Living Off Campus

Living Off Campus Hello, gentle readers! For those of you who dont know me, Ive been here all along I just had a busy fall semester and decided to take a break from blogging. Im here now to talk about one of the big changes Ive faced since the summer ended: living off campus. I lived in the East Campus dorm during my freshman and sophomore years, but when some friends were graduating (and thus, had to move out), I realized I didnt want to lose that part of my community I most enjoyed. Of course, since MIT guarantees on-campus housing to undergrads for eight semesters, I was under no obligation to leave my dorm. But when my friends started looking at houses and apartments in Boston, the wheels starting turning in my head, and I joined the search. As you may know, virtually all MIT freshmen are required to live in on-campus dormitories, even though they can technically join MIT-recognized fraternities, sororities, or independent living groups (FSILGs) during their first year. (Some freshmen keep paying for their dorm room while unofficially living elsewhere, thereby satisfying MITs housing requirement, but I dont think its especially common or encouraged.) When freshmen become sophomores, a significant percentage ends up moving into FSILGs, with nearly all of the remaining students remaining on campus in dorms. Unlike most other universities, its rare for students to move off campus and seek their own housing. MITs housing options provide cost-effective, convenient boarding with a strong sense of community, such that people stay in the same building, or even the same room, for nearly all of their time as an undergraduate. Seniors and freshmen often share the same space, and there are no freshmen-only dorms. Plus, housing in Bo ston and Cambridge is very expensive, with studio apartment rates near MIT in the neighborhood of $1500/month. Some folks have their dorm expenses covered by financial aid, as well. It is true that most FSILGs are, in fact, off campus, so their residents get the feeling of being away from school at night and on weekends. However, I argue that its still a long shot from really living on your own. MIT has a frequent shuttle (called the SafeRide) that goes to nearly all of these houses, connecting them with each other and with MIT. And instead of having your own place, or sharing it with only a couple other people, you have 20 or 30 housemates. Granted, theyre usually pretty tight-knit, but its still very much a shared living situation. Each individual in a dorm or FSILG has far less control over who comes to visit, spends time hanging out, and even who ends up deciding to move in. Messes are often made between the times janitors come to clean, and its not always easy to determine who made them. And, face it in any living arrangement with 30 people (even a floor of a dorm), consensus is not easy. I think living in the dorm fostered a certain sense of anonymity and lack of accountability over shared space, such that folks might not pick up after themselves or be as tidy as they might with their parents watching over them. If they know a custodian will clean something up the next morning, they are less inclined to take care of it. That said, the MIT dorms, houses and living groups are very much the right solution for most people. They allow students to focus primarily on their academic lives by handling many of the mundane details of building management and maintenance to which one would otherwise attend. I stumbled upon the opportunity to try something different, and its worked very well for me. I wanted to choose who Id be living with, I wanted a place I could have a bigger stake in calling mine, and I think most of all, I just wanted a change of pace. Living on campus is incredibly convenient, but I sometimes found myself really wanting to put the title of student aside for a moment or two. I didnt always want to look out my window and see academic buildings I wanted something that felt more like what Id be dealing with once I graduate, on a residential street with neighbors who werent all my age. I wanted a little bit less energy at night, a place where I could unwind and enjoy my own brand of the MIT eth os on my own terms. I didnt want to move too far away, because it would be too hard to get to those 9am classes, so we mainly looked at places that were easily accessible by bus or subway. I thought I might want to bring my car from home and have it here in Boston, so we also looked for places with parking. (Parking for resident students on campus is something like $700/year, and its not necessarily in the most convenient lot. Some people try bringing their cars and parking on nearby streets, but it always becomes too much of a hassle, with parking tickets and street cleaning to contend with.) We ended up settling on a charming old house two or three miles from MIT, with nearby bus and subway links it takes me about 20 minutes to get to campus by bus, or about half that if I decide to drive. The bus literally leaves from the end of my street and goes to Kendall Square, the transportation hub on the east side of campus. We have a backyard, a basement, our own kitchen, hardwood floors, everything and per person, its pretty close to what we were paying in the dorm. And our cable internet connection is actually faster than that of many MIT housing options. :) [Some places still have 10Mbit connections!] Life off campus isnt perfect, but its a positive change, a step in the right direction, and I definitely made the right decision. I still live with four other people, and while were all friends, we dont necessarily share the same views on everything. Some of us are very proactive about taking out the trash, and others arent. Some are vexed by stray recyclables in the kitchen, and others arent. Some leave dishes in the sink longer than others, and some have personal habits that dont exactly mirror others. Some are louder than others, and we sometimes have different sleep schedules, which leads to making noise at hours that arent mutually convenient. But its all minor stuff. On the whole, we get along well, we share a lot of the same interests, and we all pay the rent when it needs to be paid. Most importantly, we all trust and look out for each other! :) Yeah, I sometimes miss the bus and have to wait another twenty minutes on the sidewalk. Yeah, Ill occasionally forget something at home and not be able to retrieve it easily. And it was a lot more convenient to just throw my garbage down a trash chute, instead of having to worry about trash bags and cans and carts and them being impossible to dig out from feet of snow in the backyard. Did I mention that shoveling snow is a pain? Being able to have my car entirely outweighs those drawbacks, though. I look at the city so much differently than I did when I was bound to public transit and Im a huge mass transit advocate, too! I know that MITs official position is that cars are not a good idea to bring to campus, and I tend to agree (given the lack of space and general driving mayhem in Boston), but dont entirely discount the thought. I think MIT wont give parking permits to freshmen, but perhaps other arrangements could be made if you had your heart set on it. And while theres always Zi pcar, you have to be 21+. Just FYI, MIT subsidizes public transit passes by up to 50%. An unlimited one-month pass for all Boston-area buses and subways will only set you back $29.50, instead of the list price of $59. I think Ill close this entry by saying that living off campus has made me a more responsible person. It actually takes some advance planning to go to class, so I make a point to be up earlier each day and create a schedule. I started using Google Calendar, and I love it. Plus, when I lived in the dorm, Id go back during breaks between classes and kill the time socializing and hanging out with friends. Now, its not worth going home if I have only an hour or two to spare in the middle of the day, so I head to a library or coffee shop and catch up on work. Youd be surprised how much time during the day I used to waste! Ive become a better student, a better employee, and a better citizen. What am I hoping to impart with this message? Live in a dorm your first year, see what you think about living on campus, check out all of the other dorms and FSILGs, and make an informed decision about where you want to be. If nothing really strikes your fancy, consider rounding up some friends and getting your own place. You just might find that it will help you in ways you could never have expected. :)

Outsourcing Is An Important Tool That Organization

Outsourcing has become an important tool that organization are taking advantage of more in this age of technology. It allows for a company or organization to select a partner or source to move a portion of their business to that usually has expertise in that area. It is a option that is being utilized by organizations in many countries. Outsourcing is a tool that enables organizations to gain some levels or competitive edge in their industries. It also allows organizations to obtain some price breaks and take advantage of good and services for cheaper rates. Outsourcing to low labor countries allows organizations to truly take advantage of reduced rates for labor but at what cost? This is a very controversial practice because this normally occurs in countries that have very lenient child labor laws. Outsourcing abroad in low labor countries opens the doors for the exploitation of residents in these countries. There are con’s and pro’s to the option of outsourci ng. Organizations that choose to outsource are making the decision to displace their current workers. These were jobs that were once worked by people in the organization and now they are not faced with the dilemma of unemployment due to outsourcing. Outsourcing allows the organization to now eliminate the cost of handling payroll. In many instances, former employees are given the option to work for the company that has secured the contract but at lower rates and possibly reduced benefits or not benefits.Show MoreRelatedAdvantages and Disadvantages of Being a First Mover975 Words   |  4 PagesAdvantages and Disadvantages of being a First Mover: The timing of entry to a particular market or industry is usually important because it helps in determining a companys returns on investment. First movers are described as the first entrants to offer or sell a new product or service category in a particular industry. Some of the major advantages of being a first mover include brand loyalty and technological leadership, exploiting the switching costs of buyers, preemption of scarce assets, andRead MoreCustomer Relationship Management ( Crm )1359 Words   |  6 Pagestogether all aspects of operations and supply chain management, from raw materials to customer relationship management (CRM). Electronics retailer Best Buy found that the use of demand management tools increased price optimization, which in turn increased inventory turns by 50% (Blanchard, 2010). Other tools, like benchmarking, are also immensely valuable as automobile manufacturer Hyundai discovered. 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Many multinational organizations rely on outsourcing for a variety of products and services such as technology, customer support, automobile, clothes, telecommunication products and many more (Gottschalk, 2006). Outsourcing is an excellent process when it comes to cost advantage. Additionally, it provides organizations the time and workforce to focus on organization’s core business capabilities (Gottschalk, 2006).Read MoreRBS Computer Failure Caused by Inexperienced Operative in India 1051 Words   |  5 Pagesof staff that was working for Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest and Ulster Bank believe it’s situated in Hyderabad, India. This Company has been outsourcing their System from India and they as of recently faulted the disaster since they have been outsource the Indian staff that just been paid $9.00 compared and others. They have any proof that outsourcing company created the issue, and they cant do anything. They research the dangers or threat in outsource and more cautious in future. The issueRead MoreChapter 4 Risk Management Essay1322 Words   |  6 Pagesand their vulnerabilities, so important to the risk management process? Risk management is the process of identifying risk, as represented by vulnerabilities, to an organization’s information assets and infrastructure, and taking steps to reduce this risk to an acceptable level. Each of the three elements in the C.I.A. triangle, introduced in Chapter 1, is an essential part of every IT organization’s ability to sustain long-term competitiveness. When an organization depends on IT-based systems toRead MoreEssay about Itm 52001452 Words   |  6 Pagesterm IT outsourcing. Find at least two articles that discuss outsourcing, whether beneficial or controversial. Summarize the articles and answer the following questions in a two to three page paper: Outsourcing is the lifeblood of IT. The prevailing theory is that outsourcing saves companies money and enables them to engage a broader pool of IT skills and talent than they could in-house. http://www.itoutsourcinghq.com/ Summary: The above article talks about how IT outsourcing is the mostRead MoreCompetition And Sustainability For Reducing Production Costs1467 Words   |  6 PagesCompetition and sustainability in the third-party IT contracting industry in the United States are driven by economic factors such as outsourcing, globalization, mergers, and acquisitions (Rose-Anderssen, Baldwin, Ridgway, 2011). In turn, these factors shape and transform third-party IT contracting companies (Jancikova Brychta, 2009). IT outsourcing (ITO) is a business solution for reducing production costs (Desar McGee, 2010). This approach is used frequently in the operation of call centers

The Grim Sleeper Serial Killer Case

For more than two decades, the Los Angeles Police Department worked to solve a series of 11 murders that occurred between 1985 and 2007 that were linked to the same suspect by DNA and ballistic evidence. Because the killer took an apparent 14-year hiatus between 1988 and 2002, the media dubbed him the Grim Sleeper. Here are the current developments in the trial of Lonnie Franklin Jr. Judge Blocks Defense DNA Evidence Nov. 9, 2015: A proposed witness for the defendant in the Los Angeles Grim Sleeper case is not qualified to testify as an expert, a judge has ruled. Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy said the testimony of a so-called DNA expert could not be used at the upcoming trial of Lonnie Franklin Jr. Lawrence Sowers was prepared to testify that some of the DNA found at the crime scenes of victims attributed to Franklin belonged to convicted serial killer Chester Turner instead. Judge Kennedy ruled that Sowers woefully failed to meet the generally accepted methods of the scientific community in the area of forensic DNA analysis. During a week-long evidentiary hearing, Sowers buckled under fierce cross-examination by Deputy District Attorney Marguerite Rizzo, who challenged him on his education, his calculations, and errors in his findings. When Sowers began to change his finding during the hearing, Franklins defense attorney Seymour Amster asked the judge to postpone the hearing. I do not feel comfortable, Amster told the judge, representing Mr. Franklin at this moment with Dr. Sowers on this case. An obviously frustrated Judge Kennedy denied the request. I’m not suspending this proceeding, Kennedy said. We have been in progress on it for days and days and days and days and days and we’re going to finish it. Franklin is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 15 on 11 counts of murder and other charges. Franklin Questions DNA Evidence May 1, 2015: An attorney for the accused serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper believes DNA evidence in the cases of two women his client is suspected of killing belongs to another serial killer already on death row. Seymour Amster, attorney for Lonnie Franklin Jr., told the court that an expert hired by the defense connected DNA from two of the cases to Chester Turner, who was convicted of killing 14 women in the Los Angeles area in the 1980s and 1990s. At a pretrial hearing, Amster told the judge that the defenses case will revolve around the DNA evidence. He said his experts finding will produce lingering doubt in the minds of the jurors. Prosecutor Beth Silverman called the defense DNA findings outlandish. She said Turners DNA has been in the system for years and if any of the DNA evidence in the Franklin case was Turners it would have produced a match a long time ago. This guys taking it [the DNA] and doing his own abracadabra, Silverman told reporters, and coming up with a conclusion that is outrageous. The defense had requested DNA profiles of everyone who committed a violent felony during the 1980s and 1990s. Judge Kathleen Kennedy denied the motion, calling it a fishing expedition. Grim Sleeper Trial Date Set Feb. 6, 2015: Nearly five years after a suspect was arrested in a series of Los Angeles murders known as the Grim Sleeper case, a trial date has finally been set. Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy said jury selection will begin June 30 in the murder trial of Lonnie Franklin Jr., who is accused of killing 10 women and one man from 1985 to 2007. The setting of the trial date came after members of the families of victims in the case spoke out in court demanding a speedy trial. The family members were able to do so under the provisions of a new California law, known as Marsys Law, which is a voter-approved bill of rights for victims of crime. The law allows family members to address the court and demand a speedy trial. Those who spoke during the hearing blamed Franklins attorney for the delay in justice, saying he has been dragging his feet. Prior to the passing of Marsys Law, it was up to the discretion of the judge if victims families were allowed to speak at court hearings, parole hearings, and sentencing. The prosecution also blamed the defense for the delays in the case. Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said Judge Kennedy has failed to hold the defense to deadlines. Franklins attorney, Seymour Amster, said it was the prosecution who was responsible for delays because they have not turned over evidence in the case for further DNA testing. Amster said a defense expert found DNA from another man and three of the Grim Sleeper crime scenes and wants to run tests on more pieces found at the scenes. There are rumors that Im trying to delay this thing, he said. Im really not. Im a strong proponent of do it once, do it right. Previous Developments 'Grim Sleeper' Evidence Legal, Judge Rules Jan. 8, 2014: DNA evidence that linked a former Los Angeles garbage collector to at least 16 murders was obtained legally, a California judge has ruled. Judge Kathleen Kennedy ruled that DNA from Lonnie Franklin Jr. could be used at his trial in what is known as the Grim Sleeper serial killer case. Death Penalty Sought for 'Grim Sleeper' Aug. 1, 2011: Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for a California man accused of the serial killings of women in a case known as the Grim Sleeper murders. Lonnie Franklin Jr. is facing charges in the murder of 10 women and attempted murder of another. More Victims Linked to 'Grim Sleeper?' April 6, 2011: Investigators in Los Angeles believe the Grim Sleeper serial killer, already accused in 10 murders, may be responsible for eight additional deaths. Police are looking for the publics help in identifying three possible victims of Lonnie Franklin Jr. from photos they found hidden at his home. Grim Sleeper Pictures Provide Few Clues Dec. 27, 2010: Suspecting more victims in the Grim Sleeper serial killer case, the Los Angeles Police Department released to the public 160 photographs of women found in the possession of the main suspect, Lonnie David Franklin Jr. Although many of them have been identified, none have turned out to be victims. 'Grim Sleeper' Suspect Pleads Not Guilty Aug. 24, 2010: The man accused of killing ten women in South Los Angeles in the Grim Sleeper case has entered a not guilty plea to 10 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Lonnie Franklin Jr. also faces special circumstance charges making him eligible for the death penalty in California. Arrest Made in 'Grim Sleeper' Serial Killer Case July 7, 2010: Using DNA from his son to identify him as a suspect, the Los Angeles Police Department has arrested a man suspected in 11 serial killings going back to 1985. Lonnie Franklin Jr., who once worked as a police garage attendant, was charged with 10 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder with special circumstances of multiple murders. Police Release Sketch of 'Grim Sleeper' Nov. 24, 2009: The Los Angeles Police Department has released a sketch of a man they suspect in at least 11 deaths since the 1980s in hopes of tracking down the serial killer. The suspect is known only as the Grim Sleeper due to the fact that he apparently took a 14-year hiatus. Reward Set for 'Grim Sleeper' Serial Killer Sept. 5, 2008: Los Angeles detectives hope a $500,000 reward set by the city council last week will produce some new leads in the case of a serial killer they believe is responsible for 11 deaths over a two-decade period. All of the victims, 10 women and a man, were black and were found near South Los Angeles.

Evaluation of King David Free Essays

In both books, Samuel I and Samuel II, King David is depicted as a true, but imperfect, example of an ideal king. When David was first introduced, he was a young boy, but quickly proved himself to be a strong leader, as he defeated Goliath, the giant. But as he takes his role as king, and gets older, his judgment and decisions aren’t always smart ones. We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of King David or any similar topic only for you Order Now I believe as a moral and political leader, King David was a good king, despite his sinful nature, and there is a lot to learn from his kingship. King David’s decisions showed he was a decisive and an effective king. He captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites and took it for his own home. (Samuel II: Chapter 5, 6-7) 6: And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke unto David, saying: ‘Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither’; thinking: ‘David cannot come in hither. ‘ 7: Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. By David going and taking over the city of Jerusalem, it shows how he his a committed leader, and that he wanted to take this city and transform it to the capital of the holy land. In god’s eyes, this must be an extremely powerful act, as David is truly showing his loyalty to Hashem. We can also conclude that by David winning this battle, he must be a strong military leader. Despite some of the eventual imperfections of David, he still defeated his enemies and because of that the nation prospered. One of his great displays of devotion to God would be when he brought the ark from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem. Samuel II: Chapter 6, 15-16) 15: So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the horn. 16: And it was so, as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, This showed the people of Jerusalem his devotion to God, and he openly displayed his devotion by bringing it openly. David was aware how the Ark of th e Covenant was most sacred and powerful item to his people, so by bringing it to Jerusalem, people would give him more support and recognize him for being a strong religious leader. Even though we study today that this wasn’t the best way for David to prove he is a good religious leader, we still look up to him, as his purpose is what really counts. I believe a lot of us could learn from that, to be more open in our worship and show our devotion publicly to God. I believe David’s heart was in the right place and God knew that, that is why he blessed him in his reign. David wanted to build a house for the Lord, but instead God built a house for him. (Samuel II: Chapter 7, 5-6) 5: Go and tell My servant David: Thus said the Lord: Shalt thou build Me a house for Me to dwell in? : for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. God made a covenant with David in which God promised to make David a great and everlasting dynasty. David showed great devotion to the lord, but fell short of his glory. The lord saw he was whole-heartedly devote d to him and therefore he made an everlasting covenant with David. I believe it was David’s â€Å"good intentions† that God did not see David’s his sinful nature, because God doesn’t expect perfection, just devotion. The fact that David acted in a way that he constantly dedicated himself to God, and tried to do the right thing, is what God saw him for, and we can learn from that because people have a sinful nature sometimes, but God still cares for us. I think it is important to remember David was a human, granted he had responsibilities as a King, but he shouldn’t have been expected to be perfect. Like all humans, he had weaknesses, which got him into trouble. David had several â€Å"downfalls† in his reign. One example of David’s downfalls is when he committed adultery. (Samuel II: 11, 4) 4: And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness; and she returned unto her house. This act is perhaps one of the reasons why people have controversy over David, and if he was a â€Å"good† king or not. I believe it can be compared to that of the incident of our president Clinton. David was a human like Clinton and, given they were leaders who represented a nation, were both human. My point is that pressures are put on those with power and people expect them to be perfect when really they are not that different from us. I’m not saying that what they did was okay, but I’m just trying to understand it more. It was a sin, what they did, but God knew their hearts, and in David’s case the Lord still blessed him. I believe the greatest thing we can observe from King David would be that God called him a king after his own heart. (Samuel I: Chapter 13, 14) But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you The fact that God says this, and understands that David is a man of heart, is the most significant to learn from all of David’s actions. It was the fact that David was willing to confess his wrongdoings and admit his sins, then repent that saved him, and showed God his devotion to him. I admire David’s whole heartedness and I believe that is the most important thing I’ve learned from him. How to cite Evaluation of King David, Papers

Marriage free essay sample

Notes and Queries (1951) defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman such that children born to the woman are the recognized legitimate offspring of both partners. [7] In recognition of a practice by the Inure of Sudan allowing women to act as a husband in certain circumstances, Kathleen Cough suggested modifying this to a woman and one or more other persons. [8] Edmund Leach criticized Soughs definition for being too restrictive in terms of recognized legitimate offspring and suggested that marriage be viewed In terms of the deferent types of rights It serves to establish.Leach expanded the definition and proposed that Marriage Is a relationship established between a woman and one or more other persons, which provides that a child born to the woman under circumstances not prohibited by the rules of the relationship, is accorded full birth-status rights common to normal members of his society or social Leach argued that no one definition of marriage applied to all cultures. We will write a custom essay sample on Marriage or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He offered a list of ten rights associated with marriage, including sexual monopoly and rights with respect to children, with specific rights differing across cultures. Duran Bell also criticized the legitimacy-based definition on the basis that some societies do not require marriage for legitimacy, arguing that in societies where illegitimacy means only that the mother is unmarried and has no other legal Implications, a legitimacy-based definition of marriage Is circular. He proposed defining marriage In terms of sexual access rights.

Organizational Development paper

Organizational development (OD) as a technique helps to effect change in a company to improve its effectiveness. It contributes to a change process, and establishes long-term activities, including operation of self-managed or autonomous teams as well as problem solving opportunities (Anderson, 2011, p.2).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Development paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More OD applies to scientific knowledge on behavioral development that embraces a number of concepts, including work design, leadership skills, team building and international design. The system is a flexible scheme that entails implementation of changes. Furthermore, it should adapt quickly to changes and, when the new data is introduced or experienced, it should be ready to process it (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p. 50). Indeed, it involves a long range of efforts that will improve problem-solving strategies, as well as its ability to face various challenges within an organization (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p. 2). Organizational development considers change a process that involves a set of such activities as planning, diagnosing, assessing, and implementing (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 477). The organizational development process assures the establishment of favorable relationship within a work environment and outside it and provides groups with the possibility to initiate and manage change. Further, organizational development is considered a set of core values, such as respect and commitment, genuineness and cooperation, self-awareness and improvement, democracy and feeling of justice. The process is made up of the four main activities. These are introducing, analyzing, planning, and implementing (Anderson, 2011, p. 42). The process involves an action research scheme which allows to define the problem and analyze the reasons for introducing changes. Further, it is purposeful to plan an intervention, evaluate and implement it. The next step will involve collecting information to assess the intervention and define whether progress has been reached or whether further interventions are needed. Furthermore, it begins when a leader envisions relevant approaches and strives to enhance organizational performance (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 473). Organization development relies on open systems methods and schemes so as to get a better idea of organization’s goals. Therefore, a shift occurred to one department of an organization cannot be supported without introducing shifts to other departments (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p. 50).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Organization development stems basically from three psychological theories for an organization to understand and motivate its employees. They include need theory, job analysis model, and expectancy theory that provid e a deep insight into personal differences among the team members, as well as different kinds of organizational aspects that influence behavior (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 478). Need theory as a strategy considers motivation as a means to meet people’s needs and concerns. Need theory is strongly associated with organizational development because it is based Maslow’s theory introducing a hierarchy of needs (Jex, Britt, 2008, p. 480). It starts from the bottom with physical needs, as the basic concerns, and followed up by needs of self-esteem and actualization (McLean, 2005, p.32). Job characteristic model analyzes the way the personnel work. It also demonstrates how an employed environment influences employees’ motivation with regard to three psychological states (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 483). Expectancy theory focuses on motivation with regard to decisions that members make concerning the effort they will take to perform organizational tasks. It suggests that choic es about work effort are premised on particular beliefs or values that members uphold. The model is used to introduce effective techniques for an organization to enhance employee incentives, which is also possible through introducing reward systems (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 486). The factors that introduce organizational change and development include performance challenges, competition, organizational challenges, and technological advances. Many change strategies are more effective in reducing restraining forces and, therefore, will allow the driving conditions to provide change and decrease resistance (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 497). Participative management entails involving members directly in realizing the need for shifts, developing corresponding changes, and putting those into practice. It is also imperative to analyze the need for change and make significant external stakeholders believe that these changes are urgent (Anderson, 2011, p. 100). A vision will present future perspe ctives allowing an organization to communicate effective ideas to their employees and provide a healthy work environment. Course of action strategy needs to be developed as well to implement change. This will act as the algorithm for an organization offering directions to present an appropriate final state while defining challenges (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 499).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Development paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Leaders should be able to provide sufficient internal support and create a solid platform for introducing changes. In such a way, they can reduce resistance for employees to take an active part in the process of organizational change. By ensuring full commitment to an organization, leaders will play a crucial role in increasing organizational performance (Anderson, 2011, p. 150). However, lack of effective leadership skills heightens the challenges for publi c institutions. In this respect, organization should be provided with sufficient resources to manage change effectively. At this point, introducing planned organizational change can foster a rational distribution of resources within an organization. In addition, the public provides a stronger force for altering their interest in products (Jex, Britt, 2008, p. 501). In conclusion, in order to effect organization change, there is the need to resort to such stages as change identification, implementation planning, implementation, evaluation of the results, and seeking feedback. It is also important for a leader to understand the potential of the organization with regard to employees’ experience and motivation. References Anderson, L. D. (2011). Organization Development: The Process of Leading Organizational Change. California: SAGE. Cummings, G. T., Worley, G. C. (2008). Organization development change. Vancouver: Cengage Learning. Jex, M. S., Britt, W. T. (2008). Organizati onal psychology: A scientist – practitioner approach. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. McLean, N. G. (2005). Organization development: Principles, processes, performance. California: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Organizational Development paper was written and submitted by user Meadow R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Starting a Historical Fiction Series †A Reedsy Success Story

Starting a Historical Fiction Series – A Reedsy Success Story Starting a Historical Fiction Series – A Reedsy Success Story Author R.P. Wollbaum is another example of the tremendous opportunity that indie-publishing represents for writers. He self-published his first book in 2015 and is now working on book 5 of his Bears and Eagles series. He has found his editor and cover designer through Reedsy and has been working with them ever since. His story is quite nice, so we thought we'd let him share it on our blog.I have always been interested in history. As a young lad, I used to listen to the old-timers talk about the old country. There were still a few around that had been born in what they called Russia, now called Ukraine, and they talked about life there. They also talked about life in their new home, Canada and how there had been literally nothing but open sky and prairie when they had arrived. They even told stories they had heard from  their grandfather about life in the ‘Old Country’, and the struggles they faced to make a life for themselves.I had always had an interest in writing. B ut writing things in longhand - my handwriting is terrible- then transcribing them by typewriter was a pain and any hope of finding someone to publish your work was almost impossible. So it was just an infrequent hobby for me.Then life in Canada changed and our young men and women were once again losing their lives in war. This time in Afghanistan and a young man serving as a member of the King’s Own Calgary Regiment lost his life. Most of us in Canada know of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) Battalion. Albertans know about the Lord Strathcona Horse (an armored brigade), and Calgarians know about the Calgary Highlanders. They are all famous Canadian regiments. But the King’s Own Calgary Regiment? Who were they?So I researched this little-known cavalry brigade and thought to myself, what led this young man from a country not known for its military history, to join a reserve reconnaissance battalion? A plotline developed and I worked backwa rd in time to come to a starting point in the late nineteenth century when things were much like they are today, but I definitely still needed to do some worldbuilding. Huge Imperial Empires were dueling over land and prestige. Islamic fundamentalists were fighting to expand their territories and Christians were fighting them.I placed a young educated man, Russian born to German emigrants and his younger brother in a Cossack battalion along with other younger sons of other German families and progressed from there. Each book of the Bears and Eagles series follows the next generation of this family and I place them in times and events that did occur, but perhaps not exactly how or when.The explosion of indie-produced writers made the decision to publish easy, and I made a choice early on to obtain professional help for editing and book cover design. I had enough budget to edit two novels and one book cover. So I published Bears and Eagles, the first book in the series. It was well re ceived for a first effort by an unknown author.My original cover was eye-catching, but its retro art was not particularly suited to my theme. That is when I discovered Reedsy and the services they provided. I chose Dane Low to be my cover artist. Not only was he easy to work with, but I thought his addition of a battle scene into the background of the design was masterful. He is my choice as cover artist for the rest of the series.The original editor I had hired did a good job, but there were mistakes. So I again looked to Reedsy for help. I am a guy. I write for guys, but I have many powerful female characters in my novels, and I made the decision to find a female editor to work with. Kate O’Donnell and I came to an agreement for an editorial assessment of Eagles Claw and right away we had a connection. I take most of what she wants me to do to heart. Although we speak the same language, we have different cultures and usages of language that have to be ironed out at times. S he is Australian, I’m not, and my target market is North American males; but we are able to compromise, both of us being a little quirky and offbeat in our own ways.She was my sole choice for Eagles Talon, the third release of the series. She performed the whole editing process for me and did fantastic work. My work is now being noticed, even though I only first published last June. Kobo has recently asked me to participate in a pilot project they are putting together that may see my hard copies distributed with the Indigo chain. Kate is about to do an editorial assessment of the fifth novel in the series, and I am about to begin rewrites on book four, for which she did everything - from an editorial assessment to a full and substantial copy edit.I have expanded my distribution beyond Amazon and Kobo and have found that other sales channels, for me, sell as well or better than Amazon.  My Reedsy experience has been fantastic. Soon I will be searching for a marketing profess ional to join my team and will be looking to Reedsy once again.My journey continues.You can check out R.P. Wollbaum's Bears and Eagles series on Amazon here.  As always, feel free to leave any questions for R.P. Wollbaum in the comments below. And if you're ready to follow his example and looking for an editor, designer, or marketer, take a look at Reedsy here!