The Nature of Sacrifice in the History and Ideology of Gush Emunim :: Israel Middle East Political Essays

The Nature of Sacrifice In The History And Ideology Of The Gush Emunim There can be no argument that by living in small settlements in the hostile and explosive West Bank and Gaza Strip, Gush Emunim settlers are making some sort of sacrifice. Surrounded no doubt by hostile Palestinians who feel that the Israelis are occupying their home, religious settlers face the potential for violence and death on a daily basis. In what is becoming a more perilous state of affairs in Israel with each suicide bombing, shooting spree, or IDF incursion into the Palestinian territories and refugee camps, perhaps no one on the Israeli side faces as constant a risk of danger than the Gush Emunim. This paper will attempt to examine the very nature of sacrifice that the Gush Emunim are involved in, as well as the biblical justification for this sacrifice. I also mean to explore the biblical justification the Gush Emunim may use to support their willingness to resort to violence against the Palestinians in defending this sacrifice. Their attitude towards their hostile neighbors is the same attitude their ancestors held about the Canaanites: â€Å"you must be expelled, whether peacefully or violently, because this is our land according to God.† In the history and ideology of the Gush Emunim, examples of both Nancy Jay’s communion sacrifice as well as Hubert and Mauss’s contractual sacrifice are plenty. The sacred violence as a cultural foundation about which Gil Bailie writes can also be found. Furthermore, Girard’s mimetic desire is evident in the competition between Jews and Muslims over the sacred space that is Jerusalem. The history of the G ush Emunim is a highly complex one, yet it can be much more clearly understood when its sacrificial systems and propensity for violence are explained using some of the authors whom we have read in class. Settlement in a hostile environment is the sacrificial risk they take. They have occupied the place of a sacrificial victim. The Palestinians represent the threat to their Messianic purpose. Background The Gush Emunim are not, contrary to popular myth, a political party in Israel. While over the course of their existence they have gained much political influence, they did not form to gain seats in the Knesset and change domestic or international policy. This all came later.

Wholefoods Market, Do They Practice What They Preach?

Whole Foods Market, Do they practice what they preach? Festus Acha, Jaesang Kim, Wanda Moss, Linda Pressley, Alioune Thiam The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Management & Organizational Behavior Professor Rick Milter March 22, 2010 Whole Foods Market, Do they practice what they preach? Abstract The purpose of this paper is to show a correlation between what is perceived about Whole Foods Market and what is factual about them. We intend to explore and investigate the following key points such as their mission statement, vision, their strategy for success, and empowerment techniques. We will look at how they motivate, compete with others, and the type of inspiration used as a whole to promote cohesiveness throughout their business. We want to feel out their communication techniques as well as the emotional intelligence of their employees. It will be an experience to observe their team leadership in action rather than by hearsay. Coaching and mentoring has to be an important function for such a global organization as well as the steps taken for decision making and problem solving. We have come to realize that change is inevitable in any business and we want to know what their plans for change are and how it will be dealt with. Lastly we take our information collectively and see just how Whole Foods holds up through our audit of their leadership. Our leadership audit of Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFMI) was based on the following criteria: Mission & Vision Statement (Core Values) Strategy for Success Empowering Employees Motivation & Inspiration Competing without fear Communication Emotional Intelligence Team Leadership Effectiveness Coaching & Mentoring Problem solving & decision making Organizational Change Overall Management We graded them on a sliding scale of Excellence to Needs Improvement and based on the financial data and management of their competitors such as Kroger’s, Safeway, and Trader Joe’s their score was given based on overall performance in those areas. Their biggest competitor being Trader Joe’s being a privately held company it was difficult to obtain financial information to do an effective comparison. Whole Foods Market has a running history of being a family oriented company. It is also reported that upper management uses a hands off practice of allowing its employees complete autonomy in decision making regarding the operation of their stores. Based on primary information obtained through observations and interviews at multiple Whole Foods Markets throughout the Maryland area we are able to shed some validity to some of the theories currently circulating. We also have information that may show or allude to controversial information as well. During these interviews we talked with employees and the managers on duty. What we learned is what people say and what you see may not always be the same. Our secondary information was obtained through reports found through second party interviews, up to date journals and magazines such as Harvard Business Review. Vision & Mission (Core Values) Whole Foods Market came into existence on September 12, 1980. Workers for Whole Foods Market experience this organization as a positive paternalistic organization. It is characterized by very high trust levels, complete autonomy and accompanied by very little uncertainty. Their vision statement speaks of their objectives and goals reaching beyond a food retailer. It highlights its customer satisfaction, healthy employee environment, profits, investments and stockholders always ending on a positive note. Their mission is to lead by example. Some of their core values are things such as: Ensuring they are selling the best quality all natural and or organic products available for resale. Making sure their customers are always satisfied Support team members Invest in the community and the environment Great relationships with our suppliers and business partners Whole Foods truly believes in creating wealth through profits and growth for the company and its employees. However, on March 17, 2010 one of our team members Wanda Moss visited the Whole Foods Market located at 1001 Fleet Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Her visit revealed that workers were friendly, outgoing, and very accommodating as she sought out a particular herbal seasoning to use in a seafood casserole. Her curiosity and interest in their herbs and spices made G. Singh, an employee more relaxed as she divulged her interest in their company for a school project. Ms. Singh has been working for the company for a little over four years she revealed. When questioned about the mission of Whole Foods as it pertained to her store and she replied that they are very good to her and they act as family towards one another. The employee was asked one other question in regards to the company’s position on unionized labor and she replied no one that she knows in her store wants to be in a union and that they like things just fine. Wanda Moss said she felt a defensive spirit as â€Å"G† responded. Nonetheless Ms. Moss continued to check out with her items and thanked the young lady for her time. Whole Food Markets employees are very knowledgeable about the store and its practices almost as if one has to rehearse. We have surmised either these employees are well prepared for inquisitions or the vision or mission statement of Whole Foods is genuine being practiced. We rated them good in their ability to mirror their vision and mission statement. Strategy for Success Which leads us to what is their marketing strategy to remain successful and move forward? Information obtained from their website suggests that they rigorously will be vigilante assessing their current situations in all aspects of the business in which they operate and examine as to how they can stay the front runner. Part of that plan is to expand geographically in the future and give consideration to altering their product mix to attract more main stream customers. Since they are not really clear on their plan of execution for expansion and innovation in altering their current mix, we rated them average and the need for improvement. Empowerment Their strategy will lead us to how they intend or are currently empowering their employees and low level managers to remain on the frontline for the business. What was learned is that their empowerment techniques equate to trust all day long. For instance the employees believe that with management placing an immeasurable amount of faith in them, a high value is placed upon them. That same value is transferred to the customers and other stakeholders that help them to remain profitable and a front runner in their field. Their CEO John Mackey is walking the talk by nurturing from the inside out to enhance the quality of benefits distributed in all of their stores. The empowerment of their employees and or team leaders is unique and inspiring so we rated them excellent in this category. Inspiration Whole Food Market was created by local business people who had the conviction that the natural food industry was ready for bigger stores. They decided to opt for the supermarket format that was hosted by only â€Å"half a dozen† stores providing natural food in the United States. In terms of nutrition, Whole Food Market claims to always look for the â€Å"highest quality, least processed, most flavorful and natural food possible†. They believe that their products are the purest within the US and that everything that you can pick up at the store will be healthy. The company also buys from local growers in order to support them and reduce their â€Å"carbon footprint†. That way, Whole Food Market is then really â€Å"committed to helping take care of the world around [them]† and the â€Å"support of organic farming and sustainable agriculture helps protect our planet†. The company also supports food banks and all sorts of micro lending operations in order to leave something positive to the community. Whole Food Market also believes that its employees make the company. They select them carefully, making sure that their values and the Whole Food market’s values are in sync. The company is trying to create a workplace where employees are pushed to improve and feel respected as well. Motivation Several factors have to be taken into account when assessing the origin of employees’ motivation. One important factor that motivates employees is that Whole Food Market support â€Å"advancement from within†. In other words, they promote their current employees to apply for the higher responsibilities positions. According to Whole Food Market, once an employee has gained valuable knowledge, he may qualify to apply for any available opportunity in the Whole Food stores and facilities. Whole food makes a point to post all the openings for positions â€Å"at team leader level or higher† only in their internal job site. It prevents outsider to access high level responsibilities positions as well as it promotes current employee to expand their product knowledge, develop their skills, enhance their value to the team, and advance inside the company. Another important factor that keeps the employees motivated is the benefit packages provided to them. Fortune Magazine recognized Whole Food Market to be one of the â€Å"100 best companies to work for during the last 13 years†. In 2009, Whole Food Market was part of the only 15 companies that would provide 100% coverage on their employees’ health insurance premiums. Their benefit packages include â€Å"health insurance, paid time off, retirement savings and generous store discounts. The company also claims to be unique in the way it allocates benefit packages. Indeed, since every team member is important to the companies, they all get a voice when it comes to the content of their benefit packages. Team members will vote every three years to determine the content of the benefit packages offered by the company. This system results in different benefit packages according to the country or region employees are working in. The Paid- Time –Off policy, for example, is different depending on where the employee is working. For US employees, the paid time off depends on whether the employee is working full-time or part-time. In Canada paid-time-off depends on the time spent within the company in years, and In the UK, every single employee gets 7 days and the possibility to add an extra day. The last factor (but not least) that we discovered to be pushing employees is the learning experience and the experience itself. Alioune Thiam, one of our team members interviewed a couple of employees at different positions. When they were asked the question † what motivates you† one of them spontaneously answered that the learning experience was her principal source of motivation when the other stated that he just love the company and what the company does for the environment. Competition Based on the multiple interviews held with the store managers, Whole Food Market does not consider other giants of the food industry as threatening competitors. They acknowledge that other stores also carry organic food but they are convinced that the high quality standard set is not rivaled. Employees also mentioned shopping at Whole Food Market as an experience where the customer and the team members are educated. They emphasized a lot about the learning experience that makes them unique and out of reach for other grocery stores. However, according to Hoovers, a business analysis company, Whole Food Market still has dangerous competitors. A business analysis of the Whole Food market shows us that The Kroger is the most important competitors to Whole Food Market closely followed by Safeway and Trader Jo’s. Even though these stores do not provide only natural, organic, healthy food, they do offer a wide variety of food ranging from organic/natural to less healthy and more commonly found nutrition. Communication Communication is essential in any organization and it would appear that Whole Foods has communication as one of its top priorities. There is great communication among team members as well as the different teams in each store. I visited the Whole Foods store in Mt. Washington and spoke with Joe Young, Associate Customer Service Team Leader regarding how communication. Mr. Young stated that the employees feel that the communication is very transparent, from team leadership to team members. Any communication from the corporate office in Texas is given to the regional offices. Information is then given to the stores and is disseminated to the team leaders who, in turn, give it to the team members. I asked about feedback from customers. Mr. Young stated that feedback from customers is encouraged. Whenever feedback is received from a customer, it is given to the team leader for whichever section it concerns. The question along with the answer is posted on a bulletin board for customers to see. This feedback response is usually given within a week. However, some of the research that I have found indicates that team members are not allowed to say anything about working at Whole Foods on social websites, such as Facebook. According to some blogs, John Mackey uses pseudo names to become â€Å"friends† with some of his employees on Facebook to keep a tab on what is being said about the company. These employees face repercussions from posting on the website. Communication Grade – Good. There seems to be good multi-directional with team leaders and customers. However, employees should be able to express themselves constructively through social websites and not feel they will be penalized. Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is defined as an ability to recognize the meanings of emotion and their relationships and to reason and problem-solve on the basis of them. The employees I interview seemed to really enjoy working for Whole Foods. According to Fortune 500 Magazine, Whole Foods is listed as one of the best places to work and has been for the past 10 years. When I visited the Mt. Washington store, the atmosphere had a relaxed feel. People seemed to enjoy shopping there and the employees were attuned to the customer needs. While I was speaking with Mr. Young, he greeted several customers by name. Mr. Young pointed out the core values of Whole Foods which are listed on huge individual placards in the store. The quality standards were also listed individually on placards. As I stood in line to purchase my items, the cashiers had a great attitude. They also knew customers by name, commented on their purchases – one cashier spoke about the dinner and dessert from purchases of a customer. I also interview a long-time customer of the store. She stated she could not find anything to say negatively. She recently moved for New Orleans and shopped at those stores as well as the store at Mt. Washington, Maryland. She felt the employees enjoyed working at Whole Foods and would stop whatever they were doing to help customers, even if it meant walking over the whole store to help them find products. She felt that the service and atmosphere of Whole Foods makes customers feel good about what they are buying there. In her opinion, the team members take pride in the products that they sell. Emotional Intelligence Grade – Excellent Team Leadership & Effectiveness In the textbook The Future of Management, author Gary Hamel describe the type of management of Whole Foods. Each store is considered a team and inside the each store, there are departmental teams. According to my research, this concept seems to work. Leadership decisions are made from the bottom up instead of from the top down, which is the industry norm. Each departmental team has team leaders. It is very intriguing the way team leadership is chosen. The leader of each team is interviewed by a panel. The panel includes Regional Vice Presidents, various Team Leaders either from the same store or another store in the region, as well as a cross of team members. Mr. Young also said there is no â€Å"seniority† when choosing a leader. Leaders are chosen by the panel if they exhibit the ability to lead a team and not by how many years they have been with the company. Mr. Young also stated that when decisions affecting their team members need to be made, all team members are allowed to vote on the changes. For example, when it comes time to choose health care, the team members all vote for their health benefits. Team Leadership Grade – Excellent Coaching & Mentoring Decision Making The Whole Foods culture is built on decentralized teamwork. Decisions in Whole Foods are not made by upper management but each store has been empowered to make its decisions independent of the other. Critical decisions, such as whom to hire is made by those who will be directly impacted by the consequences of such decisions. Decision making in Whole Foods is made by teams. Each department and its team are responsible for all key operating decisions, including pricing, ordering, staffing, and in-store promotion. With regards to product selection, team leaders are given the authority to stock products they feel appeal to customers. Stores are encouraged to buy locally as long as the items meet the stringent standards of Whole Foods. With this empowerment given to teams comes accountability, which ensures that associates use their discretionary decision-making power in ways that drive the business forward. Part of Whole Foods’ strategy is to put decision right down to the front lines and hence teams make many important decisions. Problem Solving Teams maintain a culture in which open dialogue and debate is the norm. This is reinforced by openly addressing behavior that involves excessive criticism or cynicism. Not tolerating such behavior sends a strong signal to the team and sets behavior patterns. Team processes have a profound influence on team effectiveness. Effective processes ensure rigorous and optimal decision-making; generate buy-in from team members, balance the influence each member exerts on the group and minimize interpersonal conflicts while encourage constructive debate. Information and ideas of each team member is properly incorporated into the decision making process. Whole Foods has multiple processes built into its teams to achieve optimal team functioning. The tight linkage between business intelligence and decision-making authority at Whole Foods ensures that little problems do not have to compound into big problems before action is taken. Organizational Change Whole Foods Market started with a small single store. In 1978, twenty-five year old college dropout John Mackey and twenty-one year old Rene Lawson Hardy opened a small natural foods store, Safer Way, in Austin, in Texas. Two years later, John and Rene merged Safer Way with Clarksville Natural Grocery and then they opened the original Whole Foods market in 1800. Even though Whole foods Market focused on natural foods, it tried to change structure and management to improve its performance. In 1986, it was first time to purchase an existing store, when Whole foods bought the Bluebonnet Natural Foods Grocery in Dallas and converted it into a Whole Foods Market. After that, Whole Foods not only open new stores but also purchased their competitors in new regions. Through the expansion program, Whole Food Market reached out to potential customers. Whole Foods Markets launched a private label called Whole Foods. Whole Foods Market tried to find smaller manufacturers who produced quality organic products. The private label encouraged customers to return to Whole Foods Market. Its own Whole Foods brand became the first retailer to maintain a private label line featuring organic food products. In 1996, in order to resemble other Whole foods store, Whole Food Market started to transform the Mrs. Gooch's stores and made them adopt the Whole Foods Market name. The change in name caused a 5 to 10 percent sales drop. After that, Whole Foods was more careful about changing the names of acquired stores. To improve productivity, Whole Foods established a centralized purchasing system. By the end of 1997, the system facilitated the company to track product movement and prices. In addition, Whole Foods made a low priced private label, 365. The 365 products were different from the Whole Foods products. The 365 products did not provide organic products, but they were priced about 20 percent cheaper. The 365 products attracted more customers who typically bought groceries. Moreover, Whole Foods Market has expanded into global market. In 2002, Whole Foods Market expanded into Canada and two year later it entered the United Kingdom. In 2010, Whole Foods employs 53,300people in more than 290 stores in the U. S. , Canada, and the UK. The tenth-largest food and drug store in the U. S. , Whole Foods ranks 324th on the Fortune 500 list, with annual sales of approximately $8 billion. Whole Foods Market has high standards and provides organic and quality foods. In 2003, Whole Foods Market was designated America's first National Certified Organic Grocer. Three years earlier, Whole Foods was the first national food retailer to join the USDA advisory board to help increase the U. S. Organic Standards. In 2008, Whole Foods established stricter guidelines to reduce environmental impact and to require vendors to pass a third-party audit. Over the past decade, Whole Foods Market is increasing its reputation with organic, fair-trade, or locally produced food. Even though Whole Foods Market is a huge food store, it is going to change and to pursue what people need. Over the next decade, Whole Foods will offer more resources to emphasize healthful eating. If Whole Foods Market stops changing, it cannot survive in the food industry. Overall Management Whole Foods Market believes that customer experiences anticipate and predict its business outcomes. Whole Foods Market also knows employee performance has influence on customer experiences. Therefore, Whole Foods Market tries to satisfy its employees by offering adequate compensation program, safe and friendly work environment. These facts are able to motivate and guide employees to increase productivity and effectiveness. Whole Foods Market also makes employees feel like a part of the company. So every employee takes an important role to achieve its goals and their performances affect directly to the company’s outputs. Especially, Whole Foods Market is a workplace to respect for all individual team members and self-empowerment. At Whole Foods Market, there are five values to affect the employees’ performance outcomes. First, Whole Foods Market believes one of the most important jobs is talking to team members. Whole Foods Market knows what its team leaders say and do affect their team members. If team members cannot trust the leader, they also do not trust the mission of the company. Each leader represents their teams. Whole Foods Market knows communication is very important. So each leader attempts to share the mission and core values of Whole Foods Market. Also, Whole Foods Market emphasizes a self-directed team structure. It organizes Whole Foods store and company into a variety of teams. In small team organizational structure, every member is vital and important. The contributions of every member make the success of the team. Whole Foods think self-directed teams are the key work unit of the company. So Whole Food pays more attention to each team. To discuss issues, solve problems and appreciate each others' contributions, each team meets regularly. Whole Foods Market insists empowerment enhances the effectiveness of teams. When each team is fully empowered to do their work and to fulfill the organization’s mission and values, empowered organizations have great advantage. Empowerment improves creativity and innovation. Whole Foods support individual team members. Next, Whole Foods Market attempts to optimize transparency to all team members because an important element of trust is transparency. Whole Foods Market allows every team member to access information that affects their jobs and annual individual compensation report. When a company decides to hide some information, the motivation is a lack of trust. Whole Foods is afraid that the information that would cause more harm than good if it was known. However, Whole Foods is willing to take the risk. Without transparency, Whole Foods cannot reach out to high level of organizational trust. Finally, Whole Foods is not able to create high trust organizations without love and care. We are more likely to look for love and friendship with our families and friends, but not from our work. If the leadership expresses love and care in their actions, then love and care will flourish in the organization. For example, everyone participates in the meeting and gives the opportunity to voluntarily appreciate other members in the group for services. Appreciating team members helps encourage every team member. They want to get involved in their teams and trust each member. As a result, in 2010, Whole Foods ranked 18th on Fortune’s list of the â€Å"100 Best Companies to Work For. Appendix Table of opportunities: Table of opportunities: Competitors list: Leadership Audit References Diamond, D. (2009, October 1). Perception Vs. Reality. Progressive Grocer, 88(7), 34. Hamstra, M. (2010, January 1). Mackey No Longer Chairman? Supermarket News, 58(1), 1-7. Hoovers Company Records, 10952. Dow Jones Financial Data on Whole Foods Market. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from http:/ /finance. yahoo. com/q? s=WFMI. Linda Pressley. Whole Foods Market. Mr. Joe Young, Associate Customer Service Team Leader, Whole Foods Store, Mt. Washington, Maryland. Interviewed on March 23, 2010 Ms. Fay Day, Whole Foods Customer. Interview March 24, 2010. Paskin, J. (2009, February 1). Growth slows, but mackey doesn't [Keeping employees motivated]. 18, 2, 24-26. Pressley, L. Whole Foods Market Interview. Retrieved from www. discoveryhealth. com. Whole Foods Market. Retrieved from www. wholefoodsmarket. com. http://www. hoovers. com/company/Whole_Foods_Market_Inc/ http://www. hoovers. com/about/100000489-1. html www. marketwatch. com/ http://www. wikinvest. com/stock/Whole_Foods_Market_%28WFMI%29

The Culture At Nickelodeon, Crafted Carefully By Taran

The culture at Nickelodeon, crafted carefully by Taran Swan, was one that could be characterized as creative, inclusive, heterarchical, and harmonious. Teamwork was of utmost importance in Swan’s Nickelodeon as well as reliability, so employees were able to communicate and work together, while also focusing on delivering accurate individual contributions. Furthermore, the culture did not offer preferential treatment to executive managers over lower level employees; instead, it followed a heterarchical structure of treatment which generated a sense of equality and energized the workplace. The inclusive nature of the culture was evidenced by what one department head said about their roles, â€Å"The whole team decided on these issues. We all†¦show more content†¦Additionally, Swan consistently asked questions to force her team members to think broadly about the implications of their decisions to ensure that they visualize a bigger picture of the potential consequences and to be able to think of alternatives ahead of time. Swan also encouraged the individuality of the employees by setting different guidelines for the different focus groups she established. This ensured that while these teams will collaborate and work together, they will still have to work individually according to their own guidelines. Swan also emphasized the importance of communication by leading bi-monthly Update Meetings, rotating the meetings’ leadership based on the feedback from an internal survey, and opening lines of communication with employees who were having tensions with other members or who wanted to communicate with Swan directly. 3. Describe Swan’s leadership style. What impact has it had on the culture? When assessing Swan’s leadership style, one cannot help but reference Ancona’s four leadership capabilities. In the saturated media market, Swan was quick to prioritize â€Å"capturing attention and differentiating the brand in order to convince affiliates and advertisers to choose Nickelodeon over the plethora of other channels.† Furthermore, she knew the importance of signing up advertisers ahead of time, even before there was a channel, in order to seal the corporate approval. These

My First Chose Over For Dinner - 788 Words

President, activist, and an influencer can contributed positive impact of mind kind. The people I chose did the exact same thing. Without them the world won’t be the same. Doing astonishing things, which others can’t do or would not have dare to do. With the three people chosen, people gain rights and obligations. For dinner I will have garlic, tomato spaghetti and roasted chicken. For dessert, I will bake my famous banana bread. The guest also eat other dishes they didn’t have during their time frame. Abraham Lincoln is my first chose over for dinner. The 16th president of United States, saw equal among each person. Lincoln didn’t saw less because the color of pigmentations. Lincoln as commander, seeing greatness in the world instead. Before becoming President, Lincoln served on the Illinois State Legislature. He studied law and work as a lawyer. He ran for the U.S. Congress, served one term. Later, Lincoln ran for the U.S. Senate, did not won. But he was known for his arguments against slavery. In 1860, Lincoln ran for President of the United States. Being a part of Republican Party which opposed slavery. The republicans were also against slavery. Lincoln was supported throughout the candidate and presidency. Except the South, seven states left and formed their own country, the Confederacy. The Civil War began on April 1861. After four years of war and thousands of lives, the North won. Lincoln s most famous speech was the Gettysburg Address. â€Å"Now we are engaged in aShow MoreRelatedDifferences Between Quebecois And Persian1133 Words   |  5 Pagescomplaining to the locals, â€Å"Why would someone need 3 hours to eat dinner?† Finally, one of the locals invited me over for dinner, as soon as I got the invite I was so excited I started a countdown to the date of the dinner party. The day of the party was approaching quickly and as it got closer I became more and more curious. I had only been familiar with Persian dinners. 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I chose this name because I think as a network we can encourage other women to not be afraid to have a voice, take a stand and change the world. The significance of the name that I have created for my network is that it is builtRead MoreThe Most Important Parts Of Any Game981 Words   |  4 Pageswas a very warm day; I could smell the freshness of fallen leaves blowing in the wind I could remember it like it was yesterday. Me my two cousins joey, Cristian my friend Amado my uncle, and my brother Jorden was getting ready to go paintballing. It was a typical day nice out wet grounds from the morning dew crunchy leaves blowing all over the place. We all met up at my uncle’s house to gather up all our supplies and to have breakfast. After breakfast we put our stuff in the trunk of the car and headed

Catcher in the Rye, Macbeth and Death of a Salesman...

In literature, characters often confront challenges and due to their misconceptions of reality these challenges become complicated by external factors, which ultimately lead to tragic results. Willy, from the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Holden, from the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and Macbeth, from the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, live with false perceptions of life and struggle through lifes challenges. Willy struggles with the challenges of his life by lying, causing him to suffer because of how he defines success. Holden is upset with the world and tries to become a savior to future generations. While Macbeths ambitions dominates his life resulting in an inflated ego transforming him from an†¦show more content†¦Willy is only a failure because of how he defines success, He had the wrong dreams. All, All, wrong (page 138). Willy put forth an unattainable goal of success and when it fails, he put his aspirations in Biffs hands, who like Willy, cannot win and ultimately they fail each other. Unfortunately for Willy, the people in his life let him down as he did to them Holden, like Willy, does not find what he needs in the people around him. The adults in Holden life are phonies who fail him. Like many confused teenagers, Holden looks up to his parents, but they let him down. Devastated by their son Allies death, Holdens parents suppress their pain by smoking and drinking. Holden cannot talk to his parents, so he turns to Carl Luce, his old school advisor. Holden is confused and he bothers Carl with many sex questions, which aggravates Carl. Carl Luce leaves Holden because Holden behaves childishly. Holden then turns to his old teacher, Mr.Antolini. Holden can talk to Mr.Antolini; he tells Mr.Antolini what is going on with him. But like most people in Holdens life, Mr.Antolini disappoints him; Holden believes that Mr.Antolini tries to make a sexual advance on him. Although it is not a sexual advance, Holden thi nks it is and feels more alone than ever. Now Holden cannot trust any adult in his life. Holdens disgust with adults depresses him because when heShow MoreRelatedEssay Prompts4057 Words   |  17 PagesBarthes’ Observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers any answers. Explain how the author’s treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary. You may select a work from the list below or another novel or play of comparable literary merit. Alias Grace Middlemarch All the King’s Men Moby-Dick Candide Obasan Death of a Salesman Oedipus Rex Doctor Faustus

Information Strategy and Strategic Management Free Essays

string(185) " This threat is influenced by barriers such as time and cost of entry, the knowledge required, economies of scale, cost advantages, and technology among other barriers \(Barney 2001\)\." Block 1 Organizational development requires the use of information available to develop knowledge which can be used to enhance success and attainment of organizational objectives. Waggoner stresses the primacy of information in knowledge development in his assertion that, â€Å"One can have information without knowledge, but it is impossible to have knowledge without information.† The search and use of information can be enhanced using the building blocks of information which include tool literacy which the ability to use sources of information both print and electronic including software in the search for information, and resource literacy which is the understanding of location, form, format, and methods of access of the information resources enabling the understanding of methods of use of the information sought. We will write a custom essay sample on Information Strategy and Strategic Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now These two building blocks enable the search of information and its use which is applicable to Waggoner’s assertion on information literacy which he describes as, â€Å"knowing where and how to find information sources as well as how to locate information within those sources †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Also applicable is the social-structural literacy which is the knowledge of the social situation and production of knowledge including an understanding of the scholarly publishing process applicable in the determination of whether the information found is accurate, reliable, and valid. Another building block is research literacy which is the understanding and use of information technology tools including discipline-related software to carry out research and to further knowledge. Six elements of strategy with reference to appropriate information content The six elements of strategy include; direction, market/scope, advantage, resources, environment, and stakeholders. Direction is the destination the business is trying to get to and it consists of the visions and the goals of the organization, the purpose for which it exists. This is a primary consideration, a broad strategic foundation covering all aspects for the business. It includes mission and vision statements, business plans and performance projections, core and distinctive competencies, competitor and market analyses, and overall business strategy (Mintzberg 1995). Market/scope is the kind of markets that a business should compete in and the kinds of activities involved in such market. This is also a key strategy which encompasses the need that the business seeks to fill so as to gain commercial value. It includes information focusing on the market aspects or scope for the business including trends, information on competition and their activity, the company’s positioning and penetration capacity, costs, and overall expected success of strategy (Barney 2001). Advantage refers to the ability of a business to perform better than the competition it the markets and it includes a company’s distinctive competence which enables differentiation. Appropriate information content for this strategy include competitor activity, analysis of capacity and areas of differentiation, analyses of specific market needs, and customer feedback/market response (Pine 1999). Environment includes the external, environmental factors that affect a businesses’ potential to compete and influence the success of its objectives. Information relevant to this strategy would include analysis of political climate, demographics, analysis of needs and acceptance, and foregoing trends in the markets (Barney 2001). Resources are the factors that the company employs to build its capacity and ability to compete including skills, assets, finances, relationships, technical competence and facilities that a company requires to perform its activities. Information content appropriate to this strategy would include the capital requirement and availability, skills and technical competence required and availability, availability of strategic partners and relationships with the various players needed for success of objective, as well as the need and acceptance for a company’s product mix in the market. Stakeholders refer to those who have power in and around the business, their values and expectations. This strategy emphasizes focus on the various needs of the various individuals including customers, employees, investors, service providers, suppliers, government. Relevant information would include customer feedback, market regulations, availability of suppliers and service providers and their capacity, investor expectations and goodwill, and employee relations and their resourcefulness (Mintzberg 1995). Block 2 Impact of Porter’s five forces model on the development and provision of strategically useful information To strategically position itself in a market and to develop information that can be strategically useful, it is imperative that a company takes into consideration the Porter five forces which describe the forces that surround any economic venture affecting business success and potential. These include the power exerted by buyers and suppliers, the threats of substitute products and competition, and the barriers within the market that challenge the entry of new firms (competitors) into the market (Barney 2001). When developing its strategy, information on the existence of products that could be close substitutes to those offered by the firm is essential as they could be a threat to the company’s potential and profitability through the increase in the propensity of customers switching to these alternatives in response to price increases. Factors that need to be considered and monitored when considering this threat are the performance of these substitutes in the market including its strengths and weaknesses, the cost of switching to alternatives which could influence the decision to switch to the alternative, and the willingness of the buyer which can also influence the shift to the alternative (Barney 2001). Information on the presence and capacity of competition is also essential to the development of strategy as these would present a challenge to the profitability of the company. Factors that need be considered to have relevant information on this threat include the number and diversity of competitors, their differentiation, niche or quality, the industry concentration, and the costs of switching which are essential factors to consider as the company seeks its competitive advantage (Barney 2001). Also necessary to consider is the barrier to entry into the market of new competitors. Profitable markets that yield high returns will draw new entrant firms and will consequently lead to a decrease in profitability. The profit rate will fall towards a competitive level (a level of perfect competition) unless the entry of new firms can be blocked by incumbents. This threat is influenced by barriers such as time and cost of entry, the knowledge required, economies of scale, cost advantages, and technology among other barriers (Barney 2001). You read "Information Strategy and Strategic Management" in category "Essay examples" Upstream information from the customers to the firm, inherent in their bargaining power, is also an essential consideration as customers have the ability to put the firm under pressure, affecting their sensitivity to price changes and overall allegiance. Factors that could influence this bargaining power include the number of customers, their buying volumes, and differentiation in the market, price elasticity, incentives, the brand identity and switching costs to alternatives that could influence shift to substitutes. Downstream information also has an impact in the development of useful strategy. This is the bargaining power of suppliers which is the power that suppliers of raw materials, components, labour and services/expertise to the firm can field over the firm. With this power, suppliers can refuse to work with the firm or offer their services, or can charge exorbitantly for their unique resources. Factors that can influence this bargaining power include the number of suppliers and their size, the ability to substitute and costs of switching, and the unique service or product provided (Barney 2001). How consensus management can help provide directed and focused organizational information Consensus management consists of the agreement between various players in the market place to align their business services, share tasks, as well as pool resources in a market for mutual benefit and for effective and efficient attainment of results (Mintzberg 1995). Taking an example of the Lloyd’s of London which operates primarily in the specialist insurance market, providing insurance to their clients, there has to be consensus between the various parties in its market. These parties include clients seeking the insurance services; brokers representing the clients in seeking insurance, using their specialist knowledge to arrange insurance with underwriters at the best quality, value and price; underwriters working for syndicates with their responsibility entailing the use of their specialist knowledge to assess and accept or decline risks on behalf of the syndicate; members who provide capital required to cover the risks; and the corporation (the administrative body of the Lloyd’s market) which is the structure that oversees these processes, providing the infrastructure for the underwriters and brokers to do business. Such undertakings requiring the involvement of several players for the success of a business venture requires all the parties involved to mutually understand the terms of their agreement or reference, and providing their unique specialized input focused and directed to the overall objective of the business venture. Therefore, consensus management in such an endeavour is essential. Difference between strategic, tactical and operational organization information in Argos Strategic information includes all applications which are critical to achieving future business strategy. It consists of highly aggregated information with overall business scope and impact affecting the entire organization. It is mainly an exploration of known data from current trading and market activities in developing the organization’s plan or blue-print for the future. Strategic information is subject to market variations and political constraints and is liable to change at any moment (Collins 2008). With regard to Argos, its strategic information includes its awareness of the needs of people in its market for the comfort and convenience of home selection via the catalogue. This it endeavours to combine with the closeness of high street stores and the creation of stronger presence with the opening up of additional stores to reach a greater percentage of the population in its market, its customers, with its long run target to have 600 stores (Argos case study 2004). Tactical information includes all information used to implement the plan. It consists of comprehensive information regarding overall implementation including progress, and market penetration. This information needs be precise enough to allow the tweaking and amendment of the strategy as well as to control operational decisions (Collins 2008). In the case of Argos, tactical information includes the profound impact of new technologies on the company’s functions as a retailer including the collection of feedback through various communication channels, as well as, its use of technology to integrate its functions using ICT to monitor stock levels, to recognize market trends early and to avoid stock out situations, and to communicate with its customers and suppliers (Argos case study 2004). Operational information includes application upon which the organization currently depends on for its success. It consists of highly detailed performance information used to monitor the day to day impact of the strategy and tends to be restricted to departments in its requirement and use relevant to a particular area of influence (Collins 1998). Operational information in the case of Argos includes the strategies for the enlargement of its business through innovative use of evolving technologies in information, its multi-channel approach that offers greater presence to the company and a wider reach to customers unlike stores approach reliant on customers that walk in, and the outsourcing of its supply chain management in its â€Å"Nominated carrier scheme† and its warehousing in its â€Å"Advanced inventory planning scheme†, solutions that enable the company to efficiently manage flow of merchandising from its extensive base of 750 suppliers to its distribution centres throughout the UK (Argos case study 2004). Block 3 Importance of strategic alignment on Argos Strategic alignment is the matching up of two or more organizational strategies so as to ensure that the overall objectives of the organization are met. Entities with unique and varied specialty, for example, deliver information one to the other that is necessary in facilitating the realization of the overall organizational objective (Barney 2001). This alignment is useful as it enhances effectiveness and efficiency overall and in the case of Argos, an example of this strategic alignment is the multi-channel approach with the combined use of physical store presence and online presence both offering the capability to browse, reserve, order and make purchases, enhancing the company’s overall presence (Argos case study 2004). Another example of strategic alignment is the adoption of various solutions (including the delegation of responsibilities to service providers) so as to manage complex functions essential for its success including management of its supply chain and warehousing in its â€Å"Nominated carrier scheme† and â€Å"Advanced Inventory planning scheme† solutions delegated to UPS and Retek respectively, and its teaming up with Vodafone Live enabling customers to check stock availability and reserve goods, and to view the catalogue on their mobile phones, all linked to a home or store delivery options (Argos case study 2004). These are organizations that are themselves specialized in these particular fields. This alignment enables greater effectiveness and efficiency for Argos as it enables it to enhance its operations focusing on the key areas with these complex functions left to able providers. Strategic alignment improves the market penetration potential of Argos This strategic alignment improves market penetration of Argos as its multi-channel approach and especially its online presence enables it reach customers who might have hitherto not visited the physical stores. Another example of strategic alignment at Argos is its teaming up with Vodafone enabling customers to view catalogue and stock and to reserve goods enables its reach to the wider Vodafone’s customer base hence enhancing its market penetration more than it would have if it had focused only on its stores (Argos case study 2004). Lack of strategic alignment might impede market penetration by Argos A lack of strategic alignment might impede market penetration by Argos as it will result in uncoordinated approaches that will challenge overall efficiency and therefore success of its objectives. For a retailer such as Argos whose business involves the purchase and resale of a variety of products, differentiation and value addition involves the enhancement of efficiency in its system as its only source of advantage. Without strategic alignment and enhanced focus on overall strategy, this will not obtain limiting the company’s market penetration. Examples of core and distinctive competence in Argos Core competence is the specific skill sets or techniques that are critical to the business and which deliver value to the customer. It includes areas of expertise distinctive to the company and critical for its long term growth (Prahalad 1990). It includes areas central to a company’s business where most value is added and in the case of Argos (Argos case study 2004), they are; Its reliable and efficient delivery infrastructure covering product picking, distribution and customer satisfaction handling. Its design and delivery of a simplified online customer interface that makes shopping efficient for its customers through its various channels. Its design and implementation of an efficient supply system with supply chain management, warehousing solutions and home delivery systems that are effectively linked. Distinctive competence comprises traits unique to an organization enabling the creation of a unique value superior to those of competing organizations forming the basis for its competitive advantage (Collins 1998). In Argos’ case (Argos case study 2004), these comprise elements in its business approach that enhance efficiency in service delivery and the attainment of its overall objective such as; Its innovative use of technology to enhance its retail trade and efficiency with its use of a multi-channel approach. Its strategic integration of elements in its business model which are complementary such as warehousing, supply chain management and use of technology into its powerful business solution and to enhance its efficiency. Its use of enhanced efficiency in its business processes and good relations with its suppliers to drive down costs to the customer. Main problems relating to competitive advantage as may be apparent in the retail trade Competitive advantage for a retailer like Argos tends to be from its differentiated service and efficiency, with its major advantage coming through external elements such as innovative employment of technology and price. Its product mix cannot form a basis for its competitive advantage as retail trade entails the purchase and resale of various products which are similar to competitor products. Such a competitive advantage is not sustainable in the long term as the market evolves and competition intensifies and therefore there is always a need to tweak the company’s competencies to enhance value to the customer and ward off potential switch. The price war in a market as the retailer seeks to differentiate from its competition comes at a cost to overall profitability and therefore needs to be well designed and implemented for it to have meaningful benefit to the overall objective of the company. Block 4 Is knowledge the ultimate competitive advantage? Competitive advantage is a condition which enables a company to operate more efficiently or at a higher quality than its competition resulting in benefits accruing to the company (Prahalad 1990). Knowledge is indeed the ultimate competitive advantage as it comprises a sustainable competitive advantage, a capability which is not easily duplicated or surpassed by competitors. Taking an example from the Lloyd’s of London, its underwriters are famous for recognizing new insurance opportunities and requirements, and for meeting them using their specialty knowledge and that of their partner brokers. The Lloyd’s market, for example, covers offshore wind farms of the energy industry, an area that the government is planning to expand. Knowledge, as in this case, helps in developing differentiation and value creation through the use of information available to a company and apt analysis to reach better decisions which can then be used with enhanced efficiency or unique approaches to acquire competitive advantage. Analysis and efficiency or unique approaches are subject to the availability and use of information and they can be easily duplicated and surpassed by competitors. Knowledge is therefore the ultimate competitive advantage. The growing importance of contingent work in information industries affects the development of knowledge for competitive advantage The growing importance of contingent work in information industries affects the development of knowledge for competitive advantage as the contractor often seeks to retain as much knowledge gained from their experience to themselves so as to retain the capacity to offer services they are contracted for which would not be if there were people within the company gained such knowledge and capacity. Impact of knowledge transfer on competitive advantage Knowledge transfer has a positive effect on competitive advantage if it is effective and efficient as it enhances overall understanding, consensus, and therefore helps in the realization of the overall objective of the organization. However, a negative effect could result from the unsecured transfer of sensitive information which can be obtained by the competition and used to challenge the organization’s competitive strategy. What is the impact of internal knowledge development? Internal knowledge development consists of four approaches including socialization which entails the sharing of tacit information by individuals and especially learning by doing; externalization in which individuals link the tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge; combination which entails individuals combining different explicit ideas to create knowledge; and internalization in which individuals extract knowledge from newly created organizational tacit and explicit knowledge through learning by doing. Discuss why the disenfranchising of the individual during the change process is a problem for the organization The disenfranchising of an individual in the change process can be disastrous to the organization’s change objective if the individual, victim of the change process is powerful enough to influence the environment, an undesired outcome if the change is not well planned and carefully controlled. This could result from the perspective of employees of organizational change as a negative process over which they have no control. Such individuals would act as deterrents to the realization of the overall organizational objective if this objective requires their input and wholesome involvement with their resultant de-motivation, feeling of being left out, and their participation not being appreciated. This would lead to the lowering of overall efficiency and effectiveness and would therefore be a problem to the organization. Empowering the disenfranchised is therefore an important aspect of well managed change. Suggest ways in which the disenfranchised might be empowered within the change scenario To empower the disenfranchised individual, the organization should seek to keep these individuals in the loop to create an environment in which there is mutual trust and an appreciation of the overall picture and an understanding of the benefit and necessity for change. The main ways through which this can be achieved include giving them an understanding of the necessity for change and what benefits would accrue, creating a guide for the process for clarity and consistency, developing a clear shared vision and communicating it including explaining to the individual its effect on them, empowering the people to act on the vision (to be the change), splitting the process into realizable milestones and benchmarks to ease the overall process. Contrast Kotter’s and Satir’s approaches to change Kotter’s approach, referred to as the organizational approach as it focuses on institutional change, is a structured method through which change can be managed and followed through within an institution. It is a linear approach which comprises eight steps to follow in the management of the process including the initiation of the urgency, the institution of people to guide the process, the development of a shared vision, communication of the vision, the empowerment of the people to act on the vision, the creation of short term wins to enhance motivation, consolidation and building on the gains, and finally the institutionalization of the change, embedding it in the organization’s culture (Mintzberg 1995). This is a clarified linear approach with a destination and discrete steps to follow. Satir’s approach/model, on the other hand, is referred to as the human approach and is composed of a number of stages and with highlights of key events that disturb and move an individual’s experience from a position referred to as a status quo (all the usual activities of a normal day) through the change process to a new level (status quo). These key events include the foreign element and the transforming idea. It comprises a cyclical iteration of steps stimulated by the key events in the change process through a position referred to as chaos, then to integration which with time eventually develops into the new status quo (Mintzberg 1995). These steps however have several iterations depending on the stimuli of the key events and unlike the Kotter’s approach, it perceives change as a continuous process rather than linear events that are followed through. Arguments for the Kotter approach Change is seen as linear and the aim of the change can therefore be reached directly following through the various steps. Its linearity is useful in the analysis of the change process and benchmarking so as to gauge success. It provides an excellent process for the management of the change process with clear and discrete steps useful for successful realization of objectives. Arguments against the Kotter approach This approach takes an abstract approach to the change process, focusing on the process management but failing to identify the actual internal change among the individuals involved that result in the acceptance of the change. Kotter’s approach is criticized for it mainly focuses on the concerns of management rather than those of the organization as a whole. It is criticized for its view that there is the one best way in which change can happen forming the basis for the process. The style or path of change, however, may vary influenced by various factors including receptivity to the change, the change management, performance of the organization, among other factors. Arguments for the Satir approach This approach identifies the actual change process within the individual which can then be extrapolated when considering the involvement of a number of other people. It perceives change as a continuous process rather than a destination which can be reached. It takes cognizance of the fact that the change process no matter the size of organization is still an individualized process and that overall change depends on the acceptance of the change by individuals. Arguments against this approach The Satir approach comprises of several cyclical iterations which are mainly a description of the process which offer no steps towards management of the process. This approach makes benchmarking and measuring of success of the process difficult. Difficult to manage in large scale change processes entailing huge organizations. Preferred approach My preferred approach in the management of a project associated with the change would be the Kotter approach as it has a clarified and well defined process and steps to take unlike the Satir model which has a lot of cyclic iterations depending on results and influence of the key events. The Kotter approach with its linearity offers greater advantage in the management of the change process enabling analysis and recognition of the various steps, and the gauging of success at every stage, as well as, in its simplicity and forthrightness when dealing with change in large organizations comprising several individuals. Block 5 Outsourcing is the strategic use of outside resources to perform activities that are traditionally handled internally. It is a management strategy in which an organization delegates major, non-core functions to specialized service providers (Barney 2001). Advantage The main advantage of outsourcing is the enhancement of focus on core business that it enables in a company through the transfer of costly, non-core activities to service providers (Luftman 2008). This focus enables enhanced performance on core activities as there is less interruption of the main activities from the non-core activities, and also enhanced performance on the non-core activities as they are delegated to specialized providers specially organized for such activities. Disadvantage The main disadvantage of outsourcing is the abdication of control on certain activities and/or sectors of the organization that is necessitated by the delegation of tasks to external service providers (Luftman 2008). This creates a dependence on the external providers which is a potential liability to the company/organization in terms of confidentiality with these delegated functions and tasks often essential to the performance of its core activities. Aspects of information systems advocated for outsourcing Some aspects of an organization’s information system that can be advocated for outsourcing include non-critical/non-core functions that application development and maintenance, network management, customer care and helpdesk services, data centre management, among other important but non-core aspects. Aspects of information systems not advocated for outsourcing Aspects that hold sensitive information for the organization or are critical components for its competitive advantage should have tight internal control and should not be outsourced as these could become possible points of compromise in terms of leaked information or opening up the system to a variety of threats. Such aspects include; Databases containing a variety of sensitive information including customer information and sensitive data, Discuss the effectiveness in combating threats to an information system of the following control mechanisms Redundancy entails the use of more than one path to reach the destination in information transmission through the network. This is effective in combating threats of compromise in the transmission of information by providing resiliency. Anti-virus software programs form an effective method of preventing attacks on the system by viruses and other suspicious programs that could threaten the composition of the system. Passwords form an effective barrier at points of access preventing unauthorized entry to sensitive system areas and controlling and managing the use of resources. Encryption provides secrecy which is effective in deterring unauthorized use of information. Firewalls filter out dangerous transmissions blocking out unwanted and suspicious activities and thereby effectively helps in maintaining the system’s integrity. Block 6 The limits of computing The extent to which human and computer attribute overlap and differ exist as the designers of computers have made immense effort at creating a machine that mirrors brain function, or even surpasses it. However, wide differences still exist, especially with the acknowledgement that scientists have not been able to fully map the brain, its functions, capacity and potential. This unmapped potential therefore gives humans a higher capacity than machines in tasks including the capability enabling abstract thinking, a capability that challenges the computer (Chan 1992). Abstract thinking refers to the derivation of higher concepts in thought from the classification and usage of literal or concrete concepts or methods connecting any relations among various fields, a high level thought process in which the consideration of a concept is broad, general and non-specific. Human intelligence and expertise depends significantly on unconscious instincts which can hardly be measured or captured rather than conscious manipulation of symbols, with mental states such as beliefs and desires being relations between individuals and their mental representations. The variation results from a human’s emotional intelligence combined with the logic and scholastic intelligence which the computer, a machine, can hardly be thought to possess in the near future (Hawkins 2005). Computers are successful in information processing as they are designed to perform iterations with a lot of effort focused on reliability. It is quite efficient in conducting processes that feature repetitive activity better than humans who have inefficiencies in this particular aspect. The challenge still remains the convergence of consciousness and computation and therefore the computer is challenged with regard to abstract thinking though it can mimic several aspects of thought and decision making (Davis 2000). References Barney, B., and A., Arikan, 2001. â€Å"The resource-based view: Origins and implications.† In M. A. Hitt, R. F. Freeman J. S. Harrison (Eds.), Handbook of strategic management (pp. 124-188). Oxford: Blackwell. Chan, Y., and S., Huff, 1992. â€Å"Strategy: An Information Systems Research Perspective.† In: Journal of Strategic Information Systems (1:4), pp. 191-204. Collis, D., and C., Montgomery, 1998. Creating corporate advantage. Harvard Business Review, 76(3):71–83 Davis, G., 2000. â€Å"Information Systems Conceptual Foundations: Looking Backward and Forward.† In: Baskerville, R., J. Stage, and J., DeGross (eds.), Organizational and Social Perspectives on Information Technology, pp. 61-82. Boston: Springer. Hawkins, et al., 2005. On Intelligence, New York, NY: Owl Books Mintzberg, H., B., Quinn, and S., Ghoshal, 1995. The Strategy Process. London: Prentice Hall. Luftman, J., and R., Kempaiah, 2008. â€Å"Key Issues for IT Executives 2007.† In: MIS Quarterly Executive (7:2), pp. 99-112. Pine, J., and J., Gilmore, 1999. The Experience Economy. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Prahalad, C., and G., Hamel, 1990. The core competence of the corporation. Harvard Business Review, 68 (3):79–91. How to cite Information Strategy and Strategic Management, Essay examples

Case Study of Malaysia Airlines Berhad †Free Sample Solution

Question: Discuss about theCase study of Malaysia Airlines Berhad. Answer: Introduction: 7,000 officials have to be curtailed, or they have to quit their jobs during the schedule set up by Malaysian Airlines (MAS). The MAS has been declared as economically ruined and for this particular reason MAS is bound to cut off 40% of its worker from their jobs. No other ways were left to MAS except doing this. The workers who were left joined a new association manned as MAS Berhad. It was a first time in 1994 when the company tried to retain their position, and till now from that year the company has been trying to hold their association in a very safe place. But this is the strongest extensive reconstructing experiment which MAS has ever attempted. As a result of this incident the working people who are no more a part of MAS has been spending their lives as fruitless and can not sleep gently anymore. But nothing has been left to MAS except excluding the officials. The MAS discharge implement was happened according to Collective Agreement (CA) between the administration and the united power by presenting the people in the course of a policy which was named as Employee Consultative Panel (ECP). MASs combination is organized by the eight groups, and its leader is Malaysian Airline System Employees Union Peninsular Malaysia (MASEU). The further groups are Malaysia Airlines Pilots Association (MAPA) Malaysian Airline System Managerial Staff Association (MASMA) Malaysia Airline System Executive Staff Association (MESA) Sabah Executive Staff Association of Malaysian Airline System (SEAMAS) Sarawak Executive Staff Committee (SESC) Airlines Workers Union Sarawak (AWUS) Air Transport Workers Union Sabah (ATWUS) The duration reimbursement is completed based on Collective Agreement that primarily accepted between Khazanah, MAS executive and the groups which were also a part of the assembly. The enclose measured as one of the finest offers which were reasonable and acceptable to all rank of unemployed workers devoid of any unfairness as given away as following- MAS Reduction Tender One Month Salary for Every Completed Years of Service (up to 10 years) Two Months Salary for Every Completed Years of Service (those above ten years) Single parents, married couples teams, and those who are disabled will get an extra 30% All ruined depart till end August 2015 will be paid for Medical Benefit will be provided until they get another job or up to one year Lump sum payment by end of August For the members who are deeply engaged into MAS Bhd. A Sign on Bonus A retention payment for those still in employment after 18 months Figure 1 MAS Reduction Tender If you are a worker then will you gain profit by the plan? According to the workers, the proposal allows incredibly striking dismiss the proposal as has been mentioned in Figure 1. It is obvious that the workers have not the right to chose much more, so they are bound to accept the offerings to decline. The administrative authority has determined to make the workers bound to quit their jobs from the organization (Wan Ab Rahaman Yaacob, 2014). The fact whether the workers are getting profitable or ruined all around by the new proposal of the company completely depends on the union of the workers. But the aged workers who have gained much experience in the company after working for a long time consider the companys proposal much more attractive (Soucie, n.d.). As it has been enlisted in the termination offer, those people who are working more than ten years in the organization will be enabled for the extra salary of two months in the each finished annum. An experienced worker, who is of the age of 60, will be given 10,000 as their complete wages after completing 25 years in the organization and as well as will get 50,000 as his whole completion package (Tiwari Kainth, 2014). The quantity of capital may be helpful for that member of staff to begin a micro dealing or to spend in reciprocal finances or divides which will provide you a little major sum of comeback apart from their money in Employee Provident Fund (EPF). Also, they are not the real victim of the suspend session. However, the picture may be dissimilar for youthful managerial or legman with working near about six years being a lay-off. The result will be different when we are going to contrast them with the experienced one. A youthful working guy will get 4,000 as his/her wage per month, and his/ her extinction package will be 18,000 after working 6 years in the company, the sum seems quite very low, but the interesting fact is, that particular worker may get an appointment to work in any other airline organization because of his/ her gaining experience. So the managing system of the organization has chosen to provide an extra 30% for preferred recruits with individual wants such as solo blood relation, married couple economized and to the workers who are disabled. In the end, we may know whether a worker feels profitable by the company's provided economic offer when we can get the knowledge of the worker's financial condition, his/ her termination wage, their livelihood and also how old they are. Instead of the financial support, the MAS pension offer also allows other good-looking profit for the workers. The prominent advantage is that unmitigated health checks up help to retired workers up to two years from their date of retirements. The utmost phase will be two years and people fruitfully can be tied up with other organizations within the two years phase is not permitted for the assistance). The Corporate Development Centre is being organized by KhazanahNasional Bhd. To sustain and establish instruction lessons for 7000 lay-offs are working people; the organization will afford guidance classes for developing their technique, and also to create vacancies for those who want to join the company according to merit basis. The CDC also has tied up with significant management organizations together with the Credit Counseling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) and My Angkasa Amanah Bhd, to give recommendation and conference on economic development, credit administration and funds to the lay-off workers. This may guarantee the acknowledged cash will be applied and spend sensibly before the staffs discover a fitting occupation (Tiwari Kainth, 2014). Do you agree on the change when a company's administration becomes changed or has been taken over? Reason of Reconstruction: The MAS authority never asks the workers whether they are getting affected by the vast change in the administrative system in the company or not. The company never respects their decision and for this reason, the workers are not able to express their views. But instead of doing this, the organization should ask the good or bad effect to the workers. Dont you feel it is obvious to take care of the working people in the company? The cause behind the takeover is the economic and the gained respect in the business world. Even after the back to back failures of MH370 and MH17, Malaysia Airlines was previously in its great position, despite preceding reformation strategies and a huge sum in monetary supports from the administration. The company has been getting affected in its business from 2008 and the sum of the whole failures till 2013 is $ 1.5 billion. The authority appointed Christoph Mueller, it is up to date CEO, from Irish shipper Aer Lingus. Mueller boosted the company by using his excellent skilled at Aer Lingus and give a tough contest to its opponents (Azimah Sumardi Othman, 2011). This is what the MAS were exactly asking for a long time to be recovered from its terrible phase. Effect to the Company: The reorganization was inevitable, since that was the heart and soul for MAS, for the workers to be sustained, the economic condition of the organization. Two-thirds of the 22,000 MAS employees would be appointed again by Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB). The dismiss compulsory as the airlines required minor team as an element of the fresh body, which aims at local air travel. The resolution of modification in administration brings profit in the business as helps to support obtainable possessions inside the association ("Can Malaysia Airlines survive?", 2015). The transformation only desires to be prepared to present scheme and information managing tactics. It is not necessary, or a have to bring a change in all recently accessible property. It assists to incorporate Malaysia Airlines presented assets into its prospect dream in order to the nearly all of what it have or havent. The Malaysia Airlines will be healthily equipped to bring into line its present funds with the original gear and policy being useful with a successful revolutionize running diagram (Elder, 2015). The alteration in administration facilitates to include expenses linked with the adjustment. It also permits the association to decrease the cost of the evolution though improved executive on the company' economic funds(Hankins, 2016). Insufficiency and expensive schemes that never equal to the imperative purpose can be dropping with the accurate citizens who get concerned. On the other side, Malaysia Airlines should wait for some rank of struggles to any modifications; it does not matter how little or how much advantage it may undertake (Fern Setapa, 2015). The main technique to manage this difficulties is whole, truthful, and appropriate statement with your labor, apparent contact of the worth of the amendment, and endurance with your group as they are facing an unavoidable modification segment. Maintainable Commitment Unions Employees who want settlement Other Staffs Workers who like modifications Extremely Busy 18% 38% 59% Uncorroborated 17% 21% 17% Disconnected 18% 17% 11% Severed 48% 23% 13% Effect to the Workers: Apart from that, from the perception of staff, the penalty can be deemed to have equally constructive and unconstructive collisions. With no hesitation, we can say that it would not at all be a thing that the workers wish for when there is an alteration in the organization, mainly for those 7,000 staffs that were concluded ("Can Malaysia Airlines survive?", 2015). Many corporations glance at payments and profit as the former places to slash finance when seeming to create modifications that entail price-saving. When this occurs, it is foreseeable that some workers in Malaysia Airlines would lose their allegiance, go away from the company to look for service in another place, despite the proposal. The recruits that stay put, whether they continue their work willingly or for the reason that they could not get a job in a different place, are habitually indignant. Enthusiasm reduces, intriguing post-recital alongside with it. People lose their business devotion and might even turn out to be irritated enough to harm the company (Elder, 2015) decisively. Additionally, distinctive alteration in administration will effect in economic pressure on the staff. It pessimistically brunt a section of the workers income cuts, failure of profit, reduction in job arrangement, employment loss or transfer to a different town, state or countryside. Every part of these can be severe changes to recruits, mainly those who are sustaining their families (Benetti Dalmaso, 2014). The finest technique to control these changes while maintaining the confidence up of the enduring or impervious staff is through speaking with all of the human resources each step of the mode and taking care of the influenced employees with equality and empathy (Bachmann, 2016). If you are the industrialized relation manager, how do you can progress and synchronize the circumstances? If we talk about Yoder 1970, we can see that industrialized relationships are the progression of organization commerce with individual or more parties with a vision to consult and then run communally negotiating a contract or labor agreement. As a business executive, the optional mode to progress and synchronize the circumstances is: Based on the condition, there are somewhat figures of staff union occupied in protecting the legal right of 7,000 MAS employees being terminated problem. On the other hand, a few of the union had different outlooks about the issue (Iakoba, 2016). For instance, NUFAM is uttering that MAS did not take care of the situation moderately whereas MASEU is telling us the conflicting things and the workers were pleased with the recompense. Thus, the suggested answers for divergence decision as a business supervisor is by pacification and via negotiation technique. Reconciliation Procedure: Reconciliation is an active process of disagreement declaration in which constructive interaction is erected. Pretorius (1993) recommends that pacification is a prepared arbitration procedure (Hankins, 2016). As the supervisor, I have to perform an effort to ascertain a constructive and settling association among the unions. The purpose is to accurate awareness, diminish uncertainties and develop contact to lead the groups addicted to trouble-free discussions and negotiation. The unions have the chance to decide their own end upshots. I would occupy myself in a dynamic division in trying to resolve the quarrel, frequently by telling choices for elucidations or courses to a result (Tiwari Kainth, 2014). It is recommended that the workforce union ought to set apart their distinctions and resolve the essential requirements of the concerned employees. They might be focussed on what they would like to suggest to MAS by paying attention to the staffs opinion about what they think and what they want from MAS. Then the proposition could be simply conceded to MAS higher board. A benefit of this technique of variance decision is that if it is doing well, it must allow all unions implicated to find out how to deal with their relations (Ong Tan, 2010). This is useful where the reunion is complimentary which devour a lesser amount of time than going away to court. Other than that there is no public disclosure to the individual groups, and it is deliberate. As a result, it may expand and scrutinize alternatives for a pledge for the matters. Appeasement/Meditation Procedure: If the company cant find any answer, then directors have to shift to moderators way. Mediators/moderators are frequently applied when there are more than one unions are occupied in an elevated point argument (Tiwari Kainth, 2014). Moore (2004) assured that groups who cant settle mutually well might fetch a negotiator to make easy the intercession procedure. Negotiation is described as the involvement in a measured conciliation or disagreement of an adequate third union who has restricted or no reliable management authority but who helps the implicated groups in willingly triumph a communally proper conclusion of problems in the difference of opinion. The technical administrator should hire a qualified exterior negotiator. The arbitrator/mediators function is to facilitate the unions to consult an approved way out. The moderator is impartial, formulates no suggestions and gives no guidance (Belzer, Noory, Wayne, 2015). His/her job is to help out the parties caught up in the divergen ce chart their line of attack throughout the crisis and discover a jointly arranged resolution. This could help out to resolve difference amid workers group (NUFAM) and MAS as NUFAM continue declaring that MAS are not performing an excellent work in overseeing the circumstances while MAS settled that they are executing their greatest to supervise the economizing matter according to exact process and regulations (Smith Marks, 2014). All the way through the peacekeepers, together MAS and NUFAM could converse and bargain to an established clarification. Once there is a way out, the position can be guarded. To move towards with resolutions, these are what the groups have to do mutually: Discover general parts of contract, does not matter how little: Have the same opinion about the crisis (Immervoll, Peichl, Tatsiramos, 2011). Be in agreement on the course of action to pursue. Be of the same opinion on most terrible worries. Have the same view on some minute alteration to provide an occurrence of accomplishment (The youth employment crisis, 2012). Come across with answers to persuade desires: Difficulty-resolve via producing numerous substitutes. Settle on which activities would be taken (Jansen Uexkull, 2010). Make certain that implicated unions procure into manners. As a result, right through these progressions, it permits both groups to draw closer with a contract and evade degeneration of the state. The state of affairs will get better and capable to be controlled in a correspond atmosphere (Elder, 2010). Conclusion: Group retrenchments, a topic becoming more and more significant as the financial downturn grows deeper, are administrated by Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act. Companies are sturdily warned to examine the Section 189A formula, and in exacting Section 189A (1),' which is a bit more intricate than its comparatively uncomplicated Section 189 corresponding part. The Industrialized Court in Superior Micro Devices strategy told that, it is an ingrained and conventional exercise of business commandment that in completing reduction of expenditure, an owner of a company must fulfil the manufacturing rule of Last in First out except there are resonance and suitable explanations for leaving (Rosnan Mahmod, 2012). In every investigation of the Industrialized Court cases on the cutback, it will become evident that the accusation would perpetually be that the boss had not pursued the LIFO method in picking workers for reduction of expenditure. The reality is that the LIFO theory might be l eft from presents ascends to criticisms of exploitation of the process by the manager, and their consequent excuse, in several cases, through the business court may perhaps grant growth to inquiries of justice of its honors. During the action, workers were most unpleasantly changed by the cutback problems, whether the member of staff gained from the economizing effect, it is based on the monetary condition of the employee, the cessation parcel he/she got, age issue and standard of living of that individual worker. The distinctive transformation would affect in economic anxiety on the workforce itself. The freeway out for variance decree as a business executive is through pacification and negotiation method. It knows how to increase and study preferences for declaration for the subjects. In the same way, it is essential that employee unions wants to build up a comprehensible point to workers and with the administration. 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