Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

Peter Drucker: The Rise of Knowledge Workers

Are we living in the age of a knowledge worker? What type of work is considered “knowledge work”? Knowledge workers as those who use the knowledge acquired through formal education to produce results—in other words, people who think for a living. According to Peter Drucker, knowledge workers are, in effect, executives because, whether or not they supervise others, they make the same types of decisions as managers as opposed to following orders. Read about the rise of the knowledge worker and its implications for the economy at large.

Eliminate Time-Wasting Activities in 4 Easy Step

What are three to five time-wasting activities that affect your day-to-day work? Can you think of ways to reduce the amount of time you spend on them? Wasting time on things that don’t produce results is unfortunate but unavoidable. In his book The Effective Executive, management consultant Peter Drucker offers four-step advice on how to minimize time-wasting activities and free up time for tasks that yield real, tangible results. Follow these four steps to root out your time-wasters.

Marcus Aurelius: Meditations Quotes

Looking for Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations quotes? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? Many scholars consider Meditations, written by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, to be one of the definitive texts on Stoicism. Stoicism is a philosophy that originated in ancient Greece and its central idea is that rational thinking can guide you through any hardship and allow you to endure any pain. Below are some quotes and passages that highlight some of the key Stoicism concepts and ideas discussed in the book.

The Discovery of the Microwave Background Radiation

What is microwave background radiation? What does cosmic radiation tell us about the universe? The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) is thought to be the remnant radiation from the Big Bang origin of the universe. CMB is basically the evidence that the universe had a beginning, and that this beginning was marked by the Big Bang explosion. Keep reading to learn about the discovery of the microwave background radiation.

Uniting General Relativity vs. Quantum Mechanics

What is general relativity vs. quantum mechanics incompatible? Is it possible to unite the four forces with the subatomic particles? The predictions of relativity, which deal with phenomena on the massive, universal scale, break down when applied to the subatomic level of quantum mechanics. Uniting quantum mechanics and relativity is one of the great challenges to establishing a complete theory of the universe. Keep reading to learn about the general relativity vs. quantum mechanics dilemma.

How to Think Big: The 5 Things Big Thinkers Do

What does it mean to “think big”? What sets apart a big thinker from a regular person? When you learn how to think big, you will become fully aware of your abilities. You will have the self-respect and confidence to know you’re worthy of the job, the relationship, or the promotion. Your possibilities will be endless. Here are five things that big thinkers do differently.

Healthcare Conglomerates and the Pricing Effect

How do healthcare conglomerates work in America? What effect do they exert on the pricing of drugs in the United States? In the United States, healthcare systems in local regions have consolidated to provide negotiating power against employers and insurers—this has resulted in the pricing effect. Studies show that healthcare conglomerates in concentrated markets cause prices to increase by over 20%. Keep reading to learn about the rise of healthcare conglomerates and their implications for the United States healthcare market.

Peter Drucker: Efficiency and Effectiveness Dichotomy

What is the difference between efficiency and effectiveness? Which attribute do you think is more important when it comes to organizational performance? When it comes to results, Drucker differentiates between efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency is getting a lot of things done, while effectiveness is choosing and getting the right things done. Keep reading to learn about Peter Drucker’s efficiency and effectiveness dichotomy.

Decoded: Is the Universe Finite or Infinite?

Is the universe finite or infinite? Does the cosmos extend forever or does it have a boundary? The universe is always in the state of expansion but it cannot be infinite. In an infinite (and static) universe, every point of observation would arrive at a star (because there would be an infinite number of stars), but this is clearly not the case (this is known as Olbers’ paradox or the “dark night sky paradox”). Here is why our universe cannot be infinite.

Quarks: Particles of the Weird, Subatomic World

What is a quark? How do the particles that are quarks relate to atoms? What role do they play in the universe? Quarks are subatomic particles that combine by means of a strong force to make up protons and neutrons which in turn make up the nuclei of atoms. In studying quarks, we are looking at the most elemental building blocks of our universe. And it turns out that our knowledge of quarks is the key we can use to unlock a great deal about our universe. Learn about the discovery of quark particles, their types, properties, and more.