Monday, September 30, 2019

Hamlet Theme Analysis Essay

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, the title character’s logical soliloquies, and over thinking of situations inhibit his abilities to act on his passions. It’s safe to say that Hamlet was a logical and reasonable person right from the start. In the society he was raised in most actions carried out through passion were considered taboo. Take jealousy, lust and vengeance for example; in the play all of these passions are put into satisfying action by the people surrounding Hamlet. Everyone but Hamlet makes a move based on emotion; Claudius murdered his brother for his crown, Gertrude quickly married Claudius, and Laertes takes revenge on Hamlet. The prince, instead, takes the path of thought and only allows himself to do what he makes himself believe is the most logical. In the beginning Hamlet is distressed. He feels no compassion for his new stepfather considering him â€Å"a little more than kin and less than kind† (I.ii.67), as Claudius is not a replacement for his father and Hamlet refuses to accept that. He most definitely does not stand for Claudius referring to him as ‘son.’ His relationship with his mother isn’t any better. Hamlet feels a strong resentment toward this whole marriage business and expresses his displeasure through riddles in court. â€Å"Ay, madam,† he says disdainfully toward his mother’s insistence that he stop mourning and that death is a common occurrence, â€Å"it is common† (I.ii 76). In Hamlet’s eyes she has betrayed his father by marrying so soon, in fact by re-marrying at all; especially to Claudius, the king’s brother. Claudius attempts to make it look like everyone is friends in the eyes of the court by trying to sympathize with Hamlet but ends up just telling him to suck it up and deal with his father’s death like a man. â€Å"Take it to heart? Fie! ‘tis a fault to heaven/A fault against the dead, a fault to nature† (I.ii 104). Hamlet’s mourning is not natural to his family much as their marriage is not natural to him. So when his new daddy dearest refuses to let him out of the country to go back to school Hamlet feels even more out of place because now, he can’t escape. In every soliloquy we hear from Hamlet there is talk of suicide. The most obvious of all, â€Å"to be or not to be, that is the question:† (III.i.63) Or earlier mention of self harm after the coronation of the new king. â€Å"Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d/His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter† (I.ii.134). However, Hamlet is a logical guy and he knows suicide would cause a big mess and besides, in the first soliloquy it is evident that Hamlet would rather be anywhere but Denmark, even the grave but he finds there are better things to be ranting about; like his mother’s remarriage. â€Å"O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason/Would have mourn’d longer–married with my uncle,/My father’s brother, but no more like my father/Than I to Hercules† (I.ii.154). Hamlet can’t find a single good thing to come out of this union and his opinion of his mother has been flipped onto its head. So he deals with an internal conflict; â€Å"But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue!†(I.ii.162), he can’t exactly go around telling everyone that his mother is a whore. She’s the queen and he the prince, it would be more trouble than it’s worth to go about making accusations especially since Claudius made it clear that he was weird for mourning for so long. So, onward goes Hamlet’s little self/Claudius loathing party. Hamlet’s trusted friend Horatio tells him some very interesting news. Horatio tells Hamlet that his father’s ghost had been spotted in the courtyards and that it wouldn’t answer to anyone no matter what. Horatio believes that our young prince must see what this ghost has to offer. Hamlet is excited to say the least when the ghost appears â€Å"That I will speak to thee. I’ll call thee Hamlet,/King, father, royal Dane. O answer me!†(I.iv. 47). He follows the ghost and the ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius and that Hamlet must avenge him. He isn’t sure what to make of this ghost at first, how can Hamlet be absolutely positive the ghost isn’t lying or tricking him? After all, murder is a big order, he can’t dive head first into that pool of accusations without verification. Hamlet decides he will ‘act’ mad so to not draw attention to his plans to kill Claudius. This works for a while, no one suspects he knows of Claudius’ deed, not even Claudius himself. He definitely wouldn’t suspect the prince to come into his chambers and catch him while praying; which is exactly what happens. Hamlet is given his prey on a silver platter and decides against it. â€Å"Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;and now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven† (III.iii.76). A reasonable explanation as to why Hamlet didn’t kill Claudius is because he was scared. He was afraid to act on his passions thus, his mind gave him a reason not to do it; if he killed Claudius while the man repented, his soul would be unfailingly sent to heaven. However, this is not the case â€Å"That cannot be; since I am still possess’d/of those effects for which I did the murder†(III.iii.55). Claudius does not regret his decision, nor would he leave what he had gained through murder even for heaven. This hesitation revealed that Hamlet does not kill Claudius in the most logical and perfect time to do so because his passions had muddied his ability to think clearly. And so he continues with his ‘mad’ facade. Everyone has noticed the prince’s new attitude and his mother grows worried for his sanity. â€Å"Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended† (III.iv.9) If there is anything ‘crazy’ Hamlet has latched onto as a vehicle upon which to launch his insanity, it is any mention of his late father. Especially mention that he has somehow failed his father. The queen claims that Hamlet’s behavior has upset his father and shamed the family. But quick and clever Hamlet simply quips â€Å"Mother you have my father much offended†(III.iv.10). Gertrude is appalled by her son’s behavior and wants him to stop, but bringing up the late King Hamlet wasn’t the best way to go around that. As I’ve said, Hamlet is using any mention of his father’s death to flip the tables around and around and drive any serious conversation off course with puns and quips of his mother’s hasty remarriage. â€Å"Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue† (III.iv.11). â€Å"Go, go you question with a wicked tongue† (III.iv.12). At one point during the conversation between mother and son it is hard to determine where Hamlet’s insanity begins and his act of madness ends. We are given, throughout the entirety of the play, one single act of passion from Hamlet that was done to simply give a larger voice to his slip on sanity. His murder of Polonius. He feels no remorse for the act, although he believed it to be Claudius and states after his mother’s cries â€Å"A bloody deed. Almost as bad, good mother/as kill a king and marry with his brother† (III.iv.31). He continues â€Å"Peace! sit you down/and let me wring your heart;for so I shall,/if it be made of penetrable stuff;†(III.iv.38). Hamlet doesn’t feel sorry for his mother either. He could care less if she was disturbed by her son’s murder of Polonius, he was going to tell her that he was right and she was wrong and sinful and disgusting, because it fit with the appearance Hamlet was trying to portray. Hamlet allowed this one, small, passionate outburst for the potential sake of avenging his father but even smart, logical Hamlet couldn’t have predicted the consequences of this one act of passion because he didn’t give himself the time to think it over. He never would have thought that their father’s death would lead poor Ophelia to madness or that Laertes would be so spited by it, or that it would get around that Hamlet himself had committed the murder. But all of these things do happen and they happen because of Hamlet’s one moment of passion. The prince discovers why acting passionately is a bad thing for him; he’s just not good at it. He can’t judge when to, the whole ‘could kill him now but I’m not going to even if it’d be so freaking easy,’ thing with Claudius and the ‘I’m gonna stab the curtain and see what happens,’ moment when he murdered Polonius. After Polonius’ murder and the discovery by Laertes that his sister is beyond mental, Claudius approaches the boy and tells him he can help avenge his father’s death. Laertes listens and latches to Claudius’ every word â€Å"And where the offence is let the great axe fall./I pray you go with me† (IV.v.234). The end of act four introduces a bit of a mess. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were sent with Hamlet to see him killed in England, however, Hamlet is on his way back to Elsinore and Claudius is none too pleased. However, he quickly turns this information into a plan he can work with. He has Laertes swear allegiance to him â€Å"will you be ruled by me?† (IV.vii.63) and recruits the younger man into the ‘let’s kill Hamlet club.’ Thus, Hamlet finds himself in an unfortunate pickle. He had planned to kill Claudius and Laertes and they had planned to kill him, but Laertes acted sooner. Laertes let his passions guide his sword through Hamlet’s gut and Hamlet let logic lead him to the moment of his death; logic led by the very vengeance he had sworn for the former king. A passionate vengeance called upon to give Laertes strength to murder the prince. Hamlet’s ability to look at a situation and make a logical, well- thought out choice made him a strongly intelligent character. However his inability to act on passions or make a decisive decision drew him closer to death in every page. Had Hamlet acted on his earlier plans and ideas, he may not be dead.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Resistance to change

Livingston 1 Ajax Minerals – Resistance to Change Resistance to change has been renowned as an organizational challenge; however, a comprehensive understanding of the different ways that resistance can be manifested is commonly practiced and highly beneficial to companies. A U. S. mining company, Ajax Minerals realized Just how beneficial it is to understand the components of how changes affect all branches of their company. Ajax Minerals recognized their organization was operating at full capacity and in the next couple years were going to have major competitive threats from another company.If the matters of the future challenges that Ajax Minerals were anticipating weren't addressed and handled appropriately, the organization would be expecting to experience grave danger. What it all boils down to are the issues concerning how Ajax Mineral organization would react regarding resistance of changes that would ensure competitiveness and livelihood for the company. If this subjec t matter about how employees and management adapt to change weren't predicted and then addressed, Ajax Minerals future looked bleak. Ajax Minerals introduced a couple of sources relative to ensure the lively-hood Resistance to change This prevailing viewpoint inherently makes It easy o slip Into an Interpretation of resistance as dysfunctional for organizational learning. This essay contends that this dominant perception Is largely a result of an assumption favoring the management or change agent as rational, and the consequential treatment of resistant behaviors as irrational. The aim of this article, then, is to offer a recapitulation's of resistance beyond the contextual confines of change, and explore its functional roles, particularly in stimulating organizational learning. Firstly, the conceptualizations of resistance and organizational learning will be explored.In particular, due to the aim to explore the fundamental features of resistance beyond the organizational literature and the overwhelming diversity of the conceptualization, this essay will draw on the work of Hollander and Nowhere (2004), who have conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of resistance based on a large number of published work on the topic. Then, Jots and Barber's (2003) pain metaphor and Wick's (2003) assertions on the importance of moments of interruptions will be employed to show how resistance can be seen as a resource that acts to signal that something Is going wrong and needs rectification.It will be further argued that, by triggering awareness and directing attention to a problem, resistance acts to call for evaluation of and reflection on the situation, hence stimulating organizational learning. Finally, recognizing that possible limitations to the functional effects of resistance cannot go unaddressed, the last section discusses several variables that can potentially limit the capacity of resistance In stimulating organizational learning.Therefore, the central argument of this article Is as follows: Re-conceptualizing resistance as a resource rather than as a deficit sheds light on Its national potentials. In view of its fundamental features, resistance does have the potential to stimulate organi zational learning. However, whether or not this translates to reality remains dependent on a wide range of variables surrounding the organization concerned.Conceptualizing Resistance Despite a surge in studies on resistance In the past few decades, resistance remains a theoretically eclectic concept (Numb, 2005). As Hollander and Londoner (2004) claim, the concept of resistance is still unfocused and vague. Due to the lack of a clear and systematic definition, there is little consensus on what constitutes assistance, and the language of resistance has in fact been used in research to describe vastly different phenomena on a range of different dimensions (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004) .In terms of Its dimension and scope, resistance can describe actions occurring at the Individual, collective or Institutional level (Hollander & groups to work conditions to organizational or social structures (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004). In addition, resistance can take different directions or goals, and can be aimed at achieving change or curtailing change (Mulling, 1999). Resistance can also manifest in various modes. Among the diverse array of literature on resistance, the most frequently studied mode of resistance is one which involves physical bodies or material objects in acts of resistance (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004).This can refer to formal, collective and overt actions such as protests and formation of unions Capper, 1997, as cited in Hollander & Nowhere, 2004), as well as informal, routine and covert individual actions such as feigning sickness and pilfering (Parkas & Parkas, 2000; Scott, 1985) . Apart from the physical and material mode, resistance can also take place in various other forms. For example, resistance can be accomplished through symbolic behaviors such as silence (Pickering, 2000, as cited in Hollander & Nowhere, 2004) or breaking silence (Hughes et al, 1995, as cited in Hollander & Nowhere, 2004).From their review and analysis of the conception of resistan ce based on published work on resistance in the social sciences, Hollander and Nowhere (2004) proposes a seven part typology of resistance that includes: overt resistance, covert resistance, unwitting resistance, target- defined resistance, externally defined resistance, missed resistance and attempted resistance, each offering in the levels of resistor's intention, target's recognition as resistance, and other observer's (such as a researcher or other third party) recognition as resistance.Among these, overt resistance, one which is intended to be visible and which is readily recognized as resistance by targets and other observers, is the most widely accepted and recognized form of resistance and is the core of the conceptualization of resistance (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004). On the other hand, covert resistance, which is conceptually similar to everyday resistance (Scott, 1985) and routine assistance (Parkas & Parkas, 2000) are both intentional and observable, but may not necessari ly be recognized by the target as resistance. These two forms of resistance will form the basis of the conceptualization adopted in this essay.Amid the vast conceptual differences, however, Hollander and Nowhere (2004) identify two core elements that are consistent across all conceptualizations of resistance: action and opposition. Generally accepted as a key component of resistance, action may involve conscious, active and expressive behavior and can emerge either at the verbal, cognitive or physical level (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004). In addition, as reflected by some terms commonly used to describe resistance- contradiction, tension, rejection, challenge, disruption and conflict (Albert, 1991; Hollander & Nowhere, 2004), resistance always involves some form of opposition.Bauer (1991), however, draws a distinction between resistance and opposition in his definition of resistance in the context of resistance to change in organizations. According to Bauer (1991), resistance is an exp ression of conflict of interest, values, goals, or means to ends which is unanticipated by the change agent, and which transforms into opposition only after being institutionalized through formal channels of expression. As the overwhelmingly diverse nature of the conception implies, pinning down a definitive conception of resistance in organizations is unfeasible.Therefore, for the purpose of this essay, the notion of resistance will draw on Barber's (1991) definition of resistance This conceptualization will, however, extend beyond Barber's (1991) definition to include acts of opposition such as every day, routine resistance, which may not have been institutionalized through formal channels. Further assumptions are that these acts are visible, observable, and arise from conscious oppositional intentions. In other words, the forms of resistance discussed in this essay will focus on what Hollander and Nowhere (2004) term as overt resistance and covert resistance.To sum up, resistance will be conceptualized as: Unanticipated oppositional action arising from a conflict of interest, values, goals or means of achieving a goal, expressed with conscious oppositional intention and in forms that are observable. Conceptualizing Organizational Learning In a fashion very similar to that of assistance, the concept of organizational learning is still a vastly multi-dimensional, diverse and fragmented area with little convergence despite a proliferation of research since the sass (Wang & Aimed, 2002).Organizational learning, in the simplest sense, refers to a change in organizational knowledge (Schulz, 2002). It involves acquisition of new knowledge (Miller, 1996) by means of added, transformed or reduced knowledge (Schulz, 2002). Essentially a multilevel phenomenon, organizational learning encompasses learning at the individual, group/team and organizational level Cost & Bauer, 2003; Lima, Laughingstock, & Chant, 2006; Marauded, 1995).While it is commonly acknowledged that all learning starts with individual learning, and that individual and group learning have positive effects on organizational learning (Lima et al, 2006), the notion of what really constitutes organizational learning remains excessively broad, diverse and controversial (Wang & Aimed, 2003). This essay adopts the perspective proposed by Baleen (2000) and Jots and Bauer (2003) that learning at the organizational level involves consolidation of knowledge generated from the individual and group level which leads to changes in airmailed procedures within an organization.Formal procedures refer to ‘a set of explicit constraints within which organizational activities unfold' (March, Schulz and Chou, 2000, as cited in Jots and Bauer, 2003, p. 29). As Baleen (2000) notes, organizational learning is a realignment of the organization through reinvention of organizational settings, in which ‘new missions are formulated, new plans and goals are set, structures are redesigned, processe s are reengineering and improved, strategic beliefs are modified, and the operational causal map is altered (p. 92). This conceptualization of learning can also be associated with Argils and Scion's (1996) notion of double-loop learning, the form of learning which occurs when errors are detected and corrected in ways that involve the modification of an organization's underlying norms, policies and objectives. Organizational learning can thus denote phenomena such as changes in formal written rules or employees' collective habits Cost & Bauer, 2003).Resistance and Organizational Learning Resistance in organizations usually emerges in two opposite directions, either for the purpose of existing existing structures or to resisting change initiatives (Mulling, 1999). Yet, the dominant perception of resistance that permeates management wisdom is arguably rooted in studies of the latter. In fact, most studies on resistance to change rest on the widely held and accepted assumption that peop le resist change and this is an issue management has to overcome (Dent & Goldberg, 1999). In addition, change is subordinates (Dent & Goldberg, 1999).This results in a bias that favors the change agent as rational and objective, and treats resistant practices as inappropriate (Dent Goldberg, 1999; Jots & Bauer, 2003), irrational and dysfunctional behavior that has to be overcome if effective and lasting change is to be achieved (Collisions & Cracked, 2006; Ford, Ford, & Diadem's, 2008). Many studies have set out to explore the causes of resistance to change and subsequently offer strategies to overcome resistance (Examples? ). Yet, most do not in fact offer ways to overcome resistance per SE, but instead suggest strategies for preventing or minimizing resistance (Dent & Goldberg, 1999).Rather than offering solutions, these approaches arguably further perpetuate he view that resistance is dysfunctional and should be avoided altogether. This perception carries particularly significant implications for an era in which managing change and learning is seen as the key tasks of organizational leaders (Marauded, 1995), as indirectly prescribes a negative association between resistance and learning. In today's highly turbulent and competitive business environment, the capacity to learn at the organizational level is highly valued and widely regarded as a viable survival strategy (Broadband, McGill, & Beech, 2002; Lima et al. 2006). At the earth of this, then, is the ultimate desired outcome of organizational learning- the flexibility and ability to adapt and cope in rapidly changing environments (Broadband et al. , 2002; Catcher- Greenfield & Ford, 2005). Hence, a key challenge for organizational leaders is to maximize organizational learning in order to develop an organization that has the capacity to recognize, react, enact appropriate responses, and adapt to environmental changes (Alas & Shrill, 2002; Broadband et al. , 2002). Such capacities are inevitably embedded in an organization's knowledge base (Alas & Shrill, 2002).In view of this, the perception that resistance to change is dysfunctional for organizational learning lies in the fact that in the context of change in which employees are expected to learn and adopt new skills or behavior, resistance is seen as a refusal to learn and consequently translated to signify disruption to the change process (Alas & Shrill, 2002). However, looking beyond resistance to change to studies on other kinds of resistance, one can see that resistance can in fact be viewed in a more positive light than in the context of resistance to change.In the context of everyday, routine resistance to existing oracle conditions, for example, studies have found acts of resistance to be strategies that can stimulate structural (Parkas & Parkas, 2000) or even revolutionary (Scott, 1989) change. Therefore, what is needed is an exploration of the issue beyond the confines of perspectives on resistance to change. We should look beyond the context of resistance to organizational change efforts, and explore resistance in a more general sense, based on the fundamental characteristics of various kinds of resistance that typically manifest in organizations, regardless of the goals or directions.In fact, whether aimed at resisting or instigating change, resistance in organizations can manifest in very similar ways, from more overt forms of resistance such protests or more subtle forms of resistance such as foot dragging, false compliance, pilfering, feigned ignorance, slander, intentional carelessness, feigned sickness, absenteeism, sabotage, among others (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004; Mulling, 1999; Parkas & Parkas; 2000, Scott, 1989).Exploring the fundamental phenomenon without the constrictions of a preconception or underlying assumption, which will also enable us to better explore the functionality of resistance in organizations, and how it may, in fact, stimulate organizational learning. Re- conceptualizi ng the Role of Resistance in Organizational Learning Following the preceding proposal, it is necessary to recapitulation resistance not as a dysfunctional phenomenon, but as a resource that, if recognized and utilized appropriately, can produce positive effects for the organization.In fact, some scholars have already suggested that we look beyond overcoming resistance and instead focus on discerning the source of resistance and treat it as a signal that something is going wrong in the organization (Lawrence, 1954; Sense, 1997). Jots and Bauer (2003) further extend this idea with the pain metaphor to show the diagnostic potential of resistance, and proposed a shift of attention from the causes to the effects of resistance. Drawing on a functional analogy to acute pain in the human body system, they suggest that resistance plays the same role within an organization as pain does in the human body.Just like how pain functions as a signal for the body, resistance functions as a feedback loop for management, by means of an alarm signaling that problems exist and should be looked into and acted on to prevent further damage Cost & Bauer, 2003). This is can be further illustrated by a predictable cycle of events that follows the experience of acute pain in the human system. When pain occurs, it shifts attention to the source of pain, enhances the person's body image and self- reflective thinking processes, interrupts present activity and brings it under evaluation, and stimulates a new, altered course of action (Wall, 1979).Jots and Bauer (2003) argue that even though acute pain may initially disrupt and delay ongoing activities, its functions in prompting internal attention, indicating the location and hypes of problem, and stimulating reflection render it an important resource that can be crucial for survival. Transferring the same diagnostic functions of pain to resistance, resistance can be seen as a functional resource for an organization to diagnose and rectify c urrent activities that are potentially damaging Cost & Bauer, 2003).Like a person who is unable to experience pain, an organization that is not capable of detecting resistance, or as Jots and Bauer (2003) label, ‘functional collective pain' (p 1 1), will be disadvantaged through its inability to detect threats to survival. More specifically, when resistance occurs, whether it is aimed at resisting change initiatives or resisting existing (everyday) conditions in the organization, it is an indication that changes are needed.Regardless of the context or situation that triggers resistance, it fundamentally signifies an existence of tension and conflict of interests in the current state of affairs, implying that things are far from ideal and that there are areas that could and should be investigated and rectified. Envisage two distinct approaches to such a situation: one organization disregards signs of assistance or suppresses the acts of resistance while another organization tak es time and effort to diagnose, reflect and identify necessary changes to make.The latter will arguably be better off in the long run because it has had the avenue to identify and rectify its problems, including any possible latent issues or conflicts that had initially caused resistance. In the former organization, however, problems will remain, if not have effects on the organization, regardless of whether it was perceived to be so. Hence, employing Jots and Bauer (2003)g's pain metaphor, it can be argued that in tuitions of pain/resistance, the intuitive tendency is to approach it in ways similar to those suggested in the cycle of events proposed by Wall (1979).In this sense, resistance does not only stimulate reflection, but is itself a resource for reflection. Therefore, as will be discussed later, resistance can be particularly useful in stimulating a specific kind of learning, reflective learning, in organizations. In addition to Jots and Barber's (2003) pain metaphor, an alt ernative way to highlight the potential function of resistance is to understand it within the framework of Heidegger (1962, s cited in Wick, 2003) three modes of engagement.Drawing on these three modes of engagement, Wick (2003) describes three modes of engagement in the organizational context- the ready-to-hand mode, the unready-to-hand mode and the present-at-hand mode, to explore the disconnections between organizational practices and theories, from which he emphasizes the function of the unready-to- hand mode of engagement in bridging the gap between theory and practice. The unready-to-hand mode refers to moments when an ongoing activity is interrupted and when problematic aspects that caused the interruption become salient (Wick, 003).In other words, unready-to-hand mode denotes moments of interruption in organizational processes or activities. According to Wick (2003), such moments interrupt the relevant actors of the organization, prompting them to take efforts to make sense of the interruption. Because a moment of interruption causes partial detachment from the organizational activity and makes the activity more visible, it is an opportunity to get a richer and clearer glimpse of the picture, to reflect, and to gain a better understanding of the issues concerned (Wick, 2003).It is during these moments when relevancies that have previously gone unnoticed can be discovered (Wick, 2003). Therefore, being such a rich resource, the potential illumination that interruptions of organizational activities can offer should not be overlooked. For it's many similar characteristics to moments of interruptions as illustrated by Wick (2003), resistance could be seen in the same light as the unready-to-hand mode of engagement. In many ways, resistance is parallel to a scenario of the unready-to hand mode as resistance is fundamentally a form of interruption to ongoing organizational activities or processes.Therefore, drawing on Wick's (2003) viewpoint and placing resi stance within this framework, we can, again, see resistance as a resource that makes underlying problems visible and allows the organization to reflect and discover issues or problems that would otherwise remain invisible. Both Jots and Bauer (2003) and Wick's (2003) propositions highlight the potential diagnostic function of resistance in stimulating awareness and directing attention to a possibly malfunctioning area within the organization, which inherently links to its function as a useful resource in stimulating reflection and learning.The following section, then, will focus on reflective learning, and illustrate how resistance can function as a resource that stimulates reflective learning at the organizational level. Resistance as a Resource: How resistance cans Stimulate Learning Reflective learning refers to ‘the process of internally examining and exploring an issue of concern, triggered by an experience, which creates and clarifies meaning in 1983, p. 99)'. In short, reflection is the key to learning from experience.A key human mechanism for making sense of and learning from experiences (Boyd & False, 1983) affliction has traditionally been seen as an individual phenomenon (Essence & Termed, 2007). Now, however, there is increasing recognition of the rationale of reflection for work at the organizational level (Essence & Termed, 2007). In the organizational context, reflective learning refers to a communal process of reflection of an experience or issue which requires critical examination and reconstruction of meanings (Essence & Termed, 2007).Semester and Termed (2007) argue that this is an important process for organizations because experience is both the dominating feature and resource in work and organizations. Therefore, capitalizing on experience and learning from it is intrinsically linked to the survival of organizations. Yet, reflective learning does not take place voluntarily and naturally. Because of the human tendency to reduce cogni tive dissonance, we tend to adopt strategies to avoid perceiving information that contradicts our perceptions and beliefs (Markus & Cajon, 1985, as cited in Essence & Tamer, 2007).Essence and Tamer (2007) claim that, for this reason, reflection only occurs in dynamic situations and does not generally arise during stagnant situations. In other words, reflection needs to be provoked by uncertain or ambiguous situations in which ‘customary meanings are no longer satisfactory' (Chon, 1983; Rogers, 2001; Wick et al, 2005, as cited in Essence and Tamer, 2007, p. 233). At this point, the logic of bringing in resistance, as an example of such situations is clear, as resistance arguably fits the depiction and shares many parallels with situations of uncertainty and ambiguity.To different extents, all these situations can be seen as forms of unanticipated and undesirable interruptions to ongoing organizational activities which require deeper reflection and understanding. Therefore, in v iew of the nature of resistance and situations that trigger a ‘felt need' for reflection, it can be argued that resistance can in effect function to stimulate reflective learning in organizations. Existing studies showing how resistance leads to change can serve to support the proposition that resistance stimulates organizational learning.While there is a dearth of studies within the organizational literature exploring the direct links between resistance and learning, the relationship can in fact be understood in relation to the connection between resistance and change, as he central aim of organizational learning is the capacity to change in order to cope and survive (Alas & Shrill, 2002). In view of the central aim of organizational learning, some connections with resistance become apparent because dealing with resistance is fundamentally about coping.An organization that is able deal with resistance in a functional way and utilize resistance to its benefits will arguably ha ve a greater capacity to cope and survive in unpredictable situations because ultimately, whether dealing with resistance or with other internal or external predicaments requires the name set of capabilities: the ability to recognize, react and enact appropriate responses. As an example of how resistance can instigate changes, Scott (1989) has reported that routine forms of covert resistance, displayed through actions such as foot-dragging, pilfering, feigned ignorance and sabotage could have revolutionary capacity.In addition, Parkas and Parade's (2000) study of technological change in a health maintenance organization has shown that although informal resistance was effects, resistance, in general, has been observed to produce the following effects: firm the resisters' self identities, rouse renegotiation of roles and relationships, trigger reinterpretation of the dominant managerial discourses, and challenge managerial control, albeit to different extents.The central fact is that resistance Jolted managers and supervisors out of their habitual modes of taking employees for granted' (Parkas & Parkas, 2000, p. 401). While there is no basis to establish a direct link to organizational learning, this example does show an instance where resistance has functioned to stimulate learning by performing the following functions: signaling existence of a problem, stimulating a reflection on the situation, and consequently leading to some form of change.This implicitly illustrates that resistance can play a role in stimulating organizational learning. Limitations However, even though it has hitherto been contended that resistance can function to stimulate organizational learning, one needs to avoid slipping into an idealistic interpretation of the role of resistance and recognize the various limitations that can inhibit its functions. Furthermore, it is crucial to note that while resistance can function to stimulate organizational learning, it by no means imply that resis tance will result in learning.In reality, whether or not resistance leads to positive outcomes, or whether it stimulates learning at all depends chiefly on a wide range of other internal or external factors surrounding the organization in question. Firstly, international in nature, resistance is defined by both the resisters' perceptions of their own behavior, and the targets', or even a third party observer's reactions towards that behavior (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004).Therefore, how resistance is perceived, or whether it is recognized t all, depends largely on the perspectives and interpretations of the relevant actors because the same action may well be perceived differently by different observers. As an example, in their studies of Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong, Groves and Change (1999) have reported how the same behavior was perceived as resistance by one researcher (an Asian woman), but perceived as childish and deferent behavior by another researcher (a White man). Th is demonstrates the complexity involved in the recognition of resistance.Even when acts of resistance are intended to be visible and re in fact observable, cultural and social factors, among others, may mean that they may not necessarily be understood as resistance by the target (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004). Cultural differences, for instance, may be a particularly relevant variable that could come into play considering the multicultural nature of many contemporary organizations. The possibility that even observable acts of resistance may not be recognized as resistance highlights a key problem: if resistance is not recognized at all, all its potential constructive functions are completely eliminated.For resistance to be functional, it must first be recognized as resistance, and experienced as an unpleasant and undesirable phenomenon. As Jots and Bauer (2003) assert in the metaphor to acute pain, ‘pain needs to be experienced as negative in order to be functional' (p. 1 1). The refore, for resistance to stimulate organizational learning, it has to be first recognized by its target as resistance. Beyond the problem of the perception and recognition of resistance, other complex set of factors can come into play, adding to the complication of the issue.Even when assistance is recognized, further factors could downplay any potential functions of (2005) contend, a wide range of factors exists as ‘disconnects' that widen the gap between ideals and realities. Ultimately, resistance is a deeply sociological phenomenon, encompassing issues such as power and control, equality and differences, social contexts and interactions (Hollander & Nowhere, 2004). This, coupled with the complex nature or organizations and organizational learning, unquestionably points to the complexities involved in conceptualizing the relations between resistance and organizational learning.Particularly, constrains to learning can stem from the existing management, organizational cultur e and organizational configurations (Stubbiness, Freed, Shania, & Doer, 2006). Examples of some specific contextual factors within an organization include: power relations, politics and decision-making authority, culture of communication and interaction and level of management control. One key factor that predisposes organizational learning is the structure and culture of an organization. As Evans, Hoodwinks, Rainbow and Union (2006) claim, the wider social structure of an organization can be essential in enabling or preventing learning.Taking horizontal and vertical organizational structures as examples, one can see that resistance is more likely to stimulate and consequently lead to organizational learning in horizontal organizational structures than in vertical organizational structures. Horizontal organizations, with their emphasis on lateral collaborations, permeable boundaries, mutual understanding and effective communication processes (Baleen, 2000; Dent & Goldberg, 1999) ove r centralized control and decision making, have a better capacity to respond effectively to ambiguity and unanticipated situations (Baleen, 2000).This is also inextricably related to the underlying mindset of an organization. As Catcher-Greenfield and Ford (2005) note, the mindset of the relevant organizational actors can have a direct impact on the level of acceptance or denial towards unanticipated, and particularly, undesirable events (Catcher-Greenfield & Ford, 2005) On one end of the continuum is an acceptance of reality, in which the relevant actors, such as supervisors or managers, are able to let go of past perceptions, experiences and comfortable attitudes, to address new realities that have surfaced.On the other end of the momentum is denial, in which the actors' mindsets are rooted in past experiences and perceptions, and do not accept that there are problems with existing ways, and that change is needed (Catcher- Greenfield & Ford, 2005). Hence, the structure and underly ing mindset of an organization can have direct implications on what ensues after resistance has surfaced. Stubbiness et all's (2006) study of a secrecy-based organization in the defense industry serves to show how organizational learning can be impeded by cultural factors within the organization.In the company, which has an internal culture that does not encourage learning and knowledge transfer beyond individual work units, Stubbiness et al (2006) found that social distance, absence of dialogue between top and middle management, the professional and organizational culture of the company that rarely considers the needs of employees, and the secrecy culture that limits information flow, have all proven to be obstacles to collective reflection and learning.Considering the assumption that learning requires collective reflection (Bout, Creases, & Dougherty, 2006), resistance will likely fail to stimulate earning within an organizational culture such as this which does not support exampl e, Campbell (2006) study of learning in a Catholic church shows how learning can be impeded in dogmatic organizations with rigid rules and authoritative power structures. In such an organization, where beliefs, principles and rules are commonly accepted as authoritative and beyond question, inputs from the lower levels of an organization is normally unwelcome.When learning occurs, it is driven by directives from above (Campbell, 2006). It was observed that in such a culture, the top dervish seeks to maintain control of the entire organization by means of protecting the integrity of organizational principles, leaving little space and flexibility for other organizational actors, such as supervisors and middle managers, to respond to the realities facing the organization at large.While the example of a Catholic Church is a somewhat extreme example, it serves to show how organizational culture and power relations can severely limit the functions of resistance. In all likelihood, resista nce may be suppressed or disregarded. In other words, in such organizations here bottom-up changes are highly improbable, resistance will most likely fail to stimulate organizational learning. Conclusion This essay has presented an overview of the conceptualization of resistance and explored the dominant perspective on resistance in relation to organizational learning in current management wisdom.It has been contended that the negative connotation often prescribed to resistance is largely contributed by the prevalent assumption that views resistance as irrational behavior within the context of resistance to change. Drawing on Jots and Barber's pain metaphor and Wick's reposition about moments of interruption, it has been argued that resistance could be recapitulation in a more positive light. Rather than being seen as an obstacle to overcome, resistance can be seen as a functional resource: as a signal that serves to warn and direct attention to a problem.While providing organizatio ns with the opportunity to attend to and rectify a problem before the problem expands or deteriorates, resistance simultaneously serves to stimulate organizational learning by instigating a felt need for reflection and change. The pain metaphor, in particular, implies that when a warning signal emerges, the intuitive reaction is to manage and rectify the problem. Applying this to the organizational context, then, suggests that resistance will naturally lead to an awareness of the need to change.Yet, the relationship between resistance and learning is not a simple and straightforward one. Ultimately, whether or not resistance can function to stimulate learning is dependent upon many variables. The first problem pertains to the issue of recognition. Due to a range of possible reasons such as perceptions and cultural barriers, an intentional act of resistance may not necessarily be recognized as such y its intended targets. If resistance is not acknowledged and recognized, its potentia l function in stimulating organizational learning is completely eliminated.Furthermore, additional factors, such as organizational structure and culture, may also act to limit the functions of resistance in stimulating organizational learning. Therefore, while resistance does have the potential to stimulate organizational learning, whether or not that translates to reality remains dependent on a wide range of factors surrounding the organization concerned. References Alas, R. , & Shrill, S. (2002). Organizational learning and resistance to change in

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Men Continuous Searching for the New Avenue of the Known and Unknown Reality

The title itself gives a fascinating debate. The â€Å"Known Reality† can be broadly explained because humans already know what it is. It is already known by many people. If we give meaning to the â€Å"Unknown Reality† it is something we haven’t seen yet, went yet or even discovered. How will man find the access to that reality? Will we know if it is the unknown we’ve been searching for? I’ll give my opinion on the â€Å"Unknown†, maybe it is the reality that is already in front of us but we don’t see it because we neglect our understanding for it.Maybe we don’t open our minds and make that reality unknown. The avenue between the known and unknown is being open minded, trying to listen in both sides for us to understand both realities. If we keep tolerating ourselves in neglecting our capability to understand, then man will have an endless search for that avenue. Contradiction to that, if man has the determination and hunger to seek the truth, then they will find what they are looking for that both reality is there, and will realize that the avenue to it is the ability to listen and understand.If man continues to be blind, they will never reach that avenue and the â€Å"Unknown Reality† itself. Both realities are in front of us. But people only pay attention to only one side and brings an effect of ignorance to people. Many people have not yet realized the truth that is being laid down to them for being ignorant. I believe that what they are searching for is easily seen when we give understanding to it. Men Continuous Searching for the New Avenue of the Known and Unknown Reality The title itself gives a fascinating debate. The â€Å"Known Reality† can be broadly explained because humans already know what it is. It is already known by many people. If we give meaning to the â€Å"Unknown Reality† it is something we haven’t seen yet, went yet or even discovered. How will man find the access to that reality? Will we know if it is the unknown we’ve been searching for? I’ll give my opinion on the â€Å"Unknown†, maybe it is the reality that is already in front of us but we don’t see it because we neglect our understanding for it.Maybe we don’t open our minds and make that reality unknown. The avenue between the known and unknown is being open minded, trying to listen in both sides for us to understand both realities. If we keep tolerating ourselves in neglecting our capability to understand, then man will have an endless search for that avenue. Contradiction to that, if man has the determination and hunger to seek the truth, then they will find what they are looking for that both reality is there, and will realize that the avenue to it is the ability to listen and understand.If man continues to be blind, they will never reach that avenue and the â€Å"Unknown Reality† itself. Both realities are in front of us. But people only pay attention to only one side and brings an effect of ignorance to people. Many people have not yet realized the truth that is being laid down to them for being ignorant. I believe that what they are searching for is easily seen when we give understanding to it.

Friday, September 27, 2019

TUI Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

TUI Case Study - Essay Example Transforming the business from this area to a radically-different model, tourism, requires significant changes at the strategic level. This project describes the transformation from Preussag to TUI and suggests different styles available to manage this large-scale business model change. Employees who worked under Preussag were likely used to functioning in a business environment which was product-focused rather than customer- or marketing-focused primarily. Industrial business segments, such as mining and plant construction, require workers and managers to deal with issues of process improvements and working with foreign legislators to conduct international business. The tourism industry, on the other hand, is a very customer-focused organisation requiring a business to take a strong customer service and marketing focus in order to differentiate service variety from that of competition. Taking a culture built on efficiency and product-focus and expecting excellence in customer service (where little previously existed on the consumer level) requires a readjustment of internal corporate culture. At the senior executive level, the key to changing values in the business is constructing a new mission statement for the newly-transformed business which clearly and explicitly states the new customer focus expectations. The mission statement provides a sense of purpose among the entire organisational staff and, through senior-level expression and modeling of these behaviours, a business can begin the strategic transformation from product- to customer-oriented business activities. TUI accomplished this with a mission of â€Å"Putting a smile on people’s faces† (Interbrand, 2006). Though the mission statement, to its credit, can establish the foundation of what drives the business forward and its long-term goals for customer satisfaction, it does little in terms of enforcing compliance and ensuring that all

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Leadership Competency Models Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Competency Models - Research Paper Example Greater inclination towards some traits than others reduces all-roundedness. The perfect college president has an equal spread of these traits. Thus, the closer one is to being an all-rounded person, the more they are fit for college the presidency. A scale can be used to rank different competency levels. The competency model can be divided into specific skills and knowledge areas that determine the success of a college president. The specific skills include teamwork, professionalism and leadership skills. Financial skills, management skills and a peek into psychology are knowledge areas important for leadership (Sanghi, 2007). For the specific skills, teamwork involves being able to comfortably work with others in solving the problem. A good college president should know how to work with others since their job involves representing students in the school. He or she has to work with the students, school administration and other student leaders solve school problems. Professionalism involves acting in a professional or ethical manner when working, such as solving issues amicably rather than inciting students to demonstrate. The college president should also have leadership skills. This is the ability to lead people and having them listen to you. Some people are natural leaders, having the ability to convince people to follow them without putting in much effort. Others are complete leadership failures, with no one listening to them no matter how important their message is. A good college president should be partly defined by knowledgeable areas. These are skills acquired mostly academically, or through experience and apprenticeship.†Leadership is developed through education and experience†, where a balance of both is required (Hughes, 2012). Such include financial skills, where the leader should know how to account for money spent on school leadership projects and

Cultures and Traditions of Saudi Arabia and Turkey Essay

Cultures and Traditions of Saudi Arabia and Turkey - Essay Example The geographical location of Turkey makes the country a vantage point over the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. This largely influenced the interest of many neighboring countries to subjugate the area. Conquest did not only mean ruling the inhabitants of turkey. Conquest included the influx of foreign arts, culture, and traditions into Turkey. Records have it that from 1251 up to 1939, Turkey's respective government signed treaties, attended conventions, and signed agreements among different neighboring nations which had interest over the country as a colonizer (Shotwell and Deak 179- 181). For example, in 1251, the Turks took into custody Egypt. As a consequence, France who had a dispensation over the area must end the same. So, St Louis and the Sultan of Egypt concluded with a treaty, closing all of French interest in Egypt as well as in Turkey. But, the end of French concessions in the two countries did not mean that the Francs left with everything that they have brought into Egypt and Turkey. Many of their arts, genes, cultural practices, traditions were left behind with the Turks. Aside from that, merchandize exchanges continued as shipping vessels went through the Black sea reaching Constantinople (Shotwell and Deak 14-15). Many other Western... The Greeks too uses the same location to trade with other countries beside Turkey (Shotwell and Deak 14-15). Alongside, Turkey was also actively involved in trading for their needs and to sell their products outside the country. These activities hugely imported into Turkish people mixture of influences. In the early 14th century, the Ottomans' captured Turkey from the Byzantium emperors which were mostly Catholic Christians and established Islamic Faith in the area (Hitchcock, Lloyd, Rice, Lynton, Boyd, Carden, et al 161) which persist to date. In contrast, in Saudi Arabia since about the 5th century after the death of Christ and during the onset of Islam under Mohammed, Bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula shielded their territory from colonializations. Although, Arabs travel far and wide, and people from different races were allowed entrance and exit, this was only for trading purposes which practices persist to the present time. After the death of Mohammed, Islamic religion was vastly adopted and upon which basic lifestyles, mores and traditions were largely based. A Caliphate was installed as a civilian leader of the land. But as soon as the first Caliph died dominion was left to the family of Ibn Saud. Monarchy was established to maintain the tradition and lead the people into a solid society despite religious differences, and some influences from Western and Asian neighbors (Lipsky, Ani, Bigelow, Gillen, Larson, Matthews, Royce, and Gillen 8). Unlike Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relies on their vast oil deposits which are regularly exported. The magistrate established large corporate companies in association with foreign

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Analysis of Strategic Risks in South Africa Essay

Analysis of Strategic Risks in South Africa - Essay Example This essay is one of the best examples of analysis of different specific kind of risks in political, social and economic environment of South Africa, that greatly influence a company operation. It critically looks at the political, economic, financial and social Risks and gives insights into how a corporation should position itself in order to gain the best of results in South Africa. Political risk refers to risks relating to the governance and control of the various peoples in a given nation. The inherent political risks in South Africa have to do with the nature of social exclusion practiced in the country for a long time. However, power is in the hand of a popular the Black African majority government. The constitution gives a lot of room for strikes, trade unionism and demonstrations, which reignites the strategy used by the Congress and the people power that comes with the current government. This means that a corporation entering the market needs to understand its microcosmic position and make adjustments to meet these elements of favoritism, nationalism, mass action and corruption. There is also economic risks that are connected with the high cost of doing business in South Africa and other factors like the entry of Chinese businesses who have control of affairs. There are also financial risks relating to credit risk and money transfer issues. Managing across culures is quite difficult. However, the cultural risk in South Africa is increased by the fact that the cultural diversity is huge. ... The World Cup brought South Africa surpluses in its balance of trade in the past year and increased its GDP its previous years’ data. With the weakening US Dollar, a business that seeks to operate in South Africa will find it relatively more expensive to trade in South Africa that it would in other parts of the world. Unemployment Unemployment rates in South Africa currently stand at 25.3% and this is blamed on the people’s demands for high wages and better working conditions than other parts of the world (SouthAfrica.Info, 2011). This therefore presents a labor risk to the nation. This is because these conditions show that clearly, labor is expensive in the country. This therefore means that any business that seeks to open up a branch in this country needs to be willing to pay more for labor. International Trade International trade in South Africa is increasingly becoming skewed in favor of the Brazil, India, China and Russia and nations like China in particular has a lot of control in the affairs of South Africa (SouthAfrica.Info, 2011). This therefore means that any company from a country not in this category risks losing out to the competition posed by these nations that are favoured by international treaty in South Africa. This therefore makes it more prudent for a corporation to consider other international expansion options that makes good use of outsourcing to remain competitive and acquire a favorable image in the South African market. Financial Risks General Financial Risks The World Bank gives South Africa 68% for credit worthiness indicating that although it is a low risk country to do business in there is still some risk to do business there (Adar, 2008) The Currency Risks South Africa’s Rand is quite stable

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Iron Deficiency Anemia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Iron Deficiency Anemia - Essay Example Iron is the main component that makes up hemoglobin (the red pigments that give blood its red color). Other than giving the blood its color, hemoglobin is the main agent that transports oxygen from the lungs to various cells of a human body. Thus, low levels of iron in the blood means that the blood cannot transport sufficient oxygen to other part of the body. In normal condition iron absorption and assimilation is lower than other macro elements such as sodium. Iron deficiency results from loss of blood through severe hemorrhage resulting from injuries and menstruation in women. In such condition, the body loses iron at a rate that is above natural replenishment through dietary intake. According to the case study, Ms A is 26 years and hence she is at the height of her menstrual cycle. Possibly Ms A has never given birth and, therefore menstruation is the only major cause of blood loss from her body. The main factor supporting the diagnostic claim is her experience of dysmenorrheal. Dysmenorrheal is a throbbing pain on the lower abdomen caused by strong contraction of uterine muscles. The condition is associated with low levels of prostaglandin blood. Clearly, this shows that her body has low level of blood resulting from iron deficiency. Unlike other components that form the blood such as proteins and water, iron is less abundant in the body (Mody, Brown, Wechsler, 2003). ... Both conditions results from low levels of blood a condition that is associated with iron deficiency. Thus, the patient is likely to be suffering from iron deficiency anemia. Case Study #2 Cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure are physiological conditions, which lower the heart pumping ability. This means that the heart cannot pump sufficient blood to meet the metabolic requirements of the body. Patients undergoing therapies and treatment for CHF condition require adequate care to enable them cope with their medication and lead a quality life. As a caregiver, I will purpose at identifying the best treatment plan for Mr. P and ensuring that he leads quality life. According to Mr. P’s background information, I will emphasis on lifestyle changes that are aimed at quality life. Thus, he will be required to adopt a new diet and a physical exercise routine. In addition, my approach will be aimed at empowering the patient into understanding their condition so that they can faci litate in improving their own health. I will also encourage his wife to contribute into the care-giving plan as a family caregiver. Treatment plan and rationale The patient will be required to undergo regular assessments for abnormal heart and lung sounds, blood pressure and pulses, skin temperature and oxygen saturation. This assessment will be aimed at ensuring that the patient is not at risk of acquiring other opportunistic conditions such as renal failure. Assessment of body temperature will provide information on accumulation of waste products in the bloodstream, which impairs oxygen intake and transportation. Assessing cardiac glucose will reduce cardiac workload hence minimize myocardial oxygen consumption. This assessment will facilitate dietary control and regular

Monday, September 23, 2019

Talent Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Talent Development - Essay Example Today, it is trendy to subcontract and privatize metropolitan services especially in government organizations. However, human resource department suffers in the bases of status as compared to other sub-units in an organization. Perhaps, this is because of increasing manipulation of procession managers in human resource (HR), which erodes the scientific proficiency stand of the HR departments character (Farndale & Hope-Hailey, 2009). To correct this malice, talent development in the HR departments becomes vital in helping managers deal with future challenges of the company. Strategic efforts of developing leadership intervention begin earlier in the life cycle of an individual. It optimizes a genuine leadership development in the future. Current research suggests that, when an individual’s brain matures it is impossible to develop new things especially new languages, thus majority of schools introduces languages at much earlier ages (Stewart, 2005).Therefore, leadership development begins at an earlier time of an individual, so as to make good leaders in the future. The leaders can handle crucial challenges of the group in the future because of an earlier training. On the other hand, protecting market failure of an organization incorporates career direction and development as a critical subject. In terms of business language, career guidance views terms of â€Å"market- maker.† The sole reason for career development interventions involves creating a business for the company’s products. Career development makes education and labor m arkets work efficiently, by guarantying supply face actors within the markets ensuring admission to market information and legible market signals. Moreover, business in career direction likely delivers public interest as a market maker. Therefore, leadership intervention ensures a well established leadership roles in future markets,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Accomplishing Iraqs Sovereignty Essay Example for Free

Accomplishing Iraqs Sovereignty Essay The New York Times article Iraq Marks Withdrawal of U. S. Troops From Cities by Alissa J. Rubin covers a milestone in Iraqs post-Hussein political scene: The withdrawal of American troops from major Iraqi cities and settlements which in turn resulted in their declaration of sovereignty. Although many Iraqis desire sovereignty, there are others who believe that Iraqi security forces have inadequate experience to control insurgencies that continue to occur within Iraqi cities, as a bombing occurred in a market place on the same day as the parade. However, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Malaki is confident that the Iraqi government can handle the maintenance of security within the country. Although there are still Americans in some urban outposts, most of the troops have already withdrawn, giving the local security forces more control over the cities. The event has also been declared as a national holiday even though it has not fully received national sovereignty yet (Rubin, 2009). By pulling out the occupying forces, the American government has eased tensions between them and Iraq, as well as with other Arab nations within the region. See more: My Writing Process Essay Iraq can govern themselves independently once again. It would also project lesser spending for the American government since they have started pulling out troops and loosening their control. It would also strengthen the bond between the American and Iraqi governments, and also that with other governments around the region. However, it would also be quite a challenge for the local security forces to maintain the safety within Iraqi cities, without the presence of American troops since insurgencies have not yet halted. Many Iraqis were relieved and joyous of the American troops exit in their cities, even if some still remained for security purposes. It is probably because of the tightness of the Americans grip on their society in relation to security. However, some Iraqis fear that with this withdrawal, insurgents would have more opportunity to strike and deliver their wrath (Rubin, 2009). Indeed, security might be ineffective without the American troops presence — or with lesser troops present. However, others also believe that the Americans brought the insurgence along when they occupied the cities. In short, they believe that the Americans are the insurgents targets. Without the troops, they believe that less attacks would occur, although they cannot really be too sure. Fear would continue to prevail if the Iraqi security forces could not guarantee the citizens safety, which may lead to discouragement and decline of confidence towards the Iraqi government. References Rubin, A. (2009, June 30). Iraq marks withdrawal of U. S. troops from cities. The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/07/01/world/middleeast/01iraq

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Vision Mission And Values Of Good Leadership Business Essay

The Vision Mission And Values Of Good Leadership Business Essay Leadership is the exercise of power; it can be defined as the act of making something happen that would not otherwise occur (Warner Burke, 2002) This is easy to write the definition of leadership but its quite hard to practice in real life. The behaviour does matter first in leadership and the skills are second. There is hell of difference between manager and a leader. The manager more likely depends on management skills, planning, organizational and communication skills but the leader does have the skills of a manager as well as some more qualities. Some people born with qualities of a good leaders and some people develop such qualities in their to be a good leader. There are many qualities which a leader must have like confidence, charisma and the qualities continue to grow in a leader with experience. There are different styles of leadership. Some leaders have no style, which is right for some situation and wrong for some situations as well. Managers, Stake holders, staff, all people have different style of leadership according to different situation. For leadership to work well, people (employees and interested outsiders) must be able to connect their expectations, aims and activities to a basic purpose or philosophy of the organization. This foundational philosophy should provide vital reference points for employees decisions and actions Vision: Defines the desired or intended future state of a specific organization or enterprise in terms of its fundamental objective and/or strategic direction. Vision is a long-term objective. Mission: Defines the fundamental purpose of an organization or an enterprise, describing why it exists. Mission is a short-term objective. Values: Beliefs that are shared among the stakeholders of an organization. Values drive an organizations culture and priorities. And every body like executives, managers, staff, customers, suppliers, stakeholders, etc, need solid philosophical principles in term of mission vision and values on which to base their expectations, decisions and actions. Evens ,(1963)similarity hypothesis The more the similar parties the parties in dyad are ,the more likely a favourable outcome It means if every individual and and teams know their duties and if they match their goals with strategic direction of the organization than they would have the same thinking and they will work together on the same path which is the strategic direction of the organization to get better outcome . Strategic direction of organization is very important on march 6,1990 west Germany Daimler Benz and Japan Mitsubishi group revealed that they had secret meeting in Singapore .to work on a intensive cooperate among their different projects and lines of business .because germens cooperate structure does not mash or fit with Mitsubishi group of management approach . For this the organizational direction is being used was GSA(global strategic alliance ) which create new horizons in fact by this creates new products and ease the problem of worldwide excess productivity capacity became the essential part of every organizations structure and brought different national origins together. Leadership approaches and styles: Great Man Theories: This theory indicates about the leadership that great leader is born, not made. This kind of theory represents the heroic personalities who were got the qualities of leadership when they were born. Great Man theories assumes that leadership is integral These theories often represent great leaders as heroic, fabulous, and destined to rise to leadership when needed. The term Great Man was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait Theories: Similar in some ways to Great Man theories, trait theory focuses on the people receive assured qualities and characters that make them better matched to leadership. Trait theories repeatedly classify specific personality or communicative features shared by leaders. But this theory raises the question as if certain traits are key features of leadership, how do we clarify people who hold those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the problems in using trait theories to illuminate leadership. Contingency Theories: This kind of leadership style emphasis on specific variables which are directly related to environment to have control on style of leadership which is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, the leadership style must be different in different situation. The leader can change their behaviours in different kind of situations. Contingency theory says that the success of a leader depends on the number of variables the leader use in different circumstances and the abilities of the admirers. Situational Theories: This kind of theory illustrates that leader choose the best action must be taken by the leader based upon the situational variable. Decision making in different type of situation does matter in this theory. Behavioral Theories: Behavioural thory believes that the great leaders can be made rather they born with qualities. This leadership theory focuses on the action of leaders rather the mental level, personality and internal qualities. Behavioural theory says people can learn to become great leader through getting knowledge, experience and observations. Participative Theories: The participative leadership theory illustrates that the leaders must take his/her followers into account. In this theory the followers take participate in decision making and the members feel more relevant and committed as well. The leader allows the members to participate in decision making process. Management Theories: Management theories (also known as Transactional theories) emphasis on the role of administration, association, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a structure of incentive and penalty. Managerial theories are frequently used in industry; when workforces are fruitful, they are satisfied; when they fail, they are reproached or penalized. Relationship Theories: Relationship theories (also known as Transformational theories) focus upon the networks formed between leaders and admirers. These leaders stimulate and inspire people by helping group members see the prominence and higher good of the job. Transformational leaders are absorbed on the presentation of group members, but also want each person to achieve his or her impending. These leaders frequently have high principled and moral standards. Leadership could be described in different levels in organization as Direct leadership Which is part to element leadership or direct line is in the organization were staff see their leader all the time . Organizational leadership They are the leaders on hundreds or some time on thousands of the staff but this is indirect leadership to help him there must be the staff at direct level to help the leader for decision making. Strategic leadership Strategic leaders are generally responsible for large organizations and may influence several thousand to hundreds of thousands of people. They establish  organizational structure, allocate resources, and communicate strategic vision. Strategic leaders work in an uncertain environment on highly complex problems that affect and are affected by events and organizations outside their own. Strategic leaders apply many of the same leadership skills and actions they mastered as direct and organizational leaders; however, strategic leadership requires others that are more complex and indirectly applied. Strategic leaders, like direct and organizational leaders, process information quickly, assess alternatives based on incomplete data, make decisions, and generate support. However, strategic leaders decisions affect more people, commit more resources, and have wider-ranging consequences in both space and time than do decisions of organizational and direct leaders. Perhaps of paramount importance-because they exert influence primarily through subordinates-strategic leaders must develop strong skills in picking and developing good second-tier leaders strategic_clip_image001.gif (586ÃÆ'-416) http://www.leadafrika.com/Templates/strategic_clip_image001.gif Strategic leadership skills and characteristics: There are many leadership skills and characteristics a person should posses to become a quality manager and to succeed in the globalized world of business.These leaders have certain characteristics such as the leader should be employers brand Should posses emotional intelligence,creativity, innovativeness, and flexibility, posses certain leadership characteristics as high ethical standards, energy, prioritization skills, commitment, dedication, goal orientation, empathetic, and extroverted. Leaders adapt leadership styles accordingly in order to better create and develop new ideas or reform existing ones. Some leaders may choose a certain leadership style based on the culture of their organization. A manager should provide leadership and direction to management levels according to the organizations goals, mission, and vision. Conclusion: Leadership is about the influencing and motivating peoples these days and leader are not born and leader can be developing through organisation structure and development training as well. Among the two leadership styles discussed, there are some that have a better fit in different organizational models. In the non-profit sector, using a servant leadership style would be effective the majority of the time, yet the other two models can be used for specific purposes. The leadership styles are noted in all organizations. However, there is a primary style shared in the organizational culture. There are many other styles not examined in this analysis, which opens the opportunity for further research in this area. Further research can be conducted using other leadership models and other industries. Supplementary research can also be done within each industry subdividing it further. The decision of which style to use in each industry would depend on the leader, follower(s), and tasks. A lead er should learn and practice those skills needed to be a successful leader. In conclusion, individual leaders who have the skills and qualities necessary to succeed are better equipped to execute the styles of leadership discussed. To become a successful leader one should utilize the best suiting style to everyone in every situation. The style of leadership used varies by organization and leader. While organizations may have a primary style of leadership, this is not the inclusive selection or style. The leadership technique and characteristic of the leader varies as the various experiences change. The leader must know to adapt and adjust their leadership style according to the current events of the organization. As the organization evolves through its growth stages, it calls for the use of different leadership styles.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Fire Fighting Technology Essay -- Technology Technological Essays

Fire Fighting Technology Innovations in Communication Technology This 80,000 pound powerhouse was just purchased by the Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association. Equipped with a 100-foot aerial and a 2000 gallon per minute (gpm) Hale single stage pump, Tower 14 can knock down just about any fire. "The first five minutes after the first fire apparatus arrives on scene at a large-scale fire are coordinated chaos." Joe Lombardo of the Garden City Fire Department made it a point during fire school to emphasize that a good firefighter will always maintain a clear head even in the most harrowing of circumstances. This task may be difficult in situations where an enormous amount of information must be transmitted to effectively fight the fire. Recent innovations in fire scene communication technology have allowed for more information to be transferred to the appropriate firefighters before and during the initial attack. The following outline some of the more important innovations to fire communication technology: Communications between Incident Command and Firefighters on scene: Digital technology is rapidly becoming integrated into fireground operations because, in general, voice clarity is much better than conventional radio, because it is easier to encrypt than analog. Mary Jane Dittmar, of Fire Engineering magazine, describes the technologies as working by "converting a voice into binary information and then compressing it. Through modulation and encoding formats, the analog information is converted to digital data, compressed, and then converted back again, while still maintaining acceptable levels of voice quality. Digital technology is clearer and easier to understand than analog technology because background ... ...er units. All this information is now immedeately available to the first out engine so that the incident commander can come up with a plan of attack before even assessing the scene first hand. As such, the coordinated chaos may very well be sorted out before the apparatus even arrives on scene. Works Cited: Anderson, Leif. Using Technology to Manage the Information Overflow. "Fire Engineering." May 2002. Bachman, Eric. Pre-Incident Size Up: An Important Response Tool."Fire Engineering." April 2002. Cobb, Ralph. Benefiting from Military Technology. "Fire Engineering." May 2002. Dittmar, Mary Jane. Fireground Communications: Strategies for Meeting Today's Challenges. "Fire Engineering." May 2002. Hawkins, Clayton. A Model to Improve Emergency Management. "Fire Engineering." April 2002. http://www.nfpa.org/Home/index.asp (visited December 15, 2002)

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Medieval Myths Essay -- essays research papers

Medieval Myths By: Norma Lorre Goodrich Published by: The Penguin Group, 1961   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.) The Types of stories found in this book are Medieval Stories. They contain Kings, Queens, and Knights, wars and battles, dragons, and beautiful maidens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.) One of the myths that I enjoyed was the one about Beowulf, from Scandinavian Mythology, entitled: Beowulf And The Fiend Grendel. This story is about a Danish Kingdom that was ruled by a King, named Hrothgar. Hrothgar was a great King, admired by people everywhere. One day Hrothgar decided to build a hall to which no other was greater, and named this hall Heorot. Heorot was made of gold and fine jewels, and people from many kingdoms traveled to see it. Hrothgar and his Queen Wealhtheow would sit inside Heorot and give away gifts to the people that came to visit. The Noble Earls (Danish Warriors) would also sleep in the great hall at night. All was well until an Ogre named Grendel, a fiend from hell, and a Satan who ruled over the swamps, went inside Heorot and killed the earls while they slept. No one found them until morning and this happened many times afterward. Soon Heorot was seldom occupied, and no one came to visit, for everyone feared the ogre Grendel would devour them as he did the others. The news of Grendlel traveled to many kingdoms, and soon it reached the Geats from across the sea. King Hygelac, the king of the Geats, heard this news, and soon Beowulf heard it. Beowulf was the strongest, and boldest man in the Geat Kingdom. He was also the son of Ecgtheow, a great war hero. When he heard this news he was ready to help the Danes. At first Hygelac, and the wise eldermen didn’t want Beowulf to go, because they feared he wouldn’t return, but then yielded. Beowulf then chose 15 warriors, with the help of Hygelac and the wise eldermen, to go with him on his journey to defeat Grendel. Upon their arrival, the Geats were greeted by an earl of Hrothgar. The earl asked them who they were, why they were dressed for war, and if they knew the password, and then noticed Beowulf. He was in shock for he had never seen a warrior like this one, and was sure that he was a hero. When Beowulf explained who they were, and why they were there, the earl quickly asked them to follow him to Heorot Hall. When faced with the... ...ch about the world around him. He is in a way, very gullible, innocent, and will listen to whatever anyone tells him. For the main characters, I would cast Peredur, Kay, Owein, and King Arthur. The setting that I would use would be France instead of Wales, and I would have most of it take place e in the forest as it is in the original. It will start out in the spring and end in the fall, early winter. It would be more of a drama, because with it being in medieval times, there are a lot of people falling in love, and people dying. Another reason for it being a drama is because, Peredur is more on a quest to become a knight on Arthur’s court, and he has to fight certain battles, making it more of a serious matter, rather than comedy. The thing that would be most difficult about making this a production is the women in his life. In each story Peredur falls in love with another, or promises her his love. It would be hard to stick to the facts if you had to cut out all these women in his life just because he has made the same promise to each one. It would be very easy to do as a TV series though, because they have their characters fall in love with different people all the time.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Compare and contrast the poems Mrs Faust and Eurydice :: English Literature

Compare and contrast the poems Mrs Faust and Eurydice The poems Mrs Faust and Eurydice are taken form the collection of poems called ‘The Worlds Wife’. The collection is written by Carol Ann Duffy, it is a compilation of poems that explores feminist principles, the state of feminism today and other such similar topics. The poem Mrs Faust however is not particularly a feminist poem; instead it looks into the shallow materialistic values of our society. Eurydice has feminist connotations, again though is not particularly a strongly feminist poem. Mrs Faust is written in a style that attracts the reader’s attention, the opening passage has conversational undercurrents, which has the effect of involving the reader, and in effect urging the reader to read on. â€Å"First things first-† the first line of the poem is an excellent example of the conversational tone that Carol Ann Duffy has adopted. This style of writing is also in effect in the poem Eurydice, again the opening statement is a good example of this. â€Å"Girls, I was dead and down in the underworld,† in this she has taken the conversational tone to the next level. This statement is now aimed at a specific group of people; women. By doing this, women, perhaps the main target demographic can relate to the poem more easily, and as such it will have a larger effect on them. The language and structure of Mrs Faust is very important to the meaning and effect of the poem. â€Å"We met as students, shacked up, split up, made up, hitched up†¦.† The fast pace use of short sentences and the language here reflects the fast pace of the lives Mrs Faust and her husband shared. The attention to the materialistic gains in the poem also reflects both upon the shallow love that Faust shares with his wife, and also perhaps the superficiality of our modern society. â€Å"Fast cars. A boat with sails. A second home in Wales.† This passage is quite possibly an accurate representation of the materialistic wealth that people have. She also implies that because of this the love that they share is very shallow, and perhaps does not even exist. The use of language in Eurydice is also very important in creating the tone of the poem. The opening stanza of the poem uses an extended metaphor; it uses literacy and words as a metaphor to describe the desolate underworld. â€Å"It was a place where language stopped, a black full stop, a black hole where words had come to an end.† Because of the importance of language for Orpheus and Eurydice, by describing the underworld as a lack of language and words, it shows the bleakness of

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Annotated Biblography Essay

Kristen E. Van Vonderen, M. S. , William Kinnally, Ph. D. (2012), â€Å"Media Effects on Body Image: Examining Media Exposure in the Broader Context of Internal and Other Social Factors†. Volume 14, Issue 2. 41-57. American Communication Journal. Summary: Vonderson and Kinnally’s article discusses the influence media has on women today and the way they see themselves. Being â€Å"overweight† has such negative stigmatism to it that women who are considered to be overweigh feel as though they are unlovable or unsuccessful because they don’t look like the women in magazines. They touch on the subject of the influence from parents and peers. Parents who comment on their child’s physical appearance convey body image norms that could lead to negative association with body shape. In the article they also talk about internal influences such as self-esteem and how, in part, it is a reflection of the opinion others hold of you. Analysis: Vonderson and Kinnally’s approach to informing us about how women are portrayed in magazines is both informative and surprising. I, myself being a young women was more than aware of the issue with body image and the media. I personally have thought less of myself after looking through a magazine or watching a movie because of how thin and beautiful those women are. But I was not aware of the many causes that influence women into thinking so negatively. Reflection: This particular article was very informative and helpful towards my research paper topic because it was exactly what I am writing about. Going into this project, I thought I knew quite a bit of information on this topic, but now reading these articles I realize that there is much more to the influence media has on women than I had imagined. Gemma Lopez- Guimera, Micheal P. Levine, David Sanchez-Carracedo, Jordi Fauquet. (2010),† Influence of Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behavior in Females: A Review of Effects and Processes†. Media Psychology, 13:387– 416. Print Summary: This article reviews research on the effects of television and magazines on body image and on disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in females. Evidence from different types of studies in the fields of eating disorders, media psychology, health psychology, and mass communication indicates that mass media are an extremely important source of information and reinforcement in relation to the nature of the thin beauty ideal, its importance, and how to attain it. Although considerable research remains to be done, evidence is accumulating that repeated exposure to media and to both direct and indirect (via media’s effects on peers, parents, coaches, physicians, etc. ) pressures from media to be thin constitute risk factors for body dissatisfaction, concerns over weight and disordered eating behaviors in adolescent girls and young women. Analysis: I found this article to be both credible and reliable mainly on the fact that it’s research was conducted professionally. The multiple authors of this article are credible because they are head departments of psychology, clinical and health psychology, psychobiology, and methodology of health sciences all from admirable universities all over the world. Reflection: This article help shapes the arguments in my research paper. My research paper is on the topic of mass media and its influence on society and with an article that focuses just on the female aspect of it, it will really help my arguments. So, J. and Nabi, R. (2013), Reduction of Perceived Social Distance as an Explanation for Media’s Influence on Personal Risk Perceptions: A Test of the Risk Convergence Model. Human Communication Research, 39: 317–338. Print Summary: The aim of this study was to develop the Perceived Parental Media Mediation Scale (PPMMS). in an initial test of this model, 500 undergraduate students at the University of California, Santa Barbara, participated in an experiment. Participants were exposed to entertainment clips that either portrayed a main character who is diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease or thinks he/she might have caught an STD and gets scared of testing for it. Overall, the risk convergence model received solid support from the data, with all paths emerging as significant except for the link between perceived realism and social distance. Reduction of social distance completely mediated the relationship between identification, transportation and personal risk perceptions, thus suggesting social distance as a valid causal mechanism of the process involving the two variables. Analysis: This article is credible because studies were conducted at multiple universities such as University of Georgia and UC Santa Barbara by experts in the Department of Communications. I found this article to be non biased based on the fact that they had conducted numerous experiments and tests on a large number of students and still found that their risk perception was influenced by the media. Reflection: I found this article to be very helpful with my research paper, being that it was a rather long article with more than enough information explaining medias influence on personal risk perception.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Product and Geographic Departmentalization Essay

est for a company managers are faced with several decisions/dilemmas. The following should be considered: †¢The products they produce †¢Who their customers are †¢Where their customers are located Once the above considerations has been taken, a manager can then look at the advantages and disadvantages to the different types of departmentalization. Two types of departmentalization are product and geography. Product departmentalization is when a company is organized by specific products. Take a look at 3M Corp; they make both consumer and industrial products. All of 3M Crops products operate under different divisions (Griffin, 2013). For example their Post-it and Scotch Brite brands could be located in the same building, but do not have the same managers or staffing resources. Basically the mangers and staff for both brands are coexisting with no business interaction. This type of departmentalization can also apply to retail stores. Most retail stores are broken into different departments. The advantages of product departmentalization are: †¢Allows people to specialize in one area of expertise †¢Makes it easier to assess performance †¢Makes decision making faster The disadvantages of product departmentalization are: †¢Duplication of functions †¢Coordination across different product departments †¢Limited view of organizational goals The above advantages and disadvantages taken from (Zararain, 2012) Geographic departmentalization is creating departments in the geographic areas they service. Coca-Cola is a company that operates using geographic departmentalization. They have 6 operating regions: Eurasia & Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, Pacific and Bottling Investments – in addition to Corporate (Unknown, 2011). The advantages of product departmentalization are: †¢Effective and efficient management. †¢Reduces costs by locating organizational resources closer to customers The disadvantages of product departmentalization are: †¢Duplicates functions †¢Functions are dispersed, therefore control cannot be exercised effectively †¢Isolates organizational areas from one another. The above advantages and disadvantages taken from (Zararain, 2012) I feel managers are challenged to try and decide what departmentalization type will best suit their company’s needs. Just because one fits today, that may not be the case in years to come. A manager may need to revisit the different departmentalization types and pick a new one that best fits the company’s structural needs. Note: Only two of the five-departmentalization types have been discussed. For more information on the other types please refer to page 219, chapter 7 in Business.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Biofilms: The Social Life of Microorganisms

Microorganisms typically do not live as single cells in pure cultures. The vast majority lives in mixed populations, organized in aggregates which are termed â€Å"biofilms†. This includes films at interfaces, flocks (floating films), sludge’s and microbial mats. They all have emergent properties in common that only can be developed in the aggregated form: they generate a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances which keeps them together, allows for the development of stable, synergistic micro consortia and for intense cell-cell communication. The matrix is activated by extracellular enzymes which are retained in it, representing an external digestion system. This system also sequesters nutrients from the environment and serves as ultimate recycling yard and nutrient source. Horizontal gene exchange is facilitated with a vast gene pool present. In biofilms, organisms differentiate rapidly, forming phenotypically different subpopulations, a mechanism which contributes to ecological fitness. Resistance to biocides is enhanced by a range of mechanisms. On the other hand, strong competition prevails in which attacking and defence strategies evolved, including the formation of antibiotics and bacteriocins. Grazing organisms can limit biofilm growth but also stimulate ecological fitness. Even â€Å"programmed cell death† is observed, leading to a more porous matrix which allows for better access of nutrients for organisms in the depth of the matrix. Under stress conditions, cells can transform into a viable but not cultivable (VBNC) state which is of relevance for public hygiene because they cannot be detected with the methods designed for their determination but can resuscitate. Biofilms represent the oldest, most abundant and successful form of life on Earth, displaying aspects of multicellularity. Life evolved from biofilms and they are involved in the biogeochemical cycles of all major elements. In biofilms, photosynthesis was developed biofilms they are responsible for the self-purification mechanisms of soils, sediments and water. However, biofilms can occur in the wrong place and time, causing bio fouling, bio corrosion and bio deterioration, leading to substantial economic loss and supporting an entire industry dedicated to cleaning and disinfection. In medicine, they are cause of persistent infections and are related to many diseases. In general, biofilms are of fundamental but mostly unaccounted relevance for our life.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Duopoly Coles vs Woolworths

Australian Business Environment A Duopolistic Market Structure: Who Wins? For most of us its Just part of everyday life decisions. Where to shop for the week, Coles or Woolworths? Should I drink Pepsi or Coke today? Do I go to MYER or David Jones to buy new make up from? We take in consideration a few prices, how convenient it will be to get there, what would we rather do, and that's it. But there's something bigger behind this. What is the impact on such big rivals, for us and the economy? It's not Just about personal choices.Living and studying in Australia for the ast 11 months, going to do my grocery shopping at Coles or at Woolworths has become part of my routine. And because it is such an ordinary thing to do, we tend to forget that we make part of a much bigger picture, and are contributing to several factors regarding the Australian economy. However, this race for the best has its advantages and disadvantages, and of course, this is affecting us as well. The Price War One of the advantages of this never ending battle for us customers, are the low prices.Because there is such a big competition for prices, each of the supermarket rands will try to make it as affordable as possible to the consumer, as a reaction to get competitive advantage. One big example of this war is the milk price. Both supermarkets can sell milk for $1 . It is very difficult to make any profit if you're selling products at such a low price, as Rob Murray, the chiet executive tor the t beverage group Lion stated. However this issue does not affect us consumers on a day-to-day basis, and the low prices keep us happy and of course, keep us shopping at these big supermarkets.Everyone wins with the Rewards Programs Another good thing for the shoppers at these two big chains is the rewards systems hey have. And we win again. Despite the cheaper price war having been leaded by Coles the majority of times, Woolworths seems to have another way of fghting. Their CEO Grant O'Brien came out wit h a new strategy: the Everyday Rewards. The more the customer shops, the more discount they get. Users of the cards get exclusive offers, discount on fuel and can even earn Qantas flyer points.And not only in Woolworths, they have retail partners like Big W, Dick Smith and Cellarmasters that will also benefit the customer. Coles also has their rewards system, the Flybuys. With his card, apart from the exclusive offers on Coles and affiliated firms products, the customer collects points at every purchase, which can later be changed by different prizes. But this is not only good for the consumers. Its basically the company saying that they will give us prizes, in exchange for our information.A Rewards system allows the firm to collect data about their customers, which they can use in their favour, to create loyalty and promote trust. With the Everyday Rewards, Woolworths has been able to collect a good amount of information, while Flybuys is still in the process of build its strength. Easy and Simple Another very good thing for the customer about these two big brands is the convenience. Everywhere we go, every big shopping center and busy area in a suburb will have at least one of the two, if not both.Coles and Woolworths have very strong analysts that will know where to place their shops, and if there is an area lacking one, it's probably not because they are still to build one, but because that are would not be so profitable yet. So for us, wherever we want to shop, we can always find one of these, and do not have to travel any long distance to get to one of these tores, as they are located almost everywhere too. Even for the most loyal customer from the small shops, sometimes it's a lot more convenient to visit one of the big supermarkets, and they will end up buying something from there.Someone might be losing Unfortunately it's not all flowers. For us to be paying such low prices, someone is losing money somewhere, and it's not the big supermarkets. Because they are such big brands, suppliers need to have their products in their shelf. Coles and Woolworths claim they have built very strong relationships with their suppliers, and it ight be true, but a lot of the smaller suppliers are getting ripped off. They â€Å"bully' the suppliers to sell their products at really low prices, and they know they have this power, otherwise they won't sell enough.They will also charge more to have the products placed in good positions on their shelves. A lot of the times the prices suppliers are charging are so small, that they are struggling to survive with these sales, and it generates another whole big problem. Creating Enemies The ones losing with the big duopoly from Coles and Woolworths are the smaller suppliers, and the smaller shops too. But not every customer is Just happy in paying small prices, they want to make sure everyone involved is protected.For this reason, there is a big pressure on ACCC from suppliers and the smaller businesses wh ich don't nave a chance to compete. There is a party called Australian Green, and they fght strong against the practices these two supermarkets have againg farmers and small suppliers. Their objective, as they state on the website, is to â€Å"tackle the supermarket duopoly', and the measures they are willing to take are strong. For example, put a temporary ban on expansion from Coles and Woolworths, or stopping his duopoly to purchase agricultural land, so they can't control the whole supply chain.The ACCC is also holding an investigation about the bullying of suppliers. While most of us will not care that much about the situation these suppliers are in, or will not have option to shop somewhere else, there is a big group who does care. These are customers who are willing to pay more, but do their groceries in a small shop so they can help that business, and also do not buy the products from exploited suppliers. No more competition Unfortunately, the group of very unhappy customer s mentioned before is not large nough to make sure the small businesses will survive.With such low prices and big chains, the two major supermarkets will not give a chance for a smaller business to survive in the middle of this war. It is Just impossible to compete with the two major supermarkets prices and their powerful middlemen, and the small shops start disappearing. Without competition, a lot of the products that do not have space on Coles or Woolworths shelves may also disappear, and this will also have a big impact on the economy as there is unemployment rising. This process will damage Australia ood's industry, and with the lack of new firms it might mean a lack of new products, and the whole market can go stale.Tricking the customers To have products at such low prices, as it was mentioned before, the suppliers will end up losing. But the customers might also lose sometimes. For example, the free range eggs case. Both Coles and Woolworths claim that they want to help custo mers switch from industrialised to free range eggs, by cutting the prices on the second one. However, the suppliers pay for the price that we are not, as it is impossible to have a free range egg production at such low prices.The customer will end up buying free range eggs thinking they are contributing to improve the animal welfare standards from the supermarkets, however, they do not know that they are still purchasing the â€Å"industrialised† free range eggs, the free range version of these two big supermarkets. Even though it seems there are more disadvantages to small businesses and suppliers than there are advantages for us customers, it is not the number, but the quality of these advantages that count. This battle is far from the end, because it is not likely that the masses will stop shopping at Coles or Woolworths anytime soon.However, the ones that are more conscious about it can only expect that it will make a difference in the future, when the ACCC take strong me asures or the political inaction ends, and someone who genuinely cares and is strong enough to change this is put in charge. In the meanwhile, we will keep enjoying the convenience to Just walk for 10 minutes and find a shop, or receive rewards and discount on products and even fuel, and keep ignoring all the ones losing from this. In the end, it is a battle and someone will lose. If not the big duopolistic market, a part of the population will pay.