Sunday, December 29, 2019

A Review of Contemporary Management Ideas and Practices - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2486 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Review Level High school Did you like this example? A Review of Contemporary Management Ideas and Practices At the heart of any organisation lies its culture in which are found the philosophies on how to work together and individually, how to treat customers, and how to generate revenue or keep the business operating successfully. Leaders and even middle managers are concerned with meeting some key goals tied to customers, products, and revenue, but they sometimes do not pay attention to the culture. The overriding beliefs and behaviours in the organisation that truly determine the ability to hit those key goals or not (Ford 2008: 1). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Review of Contemporary Management Ideas and Practices" essay for you Create order It is the culture that determines how things get done, whether it is in a good or bad way, and it provides the mechanism for changing strategies and responding to competition or causing the demise of a merger or creating silos of isolation and conflict (Ford 2008: 2). Therefore, effectively managing culture in a way that addresses problems and helps everyone in the organisation embrace this culture will provide a strong foundation for accomplishing all the organisations strategic objectives. This paper will critically evaluate both the assumptions and methods put forward by various writers, including Edgar Schein, to effectively manage organisational culture as an integral component of management practices and strategic success. Understanding Organisational Culture As part of social science, the study of culture has been around for many decades as a means of better understanding how it plays a role in the â€Å"functioning of society† (Denison and Mishra 1995: 204). In recent years, business theorists began to look at the organisation of companies in the same manner, understanding that the same socialisation process could be applied to a business that previously might have just been seen as an intangible thing rather than a living organism that was made up of individual and collective behaviours. One book described culture as the result of â€Å"group learning experiences in which a number of people face a problem and work out a solution together† (Miner 2007: 321). This could mean that one organisation develops a culture that can provide them with a competitive advantage whilst another may focus on ethical or environmental standards and still another may look to create a culture that is geared toward customers or techno logical innovation (Sims 2002: 301). Whatever the case, the culture is directed toward a particular belief about one of those areas that serves to direct all the organisations approach to strategy as well as its interaction with the external and internal environments. That would certainly describe what is happening with business today as products and services are framed around finding solutions whilst internal processes are devised to solve internal problems. Other issues on an internal scale are also being linked to culture, especially when it comes to large firms caught up in scandals riddled with a lack of ethics like Enron and many of the recent lending practices in the U.S. and the U.K. that led to the credit crunch, in which the blame was placed firmly on the shoulders of the leaders and the culture that they had developed that might have promoted greed and a lack of ethical behaviours (Pfister 2009: 2). Now that this understanding is becoming more readily accepted within organisational studies, theories on business culture and how it is being managed have begun to be formulated with a diverse array of ideas about how it plays out within management practice and organisational development (Martin 1992: 4. One of the earliest proponents of an organisational culture theory was Edgar Schein who believed that organisational culture was comprised of â€Å"assumptions, values, and artefacts† (Hatch 1993: 657). His perspective was based on a functional perspective in which these three components, which help to explain specific standards, beliefs, and ideals, form the basis of how to react to and cope with other factors that would help existing workers and new members to perceive and think about these factors in the same way to achieve a â€Å"normal† way in which to address existing problems or issues (Schein 1988: 12). In this way, Scheins theory illustrated that culture was a multi-layered intangible within a company that was first based on visible organizational structures and processes known as artefacts that were then connected to the organisations values (the strategies, philosophies, and goals) as well as to the basic underlying assumptions in an organisation, which is comprised of those beliefs that are â€Å"a given† or that are â€Å"taken for granted† (Schein 1992: 2). Similarly, Rousseau saw culture as a multi-layered, ring-like framework in which there are both visible and invisible signs and feelings of an organisations culture both of which must be addressed (1990: 158), illustrating that it is both tangible and intangible aspect of daily operations. Since then, a number of theories have evolved from this early definition to envision organisational culture as a combination of these components as well as symbols and processes, which provide fluidity and flexibility for cultures to shift and change based on both dynamic internal and external factors (Hatch 1993: 657). There are three key theoretical views of culture in organisations that help to explain how culture works and what it achieves. First, the integrative theory sees culture as a means of achieving some sort of a consensus across the organisation in which there is general agreement and united effort toward a common goal and purpose (Martin 2002: 94). The differentiation theory maintains that there may be subcultures or groups within an organisation that share a common belief but that may diverge from an overall consensus (Martin 2002: 94). Then, there is the fragmentation theory, which maintains that there may always be ambiguity and conflict within any type of culture but that it is necessary in order to adapt, be flexible, and be open to change (Martin 2002: 94). These last two theories contend that these types of organisational cultures are often found in large organisations, particularly those that are global in nature (Bush 2003: 160). There are also typologies of organi sational cultures that have been developed within theoretical frameworks as a way to categorise certain approaches to developing a culture. For instance, Quinn McGrath (1985: 318) created four types of organisational structuresHierarchy, Market, Adhocracy, and Clan) that correlated with four cultural typesHierarchical, Rational, Ideological, and Consensual. These have then been used as benchmarks for organisations that are looking to adapt their cultures or bring structure to what has become a fragmented culture in order to take advantage of the of cultural types and accompanying behaviours and ideals in hopes of improving their performance. Theories on Managing Organisational Culture Since many theorists contend that organisational culture very much impacts an organisations ability to attract and retain talent, achieve specific performance levels that achieve profitability, and grow and expand operations (Denison and Mishra 1995: 204), it is clear that culture must be crafted, shaped, and managed in an effective way in order for it to help those within the organisation realise certain strategic objectives. This is especially important in a business environment that is becoming more turbulent and unstable as well as one that requires specific cultural change when the external environment and demands shift as well as dynamic internal changes occur, especially when dealing with mergers of two organisations with different cultures (Ashkanasy et al. 2000: 261). For example, one study found a direct correlation between company performance, using annual growth rates in sales, equity ratio, and the rate of return on its total assets, when study 88 Japanese o rganisations of various sizes (Kono 1990: 11). The highest performance rates were in those companies that had a vitalised, follow the leader culture and a vitalised culture versus those cultures that were stagnant, follow the leader and stagnant, and bureaucratic (Kono 1990: 12). Often, the cultures that were stagnant and bureaucratic were found in the larger organisations as well as those that had older employees versus those organisations that were newer, younger, and more flexible in their cultures (Kono 1990: 17). Hence, a number of traits have to be in place and carefully managed to formulate an organisational culture that will become embedded in the organisation and become part of the daily behaviours of all that work there. One theory of organisational culture suggests that there are four key traits that management must nurture, namely consistency, adaptability, involvement, and mission (Denison and Mishra 1995: 204). These traits also involve other effective behavio urs that have been identified for helping an organisational culture focus on the right aspects of business, and these include â€Å"flexibility, openness, and responsiveness† as â€Å"strong predictors of growth† (Denison and Mishra 1995: 204). Additionally, other behaviours that are essential with a business culture include profitability predictors, such as â€Å"integration, direction, and vision† (Denison and Mishra 1995: 204). Even more current literature suggests the need for an organisational culture to focus on these three behaviours as a formula for success. Schein referred to the development and management of these traits as cultural embedding, which is primarily the responsibility of an organisations leader and management team based on what they determine are the most important values, traits, and goals to have for the organisation to achieve what it intends to do (Miner 2007: 321). It is the set of ideologies that an organisations leader has, according to existing theories on the subject, which will direct how the culture is developed and what ideals and values are encouraged (Ashkanasy et al. 2000: 262). In order to maintain the cultural embedding and ensure the right culture is developed at both the overall level and among the developing subculture framework, it is then up to the leader and management to ensure some types of control mechanisms are in place over the tangible and intangible aspects of the organisation, including the â€Å"(1) organizational structure and design, (2) organizational procedures and systems, (3) the design of buildings and physical space, (4) stories and myths regarding important people and events, and (5) formal statements of organizational philosophies and missions† (Miner 2007: 321). A similar school contends that the notion of organisational culture is based on the premise that people within an organisation act out their roles and responsibilities in response to how t hey define the concept of work and how their organisation rewards or punishes that definition of work, which then determines how they respond to those cultural beliefs (Chan 2000: 83; Alvesson 1993: 118). As such, managers would need to shape their organisational culture in such a way to help influence their workers definition of the concept of work so that they can maximise their talent and increase productivity in order to achieve their objectives. Again, this returns to the notion of cultural embedding where the management and leadership must imbue this culture into each individual within their organisation to influence beliefs and behaviours (Chan 2000: 83). Because many of the concepts involved in culture tend to be intangible and somewhat hidden, including beliefs and values that may be hard to discern or articulate, the available management theories contend that it is up the leadership to take up the cause and communicate what the values and beliefs mean on a regular and consistent basis as part of the embedding process (Bush 2003: 160; Smircich 1985: 58). Additionally, the theories contend that leadership must also take up the cause of culture by creating and encouraging specific rituals and ceremonies, such as reward programmes, employee meetings, and other tactics that are designed to reinforce the values and beliefs of the organisations (Bush 2003: 161). Effective intervention by leadership in an organisation can help adjust the culture to where it should be in order to meet strategic objectives. Theorists believe that leadership can enact this type of cultural shift through consensus building with the organisational members, focusing on trust and relationship-building both internally and externally, directing high levels of communication and feedback throughout the organisation, providing the necessary training and knowledge transfer, and, most importantly, leading by example (Deal and Kennedy 1982: 189). These tactics by managemen t are particularly essential for larger organisations that may have subcultures, including those with multiple locations, which may need to change or adapt to an overall organisational shift in strategy or beliefs, such as a movement to an environmentally sensitive culture or a culture that is more customer-focused. Conclusions It is important to remember that, more often than not, theory is one thing and practice is something that is usually entirely different because it involves the dynamics of the real world as well as a wide range of human personalities, behaviours, and leadership styles that make organisational culture into its own specific process within a wide array of organisations. However, these theories provide a foundation for organisations to learn how to adapt their behaviours and beliefs to better achieve their performance goals and strategic objectives. It is the leadership that sets the tone and shapes the cultural structure just like the leader of a country convinces the majority of its citizens to uphold certain beliefs and values. So, too, will those managing the masses within an organisation as they are responsible for guiding how work is perceived—and this can be in a positive or negative way—which then determines how those within the culture will enact it with each other, customers, and other stakeholders. Leading the way must be the head of the organisation along with the entire management team who can articulate and reward the behaviours and beliefs that they see as their ideal organisational culture, helping those within the organisation better understand the types of tangible and intangible components are essential for success. References Alvesson, M. (1993). Cultural Perspectives on Organisations. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Ashkanasy, N.M., Wilderom, C., and Peterson, M.F. (Eds.). (2000). Handbook of Organizational Culture and Climate. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications Inc. Bush, T. (2003). Theories of Educational Leadership and Management. London, UK: Sage Publications, Ltd. Chan, A. (2000). Critically Constituting Organization. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Deal T. and Kennedy, A. A. (1982). Corporate Cultures. Reading, Massachusetts.: Addison-Wesley. Denison, D.R. and Mishra, A.K. (1995) â€Å"Toward a theory of organizational culture and effectiveness.† Organization Science, Vol. 6, No.2, 204-223. Ford, L. (2008). The Fourth Factor: Managing Corporate Culture. Indianapolis, Indiana: Dog Ear Publishing. Hatch, M.J. (1993). â€Å"The dynamics organizational culture.† The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 18, No. 4, 657-693. Kono, T. (1990). â€Å"Corporate culture and long range planning.† Long Range Planning, 9-19. Martin, J. (1992). Cultures in Organizations Three Perspectives. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Martin, J. (2002). Organisational Culture: Mapping the Terrain. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications Inc. Miner, J.B. (2007). Organizational Behavior: From Theory to Practice. New York: M.E. Sharpe Inc. Pfister, J.A. (2009). Managing Organizational Culture for Effective Internal Control. Berlin, Germany: Physica-Verlag. Quinn, R. E. and McGrath, M. R. (1985). â€Å"The transformation of organizational cultures: A competing values perspective.† In Frost, P.J. et al. (Eds.), Organizational Culture, Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications, 315-334. Rousseau, D. M. (1990). â€Å"Assessing organisational culture: The case for multiple methods. In Schneider, B. (Ed.), Organisational Climate and Culture, Oxford, UK: Jossey-Bass. Schein, E.H. (1988). Org anizational Culture. Sloan School of Management Working Papers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Schein, E.H. (1992). Organizational Culture and Leadership, 2nd Edition. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass. Sims, R.R. (2002). Managing Organizational Behavior. Westport, Connecticut: Quorum Books. Smircich, L. (1985). â€Å"Is the concept of culture a paradigm for understanding organizations and ourselves?† In Frost, P.J. et al. (Eds.), Organizational Culture, Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications, 55-72.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Essay about The Importance of Grendel and the Dragon in...

The Importance of Grendel and the Dragon in Beowulf â€Å"In my youth I engaged in many wars†, Beowulf boasts to his warriors, which is certainly true. Throughout his life, he faces many deadly foes, all of which he handily defeats, save one. His story focuses on the most challenging, as well as morally significant of foes, Grendel and the dragon. These creatures reveal much about society as well as Christian virtue at the time. Even after Grendel and the dragon are defeated physically, the two monsters pose a new threat to the hero on a higher plane. Beowulf is not only at risk of losing his life, but his humanity, virtue, and even spirituality. The first beast the hero faces is the wicked Grendel. At first he appears to be a†¦show more content†¦After Beowulf defeats Grendel’s mother, Hrothgar warns him of such a fate though a tale of the warrior Heremod. When a mighty warrior kills, he loses a fraction of his humanity. The more he kills, the more he develops a killer instinct. Unless he keeps this instinct in check and reminds himself that he fights and kills for a cause, he becomes a monster. In the case of Heremod, â€Å"he grew great not for their joy, but for their slaughter, for the destruction of Danish people†. Hrothgar knows a mighty warrior such as Beowulf will take the lives of many in his time, and urges him to be mindful of his tale. This knowledge, not the defeat of Grendel and his mother, is Beowulf’s true victory. One would argue that Beowulf was noble and wise enough to realize such a lesson on his own. However, there are several passages in the text where Beowulf bears a resemblance to not only Grendel, but Heremod as well. Before his first meeting with Grendel, the hero is â€Å"lying awake for the fierce foe, with heart swollen in anger . . .† . In the following paragraph, Grendel himself is described as â€Å"driven by evil desire, swollen with rage . . .† Finally, in Hrothgar’s tale, â€Å"with swollen heart he [Heremod] killed his table-companions . . .† This is not mere coincidence, but proof that Beowulf has that bloodlust and his humanity is endangered. However, through the wise words of Hrothgar, he isShow MoreRelatedEssay on Beowulf study guide1576 Words   |  7 Pages1) Describe how we find King Hrothgar and his response to learning that Beowulf has come to his kingdom. A. The king is sad and depressed that his kingdom has fallen into such a state of disrepair. He is overjoyed to learn that Beowulf, whom he knows from stories and his father, Ecgtheow, has come to fight Grendel. Hrothgar promises Beowulf treasure if he can defeat the monster. 2) In the beginning of â€Å"Beowulf,† King Hrothgar’s hall has been deserted for twelve years. In a short essay, tell whyRead MoreBeowulf Archetype Analysis724 Words   |  3 PagesThrough difficult situations Beowulf developed a never-ending faith in God, and a realization that material goods aren’t all that matter. The possibly most important archetype used in this book is â€Å"Religion†. God is referred to by many names. He is referred to as the Almighty Father, Heavenly Shepard, Lord of the Ages, and the God of the Ages. Religion is a major part of the story. The many names God is referred to by contributes largely to the development of the importance of religion. â€Å"He would’veRead MoreTheme Of Heroism In Beowulf1544 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf demonstrates the qualities and traits of being an ideal hero. In the poem it explores Beowulf ‘s heroism in two distinct stages which are youth and age. Beowulf has three separate and very difficult conflicts that involve Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the dragon. When you are viewing these major encounters with the three different people Beowulf demonstrates the importance of heroic code. There is a much clearer division between Beowulf’s adolescent heroism as a warrior as well as in onesRead MoreThe Becoming O f An Epic Hero1240 Words   |  5 PagesBecoming Of an Epic Hero Beowulf became the epic hero he was, from his will for his love to succeed, his strength to never give up even if it meant death .He existed trying to become like his father or even to surpass him. He defeated the dragon and his pride lead him to his death, but he saved so many lives before his inevitable demise. He gave his life for what he believed in, for honor, pride and for his people. Which in turn creates the next hero, Wiglaf who served Beowulf willing to give his lifeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Beowulf And The Genesis Of The Beowulf1321 Words   |  6 Pageswhich is a recurring theme throughout in Beowulf. In the epic, not only did Beowulf seeks wergild for the death of his friend, but Grendel’s mother looks to avenge her son’s death. The need for wergild is a constant theme in the epic. In order to understand the poem Beowulf and the importance of wergild, one must understand the time period it was written and its purpose. Leonard Neidorf discusses in the article, â€Å"VII Ethelred and the Genesis of the Beowulf Manuscript† that the English leaders inRead MoreGrendel1242 Words   |  5 PagesGrendel as a Ridiculous Character Probably one of the greatest questions of the 19th century comes directly from John Gardner’s novel Grendel. Given a world with no inherent meaning, how should one live his or her life? Grendel lives in a world that he is not supposed to be in, acting out on emotion. Grendel represents the animalistic traits of humans. His actions are primitive and based around society’s acceptance throughout the novel. Grendel portrays a ridiculous character that is convincedRead MoreBeowulf Essay : Battle Comparison1266 Words   |  6 PagesBeowulf essay: Battle comparison In the poem â€Å"Beowulf† the protagonist encounters three enemies of large proportions: Grendel the serpent, Grendel’s Mother, and a Dragon. All these creatures pose a large and terrifying threat that need a special protagonist to fight what the land’s strongest warriors could not accomplish. Before monks wrote this fabled tale in the form of a poem, Beowulf captured the attention of its listeners and teach them lessons about their cultural society and how to act inRead MoreCharacteristics Of Beowulf1100 Words   |  5 Pagessociety. In the days of Beowulf and the Vikings, a hero was a man who was strong, courageous, and willing to protect his land and provide for his people. In today’s world, a hero is someone who is known for their selflessness and bravery. Beowulf is described as an epic hero before he even speaks a word in the story. He is described as mightiest man on earth, the noble warrior, and the man whose name was known for courage, the Grea t leader. These opening quotes about Beowulf alone make it seem likeRead MoreEssay Beowulf: Epic or Elegy?763 Words   |  4 PagesWriting Lab III Beowulf: Epic or Elegy? Beowulf is a poem written in manuscript form created in England sometime between the years 700 and 1000AD. The author is unknown to this day. Is Beowulf an epic poem or an elegy? An epic is â€Å"a long narrative poem in elevated style presenting characters of high position in adventures forming an organic whole through their relation to a central heroic figure and through their development of episodes important to the history of a nation or race† (HarmonRead MoreChristianinty in Beowulf686 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is an epic poem that is highly revered by scholars. The poem focalizes on the hero Beowulf – a Geat belonging to Sweden – and his journey to capturing immortality through his achievements and legacy: Beowulf secures victories in vicious fights with baneful creatures. A religious presence – of both Christian and Pagan beliefs – seems to be steadfast, all through Beowulf’s battles; on the account of these battles, readers can infer that even the strongest heroes need spiritual assistance or

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Holo After free essay sample

World War differed from its predecessors, mainly by the magnitude, intensity, and mechanized nature of the killing. The landscape of World War I is the domain of the innocent, inhabited by souls who never expected to end up in them, ND conforming to no rational plan or logic decipherable by their victims (Bartok 33).As Bartok says in his essay on Industrial Killing: The predicament of the individual soldier on the modern battlefield, argue, was confronted both on the technical, practical level, by inventing and producing new technologies which freed the armies from the fate of being pinned down by the combination of trenches, barbed-wire, machine guns and artillery, and on the representational level, by forging a new ideology and producing a new imagery of heroism and liberation. In the course of the First World War, and throughout the interwar period, the inevitability of a perpetual cycle of industrial killing on an ever greater scale in the future was accepted by all but a small minority of Europeans. We will write a custom essay sample on Holo After or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Similarly, the Nazis based their intentions and policies throughout an articulated, shared understanding of Jews, namely their eliminations, racial anti-Semitism (Collagen 132). By 1939, the Germans had succeeded in rendering the Jews socially dead with German society.The Germans had ensued policies towards the Jews that repeated, encouraged, tolerated violence against Jews, and promulgated social separation of Jews from Germans. The Germans witnessed the promulgation of almost two thousand laws and administrative regulations that degraded the countrys Jews, in a manner and degree that no minority in Europe had suffered. Industry and finance played an important role in the expropriations in the forced labor system and even in the gassing of the victims.By the year 1942, the Nazi Regime conceived a more methodical way of committing a mass murder, and established crematorium death amps. The killing centers worked quickly and efficiently. A system of railway lines transported Jews to the killing factories, where they were carefully murdered in a step-by-step technique. The Germans would mask their fatal intentions by telling the victims they were resettling to the east. A man would step off a train in the morning and in the evening his corpse was burned and his clothes were packed away for shipment to Germany (Hilbert 863).The destruction of the Jews constituted the work of a far-flung administrative machine. No special agency was created and no special budget was devised to destroy the Jews of Europe. It was managed by the bureaucracy, military, and political organizations. Each organization played a specific role in the process and each found the means to carry out its task. As mentioned before, the Holocaust has become the standard by which ethical responses are judged. What is our responsibility to a neighbor in need- -or to a stranger? Will we once again remain bystanders in the face of evil?

Thursday, December 5, 2019

General Motors free essay sample

A look at the largest manufacturer, designer, builder,and marketer of cars and trucks throughout the world since 1921. This paper examines the history of General Motors and its current economic status. The writer explains the four geographical regions that GM operates in, and compares the results of each of these. It then looks at GMs sales its major successes and its less popular cars. The current economic slump in the United States has also had its effect on GM and this problem is analyzed, including examining the latest financial reports of the company. General Motors was founded in 1908 and has been the largest manufacturer, designer, building and marketer of cars and trucks throughout the world since 1921. It sells vehicles in more than 200 countries worldwide and maintains assembly, manufacturing, distribution or warehousing operations in 53 of these countries. In 2000, it sold 8.6 million cars and trucks constituting 15.1% of the entire world vehicle market (the worlds biggest share) at . We will write a custom essay sample on General Motors or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 5 billion net sales and $184.6 billion in revenues. (General Motors). It envisions itself as the enduring world leader in transportation products and related services, whose goal is to maintain this position through enlightened customer enthusiasm and continuous improvement, driven by the integrity, team work and innovation of its employees. (General Motors)

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Iran Essays (3928 words) - Iranian Revolution, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Iran Iran is a country located in the Middle East. The main source of income for the country is oil, the one object that had greatly influenced its history. Iran's present government is run as an Islamic Republic. A president, cabinet, judicial branch, and Majilesor or legislative branch, makes up the governmental positions. A revolution that overthrew the monarch, which was set in 1930, lasted over 15 years. Crane Brinton's book, An Anatomy of a Revolution, explains set of four steps a country experiences when a revolution occurs. Symptoms, rising fever, crisis, and convalescence are the steps that occur. The Iranian Revolution followed the four steps in Crane Brinton's theory, symptoms, rising fever, crisis, and convalescence occurred. Numerous symptoms led to the crumbling downfall of Reza Shah Pahlavi, ruler of Iran until 1978. One of these symptoms is rising expectations which can be seen during the 1960's and 70's. The rich Shah cleared the way for the land reform law, enacted in 1962. The land minority had to give up its land to the government, and among those stripped of land, were the Shi'ah Muslims. Iran's power structure was radically changed in a program termed the "White Revolution". On January 26, 1963, the White Revolution was endorsed by the nation. By 1971, when land distribution ended, about 2,500,000 families of the farm population benefited from the reforms. From 1960-72 the percentage of owner occupied farmland in Iran rose from 26 to 78 percent. Per capita income rose from $176 in 1960 to $2,500 in 1978. From 1970-77 the gross national product was reported to increase to an annual rate of 7.8% ("Iran" 896). As a result of this thriving economy, the income gap rapidly widened. Exclusive homes, extravagant restaurants, and night clubs and streets loaded with expensive automobiles served as daily reminders of a growing income spread. This created a perfect environment for many conflicts to arise between the classes. Iran's elite class consisted of wealthy land owners, intelligencia, military leaders, politicians, and diplomats. The Elite continued to support the monarchy and the Shah. The peasants were victim of unfulfilled political expectations, surveillance by the secret police, and the severe social and economic problems that resulted from modernization. The middle class favored socialism over capitalism, because capitalism in their view supported the elite, and does not benefit the lower classes. The middle class was the most changeable element in the group, because they enjoyed some of the privileges of the elite, which they would like to protect. At the same time, they believed that they had been cheated by the elite out of their share of the industrialization wealth (Orwin 43). About this time, the middle class, which included students, technocrats, and modernist professionals, became discontent with the economy. The key event should have further stabilized the royal dictatorship, but the increase in oil prices and oil income beginning in 1974 caused extreme inflation. This was due to the investment strategy followed by the Shah, which led to a spectacular 42% growth rate in 1974. (Cottam 14). And because of the Shah's support structure which enabled the new rich to benefit from inflation, the government effort to deal with inflation was aimless. Poor Iranians and Iranians with a fixed income suffered major losses in real income. Better standards of living were no longer visible. Thus, the majority of the Iranian people developed a revolutionary predisposition. As the middle class became discontent in Iran throughout the 1970's, the desertion of intellectuals could be found in great excess. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini represented much of the discontent of the religious sector of Iran. For speaking out against the Shah's autocratic rule, Khomeini was exiled to Turkey in 1963. In 1965, Khomeini moved to Iraq where he became the central spokesperson for expatriate opposition to the Shah. On October 6, 1978, Khomeini was expelled from Iraq and moved to Paris, where he was accessible to a larger body of opposition forces. He was also accessible to the Western Press. Khomeini preached that he would displace the Shah and expel the foreigners. He also said he would enforce religious and traditional values, and redirect Iran's wealth away from large industrialization schemes and toward reforms needed by the

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Westernization vs. Latin America essays

Westernization vs. Latin America essays Ever since Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in the famous year of 1492, the New world encountered new teachings and beliefs that challenged their traditional ones. Spanish conquistadors undertook a colonization of the Americas which would determine the fate of the indigenous population for centuries to come. After razing the existing American society, the Spaniards colonized the Americas and constructed a new society: a society full of Westernizing influences. The majority of the indigenous population of the Americas had preestablished beliefs and practices, and, consequently, clashed with the influences of Westernization. This can be seen in much of the exported Latin American conquest and colonial literature, and, in particular, the writings of Carlos Maria Bustamante in the early 19th century, and Rigoberta Menchu in the late 20th century. Both Bustamantes Proclamation 1820- The Malinche of the Constitution and Menchus I, Rigoberta Menchu express the struggle which indigenous cultures are experiencing as they try to maintain their native values and practices. Two facets of society greatly affected by Westernization were religion and education. Under the Encomienda System, natives were required to adopt the Catholic beliefs of the colonists. Although not technically in effect in the 19th century, this aspect of the Encomienda System lingered on. Albeit not wholly enforced, the Constitution that was in effect in the 19th century outlawed any repression of ones religious beliefs. In an effort to maintain indigenous cultural values and practices, Bustamante directly communicates the Constitution to the native population, and tells them the rights constituted to them. Among these rights, Bustamante writes, is the ability to perform religious dances in public sanctuaries without being fined. The latter is illustrated in a quote from The Proclamation..., ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Annotated Bibliograpgy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Annotated Bibliograpgy - Essay Example (2007)] 7. Healing Emotional and Psychological Trauma [Help Guide (2008)] 8. Strategies to prevent injury [Abernethy L. & Bleakley C. (2007)] 9. Future trends in treatment of sport injuries [Niams.nih (2009)] 10. Conclusion Annotated Bibliography 1. Smith, R.E., Smoll1, F.L. Ptacek1, J. T. (1989). Conjunctive Moderator Variables in Vulnerability and Resiliency Research: Life Stress, Social Support and Coping Skills, and Adolescent Sport Injuries. University of Washington. This source focuses on demonstrating the conjunctive impacts of two psychological factors; psychological coping skills and social support. The source gives a overview of the number of injuries that occur among athletes in the US. The injuries are mainly caused by biomechanical and physical factors and to some level by psychosocial factors. Referring to studies conducted in the past, the authors state that some moderator variables may affect the relationship that exists between vulnerability to injury and life events . The source advocates teaching athletes psychological coping skills and increasing social support with an aim of increasing their resiliency. 2. Birrer,  D.,  Horvath,  S., Meyer,  S.,  Moesch,  K.,  &  Seiler,  R. (2007). ... The source specifically seeks to establish if the stability of various psychological variables impacts rehabilitation. Some of the variables that are investigated include anxiety, social support, self control, internal locus of control and degree of adherence among others. This source is important in establishing the relationship that exists between various factors and how well rehabilitation of athletics who get injured in the course of playing respond to treatment. 3. Glazer,  D.  (2009). â€Å"Development and Preliminary Validation of the Injury-Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport (I-PRRS) Scale†.  Journal of Athletic Training,  44(2),  185-189.   This source focuses on the effects of injuries to sports people. The source states that apart from physical injuries, sports people undergo psychological distress in the event that they get hurt in the process of playing. Some of the predisposing factors to athletes’ injuries are psychosocial in nature ac cording to Glazer. The effects of returning to the field before sports people fully recover from psychological effects that result from injury include depression, lower performance, anxiety, fear, re-injury as well as possible injury of other body parts. The source emphasizes that there is need to measure athletes’ confidence levels before they are allowed to return to the playfield after sustaining injuries in order to avoid or mitigate the aforementioned effects. Glazer discusses the scales used to measure how ready or confident sports people are to engage in sporting activities after suffering injuries while playing. 4. Help Guide (2008) Healing Emotional and Psychological Trauma Symptoms, Treatment, and Recovery.