Teamwork Essay Essay Example for Free

Teamwork Essay Essay Reasons have been proposed to explain why teamwork exists by (Cohen and Bailey, 1997). They suggest organisations can develop and deliver products in a speedy and cost effective manner. More so, teams are the best way to establish organisational strategy. Teamwork was defined by (Kozlowski and Bell, 2003) as the composition of two or more individuals who share tasks and work towards a common goal. They emphasise the importance of collaboration and cooperation. Teamwork has three important dimensions. Firstly, technical dimension relates to the division of labour and who does what task and when etc. Governance refers to authority and relationships between members. The normative dimension refers to the norms, values and assumptions of the group directing behaviour. However, there are dimensions which can differ between teams, for example the temporal duration. Some teams are required to work together for a larger period of time. The physical proximity of teams may range depending on the organisation. Certain groups must work face to face where as others are dispersed geographically. According to (Hackman, 2002), teams need ‘teamwork’, meaning work that is designed for teams. An important factor relating to teams is interdependence, this is the extent to which people must work interactively and cooperatively (Stewart and Barrick, 2000). There are a number of benefits to an organisation by working in a team; these include efficient processes, reduced costs, increased innovation and skill utilisation (West and Markiewicz, 2004). Evidence to support this claim comes from (Delarue et al, 2008) who found associations between team work, workers outcomes, financial outcomes and operational outcomes. Godard, 2001) found with his questionnaire that teamwork positively related to job satisfaction, a sense of belonging and feelings of empowerment. This is supported by (Delarue et al, 2004) who found reduced absenteeism. The financial benefits were researched by (Cooke, 1994) who found that with the introduction of teamwork, there was a significant impact on val ue added per employee. Teamwork can have a profound effect on operational efficiency, productivity and quality. (Cohen et al, 1996) found that teams which facilitate high levels of employee involvement have a significant impact on efficiency and quality. If organisations are to reap the benefits of teamwork, then they must create and manage them in the correct way. Research into effective team working has commonly followed the input-processes-output (I-P-O) model proposed by (McGrath, 1964). The idea is that inputs affect outputs via the interaction of processes. We could argue this is too simplistic but it provides a useful framework. The first input is task design, the task must be achieved by a group of people working together so it should be demanding and complex enough to be completed by a team, as referred to earlier, there should be a high level of interdependence. The next input is team composition. This outlines the skills, knowledge and ability required (KNA). Bebin proposed nine essential roles. These are plant, resource investigator, coordinator, shaper, monitor, team worker, finisher, implementer and specialist. Bebin’s theory is not often fulfilled in practise though. Teams are often put together with little consideration for the roles required or the skills. This undermines team effectiveness. Another feature of the inputs is diversity; this is the idea that the team has a range of skills, ages, ethnicities and levels of authority. One of the most important inputs is the organisational context. Teams are often embedded in larger organisational systems, the effectiveness of teams may depend on wider contextual factors. Conflict within the organisation such as their wider objectives may impede a team so a team must operate within the company’s boundaries. (Hackman, 2002) suggests teams do not operate in an organisational vacuum. Team effectiveness relies on supportive organisational context that reinforces a team based structure. (Hackman, 2002) argues three systems can increase the likelihood of team success. Firstly, we have the education system which offers training and technical aid to a team. Then we have the information system which provided necessary data to complete the task. Lastly is the reward system which encourages rewards to all members equally to reduce inequality. The team objectives make up the first part of the processes. Teams should have a common purpose and clear objectives free from ambiguity. Reflexivity is the next stage and this helps to overcome team frustrations and any confusion regarding objectives. This is done by reflecting on immediate and long-term objectives on a regular basis by meeting and sharing information. Decision making is the next component; research has shown that teams make better decisions than individuals however there are certain process losses which can affect decisions. One of these is social conformity; the tendency to go along this the majority decision and exclude your opinion. This can occur due to leader power because the leader has more authority and influence. Groups try to avoid conflict through Groupthink (Janis, 1982), where teams sacrifice high quality rigorous decisions to conserve social harmony. Group may do this without even realising. Social loafing affect decisions when team members exert less effort and commitment. This has negative implications on the reward system especially If team members are rewarded equally. Overall, teamwork is a critical issue which organisations should develop and support real teams. Management must pay close attention to ensure they have the correct characters in the team to reap the full benefits of teamwork rather than pseudo teams which are present today. On a final note, not all organisations require teams so they should only be applied to the right tasks and situations.

Concentration Levels of Essential Metals

Concentration Levels of Essential Metals Comparative Distribution of Selected Essential Metals in Drinking Water by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric Method Tanzeel ur Rehman and Misbah Zahid ABSTRACT This study reports the concentration levels of selected essential metals; Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe and Zn in the drinking water collected from different areas of Islamabad. The levels of these metals present in the drinking ground water were compared with standards reported worldwide. The analysis was carried out using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean metal concentration for Na was far less than those reported worldwide, while the average concentrations of K and Zn were also less than those reported worldwide. The mean concentration of Fe was equal to those reported worldwide standards. Sodium showed maximum concentration while Fe was estimated to be the lowest among the selected metals. Key Words: Essential Metals; Ground water; Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry INTRODUCTION Environmental pollution especially in the metropolitan cities is generally expected to deteriorate the quality of drinking water. One of the important parameters of the quality of water is represented by the concentration of major, minor and trace elements. In industrial areas, some of the metals may be expected to present at considerably elevated level as a result of excessive industrial effluents which might find their way to the underground drinking water reservoir1. Contrary to such theory, one may suggest that, the underground drinking water resources may still be out of reach to the surface pollutants. In any of such cases, regular monitoring of trace metals is always recommended especially in the drinking water2. In Pakistan, only limited population has access to the purified public water supply while the rest of population is dependent upon direct withdrawal of water from both surface and underground sources. Most of the quality problems in Pakistan are due to lack of waste disposal regulations non-availability of treatment facilities and due to lack of public awareness about water quality3. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry is most commonly used for the determination of metal levels in the groundwater and soil4. In addition, few other techniques, such as X-ray fluorescence, ICPMS, ICPES, flame photometry, emission spectrography and voltammetry have been used for metal analysis on limited scale. Atomic absorption method is preferably used because it is more sensitive, and reproducible, relatively free of interferences and convenient to use than most of the other methods of analysis. For the quantitative measurements of trace metal levels, calibration line method has been most widely applied. The most selective light sources in the form of hollow cathode lamps have been in use since a long in atomic absorption spectroscopy5. Drinking water used in Rawalpindi and Islamabad is contributed by two main sources. First is the surface water, mainly in the form of dams and the other is groundwater which is drained off after proper boring. Water supplied to twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad is mostly a run-off collected from the watershed of Murree hills. The contamination is due to the anthropogenic emissions and geological structure of the area bearing unhealthy minerals affecting the taste and characteristics of water6. The pathogenic organism is also responsible for health hazard, apart from the inorganic chemical7. The present study was carried out to estimate the concentration of selected essential metals Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe and Zn in the drinking water and then to compare these metal levels with the international standards in order to evaluate their health effects. EXPERIMENTAL Water samples were collected from the residential areas of Islamabad. These samples were collected in plastic bottles and stored in proper place before analysis. Before filling, the sample bottles were first rinsed with the sample water and were then filled to overflow so that no air bubble was left trapped in the sample. The samples were collected during day time, mostly on a shiny day. Care was taken to collect the representative samples. For calibration line, working standards of the metals were prepared. The stock solutions of 100 ppm of all these metals were prepared from pure metal salts, or metal salt having fixed H2O molecules. The working standards were prepared by appropriately diluting 100 ppm stock solutions of these metals. All equipments used, were properly calibrated prior to experimental measurement. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Hitachi, 170-10, Japan) equipped with laminar flow burner. Air-acetylene flame was used for the determination of these metals under optimum analytical conditions shown in Table-1. Each metal was analyzed at its optimum wavelength under stipulated flow rate of oxidant and fuel, as recommended by the manufacturer of the instrument. Every care was taken to reduce the contamination during the analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The analysis of selected essential metals was performed under the optimum analytical conditions as shown in Table-1. The absorption wavelength used for Ca was 422.7 nm, for Mg 285.2 nm, for Na 589.0 nm, for K 766.5 nm, for Fe 248.3 nm, Zn 213.8 nm. The lamp currents were properly adjusted as recommended by the manufacturer and oxidant and fuel flow rates were also controlled for maximum absorption signal (Table-1). The distributed parameters for the selected essential metals in the drinking water are shown in Table-2. Minimum levels for Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, and Zn were 1.15, 9.00, 11.21, 0.70, 0.20 and 0.23 ppm, while their maximum values were 32.43, 25.64, 25.95, 4.43, 0.63 and 0.56 ppm respectively. Ca, Mg and Na were present at dominant levels while K, Fe, and Zn showed relatively low concentrations. Mean and median values were found to be comparable in each case. Overall, the metal levels were quite divergent as manifested by relative high standard deviation values as well as appreciably large coefficient of variance. In water, trace amounts of metals are common, and normally, these are not harmful to health. In fact, some metals are essential for the sustainability of life. Ca, Mg, K and Na must be present at relatively higher levels for normal body functions. Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se and Zn are needed as catalysts for enzyme activities at low levels. Drinking water containing high levels of these extremely important metals or poisonous metals such as Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg. Se and Ag may be dangerous to health8. The presence of metals in water supply may be natural or may be the result of contamination. Natural presence of these metals is the result of dissolution of metals due to the connection of water with soil or rocks9. Corroded material i.e corrosion of pipes and waste disposal leakage are the major sources of contamination of water. Metals present at high enough level than threshold limit value should be removed to be out of risk factor. Comparison of present metal levels with the international standards is shown in Table-3. Ca is important in controlling nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction in living organisms. It has very important role in blood clotting. It converts fibrinogen to fibrin during blood clotting10. Ca is very important for good health. Most of the required portion of Ca for human body is provided by the drinking water containing Ca. This particular amount of Ca prevents ailments as hypertension, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disorders. The calcium level was found in the range of 1.15 to 32.43 ppm. The WS-1, WS-2, WS-3 has approximately equal amount of Ca while the WS-6 has a maximum amount of Ca. The median of all these samples were 18.64 ppm. The WS-5 was found to have the minimum amount of Ca. All the observation shows that Ca has the low amount than the WHO standards. The standard deviation is 8.02 and the co–efficient of variance is 40.8 which is maximum than all the other elem ents. Magnesium is driven out from the bodies of healthy persons. People may suffer from increase in blood pressure, muscle weakness and even coma if they have kidney disease. Mg is for signaling the nervous system and it also participates in osmotic and electrolyte balance. It is essentially required in photosynthesis. In human, it can cause genetic disorder11. In the present work the Mg mean value was found 18.04 ppm. The concentration of Mg ranges from 9.00–25.64 ppm. The lowest value was found in WS-6D and the highest was found in WS-2C. The median was found 16.36 ppm .All the values were found to be below the international standards of WHO. The maximum difference was found in WS-1 samples which is 15.93–25.23. The median was lower than the mean which shows asymmetry in its distribution. The standard deviation is 4.59 ppm and co-efficient of variance is 23.21 which is lower than all other elements. Sodium is beneficial to healthy adults at normal intake levels. But people having hypertension or heart problem should reduce Na intake to lower the danger of heart diseases and blood pressure. Na has serious effects on both human life and crop yield. Water high in Na is considered soft and generable for irrigation12. In present study, the result showed the mean value of Na was 19.80 ppm which was higher than Ca and Mg but this level was not the toxic level, so it has no bad effects. Na levels range from 11.21 to 35 ppm. The least Na levels were found in WS-6D and the highest was found in WS-4E. The median was higher than the mean value which showed the negative asymmetry in the data. The spread of the data is found in form standards deviation and was 6.02 ppm and the co-efficient of variance was 33.39 %. In comparison with the international standards, the Na levels found in the samples were low than WHO, EU, UK and Japan, but are just equivalent to USEPA standards. In natural water, K is found in far smallest concentration than other metals. It acts in water as Na does, although it occurs in small concentration but plays an important role in metabolism of the fresh water environment and is regarded to be the vital macro-nutrients. It has an important role in maintenance of osmotic and electrolytic balance. It is important in proper rhythm of heart beat. It is important for creation of nerve impulse and its transmission13. In our analysis the K ranges from 0.70 to 4.43 ppm and mean value was 3.06 ppm. The lowest level was found in WS-6A and the highest in WS-3A. The median is 3.53 ppm which showed the negative asymmetry and standard deviation is 1.19 and co-efficient of variance is 39%. K values in present study were much lower than EU and UK standards. Iron in water has not hazardous for health by itself but it may be responsible for increasing the hazard of pathogenic organisms, because many of these organisms need Fe to grow. Iron is one of the most abundant metals in the earth crust and is essential for plants, animals and human being. The permissible limit placed on this metal has no health significance14. In our study the mean value found for the Fe was 0.39 ppm. The minimum value was found at 0.2 ppm in the WS-4B, and the maximum was 0.63 ppm in WS-1A. The median found for Fe was 0.40 which is greater than the mean and show asymmetry in the data. The standard deviation was 0.13 which showed small spread of the data. The co-efficient of variance value was 33.79%, in comparison with the international standards of WHO, EU, USEPA, UK, Russia and Japan present levels were almost same. The iron present in the sample seems to be ferrous iron since no discoloration of water was observed when collected. Zinc is very important constituent in our diet. Zn has hazardous effects if we increase its amount 10-15 times higher than the amount required for good health. Large doses of Zn taken orally even for a short period of time can cause nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. Its intake for longer time results in anemia and in decreasing the levels of good cholesterol. Metal fume fever, a short term disease, may be the result of inhaling Zn as dust or fumes of zinc. Breathing high levels of Zn for long time, no doubt, has long-term effects but these are still unknown. Zinc is essential element for plants and exists in water and soil as an organic complexes and inorganic salts. Zinc is required for growth, sexual development, wound healing infection, sense of taste and night vision in human15-17. The mean value found in water samples was 0.42 ppm which ranged from 0.23 to 0.56 ppm. The median of the data reading was 0.48 which showed negative asymmetry in the data. The standard deviation sho wn was 0.12 ppm and co-efficient of variance was 27.49 %. When these values are compared with international standards the Zn level was found lower than WHO, US EPA, Russia, but was higher than EU. CONCLUSION It was observed during the present study that mean concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, and Zn in the drinking water of Islamabad were found to be 19.65, 18.04, 19.80, 3.06, 0.39, and 0.42 ppm respectively. For Na, K, Ca, Mg and Zn, these values are far less in comparison to the concentrations reported worldwide, whereas for Fe present value is nearly equal to the reported values. Ca, Mg and Na were in high concentrations as they are macronutrients while K, Fe and Zn being the micronutrients were present in low concentrations. Over all, the selected metals revealed asymmetric distribution in their concentration duly reported by standard deviation and co-efficient of variation. Table-1: Optimum analytical conditions on FAAS for selected essential metals Table-2: Distribution of selected essential metal levels (ppm) in the drinking water BDL = Below Detection Limits Table-3: Comparison of selected essential metal levels (ppm) with the international standards reported world-wide18 REFERENCES Manahan, S. E. (1997). Environmental Science and Technology, Lewis Publishers, New York, pp. 339-340. Khan, M. J.; Sarwar, S. and Khattak, R. A. (2004). Evaluation of river Jehlum water for heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cd, Pb, and Cr) and its suitability for irrigation and drinking purposes at district Muzaffarabad (AK), Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan, 26, 436-442. InamUllah, E. and A. Alam, (2014). Assessment of drinking water quality in Peshawar, Pakistan. Bulg. J.Agric. Sci., 20: 595-600 Robinson, J. W. (1995). Undergraduate Instrumental Analysis, 5th Edition, Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 7-8, 316-318. Mendham, J.; Denney, R. C.; Barnes, J. D. and M. Thomas, (2000). Quantitative Chemical Analysis, 6th Edition, Addison Wesley Longman Singapore. pp. 60-64 Manzoor, S.; M. H Shah, M. H; Shaheen, N.; Khalique, A. and Jaffar, M. (2006). Characterization distribution and comparison of selected metals in textile effluents, adjoining soil and groundwater, Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan, 28, 10-13. Rauf, M. A.; Ikram, M. and Shaukat, S. (2002). Water analysis of Rawal lake and its surrounding areas, Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan, 24, 271-281. Paul B Tchounwou, Clement G Yedjou, Anita K Patlolla, and Dwayne J Sutton, Heavy Metals Toxicity and the Environment, EXS. (2012); 101: pp. 133–164 Kumar, A. (1989) Environmental Chemistry, 2nd Edition, Wiley Eastern Limited, New Delhi, pp. 60-64. Tahir, M. A.; Chaudary, M.; Rasool, M. R.; Naeen, T. M.; Chughtai, I. R. and Dhami, M. S. I. (1999). Quality of drinking water samples of Sialkot and Gujranwala, Proceedings of Tenth National Chemistry Conference, pp. 62-69. Konrad M, Weber S. Recent advances in molecular genetics of hereditary magnesium-losing disorders. Journal of American Society, Nephrol. (2003);14:249–260. Dr. James Robbins, Irrigation Water For Greenhouses And Nurseries Agriculture And Natural Resources , FSA6061. Hodgkin AL, Huxley AF (1952). Currents carried by sodium and potassium ions through the membrane of the giant axon of Loligo. Journal of Physiology 116 (4): 449–472. Afzal Shah,Abdul Niaz,Nazeef Ullah,Ali Rehman,Muhammad Akhlaq,Muhammad Zakir,andMuhammad Suleman Khan; Comparative Study of Heavy Metals in Soil and Selected Medicinal Plants; Journal of Chemistry, Volume20137. Simmer K, Thompson RP. Zinc in the fetus and newborn. Acta Paediatr Scand Suppl (1985); 319:158-63. Fabris N, Mocchegiani E. Zinc, human diseases and aging. Aging (Milano) (1995); 7:77-93. Maret W, Sandstead HH. Zinc requirements and the risks and benefits of zinc supplementation. J Trace Elem Med Biol (2006); 20:3-18. Radojevic, M. and Bashkin, V. N. (1999). Practical Environmental Analysis, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK. 1

Analysis of Juliana Barrs Theory on Indian Communities

Analysis of Juliana Barrs Theory on Indian Communities Juliana Barr. Peace Came in the Form of a Woman: Indians and Spaniards in the Texas Borderlands. (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press). 2007. ix + 397 pp. $24.00 paperback. Juliana Barr focuses on the Texas borderlands and the Caddos, Apaches, Payayas, Karankawas, Wichitas, and Comanches. Her research demonstrates how these bands retained control over their homelands and how they left the French and Spaniards no choice but to culturally adapt to indigenous practices. Barr argues that these encounters were molded by the kin-based systems of the Indian communities, their traditional diplomatic practices and rituals, and the social structures that deferred to matrilineal households. She contends that the Texas borderland experience was vastly different than Indian-European interactions in New Mexico and Arizona, where the Spaniards were able to subordinate and control the native peoples, often forcing them into labor and converting them to Catholicism. In Texas, the indigenous peoples did not allow themselves to become victims of the Spaniards. The tables were turned and the Texas Indians controlled the interactions. Unlike Richard Whites Indians of the Gr eat Lakes region, there was no middle ground. Europeans had to abide by to the native practices of diplomacy. She describes a world in which Indians dictated the terms of conduct, diplomacy, alliance, and enmity in their interactions with the Spaniards. (7-8) When Europeans first encountered the Caddos in 1686, they were impressed by the native villages. Their cabins were forty to fifty feet high and one Spaniard remarked, that the Caddo villages had nothing barbarous but the name. (21) The Caddos were receptive to the Europeans because they decided they could be valuable allies because of the guns and horses the Europeans came to trade. Alliances between the indigenous people and the Europeans was constantly influenced the Indians traditions. They developed elaborate public welcoming rituals conducted by the male hierarchy. The Caddos used the same methods of diplomacy as they did when they did business with other bands. The French culture was similar to that of the Caddos, and they shared Caddo values without expecting the Caddos to adopt French doctrine. The French allowed them to continue their sovereignty and recognized the elevated status of women in Caddo culture. The French were open to become integrated into the Caddo matrilineal system in order to trade their goods with the Indians. The same cannot be said of the Spaniards. They did not understand native culture and traditions centered on matrilineal kinship and immediately tried to change it. Spanish soldiers and missionaries tried to force their dogma on the Texas Indians. The situation was further complicated by the lack of Spanish women. The Indians placed much value on women and considered them to be vital to survival of their culture. The presence of women was considered to be a sign of peaceful intentions and a commitment by the Spanish to peace and stable relationships. Because the Spanish had no women and children with them, the natives considered this to be an indication that the Spaniards were in Texas as aggressors. At first, the Caddos believed the Spaniards images of the Virgin Mary was meant as a signal of their appreciation of the value of females, but they were soon disillusioned. Spaniards did not understand that in these native cultures, gender structured social and political relationships. Women played important central roles in hospitality rituals, and fictive kin relationships were vital to creating truces. The Spanish soldiers frequently abused and mistreated women. Their missionaries attempted to convert Indian women and mistook their openness to be a sign of promiscuity that needed to be rectified. The Indian communities came under pressure from the Spanish missionaries to abandon their deviant ideas about gender and alter basic fundamentals of their societies. In response to this pressure and the mistreatment of native women by the Spaniards which violated cultural and political protocols, in 1693 the Caddos drove the Spaniards out of their territory and into central Texas. Apache women played a significant diplomatic role because they were associated with peace and were allowed to move freely throughout the territory and across social and political boundaries as mediators and emissaries. (13) Barr demonstrates how the diplomatic overtures begun by Apache women ended with the meeting of Spanish and Apache women to hammer out a truce. (174) Political use of female captives were often brokers of peace. In response to Apache horse raids, the Spaniards began taking Apache women and children as prisoners of war or as slaves and refused to return them to their families. These captives were then used them as bartering tools. This created increased tensions with the kin-based native peoples. In addition to their role in diplomatic relations, women were also vital to strengthening alliances between the Indian groups and the Europeans. In the early years, Apache women were captured by Caddo men and purchased by the French. Eventually, the Apaches and Spaniards reached a military alliance in mutual defense against attacks by Comanches, Wichitas, and Caddos, but only after the Spaniards recognized the value of women in regards to diplomacy. As a show of their peaceful intentions, the Spaniards freed their Apache female slaves. In good faith, the Apache sent women to Spanish presidios to convey their reciprocity towards peace. The Apache women and children who were prisoners of the Spaniards learned Spanish and served as negotiators and translators. Women and children were traded back and forth between the Indians and Europeans. They also served as symbols of peace. According to Barr, Native American constructions of social order and of political and economic relationships-defined by general terms of kinship-were at the crux of Spanish-Indian politics. (2) According to Barr, these raids placed women at the very center of violence and diplomacy. (164) As the Spaniards finally came to understand the importance of women in the Indian communities, they were allowed to mingle and intermarry with the Indians. As a result, Spaniards were able to achieve some political power and the natives attained economic gain. Barr points out that native women not only served as negotiators in diplomacy, but they also were full contributors to Texas history. Although men of the different warring groups established truces, but customary practices involving women proved crucial to maintaining the peace agreements that followed. (246) Barrs research is important to Plains Indian and Texas historiography because she demonstrates how the Texas Indians controlled the rules of engagement between the indigenous peoples and the Europeans. The author distinguishes three phases of Spanish-native interactions which fall under the categories of trade, mission, and settlement. She contends that the natives were demographically superior to the Europeans. The author also postulates that gender was the foundation on which the native kinship systems in the Texas borderlands operated. She contends that these Spanish-Indian relationships were not based on hierarchies of race and class, but instead relied on gender. According to Barr, gender was the basis of power of the Caddos, Apaches, Karankawas, Wichitas, and Comanches. This allowed these native groups to negotiate with Europeans through gendered standards and practices in political economies of gift giving and hospitality, alliances instituted in joint family settlements, hono rs and dishonors inherent in violence and war, exchanges of women through intermarriage, captivity and hostage taking, and political relationships conceived through fictive and real kinship. (289) Barrs main argument is that the potential for success or failure of Europeans to forge associations with the various native groups depended on the Europeans capability to understand and accommodate gendered kinship practices. She also maintains that the various Indian groups had no concept of state; therefore, their political organizations were based on age and gender. She contends that in cross-cultural encounters, gender was performative, meaning not what people are, but what people do through distinctive postures, gestures, clothing, ornamentation, and occupations. (11) Thus, gender serves as a form of nonverbal communication in situations where there is no common language. To substantiate her arguments, Barr has recreated the social structures of the different Indian groups and uses them to analyze the accounts of the encounters. Because there were no original native sources, Barr relied heavily on Spanish sources. As a result she has had to make some conjectures to understand Indian perspectives on power and peace. Barr uses a variety of primary and secondary sources. She has included maps and illustrations to help the reader understand the ever-changing alliances and interactions. Barr invites her readers to stand metaphorically in Indian country and to contemplate Spanish colonialism in eighteenth century Texas from the perspective of the Texas Indians. (295) Her book is a study of interethnic relations which encourages historians to explore the perspective of gendered practices of peace. Juliana Barr has been an associate professor at the Duke University since 2015. Dr. Barr previously was associated with Rutgers University and the University of Florida-Gainesville. She specializes in early American history, the Spanish borderlands, American Indians, and women and gender.

Deanna Favre Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

Deanna Tynes Favre is an American activist for the fight against the disease of breast cancer. After being diagnosed in 2004 she started the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation to raise money and awareness for women around the country. She is the wife of NFL quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers and has two beautiful daughters. She is now a proud survivor of breast cancer and shares a strong belief in God as a Catholic. Deanna was born December 1968 in Kiln, Mississippi. She was born to Ann, a single mother. When Deanna was young her mother married a man named Kerry Tynes. Deanna was later adopted by Kerry and acquired two siblings, a half-sister Christie and a half-brother Casey. Deanna met Brett Favre, her later in life to be husband, in school. They attended the same school since early childhood. They began dating in high school during Deanna’s sophomore year, and Brett’s freshman year. They continued dating all through high school and into college. When high school ended in 1986 Deanna attended Poparville Mississippi Community College on a basketball scholarship. After attending school there for a few years Deanna transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi. There she studied to complete her bachelor’s degree in exercise science. During college, when Deanna was nineteen, she became pregnant and gave birth to Favre’s daughter, Brittany Nichole, on February 6, 1989 (Deanna Favre). Deanna knew premarital sex was wrong, but for whatever reason did it any way. She knew she was going to keep the baby from the moment she found out she was pregnant, even if it meant putting her career goals on hold. As a strong believer in the Catholic faith Deanna was totally against abortions and also did not want t... ...2. Southern Mississippi University B. Daughter C. Brett’s addictions 1. Vicodin 2. Drinking D. Marriage III. Cancer A. Breast B. Treatment IV. After Cancer A. Foundation 1. Deanna’s HOPE foundation 2. Brett’s FOREWARD foundation B. Books 1. â€Å"Don’t Bet Against Me: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life† 2. Bible V. Family and Life Now Works Cited Favre, Deanna.†A letter from Deanna Favre†. (29 January 2008) â€Å"Deanna Favre†. The Wikipedia encyclopedia Favre> (29 January 2008) Favre, Deanna and Brett. Personal interview by Fox. 26 September 2007 Lucero, Sam â€Å"Green Bay Packers Brett Favre and Deanna Credit Catholic Faith.† 2007 (29 January 2008) â€Æ'

Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie Essay -- Glass Menagerie essays

Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams is known for his use of symbols, tension, and irony. Williams uses all of these components to express the central theme of The Glass Menagerie - hope followed by despair. Each of the characters has dreams that are destroyed by the harsh realities of the world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the narrator blatantly admits, 'since I have a poet's weakness for symbols', symbols are central to The Glass Menagerie (Williams 30). Symbols are merely concrete substitutions used to express a particular theme, idea, or character. One major symbol is the fire escape which has a separate function for each of the characters. This fire escape provides a means of escape for Tom from his cramped apartment and nagging mother. Therefore, the fire escape for him represents a path to the outside world. For the gentleman caller, the fire escape provides the means through which Jim can enter the Wingfield apartment, thus entering their lives. For Amanda, the fire escape allows Jim to come into the apartment and prevent Laura from becoming a spinster. The significance of the fire escape for Laura is that it is her door to the inside world in which she can hide. It is ironic that when Laura does leave the security of her apartment, she falls. This symbolises Laura's inability to function properly in the outside world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another recurring symbol is the glass menagerie which represents Laura's hypersensitive nature and fragility. Laura is just as easily broken as a glass unicorn - and just as unique. When Jim accidentally bumps into the unicorn and breaks it, the unicorn is no longer unique. Likewise, when Jim kisses Laura and then shatters her hopes by telling her he's eng... ...ructure of the entire play -   an ironic pattern of romantic expectations, momentary fulfilment, and ultimate loss' (Thompson 13).    Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Introduction. Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 1-8. King, Thomas L. "Irony and Distance in The Glass Menagerie." In Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 85-94. Levy, Eric P. "'Through Soundproof Glass': The Prison of Self Consciousness in The Glass Menagerie." Modern Drama, 36. December 1993. 529-537. Thompson, Judith J. Tennessee Williams' Plays: Memory, Myth, and Symbol. New York: Peter Lang, 1989. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. In Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 4th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. 1519-1568.    Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie Essay -- Glass Menagerie essays Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams is known for his use of symbols, tension, and irony. Williams uses all of these components to express the central theme of The Glass Menagerie - hope followed by despair. Each of the characters has dreams that are destroyed by the harsh realities of the world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the narrator blatantly admits, 'since I have a poet's weakness for symbols', symbols are central to The Glass Menagerie (Williams 30). Symbols are merely concrete substitutions used to express a particular theme, idea, or character. One major symbol is the fire escape which has a separate function for each of the characters. This fire escape provides a means of escape for Tom from his cramped apartment and nagging mother. Therefore, the fire escape for him represents a path to the outside world. For the gentleman caller, the fire escape provides the means through which Jim can enter the Wingfield apartment, thus entering their lives. For Amanda, the fire escape allows Jim to come into the apartment and prevent Laura from becoming a spinster. The significance of the fire escape for Laura is that it is her door to the inside world in which she can hide. It is ironic that when Laura does leave the security of her apartment, she falls. This symbolises Laura's inability to function properly in the outside world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another recurring symbol is the glass menagerie which represents Laura's hypersensitive nature and fragility. Laura is just as easily broken as a glass unicorn - and just as unique. When Jim accidentally bumps into the unicorn and breaks it, the unicorn is no longer unique. Likewise, when Jim kisses Laura and then shatters her hopes by telling her he's eng... ...ructure of the entire play -   an ironic pattern of romantic expectations, momentary fulfilment, and ultimate loss' (Thompson 13).    Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Introduction. Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 1-8. King, Thomas L. "Irony and Distance in The Glass Menagerie." In Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 85-94. Levy, Eric P. "'Through Soundproof Glass': The Prison of Self Consciousness in The Glass Menagerie." Modern Drama, 36. December 1993. 529-537. Thompson, Judith J. Tennessee Williams' Plays: Memory, Myth, and Symbol. New York: Peter Lang, 1989. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. In Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 4th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. 1519-1568.   

Mcdonalds – Tnc

McDonald's – the 90th largest economy in the world – feeds about 1 percent of the world's population a day. That's 68 million people! It hires more than 1 million workers In the US per year and Is the world's largest toy distributed. McDonald's also created the Ronald McDonald House charity, which houses more than 6000 families a year in Australia alone. However, this Illinois-based company is undeniably threatening the ‘global village'. It is doing so in a lot of ways, including the damage it inflicts to the environment, its exploitation of foreign and domestic labor and its active impacts on traditional cultures.In this seminar, I will be analyzing different pictures that support my argument that McDonald's Is directly destroying the global village. I think that through the Impacts It has upon the environment In which we live, McDonald's is directly destroying the global village. As a large company, McDonald's needs a lot of resources to fuel its growth. For exa mple, Americans alone consume over 1 billion pounds of beef at McDonald's every year. A cow produces 250 ml of methane per day on average. Think of how much methane is created by the sows needed to produce 1 billion pounds of beef!McDonald's has also been accused by Greenback of feeding Its chickens with soybeans grown on farms In the Amazon rainforest's. These soybean farms are cleared Illegally. Leading to mass deforestation In the Amazon. By doing this, McDonald's not only encourages illegal traders in the Amazon, but also sends a worldwide message that deforestation is a viable option that can lead to contracts selling produce to McDonald's. Encouraging excessive methane production and deforestation are Just a few of the ways in which McDonald's helps to destroy the environment.McDonald's also negatively affects the global village by exploiting members of the workforce. This Is done through the misuse of domestic and foreign labor. McDonald's has always been the target of accusa tions that they exploit teenage labor, paying them wages that are too low to be readily lived upon. These reduced rates can be seen in this table. But most recently McDonald's has tried to tackle these accusations head on by releasing an example budget for someone who works for the company. From the start this budget was flawed, as you can see here, the employee would have to work two Jobs to survive.This fact shows that an employee could not be sustained on a McDonald's wage. Secondly, McDonald's cited that health cover costs $20. This is not the case, for that amount you would be likely only to get say, ambulance cover. Thirdly, try spending only $25 a day on Just food, let alone drinks, clothes and other necessities. This budget on its own, is certain evidence that you would not be able to live on a McDonald's wage. In extreme cases some people have had to choose between paying bills and eating food.This exploitation of cheap labor is another reason why I think McDonald's Is cont ributing too diminished global village. McDonald's Is also destroying the global village by abolishing various cultures from around the world. As seen in the picture here, McDonald's is intervening with traditional culture, replacing traditional pastimes, like food-preparation and consumption, with an internationalists product. Often in these traditional cultures, things like food can be tied up with rituals, so food is linked to their cultural heritage.By replacing chance to pass on their cultural stories through food. However some people in other parts of the world have realized that this tragic loss of culture is occurring. For example, the people of a small town east of Melbourne called Tacoma has recently protested against there being a McDonald's built in the town. 80 000 people thus far have signed a petition demanding that a McDonald's franchise not be installed in their town. The fact that the company destroys culture and that people are realizing it is another reason that McDonald's is destroying the global village.

Paradoxical Twins Case Analysis Essay

1. At the end of Part I, how would you describe the organization design of both Omega and Acme? What factors led you to this conclusion? By the end of Part I, it is clear that Acme is a more mechanistic organization focusing on efficiency and profits, while Omega aligns itself with an organic organization structure focusing on cooperation, collaboration, and integration. Acme is mechanistic with a clear vertical structure; this conclusion is reached when looking at various factors. Factors include the degree of specialization, formalization, and centralization. Mechanistic structures are highly specialized, highly formalized, and centralized similar to Acme. Specialization can be seen through narrow job descriptions with clear responsibilities, while high formalization can be seen through the well-defined organizational charts and â€Å"tight ship† management style. The high level of both specialization and formalization indicate a centralized environment, which is verified in Part I by the fact that managers wish they had greater decision-making influence (â€Å"more latitude†). Furthermore, the structure at Acme has an end goal of efficiency and cost control, similar to most mechanistic organizations. Omega, on the other hand, has an organic structural design with an emphasis on collaboration, cooperation, and employee satisfaction across and among departments. This emphasis shows Omega’s focus on effectiveness, especially in the internal process, which combined with management’s team-based emphasis on making everyone feel as if they are part of the team and taking the time to listen to suggestions (a little too much time occasionally) furthers the conclusion that the company is organic. Furthermore, CEO Rawls does not believe in organization charts or written memos indicating low formalization and a decentralized decision-making process (without organization charts, authority is less defined). Low specialization can be seen through one workers initial experience at Omega where he or she worked in two different departments within the first two days. Both facts (low specialization and formalization) are indicative of a horizontal structure that aligns with the conclusion that omega is more organic. 2. At the end of Part III, how can you explain the differences between what happened at Acme and at Omega? (Link the background facts with the behavior and problems and then to the outcomes observed, and then explain the relationships between these three elements.) At Acme, Tyler led the authority and assigned tasks to each department once the project came in, but cross-department communication was lacking. The rigid organizational structure with set rules and procedures did not allow for the departments to collaborate. Instead, departments were functional and focused only on the task for their section. Furthermore, Tyler was not being informed of the errors occurring in each department perhaps because in a large, hierarchical system it takes longer for information to reach its end destination (whether that be the top or bottom). His â€Å"hit the roof† mentality took a blame approach, which is not productive for employee morale. Read more:  Essay on Paradoxical Twins Acme The photocopier manufacturer mentioned that in this phase, speed was critical. Mechanistic structures work better in stable, known, simple environments where situations are routine and the goal is control and efficiency. This prototype production process involved greater uncertainty considering the prototype had to be produced before final designs were approved. Furthermore, the routine for this process was still being developed. Due to the unknown, changing, and non-routine nature of this project, an organic structure such as Omega was bound to due better because it is more flexible and adaptable. At Omega, Rawls immediately set up an initial meeting where all the departments heads could discuss the project together and collaborate. Though the start up time took longer this way, problems were solved up front so time was saved later, quality was improved, and bottlenecks reduced. Cross communication and collaboration is key with a non-routine process and greater interdependence level was required. The level of interdependence required proved to be a negative aspect for Acme due to the lack of cross-department communication, but worked in Omega’s favor. It is important that structure align with strategy, and in this initial case Omega’s organic, team-based structure aligned with the speed strategy that the photocopier had required. When information is shared in a quick manner, without vertical impediments, the whole process moves along much more quickly and collaboration enables efficiency. Through coordination and the team-based mentality at Omega, the company was able to take a problem-solving approach and address issues of design errors up front whereas Acme did not even realize the design flaw because of the organizations focus on high specialization. Each department focused only on what they specialize in so errors were nearly impossible to catch. Acme’s inflexible structure required the company to go back to the beginning when the new design was approved, setting the company further back. Omega, on the other hand, adjusted easily to the new design because of its adapting nature. Tyler, as a leader, made the mistake of assuming the team would work as efficiently as they have in the past considering this project was a rush priority with a different required strategy and different end goals. Tyler made it a point to communicate new developments to the photocopier company, but he did not communicate any of the issues/developments that were arising. Rawls, on the other hand, communicated instantly with the photocopier company once the flaw was discovered. Essentially, the problem was the same for both companies—certain parts could not be received on time and engineering the assembly was difficult. However, how each organization approached the problem, as led by the type of structure in place, is what led Omega to succeed and meet the speed deadline determined by the photocopier company. Omega’s organic, adaptable, collaborative structure was more efficient for problem-solving scenarios, which this project was and allowed Omega to meet the deadline 10 days before Acme and with greater reliability. Acme’s vertical structure with rigid procedures would take longer to communicate problems from the bottom to the top. It took longer time to take action with Acme’s formal, hierarchical structure. These factors combined with its inflexible nature led Acme to be outdone by Omega. 3. At the end of Part IV, how can this turnabout be explained? Ultimately, the goal for phase two, once the prototype was developed was to cut costs and ensure quality control. Given that the production process had already been created, this second phase project had a greater degree of certainty and routine. Once each company figured out how to engineer the assembly, the process became routine, which is better suited for a mechanistic structure. If your end goal is to cut costs, specialized and rigid structures are better and more efficient as Porter’s low cost strategy shows. The degree of routine allowed each functional team (department) at Acme to focus on their specialization, which eliminated the problem of quality control. There was no guessing this time of how to best assemble the product. More time could be spent on figuring out ways to cut costs. When control and efficiency are the end goal, a mechanistic structure works better than an organic, adaptable, and problem solving structure. Organic structures are contingency-based, which was not as helpful in this case because of the greater degree of certainty. Omega should have been seeking ways to reduce costs, but instead focused too much on collaboration this time and on the management philosophy of maintaining employee satisfaction. Once again we see that when strategy (low cost) does not align with structure (organic), the end result is not achieved. Omega’s lack of detailed organization charts and specific job responsibilities most likely created internal confusion as well. At Acme tasks became standardized and job roles were well defined. At Omega, job roles were not clearly defined, and it is possible that, as mentioned earlier, too much time was spent on â€Å"listening to suggestions and making sure everyone understood what was going on.† While Acme was focusing on doing things right, Omega was focusing on doing the right thing. Also, considering the high volume that needed to be produced, it makes sense that Acme received the contract in the end since the company specialized in low cost, high volume projects. 4. If you were to consult with the Presidents of Acme and Omega, what advice would you give (to each one) concerning future survival and success of their firms? Explain your reasoning. What each company should learn from this example is that it is never ideal to be too mechanistic (rigid and structured) or too organic (loose and flexible). Each has its benefits depending on the type of project and what the end goals are, but as this case demonstrates each company failed at least once and succeeded once. Acme’s president should try to integrate some organic components into their structure, and Omega should integrate mechanistic components into their structure. A hybrid system would be ideal to get the best of both structures. A matrix, in essence, would prove to be a more efficient and effective structure. Well defined authority structures are needed so that workers are not confused about what their roles and tasks are, and collaborative environments should be encouraged as well in case there are times where problem solving needs to be done. To be more specific, at Acme, instead of acting as functional teams, the teams should be cross-functional which allows for collaboration, and the managers should be given a greater level of decision-making power (increased lateral). Something needs to be done so that it does not take so long for information to travel. Tyler should consider investing in an HR department if one does not already exist and on the internal environment because satisfied workers are generally more efficient. If a worker feels like they are a part of the team, he or she will want the company to succeed and work better towards that goal. Tyler should have department heads be on the same horizontal level and ensure cross communication occurs. So that he doesn’t have to do this himself, the idea of a project manager can be introduced. Someone from the outside can be brought in to coordinate between the departments and ensure deadlines are being met and that solutions are being worked on when a problem arises. At Omega, job responsibilities should be narrowed and clearer and greater measures should be taken to maintain control. There should be some sense of an authoritative figure or two. There seems to be a lack of line authority and without unity of command, there is room for confusion. Rawls should not spend so much time listening to suggestions and can instead hire someone to do that for him. As head of the company, he should be focusing on bringing in business and not trying to micro-manage everyone. In this company, there is too great a degree of lateral structure. Instead of everyone meeting together all the time, only department heads should be meeting regularly. The heads can have greater discussion with their own team and then report back to one another. A structured flow of ideas will save time. Greater specialization and formalization is needed because if workers are unsure of what their roles are how can they be expected to perform. Broader categories can be established such a s marketing, operations, engineering, etc. Rawls should also look into written communication to ensure the company is well organized. Meetings take up a greater amount of time, and with writing there may not always be a need to physically meet. It is important to remember that structure and strategy alignment will lead to success. Therefore, the structure must be somewhat flexible to adapt to strategy, but rigid enough to address end objectives such as cutting costs and maintaining efficiency. The matrix structure is the ideal balance, combining the best of both mechanistic and organic to achieve business objectives. The best part is that it can be tailored to each organization so Acme can retain it’s vertical nature for the most part and Omega can still focus on collaboration, but elements of the opposing type are introduced to achieve greater balance. â€Å"This is my own work. I have not discussed this case with anyone, nor have I used someone else’s write-up of the case, either current or past students or from the Internet.†