Abstract
This paper explores individual differences in personal attributes and examines organizations or societies that have faced the unique challenges diversity brings. The paper discusses the challenges for organizational managers in identifying and understanding how differences impact the workplace and then explores what motivating factors create job satisfaction and group cohesion.

Table of Contents:
Abstract
Attitudinal Differences
Value Systems
Personality Differences
Ethics
Cultural Differences
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Organizations that are receptive and responsive to diversity are more likely to adapt to the challenges they will continue to face in the growing global market. As time passes, the marketplace will become more complex, customers will be introduced to new international products, services, and opportunities, and access to this broadened world will become easier and faster. At the same pace, individual differences in the workplace will become the norm and evolve into larger diverse group compositions. Organizations must prove in the global market that they can thrive in diverse conditions and possess the knowledge, adaptability, and capacity to face these challenges boldly. A starting point is with those that provide direct services to clients. Organizations must grasp individual motivational factors within the diverse work environment to more holistically optimize employee satisfaction, customer service, and productivity."

Tags:diversity, attitudes, values, culture

Abstract
This writer relates that she develops a transpersonal relationship that is based on common goals to harmonize the patient's mind, body and spirit, and this connection is the foundation of the trust the patient has in me as a caregiver. The writer relates that she treats her patients as people, not objects or cases; during in-take or triage she asks questions that prompt the patient to share their life story. The writer asserts that she takes the time to treat the whole patient, develops trust through creating common goals that we both work on interdependently and inspires hope where hope has been lost.

From the Paper
"Care for the sick and injured, including the provision of support, comfort, listening, education and counseling. Nurses face many challenges. One such challenge is to be less tactical or operational and more communicative with patients. With the hands-on approach of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) nurses are finding a way to communicate more with patients (Bolen and Hall, 2007). Nurses need to focus their energies on communication and its outcome of providing the highest quality of care possible (Gossett and Weinman, 2007). Many nurses find themselves tied down by their tactical role. There is no..."

Tags:self, care, patient

Abstract
This paper explains that the activities and character traits of both Alexander the Great and M.K.Gandhi demonstrate common ingredients, such as courage and self-belief, vision and creativity. The paper also investigates the concept that attitude, behavior and style are factors that influence the uniqueness of an individual and the capacity to lead. The paper concludes that traits of leadership can be found in persons at an early age, which means that these people can be groomed gradually for positions of leadership.

Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Identifying the Variables
Case Study: Alexander the Great and M.K. Gandhi
Alexander the Great
M. K. Gandhi
Discussion
Quick Glance at Attitude, Behavior and Style
Summation
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The same man had ruled his empire by adapting to the local situations, and even enlisted locals to the high ranks of governance. He also favored cross-cultural relationship even at the expense of the annoyance of his countrymen. In his short life of 32 years he clearly achieved more than a ruler can imagine and his leadership speaks about vision and creativity in his application. He delegated the offices of the various regions to the persons he felt merited by quality, not nationality. As a tactician, he didn't hesitate to utilize the option of retreating."

Tags:variables, unique, epitome, attitude, behavior

Abstract
The paper explores three of Steve Covey's "Seven Habits of Effective People," in relation to a material manager's position at a major hospital. The paper then looks at three other leadership attributes; influence, power/coercion and consultation. The paper discusses how effective leadership in the materials management department translates into a higher quality of patient care.

Outline:
Leadership Attributes
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The healthcare industry as a whole has an ethical responsibility to provide quality service for the population that they serve. They must make certain that they strive to achieve the highest level of quality possible. People's lives depend on them. Even if they are not directly involved in patient care, their job must be done with integrity and ethics. The materials manager is responsible for making certain that everyone on the healthcare team has what they need when they need it. This is perhaps more crucial in the hospital setting than in any other industry. Lives depend on the supplies needed for their treatment."

Tags:influence, power, coercion, consultation, attributes

Abstract
This paper discusses the attributes of a leader and uses personal and professional experiences and interests as an example of how to become a leader. The traits of an effective leader are also described.

From the Paper
"Good leadership is more than following a methodology. An effective leader needs to possess attributes that predispose him to succeed in a leadership position. Of the many attributes that are helpful there are five that are key: the ability to forge and communicate vision, a talent for working with people, decisiveness and sound decision making, a facilitative approach to managing people and adaptability. Forging and communicating vision is the essence of leadership. The leader is the one who needs to know where the..."

Tags:leadership, management, vision, people, adaptability, facilitator

Abstract
The paper relates that multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT) is a power decision making tool that has been used in many areas of healthcare. This paper discusses the application of MAUT to the selection of a hospital transcription service. The decision matrix is discussed that details the service attributes that will be used and the process of the selection.

From the Paper
"Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) is a method for guiding and informing decision making that has been applied to a wide range of disciplines and scenarios (Garre 1992, p. 33). It is most useful in enabling decision-makers to assess a range of criteria across a number of different prospective alternatives. MAUT has been used extensively in healthcare and nursing to inform both practice development decision making (Peacock et al 2007, p. 897) and clinical decision making (Bettinger et al 2007, 201)."

Tags:decision making, transcription, maut

Abstract
In trying to answer the question of what is an ideal education the paper discusses similarities between higher education and corporate learners. The paper focuses on the point that no universally accepted theory or model of learning currently exists and discusses four of the more recognized models. A discussion of how adults learn and using a blended system of learning is also included. The paper concludes by discussing the Information Processing approach as a method of teaching in the modern society.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Literature Review
Learning Theories
How Adults Learn
Blended Learning
Considerations

From the Paper
"Karen Paisley, Ph.D., an Associate Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, Nathan Furman, a doctoral student in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, Jim Sibthorp, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, and John Gookin, (2008), the Curriculum Director for the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander, Wyoming assert that no universally accepted theory or model of learning currently exists. Several of the more recognized learning theories and models, albeit include:
1. Social learning theory...places a premium on learning through modeling and observation of role models. (Paisley et al., 2008, 3)
2. Schema theory basically purports: "All knowledge is organizedinto units. Within these units of knowledge, or schemata, is stored information (Schema Theory, N.d., p. 1)
3. Information processing emphasises, but is not limited to:
the importance of meaning and context in learning,
the key role of prior knowledge in learning,
the need for meaningful feedback,
the need for knowledge to be available in an integrated form.... (Information processing N.d.)
4. Constructivism...embraces the idea of mentoring and participant construction of meaning (Paisley et al., 2008, 3)
Paisley et al. (2008) examine the process through which outdoor learning occurs, yet stress that leaning may occur in any setting. Findings from the study by Paisley et al, although based on the students' responses prove cconsistent with grounded theory, an emergent research process with a number of similarities to action research. "Grounded theory research begins by focusing on an area of study and gathers data from a variety of sources, including interviews and field observations. ...The data are analyzed using coding and theoretical sampling procedures" (Haig, 1996-2004, 2). When these steps are completed, with the help of interpretive procedures, theories are generated, written up and presented."

Tags:learning, model, approach, theory, corporate

Abstract
This paper looks at the diffusion of a particular innovation within a farm goods retailer. It discusses the history of the diffusion process at this organization and identifies the opinion leaders and change agents promoting the decision and the ensuing results. The author then goes on to describe the innovation-decision process within the organization and the communication channels that exist within the organization.

From the Paper
"In the course of one's organizational life, decisions about whether to adopt or reject a new innovation are fairly frequent; as most of us well-know, sometimes the decisions taken are wise, and sometimes the decisions taken are bad. With that in mind, the following paper will look at the diffusion of a particular innovation within a farm goods retailer for which I once worked. Specifically, I will begin by discussing the history of the diffusion process at this organization as best I can. From there, I will identify the opinion leaders and change agents promoting the decision and the success - or lack thereof - they encountered. With that out of the way, the essay will next look at the innovation-decision process within the organization as it unfolded when the new technology was adopted. From there, time will be set aside to looking at whether or not the organization adopted the new innovation and, if it did so, whether or not it was slow or fast in doing so. Pressing onward, an examination will be undertaken of why the change diffused at the pace it did and what role the organizational social structure played in the diffusion of the innovation. Finally, the paper will identify the communication channels and network existing within the social structure of the organization and how knowledge about the innovation was distributed and the role played by change agents in cultivating an acceptance of change. In the end, what will become evident is that long-standing institutional barriers - particularly organizational culture, the perception that one's interests are not served by the innovation, and the adaptability of older workers - all determine the rate of diffusion for an innovation."

Tags:technology, experiences, resitant

Abstract
This paper describes a study which investigated attribution, specifically the proportionality principle, in 185 undergraduate students. Participants were divided into several conditions and completed questionnaires that tested; that the outcome of a scenario was appropriately rated, that the magnitude of the outcome determined the likelihood to which the cause of the event was attributed to predictable or unpredictable causes, and the extent to which personality characteristics (belief in a just world and locus of control) affected behavior in accordance to the proportionality principle. It was hypothesized that the level of the two personality characteristics being tested would have a significant effect on behavior, that the scenarios and magnitudes were designed appropriately, and that the magnitude of the outcome predicted how the participants would explain the event. It was found that the magnitudes of the outcomes supported our hypothesis and were successfully manipulated but that personality characteristics did not have as much of an effect on ratings as was originally proposed. These results were attributed to participants' level of cognitive satisfaction as well as typical human tendencies in logic and reasoning.

From the Paper
"Social psychologists are largely interested in how humans explain the causation of a behavior or an event. Making a judgment on behavior is essentially making a claim as to the causation of the behavior and this is commonly known as making an attribution. Heider (1958), who was the first to officially propose the idea of a person bias, suggested that humans attribute most behavior to personality rather than to situational causes. The person bias, now known as the fundamental attribution error, is both a useful and harmful characteristic of humans; it allows for easy formation of a mental model of an individual's personality to occur. Often, however, during the formation of this model, situational causes are ignored, and negative characteristics are attributed wrongfully to an individual's personality when in fact, the exhibited behavior was more a product of the environmental circumstances. A more recent, and less researched proposal involving attribution is the proportionality principle. This suggests that humans have the tendency to seek explanations for behavior or events that are equal in magnitude to the outcome of the event, even if this is not the most logical explanation. For example, McCauley and Jacques (1979) found that important events with drastic outcomes, such as presidential assassinations are attributed for causes equally as important or drastic."

Tags:attribution, belief, control, just, locus, world

Abstract
The paper discusses Fitz Heider's attribution theory and looks at how Harold Kelley's covariation model and Edward E. Jones' and Keith Davis' correspondent inference theory have advanced this theory. The paper explains how these theorists have extended the attribution theory's scope and increased our understanding of human behavior. The paper further shows how our current understanding of attribution theory enables better decision-making and conflict resolution through increasing our understanding of the self and other people.

Outline:
Introduction
Identifying and Explaining Human Behavior
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Attribution theory was first introduced by Fitz Heider as a method to evaluate how individuals perceive their behavior and that of other people. In The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations (1958), for example, Heider states that human behavior is determined by either internal or external factors, which means that "We tend to attribute the successes of others and our own failures to external factors ... [while also tending] to attribute our own successes and failures of others to internal factors" (12Manage.com, 2008). This concept, furthermore, has remained a fundamental element in current contribution theory. Nevertheless, other researchers have advanced Heider's theory by developing theories models such as Correspondence Inference Theory and the Covariation Model, while researchers, such as Kelley (1967) have identified further elements. These factors, therefore, contribute the most to current understanding of how human beings explain the causes of their own and other people's behavior."

Tags:Heider, causality, self-perception, correspondent, inference, covariation, model