In Tim OBrien Essay Example for Free

In Tim OBrien Essay In Tim O’Brien’s â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story,† the author tries to humanize war by letting the reader know how absolutely difficult telling a war story is. He does this by giving many unsolicited pieces of advice about how to tell a true war story, but many of them directly contradict each other or do not make sense when compared side-by-side. In giving these pieces of advice, he is also telling war stories that either do or do not fit his own criteria. And yet, he humanizes the people involved in fighting this war by giving the reader these lessons. One great example of this is when he tells the story of Rat Kiley and Lemmons. O’Brien begins by telling the reader that â€Å"a true war story is never moral†(O’Brien). He continues with, â€Å"If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, then you have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lie† (O’Brien). Then he tells us first the story of Rat Kiley writing this letter to the sister of his best friend who died. Kiley pours his heart out to this woman and she never writers back, and he has a derogatory comment about the sister. This certainly is not uplifting, but Rat Kiley has been humanized. The reader can somewhat imagine writing this letter and understands what it would take to write a letter like this, and then to have it unacknowledged. While O’Brien tells us almost nothing directly of the character of Rat Kiley, the reader learns mounds of information about his character nonetheless. O’Brien continues on to tell us about the death of Lemmons, and then he explains that even his own telling of the story is subjective. What he thinks he saw versus what might have actually happened are two different things. We didn’t know Lemmons, but again, we feel like we know something of his character from hearing this story. O’Brien is able to provide such beautiful or not so beautiful characterizations of these men without really telling the reader anything. But these men are humanized for us. They are not statistics in a war; they are real men. Another lesson O’Brien teaches is that â€Å"In a true war story, if there’s a moral at all, it’s like the thread that makes the cloth. You can’t tease it out. You can’t extract the meaning without unraveling the deeper meaning. † He tells us that true war stories do not generalize but they make us feel it in our stomachs. We can’t generalize to something simple like â€Å"War is hell. † He then tells us another story of Rat Kiley when he slowly slaughters the water buffalo. The reader is horrified, but also at some level understands why Rat Kiley did this. The water buffalo becomes a symbol of the breakdown during war itself. The incredible need for violence and retribution is strong. It is a horribly sad story of the slaughter of an animal. But based on what we already know about just what Rat Kiley has been through, we understand him on some gut level. War is hell, but it is also mystery and beauty. â€Å"Though it’s odd, you’re never more alive than when you’re almost dead. † The reader can understand this and understand the characters better because of it. These men are not monsters; they are just men. They are fighting a terrible war and are forced to do terrible things, but they are human. â€Å"At the hour of dusk you sit at your foxhole and look out on a wide river turning pinkish red, and at the mountains beyond, and although in the morning you must cross the river and go into the mountains and do terrible things and maybe, die, even so, you find yourself studying the fine colors on the river, you feel wonder and awe at the setting of the sun, and you are filled with a hard, aching love for how the world could be and always should be, but now is not† (O’Brien). This passage describes all men in war, and even though Rat Kiley has done terrible things, we understand a little bit about what he must be thinking. We understand how these men value their lives even more because of war. In O’Brien’s unique way, these men are truly humanized. By providing the reader with various instructions throughout the story about what a true war story isn’t and what a true war story is, these men are deeply humanized. The reader understands from Tim O’Brien that war is never as simple as it seems, and neither are the men who fight the war. He tells us horrible stories about these men, and yet, these stories help us to understand the men better. With the commentary O’Brien provides about how to write a true war story, the reader understands so many things. We understand that these â€Å"true† war stories may not even actually be true in the most common sense of the word. We understand that, no matter what, they are never simple. The lessons are never clear. They are not pretty, and if they are, they are not true. In other words, the characters of war are as complex as the reasons we fight wars. While it would be nice to have a tidy moral, there are none. At the bottom of it all are human lives. These men are not heroes and they are not monsters.

Business Level Strategies Versus Corporate Level Strategies Business Essay

Business Level Strategies Versus Corporate Level Strategies Business Essay INTRODUCTION Automobile industry is named the industry of industries by Peter Drucker. Since its humble beginning the automobile industry has involved very much with the times. The industry which is dominated by Europe, US and Japan is currently going through extraordinary changes. After a period of steady growth the industry started to decline in 2008, and declined further in 2009. Currently Toyota holds the majority market share of 10.9 per cent; Volkswagen holds 9.2 per cent share while Ford holds 7.2 per cent of the market share. (Datamonitor, 2009) This report explores the business level and corporate level strategies of Honda Motors and also critically evaluated its process of reconciling dichotomies with reference to product related and process related core competencies. The report examines the Mergers and Acquisitions (MA) in the industry, and the impact of debts, potential synergy and new technology has on MA are investigated with current examples. How automobile players have been dealing with the corporate social responsibilities and its impact on the firms are also discussed. The leadership models by the Japanese management model and Western management model are compared and contrasted. APPLICATION OF STRATEGIES Business Level Strategies Versus Corporate Level Strategies Pizam defined business level strategy as the approach taken by an organization to compete in its chosen markets (2005, pp. 54) Micheal Porter (1980) classified strategies into three generic types; cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategy (cited in Pizam, 2005, pp. 54) Each strategy assists the firm in gaining a certain competitive advantage in a particular competitive scope. However Micheal Porter identified unique features for business level strategies for international businesses (Appendix 1); factors of production, demand conditions, related and supporting industries and firm strategy, structure and rivalry (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2007, pp. 218) A business level strategy of is its research and development. Hondas product development process is respected within the automobile industry for its sheer speed. Reducing lead time, combining productive efficiency with human dignity, mass production reducing the cost and achieving the expense of product variety are some examples of Hondas RD accomplishments. Honda has a wide international production network; with 89 production facilities (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 665) Business level strategies determine the number of plants or production facilities and the locations. Corporate level strategies is to identifies which businesses and industries a company should compete in, which value creation activities it should perform in those businesses and how it should enter of leave those businesses or industries to maximize its long-run profitability (Hill Jones, 2009, pp. 285) Corporate strategy in global context focuses on the scope of diversification, both product and geographical. (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009, pp. 220) Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson also states that corporate strategy dictates business level strategies in order to standardize the firms products and sharing of resources across countries (2009, pp. 220) While western management assumes that there is bound to be trade-offs between product quality, cost and delivery; high quality meant high cost etc. However the Japanese developed a right-first-time approach which Honda adopts, which is a corporate strategy dictated to enhance the quality, reduces cost and differentiate the products hence a business level strategy. Honda is the first Japanese firm to manufacture automobiles in the North America when it opened its assembly plant in Ohio is also a business level strategy dictated by corporate level strategy. Other corporate strategies include venturing into the vehicle production from producing auxiliary engines for bicycles and venturing into foreign markets too. While they are product-related diversification here is an example of geographical diversification. Shareholding with European company British Leyland (now known as Rover Group) which was one of the least capable automobile manufacturers is a corporate strategy. Honda has production facilities at 33 countries, (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 665) it is also a corporate level strategy of geographical diversification (Peng, 2006, pp. 390) The Managing of Dichotomies by Honda Motor Core competencies refer to firms internal attributes that provide a basis for competitive advantage (Peng, 2006, pp. 77) Core competencies provide access to a wide variety of markets, contributes significantly to end products benefit and are not are not easily imitated. (www.quickmba.com) Prahalad and Hamel define a competence as collective learning in an organization especially how to coordinate diverse production skills and integrate multiple streams of technology (1990, pp. 82) Core competence is often acknowledged in the form of tangible and intangible assets. Organizations should pay equivalent amount of attention to its employees competencies once it starts to pursue core competences track (Bergenhenegouwen et al.,1996) Tangible resources and capabilities are financial, physical, technological and organizational (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) For example, the ability to generate internal funds, ability to raise external capital, location of plants, offices, and equipment, access to raw materials and distribution channels, possession of patents, trademarks and copyrights, formal planning, command and control systems, integrated management information systems (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) Hence tangible resources are those which are directly involved in the manufacturing of a product. Intangible resources and capabilities include human, innovation and reputational (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) Examples of intangible resources are knowledge, trust, managerial talents, organizational culture, a supportive atmosphere for new ideas, research and development capabilities, capacities for organizational innovation and change, perceptions of product quality, durability, and reliability among customers, reputation as a good employer and reputation as a socially responsible corporate citizen (Peng, 2006, pp. 78) These factors are mostly involved in the production process. One of the core competencies Honda is famous for is in the advanced internal combustion engines which power the whole range of its products. The case of CVCC (compound vortox controlled combustion) engine designed so in such a way pollutants are not created. While the rest of the industry was battling with ways to clean up the emitted pollutants, Honda designed so that no pollutants were created to clean in the first place. The dichotomy was reconciled in a way there was no trade-off. Refer to Appendix 2 for the framework to integrate markets, platforms and competencies. In the case of VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) controlled fuel injection electronically, control the ratio of fuel to air according to driving condition, hence what the process required, hence reconciling the dichotomy of fuel economy vs. engine power. Honda is known for its technologically innovative engines, refusal to accept taken-for-granted trade-offs characterizes all aspects of Hondas strategic approach to technological change (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 673) Honda also developed an innovative strategy for the planning of production, a strategy which exhibits characteristics of both the traditional dichotomous poles; one pole is large-lot mass production and the other pole is the one piece flow (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 675-6) Hondas own innovative strategy overcame this dichotomy and obtained the advantages of large-lot production which is simpler logistics and quality control, fewer chances of error, easier programming of production schedules. (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 676) And also the advantages of small-lot production were obtained, those being ability to offer a wider range of products to consumers and greater worker involvement and satisfaction (Wit Meyer, 2004, pp. 676) MERGERS ACQUISITIONS Mergers are commonly characterised as the consolidation of two organizations into a single organization (Schraeder Self, 2003) Acquisitions are the purchase of one organization from another where the buyer or the acquirer maintains control (Borys and Jemison, 1989) Car-making may be one of the worlds most competitive big industries, but rival producers have always been ready to cooperate on expensive new technologies and products when the cost or risk of going it alone was too high (www.ft.com) The search for partners is now heating as automakers pursue to build scale, lower costs, and pool efforts in zones like small cars, vehicle electrification, and new or emerging markets (www.ft.com) Automotive mergers and acquisitions take place to increase market share, attain economies of scale and augment product ranges (www.reportsure.com) Figure 1; driving factors of Mergers Acquisitions for the years 2007, 2008 2009 Source: KPMGs Global Auto Executive Survey, 2010, pp. 20 Too much Debt and Risk of Bankruptcy Companies believe that a rising rate of MA will be driven partly by crisis factors, and partly by the long-term imperative of finding and developing new technology solutions for a changing market (the continued high stress that companies place upon new technology development KPMGs Global Auto Executive Survey (2010, pp. 20) KPMG predicts that indebtedness will be the top of M A. Also states that all cost pressures now seen as less significant (KPMGs Global Auto Executive Survey, 2010, pp. 20) According to the survey (KPMG Global Executive Survey, 2010), the specific global drivers of alliances, mergers and acquisitions will be driven by crisis factors such as too much debt and risk of bankruptcy 89 per cent (Car Magazine, May, 2010) Ford Motors partnered with Mazda since 1970s to raise cash and to focus on its own brand/ business. (www.ft.com) PSA Peugeot Citroen Toyota produces small cars in Czech Republic. (www.ft.com) As the surveys, too much debt and risk of bankruptcys impact on Mergers and Acquisition (MA) is very high and it is one of the driving forces of MA. Volkswagen in December 2009 announced its plans to buy 19.9 per cent of Suzuki which is to take a stake of approximately 3 per cent of Volkswagen. (www.ft.com) General Motors owned an equity stake in Suzuki from 1991 to 2008 Potential for Product Synergies Companies in auto industry merge to gain product synergies. GM has a contract with Renault to produce vans in Luton, England since 2001 to 2013 (www.ft.com) Daimler announced strategic partnership with Renault and Nissan April 2010; three companies are to build small car engines and vans together. BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen produce petrol engines together. (www.ft.com) PSA Peugeot Citroen corporates with Mitsubishi Motors on cross over vehicles, electric cars and a joint plant opened in April 2010 in Kaluga, Russia. They also announced that they would work together to develop a compact sport utility vehicle (www.ft.com) Access to New Technologies and Emerging Markets Nissan has OEM (original equipment manufacturer) / supply deals with Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda and Chryslers Dodge brand (www.ft.com) Volkswagen currently owns 49.9% of Porsches sports car business, and Porsche owns 51.1% of Volkswagen. Talk of full-fledged merge is taking place (www.ft.com) Porshe corporates with Volkswagen and its luxury marque Audi sports vehicles. (www.ft.com) PSA Peugeot Citroen with Fiat produces light commercial vehicles and vans. (www.ft.com) New products and new technologies have moved higher among their highest ranking concerns, from an already high leading position in last years survey (KPMG Global Auto Executive Survey, 2010) ROLE OF CSR IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY A happy convergence between what your shareholders want and what is best for millions of people Kofi Anan (2001) Corporate social responsibility raises consideration of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm to accomplish social benefits along with the traditional economic gains which the firm seeks (K. Davis, 1973 cited in Peng, 2006, pp. 484) Carroll (1999, p. 286) suggests that social responsibility covers the conduct of a business so that it is economically profitable, law-abiding, ethical and socially supportive. Global automotive makers and suppliers are also seen to be more corporate responsible now. Going green is a common term in the industry now. Each company in the industry is coming up with a better plan each day. GM has promotes a building greener car, electric car experience and also teach green campaign. (www.gm.com) Toyota has numerous CSR activities as development of environmental vehicles, design for recycling, pedestrian safety campaign, vehicle safety, and customer first, support of art to name a few (www.toyota.com) Refer to Appendix 3 for overview of Toyotas CSR activities. Apart from producing many models of hybrid cars, Honda has devised a Honda LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) system. Honda is determined to measure, assess and analyse the full impact of its products on the environment. Honda LCA will monitor its products entire life cycle from the development and production stages to the final disposal at the end of its life. According to Honda, this will help them identify specific issues at each level of corporate activity and set corresponding targets for action. CSR helps to create shareholder value, increase revenue base, helps in strategic branding, operations efficiency, provides better access to capital, enhance human intellectual capital and also lower business risks (www.csrsingapore.org) Today investors are more aware of corporate governance and social responsibility, associating a firm to these features promote the image of the company and hence better access to capital and other such advantages. Therefore, organizational performance increases. Financial advantages sought in the name of corporate social responsibility are creating shareholders value, increased revenue base, better access to capital and lower business risks. Non-financial benefits are enhanced goodwill of the organisation, strategic branding, and operation efficiency and enhanced human and intellectual capital. While the players of automobile industry focus so much on CSR, the companies are being criticized too. Polonsky and Jevons (2009) states that criticisms has been raised in regarding to global automobile manufacturers who endorse fuel-efficient vehicles of various descriptions, while also producing fuel guzzling SUVs targeted at inner-city users. CSR is a very serious matter. CSR is not only associated with responses to crises, but it has also led to many crises, due to negligence of responsibilities as a corporate citizen. Non-compliance can be expensive and can even push corporations into existence threatening controversy- poor labour relations or public hostility. (Keinert, 2008, pp. 103) And threatening government or civil society action can lead to a slump in sales, lost market share and even withdrawal of capital (Keinert, 2008, pp. 103) LEADERSHIP; JAPANESE STYLE VS. WESTERN STYLE Japanese and American Management are 95% the same, yet differ in all important respects Takeo Fujisawa, founder of Honda Motor Company. In the early 1960s to the 1990s, Japanese management claimed a prominent place in the consciousness and management discourse of the west. Western management involves mass, standardized and fordist production while the Japanese prefer lean, flexible and post-fordist production. A mass production system focuses on producing a single product for a mass market, where else lean production focuses on producing a finite set of standard products designed for a segmented markets demand (Swamidass, 2000, pp. 451) Fordism is the transformation of the economy from agricultural to industrial to mass production to mass consumption. (www.willamette.edu) Where western management model is based at this, the Japanese management mode is post- fordist, the period after that. Mass production equals to fordist standardized production and lean production creates flexible and post-fordist creations. In the work process, western models are taylorist, do workers and unskilled workers. The Japanese work process consists of post-taylor, think workers and polyvalent. Taylorist is a means of detailing a division of labor in time-and-motion studies and a wage system based on performance (www.vanderbilt.edu) which western work process adheres to. The workers are do workers as in, they do what is asked, and thinking is not necessary nor is skilled workers. While the Japanese are post-taylorist, their workers are thinkers, they are to think and come up with ideas for the tasks they are entrusted with. Also under Japanese management style, workers are multi skilled. Production, organization and logistics involve large-lot production, just-in-case method of inventory management and push system. The Japanese management model focuses on, small-lot production, just-in-time and pull system. Just-in-time method is a fool proof method where production, purchasing and distribution all happens just-in-time. In western management model is just-in-case method is more popular. (www.leanmanufacturingconcepts.com) Pull models strive to persistently expand the choices offered while at the same time assisting people to find the resources that are most applicable to them unlike push models treat people as passive consumers (even when they are producers/workers) whose needs can be expected and shaped by centralized decision-makers. (www.johnhagel.com) The organization structure is vertical with fragmented duties and individual as responsible. In the Japanese management model, the structure is horizontal, with broad duties for employees and group is responsible for success of failure. Labour relations are job control focus, cross-company unions and hire and fire strategy. In the Japanese model labour relations are employment conditions focused, enterprise unions and job-for-life employed. Western organizations have separated firms and there are distant inner-firm relations, where else in the Japanese management model it has Keiretsu families and there is close inter-firm relations. There is no better or worse model among the two, as it depends on the situation. And there is no single good method, the situation and the issue in question should be closely examined before choosing the most appropriate model. Just like Honda Motors has, it does not practice one style of management model, the model chosen depends on what the best one is for the firm, given the situation. CONCLUSION The performance of the industry is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 11.5% for the five year period 2009-2014, which is expected to drive the industry to a value of $2,526.6 billion by the end of 2014 (Datamonitor, 2010)

The Powers of the Core Executive

The Powers of the Core Executive My chosen question shall see me discuss how the reform of the British State affected the power of the core executive. I shall be focusing on key themes such as looking into the concept of the core executive and how its seen to have traditionally operated, including the Westminster model. I shall discuss debates into the relationships and powers within the core executive, focusing directly on Thatcher v Blair. I will go onto discussing the reforms within the British State, explaining what they are and how they operate, and how they affect the core executive. I shall look at the different perspectives of the contemporary core executive by looking into the hollowed out and differentiated policy systems. Lastly I shall look at contingency core executive model before concluding. ******Concept of the core executive and traditional perspectives of its operation ie Westminster model†¦.. What is the core executive? The core executive is at the very centre of British government. It covers the very complex web of institutions, networks and practices surrounding the Prime Minister, cabinet, cabinet minister as well as committees and the less formalised groups. Smith.J.M (1999). It focuses on roles not just structures; also it has to be ready to react at all times as certain incidents such as the London riots would have caused a reaction within the core executive. This is known as fire-fighting, managing a crisis suddenly sometimes a matter of life and death. POLITICS AND GOVERNENCE pg 96. The treasury is always within the core executive, as every time it agrees to commit resources to a specific area its denying its resources elsewhere. Therefore the treasury maintains a structure of balance within the core executive. POLITICS AND GOVERNENCE IN UK PG 116. Westminster Model is seen to be an organising material, one which is built on the assumption that there is parliamentary sovereignty. It is argued that the Westminster Model was failing due to the reform of the government and as a member of the European Union. Smith.J.M (1999). It is a dominant figure over the central government, with its governing party mainly in the House of Commons. The main characteristics of the Westminster model apart from parliamentary sovereignty are that the cabinet ministers have collective responsibility, party discipline maintained and voters are offered a choice between parties, GOVERNENCE PG 48. ******Debate over relationships and power in core executive- cabinet v PM v Presidential style government, maybe utilising Thatcher and Blair example†¦.. There is an on-going debate over relationships and powers within the core executive. Along with this are the different styles of government which every leader adopts to their own personal style. The main figure head is the Prime Minister, in which all policies have to be passed and accepted before they take their place within society. The Prime Minister also represents the country during international debates and relations. The Cabinet is another prominent figure within the core executive it tends to consist of around 20-23 ministers, each is appointed by the Prime Minister themselves. The Cabinet helps with government business such as public expenditure and constitutional issues. The Cabinet is strongly supported by the Civil Service. McEwan.N (2004). The Prime Minister V Cabinet debate has gone on for many years and shall continue to be seen as a battle between two important figure bodies. Relating strongly to the circumstances and the resources that are available at the time, may determine who may take the leading role. Prime Ministers are dependent on the support of the cabinet and without the appropriate team work wouldnt be a successful unit. Blair V Margaret Thatcher. Its believed that the resignation of Margaret Thatcher was forced upon her as she failed to recognise her dependency on colleagues within the core executive. This was due to her ignoring pleas and views from colleagues during a recession and unpopularity in the polls. During 1980 and 1990 Thatcher was seen to be a strong figure but this started to deteriorate rapidly causing more resignations under her such as John Major. THE CORE EXEC IN BRITAIN PG 102. Tony Blair did follow some traits left behind by Margaret Thatcher, but he also introduced significant changes to the way in which the government was run. Blair and Thatcher between them are the two longest serving prime ministers in the last hundred years. Thatcher when in government instituted reforms within British government, as well as opening up economic and global competition. BRITISH POLITICS PG 302. *****Reforms in the British state, what are they? What has been their effect? How have they affected the core executive There have been many reforms within the British state over the years, with each prime minister bringing in reforms that they believe are needed at that time. Margaret Thatcher had big involvement in the reform of the central government when she was in power. Thatcher wanted to reduce the size of the state by reducing the amount of civil servants. This was mainly due to privatisation; thatcher believed that by reforming the central government it would become more efficient and better value for money. CORE EXEC PG 200. With many new reforms being introduced this brings implications to the core executive such as resources and relationships, and how they are utilised. Thatcher wanted to increase the power of authority and was committed to ensure that the reforms she brought in wouldnt be easy to reverse. CORE EXEC PG 212. Tony Blair was known to be trying to adjust the way in which the core executive was set up, after Margaret Thatcher. With the British state being a parliamentary one the core executive works within a parliamentary framework. The core executive has lost power, due to the reform and the movement of powers within the core executive. It is believed by Rhodes that the differentiated polity has had a great impact on the core executive making it more about co-ordination rather than direction of power. PAGE242. A key issue that comes out of this is that the ministers within the core executive can identify what needs to be done to improve British society, but its whether they have the approp riate resources to do so. *****Different perspectives of the contemporary core executive ie Rhodes hollowed out model and differentiated polity and Richards and Smiths dependency/resource exchange and contingency core executive model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ There are different perspectives of the contemporary core executive; I am focusing on Rhodess hollowed out and differentiated polity models. Rhodess Differentiated Polity model is one of the most complex attempts at providing a contemporary organising perspective on the British system of government. There are many key strands to the differentiated polity including policy networks, power dependence, governance, intergovernmental relations and a hollowed out state. GOV AND P.P IN UK PG 20. The hollowing out of the state is the most important aspect of the differentiated polity model. The hollowing out of the state summarises many changes which have taken place in the British government. GOV AND P.P IN UK PG 26. Rhodes 1997 states that central government authority has been reduced and dispersed:- Upwards to the supranational level. Outwards through privatisation and market testing. (Core executive.) Downwards, through the creation of quangos and agencies. British government is seen to be hollowed out from the top as a result of our membership with the European Union. A few factors that are seen to be responsible for hollowing out are globalisation, Europeanization, internationalism and privatisation. Privatisation can benefit the government such as it helps raise a lot of money, which can be then spent on public expenditure. It also encourages private investments as well as reducing power of trade unions. Globalisation and its causes are hard to identify and it has many levels. Consequently its brought down to economic, social, political and scientific developments in which people associate globalisation. GOV PUB POL UK PG 126, Prime Ministers and Cabinet officials believe that globalisation has changed politics and made it problematic. ******Conclusion†¦..

Personnel Management (HRM) :: essays research papers

Personnel management - The renewed emphasis on the importance of human resources in the 1980s and 90s drew attention to the way in which people management was organized. Specifically, this meant a critical review of the functions of personnel management. Personnel management has been a recognized function in the USA since NCR opened a personnel office in the 1890s. In other countries the function arrived more slowly and came through a variety of routes. This excerpt from Human Resource Management in a Business Context looks at Personnel management from a historical perspective. Further notes: Traditional Personnel Functions †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recruitment - advertising for new employees and liaising with employment agencies. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Selection - determining the best candidates from those who apply, arranging interviews, tests, references. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Promotion - running similar selection procedures to determine progression within the organization. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pay - a minor or major role in pay negotiation, determination and administration. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Performance assessment - co-ordinating staff appraisal and counselling systems to evaluate individual employee performance. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Grading structures - as a basis for pay or development, comparing the relative difficulty and importance of functions. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Training and development - co-ordinating or delivering programmes to fit people for the roles required by the organisation now and in the future. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Welfare - providing or liaising with specialists in a staff care or counselling role for people with personal or domestic problems affecting their work. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Communication - providing internal information service, perhaps in the form of staff newspapers or magazines, handouts, booklets, videos. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employee Relations - handling disputes, grievances and industrial action, often dealing with unions or staff representatives. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dismissal - on an individual basis as a result of failure to meet requirements or as part of a redundancy, downsizing or closure exercise, perhaps involving large numbers of people. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Personnel administration - record-keeping and monitoring of legislative requirements related to equal opportunities and possibly pensions and tax. Personnel Management Personnel management has been a recognised function in the USA since NCR opened a personnel office in the 1890s. American personnel managers worked within a unitarist tradition, identifying closely with the objectives of their organization (key concept 1.3). It was natural for HRM to emerge comparatively smoothly from this perspective. In other countries, notably Australia, South Africa and the UK, the personnel management function arrived more slowly and came from a number of routes. Moreover, its orientation was not entirely managerial. In Britain its origins can be traced to the 'welfare officers' employed by Quaker-owned companies such as Cadburys.

Animal Farm as a Fable Essay -- Literary Analysis, George Orwell

Everyone has encountered Aesop's fables at some point in their life. Aesop is the most renowned author of fables; a fable can be any â€Å"short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters† (â€Å"Fable†). For example, Animal Farm by George Orwell can be considered a fable. In this novel, the animals on Manor Farm rebel against their oppressive dictator, Mr. Jones, forming Animal Farm. However, after the rebellion, the animals allow the pigs to take over, who become the oppressive dictators who abuse the animals; Animal Farm has come full circle. It is rather obvious that the characters and events in Animal Farm are parallels to the rise and revolution of Communism in Russia. But why would Orwell write a fable instead of a political novel? One reason is prominent among many. By writing a fable, Orwell is able to incorporate traditional morals from well-known fables into his novel, Animal Farm; The morals from â€Å"The Ass and th e Old Shepherd,† â€Å"The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons,† and â€Å"The Lion’s Share.† Orwell uses the universal moral from â€Å"The Ass and the Old Shepherd† to defend a similar moral on government. In Animal Farm, the story opens on Manor Farm, which is run by the oppressive Mr. Jones. The animals are â€Å"born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength; and the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty† (Orwell 28). The animals rebel and form their own farm: Animal Farm. They drive Jones out, and allow those of a higher intellect (the pigs) to take over. One dissolute pig named Napoleon now has absolute power over the farm, an... ...â€Å"The Hawk†), and â€Å"You may share the labors of the great, but you will not share the spoils†(â€Å"The Lion's†). These morals can also be found in famous fables by authors like Aesop or La Fontaine, which proves their validity. If the same moral can be applied in two different situations, (the fables and the novel) it is more likely to impact other situations outside of literature, in the lives of the readers. This is why Orwell decided to use a fable; he wanted to be able to include the morals that could affect real people. He wanted to warn lower classes everywhere of these important points in a novel that a plebeian might actually read. By writing a fable, Orwell is able to support the morals in his novel by incorporating traditional morals; â€Å"Mr. Orwell has worked out his theme with a simplicity, a wit, and a dryness that are closer to La Fontaine and Gay† (Wilson 51).

Power and Influence in the Workplace Essay

This case study is based upon the conceptual article by Glenys M. Drew titled; ‘Enabling or Real power and influence in leadership’, in which â€Å"aims to provoke thought about power and influence in leadership.† Simply stated, power is our desire to have influence upon others, placing us within a particular social status. According to Lewicki, Barry, and Saunders (2010, p. 199), â€Å"people have power when they have the ability to bring about outcomes they desire or the ability to get things done the way they want them to be done.† Influence is â€Å"the actual strategies and messages that individuals deploy to bring about desired attitudinal or behavioral change,† (Lewicki et al 2010, p. 220). In most relationships there is power imbalances, including an organization structured to flow in a top-down direction. This is known as formal power and influence such as between a boss and his or her subordinate. â€Å"The power imbalance in these relationships stems from the asymmetry in dependence between the parties, which contributes to an asymmetry in influence between the parties,† (Emerson, 1962, p. 37). Problems Specified in the Case â€Å"What constitutes real power and influence in leadership† is addressed and whether â€Å"coercive tactics of wielding power over others† is even necessary. It is contended that the opposite is true in that â€Å"demonstrating real power and influence in leadership† holds back â€Å"usurping power to work with and  enable others to achieve worthwhile ends,† (Drew, 2010, p. 1). Possible solutions presented by the Authors The author explores three suggested solutions of enabling or real power and influence in leadership, each solution is accompanied by an element of paradox. The first suggests that â€Å"enabling or real power and influence does not usurp but serves.† The second is that an instinctual impulse of self-interest is diverted into a more socially acceptable interest for others and the intended goal. The third is that it fosters true engagement in leadership while positioning for growth for the self and others, (Drew, 2010). SWOT Analysis _Strengths_ In diverse coalitions, power and influence can be used to build a consensus. Real power is the ‘power to empower’. _Weaknesses_ In diverse coalitions, power without influence can bring about negative results. â€Å"Usurping power† and self-interest â€Å"tends to stultify and deny useful result,† (p. 7). _Opportunities_ Opportunities exist for leaders to use power to influence guided thinking, not so much to solve problems for people but to engage people in solving problems. _Threats_ Nothing is more important to building vital trust the prevalent state of leadership than that of credibility. A leader can lose credibility when power is misused and when strong professional will and humility are not found to be so effectual. Author’s recommended solution I agree with the author’s recommended solution that â€Å"genuine power and influence reverses the power paradigm, where the leader focuses primarily on the vision ahead more than (demonstrably) on self and partners with and enables others to reach shared goals,† (Drew, 2010, p. 2). Paradoxically, by enabling and empowering others with altruistic use of power and influence is a sign of â€Å"strength, rigor, and potentially rich outcomes† while wielding power just because one can, or for selfish reasons may on the surface seem â€Å"powerful† but could be displayed as weakness, stultification, and acquiring compromised outcomes. The paradox that â€Å"the only power is no power† assists an argument that may be inferred that â€Å"self aggrandizing power, in its bid to grab power, ultimately reduces the self, while resisting the exercise of usurping power expands the self and increases one’s potential for productive influence and authority,† (Drew, 2010, p. 3). â€Å"Self-interest for the interests of the goal† are sublimated by real power and influence within the â€Å"paradoxical proposition that genuine power results from giving rather than taking,† (Drew, 2010, p. 5). Real power and influence displays strength, not weakness within the paradox proposed is that real power and influence â€Å"eschews ‘soft’, uncritical approaches in favor of rigor, building a ‘culture of discipline’,† (Drew, 2010, p. 8). References Emerson, R. M. (1962). â€Å"Power-Dependence Relations,† American Sociological Review 27, 31-40. Drew, G. M. (2010). Enabling or â€Å"real† power and influence in leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 4(1), 47-58. doi:10.1002/jls.20154. Lewicki, R.J., Barry, B., & Saunders, D.M. (2010). Negotiation (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Humanities Paper Essay

Humanities is a topic that has so many wide-ranged meaning in regards to historical literature and arts. After conducting much needed research on the topic at hand, the author will discuss their informational findings in a research paper. In this paper, the author will define the meaning of humanities, discuss a cultural event that has been experienced such as music, dance, theater, art, literature, etc. The author will then elaborate on how a particular event was an expression of what he/she knew about the humanities, art, style, genius, and culture of the time  period it represents. Finally the author will explain how the selected form of cultural expression compares with other forms he/she know about from the same time period. Hopefully after reading this paper, the audience will have a better knowledge about Humanities in the Past, Present, and Future. Humanities Humanities can be very abroad, but one of the meanings of humanities, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is â€Å"Those branches of knowledge, such as philosophy, literature, and art, that are concerned with human thought and culture; the liberal arts† (American  Dictionary, 2000). Culture is a big part of humanities. These patterns, traits, and products are considered as the expressions of a particular period, class, community, or population (American heritage dictionary, 2000). Humanities has really helped paved the way for future endeavors such as the way we think, conduct ourselves, and the way we observe things. Select a cultural event you have experienced, such as music, dance, theater, art, literature, or others. 3 Defining the Humanities Paper Growing up in Louisiana, I have had the honor and pleasure of experiencing many  cultural events, but I must say my favorite cultural experience would have to be music. Music is one of the many ways I could escape from the turmoil in the world. In high school I was in the choir and my favorite instrument at the time was the piano. I use to lead the choir and sometimes, I was able to perform a solo piece while playing my piano. This was a great experience for me because I had an outlet to express myself without even speaking. My high school choir had the honor of performing at a nursing home in St. Francisville where there were a lot of singers,  ex-musicians, and dancers who were in the choir and performed around Louisiana just like my school. They really enjoyed our performance and they shared great stories about the times when they were in high school in the choir, and how music has changed since their days of playing music. Explain how your selected event was an expression of what you know about the humanities, art, style, genius, and culture of the time period it represents. I learned so much about the expression of humanities just by listening to the older  individuals talk about their experiences and the different ways they made music. They did not have the use of different instruments like we have now back in their day. These individuals made music with whatever they had and enjoyed every minute of it. They also expressed their concerns about the schools eliminating the music programs, they feel that they are taking â€Å"art† and â€Å"freedom of expression† away from our youth in the schools. Discuss how your selected form of cultural expression compares with other forms  you know about from the same time period. 4 Defining the Humanities Paper By listening to the elderly individuals at the nursing home it really gave me some insight on the cultural expression I chose which was â€Å"Music†. It showed me just by listening to each of them that music was relevant just as much then as it is now. They just had a different way of making music and expressing themselves while doing so. They made music with cups, buckets, washboards, keys, and anything that made some kind of noise. In today’s society, we now have  advanced technology which allows each one of us to have access to different instruments, such as the piano, guitar, drums, etc. Although the elderly individuals did not have access to the instruments we have today, they still appreciated what they had. Conclusion In conclusion, after conducting research on the topic at hand, the author discussed their informational findings. The author defined the meaning of humanities, discussed a cultural event that was experienced such as music, dance, theater, art, literature, etc. The author then elaborated on how a particular event was an expression of what he/she knew about the humanities, art, style, genius, and culture of the time period it represents. Finally the author explained how the selected form of cultural expression compares with other forms that he/she knew about from the same time period. Hopefully after reading this paper, the audience now have a better knowledge about Humanities in the Past, Present, and Future. 5 Defining the Humanities Paper Reference www. ahdictionary. com/.