history :: essays research papers

Unique This paper centers around the history and study of trance. The presentation talks about the sources of mesmerizing that go back to pre-noteworthy occasions and the principal individuals to utilize entrancing like strategies to modify or change human conduct utilizing the intensity of proposal. A foundation and investigation of Franz Anton Mesmer, the man who a great many people partner with the start of trance, is explained on all through this paper. I will likewise examine what spellbinding is, the means by which it is utilized to clarify human encounters, and how research does or doesn't bolster the hypothesis of mesmerizing. I will likewise give instances of how trance is applied, why it’s utilized, and how it has been seen in the over a wide span of time times. The History and Science of Hypnosis Introduction a concise history of the idea of spellbinding The study of entrancing, remote from being an act of present day times, is one that has been contemplated and considered over since pre-notable occasions. The work of sleep inducing like strategies to modify human conduct utilizing the intensity of recommendation and redundant motivating forces to awaken the psyche or the spirits were utilized by various antiquated civic establishments (Baker, 1990, p. 51). These techniques were normally connected with a trust in enchantment and the mysterious, and the conviction that these methodology were outside human ability to comprehend. As per Baker (1990), cleric doctors of antiquated Egypt incited rest like states in others. This training was additionally unmistakable in the rest sanctuaries of old style Greece. For this situation, admirers endeavored to invoke Hypnos, the lord of rest, what it's identity was accepted brought them prophetic dreams. Another case of the utilization of entrancing like strategies goes back to 2600 BC in China, where Wang Tai, the dad of Chinese Medicine, composed of a â€Å"medical strategy that included utilizing mantras and s trange ignores of the hands the patient that leaves no uncertainty about its mesmerizing nature (Baker, 1990, p. 51). As per Baker (1990), the utilization of trancelike like strategies and methodology were referenced in the Hindu Vera, expounded on 1500 BC, and the Ebers papyrus, which is known to be more than 3,000 years of age, portrays an expressive strategy incredibly like the procedures present day trance inducers practice today. Despite the fact that the act of mesmerizing seems to have started during these pre-notable occasions, and there are a lot more records like the last mentioned, the truth of the matter is that these individuals of various grounds, a great many years back, may have thought about the odd forces of spellbinding; that it gave off an impression of being enchantment and it helped fix the wiped out, however these antiquated individuals thought minimal about what entrancing truly was (Kennedy, 1979, p.

Take THAT, Microsoft

Take THAT, Microsoft Like you might have read on some of the other blogs, the EA Telethon was last night, which is always a lot of fun. I was in class until 9 PM, so I only made a couple of phone calls, but I really enjoyed talking to you guys. The night was particularly entertaining when we started sharing stories about phone calls last year to freshmen we know and love now. It was pretty funny when I looked at the sign-in sheet and saw the name of someone I knew from the blogs but had never actually met in real life. So I asked Marisa, one of the Admissions Counselors (recent MIT grads who serve on the admissions committee) where he was. He heard me calling his name and we finally were able to introduce ourselves to each other. Are you Dember? Yeah, hi, youre Laura, right? Oh my God, Ive known you for like a year and weve never actually met. I know, you called me at the telethon last year. And so the admissions cycle comes full circle. =) In other news. Mystery Hunt was awesome. Like, really awesome. My story went like this: Mystery Hunt began at noon on Friday when I was still in New Jersey. A couple of hours after that I got on a train to Boston, then took the subway. I got to campus around midnight. On the way back to my dorm I stopped at my teams (Death From Above) headquarters for awhile, duffel bag in hand. Seven hours of puzzling later, I made it back to my room. I took a four hour nap, found something to eat and made it back to my team headquarters around 2 PM Saturday. The coin was found twelve hours later, but since the Hunt Headquarters stayed open until 3 PM Sunday, a (very small) subset of my team decided to stick around anyway. (The way Mystery Hunt works is that the first team to find the hidden coin wins- which means they have the privilege of writing next years Hunt. Normally, that means someone finds the coin and the Hunt is over. This year, the Hunt organizers kept their HQ open for several more hours so that other dedicated teams who werent able to win were still able to actually complete the Hunt, which is a rather impressive task.) In effect, this basically means that the Hunt was mostly over and the few remaining members of my team had no chance of finishing on our own anyway, but I elected to stay awake for 36 straight hours just for the sake of doing puzzles in sleep-deprived delirium. I distinctly remember asking myself around 4 AM (as I was looking up Sanskrit as well as Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs for this puzzleyeah, if you read the solution just wait until you see how far off the mark we were) What in the hell am I doing here? It was a beautifully absurd MIT moment. Of course, not everyone is as insane as I am. Plenty of them went to sleep once there was no discernible reason to continue, and there are some who even think Mystery Hunt is a waste of time. But Im personally proud of the hours of my life spent researching obscure languages, sorting by DVD region codes, asking people about different types of tea, seeking out World of Warcraft experts, and carefully assembling little diamond-shaped paper cut-outs in a complex word pattern. For those of you who are interested, you can find the entire 2007 Hunt here. As for the real point of my entry, which is referenced in the title, Id just like to say that according to this web analysis of the Hunt web page, 78.59% of puzzle hunters use Firefox (to IEs 12.83%). Im not sure why, but that statistic makes me inexplicably happy. =)

The Roles of Women in The Chrysanthemums and Every Day Use

In the process that the feminist liberation movement assembled with strength and drive, opinion makers tagged along, and the definitive literature developed, The Chrysanthemums is a fiction, of the 1930’s narrated by a firm and qualified women removed from absolute individual, civil, and intimate fulfillment, by the predominant notion of a women’s role in a world monopolized by men. Every Day Use Irony has it when people do not understand the origin of their own heritage, but make an effort to pretend. There is a grand disconnect when the items of your tradition become artifacts rather than personal items. In the story of Every Day Use, Dee was privileged to go away to school. She was born into an area that was unfortunate and money was the issue. Her mom, Mama, actually raised money with her neighborhood to help send her very own daughter to college. Mama honored Dee by giving her an education that she had never received after Mama’s school closed done before she had finished second grade. Little did she know that the education that she would have provided for her would actually create discomfort and separation between Dee and her family. Dee showed sign of this when: she took pictures of the home she grew up, as if it were to become an article, she completely changed her name despite the family inheritance it carried, and she insisted to keep the quilts , but as an artifact To begin, Dee had been away from home for some time, and Mama was very excited to be reunitedShow MoreRelatedComparison Of The Chrysanthemums And The White Quail 1333 Words   |  6 Pagescharacters were set in the common day view of men and women. In the 1930s, â€Å"[Society has] assigned to white women such roles as housewife, secretary, PTA chairman, and schoolteacher. Black women can now be schoolteachers, too, but they are most prominently assigned to such domestic roles as maid, cook, waitress, and babysitter† (Chisholm 123). These assigned roles have impacted women around the world, including the two characters in these short stories - â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"The White Quail†. NotRead MoreEssay on The Chrysanthemums1123 Words   |  5 Pages Everything is everything in the world of short stories. Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums is full of thick rhetoric that raises questions and stirs the mind and imagination. Everything from the title, to the last line needs to be thought about more than once. The story isnt just about a farmers wife who likes pretty flowers. Not in the least! The Chrysanthemums is a story about how Elisa Allen is forced to a life that she feels is trapping her. The story is set in the early twentieth centuryRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck1179 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck A symbol is an act, person, thing, or spectacle that stands for something else, by association a usually broader idea in addition to its own literal meaning (Cassill Bausch, 1728). John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums may seem as a story describing a simple day with the Allen couple. It begins with Elisa Allen working in her garden and her husband, Henry Allen, negotiating with two suited business men that want to purchase steers. TheyRead MoreAnalysis Of Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck971 Words   |  4 PagesChrysanthemums† has many different ideas of what women’s roles are in today’s society. I think one of the key themes is gender inequality. Elisa is a passionate, independent, and a beautiful person inside and out. And no matter what she does or says, her husband will never see her for more than an object. Because the story is written through Elisa’s point of view and is set in 1938. Because of this, it really portrays where women stood at that time. Taking place during winter in Salinas Valley,Read More Little Woman, Small World Essay1978 Words   |  8 PagesIn a small world, there is not much choice for a simple woman. Throughout history, women often are portrayed as the weaker sex. As a result of this assumption, women try to disassociate themselves from this custom and be more independent with their lives. One of John Steinbeck’s most accomplished short stories, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† a story which concerns a married couple and examines Elisa’s dissatisfaction with her life. The story takes place in the Salinas Valley of California in December at HenryRead More Feminist Perspective of John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums Essay2630 Words   |  11 PagesA Feminist Perspective of John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums   John Steinbeck, in his short story The Chrysanthemums depicts the trials of a woman attempting to gain power in a mans world. Elisa Allen tries to define the boundaries of her role as a woman in such a closed society. While her environment is portrayed as a tool for social repression, it is through nature in her garden where Elisa gains and shows off her power. As the story progresses, Elisa has trouble extending this powerRead MoreItalian Business Essay1714 Words   |  7 Pagespaid day off for nationally recognized holidays. If the employee is required to work on a national holiday, they are required to receive a pay rate of double their current salary for every hour worked on that date. Italy also celebrates regional holidays. Every major city in Italy closes for their patron saint day. These are nationally recognized holidays in those areas and employers are required to provide a paid day off for those dates. Smaller towns generally celebrate the patron saint day ofRead MoreEnglish All Semester 26504 Words   |  27 Pages 7. What are the neighbors complaining about? What does Judge Stevens say probably has caused it? The neighbors are complaining about a bad smell, Judge Stevens say it’s probably some dead rats. 8. What did Miss Emily tell her visitors the day after her fathers death? Miss Emily told all her visitor her father was not dead. 9. Who began to date Miss Emily in Part III, and why was he in town? Miss Emily began dating Homer Barron in part III; he was a foreman who came to take care toRead MoreChinese Food Culture5877 Words   |  24 Pagesavailable summer foodstuffs are often served chilled and are dressed with a piquant sauce. Holistic Aesthetic Appeal - Chinese cooking has traditionally placed a great deal of emphasis on the aesthetic appeal of the individual dish as well as on the role the individual dish plays in the totality of the dining experience. Inherent in this sentiment is the attention paid to the harmony and balance of the ingredients of an individual dish - the dishs texture, color, aroma, and flavor - as well as theRead MoreGung Ho Movie Analysis9681 Words   |  39 Pagesbetween two very different mentalities in a working environment. 2 . Theoritical Analysis: A.  Ã‚  Hofstede’s  dimensions   The movie Gung Ho tries to show how cultures can benefit from each other. In order to have a deeper understanding, we are going to use the five Hofstede’s dimensions, which show how management is affected by differences and similarities between cultural groupings. We have to keep in mind that these dimensions were defined on a society level and form a general model that describes tendencies

Where Are the Geographic Centers of Each US State

Have you ever wondered where the geographic center of a state is located? (The geographic center would be  where you could balance the state if it were completely flat.) To satisfy your curiosity, here is a list of the geographic centers of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. To be helpful, both the absolute and relative location are given below. Oh, and if you want the information in kilometers rather than miles, multiply by 1.6. The Geographic Centers of Each State in the US​ Alabama -  86 °38W 32 °50.5N - 12 mi. SW of Clanton Alaska -  152 °28.2W 64 °43.9N -  60 mi. NW of Mt. McKinley Arizona -  111 °47.6W 34 °18.5N -  55 mi. ESE of Prescott Arkansas -  92 °18.1W 34 °48.9N -  12 mi. NW of Little Rock California -  120 °4.9W 36 °57.9N -  38 mi. E of Madera Colorado -  105 °38.5W 38 °59.9N -  30 mi. NW of Pikes Peak Connecticut -  72 °42.4W 41 °35.7N -  at East Berlin Delaware -  75 °30.7W 38 °58.8N -  11 mi. S of Dover Florida -  81 °37.9W 28 °8N -  12 mi. NNW of Brooksville Georgia -  83 °29.7W 32 °42.8N - 18 mi. SE of Macon Hawaii -  157 °16.6W 20 °57.1N - near Maui Island Idaho -  114 °57.4W 44 °15.4N -  at Custer, SW of Challis Illinois -  89 °18.4W 40 °0.8N -  28 mi. NE of Springfield Indiana -  86 °16W 39 °53.7N -  14 mi. NNW of Indianapolis Iowa -  93 °23.1W 41 °57.7N -  5 mi. NE of Ames Kansas -  98 °41.9W 38 °29.9N -  15 mi. NE of Great Bend Kentucky -  85 °30.4W 37 °21.5N -  3 mi. NNW of Lebanon Louisiana -  92 °32.2W 30 °58.1N -  3 mi. SE of Marksville Maine -  69 °14W 45 °15.2N -  18 mi. N of Dover Maryland -  77 °22.3W 39 °26.5N -  4 ½ mi. NW of Davidsonville Massachusetts -  72 °1.9W 42 °20.4N - in northern Worcester Michigan -  84 °56.3W 45 °3.7N -  5 mi. NNW of Cadillac Minnesota -  95 °19.6W 46 °1.5N -  10 mi. southwest of Brainerd Mississippi -  89 °43W 32 °48.9N -  9 mi. WNW of Carthage Missouri -  92 °37.9W 38 °29.7N -  20 mi. SW of Jefferson City Montana -  109 °38.3W 47 °1.9N -  11 mi. W of Lewiston Nebraska -  99 °51.7W 41 °31.5N -  10 mi. NW of Broken Bow Nevada -  116 °55.9W 39 °30.3N -  26 mi. SE of Austin New Hampshire -  71 °34.3W 43 °38.5 -  3 mi. E of Ashland New Jersey -  74 °33.5W 40 °4.2N -  5 mi. SE of Trenton New Mexico -  106 °6.7W 34 °30.1N -  12 mi. SSW of Willard New York -  76 °1W 42 °57.9N -  12 mi. S of Oneida and 26 mi. SW of Utica North Carolina -  79 °27.3W 35 °36.2N -  10 mi. NW of Sanford North Dakota -  100 °34.1W 47 °24.7N -  5 mi. SW of McClusky Ohio -  82 °44.5W 40 °21.7N -  25 mi. NNE of Columbus Oklahoma -  97 °39.6W 35 °32.2N - 8 mi. N of Oklahoma City Oregon -  120 °58.7W 43 °52.1N -  25 mi. SSE of Prineville Pennsylvania -  77 °44.8W 40 °53.8N -  2 ½ mi. SW of Bellefonte Rhode Island -  71 °34.6W 41 °40.3N -  1 mi. SSW of Crompton South Carolina -  80 °52.4W 33 °49.8N -  13 mi. SE of Columbia South Dakota -  100 °28.7W 44 °24.1N -  8 mi. NE of Pierre Tennessee -  86 °37.3W 35 °47.7N -  5 mi. NE of Murfreesboro Texas -  99 °27.5W 31 °14.6N -  15 mi. NE of Brady Utah -  111 °41.1W 39 °23.2N -  3 mi. N of Manti Vermont -  72 °40.3W 43 °55.6N -  3 mi. E of Roxbury Virginia -  78 °33.8W 37 °29.3N -  5 mi. SW of Buckingham Washington -  120 °16.1W 47 °20N -  10 mi. WSW of Wenatchee Washington, D.C. -  76 °51W 39 °10N -  Near 4th L Sts. N.W. West Virginia -  80 °42.2W 38 °35.9N -  4 mi. E of Sutton Wisconsin -  89 °45.8W 44 °26N -  9 mi. SE of Marshfield Wyoming -  107 °40.3W 42 °58.3N -  58 mi. ENE of Lander

Econ 256 Final Free Essays

2. Why do economists generally regard median income as a better measure of a typical American’s well-being than mean income? Dfiodifaje 3. Why do the United States, and many other counties, have antitrust laws on the books? What’s so harmful about oligopoly that warrants an entire body of law? The United States and many other countries have antitrust laws on the books to protect their consumers in their different markets. We will write a custom essay sample on Econ 256 Final or any similar topic only for you Order Now Having the abilities to both raise and lower prices are the reasons that oligopolies are so harmful. . Two consumers go to the insurance company to purchase some life insurance. James is a smoker and a police officer who races motorcycles in his spare time. Kathy is a nonsmoker and a librarian who likes to make quilts in her spare time. The insurance company knows that both consumers are 40 years old, but the company has no information about occupations or hobbies. How does the private information in this situation create an adverse-selection problem? How could the insurance company lessen this problem? Without knowing the background information on the potential clients, insurance companies are without the ability to see that while James is risking his life as a police officer, he is also a smoker and racer. He’s putting his life on the line and still increasing the risk of injuries. The insurance should have a line on their application that asks for applicants for their occupation, whether they are smokers or if they drink, and lastly what they enjoy doing in their spare time. With having this information, the company can see what each of the individuals really needs insurance-wise. 6. Jane works part-time and earns $12,000 per year. Because she is below the poverty line, she also earns $4,000 in various welfare benefits. Suppose she is offered a new job that would pay her $15,000 and would bring her earnings high enough so that she no longer qualified for any welfare benefits. This is what is known as a â€Å"notch†. Explain what is happening with Jane and how could we modify the system to eliminate the notch. How to cite Econ 256 Final, Papers

Child of Night free essay sample

I laid motionless, but my brain was spinning. I felt as though at any moment the top bunk would come crashing down and squish me. I stared up in amazement, happy with every breath I took. The view from my bottom bunk wasnt interesting, but due to my lack of fatigue I entertained myself with endless possibilities. I used my hands to hold my eyes open so I would not sleep. Some people didnt wake up from sleep, why would I want to do such a thing? I could hear dishes crashing in the kitchen. Voices talking. As a seven year old I felt my body had endless limitations. What if I missed something important? Mom, I yelled loudly, ignorant to my sleeping siblings. She came rushing into my bedroom. Whats the matter Justine, she quietly whispered to me. Nearly in tears I whimpered, I cant stop thinking. We will write a custom essay sample on Child of Night or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Her face told a story of confusion but she calmly said, Just close your eyes and try to think about sleeping. Mom, I said, when I close my eyes I try to think about what color my eyes are seeing and decide what it should look like and I cant decide! She reassured me, just try to sleep, Justine. Since my existence I have never found sleeping to be particularly easy, its actually very difficult for me. for most people sleep is a wonderful end to their day, its relaxing, calm and rejuvenating, none of which appeal to me. Sleep is the evil in my life. Its the one thing that doesnt make sense to me. Every situation and challenge I look towards with determination and an eagerness to gain knowledge, but sleep is impossible. It is the winning lottery ticket that chances are Ill never find. No matter how hard I try to find new ways to trick my mind into sleeping, nothing works. My body and mind still believe they are young and limitless. Alone with your covers as a shield you can face fears, worries, anxieties, fantasies much more. One particular night I was laying in bed as usual. I’d already taken my nightly water break. I heard my dad come through the door loudly. I debated on getting up to say hello but decided against it. I remember the house being silent. Slowly it began to get louder. Dishes moving. Voices getting louder. Lots of movement. I snuck out of bed to sit near the ajar door. I listened to the grown up fight. Every moment passed felt like an hour. At one point I heard my mom cry out. I marched into the kitchen. My parents saw me and suddenly everything was quiet again. â€Å"Are you ok,† I nervously asked. â€Å"Yes I’m okay, let’s go back to bed,† my mom reassured me as we walked back to my room. I finally feel asleep next to her. As a child of the night, I was unknowingly subjected to a lot of adult conversations. At the time these experiences seemed insignificant in my life, but looking back I can see that they were not. I learned what happened if adults fight. I learned why adults fight, and how. Watching my parents struggle as a couple for so many nights taught me a lot. I became independent and mature thanks to them. I learned how fear could disable someone thanks to them, and I decided to be fearless. I watched my younger siblings feed into their fantasy of every day life, and felt powerful for knowing the truth. After seventeen years I still do not sleep regularly. Looking back I can see the independent and courageous young girl who feared nothing. Unlike normal little girls she did not fear the dark, or being alone, she welcomed it with a sense of determination for knowledge. This mindset has grown with me. There have been innumerable struggles and many difficult school assignments, but I’ve we lcomed them all and conquered them. To this day, when I lie in bed and can not sleep I think back to what color my eyes are seeing. Its red, then blue, then a yellow square appears. I can decide to choose whatever color, shape, or scene I want it to be. Im free to think about any thing. Maybe someday Ill fly a plane. Or swim with sharks. My mind is a place that is only mine, no one can judge it or talk harshly because they are unaware of my numerous thoughts. Laying alone in the dark has helped me work through struggles. Sleep happens to be my arch-nemesis. Reality wants me to get rest and sleep, but my mind doesnt approve. My mind wants to be able to run free and chose its own fate, and that is what I’m doing.

Managing Workforce Diversity

Executive Summary Workforce diversity is an issue that has generated sufficient interest from business managers, and scholars. Simply put effective management of workforce diversity as recognizing, understanding and appreciating the uniqueness of each individual in the staff. This should however not be motivated only by the potential to increase profit margin. Even so, a diverse workforce might result in increase employee creativity and innovation.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Managing Workforce Diversity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Similarly, an employer who has a good reputation of managing effectively the workforce will automatically attract, recruit and retain the best talent. As result, this group will bring on board different knowledge and experience of dealing with a diverse client base. On the other hand, diversity has its limitations. Some employees might not fit in very well and hence fail to p lay along the team for general good of the organization. Despite this, the benefits outweigh the limitation as portrayed IBM Company and Bank of Montrel. Both the two companies have a reputation of advocating for a diverse workforce. They have included workforce diversification in their corporate strategy and set programs to ensure they achieve these objectives. As a result, they have achieved tremendous success and increased employee productivity. Perhaps, the only challenge they have had to face in the process is committing most of their time and resources (money) in pursuing this endeavour. Introduction Without a doubt, the greatest asset an organization can have is its human resource. Therefore, issues affecting the staff have increasingly become popular among business managers, scholars, policy makers and other stake holders. One issue that have particularly generated sufficient interest is managing workforce diversity. O’leary Weathington (2006) defines diversity simpl y as way of differentiating one person from another. Diversity is about recognizing and appreciating the uniqueness of each person. People can be different in terms of race, sexual orientation, age, gender and physical abilities just to mention a few (Burke 2007). As a result, workforce diversity has become a major business concern. Managing it should not be merely motivated by the potential of increasing the profit margin but also, should be to ensure the work environment is conducive, safe and nurturing (O’leary Weathington 2006). Any business that manages its workforce effectively is bound to enjoy several benefits. Advantages of Workforce diversity It would be hypocritical not to acknowledge the fact that most business primarily exist with an intention of profit maximization. As result, most of the organization activities will be geared towards achieving this goal. Efficient management of the workforce diversity can accelerate the process by increasing the companyâ€℠¢s competitive edge (Ongori Agolla 2007).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More O’leary Weathington (2006) pointed out that are diversified staff is likely to be more creative, innovative and generally possess a relatively high ability of coming up with quality work. As oppose to a homogeneous group, when a diverse group gets acquainted to one another, their job performance becomes superior due to an efficient interaction process (Ongori Agolla 2007). Workforce diversity has also been credited with the ability of increasing the market share. This is because a diversified organization has the necessary resources, in terms of skill, to deal with a multicultural client base. Similarly, various studies have established that most customers prefer to deal with people who they perceive to possess similar attributes as theirs. This factor particularly becomes important to an or ganization which is looking to venture into new and foreign markets, such as a different country (Burke 2007). Another very important point is the fact that according to Burke (2007), a significant group of customers generally favour those organizations that seem to encourage workforce diversity. Having an effective employer brand can significantly increase a business profit margin. This is because; an employer who is positively perceived will automatically attract, recruit and retain the best talent. Workforce diversity is one factor that has enhances this brand. According to Burke (2007), companies that have a diversified workforce and therefore a strong brand, enjoy reduced cost associated with the recruitment process by almost 40%. After recruiting the best talent, consisting of diverse individuals, the quality of management is most likely going to be improved. This is due to the fact managers are forced by various legislation and ethical guidelines to adopt anti-discriminatory policies. Manager also gain additional skills of handling different types of people and therefore are prepared to deal even with are more diverse client base (Burke 2007). Disadvantages Despite the overwhelming merits associated with workforce diversity, there still exist some negative factors that have been associated with it. O’leary Weathington (2006) actually pointed out that workforce diversity can be a double edge sword. This is especially true if the organization manages it primary for the purpose of profit maximization. Unfortunately, most management efforts are geared towards this goal. Mismanaging the workforce diversity makes an organization prone to various set backs. To begin with, the morale of the workers becomes dampened. From reviewing various literatures, O’leary Weathington (2006) discovered that when an employee fails to identify with a certain group, he or she loses the morale and consequently experience job dissatisfaction.Advertising We wi ll write a custom report sample on Managing Workforce Diversity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Browder Miller (2009) there are certain groups of people who react adversely to various initiatives adopted to manage the workforce diversity. For example, a study indicated that women and people from ethnic minority will react positively to a diversified work force. However, white male showed a negative attitude towards these initiatives and even become less productive. When diversity is not positively appreciated by the workforce, an organization will automatically experience a number of stumbling blocks. These barriers will include an upsurge in interpersonal conflict, diminished commitments level, and automatically lack of team work (O’leary Weathington 2006). Case Studies As outlined by O’leary Weathington (2006), the issue is not whether or not to diversify the workforce, diversify is inevitable; the iss ue is how to effectively manage diversification. There are number of organizations that have successful been able to do this and as a result have enjoyed tremendous success. A good example includes the following. International Business Machine (IBM) IBM is a multinational company specializing in information technology and business consulting. Over its long and outstanding history, the company has achieved tremendous success. For example in the year 2000, Forbes magazine ranked it as the world second largest Information and Technology Company both in terms of market capitalization and profitability. Similarly, recent data ranks it as number four in terms of size and number two in terms of Global brand value; coming second after Coca-cola company (Browder Miller 2009). Workforce Diversity at IBM Among the factors attributed to its success is its effective management of workforce diversity. Ted Childs, one of its retired executive, was in fact in 2000 named by a reporter in the Fast C ompany magazine as the most effective diversity executive in the world. Long before the need to effectively manage workforce diversity became an issue, IBM had already incorporated it in its policies as a major strategic objective. Currently the management practices and policies guiding the workforce diversity are well expanded to focus on matters beyond the normal issues such as gender, race, religion, and physical abilities (Browder Miller 2009). Equal opportunity, affirmative action and work/life are the most notable programs this company has taken on to effectively manage its workforce diversity. By equal opportunity, the company implies that all its business activities are free of any form of discrimination. It is the duty of every manager to ensure the workplace environment is conducive for all employees.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Regardless of colour, physical ability, gender, sexual orientation or any other unique attribute, every employee in the organization has an equal chance of pursuing and advancing in their career to the best of their ability. This is in line with equity theory which implies that employees usually expect to be rewarded according to their efforts (IBM 2007; O’leary Weathington 2006). IBM management also acknowledges not all employees are able to compete on an equal ground. When the environment is left on its own without any form of control, some employees will be at a disadvantage. Some of these employees include the disabled, women, aboriginals, among others. Therefore, it was deemed appropriate to formulate an affirmative action that ensured all factors hindering this group of people are excluded (IBM 2007). For example, the organization addresses the needs of the women through the Women in Technology initiative. This initiative was undertaken in 1997 to support talented wome n in the technology industry. Through partnership with other organizations, it encourages more young girls to pursue career in IT sector. Similarly, it creates an effective recruitment process to bring on board more talented women. Another similar initiative is its accommodation fund which aims at enabling people with disability access adaptive equipments that helps them function as well as other people. This fund aims to cover the cost of acquiring these equipments. Also, part of its workforce diversity policies is the work/life program. This program indicates that the organization understands different employees have other needs apart from working (IBM 2007; Browder Miller 2009). Advantages of Workforce diversity to IBM According to O’leary Weathington (2006) employees naturally value a sense of justice and fairness. If they feel this is not being offered to them, then they are more inclined to take actions that will definitely have negative effects on their productivity. However, if they feel their needs is being addressed the vice-versa will happen. Such is the case at IBM, the management at the company have pointed out that they have experienced increased teamwork. For instance, Browder Miller (2009) elaborated that the partnership between senior management and employees has significantly evolved to a point whereby a positive overhaul in organization culture was experienced. According to Browder Miller (2009) most of this organization’s employees feel personally involved in the company’s matters and hence hold themselves responsible for the company’s success. Another important merit is the fact that IBM has used it’s the diversification as bridge to the market place. As result, the capacity to handle foreign culture and belief has tremendously increased. These initiatives have also streamlined the recruitment process enabling the company to attract the best talent. Even when there is scarce talent in the labour marke t, initiatives such as the training of fresh talent ensures the organization has plenty of supply. Women in Technology, is such as initiative. However, a notable contribution of the workforce diversity to the company’s bottom line is the fact it was able to turn 10 million dollars to 200 million dollar. This happened within a span of 3 years, from 198 to 2001, as result of effectively employing a diverse group of vendors (IBM 2007; Browder Miller 2009). Disadvantages Amid all the benefits effective management of workforce diversity has brought to both the employees and the organization, there still exist some minor demerits experienced. One of the major set back is the increase in operating cost. The organization over the past years has been forced to spend huge sums of money to maintain its image as a global organization that highly support diversification. For example, buying adaptive instrument require additional allocation of funds. Similarly, their work/life balance pro gram, which at times allows employees to work at home, has to a certain percentage reduced the control of the manager (IBM 2007; Browder Miller 2009). Another factor that can act as disadvantage to this organization is combining workforce diversification program with affirmative action. The move can be quite counter productive. This is because, more often than not affirmative action are designed to cover certain groups of people who had previously experienced some sort of social injustice. As result, applying it as workforce diversity program can mistakenly favour one group over the other. Therefore, when adopted in an organization, as in the case for IBM, it might lead to resistance. At the moment staffs in this organization very satisfied with what IBM is doing. Therefore it should not relent in its efforts of effectively managing the workforce diversity (IBM 2007; Browder Miller 2009). Bank of Montreal (BMO) Bank of Montreal, or as it is well known BMO, is another company that has a high reputation of effectively managing and encouraging workforce diversity. It is cited as the oldest and fourth largest bank-in terms of customer’s deposit- in Canada. In 1989, it incorporated the establishing and managing of a diverse workforce in its corporate strategy. The move indicated how serious this company is when it comes to managing workforce diversity. Recently, it was awarded the 2010 Canada’s Best Diversity Employer (BMO financial group 2010). Workforce Diversity at BMO The company has taken several steps to ensure workforce diversity is well managed. As an indication of how serious it is on the issue, the top leadership have been fully involved in the process. This is done through the establishment of a CEO council of equitable workplace. The council regularly monitors and review the progress of the organization towards achieving the set goals. Well laid down infrastructure such online platforms, helps in reviewing the progress quarterly. Similar ly, annual performance appraisals are conducted. The assigned managers are held accountable of any regression witnessed. If the progress in their departments is wanting, they should have a good enough reason as to why that is so, while at the sometime suggesting ways of improving the system (BMO financial group 2010). To ensure the environment is conducive enough to support the works of senior management, the company went ahead and develop the diversity councils and affinity groups. Diversity councils are groups which actively involves all the employees of BMO in the process of effectively managing the workforce. They create a platform which allow these employees to champion for are diversified and inclusive work environment. Affinity group contributes to the success of these objectives by including the whole community at large (BMO financial group 2010). In addition, BMO has gone an extra mile to become the top sponsor of the external diversity employer award. This is an award syst em that honours those companies that manages well their diverse workforce. The main aim of the award scheme is to encourage organization to adopt workplace best management practices. Such a move signals that this organization is not merely motivated by profit gains, but it is sincerely concerned about the welfare of the workforce. This conclusion is arrived by considering two factors; the first one is the fact that it encourages other organization to incorporate objectives concerning effective management of workforce diversity, in their corporate. This it does knowing very well that when other organizations adopts its recommendation, their might increase their competitive advantage. As result, pose serious competition especially if they are targeting the same market. The second one, is the fact that BMO is not eligible to contest therefore missing out the opportunities that comes along with being among the winners (BMO financial group 2010). Advantages of Workforce diversity to BMO Both external studies and sources within the company have pointed out to a number of benefits associated with effective management of workforce diversity. These benefits are not any different from those enjoyed by IBM or any other company that has adopted best practices. Particularly the company is enjoying merits in the recruitment and retention process. Initiatives such as equity through education, undertaken by this organization continuously ensure there is supply of talent. This initiative provides education and training to marginalized groups (BMO financial group 2010).. Similarly, the diverse workforce has assisted this organization to understand the customers. Therefore, it has become is to forecast the way customers are likely to react when certain business actions are undertaken. BMO financial group (2010), acknowledge this fact by categorically stating that its diverse workforce reflects its customer base. For a company operating in Canada, whereby visible minorities and p eople regarded as ‘marginalized’ hold quite a substantial purchasing power, this factor becomes very important. More over, when BMO hired Chinese speaking employees in its branches at the Asian markets, its level of success increased since customer responded positively. The employees were culturally competent and therefore well positioned to satisfy the customers’ needs. For example, they suggested new ways of interacting with customers and changes in the organization structure and branding techniques, to include factors such as new colours which reflect the culture of this nation (BMO financial group 2010). Effective management of the workforce diversity has not only benefited the employer but also the employees. Particularly the policies associated with communication has enabled employee voice their concerns in areas where they feel equal opportunity is not being practiced. As result, employees have become more aware their rights. If either one of them feel his or her right is being isolated, they know exactly which offices they can visit to present their case and demand for necessary action to be taken. As result, various surveys have indicated that most employee of this organization continuously feel as essential part of the system. This has automatically resulted into increase productivity and levels of commitment. Actually senior executives have reported a continuous increase in creativity, innovation and collective knowledge (BMO financial group 2010). Disadvantage Various cultural dimensions will determine how people behave or generally conduct themselves. Definitely multi-cultural workforce is bound to experience various challenges. Factors such as language barrier, key values and approach to life can make an employee detach him or herself from the visibly different group. As result BMO has been forced to engage in tremendous effort and dedicate massive resources required to ensure there is harmony among all employees (BMO financia l group 2010). This takes a lot of time and money; extra employees are needed for the sole purpose of ensuring accord. Similar employees, especially top managers, have to spend substantial time analysing and reviewing whether the company is in progress of achieving the objectives. Despite this efforts there still some attitude among employees that do not compile with the general attitude of the organization. This non-physical hostile behaviour administered to minorities by the majorities can result in serious legal implications that might either affect the company financially or dent its corporate image (Burke 2007; BMO financial group 2010). Conclusion Whether to diversify the workforce or not is not the issue; the current business operating environment has made diversification unavoidable. The issue is how a business can effectively manage and encourage work diversity. This should not be merely for the purpose of maximizing the profit, but should be for the general good of its emp loyee. Provided the employee feel an organization has their interest at heart, their productivity will be increased and accordingly result in a higher profit margin. Such is the case for IBM and BMO. Although the two organizations have massively invested towards ensuring an effective and diversified workforce, they have been reaping the sumptuous benefits. Reference List BMO Financial Group, 2010. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Web. Browder, L.M. Miller 2009, Workforce Diversity: The Big Blue Case, McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Burke, L.M. 2007, Managing the Diverse Workforce Effectively, Rutledge, London. IBM, 2007. Global workforce diversity. Web. O’Leary, B.J., Weathington B.L., 2006. Beyond the Business Case for Diversity in Organisations. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, Dec, 18 (4), pp.1-10. Ongori, H., Agolla, J., 2007. Critical Review of Literature on Workforce Diversity.  Africa Journal of Business Management, 22 (4), pp. 72-76. This report on Managing Workforce Diversity was written and submitted by user Yesenia French 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. You can donate your paper here.