Al-Khwarizmi, a Pioneering Astronomer and Mathematician

Al-Khwarizmi, a Pioneering Astronomer and Mathematician Al-Khwarizmi​ was also known as Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. He was known for writing major works on astronomy and mathematics that introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals and the idea of algebra to European scholars. The Latinized version of his name gave us the term algorithm, and the title of his most famous and important work gave us the word algebra. What Professions Did Al-Khwarizami Have? Writer, scientist, astronomer, geographer,  and mathematician. Places of Residence Asia, Arabia Important Dates Born:  c. 786Died:  c. 850 About Al-Khwarizmi Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was born in Baghdad in the 780s, around the time Harun al-Rashid became the fifth Abbasid caliph. Haruns son and successor, al-Mamun, founded an academy of science known as the House of Wisdom (Dar al-Hikma). Here, research was conducted and scientific and philosophic treatises were translated, particularly Greek works from the Eastern Roman Empire. Al-Khwarizmi became a scholar at the House of Wisdom. At this important center of learning, al-Khwarizmi studied algebra, geometry, and astronomy. He wrote influential texts on the subjects. He appears to have received the specific patronage of al-Mamun, to whom he dedicated two of his books: his treatise on algebra and his treatise on astronomy. Al-Khwarizmis treatise on algebra, al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-jabr waÊ ¾l-muqabala (â€Å"The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing†), was his most important and well-known work. Elements of Greek, Hebrew, and Hindu works that were derived from Babylonian mathematics of more than 2,000 years earlier were incorporated into al-Khwarizmis treatise. The term al-jabr in its title brought the word algebra into western use when it was translated into Latin several centuries later.   Although it sets forth the basic rules of algebra, Hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala had a practical objective: to teach. As al-Khwarizmi put it: ...what is easiest and most useful in arithmetic, such as men constantly require in cases of inheritance, legacies, partition, lawsuits, and trade, and in all their dealings with one another, or where the measuring of lands, the digging of canals, geometrical computations, and other objects of various sorts and kinds are concerned. Hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala included examples as well as algebraic rules in order to help the reader with these practical applications. Al-Khwarizmi also produced a work on Hindu numerals. These symbols, which we recognize as the Arabic numerals used in the west today, originated in India and had only recently been introduced into Arabic mathematics. Al-Khwarizmis treatise describes the place-value system of numerals from 0 to 9 and may be the first known use of a symbol for zero as a place-holder (a blank space had been used in some methods of calculation). The treatise provides methods for arithmetical calculation, and it is believed that a procedure for finding square roots was included. Unfortunately, the original Arabic text is lost. A Latin translation exists, and though it is thought to be considerably changed from the original, it did make an important addition to western mathematical knowledge. From the word Algoritmi in its title, Algoritmi de numero Indorum (in English, Al-Khwarizmi on the Hindu Art of Reckoning), the term algorithm came into western usage. In addition to his works in mathematics, al-Khwarizmi made important strides in geography. He helped create a world map for al-Mamun and took part in a project to find the Earths circumference, in which he measured the length of a degree of a meridian in the plain of Sinjar. His book Kitab surat al-ará ¸  (literally The Image of the Earth, translated as Geography), was based on the geography of Ptolemy and provided the coordinates of approximately 2,400 sites in the known world, including cities, islands, rivers, seas, mountains, and general geographical regions. Al-Khwarizmi improved on Ptolemy with more accurate values for sites in Africa and Asia, and for the length of the Mediterranean Sea.   Al-Khwarizmi wrote yet another work that made it into the western canon of mathematical studies: a compilation of astronomical tables. This included a table of sines, and either its original or an Andalusian revision was translated into Latin. He also produced two treatises on the astrolabe, one on the sundial and one on the Jewish calendar, and wrote a political history that included the horoscopes of prominent people. The precise date of al-Khwarizmis death is unknown. Sources Agarwal, Ravi P. Creators of Mathematical and Computational Sciences. Syamal K. Sen, 2014th Edition, Springer, November 13, 2014. OConnor, J. J. Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi. E. F. Robertson, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Scotland, July 1999. Surhone, Lambert M. (Editor). The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing. Miriam T. Timpledon, Susan F. Marseken, VDM Publishing, August 10, 2010. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Al-Khwarizmi. Encyclopaedia Britannica, July 20, 1998.

Organizations as Machines and Systems of Political Activity

Organizations as Machines and Systems of Political Activity An effective leader should understand major principles of organizational change, development and behavior. Morgan (2006) introduced (and provided an in-depth analysis of) certain metaphors to use to evaluate organizations’ effectiveness.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizations as Machines and Systems of Political Activity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These metaphors help analyze effectiveness of the organizational structure and behavior; it can also help evaluate performance of the company and each employee (Renz, 2009). It is possible to consider two metaphors to illustrate this point. Organizations as machines and organizations as systems are two metaphors which can be used to evaluate different aspects of the organization. Organization as a machine is a metaphor that depicts the organization as a machine where all systems work according to some algorithms (Morgan, 2006). Departments are seen as di fferent subsystems of a single machine. The major focus is made on productivity and performance. Such concepts as bureaucracy and technocracy become central. In terms of this metaphor, organizations function according to a plan with no deviation (Morgan, 2006). This metaphor can help evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy chosen. When seeing an organization as a machine, it is rather easy to trace deviations from the plan if any. Performance can also be easily evaluated as it is rather easy to check whether the organization or a particular employee reaches goals set (or even starts working on time) or not. Nonetheless, there is a drawback in this metaphor which prevents leaders from evaluating interpersonal relationships within the company. However, effective leaders should be aware of the relationships existing in the company (Kinicki Kreitner, 2009). The use of this metaphor is also ineffective when concentrating on the change and development of new creative ideas as machines do not create, they only perform. Another metaphor can help focus on relationships within the organization. Unlike the metaphor considered above, the present one does not focus on performance or efficiency. According to Morgan (2006), it is possible to consider the organization as a system of political activity. Thus, such concepts as leadership, power, conflict and relationships come to the fore. In terms of this theory, the leader can trace a variety of links between employees and departments. This can help the leader understand needs and aspirations of the employees, which, in its turn, will help to develop proper approaches applicable in various situations with different individuals.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this organizational metaphor prevents the leader from properly evaluating efficiency and performance of the employees and the entire compa ny. It is hardly possible to trace development of innovative ideas. This metaphor is rather ‘narrow’ as it focuses on a particular aspect of organizational behavior. Remarkably, the two metaphors focus on different concepts and are somewhat ‘narrow’. Nevertheless, when used together, these metaphors can help evaluate performance of the organization. More so, leaders should exploit all the metaphors revealed by Morgan (2006) as they reflect a particular facet of organizational development. The use of these metaphors will help the leader get a complete analysis of an organization. In conclusion, it is possible to note that Morgan’s metaphors are helpful when it comes to analysis of organizational behavior. Each metaphor focuses on a particular facet and, hence, it is important to use all the metaphors to have all the necessary data to develop proper approaches and leadership strategies. More so, it is vital to switch between the metaphors in different periods of the organization’s lifetime as sometimes leaders should pay more attention to particular concepts. Reference List Kinicki, A., Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational behavior. Burr Ridge, ILL: McGraw Hill. Morgan, G. (2006). Images of organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Renz, L.M. (2009). Metaphor: Imagery devices used by Morgan to describe organizations as culture and psychic prisons. Emerging Leadership Journeys, 2(1), 54-65.