Monday, November 16, 2015

When Research Becomes Important

Throughout history research and information has been ignored, and sometimes ridiculed, because it doesn't fit into the standard mold. I am not discussing the quality of the research but the mold in which it was driven and its eventual results. Every great idea breaks the "status qua" in some way and if it isn't being criticized it isn't  worth anything.

Sometimes it takes a decade or more to realize the profound nature of findings. Events take place that make the search for information important to societal stakeholders and result in rediscovery of past research and its importance. Time is the ultimate judge of the quality of findings when seemingly useless findings start taking greater and greater meaning.

Looking back through history you will find that uniqueness and novel have not always been rewarded in society. People expect others to act and be as they are in order to validate the benefits of both themselves and their social groups. In science, there should be no such social buffoonery and instead focus on the method rather than the nature of the research.

Validity of findings are based on their relevancy in explaining a model or an event. Groundbreaking research can be discovered in any field. Sociological research could result in predicting and explaining future events or a discovery of a new pathogen could lead to the savings of thousands of lives. What was once seen as irrelevant can sometimes become profound.

That relevancy is based in a level of accuracy of prediction. Nothing else beyond this matters if the theory actually explains, describes, and predicts some phenomenon. The theory will continue to be adjusted and shifted as now information and events unfold. 

As a person who engaged in research, and has done so throughout much of my life, I would say that some of the greatest discoveries were almost lost or ignored. As time passes and policy makers seek answers that research becomes more and more important. Sometimes it can be so beneficial it influences all research after it in the ultimate adjustment of perspective-a paradigm shift! 

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Enhancing Job Satisfaction at Large Firms

Job satisfaction leads to retention of qualified individuals and in turn raises the intellectual capital of an organization. Not all organizations know how to develop job satisfaction. Certainly, pay, independence, culture and other company factors can make a big difference but they are not the deciding factor. Smaller firms are more likely to to cultivate job satisfaction than larger firms (Tansel & Gazioglu, 2014).

Job satisfaction seems to rest on the relationships people have with their bosses and their co-workers. When these relationships are strong and positive people naturally feel more "in tune" with their environment which raises their positive impressions. When these relationships are positive the enjoy coming into work.

The study highlights the importance of humans capacity to be social. This social ability impacts just about everything within one's life. Job promotion, pay, friendship, stress, and even romance are all based in the ability to connect with others and engage. It stands to reason that strong relationships at work raise the overall satisfaction with the job.

Smaller social circles are more intimate than larger circles. The same process occurs in a group of friends, a large vs. small town, or a large vs. small business. Satisfaction rests on the quality of these relationships and their ability to mitigate any negative aspects of day-to-day stress. Getting people to interact is a win-win situation.

Large companies are not doomed to lower satisfaction. It means that managers should have the ability interact on a positive and professional manner, stay close to their employees, and develop real relationships. The technical size of the building or its income is not a real factor beyond the way in which people treat each other.

Ways to Improve Employee Satisfaction:

-Treat employees as valuable,
-Find a unique contribution for each,
-Listen and interact,
-Encourage employees to interact with others,
-Have a strong mission statement that gives purpose.
-Help employees find meaning beyond a "job". 


Tansel, A. & Gazioglu, S. (2014). Management-employe relations, firm size and job satisfaction. International Journal of Manpower, 35 (8).


Monday, November 9, 2015

International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Research Technology


Dear Professors/Teachers/Academicians/Research Scholars,
IJEART is a rapidly growing academic publication in the fields of Sciences and Engineering like Electronics & Communication Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering etc. Engineering Research Publication is a registered organization, services to inculcation professionals, especially researchers around world.
         The organization aims at undertaking, co- coordinating and promoting research and development. It provides professional and academic guidance in the fields of basic inculcation, Higher inculcation. IJEART mission is to Promote and support, High Quality basic, Scientific Research and development in fields of Engineering Technology and Sciences, Generate Public awareness, provide advice to scholar’s researchers and communicate research outcomes.
____________________________________________________

International Journal of Engineering  and Advanced Research Technology





OR 

Email us at editor@ijeart.com

_____________________________________________________

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Improving Communication Skills to Develop Management Techniques

Communication is an essential skill that makes or breaks a manager's career. Those who can communicate effectively and in a positive manner in a way that motivates others and creates trust are going to be more influential than those who can't. People live within a social network and take cues from their managers in ways that determine employees' work engagement.

You might wonder why communication is so essential to strong management? A department is a social network based in shared knowledge and work function similarities. Managers use their work experienc and people knowledge to create greater performance.

The manager should be the center of work communication within his/her network. The manager is the one who communicates the daily work tasks to fulfill organizational objectives. Without this knowledge and ability to keep the social group moving forward toward  organizational objectives t every idea of management dissipates.

Effective communication is about steering the ship in the right direction by getting everyone working together as a team. To reach each of the members it is necessary to find different ways and methods to communication. Even though conciseness and honesty are fundamental the methods the manager uses to communicate are fundamentally important.

Some employees will respond to some communication methods while others will respond to different methods. Some want things brought to them concisely while others want the information relayed in a way that doesn't damage their perception of self. The seasoned manager understands his/her employees and how information is heard and interpreted.

Effective communication should:

1.) Be clear and concise
2.) Avoid confrontation unless absolutely necessary
3.)  Have a clear objective and goal
4.) Be professional
5.) Show empathy and concern
6.) Cater to the audience
7.) Understand how people view information differently.





Saturday, November 7, 2015

Small Business Keeps Large Business Adapting

Small business is a major contributor to the U.S. economic system. It doesn't get the same focus as large businesses because of its inability to funnel large amounts of money into the political machinery. It does, however, constitute the future of American society and should be a central part of government decision making.

Consider that all major businesses started from someone's entrepreneurial activity. That activity led to a new business venture that if successful grew and accumulated enough resources to create the large corporations of today. Successful business models moved forward but poor models collapse by lack of competitive ability.

The process of growth and regeneration starts and ends with small business. New businesses rise, put pressure on large businesses, and then are bought out or drowned out by adapting corporations. Without this constant process of innovation the economic system would slow and eventual lose its place among nations.

Small business may not have all the money as larger corporations but is still a fundamental part of keeping those large businesses alive. Without their pressure and adaptations large businesses would not succeed. Labor market improvement, taxes, and infrastructure would continue to be supported by less dollars.

Policies should always be focused on the long-term goals of the nation. This focus should be to encourage entrepreneurial activity and ensures innovation and growth potential is at its maximum. Decisions should not be solely in the form of who gives the greatest campaign contribution but to that which ensures both small and large businesses succeed together.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

The Mixed Blessings of Genius and Scientific Breakthroughs

Scientific discovery is about creating something new, doing something unique, or solving an unsolvable problem. It requires uniqueness and novelty not seen in the general population in a way that only statistical outliers can offer. Geniuses and their propensity to push the limits are national assets that lead to scientific breakthroughs.

It is hard to advance a field or thought if you don't think much about them. Geniuses often have certain personality traits and idiosyncrasies that lead to thinking and discovering ideas in new ways (Robinson in Topper, 2011). It can take up to 10,000 hours of practice on an idea and thought to make it into something ground breaking.

That takes a whole lot of self motivation not found in the average person. Most people are consumed by their daily affairs and work on getting ahead each day. The genius might be more focused on complex ideas while taking relatively poor care of their own needs. One of the reasons why Einstein didn't always cash is paycheck.

That genius often puts them at odds with other people. Saying the "truth" can be difficult but genius often seek to understand and have a hard time accepting a lie only because everyone else accepts it.  Without socialization help they are going to feel isolated when they think about and say things in a way that others don't always understand.

Genius create scientific discovery because they are rare. The same thing that helps them succeed in one arena is their downfall in another. Highly intelligent people are a national asset but often left to the wolves of life. Helping them be unique while still doing something constructive is the best way to ensure national assets are being used to their full potential.

Andrew Robinson. Sudden Genius? The Gradual Path to Creative Breakthroughs.
Sudden Genius? The Gradual Path to Creative Breakthroughs by Andrew Robinson
Review by: By David R. Topper Isis, Vol. 102, No. 3 (September 2011), pp. 595-596



Saturday, October 31, 2015

When to Avoid and when to Collaborate with Unions?


Unionization is on the decline and are slowly engaged less and less in the market. The era of heavily unionized environments is all but over and is on life support. Despite their weakened state some unions are pushing back for market share in the unionization process. The strategies companies will take are partially dependent on the health of the firm. 

Strategies of union avoidance, collaboration and mixed approaches is often based on the strength of the firm (Cooke & Meyer, 1990). Union avoidance occurs in poor market conditions while collaboration occurs when companies have high profit margins and already have a portion of their plants already unionized. 


It is also possible that  company could opt for a mixed strategy. When a company has a lot of plants, high capital investment and labor intensive skills they are likely to use multiple approaches. At times one plant might adopt unionization while another avoids its completely.


Unionization was once a major part of corporate strategy. Service businesses such as casinos and hotels unionization is becoming more common. The push is to move to more non-traditional businesses in an effort to grow membership, increase revenue and encourage collective bargaining. In today's world it is alive but is shifting form to something that crosses the boundaries between unionization and employment services.  

Cook, W. & Meyer, D. (1990). Structural and market predictors of corporate labor relations strategies. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 43 (2).