The Search for Identity in This Side of Paradise :: This Side of Paradise Essays

The Search for Identity in This Side of Paradise  Ã‚   In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel This Side of Paradise, Amory Blaine searches for his identity by "mirroring" people he admires.   However, these "mirrors" actually block him from finding his true self.   He falls in love with women whose personalities intrigue him; he mimics the actions of men he looks up to.   Eleanor Savage and Burne Holiday serve as prime examples of this.   Until Amory loses his pivotal "mirror," Monsignor Darcy, he searches for his soul in all the wrong places.   When Monsignor Darcy dies, Amory has the spiritual epiphany he needs to reach his "paradise" - the knowledge of who Amory Blaine truly is.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Amory appears to be a rather vacuous choice for a protagonist.   He relies mainly on his breathtaking handsomeness and wealth in order to get by in life.   He has been endowed with brains, but it takes him years to learn how and when to use them.   Amory spends his late high school and college years frolicking with his peers and debutantes.   By constantly associating with others Amory creates an image of himself that he maintains until he becomes bored or finds a new personality to imitate.   Amory does not know who he really is, what he truly feels, or what he thinks.   He merely cultivates his personality du jour depending on how he believes he would like to be.   Essentially, Amory is shopping at a personality store, trying each one on until he can find one that fits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This personality imitation began when Amory spent his adolescent years in the presence of his flamboyant mother, Beatrice.   Beatrice raised Amory to be what she wanted him to be, as long as it was stylish and acceptable to coeval virtues.   When he goes to Princeton, the separation from his mother, who essentially thought for him, leads Amory to search for himself.   However, his idea of searching for his identity entails merely simulating the personalities of those he admires.   This trend becomes obvious in the pattern of Amory's love interests.   His first conquest, Isabelle, is a strong-willed girl who knows what she wants.   Amory falls in love with her because of her distinct personality; perhaps subconsciously he feels that by being in her presence he makes up for not having a personality of his own.   Amory's next love, Rosalind, represents Amory's latent desire for the riches and luxuries that he lost with the death of his parents.

Implications of Business Process Management for Operations Management Essay

Implications of business process management for operations management Colin Armistead and Simon Machin The Business School at Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK Introduction Operations management is concerned with the management of people, processes, technology and other resources in order to produce goods and services. There is a resonance from operations management into business process re-engineering (BPR) of the process paradigm and of the concepts and techniques of designing, managing and improving operational processes. Doubtless much can be learned from operations management for the application of BPR[1]. But business process management is more than just BPR applied to operational processes. What are the implications of the wider consideration of business processes for operations management and can the concepts and techniques from operations management be directly applied to all types of business processes? This paper introduces the concepts of business processes and business process management, and reports findings from interviews in four organizations which are continuing to develop their approaches to managing processes. These findings are then positioned within a categorization of business processes, by way of research propositions. Finally, implications for operations management are discussed. What are business processes? Business processes can be thought of as a series of interrelated activities, crossing functional boundaries with inputs and outputs. Why are they important and why are organizations moving to adopt approaches to explicitly manage by business processes? Reasons include[2] that the process view: †¢ allows increasing flexibility in organizations to meet changing external demands; †¢ addresses the speed to market of new products and services and the responsiveness to the demands of customers; †¢ facilitates the reduction of costs; †¢ facilitates in creased delivery reliability; and †¢ helps address the quality of products and services in terms of their consistency and capability. Processes are part of the philosophy of total quality management (TQM)[3]. Both the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award[4] and the European International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 17 No. 9, 1997, pp. 886-898.  © MCB University Press, 0144-3577 Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model[5], on which the European Implications of Quality Award is based, have at their heart the consideration of business business process processes. Such models require the identification of processes, the management management of these processes with review and targetary, innovation and creativity applied to processes and the management of process change. A second route that leads organizations to consider their business processes 887 is BPR[6-9] which promotes the radical change of business processes. Some have illustrated the complementary nature of BPR and TQM[10], others the conflict[11]. Regardless of this, the fact is that organizations come to consider their business processes through TQM, or through BPR, or potentially through both avenues. What is business process management? There is considerable debate about what business process management means and how organizations interpret the business process paradigm[2,12]. Business process management cannot be considered simply as BPR. Rather it is concerned with how to manage processes on an ongoing basis, and not just with the one-off radical changes associated with BPR. But how are organizations actually managing their business processes? What approaches have they developed? What lessons have they learned and what can be drawn from their experiences? The aim of the research reported in this paper is to address such questions by considering organizations at the leading edge of process management. Methodology A qualitative methodology was adopted in conducting the research. During a pilot phase interviews were conducted in four organizations: TSB; Rank Xerox; Kodak; and Birds Eye Walls. This, coupled with knowledge of the approach within Royal Mail, led to an initial understanding of the approaches being adopted by organizations[13]. This was followed by further interviews in four organizations (including within a different part of Rank Xerox), and it is these that form the basis of the findings reported in this paper. The four organizations, in this second phase of interviews, were: (1) Rank Xerox – European Quality Award (EQA) winners in 1992; (2) Nortel – Netas, a subsidiary of Nortel, were EQA winners in 1996; (3) Texas  Instruments – EQA winners in 1995; (4) Hewlett-Packard – who do not use the EFQM model, but have been using their own â€Å"Quality Maturity System† for several years, with many similarities to the EFQM model, including the central role of processes. While these organizations are at varying stages of their approach to business process management they can be considered â€Å"excellent† against many crit eria (including process management), as shown above, and the findings and lessons derived from the research should inform other organizations which are just starting their approach to process management. IJOPM 17,9 888 In two cases the quality director of the UK operation was interviewed; in one case the participant was the business process manager; in another the participant was a direct report to a service director. We consider that the roles and experience of the participants make possible sensible comparison between the organizations, based on the interviews. Semi-structured open-ended interviews (typically of between two and three hours), based on the ideas emerging from the pilot interviews, were carried out in each organization. The interviews were supported by other documentation from each organization which included process maps, planning frameworks and organizational structures. Interviews were transcribed and the transcriptions used as the basis for analysis. Each interview transcription was read and examined several times and lists of concepts developed[14]. A cognitive map[15] of all four interviews was then constructed showing the concepts emerging from the data and how the concepts i nformed on each other (based on the perception of the authors). Concepts were then clustered, with six clusters, or themes, readily appearing. The clusters were then checked against the transcripts from the pilot interviews and documentary material from the case organizations to ensure consistency of findings. Findings The six clusters emerging from the research we have labelled: organization coordination; process definition; organization structuring; cultural fit; improvement; measurement. While some of these might not be novel in  themselves we discuss them first individually and then as a set. Organization co-ordination One property associated with business processes is their â€Å"end-to-end† nature. They start with input at the business boundary and finish with outputs from the business boundary. Hence their cross-functional nature and, implicit in this, is their ability to integrate and co-ordinate activity. For example, â€Å"a better way to think about process is that it is an organizing concept that pulls together absolutely everything necessary to deliver some important component of strategic value†[16]. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that a strong theme emerging from the interviews was that the process paradigm provides an approach for co-ordination across the whole organization. This integration through the use of business processes is perhaps most simply illustrated by the fact that participants, in describing their approaches to business process management, described how they run and organize their entire business. The co-ordination took a number of forms. For example, business process management was strongly positioned in the overall approaches to business planning adopted by the organizations. This was illustrated in one organization with their long- and medium-term plans explicitly linked to annual plans for their key processes. Business process management also provided an approach for integration through increased knowledge within the organizations (for example, about strategic direction), without the need for bureaucratic procedures or hierarchical control: Implications of business process The concepts of business processes emerged as providing a link between the management top of the organization and activity at the lower levels: â€Å"the bit in the middle†. Central to this is the concept of different levels of processes and typically the organizations reported having identified three or four levels of process from the top-level architecture through to the individual or task level. In providing the co-ordination across the organization, the importance of managing the boundaries of processes was strongly emphasized. One organization, for example, was addressing these boundary issues between their processes through the use of networks of individuals representing the interests of their process. They used networks around each process to formulate and implement strategy, and identified which processes have boundary issues with  other processes. Individuals from one process network then attend meetings of the other process networks on this boundary to address the potential issues. Without some form of co-ordination between processes, changes in one process could also lead to changes in performance of other processes such that strategic goals would be compromised, typically in the areas of quality and costs. but what we were trying to do was create a very free environment, a very innovative environment, but an environment where we knew exactly where we were going. 889 Process definition Much of the literature on managing processes is concerned with process improvement[17,18] and this is typically directed at how to improve the actual operation of processes. However, a view expressed during the interviews was that the real value derived from the process approach is through the understanding and development of an approach at higher levels within the organizations, rather than simply process improvement activity at the task or team level. Nevertheless, these organizations recognized that they struggled with this and acknowledged that, in reality, the understanding of processes was often still at the task level, with a natural tendency for procedure writing. Approaches to help overcome this included communication across the different levels of the organization to develop common understanding (and, in particular, to develop better understanding between process owners and process operatives) and a focus within process flowcharts on value steps and decision points, together with the definition and management of process boundaries. Process flowcharting is often presented as a panacea for understanding and managing processes, but some organizations reported problems with applying the methodology to all processes: the methodology of flowcharting †¦ is OK for consistent, regularly operated, reliable processes – it is not that useful for processes that are very iterative and processes that run infrequently, the more complex processes. Certainly the organizations were coming to realize that such process maps in themselves were not sufficient: people talked a lot about process re-engineering and all they ever did was diddle around with process maps, and they didn’t really get the big picture. IJOPM 17,9 and we have used a flow-charting methodology widely deployed across the company†¦we have still got a lot of problems though in terms of processes gathering dust on the shelf. 890 Also, while the organizations recognized the need to specify processes beneath their high level processes, the need certainly did not emerge to map all processes to the same level or detail. It would be unusual to go to an entity and show all the processes in detail to all depths. In general, the drive appeared to be to use business process management more as a long-term and living tool than just a remedial tool for short-term, tactical issues. Long-term plans were needed for processes to enable the process owners to focus on the future requirements of their processes. Also there was the need to develop methodologies other than flowcharting to support a more holistic approach to business process management, and to directly consider the â€Å"process of managing processes†. Organizational structuring Much has been written about the role of processes in structuring organizations and, in particular, the development of horizontal organizations structured purely around processes[2,19,20]. In general, the organizations interviewed in this research appeared to be taking a less radical view. Instead they had developed matrix-based organizations between functions and processes, and tended to adjust their functional structure to align with their identified processes. They thus saw processes as simply another dimension of the organization structure[21]. Indeed they seemed to have implicitly balanced the dimensions of autonomy/co-ordination,  motivation/ control and efficiency/learning[22] and in doing so derived the matrix structure. This perhaps also reflects other organizational paradoxes[23]. Their reasoning was influenced by a view that personal relationships were the key to effective organizations, as much as the formal, imposed structure. Processes were seen to provide a framework for these relationships in terms of building understanding and common approach across the organization. This framework was reported to help establish empowerment in a structured way, matching level of empowerment with control and support. Hence the entering of the process dimension into their structure. However, they were unwilling to do away with the functional dimension, due to the perception that functions better supported the actual personal relationships within the framework of processes and better supported specialist expertise: people don’t necessarily align with processes, they align with other people, and entities and organizations. People don’t go to parties on processes! and if you start bashing on about process organizations, and â€Å"you’ve got to do away with the silos, and the function† and so on†¦you’re denying it in a way – something to do with that relationship side of things. This has a resonance with reports that moves to process-based organizations Implications of can be ineffective if the personal relationship and cultural aspects are business process overlooked[24]. management These matrix structures were regarded as relatively unstable[13] with a tendency to drift back to a functional structure, or to move too far towards a process focus, but the organizations saw the role of their â€Å"quality professionals† 891 as the catalyst to ensure balance between functions and processes. More interesting is that, in these matrix-based organizations, there appeared to be no desire to move towards a purely process-based structure, with the matrix recognized as a desirable state, enabling constant and efficient reorganization through its flexibility. Inevitably the matrix adds complexity, but it seems that these organizations are willing to trade this complexity against the flexibility and personal relationship aspects supported by the matrix structure. One organization did, however, report a  totally process-based structure, and this did appear to support a high degree of simplicity against the complexity of the matrix approach. There may therefore be value for organizations in explicitly considering the trade-offs between processes and functions in forming their approach. Regardless of the process/function structure, the approach of process groups and process owners at different levels of the processes was common. Cultural fit Culture is an ambiguous concept which is difficult to define[25]. However, most organizations have some notion of their culture, and this was the case in all four organizations, where culture had an implicit meaning. It is an important concept in thinking about organizations since people and processes m ust combine to produce output. However, within the organizations, processes were not seen as a constraint, rather, as reported above, as providing a framework for empowerment. There emerged a general view that the overall approach to business process management needed to fit initially with the culture of the organization, and allow that culture to be maintained, at least in the short term. This is not to say that there was not a longer-term objective to address culture, but culture drove the appropriate initial approach: that’s why it works well, because we’re a highly empowered organization, and a team of people are comfortable working as a team, so bringing them together for a process team is perfectly easy – all we had to do was teach them the tools to do it and a bit of flowcharting and away they go. But that fits well with the culture. This is in stark contrast to some business process re-engineering approaches which may often be insensitive to culture or may have an immediate objective of changing culture[26]. Where BPR was deployed in the organizations it tended to be positioned as part of the overall approach to business process management, for example, alongside process stabilization and continuous improvement, rather than instead of. When used in this context, there were examples of culture change for smaller organization groupings. There were also IJOPM 17,9 892 examples where the failure of BPR initiatives was directly attributed to a culture within the organization which so strongly supported constant, but incremental, change that radical change, as proposed by BPR was rejected. All four of the organizations embraced TQM and, in particular, continuous improvement. The concept and language of teams and â€Å"teams of teams†[27] featured strongly, with rewards and recognition often linked to team performance. The formation of cross-functional teams in improving processes happened naturally in these organizations, and appeared critical to the success of their approach in managing processes. Improvement through business process management Unsurprisingly the interviews supported a drive within the organizations to constantly improve processes and this is reflected in the above discussions of culture. Examples of specific approaches included the use of benchmarking to understand and set best practices and the development of compendiums and databases of best practices and the linkage of improvements to assessments against European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), Baldrige and other quality models. While BPR was clearly used in some of the organizations (indeed Texas Instruments and Rank Xerox are well known for their re-engineering work) this tended to be talked about more at the process simplification or process improvement end of the spectrum of definitions placed on BPR[28-30]: you would not change the overall process radically in a short space of time, but for people (in the process) I think it is a drastic step. and I would not anticipate the total process radically changing over a short space of time because one could not manage it, so you have to move forward in sizeful steps at each part of the process. One organization reported benefits through using human resource professionals alongside process engineers on BPR projects to â€Å"keep some sanity in what the re-engineering was doing†. Measurement and business process management Measurement is a key principle to managing processes[18] with the need to identify trends, assess stability, determine whether customer requirements are actually met and drive improvement. This was confirmed by the interviews  and measurement emerged as central to successful approaches to business process management. There seemed to be a genuine attitude of â€Å"living and breathing† measurement within the organizations: if you can’t actually get good metrics you won’t manage a process, so it’s absolutely fundamental to managing a process. and if we don’t define the metrics we’ve had it. Increasing importance was being given to customer satisfaction and customer Implications of loyalty measures and there was a recognition of the importance of developing business process efficiency measures for the processes as opposed to just measuring whether management processes actually delivered. There was also a drive towards examining the tails of distributions of the measures (process variation) not just average values, consistent with the view of statistical process control[31,32]. 893 One danger that was reported is related to the â€Å"level† issues discussed above: detailed measures were implemented into lower-level process maps, directly related to processes, as one would hope – however, this resulted in a large number of measures that it was then difficult to prioritize, because, at a higher level, measures had not been (or had not been properly) defined. A particularly interesting approach to measurement was in one organization where they had established â€Å"business fundamentals† as performance measures on key processes, deployed worldwide and at all levels. All professional staff in the organization have business fundamentals which are deliverable, cost, customer or people measures, but self-driven measurements rather than management-driven measurements. These business fundamentals are linked to the key processes, and individuals self-assess their progress against these, using a simple rating scale. Every quarter there is then a formal review across the organization against the business fundamentals. The same approach is used to track individual performance, performance against plans, and process performance, providing an integrated approach to measurement across the organization, and a strong illustration of integrating process measures with other organizational measures. Process categorization Different categorizations of processes have been proposed in the literature[28]. For  example the CIM-OSA Standards[33] use the categorization of manage, operate and support. In describing processes we have found a categorization into operational, support, direction setting and managerial processes to be useful (see Figure 1). The separation of direction setting and managerial processes is driven by two considerations: Operational Managerial Direction setting Support Figure 1. Categorization of business processes IJOPM 17,9 894 (1) on a practical level models, such as the EFQM model, adopted by organizations, separately identify leadership from policy and strategy formulation; and (2) the strategy literature regards development of strategy as a process in its own right[34,35]. Operational processes are the way in which work gets done within an organization, to produce goods and services. These processes are the ones which have been the subject of much of the focus to date in TQM and BPR. They run across the organization and are associated with outcomes such as product development or order fulfilment. They are recognized in the ideas of integrated supply chains and logistics and in simultaneous engineering and are part of justin-time approaches. The same ideas for improvement in flow and reduction in cycle times come through into service organizations in the practices of BPR. Support processes are those which enable the operational processes. They are concerned with the provision of support technology, or systems, with personnel and human resource management, and with accounting management. Direction-setting processes are concerned with setting strategy for the organization, its markets and the location of resources as well as managing change within the organization. Direction-setting processes involve a mix of the prescribed steps within a formal planning process and also less well-defined  frameworks. Managerial processes are to some extent superordinate to the other categories and contain the decision-making and communication activities. For example, the entrepreneurial, competence-building and renewal processes proposed by Ghoshal and Bartlett[20] are managerial processes. Some organizations have tried to formalize these processes and have adopted a structured approach to, for example, decision making and communication. This categorization, like any other, does not necessarily fit with the view taken by all organiza tions (for example, some organizations would position the direction setting processes as part of their operational processes) but it provides a useful framework for discussion of the research findings, and for describing propositions for further research. Discussion and propositions arising from the research The six clusters identified in the findings of organization co-ordination – process definition, organization structuring, cultural fit, improvement and measurement can be considered in the light of these process definitions. The issue of process definition at a top level is a view of how organizations work to satisfy strategic intents. The translation of top-level architecture into an operational reality is influenced by aspects of organizational culture which affect both organizational co-ordination and organizational structure. In no cases is the disappearance of functions apparent; rather the functional organization is replaced by a matrix structure. This form of organizational structure derives its co-ordinating strength from the formation of cross-functional teams. The issues of measurement and improvement reflected in the findings reinforce the need for Implications of effective measurement which drives process improvement in a form which co- business process ordinates and prioritizes activity; something which many organizations find management difficult. The findings suggest that taking a business process management approach is one way to overcome some of the difficulties. It is our observation that organizations in approaching business process 895 management tend to initially address their operational processes, then move to focus on support processes, while continuing to improve their operational processes, and next to focus on direction setting processes while continuing to improve operational and support processes. Thus there is a similarity to the operations management  sandcone model, as proposed by Ferdows and De Meyer[36], used to show that cost reduction relies on the cumulative foundation of improvement in objectives. We propose that an organization’s approach to process management is similarly constituted by its approach across process categories, and that to build a stable sandcone the approach to, first, operational processes must be created (see Figure 2). This proposal has practical value, since it is the operational processes that directly impact on customers and so can yield quick benefits. Thus attention to the operational processes ensures capability of delivery; attention then moves to encompass support processes, since these in turn ensure the capability of the operational processes; attention to the direction setting processes recognizes that capability can only be maintained with good direction setting. The superordinate nature of managerial processes positions them outside the sandcone, with influences from the other categories. This sandcone model for business processes implies further propositions based on our findings. P1: As organizations develop their approach to business process management, moving through the sandcone, the appropriateness of techniques will change. Flowcharting methods are well tested in understanding operational and some support processes. However, the organizations in this phase of our research were discovering that such methods were inflexible for other types of process. Operational Operational + support Operational + support + direction setting Figure 2. A sandcone model for developing approaches to business process management IJOPM 17,9 896 The appropriate methodology for understanding the managerial and directionsetting processes may lie in the fields of systems thinking[37] and business dynamics[38] and the shape of a process for managing such processes needs further attention. Thus the appropriateness of â€Å"soft mapping† techniques increases as an organization moves through the sandcone. P2: As  organizations move through the sandcone there is an increasing impact on organization structure, with the need to address structural changes to reap the benefits from the process approach. Increasingly organizations will need to consider organization design as an explicit, rather than implicit, activity to ensure organizational effectiveness. This need not necessitate a move towards a complete process-based structure, but may mean a trade-off between process and functional structures[39]. This trade-off includes the need to consider factors such as personal relationships and cultural aspects. For example, in some organizations a purely processbased structure will be appropriate while in others the process-function matrix approach will be best utilized. P 3: We propose that there is an increasing need for maturity in TQM throughout the organization to ensure a successful process paradigm, as the organization moves through the sandcone. This raises the immediate question as to whether TQM is a necessity before a process-based approach can be effectively initiated. Certainly all organizations in this phase of our research had developed a TQM-based culture. It also raises questions as to whether the continual application of the radical end of the BPR spectrum[28-30] makes it impossible to address all process categories, with the associated lack of care for the human dimension and resulting demoralized workforce. P4: We propose that the degree of co-ordination across the organization increases with moves through the sandcone. As the process approach spreads through the sandcone it forces the question of what integration actually means for an organization and clarifies the requirements for coordination. This is readily understood for operational processes, with a key element being the elimination of barriers to flow. The co-ordination includes the need for a co-ordinated approach to measurement (an example is illustrated in the measurement section above). Further implications for operations management There is a clear message emerging from this research of the need to manage the boundaries between the categories of processes and between the processes themselves. The appropriate approach will be determined by the category of process being addressed and organizations may find the sandcone logic useful in placing their current position. There are different requirements at different points in the sandcone: knowledge and understanding of process flowcharting techniques at one end of the spectrum through to knowledge and understanding of â€Å"softer† mapping techniques; the need to consider the Implications of appropriate organization structure and trade-offs between process- and business process function-based structures; the degree of maturity in TQM; the degree of comanagement ordination desirable and possible and, in particular, the need for a co-ordinated approach to measurement. The research supports a view that there is a need to consider performance 897 improvement methods and concepts such as TQM, lean production and supply and â€Å"agile† manufacturing in a wider context, as applied to all business processes, and not just operational processes with the associated need to manage the interfaces between operations management and other disciplines. References 1. Armistead, C., Harrison, A. and Rowlands, P., â€Å"Business process re-engineering: lessons from operations management†, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 15 No. 12, 1995. 2. Garv in, D., â€Å"Leveraging processes for strategic advantage†, Harvard Business Review, September-October 1995, pp. 77-90. 3. Oakland, J.S., Total Quality Management, Heinemann Professional, Oxford, 1989. 4. George, S., The Baldrige Quality System, Wiley, New York, NY, 1992. 5. Hakes, C., The Corporate Self-assessment Handbook for Measuring Business Excellence, Chapman & Hall, London, 1995. 6. Hammer, M., â€Å"Re-engineering work: don’t automate, obliterate†, Harvard Business Review, June 1990. 7. Hammer, M. and Champy, J., Re-engineering the Corporation, Free Press, New York, NY, 1993. 8. Johansson, H.J., McHugh, P., Pendlebury, A.J. and Wheeler, W., Business Process Reengineering – Breakpoint Strategies for Market Dominance, Wiley-Hamilton, Santa Barbara, CA, 1993. 9. Davenport, T.H., Process Innovation: Re-engineering Work through Information Technology, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge, MA, 1993. 10. Macdonald, J., â€Å"Together TQM and BPR are winners†, The TQM Magazine, Vol. 7 No. 3, 1995, pp. 21-5. 11. Mumford, E. and Hendricks, R., â€Å"Business process re-engineering RIP†, People Management, 2 May 1996, pp. 22-9. 12. Hinterhuber, H.H., â€Å"Business process management: the European approach†, Business Change & Re-engineering, Vol. 2 No. 4, 1995, pp. 63-73. 13. Armistead, C. and Grant, A., â€Å"Business process management: the future of organisations?†, Proceedings of the Third European Academic Conference on Business Process Redesign, Cranfield University, 21-22 February 1996. 14.  Strauss, A. and Corbin, J., Basics of Qualitative Research, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, 1990. 15. Eden, C., â€Å"Cognitive mapping†, European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 36, 1988, pp. 1-13. 16. Browning, J., â€Å"The power of process redesign†, McKinsey Quarterly, Vol. 1, pp. 47-58, 1993. 17. Tucker, M., Successful Process Management in a Week, Headway-Hodder & Stoughton, Sevenoaks, Kent, 1996. 18. Melan, E., â€Å"Process management: a unifying framework†, National Productivity Review, 1989, Vol. 8, pp. 395-406. 19. Stewart, T., â€Å"The search for the organisation of tomorrow†, Fortune, May 1992, pp. 91-8. IJOPM 17,9 898 20. Ghoshal, S. and Bartlett, C., â€Å"Changing the role of top management: beyond structure to processes†, Harvard Business Review, January-February 1995, pp. 86-96. 21. Galbraith, J.R., Designing Organisations, Jossey & Bass, San Francisco, CA, 1995. 22. Hendry, J., â€Å"Process reengineering and the dynamic balance of the organisation†, European Management Journal, Vol. 13 No. 1, March 1995. 23. Cameron, K.S., â€Å"Effectiveness as paradox: consensus and conflict in conceptions of organisational effectiveness†, Management Science, Vol. 32 No. 5, May 1986, pp. 539-53. 24. Majchrzak, A. and Wang, Q., â€Å"Breaking the functional mind-set in process organisations†, Harvard Business Review, September-October 1996, pp. 93-9. 25. Kroeber and Kluckhohn, â€Å"Culture; a critical review of concepts and definitions†, Harvard University papers of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. 47, 1952. 26. Ascari, A., Rock, M. and Dutta , S., â€Å"Reengineering and organisational change: lessons from a comparative analysis of company experiences†, European Management Journal, Vol. 13 No. 1, March 1995. 27. O’Brien, D. and Wainwright, J., â€Å"Winning as a team of teams – transforming the mindset of the organisation at National and Provincial Building Society†, The Journal of Corporate Transformation, Vol. 1 No. 3, 1993. 28. Childe, S.J., Maull, R.S. and Bennett, J., â€Å"Frameworks for understanding business process re-engineering†, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 14 No. 12, 1994, pp. 22-34. 29. Coulson-Thomas, C.J., â€Å"Business process re-engineering: the development requirements and implications†, Executive Development, Vol. 8 No. 2, 1995, pp. 3-6. 30. Crawley, W.J., Mekechuk, B.J. and Oickle, G.K., â€Å"Powering up for change†, CA Magazine, June/July 1995, pp. 33-8. 31. Deming, W.E., Out of Crisis, Cambridge University Press, 1986. 32. Wheeler, D.J., Understanding Variation – The Key to Managing Chaos, SPC Press, Knoxville, TN, 1993. 33. CIM-OSA Standards, CIM-OSA Reference Architecture, AMICE ESPRIT, 1989. 34. Araujo, L. and Easton, G., â€Å"Strategy: where is the pattern?†, Organisation, Vol. 3 No. 3, 1996, pp. 361-83. 35. Segal-Horn, S. and Bowman, C., â€Å"Strategic management and BPR†, in Managing Business Processes: BPR and Beyond, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, 1996, pp. 85-101. 36. Ferdows, K. and De Meyer, A., â€Å"Lasting improvement in manufacturing performance: in search of a new theory†, INSEAD Working Paper, INSEAD, Fontainebleau, 1989. 37. Senge, P.M., The Fifth Discipline, Century Business, London, 1990. 38. Davies, M., â€Å"Business dynamics: business process re-engineering and systems dynamics†, in Managing Business Processes: BPR and Beyond, John Wiley, New York, NY, 1996, pp. 215-42. 39. Armistead, C.G. and Rowland, P., Managing Business Processes: BPR and Beyond, John Wiley, New York, NY, 1996, pp. 39-61.

Racial Segregation Within The United States - 780 Words

The contemporary debate regarding the distinctive patterns of poverty among African Americans revolves around the question, â€Å"is it class or race that causes (and perpetuates) such misfortune of African Americans?† Scholars have looked at patterns of residential segregation in their attempts to answer such a question. Massey and Denton explore racial residential segregation in the United States throughout the 20th century. They argue that the making and concentration of the (African American) underclass in inner cities resulted from institutional and interpersonal racism in the housing market that perpetuates already existing racial segregation. Similarly, Reardon and colleagues conclude that residential segregation by income level occurs all across racial groups, but it is especially problematic poorer Blacks and Hispanics from their investigation of neighborhood income composition by household race and income at the turn of the 21st century. Thus, residential segregation by both class and race perpetuate structural disadvantages and misfortunes of African Americans in today’s American society. Massey and Denton explore how racial segregation in residence has caused the making of inner city ghettos and their perpetually poor residents, most of whom are African Americans. They argue that institutional racism in the housing market enacted by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), private loan and real estate institutions and actors, and white residentsShow MoreRelatedThe Civil Rights Act Of 19641689 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended state and local laws that involved segregation, prohibiting legal discrimination based on ethnicity, color, race, sex, and religion. Now, after much time has passed, people can pose the question: how prominent is segregation in today’s society? In particular, Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, poses interesting dynamics concerning this question. For one, the city consistently has high crime and murder rates in specific areas, while other partsRead More21st Century Segregation: Are We Still Divided by Race?1642 Words   |  7 Pages21st Century Segregation: Are We Still Divided by Race? Racial segregation was a concept that began in early history and is still prevalent in some societies today. It is often seen as a destructive forceful tactic of separating individuals based on their racial background. However, many new immigrants voluntarily choose to live in a segregated society. Segregation can be easily seen in certain communities where there is a concentration containing a particular racial group. The area where oneRead MorePlessy V. Ferguson And Brown V Board Of Education1359 Words   |  6 Pagesanswer to these questions. Racism is still alive in the United States, but it is not as severe and oppressive as it was during the era of the Jim Crow laws. The 13th amendment freed the slaves in the United States, however, not many white Americans agreed with this. The 13th amendment did not shield the African Americans from oppression, â€Å"The segregation and disenfranchisement laws known as ‘Jim Crow’ represented a formal, codified system of racial apartheid that dominated the American South for threeRead MoreRacial Segregation And Racial Discrimination1645 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical system throughout United States government. The terminology race has been changed repeatedly throughout history. African American history of racial segregation created a clear view of how most racial minorities have been treated throughout history and views and differences amount racial majority. This paper primarily focus will be the treatment or experience racial minority faced throughout this historical revolution. African American are not the only racial minority who has been treatedRead MoreSegregation Within The Housing Market843 Words   |  4 Pagesviewpoints?† Some argue that segregation within the housing market has been a devastating, long-term, issue for African Americans as a result of racial zoning due to income along with race, while others believe that the United States has indeed enforced policies to prevent blacks from obtaining and maintaining wealth to merge with white communities. My own view is that there is not an individual economic or political reason to link the issue of residential segregation, but a combination of both workingRead MoreProfessional Sports And The Civil Era945 Words   |  4 PagesProfessional sports were segregated in the United States, just like the rest of the country was during the 1940s, but between th e cooperation of two men the color barrier was broken in professional sports. The unwritten rule of not allowing blacks to play professional baseball had been standing since the 1880s. No professional sport in America at the time had any participating African Americans, yet many African Americans were participating in the Olympics. Famous African American olympians, suchRead MoreWage Gaps and Demographic Behavior1555 Words   |  7 Pages*Works Cited Not Included We examine the possible sources of the larger racial and ethnic wage gaps for men than for women in the U.S. Specifically, using a newly created employer-employee matched data set containing workers in essentially all occupations, industries, and regions, we examine whether these wage differences can be accounted for by differences between men and women in the patterns of racial and ethnic segregation within occupation, industry, establishments and occupation-establishment cellsRead More Plessy vs. Ferguson Essay examples1263 Words   |  6 PagesFerguson , a very important case of 1896 in which the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the legality of racial segregation. At the time of the ruling, segregation between blacks and whites already existed in most schools, restaurants, and other public facilities in the American South. In the Plessy decision, the Supreme Court ruled that such segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Th is amendment provides equal protection of the law to all U.S. citizensRead MoreThe Unequal Separation Of African Americans1453 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican Americans as a whole agree that racial segregation has affected their chances of employment, residency, education and access to proper health facilities. Many have stories and experiences of being qualified for a job but being turned down for being African American. Several experiments have been conducted where an African American would attempt to view homes in diverse neighborhoods and be turned down and white co-workers or friends would call immediately after and be invited to come in.Read MoreThe Segregation Of African American Community1720 Words   |  7 PagesDespite nearly one hundred years passing since the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in Southern States were still faced with the most distinct forms of racism. The so-called â€Å"Jim Crow† laws that were present in United States at the time, serve d to segregate blacks and whites from all aspects of public life, including schools, public transport and juries. Often faced with extreme right-wing terrorist groups such as the white supremacist Klu Klux Klan, many among the African American community

Exploring the Disorder, Tourette Syndrome Essay - 674 Words

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder first described by a French physician named Georges Gilles de la Tourette, in 1885. Tourette syndrome (TS) consists of varies abrupt, rapid, involuntary, and repeated movements or vocal sounds, known as tics. â€Å"Until 1970, TS was frequently misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, epilepsy, or nervous habits,† concluding that this mental disorder is extremely rare and has similar characteristics as other mental disorders (Kahn and Fawcett 375). Since there is no specific test that can diagnose TS, doctors have to rely on a person’s behaviors and personal history to identify the disorder. About one person in two thousand people is likely to have TS; additionally males are four†¦show more content†¦Many people often misunderstand TS as rudeness, offensive behavior, and even craziness. Thus, children with TS are often ridiculed or teased by their fellow peers. Due to this, many children avoid so cial gathering and suffer from depression or substance abuse. This is one of the many reasons why children with tics should be informed of their disorder and should receive tremendous amounts of support and love from their friends and families. People with TS are also likely to have other mental problems like depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and self-injurious behaviors. As mentioned above, TS can occur in anyone, even famous people. Some of the famous people that had TS were Jim Eisenreich, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Marc Summers. TS does not disable a person from working efficiently or living a perfectly normal life. People with TS can attend and succeed school just as a normal person can. The disorder does not affect their intelligence or their ability to learn, thus enabling them to live a perfectly normal life. They have the same earning potential, intelligence, and working ability similar to any other person. One of the best ways to cope with TS is to remember that the tic s usually lessen in severity as an individual gets older. Tics usually reach its highest potential during early teens to the middle years of adolescence. If a person with TSShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Children1400 Words   |  6 PagesAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children Stephanie Santiago Lehigh Carbon Community College â€Æ' Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children Pathophysiology Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) refers to developmentally inappropriate degrees of inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity (Hockenberry, Wilson, Rodgers, 2017). ADHD is commonly found in school-aged children. While some children have a problem within one of the three areas, there are others who haveRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Front Of The Class Essay2130 Words   |  9 Pagesmovie; Front of The Class using two of the theories were taught in class. The movie, Front of The Class, is about the journey of a boy named Brad who for many years was living with un-diagnosed Tourette Syndrome, which Brad referred to as his â€Å"constant companion†. Tourette Syndrome is a nervous system disorder which causes the person to suffer from â€Å"tics† which can be described as sudden movements, sounds or twitches that are involuntary and repetitive (CDC, 2015). The movie exhibits the ways in whichRead MoreChildren With Attention Deficits Hyperactivity D isorder ( Adhd ) And Tourette Syndrome1118 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The short video presented by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) features two families living with children with Attention Deficits Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Tourette syndrome. For the purpose of this paper, Josh and his family’s struggle with ADHD will be reviewed and analyzed using the Calgary Family Assessment Model (CFAM) and Calgary Family Intervention Model (CFIM). CFAM/CFIM enables the health care professionals to focus on psychosocial effects and the linksRead MoreAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( Adhd )1787 Words   |  8 PagesATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER Also known as: ADHD WHAT IS ADHD? ADHD is a behavioral disorder that affects about 10% of school-aged children. Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed with it. Children with ADHD act without thinking, are hyperactive, and have trouble focusing. They may understand what is anticipated of them but have trouble following through because they can’t sit still, pay attention or focus on details. All children, act this way at times, particularly when theyRead MoreDescription Of An Example Of A Presentation8050 Words   |  33 Pagesof an assistive technology device. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) – a severe difficulty in focusing and maintaining attention; often leads to learning and behavior problems at home, school, and work; also called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Autism (Autism Society of America Home Page) Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The result of neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, autism andRead MoreAttention Hyperactive Impulsive Defecit Disorder2314 Words   |  10 PagesHYPERACTIVE- IMPULSIVE DEFICIT DISORDER INTRODUCTION Attention Hyperactive- impulsive Deficit Disorder, or also known as ADHD, is under the category of IDEA, which is the Other Health Impairments. It is considered as one of the most common childhood mental disorder, affecting more than one in every twenty children (Shaw, 2008). Moreover, this condition can continue through adolescence and adulthood. IDEA defines it as a neurobiological-based developmental disorder in children and adults with a persistentRead MoreOcd - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment131367 Words   |  526 PagesA. Clark. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-10: 1-57230-963-6 ISBN-13: 978-1-57230-963-0 (hardcover: alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-59385-375-0 ISBN-13: 978-1-59385-375-4 (paperback) 1. Cognitive therapy. 2. Obsessive–compulsive disorder. I. Title. RC489.C63C57 2004 616.85†²2270651—dc22 2003020283 To my parents, Albert and Ardith, for their support and encouragement About the Author About the Author David A. Clark, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Psychology

The United States Constitution - 2133 Words

The Constitution The Constitution is the foundation of the United States Government. Each branch of the government relies upon this document to dictate how power is distributed in this democracy and the people rely on the Constitution to protect them from the Federal governments power. Before the Constitution the colonies were divided under the governance of the Articles of Confederation. This first government was adequate through the Revolutionary War but afterwards the people needed union and a strong central government. The need for a government spurred men into action and the Constitutional Convention was called to develop this much needed strong central government. These men were known as the Framers of the constitution. Unfortunately not all was good at the convention. There was much debate about the way the legislative branch between the Virginia plan and the New jersey Plan and the debate was resolved with the Connecticut compromise. There were many more debates over things g reat and small but one of the most important was the debate between the Federalists and anti-Federalists about the ratification of the constitution and including a Bill of Rights which guarantees the peoples rights and protections therein. The combination of these many factors created the Constitution as it is known today, a strong central trunk to the United States tree that will grow new branches over time and let others fall to fit the needs of the people resting under its protectiveShow MoreRelatedThe United States Constitution And The Constitution Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States Constitution, this very detailed group of words was written in 1787, but it did not take effect until after it was ratified in 1789, when it replaced the Articles of Confederation. It remains the basic law of the United States then and till the present day of 2016. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware; the last of the original thirteen to ratify was Rhode Island and since only nine were required, this was two years after it went into effect. When the U.S. ConstitutionRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States Constitution Essay1185 Words   |  5 Pages(framers’ of the U.S. Constitution) position on the Presidency: The framers experienced the abuse of the English monarchs and their colonial governors. As a result, the framers were skeptical of the excessive executive authority. Furthermore, they also feared excessive legislative powers. This was something that the Articles of Confederation had given their own state legislatures. The framers of the constitution deliberately fragmented power between the national government, the states, and among the executiveRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States885 Words   |  4 Pages In 1787, our founding fathers came up with a few principles that would establish what we now know as the United States of America. These principles were put on paper to serve as a guideline for how the United States would be operated and structured. This historical piece paper became known as the Constitution of the United States. In the Constitution, a Preamble is implemented at the beginning that essentially tells what the founding fathers set out to do. â€Å"We The People, in order to form a moreRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States894 Words   |  4 Pagesthe substratum for that country. A Constitution can be defined as a document that is the substratum of the country’s principles. Elements in the Constitution may contain sundry information. Which can include: how many terms a leader may serve, what rights the citizens have, how the judicial system works, etc. The United States in no different from those countries. Every constitution is different, no country has the exact constitution as another. The U.S Constitution is a four-page document detailingRead MoreThe United States Constitution Essay1515 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States constitution was written in 1787 by the founding fathers of this country. Now it might be appropriate to question why a document that is the basis of the government for one of the most culturally and racially diverse countries in the world, was written by a group of heterosexual, cisgender, rich, white men. Some might think that a constitution written well over 200 years ago would be outdated and irrelevant to the American society of today but with some research, it is quite theRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States756 Words   |  4 PagesPromulgation and Legislation in the U.S. Constitution: The federal system of government of the United States is based on its constitution. The Constitution grants all authority to the federal government except the power that is delegated to the states. Each state in the United States has its own constitution, local government, statute, and courts. The Constitution of the United States sets the judiciary of the federal government and defines the extent of the federal court’s power. The federalRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States1007 Words   |  5 PagesThe United States of America has previously experienced failure every now and then. With trial and error, the country has learned to correct its ways and move toward(s) perfecting itself. Realizing the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation is a prime example of the U.S. learning how to better itself. Subsequent to the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution of the United States was set as our new and improved framework of government. Possessing knowled ge on how America, although strongRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States951 Words   |  4 Pageshappening again. Unlike the artifacts, The Constitution of the United States has not been forgotten, it is actually still very alive today. Unlike most relics, The Constitution still holds a very heroic and patriotic implication, freedom. With freedom comes self-government, freedom of speech, religious tolerance, etc. With all these things comes the great responsibility to adapt and fit to the wants and needs of the decade. Even though the Constitution was made for the interests of the people ofRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States1388 Words   |  6 PagesInterpretation of the Constitution is one of the biggest conflicts within the United States–the highly contentious issue of states’ rights resulted from two different interpretations of what powers should belong to the federal government versus what powers belong to the individual states. No issue has ever caused as much turmoil as the issue of states’ rights–but one side must have more valid arguments. Should the federal government’s power be superior, or should the authority of the individual states be heldRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States1490 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1787 the four founding fathers of the United States wrote the constitution . The constitution was written to let the people of the U.S know how the states would be governed and also to stop the government from having too mu ch power. The constitution is divided into three branches : the Legislative branch, Executive branch and the Judicial branch. All the branches are based on the idea of separation of power in which each branch has a specific power and responsibility and don’t rely on

Advantages of Credit Cards Free Essays

Throughout history, men invented ingenious ways to solve problems. Some simple, but most will leave a big impact on our future. Men invented trading as means to acquire things that is needed, with another individual who wants what the trader has. We will write a custom essay sample on Advantages of Credit Cards or any similar topic only for you Order Now But sometimes, what we want to trade with is not what the tradee wants. So currency is formed. Currency is accumulatable, powerful and can be used to acquire our wants and needs. Currency had been created in many shapes and sizes. When it was first invented, precious metals such as silver and gold chips are the most widely used. But in our modern era, paper currency reigns dominance. As time goes on, men started craving, craving for thing or material objects that only money can buy. And one might not have the funds to buy such things or if that certain desire costs a lot, bringing a whole load of cash with you to the store might not be such a good idea for many reasons. And so the credit card is invented. This small little piece of plastic will leave a big impact on society. There are repercussions of misusing this object but let’s talk about the advantages for now. So what exactly are the advantages of credit cards? BUY TICKETS OR SHOP ONLINE EASILY In modern society, people have found ingenious ways to make acquiring everyday needs or material objects of desired. Grocery shops were invented so that we don’t need to wake up early and go all the way to farms to get fresh food like vegetables, eggs and meat. But what if we want require specific items, something that is not common but it needed as quick as possible. We might go around asking our friends and relatives to acquire those items. How troublesome would that have been, or had been as people actually did this back then. But then, utilizing the power of the internet, people had discovered that they can acquire things that are unusually rare, but is available. Sometimes from a seller from another country. To buy, means to pay. But how do we pay someone from another country? Mailing a wad of cash in an envelope to the seller might not be such a good idea, as mail do get lost from time to time. And so the credit card plays the role in rectifying this problem. Using the credit card we can pay the seller using borrowed funds from the bank and send it to the seller in the form of digital data in which will then be added to the account of the seller and thus the seller is paid. We can acquire things easily from the internet, and now with the usage of credit card,everything we need can be acquired. If it exists, if it is being sold, it can be acquired. It doesn’t matter if it’s in China, New York or timbuctoo. And lets say if something is on sale or your favorite band is having a concert in your hometown but you don’t have enough cash to buy it and if you wait until your pay check to arrive, your opportunity is long gone. Don’t worry your credit card is here to help. Instant currency with just a swipe of the card or a few presses of some numbers and information on the internet. No longer will you have to wait in line at the airport to buy tickets, you get get them through the internet using your credit card in just a few minutes. Nowadays people would rather stay home and shop through the internet than having to endure a long drive to the local mall especially if during the peak hours where there are traffic jams. Sites such as Lazada. com are common shopping websites that welcomes the usage of credit cards. It’s like a virtual mall in which the items bought need not be carried in accumulative quantities to the car park, but is put in a virtual shopping cart and then sent directly onto your doorsteps after the credit card payment has been made. How to cite Advantages of Credit Cards, Papers

Real Meaning of LIfe Essay Example For Students

Real Meaning of LIfe Essay The primary focus of this essay is on adaptationism and the theory of evolution, which, of course, challenges fundamental religious beliefs. In fact, perhaps as a substitute for religion, some have adopted a distortion of Darwinism to explain the purpose of life: one depiction of human existence is that were actually survival machines programmed to perpetuate our genes, according to selfish gene pursuits. From this POV, the purpose of life is survival for the sake of continued reproduction- each life then is a carrier, a brief repository of gene pool elements. Because of this belief, some Darwinists seek to find adaptationist explanations for all aspects of the human physique and behavior. They do so because they believe that all traits must make rational, selfish gene sense somehow because thats their whole point; because natural selection wouldnt allow it otherwise. Some people even have a bizarre faith in evolution as if life can always be counted on to devise a way somehow (even miraculously) to survive, i.e., life will find a way. The SF writer, Robert A. Heinlein, a Social Darwinist, once wrote, there will always be survivors; he meant only survival of the fittest, of course, with the implication that the non-fit dont deserve to live. Nazism (blatant power fantasy) was an outgrowth of Social Darwinism with the implication that natural order dictates that human society should be patterned on this; that the unfit, weak and inferior should be actively weeded out by society. However, its a fallacy to infer morality from natural law. After all, the law of gravity doesnt mean human society should strive to promote falling down. This essay has been another attempt to dispel these simplistic notions. Natural selection alone doesnt explain all aspects of ourselves: mere statistics (of distribution and variation) alone prevents that as previously explained. Adaptationism is a major factor, of course, but not all traits are the result of direct adaptations- and this is increasingly true with greater complexity. Where does one draw the line between direct adaptation, random drift and peripheral serendipity (unintended consequences)? Again, it cant be emphasized enough that technically, genes have no purpose- nor are they trying to survive or enhance their reproductive success or do anything for that matter. Its just that the gene pool will obviously TEND to consist of genes that have happened to have done so- by default; i.e., the other genes that happened not to have done so will obviously not be around in as great numbers, if at all. Life will continue to perpetuate in the ways that its possible to do so within the laws of nature. The so-called ingenious ways that species devised to survive were often the only feasible options left (no miracle was involved)- by default- given the current environment and the previous genetic lineage and the preexistence of requisite traits. But remember, most species- perhaps, all species- go extinct eventually. Evolution is a constant work in progress; just because a particular species has existed for millions of years doesnt mean that a kind of perfection or optimization has been achieved. Sometimes, a species can exist for millennia IN SPITE of bad adaptations. And past reproductive success doesnt predict future success- just look at the dinosaurs. So theres no preordained destiny to evolution. Evolutionary biology provides a context for understanding HOW current behavior modes mayve developed and why they persist. However, it doesnt directly explain WHY we are as we are. Saying that men seek power and status for sex and are violent to fight over women; and that women seek high status males; or that genes seek to maximize reproductive fitness is a useful model (stereotype)- a teleological explanation- but its certainly not the meaning of life. .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 , .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .postImageUrl , .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 , .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7:hover , .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7:visited , .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7:active { border:0!important; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7:active , .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7 .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udc96fe0272d6255631c7355fd758f3a7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: ENGLISH: TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE EssayThe primary focus of natural selection has always been on the winners (life); but I think evolution can be extended to encompass non-life as well. In semiconductor physics, electrical current can be defined either as negative charge moving, say, in one direction or as positive charge moving in the opposite direction. Likewise, instead of saying that evolution is all about reproductive fitness, one could just as well say its about death and extinction- the other side of the coin. Hell, death is .