Avoiding Groupthink Essay Example for Free

Avoiding Groupthink Essay The case study we are addressing this week involves how a team and Project Manager avoid Groupthink and its pitfalls. In order to understand what group think is you have to refer to Irving Janus who coined the phrase back in 1972. He related that Group Think is when a group makes a decision based on group pressure; it can lead to faulty decisions. Janus, 1972) Some of the symptoms that Irving Janus documented of group think are Illusion of invulnerability, Collective rationalization, Belief in inherent morality, Stereotyped views of out-groups, Direct pressure on dissenters, Self-censorship, Illusion of unanimity, and Self-appointed ‘mind guards’. (Janus, 1972) In our book, Making the Team: A Guide for Managers states that there are three (3) key symptoms that take root and they are Over Estimation of the Group, Closed Mindedness and Pressure towards Uniformity. These will be the 3 areas I am going to focus on. Over Estimation of the Group Now that we know what group think is we can move on to how a team and Project Manager might avoid the mistakes and downfalls of Group Think situations. (Thompson, 2008) When a team is falling into a group think methodology a Project Manager must be able to recognize the signs before any decisions are made and set in motion. If the group is making statements that start with we feel, we think, or we suspect it is a good indicator that they just don’t know or are just following along with the consensus of the group. Group think can cause problems when everyone goes with the flow especially on a wrong decision. In using group think methodology management has to weigh the pros and cons of the group’s decision from all sides. Sometimes a little more research prior to implementing a group think decisions should be done or a devil’s advocate should be assigned into the group think matrix in order to prevent team members from being led down a garden path. The one thing I have noticed when in a group think situation, the group always looks for someone to be the mouthpiece for the group, this person usually has strong leadership skills but can be short sited and very opinionated which rubs off on the group as a whole. Some team members tend to have difficulty explaining or relating what is on their mind in a group setting, they rather tell their ideas one on one because they are an introvert by nature! They would rather have the extrovert take charge and be the one who voices the opinions or decisions of the group. They tend to stay out of the lime light. Project Managers should encourage team members to bring out concerns or objections to issues that are being discussed and/or considered, he/she should not influence the team with his or her own preferences to the issue, he/she should play the devil’s advocate and guide conflict in a positive manner, the group should be allowed to be evaluated by other groups and critiqued in an unbiased manner, splitting the group into different sub groups to bring out and investigate different alternative solutions or methods that could be used, call meetings with the group to discuss and evaluate any decisions prior to instituting them and develop alternatives for each methodology prior to giving final approvals. (Thompson, 2008) A good Project Manager should keep his group focused on the project at hand, have weekly meetings to check progress of his team to ensure that discussions are being conducted that is giving the group the necessary conflict for them to evaluate potential risks and dangers involved with the decisions they are recommending. The Project Manager should make the team aware that they can bring up ideas or doubts about any issue without the fear of being ridiculed or rejected by other team members. The ultimate goal is for the Project Manager to make his team work as a team through having all members contributing their knowledge and skills in making the project a success.

The Narrative Structure of Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness Essa

The Narrative Structure of Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚   Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was first published in 1847, during the Victorian Era. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was first published as a complete novel in 1902, beginning what is referred to as the Modernist Era in literature. Each of these compelling stories is narrated by an uninvolved character who is quoting a story told to them by a character who actually participated in the story being told. There are both differences and similarities in these effective methods of narration that reflect the styles and expectations of those times.      In Bronte's Wuthering Heights, the character of Lockwood begins the tale, and then moves into recounting the oration of the history of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange as seen through the eyes of Nelly Dean. Lockwood's additions to the story are limited to the beginning of the novel and to the end, and to one occasion when he pleads with Nelly Dean, "Draw your knitting out of your pocket-that will do-now continue the history of Mr. Heathcliff, from where you left off, to the present day"(WH 70). Nelly Dean, who was an active participant in some of the episodes she tells of (but not all of them) tells the bulk of the story to the reader.    In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, an unnamed seaman is recounting a tale told to him by Captain Marlow. The unnamed narrator's appearance is interspersed throughout the story, reminding the reader that it is a story being told to a group of sailors. "I listened, I listened on the watch for the sentence, for the word, that would give me the clue to the faint uneasiness inspired by this narrative that seemed to shape itself without human lips in the he... ...the same type of narrative frame, each is indicative of the time when it was written.    Emily Bronte wrote Nelly Dean's narrative to fit with the times and the audience of 1847. Fifty-five years later Joseph Conrad began the Modernist Era with his narrative by Marlow, and captured the attention of a new audience. As things changed and time moved on, so did the audiences for British Literature.    Works Cited and Consulted Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism. New Jersey. Prentice Hall, 1999. Bronte, Emily.   Wuthering Heights.   W.W. Norton: New York, 1990. Conrad, Joseph. "Heart of Darkness" The Longman Anthology British Literature. Ed. David Damrosch. Longman. New York. 2000. 2190-2246. Damrosch, David, et al., ed.   The Longman Anthology of British Literature: Vol. B.   Compact ed.   New York: Longman - Addison Wesley Longman, 2000.

Internship Report Onroyal Cement Limited Essay

I would like to thank my Faculty Advisor Roushan Ara Sultana for giving me the opportunity to work with her during my period of internship. I have been able to compile and complete this report in a comprehensive manner due to the guidance, support and counseling that he has provided me with during this period. I have tried my best to implement her constructive suggestions while doing my report. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the help provided to me by some. My sincere gratitude goes to Mr. Forman Uddin Chowdhury; Director of personals of the company Operations and to Mr. Md Moonsur Ali; Assistant General Manager; Marketing, Sales & Distribution for giving me time from their busy schedule, providing me with information that was required to complete the report, and for guiding me properly throughout the period of my internship. I would also like to thank all the employees of Royal Cement Limited who has supported me and co-operated with me during my internship period. Finally, my sincere thanks go to each and everyone who has helped and supported me significantly in different stages during the period of my internship. Page | 2 University of Science and Technology Chittagong Executive Summary Royal Cement Limited, one of the leading & largest cement industries in Bangladesh emerged in 2001. The company is well known for producing quality cement at a low price. The head office and the commercial building of Royal Cement Limited are located in Kabir Manzil, Sheikh Mujib road, Agrabad, Chittagong-4100. The other office of Royal Cement Limited is located in Dhaka and their production house in Joramtal, Barakumira, Sitakunda in Chittagong. The team consists of two leading companies of Bangladesh, which are Kabir Steel Group & BSA Group.

Ophelias Madness in Hamlet - 612 Words

Madness is usually misinterpreted and misconstrued. Sometimes it is faked, sometimes it is nonsensical. However, that is not always the case. Ophelia’s madness in Shakespeare’s Hamlet is real and of great significance; furthermore, when seen with a discerning eye, Ophelia’s actions might not seem as irrational and without meaning and cause. Shakespeare displays Ophelia’s madness through her deranged singing and through the reactions of the other character to her strange behaviors. Throughout Act 4, Scene 5 of Hamlet, Ophelia sings in lieu of her usual formal speech. Gertrude had been warned by the gentleman prior to Ophelia’s entrance that â€Å"her speech is nothing† (4.5.7). When Ophelia enters, her first lines in the scene, after asking where Gertrude is, are of song. Ophelia sings, â€Å"How should I your true love know From another one? By his cockle hat and staff, And his sandal shoon,† which Gertrude does not understand (4.5.22- 25). Ophelia’s behavior has everyone concerned. When Ophelia leaves the first time, Claudius requests Horatio to â€Å"follow her closely† which reiterates Ophelia’s instability (4.5.73). Her brother Laertes also mentions her madness when he exclaims, â€Å"O heavens, is’t possible a young maid’s wits Should be as mortal as a poor man’s life?† (4.5.158-159). Ophelia’s madness is not without cause. Ophelia’s intense grief is the source of her madness. She suffers multiple blows to her heart. These blows are represented in her song. First, Hamlet, who she lovesShow MoreRelatedHamlet and Ophelia’s Madness Essay674 Words   |  3 PagesThe Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is one of Shakespeare’s most tragic plays. Most of the characters in this play suffered a heartbreaking death, although, all of the characters faced anger, regret, madness or distress. Madness was a reoccurring theme in this play, two cha racters portrayed this more than others. Ophelia and Hamlet faced similar fates, with similarities and differences along the way, all to do with their madness. Hamlet and Ophelia were two young people in love and were supposedlyRead MoreOphelias Descent to Madness in Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay858 Words   |  4 Pagescould not take care of themselves. Shakespeare’s Hamlet shows how men treated and thought of women during the 1500s. There was an order most did not interfere with; however, some did. In the 1500s, women were supposed to conform to men’s wishes. Throughout the play, Ophelia first obeyed her father and brother’s wishes, ignored the social norms later, and then went mad, which caused her to never gain her own identity. To stay in control, the men in Hamlet taught Ophelia to fear her every day, naturalRead MoreThe Symbolism Of Ophelia s Hamlet 1500 Words   |  6 Pagesread and interpreted differently by two different readers? Text Analyzed: Shakespeare’s Hamlet Part of the Course to Which the Text Corresponds to: Part 4 Thesis: In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, Ophelia’s role would be interpreted as a plot device by a modern English woman and as a victim by an Elizabethan woman. This would occur because of their understanding of the symbolism of Ophelia’s actions in madness, the context surrounding Hamlet’s view of her, and their characterization of Ophelia. Read MoreThe Symbolism of Ophelia’s Character Essay733 Words   |  3 PagesSubject Instructor Date The Symbolism of Ophelia’s Character The name Ophelia has been most commonly associated with William Shakespeares play, Hamlet, where she is referred to as the title characters mad lover. She is believed to have killed herself out of madness by drowning herself in a river. Interpretations about Ophelias character have ranged from being a woman who lost her sanity upon her father, Polonius death to being the object of hatred by Hamlet. However, despite her supporting characterRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Ophelia s Struggle And Madness1088 Words   |  5 Pages1 Pregnant with Madness— Ophelia’s Struggle and Madness in Hamlet Yi-Chi Chen Intergrams 11.2(2011): http://benz.nchu.edu.tw/~intergrams/intergrams/112/112-cyc.pdf ISSN: 1683-4186 Abstract Madness in Hamlet is one of the crucial themes for Shakespeare to depict the chaotic turbulence in the Hamlet family and the court of Denmark. Due to Claudius’s usurpation of the Old Hamlet’s crown and queen, characters such as Hamlet, Ophelia, and Gertrude suffer seriously from betrayal, resentment, and enragementRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1431 Words   |  6 Pagesplay â€Å"Hamlet,† we are introduced to the sorrow and tragic character of Ophelia. In spite of a comparatively marginal role throughout the play, Ophelia actually has quite a substantial impact on our understanding of the main character, Hamlet. With Ophelia’s highly controversial and often debated death, we are left to ponder about what truly constitutes action, attempting to make meaning of actions with relation to context. Specifically, through examining Gertrude’s description of Ophelia’s deathRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare Essay1334 Words   |  6 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Hamlet, each character stands out in unique ways. Madness is one of the crucial themes as Shakespeare depicts the chaotic turbulence in the Hamlet family and the court of Denmark. Though she is generally read as a minor character, Ophelia’s madness reveals the struggle of the female character that attempts to have a voice of her own. Ophelia’s life certainly seems tragic based on Aristotle s definition of tragedy, which says that â€Å"A tragedy is the imitationRead More Ophelia as a Foil to Shakespeares Hamlet Essay875 Words   |  4 PagesOphelia as a Foil to Hamlet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚      In Shakespeares tragedy, Hamlet, the audience finds a docile, manipulated, scolded, victimized young lady named Ophelia. Ophelia is a foil to Hamlet. Plays have foils to help the audience better understand the more important characters in the play.   The character of Ophelia is necessary so that the audience will give Hamlet a chance to get over his madness and follow his heart.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Similarities are an important part of being a foil. OneRead MoreHamlet, A Feminist Lens890 Words   |  4 Pages Hamlet Through A Feminist Lens Hamlet can be viewed through a feminist lens by focusing on Ophelia and Gertrude and how various other male characters treat them. Ophelia and Gertrude are dismissed as characters through the entire play because they are women. Hamlet refers to women as â€Å"frailty,† implying that they are weak and are dependent on men. Reason suggests that with out the males, Ophelia and Gertrude would simply have no story. Within the first scene of Hamlet the reader discoversRead MoreMadness In Hamlet Essay869 Words   |  4 Pagesan intervention. In Shakespeares Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, decides to fake his own derangement in order to prove his uncle Claudius guilty of the murder of his brother, King Hamlet. To avoid anyone discovering him, he maintains his crazy act in front of his own love interest, Ophelia, perplexing her to the point of lunacy. One of the main contributors to Ophelia’s authentic madness is Hamlet’s pretense of insanity, leading to both Hamlet and Ophelia’s ultimate defeat. From the â€Å"big-picture†