Monday, September 30, 2019
Chrysalis module four behaviourism Essay
‘Behaviourists explain maladaptive behaviour in terms of the learning principles that sustain and maintain it. Discuss this statement and show how a behaviourist’s approach to therapy is in stark contrast to a psychoanalytic one’ In this essay I will first of all explain the main principles and theories that underpin the behaviourist approach to psychology. I will subsequently outline how behaviourist theory can provide therapists with some insight into both the causes of maladaptive behaviour and how that behaviour might be sustained and maintained. Having discussed the main behaviourist principles and how they relate to maladaptive behaviour, I will then compare and contrast the behavioural approach with the psychoanalytic (Freudian) approach. I will also comment on ethical issues especially as they relate to behaviourism and some of the experiments on which the theory is founded. Behaviourism is a school of psychology that emphasises the scientific study of obs ervable behaviours especially as they relate to the process of learning. It was highly influential and dominated psychological theory for some thirty years between the early 1920’s and 1950’s. The early formulation of behaviourist theory was in the work of an American psychologist John B Watson. In some respects, his research was a response to the prevailing psychoanalytic approaches to therapy at the time. In his work ‘Psychology from the Standpoint of a Behaviourist’ published in 1929, Watson believed that behaviourism, ‘Attempted to make a fresh, clean start in psychology, breaking with current theories and with traditional concepts and terminology’ (www.britannica.com). His vision was one of psychology becoming a purely objective branch of natural science, where the only admissible conclusions were those that could be obtained by independent observers of the same object or event, as would be the case in scientific experiments. Behaviourism is concerned with explaining how behaviour arises and is maintained. Also to identify and characterise influences on behaviour and to explain how, under certain conditions, behaviour can change. The roots of behaviourist theory can be found in the work of Ivan Pavlov, a Russian scientist. He researched what is known as reflex, an automatic reaction to a particular stimulus. Specifically, his research looked at the reflex that stimulates the production of saliva in dogs when given meat. The meat is the stimulus for the reflex, but what Pavlov noticed was that the dogs in his experiments would start to salivate even at the sight of the person who regularly fed them. In his famous and now well- known experiment, Pavlov then introduced the sound of a bell every time the food was presented. He found that just the sound of the bell would produce the same reaction in the dogs even if there was no food. He concluded that the dogs had learned that the bell signalled food. Watson brought Pavlov’s findings to the attention of fellow psychologists and then conducted his own experiment involving a young boy, Albert. This came to be known as the ‘Little Albert’ experiment. Watson initially presented Albert with a tame rat and observed his response; at that st age the boy had no fear of the rat. Watson subsequently observed Albert’s reaction to a loud noise when it was made behind his head. Not surprisingly, the child cried at the sound and tried to move away from it. Watson then presented the rat to Albert just before making the loud sound. This time the child reacted by moving away from the rat thereby demonstrating to Watson a change in behaviour as a result and linking the rat to the loud noise. Watson’s experiment showed that Albert had learned to show a defensive reflex reaction. This came to be known as classical conditioning and this approach to understanding behaviour was described as stimulus response psychology. These days the ethics of this experiment would be highly questionable however, subjecting a child to fear in this way and conditioning his response as a result would not acceptable. Several contemporaries of Watson were also working in this area of behavioural research. The work of Edward Thorndike and B.F. Skinner made a huge contribution to behaviourist psychology. Thorndike pioneered the study of animal behaviour with his ‘puzzle boxâ €™ into which he placed a hungry cat. Food was placed outside the box and he found that the cat learned to manipulate the door catch to get out of the box to obtain the food. Unlike Pavlov’s dogs, the cat in his study had some element of control given that being able to get the food was conditional on the cat opening the door. The consequences of the cat’s behaviour (getting the food), Thorndike argued, altered the cat because it learned to open the door. As the cat was ‘instrumental in opening the door he called this instrumental conditioning. Skinner, who was influenced by Thorndike’s work, argued that learning through reinforcement is common to all species not just animals. Much of his work involved studying the behaviour of rats and pigeons. He conducted several experiments using a special device he designed called the ‘Skinner box’. This provided a controlled environment in which animal behaviour could be observed in a systematic way. His experiments were designed to shed light on how behaviour is initiated, maintained and how under certain conditions it can be changed as a result of consequences of the beha viour. He argued that behaviour takes a particular form because it has consequences that both give rise to it and maintain it. When the consequences change, so does the behaviour he said. Skinner placed a hungry rat in the box where it had to negotiate a maze to find the food. At first the rat would run up blind alleys in the maze but with experience it gradually learned how to negotiate the maze to find the food more quickly. Behaviourists like Skinner believed that the principles involved in these learning processes were applicable to people and underpin complex human behaviour. Skinner proposed that behaviour changes as a result of its consequences and that behaviour is also reinforced by reward. Behaviour that is reinforced will also increase in frequency Skinner suggested. Similarly, he argued, negative reinforcement works in the same way as positive re inforcement. For example, if a loud noise is made every time a rat pokes its nose through its cage, the rat would stop doing it. He promoted the idea that as humans are just another species, giving praise for desirable behaviour in a child would reinforce that behaviour in the same way that getting food by pressing a lever in a box would reinforce behaviour in a rat. Skinner went further by suggesting that there is no such thing as free will; he called it the principle of determinism, the assertion that all human behaviour is determined by what went before. Skinner’s hypotheses created widespread debate amongst psychologists and not surprisingly, his critics pointed out that humans are very different to animals and that results from experiments conducted on rats in a laboratory couldn’t just be applied to human behaviour. Behaviourist critics reasoned that human behaviour is immeasurably more sophisticated than animal behaviour, rooted in language and operating within complex cultures. Humans have insight into their behaviour and have conscious awareness, they contended and therefore are able to make conscious choices. Skinner fell out of favour in the 1970’s following the publication of his book ‘Beyond Freedom and Dignity’ where he urged society to reject the assumption that free will is the main determinant of behaviour. In contrast to the psychoanalytic school of psychology, behaviourists regard all behaviour as a response to stimuli, with the underlying assumption that what we do is determined by the environment we are in that provides stimuli to which we respond. Also that the environments we have been in in the past, caused us to learn to respond to stimuli in particular ways. ‘Behaviourists are unique amongst psychologists in believing that it is unnecessary to speculate about internal mental processes when explaining behaviour’ (psychlotron.org.uk). Behaviourists believe that people are born with some innate reflexes such as fear and rage which do not need to be learned, but that all of a person’s complex behaviours are as a result of learning thr ough interaction with the environment. It is therefore assumed that the individual plays no part in choosing their own actions and behaviour. Today only a few psychologists would label themselves as behaviourists and the arguments about free will and conscious choices still continue. However, studies since the 1950’s have in fact brought an increasing recognition that conditioning probably occurs more widely than was previously understood. It is recognised for example that drug or alcohol use can be triggered by environmental cues – places and situations where drug taking or alcohol consumption is present. Contemporary therapy for some types of psychological distress owes much to insight derived from behaviourism. Children who self -harm can be treated with techniques of re inforcement for non- harming behaviours for example. Apparently one of the techniques used for treating people with obsessional and phobic disorders involves identifying and removing reinforcement for behaviour that is excessive and reinforcing the more positive behaviour with praise. The behaviourist approach is also relevant in understanding addiction and habitual behaviour – whether it be smoking, drugs, alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex etc. With this type of maladaptive behaviour there is a strong and fairly immediate positive reinforcing consequence of the behaviour. Whereas the unpleasant consequences of the behaviour are delayed i.e. potential serious illness in terms of smoking for instance. It is also recognised that someone who regularly exhibits violent or aggressive tendencies may well have grown up in a violent household where violent behaviour was modelled and reinforced. The psychoanalytic approach to counselling and psychotherapy has its roots in Freudian theory which essentially espouses that it is repressed memo ries and sexual wishes that are the root of psychological problems. In the psychoanalytic approach there is an assumption that client’s difficulties have their ultimate origin in childhood experiences and that the client is not usually aware of the motives or impulses behind their actions. Prior to Watson and Skinner’s experiments, psychology had almost entirely been based on a psychoanalytic approach – the study of what happens in people’s minds. In therapy, people would report what was on their mind and this was documented and analysed by psychologists such as Freud. This approach to understanding people’s behaviour was considered highly subjective and unscientific by behaviourists. Freud espoused a range of theories to account for maladaptive behaviour; he argued that in early childhood three phases of psycho sexual development set the stage for a series of conflicts between the child and its environment, its family and most importantly its parent. He proposed that that the way in which parents responded to th e child would have a powerful influence on the later personality of the child and a significant impact on adult relationships. Psychological problems according to Freud arise because a person’s impulses and drives are driven underground and continue to influence the person subconsciously. There is significant emphasis in psychoanalytic theory on the quality of the relationship between child and parents. The fundamental viewpoint shared by all psychoanalytic counsellors and therapists is that in order to understand the personality of an adult client it is necessary to understand the development of their personality through childhood. Freud did not suggest however that that childhood experiences directly influence adult personality; he stated that the influence occurred in a particular way through the operation of the unconscious mind. This is perhaps where there is the most stark contrast between the behaviourist and psychoanalytic approaches. Behaviourists concern themselves with actual, observable behaviour rather than internal thoughts processes. Freud however not only advanced the idea of the unconscious mind, he also developed a complex theoretical model explaining the human mind as comprising three regions which he labelled the id the ego and the superego. The id being a reservoir of primitive instincts and impulses that are the ultimate motives for the behaviour; the ego which is the conscious rational part of the mind that makes decisions and deals with external reality and the superego a sort of store house of rules and taboos, mainly an internalisation of parental attitudes. Conflicts between these elements can lead to stress in Freudian theory. An individual’s behaviour can be understood according to Freud, as being under the control of forces such as repressed memories, childhood fantasies which a person cannot acknowledge. The role of the psychoanalytic therapist is to look for ways of getting beneath the surface of what the client is saying and what is immediately observable. One could of course explain t he ‘forces’ mentioned above in behaviourist terms; that a person has simply been conditioned to do, act, say things in a certain way. A child repeatedly subject to violence or witnessing violence may well be more prone to aggressive behaviour in adulthood for example. But in Freud, I feel there is a richness not found in behaviourism. People and relationships are complex and therefore some emotional problems equally complex. In my view a psychoanalytic approach attempts at least to reflect this complexity – where therapy aims to enable clients to become more aware of their inner emotional life and therefore be more able to control feelings in an appropriate manner and gain the freedom to behave differently. A key aim of psychoanalysis is to achieve client insight into the true nature of their issues/ problems. Genuine insight usually being attained as result of the quality of the relationship between client and therapist. There is little reference to the quality relationship between client and therapist in the behaviourist approach. In the psychoanalytic approach there is as much emphasis on what the client doesn’t say as on what he or she does say about his or her problem – Freud wrote about what he termed defence mechanisms, which seek to protect an individual from emotionally disturbing or threatening unconscious impulses. These defence mechanisms might include such things as repression , denial, projecting one’s unacceptable thoughts and feelings to another person; or displacement, where an individual might channel impulses to a different target or regression where an individual responding to internal feelings triggered by an external threat, might revert to childlike behaviour from an earlier stage of development. This aspect of Freud’s theory provides powerful insight I feel into certain maladaptive behaviours. Of course the work of the proponents of behaviourism such as Watson and Skinner and Freud’s psychoanalytic theories have been developed and redefined over the years. In my opinion both approaches can have a valuable role to play in understanding maladaptive behaviour in spite of their very different emphases, depending on the type of behaviour being treated. Behaviourism was the precursor to social learning theory developed by Albert Banduras and this emphasises both the social and physical context people find themselves in and how children in particular learn by observing and then imitating others who effectively act as models. This is more complex than simple stimulus response theory and it can be very important and enlightening for a therapist to understand the current and past social contexts of a client and its potential impact on their behaviour. Equally important, in my view, is the recognition that people have a complex inner mental life and an emotional inner world and responses that sometimes can’t be explained by environmental factors alone. In the same way that behaviour theory has developed, psychoanalytic theory has also a dvanced. The work of psychologist Melanie Klein for example, who researched the early relationship between mother and child, concluded that human beings are motivated by the need to establish and maintain relationships. This suggests to me that the quality of relationship between client and therapist is of significant importance. This thinking has little or no place in behaviourist approaches to therapy. Even contemporary cognitive behaviour therapy, which has its roots in behaviourism, places less emphasis on the relationship between client and therapist. Whereas the psychoanalytic counsellor would emphasise exploration and understanding, the CBT approach would be more orientated towards demonstrable action to produce change. It would seem sensible, in treating stress and anxiety to try to combine both approaches. A client suffering from anxiety is more likely to respond positively to a therapist with whom they have a trusting relationship; without that it would be very difficult for a client to face fears that may be buried in their subconscious. And for the therapist, it would be necessary to be able to establish/ understand the potential environmental and social triggers or stimuli (both current and historic) for the client’s anxiety. This could involve exploring the clients past in terms of their relationship with their parents perhaps and also searching for other relevant information about the situations that provide the cues for the client’s anxiety. In conclusion, although the assumptions made by early behaviourist psychologists seem overly simplistic nowadays , this work laid the foundations for more extensive research that has advanced our knowledge about social learning and how this can affect behaviour. Although behaviour modification therapy doesn’t necessarily sit easily within a collaborative counselling relationship, some of the principles of behaviourism can be applied and adapted to understanding maladaptive behaviour. Behaviour modification therapy has been shown to be very effective with certain types of disorder such as obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, addiction, anxiety disorders, fears and phobias. Sources: Mcleod J. (2008) Introduction to Counselling, third ed, Open University Furnham A. 50 Psychology Ideas You Really Need to Know, Quercus Publishing Hayes N. (2010) Understand Psychology, Hodder Education Ltd Chrysalis Year Two, Module Four course notes. www.britannica.com 17/11/2014 www.wikipedia.org/behaviourism 17/11/2014 www.psychlotron.or.uk 17/11/2014
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Developmental Psych Papere
The study of the psychological development in children has been an ongoing endeavor. Renowned theorist, Sigmund Freud developed a psychoanalytic stage of psychological development focusing on the psychosexual development of individuals. Erikson developed his own theory of development which spanned over one’s lifetime. Psychological development has stirred arguments in theory from biological theorists and environmental theorists as well.Despite the uncompromised viewpoints from psychological, biological, and environmental theorists, children continue to be born, grow, and become adults without a definitive explanation to their development. There exists the lingering question as to why some children grow and develop serious psychological disorders and learning dysfunctions when compared to other children who are devoid of any dysfunction.BackgroundAt first view, Adam is a rambunctious typical 8 year old boy. It is noticeable that his attention span is comprom ised as he is unable to remain focused on one activity for any given length of time. His parents, Jason and Alexis, explained that Adam was born via Caesarean section after forty-two prolonged hours of labor. A second child was born, a girl, later the following year. At the age of 2, his parents noticed that he seemed too eager and full of energy. After a trip to the pediatrician, they were assured that this was typical behavior for a 2 year old boy.Up to the age of 4, his parents became more distraught with their inability to control his behaviors. By this point, Adam was sleeping three hours per night, had gotten outside the family home by picking a lock with a butter knife, was physically abusing his younger sister, had broken his collar bone jumping off a Little Tyke car, re-broken the collar bone in the doctor’s office jumping off the exam table despite the doctor’s efforts to catch him, and his parents werePSYCHOLOGY                                                                                                                              3sleeping in shifts in order to keep up with his hyperactivity (personal communication, May 15, 2010). The family received reassurance from the pediatrician who indicated that it was a phase that Adam would soon outgrow. It is clear that both Jason and Alexis were debating whether or not Adam’s behavior was an individual difference or an abnormal behavior, but one could also suggest the possibility of the issues with Adam being related to a nature versus nurture conflict (Berryman, et al, 2002)AnalysisD iagnosisWhen Adam was 6, his parents contacted a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist after exhausting every other known resource and outlet, including school counselors and the family pediatrician. Adam was put through a series of developmental, biological, and psychological tests.  The psychiatrist met with the parents two-weeks following the testing phase. It was determined that Adam was suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Bipolar Disorder I. While Jason and Alexis admit that they were horrified by the diagnoses, they have stated that they were equally relieved to finally have a name for what was wrong with their son (personal communication, May 15, 2010).The Diagnostics and Statistics Manual for Mental Disorders, fourth edition, (DSM-IV-TR) defines ADHD as being a condition often present in children indicated by behaviors and mannerisms inconsistent with the child’s developmental age (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Specific symptoms include restlessness, driven mood, excessive talking, distractible, and an inability to remain focused. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) notes that learning disabilities are frequent with the diagnosis of ADHD (APA, 1994). The diagnosis of BipolarPSYCHOLOGY                                                                                                                              4Disorder I indicates that episodes of mania are or have existed in the patient. Bipolar Disorder is defined as severe mood swings associated with elated happiness, or mania, in contrast to extre me depression, or periods of sadness (APA, 1994).TreatmentTreating both of these conditions in a child requires consistency and encouragement from the family. From a pharmacological standpoint, these conditions are being treated with Clonodine and Depekote. Family and cognitive therapies have been incorporated into the family’s routine. Lab tests, blood work, are performed bi-weekly as the level of Depekote must be monitored so that it does not become toxic. In reference to Adam’s learning disability, he is enrolled in special education classes in a public elementary school. To date, Adam seems well adjusted and fully cooperative in taking his daily medications. Alexis indicated that his individual therapy has helped him to recognize periods where he has become too active, whereby Adam will indicate that he needs some alone time to calm down (personal communication, May 15, 2010).DiscussionThe prognosis for these types of conditions in children is uncertain. Years ago, a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in a child was unheard of, and it would seem to be more congruent with a Conduct Disorder. Times are changing as is developmental psychology. The origin of these conditions is not definite. Alexis wonders if there was oxygen deprivation during labor which may have contributed to Adam’s disorders, but there is not a clear or concise medical opinion to assert this to fact (personal communication, May 15, 2010). There are still questions as to whether or not either of these conditions may be hereditary, despite the fact that neitherPSYCHOLOGY                                                                                                                              5Jason nor Alexis have any family members with either condition. With regard to the abnormal behavior exhibited by Adam; there exists a name for the psychological dysfunction. In relation to Adam as an individual, it is obvious that he does have specific differences than that of other children his own age. It is still a battle and argument to be had with regard to developmental psychologists and theorists.ConclusionJason and Alexis continue to live and function with the knowledge that their son has been diagnosed with two disorders requiring constant monitoring and care. In lieu of these conditions, they still manage to do things as any other family does. They have a family in which one child has special needs. For them, these needs have become the norm, even though society views these obstacles as an intrusion and inconveni ence. Developmental psychology is a study of the ways in which one goes from being a dependent infant to a self-sufficient adult. There are a variety of ways that each individual will accomplish such a task. There does not appear to be any one definition by which each person grows and develops thoughts, mental processes, or abilities. Each person simply grows by learning and adapting in order to survive. The field of developmental psychology has much work and research ahead of itself, but it has already made great strides with regard to how society has gotten where it is.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Look closely at how Lennie and George speak and behave here. What does it reveal about their relationship? Essay
George and Lennies relationship in my opinion is one like a father has with a son, George is always there for lennie, he cares for him and wants the best for him, and in his own way, Lennie feels the same and acts the same. The extract given, located at the start of the book in chapter one, is one that introduces George and Lennies dream to the reader as well as establishing to the reader the closeness of their relationship, without this part in the book, we would not understand how the two men are like father and son, or how they really do care for each other, and that is why this text is so significant to the text as a whole. This extract is about Lennie trying to get George to tell him the story about them in the future (their dream), and despite not wanting to at first, Lennie is clearly used to getting his own way and acts like a child in order to get so. George at the end of the extract however, shows his authority and is very firm when there has been enough, Steinbeck makes it obvious that the two have known each other for a long time as Lennie speaks ‘craftily’ and ‘pleaded’ in order to get his own way from George. Lennie has learnt during their time together how to make George give in. This is like a father son relationship because the child often knows how to treat their parents in order to get their own way, whether with a flutter of the eyelashes or a really nice hug, children know how to get their own way, and this is the case with Lennie. Another reason it is like a father son relationship is because George is giving Lennie Hope when he says ‘we got a future’, It is a parents job to give their child something to look forward to in a hard time and as it was the great depression when the novel is set, George does this excellently with the dream of the ranch. It gives Lennie something to dream about. It is also like a father son relationship, because it becomes clear from Steinbeck’s style of writing that George has told the story of the ranch and rabbits to Lennie so many times: â€Å"He repeated his words rhymetically†This shows that George has told the story enough times to Lennie that he knows it off by heart and Lennie, a forgetful character knows it also. This shows that George is once again like a father figure to lennie, telling him bedtime stories. Fathers and Sons know they have each other to look after them and this is what Lennie and George are also both aware of: â€Å"Because I got you to look after me†This shows that they are both aware of the close relationship they have and how they are both aware of how the other one appreciates them as much as they appreciate them. This is a nice part of the novel and it leaves the reader with a sense that not everything is bad. One of the themes of the book is loniness but this part here shows that it is not George or Lennie that experience this, or at least at the beginning. And finally, George makes it clear to the reader that he is the authoritive person in the relationship as he makes it clear when he â€Å"ain’t got time for no more†, he is the one that is in charge and Lennie seems to appreciate that. The fact that George is the authoritve figure is a good way to explain why he seems so tense and agitated in this extract: â€Å"you getta kick outta that†, because he feels like he is in charge of lennie, and doesn’t want him to do anything wrong or get into trouble, knda like when a parent takes their child shopping. It is clear form reading the extract that lennie is the child and George is the father figure, but they both appreciate and enjoy each others company. 6c) How does Steinbeck present the theme of loneliness in Of Mice and Men? Loneliness is one of the main themes of mice and men and that becomes apparent from early on in the novel. Almost all of Steinbeck’s characters experience loneliness at some part in the play, although some like Curley’s Wife, Crooks and Candy experience it more than others. Steinbeck makes it very clear at the beginging that the novel is going to be based on loneliness as the novel is set in a place cale ‘Soledad’ which means loneliness in Spanish, it is these small details that in my opinion makes Of Mice and Men, such a clever and valiable read. Curley’s wife is a character that it becomes more evident throughout the book is suffering from loneliness. She has married a man she hardly knew before and now is the only lady on the ranch, people are afraid to talk to her because they don’t want to get into trouble with Curley, the short tempered bosses son. Curley’s wife is seen as a tart by the ranch men, and are a main cause of her loniness. She often goes around asking for Curley and the men are very blunt and untalkative towards her. She tells Lennie of her loneliness: â€Å"I get awfully lonely†, This shows that she knows she is lonely and addimits she â€Å"just wants someone to talk to†, Steinback uses Curley’s wife as a character that experiences Lonliness that is very obvious to the reader as she admits it herself. Crooks is another character that experiences Lonliness and in my opinion, it is crooks that experiences Lonliness the most. Crooks is a Stable buck and is black, which in 1930’s America meant there was segregation. He lives on his own in the stables and is not allowed to join in with the other men. He is just expected to enjoy his own company and so he just reads books, which makes him a very knowledgeable character. Crooks character is not very signifivant in the play, but he has a whole chapter devoted to him nevertheless, he makes it clear when Lennie stumbles across his room that the life he is experiencing is one that is not right. Crooks describes his loneliness briefly, â€Å"if I see something, I aint go no one to tell me it aint real†, Steinbeck has used something so simple to show just how lonly crooks is. He literally has no one! Annother character that experiences loneliness is Candy. His ancient dog is shot for being smelly and ‘no good’, yet it was this dog that had kept candy from being lonly for all these years. When Steinbeck describes the dog being walked out of the bunck house by Carlson, Candy immediately goes into his own world of regret and lonlieness. No one understands why Candy is so upset because no one has experienced having someone. Also when candy is trying to stop Carlson from convincing him to shot the dog, none of the other ranch ahnds stick up for Cnady, instead they all keep quiet and don’t get involved. This shows that in of Mice and men, it is every man for himself and that is another example of loneliness. When George goes down town with the other ranch hands, it is Lennie that experiences Lonliness. He has always had George to keep him company, but when crooks asks â€Å"what would you do if George did’nt come back†, Lennie takes it literally and experiences loneliness for what could be lennies first time. Lennie immediately gets violent and this shows the reader how much lennie really needs George. And finally, George. George is in my opinion the only main character that we don’t get a sign experiences loneliness. Throughout the play he has Lennie to keep him company and soon builds up a friendship with both Candy and Slim, so that as soon as Lennie runs off he has these to then keep in company in the hard time. Steinback was very clever at presenting the theme of loneliness. Almost every character experiences it, yet it is not something that you notice overly when reading the book. Steinback managed to show diffenent levels of loneliness from Crooks who has no one, to Lennie who always has George looking after him, even to the last page in the book! Without the theme of loneliness in Of Mice and Men, the novel would not be the same. It is this loneliness that drives curley’s wife to talk to lennie before he kills her , and that causes George to understand he needs to kill lennie himself. The theme of lonlineness was also a theme of the workers during the great depression in America during the 1930’s. As migrant workers travelled from ranch to ranch to find jobs, never staying at one place long and travelling on their own, meant loneliness was experienced greatly, so Steinbeck managed to make his novel even more realistic by doing this.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Alice Walker Everyday Use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Alice Walker Everyday Use - Essay Example However, a deeper reading makes it clear that becoming â€Å"Wangero Leewanika Kimanjo†is actually a rejection of her roots. The name ‘Dee,’ which has passed down to her through the generations of her family, is more a part of her true heritage than the alien African name she has adopted (Hoel, Para. 17). â€Å"She’s dead,†she says of the old Dee (Walker, Para. 27). Dee â€Å"had hated the house†of her childhood (Walker, Para 10). Dee takes pictures of her mother and sister as if they were curiosities and includes the house and a cow, but not herself. She does not see herself as a part of their world. She takes the churner top and dasher, not as treasured parts of her past life, but as â€Å"mere things or aestheticized objects†(Whitsitt, 8), to be flaunted as artistic curios. Similarly, her desire for the quilts has â€Å"nothing to do with traditions, only with fashion†(Hoel, Para. 16). She desires them as fashion statemen ts and as hand-stitched antiques of considerable monetary value. Dee’s rejection of her family and her contempt for their way of life is a definite denial of her heritage. The modest, stay-at-home Maggie, when compared with the attractive, successful Dee, is not impressive. However, it is Maggie who, like her mother, has â€Å"an inherent understanding of heritage based on her love and respect for those who came before her†(White, Para. 3). To Maggie, the articles of their household are not inanimate objects of idealized art, or curios, but are valued as treasured links â€Å"which represent history and tradition, binding women and men to the past and the past to the present†(Whitsitt, 2). Maggie knows that â€Å"Aunt Dee’s first husband whittled the dash†(Walker, Para.52). Although she shares Dee’s estimate of the quilts, â€Å"But they’re priceless†(Walker, Para. 68), their value to her is based on her love of the people who made them.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Film & Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Film & Society - Essay Example The producer of the biography of Kane's life recognizes the fact that a human being is not necessarily the sum of his activities and property, while asking his reporters the real meaning of Charles Foster Kane. In an effort to find the real Charles Foster Kane - a composite of a number of historical personalities such as the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst; the aerospace and movie mogul Howard Hughes; and the Chicago utilities magnate Samuel Insull - the film helps the viewer discover that there is something deeper that drives the life and achievements of a person. This depth of insight may be called the meaning of life, the interpretation of life, or an individual's motivating force to do what he does and to live the way he lives. Charles Foster Kane died following a successful business life with the word "Rosebud" on his lips. This word apparently had nothing to do whatsoever with the kind of persona possessed by Kane. Was it the name he had decided on for a new business venture, given that wealth and power were Kane's predominant interests as revealed by his biography In any case, Kane's story unfolds in a series of flashbacks, each one providing insight into an attribute of Kane previously hidden from the viewer. The life story of Kane is told by a succession of people that were connected with him. Each of these people saw a separate side of the man, and none of them could see him whole. Thus, all people in relation to Kane saw him differently, and each one's viewpoint was imbued with prejudices, making the recollections rather vague and unreliable. The man himself never gets to tell his own story. How close would his story be to the reminiscences of his associates We cannot tell, and all that we are left with is our own interpretation. If money is our preoccupation, perhaps we will define Kane's life as a money-making enterprise, just as a person dealing with aggression in the home is most likely to view the Thematic Apperception cards with an eye for violence. Kane's life had changed irrevocably from a materialistic standpoint. He was a rich man who knew how to remain prosperous through his business undertakings. Yet, viewers of the film have noticed that riches did not necessarily bring unconditional happiness in the man's life. Rather, he seemed to have felt vulnerable and alone, and on his deathbed he remembered the simple snow globe and the Rosebud, which was the sled he used in his youth. Kane appears to feel nostalgic about his childhood as death knocks at his door. Was he trying to recall certain values that he had failed to live by due to his ever increasing occupation with the guarding of wealth Once again, the interpretation depends on the viewer. It will be not considered wrong to assert here that Kane was remembering his childhood and the Rosebud at the end of his life because death marks a return to a state of being we were closer to at the time we were children. Would it also be correct to state that the meaning of life is r eally to remember that state of being and live as intimately attached to it as possible, so that death takes us to a world that feels better than this one and we are not taken by surprise right at the end of this life term Literature on near death experience has often mentioned the dark tunnel experience, whereby a person
Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6
Management Accounting - Essay Example This platform helps the organizations to take their long term business decisions. It has been observed that there is a long term debate between the global fraternities related with the functionality of accounting. Many experts have described accounting as the communicating tool for the organizations to showcase their business reality. On the other hand many people have stated that accounting itself constructs reality. This debate is a burning issue for the organizations across the world. Accounting is nothing but an information science used for the purpose of classifying financial data. Here in this essay the title statement will be critically analyzed on the basis of various favorable and unfavorable arguments. The essay will also include the framework of Burchell et al into this essay. The essay will follow a step by step approach which will analyze the topic in detailed fashion. The essay will follow a suitable structure. With the help of this essay an attempt will be made to end the debate related with the title topic. Accounting is a process through which organizational reality can be communicated. Organization does accounting for the purpose of communicating realities towards the all stakeholders related with the organizations. Every organization has internal and external stakeholders. It is important for internal and external stakeholders to know the organization reality in detailed fashion. To get the detailed information there is no substitute of accounting. It indicates that accounting does communicate reality to the stakeholders. Financial communication is the most important factor on the basis of which investment related decisions are being made. Investors invest their moneys on the basis of proper information. That information is being communicated with the help of accounting. According to the framework of Burchell, if uncertainties of
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Expanding an MNC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Expanding an MNC - Essay Example The company has a mission to satisfy the requirements of its customers. The cars manufactured by Excellent Motors are mainly light machine vehicles. The company offers cars within a wide range of price, targeting customers from middle income groups to high income groups as well. Excellent Motors have reported revenue growth over the years. In order to increase its business operations, the senior management of the company is considering expansion of the business into emerging markets. Question 2: Comparison Matrix for 3 emerging markets The three emerging markets chosen for expansion of business of Excellent Motors are China, India and Brazil. The comparison matrix for the three emerging markets is given as below: Environment China India Brazil Political The political environment in China is quite stable and has a political consensus for encouraging foreign automakers to invest in the Chinese economy. India has a multi-party political system with several opinions and intervention on t he policies of the government. Thus the political risk for expansion of the business is moderate. The political environment in Brazil is turbulent for the foreign automobile investors to invest in the country. The political risk of Brazil is on a higher side for expansion of the business. ... Due to the diverse set of sophisticated services, the foreign automakers have favored this destination. Legal & Regulatory China's legal and regulatory system has excessive number of clauses to be fulfilled by the foreign automakers which requires high startup cost and compliance cost. The legal and regulatory system of India allows moderate incentives for the foreign automakers to invest in India. There are several regulatory policies and laws on taxation for foreign automakers to invest in Brazil. Technological China is a country that has advanced technologies which would be beneficial for foreign automakers to invest in the country. India has made rapid progress in technological development due to the investments of foreign capitalists. The process for technology transfer required for investment by the foreign automakers in Brazil is relatively cumbersome. Ethical Chinese government has made ethical practices for business as mandatory criteria. The land has specific requirements f or foreign investors on ethical reporting and disclosures. The ethical standards for foreign investors in the automobile markets of India are moderate with requirements of true disclosure of business events. Brazil has also strengthened its requirements on ethical conduct of business by the foreign investors. Social responsibility The social responsibility activities of the foreign investors in China are viewed as positive contribution to the society in which they exist. The social responsibility acts of the foreign investors go a long way in creation of brand value for the companies in India. The social responsibility of the companies has helped the companies to increase their profitability in the long run. Cultural The
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15
Reflection paper - Essay Example Proponents have argued that legalization will lead to reduce misuse of the drug among teenagers through proper regulation of its market which will reduce such exposures. The legalization will spur America’s economic growth by ensuring that the flow of money to other countries through criminal gangs is reduced rapidly. It has further been established that reasons upon which prohibition of the drug is based are not true and further efforts to have the drug prohibited will lead into increased illegal use in the country. Those in support of the ban have argued on grounds of health matters as well as increased abuse of the drug. The cartels who operate the black market in which the drug is currently sold are not easy to deal with and legalization will not put them off. From the above reasons against and in support of legalization, there is clear evidence that the drug should be made legal in the United
Monday, September 23, 2019
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory - Essay Example An organization has to satisfy these needs if it wants to achieve efficiency from its customers (Bateman and Snell, 2013). It is important to denote that the satisfaction of these needs must be done in a hierarchical order. Starting with the most important need, that is need for survival; up to the least important need that is the need of self-actualization. Another theory is the ERG theory by Aldefer. According to this theory, an individual has three important needs that an organization must satisfy in order to motivate them. These needs are the desire to exist, relate and grow. According to this theory, these needs change as the position of an employee progresses (Tracy, 2013). Existence encompasses the desire to satisfy basic human needs such as food, shelter and clothing. Relatedness is the desire of an employee to form associations with employers, co-workers, and family members (Dessler, 2013). Growth is the desire of an employee to achieve his or her ambitions. McClelland needs theory is another theory of motivation. According to this theory, the needs of an individual are acquired over time, and it is their experiences that shape these needs. McClelland identifies three needs, which are achievement, affiliation and power. This theory is often referred to as the three needs theory. Under achievement, an individual takes a calculated risk to accomplish their goals. They tend to avoid high risks situations, because success there comes as a chance. They also tend to avoid low risk situations because there is no guarantee of success (Fa?bregas and Scalise, 2012). With affiliation, comes the desire of an individual to create relationships. On this basis, an individual favors collaborations, as opposed to competition. The individual also desires power. Under this need, two types of power exists, institutional and personal (Walters, 2010). Personal power involves the need to control friends, and family members. While institutional is the need to control organiza tions. The motivator-hygiene model theory is also another example of a motivational theory. According to this theory, an organization needs to understand the factors that cause an employee to be motivated, and ones that cause the same employee to be de-motivated. This theory denotes that factors that motivate an employee can change over a period of time, and settings of work (Ryan, 2012). However, the need of respect cannot change. It is the most motivating factor at any given point of an individual’s life. This theory further denotes that in an organization, there is an aspect of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Managers must put all this in consideration while formulating policies. The final theory is the equity theory of motivation. This theory explains that the motivation of employees come as a result of perceptions in relation to the fairness in which an organization treats its various employees (Schunk, 2012). This theory denotes that individuals value fairness, and th is makes them to have motivation. Of these theories, the most important theory of motivation is the Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Model. This is because the theory is practical and identifies two factors that an organizations needs to consider while developing human resource policies.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Euthyphro - Piety Essay Example for Free
Euthyphro Piety Essay The discussion between Socrates and Euthyphro is one of the most famous Socratic discussions because of the meaning set behind the actions. This discussion is focused on what is the piety or the holiness asked by Socrates to Euthyphro. Socrates appoints Euthyphro to help him understand what piety is as he admits he does not know, in order to help with his case against him. They argue about Euthyphro’s answer that piety is what the Gods love and impiety is the opposite. Socrates then questions which is dear because they love or they love because it is dear. Socrates challenges to comprehend an understanding of this indefinable concept and uses logic to understand what holiness is as provided by Euthyphro who is acting religious. This paper will show how the concept of holiness emerges from Euthyphro’s three definitions of piety. In addition this paper will suggest why Socrates goal for this discussion. Euthyphro’s three definitions of piety are well used with great examples, but Socrates always tries to shoot them down by trying to have a rejection. The first definition Euthyphro says is â€Å"Piety is doing as I am doing; that is to say, prosecuting any one who is guilty of murder, sacrilege, or of any similar crime-whether he be your father or mother, or whoever he may be-that makes no difference; and not to prosecute them is impiety†(Plato, 380 B. C. E. ). But at once Socrates says Bear in mind that I did not bid you tell one or two of the many pious actions but that form itself that makes all pious actions pious, for you agreed that all impious actions are impious and all pious actions pious through one form (Plato, 380 B.C. E. ). As you can see Socrates is determined to not have piety for anything that is happening at the time. Drawing a line between these particular contradictions is difficult because of cultural differences, values, moral, and religious beliefs within society. Euthyphro’s most important attempt to define piety comes with the suggestion that the pious is what all the gods love. Euthyphro states that The godly and the pious is a part of the just that is the care of the gods, while that concerned with the care of men is the remaining part of justice (Plato, 380 B. C. E. ). Socrates then asks, The pious is loved by the gods because it is pious, or is something pious because it is loved by the gods (Plato, 380 B. C. E. ). But since the gods are in a state of discord, and are at odds with each other and therefore have different views on what things are pious and what things are impious. He therefore proves that if an action or a man dear to the gods is pious, but an action or a man hated by the gods is impious then the same things then are loved by the gods and hated by the gods, and would both be god-loved and god-hated, which would make the same things both pious and impious at the same time. Socrates was a man who wanted his son to know that there is always moral reasoning to everything and that the right way is the correct way. By arguing with Euthyphro he tried to make him understand that no matter who you are or where you come from, you should always do everything because it is morally correct to do it. By Socrates going against every definition of piety he had, I think he made Euthyphro think deeper in himself about the actions played out from him. Socrates had an intense belief in the importance of virtue, he believed that if man was able to gain the wisdom that attended virtue then he would no longer do wrong simply because humans do not choose to do the wrong actions. Socrates felt that the first step in becoming virtuous was to acknowledge ones own ignorance and rid him of it. He encouraged men to be more apprehensive with their self-development and less obsessive in obtaining material wealth.. However, Socrates expresses that virtue is not a goal that can be taught, but that it must be learned in each individuals own experience. To me he meant that not only by experiencing the good and the bad will a human understand how to make things right. Piety to me is knowing how to make the moral situation correctly. I think that by someone wanting to do the right thing it can make other do them as well. Being piety knows that one must always abide by the rules given to them no matter who you are and where you might be. This does not pertain to every one is the world we live in because loopholes are always around and someone always knows how to use them when they need to. Religion has, is, and always will be a point of conflict for people for one that not everyone prays in the same way and believes in the same kind of religious beliefs. We are always free to believe or disbelieve in what we want to, and this leads to an inability for us to universally agree on a single kind of doctrine. But religion is exactly that, a doctrine and everyone follows one, whether they know it or not, people follow it and some live by it. A doctrine is something that defines a person’s life by dictating the choices that person’s chooses and tends to live on. God’s will can be someone’s doctrine the same way a person’s own set of morals can. Following this logic, a religious person is simply someone who follows a predetermined set of ideals, God’s. With this in mind, it can be concluded that while an atheist chooses to follow his own set of morals, the religious man simply chooses to follow an already existing set. I think a good example of following the rules are like traffic violations. The violations set on the road are to keep everyone from getting hurt and letting others get away with anything they can. This is an example of treating everyone equally and not letting no one get away with something just because of the their race, religion, money or even fame. The problem that we face in the world we live in is that people who do have money, fame or some kind of high importance are let of a lot easier than others how are struggling in life. Money and fame plays a major role in the world that we live in and it is sad that everyone has to stand by and see it with no options of saying what they might want to say to be heard. Reference Page Ackah, K. (2006). Platos euthyphro and socratic piety. Scholia: Studies in Classical Antiquity, 15, 17-34. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/211628972? accountid=32521 EUTHYPHRO. (1982). World Philosophy, 115. Mosser, K. (2010), A Concise Introduction to Philosophy. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Examining and Evaluating the Globalization of Globacon Nigeria
Examining and Evaluating the Globalization of Globacon Nigeria Modern global businesses have to satisfy a myriad of conflicting demands coming from different directions. In a competitive world, firms use integrated controls to preserve corporate standards and strategies, which help attain economies of scale. They also make certain innovative decisions that help in sustaining the growth of the business and create competitive edge over the other firms in the industry. Some of these core decisions is on participating more actively in the local and global market, while bearing in mind that to operate efficiently and effectively on the global platform needs sensitivity to indigenous market situations, adaptability under varying circumstances, and responsiveness to new prospect. Multinational companies increasingly face intense competition globally. In these emerging situations, companies seek to implement strategies that will improve and sustain the growth of their business. Because of this, multinational companies are changing the way they structure their businesses, changing their modus operandi in order to conform to todays business environment. For todays business managers the need to understand this strategic motivation for change is of utmost importance. For they to be responsive, there must be concern not just for the now, but also for the companys unforeseen future. This entails planning, organizing, directing, and controlling resources and managing a diverse labour force in a way that will be beneficial to all structures of businesses internationally. Overview of Globacom Nigeria Limited Globacom Limited is a Nigerian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, a privately owned company and one of Africas fastest growing telecommunications company. Globacom is the market leading mobile service provider in Nigeria and operates in the neighbouring West African states (Globacom Limited n.d.). According to (Globacom Limited n.d.) it is reputed to be one of the fastest growing mobile service providers in the world, and aims to be the biggest and best mobile network in Africa. The telecommunication industry in Nigeria in particular and the world at large characterized by huge investments in technology and is exposed to rapid fluctuations in the market environment, such as consolidation of both telecom operators and network providers. The providers are competing for the limited number of customers, present on the global stage. Competitors can be either large multinational companies, such as Vodafone, or small regional companies, such as MTN, Za in etc. The global industry performance is largely dependent on continued growth in mobile and fixed communication in terms of both number of subscriptions and usage per subscriber. Moreover, the current merging of the telecom, data, and media industries changes the conditions in which the telecom operators do business. Consequently, the competitive environment is changing and novel strategies, addressing the new market conditions, are developed. Now in its bid to meet the organisational aims and objectives, the company wants to know the possibility of increasing its participation in the local and global market. Thus, this paper seeks to outline the key issues involved in localisation and globalisation, strategic decisions involved and implementation challenges with Globacom as reference. THE CONCEPTS OF GLOBALISATION AND LOCALISATION Globalisation is a term that denotes the process of strengthening political, economic, social and cultural relations across the world. Different authors and scholars have tried to define or explain globalisation. (Ohabunwa 1999), understands globalisation as a development which is analytically reforming interactions among different countries by eliminating bottlenecks in the areas of communication, commerce, culture. According to (Ohiorhenuan 1998), globalisation is the widening and deepening relations of national economies into a worldwide market for goods and services, especially capital. (David 2009) Sees globalisation as international way of doing business using strategic decisions based on global profitability rather than local considerations. Generally, globalisation is the integrated and co-ordinated approach by which industries evolve from multi-national to global competitive structures through trade, financial transactions, and exchange of information, ideas, technology, and the movement of people. Localisation on the other hand is the opposite of globalisation. Localisation entails that multinational companies recognises national economic issues and are locally responsive in meeting local demands. With this perspective in mind, (Meyer and B.D.Wit 2004) opined that managers in the international departments of multinational companies, should then be permitted to be responsive to particular local conditions. Arguing a case for localisation, (Chen Jun 2008), stated that companies localise their operations because of the various differences and political obstacles between different local markets, and that the cost of neglecting or disregarding local uniqueness in preference to that of global setting is too high. The choice of increased participation in the local and international market has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of global are cost-based, maximizing economies of scale and reducing repetition of processes and materials, thereby rea lizing efficiency. The advantages of localization are on the other hand are revenue-based, promoting variation to reach all customer positions and customer satisfaction (Buckley Ghauri, 2004). Porter,(1989) a proponent of global convergence perspective, argued from an international integration angle in his article The competitive advantage of nations that the world is becoming globally integrated but that the competitive advantage of a company is dependent on a combination of both its national circumstance and its strategy of harnessing it. He further opined that it behoves on the company to seize the opportunity of competitive advantage existing in its country. However, a globalisation perspective that is becoming more globally accepted by both the academic world and decision makers of multinational companies is that of Douglas and Wind who does not agree with the principal assumptions of the global standardization philosophy. Firstly, they opine that there is absence of evidence about uniformity in global customer taste, as there is diverse customer behaviour and taste even within the same country. Secondly, Differentiation as against low price strategy is more profitable and can reduce over competition in the industry. Thirdly, economies of scale of product is not the only credible reason for global convergence, research and development, marketing and after sale service sometimes are even more important than production. There is a consensus that multinational companies should not just focus on one side of the divide, but try to adjust the balance between localization and globalization. Multinational companies should deal with the problem differently according to different strategic contexts. (Douglas and Wind n.d.). Consequently, from the analysis, it is clear that the study of the dilemma of localization and globalization is approachable from different angles. The magnitude of globalization is different from country to country and there is no one best organizational response to globalization, every organization should balance those factors dynamically and find the strategy best suited to their company. PARADOXES For a firm to participate in local and global environment, some underlying internally and externally issues have to be analysed, rationalised and dealt with according the situation on ground. Meyer highlighted some paradoxes that exist and are instrumental to final strategic decisions by multinational companies. Globalization and localization Multinational companies are facing the paradox of globalization and localization in breaking into each emerging market. Generally, there are various ways on how multinational companies organise its global activities: The first according to (Chen Jun 2008) is global convergence perspective, which lays emphasis on taking advantage of their corporate resources and attaining global interactions, while the other is international diversity perspective, which lays focuses on adapting to local difficulties. According to (Tallman and Yipp 2001), the three basic strategic issues involved in multinational companies operating globally are geographic spread, localisation and global integration. The question here lies in whether companies should consider the global market in its entirety or recognise the local market structure as its main stream of business. Profitability and Responsibility The dichotomy (globalisation and localisation) pushes the companies into understanding their purpose in business. Different businesses have different visions and mission as seen in their various statements. According to (Meyer and B.D.Wit 2004), some of their motives is to maximise profit for the owners (a shareholder value approach), or to meet the requirements of the general populace (a stakeholders values approach). In deciding on increased participation in the market, Globacom will have to decide which is more germane to its core values. Why Firms Globalise From the discussion, companies that decide to globalise, or use global strategies will have some beneficial consequences such as gaining new customers for their products and services, other advantages are: According to (Yip, Mintzberg and Quinn 1991), companies can reduce costs by pooling production or other activities for multiple countries. They further opined that other methods such as exploiting lowers factor cost i.e. moving manufacturing activities to countries with low costs, moving production between countries to take advantage of lowest costs at a particular time, also reduces costs. Excess capacity and economic risks can be absorbed through foreign operations (David 2009) There will be increased competitive advantage as companies will act as checks and balances on each other. With joint venture programs, companies will learn the culture, technology, and business practises of the host nation. Global savings distributed more efficiently as countries higher productive capacity for capital e.g. UK, can borrow from countries with excess fund. (David 2009), also stated that economies of scale can be achieved as large scale production and better efficiency allow higher sales volume and lower price offerings. Other factors such as economies of scale in production, purchasing, faster accumulation of learning from operating worldwide, decrease in transportation and distribution cost, reduced cost in product adaptation, and the emergence of a global market segments have encouraged the competition on a global scale. However, the decision to globalise has some inherent drawbacks. Barriers such as governmental policies and institutional limitations, tariff barriers and duties, transportation cost, variances in customer preference and demand, are some of the drawbacks enumerated by (Douglas and Wind n.d.). Seizure of foreign operations by nationalists as stated by (David 2009), is one of the disadvantages. The economic changes fashioned by globalisation have brought about business displacements and job losses in many countries, changed the commodity composition of trade and led to distortions in local consumption patterns, thereby bringing about relative price changes that local consumers find difficult to adapt. Globalisation has also led to a situation where financial disturbances emanating from one country quickly spreads like wildfire to other countries with destabilizing consequences. (Obadan 2004). STRATEGIC GLOBAL DECISIONS In order to achieve an objective, aim or goal, every business must have a strategy. There is no common or single definition of strategy as it relates to and can be applied to many contrasting fields such as marketing ,economics, investment, military, gaming, and as well as corporate global environment. Strategy can however be generalised to mean a plan of action, thought out in advance, aimed at achieving a particular objective, with particular reference to gaining competitive advantage for an business over other businesses in the same industry. (Barney and Hesterly 2010) , defines strategy as a theory by a firm on how to gain competitive advantages. (Mintzberg 1988), proposed five definitions of strategy Plan A conscious thought out course of action, a guide made in advance before implementation. Ploy made with the intentions of outsmarting other competitors. Pattern i.e. a consistent and accurate behaviour resulting from the plan. This can be realised, unrealised and emergent strategies. As a position i.e. the way, a company positions itself in the market in terms of locating particular product brands at particular markets. Perspective i.e. the fundamental way of doing things in the business and way the managers of the company perceive the world from the companys point of view. (Lewis 1999), added a sixth definition, by defining strategy as a process of sensing, analysing, choosing and acting. According to (Johnson and Scholes 2007),Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations. They also posited that there are different strategies used at different levels of a business. Corporate Strategy is concerned with the generally purpose and scope of the business to meet consumers expectations. Investors interactions in the business environment, has an influence over and is a guide to strategic decision-making within the business. Corporate Strategy is also part of the mission statement of most firms. Business Unit Strategy This deals more with how a business competitively successfully a business is in a particular market. It is about the strategic decisions of choice of products, customer satisfaction, competitive and comparative advantage over competitors, development or creation of novel ideas and opportunities. Operational Strategy This handles the issue of how each the component parts of the business is organised in other to deliver the corporate and business-unit level strategic direction required for growth. Operational strategy therefore focuses on subjects of resources, processes, and people. Companies can use any or all of these strategies but also have to bear in mind that there are some globalisation drivers affecting the prospective use of global strategy. Lewis et al (1999) opined that managers shoul d be able to recognize when these drivers provide opportunities to use these strategies. In explaining thes drivers, Lewis et al (1999) said that Market drivers, are those characterised by homogenous customer needs, global consumers, global channels of distribution and transferability. Cost drivers on the other hand are the drivers that are dependent on the economies of the business and are characterised by economies of scale and scope, learning and experience, sourcing efficiency, favourable logistics and product development costs. Governmental drivers are those dependent on government policies and an influence over the use of all the other global strategies. It comprises of favourable trade policies, compatible technical standards and common marketing regulations. Fina lly, they named competitive drivers as those comprising of the interdependency of countries and globalised competitors. Although these drivers are individually powerful, they are not on their own formulae for sure success. A combination of two or more can be viable in an economy. Lewis et al (1999) PESTEL Creating a global strategy involves an initial step of an environmental analysis of political, economic, social, and technological trends that are pertinent to operating on a global level. (Kotler 1998), claims that this analysis is useful strategic tool for learning the direction a business is going with reference to its growth or deterioration, business position, potentials. PESTEL ANALYSIS Economic Factors Political Factors Social Factors Legal Factors FIRM Technological Factors Political factor: These refer to government policies such as the degree of intervention in the economy. Political decisions can have an effect on many vital areas for business such as the education of the workforce, the health of the nation and the quality of the infrastructure of the economy. African governments are taking steps in opening their economies to international trade. Most countries have started trade and exchange liberalization process, eliminating multiple exchange rates and nontariff barriers, and reducing the degree of tariff protection. Economic factors: These include interest rates, taxation changes, economic growth, inflation and exchange rates. , the restructuring of many African economies is gaining momentum. Throughout the continent, government intervention in economic activity is on the decline. Administrative price restrictions and agricultural marketing has been widely eased up. Social factors: Changes in social trends can affect the demand for a firms products or services and the availability and enthusiasm of the work force. Technological factors: new technologies create new products and new processes. There can be cost reduction, improvement in quality and innovation through technology. These developments can have a positive effect on consumers as well as firms concerned. Environmental factors: this includes weather and climate change. Fluctuations in temperature can have a negative on many industries including the telecoms industry. With the advent of global warming, there is greater environmental awareness and this is becoming a significant concern for firms to ponder. Legal factors: the legal setting in which firms operates determines the progress of the business. With ever-stringent laws in the telecoms industry on provision of services, Globacom will have to improve on its service provision. The managers of Globacom need to think about the factors that are likely to change and in what direction and which factors will have the greatest influence on them. PORTERS FIVE FORCES According to Michael Porter (1985), for a firm to seek for a favourable competitive placing in any industry, it will have to find out how attractive the industry is. To be able to analyse any industrys attractiveness, either domestically or internationally, there are five competitive forces: the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of consumer, the threat of substitutes and the intensity of rivalry competitors. The five forces is the focal determinant of the industry profitability, as they have tremendous influence on price, costs and profits of the product. (De wit Meyer, 2004: p.259) Porters five forces model The threat of new entrants: In the telecommunication industry, the threat of new entrant is relatively low as the stringent barriers high initial cost of start-up and fixed cost associated with the business is extremely high. This works to the advantage of Globacom and others in the industry. Bargaining power of suppliers: There is a myriad of telecommunication companies worldwide but there limited number of telecommunication equipment suppliers in the industry. Here, Globacom is disadvantaged as there are limited alternatives. Bargaining power of consumers: bargaining power is high in this industry because of presence of many competitors. In Nigeria alone there are about ten telecommunication companies fighting for the same customers. Globacom is only at the moment differentiated in price and customer loyalty. Threat of substitutes: in the telecoms industry, threat of substitution is high as all the telecoms companies sell virtually the same product and or services. Globacom should determine the extent of customer switchover and try make customer satisfaction a priority. However, other companies in the industry may decide to go into price war, which reduces the profit margin of the companies involved. Degree of rivalry: the telecoms industry is a highly competitive as each company is trying to outdo the other in other to increase their subscriber base. Here as stated before, Globacom should have customer satisfaction as its watchword. Managers of Globacom should as a matter duty identify the key aspect or elements of each competitive force that influences the firm, assess how strong and vital each element is for the firm and decide whether the combined strong point of the element is worth the firm entering or staying in the country. Limitations Globacom has used this model as a strategy. Since growth is of core importance to the company, it has shown this by rolling out different services such as Glo mobile, Glo gateway, Glo 1, and Glo broad access, across West African sub-region (Globacom Limited n.d.). Globacom is using the strength of large customer base and name to keep itself in the forefront of the telecoms industry. PORTERS GENERIC STRATEGY Multinational companies are able to achieve competitive advantage, mainly through differentiating their products and services through low costs. Companies can broaden their market scope or they can focus on a refined target in the market. According to (Porter,1989), strategies allow companies to gain competiive advantage via three bases : cost leadership, differentiation and focus. It is imperative for companies to use the cost leadership strategy if they try to become low cost producers in their industry. Globacom pricing strategy is among one of the best in the industry in the sub-region. The other telecoms companies are trying hard to meet the price standard set by Globacom and this makes it easier for them to locate to other countries. N Nigeria, they have the lowest price tariff coupled with other added services. Globacom is also one of fastest growing companies in the industry it showed tremendous growth through sale of 600,000 sim cards in its first ten days of operation in republic of Benin (Cellular-News 2008), and planned to capture 30% of the 11 million subscribers within a short period of its commencing business in Ghana (Oruame 2008). Differentiation as used by many firms cannot in the telecoms industry as virtually all the product and services are similar in nature. However, the per-second billing method for calls, has been used by Globacom to dif ferentiate its product and services. Globacom on the other hand is not pursuing the focus strategy as it is directing its effort in a particular section of the industry. Limitations Companies pursuing the strategic generic model, have to make a choice between cost leadership and differentiation and avoid the stuck in the middle syndrome, which results in poor financial performance (Porter, 1980). Globacom does not pursue either low cost strategies or differentiation. It merges both techniques as its strategy. THE ANSOFFS GROWTH MATRIX (Lewis 1999), in citing Ansoff (1965), opined that the tool is used in detecting options available to firms wanting to widen their competitive edge, as it helps these businesses decides the strategy they will use in their product and market growth. Some of these options include: Ansoffs growth matrix Product Development Market Penetration (Existing product) (New product) (New market) Diversification Market Development (Existing market) Market penetration: This focuses on increasing market share of existing products into existing markets. The objectives of this option are to maintain or increase the market stake of current products through combining competitive pricing strategies, advertising, and sales promotion, ensure supremacy of growth markets, increase usage by existing customers Market development: This is a growth strategy where companies want to sell its existing products into new markets through new geographical areas, new product sizes or packages, or new distribution channels. Product development: this is the growth strategy where a business creates new products for augmenting existing products in existing markets. Diversification: This is the growth strategy where businesses introduce new products into new markets. However, for a business to implement a diversification strategy, therefore, it must have a knowledgeable idea of its gains and accompanying risk. Limitations: Globacom as a company uses this strategy extensively as seen in the number of countries it had moved into within a short span of time, the number of products it had introduced into these markets and the rate of diversification. However, it needs to monitor the trend in customers, demands in other to be responsive to them. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE Most products pass through for basic phases i.e. introduction, growth, maturity and decline. From a strategic point of view, knowledge of the products life cycle helps a company to manage the introduction of a new product. (Barney and Hesterly 2010), speaking from an international perspective, opines that that the product life cycle of a product or service can be at different stages of its life cycle in different countries. Consequently, the resources developed by a firm during a particular stage in the life cycle of the product in the home market to the same stage of another product in the international market (Barney and Hesterly 2010). The PLC of a product consists of introduction, growth and maturity, and companies use this to analyse and assess how they believe their product will perform through its PLC and the marketing strategies and marketing mix implemented at each stage. (Lewis 1999), warned that firms that do not pursue strategies appropriate to the life cycle stage of the ir product, might lose competitive advantage. Globacom is increasingly expanding its range of products to retain its competitiveness in the market and hence important that they invest make sure their customers demand are satisfied. CONCLUSION Every strategic model is an instrument used for gathering strategic information from the international perspective and a process for perceiving a number of different futures for any organisation. Undeniably, globalization for the telecommunication industry is a persistent trend. The international low cost of both material and labour, the low price of the resources, and the most advanced technological expertise are all required for increasing competitiveness in the industry. Furthermore, for these firms to be able to manage the intricacies involved in globalization entails including new tools, structures and strategic models added to the ones already in use as the knowledge and application of strategic models is a prerequisite for the survival of any business in its industry. Globacom should adhere strictly to the laws of the relevant strategies and integrate them into the corporate business model to ensure and sustain its leadership role in the telecoms industry. Managers have to dec ide how to modify their products, make changes in their marketing policies to suit the situation on ground, formulate human resource practices and business strategies to deal with national differences in culture, language, business practices, and government regulations. In addition, managers have to decide how best to tackle the threat posed by efficient foreign competitors entering their home market and how to effectively and efficiently enter a foreign market and create a positive impact.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Human Resource Management Essay
Human Resource Management Essay Introduction I want to develop my research to formulate a specific research question which I will then be able to write a full report on. The initial review looks at HRM as a whole and the theories that surround this, often over-looked, subject. Specifically, I want to look at how the HRM structure works within the tourism industry, especially looking at a major British holiday company and focussing on how HRM motivate their employees in various aspects of the business such as the customer service department. However, to achieve this I must first look at HRM as a topic to get the background research for my project to begin. Human Resource Management in the Tourism Industry As a direct result of new and more sophisticated technology becoming available to us, businesses are increasingly growing to such an extent that they develop into a global concern. This means that the role of Human Resource Management has become very important within businesses, but it is still looked upon as a lower department. However, the concept of Human Resource Management (HRM) has been heavily debated in literature and is used more increasingly within employment sector organisations. The history of HRM could be summarised as it being developed initially from work in the USA in the 1960s and 1970s and was created from several interrelated sources and since then the concept has been spread from the USA, into Europe and eventually Australasia. There is no formal definition of HRM because different companies imply different definitions from various evidential sources. Basically, HRM can be defined as a range of circumstances that affect the employment and contribution of people, against the criteria of coherence and appropriateness (Brewster, 1994). However, Kirkbride (1994) suggested that the use of the term HRM gives the general sense of the policies, procedures and processes involved in the management of people in various work environments. Bratton and Gold (1999) also noted that a definition of the subject matter under which HRM covers would help to analyse and understand the HRM practices. They also defined HRM the subject as: That part of the management process that specialises in the management of people in work organisations. Human Resource Management emphasises that employees are the primary resource for gaining a sustainable and competitive advantage, and that human resource activities need to be integrated within the corporate strategy, and that human resource specialists help organisations to meet both the efficiency and equity objectives... Mead (1998) states that the key terms in HRM literature are strategic focus. This meant that the need for human resource policies and practices had to be consistent with the overall business strategy, allowing the individual sections of a HRM package to reinforce each other. This should particularly emphasise teamwork, flexibility, employee involvement and organisational commitment. This, however, is a completely opposite message to the traditional demands on the human resource systems of countries like USA where there is a collective bargaining arrangement from both the employers and the policy-makers. Therefore, the product market environment of the 1980s changed this situation so that the traditional demands would still be met, but at the same time the human resource management system would also meet their new demands at the level of the individual employee and throughout the entire organisation (Beaumont, 1993). The Harvard Business School approach to strategic HRM suggests that the need for all the people involved with the business organisation, such as the employees, their union, the customers, etc., should be taken into account when considering any organisational arrangements, and making employee influence one of the leading policy areas in their attempt to develop a pro-active, strategic and broad-based HRM orientation in each individual organisation or department. The terms and content have changed considerably through the 1980s and 1990s, with a greater emphasis now being placed on the financial, communication and problem-solving activities. (Beaumont, 1993). Again, Bratton and Gold (1999) also stated that HRM could be described as the organisations valued assets, emphasising the commitment of employees as a means of competitive advantage, and therefore creating calculative, quantitative and strategic managerial aspects of managing the workforce in a rational and humane way. HRM Practices As there is an increase in the greater quality of competition, the higher the emphasis on the market and the constantly changing attitudes towards work itself has made it necessary to identify and adopt different management approaches. Even though the focus has moved from a structural and systematic way of thinking to the development of specific managerial practises that will stimulate a corporate culture and in return employee commitment is secured to the extensive use of employee resources by the HRM. Therefore, in order to understand why HRM is needed in the tourism industry, it is important to look at the role of HRM within an organisation, as this is the custodian of competitiveness. A review of the literature based on international HRM by Harzing and Ruysseveldt (1995) revealed three main areas of discourse; staffing, training and development, assessment and compensation. These are also considered to be the main activities in both domestic and international HRM. In general, staffing issues in an international organisation usually involve filling critical management positions. This means that almost all employees in the middle management and more operative levels are always selected and recruited on a local basis to the organisation. Sometimes, when certain candidates for upper management posts are being recruited, there are various options as to whether choose a candidate from the organisations parent-country nationals, their host-country nationals or even third-country nationals. The final choice, however, is definitely dependant on the attitude of the top level management at the parent organisation. According to Perlmutter (1969), these attitudes can be divided into three central categories; Ethnocentricity, Polycentricity, and Geocentricity. In respect to quality, top level management is continuously battling to weigh professional managerial skills and technical competence against environmental adaptiveness. Therefore, the ability to adapt to local cultures is a major factor, involving not only the candidate, but also their partner and their immediate family as well. Training and development activities within international HRM systems, places such emphasis on shifting from the preparatory training needs of expatriates to a fully international training and development system which is available to all managers and will improve their performance in a global perspective, regardless of their country of origin. Today, these activities are crucial to international HRM. They can be wide-ranging which means the person who gets the job will need to know the specific organisational structure to which they will be assigned and the job and task skills required of them there. They must also acquire an understanding of the local area including such things as the social, cultural, and legal aspects and develop the necessary interpersonal skills with which to perform well in various situations. The importance of the last two areas however was pointed out in a survey conducted by Harzing and Ruysseveldt (1995), where they identified cultural sensitivity and the ability to handle responsibility as well as the ability to develop employees, a managers three most important skills in their job role. Finally, the last important task identified was that of assessment and compensation. This process of assessing and compensating international managers is complex in nature and can be reflected in the requirements used in such assessments. For example, Adler and Bartholomew (1992) suggested that these requirements are often a reflection of a more traditional approach to international managers, thus meaning their methods are based on the ethnocentric attitudes held by high management levels that are predominantly using parent-country nationals to staff their companys foreign subsidiaries. However, such subsidiaries are subordinates to the main headquarters, both on an organisational and cultural level. As a result, more open-minded, authors, such as Brewster (1994) and Stonehouse (2000) have taken part in the continuing debate on the concept of strategic HRM. They have argued that the underlying concept is the idea that human resources are not only a high operating cost for most organisations, but are also a major factor in the contribution of the effective utilisation of all the organisations resources as well. The Importance of HRM and the Business Strategy One of the main features that defines strategic HRM is its close relationship to the businesss main strategy and is creates the argument of is there a direct correlation between strategic HRM and economic success? HRM only becomes strategic when in private sector human resources are promoted to a position where the organisation looks and treats them as a competitive advantage (Kochan and Dyer, 1992). This has raised a key debate in terms of how HRM can contribute to the overall success and competitiveness of the business. Until recently, however, most companies preferred a reactive management method within their human resources, leaving the personnel management to consist mainly of administrative activities. The creation of multiple new macro economies have led to the concept and recognition of people as a valuable asset which if managed as a strategic resource can help an organisation to achieve superior performance levels and gain a greater competitive advantage. This awareness has led human resource management directly into the spotlight (Storehouse, 2000). Therefore, HRM has a definite strategic approach in arranging human resources and getting involved in a closer alignment of employment allocation systems along with business strategy. The integration of HRM and business strategy means that the level at which the HRM issues are considered are now playing a larger role in the formulation of business strategies. Indeed, HRM intends to focus on the issue of strategy and the more organisations that become knowledgeable of this relationship, the more human behaviour becomes a competitive factor, which is closely linked to the strategic direction of the particular organisation. According to Kirkbride (1994), an integration of business strategy and HRM as described earlier can have several advantages. Firstly, integration means that a broader range of solutions is available for solving complex organisational problems without the need for external help. Secondly, it ensures that the human, financial, and technological resources also are given equal consideration when setting targets and looking at the implementation capabilities. Third, through this kind of integration, various organisations can explicitly concentrate on the individual employees, who the departments comprise of and their needs and only then can they implement their policies. Finally, the response to integrating human resources and strategic plans can limit the level of subordination of strategic planning in consideration of human resource preferences and, thus neglecting human resources as a crucial source of organisational operations and the creation of competitive advantage. Whichever way you look at it, there is a growing body of evidence that supports the link of an association between high performing human resource management and organisational performance. It has been found that businesses whom linked HRM practices with their business strategy are constantly delivering higher financial performance outcomes. Beaumont (1993) argued that it is not just the relationship that is important but the quality of the HRM practices and a distinct approach is necessary in delivering high performance indicators. HRM strategies and practices must therefore be working well together within the individual businesss strategy planning. Conclusion All of the theories used in this review have been extensively researched to settle in their final point of view. This means that it should not be that difficult to find any related researches within the subject field or any other secondary data I come across to answer my research questions and meet the objectives of my research as a re-analysis of all the data that has been already collected could develop a new approach to the research. Search of secondary-data will be aided by internet searches which should prove useful for survey results like organizational surveys, academic surveys organizations employee attitudes, email questions etc. Also, looking at and obtaining multiple-source data that has been published such as journals from tourism business magazines, books, government publications and organization reports. On closure, an important note to remember is that the results from my research and survey, along with the results from other surveys found, including the relations with the literature review, should meet my research topic generally and settle in a clear and informative answer to my research question and its objectives. Bibliography Beaumont, P. (1993). Human Resource Management: Key Concepts and Skills. Sage Publications. Bratton, J. and Gold, J. (1999). Human resource management: theory and practice. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave. Brewster, C. (2003). Line Management responsibility for HRM: What is happening in Europe?  MCB UP Ltd. (Journal) Dessler, G. (2008). Human Resource Management (11th Ed.). Prentice-Hall Inc. Harzing, A. Ruysseveldt, J. (1995). International Human Resource Management. Sage Publications Kirkbride, P. (1992). Human Resource Management in Europe.  Routledge, London Maund, L. (2001). An Introduction to Human Resource Management.  Palgrave MacMillan Mead, R. (1998). International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions. Blakewell Publications Stonehouse, G. (2000). Business Strategy (2nd Ed). Butterworth-Heinemann Final word Count: 2047 (excluding references/bibliography) Carl Edwards
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