An analysis of pericles' funeral oration from thucydides Essay

An analysis of pericles' funeral oration from thucydides - Essay Example Pericles, the son of Xanthippus was chosen to give the oration to the first batch of war victims2. Giving eulogy during the burial of war fighters who died during battle has been a custom to the Athenians and it was during such time that the speech of Pericles was given. People of different walks of life gathered to witness the interment of those who bravely fought for the freedom of Athens where a casket was used exclusively for a tribe so that there are many caskets paraded for the people to see. In addition, there is an empty casket which represents those whose bodies are not found. During the early period of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles was chosen to give the speech3 and he chose to be very discreet in voicing out his thoughts as expected from a man of integrity during his time. Pericles praised the Athenians in his eulogy first giving credit to their forefathers who have fought to protect the land that they are currently enjoying during that time, preserved and given to them by their great folks as an inheritance4. He also admired the latter version of their forefathers who equally endeavored to keep their lands free and have acquired more areas of land to add to what earlier Athenians have amassed for modern Athens. He boasted of Athens being a 1. Richard Hooker, Ancient Greece: Thucydides, (1996) http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/THUCY.HTM (accessed March 28, 2011). 2. Paul Halsall, Ancient History Sourcebook:Thucydides (c.460/455-c.399 BCE): Pericles' Funeral Oration   from the  Peloponnesian War  (Book 2.34-46), (2000) http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/pericles-funeralspeech.html (accessed March 28, 2011). 3. Loc. cit. 4. Halsall, loc. cit. trendsetter who never copied the laws of his neighbors instead became the influence to them in making their laws. The very reason why Athens was called a democratic nation, according to Pericles was because her administration favored the majority and not a chosen few, referring back to her laws which give equal justice and rights regardless of social status5. The true spirit of democracy, he proudly states, is not just about the freedom each citizen enjoys but the respect to the freedom that they have, not abusing the nation’s leniency but enjoying it while her citizens live up to the administration’s expectation, making efforts to maintain peace and order, safeguarding each other and the country. One of the things that Athens enjoys as a democratic country is not only the freedom to work and improve one’s financial status but her encouragement to her citizens to enjoy life as well. Sports have always been part of the Athenian history as a means of relaxation so that all year round, there is no lack of it. The great size of the city and its beauty draws people from around the world and Athens takes great pride in her attitude towards foreigners, not driving them away rather welcoming them and treating them as importantly as they do to fellow Athenians. In connec tion to this, the military policy is another consideration that Pericles discussed in his speech which he admired in contrast to Sparta’s, saying Athens shows liberality to foreigners who are attracted to the nation. The broad-mindedness of Athens allows the enhancement of bright minds to work well, her citizens being allowed what they want to do in contrast to their enemy who force their citizens to be physically fit ready for

ART HISTORY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ART HISTORY - Essay Example It stands in a low sculpture that looks like an uneven terrain that is in a rectangular base (Hemingway 22). Eusebio Francisco Kino was dedicated in the year 1988 in honor of the Father Eusebio of Italy. He had traveled in 1645 to Americas as a missionary where prior to his death he traveled to Pimera and established 17 missions. This statue has three copies in the world. The Padre Kinos presence in the statute in Campbell carries dignity and craftsmanship that captures every wrinkle and muscle. Its 25 foot cast concrete bronze statute done by Julian Martinez in the year 1988. It is located in the drab corner surrounded by traffic and fulfills the promise of ADOTS in bringing public art to the town (Hemingway 11). Tucson town is full of contradictions. The Pancho Villa has been very controversial for nearly 3o years. The statute has already undergone three lawsuits which it has survived which were aimed at erecting it.The city has defended the statute where it has paid almost $2,000 for a sculptor to do some touch ups in the year 2006. This shows that the sculpture of the Pancho Villa does not get support from the local administration where it has outlived its usefulness. The cost of maintaining the sculpture is also high and needs to be replaced. The Villa has lost its purpose to serve as a political tool for the Villa future legacy in Mexico. It has provided many intense arguments due to issues of cultural diversity and politics. It is seen as the Robin Hood for the poor. The Kino and Villa statutes are no longer effective in their purpose of history resemblance and create a variety of cultural differences and, therefore, there is a need to replace them with new statutes in Tucson town. There are people in the world studying the history of Mexico and would like to see the cultural art used to describe the famous missionaries like Padre Kino. Therefore, the city experiences tourists from across the globe that come to

Leadership And Change Management At General Motors Commerce Essay

Leadership And Change Management At General Motors Commerce Essay General Motors (GM), one of the worlds largest automakers, was initially founded by William Durant in 1902 and held a remarkable presence in the automobile industry for almost a century. It is predominantly engaged in the designing, manufacturing and marketing of cars, trucks, and other automobile parts in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific regions. Additionally, GM also provides vehicle safety, security and information services through GM OnStar. This company sells not only cars but also trucks under several brands such as Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall in 31 different countries (Datamonitor). The main headquarters is located in Detroit, Michigan where over 200,000 people are currently employed globally. Its largest market is in the U.S, followed by China, Brazil, the UK, Canada, Russia and finally Germany. Globally, the automobiles and components industry was severely affected by the global ec onomic downturn in 2008. Unfortunately, the recession in the global economy harmed GMs business by adversely affecting its revenues, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition. According to Isidore (2009) in CNN Money, General Motors filed for bankruptcy on June 1, 2009. . This move was once viewed as unimaginable, since it was one of the worlds leading automakers. However, after years of losses and market share declines topped by a major plunge in sales, bankruptcy was inevitable. A new company financed by the US Treasury stepped in and purchased most of GMs assets and trademarks. By July 10, 2009, the companys name changed from General Motors Corporation to General Motors Company. Consequently, the company experienced major changes such as massive job cuts, closure of a dozen facilities, emergence of new leaders, etc. In order to evaluate the radical change undergone by General Motors, both internal and external factors leading up to the change must be identified. Several pressures such as economic conditions, competition, government intervention, technology, resource availability, and people can cause change (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). In order to be successful, organizations increasingly need to be scanning the environment to anticipate the appropriate change action. More importantly, they need to be proactive in their attitude to change. In the case of General Motors, the causes of change were economic conditions on a global scale and unavailability of financial resources. Even though there was a resistance to change, GM had to swiftly evaluate the situation and devise new strategies on how to move forward. The success of the transition of an organizational change is mainly dependent upon the leadership of senior management (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). The Chief Executive Officer at GM, Mr. Fritz Henderson, was replaced by Mr. Edward Whitacre in 2009. He was the former Chairman and CEO at ATT from 1990-2007. Mr. Whitacre serves on the Boa rd of the Institute for International Economics and the Boards of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Exxon Mobil and the PGA Tour (Datamonitor-GM). Furthermore, he is also involved in The Business Council. Even though leaders of General Motors are still trying to implement stability, the transition leading up to the radical change could have been more efficient and effective. LEADERSHIP THEORIES AND APPLICATION TO GM 1.1 Leadership Theories: Amongst the many definitions of a leader, Bryman (1992, p. 3) describes The leader is characterized by a strong drive for responsibility and task completion, vigor and persistence in the pursuit of goals, venturesomeness and originality in problem solving, drive to exercise initiative in social situations, self confidence and sense of personal identity, willingness to accept the consequences of his or her decisions and actions, readiness to absorb interpersonal stress, willingness to tolerate frustration and delay, ability to influence other peoples behavior and the capacity to structure social interaction systems to the purpose at hand. A true leader has the ability to motivate his or her followers. While the early leadership theories focused on the leaders individual characteristics and behavior, later theories explored the duties of the followers and the environment contributing to the success of a leader. Up to the late 1940s, it was believed that leadership qualities were innate primarily by men or passed along from generation to generation. Whether a leader is born or made was the controversial question that arose in the past. Historical evidence can justify that many effective leaders seem to be born with innate aptitudes. This is known as the Traits theory, which has three broad types of traits. The first is primarily based on the physical factors such as appearance, physique, height, etc. Secondly, the traits reflected on the persons abilities including intelligence, fluency of speech, and knowledge. The third type covers a wide range of personality characteristics such as conservatism, self-confidence, dominance, and emotional control (Bryman, 1992). On the contrary, the Style theory describes that employees will perform better depending on the adopted style of their leader (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). In other words, the same group of people will behave differently according to the leaders style. A type of leadership that follows the style theory is transactional leadership, based upon contingency where reward or punishment is given depending on the subordinates performance. The leader designates a specific task, and the subordinate is fully responsible to carry it out despite the circumstances. The emphasis is based on goal clarification, the setting of tasks and objectives, and organizational rewards and punishments. While this approach still remains popular, certain limitations exist such as the assumption that the subordinate is strictly motivated by money and reward (Dave Paper). On the other hand, transformational leadership theory is centralized on the development of commitment and motivation among followers. A transforma tional leader creates a vision and eventually persuades his or her followers to buy in in order to transform the performance of the organization (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). Even though people wont readily accept a radical vision, the transformational leader will do whatever it takes to get every person on board. This concept is based on a relational contract, where subordinates willingly contribute beyond the requirements. Both transactional and transformational are equally important to help increase organizational competitiveness in an era of global competition (Mohamed Rafiuddin, 2010). Yet, another leadership theory is that of Vroom and Yettons decision-making model. According to Porter, Smith and Fagg (2006, p.76), All leaders are considered as decision-makers, and their effectiveness can be determined by examining the quality of decisions taken over time. The most appropriate style of leadership is flexible which depends upon the subordinates preferred style, the situation and the task facing the leader. Vroom and Yetton defined five key types of leadership where two are autocratic, two are consultative and one is group-based. The way how the leader obtains information or the way how the leader makes a decision is different for each type. Situational factors influence which method is considered the most pertinent. While the path-goal theory of leadership is similar to the Vroom and Yettons model, many differences exist. A characteristic of the path-goal theory also involves a participative leadership, where the leaders consult with the followers and take their id eas into account for decision-making. However, the leaders are expected to guide, encourage, and support their subordinates in achieving the goals. For example, they are required to clear the path by removing roadblocks so that the subordinates know which way to go (Daves Paper). Moreover, the leaders are to be supportive by showing concern for the followers welfare and creating a friendly working environment. Another similarity to the Vroom and Yettons model is that the path-goal oriented leader will also vary in his or her approach depending on the situation. Finally, a term used to characterize brilliant forms of influence, exceptional, gifted, and even heroic is known as charismatic leadership. According to Galvin, Balkundi and Walkman (2010, p.477), Subordinates who view a leader as charismatic will tend to see the leader and his or her vision as core their own identity and will be willing to sacrifice so as to benefit the collective and achieve the goals and vision of the leader. Some distinguishing attributes possessed by the charismatic leader are confidence, power, success, and influence. A transformational leader can also be qualified to be charismatic and vice versa. Since a transformational leader instills the vision onto the subordinates, he or she can do so in a charismatic manner. 1.2 Leadership in General Motors Leadership models and theories should be used as frameworks for developing personal styles, and self-reflecting. While various theories exist, a successful leader should know their industries, have astute insights, and are willing to induce the changes necessary to their organization (Van Wart, 2010). Furthermore, they are an inspirational figure, where they can influence their followers in the course of events. In the case of GM, the former chief executive, Mr. Fritz Henderson was asked to step down from the position. Mr. Henderson had worked along the former GM president, Mr. Rick Wagoner, throughout his career. According to Madslien (2009), This could pose serious problems for GM, which may now find it hard to find not only a replacement for the charismatic car guy. However, concerns such as the fact that Mr. Henderson was clinging on to power in the name of stability were expressed. Additionally, he was eagerly trying to rebuild the company based on the traditional model that GM used prior the crisis. Based on this analysis, it shows that the former CEO was not apt for changeability. He can be categorized as being a transactional leader, where a clear structure must be set in place and subordinates are required to just follow. Fritz Henderson could also have been path-goal oriented, where he would direct the subordinates, tell them what to do, and provide appropriate guidelines. The new CEO stated, Mr. Henderson had done a remarkable job in leading the company through an unprecedented period of challenge and change (General Motors BBC article, 2009). On the contrary, Mr. Ed Whitacre, who replaced Fritz Henderson, is more of a transformational and charismatic leader. The newly-appointed CEO, who previously ran the ATT telecoms company, was brought in as chairman by the Obama administration. General Motors needed an outsider, who had no attachments, as the leader. When he accepted the post, he announced that sweeping management changes needed to be made at GM (Luft, 2009). The fact that Mr. Whitacre reorganized and restructured departments three days after taking over demonstrates that he is both transformational and path-goal oriented. He managed to guide his followers in how to achieve the goals and objectives set in place for the future GM. Moreover, he had a vision to recreate General Motors and put passion and energy into everything. This type of leader constantly sells the vision to his followers. With all the changes that GM was experiencing, Whitacre realized the workforce was rattled and immediately addressed it by sending a companywide email. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the email reassured the employees that the major leadership changes are all behind them (2009). Even though Whitacre might be somewhat naÃÆ'Â ¯ve in the time frame of product development amongst other areas, he strategically designates other people to overlook the areas he lacks in knowledge. Furthermore, he wants to give people more responsibility and authority deeper in the organization and hold them accountable for their doings (Luft, 2009). In decision-making, this leader follows Group procedure, where he shares the problems with followers and seeks consensus agreement. Essentially, as a transformational, charismatic, path-goal oriented leader, Mr. Whitacre will try to ensure a smooth and successful transition for GM as a company and for the employees. General Motors new management team will focus more on leadership duties and responsibilities to meet their objectives to design, build and sell the worlds best vehicle. 2.0 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS Organizations are expected to experience changes due to the instability and inconsistency of the environment. Organizational change is usually provoked by some driving force such as decrease in productivity and services, substantial cuts in funding, major new markets and clients, etc (Barbara and Fleming, 2006). The reasons why and how changes occur can only be understood if an internal and external analysis of the company is performed. The Porters five forces, PESTLE and SWOT analysis, and internal resources can be used to conduct an environmental scanning; hence, objectives and strategies can be formulated and used to implement the changes. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis PESTLE analysis is a framework comprised of political, economical, social, technological, legal, and environmental components. From the beginning, General Motors has always been affected by the law and government regulations. Most of the regulations are associated with the environment and concerns for safe automobiles. For example, the EU recently restricted the usage of heavy metals due to environmental issues. Additionally, the vehicle emissions regulations have also become stricter (Datamonitor: Automobile). Economically, since 2008, the global automotive industry has been severely affected by the major global credit crisis where both North America and Europe encountered recession. This in turn caused unstable oil prices, decreases in employment rate and decrease in consumer spending. Other essential components are the sociological and environment factors. With the increasing interest of the environment worldwide specifically in the US and Europe, General Motors has taken a firm s tance in Corporate Social Responsibility in all its business practices. This includes the operation of the factories and business offices, usage of renewable and recyclable materials, production of fuel-efficient cars and trucks, and less emission of greenhouse gases (GM website). Additionally, society has become relatively materialistic and driven by status quo. General Motors is aware of this; therefore, it would target each market depending on status and income. The last component in the PESTLE analysis is the technological component. The rise of the internet worldwide has affected not only the automobile industry, but many others as well. GM can benefit from the increasing usage of the internet, because more and more consumers can access its website and view products more easily. 2.2 Porters Five Forces Porters five forces of competition framework can be used to analyze the intensity of competition and the level of profitability (Grant, 2005). These five forces include competition from substitutes, entrants, power of suppliers, power of buyers, and established rivals. In replace of purchasing automobiles, consumers can use public transportation such as buses, trains, and bicycles. Moreover, consumers can also choose from other automobile products that are not GM-related making the threat of substitutes high-risk. High barriers to entry such as large capital allow the threat of new entrants very low-risk. In the automobile industry, the bargaining power of suppliers is considered low, since these suppliers rely on the automakers to purchase the raw materials such as steel, paint, glass, aluminum, etc. In regards to the bargaining power of the buyers, the risk is high. Customers can choose not only from other automobile manufacturers, but also from many automobile dealers that exist. Finally, there is a high rivalry existing among the competitors of General Motors. The major competitors include Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Company, Mazda Motor Corporation and several other automakers (Datamonitor- GM) 2.3 Internal Analysis According to Porter, Smith, and Fagg (2006, p.393), Environmental analysis also requires an examination of the organizations internal environment. Internal analysis is concerned with the resources and capabilities that an organization must seek to understand before it can pursue any form of strategy. An internal audit includes the organizations human, financial and other resources which contribute to supporting its strategies. General Motors employs more than 200,000 people worldwide. Moreover, it has created a business environment based upon mutual respect, responsibility, and understanding. One of GM goals is to give employees more responsibility and authority and hold them accountable (GM website). In other words, this company believes in empowering its employees. Additionally, GM understands the effectiveness of performance when personal life and work are linked. Given that General Motors is considered to be one of the largest employers in the world, the benefits offered are just as grand. Amongst some of these benefits are medical plan including dental, investment options, life insurance, paid holidays and discounts on GM products and services. Financially, GM leaders and employees are committed to building its market share, revenue, earnings and cash flow with the goal of paying back its loans by 2010. In the year ended 2009 the estimated worldwide market share was recorded as 11.6%. Furthermore, vehicle sales in the US fell drastically since the peak in 2007 (GM Annual report). 2.4 SWOT Analysis Once an audit of external and internal influences has been conducted, a framework such as SWOT analysis can be used to link an organizations resources and capabilities. Then, the implications of strategies can be identified (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). SWOT represents strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It is the most widely used analytical management technique. 1. Strengths: General Motors not only has a strong brand portfolio, but also has a wide portfolio of regional brands like Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, and Saturn. The strong brand portfolio spanning the global market allows GM to gain a competitive advantage. Also, since it has an extensive geographic presence in 207 locations, General Motors is able to spread its risks across the global markets. 2. Weaknesses: GM incurred significant losses from 2005 through 2008 due to operations and restructurings. The companys liquidity position along with its operating performance was negatively affected by the industry conditions. Additionally, there was a major decline in sales in major business segments. 3. Opportunities: The increase in the global truck market experienced a growth during 2004 and 2008 and will continuously have a steady growth for the future. This represents an opportunity for General Motors to capitalize on this market which can positively affect its revenues and profits. Moreover, there has been a worldwide demand for hybrid electric vehicles. Therefore, General Motors has been focusing on developing new high technology products for these eco-friendly automobiles. Consequently, this would boost the demand for GMs products. 4. Threats: Due to the ongoing global recession, GMs business would be significantly affected in its revenues, results of operations, cash flow and financial condition. More importantly, the global automotive industry is extremely competitive, where General Motors are facing strong competitors. As a result, there would be an adverse effect on vehicle pricing and market share. 3.0 CHANGE THEORIES AND APPLICATION TO GM According to Palmer (2006, p.50), Variety of pressures on managers: the environment, discovery of deviations from standards, new desires and visions of the future or the fundamental nature of organizations themselves. He also continues on stating that the result of change is, ironically, stability. While these pressures for change are constant, advantages of a changing organization are better integration, teamwork, common values, and mindsets. All these benefits contribute to achieving a better organization with more efficient and effective outcomes. John Kotter explains that some forces for change are greater economic integration, maturation and slowdown, technology, and fall of socialist countries and their reorientation toward capitalist economies (Palmer, 2006). 3.1 Change Theories Several change management theories describe the process of developing a planned approach to the changes taken place in an organization. The first model is John Kotters 8 steps, which was published in 1995 in the Harvard Business Review. Firstly, establishing the need for urgency refers to performing market analysis by determining the problems and opportunities. The second step, ensuring there is a powerful change group to guide the change can be performed by creating team structures to help drive the change and making sure the teams have sufficient power to guide the change. Thirdly, developing a vision can be carried out by providing focus for change. Then, the vision must be communicated by using multiple channels to constantly communicate this vision. The next step is empowering the staff by removing organizational policies and structures that inhibit the achievement of the vision. Once this is done, the organization must empower the staff which help support the need for change an d provide motivation. Consolidating gains is the seventh step. This refers to rewarding those who engage positively with the change. Last but not least, the change must be linked to organizational performance and leadership (Palmer, 2006). However, while the Kotters 8 steps outline the management of an organizational change, the Bridges Transition Model suggests that change will not be successful if transition doesnt occur. In this case, transition is defined as the ending of something, which is the first phase. The second phase is the neutral zone, which is a confusing state between the old reality and the new. During this phase, people are not ready or comfortable to welcome the new beginnings. Much importance must be given during this stage, because the change might be jeopardized if the organization decides to prematurely escape. However, if the neutral zone is completed successfully, many opportunities for creative transformation can be presented. The final phase is acceptance of the new beginnings and identification with the new situation (Bridges, 1995). Similarly, another model of change that was developed in the earlier days is that of Lewins. His model also consisted of three phases like Bridges Transition Model. The first phase is identified as unfreezing, where it involved dismantling the existing mindset of the people. For example, a change in the organizational culture would take place in this stage. According to Brown (1998, p.6), Organizational culture refers to norms, attitudes, values, and beliefs that conduct the behavior of members of an organization with each other and with external stakeholders. Changing is the second phase of Lewins model where actual changes are implemented so the organization progresses to the new position. Just like Bridges, this phase is also accounted as the hardest to overcome. In the last phase also known as refreezing, the changes are stabilized. They have been accepted and become the new norm. At this point, the need for recruiting new staff untainted by old habits might be fitting for the or ganization (Senior and Fleming, 2006). 3.2 Changes in General Motors In 2007, General Motors declared record sales of more than nine million vehicles for the third consecutive year. Despite that this company had such an achievement, environmental turbulences such as the global recession in 2009 forced GM to declare bankruptcy. This was considered as the biggest failure of an industrial company in US history (BBC website- GM ready to file). According to the news article GM ready to file for bankruptcy, GM, once the largest company in the world, has been losing market share since the early 1980s (2009). Some causes leading up to this disastrous event are high production costs and collapse in credit markets and consumer spending. Furthermore, the automaker was slow in moving away from the production of gas-guzzling SUVs when consumers were looking for more fuel-efficient vehicles (BBC-Website, 2009). Even though restructuring of the company was necessary, the transition and resistance to change were posed challenging. Using Bridges Transition Model, the radical change that occurred in General Motors can be evaluated. In the first phase, the organization realized there were major discrepancies between its goals and the current system of operation. Consequently, General Motors accepted the fact that it was the end of their glorious era and placed its fate in the hands of the US government. The new GM left the government holding 60% of the companys equity (Clark, 2009). Since this automaker was an iconic symbol of the American auto industry, it was necessary to preserve it. General Motors then entered the second phase, the neutral zone, of the Bridges Transition Model. Herein, the company faced many barriers and resistance to the changes that were taking place. According to Bridges, management and employees would feel anxious, disoriented, resentful, and self-protective (Bridges, 1995). At this stage, it is natural for people to feel confused between rushing forward and going back to the old ways. Th e GM official website states that the company has a new global operating structure, a leaner and more streamlined leadership team, and a restructured Board of Directors (GM Website). The designated leaders take a crucial role in the neutral zone. The newly-appointed CEO Ed Whitacre exercised his authority by drawing up a new management blueprint to improve accountability and responsibility for key market performance within General Motors (Luft, 2009). Inevitably, during the restructuring and reorganizing, employers were fearful for their jobs. Bridges (1995, p.41) advises, Communications help to keep people feeling included in and connected to the organization. On March 31, 2010 Whitacre decided to send out a companywide email to ease the anxiety and anticipation that had been developing during the change. In his email, he wrote, A smart company changes and adapts to the needs of the business. So, while there will always be individual moves within GM, I want to reassure you that the major leadership changes are behind us (Welch, 2010). Once General Motors was out of the neutral zone, the company was able to indulge in the new beginnings that have been much anticipated for. Even though the new GM decided to get rid of Hummer, Saturn, Pontiac, and Saab, it still held on to the most profitable brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. Additionally, it will continue to press on for structural cost reduction and a healthier balance sheet with a significant lower debt. Most importantly, the automaker will strictly concentrate on investing in innovative products and new technology. 3.3 Resistance to Change While the new GM managed to leave the neutral zone of the change process, it was prolonged because of the resistance to change. Some reasons why individuals resist change are routine, security, economic factors, fear of the unknown and selective information processing (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). In the case of General Motors, management and employees were confined to the traditional way of the companys operations. Even more so, they knew that restructuring and layoffs were going to take place; therefore, they lost their sense of security and allowed anxiety to take over. 4.0 LINKAGE OF LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE According to Porter, Smith and Fagg (2006, p.301), The change agent should be at the center of any change process, and one of the most important jobs for him or her to do is to develop a good relationship between all the parties involved in the change process. This is vital to ensure that commitment, trust and mutual respect develop. The change agent is also known as the leader of the organization. During the transition of the old GM to the new GM, Mr. Ed Whitacre was designated as the CEO. He immediately recognized the importance of organizational development by changing its structure and the people within it. A successful change is accompanied by the redistribution of power within the company so that the decision-making is moved towards shared power (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). CEO Whitacre alongside other directors and managers had to work together as a team in order to carry out the changes successfully. They may even have had to find themselves adopting the role as a transfor mational leader. As leaders, they are responsible in having a clear sense of direction in order to keep the organization moving on track towards the agreed objectives and goals. However, leaders cannot accomplish a successful change on their own. They need to also depend on the subordinates, which can be achieved by encouraging teamwork, empowerment, and acceptance of certain failures (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS / CONCLUSION While General Motors was able to fast-track the change process with the right leadership in place, certain actions could have been done differently to maximize efficiency and minimize resistance. Palmer suggests that resistance to change can be managed by communication to the followers, participation from everyone involved, negotiation between the leaders and the subordinates, and explicit or implicit coercion (Palmer, 2006). Although Mr. Whitacre automatically sent out a companywide email when the company was in turmoil, it was not necessarily effective. Alternatively, he could have done a video conferencing with all the employees worldwide. In this manner, not only would his body language be viewed, but also would he be able to display emotions. According to Bridges (1995, p.41), Communications help to keep people feeling included in and connected to the organization. Without communications in place, wrong information can be multiplied and people develop apathy. Moreover, since the new General Motors wanted to revive its innovativeness, it is recommended for the company to expose people to new aspects of their tasks and opportunities for collaboration (Vermeulen, Puranam and Gulati, 2010). Also, while an organization is in neutral zone, creativity should be encouraged. This can be fostered by providing training in the techniques of discovery and innovation, encouraging experiment, embracing losses or setbacks, and looking for opportunities to brainstorm new answers to old problems (Bridges, 1995). All these must be carried out by the changing agents or the leaders. In conclusion, General Motors was able to identify their disparities and firmly decided to change the organization in order to accomplish its goals and objectives. More importantly, it acted quickly and and realized that current leadership talent did not have the capabilities to deal with the radical change. As a result, General Motors was assigned a charismatic, transformational leader to guide it through change, solve complex problems, and build for the future.

Perceptions in Matthew Arnolds Dover Beach Essay -- Matthew Arnold Do

Perceptions in Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach Matthew Arnold’s â€Å"Dover beach† describe the way in which perceptions are mislead society. The use of metaphors, symbolisms, allusiveness, technical quantities, and imagery assist the speaker’s thought regards between what is seen and what is real. Dover beach was written during Victorian era. Which brought civilization based on industry, value and money. This is the time which people start questioning the existence of God. The speaker observed the plight of Victorian era. And he sought an answer to the problems which he and world faced with. Arnold express the dejection of lost civilization, anticipate its future, and try to acquire its solution The speaker begins straightway with visual and auditory imagery when describing â€Å" the sea is calm†. This image implies that there is a life out there but it is smothered by darkness. And the cliff is sparkling in the moonlight. The speaker invite his companion to â€Å"come to the window† (line6) to see the night air. He says this as the unending wave come in and go out back out again. His emotion bring feeling of sorrow. The speaker says even Sophocles a great Greek philosopher of the past heard his eternal sadness. The sea is coming in and going out. He thought of its like the struggles with life constant demand. The uses of metaphor when he call the faith of all people â€Å" the faith of the sea†(21). He says the world used to be full of faith. But now the speaker no longer believes that the world is in full of faith. He hear the wave but he only feels sorrow. So he need his loves’ for reassurance that everything will be all right, that he ca n trust her completely. However the tone underneath prevent hem to believed that. The poet is comparing the world in which we live to the perfect life we want to have. Finally the speaker says with out peace, love, and joy the world contain no goodness and uncertainty. Since we have no faith in God, we must have each other with war and darkness approaching. The theme that you must have faith in someone if not in God to help deal with the difficulties our world can create. In â€Å"Dover Beach†, Arnold uses an exquisitely calm ocean filled with tension to present a position of appearance verses reality. â€Å"Dover Beach† is about a beautifully calm sea, although when looking underneath the surface, it is a world full of hidden turbu... ...man did not, as the churches claimed, have a privileged place if earthly creation, as the image of God, but was merely part of an age-old biological process of the survival of the fittest. Rather than being a little lower than the angels, man was somewhat more developed than the ape. The theory was devastating and destroyed the Christian vocations of many. Perhaps the best way for the modern reader to gain some sense of the impact of this experience is to go to the poetry that grew out of the loss of religious belief Arnold’s plead is also his solution to a world of confusion and chaos. he believes, or optimistically wishes he could believe, that he can take refuge in an internal peace between him and his lover. By saying this, Arnold must believe there is no hope for civilization, and no solution to its problems. On a darkened plain the people cannot truly see what is going on, which draws back to Arnold’s idea that people of the Victorian Age acted without reflection. The darkness is caused by a chaotic world where truth is blind to those who look on it, and the people who look upon the world do not reflect on what they see. Thus, the darkness is attributed to confusion

Effective Communication Essay

Effective Communication Communication, as well as the organizational structure, is imperative for any organization to become successful. Effective communication is one of the main foundations in building a strong relationship between management, staff, patients and their families. Patients depend upon the staff to help them answer and understand questions regarding their health conditions. The organizational structure is one of the most efficient methods for allocation of relevant information within the facility. The appropriate organization structure is vital to authorize alliances of the organization to communicate within the facility and outside the facility. If there is no communication or ineffective communication the facility will fail to meet the needs of staff, patients, families as well as causing the organization to become unsuccessful. Organization Structure The formal structure describes an organization that is typically hierarchical in nature. Formal structures use organization charts that include staff member’s names and their official job titles within the organization. The hierarchical organization begins at the top and flows down to managers then to employees under those managers. When an organization uses a formal structure the lines of authority are clear (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007). Techniques for Sharing Information and Ideas Sharing information and ideas with individuals comes in many forms of communication. Communication in the health care industry can vary depending on the individual one is working with. There is a time when all types of communication has to be in cooperated into the success of an organization and the care of patients. Face-to-face communication is effective as well as verbal communication via telephone is effective when communicating with  doctors, managers, staff, patients and the community. Communicating face-to-face allows one to rely on body language to decipher the effectiveness of the information that is transmitted from one individual to another. Written communication is a technique that is always dependable within the health care industry. The use of e-mails is also a technique of sharing information, but can sometimes leave an individual wandering if the message was received as the sender intended. Communication time out is a technique that is critical, but seldom performed . The road works allowing two-way conversations to be held by deciding the modes of communication preferred by each individual involved. It communication time-out is performed correctly potential risk factors can be identified and untimely minimized (â€Å"Best practices in communication reduce liability, 2011). Techniques Proved to be Ineffective Ineffective communication can affect the successfulness of an organization. The same techniques used for effective communication can lead to ineffectiveness in communication. Using face-to-face communication can show anger and stress through body language and can breakdown as messages are interpreted the wrong way. Messages that are not carefully planned, for example, the time and delivery are not chosen efficiently will result in negative communication. Once communication becomes negative it may be a challenge to regain positive communication methods. Applying Communication Techniques in the Health Care Environment Managers can use face-to-face communication in morning meetings to discuss the problems arising from the day before or the potential problems that will arise. Transmitting information via telephone is vital to nursing staff when communicating with physicians about patient care. Telephone communication allows questions to be answered instantly instead of waiting on a respo nse. When communicating with family member’s verbal communication retrieves the best results as well, the families will be able to receive the information they are seeking. Electronic mailing (email) can be used to transmit information between managers and other employees. It is important to insure the message sent via email is received with the intentions the sender is sending (Writing Effective Emails, 1996-2014). Written communication is a reliable communication used in some facilities. Daily team talks delivered to each  department by the department manager is a method of communicating with staff. Daily team talks can consist of the daily census, potential admits, upcoming discharges as well and safety tips, financial tips, and positive recognition of any staff member. Applying any technique of communication can have its positive or negative effects on communication between individuals. Technology and Communication With the expansion of technology use in healthcare today it can become a challenge to keep up with the growth of technology. With today’s technology computers is a major benefit in the health care industry. Video conferences used in today’s medical fields allowing for face-to-face communication via technology. Technology can be used positively and negative in communication between individuals. The lack of proper English and format can cause for negativity. Technology can also have many benefits with communication, as well. It can make it more convenient for managers to contact other staff and technology can be used in communicating with the community, as well. Conclusion Effective communication is vital in assuring the message is interpreted correctly. Listening openly, understanding the intent of the message and using proper body language in receiving and delivering the message is positive in communication. Preventing negative communication is the ultimate goal for organizations in order for them to succeed. Applying the proper techniques of communicating continues to be a challenge among organizations in today’s world. References Best practices in patient communication reduce liability. (October 2011). Retrieved from http://www.riskandinsurance.com Lombardi, D. N., & Schermerhorn, J. R. (2007). Health care management: Tools and techniques for managing in the health care environment. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Writing Effective Emails. (1996-2014). Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailCommunication.htm

How Computers Changed the World

The term, â€Å"computer† can relate to many different things. It could be classified into many different groups. I am here to speak to you about the little machine that you have sitting on your desk and often spill coffee on it while you are trying to unplug your air conditioner. The first computer was built in 1941 and revolutionized the way we lived in the 20th century. Konrad Zuse (German) was the creator of the first programmable computer. This computer was dubbed the z1 and was so huge, that it filled two class rooms; or just one of the cafeterias in Bayonne High School. Computers have played a big factor on how we live today. They make everyday tasks such as simple and/or complex math so easy, a caveman can do it. They are also a huge contributor to our transportation, in the manufacturing and also in the engineering of vehicles. Computers are also a big invention that helped the entertainment industry start up. Video games and animated movies are just some of many other species of entertainment that computers help everyday. Due to constant changes to computers, they have gotten smaller and smaller over their years, to the point where you can fit one in your pocket or a manila envelope. Seventy-five percent of Americans use the Internet and spend an average three hours a day online (Stone 25). With the 21st century and the technology world becoming highly advanced every year, schools in America have to teach the basics of computers before they become too advanced for students to even learn how to turn them on. Computers will help students to receive learning material in an efficient way, prepare for the new way of life in which computers will be used in every profession, and accomplish more work using quick research and will allow for increased learning during the students’ education. This quick research can be done with a unique and important invention called the Internet. The computer has an endless supply of information. Students can take tests over the computer, they can complete math problems and, of course, students can complete writing assignments such as this one. The more students use computers, the quicker the job will be completed. Also, if you don’t like social contact with people, or if you are still living with your parents and use the excuse, â€Å"I love them too much to hurt them if I go away to collage†, you can take collage courses right on your Internet browser. That’s right, even people who claim to be allergic to the sun’s UV rays can now get a degree right from their $200 computer chair. When you finish all of your courses, all you have to do is click the link at the bottom of the page and press CTRL>P. Congratulations you now have a degree that you can show your mother and she will hang it on the fridge. Enough of my constant rambaling on a sub-topic and now back to the main topic. Students will be able to do all the research they need without leaving their seat. Students can learn about anything they want using the computer, which will lead to for an advanced education. The more a student researches, the more they will learn about computers. With the way life quickly changing, computers are going to be needed for everything. A computer’s ever-growing knowledge will only be increasing every year as more capabilities begin to be possible. Computers will be used to write information, check background information for police officers, and will be used to even let you to play the world’s best game; Solitaire. If computers are not used daily in school, then the process for the future of the student will not be fully completed and we will have another generation to frown on. The only way to keep students up to date with what is happening in their world, is with the use of a computer; since us teenagers are too lazy to walk outside and read a newspaper. We have YouTube to help us understand what is happening in the world around us now. Many people frown on the fact that today’s youth is using the computer as an easy way out of walking outside and going to the nearest library for information. Most of these people begin their argument with, â€Å"Back in my day,†. I think that people need to open their eyes and embrace change in their life. If they do not catch up with what is going on today, we would have people walking around Bayonne who dress like Steve Urkle; even though you already see this. We as people are so connected to them that, you could basically classify a computer as another organ in the human body. I can never see computers being completely wiped off the face of the earth because, we can never fully quench our thirst for technology. Computers will continue to evolve and so will humanity. Who knows, maybe one day we will be born with a flash drive in our bodies to help us memorize things better.