This assignment...and thoughts I thunk

I have an assignment due on Monday. Normally, I am a decent writer; however this particular class I am currently taking is working up my anxiety levels. It's Management for Organizations in which I have already learned an incredible amount of information. (hoping to apply this new found knowledge SOON in the church scene)

Anyhow, it's getting a bit on the techy side of things-not my forte. Sometimes it seems like my classes aren't necessarily intended to "teach" a subject but instead are intended to allow one to "practice" a subject. I am only in my second week in this class, and most of the discussions have been geared towards solving major problems within an organization...I thought I was attending school to learn how to do it, not to share my wealth of knowledge (or lack of in this case) with my fellow classmates. Anyhow, here is my assignment:

Prepare a three (3) page paper to submit to your instructor. Select an industry that you are familiar with, or that is suggested by the instructor. Analyze the industry in terms of:

a. General environment � how will the forces be changing over the next three years and how will these forces impact the industry (for example, demographics � aging population)?

b. Task environment � look at the task environment from the perspective of a team (for example, who are the suppliers?); identify the forces and how they are affecting the organization.

c. In summary, provide a general discussion on the impact of the environment on the organization and the decision(s) of the managers. How is the corporate culture of the organization influencing behavior and how the organization functions?

So my weekend is doomed to be consumed with the task at hand. I'm not complaining mind you, I'm really just thinking out loud-well, in blogville. Any suggestions from my brainy friends? James? Are you out there? I mean seriously, if I had real answers to some of these questions I would be a quadrillionaire.

Another thought I thunk today was revolving around another discussion I took part in, (did that actually make sense? I think its past my bedtime) and that is the concentration we put on a CEO or a manager of a great organization. We tout them and practically worship the ground they walk on, consider their companies to be the top in the nation to work for not only because of what THEY can do for US or their employees, but also their extreme financial success; however, in reality all they are is someone who slipped in and is now carrying the work load and continuing to push through something based on groundwork someone ELSE laid down. I'm curious to know HOW the organization got where it is -not necessarily who is getting all the credit for it now. Whose blood, sweat and tears created the productivity and economic value so many are enjoying now? Well, perhaps by the time I graduate I will have been enlightened a bit.

I am rambling a lot about nothing important. Its just my candystick for the hour. In the morning it will be all about making pancakes and bacon for the fam and throwing on a few loads of laundry. Cheerio!