Workflow Management with SAP® WebFlow®: A Practical Manual

Book Description

It is now possible to gain competitive advantages based on consolidated R/3 system implementations. One of the most important optimisation aspects is a more consistent process integration in order to bring about fast, secure and cost effective business processes. This approach inevitably leads to Workflow Management and for SAP users to SAP ^® WebFlow ^®. This book introduces the topic of Workflow Management, gives an overview of the technical possibilities of SAP ^® WebFlow ^® and allows the reader to assess SAP workflow project risks and costs/benefits based on real life examples. Check lists and technical hints not only aid the reader in evaluating potential projects but also in the management of real life workflow project engineering.

Book Description

"Renewal" is a holistic health center run by baby boomers whose political ideals were shaped by the counterculture movements of the 1960s. Through interviews and observation, Sherryl Kleinman takes us inside Renewal and shows us how its members struggled to maintain a view of themselves as progressive and alternative even as they sought conventional legitimacy.

In Opposing Ambitions we meet the members of Renewal as individuals; learn about the differences in power, prestige, and respect they are accorded; why they talked endlessly about money; and how they related to each other. Kleinman shows how members' attempts to see themselves as unconventional, but also as serious operators of a legitimate health care organization, led them to act in ways that undermined their egalitarian goals. She draws out the lessons Renewal offers for understanding the problems women face in organizations, the failure of social movements to live up to their ideals, and how it is possible for progressives to avoid reproducing the inequalities they claim to oppose.

Masculinities in Organizations (SAGE Series on Men and Masculinity)

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Men's Studies Enters the Boardroom

Masculinities in Organizations (SAGE Series on Men and Masculinity)

Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0761902244

Book Description

"Most popular discussions of men and gender treat masculinity as an entirely psychological issue. This book edited by Cliff Cheng, part of a new wave of research on masculinity, shows the issues are much wider. Gender is an aspect of organizational life, workplace culture, and business politics. Vivid and sometimes surprising case studies--including the space shuttle disaster, an all-male military collage, and the ethnically mixed management of a Japanese-American firm--show different forms of masculinity in the making and under challenge. Conceptual and empirical chapters in the book both enrich our understanding of hegemonic masculinity, and raise intriguing questions about non-hegemonic masculinities. The issues explored in the book are important for organizational studies, for the social science of gender, and for all concerned with the future patterns of power in our business-dominated world." --R.W. Connell, Univeristy of Sydney, Australia, and author of Masculinities "Cliff Cheng's newest contribution to the study of men and masculinities as a gender within and outside other group memberships is a welcome addition to embedded intergroup relations theory." --Clayton P. Alderfer, "This volume fills a gap in our knowledge by providing empirical studies of the role masculine genders play in various, diverse organizations. Studies of the Challenger disaster and American managers in Japanese-owned firms were especially fascinating because they show so clearly the multiple masculinities that arise in different occupations and racial groups. Studies of the Citadel and law firms provide interesting insights into how hegemonic masculinities operate. Still, other chapters present new theorizing and quantitative results. Overall, an impressive collection of work that offers a wealth of ideas for future research and informed teaching and practice." --Janice M. Beyer, Graduate School of Business, The University of Texas, Austin The latest volume in the Research on Men and Masculinities series, Masculinities in Organizations provides an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural study of masculinities in organizational settings. Editor Cliff Cheng sheds light on misconceptions that have plagued the study of organizations and discusses workplace roles and the ways they relate to and affect masculinity. This book makes an effective case both that sex and gender are not synonymous and that masculinity is not homogeneous. The book will add to a growing literature that calls for pro-social change in groups and organizations to overcome the problem of hegemonic masculinity. Timely and provocative, Masculinities in Organizations will be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in organizational behavior, organizational studies, gender roles, and men's studies.

Customer Reviews:

Men's Studies Enters the Boardroom.......2006-10-26

This was an informative, intersectional analysis combining men's studies and organizational behavior. The anthology has a nice range in topics. Michael Messner once wrote that women, generally, are more interested in men's studies than men, so it is not surprising that slightly more women than men contributed chapters to this work. Do know that two of the nine chapters are printed in the Fourth Edition of "Men's Lives."

Gender studies scholarship maintains that gender affects everything. For those that believe that claim, as I do, this book helps spell unique ways in which this occurs. However, this book will frustrate those who do not believe that claim. In one chapter, the author says men take risks and that masculine drive may have played a role in the 1986 Challenger explosion. Others would say greed and poor planning caused that, not masculinity. One chapter said perhaps women don't enter the computer industry when users employ language like "aborting" programs. Political fights over abortion, some would say, have nothing to do with the semantics that "to abort" means "to halt anything in progress." Skeptics of gender studies should be warned.

Each chapter cites and supports the work of R.W. Connell. For examples, the contributors take as a given that there are multiple masculinities, not just one. They contrast the masculinity of engineers versus businessmen, Americans versus foreigners, and white men versus Asian men. This differs radically from Lisa Lindsay's "Men and Masculinities in Modern Africa" in which each chapter challenges Connell. The book is daring in writing that "masculinities can be performed by women and men" rather than stating "masculinities can be performed by men and women." I loved the irony and gender-transgression of that statement.

Gender, Identity and the Culture of Organizations (Studies in Management, Organizations Andsociety, 6)

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Gender, Identity and the Culture of Organizations (Studies in Management, Organizations Andsociety, 6)
Aaltio-Marjosol
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Women & Business | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0415270014

Book Description

Gender, Identity and the Culture of Organizations considers how organizations operate as spaces in which minds are gendered and men and women constructed. This edited collection brings together four powerful themes that have developed within the field of organizational analysis over the past two decades: organizational culture; the gendering of organizations; postmodernism and organizational analysis; and critical approaches to management. A range of essays by distinguished writers from countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden, explore innovative methods for the critical theorizing of organizational cultures.
In particular, the book reflects the growing interest in the impact of organizational identity formation and its implications for individuals and organizational outcomes in terms of gender. The book also introduces research designs, methods and methodologies by which can be used to explore the complex interrelationships between gender, identity and the culture of organizations.

The Research Productivity of Scientists: How Gender, Organization Culture, and the Problem Choice Process Influence the Productivity of Scientists

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The Research Productivity of Scientists: How Gender, Organization Culture, and the Problem Choice Process Influence the Productivity of Scientists
Robert Leslie Fisher
Manufacturer: University Press of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Research | Education | Science | Subjects | Books

Methodology & Statistics | Experiments, Instruments & Measurement | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

For over forty years, social scientists have noted and puzzled over the gender gap in publication rates of academic scientists. In this study, the author, Robert L. Fisher, argues that men and women scientists differ in their problem choice process and that this difference may be behind much of the difference in publication rates.

Book Description

Oilseed rape, a major crop in many parts of the world, is attacked by a wide range of insect pests, many of which are of considerable economic importance. With the increasing demand to reduce agrochemical inputs on arable crops, the Commission of the European Communities supported a three-year programme in which scientific participants reviewed the natural enemies of oilseed rape insect pests. The various outputs from this important work form the basis of this comprehensive new book.Biocontrol of Oilseed Rape Pests commences with a review of the oilseed rape crop, followed by chapters on pests, pest management strategies and parasitoids of specific pests or groups of pests. Detailed information is also included on sampling, trapping and rearing pests, their parasitoids and predators; the identification of hymenopterous parasitoids; pathogens of oilseed rape pests, predators, predator taxonomy and identification, and the impact of on-farm landscape structures and systems on predators.This book is an essential purchase for all those involved with oilseed rape and for anyone with an interest in agricultural biocontrol strategies. It is also essential reading and an invaluable source of reference for agricultural scientists, entomologists, crop protection specialists, advisers and consultants. All agrochemical companies should have multiple copies of this book on their shelves, as should all libraries in universities and research establishments where biological and agricultural sciences are studied and taught.Dr David V. Alford, based in Cambridge, UK, has many years of experience working as a government entomologist.

Amazon.com

What if U.S. history began in 1963, and everything that happened before that year was shrouded in mystery? There would be plenty of events to study, but we wouldn't have a complete picture of the country's past. This is the analogy that paleomicrobiologist J. William Schopf uses to describe the long-missing 85 percent of earth's early fossil record (the puzzle of the missing fossils was known as Darwin's Dilemma). Not until the 1960s did paleobiologists using pickaxes and microscopes find evidence that life began much earlier than previously theorized and that microorganisms were the planet's only inhabitants for most of its existence. And Schopf himself discovered the oldest Precambrian fossils known to science in 1993. Why did it take so long to find these critters?

Though the puzzle of the "missing" early fossil record lived on for more than a hundred years, its solution is now so obvious as to be mundane. The Precambrian world did indeed swarm with living creatures, but until near the close of this vast eon these were microbes and microalgal cells so tiny and fragile that they would never have been unearthed by conventional fossil hunting.

Cradle of Life is a great primer for those interested in the fossil record and its relation to evolutionary theory. Profusely illustrated, this chronicle of amazing discoveries and bizarre questions covers wide ground, including the basics of cell biology and microevolution as well as the careers of the big-name scientists who have set the fossil record straight. And the search continues for the origins of life on earth, as well as the hints of it elsewhere. In a terrifically enlightening epilogue, Schopf shows how even the best scientists have been fooled by geological artifacts that resemble true fossils (as happened with the infamous Martian meteorite "bacteria") and by their own desires to confirm their theories and beliefs about the origins of life. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

One of the greatest mysteries in reconstructing the history of life on Earth has been the apparent absence of fossils dating back more than 550 million years. We have long known that fossils of sophisticated marine life-forms existed at the dawn of the Cambrian Period, but until recently scientists had found no traces of Precambrian fossils. The quest to find such traces began in earnest in the mid-1960s and culminated in one dramatic moment in 1993 when William Schopf identified fossilized microorganisms three and a half billion years old. This startling find opened up a vast period of time--some eighty-five percent of Earth's history--to new research and new ideas about life's beginnings. In this book, William Schopf, a pioneer of modern paleobiology, tells for the first time the exciting and fascinating story of the origins and earliest evolution of life and how that story has been unearthed.

Gracefully blending his personal story of discovery with the basics needed to understand the astonishing science he describes, Schopf has produced an introduction to paleobiology for the interested reader as well as a primer for beginning students in the field. He considers such questions as how did primitive bacteria, pond scum, evolve into the complex life-forms found at the beginning of the Cambrian Period? How do scientists identify ancient microbes and what do these tiny creatures tell us about the environment of the early Earth? (And, in a related chapter, Schopf discusses his role in the controversy that swirls around recent claims of fossils in the famed meteorite from Mars.) Like all great teachers, Schopf teaches the non-specialist enough about his subject along the way that we can easily follow his descriptions of the geology, biology, and chemistry behind these discoveries. Anyone interested in the intriguing questions of the origins of life on Earth and how those origins have been discovered will find this story the best place to start.

Customer Reviews:

A thorough grounding in the state of the field.......2006-07-11

This is a great overview of the development and current state of the study of how life developed before the Cambrian period. The book is well-written and easy to read for a literate layperson. Schopf explains key scientific concepts well and blends this with narrative on the history of the field as well as some personal experiences. The pictures and illustrations are very helpful. The book communicates the excitement and challenge that is part of doing science.

Enthralling.......2005-10-08

Other reviewers have covered the facts about this book. I would like to ditto what they have said, and say that this is one of the best books I've read; fiction, non-fiction, Science, History, etc.
Highly recommended.

Surpised about how much new information has been learned........2004-01-28

Wow. I am surprised at how much has been learned about the early phases of life's development since I last formally studied paleontology. One of my favorite areas of study was invertebrate and early life forms. At the time only a modest amount was known about stromatalites and cyanobacteria. The trace fossils of the soft bodied, multicellular, Ediacaran fauna were known but were considered "late" in geologic and biologic terms. The Burgess Shale community, made famous by Gould's "Wonderful Life" in the late '80s, was known, but the organisms were confusing and many have since been restudied and reclassified. Having been a leading actor in the field of microfossils and early bacterial life forms, Schopf puts everything into perspective in his book, making it virtually a history of research into the topic of life's beginnings.

Cradle of Life begins, as such books so often do, with a brief synopsis of Darwin and his theory of evolution, including most critically, its early problems. Thereafter Schopf begins a veritable "who's who" of early paleontology, giving short professional biographies of those who worked in the field as early as the 19th century. He points out where promising leads were suppressed by virtue of the lesser standing of the individual proposing them, and misleading theories given credence because they were proposed by someone of powerful academic credentials. Some of the tales are impressive object lessons in how things can go wrong for human reasons and why science ultimately "gets it right in the end."

One of the more interesting topics the author confronts is how our recent advances in the field of paleontology might help determine whether life exists or has ever existed elsewhere. The author provides an interesting perspective on the Mars meteorite "life forms" that shows how easily it is to be lead astray by high hopes, and how space research scientists can benefit by a familiarity with modern precepts applicable to early life studies on this planet.

The book goes into great detail about the discovery of early life, what forms evidence takes, how it can be mistaken, what information is derived from study of the remains, and what indirect evidence tells us about the early earth. It also discusses how life might have evolved from non-life, how it managed to get started so early, how the atmosphere changed and how that change affected the diversity of earth's biomass. For those who are only casually interested in the topic of fossils, this book might be a little too much information. I love this kind of stuff, but I could certainly see how others might find it incredibly boring. I doubt that those in junior high would find it rewarding, but those in senior high might have enough science background to understand and enjoy it. Certainly for anyone fascinated with science and by how paleontology works, this book will be right up your alley.

FOR THOSE WRITING PAPERS: in paleontology, biochemistry, biology, evolution, and history of science, this book would make an excellent bibliographic entry as well as a good source of topics. One might discuss how science works, how "authority figures" can derail even the best ideas, how science like other human endeavors are affected by culture, expectations, what is "known" already, etc., how progress in technology has allowed us to learn more about the distant past, how the tendency to specialize can delay progress, how a recent trend toward consilience (for which see Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge by E. O. Wilson) might lead to more rapid advances in science. One might compare the work by Nick Lane (see Oxygen: The Molecule that made the World) or by G. Cairns-Smith (Seven Clues to the Origin of Life) to this one to see how their perspectives are the same and how they differ. What do you believe is ultimately supported by the data?

Resolving Darwin's Dilemma.......2002-12-30

Schopf escorts us into the realm of deep time, introducing us to our earliest microbe ancestors found locked away in ancient rocks. The path is often vague and indistinct, but Schopf is a sure and eloquent guide. Not only has he traversed the route before, but he's helped select and clear the track. This fine book reflects Schop's lighthearted "trailside" manner. He fully enjoys scrutinising the rocks for early lifeforms, and the enjoyment is infectious. It's a pleasure to accompany him on this journey.

Of all the ideas of the origins of life, none proved more exciting than the experiments of Harold Urey and Stanley Miller. Their zapping of elemental chemicals to produce amino acids seemed the final answer to how it all began. Years of criticism of their work and assumptions led to the acclaim fading, but Schopf here attempts to resurrect its primacy. His argument relies on his findings of evidence of wide-ranging shallow seas - Darwin's famous "warm, shallow pond" as the place of life's origins. Schopf argues these seas were present at the same time simple life-forms emerged. In Darwin's time, the techniques for analysing the early rocks were limited. Today, as Schopf demonstrates, looking in the right place with the proper tools brings rich paleontological rewards.

After tracing the histories of several researchers in Pre-Cambrian fossils, Schopf goes on to illustrate the most recent finds and their significance. Some of the finds are beyond the realm of the rocks alone. His description of the process of polymer formation illustrates the beginning of complex chemistry leading from non-life to life. The distinction, as he notes, has become vague as research from many disciplines has been applied to evolutionary studies. As life progressed, it developed such talents as use of light energy, self-perpetuating activities, and the emergence of metabolism. He explains these processes in quite readable prose, but also depicts them with fine illustrations. It's a rare combination of multi-level presentation.

Schopf's tour takes us not only into deep time, but deep space. At the end of the book he examines the issues surrounding the "Martian meteorite" which was suspected to contain remnants of life on that planet. Schopf was the lone dissenter in NASA's presentation of the likely presence of micro-organism fossils. His disappointment in the presentation and the hype surrounding the proposal is keenly expressed. One of his proposals in this book is the universality of life's roots. Lifeforms of some level are almost inevitable on other worlds, given the necessary conditions. He argues the components are available throughout the cosmos, needing only the proper environment to start evolving. It would be exciting to detect evidence of past life on Mars, but meteorite ALH80001 didn't provide it.

Very Interesting.......2002-07-12

I don't really like biology. There is too much memorizing, and not enough math for my tastes. When I picked up this book, I figured I'd give it a try anyway. I had read Richard Fortey's book _Life_ (a good intro to the history of life) and wanted a little more depth. Boy did I get it.

This is a well written book. The first section is about the history of the quest to find these early fossils and the different theories. I found the stories interesting and fascinating, especially the encounter with Salvador Dali.

I don't want to give away any of the suprises. I found that he explained everything very well. I was able to follow the biological ideas and I have only had one class in college biology. I think if you have not had ANY biology knowledge you probably should get the basics down before reading this book.

But that shouldn't stop you from reading it. If you have any interest in how life started on Earth you have to read this book.

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