Monday, September 30, 2019
Oraganization Behavior
Course Overview:What do you need to do to distinguish yourself in the workplace? Clearly, technical skills are necessary. But they are not enough. Frequently, technically skilled individuals are not able to get their ideas implemented. Sometimes ideas get implemented but without real commitment to them. To be successful in an organization, a person needs to be able to function effectively in interacting with others. Interpersonal skills such as communicating well, handling conflict, building relationships, exercising power, and motivating others are necessary to be a successful manager. The knowledge and skills learned in this class should enable you, with practice and commitment, to contribute more meaningfully to any group or organization to which you belong.Course Objectives:Having taken this course, you should be able to: 1) Better diagnose ââ¬Å"problemsâ⬠that may be causing difficulties in the workplace. 2) Think more critically and systematically about these problems. 3 ) Recognize opportunities for organizational improvements. 4) Translate theoretical knowledge into practical action more effectively. 5) Work more collaboratively in a team. 6) Speak and write more clearly, concisely, and effectively. 7) Exercise power so that others follow your direction. 8) Develop better insight into what makes you ââ¬Å"tickâ⬠.Course Materials:1. Two cases should be ordered from Harvard Business School Publishing (hold off on ordering for the first four weeks of class): (a) Jet Blue (#9-801-354) and (b) Thomas Green: Power, Politics, and a Career Crisis (#2095). It is possible that a third case may be added to this list. 2. There will be a number of handouts. 3. There is no textbook for this course. Rather, I will rely on your getting access to several articles that are available online through our library (if you need help accessing these, please let me know). The articles are also available in our library. You also may be able to find articles via a Web search using a browser such as Google. A couple of articles will be handed out. I would recommend that you get a binder or a folder to hold the class materials.Course Requirements:I will post announcements on the courseââ¬â¢s website concerning assignments. If you are unclear on what is due or what will be covered in the next class, send me an email. 1. Attendance: Your attendance is critical for the success of this course and for your individual performance. If you miss a class, you are responsible for the material covered. 2. Participation: Students are expected to participate during class discussions of cases, handouts, videos, and readings. I encourage you to bring relevant issues from the ââ¬Å"real worldâ⬠to our attention. 3. Assignments: (more detail will be provided during class and via web site announcements). Ã
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Bismark Attack Paper
Bismarck exemplifies the best in effective leadership. While his methods may have been temporarily distasteful, his successful ends for Germany more than justified his means to achieve them. (ATTACK) Otto Von Bismarck spent 10 years working for at united Germany in an attempt to shift the balance of power in Europe. He was once quoted as saying ââ¬Å"People don t make nations, strong leaders and wars doâ⬠, and he was more than willing to sacrifice his fellow Germans for his vision of a powerful Germany.Even with the great idea to bring Germany together, I believe it was the farthest example of the best in effective leadership. In fact based on the video and research I believe Bismarck used blackmail and temper tantrums to get his way which is not the mark Of a great and powerful leader. When the King of Prussia asked Bismarck to be his Prime Minister, he wanted Bismarck to unite all Germans under one power, and one crown. He had a parliament that wouldn't pay their military and needed a way to get allGermans from the Saxons, Bavarian and Hessians to unite and become a stronger county. Bismarck believed he was being led by God to bring all of Germany together. This to me sounds very Hitler-issue and very much like someone who is going to step on everyone in his path to get what he wants. He attacked Denmark and then Austria, even though the King of Prussia was against it. While see where his thought process was, and why he attacked to unite his country, the King was very hesitant to have ââ¬Å"Germans shooting at Germansâ⬠.After the wars, Bismarck had what he wanted as far as national pride and Germans having a sense of country and dedication to the father land. This is where his effectiveness as a leader ends. The Prime Minister then decided to provoke France into a war. He wanted to make sure no one would try and intervene in German affairs and bring some of the smaller German states out of the nation as a whole. He then adds insult to injury by su ggesting a German prince become the new ruler of Spain, which France vehemently denied.Bismarck had become so power angry and now longer concerned with German affairs that he was blinded to what was going on. There was no need to provoke the French into a war for pointless gains. Bismarck had no need for the French territory but was more concerned with himself and his legacy than his people. Being out only for himself and provoking other countries needlessly is by no means an effective leader much less a great one.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Hitler and the crime against humanity Research Paper
Hitler and the crime against humanity - Research Paper Example Crimes against humanity are described as offenses that are abhorrent in nature, which affects the dignity of a human being. It is grave humiliation or degradation of one or more human beings at the same time. Such events are either part of some government policy or they might be a wide practice of atrocities tolerated or ignored by the government. However, these are not isolated or sporadic events. If acts such as murder, extermination, torture, rape, political, racial or religious persecution are a part of widespread practice, then only they are considered as the crimes against humanity.In other words, crimes against humanity are attacks, which are widespread and systematic on the civilian population, irrespective of the fact whether people are nationals or non-nationals. In addition, irrespective of the fact whether the crimes are committed in times of peace or war. These crimes are such, which are against the humanity, and such that they violate the human values and rights. Accord ing the international law ââ¬Ëwar crimesââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëgenocideââ¬â¢ fall in the same category as ââ¬Ëcrimes against humanityââ¬â¢ (Holocaust, genocide and crimes against humanity, pp 7-8). A systematic, state sponsored, persecution and slaughter of round about 6 million Jews and many other ethnic, secular and religious groups by the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler is popularly known as the Holocaust.Among the six million Jews, two-thirds of the total European Jewish population and two-fifths of the Jews in the entire world were slaughtered. Among the other nationalities which suffered under the holocaust, there were the Poles, Czechs, Greeks, Gypsies, Serbs, Ukrainians, Russians, homosexuals, mentally and physically challenged, trade unionists, prisoners of war, Jehovah witnesses and many others. It was because of the perceived racial inferiority that most of the people suffered. Adolf Hitler Germany was ruled by Adolf Hitler from 1933-1945. He governed as a dictato r. In 1939, Germany was turned into a powerful machine by Adolf Hitler and started World War II. In 1945 before he was defeated, he conquered most of the Europe Death was spread by Hitler as it was never spread by anyone.ââ¬â¢ Close your eyes to pity, Act brutally!ââ¬â¢ is what he told his soldiers. People who went against him were ordered to be executed or thrown into prison. If his orders were even resisted by one person, an entire family or at times hundreds of people of a town would be shot dead by his troops. Hitler had something against the Jews. He hated the Jewish people and he ordered them wiped out in countries that he controlled. There were numerous concentration camps set by the Hitler in which 6 million Jews and millions of other people were murdered. Before being murdered, many of these victims were tortured or starved to death. Many even died due to various diseases. Hitler wanted to be a priest when he was a young boy and he sang in a church choir. He hated Chr istianity as an adult and he believed that it was a religion for weaklings. Adolf Hitler started to get power and rise in power in 1919. This was in the year, when there was an end to World War 1. In the war, the old German Empire had been defeated. This led the economy of the country to lie in ruins. A small group of men had organized the National Socialist German Workersââ¬â¢ Party of whom Hitler became the leader. The members of the party were known as the Nazis. Hitler infiltrated a ray of hope among his followers that he can win back Germanyââ¬â¢s past glory. He promised that he would rebuild Germany into an empire, which would be mighty and would last a thousand years. Hitler threatened to wage a war and lied to gain territory of Europe after he became the dictator of Germany. Leaders of countries such as the Great Britain, France and others tried to prevent the war. They did this so that Hitler can have his way at first. When Hitlerââ¬â¢s hunger for power increased t hese countries joined to fight him. Hitler was famously known to be
Friday, September 27, 2019
ABC crisis intervention and how it is applied in a senerio Essay
ABC crisis intervention and how it is applied in a senerio - Essay Example There are many models of crisis intervention and the ABC model is one of them. To explore Mr. Jonesââ¬â¢ crisis, this paper will examine how the ABC model can be used to understand and bring the crisis under control. The ABC model is a three stage process that involves developing contact with the person. This contact has a deeper use as it enables a person to establish a conversation with the crisis victim. The second stage is the most important as it enables the person to identify the problem that brings the crisis. In this stage, the victim is also enabled to identify the psychological issues in the crisis. The final stage in the process involves identifying a method which the victim can use to cope with the problem (Kanel, 2011). In the case of Mr. Jones, and John, the social worker can use the model to identify the crisis that he is facing and what mechanisms can be used to help him cope with the problem. John used to be a frequent visitor to Mr. Jones. However, with the passage of time, he was no longer welcome to the house and this has brought about significant changes in the communication process between the two. To be able to intervene, the counselor must be able to establish and develop communication between him and Mr. Jones. This will be of great use in moving to the second step. Without well developed communication model, the second stage cannot accomplish its results since people are unlikely to open up to others if they do not feel comfortable. This stage, therefore, serves to open up the communication channel between the victim and the mediator. By making Mr. Jones comfortable to talk, the counselor will be able to extract information easily from him. This step will also involve explaining to Mr. Jones the purpose of the visit. The counselor will need to explain why he thinks there is a problem and what the visit aims to achieve. This will prepare Mr. Jones for the next stage and enable him to understand why he needs
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Discuss the important contributions that the education systems make to Essay
Discuss the important contributions that the education systems make to the state - Essay Example This essay stresses that more and more people now stay on for further and higher education, but are we raising false expectations? Employers who in the fifties would have been satisfied with quite low paper qualifications, now have very high standards., and so we find young people with a first degree unable to get employment in the field they want or, in some cases, any employment at all. One third of all graduates are said to never obtain employment at a true graduate level. So is all that time and study being wasted? It is well known that success in life is not necessarily linked to success in school. Albert Einstein failed early exams and believed that his wife had the better intellect of the two. Winston Churchill, great leader and winner of the Nobel prize for literature, had a mediocre school life. Shakespeare, another great Englishman attended his local school in Stratford, but as far as we know had no further or higher education. He probably started school at the age of 7 or 8 and left at about 15. So we see that society has benefited from great intellects, but these were not necessarily the result of great teaching. This paper makes a conclusion that education makes to the state. First of all you would have to agree on what constitutes education. Would you include only that which takes place in formal situations? What would you measure and what against? Literacy rates against gross natural product? Would you compare a countries rating according to the United Nations against a countryââ¬â¢s education budget?
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Teacher education in Qatar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Teacher education in Qatar - Research Paper Example A key aim of this study is to find out why TESOL education is floundering in Qatar, and suggest improvements to this situation using modern technology. The aim of the fieldwork is to identify barriers to the use of technology in TESOL and to propose strategies for integrating more technology into Qatari TESOL teacher training and thereby strengthen TESOL provision for all future students and teachers of English in Qatar. Empirical data is gathered by means of questionnaires and structured interviews. The aim of this fieldwork is to establish how technology is being used in teacher education and how far it meets the current needs of teacher trainees. The views of student teachers and their lecturers are gathered and compared, and any strengths and weaknesses are identified. The results are analyzed and recommendations are made on appropriate ways to remedy any deficiencies in TESOL teacher training provision in Qatar. Significance of the study in the Qatari context Along with other de veloping nations, most Arabic speaking countries in the Gulf region are engaged in a comprehensive program of reform in their education systems (Brewer et al. 2006). This is driven partly by forces of globalization, which make demands on the local population such as an ability to speak foreign languages and operate in a multi-cultural work environment, and partly by internal adjustments to phenomena like the need to train students and staff in the use of new technologies (Alghazo, 2006) and a drive for quality improvement across the board.board. There has been an increasing privatisation of schools, in line with Ministry of Educationââ¬â¢s policy since 2009, and this places considerable demands on the teacher training programmes which supply newly qualified teachers and some in service training to these schools (Constant et al, 2010). Qatarââ¬â¢s program of education reform is at a critical stage in its development. On the one hand great progress has been made in agreeing new priorities, both in terms of teaching methods and attainment targets, but on the other hand, the lingering presence of outdated methodologies and practices in the classroom is holding students back from achieving the best possible outcomes. English was made compulsory throughout Qatari schools, colleges and universities , and there has been an increasing emphasis on providing subject specific tuition in English as well as pure English language classes (Mansareh, 2011). Very recently, however, there has been a partial revision of this policy, with a new ministry decree encouraging some university courses to revert back to Arabic, and the likelihood that schools may follow suit (Fenton, 2012). There appears to be an on-going debate at the highest level in Qatar about the effectiveness of its English language provision, and its place in the education system. It is vital that the gap between Qatarââ¬â¢s ambitions for English language education and its current practice, is understood, along with the reasons why these problems remain, and potential solutions for addressing any deficiencies. Despite a long tradition of teaching English in Qatar, some of the results have not been ideal. It may be unrealistic to make up for deficiencies in previous planning and practices, but it is both possible and necessary to make better plans for the present and future. Teacher educational programs are the key to the future of Qatarââ¬â¢s education system, and so this study uses a literature review to
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Terrorism - Research Paper Example FBI definition of terrorism has been one of the most used in understanding this concept; FBI defines terrorism as the unlawful use of violence or force against property or persons in an attempt to coerce or intimidate a civilian population, a government, or any sort of segment to further certain social or political objectives (White, 2012). In order to understand how the definition of terrorism is impacted upon public and societal perspective and how it changes over time, this paper will address several questions regarding the Irgun. Irgun, also referred to as The National Military Organization in the Land of Israel was a militant Zionist underground group that was actively mainly between 1931 and 1948 during the British control in Palestine (Bowyer, 1977). The group broke from the earlier Zionist paramilitary organization that was known as Haganah. The Irgun was founded on the policy of Revisionist Zionism that stated that each Jew had the right of entering Palestine and that only a ctive retaliation could deter Arabs, and that Jewish armed force that is armed was the only one capable of ensuring the Jewish state (Pedahzur and Arie, 2009). Irgun committed assassination and terrorism acts against the British, whom it considered as illegal occupiers; also Irgun committed violence acts against the Arabs. After the state of Israel was created in the 1948, Irgun was disbanded and absorbed into the Israel Defense Forces (Eisenstadt, 1985). Irgunââ¬â¢s stated motivation and goal for their military actions was to establish a Jewish state on the either sides of the Jordan (Bowyer, 1977). This motivation and goal was informed by the Revisionist Zionism policy which Irgun was founded upon that stated that each Jew had the right of entering Palestine; only active retaliation which involves force and violence can deter the Arabs; and only armed force of the Jews would ensure the Jewish state. Apart from the King David Hotel acts by the Irgun, the group undertook other vi olent actions to achieve their goals. One of the other violent actions by Irgun included the ââ¬Å"Sergeants Affairâ⬠in July, 1947 which involved hanging of the hostages (two British Sergeants) after the British had confirmed the death sentences for the Irgun members (Shlaim, 1995). The other violent action by the Irgun is what was referred as the ââ¬Å"Acre Prison Breakâ⬠where the Irgun undertook one of their largest operations of a prison in Acre; this raid allowed 41 of its members to escape from the prison. Another violent action of the Irgun was the bombing of the British Embassy located in Rome, on October 31, 1946, where close to half of the building was destroyed and at least 3 people injured (Bowyer, 1977). The violent actions of the Irgun mainly targeted the British officials and soldiers, as well as the Palestinian Arab civilians and fighter
Monday, September 23, 2019
Mobile Jacuzzis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Mobile Jacuzzis - Essay Example In addition, the decision to hire is justified because it would reduce the efforts and hustles needed in the course of maintaining it. Besides, this would help to reduce disappointments especially in case the Jacuzzi fails to function when needed. Mobile Jacuzzi always comes with everything set including clean and warm water. On the other hand, since not everybody would afford to buy and install Jacuzzi, hiring one at a time when families want to enjoy would be convenient and less expensive. In another dimension, the demand for mobile Jacuzzi cannot be underestimated because every family would like to have some time to enjoy. In addition, given the fact that mobile Jacuzzi would only come at affordable prices, the need for families to enjoy would grow now and then as long they are able to afford. Mobile Jacuzzi can be argued to be marketable because higher, average, and lower classes can afford to hire it as opposed to buying, installing and maintaining it. To some people especially the rich, mobile Jacuzzi stops from being a luxury to being a want. After a long day of hustles and tiresome activities, mobile Jacuzzi would offer a good opportunity for such people to relax their minds. In addition, mobile Jacuzzi is more convenient especially to people that would want to have a break from the boring environment. They can have it brought to their convenient place where they want to enjoy. In light of this, it can be argued that mobile Jacuzzi is well positioned to contain the value that every person would want to have. For instance, persons with distress and other psychological disorders are believed to have their conditioned relieved whenever they take time to do things that they love. Some people consider taking sometime using mobile Jacuzzi as one of the ways in which they can relieve their distressing issues. Analytically, it is correct to argue that mobile Jacuzzi has all the value attached to it that
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
Management - Essay Example Job experiences can help the managers understand the demands and challenges that might be faced for every job position; the awareness of such aspects directs the individual towards effective management. Question 2 The following approaches have been recommended for the proposed employee development program: Job Rotation: Job rotation is an effective employee development approach to make the individual aware of the whole process and business operations that take place in the workplace (Job Rotations). The assignment of the individual at different positions will facilitate the acquisition of experience for different tasks and will make the individual value the relevance of each job position. Temporary Promotion: Another recommendation is to promote the capable employees for a certain period of time to provide them the valuable experience of being a manager. This also helps the top management to analyze their performance as a manager and their adapted strategies to handle critical situat ions. References Basic Skills for Project Managers, McGraw Hills, 2000, Print. ââ¬Å"Job Rotationsâ⬠, Individual Learning Strategies, n.d. Web. 22 April 2011.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Raising Our Native Sons Essay Example for Free
Raising Our Native Sons Essay During the modern era, there was an overwhelming sense of optimism due to the nationââ¬â¢s booming economy. There was a generalization that any citizen could work hard and become successful. However, this was not always the case in American society. Not everyone was given equal opportunity to thrive and succeed. This struggle was expressed in various literary works. In is novel Native Son, Richard Wright uses symbolism and irony to attack race issues and oppression in order to suggest that African Americans should have equal opportunity as whites. Throughout the novel, the protagonist, Bigger Thomas faces persecution and mistreatment simply because of the color of his skin. This racism appears early in the novel when a rat is encountered in his apartment. Biggerââ¬â¢s mother is disgusted by the gross creature she finds wandering in the familyââ¬â¢s apartment. She proclaims her disgust and fear of the rat by saying, ââ¬Å"Lord, Lord, have mercyâ⬠¦ that sonofabitch could cut your throatâ⬠(10). Through this duologue, the readers realize the harsh treatment and attitude the rat is receiving from Biggerââ¬â¢s family. They are scared and afraid of the rat, even though it means no harm and is merely trying to surviving with the living conditions it has been given. This demonstrates the overall racism towards blacks throughout the book as they are treated poorly and set up to fail. Like the rat, they are considered the lowest of the low who scavenge off others to survive. They are treated as a threat that only causes harm and need to be rid of. Also, Bigger faces racism head on at home. When playing with his friends, they ââ¬Å"play whiteâ⬠. This game attempts to imitate the way whites act in society. During this game, Bigger and his friends unknowingly play out the white people has having superior power over the whites. This demonstrates that the racism is engraved into their heads, even at a young age. This sets them up to fail from a young age by starting them off as knowing that they are considered inferior to the white people. As the book continues, Biggerââ¬â¢s story becomes a point of attention in the south side of Chicago. The newspaper reporters are gathered around preparing to write an article on Biggerââ¬â¢s recent crime. They are collaborating withà each other in order to create the best story possible. One of the reporters says, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m slanting to the primitive negro who doesnââ¬â¢t want to be disturbed by white civilization.â⬠The conversation continues with another reporter saying, ââ¬Å"mention his foreign sounding nameâ⬠(201). The reporters are bouncing ideas off each other in order to write the best story for the readers. They mention how they are going to purposely define Bigger as a member of the African American community. This simple dialogue represents a much larger meaning within the novel. The reporters immediately turn to race in order to demonize Bigger. They call him ââ¬Å"primitiveâ⬠and point out his name in an attempt to dissociate him from white society. This display of racism conveys the treatment of African Americans as outcasts of mainstream society. In addition to this, the media is only aiding in the continued validity of this stereotype. The more the media portrays blacks as animals and creatures, the more they are attacked by mainstream white society. As a result of this, the blacks are suppressed more and more, causing them to become more and more desperate. This vicious cycle of racism and oppression is ongoing as society feeds off the harsh portrayal of African Americans by the news outlets. Wright brings attention to the overwhelming effect that oppression can have on an individual or group. Bigger is continuously oppressed throughout his life. After attempting to escape from the police, Bigger is captured and brought down to the street from a rooftop. He was dragged down the stairs with his head banging on every step. He found himself lying on his back in the snow, pinned down by his wrists and surrounded by a circle of this faces. The angry crowd shouts at Bigger. Roars from the crowd include, ââ¬Å"Kill ââ¬Ëimâ⬠¦ Lynch ââ¬Ëimâ⬠¦ Kill that ape!â⬠(253). The crowd is angry at the black man who has caused so much trouble to the white folk. When they finally capture him, they all seem to unite as one when shouting insults as if they have has a triumph by holding down this young black man. This unity represented the overpowering superiority of white society over that of the blacks. Although each individual is their own person and saying their own comments, all Bigger sees and hears is an overbearing common force. To Bigger, he does not see the individuality in each white person; he sees them as all members of the same group all with a common goal of suppressing his dreams. In addition to seeing all whites as a blanket of oppression, he is almost shameful of himself when around them.à While sitting in an interview, he sits in Mr. Daltonââ¬â¢s office with him. Bigger enters the room and does not make eye contact. He stands in a corner with his head down, being careful not to make eye contact with Mr. Dalton. Bigger knows the role that he has in society as well as the room. He is careful to not do anything to upset the white man for fear of potential punishment. This shame is built off the fact that he has been repetitively told and taught that he is inferior. This repeated oppression leads Bigger to act differently around white people, further placing him in to the mold of a non-productive member of society. Bigger feels as if he has been able to make very few decisions for himself his entire life. This suppression was put on him right from the start. Once he realizes his fate and is sitting on his cot, he thinks back on his life. He had always lived with the premonition that he would be sentenced to the electric chair. Once this becomes a reality, Bigger feels a sense of freedom that he has never felt before. He wonders to himself why he ââ¬Å"put himself into the shadow of the electric chair only to find out this? Had he been blind all along? But there was no way to tell now. It was too lateâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (335). He realizes that he lived his entire life under the shadow of fear of the electric chair. Once he realizes that he is actually doomed for the chair, he assumes that he should live his live with complete freedom with the remaining days he has left. He concludes, however, that it is too late to live with freedom since he wasted all of his previous days under the shadow. This shadow of oppression holds him back from living freely because he knows that his skin color limits his chances to succeed in life. Furthermore, Bigger can make choices that will only dig him deeper into a hole he cannot escape from. After lashing out and committing a murder, Bigger expresses his feelings that he has a sense of power for the first time in his life. By committing this murder, he has broken away from the limitations being placed on him. Although it was negative, he could not be stopped because he was not assumed to be capable of such a crime. This demonstrates that the oppressed are subject to hostility and more likely to lash out due to the poor treatment and lack of individual freedoms. By using irony and symbolism, Richard Wright brings light to the issue of race and oppression in America. He attempts to convey that blacks and whiteà should be given equal opportunity to succeed. Wright believes that African Americans are placed into a mold of failure, one that they cannot escape. The title ââ¬Å"Native Sonâ⬠suggests something about the treatment of the generation of young men we are raising in our country. All of our ââ¬Å"Native Sonsâ⬠, no matter what race, should be treated equally and be given ample opportunity to succeed.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Organizational Behavior in Health Care: Case Study
Organizational Behavior in Health Care: Case Study Preparing Staff for Transition According to Borkowski in her book on Organizational Behavior in health care, she depicts the numerous changes that individuals are anticipated to portray in cases of a changes in an entity. The area that the book has concentrated on more specifically is on the health organizations. Through the first three subtopic namely, diversity in health care, attitudes and perceptions in addition to workplace communication, she has focused her attention to providing the readers with concise and clear overview from a health care managers point of view. This particular knowledge will be helpful in outlining the crucial areas concerned in preparing staff transition when merging Springdale health organization with St Marys HMO. Among the number of aspects that an organizational behavior especially in a health setting looks into include diversity, motivation, stress, power, leadership, management, group dynamics and ways of approaching management changes (Borkowski, 2010). Borkowski has expounded adequately on each factor and how it can be approached and addressed. At the same time the author has presented, learning objectives, a number of activities like evaluations and self assessment exercises and case studies in each chapter to increase the readers comprehension on the different ideas that have been tackled in the chapter. To say that this text is not helpful to learners is an infringement; the text is arranged in a way that helps bring out the ideas and facts in an arranged organized manner that helps increase the comprehension of the readers. Both practical encounters and the theoretical parts of the book help bring out the rigor making it very applicable and appropriate to students both at the undergraduate and post graduate levels of education (Borkowski, 2010). Apart from the students, health care mangers are provided with a critical insight on comprehending the dynamics and problems that are deemed to be encountered at the work place. The book thus provides a solution into how different ideas should be approached in order to increase an organizations probability of achieving set targets and goals. Through this understanding, workers morale is improved and this leads to an increase in productivity. The book also provides practices and theories essential for health organizations. It is thus undisputable to say that the ideas brought forward by this text in regard to meeting and satisfying constant organizational behaviors that are challenging modern organizations. The text presents us with a myriad that confronts modern health organizations and how to successfully approach such instances. Diversities in workplaces Diversity in work places is one of the issues that the organizations should take into considerations if their organizations have to perform optimally. Diversity in work places involves the differences that are exhibited by the employees of the company. The differences as portrayed by the employees of the organizations are according to the race affiliations of the employees, the gender, religious faith professed, disabilities, sexual orientation, physical appearance and the nationality. The diversity in the places of work can be used as strength to the organization since people would come with the ideas that are meant to improve the performance of the organization and thus enable the organization to meet its goals and objectives. On the other hand diversity can be a source of failure to the organization especially where the management does not work to acknowledge different ideologies brought to the organizations. The management of the organization should come with ways to prevent poss ible conflicts in the organization as a result of the diversities exhibited by it employees (Borkowski, 2010, pp.15). In many organizations today they acknowledge that the diversity in the organization is the source of success to the organization. It would be absurd for the organization to hire people who thing alike because the generations of ideas would be limited and thus dismal performance of the company would be recorded. In order for the organization to tap the benefits brought by the diversity of their workforce, the organization should be geared towards forming diverse-work-relationship which is important to ensure the success of the organization. For the transition program to be successful, both Springdale health organization and St Marys HMO ought to come with the programs that are meant to reward diversities in work places for instance organize cultural fairs to acknowledge people of different cultures that are present in the organization, have maternal leaves in order to enable women in the organization have time to nurse their children and also have a way of rewarding skills and special talents possessed by the organization for instance through job promotions, monetary reward and recognition of the individual as having played an important role in the success of the company (Mathis, 2007). Workplace communication Effective communication is important in the organization just like in any relationship. In an organization the takes place every other time in form of issuing order to the employees of the company by the management or through the communication of the report or findings of a give assignment to the management by the employees of the company. Thus for the business organizations to ensure it successes in the industry, it should be in a position to ensure accurate, relevant and timely information is passed to the intended parties for decision making. In the organization the communications is made to different stakeholders constantly. Importantly the business is in communication with its employees. Communications can either be from the management giving policies to be implemented by the employees. On the other hand communication can be from the employees of the organizations communicating the findings of the assignment given by the management of the organization. Lack of the effective communications between the management the employees can lead to the frustrations and killing morale and thus dismal performance of the organization. The business is in communications with its customers when it wants to communicate on the delivery of goods to the customers, for instance. Like the customers of the organization communicate with the organization when they are placing orders, want to make payments for the goods supplied and when they want to lodge complains to the company. The organization is also in communication with its suppliers of th e raw materials to the company. When the company devises effective communications with all the stakeholders, it ensures success in the organizations; the effective communication is paramount in ensuring the company meets its goals (Borkowski, 2010, pp.72). There are many sources of lack of communications or presence of poor communication in the organization. In the organizations nowadays, lack of clear instructions from the management to the employees on the accomplishment of the tasks remains to be the major source of problem in the organization. It is pathetic to note that employees of the company lack the information they need to carry out a given task in this era where information is flooded in the society. When the instructions are not clear, the employees fail to perform that task and hence the organization fails to meet its goals and objectives. Effective communication in the organization is hindered by among other issues by the management creating a conducive environment where the information can be shared freely. Employees fear that when their share information in the organization would be reprimanded or intimidated and thus opt to keep quit rather than go through a humiliating ordeal. The management should come with the rewar ding systems that encourage the employees of the company to share their ideas and thus leading to improvement in working conditions and thus success of the organization. Another source of poor communication in the organization is the conflicts among employees themselves. Employees of the company may not be in good terms with other employees and thus inhibit sharing of the ideas. It is therefore the sole obligation of Springdale health organization and St Marys HMO organization to come up with systems that ensure the employees share information they have among each other and also avoid instances that would lead to conflicts for instance defining roles of every employee as defined in performance contract and also in organizational structure. Leadership Styles Kippenberger, (2002) says leadership deals with how much a person can influence and motivate people. Some have considered leadership to be innate, this implies that leaders are born; others have disputed this fact and have termed it to a blatant lie saying that leaders are made. Despite all this contradictions, they all agree that leaders are people who have the ability to guide and influence people towards achieving stipulated goals with the most effective means. How one becomes a successful leader is not defined by oneself or those above you, the people who define successful leaders are those under you. The degree of influence you inculcate in them towards a given direction is what will define how successful you are as a leader (pp.110). A number of leadership styles have been forwarded. A leadership style deals with the approach and manner of approaching, implementing and influencing a given group f people. The different leadership styles are applicable to different organizations and groups of people. This therefore means that, a style that is very fruitful in one organization may or may not be applicable to another organization or a given group of individuals. The different styles thus are applied to different entities and situations. Three types of leadership styles have been established and can be used by leaders depending on the situation at hand (Kippenberger, 2002, pp.110). Most leaders although, operate with one dominant leadership style with the others coming handy depending on the need. Paton McCalman (2008) considers autocratic leadership style to be used in giving directions and ultimatums. Leaders often employ such a style when they are directing their employees on what they want them to do and the way it should be done. This style is very appropriate in cases when there is an emergency and the leader wants to solve a given problems, when one is short of time and in instances when the leaders have managed to motivate their employees well. In some situations, a number of individuals have considered this leadership style as a yelling vehicle, where the leader is to use very demeaning words and language to employees and even abuse of power. This in regard to business can not be termed to as the authoritarian type of leadership but an unprofessional style that has no place in the leadership repertoire (pp.119). The other leadership style is referred to as the democratic leadership. This leadership style is involves the employees being included in the decision making processes because all the processes made in an entity will affect the people in one way or the other. The style allows the employees to identify what they will do and how. Despite the employees being allowed to bring their opinions and suggestions in to the decision making process, the leader is the one with the final say and maintains the final authority regarding all the decisions. When such a style is applied, many have considered it a weakness, rather it is a strength where the leader has the confidence the employees will be able to respect the democratic process and the decision arrived at. The democratic leadership style is applicable in cases where both parties have information i.e. the leader has some pieces while the other pieces are held with the employees (Kippenberger, 2002, pp.114). Employers do not have to know eve rything, and this is the reason as to why employers employ people who are knowledgeable and skilled. It is also applicable in makes the employees fell part and parcel of all the undertakings in the firm and thus they watch their entire single moves. Lastly, the third leadership style is the free reign or the delegative leadership style. The employees in this leadership style are allowed to make and arrive at their own decisions. Despite this, the leader is still in charge of everything and he makes the final call on decisions made. The style is applicable in cases where the employees have the competencies to analyze a situation and come up appropriate decisions and what to be done. It involves delegation of duties since you can not be able to do every thing. Groups and Teams In addition, both Springdale health organization and St Marys HMO, should strive to manage both the teams and the work groups. It should be acknowledged that all teams are a form of work group but not all work groups are teams. There are three types of work groups namely; dependent work groups, independent work group and interdependent work group. Dependent work group are under the control of the supervisors who control the whole group. Independent work groups are also under the control of the supervisor but the supervisor is the boss as it is the case in dependent work group. In interdependent work group, the members of the group rely on one another to have a certain task accomplished. The organization should ensure that the members of the work force work as a group in order to realize full potential of all workers in the organization. In this era where the organizations emphasize on the division of labor and specialization, an employee to perform in the are where they are best tale nted in, the organization should ensure that that every employee carry out a specific task in the group in order to have the maximum benefits for the entire organizations. Attitudes and Perceptions Though change is very inevitable, workers reacts to the idea with very mixed reactions. This is because change in any institution or condition will have to alter a thing or two. Especially with the current business environment, entities are geared towards attaining global standards for their survival. With the change taking place in organizations, there is a reflection on the emotions and psychological reactions of the labor force as they try to come up with resistance measures of the phenomenon. This means that if not well approached, a lot resistance shall be exhibited by the labor force. A very significant point regarding change is that it can not be forced down the peoples throats (Borkowski, 2010, pp.41). Change is accompanied by a number of ideas. There are those who may risk loosing their jobs, there may be the restructuring of the entire organization leading to being transferred to other departments and there may be complete new leaders who may come into the entity. Change in organizations has entirely been identified as the cause for depressions and stress among the workers in an entity. Borkowski (2010) asserts that the risks that accompany change are very fatal than any other business undertaking. Change the norms of an entity and trying to follow an unknown direction. This thus requires a lot of faith and having the trust that something better will take place. Workers believe that with change, they will loose their total control over the things they used to do in an entity. Taking a faithful leap among the employees is not an easy thing and most do not have the courage to take such risks, so the best they can do is try to resist the changes (pp.42). Motivational strategies The employees of the company should be well motivated in order to improve their performance in order for the realization of the goals of the organization. The employee should be appreciated and thus feel to be part and parcel of the organization; employees are one of the most valuable asset in the organizations and they should be handled well to ensure that the organization attains its goals. There are motivational strategies that have being identified that management of the organization could use to ensure that the employees are well motivated. One of the motivational strategies is team work; the management should form work group with the hope that the peer pressure among the employees would improve the performance of the organization. Team work as a motivation strategy has worked effectively since every employee would want to work hard to meet the expectations of other members of his group rather than the expectations of their supervisors. The second motivational strategy available to the organization is the personal involvement; the management of the organization should allow the employees to be involved in placing their standards. The employees should be allowed to make commitment of what they intend to achieve in the organization, this would give the employees the zeal to attain the goals they have set for themselves. Work enhancement is another motivational strategy; the work is structures in the organization in such a way that it has fulfillment to the employees. Management can motivate workers by issuing to them rewards either in form of monetary things or non monetary goods; this would make the employees to work hard in order to recoup the prizes offered by the management. The management also request for th e mutual exchanges as a way of motivation; the management may do some favor to the employee for the return of a given level of performance. The management can also place a competitive reward for the employees in form of a prize; the employees would work hard in order to receive the prize. And lastly the management can punish or inflict fear to the employees to ensure performance; the employee who does not performance is suspended of sacked and thus the employees would work hard to avoid such punishment (Brehm, 2004, pp.119). Resistance to Change There are a number of reasons that may make people to resist change. Some of the reasons are associated with the normal norms of the old firm and the people who would like to be identified by the old ways of the firm (Tobin, 2009, pp.30). People are identified as social beings, through this, we would like to remain attached and connected to some things and people especially those whom we know, those who we have learnt from and those that we are familiar with. It is this kind of royalty that helped our ancestors to defend themselves ands hunt (Kippenberger, 2002, pp.224). And to show its effect, we are much glued to those whom we know and resist any form of change that may seem to compromise these situations. Secondly, there may be resistance to change amongst the people of a given organization due to lacking role models in the new assignments that one is expected to take up. Through observation, one earns a lot and knowing that you will never have this learning opportunity compromises an individual making him resist changes. Tobin (2009) views lack of competence in new tasks to also lead to change resistance. New tasks may require new ideas, skills and knowledge and this may make people not to allow change to take place in an entity. This is especially if they perceive the changes as a danger to their existence and job security. For instance, in the merging in the case study above, it is clearly put that some employees will have to loose their jobs while others will be incorporated to other departments. This is a clear indication that change can never be welcomed into an organization if the employee considers the risks unbearable (pp.30). Conclusion In conclusion, the management of Springdale health organization and St Marys HMO should handle their employees well to ensure that the organization has met its goals and objectives. It should be noted that the employees of the company are the most important assets of any organization and that they should be managed effectively to ensure that the organizations perform optimally. The management of the organization should recognize that the diversity among the employees is the strength that should be exploited for the benefit of the organization. The management should ensure effective communication in the organization, sharing of relevant, timely and accurate information to all stakeholders in the organizations should be ensured for decisions making. The management should ensure that the employees of the organization are well motivated and thus ensure performance. History Of Oxfam: Non Profit Organisation History Of Oxfam: Non Profit Organisation (Oxfam International was formed in 1995 by a group of independent non-governmental organizations. Their aim was to work together for greater impact on the international stage to reduce poverty and injustice. The name Oxfam comes from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain in 1942. The group campaigned for food supplies to be sent through an allied naval blockade to starving women and children in enemy-occupied Greece during the Second World War. As well as becoming a world leader in the delivery of emergency relief, Oxfam International implements long-term development programs in vulnerable communities. We are also part of a global movement, campaigning with others, for instance, to end unfair trade rules, demand better health and education services for all, and to combat climate change. Today, there are 13 member organizations of the Oxfam International confederation. They are based in: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Quebec, Spain and the United States. The Oxfam International Secretariat is based in Oxford, UK. The Secretariat runs advocacy offices in Brussels, Geneva, New York and Washington DC) (www.oxfam.org/en/about/history). Oxfam Ireland (It works with people around the world to end the injustice of poverty. They are an independent and secular not-for-profit organization. Oxfam Ireland is a member of Oxfam International, a confederation of thirteen independent members. The members work together to achieve greater impact by their collective efforts).(www.oxfam.org/oxfamhome Oxfam is many different things. Its the organization which helps poor people to build a better future for them. Its the relief agency which brings help when disaster strikes. And Oxfam is the campaigner for a fairer world. Through our work in long-term development, emergencies and campaigning, Oxfam helps people to achieve their right to a life free from poverty, suffering and injustice) (www.oxfam.org). Im doing my workplacement in the Oxfam shop of Rathmines-Dublin 6. this shop considers as one of the Oxfam International branches. In this shop, they get various donations from the public. The work carried out by this shop, they sell good quality bric a brac, cds, books, homewares, clothes, shoes etc. They shops costumers those people who want to buy good quality and different thing at the same shop. Organisation Chart Oxfam shop- Rathminess Chart The structure of the shop as you see in the diagram is flat. Thats means the shop has relatively few levels in the hierarchy. The structure looks like span of control that the volunteers directly reporting to the manager. The explanation of the Chart The role of the manager The manager is fully responsible about the shop, how to make the budget for example about (purchasing, selling, pricing, coding, and sorting the donation which he/she gets it from the public. If the donators make a complaint whe/she will: investigate fully do her/his best to explain what went wrong try to put things right At this shop, she has own office, and she works with volunteers helping teaching them how they can get on. Deputy Manager She/he is fully responsible about the shop doing the same role when the manager is off. The staff (The Volunteers) The Volunteers in this shop are the staff of the shop, they are 45 volunteers, I put them in the diagram regarding to their presence over the week. On Monday, the shop has 6 volunteers, some of are student from second and third Level doing their Workplacement. On Tuesday, there are 10 volunteers. On Wednesday, there 8 volunteers. On Thursday, there 9 volunteers. On Friday there 9 volunteers. Finally, on Saturday, there 5 volunteers. Those volunteers are working together at very peaceful atmosphere and working very hard. After they know what they should do, they do pricing, sorting, coding the donations, so they help the manager a lot. My duties in this shop I come every Thursday and Friday (full day), I sometimes work at the Till, sometimes pricier, coder, sorter of the clothes and dealing with customers. (B) Scanning the Internal Influence on organisation: There two influences on the organisation (the Oxfam shop) Resource Base View (Typical answers might refer to : Excellent service Technical know-how Responsiveness to market needs Design and engineering capability Financial resources Basic principles of the RBV model RBV of the firm provides a rigorous model for analysing firms strengths and weaknesses Basic assumptions of RBV : Resource and/or capability heterogeneity : different firms possess bundles of different resources and capabilities Resource and/or capability immobility : Some of these resources and capabilities are inelastic in supply or costly to copy RBV posits that the sources of value creation are resources and capabilities Value = Consumer surplus + Producer profit To outperform industry norm, a company must create more value than its competitors Value Chain Analysis has two basic activities Primary Activities (Inbound logistics, goods or donations from the public of the shop being obtained from the shop suppliers ready to be used for producing the end product). (Notes given in the class). Operation, the raw materials and goods obtained are manufactured into the final product. Value added to the product at the stage as it moves through the production line. Outbound logistics, once the product have been manufactured they are ready to be distribute to distribution centres, wholesales, retailer or customers.)(Notes given the class). Marketing and Sales, Essentially an information activity informing buyers and consumers about products and services (benefits, use, price etc.) Service All those activities associated with maintaining product performance. (2) Secondary Activities Procurement, his concerns how resources are acquired for a business (e.g. sourcing and negotiating with materials suppliers) Human Resource Management, Those activities concerned with recruiting, developing, motivating and rewarding the workforce of a business. Technology Development, Activities concerned with managing information processing and the development and protection of knowledge in a business Starting point for a unifying strategic framework : THE RBV of the firm The RBV of the firm is grounded in economics RBV sees companies as different collections of physical and intangible assets and capabilities, which determine how efficiently, how effectively a company performs its functional activities Attributes competitive advantage to ownership of valuable resources and capabilities that enable a company to perform activities better or more cheaply than competitors Combines internal analysis with external analysis Resources Are defined as stocks of firm-specific assets Cannot be easily duplicated Cannot be easily acquired in well-functioning markets Examples: Patents and trademarks Brand-name reputation Installed base Organizational culture Workers With specific expertise or knowledge Contribute either directly (e.g., reputation) or indirectly (e.g., through serving as the basis of capabilities) to value creation Are converted into final products or services using bonding mechanisms such as IT, incentive systems, trust, etc. Sometimes non-specific resources (like buildings, raw materials, unskilled labor, etc.) are included in the definition of resources Resource categories : Financial capital Physical capital Human capital Organizational Capital Capabilities Are defined as cluster activities that a firm does especially well in comparison with other firms o May reside within business functions (e.g., AA yield management) o May be linked to technologies, product design (e.g., Honda engines) o May reside in firms ability to manage linkages between elements of value chain, i.e., coordination skills (e.g., Ford product development) o Refer to a firms capacity to deploy resources, usually in combination, using organizational processes to effect desired ends Information-based, firm-specific processes which are created over time through complex interactions between resources Key characteristics : o Valuable across multiple products and markets o Embedded in organizational routines (well-honed patterns of performing activities) o Tacit (i.e., difficult to reduce to algorithms, procedure guides) Resources and capabilities are distinct from key success factors Key success factors (KSF) Refer to the skills and assets a firm must have to achieve profitability in a particular market Market-level rather than individual characteristics Necessary, not sufficient for achieving competitive advantage (e.g., KSF in athletic footwear are development of new designs, management of a network of suppliers and distributors, creation of marketing campaigns) Predictors of firm profitability (like resources and capabilities) Resources and capabilities Are conceptually different from KSF Sometimes overlap with KSF A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS : VRIO Resource-based analysis of the firm determines which resources and capabilities result in which strengths or weaknesses Strategies are to be implemented which exploit (or build) strengths and avoid (or eliminate) weaknesses What constitutes a strength or weakness is partially a function of the external environment Framework for analysis: VRIO resources and capabilities should be o Valuable o Rare o Inimitable o Organization can effectively exploit them VALUE of resources and capabilities A VALUABLE resource or capability (or a combination thereof) must Contribute to fulfillment of customers needs At a price the consumer is willing to pay, which is determined by Customer preferences Available alternatives (including substitute products) Supply of related or supplementary goods Thus, value is partially a function of external environment (product market, demand forces) changes in consumer tastes, industry structure, technology, etc. can result in changed value Resources of different firms can be valuable in different ways (e.g., Timex versus Rolex) Value = Lowered costs or increased revenues or both SCARCITY of resources and capabilities Resources and capabilities must be in short supply to create competitive advantage (and go beyond competitive parity) What would happen if this were not the case? An analysis of the firms resources and capabilities must include critical assessment whether they are unusual when compared to those of competitors How rare does a resource have to be in order to have potential for generating a competitive advantage? Example of a rare resource: Wal-Marts point-of-purchase inventory control system To be a source of sustained competitive advantage the rarity of the resource must persist over time INIMITABILITY of resources dans capabilities Requirement for sustained competitive advantage Ease of imitation depends on Cost asymmetries (Do firms without a resource or capability face a cost disadvantage in obtaining it compared to firms that already possess it?) Capabilities of competitors Sources of cost asymmetries / cost disadvantages fall into two categories : Impediments to imitation : Impede rivals from duplicating critical resources and capabilities Early-mover advantages : Set in motion a dynamic that increases the magnitude of that advantage relative to other firms over time Impediments to imitation : Legal restrictions on imitation : Patents, copyrights, trademarks Governmental control over entry into markets (licensing), certification, quotas on operating rights) Superior access to inputs or to customers Market size and scale economies Intangible barriers to imitation Causal ambiguity Dependence on historical circumstances Other path dependencies Social complexity Degrees of resource and capability imitability Source: C. Montgomery, Resources: The essence of Corporate Advantage, Harvard Business School Case N1-792-064. à · Cannot be imitated : Patents, unique assets, unique locations à · Difficult to imitate : Brand loyalty, employee satisfaction, reputation for fairness à · Can be imitated (but may not be) Capacity preemption, economies of scale à · Easy to imitate : Cash, commodities ORGANIZING to exploit competitive potential of resources and capabilities The following elements must be in place in order to effectively exploit the resource(s) and/or capability(s): o Structure o Management and control systems o Compensation policies Business processes o Complementary resources and capabilities)(www.ecofine.com/strategy. (C) External influence on organisation This consist of PEST Analysis and Five Forces analysis PEST Analysis (A scan of the external macro-environment in which the firm operates can be expressed in terms of the following factors: Political Economic Social Technological Political Factors (Political factors include government regulations and legal issues and define both formal and informal rules under which the firm must operate. Some examples include: tax policy employment laws environmental regulations trade restrictions and tariffs political stability) Economic Factors Economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customers and the firms cost of capital. The following are examples of factors in the macroeconomy: economic growth interest rates exchange rates inflation rate)(www.quickmba.com/strategy/pest) Social Factors (Social factors include the demographic and cultural aspects of the external macroenvironment. These factors affect customer needs and the size of potential markets. Some social factors include: health consciousness population growth rate age distribution career attitudes emphasis on safety) Technological Factors (Technological factors can lower barriers to entry, reduce minimum efficient production levels, and influence outsourcing decisions. Some technological factors include: RD activity automation technology incentives rate of technological change)(www.quickmba.com/strategy/pest). Political Economical Social Technological Environment regulation and protection Exchange rate Income distribution Government research spending Tax policies, may affect on Oxfam as a whole Taxation Labor, social mobility New inventions and development Employment laws Economic recession Lifestyle change Rate of technology transfer Competition regulations Consumer confident for example: the Oxfam shop has many loyalty because of it Education Energy use and costs Safety regulation Inflation rate, when the government wants to reduce it. Fashion, hypes (Change in) Information Technology Political Stability Stage of the business cycle Living conditions (Change in) Internet Employment laws Interest rates Demographics, Population growth rate, Age distribution (Change in) Mobile Technology Five Forces Analysis Porters five forces is a framework for the industry analysis and business strategy development developed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979. It uses concepts developing Industrial Organization (IO) economics to derive five forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market.(en.wikipedia.org) Supplier Power The Five Forces The threat of substitute products The existence of products outside of the realm of the common product boundaries increases the propensity of customers to switch to alternatives: Buyer propensity to substitute Relative price performance of substitutes Buyer switching costs Perceived level of product differentiation Number of substitute product available in the market The threat of the entry of new competitors Profitable markets that yield high returns will draw firms. This results in many new entrants, which will effectively decrease profitability. Unless the entry of new firms can be blocked by incumbents, the profit rate will fall towards a competitive level (perfect competition). The existence of barriers to entry (patents, rights, etc.) Economies of product differences Brand equity Switching costs or sunk costs Capital requirements Access to distribution Customer loyalty to established brands Absolute cost advantages Learning curve advantages Expected retaliation by incumbents Government policies The intensity of competitive rivalry For most industries, the intensity of competitive rivalry is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry. Sustainable competitive advantage through improvisation The bargaining power of customers The bargaining power of customers is also described as the market of outputs: the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure, which also affects the customers sensitivity to price changes. Buyer concentration to firm concentration ratio Degree of dependency upon existing channels of distribution Bargaining leverage, particularly in industries with high fixed costs Buyer volume Buyer switching costs relative to firm switching costs Buyer information availability Ability to backward integrate Availability of existing substitute products Buyer price sensitivity Differential advantage (uniqueness) of industry products RFM Analysis The bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers is also described as the market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, labor, and services (such as expertise) to the firm can be a source of power over the firm. Suppliers may refuse to work with the firm, or, e.g., charge excessively high prices for unique resources. Supplier switching costs relative to firm switching costs Degree of differentiation of inputs Presence of substitute inputs Supplier concentration to firm concentration ratio Employee solidarity (e.g., labor unions) Criticisms of the 5 Forces model Porters framework has been challenged by other academics and strategists such as Stewart Neill. Similarly, the likes of Kevin P. Coyne and Somu Subramaniam have stated that three dubious assumptions underlie the five forces: That buyers, competitors, and suppliers are unrelated and do not interact and collude. That the source of value is structural advantage (creating barriers to entry). That uncertainty is low, allowing participants in a market to plan for and respond to competitive behavior. (D) Internal and External influence on organisation SWOT Analysis S (1)Oxfam Fair Trade (OFT) is one of the largest UK fair trade organisations(Oxfam as a whole) (2)Oxfam is now moving towards a broader market access programme. (3)Oxfam bookshop where I work has a good reputation among the customers and neighbours, because Oxfam as a whole was founded in 1948, so everyone wants to join it as volunteer, customer and donator. Cheaper and quality and tidy (4)This shop has a strong brand name, because the donators donate evaluated things and they get donations from strong brand companies. (5)The shops location is fantastic, it is neighbour to Rathmines College and it locates among Dublin 6s town amenities. (7)The atmosphere in the shop is attractive. (8)OFT has been very active in capacity building activities. This has led to new skills and greater access to international markets, created by fair trade organisation. W Lack of patent protection Lack of marketing expertise, because of them are volunteer, few of them well-educated, the other lack of expertise. The goods in the shop depend on the donations, sometime there is no donations so the shop lack of goods then lack of costumers. Lack of Creativity / ability to develop new products. Oxfam aims to work with disadvantaged poor producers, typically from the informal sector, which is characterised by low wages, poor social benefits, lack of access to investment and credit and consequent poor working conditions, home-working etc. O T (1)Unfulfilled customers need (1)There are many charity competitors around the shop (2) Arrival of new technologies, for example: in Oxfam shop, the customer takes long time when he/she wants to pay cash, the shop has old-fashion Till (2) Price wars in those competitors (3)New regulations (3)Loosing of regulation (4)Increase trade barriers (4)Removal of international trade barriers (5)Technological developments may make the shops offerings obsolete. Market changes may result from the changes in the customer needs, competitorsmoves, or demographic shifts. The political situation determines government policy and taxation (5) Market led by a weak competitors Value Chain Analysis (Value Chain Analysis describes the activities that take place in a business and relates them to an analysis of the competitive strength of the business. Influential work by Michael Porter suggested that the activities of a business could be grouped under two headings: Primary Activities those that are directly concerned with creating and delivering a product (e.g. component assembly); and Secondary Activities, which whilst they are not directly involved in production, may increase effectiveness or efficiency (e.g. human resource management). It is rare for a business to undertake all primary and support activities. Value Chain Analysis is one way of identifying which activities are best undertaken by a business and which are best provided by others (out sourced) (http:tutor2u.net/business/strategy/value_chain_analysis.htm). Linking Value Chain Analysis to Competitive Advantage (What activities a business undertakes is directly linked to achieving competitive advantage. For example, a business which wishes to outperform its competitors through differentiating itself through higher quality will have to perform its value chain activities better than the opposition. By contrast, a strategy based on seeking cost leadership will require a reduction in the costs associated with the value chain activities, or a reduction in the total amount of resources used).(http:tutor2.net/business/strategy/value_chain_analysis.htm) Value Chain Analysis has two basic activities Primary Activities (Inbound logistics, goods or donations from the public of the shop being obtained from the shop suppliers ready to be used for producing the end product). (Notes given in the class). Operation, the raw materials and goods obtained are manufactured into the final product. Value added to the product at the stage as it moves through the production line. Outbound logistics, once the product have been manufactured they are ready to be distribute to distribution centres, wholesales, retailer or customers.)(Notes given the class). Marketing and Sales, Essentially an information activity informing buyers and consumers about products and services (benefits, use, price etc.) Service All those activities associated with maintaining product performance. (2) Secondary Activities Procurement, his concerns how resources are acquired for a business (e.g. sourcing and negotiating with materials suppliers) Human Resource Management, Those activities concerned with recruiting, developing, motivating and rewarding the workforce of a business. Technology Development, Activities concerned with managing information processing and the development and protection of knowledge in a business
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Baby Boomers Essay -- History, Generation X, Generation Y
I believe that all four of the generations in the work place can work together without having any conflicts. Many professional facilities and companies have people of different age groups working together in the same field. There are many articles written by different people who say that studies show that there are many conflicts between the generations, while working together. The four different types of generations are the veterans, the baby boomers, the generation X, and the generation Y. I will talk of all their important characteristics and compare and contrast their qualities based on work ethics, education, and multi-tasking. First of all, ââ¬Å"the oldest generation in the work place is the veteransâ⬠. (Tanner, 2011) They were born between the years of 1922 and 1943. They are also known by different names, some of these are: ââ¬Å"greatest generation, loyalists, and the traditionalistsâ⬠. (Tanner, 2011) People that were born in this generation lived through the great depression and even World War II. ââ¬Å"As a result, this generation values sacrifice, hard work, conformity to rules, and respect for authorityâ⬠. (Tanner, 2011) The veterans are also very loyal to their employers. The veterans are very big believers in the fact that whatever you do, is what you get out of life. They also believe that ââ¬Å"rewards, status, respect, and authority must be earnedâ⬠. (Tanner, 2011) Studies have shown that to work most efficient with veterans, make sure that you show them that you admire their experience and respect their thoughts and ââ¬Å"norms of courteous behaviorâ⬠. ( Tanner, 2011) ââ¬Å"The second oldest generation in the work place is the baby boomersâ⬠. (Tanner, 2011) This generation was born between the years of 1943 and 1960. The baby boome... ...r people say that the older generations just want plain obedience. In reality ââ¬Å"everyone wants to be heard, have input and be respect.â⬠(Mueller, 2011) Some older generations complain of Millenials. They say that they just expect to be praised or rewarded just for showing up at work. It is absolutely important to remember that ââ¬Å"generational differences donââ¬â¢t replace individual differencesâ⬠(Mueller, 2011). It is important for every manager to conduct an interview before hiring any worker. There, the manager can explain to the employee what he is expected to do on the job and also the employee can have the opportunity to ask any questions he may have on the position he is assuming. I really believe that every one of these four generations can work together effectively with just a little patience, respect, and open-mindedness. How many generations do you work with?
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
A. B. Faceyââ¬â¢s Relation to The typical Australian Essay -- essays resea
Australia has had many national identities in its existence; the most noticeable of these being the Bush discourse, the battler discourse, the Convict discourse and the Larrikin discourse. Russel Ward utilises these discourses in his book, ââ¬Å"The Australian Legendâ⬠. He explains that the typical Australian is a practical man, tough who drinks heavily. A. B. Facey is a classic example of a typical Australian, although he does not fit in with all of the aspects of Wardââ¬â¢s construction. The convict discourse, Australiaââ¬â¢s first image, was christened by the first fleet, which consisted of incredibly hard-hitting men, who came from Britain in 1788. Britain was no longer allowed to ship convicts from Britain to the American Colonies, forcing her to find a new land to use. Australia. The convict discourse consisted, like most of Australiaââ¬â¢s identities, of the dominant man, strong, practical and entirely anti-British, holding absolutely no respect for the crown. After the British government became aware of the reputation of Australia, she began offering free land to settlers who wished to take up residence in Australia. This was designed as a bribe to create a more pro-government settlement. During the 19th century, the representation of Australia began to change. Poets such as Banjo Patterson created this new image, through poems such as ââ¬Å"The Man From Snowy Riverâ⬠, creating the image of the bush. In addition to the bush discourse and the convict discourse Australia had the militar...
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The Dispensable Nigger in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays
The Dispensable African in Heart of Darkness à Three Works Citedà à à à The story is about a man named Marlow, who is hired by The Company, which is a shipping company located in England.à Although Marlow had sailed before, he had never sailed to Africa.à The people who operated The Company (those located in England) are so far removed from reality, that they have no concept of the devastation caused in order to ship vast loads of ivory.à The Company is a perfect example of how these profit driven industries obtain their wealth ââ¬â through the blatant disregard of the environment and their fellow man. One can only imagine the death and destruction that was inflicted in order to ship mass quantities of ivory.à The Companyââ¬â¢s disrespect for the Africans and their environment was the typical attitude had by many nineteenth century profiteers.à Their rationale was that no matter what degree of damage was inflicted, they felt it would never affect them. Their disdainful attittude towards the Africans is expressed in the following words: The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.à à (Conrad 9) In order to be able to conquer a people, one must dehumanize them and believe they are insignificant/inferior.à This mode of thinking is used to justify any atrocities committed by the conquerors. In ââ¬Å"Root of Racism,â⬠the superior attitude is described as All groups, by their nature, imply to the members that they are somehow special in particular ways and in many ways better, than their fellow travelers on this earth.à à (Ross) This superior attitude has been evidently pervasive throughout mankindââ¬â¢s history; some strong examples of these are the war in Bosnia, the slaughter of the Tutus in Rwanda and the white settlers near annihilation of the Native Americans. Conradââ¬â¢s character Marlow describes the natives as having ââ¬Å"a wild vitalityâ⬠and their ââ¬Å"faces like grotesque masks.â⬠à These remarks demonstrate his fear and reinforces the distinction between himself and the natives. Racial or ethnic hatred is a direct consequence of our Fear Response.à Hatred is really taking the fear response one step further.à We justify that fear by invoking certain attributes to others by assuming that they may be inferior, evil or harmful.
Monday, September 16, 2019
My School Essay
This school does block scheduling of 4 classes for 2 semesters and still have 8 classes for the year. These classes are one hour and a half long. There are about 30 students in the classroom. The students do not come to class prepared for their lessons at all. They do not carry books with them either. The class talks and does not listen to the announcements at all. A couple of students were late and not reprimanded. This teacher tries to get their attention by doing activities and they still donââ¬â¢t care. They have Smart Boards in their rooms and that is very helpful. Her attendance shows 34 students on the role. That is way too many students for one teacher to teach. The board also shows their grade in front of all the students and I personally do not like this at all. You can tell that the teacher gets frustrated. They sharpen their pencils and are very disruptive in class, while she gives instructions. They do detention and have to write their names on the board. You can tell some do want to learn and others donââ¬â¢t even have a clue. They need to show work for their problems and participate in class activities. Some examples: this is ranging 2+3>6 no 3+4>5 yes 3+3>6 no 4+5>8 yes 5+7>8 yes 5+6>9 no.
Act 2- Proctorââ¬â¢s house Essay
The crucible is set in the early 1920ââ¬â¢s in a place called Salem in Massachusetts America. The story is based on the problem of witchcraft; to be a witch or warlock in those days was unforgivable. The people living in Salem were all strict Puritans and anything un-natural was said to be wrong. Anyone with any evidence of another being ââ¬Å"in contact with the devilâ⬠was immediately taken to court for a case, they could be imprisoned for many years or worse killed. As you can imagine this arose a great deal of problems including peopleââ¬â¢s greed or jealousy taking over their moral beliefs. People would accuse others to get what they wanted e.g. land. Act 2- Proctorââ¬â¢s house. Role of Elizabethà Elizabeth- ââ¬Å"What keeps you so late? Itââ¬â¢s almost dark.â⬠à At this point in the story Elizabeth still has a slightly higher status than her husband, and has done for quite a while this is because he is the one that has sinned and still needs to watch his step if he wants to keep her as his wife. As she walks in from singing to the children, she will be looking at her husband at first, then look out side swiftly when she says ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s almost dark.â⬠She asks a question about his work to be polite, not necessarily interested so will be busy with something on the table, e.g. a candle stick. When she has to respond to Proctor asking if the boys are asleep she will look up from what she is doing and answer while walking quickly over to the fireplace. She answers vaguely to Proctors wishing for a ââ¬Å"fair summer.â⬠à When Proctor asks if she ââ¬Å"is well todayâ⬠She turns around with the plate of his food and smiles kindly and responds ââ¬Å"I amâ⬠Although not returning the question. She then nods at the plate and tells him it is rabbit. She then pulls out a chair and sits by him watching him sit down to eat. Her eyes never leave him apart from to look at the rabbit describing how painful it was for her to ââ¬Å"strip her.â⬠While she watches him taste it, there is a look of slight anticipation on her face to see his respond. She is still sitting up right facing him, perfect posture. It is at this point that their statuses are equal, she wants praise from him. Which when she gets she blushes and smiles, but asks for more; so asks- ââ¬Å"itââ¬â¢s tender?â⬠Maybe leaning slightly further forward, closing the distance that is between them. After proctor tells her that he means to please her, the eye contact becomes more intense for a split second but soon disappears. Her facial expression is of fake happiness maybe even slight sadness. As she replies she looks at Proctor for the beginning of the line ââ¬Å"I know itâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ but then looks down when she says ââ¬Å"John.â⬠Indicating it is very hard for her to say. When Proctor tries to kiss her she does not lean in towards it but sits very still and up right in her chair, looking away. She receives it but does not return it. After he has sat down she continues to look at him, which is when he sullenly says ââ¬Å"Cider.â⬠In a thanking sort of way, for changing the subject she quickly stands replying ââ¬Å"Aye!â⬠The subject back onto the farm, Elizabeth still shows that there is something still annoying her. She walks quickly back with the cider and places it by him, and sits back down. Proctor then introduces the idea of flowers in the house, she answers quickly, and looking around, hands on the table and feet perfectly together on the floor. She says that she has forgotten, but this is not top on her list, so says it rather quickly, with the air of not really caring about it. Proctor then suggests that they go on a walk together one day to look at the flowers; he finishes the sentence with saying how beautiful Massachusetts is in the spring. Elizabeth only responds to this, not the walk through the wood together. Her answer is short and quick, and as she says it has a knowing look upon her face and nods slightly but it is obvious that she doesnââ¬â¢t care and this is not what she is thinking about at the moment. There is a pause and she continues to watch him for a short while, with a look of enquiry and un-knowing on her face. When he does not say anything she gets up and picks up his plate and cutlery. She does this briskly not saying a word. She stands by the basin, after placing the plate and cutlery in it. She has her back to him and does not move, but waits.à Proctor then says ââ¬Å"I think youââ¬â¢re sad again, are you?â⬠She doesnââ¬â¢t reply immediately and still doesnââ¬â¢t turn round, as if holding back words. She soon does however and when she speaks it is slowly, this is because she does not want an argument so she makes it look as if she is the one in the wrong asking herself a stupid question in her mind. This immediately lowers her status ever so slightly. His reply is harsh and sudden, which doesnââ¬â¢t strike her, if anything makes her slightly more frightened, she rubs her hands around each other nervously but subtly, yet still stands tall. ââ¬Å"You did speak of going, earlier this week.â⬠As if reminding him, that she had good reason to think that he might have gone Salem that day.à When she tells him that Mary Warren had gone that day, she looks at him directly; she still does not move her body though, she announces it very clearly. After his reply she has weakened a little, she knew that by telling him this it would get to him, now she can see that he is holding back from shouting. This still gives her the upper status. So when she says ââ¬Å"I couldnââ¬â¢t stop her.â⬠She shakes her head slightly but still watches him. She then goes on to say how Mary Warren frightened all her strength and power away from her, at this she will step forward, itââ¬â¢s now that she begins to use her body to express, all the way so far her torso has stayed upright. As she steps forward she looks Proctor in the eye. And she moves her arms forward, which shows her weakness breaking through.à ââ¬Å"It is a mouse no more. I forbid her to go, and she raises up her chin like the daughter or a prince and says to me, ââ¬ËI must go to Salem, Goody Proctor, I am an official in the court!ââ¬
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Developmental Psychology Essay
Cognitive development involves developing concepts of thought, problem solving and memory (Green. 2002). Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) were both psychologists, which focused on cognitive development and the way in which childrenââ¬â¢s thought and reasoning developed as they matured. This assignment shall begin by describing and evaluating the theories put forward by Piaget and Vygotsky referring to research evidence and providing a conclusion. Piaget (1896-1980) was one of the most influential researchers in the area of developmental psychology during the 20th century and a as biologist was interested in the way in which organisms adapt to their environment this was described by Piaget as intelligence. He viewed behaviour or the adaptation to the environment as being controlled through mental organisations known as schemes that the individual uses in order to represent the world. Piaget suggested that adaptation is driven by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment, which is known as equilibrium (Huitt. 2003). Within Piagetââ¬â¢s research and writingââ¬â¢s on cognitive development he suggested that childrenââ¬â¢s thoughts are not only less sophisticated than adults but they are also qualitatively different and this is due to less knowledge (Jarvis. 2000). à It was considered by Piaget that the interaction between the child and their environment was the main factor of influence on their cognitive development. Piagetââ¬â¢s view of children is that they are scientists and that they should be left to explore their surroundings giving them the opportunity to interpret the world in their own way. The active involvement in their own learning is described as a series of schemas and that these schemas would change and develop through each stage through the process of assimilation or accommodation (Green. 2002). Piagetââ¬â¢s theory is based on stages of development in which he believed that all children develop at the same age. There are four stages to his development theory, which are sensorimotor (0-2 years) and the view that infants are developing their first schemas (Meggitt. 2000). Object permanence is the main focus within this stage and the assumption by Piaget that children aged five or six months old could not understand that an object, which was covered, still exists.à An experiment showed that a child of five or six months showed no interest once the toy was covered whereas a ten month old would reach out for the toy and seem to become agitated. Piagetââ¬â¢s interpretation of this was that the child of ten months had reached object permanence and now has a schema for the object. In contrast to this Tom Bower and Jennifer Wishart (1972) argued that objects do still exist in babyââ¬â¢s minds although they have been covered. To support their theory an experiment was undertaken using an infrared camera. An object was offered to the baby and as they reached out to grab it the lights were switched off. The results showed that the baby was still attempting to reach for the toy although they were unable to see it and so an explanation for Piagetââ¬â¢s theory was that by covering the object the baby was distracted and not necessarily that they had forgotten about it. The second stage is pre-operational stage (2-7 years). Egocentric thinking predominates the child (Huitt. 2003) within this stage and they do not have the ability to understand things from another personââ¬â¢s viewpoint according to Piaget. In order for this to be confirmed he set up an experiment. Three mountains were set in front of the child and a doll was placed in different seats around the table. Photographs, which had been taken, were then shown to the child and they were asked to point to the picture that the doll would see. As Piagetââ¬â¢s findings showed that most four or five year olds pointed to photographs which represented their view of the mountains he concluded that they were egocentric. Most children aged seven that was asked to do the same task correctly identified the photograph strengthening Piagetââ¬â¢s theory. Although it was then argued by Martin Hughes (1975) that the task was much too complicated for the child and therefore devised his own experiment, which would contradict Piagetââ¬â¢s findings. His experiment involved a model with two intersecting walls, two policeman figures and a figure of a boy. After having a trial using one police figure and the boy to ensure the child understood the task Hughes began his experiment. It was found that most children could successfully take account of two different viewpoints. Therefore it could be said that Piagetââ¬â¢s experiment may have been too difficult for the child to understand rather than the child being egocentric.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Followership and Model I and II
The model of followership presented by Goffe and Jones indicates the significance of three emotions which an individual produces in a person which leads them to follow him. These three emotions are summarized as given below. (a) The first emotional response an individual evokes is that of a feeling of à à à à à à à à à significance or importance. Thus leaders who create an impression in people that they matter will be able to obtain even the, ââ¬Å"heart and soulâ⬠of their followers. à This is not just a response of blind adulation. It flows from an appreciation by à à à à à à à à à the leader not just their personalities but also their work. Thus the follower will à give loyalty and even implicit obedience. (b) à The second response is that of a feeling of community, a sense of belonging to an organization where the leader creates unity of purpose around the work à à à à à à à à à à à which they all do. The leader is one who the follower sees as having created a à à à à à à à à à à feeling of the community. (c)à The third emotional response is the feeling of buzz, an excitement which is à à created by the sheer presence of the leader. His energy and enthusiasm is à à à contagious. à Followers are willingly led by such leaders who provide them à à à à à à à à à excitement, challenge and a passion to live their lives. This may be called as à charisma but actually is much more than that. Argyris and Schon (Dick. Dalmau, 1990) have provided an understanding of the conscious and subconscious processes of reasoning. This fits in well with the emotional aspects of followership indicated by Goffe and Jones. Argyris Model II ideally fits into the theory of followership espoused by Goffee and Jones. In Model II, the leader provides a scope for double loop learning. This implies that there is open inquiry of issues thereby which people are placed in a position of significance and respond to a situation based on a community based pattern of involvement which is highlighted in double loop learning model of Argyris. The emotional feeling of a buzz created by a leaderââ¬â¢s presence is heightened in the Model II for the leader provides inspiration. On the other hand, Model I is based on the single loop theory through which most leaders operate till they understood the advantage of the double loop theory (Argyris et al.à 1985, p.à 89). The excessive control exercised by the leader in Model I is not conducive to creating an emotional feeling of importance as well as a sense of belonging to a larger organization or establishment (Argyris, et al. 1985, p.à 89). Power: How Its Meaning in Corporate Life is Changing Gary in his summary on the various views of power has provided us how perception of power has changed over the years. In the initial years it was the emotional response of charisma, the buzz that is categorized as the third factor by Goffee and Jones that was the essence of power in leaders. However gradually this perception has changed and power came to regarded as an issue for organizations productivity. This is the power used for creating a feeling of community of belonging and one which provided a unity of purpose. Thus we see a shift in power from Model I to Model II very gradually. Model II or the double loop theory propounded by Argyris is a power paradigm which can be associated with that advocated by David McCelland and David Burnham. Thus managers in this model were democratic and more willing to share their power with others with a view to creating a community feeling in the organization but one which was primarily driven towards achieving goals of the organization (McCelland. Burnham, 1995). James Hillman in his in depth analysis of power has indicated that there could be more elements or purposes to power than that indicated by the purely simplistic explanation of exercising coercive force. He provides a benign expression of power that of providing service to the organization (Hillman, 1995). While Model I denoted by Argyris has indicated power in its coercive function as defined by Hillman, for in it the leader will attempt to control unilaterally, the subsequent transformation indicates development towards Model IIà (Argyris. 1985). Power in the Hillman model is to seek followership in which it is linked with the two emotions of making people feel important and creating a community feeling for achieving corporate goals. Ronald Heifetz indicates that power does not necessarily imply the ability to protect people from threat but to let them feel the threat through simulation and adaptation. This is the new model of power which is aligned to Argyrisââ¬â¢ Model II wherein the protection offered by Model I which also includes protection of ones group of followers is done away with. By exposing followers to disorientation by the threats which are the essence of a new age, the 21st Century, it will lead people to transformations required to fit into the new age (Heifetz, 1994). The Living Company The Living Company is one which survives because leaders consider the company as a congregation of people and not as an organization which produces goods and services. Thus people are more valued than assets. This focus on the people is what makes these organizations perform consistently over a long period in some cases as the Sumitomo over the centuries. People are given importance which is due to them because they are working in the company efficiently and effectively. They provide a feeling of belonging to the organization such as Unilever and finally they have a series of leaders who define the trajectory of growth for individuals as well as the company. These leaders see themselves as shaping a human community The Living company follows the Argyris Model II with powerful double loop learning systems which effectively provides feedback, creates internal commitment as well as leads to informed decision making. This in turn continuously provides a perception of the deficiencies to the management which undertakes continuous improvements. This also leads to generation of new ideas and development of new businesses. Managing in the Cappuccino Economy The companies in the Cappuccino economy provide a high degree of importance to people even in junior positions by allowing them to make independent decisions. They are in turn spurred by the faith placed by the management in their abilities even for critical decisions which affect the companyââ¬â¢s bottom line. On the other hand the non cappuccino companies do not provide such freedom to the management. The results achieved by these companies are of a higher order which is benchmarked by the rise in equity of these companies by the author. The top end companies of the Cappuccino economy follow Model II which comprises of empowerment and sharing in decision making right down to the last level. These companies also delimit control by the higher executives though given Argyris predictions once the companies grow, the instinctive response to control may come back. However by establishing training and coaching, Argyris has indicated that Model II skills can be built up in these companies on a continuous basis. The non Cappuccino companies on the other hand follow Model I; thereby they are unable to adjust to the changing circumstances lacking a double loop feedback. Empowerment : The Emperorââ¬â¢s New Clothes Empowerment implies enhancing an employeeââ¬â¢s self worth which in turn will build his commitment to the organization. Thus a firm which demonstrates to an employee that he can control his own destiny, that he is important will get maximum commitment from him. On the other hand Argyris also indicates that the process of change itself does not make people feel important as it only indicates to them what change is required (Argyris, 1998).à It is change that is more important than the employee, thus he may not be fully committed to the process. Empowerment is many times inhibited by leadership in most organizations. These executives are control oriented, hence are unable to be seen as charismatic, ââ¬Å"light housesâ⬠. He has also indicated that many people do not want to be empowered. They feel more comfortable in being led. Argyris also feels that it is performance per se which is the most important factor and not empowerment (Argyris, 1998). Thus some organizations in their enthusiasm for empowering the employee by making him feel important, tend to overlook the results that are produced by him. This empowerment is considered self defeating. Argyris Model I corresponds to external commitment that does not provide much leeway to employees to define their own goals and tasks. This thus does not profess empowerment (Argyris, 1998) à Control remains with the management or the higher leadership and employees are expected to merely follow the laid down norms. Argyris has advocated Model I for most routine jobs which may not entail too much empowerment. Such jobs are better performed through external commitment rather than internal. Argyris Model II corresponds to an organization which offers its employees internal commitment. This enables maximum participation by employees in the project in turn enhancing the way in which they are empowered. However implementing Model II as per Argyris is an extremely difficult and challenging process, hence many organizations profess rather than practice the same. Why Should Anyone be Led by You? Inspirational leaders are known to possess four basic qualities, they demonstrate willingly their own weakness, they rely on intuition for seeking the appropriate time for an intervention, empathize freely yet firmly with followers and are not afraid to demonstrate their own uniqueness. By showing to the followers that they have weaknesses as other men they convey a feeling of being human thereby building up a sense of community in the group. This also helps in establishing a common bond based on a feeling of want or need. The intuitiveness and unique differences that they demonstrate contributes to the charisma which creates a buzz about them and inspires other people. The demonstration of difference is also appreciated by followers as it indicates a spirit of adventure denoted by leaders as Sir John Harvey-Jones, CEO of ICI. By empathizing with their followers, the leaders indicate to them that they are an important facet of their lives, providing the led the sense of being of consequence, thereby inviting greater loyalty. The inspirational leader is also able to use the right quality amongst this at the most appropriate time. The last quality is what is most important for practical application as it enables leaders to practice leadership by being themselves rather than creating a faà §ade. The inspirational leader denotes Model II provided by Argyris which is evident from the fact that he is not only open to a double loop feedback but also welcomes it. He uses this to sustain and support the overall good of the organization. The leader in this case is willing to share control over his self with his followers which provides them a unique sense of empowerment building an infinite sense of loyalty. Leaders are also able to gain intuitive feedback of the system thereby contributing to the double loop of Model II. By being open, fair, transparent and appropriately empathizing with their subordinates, these leaders are the anti thesis of Model I organizations where leaders are aloof, directional and do not expect or welcome a feedback. Inspirational leaders thus seem to fit in ideally with a Model II organization. Reference:- Argyris, C.à (1985) Strategy, change & defensive routines.à Boston: Pitman. Argyris, C., Putnam, R., & McLain Smith, D.à (1985) Action science: concepts, methods, and skills for research and intervention.à San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Dick, B., & Dalmau, T.à (1990) Values in action: Applying the ideas of Argyris and Schon.à Brisbane: Interchange. Heifetz, Ronald. (1994). Leadership without Easy Answers. Belkap Press. Hillman, James. (1995) Kinds of Power. Currency Books. McClelland, David. Burnham, David. Power is the Great Motivator. Harvard Business Reprint. Jan-Feb 1995. (Case Study) Gary, Loren. Power: How Its Meaning in Corporate Life is Changing. (Case Study) Goffee, Robert. Jones, Gareth. Followership. Harvard Business Review. (Case Study). Gues, Arie de. The Living Company. (Case Study). Shapiro, Eileen C. Managing in the Cappuccino Economy. (Case Study). Argyris, Chris. Empowerment : The Emperorââ¬â¢s New Clothes. Harvard Business Review. May-June 1998. (Case Study) Goffee, Robert. Jones, Gareth. Why Should Anyone be Let by You?à Ha rvard Business Review. September ââ¬â October 2000.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)