Book Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Book Report - Essay Example Since its inception, the trend of watching television is growing and evolving. Latest research reveals that the growth in this trend is becoming explosive with new technologies and their prevalent use by youngsters. In her book, â€Å"Television and Child Development,† a psychologist from University of Waterloo, Judith Van Evra presents a comprehensive summary of research about the impact of television and other media on children’s physical, psychological, emotional and social development. She integrates the currently known research from child development, communication and cognitive and psychological domains to present a balanced view that reveals the complications and layers of the relationship between children’s interaction with media and other factors influencing their perceptions. In this comprehensive third edition, Evra has included seven new chapters in addition to updating the previous chapters. Now, the book also includes research about media other than television, for instance, realistic video games, mobile phones, pagers, DVDs, computers, internet, cable and other wireless devices. However, major emphasis is laid on the research with developmental approach towards the interaction between television and children (Bachen, 2007). Newly added chapters explore research methodology, cultural diversity and stereotypes. It includes current perceptions, changing lifestyles, health preferences, nutrition, body image, sexual behaviors, drug and alcohol addiction, internet and media influence on social and behavioral aspects of a child’s development. Two chapters are particularly dedicated to the utilization of modern technology for getting instant and speedy information through internet, influence of internet advertising and entertainment technology, such as music and video games which create gender and social differences, and aggression among children. New addition also covers intervention strategies, media literacy, technological aids,

Critically evaluate the view that Changing Organisational Culture is Essay

Critically evaluate the view that Changing Organisational Culture is difficult if not impossible and requires a different approach to other types of change initiatives - Essay Example In-depth study of culture change in the corporate and organisational literature reveals it to be centered on human relations management for higher productivity. Edgar Schein (1985) believes that culture is seen as a "hot topic" within the corporate world because it is perceived that organisations can be more effective if they develop the right type of culture. Some may believe that it is possible to change dysfunctional cultures to those that are better adapted to their environments. However, according to Schein, culture is hard to define and even harder to measure, harder still to determine the effects on the corporate world. Organisational cultural change is difficult because it is difficult to assess or measure culture. Schein (1985) three level model appears to provide a meaningful option that is useful for assessing organisational culture. In the model, artifacts are placed at the highest level of the structure. The next level represents values which reflect goals and ideals of the organisation; they are the why behind what people within the organisation do. Finally, at the lowest level of Scheins model we find assumptions. The innermost core of culture, assumptions represent rarely spoken, latent, core beliefs and are therefore the most difficult to assess. It is possible for the three levels of culture to be incongruent. For instance, a company may have an open door policy (artifact) and express a value that everyones opinion is appreciated and sought, but below the surface is the knowledge that the boss is really the only one with whom to share the important information (assumption). Leaders of organisations and the consultants who work with them have learned a lot about behaviour change which is seen at the most superficial level of artifacts but not much about how to create organisational belief and value change. Behaviour change