Decision-Making

1.     Which one of these ways did you personally use to handle the potential for chaos during the class decision-making exercise? 

The activity of decision-making that occurred in class had all elements such as frustration, self-serving behavior, people withdraws and many challenges. We were given 30 minutes to come up with a decision about grades and test improvement. The behavioral way was accommodation. At the beginning I was concerned about my grade and I thought in asking for an extra credit opportunity. When the professor gave the option of curve. I have to admit I did not know what curve a grade was. I was never give the option of extra 18 points in one exam. I accepted and I think was enough.

2.     Why did you choose this method? 

I chose the method of accommodation because I was happy with the curve. In addition, I was concerned that we did not get 100% agreement.

3.     What other methods did you observe in the class (examples?)? 

There were many different methods such as compete to win and many took the accommodation method. The method of compete to win was taken by all the people who went in front of the classroom.

4.     What OTHER way to handle conflict could you have chosen to get a more desirable result sooner and with less conflict? 

Another way will be to separate the class into four groups. Each group has to choose a leader and a solution for each group and discuss them instead of looking everyone solutions. 

Planning Process

In the class activity on egg planning, my group accomplished most of the planning process steps. At the beginning everyone had a different ideas but a member of the group came up with the right idea. The first step is problem definition; every member of the group knew the goal to be accomplished was to build and design an egg-protection device. We absolutely had a leader; he planned the best solution to create the device. The leader of the group planned to get everyone involved in the development. We discussed many possible plans. But we did not come up with a plan B. Another step in the planning process was to agree on solutions in which my group and I accepted the solution of the leader, which was rational and clever. In implementing the actions, everyone took part, some cut the straws, others put the straws together and others cut the tape. The last step was implementation to put the plan into action. The main goal was to get the extra points was not accomplished, because our egg broke.We learned that planning could be achieved following the right steps.

Culture Shock

My country of origin is Ecuador. My first day in the United States was amazing because I was living in a diversified country. But I was surprised that there were no people in the street where I live. In Ecuador there is always people in the street, children playing, dogs running and people talking with their neighbors. While in the U.S I noticed moms waiting for their kids to arrive on the school bus and go indoors for the rest of the day. Parents in the United States are overprotective with their children. When I went to school in Ecuador; I used to walk a lot by myself. My mom wasn’t afraid because my city was safe. I was also allowed to play outside and even in the rain; it was funny. In contrast with children in the United States spend most of their time indoors playing with video games and watching TV. Another difference is that for Latin Americans family is very important. This is show in a TV advertisement of IKEA. In addition, Americans are representing with a couple with no children in the same TV ad but in English. There is something in my culture that many people find unusual but for me it is normal. Ecuadorians eat guinea pigs while Americans have them as a peg.

a little bit about myself

My name is Sandra. My country of origin is Ecuador. I am from Mount Vernon, NY. I want to be an accountant and get a second degree in Fashion Design. I would like to be an entrepreneur in a future.