Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Food & Nutrition


Team members:

Marcelo Garcia, Tamanna Roashan, Manami Ito, Heather Campbell, Kelly Flaherty, Hirotaka Mizuno



5:Alive GrApHiC (with image)



Team members:
Cyndi Forni
Katrena Uelese
Yemaya Moor
Matt Everett
Robert Liu

Joan Thach - Lyrics

Joan Thach
Prof. Brooks
30 Oct 2007
Org Comm

Assignment 1

I chose a Tupac lyric, “Fuck The World” because the title is obvious. I would say this relates to resistance to domination in chapter 3. Because the lyrics says “Wanna see me locked in chains, dropped in shame and getting stalked by these crooked cops a-gain. Fuckin with the young black male, tryin to stack mail and umm, stay away from the packed jails. I told the judge I’m in danger and that’s why I had that fo’-five with one in the chamber. Fuck the world,” this clearly represents resistance to domination because it is define as an action of tupac being an oppressed individual with lesser constraints to those in power. Tupac who is talking to the judge is an example of him talking to the power.

here are the lyrics:

2PAC LYRICS"Fuck The World"(feat. Digital Underground)[Shock G sings the parts in {} throughout][2Pac]Haha, what you say?Who you callin rapist? Ain't that a bitchYou devils, are so two facetedWanna see me locked in chains, dropped in shameand gettin stalked by these crooked cops a-gainFuckin with the young black male, tryin to stack mailand umm, stay away from the packed jailsI told the judge I'm in dangerand that's why I had that fo'-five with one in the chamberFuck the world![Chorus: 2Pac]{They tryin to say that I don't care}I woke up screamin, "Fuck the world!"{They tryin to say that I don't care}Just woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They tryin to say that I don't care}Uhh, I woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They're tryin to say that I don't care}Just got up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"[2Pac]When I was comin up rough that wasn't even what you called itThat's why I smoke blunts now and run with alcoholicsI'm gettin, threats to me, comin from my enemiesAnd, in they dreams it's, Hell where they sendin meHave I, lost control or just another soulA car full of motherfuckers when we rollSippin on yak as I sit back (YES!) life as a big mackBrothers come up and say, "You did that?" {uhh, uhh, uhh}Never take yo' eyes off the prize, and even if you gettin highdon't ever hesitate to tryCause you can fall off or stay ballin, niggaz we all inAnd them my motherfuckers callin {ohh, ohh, ohh}Fuck the world![Chorus: 2Pac]{They tryin to say that I don't care}I woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They tryin to say that I don't care}Just woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They tryin to say that I don't care}I got up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They tryin to say that I don't care}I woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They tryin to say that I don't care}[2Pac]Man, fuck the world..Damn, they wanna label me a menacecause I'm sittin here sippin on GuinnessWeighin 165, and these tricks should diefor bein jealous of a brother when he ridesI can see it in yo' eyes, you wanna see a young playa fallinThey hate to see a nigga ballinSome of you suckers is rottin, plottin on what I gotAnd then you wonder why I shot him (boo-ya!)Stop givin game for free, you wanna hang with melike being a thug is the thang to be?But I got love for my homies, the G's and macksAnd if you're black, you better stay strappedNigga, fuck the world![Chorus: 2Pac]{They tryin to say that I don't care}I woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They try to say that I don't care}I woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They tryin to say that I don't care}Got up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"Haha, fuck the world! Fuck itI hear my niggaz screamin fuck the world![2Pac]They wanna know if I claim the click, that I'm hangin withand if I'm down with this bangin shitWell homie I don't give a fuck if you Blood or CuzLong as ya got love for thugsBut don't try to test me out, stall thatHomie this is Thug Life nigga and we all strappedI been through, Hell and back, and if I, fell blackthen it's, back to the corner where we sell crackSome of you niggaz is bustas; you runnin 'round with these tramp=ass bitches, don't trust herBut don't cry, this world ain't prepared for usA straight thug motherfucker who ain't scared to bustFuck the world![Chorus: 2Pac Humpty Hump/Shock G]{They tryin to say that I don't care}I woke up and screamed, "Fuck the world!"{They're tryin to say that I don't care}I woke up screamin, "Fuck the world!" [Uhh!]{They tryin to say that I don't care}{They tryin to say that I don't care}I woke up screamin, "Fuck the world!"{Yeah what's goin on y'all?}{Uhh, uhh, uhh..} Fuck the world![Shock G singing ]I don't care.. I don't care, I don't care! [fades]

East Bay Consulting Group - EBCG

Michelle Harrington, Ian Henneberry, Jennifer Medina, Errin Poston, Brian Roberson

Chapter 4 analysis-LAPORCHE CARLISLE

Analysis
In Chapter 4 the text talked about interdependent systems and what it means to function as a whole instead of separate parts in an organization, whether it has to do with people or Biology. There was a term used called “distributed intelligence” , which was defined as all members playing a significant role in the organization of a system. This made me think of teamwork and how college teaches students to coexist in groups/teams instead of working alone all the time.
Also in chapter 4 the text was basing some of its points about the contemporary world on the quote of an Observer by the name of Senge. He said that “The unhealthiness of our world today is in direct proportion to our inability to see it as a whole”. This stuck out because going back to teamwork, all people in a group need to contribute something or another aspect of the group may not go so well. Another credible mind by the name of Ludwig von Bertalanffy developed the “General systems theory” which talked about living systems and the point where there is more than one way to accomplish different goals of an organization. This theory had an hierarchy that was made up of different things such as animals and humans, which were right by each other. He broke down their individual description on how they function and next to it placed their theories. I believe chapter 4 had useful points that are meant to give the reader an understanding of what it means to work together and that it is important to understand what is going on with all parts of the organization even if they don’t think they are directly connected.
Questions and answers
1.Why did the book mention that the systems theory appeals to people who are interested in organizational communication?
- I think this a good question because I question if it only appeals to people that are into organizational communication. People are involved in a system whether they realize it or not. There are just different ways to understanding a system, but once something goes wrong in a workplace for example, then people find ways to replace it or work around it to fix the system.
2. Why was Biology a good example of a system?
- Biology was a good example because it talked about subsystems and connections and how biology can not be explained without referring to most parts. The systems approach to me, was better understood after reading the pat about biology.

5:Alive GrApHiC

I apologize but for some reason we have not been able to post our graphic. I will tell you about until we figure it out. Its about advertising public ads versus private ads.

Monday, October 29, 2007




Elite Consulting
La Porche Carlisle
Lisbeth Cervantes
Lara Hodgson
Tonia Rivera

Song lyrics - Lisbeth Cervantes

Jay-Z – 99 Problems
Jay-Z by far one of my favorite rappers! When he raps I can understand where he’s coming from even though he is a man and I am a woman, anger has no gender. One of the reasons why I look up to him is because he has a very strong mind set and he is a visionary, he goes with his instincts, and is very sharp. He has the ability to rap without writing anything on paper; he just flows on the mic and comes out with a genius song.
One of my favorite songs he’s done is from his supposedly last album (which was later not), Fade to Black. That album is pure genius. There is a song on there called “99 Problems” where he talks about the issues he has with the rap industry, being black, and beef he has with other people. Part of the song explains how he almost got caught with drugs in the trunk of his car when he was pulled over by a cop for speeding, the cop then starts to profile him:

“…and I heard "Son do you know why I'm stopping you for?"
Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low
Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo?
"Well you was doing fifty five in a fifty four"
"License and registration and step out of the car"
"Are you carrying a weapon on you I know alot of you are"
I ain't stepping out of shit all my papers legit
"Do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?"
Well my glove compartment is locked so is the trunk and the back
And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrent for that
"Aren't you sharp as a tack are some type of lawyer or something?"
"Or somebody important or something?"
Nah I ain't pass the bar but I know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my shit
"Well see how smart you are when the K-9's come"
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me”

I think these lyrics fall under the concept of resistance to domination, as stated in chapter 3. According to the text book, resistance to domination is defined as any action on the part of the oppressed individual to lessen the constraints placed on them by those in power. Jay-Z is expressing his resistance to domination when he talks to back to the cop telling him how he knows his rights and that if the cop wants check his car he’s going to need a warrant for that.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Tonia Rivera- Lyric and Explanation

"These Places I've Been Fired"
These places I've been fired
'Cause I need enjoyment
Not just plain employment
These places I've been fired
I just came from John Deere
Can I get a job here?

In chapter 3, the human resources approach is introduced and addresses employee creativity and organizational structure. In this approach the goal is to motivate the employees through dialogue and increased productivity will come as a result. “Situations are symbolic constructions of reality that are individualized according to personal needs, desires, and interest” (Eisenberg, Goodall Jr., Trethewey 93). If an employee feels like they are being personally fulfilled on a job they will most likely be more committed to the mission of the organization.
In “These Places I’ve Been Fired”, by Wannabemustangjockey, the individual expresses that just being employed is not good enough. While on the job an employee wants to enjoy their work. Most employees want to feel a sense of achievement and motivation. If they lack one or both then the job becomes a duty that seems dead end. Productivity decreases and the organization suffers along with the individual. In this poem the individual gets fired most likely because they were slacking off and not meeting the expectations of the company. The person then uses their last place of employment to get a job elsewhere in hopes of a different experience. Generally most people go from job to job until they find a company that has taken on the human resources approach in creating an atmosphere of satisfied employees whose personal and professional desires are being met so that the organization in return will benefit.

Lois Rosewood - Song

Singer/songwriter John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change” was the first single released in 2006 from his Continuum album. He won a Grammy for this song for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. His song carries themes of discontent as well as hope, and is a narrative of resistance as described in our textbook on page 68.

The song begins:

me and all my friends
we're all misunderstood
they say we stand for nothin and
there's no way we ever could

now we see everything that's going wrong
with the world and those who lead it
we just feel like we don't have the means
to rise above and beat it

These lyrics demonstrate the feeling of a lack of political power among Generation Y, and Mayer specifically refers to the current wars:

now if we had the power
to bring our neighbors home from war
they would have never missed a Christmas
no more ribbons on their door

Mayer sings about mistrust regarding the media:

and when you trust your television
what you get is what you got
cause when they own the information, oh
they can bend it all they want

It does allude to hope for the future, however, with these lyrics:

one day our generation
is gonna rule the population
so we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change

Mayer seems to reflect the perceived apathetic stance of Generation Y (and many other people in this country) but when Mayer sang this song at the Live Earth concert event in July he changed the lyrics to “we’re NOT waiting on the world to change.”

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Assignment #1

Posted By Jessica Jordan

I chose to look at the song lyrics of a popular song by the Black Eyed Peas called “Where Is The Love?” Today the song is a bit dated but the lyrics continue to have a positive message that may influence the actions of its listeners. The overall message of the song can relate to group cohesiveness that can be achieved in the systems approach theory in regards to organizational communication. Unlike scientific management, the systems perspective understands people to be individuals and focuses on relationships and responses in order to better adapt to the changing world we live in.

Cleverly versed, certain lines in the song speak to the correlation between discriminating and hating that ultimately leave people with ill feelings towards one another. It’s amazing how realistic the chorus of the song is as it asks the necessary question, where is the love? Specifically, the mention of people getting colder and being focused with money making leads me to believe that if people don’t change and continue to mistreat others, death and suffering may become the norm for innocent victims. In relation to the systems approach and the quality of interdependence, it can be problematic when people don’t work with one another in order to achieve the same goals. Questions of humanity and inequality come up in the song that make me wonder to what extent human rights are jeopardized when people become less unified. All in all, there seems to be an information transfer occurring in the song to get people to come together and spread the need for love. From my experiences growing up and interacting with many people, it is not only about recognizing differences among others but also accepting those differences and finding ways to maintain healthy relationships with them as a result.

In a sense I can see how the fans of the song give feedback to the group by demonstrating their interest in and support for its message. By getting people to think differently than before, the group can successfully have an impact on its listeners. Like the systems theory, the song brings about a consideration for one’s environment and encourages people to contribute to its well being. By revisiting Marshall McLuhan’s reference to the world as a “global village,” much like this song, the spreading of information across cultures can help us to organize and improve the realities of those in need (pg.102).

Lyrics website: http://www.lyricscafe.com/phprint.php

Friday, October 26, 2007

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Team: Premonition




Team Members:
Steve
Thu
Joane
Amy
Geeta
Chris

Lara Hodgson- Assignment #1

Quote: “All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind. Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” ~ Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC)

I think these quotes relate to the concepts that we have covered in class because the put thought and feeling into the aspects of the work place. Everyone in life has to work in one shape of form. A definition of organizational communication is the strategic control of shared meaning and understanding. If all paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind then everything that provides money for people to live on degrades the mind; it is a shared meaning of the workplace. This quote can mean that the mind is degraded because it is put a price on by the employer of how much it is worth. It is a question of how much your mind is worth to be spent doing the work it is getting paid to do.
In the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs, the need for belonging needs to be meant to reach self-actualization. The second part of this quote relates to some of the concepts we covered because it deals with the finding enjoyment and therefore belonging within the workplace. Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work covers a supported relationship with yourself and the work. It is much like the human resource approach in which the principle of supported relationship holds that all interactions within an organization should support individual self-worth and importance, with an emphasis on supportive relationships between work groups and open communication. (Organizational Communication, p.90).
I think this quote relates more on the biological system approach because it has to do with an individual’s state of mind rather then general effort. In the scientific management approach, the human mind can be viewed as like the machine in which there are many different machines that are programmed for specific work. It is the value of the work the machine, the mind, is doing in which the price is placed. This is degrading to the machine because it is put a price on rather than being seen for the full potential that it could be. It is only seen for the specific job it is getting paid to do.
On a cultural study point of view to this quote, if one takes pride in their work then they put perfection in the work, could be seen that they are obsessive in making the work perfect and spend a great amount of time in their career. I think this is based on a cultural aspect because having a great and stable work life and making it consume the majority of their time puts certain pressures on individuals to strive to be perfect. This goes hand and hand with the sense of belonging and being apart of something significant. This is what people strive for when they begin and hold a career.

Hirotaka Mizuno: Assignment1

I will put part of the lyrics because the whole song will be too long.

[Survivor]

[Survivor] Destiny’s Child

Now that you are out of my life,
I'm so much better,
You thought that I'd be weak without ya,
But I'm stronger,
You thought that I'd be broke without ya,
But I'm richer,
You thought that I'd be sad without ya,
I laugh harder,
You thought I wouldn't grow without ya,
Now I'm wiser,
You thought that I'd be helpless without ya,
But I'm smarter,
You thought that I'd be stressed without ya,
But I'm chillin'
You thought I wouldn't sell without ya,
Sold nine million.

[Chorus]
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what),
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what),
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm gonna make it (what),
I will survive (what),
Keep on survivin' (what),
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what),
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what),
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm gonna make it (what),
I will survive (what),
Keep on survivin' (what).


In this song, a woman is struggling for the fact that close person left from her. This person, the person who had left, believes that she can not do anything without this person. However, in fact, she is singing that she can survive without this person. On the contrary, she is saying that she feels much better because that person is now out of her life.
I feel this song represents many women’s feeling that they can survive without depending on somebody. In this song, she emphasizes that she has no problem about losing this person. It used to be hard for women to survive by themselves. However, now it is becoming more common to survive by women themselves. They have more opportunity for their job, and they can earn as much money as men earn. Such a changing of the system let her create and sing this song.
In the lyrics, we can see that she is totally independent. She denies all of negative expectations of the person who had left. Now she is working and surviving to proof that she can survive without this person.
Heather Hooper

Assignment 1

The quote I have chosen is short but one that is easy to recognize and remember. The quote is from the 1992 film “A league of their own,” Tom Hanks is the actor who said this quote. “There is no crying in baseball!” Jimmy Dugan is the character played by Tom Hanks who is the coach of an all female baseball team during the World War 2 era.
The reason I have chosen this quote is because this film really expresses what women go through to have the same rights as men. Tying this quote in with what we have learned in this class is that the women on the baseball team were in an organization trying to work together to reach a common goal. (To win baseball games.) This women’s baseball organization reflects what was going on in our culture during World War 2 and today.
In the film it was hard for the women to join the team; they were given a drunk washed up coach (Jimmy Dugan) and were not given as much funding as a men’s baseball team. Plus very few fans actually watched the games. This film showed an organization on a small scale that reflected what was going on in real life. Women are treated differently than men, especially when they want to partake in “Men’s” activities. The quote “there is not crying in baseball” draws upon that fact that baseball is supposed to be played a certain way by men only and women just have no place there

Song Reflection - Jennifer Medina

"Womanopoly" by Musiq Soulchild

Yo listen
I met this girl on Baltic Ave.
And you can tell how she steps on boardwalk,
She was from Park Place
I asked what she was doing on this side of town
She said she had some taxes to pay
I figure I'd take a chance and advance to go
And find out more about
Cause there more to know than the way she ways
And the way that she wears her clothes,
Or the way she plays this game (so cold)
She said she came up rough
And one income was not enough
There'd be nights she'd go to sleep hungry
Cause her mom was always short on food and money
See people used to joke a lot
Tease her bout her clothes not being in style
Dressed in dingy skirts and dirty sneakers
From the finest second hand down Oriental Ave.

[Chorus]

But now look at her
She got this game on lock
Anything she ever wanted now she got it
And I've gotta say
And I'm proud to see
That someone like her is in central
Womanopoly

Once she graduated junior high she started working overtime
Scrubbing floors or working on assembly lines
Just so she could help her mother out and
After college they moved into Marvin Gardens
And she got a job working at the city water department
To raise enough cash
In move into community chest condos on Pennsylvania Ave
She fell in love with this dude named ray
Who was a small time hustler from St. Charles place

And he was known for always bein in and out of trouble
But the problem was that he was never on her level
She argued with her mom about ray's work
Til he was sent upstate on the same day that she gave birth
But see the baby never made it, it drove her nearly crazy
And she couldn't take it

[Chorus]

(Listen) see where she came from
Many people find it hard just to hang on
You often find them in the same place complaining
Instead of finding a better way of maintain
She could have balled up and cry
Wished that she would die
And just gave up on tryin
Instead she grind from the bottom
Just to make it to the bottom now she's on top and she's flying

[Chorus]

This song is a story about the struggles of a young woman. This story reflects the struggles of many young women. As soon as this woman was able to start working, she went out and found a job because she valued contributing to her family. She viewed work as an opportunity to make money. More money in the family meant better living conditions and more opportunities. Womanopoly is a metaphor that is used throughout the song. The word monopoly can be defined as “exclusive possession or control.” Womanopoly symbolizes the way this woman took control of her life. She was a child who was raised in poverty, but she did not let this determine her future. She may have made a few mistakes along the way, but she was not perfect. She was human. She learned from her mistakes and moved on. She worked as a means a making a better life for herself and her family, despite the constant hardships she had to face. She carried on and she thrived. In a sense, she was the link to a better life for her family. She was their heroine.

Matt Everett: Poem

Work

Day in and day out we work
We work very hard
We work to make a living
To pay the bills
to make money
Some of us love going to work
But then there are others
They do not like going to work
We all do different things
Some of us are bankers, teachers
Others are doctors, bakers
What ever you do
You work to make money
You work all day
For what you like is
not enough money
But you have to work
So going to work every day
You may not enjoy your job
But some people love their job
They have a lot of fun at work
They do some they love to do
So day in and day out
We work to make money

By Rachel Burns



In today’s society, many people feel overworked and unmotivated. It wasn’t long ago when it was considered the norm to come to work early, stay late, and be willing to travel at any moment for your job. Now, many people have the desire to find more of a balance in their life and change their priorities. There is a high demand to successful find a balance between work, family, and a social life. One primary factor that is responsible for the shifting of priorities is there are fewer high-paying, unionized manufacturing jobs available in the United States. As a result, 67% of the workplace consists of dual-earner couples. Due to the current situation of our economy, many people find it hard to make a living based on one income provider.
The second factor is childcare. It is often difficult to have family nearby to help watch the kids while the parents work. This makes it harder to work long hours because of the high cost of day care providers. Some companies are trying to make working environments more suitable for everyone so they are incorporating day cares at the workplace, flexible hours, and parental leave. One company that is known for this in the bay area is Google. More and more companies see what Google has offered their employees and are trying to “duplicate” their same infrastructure. But this does not apply to all businesses because many do have financial constraints thus making it hard to provide services to cater to employee needs.
Our definition of success has also changed over the years. To some people, success is having a happy marriage, children, and a career they enjoy. It is about finding a balance and putting new priorities and values in action. The reason I chose this poem is because it demonstrates someone who only works to make money. The phrase “We work to make money” signifies to me that this person does not have a balanced life, and is not satisfied with their current life style. Of course we have to work to pay the bills and to overcome personal goals but we are not supposed to just “work” and only “work.” Life has more to offer than money and we should enjoy what we do for a living. If everyone thought this way then there would be less health issues and having a balanced life is good for your body, mind, and soul.

LaPorche Carlisle-Quote from movie

In the 2007 film “Perfect Stranger” Halle Berry plays a young reporter whose life changes after she is forced to protect her self from being discovered as a murderer. Her life revolved around secrets and insecurities that caused her actions toward people. The film has a twist because it seems that Halle Berry is playing an innocent, positive character, where instead she is pretending. She is actually devious, hypocritical and manipulative. Her past as a child is tied to her ways because she was sexually abused and forced to hold the secret of her mother killing her father because of this abuse. Early on she finds out that her secret is not her own, but that her next door neighbor saw her and her mother burying her father. Her adult life was being blackmailed by her neighbor who forced the character, Rowena, which Berry played to be another person. That situation and an unconscious ill feeling against men added to her murdering the neighbor and living different lives.
This movie has scenes and quotes that relate to organizational changes and constraint for now and the future in regards to understanding self because peoples actions reflects on how they live and how they function in certain situations.

“It’s a world where you think actions have has no consequence where guilt it cloaked with anonymity where there are no fingerprints, an invisible universe filled with strangers interconnected online and disconnected in life. It will still you secrets, corrupt your dreams and co-opt your identity, because in this world where you can be anything you want, anyone you want and you just might lose sight of who you are”. In this quote from the movie, Rowena was at the end of her journey as covering up for her actions and she was writing a story that was based on her reality.

That quote reminded me of a concept in Chapter 2 of the book called the situated individual. In the text it is described as “a person who is conducting everyday business of the maintenance and construction of the social realities in which we live”. All through the movie, character Rowena was going on with her life as if it was “normal” while being three different identities, with different motives that were all working towards covering her tracks. Rowena was in fact playing herself, Katherine Polk (a name she used to work), and her chat name Rocketgirl. Also in the book it was quoted that someone by the name of Anderson, said that the situated individual is connected to others through a network of shared, mutually, negotiated, and maintained meanings. And that the meanings give location, identity, action and purpose to the individual. It tells where I am, who I am, who I am doing, how to do it and how. The text lastly summarized the situated individual as an actor who thoughts and action are based on contexts, as having more than one context exist contributing to actions, and that it can reveal sources of creativity, constraint, meaning, interpretation, and context.

The character Berry was playing showed all those 3 steps. She was an actor. She was playing roles to justify what she had done and to cover it up by leading a normal life to others looking in. Also her actions were based on her background as a child and her interpretation of men, being controlling and in charge. Two, she has multiple reasons as to why she has this ill feeling toward men, because of her past as a child and because of her experience as a reporter. Seeing how men were “protecting men” as said in the movie did not sit well with her. So she acted accordingly to prove to herself that she is appreciated. Three, all of her actions from becoming an alias and working under a different name to get information, murdering her childhood neighbor because of a secret she knew, and chatting online as someone else.

I chose the quote from the movies because I thought it really related to how changes in persons actions can have an impact on how a situation plays out. The reasons why she was action so irrationally and committing negative acts had to do with her past, her present state, and how things could possibly turn out for her in the future. She manipulates people and set them up because her interpretation of life was that she must be accepted and not understood. Meaning that she will do what she has to do to be acknowledged but kept her skeletons in the closet so that people would not reveal her reality. It just shows how being the situated individual as understood by me from the reading, is to be put in a situation by society or family and acquaintances that causes your actions to be negative and confusing to yourself and the world because it is contradictory of how your real life is.

Megan Davis- song lyric

Cultural Assignment

I work down at the Pizza Pit
And I drive an old Hyundai
I still live with my mom and dad
I'm 5 foot 3 and overweight
I'm a scifi fanatic
A mild asthmatic
And I've never been to second base
But there's whole ‘nother me
That you need to see
Go checkout MySpace

'Cause online I'm out in Hollywood
I'm 6 foot 5 and I look damn good
I drive a Maserati
I'm a black-belt in karate
And I love a good glass of wine
It turns girls on that I’m mysterious
I tell them I don't want nothing serious
'Cause even on a slow day
I could have a three way
Chat with two women at one time
I’m so much cooler online
So much cooler online

When I get home I kiss my mom
And she fixes me a snack
And I head down to my basement bedroom
And fire up my Mac
In real life the only time I’ve ever even been to L.A
Is when I got the chance with the marching band
To play tuba in the Rose Parade

Online I live in Malibu
I pose for Calvin Klein, I've been in GQ
I'm single and I'm rich
And I've got a set of six pack abs that would blow your mind
It turns girls on that I’m mysterious
I tell them I don't want nothing serious
'Cause even on a slow day
I could have a three way
Chat with two women at one time
I’m so much cooler online
So much cooler online

When you got my kind of stats
It’s hard to get a date
Let alone a real girlfriend
But I grow another foot and I lose a bunch of weight
Every time I login

Online
I’m out in Hollywood
I’m 6 foot 5 and I look damn good
Even on a slow day
I could have a three way
Chat with two women at one time
I’m so much cooler online
Yeah, I’m cooler online
I’m so much cooler online
Yeah, I’m cooler online

Yeah, I’m cooler online

Yeah, I’ll see ya online


This song “Online,” written by Brad Paisley tells a story about a man who changes his personality when he gets online. In real life this man is overweight, still lives at home, works at a pizza pit and drives an old car. But when he gets online he can become anyone he wants; a guy with a six-pack, a player, and the desire of every woman.
This song brings up a very interesting topic. The song creates a more socially acceptable way of conversing with people. This song creates an even more socially acceptable standard to not only converse online but also date and meet people online. Even thought this song makes fun of changing your identity to meet people, this is a current fear and threat in today’s society. As for the future, what will evolve in this technological arena?
I would assume that in the future, these types of social/technological encounters would be more common. We will probably create new technology to make conversing online more easily, convenient and more accessible.
In conclusion, conversing over the Internet in not going to go away. On the contrary, it is going to evolve and shape more of our future, not less. As we can already see, the concept of conversing with people online has not stayed within the realms of the Internet world, it has already leaked into the music world.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Amy Elliott: Song Lyrics

Full Time Job

I'm a mother, I'm a lover
A chef, a referee
I'm a doctor, and a chuffeur
Seven days a week
I ain't asking for a medal
Yeah I know you work too
I'd just like a little credit
Where credit is due

Chorus:
It's the hardest gig I've ever known
I work my fingers to the bone
Yeah the dishes and the diapers never stop
Lousy pay, there ain't no 401K
I know this may come as a shock
But this her's a full time job

Well I'm takin' a vacation
I could use a little fun
I'll be sipping on the silence
And soaking up the sun
I'm leaving you my apron
You can try it on for size
You said there's nothing to it
So I'm sure you'll be fine

Repeat Chorus

In a day or maybe two
You'll be changin' your tune
By then You'll be ready to drop
Workin' my full time job
This here's a full time job


I decided to choose these song lyrics because it reminded me of Chapter One’s section on the meaning of work and the case study of workaholics. I think there are probably a lot of workaholics out there that do not even know they are. For example, single mothers have to go to work, maybe even school as well, and take care of their children. Taking care of children is a job in itself. Even though parenting should not be looked upon as a job, it still takes a lot of extra time and effort to get those great memories that parenting is all about. Although the section on workaholics is about individuals who spend all their time at work and spend their time at home still working, this song demonstrates that even after work there is still work to be done whether there is a paycheck coming out of it or not. According to the text, a workaholic is a term used to describe a person who is unnaturally preoccupied with work. After our class discussion on workaholics, we agreed that workaholics are those that push themselves to do more than they should be doing in that time frame. For example, I play on the women’s basketball team, take twenty-two units for school, and work 20 hours a week. Even though my schedule does not consist of only work-related activities, it still deals with a lot of time consumption and energy used in non-leisure activities. Another interesting way to analyze a piece of this song is the simple fact that she is talking about how mothering is a full time job. However, in the section on meaning of work, it explains how individuals tend to spend more time with work which can be harmful to the family.

Alex Malliaris - Lyrics

“All the days collided
One less perfect than the next
I was stuck inside someone else's life and always second best
Oh, I love you now 'cause now I realize
That it's safe outside to come alive in my identity

So if you're listening
There's so much more to me you haven't seen
Living in the shadow
Of someone else's dream
Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me
Living in a nightmare
A never-ending sleep
But now that I am wide awake
Then I can finally see”

Identity is a concept with which every person struggles. Men, women, and children are all wrestling with the question of who they are. It’s not necessarily a struggle that can be seen from the outside, but it is very real.
In this song, performed by Ashlee Simpson, we are allowed a glimpse inside the mind of a celebrity. It is a rare peek into the authentic experience of a young woman trying to make sense of who she is in the context of her family. Her sister, Jessica Simpson, has enjoyed tremendous fame and success. Ashlee is constantly comparing herself to her sister. Not only that, but everyone in the media compares them, which makes it even more difficult for Ashlee to establish an identity of her own.
She feels trapped within her association with her sister. She is not just a little Jessica or an underdeveloped artist. Ashlee is a blossoming young woman who can stand on her own merit. It’s hard for her to communicate who she is apart from her relationship with her sister, but with time and great effort, she is able to be herself.
The book discusses the issue of identity and our understanding of ourselves. Most often, we make sense of who we are as we compare ourselves to others around us. There is a context of relationships within which we fit as puzzle pieces.
This song is very refreshing, particularly to a celebrity obsessed culture. These people appear to have it all together and to enjoy complete peace with who they are. But, the truth is that they struggle just like any one of us. They ask themselves the same questions about who they are as contrasted with others and who they want to be known as.
I often think about who I am. I look back to who I was in high school and sometimes I think that I knew myself better, then. Perhaps it was just that I was better known. There’s no replacement for being understood. Sometimes others know us better than we know ourselves. When you feel unknown to others it’s easy to forget who you are. But, once we gain a better understanding of ourselves we will finally be able to see.

Dr. Martin Luther King and Resistance to Domination

When Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his I Have A Dream speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial to 200,000 people in 1963, he not only educated the world about the social ills of U.S. apartheid policies, he also demonstrated Resistance to Domination. The following year, he was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. This was the ‘achieving moment’ in his quest for equality through non-violence. He single-handedly gave a segregated population a voice that was heard and empowered a movement to gain international attention. Due to Dr. King’s efforts, legislation in the U.S. drastically changed and many of the social ills remedied.
Our text cites that (p.68) “…all societies have narratives of resistance. These are the narratives of the less powerful and the powerless, of those who ordinarily have little or no voice in organizational and societal dialogue. They provide different account of events and the meanings those events had for the participants.” The following line defines King’s demonstration of Resistance to Domination. “Unless the domination is eventually overturned, these stories only rarely make it into textbooks.”
Here’s a challenge: think of Resistance to Domination to on a more micro-level. On a macro level, Dr. King’s or for that matter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s examples shine bright. However, when thinking about Resistance to Domination on our everyday routines, do we face such issues? The oppressive boss? The demanding peer review board? Those pesky folks that control the Home Owners Association? How about the rigorous syllabus?

Read/see more here:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
http://wings.buffalo.edu/academic/department/AandL/aas/ANNOUNCE/vra/king/phil_king_nobel_lec.html
http://www.thefreedomcampaign.org/takeaction.php
http://womennewsnetwork.net/2007/10/12/an-enduring-symbol-of-peace-during-recent-unrest-in-myanmar-humanitarian-daw-aung-san-suu-kyi/

Holly Pepper- Assign. 1


Fiona Apple is a singer and artist that I admire. I decided to choose the lyrics to her song “Extraordinary Machine”. Her music and songs are deeply enrooted in metaphors, ritual resistance, and forms of socialization whether she is for or against it. There are many things that connect Fiona Apple’s lyrics to Cultural Elements, and socialization in Chapter 5. I want to discuss some of the different topics that relate to her music in relation to our book.
First I want to address the Cultural Elements section of Metaphors. Fiona uses metaphors as figures of speech in her music all the time. In the lyrics of “Extraordinary Machine” she uses a metaphor by describing herself as a machine. Another section of Cultural Elements I want to compare to “Extraordinary Machine” is Rituals. In our book it talks about rituals being anything from day to day rituals, to big annual celebrations, to cultural value systems such as what is considered normal to certain groups of people or organizations. In Fiona’s “Extraordinary Machine” lyrics she talks about breaking “traditions” of modern day celebrity rituals with lines such as “I certainly haven't been shopping for any new shoes…” and “I certainly haven't been spreading myself around, I still only travel by foot…” I don’t know about you but I don’t know of to many celebrities that travel by foot?

I also wanted to discuss and compare Fiona’s lyrics to socialization. Her lyrics describe parts of the process of her socialization when she writes “I am the baby of the family, it happens, so - Everybody cares and wears the sheeps' clothesWhile they chaperone…” and in turn she also describes her resistance to socialization and not wanting to except the “norm” in other lines, “ I mean to prove I mean to move in my own way”.

In conclusion after analyzing “Extraordinary Machine” lyrics and seeing how it relates to Cultural Elements, and Socialization, it shows me that as an artist Fiona writes with many forms of communication processes and isn’t just stuck on one way of writing. This confirms that when I am listening to Fiona Apple that I am listing to something that is a truly unique form of art, and that her music is genuine at core.


"Extraordinary Machine"
I certainly haven't been shopping for any new shoes
-And-
I certainly haven't been spreading myself around
I still only travel by foot and by foot, it's a slow climb,
But I'm good at being uncomfortable, so
I can't stop changing all the time
I notice that my opponent is always on the go
-And-
Won't go slow, so's not to focus, and I notice
He'll hitch a ride with any guide, as long as
They go fast from whence he came-
But he's no good at being uncomfortable, so
He can't stop staying exactly the same
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine
I seem to you to seek a new disaster every day
You deem me due to clean my view and be at peace and lay
I mean to prove I mean to move in my own way, and say,
I've been getting along for long before you came into the play
I am the baby of the family, it happens, so-
Everybody cares and wears the sheeps' clothes
While they chaperone
Curious, you looking down your nose at me, while you appease-
Courteous, to try and help -
but let me set your
Mind at ease(Chorus)-
Do I so worry you, you need to hurry to my side?
-It's very kind
But it's to no avail; I don't want the bail
I promise you, everything will be just fine
If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine
-Fiona Apple

Holly Pepper- Driving Forces

1. Critical Uncertainty: RFID- chips that could be implanted in humans to track and control.

For years the idea of (RFID) or tracking devices being implanted in humans has been a lingering possibility. It is said that these tracking devices could control kidnapping, murders, theft, rape, keep track of medical history, crime records, identification, etc. The critical uncertainty is how American citizens would respond to this type of invasion of privacy and basic human rights. Would some individuals think it was for the better in order to keep track and protect there family members and loved ones, and help stop crime? Or would there be an uproar and a total resistance to having RFID implanted in babies and the general public? Another question to ask is whether or not high officials in the government would tolerate RFID in their own lives and how would they be monitored, and by whom?

2. Predetermined Element: Online shopping vs. shopping at the mall.

Online shopping has taken off in the last 10-15 years. At first it was something that only a small group of people where into, then came eBay, Amazon, and Craig’s list. Now online shopping is a huge part of how we consume, shop for better deals, and don’t even have to leave our houses, or bedrooms to do it. Large organizations such as Wal-Mart and Target have better online-exclusive offers when you purchase from their stores online. Males that felt uncomfortable to go on shopping trips to the mall, now turn to ordering T-shirts and sports accessories right off their favorite stores online! The elderly that find it hard to get to the stores due to physical disability can now have the convenience of shopping online as well! Online shopping has become a huge separate form of proceeds for many companies, and organizations! It makes one wonder whether online shopping makes more proceeds than the actual department stores

Terry Tate-Office linebacker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q4jb-kXebQ –Terry Tate Office Linebacker
Here is some of the dialogue:
After employee has been knocked over Terry Tate yells at them:
“Break was over 15 minutes ago” “You kill the joe, you make some mo” “You know you need a cover sheet on your TPS reports, that ain’t new baby, (to someone walking by) Hey Janis”
The boss is interviewed about Terry, here are some of his comments:
“I’m a firm proponent of paradigm breaking, outside the box thing. And since Terry’s been with us, our productivity has gone up 46%” “He fits right in here” “To be honest, I wish I had 10 Terry Tates”

Terry Tate Office Linebacker is a spoof on the politics and social norms of working in an office. Even though it was developed by Reebok, its huge popularity on YouTube shows how it has become a part of pop culture. The overall theme of the clip really relates to organization communication and some of the theories developed in chapter three.
Tackling someone for a minor offense, especially in an office setting, is not considered acceptable. That is mainly why the clip is so funny. Terry breaks the social norm of an office place by using violence to solve an issue. The boss responds that he likes to think outside of the box, but this isn’t even on the same page as the box. Terry’s methods are very creative, but there is no constraint which is a requirement for true business communication.
This clip both resists domination and also conforms to it. On the resisting side, Terry is bringing true justice to the organization. He is ensuring that people adhere to the unwritten rules that most people think need to be followed for everyone to work together, such as refilling the coffee pot. In another clip, he tackles a guy for passing gas in the elevator. These are things that most employees encounter and find extremely irritating about the office environment. On the conforming side, he is also ensuring people follow the business rules such as putting correct covers on a report or not taking too long of breaks. So while Terry gets to do what we all wish we could have done to our lame co-worker, he is still re-enforcing the given social norms for an organization.
The comments made by the boss reflect his internal belief in McGregor’s Theory X. He has hired Terry to make sure his employees are watched and punished immediately if they don’t do their job. McGregor’s second point about Theory X is “most people must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment to get them to put forth adequate effort toward achievement of organizational objectives.” Terry Tate is the extreme form of this idea. Not only does the boss not have a problem with his workers getting tackled but he wants more of it. When he makes a comment about injuries the film moves to Terry getting hurt by a mail cart, not to any of the employees being tackled by a linebacker. Thus, his concern is more about the ability to get work done not the overall well-being of his employees. He is also applying the scientific management theory of efficiency over people.
By showing examples of office norms being broken and then continuing to break the norm by how Terry acts, these clips reveal what those social norms are. Both managers and employees can watch this and think, ‘I wish we had that’. The clip both reinforces and resists organizational norms and domination by bring justice to the good employees but still ensuring employee productivity and efficiency. Finally, it reflects how some managers feel about their employees and how McGregor’s X and Y Theories are very true in any work environment.

Chp. #4 Quote & Question

Posted By Jessica Jordan

Quote: “The unhealthiness of our world today is in direct proportion to our inability to see it as a whole” (Senge 1990 pg.100).

Significance: This quote reads into the poor application of the classical management (machine theory) perspective on organization and communication compared to the systems perspective. Specifically, the shift from a focus on parts of a process to seeing things as a whole in the systems perspective, allows us to better understand the workings of modern organizational communication. Within the systems perspective, human relationships in the workplace are recognized and needs and contingencies are addressed among other things that encourage better organizational operations/communication.

Question: According to the systems perspective, will the inability of management to recognize interdependence between people in an organization have consequences that affect communication as well as the environment?

Answer: From an ethical standpoint, if relations within a system are not recognized, communication tends to be limited in the workplace and may reflect the few in power verses the remaining majority. In effect, the expense of the company and the environment may be jeopardized as a result. For example, many entertainment cruise ships around the world regularly engage in the illegal dumping of human waste while at sea. In most cases, the decision to disobey the law and not follow plans as agreed upon is in the hands of management who wish instead to pollute the environment in order to save in costs.

Katrena Uelese- Poem

Life, Purpose, My life... My life...

I don’t know the purpose of my life
I am a giant, i am carrying the earth on my back
I fighted in my battles and never be beaten
Rabid winds got on my frozen body

Bad people, people talked to me lies
Beautiful women, erotically, lustily kissed me
All of them thief’s of a scene of the film of my life
All of them something want to get of me

I don’t know the purpose of my life
But I know when this time will come
When the purpose, ethical or not
I will understand, I will conquer, I will succeed
A breeze will make me fall, with no purpose

By: Yiannis Baki


Today’s lecture in class especially hit home for me. We went into great depth about the reasons and factors that brought us to this point in our life. I had never reflected on my past and what brought me to today, and all the explanations for it. Today’s case study was about making sense of your equivocal past. Within chapter four, we discussed systems and how they are parts of organizations; more so, we covered the idea of retrospective sense making. Karl Weick believes that people act first and later examine their actions in attempt to make sense.
Karl Weick makes an excellent point that we try to plan before acting, but that does not always happen. This leads us to attempting to have a balance between the planned and unplanned behavior we enact upon. A lot of events that happen in life we think are planned, but when reflected upon it turns out to be unplanned, or had more outside factors and influences than we had imagined.
I think it is an important concept to adapt, acknowledging your behavior and actions, while reflecting on the reasons we do what we do. I chose to come to CSU Eastbay as a psychology major but after being here for a year, I changed to a communications major and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. But as I reflected upon this path, it wasn’t as intentional as I thought. I took most psychology classes and general education classes when I arrived here, but took a communication class because it fit and seemed interesting. After that class I took a few more, and here I am today, a communication student going to graduate in June. I feel that accidents or coincident are what we think are planned behavior on our part, but really we just acted and evaluated it later to make sense.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Megan Davis- Chapter 4

Chapter 4

What is a system?

"A system is a compelex set of relationships among interdependent parts of components" (102). Basically, that means that a system is a way to describe groups that work together. A group that works together in an orginization, for example, has people doing different things that inables them to work togeter to accomplish a main goal. Each member of the system usually has a different job, thus by everyone having a different job and working toward a common goal, they are dependent on each other, thus creating a system.

"Space and time are. . . dynamic quantities: when a body moves, or a force acts, it affects the curvature of space and time- and in turn the structure of spacetime affects the way in which bodies move and forces act. Space and time not only affect but also are affected by everything that happens in the universe" (96).

The significance of this quote is that it questions what is unquestionable. What if time and space were not standard, constants? What if they were evolving and were changable. This quote futherers ideas by questioning standard ideas. It also give us a look at the standard way of looking at orginizations and creates ways of changing our way of looking at them.

Matt Everett: Key quote and Question, Chapter 4

Chapter 4 talks about the systems perspective, which emphasizes the important difference between a disconnected set of parts versus a collection of parts that work together to create a functional whole.

Question: What is the relevance between open systems and the environment?

Organizations do not exist as entities isolated from the rest of the world. They exist in increasingly turbulent environments that both provide inputs to the organization and receive outputs in the form of products and services. Many companies spend a lot of time and money researching the environment and the current conditions. The text refers this as “scanning.” Open systems work with the environment to be successful.

Key Quote:

“That a system is open means, not simply that it engages in interchanges with the environment, but that this interchange is an essential factor underlying the system’s viability, its reproductive ability or continuity, and its ability to change.”

This quote is significant because it proves how vital it is for a company to work with its environment. When an open system works productively with its environment it tends to create structure and keeps everything organized. In a closed system, there is little or no interaction with the environment and this can cause the organizations to become unorganized.

Office Space-Lisbeth Cervantes

The movie office space was very relatable to the people of America today because there's a ton of people who hate their jobs.
My question is why is it that two characters in the movie delt with the hatred of their job differently?

Two of the characters I thought were interesting and halarious were the main guy and the guy with the glasses that could never say anything because of his stuttering problem. I don't know what their names were. But I found it interesting how they both felt the same way about their jobs they hated it and thought it unfair. One stuck it out and one ended up expressing how he felt in a vulge manner and ended up getting promoted. The one that held everything inside ended up burning the place down because he snaped, while the other one robbed the company for a lot of money and ended up getting away with it.

The company is in formed as a beaurocracy which clearly shows it doesn't work. The managers use the classical management approach to running the company. In the end as Chapter 3 communication that occurs during work tends to slow down production, which is exactly what the managers did to the main character when they hasseled him about the memo. Opportunities for dialogue didn't exist, and employees expressed their resentment through resistance leading to work slowdowns and sabotauge.

Quote:
"Everyday is my worst day"

I chose this quote because it clearly shows the hatred of the beurocratic system that the main character, Peter, works in . The non communication and the treatment of each person as an object or machine is the result of this quote (Chapter 3). I thought the movie was halarious tho.

Chapter 2 and 3 -Lisbeth Cervantes

Chapter 2 Defining Organizational Communication



Chapter 2 talks about defining what organization communication is . As a leader on campus, I know how challanging it can be get students organized into a group and communicate with each other. One of the problems I have found is that a lot of students like to interrupt others when talking. I have been guilty of this myself, but being aware of this and listening instead of interrupting can be challanging at times when one is used to communicating in such of a manner.

I can't speak for others but I know that when I interrupt people sometimes it is only because I have a thought and I don't want to lose it, sometimes though, it's best just to listen because the thought that you have may not even be related to what the speakers point is.

Chapter two talks about a spectrum and how at one end of the spectrum is discussion wherein people seek to dominate others while at the other end is dialogue. There are 3 levels of dialouge, it can be a an equitable transaction, an empathic conversation, and dialogue as real meeting. In oreder to have a converstation with out interuptions I think it's important to practice dialouge as an equitable transaction. Communication is this way allows us to have a communication perspective in which all participants have the ability to voice their opinions and perspectives.



Chapter 3 Three Early Perspectives on Organizations and Communications

Chapter 3 reminds me of the place I currently work at. I work at a public relations firm that represents technology and health care. When I first applied for the job it was about a year before they called me. I thought they were really upscale and had a very professional way of dressing there. Once I got the job, I was wrong. Everyone at my job is allowed to wear what ever they want. We don't have to dress in a business suit, unless our clients come in then of course we want to protray a good image. But the CEO of the firm, who has offices in Boston, Stockholm, London, and San Francisco, wears flip flops and a t-shirt to work. Everyone is very young looking and looks like they are fresh out of college. But we all do our jobs. There is no one hanging over our head to make sure we get to work on time and make sure we do our work. In fact people stay over time in case they have to and don't get paid over time.

Chapter 3 says that many employees are motivated as much by symbolic rewards as they are by their paychecks. I think one of the rewards is that we get to wear what ever we want, there's always food in the kitchen, we get out early during the summer on Fridays, and holidays are frequent. As long as we put in the 8 hrs and do our work the CEO trusts his employees to do what they are supposed to do. My boss views his employees and runs his companies with a looser, more empathetic view of employees as valuable human resources.

I can see how this approach allows the employees to be creative, adapt to change, and satisfy the individual's needs and motivations which falls under the human resources approach to organizational communication.

Katrena Uelese-Chapter 4 Response

October 23, 2007

Chapter 4 Response

Why are companies using the strategy called, ‘Coopetition’?


Organizations are always working with their environment; this involves working with or against their competition. Coopetition is a combination of co-operation and competition that tries to gain the benefits from both worlds. This idea helps companies utilize cross-functioning collaboration within social networks and other organizations. This theory reminds me of the idea, keep your friends close but your enemies closer. At first, companies were weary of sharing information to the competitors, but it didn’t take long to see that their individual competitiveness enhanced by a level of cooperation. We see companies joining together with their competition to enhance themselves and make more money.

A quote I found meaningful is, “ Organizational goals are defined in various ways in theories of organization and communication…Goals can differ across system levels.” Goals at different levels within the organization can be working toward different things. This is where communication is especially important. The book states an example of where two different units are working toward different goals, and for one to reach their goal it might off set the other unit. Profitable goals often intertwine with other unit’s goals, however, with communication and outlines of goals is important within the open system.

Lara Hodgson- Reflection on CH 4,5,6 and the Hawthorn Article

Reflections of Readings
Ch. 4:The Systems Perspective on Organizations and Communication
Each of the theories that were addressed in this chapter, are assumptions to certain actions. The systems approach is more open ended with the different reactions. There are different types of system theories, biological and general. In the scientific management individuals are interchangeable parts and viewed metaphorically as machines. I thought this theory was interesting because it analyzes peoples working mentality. That people plan to work and work because of fear and money. In the systems theory, it is more complex because information flows and is influenced by external noise that affects the feedback in return. It think this is for how we interact with each other. I think this theory is used in everyday conversation to help relate meaning and what people are trying to convey through their messages. Sarcasm for example, could be taken for what the words are saying or for the meaning behind it.

Human Relations Contributors; Hawthorne Experiments
The experiments displayed no clear link between production and illumination. Mayo studied the working habits of people when a friendly person is supervising them rather then disciplinarian. He then took away some of the breaks and rest time they had and found that they still worked just as productive. I thought it was interesting because even though they weren’t given as much down time as before they still work efficiently. Also, it displayed how people would rather work in a friendly environment, which allows them a certain amount of freedom, rather then an environment in which they are constantly being told what to do.

Ch. 5: Cultural Studies of Organizations and Communications
The studies of different cultures bring about predictable responses to different issues such as social, historical or political. They focus on meaningful interpretations of different cultures. Cultural anthropology works closely with the cultural organizations because it goes into the demographics of the different cultures and studies the different discussions of the consensus, values, and conflicts. I think this is interesting but at the same time, I think the cultural studies of organizational communication bases upon the fact that history may repeat it self. I think in cultural anthropology it is the study of the specific cultural background so you could learn where and how the culture was formed and the beliefs and values they have. It is more of a straightforward view and leaves no room for change.

Ch. 6: Critical Approaches to Organizations and Communication
The critical theory favors individual creativity and it constrains the human behavior. It controls our lives through technology and economies of systems such as education, corporate colonization, and multinational corporations. The critical theory has been trying to find an advancing alternative organizational arrangement to allow employees to be happy and comfortable in their work environment. Recently they found a way for employers to increase their employees work development. It focuses on the macroeconomic issues. With the critical theory, it brings focus to employees work through meaning, purpose, and a future. This was interesting because if people think they are doing meaningless work then typically they are miserable and their proficiency goes down. It was interesting to me because they focus on the employees moral rather then the actual work. Makes me think if in the future, all work environments will be in such a relaxed state that nothing was formal and there was a thin line of work and leisure.

Chapter 4 question - Tenbrink

Page 119: Suviving Hurricane Katrina

“…asks important questions about the interoperability of systems of communication during a crisis – that is, the ability for people to talk across disciplines and jurisdictions via radio communications systems, exchanging voice and/or data with one another on demand, in real time, when needed.”

Question in layman terms:
How can a niche in a society maintain communication channels even through a natural disaster?


Answer: To bridge the void in communication, an entity needs to centralize and distribute a common form of communication. People cannot effectively communicate together when they are “operating” different languages, just as people cannot always effectively communicate together while attempting to “operate” different technologies (i.e. radio to telephone). A solution for future scenario’s would be to have a strong infrastructure which can withstand the elements, being the weather or the inevitable human element. A common tongue for people to speak with, which is capable of long distances, unlike radios, and which has the capability of transmitting effectively in both directions, upload and download, while breaching the void of telephone lines and radio signals. One such solution is UMTS TDD (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System Time Division Duplex) technologies. Such technology is being implemented in New York City, incase another human travesty occurs, one which would disable the city from effectively communicating. Via VOIP, radio or mobily, through a city wide "blanket" wi-fi, this end-to-end solution would provide the remedy in which a society suffering from an inevitable disaster needs.

Links:
http://www.ipwireless.com/news/press_091206.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_over_IP

Group, Jessica, Rena, Marie, Nathan. Driving forces,

For our group we each came up with 2 driving forces as follows:

Nathan Jacowitz contributed,

Predetermined driving force:

I see a predetermined driving force in mobile communication technology. It is clear to me that there is a current trend which is moving our telephone and computer communication to small, mobile and portable devices at a rapid rate. In the future cell phones, mp3 players, lap top computers and text message portables will only get smaller, lighter and carry more features. Over the next 10 years we will see more cell phones and portable communication devices spring onto the scene. The I-phone made by Apple is the newest in this portable family.

Critical Uncertainty driving force:

Along the same lines of my predetermined driving force, I see a critical uncertainty in portable communications today. The ability to communicate no matter where you are is a huge driving force. I believe that this force will eventually spawn the need to communicate to anyone, no matter what language they speak, anywhere and any time. In the next 10 years there might appear a portable master translator device that is able to voice recognize major languages and translate them on the spot into the language of your choice. It might appear as a cell phone or future on an already popular communications device.

Jessica Jordan contributed,

Driving Forces:
1. Graduation of more women.
2. Space Travel and Study Abroad

Predetermined Element: Graduation of more women.
Statistically speaking, no days it has become more evident that more women are obtaining a degree from college verses men. in addition, women are more likely to earlier or on schedul compared to men and are therefore entering the workforce faster and more frequently. As a result, it may be possible that male dominated careers open up to omen that in turn changes the hierarchy of sexes in the working world. Moreover, an organizational environment may be affected and need to adapt to this new transition present in its workings.

Critical Uncertainty: Space Travel and Study Abroad
Space travel 5-15 years from now may be available to shuttle privileged people on space tours. The experience and interest gained from such trips may trigger further space explorations and contribute to new ways of thinking relayed back to the general population. As a result, study abroad services in space may become available and spawn more modern worldviews among students that in turn encourage the development of space schools.

Marie-Josée Demers contributed,

Driving forces (family)

The switching of school education to family education
Personal computers and Internet make access to information easier. It is also true in terms of education. Now children have acces to different tools from their laptops or PCs. This sets new bases for education in the sense that it can now provide students with online education ressources and because parents accord value to family education. On one side certain factors encourage the emergence of such a trend (like low costs of laptops, the revolution of online learning, broad éventail of tools disponible, etc.) but on the other side, other factors tend to limit this trend ( like parents’ disponibility and will to take the time to help their child, lost of a class environment, etc) this is why I think this driving force is a critical incertainty.

Source: http://scenariothinking.org/wiki/index.php/THE_SWITCHING_OF_SCHOOL_EDUCATION_TO_FAMILY_EDUCATION

Same-sex marriage

With same-sex marriage being legal in more and more countries in the world, the cliché of a typical family can’t be applied to all households anymore. The gay community tends to be a new target marget for different kinds of products. The industry of marriage itself is redefined by the different needs and expectations of an homosexual couple. I think this driving force is a predeterminated element since gay marriage is a human rights matter whose’s being more and more acknowledged and respected.

Source : www.trendwatching.com/trends/pinkprofits.htm

Rena Blake contributed,

Driving Forces:

1. One driving force in regards to agriculture could be the situation involving immigration.

2. Another driving force may include the competition between larger farms and smaller farms(farmers markets).

(they both can be tied into one another)

Predetermined Element:

The book discusses "efforts to fight both racism and sexism on the way to establishing economic parity"pg. 25. I feel this is essential in dealing with problems with immigration in the United States. While the Economy is currently benefiting from the work of laboring immigrants on farms, at some point the issue will need to be handled differently.

Critical Uncertainty:

The book talks about the relation between I and we(our community and or social groups)in chapter 2. Going back the issue of immigration, if the illegal immigrants gain citizenship they will no longer have to work for slave wages. We do not know what outcome is to be expected from all of this. However the work still needs to be done. Wages could possibly be increased, or the need for man may become obsolete and machinery will then take over. Foresight is definitely necessary in either case.

We chose the two that we would be working on for our project. We chose:

Predetermined Element: Graduation of more women.
Statistically speaking, no days it has become more evident that more women are obtaining a degree from college verses men. in addition, women are more likely to earlier or on schedul compared to men and are therefore entering the workforce faster and more frequently. As a result, it may be possible that male dominated careers open up to omen that in turn changes the hierarchy of sexes in the working world. Moreover, an organizational environment may be affected and need to adapt to this new transition present in its workings.

Critical Uncertainty driving force:
Along the same lines of my predetermined driving force, I see a critical uncertainty in portable communications today. The ability to communicate no matter where you are is a huge driving force. I believe that this force will eventually spawn the need to communicate to anyone, no matter what language they speak, anywhere and any time. In the next 10 years there might appear a portable master translator device that is able to voice recognize major languages and translate them on the spot into the language of your choice. It might appear as a cell phone or future on an already popular communications device.

Correct link(s) below - Tenbrink

http://www.wireless-weblog.com/50226711/electricity_without_wires_mit_team_invents_witricity.php

http://www.youtube.com/ucberkeley

Driving Forces - Tenbrink

With the advent and expansion of the internet, our lives have been inevitably changed. Our resources are as vast as our imaginations, and our capabilities are limitless. Within the limitless capabilities we have ascertained through this mechanism of cyberspace, our life itself has become a microcosm for us to exploit and dissect. As with the number of web pages created daily, our exponential technological growth, our life choices are going to lead us in some pre-determined directions as well as create a plethora of uncertainties.
A pre-determined element that may occur within the next ten years is the emergent of cost effective means of providing devices electricity without direct contact and without batteries. This technology is available and tested, and within the next ten years I am anticipating it to being perfected, or at least proficient enough for our means of remotely powering vehicles which are capable of driving to a pre-determined course.
A critical uncertainty of this future is whether or not there will be ample demand for this type of device. I know, as most of you do as well, that education can be remotely taught with our current level of resources; however remote education in the future may determine that students are not required to be on-site in order to receive the same standard of education they can remotely. What I am proposing is precisely what U.C. Berkeley has started, providing their lectures, which were digitally recorded, to anyone who chooses to see them. The uncertainty is this; will students be able to remotely view & participate in distance education, and still obtain a well-rounded education, or will it continue to be a merely text oriented training model such as we have with current on-line courses.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Five is Alive

Five is Alive- Group Ideas

Pre determined- Advanced technology in the classroom- Katrena Uelese
Crit. Uncert- Adopting from third world countries increase- Katrena Uelese

Pre-determined element- Transportation (freeways, bart, hybrid, & etc.)- Robert Liu
Crit. Uncert. - Transportation expansion due to population increase + how technology will affect it- Robert Liu

Pre determined- Blackwater, how will operations and tactics of war change-Yemaya Moore
Crit. Uncert.- iphone advancements- Yemaya Moore

Pre determined- Automotive Advertising, new forms of advertising takes over traditional-Matt Everett
Crit. Uncert- Online education, obtaining accredited degrees online- Matt Everett

Pre determined- Contraceptive advances, male birth control pills, or Oprah Winfrey’s school in Africa- Cindy Forni
Crit. Uncert.- Transportation, bullet train to LA- Cindy Forni

Friday, October 19, 2007

Alex Malliaris - Chapters 2 & 3

Chapter 2 is a discussion of the four approaches that have been taken towards organizational communication. When communication is viewed as the transfer of information there is a sender and a receiver involved. Each individual has a clearly defined role in the interaction and the sender is goal-oriented in that there is a specific objective in mind when the message is conveyed. Communication has been effective if the recipient of the message understands what has been said. When communication is viewed as a transactional process, both the sender and receiver are actively involved and interchanging roles throughout the course of the transmission. Even in silence, communication is active because nonverbal and verbal information has equal importance. It is up to the sender, in this scenario, to adapt his message in such a way as to make it meaningful to the recipient. When communication is viewed as strategic control, ambiguity is advantageous. Everyone can take a message to mean something quite different depending upon his or her particular point of view. By sending one vague message, multiple receivers can be struck in a variety of ways based on their personal involvement. This textbook favors the understanding of communication as a balance between creativity and constraint. Society and corporations alike place certain restrictions on individuals and employees. These rules or confines can be viewed as inspiration rather than confinement.

Chapter 3 overviews the history narratives of organizational communication. During the time of the Industrial Revolution, the classical management approach was favored. Science was progressing faster than ever before and the same approach that was taken towards business was applied to employees. A clear distinction was made between those in authority and those under authority. All the power belonged to managers in those days and the employees were required to mindlessly take orders without causing any disturbance in the system. In time, people became disenchanted with this communication style and a new approach came into view. The human relations approach was ushered in by labor union that refused to stand for the abuse and undervaluing of workers. Tensions rose between managers and employees over poor working conditions and the voice of the commom man was finally being heard. This approach took into consideration the natural drive in each person to be involved in meaningful work. Once people were satisfied and happy in their occupation, the natural result would be an increase in productivity. The Hawthorne Studies were particularly interesting to me. In this experiment, two groups of workers were observed while they labored under various lighting conditions. In the end, what was revealed was that the level of illumination in the rooms where the people were working had little impact on the quality of work, but that those under more careful managerial observation were more diligent. This is obvious in classrooms, for example, when group work is assigned. People often goof off as long as possible, but when the professor comes around, everyone appears busy and productive. The human resources approach is most like the human relations approach. People need to have their needs met, particularly their need for self-actualization. In some industries this may be impossible, but in others it is certainly acheivable. Relationships within companies should be supportive and encouraging and these bonds will inspire people's best work. Perhaps in the future, other approaches to communication will be implemented as would best fit the times. Our values as individuals and as a society will determine the future of organizational communication.

Alex Malliaris - Chapter 4

How does coopetition work?

Coopetition blends competition and cooperation in a way that benefits both parties. In our individualistic society people tend to think that they can do whatever they're doing best by themselves. But, when one is able to recognize the strengths he/she possesses and join forces with another whose strengths are complimentary, an even better outcome will result. This way, the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.


"Very often there is a stark contrast between the tumultuous path we travel in life and the story we tell about the journey."

Karl Weick has appropriately called this phenomenon retrospective sense making. We do things in life, often impulsively, and then in hidsight are able to make explanations for our decisions. It is often difficult to fess up to the fact that we make choices without thinking very deeply about them. Perhaps a frustrating quarter or a bad day has gotten a person down and causes him to want to throw in the towel on school. Steve Jobs did just that and has ended up just fine. In fact, he is one of the best respected businessmen in the nation. You never know where life will take you.

Alex Malliaris - Driving Force and Critical Uncertainty

Predetermined element: The aging population will put pressure on our nation's health care system

The baby boomer generation is entering their retirement years. With age comes the certainty of health problems and the necessity for those problems to be addressed by medical professionals. It will be important for our schools to stir-up an interest in students to pursue degrees in the sciences so that we can adequately serve this generation of people. There is a shortage of nurses and therapists right now and many are receiving sign-on bonuses. Hospitals, convalescent homes and home health care providers will need to arm themselves with enough staff and skills to help these people navigate the bumps of life as they approach their later years.

Critical uncertainty: How our nation powers our automobiles is yet to be determined.

The gas prices have been raising steadily, especially over the past few years. When I first got my driver's license, it was the expense of cars that was getting my peers down. They wanted the freedom to drive, but to actually save up enough to get a car was a daunting task. Now, it's the fuel prices that is bringing frustration. Our Jeep requires fill-ups just about twice a week. It's over one hundred dollars per week to get to the places we need to go. I know that we're not the only ones that are outraged by the price of gas. Hybrid cars, though pricey, are increasing in popularity because they allow people to drive much further in between trips to the gas station. Fuel efficiency is the name of the game. Gas may sustain us for only a short time longer. Alternatives will need to be offered and it will be up to all of us to decide how we will power our cars. The relationship of our country to the oil-exporting coutries will in great part determine how we get around from place to place.

Alex Malliaris - Office Space

A. What is it that makes Initech an undesirable workplace?

From the opening scene of the movie "Office Space" it is more than evident that people do not want to be at work. I would like to look primarily at the physical workspace because I believe that it has a lot to do with the fact that people are unhappy in the company. Boxed off in their cubicles, no one is able to develop relationships with coworkers. The boss, Bill Lumbergh makes small talk with his employees because he does not truly know who they are. Instead of greeting them pleasantly and asking how they are, he meets them with criticism and a sense of hostility. He has not earned respect in his position, but people are required to report to him as a manager. Thus, he will always be viewed as a dictator and will not gain glad cooperation. What is done on his behalf will be done out of a sense of duty and will not be rewarding either to the employees or the management. If the "walls" we knocked down, a tremendous difference would be made within the company. In one scene, Peter unbolts the cubicle walls that have surrounded him for so long and smiles as he pushes them away. It is immensely freeing for him to see that drab grey blockade come down. It gives him a fresh view of the company and finally allows him a bit of freedom of expression in his impersonal workspace. There is a quote from chapter two of the textbook that ties in perfectly with the movie. "Employees are too often viewed as 'others' to be acted upon, communicated to, ordered, and controlled, rather than as participants in an organizational dialogue." (p. 43) Joanna and Peter both work for companies that disregard the employees. They are viewed as less than humans: they are slaves restricted by the regulations of those in authority. They are not personally invested in these ideals because they had no part in shaping them. Had these "others" been incorporated into the formation of the company policies, the motivation would skyrocket and employee satisfaction would inevitably increase.


B. Key quote

Peter Gibbons: The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
Bob Porter: Don't... don't care?
Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime; so where's the motivation?

Peter is completely unmotivated in his job. He rides to work and is required to sit through slow traffic, he arrives at the office and sits in a drab cubicle and his bosses greet him with criticisms of his faxes. Nothing is enjoyable about his work because he hates what he does. Ironically, Peter is being considered for a promotion. I have reflected on why it is that Peter is considered worthy of this honor and what stood out to me more than anything else is that he looked that part of the manager. He was slim, caucasian, and clean cut. Even though Michael and Samir were just as active within the company, their jobs were taken away. Peter is certainly not lazy. Once he has it in mind to ruin his company he can not be stopped. The management should have zeroed in on his determination long before and assigned him to a job within the company that would have suited him better. Once people's strengths are put to the test, they will be motivated to do their best work. However, Initech was more concerned with making money in the short term than providing its employees with the emotional and actual benefits of a job that they could enjoy. Had Peter and the others been personally involved with the decisions of the management about how their company would be run, that would have made all the difference.