Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Social sciences

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BALANCE SCORECARD

Organizational Structures

Decentralized Organizations

Flat Structure: Highly flexible, with close proximity to the director.

Multi-Local: Products are adapted to the specific needs of each market.

Transnational: The same product is offered in every market.

Centralized Organizations

Tall Structure: Characterized by control and rigidity.

Matrix Structure

Designed to avoid duplication and promote knowledge and experience sharing.

Federal Organizational Model

Authority flows from the periphery to the center.

Other Key Concepts

Innovation: Can be fostered by various organizational structures.

Standardization Skills: Crucial for professional organizations.

Divisional Structure: Products are marketed within the company.

Departments: Enhance efficiency.

Improved Hierarchy:

Consequences of the Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution brought about profound changes. Key consequences included:

• International Relevance

  The international standing of countries began to be measured by their level of industrialization.

• Economic Activities

  Economic activities like agriculture, commerce, and the financial system received an impulse with the introduction of new technology.

• Urban Expansion

  Factories were situated in towns, leading people to emigrate from rural areas to look for work, causing significant urban growth.

• Science and Technological Research

  Increased focus on scientific and technological research aimed at finding new methods, techniques, and materials.

Key industries included the exploitation of mineral resources,... Continue reading "Social and Economic Changes from Industrialization" »

The English dominance the future in Latin America

In this article let's talk about the English dominance in the future of Latin America. Although most countries in Latin America speak Spanish, English has become the second most important language around the world. The United States, being one of the most influential countries, has made English dominant. This is why this topic has been selected, as there may be more native speakers of Portuguese, Spanish, Quechua, or French, but it is English they speak when they talk across cultures, and English they teach their children to help them become citizens of an ever more advanced world.

In the time of globalization and technology, English dominates the world as no language ever has, and some linguists... Continue reading "The Future of English Dominance in Latin America" »

Organization of the Council of the European Union

The Presidency

The Council is chaired by a Presidency that is held by each of the member states in turn for a period of six months. Thus, ministers, or the Head of Government or State, chair the Council meetings or summit for this six-month period.

The Troika and the High Representative

The term ‘Troika’ is used in conjunction with the Council to describe the situation in which, to provide continuity in policy, the current President and both the previous and succeeding Presidents act in conjunction, particularly in the pursuit of international relations.

The Lisbon Treaty provides that the Foreign Affairs Council is chaired by the High Representative.

COREPER: Committee of Permanent Representatives

COREPER... Continue reading "EU Council Organization: Presidency, COREPER, and Secretariat Roles" »

Richard Hoggart's Insider View

Richard Hoggart, unlike F.R. and Q.D. Leavis, was raised in a working-class family in Leeds. This background allowed him to offer an 'insider view' of communal working-class urban life, consciousness, culture, and experience.

Hoggart's Approach to Popular Culture

Just as the Leavises applied methods of close reading to mass culture, Hoggart offered close readings of popular music, newspapers, magazines, and fiction. Crucially, he did so without necessarily condemning them. In fact, he argued that working-class life could be 'a full rich life', a sentiment reflected in the title of one of his chapters.

Cultural Theory: Diverse Perspectives

The Anthropological View of Culture

When discussing T.S. Eliot, it was noted that... Continue reading "Richard Hoggart: Working-Class Culture & Media Analysis" »

The Constitution

• It is the highest law, the foundational document where all rules are defined.
• It defines the state, the rights, and the obligations of people.
• It limits the power of institutions.
• In a democracy, citizens participate by voting for electors or in a referendum.

Forms of Government

Referendum: Is a legal process in which laws are put under popular vote for ratification. This may result in the adoption of a new law or the renovation of an existing one.

Dictatorship: The absolute power of the state is concentrated in one person or group, such as an army, an ethnic group, a religious leader, or a political party.

Dictators often use violence to gain power, frequently through a revolution.

Characteristics of Dictatorship:

• No citizen participation
• No

Rydgren: Uncivicness and Populist Voting

Neither mass society nor social capital theories explain support for radical right-wing populism in Eastern Europe (EE). Despite EE's historically weaker social capital compared to Western Europe, empirical results don't link rising populism to weak civil society.

Factors Fostering Extreme Right Movements

1. Diminished roles of family, community, and traditional organizations lead to detachment.
2. Decline of the pluralist society.
3. Social isolation leads to joining authoritarian movements offering 'quasi-communities'.

Social isolation, more common in urban settings, explains support for the radical right.

Varga: Hungary's Far-Right Jobbik

This reading examines post-communist far-right parties, focusing on Jobbik's... Continue reading "Right-Wing Populism in Eastern Europe: Social Capital & Jobbik" »

Franz and the Last Lesson

Franz's Expectations and Regrets

Q. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?

Franz was expected to be prepared with his lesson on participles, as announced by his French teacher, M. Hamel. However, Franz hadn't studied them.

Q. Why did Franz want to spend his day out of doors?

Franz was tempted by the beautiful weather and the allure of nature, contrasting with the confinement of the classroom.

Q. Why did Franz repent?

Franz repented because he realized the value of education and the importance of his native language, which he had taken for granted.

M. Hamel's Perspective

Q. What are M. Hamel's views about the French language?

M. Hamel cherished the French language, considering it the most beautiful language... Continue reading "Understanding "The Last Lesson": A Q&A Exploration" »

Sabino Arana and the Birth of Basque Nationalism

This foundational text on nationalist ideas was likely penned by Sabino Arana, or by someone equally audacious. It was published in 1894, during the Spanish Restoration period, and stands as a primary source document, intended for all citizens.

Context: Spain in 1894

Political Landscape & Colonial Issues

Politically, the period was marked by the nascent problems with Spain's colonies. As part of the Restoration era, the political system had already seen several shifts in power. Spain's international relations were largely defined by its colonial empire.

Economic Stagnation & Industrial Growth

Economically, Spain remained largely agricultural, characterized by backwardness due to the persistence... Continue reading "Sabino Arana and Basque Nationalism's Dawn" »