Learning Organizations The American Red Cross - 1464 Words

This course covered many important topics helpful in understanding learning organizations. This paper will incorporate real-life situations from my organization, The American Red Cross. It will focus on three areas I found to be most helpful and relevant to my experience which is the understanding of systems thinking, growth, and the need to practice reflection. Systems Thinking To begin understanding how organizations learn from and adapt to change it is important to understand the concept of systems thinking. â€Å"Systems thinking is the process of understanding how various systems influence one another within a complete entity (or larger system) (â€Å"Are You Living in a World of Chaos,† 2016). Senge uses the example of a rainstorm to explain these relationships because it is only when we consider the different events that occur before, during and after the storm will rainstorms make any sense (Senge, 1990, p. 6). Systems thinking is important for leaders to comprehend because it involves looking at the effects decisions might have across a business or organization. As I discovered during this 8-week course, there is a cause and effect relationships to our actions and it is important for leaders to pay close attention to the effect their decisions have across an organization. In October of this year I had the privilege of working with J. Harris who had been serving as a Project Lead for the development of a new department that I now work in. I was fortunate that he alsoShow MoreRelated The New Age Employee Essay1277 Words   |  6 PagesThe New Age Employee The Human Resource issue that I will be discussing in my paper stems from the American Red Cross. The first, thing I will discuss is the organization’s external environment and then the HR department’s internal system. In the external environment of the American Red Cross, there are several issues affecting the organization. For example, the U.S population is becoming more diverse according to demographics. Also, the number of donors and volunteer’s is steadilyRead MoreEthics of Red Cross1495 Words   |  6 PagesBoone Code of Ethics A Look at the American Red Cross Date: January 25, 2015 The American Red Cross has been known to be one of the most humanitarian organizations in the United States and throughout the world aiding and helping in different series of generous contributions in many disaster areas as well as bringing health care advancement to communities in the Unites States and in the world that need help in development (Dulles, 2014). For an organization it is important to make sure thatRead MoreAmerican Red Cross1157 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Red Cross is a non-profit organization that was created to assist people in time of need regardless nationality, race religious beliefs, class or political opinions. This national society has a long rich history and is one of the most identifiable humanitarian organizations in the nation. The mission of the American Red Cross is to alleviate and prevent human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. It promotes mutualRead MoreAssignment 1: the American Red Cross (Arc)1084 Words   |  5 PagesAssignment 1: The American Red Cross (ARC) While the Red Cross’ reputation soared immediately following the September 11th attacks in the wake of their good works, the organization was soon the target of public criticism.   By late October 2001, the Red Cross was being condemned by victims’ family members, politicians and the media for allocating a portion of its Liberty Fund towards future terrorist attacks, rather than addressing the needs of those who were directly affected on September 11Read MoreAssignment 3: the American Red Cross (Arc)† Essay1402 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 3: The American Red Cross (ARC)† October 28, 2012 HRM 522 Ethics Advocacy For HR Pro Determine the impact of this event on ARC’s â€Å"benefits of business ethics† (employee commitment, investor loyalty, customer satisfaction, and bottom line). Business ethics includes the principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business. The ethical behavior of a company is being judged and determined by its stakeholders. They may not always be right but their judgment affectsRead MoreEthical Issues Within the American Red Cross Essay760 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Red Cross (ARC) is an organization that was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton and established itself as the most well-known emergency relief organization devoted to the care of war victims, disaster victims, and the suffering worldwide. Unfortunately, the ARC has been plagued with a high executive turnover, slow response to disastrous events, and mismanagement of donation funds. These problems now have the ARC facing another problem, fixing their credibility for the future. The Red CrossRead MoreRed Cross Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesFederico Alcocer January 18, 2013 Mrs. Rivera 3B The Red Cross It was during 1919 in Paris after World War 1 had just finished, when the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was founded (IFRC). The idea of having such a symbol as a Red Cross came from Henry Dunant in 1859. It all started when Dunant witnessed a bloody battle scene in Solferino, Italy. Over 40,000 men laid dead or wounded in the battlefield without any medical help. It was from there and on whenRead MoreRed Cross Essay913 Words   |  4 PagesFederico Alcocer January 18, 2013 Mrs. Rivera 3B The Red Cross It was during 1919 in Paris after World War 1 had just finished, when the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was founded (IFRC). The idea of having such a symbol as a Red Cross came from Henry Dunant in 1859. It all started when Dunant witnessed a bloody battle scene in Solferino, Italy. Over 40,000 men laid dead or wounded in the battlefield without any medical help. It was from there andRead MoreBusiness Ethics1142 Words   |  5 Pagesethical environment of the organization. According to Ferrell amp; Faedrich (2010), a commitment by the organization to goodwill and respect for its employees usually increases the employees’ loyalty to the organization. The misconduct by executives, slow responses to disasters, money mismanagement, and donation mismanagement issues caused a division between the organization and its employees, investors, customers, and bottom line. The unethical behavior at American Red Cross (ARC) does not impactRea d MoreThe American Red Cross Website736 Words   |  3 PagesThe American Red Cross organizations main focus is recruiting blood donors and volunteers; this is very clear from the first click on their website-a pop up window asking for the reader’s zip code in order to find a donation site near them. The tabs up at the top labeled with large print are inferred to be their most valued ideas. Below each of those tabs is a list of resources related to those individual tabs that help better define their purpose. The American Red Cross website uses the all three