...The effect of cynicism can be disastrous, particularly if the cynic is a manager. The attitude of the cynical manager "leads to a workplace environment dominated by a feeling of temporariness, an absence of a lasting vision of what the company and its products ought to be." Cynical managers convey their attitudes by running the business only for the bottom line, treating long-term strategies as subordinate to those of the short-term, treating employees as "hands," and tolerating shoddy products. And in managing in a cynical fashion, they insidiously instill cynicism in their employees and organizational culture. None of this makes for effective member participation in organizational change efforts. Researchers convey that "it takes equal effort on the part of operators (non-managers) to overcome patterns, one of the most common being the fear and/or cynicism that this is just another 'program of the month'." Members perceive change as being done solely in the interest of management. Resulting lack of cooperation in organizational change efforts results in further insincerity and even anger from management, thereby entrenching the status quo and continuing to severely damage the organization. Cynicism leads to a generalized mistrust of authority, to disparagement of management communications and directions, and ultimately to denigration of the leadership and mission of the enterprise. This is directly counter to the requirements for several key aspects of effective organization...
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...Organizational Cynicism Q-1) Why organizational cynicism prevails in most of the organization? Cynicism Is On the Rise Research over indicates that cynicism is on the rise which affects society as well as business. As one research depicts that Cynicism not only affects society at large, but also is widespread among organizations in the United States (Dean, Brandes, & Dharwadkar, 1998; Kanter & Mirvis, 1989), Europe, and Asia (Kouzes & Posner, 1993). Research reports that cynicism in organisation hurts the competitiveness and ability to accommodate today's needed organizational change. Paul J. Rosen (Hendrick, 1993, p. E1:2), President of the American Institute of Stress, indicates that recent, dizzying changes in technology and the economy are causing unprecedented burnout, cynicism, sickness and absenteeism. About Cynicism Cynicism is an attitude characterized by hopelessness, frustration and disillusionment. It is also related to contempt, disgust, and distrust (Andersson, 1996; Andersson & Bateman, 1997). The central belief associated with cynicism is that principles of honesty, fairness, and sincerity are sacrificed to further the individual's self-interest. This underlying self-centered purpose is believed to lead to actions based on hidden agendas and deception (Abraham, 2000). This strong negative attitude permeates America’s corporations and is currently blamed for a multitude of unfavourable organizational outcomes. Thus, cynicism is recognized as a growing problem...
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...Apathy has become a norm in our society. People are "comfortably numb" because everyone around them is. Most people hate to be too different from the people around them because then, they stick out, and it opens them up for criticism or judgement from their peers. We voice our opinions or concerns for issues, but that's all we do. We 'raise awareness', not that there's anything wrong with that, but 'awareness' is not going to put food in the bellies of starving children if no acts on it after they become aware. I feel that people can be divided into groups based interior reasons for apathy. Some people are too lazy to do what needs to be done because "Becoming an activist takes practice..."(Callwood 444) and "For this ...We are out of tune" (Wordworth,The World is Too Much With Us). We are out of tune with the feelings of our fellow human beings. These people often believe that issues happening outside their immediate lives are none if our concern. We should let them sort their own issues out. How on earth is it not our concern when women in Afghanistan are being treated like property and have to hide their skin at all costs? (Veiled Threat: The Women of Afghanistan 429). Those women are people in need of help, and it shouldn't matter that they aren't from Canada. People are people, no matter where their drivers license says they are from. We need to put ourselves in the position of others in need and see the world from their point of view. But instead we see it from the five...
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...Cynicism vs. Epicureanism Two of the prominent philosophies of the Hellenistic Age, Cynicism and Epicureanism, where fundamentally different, but both pursued a specific goal in the lives of their followers. For Cynics, that goal was the state of “Autarky” or self-sufficiency. For the Epicureans the goal of live was a desire less state known as “Ataraxia”. While it can be said that both philosophies strived to reach a goal in their follower’s lives, for the most part, the similarities end there. Cynicism was a Hellenistic philosophy that denounced society and its institutions as artificial and called on the individual to strive for autarky, or the state of being free from the demands of society. The most prominent of the Cynics was Diogenes. Diogenes lived an extremely primitive lifestyle and was given the nickname Cynic which, when literally translated, means “doglike”. Diogenes was, by today’s standards, a societal outcast, or a bum. He lived by begging and proclaimed his brotherhood with not only all humans, but also all animals. In fact, the Cynics argued that nonhuman animals provided the best model for human conduct. Cynics believed that true freedom arises from realizing that if one wants nothing, then one will never lack anything, thus achieving autarky. They isolated themselves from society and denied themselves physical comforts, advocating the pursuit of virtue, or moral excellence, in accordance with a simple and unmaterialistic way of life. This particular...
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...Huck's cynicism prevents him from truly changing, even though he begins the process of making his own moral decisions. Huck prefers not to think about right and wrong, instead taking a path of least resistance. Making a decision between the two is difficult, as “it’s troublesome” to do right and “ain’t no trouble” to do wrong (97). To make the moral decision takes too much work, while making the immoral one is easy. Huck, because of this outlook, decides instead that he will have an easier time if he instead just does “whatever come handiest” (97). (another explanation sentence here) His decision to forget about morality and make the easiest decision appears again when the king and the duke begin travelling on the raft. Even though Huck knows...
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...In The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald’s cynicism about the American Dream in the 1920’s is represented by the characters Gatsby,Daisy, and Tom. The Roaring Twenties was 10 years of madness in America. The economy during the twenties were very unpredictable. A lot of criminal activity went on during the Roaring Twenties like bootlegging which helped Gatsby become famous. Parties and jazz music was also very popular which is evidenced by Gatsby big parties. Gatsby was trying to impress the girl he loves by throwing parties constantly so he could finally get to marry her. Gatsby was a very wealthy man who did not achieve his wealth fairly.F.Scott Fitzgerald saw that has the American Dream. But things like laws and depression kept him from that goal. F.Scott Fitzgerald attitude represented in the Great Gatsby was pretty bad since the 18th amendment banned alcohol and that’s what ended up causing F.Scott Fitzgerald view to be pretty bad. Gatsby was a very wealthy man who achieved wealth as a gentleman gangster. Gatsby dream was to marry Daisy Buchanan who was already married to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby constantly...
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...In the Great Gatsby, F. Scott’s Fitzgerald’s cynicism about the American Dream in the 1920’s is represented by the characters Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom. The first character whose experiences in the novel reflect the authors attitude is Gatsby. Gatsby is the main character in “The Great Gatsby.” Gatsby represents the American dream by being prosperous and happy. “His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people.” (98) Gatsby made a name for himself despite of his past, and where he came from. Gatsby succeeds in gaining great wealth but he becomes a dishonest person in the act. Gatsby represents the American dream because he had nothing, and wanted to make his life sucessful. Gatsby put so much work into the dream. He didn't make it in the...
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...In the Great Gatsby, F. Scott’s Fitzgerald’s cynicism about the American Dream in the 1920’s is represented by the characters Nick, Gatsby, and Daisy. In the 1920s America was changing in many ways, one of the ways it was changed is all people wanted to do is drink and party. Prohibition, which was the band of alcohol started in 1919 and had people selling and drinking alcohol illegally. In the 1920s crime grew like raids, speakeasies and bootlegging which was well organized groups selling alcohol. Population grew, soldiers were coming home from world war one. Women also started getting into the population, women were dressing different showing more skin wearing make up and dancing. Theses changes affected Fitzgerald’s about the American...
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...------------------------------------------------- Philosophy Cynicism is one of the most striking of all the Hellenistic philosophies.[8] It offered people the possibility of happiness and freedom from suffering in an age of uncertainty. Although there was never an official Cynic doctrine, the fundamental principles of Cynicism can be summarised as follows:[9][10][11] 1. The goal of life is Eudaimonia and mental clarity or lucidity (ἁτυφια) - freedom from τύφος (smoke) which signified ignorance, mindlessness, folly, and conceit. 2. Eudaimonia is achieved by living in accord with Nature as understood by human reason. 3. τύφος (Arrogance) is caused by false judgments of value, which cause negative emotions, unnatural desires, and a vicious character. 4. Eudaimonia or human flourishing, depends on self-sufficiency (αὐτάρκεια), equanimity, arete, love of humanity, parrhesia and indifference to the vicissitudes of life (ἁδιαφορία). 5. One progresses towards flourishing and clarity through ascetic practices (ἄσκησις) which help one become free from influences – such as wealth, fame, or power – that have no value in Nature. Examples include Diogenes' practice of living in a tub and walking barefoot in winter. 6. A Cynic practices shamelessness or impudence (Αναιδεια) and defaces the Nomos of society; the laws, customs, and social conventions which people take for granted. Thus a Cynic has no property and rejects all conventional values of money, fame, power...
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...Organisational Commitment Richard McBain (2005) looks to define organisational commitment and concludes that although there is “no single definition of commitment”, he refers to Allen & Meyer’s (1990) three-component model and offers an explanation of those terms: 1. Affective commitment, “which refers to employees’ emotional attachment to, identification with, and involvement in, the organization” 2. Normative commitment, “which is based on feelings of loyalty and obligation” 3. ‘Continuance’ component “refers to the commitment based on the costs that employees associate with leaving the organization” Richard McBain (2005) also explores Swailes (2002) argument that measures of organisation commitment often seem to focus on the reasons for commitment, or its outcomes, rather than on the commitment itself. He also goes on to explore the research by Malhotra and Mukherjee (2003) where they test the importance of job satisfaction and organisational commitment on service quality and explore how commitment may influence the willingness of customer-contact employees to engage in discretionary efforts may reflect in the service quality they deliver. He goes on to comment on one of the key findings from Malhotra and Mukherje (2003) research; that affective commitment was more important than job satisfaction in determining the service quality of customer contact employees. Richard McBain (2005) goes on to conclude that “Service organisations should, therefore, strive to develop...
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...new interpretation of life advocated by Socrates. The first philosophy that I have chosen to write about is the Cynicism. Cynicism was one of the first Hellenistic schools to emerge which emphasized denying established conventions and followed one’s natural inclinations. Cynicism can be perceived as an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest. The Cynics saw themselves as direct decedents of the Socratic tradition. Philosophers that taught Cynics used shocking actions and speech, while displaying their traditional social values such as property, pleasure, reputation, wealth, family duties and religion. Antisthenes was the earliest Cynic philosopher and the founder of the Cynical school. Antisthenes was known as an Athenean and was said to have studied this school of philosophy under Socrates, who was his close friend. Antisthenes liked the directness of Socrates and learned the art of being indifferent from him. Socrates was known for his quick-witted comebacks such as, “Physicians also live with those who are sick, but they do not catch fevers.” Though Socrates defined the Cynic beliefs, Diogenes was said to took the Cynical philosophy to extreme. Diogenes saw life as a virtue. Much like Antisthenes, Diogenes argued for a simple and self-sufficient life in accordance with nature. In the end, some would say that Cynicism was more of a rebellion than a philosophy. The second philosophy that I have chosen to write about is the Stoicism...
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...Jay Gatsby is a relevant character today, in 2015, as he was a relevant character in 2002 at the time of Cohen’s writing in the NY Times. In 2002, a lot of things were happening that made the American dream seem toppled. Kmart, then a large retailer, became the largest retailer to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Also declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy that year were WorldCom and United Airlines. The former Chief Financial Officer of Enron is indicted on several counts of money laundering, conspiracy, and wire fraud, among other charges (The People History, 2004). A lot of big money bombed in 2002, some of which were illegally gotten in the first place (Enron), and this reflects in Jay Gatsby – illegally gotten wealth that eventually bombs when Gatsby dies. But it is not so much the “ill-gotten gain” that makes Gatsby suffer as it is the disillusionment with what society valued up until the end of the first world war, when Gatsby got out of uniform and got into money. Up until the end of the first world war (1918), society was all about its old money and aristocracy, whatever leftover Victorian values there were, and the elegance and refinement that supposedly came with the generations of old money. And the new money that Jay Gatsby has does not put him in the same social class as the rest of the old money people, even though he has just as much (if not more) money than they do. They look down their nose at him for having “new” money, and find him to be gaudy, garish...
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...Diabetes Disease Management Organizational Change Plan Diabetes Disease Management Organizational Change Plan Diabetes is a chronic disease in the United States and is reaching epidemic proportions. Private health care organizations have incorporated disease management programs to assist insured members in managing diabetes care and treatment. In an effort to contain cost, disease management programs employ nurses, dieticians, and physicians to provide diabetic education, resources, and incentive programs as a collaborative effort to assist members with this chronic disease (Edwards, 1999). The United States Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 25.8 million individuals of all ages have been diagnosed with diabetes. This chronic disease is the seventh leading cause of death. Medical treatment for a diabetic is twice as high as it is for a non-diabetic patient. The United States Department of Health and Human Services estimated that in 2007 medical treatment for diabetics cost $174 billion dollars (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011). This paper will provide documentation of a declining disease management program and the development of a change within the organizational program. The goal of the change will provide patient, physician, nurse collaboration, diabetic education, and, assistance with self-management to close gaps in care (Amundson, O'Connor, Solberg, Asche, Woods, Parker, & Crain, 2009). Mercy Care Management is...
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...Throughout Maya Angelou’s poem, “On the Pulse of Morning”, strings of words weave together to form the intrinsic tapestry of America’s plight-ridden history during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. To begin with, the lines of Angelou’s third stanza, “Your mouths spilling words, Armed for slaughter,”* alludes to the tantalizing history of ceaseless wars, of both words and weapons, suffered by the American People which consumed these epochs in the raging and chaotic flames of the Vietnam and Cold Wars, as well as, The War on Terror. Moreover, the words, “There is a true yearning to respond to The singing River and the wise Rock. So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, The African, the Native American, the Sioux,”* resound the cry for...
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...Leadership in Nursing Lisa Starnes University of Mount Olive Leadership in Nursing Leadership has many different types of theories associated with it. In the article, Authentic Leadership, Empowerment and Burnout: A Comparison in New Graduates and Experienced Nurses, Laschinger, Wong, and Grau (2013) “examine the effect of authentic leadership and structural empowerment on the emotional exhaustion and cynicism of new graduates and experienced acute-care nurses” (p. 541). Retaining nurses is critical, especially since the current workforce is reaching retirement age, in regards to the maintaining patient care standards. However, more nurses are reporting increased stress levels, dissatisfaction with the difficult working environments, as well as health concerns. In Canada, a government study identified that nurses absentee rates related to illness were 58% higher than any other labor force (Laschinger, Wong, & Grau, 2013, p. 541). Depression, as well as poor physical health are a few conditions resulting from the stress nurses experience from difficult working conditions. Nursing burnout affects more than just the nurse’s health, it also affects the quality of care the patient receives, which in turn links to increased mortality rates (Laschinger et al., 2013, p. 542). In addition, Laschinger et al. (2013) point out that with the current nursing shortage, healthy working environments must be implemented to retain experienced, as well as new graduate nurses from leaving...
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