Tools and Skills for Performance Consulting

Useful Tools and Techniques for Performance Consulting Many researchers have developed experiments within several organizations that demonstrate the right approach to effective performance consulting. Bell and Jones (2008) reported that â€Å"Research and theorizing recognizes that a manager's identification and judgment of a moral problem is a subjective, socially constructed process that can be influenced by principles, theories, and values†(p. 503). Furthermore, research also offers suggestions that serve as a useful guide when engaging in the consulting process.However, when consulting there are seven critical skills that must be used when consulting, and they are as follows; one must define clear objectives and goals, maintain confidentiality, involve people that will be affected by project, forge a partnership, have clear communication, develop contract, and also have a strategy. The purpose of this research paper is to correlate different ways that prove some technical and critical skills of consulting. This paper also intends to give examples and offer techniques used through research that can help one to consult flawlessly.There are several different strategies that can be used during the performance consulting process. When engaging in performance consulting the consultant should find out some information about the company prior to meeting with the client. According to Thamain (2004), effective consultants are social architects who foster a climate of active participation by involving people at all organizational levels in the assessment of the existing system, and in the planning and implementation of the desire change.They also build alliances with support organizations and upper management to assure visibility, priority, resource availability, and overall support for sustaining the organizational improvement beyond its implementation phase†(p. 42). The first section highlights and analyzes the seven critical skills needed to consult. T he second section suggests guidelines for the five tools and techniques which can be used to consult flawlessly. Lastly, the final section acknowledges some leadership behaviors that can be used to help organizations meet their needs.One of the key concepts to consulting is to understand the basic needs of a client. When making initial contact with the client, the purpose of the project must be defined immediately. In addition to that, it is good to make sure that both the consultant and client are clear of what the objective of the project is. From the start be sure to develop a mutual understanding of what the issue is, and if there are any underlying problems that contribute to this. If employees need to be involved, it is best to relate the intervention being used to the companies’ goals or mission statement.Employees show much more interest knowing that their involvement will help for the better of the organization and not just one individual. According to Thamhain (2004 ), â€Å"Organizational members are more likely to engage in a development initiative if they perceive it to be clearly related to the goals of the company. Clear linkages between the intervention and company mission, goals, and objectives create enthusiasm and desire to participate, as well as lowering anxieties and helping to unify the people behind the intervention†(p. 42).The employees must feel confident about the interventions that are going to be used if not they will be less reluctant to offer insight. The consultant must also inform the client to keep staff informed on the status of the project so that the client feels they’re playing a role in the consulting process. Understanding the basic needs of the client could help the process to get executed in a timely manner. During the consulting process one must expect some resistance at some point, because employees may feel like the consultant hasn't made them feel confident about the outcome of the project.Anoth er key aspect of consulting is to maintain confidentiality. In addition to that, the client must feel that any information that is revealed in the project will not be leaked out to anyone outside of the organization. This is a useful tool to help to ensure buy in from the client and any employees that might be involved in the project. If client does not feel that the companies’ information is secure then the information provided will not be accurate. Confidentiality can be linked to several aspects of the consulting process, in that it can help you to understand what clients value most.According to Parker (2003) , when you develop a better understanding of what clients value it can increase both client satisfaction and help improve a organization’s performance (Parker, 2003). By understanding your client’s needs it will help link objectives of the project closely to the goals of the company. Consequently, this will help to gain more support from not only clients , but also the consultant will receive even more support from individuals within the organization. By understanding the client’s needs it increases the probability of getting to the root of the problem.In the end this will help to make implementation and feedback go smoothly. Thamain (2004 ) reported that â€Å"Consultant’s will have a better chance for smooth implementation and for gaining organizational acceptance of the new system if they can show that the newly developed process is consistent with already established values, principles, and practices, rather than a new order to be imposed†(p. 43). In the consulting process it is very important to involve any party who will be affected by the project. By involving all parties who will be affected by project it will help to obtain a better outcome.Once employees know that there is something in it for them, they feel obligated to offer information. Throughout this process the employer must value their employees ’ opinion, as well as offer support and recognition. This will help to enhance employee engagement on the regular issues that come up on a daily basis. Thamhain (2004) reported that, â€Å"While expert based consulting has dominated the project management field, it is critical to also engage in more process oriented consulting, ensuring that relevant organizational members are part of the intervention† (p. 3). In addition to that Sussman and Norton (2009) reported that â€Å"to achieve excellence, organizations must seek and implement effective tools and techniques to transform quality from an abstract concept to a shared value embedded in the fabric of everyday part of an organization† (p. 7). It is important to involve anyone who will be affected because they are the best change agents when it comes to assessing the situation, searching for solutions, and evaluating new tools and techniques.One of a consultant’s most useful tools is being capable of for ging a partnership with the client. This is useful in that once this is established it helps create a joint effort in executing the issue and discovering what the objective will be. It is very important to learn some background information about your client prior to your first meeting. Lacey, Thompkins, and Egan (2007) reported that â€Å"Internal practitioners must understand the language and culture in which they operate.In business organizations this means a working knowledge of key business processes including strategy formulation and implementation within a global context. While Consultants are not hired to be experts in strategy, they must have an understanding of the unique expertise that offers in ensuring the success of strategic initiatives† (p. 2). With that being said, this is one of the key concepts to successful consulting in that it assures the client that you are serious about affecting change within the organization.In addition to that, clients tend to feel m ore comfortable when they are confident that you are looking out for their best interest. Furthermore, from beginning to the end of the consulting process both parties must have clear communication, and both the consultant and client should make all phases of the process clear to everyone involved in the project. Having clear communication can help establish what direction the project will go in and will also build up the client’s confidence of having a successful outcome.By establishing this you will better understand what the clients expectations are, and you will already have an idea of what it will take to get there. According toThamhain (2004), team members will be more likely with implementing new management processes, tools, and techniques to cooperate with necessary organizational requirements, if management clearly articulates the criticality to business performance and the benefits to the organization and it’s members (Thamhain 2004).Communication helps both the client and the consultant feel more comfortable and it also leaves room to receive honest feedback from all parties involved in the process. According to Mellor and Dewhurst (2009), when you establish a line of sight, an effective internal communication function helps make sure the strategy is clearly defined and supports people translating the business strategy into action (Mellor and Dewhurst, 2009).Furthermore, effective communication helps everyone be accountable for the objectives or any measures that they come across, and whatever get measured usually gets done. Several companies have discovered that when consulting the contract is one of the most important things of the process. It helps to protect both the client and the consultant. This serves as the agreement where the consultant and client define each other’s roles in executing the project. Norton Jr. nd Sussman (2009), reported that â€Å"contracts, agreements in principle, and letters of understanding are ex amples of documents designed to transform implicit assumptions into explicit behaviors; however, each prescribes expectations or behaviors at the individual level rather than the team level† (p. 9). When consulting another critical skill is having a strategy set up in a way that both the consultant and the client understand how to move forward. Communication is key because it helps everyone involved in the process understand what is expected of them by opening clear barriers of communication.According to Sussman and Norton (2009), when one is communicating a strategy an effective team uses tactics that enable managers and employees to discuss, engage and internalize the strategy so that they can bring it to life, understand what it means and translate it into everyday actions and behaviors (Sussman and Norton, 2009). Therefore, consultants must understand that using strategies and brainstorming is one of the key concepts of the consulting process, and if this is not establishe d from the beginning the entire project will be a disaster.It is also important to establish rapport with the client in that it will help to build a stronger collaborative working relationship throughout the process. Owen, Goldwasser, Choate, and Blitz (2008) reported that â€Å"by translating the business strategy into operational goals, and by creating structures and processes to enable collaboration across all segments of the organization, innovation leaders can motivate and enable new behavior† (p. 40). Furthermore, research often suggests several types of critical steps that are involved in consulting, however, it is solely up to the consultant to assess the situation before he or she enters it.In addition to that, researchers also identify the right approach to performance consulting as well as different techniques that have proven to be successful. Critical steps to consulting also can serve as a useful guide to making the process much smoother to both the client and t he consultant. Research has been done and it has proven that when entering the consulting process, it is key to find out information about the organization prior to meeting with them. As stated earlier in the paper organizational members are more likely to engage in a development initiative if they perceive it to be clearly related to the goals of the company.Thamhain (2004) reported that â€Å"it is crucial, however, that these team initiatives be integrated with the overall business process and supported by management† (p. 44). Therefore, any of the tools listed above must be supplemented into the continuously changing of business processes. In addition to that these tools must be updated and tested on an ongoing basis. In the consulting process a tool can be considered as a model, checklist, or a series of steps that can help guide both the client and the consultant through the process.Furthermore, successful consulting requires consultants to use tools and techniques that are useful in executing the process. Thamhain reported that (2004) â€Å"successful implementation of new project management tools and processes often requires modifications of organizational structures, policies, and practices† (p. 44). In addition to that it is very important to have support of management when coming up with team initiatives. However, to gain the benefits of a new project management’s tool or technique it is also important that everyone involved perceive this as a win-win situation.Some ways to ensure this is to carefully plan with all parties involved during all of the consulting phases. Consultants should also be open for suggestions, and hold open discussions which encourage all parties to be more proactive in the future. Therefore five tools and techniques that can aid to consult flawlessly are alignment, commitment, contracting, and authenticity, and empathy. According to Owen, Goldwasseer, Choate, and Blitz (2008), to avoid the pitfalls of col laborative innovation, our research and experience show the best building blocks of consulting are: alignment, boundaries and commitment, which they call the ABC’s.Alignment entails synchronizing the strategic vision and innovation goals with the implementation of these throughout the organization, focusing on collaboration both vertically and horizontally (Owen, Goldwasser (Lawrence Owen, 2008), Choate, and Blitz, 2008). When consulting from the start of the process the consultant must define what each other’s roles will be throughout the entire process. It is very important to understand what the client’s expectations are and then work solely off of what the client wants and what the he hopes to accomplish.Owen, Goldwasser, Choate, and Blitz (2008) stated that â€Å"Alignment is a key step in ensuring that the business strategy is communicated and enabled throughout the organization both vertically and horizontally. Alignment also requires looking at the orga nization from the perspective of innovation objectives, and then using the insights gained to position the organization to meet those objectives† (p. 39). Vertical alignment helps to explain the business strategy objective and also transforms it into an organizational strategy as well as an implementation plan.This helps to provide both the client and consultant comfortable about change in the future. Horizontal alignment requires the implementation of a new organizational unit for redefining the existing one. Thamhain (2004) reported that â€Å"If at all possible the introduction of new management tools and techniques should be consistent with the established project management practices within the organization. The more the new order of operation is congruent with the existing practices, procedures, and distributed knowledge of the organization, the more self sustaining and successful the change intervention will be† (p. 4). This is where the highest level of acceptan ce is found because these useful tools are added incrementally. When implementing new tools and techniques they should be tested on smaller projects with those who are more experienced. Thamhain (2002) suggest that â€Å"ensuring that organizational members are more proactive and aggressive toward change is not an easy task but must be facilitated systematically by both consultants and management. Any project management tool or technique, for example must be integrated into the continuously changing business process† (p. 6). When coming up with new techniques it is also important to ensure that the client understands what role he or she will play during the implementation stage. To avoid these problems one must conduct a thorough assessment of the problem, and he also must have some background information on the company. Commitment is one of the most important things in the consulting process. In that it helps the consultant obtain buy in from the client and members who becom e a part of the project.In addition to that, this helps to ensure that everyone is working towards one common goal, and it will alleviate all confusion between the consultant and client. Owen, Goldwasser, Choate, and Blitz (2008) reported that â€Å"organizations that are serious about collaboration for innovation make an ongoing commitment to transformation and change. Creating a collaborative culture happens over time through leadership communication and reinforcement, the development and ongoing tracking of key measures, and institutionalized learning and knowledge management to continually develop the capabilities needed for collaborative innovation† (p. 1). The consultant should be able to facilitate change whereas it will foster a climate for continuous learning and improvement. Furthermore, this means that the consultant and client should maintain collaboration and reuse it. Over time this will help to establish processes to learn and change. Consequently, this will he lp the client be able to aid himself in solving issues within the company in the future internally. One of the most important aspects of consulting is empathy which means understanding the nature of the client’s problem.This is important because it will make your client feel much more comfortable about revealing important information. The consultant must also get to the root of the problem and find any underlying issues that may be making the problem get worse. According to Parker (2003) research suggest that work with a client can often be extended simply by gaining a better understanding of where the client wants to go and what impedes getting there—a process that requires explicit exploration with the client of these broader aspirations and related frustrations.While this may be stating the obvious, consulting teams often become so focused on the engagement at hand that they don’t consider the client’s broader needs until the end of the assignment (Par ker, 2003). Research has been done by Kostman and Schiemann (2005), which suggest that the most commonly used principles and techniques include continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, loyalty measurements, and project management (Kostman and Schiemann, 2005).In addition to that, after conducting surveys and research, it was found that organizations who receive the highest marks for successful implementation of quality initiatives are those that have support from top leadership, possess and quality culture and do a good job of managing their people effectively. Research has the shown the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance. Kostman and Schiemann reported that (2005) â€Å"engaged employees –those more highly connected and committed to their organization –dramatically outperform their peers on numerous measures, including their attention to quality and service.They further said that this does indeed contribute to the successful implementation of quality initiatives but is only one part of the bigger picture† (p. 40). Furthermore during the consulting process, there are several techniques that can be used, however one must look deeper into the problem and decide what approach is suitable to help circumvent the problem. During the consulting process, tools such as commitment and being able to facilitate change are key concepts because this is what will help keep the collaborative effort throughout.It is also important when using these tools to have some of the goals of the project linked closely to the goals of the organization. Kostman and Shciemann (2005) reported that â€Å"gaining top leadership support, developing quality minded cultures and more effectively managing the hidden driver of quality—people equity—are the critical difference between success and failure† (Kostman and Schiemann, 2005). Lastly, consulting requires a lot of action research that the majority of the tim e helps uncover any underlining problems or issue in the organization that may cause the entire project to collapse.Therefore, to consult flawlessly these tools will help to obtain buy in as well as maintain confidentiality, and it helps all parties feel more comfortable in presenting authentic information. When one serves as the leader of an organization it is important to understand your employees and leave open communication so that employees feel that they are capable of consulting their boss when they need help. In addition to that a leader must acknowledge his employees’ at all times to help them to feel more comfortable and appreciated for their performance.Further, a leader must be authentic with his staff especially when it comes to on the job assigned duties. It is important to be able to not only reward your staff but encourage your staff to exceed all aspects of the job for the better of the organization. Fleet and Griffin (2006) stated that â€Å"if a top manage r is commonly known to be untruthful, if a leader does not respect the rights of others, or if the leader puts profits before all else, others in the organization will likely recognize the signals.As the signals get institutionalized throughout the firm, it’s culture will become increasingly dysfunctional†(p. 704 ). Most organizations are centered around the leader or CEO, and the example he sets or how he leads the company can have a major impact on his or her employees. Consequently, leaders play a major part in how the company and its employees function within the organization. It is important for the leader to be open to receiving ideas from his staff in that it helps employees to feel like opinion count and that they can make a difference in the company.Harris and Kuhnert stated (2008) that â€Å"acknowledging the ideas of others is paramount to increasing success within the organization and makes leaders at this level more effective. This level of development is not without drawbacks, because leaders still depend on input from outside sources to make decisions. The opinions of others matter more, and leaders risk making decisions by depending on those who lack the appropriate expertise† (p. 50). Seeking information from leaders have a better probability and it also is much less riskier than seeking advice from someone who is unaware of what’s going on in the organization.However, leaders must recognize that for an organization to be successful the example that he sets forth must help his staff in meeting all of the companies’ needs as well as keep their performance on a consistent level. Reward and punishment plays a major in the behavior of your employees as well as how leaders delegate to their staff what is expected. According to Bell and Jones (2007), a rule or behavior is conventional if it is recognized to be valued in one group but not necessarily applicable to thers, or moral if it is considered necessary to be f ollowed by everyone regardless of group membership or local preferences (Bell and Jones, 2007). Furthermore, leaders also must help his staff adapt to change and he should paint his employees a mental picture of his vision and where he would like for the company to be on an ongoing basis. Harris and Kuhnert (2008) reported that â€Å"leading change encompasses the ability to challenge the status quo, and higher level leaders do not define themselves by how others see them.Effective leaders acquire their source of understanding within, that is, who they are and can relinquish ties with outside sources to make effective decisions† (p. 61). The main goal of a consultant is to affect changes in their clients which will help achieve the purpose more effectively. In addition to that, a consultant should know what his client is capable of doing and what he actually can do. For leadership to achieve business needs, they must increase staff morale to improve employee performance, and must not allow employees too many options for when company goals aren’t being met.Schaffer (1999) stated that â€Å"to ensure success each project should be constructed to produce plan that the client is ready, willing, and able to implement. Also instead of tackling a huge project all at once, the client and the consultant can carve off sub-projects, each focused on a near term goal that both parties are reasonably certain can be achieved. It is important for leadership to be aware of what is working well and what is not working well. However, they must also have an idea of what an improved system might look like, and facilitate learning to the employees so that they help to keep this system consistent.According to Kendra and Taplin (2004), â€Å"the primary tool for change is education that is designed to increase people ideas, beliefs, and behaviors, which will bring about new approaches to organizational challenges† (p. 23). Many consultants try studying a problem in whole and offering a complete remedy before the problem is diagnosed, or before uncovering any underlying problems. Moreover, consultants define the project in terms of their expertise and not in terms of the clients specific results that need to be achieved.What’s more important is that leaders must understand what their employees are contributing to the company and they must be effective in helping them meet company goals. Fleet and Griffin (2006) stated â€Å"some important factors that help management achieve business needs are, how leaders reward and punish employees, agendas that are set for meetings, how they react to problematic situations for change, whether they follow the companies’ code of ethics, and how they decide who gets promoted or receives special privileges† (p. 704).As a result, it is important for consultants to examine how leaders construct meaning out of particular situations because it may help clarity why some leaders are effective while others are not. Harris and Kuhnert (2008) stated that â€Å"evaluating leadership effectiveness can prove quite difficult due to the complexity of organizational success indicators, difficulty in obtaining such information, and external factors often beyond the leader’s control. Therefore some suggest a 360 degree feedback can serve as a proxy measure for leadership effectiveness, because it provides us with a well-rounded measure of performance† (p. 1). Also leaders need to be comfortable with dealing with conflict at all levels, and they must be able to handle people’s resistance to change. Besides if leaders aren’t capable of facilitating change they won’t be considered as effective change agents. According to Harris and Kuhnert (2008), research suggest that to improve a organizations’ functions one should involve individuals from within the organization which may further develop individuals and lead to a larger organizational chang e (Harris and Kuhnert, 2008).Consequently, leadership plays an undeniably central role in the successful operation of a company. Also leadership responsiveness to employee requests will result in more favorable employee attitudes and behavior. The environment that the company provides plays a major role in leadership behaviors. Moreover flawless consulting involves many critical steps and useful tools that were provided in this paper, which was supported by research. In addition flawless consulting requires clear communication, authenticity, and confidentiality.Consultants must realize that with all projects you must have an objective and a ultimate goal that needs to be accomplished in the end that is measurable. However, consultant and client must have a collaborative effort from the start of the project. Further they must establish each other’s roles and map out a game plan and put it in writing. This serves as a agreement that can be referred to throughout the entire proc ess. Facilitating change is another tool that will prove to be effective throughout your project.As a result, to consult flawlessly consultants must involve everyone who will be affected by the project. Therefore, when it comes to consulting there are several rules of engagement that must be adhered to in order affect change within an organization. Antonio Tencati, L. Z. (2008). The Collaborative Enterprise. Journal of Business Ethics , 367-376. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Global on February 24, 2009 Chris M. Bell, J. H. -J. (2007). Power, Self-Regulation and the Moralization of Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics , 503-514. Retrieved from ABI Inform Global on February 29, 2009Antonio Tencati, L. Z. (2008). The Collaborative Enterprise. Journal of Business Ethics , 367-376. Chris M. Bell, J. H. -J. (2007). Power, Self-Regulation and the Moralization of Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics , 503-514. Dewhurst, V. M. (2009). A Definitive Framework for Internal Communication. Strategic Communication Research Forum , 16-19. Griffin, D. D. (2006). Dysfunctional Organizational Culture. Journal of Managerial Psychology , 698-708. Lauren S. Harris, K. W. (2007). Looking through the Lens of Leadership: A Constructive Developmental Approach.Leadership and Organizational Development Journal , 47-67. Lawrence Owen, C. G. (2008). Collaborative Innovation throughout the extended Enterprise. Emerald Group Publishing , 39-45. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Global on March 30, 2009 Miriam Y. Lacey, T. C. (2007). Curriculum Implications Based on Analysis of Internal Consulting Best Practices. Organizational Development Journal , 199-233. Parker, S. (2003). Understanding What Clients Value. ABI Inform Global , 5. Schaffer, R. H. (1999). Replacing Recommendations with Results. Consulting Psychology Journal , 242-251.Sussman, W. I. (2009). Team Charters: Theoretical Foundations and Practical Implications for Quality and Performance. The Quality Management Journal , 7-17. Taplin, K. A. ( 2004). Change agent Competencies for Information Technology Project Managers. Consulting Psychology Journal , 20-34. Ted Shore, T. S. (2006). Leadership Responsiveness, Equity, Sensitivity, and Employee Attitudes and Behavior. Journal of Business and Psychology , 227-241. Thahmain, H. J. (2004). 15 Rules for Consulting in Support of a Client Project. ABI/Inform Global , 42-46.

Research on Morality Essay

There is an inherent question on the basis of morality and whether or not it is a man-made, almost religious invention or if it is intrinsic to our beings as humans. I think that the rope that is the argument between is too complicated and tightly knotted to have a short conversation about, but by fraying the ends of the rope we can inevitably decide that morality is innate and that religion may have a part in building upon it, but not in creating it. The curiosity behind the topic of morality is normally fashioned by religious arguments for the assumption that a deity endowed us as humans with some sort of moral compass. However, by searching the brain for its different functions and activities during moral dilemmas and religious interactions, along with historical clues and a little knowledge of sociology, determining that morality is not created, only built upon, is inevitable. Morality is defined as normatively to refer to a code of conduct that, given specified conditions, would be put forward by all rational persons (Stanford). With this as a definition, the first question to rises is the following: What is one moral action that a believer can do that a non-believer cannot do? There are few answers to the inverse, if any, but non-believers do not pose that they have any stronger of a moral compass than believers, while believers do. It is incredibly important to think about an answer to this question because if there truly is no answer to this challenge, then a road has been paved toward an objective that we can already see, which is that being ethical and moral is not necessarily a religious view, so such claims can immediately be cast off and the topic can stay on a strictly scientific road. Now the consideration lies upon what is deemed as an ethical person. Is the president ethical in his decisions? Is a doctor ethical in his decisions? Of course, there is an ethical code in these circles, but does that immediately mean that any decisions outside of the codes are immoral? A moral person is normally described as somebody who takes into account the possible consequences of his or her actions and rationally decides on a choice based on how it may affect those around him. We call these people morally good because their contributions to whomever they are around are normally well thought-out, harmless contributions to the topic. However, this is simply a definition, and the person is simply his or her self. Take into account the thoughts of those around the subject. A religiously-convicted man would say that his religion is the reason for his good nature, while one not necessarily supporting religion would say that he is simply a good person. As an aside, there are multiple people who would take the chance to point out many historically immoral figures, such as Mao Zedong, Stalin, Pol Pot, who were atheistic. While it is true that these figures were indeed non-believers, it is important to distinguish the reasons for their immorality. It was not based on religion, but rather by social constructs and a greed for power that caused them to act out. Some may cite Hitler as an atheist as well, but they’d be digging their own grave. Hitler, in Mein Kampf, even gives credit to the Christian god, and had religious inscriptions on every Nazi-uniform belt. To get back to the previous point, it is important to take into account what those around the subject would perceive, and although the religiously-convicted man might have millions of people around the world following his train of thought, research done Dr. Pyssiainen and Dr. Hauser from the departments of Psychology and Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University offers an interesting perspective on the topic: â€Å"†¦Despite differences in, or even an absence of, religious backgrounds, individuals show no difference in moral judgments for unfamiliar moral dilemmas. The research suggests that intuitive judgments of right and wrong seem to operate independently of explicit religious commitments. † Pyssiainen’s and Hauser’s study grants us that although religious backgrounds may indeed build upon moral constructs, as good religion is only positively influential to a good person, a complete lack of religious background is perfectly plausible if an individual wishes to be moral because moral judgments are not linked to religious commitments. This finding is absolutely crucial to determining whether or not morality is man-made or inherent to humans because it breaks the perceived bond between belief and morality. So their contribution to the topic has been seen through and accepted as a welcome source of reference. However, it is essential to look at the other side of the argument. Which studies show that seem to show that religion is a key factor in morality? Unfortunately, they are found few and far between. As a matter of fact, there are literally no scientific studies that show religion is crucial in the formation of morality. It’s widely granted that religion, in some aspects, can further construct upon morality and cause others to be exceedingly altruistic and generous, and that is conceded by Paul Bloom of Yale University, but it is not a formative agent. In his paper, â€Å"Religion, Morality, Evolution,† he accepts that religion can be a guiding influence on a positive path. However, he points out that it is by no means the reason for morality, and that religion itself may just be an accident by which humans needed an answer to questions that they couldn’t fathom without the help of a deity. Necessity dictates that there should be some rather fueled individuals on a topic as flammable as the topic of morality and religion. Speaking as an outsider looking in, I cannot very well use the words of Christopher Hitchens, though I would love to dearly, because he was so against religion. While he was indeed logical in most of his claims, he was a self-described anti-theist, meaning that he was against a spectating deity who watched over each individual. Thus, his words would seem rather biased. However, Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, and Sam Harris, a well-known neuroscientist, are individuals who speak strictly through logical and provable means. Richard Dawkins posed the same point as Paul Bloom that religion is most likely an accident through evolution that was used as a possible answer to the world’s greatest questions, and Harris poses multiple reasonable points. The most relevant, though, is that if the bible were the only book in the world, it would be rational to use it as a basis for morality. However, because the bible is not the only book in the world and society is far more civilized now than it was when the bible was conceived, it is reasonable to assume that the bible is not the best book for building a moral compass. To end on a rather short note, there are few, if any, scientific studies arguing that religion is the factory that builds moral compasses. However, there are studies being conducted which follow Pyssiainen’s and Hauser’s and should end up corroborating their finds that morality works independently of religious constructs and confines. Thus, it is both rational and reasonable to assume that, after looking through history at the reasons for extreme wrongdoings and the social situations that facilitated them, and the evidence against opposing claims, morality is indeed intrinsic to our human nature and that it is simply augmented by outside forces, such as good religion. References Bloom, Paul, Religion, Morality, Evolution (January 2012). Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 63, pp. 179-199, 2012. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn. com/abstract=1982949 or http://dx. doi. org/10. 1146/annurev-psych-120710-100334 Cell Press (2010, February 9). Morality research sheds light on the origins of religion. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 12, 2013, from http://www. sciencedaily. com /releases/2010/02/100208123625. htm Harris, Sam. Letter to a Christian Nation. New York: Random House, Print. Harris, Sam. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason. New York: W. W. Norton, Print. Pyysiainen, Hauser et al. The origins of religion Q1 : evolved adaptation or by-product? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, February 8, 2010 â€Å"The Nature of Morality and Moral Theories. † Morality and Moral Theories. University of San Diego. Web. 12 May 2013. .

Progressive Discipline

When we say progressive discipline it is about the mental and moral training  or the order/instruction in group or organization.  In organization concerned with identifies and getting the â€Å"right† king of a  attitude and behavior from people as individuals and groups. Organizations and work  relationship will change significantly in the future. Most of the time, though people of  an organization must determine for themselves what is right and wrong. In the  determination of what is right and wrong which moral judgment is all about. The  judgment form a development sequence which are prudence, authority, equality and  equity. To displayed in abstracting moral principles from specific regulation or  concrete situations. It includes for dealing with conflict of interest, confidentiality of  organization information misappropriation of corporate assets, insiders, contracts,  privacy, etc. It might spell out penalties for violation of the guidelines.Penalt ies can  include such actions as termination, suspension, probation, demotion and oral  reprimand. Although not every organization puts its order or policy into writing, it is  usually advisable to do so. The need for written policy is urgent.  For the achievement and success of Progressive discipline in the organization  is the development of character, behavior and attitude (moral values). It includes the  sense of duty, willpower, loyalty, responsibility, perseverance and positive attitudes.In responsibility the fulfillment of obligations to the society that surround the  organization. The organization’s obligation is to promote the common or social goal.  Responsible projects is beneficial to the organization (enlightened self-interest or  utilitarianism). It reap benefits for everyone including the organization itself. (Loyalty  will be generated) Other duty approach being moral obligation of organization like  caring for and meeting the needs of ot hers concern. Meaningful organization direction  in areas can be attain only through effort and perseverance.  For example the corporation’s commitment to customers, employees,  shareholders and to the corporation. Commitment to customers begins with a state  obligation to provide quality products, service innovation technological  responsiveness and customers satisfaction.The commitment to employees provides  the environment for professional growth while encouraging individual creativity and  responsibility. To the communities being served to strive to improve the quality of life  through participation in community services. This commitment promises resource  utilization and the observance of laws and regulations.  The basic unit of human behavior in the workplace is the individual. When  someone goes to work for an organization, an agreement occurs ( to provide certain  knowledge, skills, energy & abilities in return for salaries, wages, benefits and other  rewards). As a result of this exchange, both the people and organizational needs are  met. The needs of individuals and the methods used by organizations may change  some through the years, but the same general contracts continues.The degree of initiative of people show toward the accomplishment of their  organization’s goal is another factor that seems influenced. Initiative can be thought  of as action taken without being urged to do so. In the ideal organizational setting, the  people act responsibly without prompting, in pursuing organizational goals and  standards.The realities of life in an organization quickly learn and develop that consists  of values, norms and attitudes of the people who make up the organization. Several  characteristics including structure, support, performance, conflict, risk, attitude  toward change, focus, standards and values, concern, openness, commitment,  teamwork and others.The organization’s goals are e stablished and reviewed through the  participation of all individuals and groups in the organization. The group behavior  standards or norms to which members are expected. The initial efforts of action  planning and action implementation concentrate on changing personal attitudes and  habits of organization al members. Such changes affect the habits and attitudes of  group of people. As the groups are developed and integrated, organizational members  become more capable of dealing with structural, technical and operational problems.  It may work with groups rather than with individuals.Therefore, the development of the mind , the behavior and search for the truth  people as thinking and discipline can inspire to wisdom by improving not only the  way they think and act but also the quality their ideas and behavior. Break away from  the chains of ignorance, greed or apathy. All ideas are open to challenge. In the future  as change continues to occur we expect to see organizations respond. Department and  agencies within an organization maybe initiated to be social beneficial.

CVS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CVS - Essay Example As competitors, the two companies monitor the moves of each other thereby ensuring that they change their marketing strategies accordingly. CVS Pharmacy’s products are cheaper than the drugs at Walgreen. The difference in the prices arises from the uniqueness of the markets the two pharmacies target. Drugs at CSV are averagely $1 cheaper than at Walgreen. Walgreen targets the wealthy while CVS targets the middle class a feature that justifies the differences in pricing. The two pharmacies advertise their products and services in different media depending on the cost implications of such besides their effectiveness in reaching the target audience. Such media include billboards, radio, television and newspaper among many others. Additionally, the pharmacies enjoy strategic locations in the cities, a feature that portrays the entrepreneurs’ consideration of place as a fundamental element of the marketing mix. Social media is yet another marketing platform that the two pharmacies use differently in growing their market shares. â€Å"Such different platforms as Facebook and Twitter offer marketers with unique platforms for interactions as both parties share information by posting on the walls of each other.† (Palmer 53). The two pharmacies use the sites differently owing to their unique structures and organizational cultures. CVs pharmacy has numerous Facebook pages and groups in which the company’s marketers interact with their target audiences through posts and comments thereby sharing ideas on the performance of the pharmacy in the market. Besides Facebook, the company has several Twitter accounts, which serves a similar purpose. Walgreen has similar platforms in which it communicates with its target audience while carrying out equally effective marketing researches. CVS Pharmacy for example introduced online shopping owing to the advent of

Kubota Lawn Mower with a Weedeater Research Paper

Kubota Lawn Mower with a Weedeater - Research Paper Example A company that was founded in 1890 in Osaka has crossed all limits to carve out a name in this line of business. Today it is not limited to Japan as it has spread wings in Australia, Canada, France, Thailand, the U.K., and the U.S.A. This company deals in utility vehicles to farming products, but the one that makes it stand out is for the Kubota Lawn Mower with a Weedeater. Kubota - Company Overview In general a weed eater is a kind of device that can mow a lawn. It is an apparatus that runs on power and can move backwards as well as forwards. Some of these vehicles come assembled and some need to be assembled with the help of a user manual as provided by the manufacturer. One such manufacturer is Kubota which needs no introduction. In addition to this it should be stated that land mowers by Kubota can be assembled in an effortless manner. A Kubota Lawn Mower with a Weedeater is a user friendly device. It is compact and this is why it can be taken out easily without much of a difficu lty. These mowers run on both diesel and petrol. These are available at different prices because of sizes and its operations (â€Å"Popular Mechanics†, March 1979). What is even better about these land mowers is that, most of them have a bag attached to the mowers. It needs to be cleaned and one can even use as an organic manure to fertilize their lawns. It could be done by mulching the contents and some high end mowers have such blades that can be used for mulching. It is quite evident that these mowers have features that can make anyone with a passion for gardening go weak in the knees. So owners if this kind of a land mower can move it in a trouble-free way. This is means using these mowers are not that demanding as they do not need much an attention. Advanced technology makes the execution better and more accurate. All this makes Kubota Lawn Mower with a Weedeater a must have for those who really love their lawns and gardens. This kind of mowing can give a garden an insta nt makeover. Pricing Strategies: If I would have to choose a pricing strategy then I will certainly choose to Price Discounts and allowances Pricing Strategy. Fixing the price of our product following this strategy has immense benefits and it attracts customers as well. While driven with careful and skilled professionals, discounting can be quite helpful establishing the product in the market and creating value. The Logic behind It Today, the market is full of competitors and if we have to cut our share then there might be something strategic and logically beneficial for the customers and discounts on purchasing is the best way to achieve this goal. It has made the discounting a prevailing trend in the market and I would like to go with this trend while setting the price of my own product. But there might be an undercover strategy behind the discounting. Means there should have to be a definite goal that might be achieved when you are offering the discounts on your products. Long Te rm Profit Sticking with discounting pricing strategy offers a long term profit. If someone needs to make quick funds then this strategy is not for his/her company. When you are offering discounts then it means that the sell and utilization of your product will increase. And it will increase the market share as well as goodwill amongst the customers. Once a definite market share achieved, I will gradually

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in heaven Essay

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in heaven - Essay Example The characters have been generalized to emphasize on the importance of this cultural conflict. For example in the very beginning, the grave shift workers are described in the same way, whether they are Indians or Americans,â€Å"The graveyard shift worker in the Third Avenue 7-11 looked like they all do. Acne scars and a bad haircut, work pants that showed off his white socks, and those cheap black shoes that have no support.†The concept of assimilation also comes in that is the minorities try to adapt to the ways of the prevailing culture. When the narrator goes in the store that is owned by the White grave shift worker, he is immediately tagged as a robber, because he is an Indian â€Å"†¦ clerk †¦ searching for some response that would reassure him that I was not an armed robber. He knew this dark skin and long black hair of mine was dangerous. I had potential.†The theme of conflict is described when the narrator goes to a posh area, by mistake and the rich ones call the police because he â€Å"didn’t fit the profile of the neighborhood†. Moreover, the narrator also wants to tell the policeman that he did not equate or gel in the â€Å"profile of the country† but knows that it would be a reason for his troubles. The narrator constantly feels that he does not belong in this world. He cannot relate to anything. There is this continuous feeling of nothingness and as if everything has been lost. He says that there are times that he does not remember where he is and is lost. He drives for extended time periods to find something he can associate with but fails. He goes on to say that he feels as if his entire life has been spent looking for that something familiar. In between the lines, we also see that the minorities are afraid to take a risk. They have accepted the cruel behavior because they think that nothing is ever going to change. They are not ready to stand up for themselves. For example, when they are playing basketball and there is a white kid

The Benefits of Emergency Manager Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

The Benefits of Emergency Manager - Assignment Example The roles are explained in detail below. Ethics include enforcing justice and fairness, doing no harm, confidentiality among others (Coppola, 2010). Include a reflective section with a focus on the WMDs; what you knew about bioterrorism, WMDs, and nuclear or radiological terrorism; what you wanted to know about WMDs; and what you learned through this entire process. I have not specialized much in the in-depth knowledge about the WMDs especially the radiological terrorism as well as bioterrorism but I know a bit about the others such as chemical weapons and the nuclear weapons. I have known that these are the two most common weapons of mass destruction most likely to cause a wide impact of mass casualties and the effects are longer lasting than the other WMDs. They are also the most common ones manufactured and produced in many nations and a cause of concern by many governments (Wecht & Okoye, 2007). The information I seek the most about the WMDs is on the regulations being made by our government both the federal and state governments on containing these weapons and ensuring the protection of the people (Wecht & Okoye, 2007). This might be easy for the nuclear weapons but not so much for the chemical weapons as the chemicals can be obtained in labs including school labs or even in the black market in large quantities without knowledge of the government and this is a cause for concern. In my research and from the information provided by the interview, it is obvious that the government has put so much effort in trying to contain the WMDs from harming the people through liaising with several departments as well as universities and company laboratories among other different organizations to prevent mass destruction. I have also learned of the numerous safety measures put in place to tackle such emergency disaster in case it was to occur.

Plea Bargaining Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Plea Bargaining - Research Paper Example 622 (2002), (Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the ninth circuit No. 01-595. Argued April 24, 2002-Decided June 24, 2002) the court initiated the focus on the realities of the plea process but the endeavor materialized with a half hearted outcome. It was in the year 2010, regarding a case between Padilla v. Kentucky - 08-651 (2010) the court engineered in the substantive calculus of the notion of plea bargaining along with the attendants sentencing decisions, running of the lawyers along with the associated civil consequences. Padilla was a petitioner, a lawful permanent resident of the United States for 40 years faced deportation after pleading guilty to drug distribution charges in Kentucky. Padilla held that before a guilty plea, the criminal defense counsel must be advising the clients not only about the direct consequences of the plea but also but also about one of its chief collateral civil consequences, deportation. The case of Padilla can be said to be a la ndmark construal of the constitution’s Sixth Amendment’s right to effective counsel followed by the court to move beyond its fixation upon various cases that go to the jury trials (Bibas, 2011, p.1117). The United States (U.S.) of America from a very long time has been rigidly associated with the emblem of democracy and freedom with proper and quick functioning of the court system being one of the major parameters. Within the judicial system of the United States, the notion of plea bargaining is highly common with approximately 90% of the criminal cases being settled by plea bargaining mechanism rather than by the process of a jury trials. The procedure of plea bargaining is subjected to the court and several states and jurisdictions fall under domain of different rules (Plea Bargaining, 2012). The American Samoa is one of the territories of United States of America and the central theme of the paper will be dealing with the practice of plea bargaining

Management in Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 6

Management in Context - Essay Example romotion of trade liberalization (World Trade Organization, 2008), the modern business trend has gradually shifted from multinationalism to globalization. Globalization is â€Å"a process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments of different countries which is driven by international trade and investment through the use of information technology.† (The Levin Institute, 2008) In other words, the concept of globalization allows business people to maximize their available financial resources by taking advantage of the low-cost products and services that are readily available from developing countries. Because of the differences in monetary exchange rate, large-scale businesses from developed countries are able to purchase more homogenous products and highly competitive human resources at a much lesser price. Globalization theorists like Giddens (2000) and Waters (1995) suggest that globalization causes â€Å"social change†. Based on this theory, this study will examine the overall impact of globalization over the role and responsibilities of modern managers. discussed: (1) the need to implement and promote a strong cultural diversity within the business organization; (2) the shift from a traditional management style to the promotion of self-efficient employees; (3) the need to continuously update one’s own learning and promote organizational learning culture; (4) the shift from authoritative or transactional leadership style to transformational leadership style; and (5) importance of selecting the best motivational strategies. Globalization opens new business opportunities by increasing the size of potential markets for existing companies. However, globalization also increases pressure in market competition. For this reason, companies today are facing new business challenges not only within the domestic markets but in a global perspective. (Jain, 2003: p. 53) The tight competition within the domestic and international markets

Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art Coursework

Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art - Coursework Example The essay "Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art" presents contemporary art practice in Japan and Korean, comparing and contrasting their different attributes. The paper also attempts to highlight the diverse effects that art have on the respective communities. The introduction of religion had a great significance to the Korean artistic images, and artistic styles were manifest in the temple developments, bronze statues, portraits and exemplified manuscripts. Also, Korea’s physical position at the crossroad of East Asia- between its two larger neighbors, Japan, and China – added an enormous influence on its history and culture and its artistic fundamentals. Korea functioned as an outlet between China and Japan for philosophies and theories and technologies that enriched Koreans artistic innovation and skills. Moreover, scholars have established non-passive role of Korea of spreading artistic ideas across to Japan or China, and recognized it not only diff used culture but also integrated it resulting to unique Korean art and culture of its own. Japanese art covers broad assortments of art styles and media that include ancient poetry, wood and bronze sculptures, silk and paper ink paintings, and other type artwork. Japanese painting has a rich history of synthesis and rivalry between natural Japanese aesthetics and utilization smuggled ideas. Further Japanese sculptures mainly originated from the idol reverence in Buddhism or animistic rites of Shinto deity. Particularly.

Management Theories and Philosophies Assignment

Management Theories and Philosophies - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that the Management Theory and Philosophy is referred to an independent forum that pays attention to the essential philosophical matters of management in terms of both theories as well as practice. Management includes planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. The fundamental theories which are used in today’s management are the Classical theory and the Human Relation theory. The Classical Approach acknowledges the main part of management thought, which depends on the principle that employees do only have physical and economic needs; and the requirement for the satisfaction of job and social needs either is unimportant or does not subsist. It defines the homogenous facts on the administration of organizations. This approach supports decision making, high interest of labor and profit maximization. The analysis will focus on the contribution of various authors such as Frederick Winslow Taylor, Henri Fayol and Max W eber who have applied these theories in various disciplines. The classical approach includes Scientific Management, Administrative Management, and the Bureaucratic management. On the other hand, the Human Relation Approach focuses on the people and human being’s behavior. It refers to an organizational tool that assists in efficiency thinking and rationalization. It goes further than physical contributions in order to include cognitive, emotional, and creative aspects of workers. Employees communicate opinions, suggestions, feelings, and complaints to boost production and satisfaction.

Essential Features of Contemporary Organisations Essay Example for Free

Essential Features of Contemporary Organisations Essay This essay aims to discuss why teams and groups are seen as essential features of contemporary organisations. Firstly, it will examine what exactly constitutes a group or team, then it will go on to discuss different types of groups and teams which exist within an organisation. Next it will explain why groups and teams are key to contemporary organisations in particular and finally, it will discuss the disadvantages associated with groups within organisations. Firstly, it is important to distinguish what exactly constitutes a team or a group. As Khan (2010) states, all teams are groups because the individuals in it have some kind of of unifying relationship, but not all groups are teams because the individuals making up a group may have very little or no interdependence and they could just as well work alone. For the purposes of this essay we will assume that the terms team and group are interchangeable. Therefore, a group is a collection of individuals who share a common set of norms, who generally have differentiated roles among themselves, and who interact with one another toward the joint pursuit of common goals (Steers and Black, 1994). Within an organisation different types of groups exist and are essential for the day to day running of the company. Formal and informal groups are the most common groups found within organisations; where formal groups are the groups brought together by the organisation for a specific purpose for example, the human resources department and where informal groups are the social groups formed voluntarily by individuals within the organisation for example, people who share common interests. Businesses cannot exist without both formal and informal groups. Informal groups provide individuals with a means of gaining help and support to carry out their particular objectives (which may or may not be the same as the organisations objectives) (Handy, 1993 as cited in Kahn, 2010). Informal groups provide employees with the social contact they desire which makes them more agreeable in the work environment and as such more willing to participate actively in their formal groups. Open and closed groups also exist within organisations; where an open group is one whose membership changes frequently and a closed group is one whose membership is relatively stable. In a closed group status relationships are established among the members, meaning that there will be clear cut high status and low status members. Within an organisation the management can manipulate these different sets of groups in order to achieve their goals. For example, keeping decision making groups as open groups means that leadership roles are more difficult to establish amongst the members and thus high status members of the group will find it hard to establish norms and the team will work to its best potential. Many contemporary organisations are now spread globally, so it is of utmost importance for them to factor in another type of group, the virtual group. Virtual groups are able to come together regardless of time and space restrictions to work on resolving any issues. Thanks to advances of the world wide web, for the first time teams can virtually collocate all of the information they need to work together and put it all in context (Lipnack and Stamps, 1997). Virtual groups allow the organisation to respond quickly to any market changes, take pressure away from top management and instil a sense of belonging and importance amongst the employees. The virtual group is an important factor for global organisations as it allows for cultural diversity in the solutions which are proposed. For example, the Chinese office may have a different way of thinking than the American office, but through virtual groups it is easy to transfer this cultural knowledge to other areas of the business. A more and more technology driven marketplace pressurises organisations to respond quickly to changes but thanks to these technological advances, organisations can begin to use the world wide web to their benefit through virtual teams. Virtual teams allow the organisation to easily spread decision making to trusted individuals rather than only to top management. Groups can be essential to an organisations level of productivity. If there is a high level of group cohesiveness the group will experience high morale and will become a desirable entity to be part of within an organisation which means there will be plenty employees willing to compete with each other for a spot in the group, which in turn raises productivity. Managers need to control the size of groups in order to stay at an optimum level of productivity and also offer incentives like bonus pay for good performance to enhance the desirability of the group even further. Groups also relieve some of the responsibility of the manager, as they do not have to keep a constant eye on each individual employee, they can trust that group members will spur on the productivity of the group in order to gain the proposed incentives. Groups can provide an organisation with more than one solution to a proposed problem because as Maier (1967) states, a group has a greater knowledge store than that of any individual. Monitoring the size of groups here is vital from management, as with a large sized group there may be plenty of ideas generated, but they are not necessarily well formed ideas. Splitting groups into smaller member sizes will ensure the ideas are well thought out and in an extremely competitive marketplace, this is the best strategy for managers to ensure they have a variety high quality solutions to choose from instead of opting for the first good idea that comes to light. As beneficial as groups are to contemporary organisations, it is also useful to be aware of some of the risks that go along with groups within organisations. Even though it is believed that the quality of ideas or decisions made within a group will be higher than from an individual, people have been known to make riskier decisions within a group context than they would ever have made alone. The reason being people want to conform to group norms as shown in the tests conducted by Milgram (1963). Milgram showed how easily people can be influenced to stray from their initial beliefs for the norms of the group and also how easily people go back to their own beliefs if the group is in support of them through his experiments. This all shows how easily influenced people can be and how they will change their behaviour to that of their peers in order to avoid possible conflict. One further disadvantage of groups within organisations is the theory Groupthink which was developed by Irving Janis (1972) which states that once within groups individuals may lose sight of the end goal and instead only focus on reaching an agreement. If suffering from groupthink people may become over confident and invulnerable, they may view outsiders in negative terms and disregard their views and they may force different thinkers to conform to their ideas. Football fans tend to be affected by groupthink, for example, they get sucked into the group and follow the behaviour of others which is vastly different from the way they would act in their day to day lives. Managers can combat groupthink through a number of ways and thus maintain the effectiveness of the group entity to the organisation. In conclusion, groups and teams are essential features of contemporary organisations. Groups come in many forms and businesses cannot exist without the merging of all different types of group within the organisation. Virtual groups are key to contemporary organisations as they allow the organisation to stay up to date in the technology stakes and also allows them to merge great minds from the different corners of the globe. Groups with high levels of cohesiveness will increase the productivity of the organisation and can be encouraged and manipulated by management to remain productive. Although groups are essential features of organisations they do also come with their disadvantages, groups can lose their individuality and take even riskier decisions than they would ever do alone. From this essay it is clear that groups and teams are essential features of contemporary organisations as long as the top management understands the complexities of the group and keeps renewing membership s o as to gain the most benefits for the organisation. References Kahn, H (2010), â€Å"Groups and Conflict Management† (chapter 6), Organisational Behaviour, Heriot Watt University Steers, R. M and Black, J. S (1994) Organisational Behaviour, Prentice Hall Lipnack, J and Stamps, J (1997) Virtual Teams, [online] Available at: http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=enlr=id=171-FrLDhvUCoi=fndpg=PR17dq=virtual+teams+lipnackots=Bu_xw63cfIsig=Is-ymM KvujoYxynZKxXfIJ_tQs8#v=onepageqf=false [Accessed 4 November 2011] Maier, N (1967) â€Å"Assets and Liabilities In Group Problem Solving: The Need For An Integrative Function† Psychological Review, Vol 74(4) [online] Available at: http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/rev/74/4/239/ [Accessed 4 November 2011] Milgram, S (1963). â€Å"Behavioural Study Of Obedience† Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67 [online] Available at: http://www.wadsworth.com/psychology_d/templates/student_resources/0155060678_rathus/ps/ps01.html [Accessed 4 November 2011] Janis, I. L (1972). â€Å"Victims of Groupthink: A Psychological Study of Foreign Policy Decisions and Fiascoes† Houghton Miffin.

Organizations Workforce Diversity And Its Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay

Organizations Workforce Diversity And Its Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of leadership style over the relationship between organizations workforce diversity and its competitive advantage with mission and vision statements as intervening variable. Most organizations are adopting diversity into their policies and procedures to embrace its benefits and there is a growing recognition that it makes business sense to take diversity seriously. The demographics of working population has changed in last two decades with more mature workforce remaining in the workplace, now more female employees are seen in higher positions and there is also a variation in cultural backgrounds. Therefore, it seems beneficial for organizations to hire diverse workforce to meet the demands of customer expectations. Organizations that are flexible and responsive to a demanding marketplace require the service of multi-skilled, adaptable workforce. One clear competitive advantage for organizations having diverse workforce is that it pro vides an environment that values differences among employees and encourages them for different ways of thinking and behaving during work to fully contribute to organizational aims and objectives. Employers providing such an environment get the support of their employees and develop a positive public image. It must be understood that each member of diverse workforce holds his differences and similarities; hence, valuing and managing diversity is about recognizing the unique contribution each employee can make to the organization. It is about creating an environment in which everyone feels valued, welcomed, and able to make an important contribution toward the attainment of corporate objectives. Additionally, companies facing challenges in competing global marketplace for market share can use diversity as competitive advantage in a multicultural environment with a diverse pool of talented and experienced individuals who can bring innovation and creativity to the organization. Literature Review Diversity is not only associated to limited attributes that can be observed but also to those invisible characteristics such as differences in educational background, creativity, understanding, learning style, and problem-solving ability (Nafukho et al., 2011). So, organizational performances and processes can be influenced by an individual or a group representing different categories of diversity within a workplace. (van Knippenberg and Schippers, 2007). Diversity is defined as any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another (Giovannini, 2004, p. 22). Hence, diversity affects the organizations effectiveness and performance in terms of competitive advantage. (Joshi and Roh, 2009; Klein et al., 2011). This presumes that performance has a relation with organizations ability to achieve goals with respect to its mission or vision (Devine and Philips, 2001). In other words, performance is deemed as an outcome which is a result of some purposeful activity to achieve competitive advantage as mentioned in mission or vision statements of an organization. (Swanson and Holton, 2009). As the organization strives to achieve its goals or objectives, conflict may arise within the diverse groups to cope up the challenges of differences among them which keep them from achieving organizational performance. (Østergaard et al., 2011). Since, Human Resource Department (HRD) deals primarily with performance of individuals, groups and organization at large to achieve competitive advantage, so diverse workforce demands the attention of HRD scholars and practitioners on the issues that arise in organization. It can be observed in modern trends for companies to use diverse workforce for completing special tasks which help achieve competitive advantage (Garrison et al., 2010) and there is always potential for the occurrence of conflict among such diverse groups which can derail the organization from achieving effectiveness. Hence, it becomes the resp onsibility of HRD to address such conflicts in advance and use the knowledge of how to build the high performing and productive teams of diverse workforce who can to the overall competitive advantage of organization (Klein et al., 2011). Evidently, most companies find diversity as a way to increase business competency, to improve net income, to gain competitive advantage, to build the effectiveness to compete in global markets, to improve business performance, to achieve higher employee satisfaction, to enhance corporate governance, to attract diverse talents and skills and to retain the workforce that maintains the customer base (McCuiston et al., 2004). Moreover, culturally diverse workforce brings benefits to business economy (Ferley et al., 2003) and leads to better performance of the business (Richard, 2000). According to Adler (1997), a company with a diverse workforce has greater chances for building an innovative working environment. This statement is beautifully expressed in the words of White (1999), who states that creativity thrives on diversity. These benefits can be derived from the proper implementation of diversity-promoting policies (Jamrog, 2002). Many firms today seem to be increasingly embracing r acial, ethnic and gender workforce balance, not for legal or ethical obligations, but as a matter of taking a progressive perspective on economic self-interest (Coil and Rice, 1993). It has been recognized recently that increasing diverse workforce has presented both opportunities and challenges for organizations which are striving for efficiency, innovativeness and global competitive advantage (Barak, 1999). As the global markets are getting more complex, utilization of organizations knowledge, skills and abilities is getting even more crucial in this rapidly increasing competition where organizations want to be more creative and innovative (Ng and Tung, 1998). In order to manage the growing diversity of the work force, organizations need to implement such systems and practices so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized and the potential disadvantages are minimized (Cox, 1994). In the past two decades several academic researches have been conducted on various issues relating diversity. Richard (2000) examined the impact of diversity on organization and its productivity while Jackson (1993) found the positive relationship between diversity and cr eativity. Diversity research has also addressed the factors involved in assimilating new employees into an organizations culture (Berry and Sam, 1997). However, some argue that by its fundamental nature, assimilating new employees to obtain greater fit between the person and organization is achieved at the expense of diversity (Powell, 1998). In other research, Tsui et al. (1992) showed that race and gender has negative relationship with diversity as compared to age. Other studies have also consistently found that observable attributes have negative effects on outcomes such as identification with the group and job satisfaction at both the individual and group level of analysis (Milliken and Martins, 1996). Further, Milliken and Martins (1996) supported the argument of Tsui et al. (1992) that racial and gender diversity can have negative influence on individual and team outcomes in some cases regardless of age. As an example, they referred to those groups members who differ from the larger group tend to show less commitment, more turnover and absenteeism while at the same time this results in additional costs, such as, group coordination cost, communication cost and training and development cost. So, according to them, diversity results in increase in coordination and control costs. Dadfar and Gustavsson (1992) found that the majority of site managers believed that managers/supervisors are less effective when managing a work group composed of several nationalities. This is because language was regarded as a major obstacle to effective communication among workers of different nationalities. However, Watson et al. (1993) argue that these negative effects may diminish with time and may be offset by better quality and more creative decisions. Having said that, it is important to understand that even for those who decide to embrace diversity as a concept, the road to diversity is not without challenges. Many businesses fail to the see the full picture of diversity or understand all of its impacts on their operations (Farrer, 2004), as leading a diverse workforce requires considerable time, energy and skill. A diverse workforce represents many challenges to management in areas such as workplace authority, trust and commitment, different work ethics, firm structure and work-life balance (McCuiston et al., 2004). Diversity challenges also include training costs, discrimination and conflicts. The increase in training cost results from the needed diversity-promoting programs which need to be administered to all employees (White, 1999). The problem of perceived discrimination arises when a certain group feels that they have been unfairly discriminated against, which leads to a sense of rejection towards the group that was perceived as having unjustifiable benefits, which could lead to an increase in conflicts. According to Jehn (1995), the increase in conflicts possibly leading to tension and animosity occurs when employees do not have similar views on a particular issue and in turn such conflicts could have detrimental effects on performance. These effects include directing the attention of employees to each other instead of the job, increasing stress and anxiety, and it can result in hostile interaction among members (Chuang et al., 2004). Leadership Leadership remained the single most important issue in annual surveys for identifying top management issues during all times (HRI, 2002a). To manage a diverse workforce, organizations need visionary leaders but availability of them is scarce. According to the study by Diversity Inc. (2002), it is forecasted that many top management of many leading companies will lose one in five top managers due to retirement. Let alone, US companies will lose 40 percent or more of their top executives till 2015 (Wellins and Byham, 2001). One solution offered to this scarcity is to develop leaders at every level and in every function in an organization (Hesselbein, 2002). For this solution, Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society (2002) advised the most effective leadership components to manage diversity, which are: Sensitivity and awareness about diverse workforce. Resources to strengthen and improve the quality of diverse individuals Inter-communication skills to solve mutual differences Strategies to maximize the effectiveness of diverse workforce. The goal should be to develop cross-cultural leaders and generate a new crop of multicultural professionals (Yukl, 2002). These leaders are provided with the required resources and authorities to manage workforce. The focus should be to enhance their listening, learning, networking, communication, and experimenting skills to manage a diverse workforce (Melymuka, 2001). Finally an effective strategy must be developed to include diversity at all levels of management, and there must be commitment to diversity at senior levels where it is strategically more important (Conklin, 2001). This strategy must be evident in organizations mission and vision statement and should involve a systemic, results-oriented, business-based approach (Fitzpatrick, 1997). Yet companies do not seek diversity unless this business competency results in increased profit and metrics that substantiate the necessity to expand the emphasis on diversity (Diversity Inc., 2002). Irrefutable measurable benefits can be de rived from properly implemented policies to promote diversity (Jamrog, 2002). The most evident measurable benefits are improved bottom line, competitive advantage, superior business performance, employee satisfaction and loyalty, strengthened relationship with multicultural communities, and attracting the best and the brightest candidates. Competitive advantage defined in diversity as, Recruiting and retaining people of diverse backgrounds who can share a common set of values. . .and approach to business is a priority for todays competitive organization (McCormack, 2002, p. 1). Jamrog (2002) suggested three-point approach to enhance effectiveness of leadership to manage diverse workforce: premise, guidelines and actions. There are three premises that leaders need to value diversity: (1) One size doesnt fit all leaders need to use different approaches for solving problems and developing workers as all situations and individuals are not the same, (2) Not everyone can be a leader organizational should focus only on individuals who have the ingredients of becoming a good leader, and (3) Leaders can be at any level or function anyone who can inspire, influence and guide others in the organization is a leader regardless of position. The five guidelines that leaders need to value diversity are: (1) Communicate, communicate, and communicate share freely your ideas, suggestions, opinions; listen to ideas of others with interest, (2) Build contact into your daily actions and duties Plan your actions, meetings, and duties so as to maximize contact with multiple p eople in the organization. (3) Manage and lead by walking around Be outside the office frequently and interact informally with others of different levels, functions, backgrounds and experience, (4) Champion diversity Bring in the contribution of everyone to increase commitment, innovation and creativity, and (5) Sponsor diversity Defend the decisions, actions and interactions while supporting everyone in the organization. Lastly, the five actions that leaders need to value diversity are: (1) Assessment of leadership potential within the organizations, (2) Provision of training and tools, (3) Inclusion of diversity at all levels, (4) measuring and rewarding efforts, and (5) encouraging the organization to be patient. Conceptual Framework: Research Methodology:

Ethical Theory of Hedonism

Ethical Theory of Hedonism According to many scholars, to live ethically means to thinks about things that are beyond ones personal interests. When one thinks and lives ethically he or she becomes a just human being with needs and desires of his own but still living among people who also have their needs and desires. Ethics is branch of philosophy that deals with the study of right and wrong questions and therefore helps us to make the right moral judgments in the events of our daily life. This excerpt aims at discussing normative and applied ethics and in particular hedonism and its application in the criminal justice system. The modification of hedonism as a theory in ethics engrosses a number of amazing and important decisions. In this excerpt therefore two types of hedonism are also discussed. Introduction Both the criminal justice system professionals and the general public are concerned with the application of ethics in our daily lives. Everybody would like to see all the public servants and all people in the world perform their duties in the best way possible. In understanding the peoples behavior the criminal justice system uses number of ethical theories where hedonism is one of them. According to Banks (2009), hedonism has been traditionally expressed as the notion that pleasure alone is intrinsically good (p.333). In his explanations banks says that the only thing that is worth seeking just for its own sake is pleasure and that pleasure is the good. Hedonism is therefore the doctrine that pleasure is the sole good. Hedonism was first explained by Epicurus who was a great philosopher from Greek. In the English form Epicurus name appears as epicure, which means a person whose main enjoyment and satisfaction is gotten from exotic and carefully made food and wine. Epicurus advocated for the moderate and yet pleasurable living where he stated that pleasure is the good for which all human beings aim. On the other hand the pursuit of pleasure can also result to pain for instance when a person drinks to excess in his or her pursuit for pleasure and suffers stomachaches and headaches. Pain is mostly good as a means since its usually a signal that something is not right and that a change is necessary. Therefore according to the views of Epicurus the best way for one to live is to live in a pleasant manner and at the same time suffer not any of the unwanted effects of pleasant living. According to Banks (2009), the main aim of human living is tranquility of the mind and the health of the body. He did not recommend a life of endless pleasure or sensuality since by pleasure it means the absence of pain on the body as well as the absence of problem in the soul. However certain pleasures like making fun of others or taking drugs are a means of something painful and therefore would not be good. Tranquility of the mind is attained through practical wisdom and philosophical understanding. Hedonism appears in two forms which are ethical hedonism and psychological hedonism. Psychological hedonism states that human beings pursue pleasure and only pleasure in their lives and that all their activities are aimed towards attaining pleasure as well as avoiding pain (Banks 2009 p.334). Ethical hedonism on the other hand states that not only do human beings seek pleasure but they are actually supposed to seek pleasure because pleasure alone is good. In psychological hedonism all actions are motivated or driven by the search for pleasure while the ethical hedonism goes a step further and views the pursuit for pleasure as being normative. However, in its both forms hedonism is criticized by many scholars for trying to give only a single explanation for all human acts. According to Tuner (2000), pleasure is not the only thing that is desirable. Many other things like peace, money, education and liberty are desirable as means and ends but in hedonism pleasure is desirable as the eventual end. In this study we also find that human beings get pleasure in different ways. Pleasure can also be the same even when the sources of pleasure are the same. The hedonists believe that moral goodness is actually an instrumental good and not necessarily an intrinsic good. Moral goodness means doing the right thing even when it does not lead to happiness. According to hedonism, moral goodness can be an instrumental good though it does not always mean that it will result to pleasure (Larry, 2009) The idea of pleasure and happiness being a measure of ethical morality is basically limited to the western philosophy. Many people have promoted the hedonistic belief in pleasure from Aristotle and Socrates to John Mill and Jeremy Bentham as well as to others in the contemporary times. According to the proponents of hedonism all human beings are selfish by nature. These supporters argue people do good or bad to others so as to acquire a certain intrinsic pleasure (Everett 2006 p. 36). This pleasure may be overtime, in the immediate future or may even cause them pain in the immediate sense and eventually cause them pleasure. In this sense its believed that people help others because helping others gives them pleasure. Similarly people do evil because doing evil gives them pleasure. The criminal justice system therefore uses the theory of hedonism to understand the behavior of criminals and what drives them into committing crimes (Turner). This way the criminal justice system is able to give the right punishments to these law offenders. People have different ways of walking, thinking or acting. When one begins to know an individual there begins to emerge a pattern in train of thoughts. These behavioral patterns and traits are usually studied by the behavioral scientist. For instance the law enforcement uses such behavioral studies to monitor dangerous criminals like serial killers (Axelrod Antinozzi 2002 p.22). Deep inside the mind of criminals there is psychological reasoning behind the actions that they commit. A criminal will therefore leave a signature or a pattern behind which helps the investigators of the crime scene in analyzing information regarding the crime. Classical criminologists view human beings as rational and capable of making free choices. In a well organized society that has rational system of criminal justice therefore, any crime should be defined as the product of an irrational decision. According to Axelrod Antinozzi (2002), all behavior is reduced to avoidance of pain and seeking of pleasure. The main question of the criminal justice system is therefore how to make crime less pleasurable and more painful to the criminals (p.26). From the perspective of those intending to commit a crime, the pain involved should be more painful than breaking the law is worth. Only by making the punishment this way will the Criminal Justice System be able to discourage criminals and those intending to be criminals from indulging into crime. Otherwise if the pain gotten from committing a crime is equal or worth the pleasure derived from the committing it then many would go on committing the crime. The end punishment should always be meant to p revent the criminal from doing further harm to the society after refrain others from committing similar offences. The criminal justice system should therefore be able to choose punishments that will a strong and lasting impression on the mind of the criminal.

Pearl: A Product Of Nature :: essays research papers

Pearl is one of the most interesting and mysterious characters of the novel The Scarlet Letter. One tends to wonder why Pearl is the way she is. Why does she act so strangely and so differently than all the other characters? She acts this way because of a relationship she has with the force of Nature, which Hawthorne personifies as sympathetic towards sins against the puritan way of life. Because of this trait Hester's sin causes Nature to accept Pearl. Finally, Pearl's acceptance of Nature is what causes her to act the way she does.First it is necessary to examine how nature is identified with sin against the Puritan way of life. The first example of this is found in the first chapter regarding the rosebush at the prison door. This rosebush is located "on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold"(36) of the prison. The prison naturally is the place where people that have sinned against the puritan way of life remain. Then Hawthorne suggests that the roses of the rose-bush "might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him"(36). This clearly states that Nature is kind to prisoners and criminals that pass through the prison doors. Hawthorne strengthens this point by suggesting two possible reasons for the rosebush's genesis. The first is that "it had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness..."(36), while the second reason is that "there is fair authority for believing [the rose-bush] had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson..."(36). By Hawthorne's wording it appears as if he is emphasizing the second reason because he suggests there is "fair authority." Connecting the rosebush originating from Ann Hutchinson, an outcast from puritan society, shows the connection with Nature and sin against puritan way of life. This rosebush symbolizes the sympathy of Nature towards the very people Puritan society has condemned.The idea illustrated by the rosebush can therefore be applied to the specific character of Pearl. Because Pearl was expelled from Puritan society Nature sympathizes with her. Nature's sympathy and partiality with Pearl can be seen with the sunshine in the forest. Pearl attempts to "catch" the sunshine and according to Hawthorn "Pearl .

M9 Service Pistol - United States Marine Corps :: essays research papers

DETAILED OUTLINE M-9 SERVICE PISTOL INTRODUCTION: (2 MIN) 1. GAIN ATTENTION : Video(SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) misfire of an M9. 2. OVERVIEW: The purpose of this period of instruction is to familiarize you with the M9 service pistol, misfire procedures, and what may cause a misfire. This period of instruction is in direct relation to corps">Marine Corps Weaponry. 3. INTRODUCE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: a. TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Without the aid of reference, demonstrate the four steps in clearing a misfire and describe some ways a misfire may occur in accordance with MCI 21.35 of the MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE, (INSPECTION AND REPAIR OF THE M9 SERVICE PISTOL). (CPLX1) b. ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Without the aid of notes and in accordance with the reference MCI 21.35: (1) List some ways a misfire may be prevented. (CPLX1.1a) (2) Explain the four steps in attempting to clear a misfire. (CPLX1.1b) 4. METHOD / MEDIA: I will present this material using the lecture method with the aid of placards and an actual M9. 5. EVALUTAION: There will not be a post test after this period of instruction. TRANSITION: Since there are no questions on the learning objectives, the method I will use to present this period of instruction or the way in which you will be evaluated, let’s take a look at prevention of a misfire with the M9 and clearing procedures. BODY: (5 Min) 1. ONE FACTOR WITH THE MAGAZINE THAT MAY CAUSE A STOPPAGE OF AN M9. a. (On Placard #1 – TIGHT LIPS ON THE MAGAZINE CLIP.) If a stoppage occurs do to jamming against the ramp of the clip, it is an indication that the magazine lips are too tight, and prevent the bullet nose from tilting up and chambering in the barrel of the weapon. This can be prevented by inspecting your M9 and it components religiously, and alerting your company armor of any discrepancies. (OFF PLACARD#1) TRANSITION: We now know one factor that may cause a misfire with the magazine clip, what to look for to help prevent one from occurring, and how to resolve any discrepancies with your M9 or any of its components. Now lets take a look at another factor with the magazine that may cause your weapon to perform a stoppage. 2. A SECOND FACTOR WITH THE MAGAZINE THAT MAY CAUSE A STOPAGE WITH AN M9. a. (On Placard #2 – LOOSE MAGAZINE LIPS) . If a double feed occurs,(two rounds chambering at the same time), the problem is with the magazine. The lips are spread to far apart allowing a second round to jump out of the clip as the first is being stripped.

Crucible- Abigail Williams Essay

Due to our nature, the human race will do astonishing things in the name of love and fear. Abigail Williams in â€Å"The Crucible† is a fantastic example of this. Not only are her actions absurd to try and gain John Proctor’s whole hearted affection, who was her lover, but also to gain submission of an ample portion of Salem due to fear. A large part of the submissiveness was gained by her ability to manipulate others, especially those she knows well. She starts the fire of hatred, for witches and the townspeople, within Salem. The fuel was already there; all that was needed was the last spark to get the flame going. Abigail was this spark, created by her insatiable lust for John Proctor. She instigated the witch trials, and used the produced hysteria in an attempt at personal gain, using a step by step plan. This plan developed through the play, feeding Abigail’s ambition and power. Step 1. Manipulate the town’s girls into doing witchcraft in the woods. Abigail convinced some of the teenage girls in Salem to join her in the woods. Being unmarried teenage women in this time period, they had little to do, minimal social status, and undoubtedly yearned for adventure. There were only two people lower than them in status, and that would be Abigail and Tituba because Abigail was an orphan, and Tituba a black slave. She convinced Tituba, to sing songs from Barbados about witchcraft. Abby then persuaded Ruth Putnam to believe that Tituba would be able to conjure up the spirits of her dead siblings. If it worked then she could bring to light the mystery behind all of her dead siblings. In getting others to do it with her, she will not be the only one to be punished, therefore spreading the blame across many, and if caught the blame could be transferred to the one with the least status, the slave- relieving Abby of punishment. Step 2. Drink a potion to acquire John. While in the woods Abigail drank a charm in an attempt to kill Mrs. Proctor, which in her eyes is the only person between her and John. â€Å"You drank blood, Abby! You didn’t tell him that!† (Betty, A.1, p.1244). This quote begins to give the reader an idea of what Abigail will do to gain Proctor. It would take quite a drive for someone to willingly drink blood, and in drinking it, wish death upon another person. This was a very Puritan society, and all of her actions would be looked down upon by the townspeople. First she entered the forest (the place of the Devil), then she danced (unacceptable for women of that age), then she drank a charm of blood (not accepted by society), and lastly in drinking that charm she is wishing ill upon her ‘neighbor’ which is going against one of the Commandments. The Bible was the law at the time, and going against its foundation was disgraceful. Step 3. When discovered, blame Tituba. When Abigail is being questioned by Parris, the day after being caught, about the girls’ doings in the woods, she gives away little. She reveals â€Å"We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And there’s the whole of it.†(Abigail, A.1, p.1238). This sentence shows an insight to Abby’s manipulative power over Parris. Fainting from fright from being caught by her father doing an illegal activity could be an explanation for Betty’s inactivity. Abigail admits to what he saw, but makes it hard for him to push the question further when she says the finalized statement ‘there’s the whole of it’. The affirmation also denies any other doings, saying the girls are innocent. Parris then grasps at another chance to question Abby, this time about possible rumors of her in the town. She skillfully maneuvers around the interrogation, and then is saved by the entrance of Mrs . Putnam. Goody Putnam reveals her and her daughter (Ruth)’s desires to figure out what caused her children to die in infancy. Step 4. Exploit Tituba’s weaknesses, while hiding behind lies. When questioned Abigail turns the accusation to Tituba saying she was alone in conjuring the spirits of Ruth’s siblings. This brings the pressure off of Abigail and onto two other people. She can then sink into the background, becoming invisible while Parris and Hale interrogate Tituba. Tituba is the unhappy slave, with witchery songs, low status, and desiring to be free and return home. Due to this, Parris and Hale break Tituba down till she admits to contracting with the devil. In a frenzy to bring pressure off herself and avoid hanging, Tituba then goes on to state names of women in the community. Sarah Good and Goody Osburn are first. Then Abigail stands up from the shadows seizing the chance of being able to accuse people and bring the attention to her in a positive way by saying â€Å"I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I dance for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!† (Abigail, A.1, p.1263). These exclamations go against what she has previously sworn, yet no one seems to notice anything besides her confession and the names she says. Abby repeated the names Tituba already said, along with another, therefore strengthening the accusations while playing on the slave’s incompetence of missing one of the people, which strengthens her own position. Step 5. Use newfound status to demolish those who oppose her. Since there are so many people being accused, the town gets an aura of being unsafe and corrupt by the Devil. This causes the accused to accuse others, from old rivalries and suddenly having a chance to comeback, or from being interrogated till they give up names, multiplying the numbers, while they also believe the accusations out of fear. Fear of being accused, of being witched, or of getting hung for disbelieving the court and the Bible. In Act II sixteen people had warrants sent out for their capture. Abigail continuously accuses people who confess, adding to her credibility. She also has fainting incidents, trances, and other public displays which she credits to others using demonic powers on her, sending the message that she is an innocent orphan being harmed by the Devil because she is standing against him. This helps her gain pity, and brings more citizens to her side. An example is when Mary Warren tries to testify against Abigail, Mercy, and Susanna. The girls exclaim that Mary has sent her spirit out in a wind to make them cold. This is proven by their exclamations. Mercy: â€Å"Mary, do you send this shadow on me?† Susanna: â€Å"I freeze, I freeze!† Abigail: â€Å"It is a wind, a wind!† Danforth: â€Å"Mary Warren, do you witch her? I say to you, do you send your spirit out?†(A.3, p.1307) Danforth’s question seems to state what the other girls were implying. This goes to show what some acting can bring upon a girl and a town. By faking a wind, the girls make Mary’s testament against them invalid, therefore increasing Abigail’s power within the court, and getting rid of another challenger. Step 6. Secure Goody Proctor as a witch using credibility established within the court. After accusing Elizabeth in Act 2 because of alleged use of poppets, Abigail has to make sure there is no way out for her. When this is done and she is hung she can finally have her love, John Proctor. The townspeople generally ignore evidence and support her claims of witchery, most likely out of fear of her power. John Proctor is one of the few willing to stand against her. After many attempts, all of which failed, John resorts to drastic measures. He admits to committing adultery. â€Å"I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name- you will believe me, Mr. Danforth! My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one!†(Proctor, A.3, p.1309) In this statement, Proctor not only admits to adultery, and tries to protect his wife; he also calls Abigail a harlot. Abigail is astounded by his reveal, and undoubtedly worked up by his language towards her. This is the point where Abby seems to realize that Proctor does not love her and that she won’t ever be with him, even if Elizabeth dies. Her plan has failed, and everything she has done was for nothing. Her astonishment turns to resentment, for she then makes no attempt to same John when he is sentenced to hang. Her only thoughts now seem to be of self preservation. She was the ring leader of the witch trials, and with them coming to the end, and no chance of being with John, her power will soon be gone. She steals her uncle’s savings then flees the city. She lost a love she never truly had, and in the process left behind a broken, manipulated town. Love and fear are two of the most influential emotions, and in â€Å"The Crucible† both are experienced firsthand through Abigail. The author, Arthur Miller, uses this to his advantage making the play and characters relatable to the audience. These universal themes are relevant at all times in history which is why the play is still shown to this day. Abigail is not only a great example of those traits, but also reflects a maniacal manipulator existing in many societies. This along with other traits makes her the most important character to the play, along with the witch trials which she helped instigate for personal gain. It’s amazing what a teenage girl in a small town can do with a few words and manipulation.