Narration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Narration - Essay Example An experience I had had that made me realize the significance of diversity in American society was an accidental visit at a public elementary school during one of my afternoon strolls. The playground, visible through the open gates, was filled with students of different cultural backgrounds that I could not help but observe them from afar. It appeared to me that besides the kids whose descendants must have been British Pilgrims, the playground was also littered with Afro-Americans, Native Indians and Hispanics, who could probably trace their respective lineage to the days of the Atlantic Slave Trade. In addition to this assortment of races, a bird’s eye view impressed on me that some of these little boys and girls were sons and daughters of Asian immigrants presumably coming from India, China, Korea, the Philippines, and Japan. My instinct also entertained the appearance of other students, who could pass on as â€Å"white† Americans, but may actually have had Irish-Scot s, French, German or Italian heritage rather than British. That was how diverse the school was and as an onlooker, I felt like I was observing the miniature representation of the United Nations and was deeply reminded of the phrase â€Å"unity in diversity.† Having witnessed the goings-on at the playground of such a culturally diverse school, I was brought to the realization that so much has changed in America over the last six centuries. It was ironic how colonials waged the American Revolution to free themselves from British rule, but denied their slaves this very same right to freedom. Slavery, as worded in Frederick Douglass’ narrative, was a living â€Å"hell† through which dark-skinned individuals must enter a â€Å"blood-stained gate† (14). Had this hellish part of American history persisted to this day, it would have been impossible to establish multi-racial schools cramped with happy children in playful harmony, such

First Session Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

First Session Presentation - Essay Example Firm and clear corporate legislation can do much, but so can the 'softer' principles that invest our understanding of ethical dealing, and enhance the quality of human relationships. Good governance enhances stakeholder value, company morale, and productivity. The overall significance of corporate governance is that ethics must start at the top, and be constantly fostered there. Without ethical leadership there will be no ethical following. Openness should be the main point in corporate governance. Secret deals, the 'old-boy' network, family collusion, and power broking are often seen to be inimical to good strategic management. That openness might breach commercial secrecy may be true but it is argued here that, apart from commercial secrecy or national security, the strategic plans and commercial tactics belong to all stakeholders. Openness is the long-term goal of commercial stability. A high-integrity ethical code also supports the reputation of WJI. The use of an ethical code goes beyond specifics, and addresses a broader range of conduct in that it shows a commitment to good citizenship (Schuler, 1998). There is agreement that values and beliefs greatly influence organizational attitudes and behavior which form organizational culture. To a significant degree, values, beliefs, and attitudes govern behavior and decision-making activity in organizations. It is through shared values and beliefs that organizational culture impacts organizational behavior and, hence, effectiveness (Cairns, 2003). The key issues of culture will include open and proper financial reward for work done. The notion of tipping for some special reason has been common, but not all that common. Among such are the notion of collective responsibility, attitudes to women, judgments about body shape, usury, secret commissions, and loyalty-to-family over loyalty-to-principle. Among the important themes on business ethics and culture are those of the need to resolve issues of values in relation to different cultures, and to try to find principles that transcend culture; and the need to find means of teaching, encouraging and enforcing an ethical code in business. Corporate ethics will shape culture and affords an opportunity to discuss and resolve these human values in a non-threatening frame of reference. In a world of increasing prospects of cross-cultural contact there is a perceived need for a guide to human behavior that is minimally culture bound (Robbins, 2002). Organizational Structure Culture and structure must both be appropriate to provide successful innovation. Structure is the easier to change, being relatively changeable in the short term of a decade or less while culture may take centuries to change. WJI is based on a matrix structure which better fits the consulting nature of the firm. The capture of the matrix and its conversion into a space of regulation is easily demonstrated by recourse to any contemporary use of the notion of a matrix as the ordering principle for ideas, locations, positions and so forth. The matrix structure helps WIJ to perform the main tasks quickly and effectively (Robbins, 2002). The most important is that the level of errors and faults are lower than before. WIJ first corrected the structure before the establishment of innovation has a chance to result in a prospering economy. It