Wednesday, March 18, 2009

CAREERS AND THE WORK ORGANISATIONS.

A modern work organisation is unique in the sense that it becomes the focal point for a number of related occupations. The career lines of those working in these occupations do not conform to an uniform pattern. While occupations are inter-related, the careers of persons involved in a common work situation are often differentiated in terms of the varied processes at work in the work situation.< br/> Everett C.Hughes in his work on 'The Study of Occupations' in Merton,R.K et al (Eds) Sociology Today (1960) considers work situations as 'systems of interaction..... in which people of various occupational and lay capacities ...interact in sets of relationships that are social as well as technical'. The characteristics of careers are determined by the way in which the relevant occupations are related in a work situation. Hence, careers in the same Occupation may vary from one work situation to another. In this regard Everett C.Hughes points out the significance of careers in a work situation. For him, 'the career includes not only the process and sequence of learning the techniques of the occupation, but also the progressive perception of the whole system and of possible places in it and the accompanying changes in conceptions of the work and of one's self relation to it.
Basically the term ' career' implies movement over time through successive positions within an institutional system, which provides differential opportunities for the different occupations functioning in relative position within the system. A career normally implies upward movement in the institutional hierarchy available to an occupation in terms of income, status and responsibilities. But it may also imply acquisition of higher technical or professional skills, with the accompanying expectations of appropriate reward for the contribution, that superior skills can make toward the achievement of organisational goals.

Thus, career becomes an intrinsic aspect of the dynamics of a work organisation, and it has ramnifications that extend beyond the boundaries of a specific occupational group. Careers represent a dynamic element in the work process as occupations respond to changes in technology.
Thus, careers mirror the changes in the work processes. A study of careers is fascinating and rewarding.

Relevant Links: http://drpadmalatha.blogspot.com/

Bibliography
Careers and the Work Organisations by Dr.C.S.Rangarajan

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

THE YOUNG EAGLE

The 'YOUNG EAGLE' by Tom Reilly emphasises that action without knowledge is rootless and knowledge without action is fruitless. It is 'confidence' which 'begets confidence'.

The nest of young eagles hung on every word as the Master Eagle described his exploits. This was an important day for the eaglets. They were preparing for their first solo flight from the nest. It was the confidence builder many of them needed to fulfill their destiny.

"How far can I travel?" asked one of the eaglets.

"How far can you see?" responded the Master Eagle.

"How high can I fly?" quizzed the young eagle.

"How far can you stretch your wings?" asked the old eagle.

"How long can I fly?" the eaglet persisted.

"How far is the horizon?" the mentor rebounded.

"How much should I dream?" asked the eaglet.

"How much can you dream?" smiled the older, wiser eagle.

"How much can I achieve?" the young one continued.

"How much can you believe?" the old eagle challenged.

Frustrated by the banter, the young eagle demanded, "Why don't you answer my questions?"

"I did."

"Yes. But you answered them with questions."

"I answered them the best I could."

"But you're the Master Eagle. You're supposed to know everything. If you can't answer these questions, who can?"

"You." the old, wise eagle reassured.

"Me? How?" the young eagle was confused.

"No one can tell you how high to fly or how much to dream. It's different for each eagle. Only you and God know how far you'll go. No one on this earth knows your potential or what's in your heart. You alone will answer that. The only thing that limits you is the edge of your imagination."

The young eagle, puzzled by this, asked, "What should I do?"

"Look to the horizon, spread your wings, and fly."

SAMUEL ULLMAN ON 'YOUTH'.

like the controversy over the issue 'brain drain', 'generation gap' is yet another issue that engulfs the youth and creates an imaginary gulf. Samuel Ullman sets at rest the question as follows:
Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite, for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of sixty more than a body of twenty. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

Whether sixty or sixteen, there is in every human being's heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing child-like appetite of what's next, and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the Infinite, so long are you young.

When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at twenty, but as long as your aerials are up, to catch the waves of optimism, there is hope you may die young at eighty.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL. BIG AND SMALL NEED TO GO TOGETHER. SMALL DOES NOT BECOME INSIGNIFICANT, NOR BIG, BY VIRTUE OF ITS BIGNESS GAIN GLORIFICATION. THE RUSTICS IN THE POEM PENNED BY OLIVER GOLDSMITH CAPTIONED ""VILLAGE SCHOOL MASTER" WERE WONDER STRUCK WHEN THE SCHOOL MASTER WAS ABLE TO TALK ON SUBJECTS OR SOLVE PROBLEMS FROM PIN TO PLANE. THEY EXCLAIMED 'HOW THE SMALL HEAD COULD CARRY ALL THE NEWS'. THOUGH THE WORLD IS VAST, WHAT IS NOT SMALL IN THIS WORLD?. EVENTHOUGH THE HUMAN FRAME IS NOT SO SIGNIFICANTLY BIG, THE HUMAN HEAD,THE BRAIN, THE HEART, EARS, THE EYES AND THE OBJECTS WE SEE THROUGH THE EYES ARE ALL SMALL. IS IT BECAUSE THE HEAD IS SMALL, WE REFRAIN FROM THINKING 'BIG'!. IS IT BECAUSE THE HEART IS SMALL, WE ARE NOT LARGE-HEARTED! THE FEET, WHICH ARE SMALL, GET INTO SHOES WHICH ARE ALSO SMALL. THE SAYING WHICH RUNS THAT 'THE WEARER KNOWS WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES' GOES TO SHOW THAT COMPASSION IS BOTH SMALL AS WELL AS A BIG POSSESSION OF THE HUMAN RACE. THE SMALL HOLES IN A FLUTE GIVE RISE TO MELODIOUS MUSIC WHEN THE SMALL LIPS ESTABLISH HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FLUTE. 'SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL' WHEREAS SMALL MINDEDNESS IS UGLIER THAN WHAT THE MIRROR CAN REFLECT WHEN WE STAND IN ITS FRONT
posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 4:04 AM

Yes! Nothing fades. It is the mind that makes a stone wall of prisons. It is again the mind that makes a heaven of hell or hell of heaven. If you say that it is love that defies time and lives beyond time, it is possible to raise the question whether it lives beyond one's life time. Love lives neither in icy dew, nor in paise due. A cupboard love is seldom true, but a love sincere found in few. Whether tulips fades or not, whether it spreads it fragrance or not, for TULIPS67, it must be remaining in a blossoming state spreading it fragrance in all directions. I share TULIPS67 feelings, why not you SAMYUKTA.
7/22/2006 5:39 PM Dr C.S.RANGARAJAN

# re: SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL oh this is beautiful : "....THE SMALL HOLES IN A FLUTE GIVE RISE TO MELODIOUS MUSIC ..." by the way Tuliip67, is it true that a Tulip never fades ?
7/21/2006 9:29 PM samyukta
.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

CONGRESS KEEPS OPTIONS OPEN

Fromhttp://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?

Any product bearing a stamp 'made in england', 'made in Italy' and so on draws the allegiance of the Indian masses. Indians, having not learnt lessons from history, are allowing themselves to be dictated by foreign agents. I remember to have read somewhere that India is destined to fall once again under the yoke of foreign rule. As Shakespeare said, 'there is divinity that shapes our ends'. For those who believe in the cyclical nature of events etc, history is bound to repeat itself.
By Dr.C.S.RANGARAJAN 2/21/2009 3:39:00 AM


Dear Mr KK, The Indian history and the system of education that prevailed in India remain shrouded in the foggy past. The Indian system of education would have given a title befitting my qualification other than Dr. Spitting venom both in speech and writing is in bad taste. It is one and only best way to reinforce one's arguments by expressing one's stand point in greater grace and without indecent haste. It is not too late to learn, for learning takes place from womb to tomb and from cradle to grave.
By Dr.C.S.RANGARAJAN 2/21/2009 7:03:00 PM



It is ironical - guy quoting Shakespeare and yet asking others to avoid foreign.
By Ravi 2/21/2009 9:37:00 AM

Dr.C.S.RANGARAJAN- even the Dr title is given to you because of british system of education prevailed in india. Even t internet is possible because of foreigners..and people like you...indian masses love to use it and still complain. Stop whining..and ask Jaya to stop liquor taking liquor and not to share bed with sasikala.
By KK 2/21/2009 9:34:00 AM

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

OSCAR FOR A.R.RAHMAN

Readers Opinions: TIMES OF INDIA
Raja of Roja becomes Osc'AR Rahman'
Dr.C.S.RANGARAJAN,U.S.A.,says:Is it'once in a blue moon' achievement or a prelude to many more laurels to follow the 'genius' whose face has risen above the watermark of international visibility? Is it an outcome of single minded devotion or a beginning of the blessings of the special providence? Though words are said to be sharper than swords, for me, words are dwarfish in their potency and therefore they interdict me from giving adequate expression to my sense of joy when I saw 'live' Mr A.R.Rahman receiving the coveted Oscar Award. If Mr A.R.Rahman vows to continue his musical journey, keeping in view that he has miles to go before he goes to sleep, then he will be able to identify talents that are plenty, but go 'unhonoured and unsung'.
24 Feb 2009, 0157 hrs IST
Dr.C.S.RANGARAJAN,U.S.A.,says:Is it'once in a blue moon' achievement or a prelude to many more laurels to follow the 'genius' whose face has risen above the watermark of international visibility? Is it an outcome of single minded devotion or a beginning of the blessings of the special providence? Though words are said to be sharper than swords, for me, words are dwarfish in their potency and therefore they interdict me from giving adequate expression to my sense of joy when I saw 'live' Mr A.R.Rahman receiving the coveted Oscar Award. If Mr A.R.Rahman vows to continue his musical journey, keeping in view that he has miles to go before he goes to sleep, then he will be able to identify talents that are plenty, but go 'unhonoured and unsung'.
24 Feb 2009, 0157 hrs IST

Monday, February 23, 2009

ROLELESS ROLES

D.RENGANAYAKI and Dr.C.S.RANGARAJAN

When employees continued tenure of service is ensured, then arises the question relating to ''intrinsic'' and ''extrinsic'' satisfaction in work.As Blauner in his work on ''Alienation and Freedom'' holds, it is security of employment which is seen as a condition precedent to employees'' loyalty and commitment. Seen against the backdrop of insecurity which is wrought into the job,one is appreciative of William Shakespeare''s observations which runs as follows: "You take my life when you do take the means whereby I live". The threat to the existence of sufficient jobs is identified as the most and immediate problem confronting the industrial society. Caught in the vortex of ever increasing technological and population trends, individuals, willing to work, are reduced to the level of not being able to find work. These ''twin threats'' are negatively correlated with work in the sense that both technological and population increase jointly and severally contribute to decrease in employment opportunities. Besides ''product life cycle'', technological obselecence as well as ''planned technological obselecenece'' lead to ''trained incapacity''. In otherwords, technology creates as many jobs as it weeds out. Another difficulty arises from managers'' preoccupations, among others, with the rules, conceived as a means becomes transformed into an end in itself. As instrumental value becomes a terminal value, it not only results in '' displacement of goals'', but also hasten the process of ''displacement'' of employees caught on account of their failure to fall in line with the organisational blue-print. These employees not only become ''rootless'', but are also pushed into ''roleless roles'' in the process of displacement leading to a ''crisis of identity''. Shakespeare views that ''the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings''.Lord Byron, on the otherhand laments ''must crimes be punished by other crimes, and greater criminals''. William Wordsworth is forthright when he comments ''earth is sick and Heaven is weary of the hollw words which States and Kingdoms utter when they speak of truth and justice''.
Oscar Wilde without mincing words, observes that ''in war, the strong make slave of the weak, and in peace the rich make slave of the poor. We must work to live, and they give such mean wages that we die. We toil for them all day long, and they heap up gold in their coffers, and our children fade away before their time, and the faces of those we love become hard and evil. We tread out the grapes and another drinks the wine. We sow the corn, and our own board is empty. We have chains, though no eye beholds them;and we are slaves, though men call us free''.