi... ...pplications. (Santosus, 2002) Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge management, being a relevantly new practice in business organizations, requires a great deal of planning and setting systematic knowledge management program according to the organization’s business goals. Several factors must be applied to building a successful knowledge management program: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership is essential. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Training and reeducating of knowledge workers is the key to increasing the organization’s assets 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business goal must be set and expectations must be managed. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge management depends on information technology. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge management is a constantly evolving process. If a knowledge management program is designed and applied accordingly, beneficial results would occur. We can conclude that knowledge management, instead of being applied as a technology based concept, it should be applied as a daily business practice of sharing information among employees and departments in order to properly import knowledge in to use when it is needed

Corporate Social Network Essay

Corporate Social Network – Final Project MIS 535 Managerial Applications of Information Technology Lou Ann McElyea June 16, 2013 Abstract Many organizations have suggestion boxes. One can find a suggestion box in a gas station, a restaurant, and even a work place. It’s an easy and mostly anonymous way to express ideas or concerns regarding an organization and/or its structure. Through the use of a suggestion box, either client or employee would be able to express opinions and make suggestions according to the various attributes of an organization without a high pressure environment such as meetings and superior/employee one-on-one sessions. With access to so much information technology and data collection resources, many organizations can take their ‘suggestion box’ out of the hallway and to the employee or client through their computer screen. The easy accessibility of the electronic suggestion box would not only encourage more users, but promote on the spot ideas at the time a suggestion is originated. For example, at Chili’s the restaurant they have an interactive module where you can play games and pay your bill. After a short visit to the bathroom, you think of a game they can add to their interactive board. Wouldn’t it be nice if instead of flagging down a waitress or trying to find a manager, you could put that suggestion right on the interactive board that goes straight to the manager in a message? Organization Background Opening in 2000, the fully accredited Advanced Academics Inc. partnered with schools and districts all over the United States to provide online  learning opportunities for students who needed an additional educational option available. Offering access to certified teachers 24 hours a day, 5 days a week and 24/7 student technical support on an innovative virtual classroom platform, Advanced Academics Inc. made a point to equip students with all possible resources to assist in achieving a high school diploma. With students in the most rural corners of Oklahoma, where the organization is headquartered, were unable to get to school. Buses didn’t run that far and methods of transportation were slim. More and more students in traditional classrooms were not finding the environment to be conducive to their academic success. Students who need more time with their teacher or doing their homework or tests can fall between the cracks of customary school systems. There had to be another option, surely, there was another way. Now a subsidiary of DeVry Inc., Advanced Academics Inc., is one of the most regarded online learning institutions in the country. Offering educational opportunities not only to those of high school age but to those who are younger, older, and in need of an accredited high school diploma, Advanced Academics is a sought after institution. This online learning option truly lives by their mission to help students succeed and graduate with a high school diploma. Problem Advanced Academics Inc. has free state-based programs in 10 states not including the international tuition-based program. Each of these programs requires specific criteria to be met in order to attend, as well as different contacts for counselors and student assistants and an outsourced general information and initial enrollment customer service. According to their LinkedIn page, Advanced Academics Inc., or AAI, has upwards of 500 employees across the footprint and headquarters with approximately 80% of their corporate employees able to work remotely utilizing the popular cloud computing system Salesforce. With all these national, and mobile, employees within the organization, AAI can experience a lapse in communication amongst their program directors, admissions, and enrollment. This lack of communication has led to a multitude of issues within the organization such as programs changing criteria or dropping out of AAI, misinformation being  provided to students and employees, and website update and repair. Because company-wide face to face meeting are near impossible, AAI has a heavy reliance on a chain of command and technology in order to make any updates or changes effective in the organization and for the information to spread accordingly. They lack a system or software that is accessible to all employees of the organization to be able to perform their jobs effectively. Halverson and Tirmizi (2008) state that organizations â€Å"have to find means, as they utilize global communication tools, to adjust their ways of communicating and understanding† in order to maintain effective communication (p. 185). AAI needs to make some adjustments so that all facets of the organization can work cohesively, providing the students the flawless service they ne ed to succeed. Solution Since most of AAI has access to the same databases as well as utilize the same resources to perform their various job functions, it is a safely drawn conclusion that most employees are inept at accessing different technologies on a daily basis. I propose that all of the employees access a form of social networking technology that enables employees and team members to share ideas, suggestions, opinions, and news/updates with those in the AAI â€Å"community†. This site created specifically for this purpose, will pose as a forum divided into applicable sections and accessible to everyone to receive information and updates in real time, instead of waiting for it to be handed down the chain of command. In this idea management database topics such as software and hardware issues, updates, and suggestions can be discussed as well as any organizationally related announcements regarding meetings, open houses, closures, and changes to any program. From each post, employees and team members will be able to vote on each post, elevating its importance (i.e. the more ‘likes’ a post has, it elevates to the top/front of the forum). They will also be able to re post to any smaller sub groups created in the organization. The AAI corporate office as well as group/subgroup leaders will be able to track the usage of the website to determine that all are using it to gather information and as an agreement/acknowledgement of any important policy or procedure changes. AAI  could also provide a discussion feature regarding any new changes, such as commentary on any other social media. Any proposals or changes, lower level employees will be able to communicate with the upper level management in order to ask questions or address any concerns. This feature can provide the communication the organization would need in order to provide proficient service for students. Benefits Aside from the obvious of supplying superior service to the students and parents, this social forum or virtual suggestion/announcement page provides many benefits to the AAI staff and employees. On The Spot Ideas AAI meetings for most of the departments are unintentionally sporadic and have to be spread throughout the footprint and calendar in order to ensure proper coverage for students. By then, team and staff members have to record and remember facets of their job functions that are affected and could be changed. Because not everyone is accessible throughout the organization at all times, it can be hard to utilize AAI’s open door policy. With the forum’s implementation, staff will be able to post questions right away, as it occurs to them. It would be open for other staff members to answer and vote on, to show its importance. This would also give upper level management opportunity to read and respond to any questions straight from the source, as opposed to second hand emails and meeting topics. Lost In Translation Because of the lack of formal information, the organization can suffer from procedural changes being lost in translation. Associates are able to misconstrue and confuse information that is being passed down to them through the chain of command. This game of telephone can lead to providing misinformation to students/parents, misinformed staff members, ebb and flow of communication lines between educational institution and organization, and  overall bad employee morale. When there are several lines of communication between student/parent and AAI, they could get several different answers to one question they may ask. For example, a student requested an application for the online program in Arizona for the next school year. The student then received a letter a week later from the program in Arizona stating they were not participating in an online program for the next school year and provided information on the traditional charter school they offered. Confused, the student called their admissions advisor who was unaware Arizona’s school was not participating next year. It was then that it was revealed that Arizona’s school had backed out of AAI’s virtual program. Had there been a more open communication forum, Arizona would have been able to communicate this to all formally. Ending any confusion that the student was caused. Slow Moving Communication Train It can take days, weeks, or never for certain information to be made available to everyone throughout AAI’s organizational structure. Information would have to be relayed from the state programs, to AAI’s upper level management and further down. Because there are so many cooks in the kitchen, AAI suffers from being able to relay information organization wide on a more time efficient basis. The information may be deemed as irrelevant to certain departments, however, if they were presented with a problem, they may be unable to assist the parent or student properly. Most communication within the organization occurs via email or by phone. With conflicting schedules and time zone’s, it’s very hard to relay information efficiently when dealing with so many people. With the forum, employees will be able to check it every day, all day during their working hours. This constant and consistent flow of communication allows for information readiness and could be referr ed to, before tapping on the shoulder of fellow associates or calling around departments. Business/Technical Approach Implementing this forum would enable the organization to communicate on a highly effective level. This form of information technology will enable  upper level management to put forth different and more effective business practices, allowing for a better rate of return in the organization. With better communication, the organization could run more smoothly. Frit-enz (1997) likens a useful information technology system to that of the body’s circulatory system stating that â€Å"when valid useful information is blocked, the system goes into a form of cardiac arrest† (p. 93). An effective organization needs to absorb and use what information is being presented and decide what is needed in order to make the organization the most successful in the industry. This forum would allow upper level management to actively participate in a collaboration with all employees by sharing resources, information, and making themselves accessible when needed. It is within large corporations and organizations that colleagues and associates become so involved in their own daily job functions, they have no direct relation to what may occur within other departments or areas in the organization. Collaboration and working closer together is one basic necessity of a successful organization and one that seems to fall out of practice with other organizations. It should remain a focus and when other ideas of maintaining that communication fails, a new one should be introduced and put into practice, such as the forum. Business Process Changes Currently, there is a ‘chain of command’ associated with AAI’s communication structure. This would have to be basically removed and replaced. Reason being, AAI would have to use the forum in its entirety, and on a consistent basis, in order for it to become effective and useful. The information technology team in the organization would be in charge of handling the forums structure and functionality. Each department, as it does currently, has a leader in which all information must be relayed and filtered through. From here each department lead will be responsible for providing information on the forum for everyone. Upper level management will be able to determine, via regular virtual or in person meetings, to discuss what topic(s) are applicable to what department. As not everything within the organization is necessary for all departments, these meetings and their consistently are crucial in the development and maintenance of the forum. Other departments  will be required to view and participate in the forum on a regular basis, depending on department determines frequency. From there, each department lead can determine whether or not the participation can determine agreeance/acknowledgement of certain procedural and policy changes as well as could serve as topics for in person meetings or huddles. These changes, although fairly subtle since most communication in the organization is electronic would prove to provide a faster return and feedback on any information presented. Technology/Business Practices Used With the implementation of a social media type forum in AAI, some best business practices will need to be agreed upon and enforced. Current moral and ethics practices and processes can continue to be used. Maintaining professionalism in this seemingly informal form of communication is key. Only professional and proper language will be used and enforced in the forum. Any language and behavior to the contrary will not tolerated and disciplinary action will be enforced. Within the IT team, they will work to monitor the forum’s functionality, and maintain its ability to run efficiently. It’s reliability is allows AAI to â€Å"feel confident in its own capabilities and start assuring the rest of the business of continued service availability and performance† (Addy, 2007 p. 165). The IT team will perform routine maintenance on the forum to ensure its functionality and will be able to access and view feedback as well, adjusting the forum to create and maintain high usability throughout the organization. High Level Implementation Plan In order to properly implement the forum, it’s blue print must first be created. The IT team can create the forum and all functionalities presented, and bring it to the associates and employees who would benefit from its usage the most, being the end users. The end users would then provide the IT team feedback regarding what needs to be added or changed, based on the uses they would need the most. The agile process would make the end users a team who are more focused on the use and ease of accessibility of the forum. From  there, the IT team can take the feedback and create a forum. The end users at that time will perform tests on the system, under the monitor of the IT team, to ensure all of the functionality the end users need is present. Based on the feedback received from the testing phase, the IT team will be able to create and present the forum from there to upper level management, or provide the tweaks needed in order to make it more functional and run more tests. Once it’s put into effect, the forum will start in a probationary time frame to slowly introduce the forum into the daily lives of AAI employees. Another survey will be taken after said probationary period to determine if the forum can be of the utmost use to everyone, or if it works for certain departments only. From there, the forum will be put into play permanently, or if AAI would need to return to the drawing board. Conclusion It is with the introduction of this forum that I feel AAI would earn an immense amount of benefits for all. Everyone would be able to communicate, in real time, effectively. By building this information technology based community, AAI will be able to connect, collaborate, and share resources with all the associates and colleagues they interact with on a daily basis. Allowing for this open flow of communication, according to Cross (2010), will help everyone â€Å"network and build relationships, and then sustaining those connection and conversations in an online community in which a broader audience can participate† (p. 5). In this open door and open door community, AAI can see success grow by leaps and bounds inside and outside the organization. References Addy, R. (2007). Effective IT Service Management : To ITIL and Beyond!. Berlin: Springer. Austin, E., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2000). Strategic Public Relations Management : Planning and Managing Effective Communication Programs. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Cross, R. L. (2010). The Organizational Network Fieldbook : Best Practices, Techniques, and Exercises to Drive Organizational Innovation and Performance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Fitz-enz, J. (1997). The 8 Practices of Exceptional Companies : How Great Organizations Make the Most of Their Human Assets. New York: AMACOM. Pell, A. R. (1999). The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Managing People. New York, N.Y.: Alpha Books. Tirmizi, S., & Halverson, C. B. (2008). Effective Multicultural Teams : Theory and Practice. [Dordrecht]: Springer. Walton, D. N. (2007). Media Argumentation : Dialectic, Persuasion, and Rhetoric. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. http://www.linkedin.com/company/advanced-academics