Abstract This paper addresses the Afro-centric Social Work paradigm, giving the definition and meaning of "Afro-centricity" and further describing the values and concepts of Afro-centricity as a social science paradigm on which social work practice can be built. The article describes the origins and principles of the Afro-centric or African-centered paradigm, the relationship of Afro-centricity to social problems, and explains the reasons for the emergence of an Afro-centric social science perspective.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Afro-centricity - Definition and Meaning
Afro-centricity as an Emerging Paradigm in Social Work Practice
Effects on Male and Female Groups
Conclusion
From the Paper "Peoples of African origin have a unique place within a multicultural society. The history of African Americans in the United States differs from those who came to US as immigrants. Despite African Americans' social and economic progress, they continue to lag behind White America in the areas of income, education, and health (McKinnon, 2003). While several models of social work practice that can assist colored people have emerged, the concept "Afro-centricity" better describes the cultural values of people of African descent and deployed for the social work practice. Social workers are encouraged to follow the Afro-centric paradigm because of its emphasis on eliminating oppression of the colored people."
Abstract This paper examines the success of companies that shift from being product-centric to customer-centric. In companies that have a customer-as-king philosophy growth has been remarkable since adopting that outlook. Companies that focus on creating great products lag behind in the marketplace. 3M is used as an example of a company that changed its direction to customer-centric. The paper cites several articles that confirm this phenomenon. The paper concludes that companies that grasp the notion that business should be built around customers, not products, are setting themselves up for success.
From the Paper "Beyond that problem, the basic problem with 3M's Web site was that it was concentrating all its "internal silos" rather than on "its customer's needs." So, 3M got synchronized, and now presents a more "unified fact to its customers" by storing all "customer relationships and product configurations" in a single database. This transformation from the awkward presentation of products and slipshod system of customer record keeping - similar to what Thompson Financial did - is called moving from a product-centric company to a customer-centric company. Instead of finding "customers for its products," both these firms (and untold hundreds of other companies) now concentrate on finding "products for its customers," Sawhney writes."
Abstract This paper explains that African culture retention is noticeable in many aspects of the American lifestyle. The author points out that the African heritage for U.S. blacks survived the vicious system of slavery, despite attempts to remove remnants of African culture from the slaves and to instill a European/white culture so that they could be more accepting of their situation. The paper relates that some distorted cultural practices such as violence, sometimes labeled as "African", are not even remotely related to any kind of link with the cultural diversity of the African continent. The author concludes that the issue of African cultural retention and the destruction of the African-American society is so intertwined that it is sometimes hard to examine them separately.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Tenets of African Culture In the United States
Conclusion
From the Paper "The retention component has also been used to damage the influence of African culture; for example acts of violence or family structure, and or social interactions have sometimes been linked to the African culture, or the travesty of slavery, or even more so, the cultural practices in Africa concerning relationships, marriage, and relationships. Liberating African American cultural identity will show that the African influence or content of this identity, although not in a pure form, offers a significant amount of positive influences."
Tags: slavery, afro-centricity, watermelon, violence, music
Abstract This paper explains that it is inaccurate to assume that there are no discernible African cultures left in the USA and that, because of the relatively small numbers of slaves bought to such a large country, all traces of African cultures were destroyed. The author points out that enslaved Africans from the same areas tended to be geographically situated together in the U.S. so that they were able to retain aspects of their individual cultures. The paper relates that Sheila Walker takes issue with the notion that European settlers "built" the U.S. and then imported some African slaves to perform manual labor for them. The paper underscores that she believes that the slaves bought to the U.S. were not ignorant, unskilled laborers but rather slave traders deliberately sought out people with skills, which the U.S. needed to help build the country.
Table of Contents:
False Assumptions
The Arguments of Sheila Walker
From the Paper "She also points out that Africans must have made a major contribution to American society, history and culture, given that they comprised the numerical majority for the duration of the modern history of the Americas, until 1820. For example, out of those coming to the USA in 1820, 3 out of 4 new arrivals were African, not European. With this kind of demographic weight, it follows that the contributions of African minds and cultural presence had to be an important ingredient in the very creation of the Americas. Walker also points out that Howard Dodson backs her up on this theory and that he believes that the transatlantic slave trade played a central, defining role in the making of the modern world."
Abstract The writer of this paper details the manner in which various values and cultural traditions can impact an individual's or group's beliefs, attitudes and actions with respect to their day-to-day existence. The writer contends and explains how cultural differences affect communication, interaction and actions amongst different people. In an environment where little cultural diversity exists, it is likely that cultural differences will have little or no impact on human relations. This paper also discusses the issue of cultural differences in the workplace. Cultural diversity can lead to conflict as well as collaboration within the workplace, depending on whether or not people are willing to embrace people that are culturally different. This paper examines the impact of cultural diversity in the classroom, where teachers are being asked to become more culturally literate so that they can better address the needs of all their students, rather than the few who fall into one or two categories. This paper also explores the issue of students with varying cultural backgrounds that have different perceptions of learning and communicating and the manner in which their needs are met.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Analysis of Cultural Traditions and Human Relations
Conclusions
References
From the Paper "Cultural differences even impact students in the classroom. More and more teachers are being asked to become more culturally literate so that they can better address the needs of all their students, rather than the few who fall into one or two categories. Students with varying cultural backgrounds have different perceptions of learning and communicating, thus may have a difficult time achieving in a classroom that does not recognize their cultural differences and methods of learning. For students to be successful in a culturally diverse environment, teachers must work to improve communications and the methods they use to teach, to ensure that they are addressing the needs of a diverse population. To understand how cultural differences impact human relations one must also understand what culture is."
A review of the articles "Theories of Culture" by Roger M. Keesing and "Marking Boundaries - Culture as Category Work" - Qualitative Inquiry by Anne Ryen and David Silverman.
Abstract This paper discusses articles by Roger M. Keesing and Anne Ryen and David Silverman on what culture is, and how we study it, and see what is different in one culture, as opposed to a different culture, or in a small aspect of culture. The paper explains that Keesing seems to be more inclined to see culture in dynamic ways, as always changing or developing, or that has to do with thinking processes, where Ryen and Silverman discuss culture in more material terms that can affect how people of different cultures understand each other. The paper also discusses how Keesing looks at cultures as structural systems so that the scholar will look at how a culture or a structure began and how it continues to influence human life. The writer believes that Ryen and Silverman seem more tied up in how an outsider looks at a culture, the dynamics of importance of what go on between human beings, as individuals, as opposed to the cultural system that Keesing tried to understand. The writer concludes that both articles manage to get across the care that must be taken when researching cultures that are not one's own, but the writer feels that Keesing's work is still not out-dated.
Outline:
Introduction
Theories of Culture The Human Factor
Last Remarks
From the Paper "A culture may adapt because new technology or kinds of organization have come along, or it may change so that a people survive, as in cultures that begin to conserve something so that they can survive in their environment. A desert people, for instance, may show a culture that is protective of water, does not waste water, or whose art shows themes of happiness as the coming of the rain, or safely getting to a place where water is available. Keesing then begins to look at ideational theories of culture that have to do with cognitive systems and how people decide what is special, appealing or what must be done, as all can influence culture. (1974:77f)."
Abstract The question, What is popular culture and how does it relate to Eastern and Western societies? is an apparently simple query that conceals a complex range of social cultural and economic aspects. This essay examines this question, beginning with a provisional definition of popular culture and an attempt to distinguish it from other cultural forms such as high culture and mass culture. The thesis is argued that popular culture is, in its fundamental elements, a commercial culture that is dependent to an extraordinary degree upon the mass media as a technological vehicle for its messages and products.
Abstract The paper states that it is not complicated to find some globalized places such as airline terminals, international hotels or CNN business news revealing the effects of globalization and its repercussions on our understanding of culture in the modern world. The paper relates that through the growing of global interconnections and the processes of ideas and global goods crossing national borders, cultures fuse across the globe. The paper also discusses the presence of English as an international language, and a homogenization of culture. The paper confirms that, culture is a set of values and practices characterized by its particularity, which nevertheless needs universal criteria as a reference to justify this particularity. It is also crucial to define culture as an "encompassing" concept and to keep in mind that it is difficult to know what is cultural.
From the Paper "In addition, a shared global culture is also relevant as a global dissemination of an American or Western culture. Indeed the processes of globalization are providing fuel for a cultural imperialism, that is to say a global culture liable to be a hegemonic culture. Thus the assertion of a shared global culture seems to be linked to what Friedman describes as "the increasing hegemony of particular central cultures, the diffusion of American values, consumers goods and lifestyles" (Friedman, 1994: 195). The diffusion of dominant standard icons and references such as MacDonald's, Coca-Cola leads to think about an obvious Americanization. In a word, cultures are both confronted by a global dominance of the western culture and by the practices of global capitalism. The result is probably a decrease of cultural differences: a process which undeniably worked to the advantage of the USA and others Western nations. A striking example of this tendency of cultural imperialism is the United Nations Educations Scientific and Cultural Organization's call for a "new world information and communication order" and its politics on global culture."
Abstract This paper presents a study to identify pertinent traits that characterize effective leaders in various societal settings. The paper relates that the mixed methodology used in this study is (1) a qualitative analysis of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature concerning the specific relationship between leadership styles, organizational culture and the larger society and (2) a review and synthesis of various case studies concerning the impact of leadership on cross-cultural organizational performance. The paper includes a summary of the major aims and objectives of the study and an analysis of implications for leaders and recommendations for organizations such as "treat all people fairly".
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Aims and Objectives
Significance of the Study
Rationale of the Study
Literature Review
Background and Overview
Definitions of Culture Table: Bureaucratic, Innovative and Supportive Organizational Cultures Table: Family-Owned and Operated Organizational Cultures Table: Masculine and Collectivist Organizational Cultures Cultural Aspects of Organizational Leadership
Relationship between Organizational Leadership and Society
Table: Types of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors
Table: Potential Reasons Why Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCBs) Influence Work Group And/Or Organizational Performance
Discussion
Chapter Summary
Methodology
Description of the Study Approach
Data-Collection
Sample
Setting
Ethical Considerations
Evaluative Action Plan
Instruments/Measurements
Chapter Summary
Results and Presentation of Findings
Discussion, Implications and Recommendations
Results and Presentation of Findings
Introduction
Sample
Studies
Table: Recapitulation and Summary of Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles Consulted
Setting
Ethical Considerations
Evaluative Action Plan
Table: Noblit and Hare's Meta-Ethnographic Comparative Method
Instruments/Measurements
Chapter Summary
Discussion, Implications and Recommendations
Introduction
Summary of Major Aims and Objectives
Implications
Recommendations
Limitations
From the Paper "These responsibilities frequently involve decision processes that are unstructured, complex, and ambiguous; the studies to date indicate that the outcomes of such decision processes can be affected greatly by the characteristics of the team and its members.
"Taken together, the foregoing suggests that an organization's culture is highly influenced by its top leadership, but workers play a reciprocal role by helping them achieve the organization's goals and keeping it competitive."
Abstract The writer of this paper critically analyzes the ways in which De Munch and Korotayev start out by explaining that it is difficult to research across cultures because of "cross-cultural pollenization" that is, one culture tends to absorb some traits of the other. They point out that without adequate controls, the research can give both false confirmations of the hypothesis as well as false negatives. This paper is a negative critique of Cultural Units in Cross-Cultural Research.
From the Paper "The first group might look culturally diverse at first: 4 Spanish; 4 Iraqi; 1 Russian; 1 Estonian; 1 Javanese; 1 Ganda; one Greek; one Maronite-Lebanese. However, this group had significant cultural similarities, which the authors of course knew because they contrived the group. Some of the clerics were Catholic and therefore celibate. Others were Moslem and allowed more than one wife. It is hard to imagine how this example sheds any light on either cross-cultural studies or statistical and research methods."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth discussion of multiculturalism, it defines it and states that an entirely different view of culture is needed in the intellectual discourse of society. Elst analyzes culture using the example of analyzing sex. Elst makes it clear in his analysis that pluralities of identity are the norm, that everyone is multi-ethnic and multi-racial in some fashion. Finally, the paper concludes that each individual should study and redefine his own culture.
From the Paper "Even in the current, mainstream political debate over what constitutes ?multiculturalism,? it is common cultural parlance to view culture as a static entity. Multiculturalism is defined as the manner in which more cultures are integrated into the fabric of the dominant discourse, rather than as a way of deconstructing notions of how culture itself is perceived and misperceived. As the title of Dirk Van Der Elst's book Culture as Given, Culture as Choice, suggests, however, framing the debate in such a fashion is not necessarily the most radical choice. Elst suggests that nothing really exists as ?culture,? rather culture itself is a constructed, socially produced norm."
Tags:cultural, multiculturalism, Dirk, Van, Der, Elst, social, norm
Abstract This paper looks at Hispanic culture and how it has helped shape and mold American culture. The great extent to which Latin American dance, music, and food have become an intrinsic part of the overall American culture is cited as an example of this influence. The paper concludes by suggesting that American culture truly is a blend of cultures from all over the world.
From the Paper "America has often been referred to as the great melting pot, a smorgasbord of people with various racial, cultural and ethnic identities and traditions. Tied to this view is the idea that the culture of the American people should be defined as a cornucopia of different cultures melded into one to form a new, hybrid culture. Many different cultures have influenced the overall culture within the United States particularly that of the Latin American people with whom I associate."
Tags: melting, pot, ethnic, cultural, identities, traditions, united, states
Abstract As America becomes increasingly more diverse, the society will be presented with the challenge of understanding our cultural differences. This paper develops and designs a learning project that compares cultural differences of two ethnic/cultural groups. For the purposes of this project the writer compares the differences between Asian and Western cultures. The project is based on the cultural impact of performance in work force, production, sales, customer services, etc. Before one can create a learning project, one must first understand the cultural backgrounds of both groups.
From the Paper "Westerners tend to perform differently in the workforce than Asian workers. Westerners tend to be motivated by promotions and monetary incentives while Asian workers tend to want what is best for the entire company and their coworkers. In addition, jobs in the western workforce have higher turnover rates than those in the Asian workforce because Asian workers tend to stay with one company for a lifetime."
This paper discusses trans-cultural marriages, which defy ancient taboos by forming intimate relationships with partners from other cultural, religious and racial backgrounds.
Abstract This paper explains that trans-cultural couples not only face the challenges of all marriages but also have the added burden of their distinct backgrounds. The author stresses that the most important issue in trans-cultural marriages is to face the issues and not avoid them for the sake of buying peace with your selves and your families. The paper relates that cultural differences often remain invisible until they have been violated; therefore, one important task for couples from mixed backgrounds is to define, understand, learn and deal with their different culture codes.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Typical Situations
Some Basic Rules about Mixed Relationships
1. Face the Issues
2. Clarify Your Different Cultural Codes
3. Sort-Out Confusion about Your Own Identity
4. Understanding the Zones
Three Cultural Dimensions
1. Time
2. Cohesiveness of the Family
3. Emotional Expressiveness
Conclusion
Determination and Endurance Pay Off
From the Paper "The reason why people in mixed relationships might sidestep such issues might be very similar to why all couples might avoid facing potential problems. First of all such unions are romantic relationships. Such romanticism can distract people from focusing on the ordinary problems that are part of everyday life. Most couples do not want to spoil a newfound love by talking about the potential for future problems. Furthermore, there is an added sense of romanticism for culturally mixed couples especially if there is disapproval from the couples' families. Cut off from their loved ones, the couple is pushed into each other's arms, and joins in their animosity for their respective families and in doing so may fail to experience normal uncertainty about their new relationship."
Abstract The paper explains how every organization has its culture and like any other culture, the organizational culture is composed of group interactions within a structured framework. The paper discusses how an organizational culture possesses similar features to any other culture owning folklore heroes, communications network and rites and rituals. The paper notes that like any other culture, an organizational culture must be carefully maintained in order to prevent it from breaking down.
