Thursday, August 27, 2020

Influence of Management Style on Employee Behavior

Presentation The impact of administrative style on worker conduct is showed in various designs including the authority styles embraced by supervisors in the administration of their representatives. The conduct of workers essentially influences their direct, perspectives and cooperations with clients when generally this conduct is to a great extent directed by the administration style of top officials inside the organization.Advertising We will compose a custom coursework test on Influence of Management Style on Employee Behavior explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More various authority styles can be received in the running of associations; an initiative style alludes to the technique and approach embraced by the executives in the arrangement of hierarchical bearing, usage of set targets and inspiration of the human capital. Lewin, (1939) Autocracy In the running of day today matters inside the association, the board might be imperious or dictator, this administration s tyle has been abused by certain directors (particularly the head supervisor in the subsequent hotel) to mean bossing individuals around or bossing workers around and this has definitely no spot in the contemporary leader’s collection. It might be compared to the expression â€Å"I need you to†¦..† It discovers application in cases when the administration educates workers on what could possibly be done. Adler et al (2008) The most fitting circumstance to utilize this style is maybe when the workers have all the imperative data available to them on how they need a specific undertaking executed and there is insignificant opportunity to execute this assignment. This methodology should possibly be utilized in uncommon events supposing that administration needs to impact and teach more elevated levels of duty and inspiration, at that point the equitable or participative style ought to be applied. The tyrant style is the one applied by the head supervisor of the subseque nt hotel visited by the specialist in Fiji. In this retreat, he was discovered shouting directions to the laborers and the initial introduction was that the chief was tyrannical on the representatives and oppressive. Rather than inspiring the representatives in his retreat, he continues grumbling and whimpering about them calling them languid and censuring them out in the open. He censures their way of life for neglecting to teach alluring work esteems in them and accuses everything around him including what he thinks about an odd and inconceivable arrangement of possessing land around the nation. This additionally made him be at chances with the neighborhood boss. The impact of this administration style is seen obviously when the analyst (a client in the retreat) leaves with less energy having examined an insignificant 23 bulas out of the conceivable 41.Advertising Looking for coursework on business financial aspects? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first pa per with 15% OFF Learn More Asked about his likely arrangements, the administrator rushes to limit any contribution of local people in improving execution and rather prescribes that he plans to get recruited exiles from Auckland in New Zealand to instruct local people on how best to be friendly. His attitude of accusing the neighborhood culture is mixed up in light of the fact that in the past retreat visited by the specialist, workers were extremely lovely to clients and profoundly energetic and this was because of their affable culture (the Fijian culture). Vote based system The popularity based methodology by differentiate is the one that includes both the pioneer and the workers in the dynamic procedure. Hofstede (1977) It can be spoken to by the expression â€Å"lets cooperate to fathom this†¦..† this is what is being applied by the senior supervisor in the primary Fijian hotel. In this retreat, a noteworthy 39 bulas (welcome) were inspected out of the conceivable 4 1 and this showed a work power that isn't just exceptionally energetic yet in addition one with elevated levels of occupation fulfillment, this agreeableness deciphers legitimately in the manner in which representatives treat their clients as was experienced by the scientist. The utilization of this administration style doesn't show shortcomings yet rather constructs a solid compatibility and comprehension between the workers and their pioneer. Savvy supervisors can comprehend that they don't have all answers for the organization’s issues, they may have some portion of the arrangement however the representatives (being able and able) have different arrangements. So as to take advantage of their cleverness consequently, the chief in the primary retreat works in close coordinated effort with his representatives and as opposed to rushing to present new thoughts sees that the current thoughts are functioning admirably and along these lines expands on them. In his own words, he ha s done literally nothing to change the representatives normal friendliness rather he has exploited the accessible neighborhood resources that he found in their customary culture and town life. Reference List Adler, N., Gundersen A. (2008).International elements of hierarchical conduct. Bricklayer, OH:Thomson.Advertising We will compose a custom coursework test on Influence of Management Style on Employee Behavior explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hofstede, G. (1977). Culture and Organizations: Software of the Mind, New York: McGraw-Hill. Lewin, K., LIippit, R. furthermore, White, R.K. (1939). â€Å"Patterns of forceful conduct in tentatively made social climates.† Journal of Social Psychology, Vol.10, 271-301 This coursework on Influence of Management Style on Employee Behavior was composed and presented by client Mohammed Drake to help you with your own examinations. You are allowed to utilize it for examination and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; in any case, you should refer to it as needs be. You can give your paper here.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Marx's critique of capitalism is based on his theory of history Essay

Marx's study of free enterprise depends on his hypothesis of history legislative issues and estrangement - Essay Example There are a large number of his works which appeared to be uncovered because of his responses on the development of new zones of political economy, which is helped by the free enterprise hypotheses of Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus. These hypotheses hinted the expansion of definitely the highlights of private enterprise that was generally inadequate in the perspectives on Marx. Hence his investigate starts from assaults on the agreeable liberal bases examination of private enterprise to the extremely multifaceted examinations of financial aspects and furthermore of driving scholars. (Marx's investigate of free enterprise) Marxism is certainly not a solitary hypothesis yet is found as a bunch of a couple of comparative related speculations. There is a substitute method of how the Marxist hypothesis of history is called. (Karl Marx: Wikipedia) It is the verifiable realism which is found on the perspectives on Marx on individuals and what individuals on a very basic level are. Marx's hypothesis of history started from the idea that the method of society rise and fall and it further meddles in the improvement of human beneficial force. (Karl Marx: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) There is a typical liberal conviction that each individual gets the freedom to go into every single monetary adjustment by methods of a similarly gainful agreement. At the point when Marx responded to this, he commented that men go into unequivocal relations that are key and autonomous of their will, relations of creation. (Marx's scrutinize of private enterprise) Marx's observation about this authentic procedure is that it is a method through which the necessary arrangement of methods of creation ascend to its most elevated point in socialism. (Karl Marx: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Max's investigation of history is centered around the distinctions that he saw between creation connections and the methods/powers of creation, for example, innovation, land, regular assets, which are basic for the creation of characteristic merchandise. At the end of the day the relationship individuals go into between their social and specialized related issues while utilizing the methods for creation. (Karl Marx: Wikipedia) It was the conviction of Marx that any period of history which depends on an exploitative financial request sow's the seeds for its own ruin. (Struggle Theory) It was under the perception of Marx that a specific culture changes its techniques for creation, and he additionally saw that the European culture developed from a primitive method of creation to an entrepreneur method of creation. All in all Marx accepted that creation changes more quickly than the relations of creation. For instance, first the innovation of state, Internet was being created and at exactly that point was the laws that are identifying with the innovation were created. Marx discovered this crisscross between this social development and monetary basics as an essential wellspring of social issue and conflict. (Karl Marx: Wikipedia) It was Marx's view that it is through this monetary basics that the social and political clashes take their underlying foundations, and subsequently the political hypothesis ought to r estrict itself with the methods of creation than getting into theoretical contemplations, for example, freedom and equity. Henceforth it is discovered that Marx's significant concern was on the structure of private enterprise, which he found as the

Friday, August 21, 2020

Should You Freeze Your Credit

Should You Freeze Your Credit Should You Freeze Your Credit? Should You Freeze Your Credit?Freezing your credit will mean scammers cant steal your identity and open new accounts in your name. But is it the best way to protect your money?It’s quite cold outside. So cold, in fact, that your credit might just freeze!Just kidding. It’ll take more than leaving your credit in the snow to freeze it. But what does freezing your credit even accomplish? And should you do it? And how would you do it?Those are the questions we’re here to answer. So chill out, cause we’re talking credit freezes. What does it mean to freeze your credit?Wouldn’t it be … ice … to keep your credit score to yourself? Well, you can! At least temporarily.“What is a credit freeze?” asked Robert Siciliano (@RobertSiciliano), Security Awareness Expert and CEO of Safr.Me, rhetorically. “It’s an action you take to lock down your credit report. A lender can’t see your score, which means your Social Security number and credit rating is useless to them. In other w ords, they can’t tell if you are risky or not.“When an identity thief can access your ID (aka your Social Security number), they can also create credit in your name. However, if your credit file is frozen, the bad guys can’t access it any longer. With a credit freeze, your credit file is inaccessible.”Should you freeze your credit?As you might have been able to gather from context, one of the main reasons to freeze your credit is if you’re worried you’ve been the victim of identity theft.“The very best thing you can do to protect yourself from many forms of identity theft is to put a credit freeze on your credit report at each of the three major credit reporting agencies,” recommended Steve Weisman, lawyer, author, and identity theft expert who writes at Scamicide (@Scamicide).“Having a credit freeze on your credit reports at the three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, will prevent criminals from accessing your credit reports in ord er to open accounts, access credit or make major purchases in your name even if the criminal has your Social Security number and other personal information.Particularly due to the fact that with large numbers of data breaches including the massive data breach at Equifax, your Social Security number may already be in the hands of an identity thief so freezing your credit is important.”But surely freezing your credit must have some major disadvantages, right? Not necessarily!“With data leaks becoming increasingly common, it makes sense to freeze your credit,” explained Austin Grandt, founder of Financial Toolbelt (@fintoolbelt). “If your social security number gets leaked, it is possible for someone to open accounts in your name if your credit isnt frozen. Freezing your credit is a precaution that does not cost you anything and can save a lot of headaches in the future.If you are curious if your information has been a part of any hacks, use the tool Have I Been Pwned. This wil l give you some context about the extent of data leaks and help you make an informed decision if you want to freeze your credit or not.”How do you freeze your credit?OK, so this freezing your credit business sounds like it can be a good way to deal with identity theft. But how do you do it?“Freezing your credit is not an inconvenience, explained Siciliano. “It only takes a couple of minutes to freeze and unfreeze your credit file. Of course, you need to unfreeze before getting approved for credit. That simply means prior to initiating an application for credit, you need to spend 5 minutes administrating the thaw.This boils down to a simple change in the current process which makes you more secure. Think of a freeze as putting on your seatbelt. It’s just something you have to do. To freeze your credit with Equifax, click here. To freeze your credit with Experian, click here. To freeze your credit with Transunion, click here.”And you’re sure it won’t cost anything?“The cost to freeze your credit was between $0 and $10 per credit bureau agency, the cost depending on the law in your state,” Justin Lavelle, Chief Communications Officer at BeenVerified (@BeenVerified), told us. “However, since September 21, 2018, there’s been no cost to place or lift a credit freeze.The removal of the fees doesn’t make the process easier; however, the removal of fees makes the process more attractive to consumers who were hesitant to pay a fee for placing a freeze and for each lifting of the freeze. The process has become faster since the credit freeze was first introduced several years ago. Presently, a freeze can be lifted in minutes via the internet or by phone.”Are there alternatives to freezing your credit?Freezing your credit isn’t the only way to counter identity theft, though each method has its own upsides and downsides.“While various identity theft protection services are available from companies such as Lifelock and others, none of these comp anies protect you from identity theft,” warned Weisman. “They merely alert you to identity theft sooner than you would otherwise become aware of the problem and while that it is important, freezing your credit can actually prevent many instances of identity theft.”You could also look at a credit lock. How does that differ from a credit freeze, you might ask?“One difference is the simplicity,” Lavelle explained. “It’s easier to lift a credit lock than it is to lift a credit freeze. Once you freeze your credit report with the three credit report bureaus, you can only unfreeze it through the use of a PIN. Once you lock your credit report, you can unlock it at any point, instantly, via your computer or mobile.Another difference is the cost associated with each service. The credit freeze doesn’t cost the consumer. The credit lock service has a monthly fee, typically of $20. Finally, a credit freeze offers a legal advantage over a credit lock. State laws govern and mandate credit freezes whereas a contract between the consumer and the credit bureau mandates credit locks.”And a credit freeze also offers protection that a fraud alert does not.“A fraud alert only lasts for 90 days, and the bad guys can still access your credit file and apply for new credit,” warned Siciliano. “This informs a creditor that you might have had your ID stolen, but they can still, and do, issue credit. At their best, fraud alerts simply notify lenders that something might be going on with your identity. It’s really just a false sense of security.”Hopefully, you now have a sense of what freezing your credit means and why you should do it. Now even if you’ve been exposed to a risk of identity theft, you don’t have to lose your cool. To read more about keeping your finances safe from potential scammers, check out  these related posts and articles from OppLoans:10 Tips to Protect Your Money for Cyber Security Awareness MonthNever Trust and Always Verify: How to A void Getting Scammed Over Email10 Common Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid ThemDating App Dangers: 7 Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed by a Fake RomanceWhat other questions do you have about fraud protection?  Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.Visit OppLoans on  YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  LinkedINContributorsAustin Grandt is the founder of  Financial Toolbelt (@fintoolbelt), a site that helps millennials understand and improve their finances. He is also a software developer passionate about building tools that build financial literacy.Justin Lavelle  is a Scams Prevention Expert and the Chief Communications Officer of  BeenVerified.com (@BeenVerified). BeenVerified is a leading source of online background checks and contact information. It helps people discover, understand and use public data in their everyday lives and can provide peace of mind by offering a fast, easy and affordable way to do background checks on potential dates. BeenVerified allow s individuals to find more information about people, phone numbers, email addresses,  and property records.Robert Siciliano  (@RobertSiciliano) is a #1 Best-Selling Author and CEO of  Safr.Me.  Safr.Me is funny  but serious about teaching you and your audience fraud prevention and personal security. Robert is a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Staff Officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security whose motto is Semper Paratus (Always Ready). His programs are cutting edge, easily digestible and provide best practices to keep you, your clients and employees safe and secure. Your audience will walk away as experts in identity theft prevention, online reputation management, online privacy and data security.Steve Weisman  is a lawyer, college professor at Bentley University and author.  He is one of the country’s leading experts in identity theft.  His most recent book is “Identity Theft Alert.”  He also writes the blog  Scamicide.com  (@Scamicide)  where he prov ides daily updated information about the latest scams and identity theft schemes.

Monday, May 25, 2020

On Limits Of Strategy Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 23 Words: 6762 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? The Four Arena analysis and Four Lens analysis are based on a simplification of the dynamics of competitive interactions that breaks reality into it component pieces. In reality, the arenas are not quite so distinct, the progression is not quite so clear, and the nature of dynamic strategic interaction is not so predictable or easily labeled. DAveni, R.A. (1994, p. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "On Limits Of Strategy Business Essay" essay for you Create order 180) Strategic management theories and methods are indispensable in todays economy. Regardless of their origin, dynamics or focus they are designed by scientific logic to understand the complexity of reality, to analyze the focused conditions (i.e. market, power, relative positioning and so on) and to cope with competition to achieve an advantage or to sustain the economic performance of a company. Combined with an insightful execution they strengthen the profitable existence of organizations within a competitive environment. However even the most successful companies which implement the most paradigmatic strategy methods by the rulebook fail. This raises the question of whether contemporary strategy can, in fact, provide such consistent insights for strategists or rather bias the perception of reality. This chapter is dedicated to a critical analysis of the predominant strategic research streams in order to locate their structural weaknesses. A symptomatic case study will introdu ce/illustrate the issue. The Textbook Example The Taiwan-based High Tech Computer Corporation (stylized as HTC) was founded 1997 as a producer of notebooks and became one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world in just over a decade. It is best known for its wide consumer smartphone portfolio ranging from mid- to high-priced models. With a market growth of nearly 100 percent in 2011 and a skyrocketing sales growth of 229 percent, HTC held the title of the most profitable stock at the Taiwanese stock exchange from 2007 until 2011 (cf. HTC Investor Relations; Bloomberg 2011). But as of today, the tables have turned on High Tech Computers Corporation. In the second quarter of 2012, the company had shown substantial revenue losses of 3.35 billion Dollars resulting from a slump in sales and profit in the first quarter (cf. Reuters 2012; HTC Investor Relations). Its stock plummeted from an all-time high of 35 euros (1300 Taiwan Dollars in April 2011) to now 7,5 Euros a share (277 TWD as of August 2012; this signifies lo sses in the amount of more than 3 billion US Dollars). In conclusion, HTC cut its expansion program by closing its offices in Brazil and South Korea, and sold half of its stake in its main acquisition of high fidelity headphones (cf. Kan 2012). What began as a yearlong success story for the innovative smartphone manufacturer is turning into a failure, putting HTC in the same declining market share position as Nokia. But what went wrong? The answer might be found in the strategies and the business model adopted by the Taiwanese company to assert their place in such a dynamic industry as the smartphone market. According to the empirical analysis of the High Tech Computers Corporation by Chi-Ho Chiou (2011), its general corporate strategy was based upon a threefold approach. The first strategy, Development and Reconfiguration of Dynamic Capabilities, includes the implementation of both the core assertions of the first-mover advantage theory, as well as the methods of the Configurati onal school of thought. The concept of the first-mover explains the advantage a market pioneer can successfully live off, if he is the first one to establish himself in a niche (Robinson 1988, p. 92ff.). Through expanding the scope of the product, establishing effective response barriers for competitors, creating proprietary and innovative products, exclusive production skills, vertical integration and securing the best areal locations, a company as a first-mover could create powerful entry barriers as well as high switching costs (MacMillan 1983, pp. 22-25). In addition to this proceeding, the Configurational school describes the relations between periods of stability and transformations a corporation might undergo to adapt to new environmental changes. To sustain equilibrium of its organizational characteristics (and therewith its success), there is the important need to acknowledge change and to embrace it through appropriate strategizing (Mintzberg et al. 1998, p. 305ff.). Thus HTCs strategizing originated with the early insight (presumably because of the production volumes of the Iphone) that consumer matched smartphones will induce a state of market change the company has to adapt to. Against this background, HTC, as one of the first manufacturers, switched the focus from business-tier phones to cheaper mid-tier handhelds, bundled its distinctive competencies of technological advancement and into the development of these products, and defended its advantageous position with the buy-in of skilled professionals. To enhance its performance within the state of reconfiguration, HTC incorporated additionally the strategy of Collaborative Networks which is essentially the optimization of the value chain and the domain of the Power school of strategic management. As mentioned before, the benefits of the early-mover might stem from the vertical integration of business units. This approach was elaborated and explained by Michael Porter within the Generic Value Chain. A company can be disaggregated into its primary and support activities which, taken together, generate the profit margin (cf. Porter 1998a, pp. 36-52). By optimizing the management of the value chain and an efficient expansion strategy, a company is able lower its production. These strategies go hand in hand with the principles of the Power school. This school of thought is divided by perspective. On the one hand, there is the perspective on the inter-organizational issues subsumed under the term of Micro Power, and on the other there is the Macro Power concerning the political processes in between several corporations. The latter perspective includes a cluster of different concepts which outline either the importance of strategic alliances and cooperational networks (Hamel et al. 1989, p. 134; in: Mintzberg et al. 1998, pp. 255-260), or the influence of the external control an organization can achieve through planned strategizing (cf. Pfeffer/ Salancik 1978; in: Mintzberg et al. 1998, p. 248f.). By creating strategic collaborations with Microsoft and Google in its early days as a smartphone parts supplier (first contracts being made in 1997), HTC was able to improve its value chain by reducing the total cost of its technological development, firm infrastructure, and human resource support activities in its value creation process. It simply used the provided operating systems as Android or Windows Phone, instead of investing assets and resources into own research. HTCs strategic alliances began to manifest itself in the 2001-2003 time periods as the company collaborated initially with such European telecommunication providers as Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange and O2. As it built up favorable reputation and its brand image in a low competition market as Europe, High Tech Computers entered the US Market in 2005, signing exclusive hardware deals with providers AT and T, Sprint, Verizon and Cingular. Finally, dominating its niche of mid-tier smartphones, the co rporation collaborated with Japanese providers including NTT DoCoMo and Softbank Mobile to enter the most competitive smartphone hardware market in the world (all data taken from Chiou 2011, p. 301f.). Step by step, HTC incrementally developed a brand image and established itself in the world market through regional maneuvers, strategic alliances, as well as technical partnerships. Finally, HTCs product strategy and its radical transformation are based on the third strategy named Dynamical Product Diversification. It was, as Chiou points out in the African Journal of Business Management (2011, p. 302), derived from Porters Five Forces analysis and the resulting Generic strategies matrix strategy (at this point, this paper will refrain from explaining these basic concepts due to their prominent nature). As Apple changed the mobile communication market in 2007, HTC must have recognized the chances and the potential of this newly established market by shifting its own production tow ards the masses demanding similar products as the Iphone. Yet the Taiwanese analyzed the competitive forces and realized that they should not compete against Apple and mimic its differentiation strategy, but choose the focus approach instead. Hence, each year since 2007, High Tech Computers released approximately ten to fifteen different smartphones with the goal to capture and capitalize on the niche left by Apple (cf. Areamobile.de 2012a; HTC Portfolio 2012). The Iphone was considered an unchallenged luxury good available only to consumers who were capable of either spending almost a thousand Dollars or binding themselves to year-lasting provider contracts. HTC became the alternative with a diverse product portfolio of less expensive phones for the mainstream, adopting Porters focus (or segmentation) strategy. All in all, it should have become evident that HTC incorporated a range of paradigmatic theoretical concepts of strategic management in its endeavor of competition analysis and strategy creation. Despite of being a textbook example of applied strategic management theory, the company struggles the second quarter in a row to operate in the black. The reason for their failure is, from the corporate point of view, the loss of revenue due to lower sales and therefore less net profit and an impaired market growth (cf. HTC Investor Relations 2012; Whittaker 2012). Yet analysts claim unanimously that these lower sales result from an overloaded and simultaneously dull product portfolio which lacks a distinct competitor to Apples Iphone or the even more successful Samsung Galaxy product line (cf. ibid.; Shimpi 2012; Milett 2012; Luk/ Poon 2012; Bertolucci 2012; Lunden 2012). But why does HTC need to have such a competitor, in spite of choosing the segmentation product strategy and having a portfolio of 96 different mid-price smartphones (cf. Areamobile.de 2012b)? This companys failure implies that the company had to complement its strategy with the same cost focus endeavor as Apple. According to Porter, the positioning school, and every SWOT analysis, HTCs managers planned everything in accordance with the textbook and the double strategy its competitors pursue should be essentially wrong because: [a] firm that engages in each generic strategy but fails to achieve any of them is stuck in the middle. It possesses no competitive advantage. This strategic position is usually a recipe for below-average performance. A firm that is stuck in the middle will compete at a disadvantage because the cost leader, differentiators, or focusers will be better positioned to compete in any segment. (Porter 1998a, p. 16) Samsung Electronics did exactly that. It is indeed stuck in the middle having approximately 380 low- to mid-price phones and 11 high-end smartphones (cf. Areamobile.de 2012c). And its consolidated operating profit soaring to 4.8 billion Euros shows a 79 percent increase year-on-year since it implemented this double strategy (cf. Sam sung Investor Relations 2012). It appears that the most paradigmatic strategy analyses reach their limits in the face of contemporary figurations of competition. Hence, HTCs strategic failure is symptomatic of a large part of the normative and descriptive strategic management research. Normative/ Prescriptive Research Streams Over the course of the last century, the term competition passed through different stadiums. In the war torn European economies of the 1950s, competition did barely exist due to an unmet demand for reconstruction and food supplies. Only two decades later, the competitive dynamics in the US transformed the rapidly expanding seller markets into the saturated buyer markets of the late sixties and seventies (all data cf. Chandler 1990). In the nineties, competition once again hardened in the face of globalization and the more complex nexuses of interconnected global market forces. And as of the digital markets of today, Hypercompetition represents the paradigmatic concept for the scientific community characterized through: [an] accelerated change in technology or regulation, low entry and exit barriers for competitors, uncertain and volatile consumer needs and demand situations, [ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦] leapfrogging of existing standards, blurring of boundaries between com petition, substitution and market entry and continual attempts to outmaneuver each other and to usurp entry barriers (Ortmann 2010, p. 24, also cf. DAveni 1994; Brown/ Eisenhardt 1997; Gottinger 2006) In regard to the continuous historic transformations and the volatile nature, competition is therefore understood by the scientific community as a dynamic, evolving concept. In contrast, concepts of the modern schools of thought of strategic management remained surprisingly static. The Design, Planning and Positioning school of thought represent, according to Eden Ackermann (1998, p. 25ff.), the prescriptive and rather normative side of strategizing. They consist of deliberate analyzing, planning, and strategic creation methods, and describe how things ought to work under ideal conditions. Until today they remain the predominant strategy concepts taught in nearly every book on this topic (insert Fig. 1 here) and their use continues to permeate the academic peer-reviewed literature (for a detailed description cf. Helms 2010). Though HTC claims to be an innovative company, they chose prescriptive analytic models which represent somewhat of an outdated perspective on strategizing. They are characterized through an inflexibility of their frameworks, because they base on the economic situation in the eighties and were developed for managers of large and mature corporations. Furthermore, this period was characterized by strong competition, cyclical developments and relatively stable market structures (Niehans 1990, p. 315f.). For instance, the generic strategies matrix cannot be modified within its framework. Instead of observing the changes of market conditions in correlation to ones own company as a complex adaptive system, and to adapt to the prevailing degree of competitive complexity (as for instance within the framework of the complexity theory determined by McKelvey 1999 or Kappelhoff 2002), the Five Forces analysis and the strategy matrix are based upon the assumptions of perfect competition, that structure determines strategy (structure-conduct-performance-paradigm), and that market growth is continuous. If there were any problems or divergence from one of the questionable assumptions, then Porters whole theoretical construct would be rendered implausible because of its inflexibility as pointed out in HTCs case (for a more detailed critique and analysis of the rather basic paradigmatic concepts concerning HTCs performance cf. App. 1). But beyond the concepts of Five Forces, Portfolio Analyses or Planning procedures, the normative or prescriptive stream of research underwent several paradigmatic changes ever since which spawned more sophisticated iterations of strategic concepts (as depicted in Fig. 2.). These were subsequently modified to improve their performance, as well as their consistency until they became highly complex. But even more elaborated concepts as Game Theory (cf. Shapiro 1989; Nisan et al. 2007), Blue Ocean Strat egies (cf. Kim/ Mauborgne 2005) or the shift to the Resource-Based View (cf. Wernerfelt 1984; Prahalad/ Hamel 1990) continue to analyze competition with only a few set variables and static frameworks which represent rather theoretic enclosures than reality depicting mental models. For issues of scope and continuity, this subchapter will focus exemplary on Porters dynamic progression in the field of normative positioning. After severe criticism on the account of neglecting external forces (as e.g. the government, cf. Brandenburger/ Nalebuff 1996), missing viable middle ground strategies (known as Outpacing-Strategies, cf. Gilbert/ Strebel 1987; Miller 1992), and concentrating too much on the positioning instead of addressing the competencies of the firm (Prahalad/ Hamel 1990), Porter complemented his strategic research by integrating the generic methods into two frameworks driven by causality. The first one, termed as The Determinants of Success in Distinct Businesses (or Chain of Ca usality Framework) focuses mostly on the industrial level from a cross-sectional perspective. It integrates the industry structure analysis (Five Forces) and the value chain into a framework itemized into abstract basic units which represent predetermined variables linked by a chain of causality (cf. Fig. 3 in Porter 1998b, pp. 87-92). Therefore, a proper choice of strategy and a sustainable competitive advantage rest on a set of interconnected company inherent activities (discrete processes of the value chain) whose performance in turn depends upon structural determinants of differences among competitors named drivers (e.g. scale economies, learning curves, location, timing etc.). Ultimately, Porter argues that the cross-sectional part of the causality chain of a company starting with the drivers and ending with a successful positioning strategy attains its quality over time through managerial choices and an advantageous initial condition a company may inherit (ibid. p. 92ff.). Wit h this link to a longitudinal business level perspective, Porter addresses the criticism invoked by the advocates of the resource-based view. Still, this framework becomes dynamic in the first place with the addition of the Diamond of Environmental Influences which focuses on environmental factors on a broader national level. This framework represents a departure from Porters early static template-like models and stresses the reinforcing relations of four interrelated attributes. These attributes represent local, environmental conditions which influence the competitiveness of a company. Factor conditions as skilled labor, infrastructure or raw materials are provided by the nation. Demand conditions result from the pressure and needs of home market consumers which determine the degree of innovation and advancement of products. Related and supporting industries characterize the presence of rivaling or supporting industries and their linkage to ones company in terms of innovation press ure, cost-effectiveness, short lines of communication, etc. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry determines the market structure set by competitors. The way competitive advantage is achieved by management practices, organizational modes, and the utilization of (local) resources of rivaling enterprises, affects the degree of the external pressure a company has to deal with. Additional parameters of influence are historical chance and the government (ibid. pp. 99-106). Since all these exogenous factors affect the corporate strategizing and resources a company starts with, the diamond can be linked below the managerial choices and the initial conditions (van den Bosch 1997, p. 98). Both frameworks address a certain degree of flexibility and changing environmental factors. However, despite the efforts made to understand the basic conditions of financial success of corporations through strategic analysis of their presumed influential factors, the Diamond and the Chain of Causality rem ain extended frames of the initial generic positioning. Each link of the chain can be challenged in terms of its determinism. Thus, from a academic point of view, the main critique of Porter is that his principles are solely based on macroeconomic conditions which he analyzed within longitudinal studies of successful corporations, local governments and whole trade nations. Albeit these cases provide sophisticated sources of reliable information, they only represent conditions of their particular era, which cannot be extrapolated into changing future markets. Moreover, macroeconomics functions within its own frame of scientific reference and is seldom open to modification that is not based upon empiric evidence. It takes time to gather such evidence and it is per se impossible to modify these concepts in order to make them fit a problem-related context, which requires a different set of variables. Additionally, strategic researchers criticized the general application of the Diamond f ramework on business models. As Porters previous methods, the determinants of the Causality Chain and the environmental attributes of the Diamond are seldom applicable to small businesses or digital enterprises. The scope of the highly complex and national attributes does not really affect the infrastructure of small companies dependent on exports, as well as having menial cash flows (cf. Cartwright 1993; Grant 1991). Neither local infrastructure, nor demand conditions of local customers affects digital businesses, because the internet provides a network structure which is independent from geographic or national boundaries (though, in some rare cases national regulation restrictions indeed apply to digital shops). On a broader scale, critics pointed to the inflexible state of the Diamond framework, because it is only valid for the operational scope on a national level and nothing below or beyond that. For international relations of companies it was proposed to enhance the flexibili ty, by adding another modified diamond (cf. Rugman/ DCruz 1993; Moon et al. 1995). Such businesses do not depend much on local resources and can allocate them in a decentralized manner. Thus, competitive advantage may also result from outbound foreign investments, as well as from foreign-owned companies which add value to distinctive competencies required for the home market, effectively strengthening the competitive position. On the business level of strategy which is addressed by the managerial choices, initial conditions, drivers and activities, it is Porters empiric-based determinism that constraints the adaptive nature of the causality framework. Even though he is asserting that [e]ach model abstracts the complexity of competition to isolate only a few key variables whose interactions are examined in depth and that [t]he normative significance of each model depends on the fit between assumptions and reality (Porter 1998b, p. 84), he does not try to excel in these statements. With the creation of his basic meta-units of activities and drivers, he establishes a solid foundation just to ruin it with the integration of his outdated models of Five Forces, the Value Chain and Generic Strategies. It is impossible to include components such as the predominant cultures of countries, the type of market (digital, industrial, service based etc.) or the customer based preferences, which are vital drivers of complexity in international markets into the Chain of Causality framework. Speaking in economic terms, his framework assumes a classic and perfect market. Therefore, the more a market is influenced by customer uncertainty or the domestic culture, the less meaningful insights the framework can deliver. That is why these frameworks are suited best for analyzing mature, industrial, western markets or national economies with stable market structures. Evolutionary/ Descriptive Research Streams As a result of strategies based upon a prescriptive approach, an organization might develop too sharp an edge. A strong focus on a successful method by optimizing the value chain and activities for a certain business offering, results inevitably in narrowing down other competencies and strengths in a normative approach. Thus, initial success with a product can be disrupted quickly by exogenous changes in customer preferences as it happened within a short time span with HTC. If that is the case, then the organization is missing a requisite variety of alternative options it can exploit (cf. Beer 1981). Therefore, it is expedient to shift the perspective to the other predominant stream of research which endeavors to grasp the processes of change and to include them into a flexible strategy creation process. Hence, the evolutionary or descriptive theories operate from a retrospective point of view, by trying to capture the emergent processes, to reflect them and finally learn to modif y the status quo of strategizing. In comparison to the previous research stream, the descriptive branch is a rather heterogeneous collection of concepts which encompasses more than seven different schools of thought (cf. Eden/ Ackermann 1998, pp. 24-28, Mintzberg 1998). Moreover, chronologically, they have not gone through the same evolution as the normative schools, as they simultaneously began to gain academic traction in the late eighties (cf. Mintzberg 1998, p. 352ff.). The common denominator of all theories is the reflection upon incremental change within the company, as well as the exogenous competition and its impact on the organizational performance. Two of the most prolific examples will illustrate both perspectives: Theorists of the Environmental school argue that businesses are part of a natural selection mechanism. Hence, the environment, presenting itself to the organization as a set of general forces, is the central actor in the strategy making process. The company mus t respond to and include these forces continuously in its strategic analyses, in order to adjust its relative competitive position (cf. ibid. p. 288ff.). Executives, thus, choose from a variety of options provided by the environmental context, adopting those that not only suit their environments but also reflect their personal motives, predilections, and capabilities (Miller et al. 1988, pp. 544-548). Other important aspects are share- and stakeholder relationships, which are emphasized by the Power school (already covered in Chapter 2.1, p. 5). This research branch focuses solely upon the non-material assets of power and highlights its impact on strategy making. Whether inside the company or as an essential part of the environmental influence, stakeholders represent an influential factor on business performance as e.g. a (de-)motivated workforce, beneficial government parties, visionary managers, and, of course, customers. To address these parties, theorists developed a wide array of approaches ranging from early empathy based models (cf. Freeman 1984) to almost guerilla tactics-based ideology studies on lessons how social movements mobilize workforce (cf. Ruhland 2006) to computerized benchmarking tools for measuring stakeholder value (cf. Figge/ Schaltegger 2000). Nevertheless, the main flaw with these theories lies within their fragmented nature and the resulting inconsistency. Undoubtedly, the Entrepreneurial school has the best research on successful executives, and their visionary ways of dealing with innovations; the Cognitive school delivers the best insights in their minds and how strategic processes are being constituted. But all aforementioned schools deal with complexity by fragmenting it into thematic clusters and unraveling the separated fields of knowledge. This might be a scientifically valid method of dealing with hypotheses, but concurrently it becomes gradually more difficult for companies to deal with a fast-paced analysis of emerging pro blems. As mentioned earlier, each fragmented school of thought in the evolutionary research stream is composed out of hundreds of different methods and models. Thus, it takes not only time to analyze the situation within the frameworks, but it also costs theoretical effort to interconnect the fundamentally different tools and methods. Though Mintzberg addressed this problem within his books by creating a unifying approach to adapt to environmental change, known as the Configurational School (cf. Mintzberg et al. 1998; Miller/ Mintzberg 1983), it would take a considerable amount of time to apply all frameworks and empirically validate the inter-correlations of each theory. Due to this fact, Osterwalders interdisciplinary method is better suited for the demonstration of the remaining problems (cf. Osterwalder 2004; Osterwalder/ Pigneur 2010). His Business Model Canvas and its methods can be loosely sorted into the Learning/ Environmental/ Power schools (cf. ibid. p. 110f., p. 130ff ., pp.181-189, pp. 200-212.). Though, the model also draws heavily upon Porters (Five Forces) and Penroses (Resource-Based View) normative concepts, as well as the paradigms of the Planning school (Scenario Techniques). Yet it offers a more sophisticated approach to analyzing strategies behind the business model than proposed by Mintzberg , covering the most important factors of the prevalent schools of thought. The basic canvas is composed out of nine sections for analyzing the key components of the business offering (cf. Fig. 4) and can be divided into four main intersecting groups. On the right side of the canvas there are industry based components, including factors of competitive analysis, production activities, the actual microeconomic cost structure and internal resources basing on the aforementioned normative methods. The upper side of the canvas entails the components of product analysis, including the description of the actual product features, distribution channels, quali ty management and customer preferences based upon T.Q.M. frameworks, Six Sigma analyses etc. The right side depicts all activities involving customer analyses and market demand. Lastly, the lower side represents microeconomic and financial considerations regarding the product/ service, based upon the most generic economic units, e.g. cash flow, EBITDA metrics, asset pricing and revenue streams. Additionally, Osterwalder and Pigneur include such basic analytic tools as SWOT, Blue Ocean Strategies, Long Tail and some sort of self-composed competitive environment map to round off their model and make it compatible to other frameworks. Despite the apparently light approach towards creating business models, reflectively understand the core processes of an organization and including emergent change into corporate strategy (judging from the visual context and the non-existent academic aspirations of the book), the canvas was conceived as a doctoral thesis and is based upon scientific resea rch. Overall, the Business Model Canvas represents an emphatic concept for identifying the main processes and business units, upon which a corporate strategy can be based or modified. Despite the inclusion of many perspectives and improvements towards the normative concepts, this seemingly reflexive and holistic approach has to deal with strong criticism. Rosenberg et al. (2011) argued that the canvas dealt with substantial problems emphasizing the processual focus and thus lacking structural and goal-oriented performance representations (p. 310ff.). Moreover, due to its simplistic design, the model lacks consistent causality between each of the nine proposed blocks. Because of that, it is difficult (if not impossible) to determine a valid strategy and to manage the continuous adjustments of the business model (cf. ibid. 312ff.). In general, it becomes apparent that Osterwalder et al. do not provide the deep insight into the macroeconomic context as e.g. does Porter. The processe s and the effects between each canvas-block are only explained within case studies. In its methodology, the Business Model Canvas misses the questions why? and the answer because. The best example is found with the explanation of the Freemium business model (Osterwalder/ Pigneur 2010, pp. 96-106). Instead of introducing the basics or referring to explanatory books, there are roughly eight examples of canvases with a lot of colorful arrows, which point to the main connections between each block. But the model itself does not explain anywhere how to determine, understand and use these connections for strategic analysis or strategy creation. On top of that, some cases analyzed are assessed inherently wrong as in the case of Nintendos Wii (ibid. p. 230f.). It is stated that with the Wii as a result of a Blue Ocean approach, Nintendo could find and occupy a new niche of casual gamers, which allow savings on the hardware components and outselling competitors due to the greater volume of the casual gamer market. Again, there are not any insights into connections between consumer segments, revenue streams and value proposition. A Blue Ocean strategy states namely that, a company has to find a completely new market, instead of competing in saturated (red) markets. What Nintendo did, though, is remaining in the same market of virtual gaming and offering smaller innovations for a new segment of gamers. By doing so, they indeed gained more market share. But they did remain in the same old market, where churn rates are more important than short time gains. Usually, classic customers (referred to as hardcore gamers) buy games over the whole lifespan of a console generation. Causal gamers, in contrast, just buy the console and several games at the launch of a console. In the end, Nintendos console sales broke down after being three years the leading benchmark and the competitors began to dominate this market until today (cf. Takahashi 2012, Murphy 2010). Within Osterwalders case, Nintendos business model seemed perfectly fine, but the simple canvas concealed the complex economic and societal market interrelations, and enhanced the impression of success by misapplying the Blue Ocean framework. Admittedly, the nine blocks represent the most important processes of a business offering and enable a more emphatic mode of contextual comprehension, but the model does not consider analysis of conceptual and strategic weaknesses, nor as measuring metrics (as in the Balanced Scorecard; cf. Kaplan/ Norton 1992). That is why the canvas has been modified several times for specific businesses, as it lacks the holistic ability to represent a meta-theory (a framework), as the concepts in the previous chapter. Albeit including processes of innovation and iterating the business model, as well as covering many perspectives on strategic management, it can be outlined that Osterwalders work lacks a higher degree of complexity to match the corporate reality. However, oversi mplification and the need to draw fragmented perspectives into a coherent whole, represent the most common problems within the theories of the descriptive research stream (Day et al. 1997, p. 3f., p. 23; Mintzberg 1998, p. 345ff.). It can be used for a general business plan review and for a retrospective analysis of business models and threatening innovations, but it is not suited for a deeper understanding of complex, emerging problems which lead to a companys failure (as in the case of Nintendos Wii). Dialectics and the Competitor-oriented Turn In the light of the static nature of prescriptive models, the paradigm of strategizing became increasingly dynamic. Researchers stepped into the void of emergent issues and shifted the contextual focus of strategy on the organizational environment, flexible, as well as adaptive strategies, and competitors (Johnson/ Huff 1998, p.15). One of the main drivers behind this competitor-oriented turn is attributed to a structural change within the competitive environment in the eighties. In this time period, the markets became more saturated, privatized, deregulated and globalized (cf. Shapiro 2003, p. 5ff.). Consequently, the demand curves began to sink and companies began to shift their fundamental strategic concern from Why are firms successful? (Bosch 1997, p. 92) to Where do [we] have an edge over rivals? (Day 1997, p. 20). From sustaining an advantageous market position and thriving for a monopolistic division of the market sector, the focus moved to disrupting and undermining the ad vantage of competitors (ibid. p. 2f; cf. DAveni 1994). Such fundamental change caused the disruption of the politically perceived status of perfect competition, which was actively regulated by antitrust laws and government spending (on the basis of Hicks IS-ML Model cf. Hicks 1937; also DAveni 1994, pp. 343-348). In contrast, from a purely economic point of view, this disruption meant rather the constitution of a perfect competition. Without plunging into the depth of macroeconomics, the central axiom of classic, marginalist economics assumes that market processes are better regulated by competition than by governmental intervention. In a highly competitive environment it becomes gradually more difficult to erect high entrance barriers for substitutes of a business offering hence resulting in a notion of general market equilibrium (as assumed by Walras, Pareto or the late Samuelson, cf. Niehans 1990). This development, in turn, not only increased the pace in numerous industries, but decreased the product/ innovation cycles and led to the current state of hypercompetition (Day et al. 1997, p. 2f.; DAveni 1994, pp. 99-105). Uncertainty and constantly changing constellations of competitors gave rise to such practices as benchmarking, rigid patent laws and subsequent strategic adaptation. Strategic management experienced an axiomatic change and developed dialectical mechanics ever since. In dynamic environments, in which the focus is not on sustaining but on disrupting the status quo, consistency and commitment undermine the companys ability to move from temporary advantage to temporary advantage. A constant course decreases flexibility, gives away the firms position to competitors, and leaves it open to be outmaneuvered. (1994 p. 273) DAveni sums up precisely the dialectic paradox inherent in contemporary strategy: On one hand, organizations try to sustain their performance and their market share by creating elaborate and unique strategies, which cannot be imitated. On the other hand, there are the drivers of innovation and disruption which cause the companies to constantly change their strategy, because of the fear of being outmaneuvered and to share the same fate as HTC or Nintendo. At this point, the following question arises: How is it possible that such dynamics emerge, if strategic analysis offers distinct analyses, the determination of distinct competencies, and a solid positioning within the competition? The dialectics appear to arise from the scientific point of view. Researchers create frameworks and models which have to be intersubjectively comprehensive and offer a certain degree of empiric validation. On the other hand, they have to be mutually exclusive so that organizations may gain a temporary advantage. In a strategic arms race in which every organization tries to outmaneuver the other by using the same blueprints for strategy, it is little room left for distinction. Liebl sums it up with the metaphor: ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â ‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚ ¾If a hammer is the only tool you have, you tend to see each problem as a nail (Liebl 2012, p. 7f.). Each strategy can be copied and modified to disrupt the strategic advantage of the competitor. In the same way, the competitor optimizes his business offering by the same business canvas and tries to outplay his opponents. That is why the axiomatic focus shift towards competitors is considered unfavorable. In a competitive environment driven by optimization and benchmarking the strategy of distinction is not defined by inherent properties or customer preference, but more by patent lawsuits as in the case of Apple and Samsung (what can be seen as the end result of the hypercompetition in the smartphone market, cf. Spiegel 2012 Vol. , p. 62ff.). Therefore, some of the state-of-the-art approaches as the Resource-Based View focus on developing methods which incorporate the basic characteristics of the company which are considered inimitable (cf. Wernerfelt 1984; Prahal ad/ Hamel 1990). Following this premise, the Cultural school of thought emphasizes the importance of cultural forces within a company, which render imitation by competitors ineffective, since, for example, these cannot access the same human resources (Mintzberg 1998, pp.276-280). Though, these approaches try to distinguish companies by resources and culture, they have also misconceptions. The whole focus is laid upon culture, because strategy formation is understood as an acculturated process of social integration, based on beliefs and understandings shared by the members of an organization. Furthermore, it is an established condition set by even more entrenched forces as tradition, nation or milieus. Mintzberg (ibid, p. 267f.; 281ff.) criticizes the tendency of corporate stagnation and denial of important change induced by a feeling of reliance on the inimitability of the established key resources (as the predominant configurations of suppliers, culture and human resources). Manage rs may become too confident with the companys configuration of resources and may completely neglect the market-based view on innovations and structural changes. Albeit changing the focus back to the organization and offering new differentiation criteria, the Cultural school of thought does not provide a permanent solution to the dialectics of strategy. It rather represents another important element of distinction within strategic analysis of hypercompetition and adjusts the reflection on the limits of strategy. Finally, the most noteworthy part of the Cultural school of thought is the consideration of an empathic approach to strategic analysis and corporate sustainability in volatile markets. It should have become evident by now that the boundaries of strategy discussed in the previous chapters are set by the question about the perspective of the location of the most basic units of strategic analysis, which allows organizations to assert their position in the face of strong compe tition. Prescriptive theories try to assess competition by analyzing competitive environment and deliberately set the strategy. Descriptive strategies try to include emergent processes and include various parts of the reality as politics and learning into their analyses. Other approaches try to relocate the perspective on the organization and enhance strategy with distinctive attributes instead of generic strategy formulation. What they have in common is that they altogether limit their applicability by excluding another important perspective namely the consumer-based view. Each and every successful company claims that the customer and his satisfaction is their main concern (Rafeà ©/ Fritz 1992, pp. 308-310). But still, the consumer-based attitude is being outsourced from corporate strategy to the domain of marketing and subsequently advertising where it represents the main axiom labeled as Customer Centricity (cf. Levitt 1960). In the predominant strategic management research the customer oriented view is reduced either to a part of the organizational environment (as e.g. the Bargaining Power of Customers cf. Porter 1998a, p. 8ff., pp.130-146), or to a part of the business plan creation method (as e.g. the three parts of the Business Model Canvas cf. Osterwalder/ Pigneur 2010). This lack of focus on consumer strategy reveals the relative importance given by management corridors and scientific literature. But beyond scientific misjudgment, the customer-based view provides high potential and means for the understanding of competition and should therefore be already included in corporate strategy analysis. The team of researchers around Jack Trout postulated already in 1969 that a strategy should not entirely base upon internal resources or external factors, but by the way customers perceive the organizations business offerings relative to the prevalent competition (cf. Trout/ Ries 1969). In the search of the ultimate component of differentiation, the consu mer perspective represents an important axiom for strategic analysis. In every industry and market it is the customers aesthetic judgment, which allocates the degree of sustainability and uniqueness to a service or product. Marketing tools as market surveys, psychological profiling and conjoint analyses put aside, the consumer and his reactions unveil important conclusions about the potential of upcoming products or the positioning strategy of a company. It is even possible to explore entirely new markets and to understand new and innovative value chains by complementing the competitive assessment with a focus on consumers (this will be elaborated further in chapter 6). The background of why this vital context was disregarded in most research streams, why the strategic focus shifted to such extreme forms of competitive disruption that some companies declare war on competitors, and of how the evolution of paradigmatic discourses may influence aesthetic approaches to competition, w ill be examined in the following chapter. The Paradoxes After reviewing the predominant research streams of strategic management, it becomes apparent that each field deals (as always) with its own perks and weaknesses. However, issues of internal consistency put aside, every stream of research deals at least with one of the following (meta-) paradoxes: A strategist needs a theory which is equipped with the flexibility to adapt to forthcoming changes of competition (especially in the face of hypercompetition). Yet the predominant schools of thought offer barely flexible frameworks limited to artificial preset conditions. Another important need in strategizing is a theoretic approach which adapts to varying levels of complexity and thus helps to create appropriate mental models of reality in order to sustain performance. This is necessary due to the reality being too complex and volatile for the human mind. Still, even the state-of-the-art models find their boundaries by oversimplifying reality.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Cracks in Marriage Caused by the Acceptance of Infidelity

A new husband and a beautiful bride share their first dance together on their wedding day. Moments before the dance the new husband was in the coat room, having sex with the maid of honor. Meanwhile, the beautiful bride was in the kitchen with her high school sweetheart, on her back trying not to make any noise while she had sex with her high school sweetheart. The sanctity of the new marriage is broken. However, both will go on in the marriage for the next few months until it collapses. The new couple had no idea of what a traditional marriage is meant to be. Marriage has been many things throughout history but, some constants have maintained throughout time until current society. Marriage has maintained an identity of love, commitment,†¦show more content†¦Americans draw social cues from movies and television. When the media that Americans watch is showing that affairs are acceptable to participate in, then more people will engage in affairs. Movies are not the only means of media to glorify infidelity. Television furthers the acceptance of infidelity with shows like ABC’s Mistress. The show follows the affairs of four married women and how these affairs lead the woman down a path of self discovery. What the show conveys to the audience is an image that affairs are acceptable. The danger of entertainment that shows the acceptance of infidelity is that the acceptance of infidelity becomes reality. The reality then becoming relationships being formed with the intent of those involved being unfaithful. The breakdown of marriages caused by the images and messages portrayed in our entertainment is slowly deteriorating the identity of marriages. As the identity of marriages is degraded by entertainment other media sources display the growing acceptance if infidelity. News stations, a form of media trusted by many Americans, will display urgent segments on the affairs of political leaders. When President Bill Clinton professed his guilt of having a s exual affair with Monica Lewinski the American public initially disapproved. However, according to a poll conducted by gallup.com President Clinton’s approval rating has been steadily increasing despite his public affair. The over exposure of the affair byShow MoreRelated The Role of Femininity in Shakespeares Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear2337 Words   |  10 Pagesattempting to redeem the institution of marriage that he believes women have destroyed, as indicative of his speech to Ophelia in act III scene i, and here, referring to Gertrude marrying Claudius: Such an act/That//...makes marriage vows/As false as dicers oaths (3.4.40, 44). He seems to have failed in the latter attempt, and the grief and sorrow (5.1.254-5) he feels could be over feeling responsible for Ophelias death and additionally the destruction of marriage. Thus it is ironic that GertrudeRead MoreSubstance Abuse15082 Words   |  61 Pagesof infection. This will help to minimise the spread of the infecti on. * Early treatment as we have seen is essential both to prevent serious damage to the patient and to reduce the chances of spreading the disease. * Infections in most cases is caused by close body contact through sexual relations, control is in the hands of each individual adult. * Do not have sexual relationships with an infected person. Avoid all contact with blood from other people. This is why experiments with human bloodRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagescharacterized by chaotic, transformational, rapid-fire change. In fact, almost no sane person is willing to predict what the world will be like 50, 25, or even 15 years from now. Change is just too rapid and ubiquitous. The development of â€Å"nanobombs† have caused some people to predict that personal computers and desktop monitors will land on the scrap heap of obsolescence within 20 years. The new computers will be a product of etchings on molecules leading to personalized data processors injected into the

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

DNA Testing and the Conviction of Criminals Essay

DNA Testing and the Conviction of Criminals There have been many incidents where cases have needed a solid prosecution in order to convict the defendant in a murder or rape case. This is where DNA Testing comes in to help. By taking a DNA test, a person can be found guilty or not guilty. If a person claims they have been raped there can be a sperm sample taken from the suspect in order to prove that he is guilty or not. In addition, in a murder case there can be blood taken from the suspect so they can tell of his innocence. There are several ways to determine whether a person is guilty or not by this method. Many cases have begun to use this method saying that it is foolproof. People say this is the method of the future of crime†¦show more content†¦So you ask, How does this work to catch or release criminals? DNA is very simple and small. Everyone has different patterns. Using certain machinery to detect a persons DNA solves these patterns. This evidence will create a future in crime scene investigation. At the University of Texas in Austin, there is a DNA facility, which maps DNA. They have several machines that are used to detect DNA. One of these machines is the ABI Prism 3700, which is a DNA analyzer that can analyze up to ninety-six samples of DNA. This can then run for twenty-fours without being attended to for operation (Harkey, 2002). Another machine that is used is the Molecular Dynamics Fluorimager FSI. This device is a quantitative gel and blot system in order for scientists to read. This labels the DNA and proteins on micro plates. A laser scans the DNA a then provides an image for studying the DNA (Harkey, 2002). In Time Magazine an article states On February 28 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick broke the DNA code and discovered that the DNA strand is double helix and forms like a ladder. They found that cytosine and guanine were paired together and that adenine and thymine were paired. They discovered the building block of life (Wright, 1999). DNA is found in all living organisms. Now that I have given some of the background information on the DNA strand, I want to explain what is done to catch the criminals of murders and rapes. Since, a persons DNA cannot be found in anyShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Dna Technology On The World Of Forensic Science1440 Words   |  6 PagesAdvances in DNA technology has expanded greatly in the world of forensic science. In the past a vast number of crime scene evidence was not considered for analysis is now being tested. Trace DNA is more effective in this century when convicting a criminal than it was 20-30 years ago. 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Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Failure of Democracy in Pakistan free essay sample

Pakistan, since its day of inception, has faced several challenges to establish a true democratic system, which could guarantee its survival, stability and development. Unfortunately, the plant of democracy has not taken its roots deep enough to make the country, â€Å"a durable democratic state†. Pakistan was conceived on the Islamic ideology which is truly democratic both in letter and spirit, but we remained incapable of sticking to the guiding principles of Islam. Keeping in view the recent constitutional developments, the future of democracy in Pakistan is bright; despite various challenges are obscuring its future. The essence of democracy is in its assurance that every human being is so respected that he should have opportunities equal to that of every other human being. As revealed by Abraham Lincoln, democracy is, â€Å"Government of the people, for the people and by the people. † Liberty, fraternity and equality are the helpmates of modern democratic political creed. Without implementing a fair system of impartiality and justice, the dream of a truly democratic state, perceived by the Quaid-e-Azam, cannot be materialized. The current pathetic situation of conflicts and distrust are solely the outcomes of a weak democratic setup. Media plays a pivotal role in molding and reshaping the beliefs of a lay man. Unfortunately, the recent media hype in relation to the political activities has aggravated the situation. Media’s biasness has ignited a flame of political imbalance and disharmony, which in turn, has weakened the roots of democratic culture in Pakistan. Similarly, the government has failed to address the problems of a common man effectively. After having a dictatorial nightmare comprising of nine years, the ballet’s strength has revived the political norms of the country. Parliamentary supremacy has been reinstated but unfortunately, rampant load-shedding, heightening inflation, momentous downfall in the Foreign Direct Investment and escalating extremism are the few challenges, to which, the government has failed to embark upon. Resultantly the sense of depravation among the masses may lead towards the debacle of this democratic setup. Likewise, recent statement by a renowned politician, about the role of military in the democratic setup, has started a new debate about the military role in the politics. Due to lack of political insight, our politicians have frequently invited the military, to topple the democratic government by opting un-constitutional means. Thus our incompetent leaders have endangered the survival of political and democratic values of the country. In addition to, the towering terrorism and religious fanaticism is also an ultimate threat to the democracy. They consider democracy as a non-Islamic form of government. The prevailing situation in the country and the demand for the implementation of ‘Sharia’, is a testimony to this ideological belief. For them, the concept of democracy is western and in contradiction with Islam. As they are already a challenge for the law enforcement agencies, they are also proving a threat for this democratic government. Furthermore, the recent natural calamity, in the shape of floods, which has paralyzed our economy, is a real test for the government. All the sectors of the economy, especially agriculture and industry, have been severely hampered by this devastation. Under the above said pitiful conditions, the failure of the government to tackle this challenge would be a failure of democracy itself. Following are the causes of this horrible tragedy: It is imperative to have a proper constitution when a country starts fresh. The delay in the formation of constitution thwarted the process shaping the opinion in favor of democracy as a modern political necessity. The constitution, which was drafted after nine years of the independence in 1956, was strangled after military coup by Ayub Khan in 1958. A proper constitution was formulated in 1973, but every dictator trimmed this constitution in accordance to his own personal interests. Moreover, our political forces also played a horrible role in deteriorating the original draft and resultantly, we remained unable to establish the strong democratic traditions. Similarly, the failure to sustain democracy is due to the overdeveloped state structure. The monopolization and centralization of power, decision making structure and hegemonic designs not only weakened the democracy but also have hampered the economy of the country. These feudal-cum-politicians have hijacked the political system of the country and thus, today’s Pakistan, is a portraying a true picture of aristocracy instead of a strong democracy. Furthermore, the frequent military coup, never allowed the country to adopt positive political principles. Since the day of inception, the people of Pakistan have faced more military rule than that of civilians. These military dictators have tarnished the democratic norms to prevail in the country. They have trimmed and amended the constitution for their personal convenience. Resultantly, the seed of a great democratic culture, sowed by the great Quaid, never appeared to turn into a strong tree. Moreover, the incompetent and corrupt leaders have never allowed the democracy to flourish in the country. Since the tragic demise of the great Quaid, absence of mature leadership has been the biggest dilemma for the country. As there is no proper system of checks and balances in the country, these leaders carried on gaining power and kept the nation divested from the basic amenities of life. The malignant intentions of our political spearheads, have not only smudged the image of Pakistan before the globe, but have also proved fatal for the democratic survival. Furthermore, illiterate masses, have also contributed in deteriorating the political system of the country. A nation with such a low literacy rate can only breed a frail political and democratic culture. An educated person is aware of his rights and can fight for the principles, and resultantly, his voice cannot remain unheard. Contrary to this philosophy, an ignorant society weakens the democratic values. Additionally, the fragile institution, especially the judiciary, has never given democracy, a fair chance to flourish. For a sturdy political environment, the conformity between all the institutions of the government is pivotal. Democracy never exists without rule of law, justice, civil liberties and equality of opportunities. Moreover, clash between the main organs of the state has lead to the catastrophe of the democratic state. Likewise, weak and poverty stricken society, gives birth to resentment. A society, lacking food security, is least concerned with their rights. Fraternity and impartiality could not be the hall mark of such a culture, where more than half of the total population of the country is living below the poverty line. Consequently democratic trends cannot prevail in such an environment where the people are paying tax even on the purchase of a match-box and the grain is getting beyond their reach. In addition to, political disharmony is proving to be venomous for the democratic mores. All the major political powers are busy in point scoring and blame game. They re least concerned with addressing the problems of the nation, and hence, a sense of deprivation among the people is replicating immensely. Without cooperation between the political supreme, the dream for a durable democratic state would remain a fantasy. Following are the dangerous effects of weak democratic setup: The first and the foremost price paid by the nation due to weak democratic setup, was in the form of debacle of East Pakistan. It is a universally accepted democra tic principle that power should be vested to the party who has emerged as a leading political spearhead through the power of the ballet. Contrary to this principle, some political tycoons in the West Pakistan attempted to convert the majority of Sheikh Mujeeb ur Rehman into minority. Moreover, the people of the East Pakistan were kept deprived of the basic needs of life. Resultantly, this political menace turned into a hazardous chaos which wounded our nationalism. This wound left such an unhealed scar on our national integrity that has tarnished our democratic outlook before the world. Similarly, a controlled media is also a pitiful result of the tumbling democracy. Media can act as a lethal weapon against the corrupt leaders and impedes the possibility of any non constitutional act in the state. It also plays a vital role in educating the people and keeping them aware of their fundamental rights. Unfortunately, the non democratic forces have kept media controlled and used it in accordance with their personal reassure. Consequently, a weak and controlled media is a breed of fragile democracy. Likewise, economic instability is another bi-product of the flimsy democratic culture. Strong political and democratic environment is inevitable for the economic prosperity and well being. Moreover, economic stability of a country is heavily dependent upon the political stability in that country. Political tangle and shakiness has lowered down Pakistan’s credit rating and has leaded the country towards the brink of economic disaster and insolvency. Additionally, mismanagement of the country’s depleting resources is also a pearl in the ring of weak democratic culture. Pakistan is not a poor but poorly managed country. We are rich in natural resources but have failed to manage them effectively and efficiently. Shaky political and democratic environment is becoming a core reason for the depletion of our hefty natural resources. Furthermore, dispiriting inclination in the Foreign Direct Investment, is also a meager result of poor democratic values of the country. According to a recent report by the World Bank, there has been a decline of 39 percent in the country’s foreign direct investment, since 2006. Heightening terrorism, towering political instability and growing menace has resulted in discouraging downfall in the â€Å"FDI†. Investors fear to invest their money and time in such a crisis stricken country. Moreover, recurring foreign intervention into our national and domestic issues is only because of our passive democratic networking. A country, with sturdy democratic norms, does not allow any foreign power to intervene into its matters of domestic and national interests. Countries, especially America, are more interested in framing Pakistan’s policies than that of its own. Our national integrity is at the stake due to our political disharmony and democratic redundancy. In addition to, the towering terrorism and extremism is also due to the molested democratic ideologies. A strong democratic state; where there is a rule of law and fairness of opportunities for every citizen, breeds active and patriot minds and souls. A desperate mind; which has been preoccupied with fear of hunger can easily become a pray of the non state actors. Resultantly, a fragile democratic culture is prone to extremism. Finally, Pakistan’s image across the world has tarnished due to weak and shaky democratic norms prevalent in the society. Above all the military and quasi-military rule strangled the democratic rule in the country. World Bank and other financial institutions have persistently laid sanctions upon the Pakistan. These financial penalties and restrains upon trade is the outcome of weedy democratic governments in the past and frequent military coups.