KEY INTERNAL & EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS OF CHANGE

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

CONTEMPORARY CHANGE ISSUES

TOPIC KEY

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL

Buy cheap KEY INTERNAL & EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS OF CHANGE term paper

ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS OF CHANGE

MAY 00

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

. IDENTIFICATION OF INTERNAL & EXTERNAL CHANGE FACTORS IN THE INDUSTRY

ENVIRONMENT

. ESTIMATE THE STRENGTH OF THE IMPACT OF EACH OF THE FORCES FOR CHANGE ON INDUSTRY

4. DISTINGUISH AND IDENTIFY THOSE CRITICAL FACTORS DRIVING CHANGE AT INDUSTRY LEVEL

5. INDICATE THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FROM EACH OF THESE CRITICAL FACTORS

6. SUMMARISE THE LIKELY DIRECTION OF FUTURE CHANGES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

7. POSSIBLE ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSES TO THE CRITICAL FACTORS DRIVING CHANGE

8. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TYPE OF RESPONSE MADE TO CRITICAL FACTORS

DRIVING CHANGE

. CONCLUSION

10. BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. INTRODUCTION

In this report the various internal and external elements of the industry environment from which change may arise will be identified and classified into several broad groupings.

The strength of the impact of each of these factors for change on industry will be estimated and the most critical factors presently driving change at the industry level will be identified from the list. The report will indicate the direction of change of these critical factors and the likely direction of future changes will be summarised. Finally, the different types of responses that organisations can make to the critical factors driving change and their consequences will be outlined.

. IDENTIFICATION OF INTERNAL & EXTERNAL CHANGE FACTORS IN THE INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT

The environment in which contemporary business organisations operate is undergoing continuous and rapid change. The range of forces that can cause changes to occur in organisations and industries fall into two broad categories

1. Those forces which stem from external sources and

. Those forces which arise from factors which are internal to the organisation or industry in which it operates.

The forces for change within these two broad categories can be classified into a number of groupings which are identified below under each category

EXTERNAL FORCES OF CHANGE

"External change refers to change over which we have very little control. Its introduction is seen as inevitable and outside the sphere and control of most individual managers and when it occurs it create situations over which {managers and organisations] have little control."[Australian Management - a first line perspective p 11].

These external forces are usually macro environmental forces which the affected organisations and industries must react and adapt to because they cannot influence either their magnitude or direction.

External forces of change arise from a number of sources. These can generally be classified into a number of separate groupings such as

Demography ; Economic Conditions; Competition; Social & Cultural Forces; Political & Legal Forces and Technology.

For example the following would be classified as external forces of change

- changes in demographic characteristics such as changes in socio economic status, rising or falling disposable income, changes in age or ethnic composition, changes towards higher density housing and improved infrastructure.

- changing economic conditions such as changing interest rates and exchange rates, rising costs of labour, transport and raw materials, falling tariff protection and booms and busts.

- increased competition form lower priced or better quality products or from new innovations introduced by competitors which improved their performance and efficiency.

- changes in cultural and social factors such as changes over time in customer attitudes and tastes (eg trend away from smoking & fast foods with high fat content and towards healthier lifestyles), in trends towards increased interest in outdoor leisure activities, trends towards certain types of family cars (eg 4-wheel drives), and changes in ethnic and religious composition due to migration policy causing changes in tastes, interests, level and nature of demand for goods and in spending patterns.

-

- changes in the legal environment such as new laws to control business (eg anti-collusion and anti monopoly laws and laws to increase competition), new anti-discrimination, equal opportunity and unfair dismissal laws and new taxation laws such as the Goods & Services Tax and Business Activities Statements recently introduced into Australia.

- Political forces such as Gatt Agreements, changing tariffs, globalisation, migration policy affecting composition and skills of migrant intakes, political uncertainty incl. threats of terrorism and war affecting overall confidence of entrepreneurs and consumers and influencing investment, travel & vacation decisions and spending patterns.

- Technological changes may render existing technology obsolescent and produce irresistible pressure to introduce new technology to replace existing technology in order to increase efficiency, quality and reduce costs to match increased competition from rivals eg Computerised machinery replacing labour intensive machinery or changes in quality and type of personal entertainment products such as the evolution from cassette tapes to vinyl records to CD's to DVD's, changes from videos to DVD's, related changes in equipment needed to play and record music and video. Changes from film cameras to digital still cameras and from video cameras to digital movie cameras or new products replacing old eg. Word processors replacing type writers, digital mobile phones and television sets replacing analogue phones and TV sets.

INTERNAL FORCES OF CHANGE

On the other hand, "internal changes are those changes over which we may have some control. These are changes we introduce ourselves rather than have others introduce them for us. Internal changes are generally introduced to enable an organisation to meet or pre-empt changes in its environment."

In contrast to external changes, the internal changes that occur within organisations are those which arise from the decisions and plans of the organisation's management "for which managers have control and direct responsibility " and therefore "more opportunity to make it work."[Australian Management - a first line perspective p 11].

Internal forces of change can arise from a number of different sources. These sources can generally be classified into a number of separate groupings such as

Production Facilities; Organisational Structure; Organisational Culture; Financial Capability; Human Resources; Company Location; Research & Development Capability and Company Image.

For example the following would be classified as internal forces of change

- changes in the production systems through innovations and or introduction of new technology due to changes in technology occurring in the industry, which result in improved efficiency and lower production costs.

- changes in organisational structure, for instance from a rigid hierarchical structure to a more flexible and empowering team based structure which is able to respond and adapt more quickly to changing customer tastes and expectations and to rapid environmental changes.

- changes in the organisational culture brought about by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses for continued organisational success and through explaining the benefits and need for change so it is less resistant, less conservative and more conductive to the introduction of managed change at all levels.

- Falling sales revenue arising from falling demand for products and falling prices or steady demand and prices in the face of rising costs for labour and raw materials which can't be passed on in higher selling prices or the high costs of necessary capital expenditure to remain competitive would adversely affect the financial capability of the organisation and its ability.

- changes and adjustments in human resource recruitment, selection and training systems to reflect the organisation's need for individuals with differing skills and the high cost of training and development activities to bring about the required change in the knowledge, skills and perceptions of individual staff supplemented by performance appraisals. [Managing Innovation and Change p1.]

- changes in company location may be necessary to maintain profitability. For instance, a competitor may centralise production in a single plant in a location with low labour costs and gain economies of scale and distribute globally from this large plant. This may threaten the ability of a rival company, whose production occurs in small plants located in a variety of countries to compete, because of their much higher production costs. [Managing Innovation and Change p1.]

- improving research and development capability may be required to keep pace with or stay ahead of the competition by enabling the organisation to focus on areas likely to yield "product breakthroughs" in the form of new products or improvements to existing products which can be marketed in advance of rivals with good profit margins.

- company image may need to be changed to maintain market share and future survival. For example, tobacco companies have made changes to their image by diversifying into other industries. Companies who are forced to make product recalls must do this in a way that restores customer confidence in their product to maintain or regain lost market share.

. ESTIMATE THE STRENGTH OF THE IMPACT OF EACH OF THE FORCES FOR CHANGE ON INDUSTRY

There has been "fierce domestic and foreign competition during the past decade." This has fuelled change and innovation in organisations. It has resulted in increased expenditure on research and development and accelerated changes in technology. Declining financial capability due to loss of market share or declining sales due to technical obsolescence of production facilities or product range or changing consumer expectations have influenced organisational change. Laws designed to protect the environmental and allow litigation by consumers affected by exposure to dangerous products (eg tobacco; asbestos) have led to change. Government regulations such as anti discrimination laws, EEO, Occupational Health and Safety laws and taxation changes have also led to organisational change. Poor company image arising from changes in social and cultural factors (eg health concerns about fat content of fast foods) have led to changes to improve the company's image. Other social cultural factors (eg trend for baby boomers to eat at home) has resulted in changes being made by the take away food outlets to cater for this change. Forces of change have also led to organisational cultural shifts and organisational restructuring. Production changes have occurred due to demands for improved quality. Changing technology has forced changes in human resource practices and increased emphasis on training to enable workers to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge. Company location has also influenced change in some sectors of industry where it has impacted on the cost of production. [Managing Innovation and Change p 1, 01.] [Ref5-p. ]

The estimated strength of the impact on change of these forces are indicated in the tables below

(i) EXTERNAL FORCES Demography ; Economic Conditions; Competition; Social & Cultural Forces; Political & Legal Forces and Technology.

No. FORCE ESTIMATED STRENGTH OF IMPACT FOR CHANGE

1 Demographic Low

Economic Conditions Medium to High

Competition High

4 Social & Cultural Factors Low to Medium

5 Political & Legal High

6 Technology High

(ii) INTERNAL FORCES Production Facilities; Organisational Structure; Organisational Culture; Financial Capability; Human Resources; Company Location; Research & Development Capability and Company Image.

No. FORCE ESTIMATED STRENGTH OF IMPACT FOR CHANGE

1 Production Facilities Medium

Organisational Structure Medium

Organisational Culture Medium

4 Financial Capability Medium to High

5 Human Resources Medium

6 Company Location Medium

7 R & D Medium to High

8 Company Image Low to Medium

4. DISTINGUISH AND IDENTIFY THOSE CRITICAL FACTORS DRIVING CHANGE AT

INDUSTRY LEVEL

The critical external factors driving change at the industry level are

Economic Conditions; Competition; Legal Forces and Technology.

The critical internal factors driving change at the industry level are

Production Facilities; Organisational Structure; Organisational Culture; Financial Capability; Research & Development Capability.

5. INDICATE THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FROM EACH OF THESE CRITICAL FACTORS

The direction of change from the critical factors identified above are indicated in the tables below

(i) EXTERNAL FORCES Economic Conditions; Competition; Legal Forces and Technology.

No. FORCE DIRECTION OF CHANGE

1 Economic Conditions Upward pressure

Competition Upward pressure

Legal Upward pressure

4 Technology Upward pressure

(ii) INTERNAL FORCES Production Facilities; Organisational Structure; Organisational Culture; Financial Capability; Human resources; Research & Development Capability.

No. FORCE DIRECTION OF CHANGE

1 Production Facilities Upward

Organisational Structure Upward

Organisational Culture Upward

4 Financial Capability Upward

5 Human Resources Upward

6 R & D Upward

6. SUMMARISE THE LIKELY DIRECTION OF FUTURE CHANGES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

Taking the manufacturing industry in Australia as an example, the industry will need to change in response to a range of external and internal forces which will affect its operational success in the future.

These include changing economic conditions for this industry in Australia, arising from, the globalisation of markets, the reduction in government protectionist policies, the emphasis on developing export industries able to compete with the rest of the world on price and quality, the push for achieving world's best practice, becoming a knowledge nation, being at the cutting edge of technology, reacting to interest and exchange rate changes and changing financial and work practices in response to changes in business activity reporting and taxation laws and the new responsibilities for risk management and employee consultation imposed by new Occupational Health and Safety laws.

As a result of these conditions, in summary, therefore in relation to the manufacturing industry in Australia, it is likely that

· within this industry, the direction of future change will be upward, in most if not all of the critical external and internal factors identified above.

7. POSSIBLE ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSES TO THE CRITICAL FACTORS DRIVING

CHANGE

In order to remain viable and successful, organisations need to respond to the external and internal changes in their environment in appropriate ways that benefit the organisation.

Organisational success depends significantly on the effectiveness of its responses and adaptations to the constantly changing external and internal environment in which it operates. [Australian Management - a first line perspective p 117].

Organisational reactions to change may be either proactive or reactive.

"Reactive change …[is] generally… designed to alleviate problems imposed upon the organisation by a changing environment and is often classified as a knee-jerk reaction to unforeseen (or ignored) changes in the working environment." If an organisation waits until it is forced to change by the changing environment (reactive) its managers can lose "the opportunities to plan the change better and benefit from its introduction."

"In contrast, proactive change is planned [change] in response to the anticipated future environmental constraints [or forces] that will act upon an organisation." [Australian Management - a first line perspective p 11].

8. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TYPE OF RESPONSE MADE TO CRITICAL FACTORS

DRIVING CHANGE

Managed change which is proactive and planned is the preferred organisational response to the environmental forces faced by an organisation. The initiation of managed change often occurs in an attempt to improve performance and to counter forecast declines in performance which are anticipated if change is not introduced.

Although planned change involves forecasting the future environment and actual future conditions may vary somewhat from these forecasts "anticipated change is less stressful [for the organisation and its staff] than unexpected change." Also, when managed, proactive and planned change occurs in response to the critical factors driving change, rather than reactive change, the overall effect and impact of the changes is much more likely to be beneficial to the long term interests and continued success of the organisation. [Australian Management - a first line perspective p 11].

CONCLUSION

In today's climate an organisation's survival may depend on using successful strategies that achieve a regular renewal of the organisation in the face of competition and other external pressures for change. [Reference No. 5 page 1.]

Most organisations must be ready to cope with the external and internal factors that bring about the changing environments in which the organisation operates. The changing environment will offer opportunities and threats to an organisation. To assist them to analyse their environment an organisation can carry out a TOES analysis.

This process starts with an examination of the threats and opportunities for the organisation which are present in their external environment and then proceeds to an examination of the organisations internal environment in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. This is preferable to a SWOT analysis because you have to know what the threats and opportunities are in the external environment before you look at your strengths and weakness and develop appropriate change strategies to deal with those threats and to take full advantage of the available opportunities .

In conclusion, "Managed change should be proactive and planned." The proactive management of change helps to ensure that the changes introduced into the organisation are more predictable, timely and carefully planned and more likely to promote the continued operational success of the organisation. On the other hand, "enforced change implies lack of choice and being forced to do something you would not otherwise do." [Ref 5 p .] Hence in contrast to managed change, it is evident that " Unmanaged change is the basis for a chaotic and unpredictable work environment and in many cases, business failure." [Australian Management - a first line perspective p 118].

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Australian Management A First Line Perspective [Chapter 6.]

. Hand Out DLH/JKQ MACROENVIRO FORCES.doc/500

. Hand Out Chapter 7 - Managing Innovation & Change

4. Hand Out Introduction to Management Chapter 1. Managers and Workforce Diversity (page 14)

& - The Manager's Changing Environment Competition & the Global Economy (page 17).

5. Hand Out Orientation Appendix Supplementary Reading What Causes change (page 17 - 5).

6. RHINESMITH, Stephen H. Managing Organisational Change (pages 1 16).

7. SAVILLE, James & REID, Howard, Managing Operations- Chapter 8 "Managing Change" 16

Prentice Hall; Australia.

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Importance of violence in a Separate Peace

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World War II was a period of violence across globe, and many works of literature of the time reflect this. While works such as All Quite on the Western Front and The Soldier Spies focus on the violence of the war itself, other novels of the period are more about the home life during the war, and have little to do with the hostility in the war. And, while violence does exist in the book A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the scenes contribute to the overall meaning and themes of the story.

There are three essential scenes of violence in the story, each of which helps to emphasize the growth of the main character Gene Forrester throughout his life at Devon school, a school very similar to one Phillips Exeter Academy that Knowles attended as a youth.

The first scene of violence, which happens to be the first of two climaxes, occurs when Gene shakes the limb that he and Finny are standing on, causing Finny to fall to the ground, shattering his leg. The fall seemed to be an accident to anyone who did not know what truly happened. Gene was jealous of Finny's athletic ability, and he feared that Finny was trying to sabotage his academic career, so, in a brief moment; Gene was able to sabotage Finny's athleticism in return.

This scene helps in demonstrating the growth of the boys by emphasizing the immaturity that is also shown through such things as sarcasm, and then, after the fall, the almost immediate growth that Gene experiences. While the jealousy that Gene experienced was a juvenile emotion in itself, the fact that the boys held the Super Secret Society was also fairly immature, since there was a dreadfully real chance of injury or death. Both of these ended after the accident, also this marked the end of Gene's use of sarcasm, which Gene states is a weak, and therefore adolescent, form of communication.

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Later, Gene gets into a fight with the senior crew manager Cliff Quackenbush over an argument they have over Gene's purpose for wanting to be the assistant senior crew manager, a position normally held by a junior in hopes of taking Cliff's position the next year. The fight breaks out after Cliff refers to Gene as a "maimed son-of-a-bitch" (71) thinking that Gene's reasoning for being assistant was because of inability to play another sport.

This scene shows a large growth in maturity from that of the scene of the fall in at least the important aspects to the meaning. The reason for Gene's interest in a position as crew manager came out of sorrow for Finny. He had caused Phineas to lose all chances of playing sports, all from a little paranoia, so therefore he felt that he too should give up sports. He felt he had become a part of Finny. That is why he was so distraught over the comment of being maimed, Finny actually was maimed, and so Gene was taking up for Finny's unfortunate situation.

The final scene of violence came when Gene takes a trip to Vermont to visit Leper who has defected from the army. While talking, Leper reveals that he knows the truth about Finny's fall. From his position, Leper could easily see that Gene had intentionally shaken the branch, causing Finny to fall. Due to his current lack of acceptance of the truth, Gene gets agitated by these statements and ends up knocking over the chair that Leper is sitting in.

This last scene of violence indicates that, while he would not accept it until after Phineas' death, Gene feels terrible over the incident that he put Finny through. The scene contains a struggle between Gene's maturity and immaturity, something that almost every teen his age goes through. While Gene's maturity shows through in his countenance, his anger and frustration show that he is apologetic for the action he committed at the time, his immature reaction of pushing Leper over in his chair show that he has not fully matured in his life yet.

While violence in the book A Separate Peace by John Knowles is often harsh and seemingly pointless, every scene of brutality to any degree helps the reader in understanding the whole of the story. Each scene in the book was carefully planned for the development and execution of the novel's theme, plot and morals.

Bibliography

· Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. New York Bantam. 175.

· Parker, Peter. "A Readers Guide to Twentieth Century Writers." New York Oxford University Press. 16.

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Causes of Teenage Suicides

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"Every ninety minutes a teenager somewhere in America kills himself." This figure is very astonishing and overwhelming, when taken the time to think about. Experts say there are many warning signs to watch for. Among them are prolonged depression, chronic anger, aggression/frustration, threats or mentions of suicide, and a traumatic loss of someone close. If you as a friend notice these signs, you should immediately offer some verbal support to these people.

This pain could be deprived from abuse, problems at home, pressures, exams, money, work, relationships and/or chronic addictions such as drugs and/or alcohol. These series of events are impossibilities or failures, such as problems at home or school, that feel overwhelming to the person. The next phase is when the person begins feeling emotionally broken; as if there is no one there that understands what it is they're feeling and going through. This leads to isolation with their thought and a problem, which is unhealthy because it gives them time to ponder over all of their worries. Eventually, if no one notices this problem, it could lead to suicide.

One may ask what's going on in the head of a suicidal teen when he/she decides to kill himself? They may be thinking of pressures such as the wide spread of alcohol and other drugs unheard of forty or fifty years ago. These people usually just want to "fit in" or be part of "the group". The worst frame of mind for and attempted suicide is when all the individuals problems seem to come crashing down on them all at once. This is when they need the most support and guidance from their loved ones. A sign that someone cares and wants to understand their feelings and emotions can be all it takes to decide the difference between life and death.

Often attempts of suicide are a cry for help of attention. Not all victims are meant to kill themselves. People attempting this tend to have low self-esteem. Counseling, teen information lines, clinics, and doctors are able to reduce the threat to the person seeking help. A lot of times after prolonged treatments; these people are placed in a psychiatric ward or institution. Offering non-judgmental support, being a good listener, and contributing your time are all positive ways for a parent or friend counteract suicidal thoughts.

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Thus it is apparent that suicide is a serious and dangerous threat to teens that feel under pressured and emotionally stressed. Counseling is a very effective way to minimize this threat. By understanding the early warning signs given by suicidal individuals, more adolescents may be given a chance to live a long, safe life.

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Mental Illness & Substance Abuse

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Mental Illness & Substance Abuse

A look at the numbers shows that mental illness and substance abuse are becoming one of the biggest problems in the world. Mental illness concerns much more than just "crazy people" and "lunatics." The common misconception that mental illness is controllable by the affected person is not true. For most, mental illness is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain and can only be treated with medicine.

When 18 million Americans suffer from a mood disorder, and 0 million have a form of anxiety disorder, it makes one think that this problem would at least be more commonly known. One of the biggest problems with mental illness is that it is totally up to the affected person to seek professional help. These people generally have chronic, inflexible personality patterns which make them not want to seek treatment. For the ones that do seek treatment they have to deal with the stigma attached to mental illness as well as the cost of healthcare because most insurance doesn't cover mental health. This in itself is a travesty for the mere fact that the federal government knows this is a growing problem in America and still isn't doing enough to help.

Substance abuse is considered a form of mental illness. Abuse is defined as use that causes clinically important distress in a 1 month period. This holds true for every drug except caffeine. It is believed that by the year 00, cigarettes will be the number one killer in America, killing one of every six people in America. That's because nine of ten people that smoke will become addicted to them. Although it is said that 50 to 60% of alcoholism is genetic, it doesn't make the fact that 8.1 million Americans are alcoholics alright. 1.7 million Americans are considered problem drinkers. This costs the U.S. 76 million dollars in lost productivity per year. This again is a major problem in America.

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The solution is almost certainly in the hands of the government and insurance agencies. This would be in the form of financial support to those that are in need. This is more commonly known as parity. It is predicted that a family premium would only raise .5% for parity (http//www.mentalhealth.org/publications/allpubs/Mc-80/prtych4.asp). For such a large and continually growing problem the .5% seems worth it. Prevention and treatment of such problems would certainly cause all the numbers to decrease, as well as make America a generally more healthy country.

Please note that this sample paper on Mental Illness & Substance Abuse is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Mental Illness & Substance Abuse, we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom college paper on Mental Illness & Substance Abuse will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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Private Prisons

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Private Prisons

Over the past decade, private prisons have boomed. Private corporations have taken a big interest in the incarceration business. According to Phil Smith's article "Private Prisons Profits of Crime," where there are people detained there are profits to be made. Corporations now control 1,00 beds for U.S. inmates, up at least eightfold since 10, based on statistics published in Holly Johnson's article called " Prisons of Profit Turning a Buck on America's Incarceration Frenzy." The reason is simple Anti-drug laws and stiffer mandatory sentences are pushing the prison population above two million. Governments are strapped for capital to build new cells, which leads them to turn to profit prisons seem to offer plenty of cells at below- market prices. If it could not be done cheaper than the government does it, then we wouldnt be in business now, says Brian Gardner, warden of the CCA prison in Youngstown. We believe in giving the taxpayer the best deal.

Private Prisons will find a way to make a profit on prisoners, even if they spend their entire time there in solitary confinement. This is done by using prison labor. Well known companies such as Microsoft, Victoria's Secret, TWA and Starbucks have all participated in using prisoners for labor. Inmates are paid minimal wages for their labor, increasing these company's' profit margins. This idea of making a profit seems like it has always been the case, even when private prisons hadn't been officially established.

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The idea of Private prisons dates back to slavery days, where prisoners were worked from dust to dawn will little pay if any. We all remember the days of lease and contract lease systems, where prisoners were leased by business owners from the state facilities, to work for them while serving time.

Although the principle and the ideas seem to be the same, the first official prison was said to have been established by Ronald Reagan former United States President, in 17, who at the time was governor of the state of California, according to Holly Johnson. For the most part private prisons held illegal immigrants during that time. But as the "Drug War" took over America, the prison population grew drastically, leading to an increase. According to the "Private Prisons article by Phil Smith, in the past five years alone, the number of private prisons has jumped 4 percent. They now house up to 100,000 of Americas 1.8 million inmates

A majority of these private facilities are heavily invested in on the Wall Street Market and the rest of the American Markets. Some of the top corporations include the CCA (Corrections Corporation of America) and Wackenhut. These private facilities claim can save taxpayers 15% of their tax dollars, normal paid to the state prisons.

The CCA was the first private corrections company in America. Since it's beginning in 18, when it was founded by investors of Kentucky Fried Chicken, it has grown to become the largest corrections company in the country according to Phil Smith's article. Its revenues are completely dependent on its private imprisonment. The CCA has steadily become the leader in the industry, with 1 detention facilities in the U.K. and Australia, housing more than 6,000 prisoners. Its profits are said to be up by 50 percent from its 11 end of the year figures, as cited by Phil Smith in his "Private Prison" article.

Wackenhut the second industry leader in private prisons was founded by a former FBI official by the name of George Wackenhut in the year of 154. Wackenhut remains to be one of the largest and well known, as well as the one of the most diversified leaders. Wackenhut started of as a small private well-connected security firm and has grown to be a global security conglomerate with earnings of $60. million in 00 according to the "Private Prison" article. It currently operates in five states, with 11 facilities, housing about 5,500 prisoners as quoted in the same article. Wackenhut also maintains facilities outside of the United States, in countries such as Australia, South America and Europe.

These industry leaders seem to do the government a favor by helping out with our prison system. While there seem to be many advantages to having a private prison system over a state prison system, there are also many disadvantages.

One of the advantages might include the cost reduction in the whole process of incarcerations by prisons. Private industries claim they can get the job done cheaper than the state, but whether they can get it done better is the question. Most companies end up cutting their costs in areas like programs for the inmates, training and pay for their employees, and staff, also lowering inmate living conditions. This leads to high turn over rates. It is a fact that security personnel who isn't paid sufficiently with some or no benefits and pension plans, is just not willing to risk his/her life to break up a fight for instance. Insufficient training by the employees in these private prisons leads to careless mistakes. Cuts in Staff Training has led to incidents such as and inmate walking out the front door wearing a guard's uniform, officers torturing inmates and inmates killing each other, according to the article "Prison Privatization" by Alex Friedman. Private prison guards are also said to be more susceptible to corruption. They do not get compensated well enough for the job they are performing, don't hold the same authority as a state guard would, and don't have the proper training making them more vulnerable to manipulation by inmates.

The main factor becomes profit for the company. Therefore rehabilitation becomes a failure. Inmates are no longer looked as people but as money profit machines. The longer they are kept at the facilities, the more money they will bring in, which gives these industries more reason to keep inmates as long as they possibly can. As the private sector becomes more involved in the operation of these facilities, increased pressure will be put on legislature to build more of these prisons, therefore increasing the opportunity for profit. This all will lead to even longer sentencing, fewer paroles and tougher parole oversights. Again we have started to warehouse people, not really keeping in my rehabilitation for these inmates, but seeing the flashing dollar sign.

Another disadvantage will be the monitoring of these private facilities. It will become much more difficult to screen. These facilities do not keep any public records, laws, or Public Meeting Acts, as state prisons do. Prisoner abuse will become much harder to both identify and prove. Many things out in the open in the state prison system will in the way be corrupt in the private system. There won't be facts or evidence regarding any issues, since hardly any records are kept.

These private prison companies have promised to do the job cheaper, but again that does not mean the job will be done better. If anything it seems to be done cheaper but at the cost of these inmates rights and life's. Finally, to many people, the idea of private prisons is simply repugnant in itself. Like the profitable funeral business, the business of prison management is seen by many as just plain unacceptable. Rational or not, their senses of making money from such unhappy situations as death or imprisonment, just seems morally wrong.

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The Scarlet Letter

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A woman commits adultery and bears a child out of wedlock. A minister sins against his god and his convictions. A jealousy maddened husband seeks his revenge.

Sounds like a soap opera, right? But its not. Its one of literatures greatest classics, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The female lead is Hester Prynne, sent ahead from Amersterdam by her husband to settle in a new town. As time passes and her husband does not appear, it is assumed that he has died in the harsh environment of late seventeenth century New England.

Hesters name comes to mean something entirely different to the Puritan townspeople when she is found to be with child and consequently gives birth to a daughter, named Pearl. Hester refuses to reveal the name of the babys father, choosing instead to take her punishment alone. Her punishment is simple she stands on a scaffold before the condemning eyes of the whole town for three hours, and is sentenced by the town fathers to wear always on her breast a scarlet A, meant to stand for adultery. It is only by the interference of the towns minister, Reverend Dimmesdale, and the assumed fact of her husbands death, which saves Hester from the gallows.

On the day of Hesters release, a stranger comes to the town, calling himself Roger Chillingworth, a doctor. He examines Hester in her jail cell, and we discover that he was once her husband. He agrees to keep the secret of their marriage, as much for his sake as for hers. He also implores her to tell him who the childs father is. When she refuses, he proclaims that he will make it his purpose to discover for himself the childs origin.

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As the years pass Pearl grows into what Hawthorne calls an elfish child. She seems mischievous and contrary in all things. Also during this time, Roger Chillingworth has attached himself as a doctor and companion to the Reverend Dimmesdale. There is a moment of fright for Hester when she fears the town fathers will take Pearl from her, because they fear that the child will not receive proper religious training with Hester. Through the support of Reverend Dimmesdale, Hester is allowed to retain her child.

While Pearl grows older and more questioning, while Reverend Dimmesdale grows ever sicker and more weak, while Roger Chillingworth grows more twisted and bitter, during all this Hester Prynne gains nearly the status of a saint. Even as they revile her for her sins, the people benefit from her skill with a needle and her willingness to nurse any and all who suffer from ill health. She spends all of her time caring for others, either for the townspeople or for Pearl.

Finally it is revealed that the Reverend Dimmesdale is Pearls father. He has suffered through these years for his transgression, though silently. He and Hester meet in the forest and agree to take a ship across the ocean, to flee forever the shame of New England and start a new life together.

The following day, however, Hester discovers that Roger Chillingworth has secured passage on the same ship, and she knows then that he will never let them be happy. This is also the day that Reverend Dimmesdale is scheduled to give the Election Day sermon, which he does with unprecedented skill. At the end of his sermon, the Reverend seems to weaken substantially, and as he proceeds toward the scaffold of Hesters shame, he calls his lover and daughter to him. They climb the scaffold together, in the eyes of all the townspeople. Here the Reverend reveals to all his sin, and to match the scarlet letter on Hesters chest, he has carved one into his own flesh. Having finally confessed, he dies in Hesters arms.

What follows is all but inconsequential. Chillingworth is denied his revenge by the Reverends disclosure and death, and he dies within the year. Pearl inherited all of his property, and became a rich young girl. She and Hester disappeared. Pearl is never again seen in New England, but many years later an old woman bearing a scarlet letter returned to the town, to resume her good works until the time of her death.

Hawthorne brings us this tale with much intent. He attempts to show us that we dont always see what we think we see. One who is held in high public regard may have the darkest secrets of all, and those held in contempt may have the hearts of saints. No man is fit to judge anothers heart, or to judge his sins. And above all, Hawthorne believes that it is best to bring your shame honestly into the open, to be seen and atoned for. Through seven years of silent suffering the Reverend Dimmesdale show us that no man can be judged as harshly as he judges himself.

Please note that this sample paper on The Scarlet Letter is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on The Scarlet Letter, we are here to assist you. Your persuasive essay on The Scarlet Letter will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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Leadership

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Leadership

After conducting some research on leadership, many questions have been brought to my attention. Some questions include the following What is a leader? Are leaders made or born? What is the difference between leadership and management? What are the theories concerning leadership? Answers to these questions, and many others, should become clear enough at the end of this research. Schermerhorn defines leadership as "a special case of interpersonal influence that gets an individual or group to do what the leader wants done" (87). On the other hand, Kathryn Bartol defines leadership as "the process of influencing others to achieve organizational goals" (415). After analyzing the two quotes, I ask myself "What is leadership?" I believe that leadership is the process of directing and guiding the behaviors of others in the appropriate directions to accomplish the goals and missions previously set. Schermerhorn and Bartol highlight the same issue, however although they are extremely similar, they address it in different words. A leader is a person who is ambitious, determined, focused, and motivated to achieve the organizational goals. The leader must have a clear understanding of individual differences in order to effectively utilize and appreciate the different contributions of different individuals. In addition, a leader must also be aware of the importance of communication between the leader and the followers; and of the communication among the followers themselves. Now however we may start to address the role management, and what role does it play in this equation? Which in turn causes the rise of the question, what is the difference between leadership and management? Leadership vs. Management Kathryn Bartol describes management as "the process of achieving organizational goals by engaging in the four major functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling" (5). On the other hand, the author describes leading as the process of "Influencing others to engage in the work behaviors necessary to reach organizational goals" (7). Therefore, by analyzing Bartol's definition of management, it becomes clear that leading is a management function. Even though there is an interrelation between leadership and management, leaders and managers are not the same. Leaders consider their goals personal, and they motivate others by creating ambitious goals. Job titles and organizational standings are not an issue for leaders, for they search for self-achievement and self-satisfaction through the accomplishment of goals and the sense of power (Georgiades 7). On the other hand, managers do not consider their goals as personal; it is more of a monetary based goal in which they can govern others, and achieve the end result of uniting the members subordinate to them to function in a productive manner. They organize the subordinates and resources in order to achieve the previously determined organizational goals. They also relate to other people according to job titles and organizational standings, therefore search for high organizational standings (Georgiades 7). In the book "Leadership for Competitive Advantage," the author explains James MacGregor-Burns' comparison of managers and leaders; Burns is the author of Leadership, in which he clearly distinguishes the differences between leaders and managers. The differences that were stated can be summarized as follows Emotional involvement Leaders Managers Emotionally involved with ideals and visions. Involved with tasks and people associated with the tasks. Personal life Work and private life are indistinguishable and merge with each other. Attempt to maintain boundaries seeing a proper time for each. Achieving commitment and accountability Inspire. Hold people accountable by inducing feelings of guilt. Involve people. Use contracts, performance appraisal and key result areas. Value emphasis Concerned with what they are trying to build. How to build their contractual piece. Problems Create problems. Solve them. Planning Long range. Short to medium term. Responses Appreciate contrariness and people who argue. Like people who comform. Relations Engender feelings of lave and hate. Create non-stable relationships. Tend to have more predictable relationships and do not create strong feelings. The author Warren Blank further explains leadership by shaping nine natural laws that make up leadership, and they are as follows (Blank 10) 1. A leader has willing followers-allies. . "Leadership" is a field of interaction a relationship between leaders and followers-allies. . Leadership occurs as an event. 4. Leaders use influence beyond formal authority. 5. Leaders operate outside the boundaries of organizationally defined procedures. 6. Leadership involves risk and uncertainty. 7. Not everyone will follow a leader's initiative. 8. Consciousness information processing capacity creates leadership. . Leadership is a self-referral process; leaders and followers process information from their own subjective, internal frame of reference. The first law of the Blank's "Nine Laws of Leadership" answers a fundamental question; what does it mean to be a leader? To be a leader means to have followers. Even though some critics may argue that leaders possess specific traits or personality dimensions, as discussed later in the research, Warren Blank believes that the basic quality that differentiates leaders from non-leaders is having followers. The second law explains the interaction between the leader and the follower "Followers are allies who join the leader, and together they create the energy that drives the organizations" (Blank 1). Blank describes the third law of leadership as the leader-follower relationship having a beginning, middle, and an end (14). The difference between the leader's use of influence and the manager's influence is the cause. Leaders influence people to gain followers, however, managers use influence to achieve their goals. Blank's fifth natural law explains the boundaries of leadership, for "leadership operates outside the prescribed lines created by organizational rule, regulations, policies, and procedures" (17). This law revolves around the notion that "managers do things right," while "leaders do the right things." I support this argument, for leaders are willing to take the chance of stepping out of bounds for the overall good of the team and the followers. However, managers tend to play by the rules. The sixth natural law of leadership is self-explanatory; it basically states that by "doing the right things" and stepping out of boundaries, leaders face high risks and uncertainties. An important issue that deals with the leader-follower relationship is mentioned in Blank's seventh law of leadership. It is important to note that there is no guaranteed strategy or leadership style to gain followers, for gaining followers is unpredictable. Blank's eighth law of leadership highlights the importance of consciousness. Consciousness "defines how people interpret information and create meaning from it" (1). Through consciousness, leaders turn information into a useful route. The final law of leadership describes how leaders interpret and respond to problems according to their level of consciousness. Blank defines self-referral as "who processes the information" (). Self-referral reveals how important it is for leaders to expand their consciousness so they can gain followers by meeting the follower's level of consciousness. Preparing for Leadership After understanding the differences between leadership and management, it is time to examine how individuals can be geared up to become leaders. Different societies and cultures have different views of leadership. For example, in some nations, leaders are elected, whereas in others leaders inherit the power through royalty. In both cases, and throughout history, the leaders that were chosen or forced upon people always seem at the time to be the ones the people want and need. The author, Kenneth Clark, advocates "Leaders have been developed successfully in all societies largely through learning to be good followers" (11). The first step in becoming a leader is following. By following orders and actions of superiors, subordinates will have an understanding of the importance of dedication, determination, drive, and motivation. Also, by becoming good followers, individuals will be able to understand the importance of leadership, and have a better understanding of what the subordinates will expect of their leader. Due to my past military experience, I agree with the author, and believe that in order to become a great leader, an individual has to be a good follower. In the military environment, where leadership is of great essence, all recruits undergo severe training courses, including many seminars and workshops, in order to create leaders out of them. Even though the setting for preparing a leader can be accomplished, it would not guarantee a successful result. Through the military training camps, recruits are presented with a perfect environment to instill leadership in them, but not every recruit becomes a leader. You can take a horse to the water, but you can't make it drink. Therefore, the only preparation that can be made to create a leader is through creating the perfect environment that would teach the individuals the importance of following the chain-of-command and the responsibilities of motivating and managing subordinates. It is also important for leaders to understand the history of previous leaders in order to have a better appreciation of leadership. Personality Measures of Leaders After having a general understanding of the definition of leadership, and how to prepare a leader, it is time to analyze the different personality measures of leaders. This is an area of high controversy. Many questions have been raised concerning the traits, characteristics, and essential attributes that leaders must possess. Kenneth E. Clark, author of "Measures of Leadership," describes the psychologists' interest in leaders' personalities. Hogan is a psychologist who described a particular set of characteristics that effective leaders possess. He called these personality dimensions the "Big 5." They are as follows (Clark 51) 1. Intelligence high . Adjustment high . Prudence high 4.A. Ambition high 4.B. Sociability variable 5. Likability very high. When analyzing Hogan's "Big 5" personality dimensions, it is evident that the followers must like the leader. If the subordinates did not favor the leader, it would cause difficulty for the leader to impress, influence, and motivate them. Without the subordinates' respect, it is impossible to lead; although some people may argue that leading could be accomplished through the use of force, such as Adolph Hitler or Saddam Hussein. No matter how likely it is that a leadership as such would prevail, it is an immoral and unethical variation on the concept of leadership. Leading by force more often than not tends to have tragic endings for the leaders, and causing bad memories for those surrounding them. Also, Hogan believed that leaders should have high intellectual standards and the ability to adjust to different situations and circumstances. On the other hand, Bengt Karlof's "Conflicts of Leadership," describes six qualities that good leaders must possess, and they are as follows (Karlof ) 1. Helicopterability the ability to see the whole picture in both time and space. . Good Judgement the ability to make sound decisions based on facts, experience and intelligence. . Imaginations the ability to be creative and see opportunities beyond the obvious ones. 4. Analytical ability the deductive intelligence to draw conclusions in a logical sequence from available facts. 5. Efficiency the ability to make decisions if crucial importance to the enterprise with high productivity. 6. Ability to win trust and inspire respect. After Clark and Hogan's two different sets of personality qualities or dimensions that leaders should possess, it is natural to search for specific traits that individuals may have. These traits would help identify possible leaders. Bartol defines the word "traits" as distinctive internal qualities or characteristics of an individual, such as physical characteristics, personality characteristics, skills and abilities, and social factors (417). Some common traits that may distinguish leaders from non-leaders are intelligence, dominance, aggressiveness, and decisiveness. Although individuals that possess such traits would be good candidates to lead, however, I do not believe that individual readiness for leadership is specifically tied to those traits. Some individuals that may have those traits might also lack some important issues, such as the drive and ambition to succeed. Communication skills play a vital role in developing a leader. Without proper communication skills, one would face difficulty in assigning tasks, giving out orders, and receiving feedback from the subordinates. Schermerhorn, co-author of "Organizational Behavior," describes another set of traits that have positive implications for successful leadership (88) · Energy and adjustment or stress tolerance Physical vitality and emotional resilience. · Prosocial power motivation A high need for power exercised primarily for the benefit of others. · Achievement orientation Need for achievement, desire to excel, drive to success, willingness to assume responsibility, concern for task objectives. · Emotional maturity Well adjusted, does not suffer from severe psychological disorders. · Self-confidence General confidence in self and in the ability to perform the job of a leader. · Integrity Behavior consistent with espoused values; honest, ethical, trustworthy. · Perseverance or tenacity Ability to overcome obstacles; strength of will. · Cognitive ability, intelligence, and social intelligence Ability to gather, integrate, and interpret information; intelligence; understanding of social setting. · Task-relevant knowledge Knowledge about the company, industry, and technical aspects. · Flexibility Ability to respond appropriately to changes in the setting. Schermerhorn's set of traits for successful leaders encompasses all the personality traits, qualities, and dimensions that of Clark, Bartol, and Hogan defined. Out of Schermerhorn's set of traits, I personally believe that Achievement orientation is the most essential one. Without the need for achievement, one will not find the motivation and reason to excel. The need for achievement pushes individuals to their extremes, causing them to conquer and surmount any obstacles or difficulties. Georgiades explains Morgan McCall's six demands of leadership that were published in McCall's book "Developing Leadership A Look Ahead." McCall's key requirements for effective leadership are 1. Setting direction. Setting direction is dreaming what might be, gauging its feasibility, and figuring out what has to be done to pull it off. . Alignment. Success in achieving the chosen direction depends on effectively aligning key relationships. . Values. The long-term ability of a leader to influence others hinges on credibility, integrity, and trust. 4. Temperament. A person who is thrown by ambiguity, folds up in the face of criticism, goes down with setbacks, or loses confidence in tight spots will have a tough time as a leader in the stress and change of the next ten years. 5. Self-awareness. A realistic assessment of one's own strength and weaknesses is a prerequisite for understanding other people's perspectives, empowering others, taking risks and absorbing failures. 6. Growth. Because leadership is complex, and because the demands on leaders are constantly changing, leaders themselves must constantly learn, grow and change. (Qtd. In Georgiades 10). The first essential part of leadership expressed in the previous requirements is setting direction. When a leader identifies challenging goals, it is his/her responsibility to communicate the goals set with the followers; and set a structured plan to achieve the goals. By involving subordinates in the decision making process, they increase their loyalty and dedication to both the goals, and leaders. The second key requirement of leadership is identifying allies and enemies. This could be implemented in both military and business environments. In the business environment, it is essential to identify your competitors (enemies) from your coalitions or partnerships (allies). Subordinates would rarely follow a leader who lacks values. An effective leader should lead by example and set the standards for performance, motivation, integrity, and perseverance. The qualities that make up a temperament for leadership are "a manner of thinking, behaving and reacting that helps an individual operate with relative comfort in a job characterized by making decisions under uncertainty, being at the mercy of uncontrollable and capricious forces, and being responsible for large numbers of people, pounds, and resources" (Georgiades 110). It is also essential for leaders to have an understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses. By having self-awareness, leaders can target their strengths and avoid using their weaknesses in setting goals or seizing opportunities. Finally, the importance of a leader's ability to change with changing times is highlighted in McCall's growth requirement. "Leaders who fit a specific situation today will be misfits tomorrow unless they can adapt and change as rapidly as their context." (Georgiades 110). Theories on Leadership Situational Leadership and the Path-Goal Theories are the two main theories concerning leadership. Both Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard developed the situational leadership theory, which is based on the premise that "leaders need to alter their behaviors depending on one major situational factor the readiness of followers" (Bartol 4). The theory indicates that for the leaders to prepare the followers, they should adjust their own leadership styles in accordance with the situation at hand. Robert House's Path-Goal Theory "attempts to explain how leader behavior can positively influence the motivation and job satisfaction of subordinates" (Bartol 41). It focuses on the leader's ability to influence the follower's understanding of the means used in reaching both work and personal goals. Personal Viewpoint After conducting the research and analyzing the different theories, ideas, and contributions made by the different authors, I have crafted out a personal definition of leadership. I believe that leadership is the general process of an individual controlling, motivating, and guiding a group of people in order to accomplish pre-set goals. The leader is an individual that possesses characteristics others may not. These characteristics enable the individual to guide and manage the group, and although some individuals are natural born leaders, I believe that most leaders can be created. An ongoing process of teaching individuals how to follow, instilling discipline within the individuals, and sociability achieves the development of leaders. I agree more with Hersey and Blanchard's "Situational Leadership Theory" than House's "Path-goal Theory." Leaders must have the ability to become flexible. Different situations require different measures. Therefore, in order for leaders to become effective, they must be able to adjust to every situation. In this research I explained the differences between leadership and management. Although these two fields are interrelated, it is important not to confuse leaders with managers. I also described different sets of personality measures that leaders possess, which help improve the quality and efficiency of the individual's leadership skills. Finally, I described a couple of theories on leadership that are a representation of the psychological view of leadership.

Bibliography

Works Cited · Bartol, Kathryn M., and David C. Martin. Management. Third Edition. The McGraw Hill Companies Inc., 18. · Blank, Warren. The Natural Laws of Leadership. New York AMACOM, 15. · Clark, Kenneth E., and Miriam B. Clark. Measures of Leadership. West Orange, New Jersey Leadership Library of America Inc., 10. · Georgiades, Nick, and Richard Macdonell. Leadership for Competitive Advantage. England John Wiley & Sons, 18. · Kakabadse, Andrew, and Nada Kakabakse. Essence of Leadership. United Kingdom International Thomson Business Press, 1. · Karlof, Bengt. Conflicts of Leadership Good for People of Good for Business? Trans. Alan J Gilderson. Cyprus 16. · Schermerhorn, John R. Jr., James G. Hunt, and Richard N. Osborn. Organizational Behavior. Seventh Edition. John Wiley & Sons, 000.

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