Giant Pacific Octopus Facts

The giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini), also known as the North Pacific giant octopus, is the largest and longest-lived octopus in the world. As its common name suggests, this large cephalopod lives along coastlines of the North Pacific Ocean. Fast Facts: Giant Pacific Octopus Scientific Name: Enteroctopus dofleiniOther Name: North Pacific giant octopusDistinguishing Features: Reddish-brown octopus with large head, mantle, and eight arms, usually identified by its large sizeAverage Size: 15 kg (33 lb) with arm span of 4.3 m (14 ft)Diet: CarnivorousAverage Lifespan: 3 to 5 yearsHabitat: Coastal North PacificConservation Status: Not evaluatedKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: MolluscaClass: CephalopodaOrder: OctopodaFamily: EnteroctopodidaeFun Fact: Despite its large size, it can escape any container with an opening large enough for its beak. Description Like other octopuses, the giant Pacific octopus exhibits bilateral symmetry and has a bulbous head, eight sucker-covered arms, and a mantle. Its beak and radula are at the center of the mantle. This octopus is generally reddish-brown, but special pigment cells in its skin change texture and color to camouflage the animal against rocks, plants, and coral. Like other octopuses, the giant Pacific octopus has blue, copper-rich blood that helps it obtain oxygen in cold water. The giant Pacific octopus is a master of disguise. Can you see it against the coral?. Andrey Nekrasov / Getty Images For an adult-age giant Pacific octopus, the average weight is 15 kg (33 lb) and the average arm span is 4.3 m (14 ft). Guinness World Records lists the largest specimen as weighing 136 kg (300 lb) with an arm span of 9.8 m (32 ft). Despite its large size, the octopus can compress its body to fit through any opening larger than its beak. The octopus is the most intelligent invertebrate. They have been known to play with toys, interact with a handler, open jars, use tools, and solve puzzles. In captivity, they can distinguish between and recognize different keepers. Distribution The giant Pacific octopus lives in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Russia, Japan, Korea, British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. It prefers cool, oxygenated water, adjusting its depth from the surface down to 2000 m (6600 ft) as required. E. dolphleini distribution. Kat OBrien Diet Octopuses are carnivorous predators that usually hunt at night. The giant Pacific octopus appears to feed on any animal within its size range, including fish, crabs, clams, small sharks, other octopuses, and even seabirds. The octopus grabs and restrains prey using its tentacles and suckers, then bites it and tears away flesh with its tough beak. Predators Adult and juvenile giant Pacific octopuses are preyed upon by sea otters, harbor seals, sharks, and sperm whales. The eggs and paralarvae support zooplankton filter feeders, such as baleen whales, some species of sharks, and many species of fish. The giant Pacific octopus is an important protein source for human consumption. It is also used as bait for Pacific halibut and other fish species. About 3.3 million tons of giant octopus are fished annually. Reproduction The giant Pacific octopus is the longest-lived octopus species, usually living 3 to 5 years in the wild. During this time, it leads a solitary existence, breeding only one time. During mating, the male octopus inserts a specialized arm called a hectocotylus into the females mantle, depositing a spermatophore. The female can store the spermatophore for several months before fertilization. After mating, the males physical condition deteriorates. He stops eating and spends more time in open water. Males typically die of being preyed upon, rather than starving to death. Giant Pacific octopus with her eggs. FriedC After mating, the female stops hunting. She lays between 120,000 and 400,000 eggs. She attaches the eggs to a hard surface, blows fresh water over them, cleans them, and chases away predators. Depending on water temperature, the eggs hatch in about six months. Females die soon after the eggs hatch. Each hatchling is about the size of a grain of rice, but grows at the rate of about 0.9% per day. Although many eggs are laid and hatch, most hatchlings are eaten before they reach adulthood. Conservation Status The giant Pacific octopus has not been evaluated for the IUCN Red List, nor is it protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. This is because its too hard to find and track the animals to assess its numbers. While not endangered, the species is likely threatened by pollution and climate change. Usually, the octopus flees warm water and dead zones in favor of cooler, oxygenated water, but some populations may be trapped between low-oxygen zones. Yet, the species can adapt to live in deep water, so it may be possible for the giant Pacific octopus to find a new habitat. Sources Cosgrove, James (2009). Super Suckers, The Giant Pacific octopus. BC: Harbour Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55017-466-3.Mather, J.A.; Kuba, M.J. (2013). The cephalopod specialties: complex nervous system, learning and cognition. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 91 (6): 431–449. doi:10.1139/cjz-2013-0009

Manifest Destiny And The American Nation - 2335 Words

Manifest Destiny is the term used by early Americans to describe the belief of the God given opportunity to spread and expand westward towards the pacific ocean. Many settlers believed that God himself blessed the expansion of the American nation. Beginning with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Manifest Destiny brought with it not only territorial acquisitions, but also conflicts over the spread of slavery. Southerners wanting to find more land for cultivation, were led to the desire of acquiring new territories. Many citizens (Especially in the North) were deeply concerned about adding any more slave states. Manifest Destiny introduced a heated issue of the addition of slave or free states which provoked war with Mexico in†¦show more content†¦Soon after, the Dred Scott case was introduced into society. The Dred Scott case was a chance to settle once and for all the question of slavery in the territories. Dred Scott was a slave who, after his owner died, sued for his f reedom in the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery had been outlawed by the Missouri Compromise. According to the textbook Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People by John M. Murrin, Paul E. Johnson, James M. Mcpherson, Alicea Fahs, Gary Gerstle, Emily S. Rosenberg, and Norman L. Rosenberg, â€Å"The Southern Supreme Court justices decided to declare that the Missouri Compromise ban on slavery in the territories was unconstitutional...Chief Justice Taney issued that the Court’s ruling stating that congress lacked the power to keep slavery out of a territory, because slaves were property and the Constitution protects the right of property...Taney also wrote that the circuit court shouldn t have accepted the Scott case because black men were not citizens of the US and had no standing in its courts.† (John et al., 2012). The Supreme Court seemed bias when they went against the government in the sense that they proved a law unconstitutional simply becaus e a black man questioned if it applied to him. The Supreme Court generally said that Negroes were not citizens, even if they were free, and had no rights. This denied the rights of a man, but after all,

Case Study of Jenny Coste-Free-Samples -Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Case Study of Jenny Coste. Answer: Introduction This report critically discusses about the case study of a patient name Jenny Coste. She is an active 9 years old girl, who has recently complained about prolonged pain in legs. The prolonged pain in her legs is harming her quality of life as she could no longer go to school and take part in spots like her other siblings. On visiting a doctor and after sufficient tests, it was found that Jenny had been suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (Hunger and Mullighan 2015). It has been reported that after that Jenny struggled with a thorough treatment of long 18 months, after which she showed a brief remission from the disease, followed by a relapse. Her condition is found to deteriorate, and finally she was admitted to the hospital with fungal Pneumonia. It has been reported that her vital signs showed Blood pressure 90/60, Heart rate- 85, IVT- 0.9% NaCl with 55 dextrose at 60 mls/hr. O2 at 2L/min via nasal specs at O2 97%. It has been reported that while she was given the sec ond dose of cefotaxime, she developed an anaphylaxis reaction and developed redness on her stomach. The purpose of this paper is to discuss about Fungal Pneumonia, which Jenny had been suffering from after she had relapsed from the cancer. It has been critically discussed about the pathophysiology of the adverse drug reactions that has developed due to the application of cefotaxime. The report had critically discussed the signs and the symptoms, the pharmacological management of the clinical condition. The report also focuses on the nursing management protocols that are need to be served for a proper care. Reviews from literatures, as supporting evidence in order to explain the required care, has also been provided. This report also throws light up-on the psychosocial issues that jenny had to deal with in this case and have also discussed about the possible remedies that can be provided. It has also been discussed about the role of the interprofessional collaborations that are to be adopted in such a critical situation. Discussion The following case study gives about idea about the fact that the girl was suffering from cancer and he underwent a treatment of long 18 months. Immunocompromised children suffering from cancer, have a constant risk of developing infections. The stage and the type of cancer, the type of the anticancer therapies and antibiotics used, integrity of the mucous membrane and the skin, the duration of the hospital stay, the patients vital status, nutritional status, all are responsible. Immuno compromised patients are susceptible to the risk of developing pulmonary infections, by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. Infectious complications like Pneumonia are a major obstacle in immunocompromised children. Pulmonary infections mainly occur due to the aspiration of the pathogens from the upper airways. Opportunistic fungi can colonize and can cause fungal pneumonia (Sahbudak Bal 2015). Fungi like Aspergillus and Cryptococcus are responsible for Pneumonia. In this report we have com e to know that Jenny had been given Cefotaxime to deal with the fungal Pneumonia. Cefotaxime is an antibiotic which is normally administered in case of bacterial infections. This drug belongs to the class of Cephalosporin antibiotics. In addition to the required effects, Cefotaxime also can impose serious side effects and therefore require immediate medical attention. Normally the adverse effects that are caused are abdominal cramps, chills, chest pain, hives, itching, rashes on the skin and many more. In this case we can see that jenny has developed red abdominal rashes which directly link to the evidences provided (Aouam etal. 2012). Not all the side effects of Cefotaxime are reported, but when it comes to an immunocompromised child of just 9 years. Pathophysiology There are certain medicines that can interact with Cefotaxime to generate adverse drug reactions. Especially when a patient is under the medications of cancer, Cycloporins may cross react with the drug to give rise to anaphylactic reactions. Each and every person reacts to medicines differently. A drug suitable for one person may not be suitable for the other person. A person may develop rashes, hives or develop more serious adverse reactions; on the other hand another person may not show any such hypersensitive reactions (Carspecken et al. 2013). The immune system of the body reacts to drugs in many ways. For instance, if a body is allergic to a particular medicine, then the body identifies that particular drug as an allergen or an antigen, as in case of Jenny. The immune system protects the body and fights against diseases and infections. During a hypersensitivity reaction the immune system reacts with the drugs, thinking it as a foreign invader. This immune response leads to inflammation causing rashes in Jenny, and since she is immunocompromised, the situations have turned more critical than it had been in any other patients (Carspecken et al.2013). Hypersensitivity reactions due to drugs are mediated mainly by the IgE antibodies or T cells. The reaction mechanism of IgE is well investigated, but the mechanisms of T-cell-mediated drug hypersensitivity are not well understood (Lieberman 2012). Recent studies have mentioned about 2 concepts: the hapten/prohapten concept and the concept of interactions of the antibiotics with immune receptors (Adam, Pichler and Yerly 2012). In allergic drug reactions, mediated by the T cells, the specificity of the T-cell receptor that has been stimulated by the antibiotic may be directed to a cross-reactive major histocompatibility complex-peptide compound. In the given case study it has been found that Jenny after getting a treatment of prolonged18 months, have been found to develop Pneumonia, and we can see that her condition is gradually deteriorating. This deterioration might have caused by the side effects shown by the antifungal drugs (Jesenak et al. 2014). Medications The selection of the type of therapy of these kinds of patients depends on the type of immune suppression in the patient and other factors such as the presence of the central venous lines. Antifungal therapies are there for the children with cancer (Skidmore-Roth 2013). In case of adverse drug reaction caused by the cephalosporin class of antibiotics, medicines like antihistamines and oral or intravenous corticosteroids or intramuscular or subcutaneous epinephrine can also be applied. To reduce the chance of fungal pneumonia, the following interventions can be taken up for Jenny, prophylactic antibiotic can be given, haematopoetic growth factors can also be given in a prophylactic strategy (Groll et al. 2014). There are several risks associated with giving prophylactic antibiotics, especially when it is just a child of 9 years. Furthermore, recent researches have found that prophylactic antibiotics given to the patients undergoing chemotherapy have helped to develop resistant organisms that can cause infection later on during the course of the treatment. Care should be taken while administrating the drugs as these can have adverse effects in the patients whose immunity is compromised as in case of this case study. The antifungal might cross react and give rise to allergic reactions. Infusion related reactions may occur like it may give rise to rash fever, chills (Smyth et al. 2012). Before administration of the antifungal the clinicians should monitor the blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, live function, serum electrolytes before the administration of the antivirals. It can be said that the pharmacist should be aware of the recommended doses for each patient, especially when it comes t o children. He should be well aware of the drug-drug interactions and the general side effects while prescribing these antifungal agents. Elements of care required From the given case study we have come to know that Jenny has been hospitalized for few days with fungal Pneumonia, after which she had been diagnosed with adverse drug reactions after which she had been discharged home with a palliative care team and home care support. Extra precaution should be taken as Jenny has also relapsed from cancer and, even a small hypersensitive reaction can be fatal for her. In case of respiratory distress, arising out of the adverse drug reactions, she can be given aggressive respiratory measures like administration of high concentration of oxygen, mechanical ventilation, endo-tracheal intubation (Laschinger and Smith 2013). Antihistamines and corticosteroids can be administered, keeping the health status of Jenny in mind. The palliative care team for Jenny should contain highly skilled multidisciplinary team of specialized doctors and nurses, which would focus on the holistic care of the patient with a progressive illness. The early integration of a pal liative care not only affects the physical domains of the illness but also caters to the patients psychological, spiritual, developmental wellness (Jacobsen and Wagner 2012). Nursing care plan Recognition of the early signs and the symptoms of acute hypersensitivity reactions. Administration of the Epinephrine by consulting with the specialist. Should avoid the triggering of allergen as much as possible. Looking after the vital signs of Jenny and would try specific allergen therapy to prevent the adverse reactions. Asses the rate and the depth of the respiration and the chest movements. Application of the intravenous body fluids as per the condition of the vital status of Jenny. Communication with the patients family regarding what measures should be taken in case of a future drug reaction, as the patient is immunocompromised. One should teach the patient to carry out the necessary exercises as deep breathing and exercises would bring about expansion in the chest. Frequent monitoring of the chest X-Ray, pulse oximetry readings, for detecting any improvement or deterioration. Would maintain proper nutritional charts, fluids containing electrolytes, beverages that are nutrition enriched. Interprofessional collaboration Interprofessional collaboration is the key to provide a proper healthcare to some clinical complications. Such collaborations improve the health outcome of the patients by reducing the effects of the adverse drug reactions, and lessen the rate of mortality and morbidity. It helps in the optimization of the medical dosage (Falk 2016; Reeves et al. 2013). Team work is always found to be suitable for better outcomes. The interprofessional collaboration that has been adopted in case of Jenny is as follows:- Role clarity Role clarity is required in order to attain a successful palliative team of medical experts. In case of Jenny, the palliative team should contain a medicine specialist, a pedriatric specialist, one oncologist (as she has just relapsed from cancer), a pulmonary specialist, a hematologist and a group of efficiently trained nurses. Each expert having specializations in their individual domains should try their best to manage the adverse reactions caused by the drug and should assure prevention of the recurrence of the adverse drug reactions (Russell 2013). Trust and cooperation Trust and cooperation between the members of a care team is important for successful treatments. Collaboration between the team members, Jenny and her family can bring about a positive outcome in the treatment and would promote fast recovery in Jenny (Falk 2016). Ability to overcome adverse conditions The team of medical experts should be prompt in dealing with the deteriorating conditions. In adverse times team collaboration becomes very necessary. Jenny is suffering from a very critical condition; therefore she needs a care that is exclusively patient centered and a lot of expertise. So, the team should be confident enough to manage the difficult situations. It is not always an easy task to get along well with the team members. An adverse situation cannot be overcome if there is no unity between the professionals. The professionals also should be able to communicate freely with Jennys family (Eijzenga et al. 2013). Collective leadership As we are talking about a palliative team, therefore we should focus on the collective care provided by a team. Collective leaderships reduce the pressure from an individual member in a team (Falk 2016; Laschinger and Smith 2013). Psychosocial issues Jenny is just a child of 9 years, and within this only she has become the victim of the curse called Cancer, therefore it is very natural that she should be suffering from some psychosocial issues. Normally children who suffer from cancer go through emotional turmoil. Therefore they demand special approaches to operationalize the issues that they face during that phase. These psychosocial effects may bring about depressions in the child, which may lead to her widrawal from the loved ones, which is again detrimental for her mental as well as her physical health (Bellizzi et al. 2012). Jenny has been detected with a deadly disease in such an early phase of her life, followed by another infection; she is encountered with traumatic thoughts, palpitations that lead to chronic psychosocial issues in her. Impact of the psychosocial issues Physical concern The principle concern focuses on the impact of the disease on the physical domain. ALL directly impairs the development of the child. Emotional distress and anxiety would leave no room for improvement in the patient (Eijzenga et al. 2013). Cognitive development ALL followed by the Pneumonia, which is again followed by an adverse drug reaction can have a devastating impact on the brain of a child of just 9 years. She had already suffered from the pain of the chemotherapies and radiations. The brief period of remission would have brought a new ray of hope within her, but the recurrence of the discomfort, pain would have shattered mentally. Impact on the loved ones Parents and the loved ones are the most affected and face severe challenges in coping up with the situations. Parents suffer from severe anxiety, trauma and it often becomes difficult for them to assess the situation and take proper action (Wiener et al. 2015). As we can see from the case study that jenny is suffering from post traumatic stress. A comprehensive assessment of the psychosocial issues is required to lessen the depression in the family as well as the child (Marcus 2012). Possible remedies to improve the quality of life In order to deal with the quality of life Jenny and her family needs to register under certain family programs. Programs like social platforms and camps where Jenny could mix with more children like her and get motivated. Play therapies can reduce the emotional turmoil taking place in Jenny, and overcome the impact of the infection (Jacobsen and Wagner 2012). Evidence based care for Jenny Assessment of the risk factors, physical examination and diagnostic evaluation are the ways by which nurses can identify the patients who are likely to become immunocompromised. Safety and care in pediatric patients are dynamic and complex. In some cases the health care professionals knowledge might not be enough, to ensure safe and proper therapeutic regimen to the patient. In such cases it is recommended to go through the case histories of the ADRs. It should be always kept in mind that poor monitoring is worst than poor prescribing. It is the duty of the nurses to monitor the ADRs and report them to the physicians while helping them (James 2013). In case of Jenny, a proper monitoring at the time of administration of the drug and preventive measures could have resisted this condition. Depending on the need the palliative care can be coordinated by a community nurse. Volunteers can provide practical and emotional support. One should have a regular appointment with the health profess ionals, so that they can monitor any progress or deterioration. Therefore it can be concluded that an immunocompromised patient like Jenny can easily fall prey to infections, and improper management of therapeutic can lead to severe drug reactions. These drug reactions can be prevented by applying evidence based practice, interprofessional collaborations among the healthcare professionals. The report also focuses on the fact that, since Jenny is suffering from several psychosocial issues; it is the duty of the caregivers and the family to provide her with a holistic approach of care and sufficient mental support References Aouam, K., Chaabane, A., Toumi, A., Fredj, N.B., Romdhane, F.B., Boughattas, N.A. and Chakroun, M., 2012. Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) probably induced by cefotaxime: a report of two cases.Clinical medicine research,10(1), pp.32-35. Bellizzi, K.M., Smith, A., Schmidt, S., Keegan, T.H., Zebrack, B., Lynch, C.F., Deapen, D., Shnorhavorian, M., Tompkins, B.J. and Simon, M., 2012. Positive and negative psychosocial impact of being diagnosed with cancer as an adolescent or young adult.Cancer,118(20), pp.5155-5162. Carspecken, C.W., Sharek, P.J., Longhurst, C. and Pageler, N.M., 2013. A clinical case of electronic health record drug alert fatigue: consequences for patient outcome.Pediatrics,131(6), pp.e1970-e1973. Eijzenga, W., Aaronson, N.K., Hahn, D.E., Sidharta, G.N., van der Kolk, L.E., Velthuizen, M.E., Ausems, M.G. and Bleiker, E.M., 2014. Effect of routine assessment of specific psychosocial problems on personalized communication, counselors' awareness, and distress levels in cancer genetic counseling practice: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of Clinical Oncology,32(27), pp.2998-3004. Falk, A. L. (2016).Interprofessional Collaboration in Health Care. Linkping University Electronic Press. Groll, A.H., Castagnola, E., Cesaro, S., Dalle, J.H., Engelhard, D., Hope, W., Roilides, E., Styczynski, J., Warris, A. and Lehrnbecher, T., 2014. Fourth European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia (ECIL-4): guidelines for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of invasive fungal diseases in paediatric patients with cancer or allogeneic haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation.The Lancet Oncology,15(8), pp.e327-e340. Hunger, S.P. and Mullighan, C.G., 2015. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.New England Journal of Medicine,373(16), pp.1541-1552. Jacobsen, P. B., Wagner, L. I. (2012). A new quality standard: the integration of psychosocial care into routine cancer care.Journal of Clinical Oncology,30(11), 1154-1159. James, J.T., 2013. A new, evidence-based estimate of patient harms associated with hospital care.Journal of patient safety,9(3), pp.122-128. Jesenak, M., Banovcin, P., Jesenakova, B. and Babusikova, E., 2014. Pulmonary manifestations of primary immunodeficiency disorders in children.Frontiers in pediatrics,2. Laschinger, H. K., Smith, L. M. (2013). The influence of authentic leadership and empowerment on new-graduate nurses perceptions of interprofessional collaboration.Journal of Nursing Administration,43(1), 24-29. Marcum, Z.A., Amuan, M.E., Hanlon, J.T., Aspinall, S.L., Handler, S.M., Ruby, C.M. and Pugh, M.J.V., 2012. Prevalence of unplanned hospitalizations caused by adverse drug reactions in older veterans.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society,60(1), pp.34-41. Marcus, J. (2012). Psychosocial issues in pediatric oncology.The Ochsner Journal,12(3), 211-215. Reeves, S., Perrier, L., Goldman, J., Freeth, D., Zwarenstein, M. (2013). Interprofessional education: effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes (update).The Cochrane Library. Russell, P.S., 2013.Clinical approach to infection in the compromised host. Springer. Sahbudak Bal, Z., Yilmaz Karapinar, D., Karadas, N., Sen, S., Onder Sivis, Z., Akinci, A.B., Balkan, C., Kavakli, K., Vardar, F. and Aydinok, Y., 2015. Proven and probable invasive fungal infections in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: results from an university hospital, 20052013.Mycoses,58(4), pp.225-232. Sims, S., Hewitt, G. and Harris, R., 2015. Evidence of collaboration, pooling of resources, learning and role blurring in interprofessional healthcare teams: a realist synthesis.Journal of Interprofessional care,29(1), pp.20-25. Skidmore-Roth, L., 2013.Mosby's 2014 nursing drug reference. Elsevier Health Sciences. Smith, J.A. and Kauffman, C.A., 2012. Pulmonary fungal infections.Respirology,17(6), pp.913-926. Smyth, R.M.D., Gargon, E., Kirkham, J., Cresswell, L., Golder, S., Smyth, R. and Williamson, P., 2012. Adverse drug reactions in childrena systematic review.PloS one,7(3), p.e24061. Wiener, L., Kazak, A. E., Noll, R. B., Patenaude, A. F., Kupst, M. J. (2015). Standards for the psychosocial care of children with cancer and their families: an introduction to the special issue.Pediatric blood cancer,62(S5).

Organizational Culture and Business Ethics

Definition of organizational culture Organizational culture is defined as the values and beliefs associated with a certain organization, the value attached to the work done by employees in the organization and the beliefs of the staff on what is right or wrong for the organization.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Organizational Culture and Business Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Culture is therefore the workplace norms that influence how workers perform their duties. It influences numerous aspects of work like the relationship between workers and management, work enjoyment, and even processes in the workplace (McNamara, n.d. p. 1). The above listed aspects affect the overall output of the organization that in turn affects the organization’s profitability. It is important to note that culture cannot be seen, but it manifests itself through reprimands, punishments, rewards, compliments and the like. Culture can be compared to personality because it is â€Å"made up of the values, beliefs, underlying assumptions, attitudes, and behaviors shared by a group of people† (McNamara, n.d. p. 1). In an ideal organization, the culture supports a productive and positive work environment for employees and it leads to the overall welfare of the organization. Organizational culture is therefore the organizational rules that ensure that people working in an organization have relatively common goals, behaviors, standards, and values. Organizational culture brings together the desirable life experiences of the employees of the organization. The founder of the organization is particularly able to influence the culture of the organization significantly. Other people in managerial positions are also able to influence organizational culture significantly. This is mainly because both have a significant role to play in the decision-making process as well as in strategic planning. It is i mportant to note that the rules that form part of the organization’s culture are, in some cases, unwritten and unspoken (Heathfield, 2013, p. 1). Organizational culture therefore exhibits itself in the kind of attire worn by employees at work, the organization’s work practices, symbols, decision making, language, and even in stories and legends. Some additional aspects of organizational culture are as discussed below.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Culture describes norms with which people in an organization operate. â€Å"Culture cannot be generally described as bad or good, but certain aspects of organizational culture are likely to support success and progress while other aspects of organizational culture can impede progress† (Heathfield, 2013, p. 1). For instance, a culture in which workers are accountable is likely to lead to organizational su ccess if it has other positive norms. In the same way, if a workplace culture exceptional customer service the organization will most likely have busy employees and increased sales. An organization that tolerates poor performance and indiscipline is likely to be unsuccessful (Heathfield, 2013, p. 1). An organization becomes used to its culture with time. Employees in an organization cannot adopt a certain culture overnight. They learn the culture of the organization through rewards for positive behavior and negative consequences that result from irresponsible and negative behavior. Therefore, when management rewards a certain behavior materially or through complements, the behavior is repeated and it eventually becomes part of the organization’s culture (Heathfield, 2013, p. 1). Interaction in the workplace is another way that employees can learn about culture. In most cases, employees watch as other employees are punished or reprimanded for negative behavior, and as others a re rewarded for their positive contributions. This makes the employee aware of the norms governing the organization. The interview process is yet another opportunity that job applicants experience the different cultures of organizations. It is also possible for a person to form an opinion of an organization’s culture from a telephone call by the Human Resources Department (Heathfield, 2013, p. 1). As an organization grows, sub-cultures form through rewards. The reason for the growth of sub-cultures is that the desires of managers are not similar to those of employees. The latter may therefore value rewards that managers consider irrelevant for the organization.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Organizational Culture and Business Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People who have their needs met by project teams and departments and those who get rewards from coworkers make their colleagues desire to get the same leading to formation of sub-cultures. Another factor that determines whether sub-cultures grow in an organization is the strength of the predominant culture. If an organization has a strong culture, employees will agree on it. On the other hand, a weak culture may be rejected by some subsets of the organization like work cells or departments, which may develop their own norms leading to sub-cultures. Employee personalities and experiences are the building blocks of an organization’s culture (Heathfield, 2013, p. 2). For instance, organizations with ambitious and sociable employees are regarded as having open cultures. â€Å"If an organization hires people who value their culture and history, then the company is likely to have numerous artifacts that depict its values and history, and thus it will have a conservative culture† (Heathfield, 2013, p. 2). On the other hand, an unguarded culture is characterized by an open working environment, but with a numb er of closed-door meetings. If a number of employees spread negativity about supervision, then the organization will operate in a culture of negativity (Heathfield, 2013, p. 2). Some of the experiences of employees outside the workplace may also have an influence on how the employees conduct themselves at work. An organization can therefore have a common culture but different employees will interpret it differently depending on their life experiences. This calls for sensitization of employees about the most important norms like language, customer care, or even dressing. A single person cannot create a culture; the employees of an organization have to be involved. They must be actively involved in negotiations that lead to formation of an organization’s culture. For instance, they must negotiate for better working conditions, better monetary rewards, for exceptional performance and for more benefits.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, managers will be negotiating for norms that will lead to the general success of the organization such as earlier reporting time, more productivity, and better services to customers. Members of an organization must therefore compromise at one point in order to come up with a beneficial culture for the organization. â€Å"Formalizing strategic direction, systems development and establishing measurements must be owned by the group responsible for them. Otherwise, employees will not own them† (Heathfield, 2013, p. 2). The most difficult aspect of culture to achieve is perhaps a cultural change. Changing an organization’s culture means that all employees have to change how they behave. It has proved to be difficult for employees to unlearn the norms they follow and get used to new norms. â€Å"Persistence, discipline, employee involvement, kindness and understanding, better organization and training can assist you to change a culture† (Heathfield, 2013, p. 2). From the discussion above, it is clear that defining culture using one single definition is a rather difficult affair. It is also apparent that a productive and positive organizational culture may prove to be elusive for a company. The main issue in definition of culture is that its definition may be based on either its causes or its effects (Scholl, 2003, p. 1). This discussion has used the former definition of culture because as culture is developed in an organization, it influences behavior. It is however important to note that behavior can potentially influence culture. The development of sub-cultures within an organization’s culture is a good example of how behavior can influence culture. In creating an organization’s culture, it is important to integrate all aspects of culture like the behavioral influences of culture and the causative effect of behavior on culture formation. This will ensure that the resultant culture gives desirable results for the good of the organization. For example, organizational culture should be designed in such a way that employees are both productive and happy. This is because â€Å"happy employees are not necessarily productive and productive employees are not necessarily happy† (Heathfield, 2013, p. 2). After developing the culture, an organization should ensure that employees abide as much as they can to the norms in the culture. This will lead to growth of the culture by bringing in new aspects of culture as productive employees become innovative. In the same way, if an organization’s culture proves to be obsolete with time, the organization should change the culture and ensure that they incorporate the new and desirable norms in the organization’s industry. This will give the organization a competitive edge. The value of organizational culture About three decades ago, there was increased focus on the development of organizational culture as an element of organizational succe ss. Experts argued that organizations that have a strong culture are more successful than their counterparts that have weak cultures. This section investigates the value of developing a strong culture within an organization and gives an opinion on whether developing a strong culture is a guarantee to organizational success. One of the benefits of developing a strong organizational culture is that it unites employees. The employees of an organization normally have different backgrounds, cultures, and traditions. Having a workplace culture makes them understand each other better and it promotes healthy communication, which minimizes conflict in the workplace. Additionally, an organization having a strong culture is likely to exercise the values of equity and equality. Therefore, all employees have a sense of belonging, which can potentially increase work performance. A strong culture in the workplace gives employees work motivation and loyalty towards the organization’s managem ent. Workers will be eager to be part of the success of the company. â€Å"They feel a higher sense of accomplishment for being part of an organization they care about and work harder without having to be coerced† (Lowe, 2012, p. 1). An organization with a strong culture has a momentum and energy that permeates every department and unit in the organization. Given the great importance of organizational culture, and the competitive environment in which most organizations operate, organizations should consider having an â€Å"organizational development strategy at various workforce departments† (Devis, 2007, p. 1). The purpose of such a strategy is to address various issues including the workplace culture. This implies that the culture of the organization will be safeguarded from violation and dilution, which ensures that the organization benefits maximally from its culture. A well-planned culture in the workplace also results in healthy competition among workers. Employe es often strive to be recognized by managers. A culture that encourages healthy competition among workers will result in better employee output, which will contribute to the organization’s success. A workplace culture normally has guidelines that prove to be invaluable to the organization because they give employees focus. This is because â€Å"each employee understands what his roles and responsibilities are and how to accomplish tasks prior to established deadlines† (Lowe, 2012, p. 1). Organizational culture is one of the factors that determine the effectiveness, capacity, and longevity of an organization. It has significant contribution to the promise and the image of the organization. Therefore, an organization’s identity is defined by its culture. The way an organization conducts its business affects its customers and workers alike. Culture is the main factor determining the way an organization conducts its business (Lowe, 2012, p. 1). The culture of an org anization affects the brand by which the organization is known. The implication of the effect of company culture on branding is that organizational culture will affect the manner in which new employees are hired, and it will affect the type of employees who the organization attracts. â€Å"Job seekers look for companies that fit their lifestyles, whether it is flexible hours, financial assistance with continuing education, casual dress codes, international work opportunities or companies boasting amenities such as on-site gyms† (Brookins, 2013, p. 1). A company whose culture is understood well by its employees will perform well in terms of achieving its goals, maintaining good relationships among employees and satisfying customer needs. Employees in such a company will most likely be loyal to their employer and therefore, they will be committed in their work. This will make them more productive leading to overall profitability of the organization (Brookins, 2013, p. 1). The c ulture in any organization could form the thin line between organizational success and failure. Culture plays a key role in determining whether an organization has a healthy and a happy working environment. By communication and promotion of the vision of the organization to subordinates, a leader is able to influence the attitude and the work behavior of subordinates. When the interaction between top management and other workers is good, there will be productive collaboration and communication. Subordinates will therefore be encouraged to accomplish the organization’s objectives. This will lead to enhanced job satisfaction and better employee performance, which will in turn make the organization successful. Despite the great importance of organizational culture, developing a good workplace culture is not sufficient for success. Some organizations tend to rest assured of good performance once they have developed a good workplace culture. This can be an ingredient for disaster since the developed culture may fail to work, while the management of the organization is putting hopes in it. The best way to ensure that organizational culture works for an organization is to follow up on workplace mannerisms and interactions with a view of making sure that they conform to the workplace culture. Otherwise, the culture will be very different from what is actually taking place in the organization. The executive team in Dell Corporations developed an organizational culture strategy known as the ‘Soul of Dell’. One of the values contained in the strategy was that employees should behave ethically while conducting business and while interacting with the stakeholders of the corporation. Unfortunately, this strategy did not completely change the established culture of the corporation. After some time, some executives manipulated the books of the corporation to earn larger bonuses. The main issue in the case of Dell Corporation is that the company did not ali gn the developed cultural strategy to its identity. Before the development of cultural strategy in an organization, a corporation normally has an identity under which it has been operating. To effect a cultural change well, the developed image of the organization needs t be aligned with the pre-existing cultural identity. An organization’s overall strategy must also be closely linked with corporate communications. The corporation’s senior management should ensure that it communicates the organization’s strategy to all constituents of the company. This will ensure a better understanding of the strategy and vision of the company because the subordinates in the organization will learn the values of the corporation from the top-most management in the organization. Another fact about Dell Corporation that is important to highlight is the fact that Dell Corporation relies heavily on electronic communication. This mode affects personal relationships leading to isolatio n of employees from their colleagues and from the identity of the company. If a corporation wants to implement its culture effectively, the mode of communication has to be a convenient mode for building relationships and passing important messages about the organization’s strategy. From the above discussion, it is apparent that organizational culture has an important role in any organization. Culture affects the motivation, energy, loyalty, commitment, and performance of workers. A good culture discourages conflict in the workplace, promotes healthy relationships between employees, and affects the profitability or success of the organization. Organizational culture affects the capacity, effectiveness and the longevity of an organization. Without a good organizational culture, a company is bound to have cold relationships between employees that may affect the overall output of the company. An organization without a good cultural strategy is also likely to experience conflicts between employees and management. The implication of the aforementioned conflicts is that people will not work in harmony within the organization. This will ultimately affect the profitability of the organization. Developing a good organizational culture is not a sufficient condition for the success of an organization. The organization must ensure that there is proper communication among its workers and that its image is aligned to its identity. The purpose of communication and alignment is that employees will learn the new organizational identity and strive to conform to it. Absence of proper communication will lead to isolation of some employees, who may operate without being guided by the organizational culture. This will lead to costly mistakes like in the case of Dell Corporation. A company should also evaluate its systems to ensure that they are reliable. For instance, the mode of communication should be reliable in order to ensure that all workers in the organization understa nd the organizational identity. An effective mode of communication can also ensure that there is effective monitoring of the conformance of workers to the company’s culture. Reference List Brookins, M. (2013). The Advantages of Workplace Culture in an Organization. Web. Devis, L. (2007). Organizational Culture and Its Importance. Web. Heathfield, S. (2013). Culture: Your Environment for People at Work. Web. Lowe, K. (2012). The Importance of Culture in Organizations. Web. McNamara, C. Organizational Culture and Changing Culture. Web. Scholl, R. (2003). Organizational Culture. Web. This case study on Organizational Culture and Business Ethics was written and submitted by user D0m1n0 to help you with your own studies. 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