A Rose for Emily

In one respect, I tend to agree with Fetterley and Rogers interpretation of Emily’s triumph over the endless pounding of patriarchy in William Faulkners “A Rose for Emily”. I find myself stuck in a similar situation; like Emily, I perceive a patriarchal situation by trying to pen what I believe my instructor wants me to write. I have avoided writing a paper on this very story by dropping two previous classes that assigned a critical paper for this short fiction. I am repulsed by the very thought that this short fiction can be classified as creditable literature. I have decided against my usual course of action and choose to write what I feel concerning this short fiction regardless of the outcome. It seems I will never finish my education at Antelope Valley Community College without addressing this repulsive story.

Faulkner beautifully illustrates the morbid parallelism between Emily’s father and the house that imprisoned her. Both were controlled and manipulated by the very being that would eventually destroy them. Faulkner strategically places the home of the Grierson’s, on what was once consider a prestigious street in the crumbling, overcrowded town of Jefferson. Here, both monuments of the past are forced to maintain a dignified faзade of sanity among an ever-changing society. There are two interpretations to be made in understanding the motive and meaning behind Emily murdering Homer Barron, in “A Rose for Emily”. The first motive deals with the personal revenge Emily seeks towards her father, the second being towards the town of Jefferson who scrutinized her and critically analyzed everything she did.

The death of Emily’s father set in motion a diabolically evil scheme to seek the ultimate revenge on the patriarchal society of Jefferson, which controlled and ultimately claimed her sanity. Her revenge began with her father whom she hated for denying her the privilege of having a normal and successful woman’s life. Emily’s hatred began to fester within the depths of her soul as a young child, dominated by a father who concluded that no male figure was good enough to inherit the status of courting or marrying a Grierson. Emily became emotionally tormented by the very thought of being a spinster and having no other male figure to love, besides her controlling father. The growing resentment continued as she became older and perspective suitor’s appeared at the front door, ultimately to be chased away with a horsewhip. “Although the violence is apparently outward-the upraised horsewhip against the would be suitor- the real object of it is the woman-daughter, forced into the background and dominated by the phallic figure of the spraddled father whose back is turned on her and who prevents her from getting out at the same time that he prevents them, suitors, from getting in.” (Pp 560). Emily was a caged animal, imprisoned by her controlling father, in a circus whose master manipulates all of the animals’ movements, emotions, and physical appearance by a carefully illustrated system of rewards and punishments. Emily’s’ rewards, according to her father, was that she be portrayed to the towns people as “a slender figure in white” too pure for the stains of any human being to corrupt what he, the father, masterfully created. Emily’s’ punishment was that she would eventually be revered as an untouchable figure whose every action or movement would be analyzed by the town of Jefferson.

It wasn’t until that fateful day, the death of her father, when Emily was finally able to outwardly express her revenge upon the very first male who suppressed her emotionally and physically, by not giving him the proper burial a Grierson deserved. Instead, she was able to experience, first hand, the feeling of triumph over watching her so-called beloved father rot before her very eyes, the sweet revenge of a twisted character. Emily cleverly denied to the town’s people that her father died in order to secretly express her future intention of revenge towards the town of Jefferson by not letting them, the residents, immediately dispose of his decrypted and decaying body. “ She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for three days, with the minister calling on her, and the doctors, trying to persuade her to let them dispose of the body. Just as they were about to resort to law and force, she broke down, and they buried her father quickly.”(Par. 27) “Because she is Miss Emily Grierson, the town invests her with that communal significance which makes her the object of their obsession and subject of their incessant scrutiny...the town is able to impose a particular code of behavior and to see her in failure to live up to that code an excuse for interfering in her life.” (Pp.560) The result of the towns interfering adds fuel to her fire to seek the revenge for interfering in her life and being so critical of every movement that she makes.

The most significant diabolically evil plan Emily sought was the revenge on the patriarchy society of Jefferson, which no one would be able to comprehend the magnitude of the murder of Homer Barron. After the death of her father, the townsmen felt pity for her and claimed that leaving her the decrypted, decaying housing structure was a way of knocking her off the pedestal and becoming more humanized. The patriarchal society outwardly expressed their need to watch over and care for the lonely spinster who they concluded incapable of providing for her financially. Colonel Satoris, the eldest patriarch of Jefferson, fabricated a story to justify why the town remitted her taxes, claiming that it was from a financial loan her father provided for the town many years ago.

The motive for the murder of Homer Barron was for Emily, on her deathbed, to gain the last laugh at a town who scrutinized and critiqued her yet never came to understand why she acted and lived as she did. Another motive for the murder of Homer Barron was to prove to the patriarchal society of Jefferson that even though she, Emily, could not “ persuade him to marry her” (Pp. 535) due to his perversions, she may still succeed in controlling Homer if her were dead. No one would be able to take that secret love she had for Homer away even though he would never reciprocate it t the same way because of his alternative lifestyle. Homo Homer was an embarrassment to Emily, because for the first time ever she was free love some one, and he turned out to love young men more than women. This humanizes Emily even more and in turn it helps explode the decades of manipulation and control she receive at the hands of her father. She had a perfect plan; no one in the town of Jefferson would ever believe that Emily, being a real lady “ to forget noblesse oblige—without calling it noblesse oblige” (Pp. 535). “Emily is exempted from general indictment because she is a real lady-that is, eccentric, slightly crazy, obsolete, a “stubborn and coquettish decay”, absurd but indulged; “dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse”; indeed, anything and everything but human.” (Pp.561). Who would believe she would have murdered some one in order to have their love.

“A Rose for Emily” is taken from a morbidly crepitated point of view where an author obviously is hiding many deep dark secrets within his past without bluntly coming out and exposing it to the rest of society. Faulkner disguises his own tragedies from his past through the story to give himself a sense of personal release from his own personal bondage. “A Rose for Emily” is utilized as a cleaver way for William Faulkner to disguise his own slide from sanity.

This short fiction falls very short of what good literature should be. Good literature follows a plot that is easily and logically understood by the reader and does not find it necessary to jump from past, recent past, to future, and in-between to make the story interesting. Good literature has a distinctive purpose; keeping the reader glued to the pages in-between the cover, keeping the reader interested in other genres of literature to enhance their interest in the wealth of written knowledge. Good literature expands the imagination by allowing the reader to see the world around them in new ways other than the norm, which does not necessarily mean making them sick from a morbid point of view. Good literature does not leave the reader with an upset stomach and a disgusting taste in their mouth for all literature. Thankfully, Vicodin and Motrin 800 have helped me make it through this short fiction paper.

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Work Placement Report

This report is my reflection on some of the aspect of work I did during my placement. My placement was done at Business Promotion Technology Company called The” Web SuperFactory” based in south London. The company specializes in the World Wide Web solutions (ex. web site development, Intranet development, marketing & promotion, e-commerce). During the placement, the company gave me many opportunities to work on real commercial projects for their clients. I will be expressing about a particular project I did for the company’s client (Green Valley College) through out this report. I will start by talking about the client Green Valley College. Green Valley College is a college geared to the needs of students that their first or mother language is not English. They needed a web site that can attractive international students around the globe. The web site had to be user – friendly, easy to navigate through the site and the site translated into different languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German) for international students. They wanted their website to be top listed on popular search engines like which will make it more access to students across the world. They also wanted the web site to have dynamic forms, where the students could resign up, fill in enrollment forms, contact forms and sent their payment through the net. My company had to find solutions to the above web problems the Green Valley College had. The company gave me the opportunity to deal with their client’s (Green Valley College) web problems from the beginning to the finishing of the project with supervision from my industrial manager Appu Vora.

I started creating the site by designing the main structure of the web site. The site will be in five different languages which meant there will be five main sections in one whole site. I will be focusing only on the English sections of the site through out this report because the English section is translated into the other languages at the end of the project.

My industrial manager Appu assists me with the layout of the template for the site. We decided to use the college colors for the site (Green, yellow and white). I used the lasso tool in Photoshop to create curve shapes and odd shapes in the design of the template. I also use the blending options like in Photoshop to make the template look more attractive.

After designing the template, I used the slide tool in Photoshop to slides the template up to be imported into Dreamweaver. Sliding the template up will make the site load up quicker on the internet.

When the slide images from the template are imported into Dreamweaver software; it converts the slide images into html coding so that web browser can understand. I started added texts to the home page of the site. I then realize that the page was very long because of the text on the page, so my industrial manager advised me put the text into a simple flash scrollbar. Adding the text flash scrollbar to the page, it shorter the pages to where the users could see the whole page on the screen. The user could scroll up or down on the text flash scrollbar without moving the page. The text scrollbar also added a modern look to the website.

Green Valley College sent the company some photos to put on their site. I started by scanning the photos on my computer. I then had a discussion with my industrial manager about photos. He advised me to create a horizontal flash scrollbar, where the user can click on the forward arrow for the first photo to slide away for another photo to come into the photo frame. After creating the horizontal flash scrollbar I decided to put the photos on the “About Us” section of the site, so I made a photo gallery link on the page. My industrial manager and I decided that photo gallery would be more presentable if it opened in a minim window browser. So I put some behaviors (coding) on the Photo gallery link, so that when a user click on the photo gallery link it will load in a minim window browser

In the enrolment section of the site, I had to create four dynamic forms. The first form is for the user to put his personal details, the second form is for the user to select a course, the third form is for the user choose if they want accommodation or not, and the fourth form is for the user choose the method of payment.

The personal details form is validated, so the user had to fill in all the red spots before proceeding to the next section of the form (select a course).

The user had to select a course by clicking on the radio button next to the course they wanted.

The user selects if they want accommodation with their chosen course.

The back-end design of the enrollment forms was all done in ASP script. When the user selects a course or accommodation, it would be listed with the total sum on the bill form (same as the payment form). Then the user selects the method of payment they want to use – Money Transfer, Bank Transfer or by cheque.

In the “Contact Us” section of the site, I created a dynamic form for the user to fill in. When the user click on the submit button the form will be sent as a email to the Green Valley College, showing all the details the user has fill in. The back-end design of the contact us form was also done in ASP script. See Figure 9 for contact us form.

After creating the forms, I then added texts to the “Course” and the “Accommodation” pages. Then Green Valley College requested that the user should be able to print from each page or all the pages on the site. So I created all the texts in Microsoft word, then place buttons (label print/all print) on all the pages on the site, and then link the buttons to the appropriate Microsoft word page for that button.
I finished the front – end design of the website by linking all the main buttons on the site.

The next stage of the website was to promote it on the web by placing the site on the top list of popular search engines like which will make it more access to students across the world. Firstly, I had to optimized the Green Valley College site.

Before the placement I was not really confident with the skills I had gained from the first two years of the multimedia course, but using the skills during the work placement has fill me with confident and made me ware of all the opportunities in the multimedia world. During the placement when working on projects, everyone in the team had their part to work on, some did the designs, coding, and researching then at a particular deadline we meet as group to talk about that project; which I believe has made me a better team player and good collaborator among my colleagues. Working on the Green Valley College project has improved my multimedia skills. I have gain more experience in using Dreamweaver as website building tool. I also know how to plan a site and the structure of the site. I have attained some experience in using ASP coding to create dynamic forms on the Green Valley College project. Through the work placement I was using multimedia software packages like Adobe Photoshop 6, Flash 5 and Dreamweaver 4 frequently during the working day; which has made me more comfortable using them. I have learnt how to promote a website through search engines, which I believe is vital to know in this internet world of traffic. In general, I believe my work placement has helped me grow and reach a better focus in the multimedia Industry.

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Women in the Workplace

The view of women in work has changed so much in the past 150 years. They have gone from being strictly homemakers to working in the atrocities of the coal pits, all the way up to becoming the CEOs of major corporations. This is not to say that women no longer need to fight sexism in the workplace, for it is not a problem that has ended completely. However, conditions have biome millions of times better. What I will present in this paper is the far the quality of work for women has come, as well as the broadening views of the world on women.

Since the time when the (Polytheistic) religions of Mother Goddesses from image-based religions fell under the power (Single God) of the masculine, Male-worshipping word-based religions, women have been viewed as lesser. As such, women were called weak, unable to handle physical labor and the like. Because of this, women were given the roles of homemaker, cook, nanny, and sometimes nurse. Men and Women alike believed that women could not physically handle hard farm labor. They believed that women had not the brain power of a man, and so were not educated.

By the time the industrial revolution hit, families were so desperate for money that every member of the family went to work, including the children. Even as the women began to work, their lives still revolved around those of the men, as seen in this excerpt from Harriet Robinson's Lowell Mill Girls:

Women were not allowed any maternity leave if they became pregnant. This occurred even in the coal mines where grueling labor forced them to crawl on their hands and knees with a belt about their waist and a chain between their legs. This chain was attached to a load of heavy coal, and these women had to drag the coal through sometimes 3 miles of tunnel.

The coal mines were a grueling place of work for members of either sex. Hours were long, workers often had 12 hour shifts, going from six in the morning to six at night, They were given an hour for dinner and some bread and butter for supper. There were no drinks for workers, despite hot conditions.

The temperatures were so warm that many workers were at least topless (including women); some wore only flannel loincloths or were completely naked. With all this nudity, intercourse, sometimes rape, was a common occurrence. The children grew up without an education and as a result could not read or write. Shafts often became flooded, and many workers drowned.
For this grueling, harsh, and unsafe labor, the men were paid six shillings a week. The women were paid half that amount at 3 shillings, the equivalent of 27 cents, a week! Of course, back then, costs were lower, but still the women were paid half as much as the men, despite the fact that they often had a family to support just as well as the men did.

Fashion at this time literally caged them in. An image of women as weak and fluttery was created because women would often faint from their corsets being tied too tight, causing them to have difficulty breathing. A popular colectible item at this time were collections under glass jars. They were pretty to look at, but they I not do good, they only took up space.

A person of today may look back on this and wonder why the working class women were not looked upon as strong and independent. The reason why is that these women were uneducated, had coarse language, and were often very filthy. They were dirty, scraggly, and very ugly. Why would these women under glass jars who were taught to believe that beauty and submission were the best qualities in a woman?

Still, however, a job is out of the question. They submit to their husbands, they care for their kids. The main workforce is swept off to war. There are huge holes in the workforce, too many to be filled by the remaining men, and by now child labor laws are being passed. The government needed a way to keep their economy afloat, and so they devised a plan.

She encouraged women nationwide to get a job to help the boys on the front. Women began working as welders, riveters, engineers, reporters, nurses...any job that needed filling. With a single rivet, Rosie began the movement for true women’s' independence. Before the war, American women believed in the need to be married and care for a family. Through work, they found a talent, strength, an ability to be strong without a husband. In Rosie women began to see the first American Strong Woman: the independent woman. Rosie could deal with anything on her own, but because she loved her man, she worked for him while he fought on the front.

And so, the US Government found a way to keep their economy afloat. What they didn't know was just what kind of can of worms they had opened.

After the war, women went back to their home lives. Some happily, some....well...they liked work. So women began to get jobs, although at first women could only get small jobs. By and by though, working women grew in strength and number. The 1960's came around, and the young women in their 20's saw that they really could be independent, that thy really didn't need to be married. So in the 70's and 80', women rushed to the workplace, and began to work their way up the ladder.

Today, women are common in any workplace. In these times, many people believe that a woman can do just as much as a man can. Unfortunately, however, there are still those people who believe that the place for a woman is in the kitchen, not at a desk doing honorable work, making money for themselves, and many not having a family or a husband to support.

Unfortunately, there is still a large amount of pressure put on working women. Women are often not paid as much as men, the average salaries for men and women are thousands of dollars apart. Women still have to deal with Sexual harassment in the workplace, although it is not nearly as bad as the rape that many coal mining women of the industrial revolution had to go through.
There is one issue, though, that still plagues or culture. The idea of marriage. It is pressed onto young girls as the perfect relationship, making them believe that you have to be married to be happy. This kills off many forms of independence. Marriage is such a large commitment that a couple would be better off just dating than married, especially the woman. Many a woman has quit her job just because her husband did not want her to continue working.

All in all, however, we have come long way. Women have grown even in politics, and I believe we will soon have a female president. When this step takes place, I think that Women will have an even stronger presence in the workplace, as well as be more independent. The education of history gives women the roots they need to grow wings, just as the bible rooted Christianity.

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Technology and Its Effects on Business

Most people when they hear this term think of space exploration and ‘hover cars’, but what people fail to do is consider the most basic types of technology that have shaped our past, present and future. Things like electricity, and the creation of jobs as a bi-product from electricity were the very basis for the way we live today.

Business is one of the main consumers of technology, due to the fact that the laziness of humans. Most humans will look for the easiest, and quickest way to complete a task. The one thing that people don’t realize is that technology isn’t always the solution for every problem; people try to fix a problem by creating something new to replace the problem; but this causes more problems. People must adapt to the new technology whether they like it or not, “The assimilation of a new technology and technological environment creates a new type of human existence”.

The creation of typewriters may have been the starting point for one of this days most common, and useful pieces of business equipment… Computers. Without computers you wouldn’t have the Internet, without typewriters you wouldn’t have computers, and this must also be considered… ‘Without the laziness of the human race, you wouldn’t have typewriters’. The Internet is today’s central source of information, but is also a source of technology in itself. The Internet is used by businesses for a number of reasons, namely it is used as type of communication, and a resource with all types of information. Without the Internet, video-conferencing and the like would not be possible, and the amount of time needed to share files would be greatly increased. Email is another bi-product of the Internet, and is the most commonly used source of communication besides the telephone. Without the telephone, the Internet would not have been available nearly as early as it has been. With the introduction of telephones, a whole new way of thinking, and working, was established. People could now instantaneously come into verbal contact with anyone possessing a phone. Later on with the invention of mobile phones, another era was established, as was another new way of thinking. People could now speak to anyone anytime with their mobile phones. At this moment, mobile phone technology is taking a giant leap forward with the introduction of WAP, colored screens, and phones equipped with cameras and wireless technology. Video Cameras and Televisions also play a large part in business technology.

Video Cameras and Televisions have allowed people to have access to new types of multimedia, and provide more exciting ways to present information. Without Video Camera or Televisions, Video-conferencing and the Daily News couldn’t be viewed. Of course none of this would be in the working order that it is now without the appropriate software to support the desired result. Without the software, Video Cameras and Television are useless.

Software is the base on which we build our computer skills. Without common operating systems like Windows, Mac, or Linux, computers could only be used by those gifted with a high analytical capacity. Software not only makes using computers easier, but it also allows the computers themselves to be able to produce more different processes and procedures. There is one factor that has only been considered important until recently… Ergonomics.

People fail to realize that with a little more planning, they can improve their workplace, and make their work more safe, efficient and productive. With correct ergonomics taken into account, employers can make their employees a lot more comfortable, thus increasing the profit they can make off them. This is used in business all the time. Some examples of correct ergonomics being suggested in the business area are things like employees being given ergonomic chairs, and having air-conditioned offices. Air-conditioners are another good example of technology in business. Without air-conditioners, workers would need to have a larger working space with lots of fans. This can be quite expensive, and the cheap alternative in air-conditioning.

In conclusion, it can be seen that technology shapes the way that businesses operate. Each and every day, new software comes out that needs to be downloaded in order to keep up with the pack. With this new software come new techniques that are needed for the workers to use this tool efficiently. Technology is a good thing, but as with all good things, there is a price. It seems that technology is used to make work easier, but in order for things to become easier, you must work harder. Though this report only shows a few aspects of technology in business, there are lots of other ways that technology is used, and needed. Technology may not seem like its worth the amount of work we put into it, but without it, we are doomed to lives that would never change. Change is needed, whether it is for the best, or for the worst.

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Personal Leadership Assessment and Plan

The theme of this paper is Personal Leadership Assessment & Plan. The PLAP was done to assess my leadership skills, strong points vs. weak points, and what my plan of action is to better those skills. I gathered sources from various places such as reading material, both class work and pleasure, Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Strong Interest Inventory, internet site, and interviews with other leaders. After assessing my managing skills -self, communication, diversity, ethics, teams, and change- I concluded that 4 of the 6 were strong points and that I have short term and long term plans of action. My short term strategy is to take classes in the Fall and Spring that will continue to enhance my knowledge. My long term plan of action is to pursue a career that will allow me to implement these skills.

A competency is an interconnected set of skills, behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge needed by an individual to be successful in most professional and managerial positions. In order to develop a leader, the study of organizational behavior must take place.The theme of this paper is to describe how 6 competencies are woven into my life and how I plan to implement them. The 6 competencies I found best suiting for myself are: managing self, managing communication, managing diversity, managing ethics, managing teams, and managing change.

There are several core components for the managing self competency. The first is to understand my own and others’ personality and attitudes. Over time, I have come to realize who I, Tara Barnette, truly am. For so long I tried to be like the type of people with whom I “hung around” with. I have finally come to realize what my own values and beliefs are-not my parents and not my friends. I have also come to realize not everyone is or will ever be like me. There may be similarities, but no one is like another; furthermore, you can’t change a person’s personality or attitude no matter how hard you try. The next core component is the ability to identify, evaluate, and understand myself, others and the immediate environment. With this test I have learned I am an ESFP (Extraverted, Sensor, Feeler, and Perceiver). Generally, I have found that I am warm-hearted, outgoing, accepting, and friendly, enjoy everything and make things more fun for others by their enjoyment. I enjoy knowing what’s going on and join in eagerly. I find remembering facts easier than mastering theories. I am best in situations that need sound common sense and practical ability with people. With this in mind, I must evaluate other people around me and know how they best operate. The next core component is the ability to understand and act on my own and others’ work-related motivations and emotions. I have found that I am most motivated by personal feedback, seeing my work affect others positively, and recognition. Everyone is motivated by something different-the key to a good leader is motivating each employee with what “makes them tick” and not use the same motivation for every person. The next core component is the ability to assess and establish my own developmental, personal, and work-related goals. Due to a class I am taking this semester, Senior Practicum Prep, I have analyzed myself and established my personal and work-related goals. My personal goal is to complete my BHS degree by May 2004, and then implement what I have learned by finding a career, such as Pharmaceutical Representative, that allows me to utilize what I have learned. The last but not least core component is the ability to take responsibility for managing myself and my career over time and through stressful circumstances. I have kept a daily planner that has made me develop a daily plan of action for getting my school work done and still allow time for relaxation and doing things I enjoy. I rated myself this because I feel I have an excellent grasp on assessing myself and others. Not only is managing self competency important, but also, managing communication.

Like self competency, this too has several core components. The first element is the ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions to others in such a way that they are received as intended. I believe I have a strong describing skill-in other words, I am able to relay clearly and accurately what I am trying to say. The next factor is the ability to provide constructive feedback to others. Due to the fact that I am motivated by feedback, I find this concept exceptionally important. As I once heard, it’s all about how you say something, not necessarily what you say. The next component is the ability to engage in active listening-the process of integrating informational and emotional inputs in a search for shared meaning and understanding. I feel that I use the questioning skill-the ability to ask for information and opinions in a way that gets relevant, honest, and appropriate responses. I used this skill primarily during interviews with other leaders. During the interviews, both leaders expressed how vital communication is. Without communication, whether it’s nonverbal, verbal, written, or via internet, goals and objectives can not be achieved to their fullest extent and issues will never be resolved. I feel I get my point across to other people, but feel I could do a better job, especially in persuasion. Not only are managing self and communication important, but also, managing diversity.

Like the other competencies, this too has several core components. The first is the ability to encourage an environment of inclusion with those who posses characteristics different from your own. Like both leaders said in the interview, if you have all Chiefs and no Indians, nothing will get done; everyone will be too busy telling someone else what to do. It is always important to seek variety and different views. If everyone thought the same, inspiration would have no meaning. The next component is the ability to learn from those with different characteristics, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. I feel I am open-minded and am always seeking information from various people before I make a decision. I always look to someone I know has my best interest at heart, I look to someone who knows a lot about the subject, and I look to someone who is unbiased. After information is gathered, I am able to make a well-rounded decision. The next factor is the ability to embrace and develop personal tendencies that support diversity in the workplace and elsewhere. Every time I had a new idea, I sought out all 10 people and got their view on my idea and how it would affect them. I have always tried to be personal in and outside the work place with other individuals different than me. It is a fact that bringing diversity to the table can only enhance a situation, not diminish it. So many people think it is okay to have the guideline, “do as I say, not as I do.” What good is it for example, an individual tell me it is wrong to steal from the company, but yet they take money themselves? People abide by what you do, not what you say. This is why the saying is true, “actions speak louder than words.” The last but not least component is the ability to apply laws and regulations. Policies and rules were put into place for a reason, not for the sake of more paperwork or to make your job harder or less fun. In today’s society it is difficult to know whether you got a job because you are qualified or because of your race or gender. The law does state not to be discriminatory, but taking it to the point of hiring someone because of their race or gender instead of who’s the best candidate, is taking it too far. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would rate myself a 5. I am an open-minded person and believe completely that diversity has much to offer and offers “checks and balances.” In the reading of The Challenge of Change in Organizations, there was a quote that I feel sums this topic up; “The personnel of our train were…a wonderful collection of many people with as many different dispositions and characteristics.” Not only are managing self, communication, and diversity important, but also, managing ethics.

Like the other competencies, ethics too has core components. The first core component is the ability to identify and describe the principles of ethical decision making and behavior. Although many of us would like to believe we live in a world of total trust and respect, unfortunately it’s not true. Although I still struggle with this a little, with practice I have gotten better. When dealing with ethics, there are several things you must consider: the magnitude of consequences, the probability of effect, the social consensus, the temporal immediacy, the proximity, and the concentration of affect. For these things, it is best to apply the laws and rules of conduct-honesty and openness. I have a strong Christian background that gives me a loud conscious; however, I still struggle time to time with the fine lines between right and wrong, and thinking before acting. Not only are managing self, communication, diversity, and ethics important, but also managing teams.

Team-what does is mean? This is one of my favorite words; so much so, I made up an acronym for it: T-together, E-everyone, A-achieves, M-much. As with the other competencies, this too has core components. First, one must acquire the skill of determining the circumstances and choose whether a team approach is best; and if so, the ability to participate in and/or lead the people through a process of goals. I have always believed that team work is something to be desired in a work place. I have always pulled my own weight and expected others to do the same. I have a tendency to take on the “leader” role when in a team. I generally pose goals and a clear way of reaching those goals. If someone begins to slack off, I try to motivate them in a way that is fitting to their personality, and tactfully tell them how to reach a goal by pulling their weight. It is like Coach K stated in his book Leading with the Heart, “You develop a team to achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. All of us alone are weaker, by far, than if all of us are together. The other component is the ability to deal with personal and task-related conflicts among team members before they become disruptive. Also, one must take corrective action if needed. In general, I take the individual aside where no one else is around and find out what the root of the problem is. I try to re-direct their energy into a positive manner. If the first warning doesn’t work, another counseling session is held. Then, if the problem arises again, that individual may be let go. Since the day I was born, I have had a leadership personality waiting to be used. I have had practice in work and in school being a leader. This is something I have a strong desire for and plan to seek in the future. Not only are managing self, communication, diversity, ethics, and teams important, but also managing change.

“The managing change competency involves the ability to recognize and implement needed adaptations or entirely new transformations in the people, tasks, strategies, structures, or technologies in a person’s area of responsibility”. The challenge of change in an organization can be a tricky situation. As a leader, you must posses the leadership ability to help employees succeed in the new situation. In order to be successful in helping those employees, you must first be able to apply the previous competencies. As with the previous competencies, this too has core components. The first component is the ability to provide leadership to changing situations. You must be able to diagnose pressures and resistance to change, and the plan of action to help employees. When diagnosing, I try to ask questions such as: How does the environment make you feel? What is the root of your resistance or pressure? What can I do to help you overcome these pressures or fears and help you succeed? What were the things that made you feel comfortable before the change? What issues need to be taken care of and left behind? After seeking answers and learning about each individual, I would apply whatever model of change best suited our company. On the flip side of this, I am an individual whose wheels are always turning. In my last job, I was known as the “great ideas” girl. I am always looking for ways to improve and make things more efficient and exciting (sometimes I think I drove my manager nuts!). It was quite touching that when I was leaving Anderson Neurological, they gave me a little ceramic angel piggy bank that says “great ideas” on it. They stated, “We expect many great ideas from you in the future. Every time you have a great idea, put a penny in the bank, and one day you’ll be a millionaire.” I love changes and the new challenges it brings. Life is too short to stay monotonous; change and challenge stimulate the brain!

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Organizational Problems in the Workplace

I work for the Governors Office of Criminal Justice Planning. This office is a State Government Office, closely connected with the political dealings from the Governors Office. This Office processes grant funding for programs throughout the state of California. Two organizational problems that exist in my workplace are the constant downsizing without actually downsizing and decisions that are made by the Executive Office without consulting or at least informing the Specialist that works on the grants. A supervisor can have a staff of approximately 10 people. If that supervisor is required to perform a special assignment from the Governors Office, then those people are required to move into another branch. They are spread thin enough that it looks as though a branch has actually disappeared when in actuality the same number of people still work in this office. When the supervisor returns, those people are assigned back into the original branch with that supervisor, thus creating a “new” branch without really creating a new branch. The decisions being made by the Executive office can be literally promises made to a Sheriff or the head of an organization without taking into consideration the problem that may exist fulfilling the promise. The Governors Office and the political party in office influence these problems at the time of the decisions. The thinking used is more persuasive.

The Governor's Office of Criminal Justice Planning is comprised of majority white males. The Executive staff is comprised of one white female and three white males. These staff members are also attorneys. The problem created with the Executive Office being comprised of all Exempt employee’s with a similar background is that they have no understanding of real world timelines and what it actually takes to process the paperwork or fund the grants. There thinking is more of a straight line without going outside the box. They give some grantee’s more advantage, depending on their political connection, than others do. This creates a problem among the grantee’s that allowed certain privileges that others are not i.e. turning in late paperwork, not turning in financial statements, and allowing them to keep state purchased furnishings and equipment. The ability to make these command decisions should be thought out more clearly and the specialist informed of what is being done.

The creative thinking that this department does is to help eliminate scrutiny for decisions that are made or for changes that are handled in the best interest of the Governor without regard for the actually grantee being effected. This department creatively arranged the branches to look scaled down when in actuality the move was all on paper. Therefore, our department must look as though we faced as severe of cuts as did the other departments.

This department is closely looked at due to the fact our office generates millions of dollars of grants to local law enforcement organizations, victims of violent crimes organizations, and school districts throughout the State of California.

The interesting thing about the Governors Office of Criminal Justice Planning is that the Executive Office is comprised of the Political Party that is in office at the Governors Office. For example, when there is a Republican Governor then the Executive Office for this department is also a Republican to include all the excluded staff that work for them. When there is a Democratic Governor then the same holds true, the Executive Office in this Department is comprised of Democrats. The impact this has on the way business is done in this department can swing every four years. When the Sheriff of a county is Republican and the Governor is Republican then that sheriff has more say in the way, the money is going to be allocated for their counties local law enforcement programs. The culture rapidly changes upon new elections and the impact is felt throughout the state of California.

The forces of influence come from white males who are highly educated. All decisions being made are being made with a similar thought pattern. More women in the executive Office or more cultural diversity in the Executive Office could make a tremendous difference in how decisions are made. For example, a woman might think more clearly on why woman’s shelters are an important grant to fund, when a male may not see the need for them and choose to eliminate them causing controversy.

Professional employees have to be able to accept the differences in others and be able to complete assignments and projects with a group of people of different cultures and backgrounds. The problem of not being able to accept others opinions can be eliminated, or at least reduced with using critical thinking. When working on a project or assignment there is a common goal to that each team member should be reaching for i.e. completion of the project on time and at or under cost. Project leaders or manager does can get themselves into trouble if they are quick to judge or slow to part with ironclad judgments. Being open-minded requires that project leaders or manager’s set aside past preconceived notions or judgments and listen carefully to each person’s idea or opinion. To be effective, project leaders and managers should use a highly reflective approach to management which is called “action inquiry,” which requires a willingness to sacrifice their illusions about themselves and others and situations as they receive new information.

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Operating Definition of Organizational Behavior

Classical organization theory, evolved during the first half of this century, did not account for the needs of diverse workforce. It represented the merger of scientific management, bureaucratic theory, and administrative theory. This theory had four basic principles: find the best way to perform each task, carefully match each worker to each task, closely supervise workers, and use reward and punishment as motivators. Working through these principles, the task of management was planning and control. While this management theory proved successful in simple industrialized companies at the turn of the century, it had not played well in modern companies. The philosophy of production first, people second, left a legacy of declining production and quality, dissatisfaction with work, loss of pride in workmanship, and a near complete loss of organizational pride.

According to the textbook, organizational structure is described as a mechanism through which effort is integrated through the coordination and control of activities, symbolic management, and the management of organizational culture. Such mechanism has recently been described as a mechanism that directs behavior through shared values, norms, and goals. However, since each mechanism is unique in its impact on individual behavior, the effects of each should be analyzed separately and then synthesized for a deeper understanding of the functional roles of structural and cultural forces in the workplace. If an organization is to direct behavior towards the accomplishment of a strategic mission, and present itself to stakeholders as a unified form, mechanisms must be created for reducing this variability among individuals and focusing employee efforts on the accomplishment of strategic goals. According to Maslow, “determining that low-level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs can be met.” A relationship between organizational culture and organizational structure is needed because there will be a lack of structure and an inability to systematize the needs of everyone in the workplace. In developing such a model, organizations are information-processing entities that develop different mechanisms to reduce uncertainty in achieving effectiveness. Effectiveness is obtained when employees engage in behaviors in a consistent manner to achieve strategic goals of the firm. Uncertainty exists when there is a gap between the amount of information possessed and what is required to perform a task. Therefore, without structure or accountability, it is difficult to achieve strategic goals.

Organizational culture is often defined in terms of shared experiences -- patterns of beliefs, rituals, symbols, and myths that evolve over time. These patterns serve to reduce human variability and control, and shape employee behavior in organizations. The development of organizational culture is a natural process, which occurs regardless of the intent of executive leadership, although management may influence it. While organizations may develop a relatively homogeneous culture, unique and divergent sub-cultures may evolve for separate departments or sub-groups within the organization.

The information gathered through the study of OB helps managers identify problems and determine how to correct them. The gathered information also helps managers develop their interpersonal or people skills to be effective in their jobs. OB can help managers learn ways to stimulate innovation and offers them guidance in creating an ethically healthy work climate. Although different organizations may perform the same functions or have the same goals, each organization still remains unique in its culture, social structure and work force. A diverse group of people within the organization is one of the most important factors in shaping and changing the overall behavior within the organization.

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