Organizational Behavior Problem - 4801 Words

ASSIGNMENT QUESTION 1. Describe motivational tools and techniques used in the organisation and analyse how effective these tools and techniques are in supporting employee performance; 2. Describe its organisational structure, analyse to what extent this structure is supportive of organisational goals INTRODUCTION The main purpose of essay is to describe the different motivational tools and techniques and the organisational structure used by my organisation. The opening session of essay explains the relevant aspects of my organisation related to the industry, location and size. The first part of the essay introduces the concept of motivation and the different theories needed to support employee performance and then analysing†¦show more content†¦Social rewards are related to group working desire of affiliation, status and dependency which also has a substantial psychological content. Therefore a person’s job satisfaction, motivation and performance depend to the extent to which their needs and expectations are fulfilled. MOTIVATIONAL TOOLS USED BY MY ORGANISATION Work-life balance- 5 days in a week from Sunday to Thursday and 10 hours from the position of project manager to the labour so that all employees have enough leisure time. Appraisal and rewards: Appraisal is being done to all employees by their immediate supervisors or managers which act a source of motivation and suggestion for improvement. Rewards are provided in the form of promotion, appreciation and salary increment which acts as a driving force for motivation as it brings in a sense of achievement. Work environment - The main office and the site offices are provided with all facilities of an office environment such as separate cabins for project managers and project engineer’s computers, Printers, airconditioners, Meeting Rooms, pantry, Microwave, refrigerator and all the employees are served with refreshments such as bottled water and cookies. Job Security- benefits such as health insurance coverage and other measures such as safety shoes and helmets are provided for site employees. Training programs and social interactions- training programs are conducted for employees to understand drawings and also for mangers,Show MoreRelatedWorkplace Intervention On Work Family Conflict1203 Words   |  5 Pagestasks and some organizational rules are often seen as stressors by workers from different fields. Ethic organizations sought to improve the work quality which leads to performance in many ways. Lawson et al. (2016), studied the impact of workplace intervention on work-family conflict. These authors found a positive effect of workplace intervention on improving affective reactivity behavior to daily stressors. LePine, M. A., et al. (2015), suggests that charismatic leader behaviors considered challengeRead MoreChange Management Strategies For New Merged Company1387 Words   |  6 Pagesnow. Celebrate those with the new merged company; create new stories with new events, programs, and by starting new traditions for the organization. This gives an identity to the new organization, creates the new culture, and begins establishing organizational socialization. 5. Change Management Strategy. The most appropriate set of change management strategies to use for implementing change would be an appreciative inquiry approach. A merging of two companies creates a plethora of unknowns for all;Read MoreStudent Choices Essay1720 Words   |  7 PagesAnswer for Case 1A: Trader Joe’s 1. How does Trader Joe’s design jobs for increased job satisfaction and higher performance? 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What are the dependent variables thatRead MoreLeadership and Organizational Behavior3084 Words   |  13 PagesLeadership and Organizational Behavior Course Project Ronette C Rudder-Carter – 10415 SW 85th CT, Ocala, FL 34481 Rbb589@hotmail.com / (347) 564-0074 GM591 ON Leadership and Organizational Behavior Professor Robert Salitore 4/17/11 DaCosta Mannings Inc, is one of a retail environment and I am the customer service manager for the entire operation which has five locations throughout the island. I have chosen this organization because when I was hiredRead MoreManagers Should Do Everything They Can To Enhance The Job Satisfaction Of Their Employees1804 Words   |  8 Pagesthough the existence of equal treatment and conditions. Visit coursework bf in bf fo bf for bf more coursework bf Do bf not bf redistribute Early theorists such as Likert, Mayo, and McGregor theorized that employee satisfaction is related to organizational performance. The common sense logic of this relationship can be explained by viewing the job satisfaction - performance relationship as a social exchange in which employees that are accorded some manner of social gift would experience satisfactionRead MoreThe Impact of Time Wastage on Employees2223 Words   |  9 Pagesinvestigate that time which is considered not to be less than money, when sales force is involved in activities of extra unnecessary documentation The time wastage leads to employee low morale, more absenteeism, high job dissatisfaction and low organizational commitment. Due to time wastage in extra documentation activities the performance of employee decreases which directly effect on firm productivity and profitability. The research study is basically based on quantitative research technique. ThisRead MoreA Large Midwestern Milk Products Manufacturer1 554 Words   |  7 Pagessuccessfully running an organization or department. Another key issue of this case is the lack of understanding of organizational behavior. Given what I have learned so far about organizational behavior and the importance of both managers and employees having an understanding of the impact, I think that both Mr. Gilman and Rochelle do not have a clear understanding of organizational behavior. Even after two years of working with the company, Rochelle does not feel comfortable openly discussing the issueRead MoreThe Chicago School Of Professional Psychology Essay1342 Words   |  6 PagesOrganizations Achieve Longevity† and suggested that â€Å"change management can be considered as an important determinant of organizational longevity† (p. 65). Moreover, Khan (2014) stated in the article â€Å"The Longevity of Large Enterprises: A Study of the Factors that Sustain Enterprises over an Extended Period of Time,† that â€Å"the findings indicate that many factors are indeed linked to organizational longevity, although five main factors are an imperative in the survival of a company for many years† (p. 49).

The Acquisition And Integration Of Zanussi Free Essays

The acquisition of different companies always indicates a change for both the acquiring and the acquired organisation and the people within. To successfully combine and integrate Elektrolux and Zanussi it is essential to consider both organisations ´ formal and informal structures which are heavily influenced by their culture. Culture develops on the one hand nationwide but also specifically in an organisation. We will write a custom essay sample on The Acquisition And Integration Of Zanussi or any similar topic only for you Order Now Building up trust is important to develop a working informal network, which supports the formal structure. Thus positive influence is taken on the selected behaviour of people within what Breton and Wintrobe call â€Å"bureaucracies†. This behaviour is characteristically competitive, especially in such times of major change. This change should be managed step-by-step and is described by Quinn as logical incrementalism. It builds â€Å"the seeds of understanding, identity, and commitment into the very processes† (Quinn, p145) and is the underlying strategy which makes integration successful. After Elektrolux announced the acquisition of Zanussi, both organisations and people within were confronted with many changes which created tensions or misfits that called for new visions.(Normann in Quinn, p99) As a first step, mission values and guiding principles of Zanussi were made public to the employees in the Mission Statement.(Exhibit 3 in Case Study, p914) From the bottom-up they should understand step-by-step in a learning process (Normann in Quinn, p99) what behaviour was generally expected and correct. Bennis and others (in Quinn, p101) also agree that â€Å"programs to achieve significant change must be phased and largely undertaken bottom up, but the legitimacy of alternatives must be affirmed by the support of key people at the top.† Besides the new Mission Statement, education and training programmes were undertaken to diffuse the new philosophy and policy. Thus the rules for building up an effective network are made visible. This network supports the formal structure. Breton and Wintrobe also assume that â€Å"relationships between superiors and subordinates in bureaus are generally governed by exchange and trade and not by the giving of orders and directives.† Exchange can only take place, if property rights are existing and are supported by â€Å"trust† (Breton and Wintrobe, p4) Trust is essential for the functioning of networks and has to be built up incrementally. One effective way of building up trust is by making â€Å"symbolic moves† (q,111). In addition to this, the â€Å"most important changes are often those which signal a change in attitude at the top of an organisation.† (Riccardo and Cafiero in Quinn, p112). Elektrolux made extensive use of these symbolic moves. One was that Elektrolux took over several prior commitments of Zanussi, although they were considered as disadvantageous for the joint strategy (Case, p900). Right after signing the final agreement, the complete Zanussi top-management was released. Replacing only one senior manager below the top-management, Elektrolux ´s purpose was to give a clear signal of the need to change working practices. To communicate these changes, Mr. Rossignolo was seen as the perfect change agent, because he is Italian and knows the Swedish organisation culture. But he also had to build up trust with the Italians, who considered him closer to Sweden than Italy. In respond to this attitude, an external consultant was brought in. As Mr. Estes says, â€Å"you don ´t try to ram your conclusions down people†s throats. You try to persuade people what has to be done and provide confidence and leadership for them.†(Quinn, p136) By this Mr. Rossignolo set a sign that he does not want to take one party†s side, but that he is neutral and therefore he increased the Italian ´s trust in his person. According to the mission statement, Elektrolux central value is â€Å"transparency†, or openness. To integrate this in Zanussi ´s culture was one of the major tasks the Swedish had to achieve. Conflicts were part of the Italian†s daily life. Seniority and loyalty to individuals were seen as more important than competence or commitment to the company. They were also not convinced of need for change and thought financial problems were due to former owners mistakes. The Italians feared loosing their power not only to another company, but even worse to one from a foreign culture. In response to this attitude, Hans Werthen set a sign to the Italians when he said:† We are not buying companies in order to close them down, but to turn them into profitable ventures†¦ and we are not Vikings, who were Norwegians, anyway.† (Case, p901) Impressively, he demonstrated that openness is a practical part of the new culture. With the same openness, Elektrolux gained the trust of the important Unions, who have a high influence in the Italian organisation culture. Without the approval of the Unions, it would have been difficult to take over Zanussi. Openness is a general Elektrolux attitude, but as Quinn describes, there are â€Å"sound political or informational reasons for not announcing a strategy in its full pristine glory at this early stage.† Although not very glorious for the workers, it can be assumed that Elektrolux knew very well that they would have to make redundancies, because no acquisition can be made without. But as â€Å"effective change managers [they] recognise[d] the impact their incremental decisions and action patterns have on credibility [†¦] and tried to keep in mind the symbolic implications each individual act had.† (Quinn, p118) Elektrolux solved the central problem of redundancies incrementally. Their plan was to gain the trust of the Unions by promising not to make any redundancies to successfully acquire Zanussi without opposition of the Unions. Having one foot in the door, they could start making redundancies step-by-step. They took into account that their credibility would suffer negatively proportional to announced redundancies. Although this strategy was accompanied by some strikes and heavy re-negotiations, they still had reached their goal, which was to acquire Zanussi. Although the problems with the Unions had negative impact on Elektrolux reputation, generally it can be said that they effectively communicated their openness and in turn gained trust by the unions and the Italians. Therefore, building up trust is essential when integrating the two companies. Breton and Wintrobe suggest that â€Å"selective behaviour† (p6) is next to trust a second issue in organisational bureaucracy. The subordinates chose from a range of behaviour which reaches from always inefficient to always efficient. Therefore, selective behaviour is the outcome of a trading process, where the outcome is determined by the price offered by superiors for efficient informal services. As example for this serve the front-line managers and professional employees of Zanussi, which fully approved the change in the organisation and demanded a higher degree of involvement. They were rewarded with a special training programme. Building teams and task forces, positively influenced the selected behaviour of the people within the new organisation in several ways and helped to integrate both cultures. As one CEO (in Quinn, p139) said: â€Å"If good people share the same values, they will instinctively act together. We must know how people will respond intuitively when they are thousands of miles away. [†¦] If we [†¦] communicate openly, our actions will be sensible and cohesive.† As Leif Johannsson describes, they â€Å"were able to adopt a completely new way of thinking [†¦] which emerged from the discussions and recommendations of the task forces [†¦]† (Case, p908) The Italians welcomed the â€Å"exchanges, and have learnt a lot from them.† (Case, p911) And as the change agent Rossignolo said: â€Å"We adopted the Swedish work ethic.† (Case, p 907). â€Å"The selection of key people was clearly the most important single ingredient[†¦]† (Quinn, p138) and furthermore, â€Å"the power interactions among key players is important. Each player has a different level of formal authority, referent power, information control and personal credibility.† Quinn describes the process of â€Å"partial consensus† (Q132) which is achieved first within groups and then introduced into organisation. Therefore and according to the Swedish style, the top management of Zanussi was replaced and put together into teams with the Swedish top managers. It was important to build first at this level a mutual understanding, later also on other levels. With the formal meetings, the managers from both cultures were forced to communicate systematically. Later they brought lower level executives into strategic processes on a more comprehensive basis.† (Quinn, p140) This was in response to the increasing demand of the line people to get involved, and also to make them â€Å"know how we are planning to get where we are going.† (General Motors executive in Quinn, p140). Looking more specific at the strategy in selecting the key personnel and the distribution of power in the organisation leads to what Breton and Wintrobe call the â€Å"bureaucratic competition† (p8). They describe competition within and between bureaus and also for network ties as characteristically for organisations. As example for the notion of competition serves the problem which arouse with the middle management. According to the Swedish acquisition style, the top management is replaced, but the middle management kept. Zanussi ´s acquisition strategy is exactly the opposite. Being accustomed to an authoritarian style, the Italians had to adopt Elektrolux ´ democratic and decentralised decision making policy. The lower management appreciated the new possibilities of promotion and therefore demanded higher involvement. They are like the top-management at the end of the organisational hierarchy and can only gain influence. The top-management, naturally to their competition for control, appreciated that they had not â€Å"a single Swedish manager imposed on top.† Whereas the middle management feared the loss of control over their subordinates and property rights. To trigger the competition in the middle management, Elektrolux established direct communication between the top managers and the front-line managers, by-passing the middle management when necessary. Plus, they launched the special training programmes for them. Again, they wanted to set a signal and to stimulate the middle managers ´ competition for membership in networks. At the end of the Case Study (p 911), a senior manager of Zanussi was concerned, that the middle management may be more bureaucratic and less open† and that they â€Å"must develop bridges at the middle and [he frankly does] not know how easy or difficult that may be.† The middle managers felt threatened by the change and the by-passing enforced this feeling. It is difficult to build up trust in such a position. Therefore to â€Å"avoid undercutting intermediate managers, such bypassing must [†¦] be limited to information gathering, with no implication that orders or approvals are given directly to lower levels. [†¦] Line managers are less tempted to screen information when they know bypass channels are operating.† (Q, p106) As described in the case and mentioned before, â€Å"lower levels are also stimulated by the possibility that they may be able to â€Å"talk to the very top†Ã¢â‚¬  (Q, p106), which can be seen as positive integration effect of the by-passing strategy. As second example, the longstanding competition between Elektolux and Zanussi in the sales and marketing division conjured several integration problems in the common organisation. Both sides were unsatisfied with the new strategy in this sector which attacked the power position of the managers. It can be argued that the change of power structure was to quickly and normally â€Å"major strategic changes tended to take many years to accomplish.†. (Q, p133) Psychological commitment of and control over the sales and management departments were not advanced enough to integrate the strategy. â€Å"There [are] too many unknowables in the total environment for managers to program or control† (Quinn, p121) To respond to such unforeseen issues, which can arise internally or externally, the firm has to remain flexible. (according to Quinn, p122). Elektrolux responded to the question of flexibility with a small corportate headquarter, decentralised subsidiaries, few hierarchy levels and task forces. As there is no â€Å"standard method for treating acquisitions† (Case, p896) it allows Elektrolux to respond to the individual circumstances in Zanussi very effectively. As conclusion can be said, that the successful integration of the Swedish and Italian cultures has to be undertaken incrementally. Trust and openess are the key for gaining a mutual understanding and commitment to the joint company. With team working, symbolic actions and extensive communication it is possible to integrate not only the organisations but also the individuals. All this helps to build up a network, which supports the formal structure. Mr. Rossignolo ´s statement that the Italians † adopted the Swedish work ethic† (Case, p907) is similar to Leif Johansson ´s, who said that the Swedish â€Å"adopted a completely new way of thinking.† (Case, p908) and shows that the merger of Elektrolux and Zanussi was in respect of culture and exchange successfully. How to cite The Acquisition And Integration Of Zanussi, Essay examples

Decoding Culture- Sociology free essay sample

What are the important rituals in which these symbols are used? Are there any special languages or vocabularies, verbal or non verbal, which are used in this case? Upon entering a culture, the first thing one is likely to see is the symbols, objects or behaviors that convey a specific meaning to the people who share a culture. Though the focus is on the Mien culture, it is important to recognize that this case is about two cultures: the Mien culture and Lindas culture of science and medicine. Decoding cultures in this case requires, therefore, comparing and contrasting these two cultures. The case, however, doesnt show us in very much detail what the symbols, stories, and worldviews of the two cultures are. The cure used in the Mien culture is a ceremony, and the objects used have symbolic value. The story about transferring the pain to the wall conveys the idea that non-material things such as pain can be physically moved from one place to another. We will write a custom essay sample on Decoding Culture- Sociology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lying at the heart of Mien culture is animism, the view that the world is inhabited by spirits that reside in things, including people. Within a culture, symbolic objects are treated as special, things that are out of the ordinary. Often, they are used in rituals, culturally meaningful pattern of behavior. The case, however, doesnt show us in very much detail what the symbols, stories, and worldviews of the two cultures are. The cure used in the Mien culture is a ceremony, and the objects used have symbolic value. The story about transferring the pain to the wall conveys the idea that non-material things such as pain can be physically moved from one place to another. Lying at the heart of Mien culture is animism, the view that the world is inhabited by spirits that reside in things, including people. In this story the main ritual used is the treatment done on Marie for a case of Gusia mun toe. In this specific social setting Gusia mun toe is an illness seen among babies or in other words Mien'(Origin from Laos) babies. It is assumed to cause restlessness, agitation, constipation, and loss of appetite in babies. The cure was to dip a pulp in pork fat and then lit it. Eventually that flame is quickly passed over burning the child slightly over the abdomen area. Linda’s culture of medicine also has its symbols (white walls, sterile places, various tools) , rituals (the examination) and worldviews (science and the scientific method). Also words like Gusia mun toe, Mien are unique to the culture of Laos. Since language is another way to see symbols. Those words mentioned above can enable people to communicate with each other belonging to that same social group. These unfamiliar buzzwords may sound unusual and strange to us but for the people familiar with that language these parts of language and vocabulary are a important symbolic component in their culture and existence. What stories and narratives do people tell in this case? Who are the central characters in these stories? What are the plots? What do the stories attempt to show? Are there slogan or mottoes that are heard over and over again? Are there scripts guiding action? The central characters in his case are Linda Gorman and Mrs. Saeto. They act as a link between two cultures. The plot of the story is cultural sensitivity. The stories include the time when Mrs. Saeto explains about their spiritual belief via the ritual performed to cure Marie (the baby). The cure was made from a string of inner pulp from a special reed that her mother in law got which was lightly dipped in pork fat. She then passed the flame quickly over the skin of Marie’s abdomen in the area where the pain is worse. The flame raised a blister that popped. The blister meant that the illness was not related to spiritual causes. If the blister has not developed, they will have to shaman to conduct a ritual. What is of value in this culture? What are the important images and visions? How would you characterize this cultures worldview and important beliefs? Lu Mien is the main culture in focus in this case. They are of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China, where they reside in the mountainous terrain of the southwest and south. They also form one of the 54 ethnic groups officially recognized by Vietnam. In the last census, they numbered 2,637,421 in China, and roughly 470,000 in Vietnam. After obtaining refugee status from the Thai government and with the help of the United Nations, many Yao people were able to obtain sponsorship into the United States. Most of the Yao who have immigrated to the United States have settled along the Western part of the U. S. mainly in Northern California such as Fresno, Oakland, Oroville, Redding, Richmond, Sacramento, but also in parts of Oregon Portland, Salem, Beaverton and the state of Washington Seattle. Lu-Mien might not have advanced ideas and knowledge that associated with modern education. Miens have a number of techniques for treating people with both physical and mental afflictions. They have a m ethod to treat as drag or knead in the painful, treat with herbs, worship the spirits. For example, when a family member is ill, other family members perform a ceremony asking spirits of their departed ancestors to return and help heal the sick person. However, this service by ancestors is not free. The family must repay the kindness of ancestors by sacrificing animals such as chickens and pigs in a kind of ‘spirit’ payment. Lindas culture of medicine is mostly to deal with modern world which associate new technology and all based on logics even though it also has its symbols such as white walls, sterile places, various tools, rituals such as examination. Therefore it is very educational to study about these two vastly different cultures. Culture as social glue Are some bonds stronger than other bonds? If so which ones are stronger? Even thought the relationship between Linda and Saeto is a relationship which is on progress the bond appears to be strong, while the bond between Saeto and the outside world come in to view as a weak bond. The weak bond could be a result of her having to go through rough situations when she first came to America. Saeto has a strong bond with her family. It’s evident through her sense of belonging and respect to her own culture. What symbols, stories, and world views strengthen bonds? At the beginning of her new life in America Mrs. Saeto had to go through many hard times which bonded her strongly with her culture as it was only them that was left for her. Even though scars and burns were left on Marie’s body she continued with the traditional treatments due to her strong bond with her culture. Saeto and her family acts as a group of cultural transmitters. Therefore, the stories that Saeto tells Linda strengthens the bond between them. Also, the worldview that Linda has towards the child abuse strengthens her bond with the outside world. Is a strong sense of â€Å"us† evident in the case? If so, how is this sense of â€Å"us† maintained? The â€Å"US† seems to convey very strongly in the story. â€Å"US† is the whole Mien culture containing Mrs. Saeto, Marie, her grandmother and the rest of the members in that community. Due to their common belief and strong relationships with each other has brought them closer so the goes in to the extent of addressing them as one. And in this story it proven when Mrs. Saeto explains the treatment her mother-in-law carried out and she appears to be proud about it. Culture as an umbrella Who in this case sees things from their own perspective? Who attempts to look at things from the perspective of the whole? Both Linda and Mrs. Saeto look at things from their own perspective but towards the end of the case Linda faces a dilemma because she looks at things in Mrs. Saetos cultural perspective, Given this analysis, it is clear why Linda faces a dilemma. She realizes that this is in fact a cultural problem. If she had thought that Mrs. Saeto had intentionally harmed Maria, or neglected her in ways that she should have known would harm her, then Linda would have had no qualms about turning her in. However, this is not her assessment. Rather, because Mrs. Saeto has told her about the Mien culture and her past, she knows that the traditional cure comes from Mrs. Saetos culture and is seen by those in that culture as helpful and not harmful. As a nurse who works with many different types of people, she has learned that it is important to respect cultural differences. Linda does not see Mrs. Saeto as someone who is being swept away by false ideas. Linda probably believes that Mrs. Saetos culture has a great deal of value for her. Linda also knows that if she openly rejects something that Mrs. Saeto finds to be of great value, Mrs. Saeto may never return to the clinic. Then Linda will have lost her ability to prevent Mrs. Saeto from using these and other potentially harmful cures on Marie. The dilemma is, therefore, whether Linda can find a way to get Mrs. Saeto to not use cultural practices that could seriously harm her and her children without Mrs. Saeto believing that Linda rejects her entire culture and way of life. Are there standards according to which everyone is evaluated? If so, what are these standards and how are they used in this case? It’s not easy to pin point common standards and values in the society according to this story. But as in general what happens to Mrs. Saeto at her school age is not accepted in any culture or society. But the Ritual or the medical treatment hich carried by Mrs. Saeto’s mother-in-law is considered as a accepted treatment that carried out by experienced healer and its well respected in her culture even though it’s not accepted in many other cultures or society including American culture. It will be addressed as child abuse in most of those. But moral standard of respecting each culture and those believes se ems to be practiced my Linda at the end. According to what criteria are new comers selected and evaluated? It is hard to view this case as one of culture uniting people with diverse views through some common values or standards. In fact, this is really a case where there are no common standards by which everyone is evaluated. Within American culture what was done to Maria is clearly wrong, but within Mien culture it is considered useful and good. This case therefore brings to the fore the idea of cultural relativity, that is, the view that practices and behaviors can be judged only by the cultural standards of the culture in which those practices occur. Rejecting cultural relativity implies that there are universal standards by which the practices in all cultures can be evaluated. The problem with this position is that Often when people claim there are such universal standards, it turns out that those standards are just the standards of their culture. The result then is ethnocentrism, the view that ones own culture is the superior culture and therefore its standards are the â€Å"universal† ones that should be used to judge behaviors in all cultures. Culture as a mask Is there a discrepancy between what people believe (or say) and what is really going on? From this perspective, what is important are discrepancies between what people believe and what is really going on. Some people may view the Mien curing practices as an ideology that misleads and mystifies those who practice such cures. From this perspective Mrs. Saetos belief that the burning ritual really cured Maria is a false idea, a belief in magic. But to outsiders, cultural practices that are foreign often seem mystifying, while for insiders they are revealing and instructive. Also, modern medical practices can also be seen as sometimes distorting reality. For example, commercials for new drugs and medicines often exaggerate the benefits while trying to hide the negative side-effects. Do those who are worse off believe that they deserve to be worse off? Do they believe that they cannot change the situation? Do they believe that they are really not disadvantaged? This can be explained by many features. In this situation almost all the people are happy and joy the way things occur. The point of view of Mrs. Saeto about the world and the cultures shows that she is aware that the traditional treatments that is used to cure her baby could be harmful, but she makes her self think that it’s a spiritual custom which is been carried out by her mother-in-law in order to cure her child. When we conceder Linda’s point of view on this matter: it shows that she is completely against the healing methods that are used by Mrs. Seato’s customs. She also puts herself in dilemma because she could not ignore the fact that treating a baby in such a manner. She even wanted to go to authorities. What ideologies lead to these views? Who articulate these ideologies? Mrs. Saoto strongly believes about her culture and its practices including spiritual healing which she made her baby go through and when she was describing it to Linda, Mrs. Saeto was able to make Linda believe that this practice is done for the betterment of the child even though its bit painful. This misleads Linda to believe that the sacrifices they were making are actually worthy. But as the experience became too painful, the ideology of the Mien culture no longer seemed to coincide with reality. Reality which Linda lives in the World that believes in, all the moral values and giving pain for anyone for any reason is wrong. This leads Linda to question her beliefs. Hence, Linda’s cultural mask seemed to peel away which made Linda to think logically. Culture as a current What are the behavioral patterns indicative of some underlying driving force motivating behaviors? It is clear that both cultures provide meanings and purposes for Mrs. Saeto and Linda Gorman respectively. Mrs. Saetos beliefs about spirits probably orient her behaviors, especially when she encounters problems. Lindas belief in science and medicine motivates her to use her knowledge to help people and prevent illness. What meaning do you think lie behind these patterns? What type of activities does these meanings motivates? Lindas dilemma is the direct result of the clash between her culture of medicine and Mrs. Saetos Mien culture. These two cultures are at odds over whether the burning â€Å"cure† hurts or harms the child. Given this cultural conflict Linda goes back and forth about what she should do. While conflict theory successfully describes instances where conflict occurs between groups of people, for a variety of reasons, it is questionable whether this represents the ideal human society. Culture is important because it is a meaning system that informs people’s actions and interactions. This could be also applied to the situation in the story where Linda was were ego to know about the Mien culture, but seen the baby going through pain changes her mind as stated earlier. How do the symbols, stories, and worldviews propel the action that is evident in this case? Burning is considered as a symbol of strong belief in specific cultures. In this case it refers to the strong beliefs of Mrs. Saeto on her culture. Hard time she went trough in the beginning of her life in America made her strong on the Mein culture. And that strong belief made her burn her baby to cure her sickness. Culture as a tool kit What are some of the similarities that are evident in the social interaction among people in this case? How do these social interactions differ from patterns you have seen else- where? It is instructive to examine to whom Mrs. Saeto turned when she needed to figure out what to do. She turned to her mother-in-law and the traditional cures of the Mien culture. Why? Because these are the ways with which she is familiar. These are the cultural tools that she has at her disposal. And with these cultural tools, Mrs. Saeto will continue to understand problems and find solutions through the lu Mien culture. She believes that with these cultural tools she is helping her child. She has no intention of harming Maria. What are the culture tools that people in this situation use as they go about constructing social connections with others? What repertories and templates do they have at their disposal? Culture could be considered as a tool kit because people tend to create similar social connections because they have similar tools that they use when making social connections. These tools consist of stories, symbols, worldview and language. In this particular case language plays an important part of Mrs. Saeto’s tool kit. Her Mien language enables Saeto to communicate with her Grandparents and her family, therefore her Mien language is a vital too to her. Another tool that enables Mrs. Saeto to communicate and draw closer to Linda are her stories. By relating her stories, Mrs Saeto is drawing herself closer to Linda, she is able to communicate and express her thoughts and feelings to Linda by relating these stories that are based on her very unique culture. In my opinion I believe that people when in need of some sort of help, would always turn their faith in their religion or to a person they are very close to. In Mrs. Saeto’s situation , when she had her problem she sought help from her culture and that is the reason as to why she performed the ritual on her child immediately after diagnosing symptoms in her child of which she believed were harmful. bibliography: DECODING CULTURE DECISION CASE: â€Å"Linda Gorman† chapter 3 sociology