MAG Daily Blog

Flying People Found in New York

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:01:00 +0000

An interesting phenomenon happened in New York last Friday. People looked, gawked, and took out their cell phone to catch the flying people in New York. Even though it left people confused it was not humans that were flying. No...it was not aliens either. It was remote controlled plans that look like people. They were designed to gear up attention and "buzz" for the movie Chronicle. The Chronicle is a movie about three teenage boys who find out they have super powers.

The stunt was designed to create "buzz" about the movie. This type of advertising is called viral marketing and has become more popular now the the Internet has taken hold of most families. The idea is to do some amazing stunt that gets people to take pictures, videos, and start talking about "happening". People will often post the messages on their Facebook, emails, and many other sites creating free advertisement and excitement.

Research: Organizational Improvement through Social Incentives

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:10:00 +0000

In 1851, Emanuel Leutze painting of General Washington

Social behaviors that increase the organizations objectives have a strong impact on the success of that organization. However, most employers seem to lack a level of understanding of the importance of pro-societal behaviors and discount these actions as less useful to their approaches. Yet these social behavior actions help to increase the skill level and overall success of the organization despite the lack of compensation and rewards associated with them in the American culture.

Social behaviors are based upon the concept that one not only has a responsibility to themselves but also a responsibility to others within the group. That the group and the individual can grow together in mutual benefit. An organization by its nature is a group of workers with different skills that create synergy in their efforts. Too much individualistic behavior can damage this growth. On a large scale, this could contribute to the decline of the organization and the nation.

Me-conomics postulates that innovative organizations must have a balance between the efforts of the individual and the efforts of the organization. Each individual is a living being with his or her own needs. They will contribute to society if that contribution helps the group grow and develop together. However, without the freedom and compensation associated with such efforts the effort put forward by individuals is likely to be muted. Business ethics plays an important role in determining the “rules of the road” in any organization.

Consider the study conducted by Ye Li at the University of Chicago. In his doctoral dissertation, he comes to a number of interesting conclusions related to social improvement behavior and compensation. The study used 298 participants and was conducted via an online format with tasks related to social behavior (Li, 2009). The study helps highlight under what circumstances employees will engage in social behavior that benefits the organization as well as the improvement of others in society.

The findings are as follows:

Pay Scale: The desire for social cohesion, disappointment avoidance, and mutual benefit is a strong motivator at lower levels of income. However, as income rises the motivation associated with collective action decreases. Compensation becomes one of the most important considerations at higher pay levels.

Reward Continuance: People will tire of working on the behalf of others if they see their efforts resulting in financial rewards of others and they are not allowed to take advantage of the fruits of their labor. In essence, social behavior needs to be rewarded in order to ensure continued societal benefits.

Social and Financial Incentives: Contracts and rewards within organizations may benefit from hybrid contracts. Contracts should reward employees based upon their social roles in fostering others as well as fostering their own growth.

Social Distance and Social Behavior: When the “other” is seen as someone different because of financial, social, and organizational distance the desire to work on the behalf of others decreases. People simply feel less responsibility to others who are too far from their span of influence.

Individualistic Cultures: In American cultures, group work and social cohesion are less important than in group-orientated cultures. This cultural influence in a nation or an organization can reduce the desire to benefit the group.

Group Work: Group work is not likely to increase social efforts in group improvement unless rewards in an individualist culture can still be tied to their individual performance in a group culture. In other words, people still need to be rewarded on an individual basis for their group efforts.

Pay and Effort: Employees need to feel they are being justly rewarded for the efforts within an organization. If they are not being rewarded for their efforts in raising the standards of others and completing group objectives, they are likely to forego future efforts for lack of rewards.

Me-conomics: The concept of future growth within a company (beehive) requires social type behaviors that improve the individual as well as the group. If the organization fosters strong business ethics, proper business structure, and economic incentives for behavior that allows man/woman to improve themselves, as well as improve the members of the organization, a stronger return to profit and growth will be realized.

Organizational Success (OS)=Employee Satisfaction (ES)+Employee Freedom (EF)+Employee Rewards(ER)/3.

Author: Dr. Murad abel

Li, Y. (2009). Responsibility toward others and its effects on motivation. The University of Chicago. Extracted from Proquest on January 31^st, 2012 from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/305052205?accountid=35812

Me-Conomics: Government vs. Food Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:52:00 +0000

A funny video that highlights the concept that government and business at times can have separate interests. Government and business need to work together to create a stronger and healthier nation while still allowing businesses to prosper. A strong ethical stance on maintaining a productive and healthy workforce is needed for long-term national growth. We all know the right choice...it shouldn't be this hard!

The Meal: Health vs. Price by MAG Daily Blog

Reality vs. Fantasy in Economic Systems: Me-Conomics Macro and Micro

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:18:00 +0000

Reality vs. Fantasy in Economic Systems: Me-Conomics Macro and Micro

The human mind can have difficulty discerning between reality and fantasy. When the term fantasy is used, it means those thoughts and perceptions that are not based in fact but in the testimony of others. For example, the reality is that people didn’t sail across the ocean for many hundreds of years because they were fearful of falling off of the flat Earth. People’s testimony and perceptions (fantasy) did not reflect the fact that the world is round (reality).

When we apply this concept to major economic systems, one might find that those within the system have a different reality than those outside the system. The underlining assumptions, experiences, history, and testimony of others help define an economic reality. Those that move out of one system and into another will eventually learn that the economic reality is very different.

Societal Values are Designed to Protect Economic Systems:

The major economic system one is most familiar with will define a person’s perception of life, loyalties, and values. As children, people are raised to accept the social structure that comes from the economic system in which they were born. Historians may believe that it is social structure which defines our loyalty but Me-conomics postulates differently. The economic system came first in simple forms and then social structures were developed to protect that system.

Let us consider an example. In the beginning of human life the economic system may have been the family. It was economically better to be in a family group than it was to navigate the environment alone. Within a group, a person can hedge their food, safety, and efforts with other members of the family. As these families grew larger they began to develop tribes with their own social laws that encouraged group cohesiveness and order. Tribes developed trading networks and dominant tribes were able to enforce their economic systems on weaker tribes.

Of course, in Europe, people did not call these tribes but they did call them clans. Clans became nations and nations had kings. Kings controlled the economic system until merchants rebelled and forced concessions. The loyal subjects of Britain rebelled against their king based upon new realities of individual freedom and self- reliance based upon the economic systems of the Native Americans. Individualism and Capitalism had its deepest roots in a new reality created by meshing the old European world economic systems with the independent values of Native Americans.

Globalization and Me-economics:

These major economic systems have rammed and railed against each other since Adam Smith’s book, “Wealth of Nations”. With the increase in technology the economic and value systems have clashed in two World Wars, wars in the Middle East, and compete for influence. China wants its own Yen to be the world standard and American wants to keep the dollar in strong standing. There is also a rising system entitled Islamic Finance that has been growing over the past decade which has an opportunity to make more of an impact in the future as nations find independence from implemented rulers after WWII.

Within any economic system it is in the best interest of adherence to follow the values/rules of that economic system. Going against the economic system will most often result in political and financial repercussions. One will lose much by not following the economic values installed to protect the system.

The problem is that the world is globalizing and members are able to move around the world into new economic value systems. These value systems are at clash until a new economic system is developed. As the world continues to globalize and these economic systems and people come into closer contact a new set of economic standards and value systems will develop.

Ethics Raises Investment Value:

Those nations that adhere to strong ethical values will receive higher levels of investment money. Company CEO’s and Government Officials must maintain the highest ethical standards in order to build “business trust”. This business trust and transparency would help foreign investors see where their money is being spent and what is happening. Investors might be State or Federal Government money to a city (i.e. Detroit) or from any worldwide investor to any number of U.S. companies.

America, and any other nation, that cares about long-term growth needs to concern themselves with business ethics that fit the general standards of all economic systems. This would help turn a nation into a global leader as investors ponder safe investments, people attempt to “pursue happiness” within the system, and the world seeks an economic system that works for everyone and truly eases business transactions across the globe.

Me-Conomics and Ethics

The natural model as postulated by Me-Economics indicates that the world is connected like vines to each other. These vines have a number of branches that stretch out into other industries. These branches move and shift to find new financial resources and greater access to the financial pipelines as represented by larger, and more powerful, sections of the vine (i.e. industries). Beehives (organizations and companies) on that vine grow and develop based upon the resources in which they can obtain from the vine. Larger markets will mean larger organizations.

The synapse between a vine and another vine happens at the organizational level (see illustration). It is the values and ethics at the organizational level that will determine whether or not a connection to a vine will be made. For example, an executive will determine whether or not they would like to do business with another Beehive and draw a vine connection. If that executive is corrupt or self-seeking, beyond the business ethic value system in place, the executive will make deals that enrich him/her or some other associated party (i.e. adherents to a different economic system).

When there are different value systems competing, there is a higher chance of corruption and self-seeking behavior among executives. Let us say a city is using Federal and State money to build projects and services for its members. However, that city has a different economic reality than the rest of the nation because of the distinct ethnic heritage and historical “realities” of the people within the system. If a large percentage of people in power within that city have a different reality than the rest of the nation, the economic system would be closed to outsiders, in order to protect it. Those city members would oppose outside interview or scrutiny of their financial systems because of fear that their personal enrichment and economic system would be damaged, displaced by the dominant system, or even destroyed through arrests and conviction.

Where there are two different realities meshing against each other there is higher likelihood of clash, confrontation, and broken deals. In other words, the people on one side of the synapse have a different ethical understanding than the people on the other side of the synapse. One economic system is trying to grow and develop at the expense of the other. A strong business principle, codified by law, that applies to both sides of the synapse would be necessary to ensure business growth. If a nation has many economic realities working at the same time then there is likelihood of stunted growth, lower investment rates, and higher costs (i.e. recession). Failure to enforce business ethics throughout the nation may eventually dissolve that nation when new economic realities are developed and sell themselves to the masses through self-interest (i.e. civil war).

Enforcement of the value system within that economic reality are an absolute necessity for the nation and the people who live within that nation. Organizations must develop ethical value systems that ensure they are participants in the dominant economic “reality”. Multiple and competing economic systems threaten the safety, security, and the growth opportunities of those who should have access to the financial vines by skill and ability versus political affiliation. Not letting the most ethical and skilled rise on a national scale creates economic stagnation due to a lack of business trust. Is there any wonder why so many Americans are skeptical of both Government Officials and CEO’s. Survey after survey confirms this growing trend.

Do You Know Your Reality?

Even in the far off reaches of Pakistan economic realities create social citizenship? A study conducted on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, OGDCL, WAPDA, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, Punjab Police, Ministry of Defense, Atomic Energy and Attock Refinery found that those within those organizations who perceived a fair and just system will have more commitment to that system (Noor, Bhatti, Khan & Khan, 2011). The study further explains how there is a high level of commitment among those who are treated fairly (i.e. economically) within that system. This commitment is moderated by social ties within that system that influence the likelihood of fairness within that system.

Social ties and political deals can damage the behavior of social citizenship. There are two competing economic systems at play here and one draws from the other. There is the macro aspect of economics and behavior that influences the success of the nation. Then there are smaller pockets of political connections and social ties that draw power away from the dominant ethnic system designed to protect the nation’s economic system. In the U.S. the Whistle Blower Protection Act helps to protect citizens who adhere to a nations economic principles of “fairness”. Unfortunately social ties and political affiliations (i.e. smaller economic systems) try and crush challenges to their economic system before higher powers of the dominant system are alerted. This is one reason why smaller economic systems have teams of attorneys to help them hide their economic system from outside interference.

People within one particular economic system may not even be aware of the larger systems because they have no particular experience with the other system. In essence, they have no idea what reality they exist in. As an example, people who grow up in an ethnically consolidated city may have a different economic reality than those people in the rest of the nation. Their memories, values, and experience have combined to create a different reality of their environment.

In China, you can see two economic blockss creating two different realities. Hong Kong and Beijing have two economic realities even though they are experiencing the same phenomenon. In a study with over a thousand participants, it was found that different places within the same nation had different understandings of reality. Beijing (the capital) has a different subjective perception of economic underpinnings than that of Hong Kong (Major Economic city with ties to Europe) (Yuen, & Greene, 2011).

The conflicts between Europe and China are well documented. They exist in modern times and in ancient times due to the different economic systems at play for power. Hong Kong was forcibly leased to Britain as a result of the Opium Wars. Britain influenced the economic system of Hong Kong and Beijing maintained their course of action, which has led to two different economic realities. You may read the article below:

http://asianhistory.about.com/od/asianhistoryfaqs/f/HongKongFAQ.htm

Would it be any different in the United States? What would happen if different economic systems were at play at the financial interchanges (synapses) of socially connected individuals (i.e. executives or government elected officials?

Constructivism and Me-conomics:

Constructivism and Me-conomics go together like macaroni and cheese. Constructivism is the concept that realities are based off of experiences and understandings which influences the way in which we construct/view our environment. If we have been taught to construct complex concepts by stringing together pieces of learned information in a particular way then constructivism impacts our perception of “reality”. We are products of our environment!

It is easy to see two different realities in the picture(s) below at work. Depending on how you piece together the information will determine which picture you see (old woman or young woman). This is a well known picture of constructivism but highlights the reality differences between different methods of experience and data collection. If you were to look at information from the perspective of a different economic system would you see a different “reality”?

Dr. Robert Kegan a Harvard Psychology Professor states that constructivism That the picture is in “reality’ just a bunch of colors on a piece of paper. Yet “we” put together the pieces and “construct” a shared “reality”. The more we share that reality with others the more true that reality becomes to those who have constructed it. The group of adherents to the construct reinforce that construct making it a social reality. Could economic realities and the value systems designed to protect them be social constructs that have developed since the beginning of man? Are different economic realities just a different construct?

If you were in N.Y. with different social players and business elite you may adhere to one economic system while someone from Detroit may adhere to a different one. Government should ensure economic prosperity by developing ethics that apply across multiple economic systems that govern the Beehives within them.

The picture below doesn't appear to have a known author. It does highlight the concept of perspective of a nation from the perspective of New York.

Author: Dr. Murad Abel. This is being presented as part of Me-economics Theory developed to help increase efficiency in American organizations and create international financial understandings. Reprint rights allowed with citation and web-link.

Interesting Links:
http://www.freep.com/article/C4/20120201/NEWS01/120201058/Union-activist-wants-judge-to-stop-Detroit-financial-review-says-open-meetings-law-violated?odyssey=nav|head

http://www.freep.com/article/20120201/NEWS01/120201030/DPS-teacher-and-former-accountant-indicted-on-money-laundering-and-program-fraud-charges?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

http://www.freep.com/article/20120202/NEWS01/120202014/Matty-Maroun-contempt-Dan-Stemper?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

http://www.freep.com/article/20120202/NEWS01/120202016/Mayor-Dave-Bing-s-tentative-deal-unions-may-not-enough-thwart-emergency-manager

http://www.freep.com/article/20120202/NEWS01/202020534/Mom-daughter-face-charges-in-fraud-involving-DPS-book-program

http://www.freep.com/article/20120202/NEWS01/120202028/Judge-Snyder-Stop-meeting-privately-Detroit-financial-review-team?odyssey=nav|head

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120202/POLITICS02/202020463/1361/State-officials--Closed-EM-meetings-can-go-on--no-ruling-issued

Ethics Improvement:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/02/politics/senate-insider-trading/index.html?eref=igoogledmn_topstories

References

Kegan, R. (January 25, 2012). Lecture from Psychology E-1034 ADULT DEVELOPMENT. Harvard, MA.

Noor, M., Bhatti, A., Khan, M. & Khan, M. The Impact of Employees Perception of Organizational Climate on Organizational Citizenship Behavior. Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment and Moderating Impact of Social Network Ties in Pakistani Context. European Journal of Social Science, 22 (11).

Szczepanski, K. (2011). Why did China lease Hong Kong to Britain? Retrieved January 26^th from http://asianhistory.about.com/od/asianhistoryfaqs/f/HongKongFAQ.htm

Yuen, T. & Greene, M. (2011). Impact of the Recent Financial Crisis on Subjective Perceptions of the Economy: Findings from Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Beijing. Association of Jungian Studies, 44 (3).

Other sources include data from the City of Detorit continued research as part of Me-Conomics.

Use Time For Your Advantage: Take the Quiz

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:39:00 +0000

Snow Scene: Children Leaving School, c.1853

Time management is an important aspect of creating a successful life. With time management it is possible to organize and adjust time so one can accomplish more in life than before. With proper time management skills it is possible to actually do more of what you want while still reaping the benefits of stress reduction and better health. Time management can make possible in your life activities that you simple were not able to do before.

Relativity of Time:
Max Planck and then Isaac Newton discovered that time is relative. That if velocity increased then time would pass faster because more things would be accomplished. Likewise, if something moved slower then time would appear slower because less things would be accomplished. In essence, one can accomplish much more if they are able to organize their time.

Know How Well You Are Using Your Time:

Below you will find a link that will lead you to a website that will allow you to take a short few minute quiz to determine how well you are doing. This quiz will then give you a ranking and provide you some advice on how to handle your time. It is important to seek out better ways to manage your time and schedule your life to greater accomplishment and fulfillment.

What Will You Do With Your Time?

If you do finally figure out how to save time you will also need to determine what you want to do with the time you saved. For many of us it is beneficial to engage in exercise, spend time with family, find some new pursuit of hobbies, or read a book. The choice is open to you. It is wise to use that time for something beneficial for yourself or others.

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_88.htm

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Results: A Phenomenological Study of Employment Discrimination among Iraqi Immigrants by Dr. Murad Abel

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:38:00 +0000

Results: A Phenomenological Study of Employment Discrimination among Iraqi Immigrants

by Dr. Murad Abel

As part of a broader Me-conomics Theory related to perceptual micro and macro-economics based in human psychology this research study entitled, “A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AND IRAQI AMERICAN MUSLIMS IN THE DETROIT AREA” was used as a cultural vantage point. The study helped document the perceptions and experiences of Iraqi Muslims who immigrated to the U.S.

Each participant seeks the economic benefits of self-gain and the right to “pursue happiness” within the United States. Their cultural vantage points are based in their distinct Middle Eastern backgrounds while their economic understandings of the world are based in the American tradition. The participants attempt to navigate their economic understandings with distinct disadvantages in the marketplace due to their distinct ethnic heritage and negative associations in the media. The study helps present interesting and new research on understanding the needs of immigrants.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the qualitative, phenomenological study is to explore Iraqi American Muslims’ perceptions of employment opportunities and employment discrimination in the Detroit, Michigan area. In phenomenological research, researchers draw experiences from participants to provide rich and meaningful descriptions that help researchers understand their perspectives (Patton, 2002). This study utilized a semi-structured interview format to explore the perspectives of 25 American Iraqi Muslims residing in the Detroit area to investigate (a) their perspectives on their ethnic background, (b) their perceptions of discrimination, (c) the frequency with which they experience discrimination, and (d) their personal stories of discrimination.

Semi-structured interviews are used following a standard format, which facilitate the gathering of data provided by the participants, compare the participants’ answers, and provide a level of consistency in the format of eliciting the participants’ individual stories. The interviews follow an open-question format to provide participants with a maximum level of flexibility, which allow participants to respond with reflection on their experiences. This qualitative phenomenological approach is the best method for exploring a rich collection of perceptual information of participants. The qualitative phenomenological approach best allows for the study of the perception of discrimination in the workplace because it allows for maximum flexibility, is a standard approach to collecting data about a phenomenon, and allows participants to express their experiences in their own words, and in a meaningful format.

Results

The data from the research indicated a number of themes that help to shed light on the perceived discrimination of Iraqi-American Muslims and their likelihood of applying to open employment positions. Of particular importance is the finding that over half of participants stated that they experienced employment discrimination in one form or another. Of those that believe they have been subject to employment discrimination, a majority of the participants indicated that they were less likely to apply to open employment positions. The results support the concept that discrimination can lead to candidates being less likely to apply for other open positions (Blancero, DelCampo, & Marron, 2007).

Likewise, an additional theme which presented itself through the research indicates that those who experienced discrimination had an impact on their feelings which included anger, lower self-esteem, being an outsider, or unhappiness in 86% of cases. Forty-three percent of participants believed that discrimination made them feel angry. This supports the concept that negative treatment in society and lack of resources can lead to negative feelings toward society (Platow, Grace, Wilson, Burton & Wilson, 2008).

Just over half of all participants stated that being Iraqi-American made them less likely to find employment when compared to other Americans. In addition, of those who stated they were discriminated against they indicated that the form of discrimination was not being hired for positions they may have been qualified for. This supports the concept that immigrants receive fewer opportunities than native born Americans even though they may be using the same strategies (Diel, Friedrich & Hall, 2009).

Presented by Dr. Murad Abel as part of Me-Conomics Theory. Reprint rights are granted with citation and appropriate link. If you desire to see the full study, please contact Dr. Murad Abel at 734-552-1891

Blancero, D., DelCampo, R., & Marron, G. (2007). Perception of fairness in psychological contracts by Hispanic business professionals: An empirical study in the United States. International Journal of Management, 24( 2), 364-375. Retrieved January 19, 2009 from Business Source Complet Database.

Diehl, C., Friedrich, M. & Hall, A. (2009). Young adults with immigrant background and their transition to the German system of vocational training. The role preferences, resources, and opportunities. Zeitschrift fur Soziologie, 38 (1), 48-67. Retrieved May 6, 2009, from EBSCODatabase.

Platow, M.; Grace, D.; Wilson, N. Burton, D. & Wilson, A. (2008). Psychological group memberships as outcomes of resource distributions. European Journal of Social Psychology. 38 (5), 836-851. Retrieved September 6, 2009, from EBSCOHost ddatabase.

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Steps to Setting Realistic Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:40:00 +0000

Setting realistic goals is one of the very first steps to accomplishing something of importance to you. Before one can set on a journey they should try and understand where they are going. The goal is the destination and the steps are the path of reaching that goal. Goal setting is so important in personal satisfaction and career achievement that those who do not set goals have a distinct disadvantage in both the spheres of financial success and personal success.

Goals can be set on a personal level, an organizational level, a national level, and even a career level. The achievement of goals can be gauge of success in a number of different fields. Some avid goal setters might use goals in business, career, education, fitness, family, religion or a number of other life spheres simultaneous. The important points to be made here is that goals can be beneficial throughout one's life.

The usefulness of goal-setting works whether one is in the U.S. Or some foreign land. In Kenya it was found that those of the 400 participants in the study who set goals were also more successful in their careers (Kavoo-Linge, van Rensburg & Sikalieh, D., 2011). The study highlights the concept that low goal-setting in general among women in Kenya may have an influence on overall advancement in that country. That goal-setting across a population could produce a higher level of achievement in that population. Better yet goal setting and achievement can work for almost anyone at almost any location of the world!

Goals can be set individually or in a group setting for an advantage in achievement. Participative goal-setting in groups can create higher levels of group satisfaction as well as higher levels of group achievement (Lee & Feng, 2011). This may be one of the reasons why organizations set strategic goals and encourage team work for achieving these goals. The positive results leading from goal-setting are hard to deny.

Set Goals That Are Important to You:

Before one can truly set a strong goal he or she must know what is important to them. Students may find it important to set academic goals while business owners may set revenue goals. The goals should only be limited by what is important to the person setting them. For example, one student may find it important to receive a high grade in each class to get into graduate school while another may only desire to finish college with a passing grade to obtain a higher paying career or more growth opportunities. Before setting a goal ensure that it is worth your effort or otherwise you may run the risk of abandoning these goals.

Set a Goal That Can be Measured:

Just like it is important to set a goal that is important to you it is also important to set a goal that can be measured. Keep the focus narrow enough to be defined but not so broad as to create confusion. For example, desiring to pass a class with a B is much more defined than “feel good about attending”. One can be defined and measured at the end of class while the other is very reflective but doesn't allow conciseness in achievement.

Put an Action Plan Together:

Obviously you will not achieve much if you do not putt effort toward your goals. It is beneficial to put in place action steps that can help you stay focused on working toward goal attainment. For example, if you desire to earn a B or better in your class it will be important for you to study. This means you may develop an action plan that includes one hour of studying a day. If you have consistently followed this plan and you still have achieved your goal it would not hurt to bump this effort up to 1.5 hours of studying a day. An important goal should be evaluated at times (feedback loop) to ensure that you are on the right path. If you assess your likelihood of goal attainment at regular intervals you might be able to just adjust your action plan to obtain your desired result.

As you set goals for yourself in the world of academia, business, career, family, health, or any other sphere of influence be sure to 1.) set goals that are of interest to you, 2.) ensure it is a measurable goal, 3.) put an action plan together, and 4.) adjust that action plan when necessary. If you have done this then it is only your motivation that will make the difference between success and failure.

Kavoo-Linge, T. & van Rensbur, W. (2011). The relationship between goal setting and career advancement: A case of women employes in Kenya. Journal of Business & Social Science, 2 (17).

Lee, J. (2011). The mediating effect of psychological empowerment on the relationship between participative goal setting and team outcomes – a study in China. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22 (2).

Author: Dr. Murad Abel

Generation Y: How Mentors Can Help Them Innovate The Organization’s Future!

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:42:00 +0000

Robert L. Feller

Mentoring can be a special relationship that fosters further innovation in organizations and creates higher levels of loyalty among Generation Y employees. Organizations often skip over the concepts of mentoring as “pie in the sky” kind of wishful thinking without seeking true understanding of the potential advantages for the next generation graduating from college. Now would be an excellent time to develop a mentoring program within your organization so that innovation and profits can increase dramatically over the next ten years.

Before you can understand the potential advantages of mentoring it is important to understand the needs of Generation Y. Generation Y did not grow up with any concept of company loyalty, were lost in an education system that is seen by many as declining, and do not have a confident understanding of themselves in a global world. The family and community relationships, the Baby Boomers and some of Generation X experienced, are simply non-existence in this age bracket. Generation Y has many skills and many questions that mentors can help them find an understanding with.

# Generation Y Needs a Guiding hand to Balance Their Needs and That of the Organization.

Generation Y is a high technology suave generation that believes in enjoying development and careers for their own advantages. Mentoring may help them help them understand the advantage of working for large organizations. They desire work-life balances and they do not feel there is such a thing as permanency in organizations or the “corporate ladder” Baby Boomers believed in. They desire guidance for their own development, which could create a great mix for strong mentoring relationships.

Generation Y will stay with an organization if they feel that the organization allows them to have this work-life balance as well as offer opportunities for their personal development. The mentor can guide them in their navigation to full adulthood expression of their skills as well as create a sense of community in a global world filled with mega-corporations that seem to dilute their sense of identity.

# Mentors can help Generation Y Understand their Important Place in Society.

The simple nature of a mentor relationship can help Generation Y have more growth opportunities, more job satisfaction, and greater levels of recognition (Fergenson, 1989). Generation Y seeks answers and the previous generations would be wise to offer this kind of help. The nature of youth in Generation Y almost guarantees they will make mistakes, take risks, and have needs for guidance. Organizations can foster Generation Y’s spirit and innovative spirit to build a more profitable tomorrow.

# Mentor relationships can harness the youthful wishes and turn them into something constructive for the organization.

Before one can hope to be a mentor they should know how to be one. A mentor is someone who desires to pass something of value onto the next generation. Typically a mentor is someone who has experienced both life and work to a level they can be called senior. What counts most in the mentoring relationship is the “caring” concept. The Generation Y employees need to know there is someone willing to give them strong advice and give them direction to fulfilling their own needs.

Six Aspects of a Strong Leader/Mentor (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 2011):

(1) They make decisions on the basis of what is good for the organization and for society.

(2) They quickly grasp the essence of a situation and fathom the nature and meaning of people, things, and events.

(3) They provide contexts in which executives and employees can interact to create new meaning.

(4) They employ metaphors and stories to convert their experience into tacit knowledge that others can use.

(5) They exert political power to bring people together and spur them to act.

(6). They use apprenticeship and mentoring to cultivate practical wisdom in others.

# Mentors need to have an Interest in the Next Generation

Mentoring , Innovation and Profit: Mentoring can bring about higher levels of profit. If an organization seeks to obtain employee satisfaction, develop skills for organizational improvement, be a corporate citizen, align youth to the values of the organization, create trust between managers and employees, and guide highly educated workers to important innovative products then mentoring is that type of relationship.

Strong mentors will be able to guide Generation Y to fulfill them while fulfilling the needs of the organization. It can be a win-win situation for the youth, the mentor, and the organization. Win-win situations will allow for guidance in developing new products and ideas if the mentor is seen as a person giving wise advice for personal development. The next generation seeks to make their mark on the world so why not let them make their mark in your organization.

# Mentoring should leave a legacy of personal development and achievement that contributes to society.

Fargenson, E. (1989). The mentor advantage: perceived career/job experiences of protégés versus non-proteges. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 10 (4).

Nonaka, I. & Takeuchi, H. (2011). The wise leader. Harvard Business Review, 5 (2).

Author: Dr. Murad Abel…as in alignment of Me-conomics Theory

The Stages of a Man’s Life: Where Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:44:00 +0000

Men are not as simple as one would first like to assume. Based on a book by Dr. Levinson in 1978 it is not difficult to see that man develops in stages. These stages will determine his personality and how he approaches life at different ages. Careers, love, marriage, family relationships, community relations and much more are impacted by how he thinks and what stage he is actually in. This is an article written so men can better understand themselves and their women can understand their man.

There is no concrete definition for each stage as they are mental developmental processes that have been broken down into approximate age ranges. Sever transgressions from a particular stage would not mean that a man would have any psychological issues, but it would indicate a path of his development. Some men develop sooner than others do; It is all relative to one’s life but represents an average.

Childhood and Adolescents 0-22:

During this age men come into the stage of “being”. They get a sense of whom “me” is when compared to others. They are constantly judging themselves to others and comparing themselves to others. These years are market by “drama”, social adherence to other schoolchildren, and a sense of adventure. During this time, young men are just learning the mechanics of dating and often date much.

Early Adulthood 17-45:

This is a time of separation and definition. Men in this age have all types of dreams of who they are and what they want to be. During this era, a man will separate from his parents through work, school, military or anything else that helps to obtain a sense of independence. It is a time of learning and exploring the world around him. The information gathered in this stage will be used in later stages that move from defining to defined.

Middle Adult 40-65

This is often the most creative and productive time in a person’s life. He will come to understand what they want out of their lives, how they are going to contribute to society, and who they should be. Men are experienced enough from Early Adulthood stages to understand their skills and experience some of the world. In the Middle Adult stage, a person gains a new sense of focus based upon some traumatic event in their life. At this stage man is a fully-grown and productive person who can balance his needs with societies.

Late Adult 60+-

This age marks a time of great physical and emotional hazard or further contribution to society. It is a time when man figures he has a short time on life and must come to grips of who he really is and what he has done in the world. Some become angry and some become very active. It is a time of reflection and love or possible emotional aloneness.

Levinson et. al (1978). The seasons of man’s life. New York, NY: Random House Publishing

Author: Dr. Murad Abel

Love is Like Ice Cream...Don't Let it Go to Waste!

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:44:00 +0000

Ice Cream on the Stoop

Love is like ice cream…you only need to taste its sweetness now…because if you wait too long it will melt. The nature of love can be temporary or enduring through the ages but it must be tasted now. If one does not taste the ice cream quickly that person may not have another opportunity to do so in the future. As they say, “Love is only a fleeting moment!”

Some psychologists believe that mating and selection is a practice of random contact with others. Through one’s social network people meet others that they find attractive. All of the interaction could be haphazard and chaotic. For example, if you are feeling down today you might not ask for that phone number which could have turned out to be your beloved. How easily each situation could have turned into a different future if some action, turn of the eye, or smile was exchanged.

Love is a feeling that continues only for a little while and then moves on. If the bond has not been built, then a simple change of circumstance could cancel out love. If you take too much time to say “yes” to a new date, hide your feelings of insecurity by being angry, or if you ponder too long it will be gone as fast as it came. A chance meeting will only be a casual meeting unless someone takes action.

If you have ever loved one and they didn’t love you back this might make a lot more sense than it would to someone who never had unrequited love. If your love is unrequited you will move on to avoid the pain of rejection. If you fail to show signs of love quickly the other partner would move on to avoid the pain of rejection. People look for love that is returned and if they do not find it with you they will all move on.

So if someone says, “What should I do because I love him(her)?”. Say, “Love is like ice cream. It tastes best when first served. Don’t wait till it makes a mess”.

M. Abel

Man Seeks to Obtain Resources and Values Tell Him How! Should Caesar and God Work Together for a Socio-Economic Prosperity?

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:57:00 +0000

Let us take religion as a sociological function and not as some “divine truth” that can be argued until we are all old and grey. Religion represents a belief and value system that constantly seeks to promote values over worldly pleasures. Economics by its nature is about seeking out, obtaining, accumulating and spending the fruits of one's labor. They appear to be in opposition but both the value and economic systems complement each other in society. One will not work well without the other (i.e. Ying and Yang concept). The balance of power between values and economics may help government foster a nation of satisfied and productive citizens.

“Give unto Caesar (economics) what is Caesars and give unto God (value system) what is Gods”.

Caesar represents economics and God represents values. Each pulls against and adjusts the other. For example, laws are based upon societal norms and beliefs which has its roots in religion. Adherence to a particular set of value systems leads to mutual interest which results in the development of groups, nations, and alliances. This exists because a value system creates trust and mutual expectations among its members. If people adhere to the value system they will have “business trust” which is a necessary component for strong economic systems. Strong economic systems also create pressure for people to continue to adhere to that value system or face possible social and economic rejection. What is illegal in one cultural value system may not be illegal in another (difference of value systems).

Caesar (economics) and God (value systems) Create New Social Realities:

America was founded on avoiding both economic (no taxation without representation) persecution as well as religious/value (pursuit of happiness) persecution. The very concept of personal freedom is embedded in the American system. Laws, culture, and capitalism has developed around this concept of personal freedom and economic pursuit. Without the economics of persecution (based upon a different value system), there would have been little reason for the Boston Tea Party. Why throw the tea into the sea if you don't have a problem with the king or his tax?

It is possible to find a number of economic systems in coexistence at the same time within a particular value system. For example, you may find that the economies of North and South (The American Civil War) or the Detroit Race Riots of the 1970's (end of segregation) had both moral and economic underpinnings. If a man/woman is able to work toward his/her own financial security within a particular value system he/she would likely be content living in that society. If they are not content than riots, war, social protest, social unrest, criminality, or even revolution becomes possible.

Economic Competition for Value System Dominance:

In a global world the major value systems and economies begin to compete against each other for both economic and value system dominance. This is one reason why a researcher might find a different value system in the economic blocks of Asia, Middle East and Europe. The economics complement the value system and the value system complements the economic system. They work together and influence each other. They compete against each other for global dominance (i.e. communism vs capitalism).

Business Ethics as a Global Value System:

In a global world the concept of “business ethics” has arisen. Business ethics is a value laden system that promotes business trust through mutual expectations of “fairness”. The problem so far is that business ethics has not been well defined into a codified law or value system. Therefore, without the proper common reality (common belief) in what the principles of business ethics actually mean then there will likely be people violating these poorly defined value systems on a frequent basis.

In government, particularly global governments, the business ethics need to be strongly supported through law. It must have universal value appeal across the members of government or otherwise a lack of trust between members may occur (political parties). Without the enforcement of these value systems within governmental bodies some politicians may succumb to the temptation to profit themselves above the needs of the people they represent. For example, when congressmen/women use government information to conduct insider trading, when city officials use their vendors to swindle tax payer's and the Federal Government's money, or when politicians change their vote depending on who contributes sufficient financial resources to their campaign, then you may have a lack of an overriding value system. In essence, the pull of Caesar (economics) would be too strong and is not balanced by the laws of God (value systems).

As the world continues to globalize and develop new economic systems (Caesar) then new value systems (business ethics) must emerge before true peace and economic prosperity exists on a global scale.

Dr. Murad Abel: Based in Me-conomics Theory

Climb That Mountain: Self- Belief

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:31:00 +0000

Self-belief is something many of us strive for but few of us can accomplish. Self-belief is difficult and requires years of understanding and insight. It comes from trial and hardship and manifests itself in successful actions based upon reflection. As the mind begins to accept one’s skills and decisions for what they are, then he/she will have self-belief. You can climb the highest mountain if you want to!

The belief in oneself is often considered the mix of self-esteem, self-efficacy, locus of control and emotional stability (Judge & Joyce, 1986). That belief in oneself must be a number of factors that develop over a person’s lifetime. One cannot be insane, controlled, have low self-esteem or feel they have not accomplished anything if they want to believe in themselves.

Each of us has a purpose and that purpose could be any number of important life accomplishments. Some of us write books, others rear children, and still others compose music. Your purpose is embedded into your personality and is impacted by your experiences as well as core biologically skills. The “mix” is who you are.

You should not climb that mountain because others tell you that you must, but you should climb that mountain for yourself. Without goals or purpose a man is simply just another man. A sort of animal sucking the world’s resources. Yet with a purpose man can become defined, great, and a contributor to society and himself. You have to climb that mountain if you desire to define yourself. That mountain is you.

Believe in yourself and go climb that mountain…no matter what mountain that is!

Judge, T. & Bono, J. (196). Relations of core self-evaluations traits—self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability—with job satisfaction and job performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86 (1).

Murad Abel

link directory

Stand Together or Fall Together: Rethinking American Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:27:00 +0000

The American Revolution

It was not long ago young children stood in front of the classroom and said the national anthem. They learned stories of America’s founders, our heroes, and listened to the great music that has defined a nation in change. As a nation we may have over liberalized our core beliefs which could cause the nation to fall into multiple groups and loyalties. As the youth spring into action around the world, this creates an opportune time for American’ policy makers to rethink their strategy.

No matter what political beliefs one holds, race they belong, and religion they adhere to America has given them the chance to practice those beliefs and “pursue happiness” relatively free from molestation and injury. It is not a perfect system, but it is one that works well despite the few hiccups, bumps, and sour spots in history.

Like any organizations, clan, or affiliation America requires loyalty to its principles. As congressmen/women seek to gain influence for themselves they are often put in very compromising positions. Sometimes these compromising situations come from other nations seeking to gain advantage or businesses that offer their funds to get friendly politicians hired. No matter what the circumstances or the pressure all politicians should focus on improving the great nation that has reared them.

The use of national symbols like a flag, monuments, songs, etc… helps to breed loyalty to a nation. The process of indoctrination into the beliefs of the people starts at home and should filter through the entire educational process. It also should be a theme that is regularly visited on television and other media outlets. In essence, one should be surrounded throughout their lives with these themes in order to hold the masses to the essential principles of being an American.

Being American does not mean adhering to any specific ethnic or religious cause. However, there should be basic principles that help people clearly understand the American mindset. Companies that do not have mission statements and basic overriding principles seem to disintegrate over time and perform poorly on the market. Is it any different for a nation?

To Me the Nation Stands for The Following:

-Belief in practical truth…no matter what that truth is.

-Belief in the commonality of all men to be have basic principles of freedom.

-People of open hearts and basic understandings.

-A nation where hard work allows for personal financial growth.

-An experiment in race, religious, and personal tolerance.

-A nation where every generation should seek to improve the next generation.

-A nation that seeks to create peace over war.

-An enlightened people seeking to better understand the world around them.

-People willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of all people.

-A nation of survivors.

M. Abel

Increasing Your Advertising Effectiveness Online

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Your online advertising effectiveness for the most part will determine how hard you work to increase sales! Many marketers mistakenly believe that the best advertising strategy is to simply increase their exposure online! Not true since people not only need to be made aware of what you offer but also convinced that they need or want it as well.

Following find the 3 things your advertising strategy must accomplish for it to help you increase sales online!

Present Product

Remember not to confuse generating traffic with an advertising strategy that places an emphasis on selling to visitors! Once people arrive at your site you present them with your offer along with the reason why they need or want it! Your presentation must be engaging enough so people will be compelled to read further therefore at this point you are merely 'opening the curtain' to what you have to offer!

Present Benefits

Now that you have 'presented' the dilemma that people are facing or the need they have that goes unfulfilled your begin to present a solution! The best way to increase sales is to have a product or service that addresses a need or want people currently have and to clearly communicate this to them! By reviewing how they can actually benefit from what you have you are appealing to them on a level that is more gratifying to them! What is happening here is you are filling a void they already have and not trying to 'create' one which is much more difficult to do!

Present The 'Next' Step

Hopefully you now have visitors 'salivating' over the prospects of benefiting from your offer but the key now is to not stop there! Never expect people to take action on their own but rather clearly present to them what they must do to experience the benefits you have presented! It matters little how much exposure online you are able to generate if people don't make a purchase! Now that you've captured their interest and presented your offer you need to follow through! By telling visitors EXACTLY what to do in terms of making this purchase with you to satisfy their needs you are helping them 'find' the initiative to take action!

Your advertising effectiveness is ultimately what will determine your ability to increase sales when promoting online! It matters little how much exposure online you can generate if your advertising strategy doesn't 'convince' others to make a purchase with you! The 3 simply things you want any advertising strategy to do, and successfully, are discussed above if you're trying to increase sales! Remember, your traffic generation efforts are merely to get people to your site, it is your message and how it's presentedComputer Technology Articles, that will help you close the sale!

Author: TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
For more tips about increasing your internet advertising effectiveness and to also receive a free instructional manual that teaches valuable niche research techniques for your online marketing needs simply visit:http://affiliatequickstart.com

Your First Training Plan for Running

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:10:00 +0000

Running Along the Beech

TRAINING TO RUN:

Everything depends on your level of fitness. Lance Armstrong said running a marathon was the hardest thing he ever did, I'm just happy to finish one. His sub 3 hour marathon equate to my 1/2 marathon time give or take some minutes. The Basics of running are simple, efficiency of stride, lactic acid treshold, base training, patience and determination.

Training plan: If your just starting out, I would suggest running 3 times a week. I would also run a 3 week cycle.The first week of the cycle you train at a specific level. The second week you increase by 10-20%. The third week you scale back to lower than first week's level. This give's your body time to recuperate and prevents injuries. The first week of your next cycle should be increased by 10-15%. After 3 cycles, reduce you first week pace by 10%. This will work - you just need to be patient.
For example : Distance of every run in the week.

Cycle 1: wk1:1km - wk2:1.2km - wk3:0.9km

Cycle 2 : wk1:1.2km - wk2:1.4km - wk3:1.1km

Cycle 3 : wk1:1.4km - wk2:1.6km - wk3:1.3km

Cycle 4 : wk1:1.2km - wk2:1.4km - wk3:1.1km

Cycle 5 : wk1:1.4km - wk2:1.6km - wk3:1.3km

Cycle 6 : wk1:1.6km - wk2:1.8km - wk3:1.4km

I think you get the picture.

Beginner:
The best method to ease into running is the run walk method. Your body should adjust to running more easily using this method. The time you spend running and the time you spend walking depends again on your fitness level. If you need to walk longer or are able to run more, just do it. You run for 30-60 seconds, depending , you walk for 30 seconds. You do this for a week. The next week you increment you run by 10 seconds, but keep the walk to 30 seconds. As the weeks progress you should be able to gain substancial increase you capacity of running. The ideal for the run walk method is to get up to 10 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking, but it all depends on how you feel. Once you are able to keep a pace of 10-1 for 30 minutes you can start to increase the 10 minute run by 10-20% every week.

The pace you should be in is a Zone 1 pace. Zones are calculated by the hearth rate that is attained with physical activity. Zone 1 pace is (220 - your age) X 60 or 70% - I'm 36 , (220bpm - 36) X 70% = 130 bpm. This is a foundation building pace. This pace is used on long runs because it enables your body to manage lactic acid. A friendly fuel when absorbed properly lactic acid becomes running enemy when it is out of control. The longer you can run at this pace, the more your body will improve his capability to absorb the acid. This is endurance building, and it is the first step to having a great run.

Lactic Acid Is Not Muscles' Foe, It's Fuel - New York Times
The notion that lactic acid was bad took hold more than a century ago, but more recent research suggests that it is actually a fuel, not a caustic waste ...

If you need to do more sports during the week, cross training should be your choice. Gym work to strenghten the abs are a plus. Cycling or spinning also get your heart going without the impact on your knees.

If you are able to run for 30 minutes, my suggestion to you is to get out there and find a nice friendly 5k. This is a celebration of life , a celebration of your new found passion: Running. Turkey trot your way to the end.

Intermediate:
You've acheived your first goal and that first 5k is now behind you. You've adapted your body to running and now can run 3 times a week for 30 minutes each time and can even push this a bit further.

You now are able to move to the next level. First thing to do is add another running day to your week. This will help you put on the miles and will help you adjust even more to a runner's regiment. Second thing to do is start mixing up your running workouts. 1 slow long run (zone 1), 2 normal half hour runs (zone 1 maximized- bottom zone 2), and 1 run that is totally different from the other types of runs that your body is accustomed to do. My suggestion is either Hill running or intervals.

Hill running is simple: Find a hill - run it to the top (if you can get up there fine - if not - stop where your about to collapse) - once up there - walk back down. Do this 10 times and make sure you keep a pace that you can accomplish it 10 times. If you cannot run it - walk up the hill. This will put pressure on your big leg muscles and should bring your body close to lactic acid threshold, walking back down will help your body manage that load and will push it farther and farther as the workouts progress.

Interval: Warm up with a 15 minute turkey trot. Once you are warmed up - bolt it for 100 meters - as fast as you canb without collapsing before you done that 100 meters (85% of your max speed) - just before blowing up - walk for 1 minutes. Repeat this for at least 1000 meters (10 X 100 meters). If your body is not too broken, turkey trot your way back home for another 15 minutes ... this is great for pushing your lactic acid treshold even farther.

The point of pushing your body this way is to enable you to start picking up speed and finding a way to sustain it. Also - this is a good thing for your running body as it is called upon to adjust and find new ways of coping. Doing the same thing week after week can cause your body to adapt to it and migth inder your progression.

The goal you might have with these exercises is to improve you PR for your 5K or 10K time, enabling you to get faster and faster. Being faster and enabling your body to cope with it will help you out on your long slow runs. Your lactic acid overload might not be as great as it was before and your threshold of pain and endurance will be hightened.

Once you mastered these techniques and can now run for an hour or more on your slow long runs, a 10K or a half marathon is well within your reach.

Experts:
Elite runners are a breed on their own. They usually have a running stride that looks like a work of art and also have a cardio that can sustain 15-20 km/hour run tempo. Not everybody can acheive this type of running pace and keep it for 2 hours or more.

If your at this level and are reading this, you've humored me enough to keep going and could potentially write an article on this web site about how you go about your training. Since Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi are not here to add some advice, I will risk myself and add my two cents to this level of running fitness.

First thing, and expert runner should be able to run in the zone 1 range all day long, barely breaking a sweat. These athletes are fine tuned running machines and have close to the same body fat as an average model on a cat walk. That said, the muscle mass is fine tuned and the heart is usually as big as a football :0).

I have one friend who's an ultrafit retired cyclist (retired from all out competition but still competes at the fun level) - I put him on my treadmill with a heart monitor and asked him to start running. When he reached my top speed that I could sustain for more than 5 minutes (11 km/h) - his heart rate was barely beating. He could run at this pace for hours, I could barely do it for 5 minutes.

That's the difference between joe runner and Meb Keflezighi, the ability to acheive a speed and endurance that boggles the mind, strains the body, and pounds the heart.

These people usually have trained since they were kids and benefit from coaches and proper climate atmospheres (high altitude training) to enable them to reach the next level. They also have a very strict meal regiment and cannot afford to indulge in life's simple pleasures (Beer - wine - cheese cake ...) without paying a hefty price performancew wise.

If you are an elite runner and would like to submit and article - please do so right here. I will be happy to put a link back to your website.

Anyways, I Got To Run.

Author: Author Bio
Remy-Marc Beauregard is a seasonned runner that gives advice on running, training and nutrition. www.gottorun.info

Should CEO's Smack Their Beehive For Organizational Change?

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:13:00 +0000

1867 cartoon by Cruikshank

Smacking the beehive comes with risks and rewards that can influence the future success of the organization. Smacking the beehive means, creating chaos by changing the reality through also changing the expectations, moving around executives, adjusting processes, and creating a new culture. This concept is called managed chaos. The benefits of smacking the beehive, and creating chaos to readjust the organization to market realities, can be a huge benefit over time.

Such a chaotic change should not be thought of lightly or without planning. Managed chaos can have unexpected results if administrators of the change have not prepared properly. Strategic planning in the needed support, requirements, and direction of managed chaos is necessary.

Consider the following concepts when smacking the beehive:

The Beehive Must Be Smacked by Someone in Power: Beehives have their own defense mechanisms that become inherent when under threat. This is why “whistle blowers” who have smacked the beehive are more likely to become casualties of organizational decisions. The ethical statements, protection, and policies can be skirted in order to remove the offending party. However, if the beehive is smacked from someone who is powerful, controls the financial strings, or owns the organization they are unlikely to become a casualty because of the support and power of the position.

Give Employees a Road Map before Smacking the Beehive: The purpose of smacking a beehive is to create stress, change, and realignment in a manageable process. This is the core of the concept of managed chaos. Having a strategic plan of SOP development, cultural goals, adjustment in workforce tasks, and rearrangement of loyalties within the organization would help to ensure that a positive result occurs. Plan your smacking of the beehive in a way which is most advantageous to the organization.

Adjust and Remove Your Executives: Decision maker naturally have power. Their personalities mixed with power create organizational culture. At times it is necessary to shift, adjust, or remove executives so that people are forced to seek alternative loyalties and power brokers within the organization. This is most advantageous when attempting to transform the organization dramatically.

Manage the Stress of Change: If there is one thing that stresses employees out is change. This is why smacking the beehive also needs to come with appropriate information about the change, ability to discuss the changes with management, and help in understanding the new aspects of work. Having strong SOPs and mission statements can be of great benefit.

M. Abel

How to Be Happy With What You Have in Life

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:59:00 +0000

What will it take for you to be happy in life? Will it take success, lots of money, and that car you have been wanting? What will it take to really allow you to just sit back and enjoy the moment? If you have an answer to that question then you may be missing the point of pure happiness, and you may never truly be happy with what you have. Allow me to explain.

The truth is that most people do not become happy once they receive the things they thought would make them happy. This is because pure happiness is a mental state; it's not something that you receive when you get something in your life. You have a choice to be happy, and if you haven't chosen to be happy yet then you probably won't be happy when you get something you want. It's just that simple.

How to Be Happy With What You Have

Only Accept Things in Your Life That Make You Happy

First of all, don't accept things in your life that make you unhappy! Jack Canfield once said that he only does things that make him happy, and he's a pretty happy guy! This is so obvious but many of us don't follow this simple rule. We work at jobs we hate, we live in a house we hate, and we do things we don't want to do because we think we have to. But the truth is we don't have to, we always have a choice.

If you find that you are unhappy with what you have then start taking action to change. For example, if you are unhappy with your job then take action towards finding a job you love. Get the education you need to get the job you want or just go ahead and apply for it. Do whatever you have to do to make that change and be happy.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a way of being in the moment and really seeing it for what it is. Have you ever heard of the raisin exercise? This is an exercise where you mindfully eat a raisin by noticing the taste, texture, and the way you feel while you eat it. In the exercise you are aware of the process of eating the raisin from beginning to end. This is an example of being mindful of what you are doing. You are not passing judgement, you are just observing.

Mindfulness can help you to be happy with what you have by allowing you to really appreciate what you have. Take the time to really notice the things or people in your life that you may otherwise take for granted. Notice those things or people and really be mindful of how they benefit your life and what they do for you. This can be about something as simple as your shower and being mindful of the great job it does getting you clean. You will find that it will be hard not to be happy with your shower after you allow yourself to see and feel how great your shower really is for you!

Live in the Moment

Ever notice how you are really happy when you are on vacation? That's because you are living in the moment. Can you imagine having that feeling at home, everyday? Doesn't that make you want to live in the moment?
When you live in the future you may find yourself worrying about things. This includes waiting for something to come into your life in order to be happy. For instance, if you are waiting for a soul mate to come into your life in order to be happy then you are probably focused on what the feeling will be like when you meet your soul mate and how your life will be different then it is right now. But you are probably worried about the how and when of it all as well, and that is causing you stress - not happiness.

Living in the moment allows you to stop stressing about what is going to come and when it is going to come. You can have dreams, you can have wants and desires, but if you spend your whole life stressing out about when those dreams and desires are going to manifest then you are missing out on the now and the happiness you could be feeling.

Bottom line: Don't let go of your dreams and desires, but don't spend all of your time in the future. If you want to be with what you have then you have to be living in the present. You can't be happy with what you have now if you are always living in the future that you think will make you happy.

Author:

Learn how to be happy right now and you will always be happy with what you have.
Kari writes for Manifest Connection, a personal growth blog focusing on the happiness and health of the mind, body, and soul.

When You Are Looking To Streamline A Process You need To Make Change

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:10:00 +0000

Long lasting change is what you are searching for when you're trying to streamline a process or become more efficient. Everybody can make a change and keep it going for a couple of days or weeks, however getting the changes to keep permanently is a lot more challenging. Whether it's implementing a change in the office or beginning a new fitness routine after the New Year, it takes discipline and a plan to accomplish anything great.

You don’t simply accidentally fall into making a change or getting better, it requires a lot of work and it requires a great deal of discipline to make it happen. It not only takes a lot of energy and hard work to get the change put into effect, but it takes much more energy and effort to keep it going for the long term. This is where a support group comes in handy. Just like you may join a group to cease smoking or lose weight, because you get strength in numbers and in support, you'll need that same sort of support at work.

These modifications won’t happen overnight and they will not be easy, so having that support group, that group of people that are all working for the same goal is critical. Hopefully, the group should include everybody in the company, because having everyone on the same page is simply better and allows the change to take hold much faster. But if you are fighting against an opposing force, it's going to be much harder.

Often it takes a lot of the work involved just to make the people see why the change is good and why the change is necessary. If you are able to get that through their heads, then half the battle is already won because when you have understanding, you have cooperation. And if you have cooperation, and don't have an active group of people fighting you on every move, then you are much closer to accomplishing your goal.

Once they realize why the changes are needed they will be much more willing to help get the changes into place. You always have a better chance of getting a job done, especially if the job is big, with more hands helping. As long as the people understand and know why they are doing something, they will be much more eager to see the fruit of their efforts. That is to say, they will want to see the results of their hard work fast.

Author:
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Public Anger Over Tribal Members Encouraged to Dance Nude for Tourists

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:52:00 +0000

A tribe on the Andaman Islands of India made headlines after they were forced to dance for food. According to witnesses the Jarawa tribe was encouraged to dance, at times naked, for tourists. When reviewing the video it appears the tribal members were not coerced in anyway but were part of a tourist safari. However, even if the tribal members were not coerced one has to wonder if local authorities and safari members were making a mockery of the members.

The issue may boil down to cultural difference. The tribal members were not aware that their behavior of dancing for food is degrading in the modern world's eyes. Yet such tribal members should be protected by authorities from outside intervention and tampering. British journalists are blaming the local authorities and local authorities are blaming the British journalists.

Warning: The video below contains tribal nudity.

Four Tips to Better Employee Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:24:00 +0000

The Flax Workers

Success in organizations requires the ability of employees to work in their own self-interest while also working in the organization’s self-interest. Employees have something to gain by developing a strong organization where they can fulfill their compensation, intellectual needs and community needs. American companies have focused strictly on dollar figures but neglected the cultural aspects that created powerful organizations of yesteryear. Using teams can offer more outlets for intellectual, community, and cultural influence that impacts overall productivity.

Consider the following methods of creating loyalty and higher levels of performance:

1. Team and Individual Bonuses: Compensation and culture are two motivating factors. When employees believe they will be rewarded, when exerting their efforts and time, they will be much more motivated to continue working hard day after day. Teams and team compensation allows a chance for employees to work collectively as well as individually.

2. Empower your Employees: Whether or not employees are working in a team environment or in their own individual positions they should be empowered. A motivating factor related to locus of control becomes apparent when employees can make real change and take ownership over that change. This will require effective training and development in order to improve upon employee management skills.

3. Give Your Employee’s Time to Complete Their Work and Innovate: Conventional wisdom states create productivity and fill every waking moment of the employee’s time with constructive work. It certainly does make sense. However, if you are able to manage the workload well you may be able to focus on core work and still give your employees enough time to reflect, investigate, and create innovation in the workplace. It is innovation that helps a company earn revenue over the long run.

4. Strong Policies and Strategic Awareness: In order for employees to be guided in their daily decisions they will need to have strong core policies, an understanding of the key strategic objectives of the organization, as well as the ability to relate concepts to management. The more aware employees are of the expectations and how to achieve those explanations the more likely they will succeed in achieving them and making small decisions that create additional efficiency.

M. Abel: This article may be reprinted with appropriate citation.

Why is Writing Well so Important?

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:44:00 +0000

Writing to Father 1863

Writing is not an easy task. It is part an art form and part a science. The art is displayed through how we put words together to create an interesting and persuasive piece of work. The science is the vocabulary and grammatical rules that help to create an understandable work. Writing well can influence many different aspects of your career through giving a positive impression online, in emails, cover letters and much more. Managing your writing will create more opportunities in a world of electronic communication.

5 Tips for Writing Well:

1. Always Introduce Your Topic: Introducing your topic at the beginning of the paper may appear to be elementary but it does give the reader a clear idea of what the rest of the communication will contain. It creates a framework for understanding the rest of the work. Typically, the topic will be introduced in the introduction or first paragraph.

2. Make Your Format Clear: Formatting can have much to do with understanding. When headings are used properly readers can determine where the topic changes are and they more easily follow your chain of thoughts. The same can be said for encapsulating your introduction and conclusion. When formatting is strong it is easy for readers to move around the document and find the topics that are most interesting to them.

3. Review Your Grammar: Grammar is something that is not easy to learn quickly. It takes many years to be strong in grammar but you can start today and improve for tomorrow. When grammar is used properly it shows that you have mastery over the language and lends credibility to your writing. There are a number of online tools for checking grammar.

4. Do your Research: Nothing lends as much credibility to writing as using research. Research means that one has reviewed multiple sources for the topic and has included them in his or her report. The use of citations, references, links, etc… can improve the overall worthiness of the writing. Scientific minds need this research to make sure that your comments are grounded in fact.

5. Review and Edit: Depending on how the document is going to be used it is important to review once, twice, or three times. An email would only need to be reviewed once while a book would be reviewed many times over by multiple people. It is amazing the mistakes one will find when they review their work closely.

M. Abel

Food Before Ladies Me-conomics Cartoon!

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:42:00 +0000

Me-Conomics Organizational Efficiency Formula: by Dr. Murad Abel

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:32:00 +0000

American organizations have a need for innovation if they hope to maintain/regain a first world nation status. A nation is only as strong as the organizations that pay taxes and employee citizens. Typically the strong stronger and more innovative the organization the more likely it will pay into the tax system and continue to expand for innovative labor. Likewise, efficient and innovative organizations can also grow and develop which makes putting Americans back to work more likely. The Me-conomics formula below is part of that drive to create a better company and a better America.

Organizational theory is always on a path of development. Dr. Murad Abel’s Me-conomics formula is presented as part of that development in a long chain of other’s intellectual ideas and thoughts on how the economy operates. It is a theory that will continue to develop over time as new information and research comes available. The basic formula OS=ES+ER+EF was designed to help organizations find a balance and measurement to foster innovation and growth.

Adjusting that formula to OS=ES+ER+EF/3 creates a number between 1-100. In order for this easy to use number to always have a value between 0 and 100 it would require that OS, ER and EF each likewise have a value from 1-100. OS, ER and EF should be calculated based upon their ranking in each of the categories. The specific data drivers will be discussed in later articles.

In the example provided by the illustration, the organization in question has an Employee Satisfaction Ranking of 75, Employee Freedom of 25 and an Employee Rewards value of 54. This could be described as an average employee satisfaction score, very low ability of employees to be innovative and a moderate employee rewards system. This number might be reflective of unionized environments where employees do not have the ability to work outside of defined processes and have more collective benefits with few bonuses or other ways of moving up the wage scale.

It is possible to use a standard education grading approach to this ranking and believe the organization has a C ranking in employee satisfaction, an E in employee ability to be innovative, and an E in overall reward compensation for motivated employees. Such a business would unlikely be productive, may maintain employees who desire work stability, and because of the poor reward system is unlikely to retain top talent.

Basic Me-conomics Formula Divided by 3:

Organizational Success (OS)=Employee Satisfaction (ES)+Employee Freedom (EF)+Employee Rewards(ER)/3.

Me-conomics Formula with Numbers:

OS (53.6) =ES(79)+EF(25)+EF (54)/3

The total score for Organizational Success would equal 53.6%. On a ranking scale of E to A this would have a ranking of an E. Such an organization will continue to be top driven, change will likely be slow, and employee will not do much but “enough not to get fired”. This organization will continue to decline in the world markets as more innovative organization become available.

Organizational innovation is truly the only way to improve the national economy. The problem is that organizational models have been developed in decades past and do not have a complete grasp on the explosion in growth. Such growth has stagnated over the past eight years as companies were more concerned about cost cutting and not innovation. Innovation on both an organizational and national level requires new structures that represent a global world.

Part of Me-conomics Theory by Dr. Murad Abel. For questions 734-552-1891

Does Protein Make You Heavier? New Research in Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:43:00 +0000

"Dancers", by Fernando Botero

A new study may help show that protein causes weight gain If you are trying to loose a few extra pounds and desire to trim down after the season you may just want to avoid all those protein shakes. According to a study conducted by George Bray and associates, protein might just make you heavier.

It is important to consider the use of extra calories in this study. Any weight loss program should include an adequate amount of protein, appropriate calorie intake, and physical fitness. Even though this study shows that one can gain less weight with less protein in the short run it is the protein that can help in long-term weight loss.

Each of the 25 participants were given 40% more calories a day than needed for a period of 8 weeks. What the researchers found was that those who ate less protein also gained less than the other two groups. The groups were as follows:

low protein group: 3.16 kg
normal protein group: 6.05 kg
high protein diet group: 6.51 kg

Lean Body Mass:

low protein group: 3.16 kg
normal protein group: 6.05 kg
high protein diet group: 6.51 kg

The studies also found that the low protein eaters had more of their calories converted to fat 90% while only 50% for high protein eaters. Yet the authors of the study believe that eating high protein is better for long term weight management with a population that constantly overeats. Yet eating less protein did impact weight loss. The researchers also believe that current weight measurements do not take into account the type of weight one has when considering muscle and fat.

You can read the short version of the study here.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/307/1/47.short

Could the Economy Start a Recovery in 2012?

noreply@blogger.com (Murad) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:17:00 +0000

A Busy Market in a Dutch Town

Could the economy be on a track to recover in 2012? There has been unofficial reports of growth in economic growth and hiring in 2012. This has many officials and people alike hopeful that 2012 will start the end of a recession. The hiring has been phenomenal and the decline in unemployment benefit applications equally desirable. If the trend continues that nation could find many different economic vines (industries) growing.

The Labor Department believes that job growth will be 150,000+ in the month of December as unemployment insurance claims are down. The unemployment rates dropped 11% from the same time last year. Some concerns over the unemployed simply giving up looking for work could make these numbers look falsely better. Yet…on the surface…these numbers look great!

Much of the hiring was generated from the private sector while the public sector is still shedding jobs in order to balance the budget. An economist by the name of Joel Prakken, stated, “This is the fourth or fifth month of acceleration”(Mallaney, 2012). It is the trend of growth, over a prolonged period of time, that is very important.

The increase in manufacturing seen in the U.S., China, and Germany also indicates that some manufacturers will be hiring additional help as well. This could result in additional manufacturing of industrial items and the products those industrial items produce. The service sector in financial advice, hotels, and food are likely also to see some mild increases. All of this indicates that growth for the beginning part of the year is strong.

Others indicate that the grow 0f 312,000+ workers in December is the highest since 2001 and creates a strength in the economy unparalleled (Homen, 2012). The medium increase is estimated higher than others at 175,000 jobs. Official reports have not been generated yet but the overall increase is welcomed over a decade of decrease.

Employment in any particular month is not the whole story and the nation needs to still make its way through many other trials and tribulations to be in full recovery. However, the reports are positive and may impact budgeting in the long run, investor confidence, and organizational output of products. If the trend continues, it could push investors to hire more people and spark a faster recovery this year.

The problem with the use of ADP’s data is that many companies purge the records of people who left companies over the past year in the December months. This makes ADP analysis very unpredictable and this may be why there is a difference of 80,000 =/- between governmental projections and ADP predictions. However, as the largest payroll service in the country it is one of the first places changes in the economy have been seen.

In the near term Americans will still need to be frugal and continue to seek out opportunities. At least there is hope for those who want to find a job that someone out in cyberspace is receiving their application and actually have a position to fill. This benefits the unemployed workers who has spent days submitting long applications to companies that really do not have an opening nor do they ever look at the application.

Homan, T. (January 5^th, 2012). U.S. Companies Added 325,000 Jobs: ADP. Bloomberg. Extracted January 5^th, 2012 from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-05/u-s-company-payrolls-expanded-by-a-more-than-estimated-325-000-adp-says.html

Mallaney, T. (January 5^th, 2011). Day before monthly employment report, signs of hiring mount. USA Today. Extracted Jaunary 5^th, 2011 from http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/story/2012-01-05/weekly-jobless-claims/52387830/1

by Murad Abel