Analyse the role of culture in an organisation using the cultural web Essay

Analyse the role of culture in an organisation using the cultural web - Essay Example The last part will highlight the benefits of organizational culture, as well as the specific processes through which organizational culture is observed and maintained. Losely defined, organizational culture pertains to the system of values, beliefs, and norms that influence the overall attitude and behavior of the employees in an organization (Sun, 2008; Wursten, 2008; and Mind Tools, 2013). The construction of corporate values as based on ethical norms, the development of corporate mission and vision, and the establishment of rules and regulations all form part of organizational culture (Longo, 2011). As a result, the employees’ mindsets and actions are refined and aligned to conform with the organization’s so-called ‘unique identity’. Three themes can be linked from this definition. Firstly, organizational culture can be regarded as a learned entity in which new comers are taught with the appropriate way of behaving—a self-preserving activity intended to protect and nurture the organization’s culture. Secondly, organizational culture can also be viewed as a belief system that gives direction to employees’ everyday actions. Lastly, and in relation to the second, it is also type of mental programming that is geared toward building the loyalty and enhancing the performance of the employees. Studying closely these three themes, it can therefore be pointed out that the construction and continued enrichment of organizational culture is part and parcel of its overall business strategy (Garrett, 2012). Such position is based on the argument that since the successful implementation of specific organizational programs relies heavily on the commitment of the involved stakeholders, it is important that all employees are guided on the proper way to confront business issues and goals. As commonly pointed out, while strategic

The impact of technology on the war in Afghanistan Research Paper

The impact of technology on the war in Afghanistan - Research Paper Example The Taliban has explicitly expressed their support of the Al-Qaeda, a global network of terrorists, and in September 9, 2011, Al-Qaeda operatives executed Ahmad Shah Massoud, a prominent commander of the Northern Alliances. Such killing assured Osama Bin Laden of the Taliban’s support and refuge after the 9/11 Attacks (Council on Foreign Relations). And so, the seed for the biggest and most wide-spread war on terrorism has been sown; the war on Afghanistan was bred, needing only the attacks on US soil to spark the powder keg. The problem about Afghan stability and counterterrorist efforts is not simple a problem; the Taliban is continually able to hold the Afghan citizens silent about their presence by the effective monopoly of fear, threatening the lives of Afghan should they provide any hint to the US troops concerning the Taliban or the Al-Qaeda operations (Ferguson). Poor governance, ethnic conflict, and administrative mismanagement have crippled the Afghan government syst em in trying to address the problem of terrorism in the post-Taliban democracy. Terrorists still plague the Afghan communities, storing ammunitions and high-powered rifles, and in some case, a Taliban flag, in places so close to Afghan homes. Security in the Afghan state and the elimination of terrorist cells is highly important to maintain global peace, and such is the goal of the United States for its involvement in places so far away from the New World. After the 1993 bombing on the World Trade Center and the more famous 9/11 attacks, global security has become US security as these attacks against the US sprang not from the American continents, but from places across the oceans. In order for the US government to ensure the safety of its people, it must secure the safety of the entire world from threats as eminent as the Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and all other terrorist networks and militant insurgent groups. As part of the study on the war in Afghanistan, there is a need to define c ounterinsurgency from counterterrorism, and in order to fulfill such, there is still a need to define the root-words that comprises the two military labels. Counterinsurgency is a concatenation of two words: counter and insurgency. Counterinsurgency is any organized military activity designed to combat insurgencies (Merriam-Webster). These are military activities geared towards combating insurgent groups that are against the central authority not recognized as belligerents. The term counterinsurgency was first used in the 1960s to combat communist-led revolutionists and insurgents, which Nikita Khrushkev termed as the â€Å"war of national liberation†, occurring all around the world that are against U.S. interest (Answers Corporation). The term replaced counterrevolution for public propaganda, since a revolution has a good connotation to the American public. Counterterrorism, on the other hand, is a concatenation of the words counter and terrorism. Counterterrorism refers to the practices, not necessarily military in nature, that acts as a response to terrorist threats and/or acts, be it real or imputed (Zalman). Terrorism is a criminal act that influences and audience beyond the immediate victim (Research-Terrorism). It seeks to achieve goals that are political, religious, or ideological in nature by inflicting terror and anxiety through the use of military equipments, usually aimed at civilian targets.