Ophelia, By William Shakespeare Essay - 766 Words

Ophelia, as a person, is essentially formed by the men in her life. This is not a radical idea: it has been embraced by centuries of Shakespeare critics. However, to go slightly deeper, one could consider what exactly the absence of Hamlet, Polonius, and Laertes has on her identity (outside of madness). This scene serves to force her into a new persona, as one without a personality. Ophelia is no longer a maid. She says this herself with, â€Å"And I a maid at your window, to be your Valentine...Out a maid never departed more.† (p. 107, 4.5.50-55) And yet she is not a wife, nor a widow, with Hamlet’s abandonment of her. With no father or brother to give her the status of daughter or sister, Ophelia becomes a hollow shell, indicating what she once was. In the short time before her death, her only distinguishing aspect is her mental illness. But how does she react to Laertes when he arrives? One would think he would make the state of things even a little better, but there is almost no discernible effect on her. (This illustrates most painfully how far gone she is from the entire affair.) She simply begins handing out flowers, in what could be construed as a veiled farewell to her brother: â€Å"There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you love, remember.† (p.112, 4.5.170-1) Shortly after Laertes begins talking to her, she also says â€Å"my father died† (p.112, 4.5.179-80) out loud, rather than referring to Polonius as only â€Å"him†. This scene also ushers in several other captivating,Show MoreRelatedOphelia, By William Shakespeare1588 Words   |  7 Pageslife, as a result of their misery and hopelessness. In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, one of the characters, Ophelia, suffers from this disease which sadly goes unrecognized throughout the story. Her symptoms and actions hold a similarity to what someone in present time would display with this mental illness. Shakespeare depicts the symptoms and resulting consequences of depression through the character Ophelia, by drawing attention to how isolation and unrequited love may lead to depressionRead MoreOphelia, By William Shakespeare Essay2442 Words   |  10 PagesOphelia is a terminal character in Hamlet, whose death is caused by a lack of self-control and self-knowledge. Her father controls her life, and when he dies, her life is essentially over. This poses the question: why does the death of Polonius bring on the complete collapse and destruction of Ophelia? Polonius controls Ophelia, and does a substantial amount of her thinking. Without him, she has no direction in her life and no way to express herself as she has been so suppressed her entire life,Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet And Ophelia Essay2145 Words   |  9 PagesHamlet and Ophelia were both forced into situations they weren t in a position for due to the fact of instances. Given their royal and social role, they needed to care for distinct things most humans don t seem to be involved about- akin to who has the correct to rule and avenging a father s murder. In addition, they had been each younger. Ophelia had the fact that she was female as good. Hamlet s insanity is feigned, even as Ophelia s is real. Hamlet places on his antic disposition so he canRead MoreHamlet, Ophelia, By William Shakespeare953 Words   |  4 PagesIn the play Hamlet by Shakespeare, Ophelia, a main character, is what some would call a product of her environment. The events in this play show us how Polonius, Laertes, and later Hamlet, can affect Ophelia’s environment enough to manipulate her into her madness. Evidently, this is shown when she is underestimated by her father and brother, when Hamlet manipulates her into believing he loves her and when she realizes that the events are causing her madness. To begin, Ophelia is clearly underestimatedRead MoreThe Relationship Between Ophelia and Hamlet: William Shakespeare970 Words   |  4 PagesThe play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, looks at the issue of madness and how it effects the characters of the play. Madness can be looked at from very different perspectives, such as strong and uncontrollable emotions, a person’s desires, and also a persons mental stability. Throughout the play, the audience is questioning the sanity of the main character, Hamlet, as he goes on his quest for revenge. The people around him also show signs of madness, such as Ophelia and Claudius, but in differentRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Ophelia1472 Words   |  6 PagesSai Neelamraju Mrs.Thoms-Cappello Term Paper 21 April 2016 Ophelia In Hamlet From historical events such as World War I and World War II to present day women have been playing prominent roles. During the 14th and 15th centuries women had no important roles in their families, they were only used to take care of their families and to use their body for sex for men. A women mostly always needed a man by her side to stay stable and strong, otherwise they are known to be weak without them. ThereRead MoreComparison Of Ophelia And Hamlet By William Shakespeare1382 Words   |  6 Pageswhen I was writing this analysis but I wanted to pack in as much information as I could. I took what I felt were the three major points of this play with women in it. I analyzed how Shakespeare portrayed and meant the two major female characters to be (Ophilia and Gertrude), and an example of the interactions between Ophelia and Hamlet, as they were very consistent throughout the story, and are an interesting but very easy display of societal norms at that time. After the fallout of my previous essayRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet, Ophelia, Laertes And Laertes1308 Words   |  6 Pagessmall role socially, economically and politically. Many works in the literature demonstrate this during the Elizabethan Era. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia, Hamlet’s love and also the daughter of Polonius. She is a prime example of this as her father implores her to see Hamlet further more because of the possibility that he takes her name and her virginity. Ophelia truly loves Hamlet and was devastated when he shuns her in addition to pretending to be mad. She was affected by many of theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - The Characterization Of Young Ophelia1681 Words   |  7 Pagesunquestioning obedience and servitude. Unfortunately this concept is not of new occurrence. In fact, it has been the case for hundreds of years. This idea is well demonstrated in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, through the characterizatio n of young Ophelia. As Shakespeare tells the dramatic story of Hamlet’s incestuous and corrupt family, Ophelia seems to often be cast aside and forgotten. She is subjected to much emotional abuse as she undergoes sexualization, harassment and manipulation at the hands not onlyRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Ophelia in Hamlet by William Shakespeare808 Words   |  3 PagesOphelia is completely virtuous and dependent on the men in her life, which is something I can identify with. Of all the characters in the play Hamlet, the one I liked the most is Ophelia. Shakespeare portrayed her beautifully and put all his emotions into Ophelia’s character. Ophelia showed the exact image of the majority of women from my home country. In the play Hamlet, Ophelia was the most innocent, meek, but distraught character. Ophelia was a young, innocent girl, who was spirited and was the

A Dolls House and the House of Bernarda Alba Essay

Federico Garcia Lorcas â€Å"The House of Bernarda Alba† and Henrik Ibsens â€Å"A Dolls House† both protest against the confinement of women of their days. Although the Houses are set differently in Spain of 20th century and Norway of 19th century respectively, both the plays relate in illuminating their respective female protagonists, Adela and Nora, as they eventually develop a sense of individuality and self-expression and emerge as free individuals from repression. The authors’ attempts allow the reader audience to gain an insight into the social norms that each protagonist was pitted against. This heightens the tension as the action develops. Both Adela and Nora are inherently individualistic, and their innate nature is bared especially†¦show more content†¦(Lorca 142) Likewise, Nora of Doll’s House assumes the mask of her husband Torvald’s â€Å"pretty little thing† (Ibsen 22), a â€Å"little squirrel† (Ibsen 46), and a submissive â€Å"dolly-wife.† (Ibsen 82) She does so because Torvald expects her to accept that he is right in not indulging her â€Å"little whims† (Ibsen 21) and expects her to see her â€Å"dancing† and â€Å"reciting† (Ibsen 22) as per his wishes – he expects her to be a doll under his control. So, she finds â€Å"a way [herself]† (Ibsen 21) – the way of deception – to follow her own heart. The revelation of the secrets Nora and Adela keep marks the end of their deception and thus stimulates them to stand up against repression and express their individual selves, guiding them to seek freedom. Nora’s loan and forgery are kept secret from her husband, because otherwise it would be revealed that Nora did not submit to his orders and seek his permission before any action – behaviour which is unaccepted by the society. However, when theShow MoreRelated Henrik Isbens A Doll’s House and Frederico Garcias The House of Bernarda Alba1556 Words   |  7 PagesHenrik Isbens A Doll’s House and Frederico Garcias The House of Bernarda Alba The House of Bernarda Alba and A Dolls House, by Frederico Garcia Lorca and Henrik Ibsen respectively, are two similar plays written at different times. In 1964, Fredericos The House of Bernarda Alba debuted in Madrid Spain, thirty-one years after its birth in 1933. It pioneered the style of surrealistic imagery, popular folklore and was written in prose. A Dolls House was published in 1879 and appeared on stageRead MoreMats Ek2349 Words   |  10 Pagesclimax. Themes â€Å"Political, social, racial and sexual concerns informed Ek’s first three creations, Kalfaktorn (1976), St George and the Dragon (1976) and Soweto (1977); psychological themes and gender issues played a part in both House of Bernarda Alba (1978) and Antigone (1979) long before Giselle and Swan Lake† (Fifty Contemporary choreographers second edition) The main interest of the choreographer is to explore

Legislating Privacy Technology Social Policy -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Legislating Privacy Technology Social Policy? Answer: Introduction Every technology has both negative and positive impacts. However, there should be weighing between the positive and negative effects to conclude the question of technology relevance. According to me, driverless cars help the disabled individuals to enjoy the benefits of having a vehicle regardless of their ability to drive. Selling of driverless cars improves the economy of the state and that of the citizen. It is ethical to have driverless cars because the benefits are more than the risks. According to Langdon, Patrick, Ioannis, Mike, Lee, Alex John Clarkson, (2018) there is a likelihood of developing driverless, all weathers, and reliable and general purpose cars in future. However, there is a risk of technological failure while using a driverless car hence causing severe accidents. It is not easy to trust somebody youve met online for the first time. It takes time to even communicate freely with somebody you've met online. There has been media exploitation by wrong people who indulge you in communication for self-gain. For instance, hackers may introduce malware by sending an email (Howard Jones, pp.23). Emailing is a communication mechanism that has brought fear while dealing with somebody you've never met. Individuals create false identities for different reasons. One of the reasons is that they do not want to be identified by people who might take advantage of them. The other reason is that they may have an intention of committing an offense and not get recognized. There are very many challenges that are related to psychology concerning children. There are very many benefits the children can gain from technology. Technology can educate, entertain and help them in their social life. However, there are no controls in regards to the usage of technology (Haugland Wright, 2017). The children do not balance between technology, social life, and academics. In this case, there is a need to ban the use of technology by the student to help them concentrate in school. However, the children should be allowed to interact with technology for a maximum of 2 hours a day. Allowing them will help them learn more about technology. Information is essential to any organization and should get protected from falling under wrong harms ways. There are a lot of human factors that lead to breaches of data such are a loss of a key, weak passwords, unnoticed malware attack amongst others. The organizations should come up with strict policies that are geared toward protecting information breach (Aplin Gurry, pp.88). There should be substantial penalties enforced against individuals who cause information breach. Lastly, the organization should train the people interacting with the system to on the ways of protecting organizational information. I agree with Professor Robert Winston that people should get restricted their privacy for the public interest. Often, people look at a celebrity as their role models. In this case, if somebody posts without regulation and for some reasons posts a vague message, somebody who emulates him might have a wrong opinion on a specific ideology (Regan, pp.17). It is also important to note that people can use what a celebrity has posted to justify wrongdoing. In this case, there should be a restriction on privacy. Reference Regan, P. M. (2015). Legislating Privacy: Technology, social values, and public policy. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, management.17 Langdon, Patrick, Ioannis Politis, Mike Bradley, Lee Skrypchuk, Alex Mouzakitis, and John Clarkson. 2018. "Obtaining Design Requirements from the Public Understanding of Driverless Technology." 21, 134-135 Howard, P. N., Jones, S. (2004). Society online: The Internet in context. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, pp.23-45 Haugland, S. W., Wright, J. L. (2017).Young children and technology: A world of discovery. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Aplin, T. F., Gurry, F. (2012).Gurry on breach of confidence: The protection of confidential information. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.88.

Disability and Inclusive Education in Singapore- Myassignmenthelp

Question: Identify and describe an emerging social issue that concerns social workers in Singapore today. Answer: Introduction Singapore is known for its dual system of education and promotion of inclusive schools. The country has made a mark for itself in the domain of inclusive education for disabled children, however as envisaged by the social workers, there are disturbing attitude that continue to dominate Singapore. In Singapore there is a considerable population of students with disability who study in mainstream schools but the wider attitude of the people speaks of their apathy towards the disabled community. The aim of the paper is to examine disability and inclusive education as a key issue on the context of Singapore society, the ways the issue have evolved over the years and identification of gaps in the policies and schemes of the government. In addition, the paper also examines the policies of UK and EU in regard to inclusive education for the disabled people and proposes recommendations for the improvement in the current policies. According to Humphrey Symes (2013), Singapore has fared moderately better in its treatment of the children with disabilities. During the period of 1980s and the 1990s, families preferred to keep their disabled children within the confines of the private sphere. This may be attributed to the stigmatization of people with disability and the lack of coping mechanisms to deal with the situation. There is a segregation between the disabled people in Singapore and the Singaporeans (Poon,, Musti-Ra Wettasinghe, 2013). Surveys have shown that people in Singapore feel uncomfortable whilst interacting with the disabled people, thus alienating them (Loreman, Sharma Forlin, 2013). According to the Lien Foundation, only two third of the total population in Singapore are interested in inclusiveness and voluntarily share the public space with the disabled. Even parents are uncomfortable about letting their children interact with their disabled peers. According to the findings of the National Cou ncil of Social Service (NCSS) 62 per cent of the disabled people felt excluded and are not provided with opportunities Issue has evolved in the last few years The government of Singapore has made robust efforts to transform the lives of the disabled children and promote inclusion; the undercurrent of Singapore narrates a story of pessimism. There needs to be a change in the attitude of the people rather than mere financial support. It is found that 5 to 6 per cent of the children born in Singapore suffer from some kind of developmental problem. 2.7 per cent of the students in Singapore show symptoms of requiring special education and mainstream school being not a suitable option (TAN, 2016). It is predicted that the number of disabled children in Singapore are expected to rise higher. It is predicted that more children will be diagnosed with intellectual disabilities. Identification and discussion of gaps in social services provision In Singapore 75 per cent of the children with special needs are studying in the mainstream school (Boyle, Topping Jindal-Snape, 2013). Children with special needs are labelled as stupid. On the surface level, Singapore appears as a country that is pro-disability and the government has made considerable efforts. However, there are certain shortcomings that the government needs to improve. It is reported that individual experiences vary and not in line with the vision of the government. The initiative of satellite partnership may expose children to the 25 per cent of the student population who have more challenging needs but it has been criticized for lacking in depth and number (Florian, 2013). The Strait Times have reported that very few schools in Singapore have courses and modules that create awareness about disability. The schools do not provide meaningful opportunities to the students to engage with children who have special needs. A major recommendation would be the early integration of children with disability with those who are able-bodied (Thaver, Lim Liau, 2014). The executive director of Disabled Peoples Association, Marissa Lee Medjreral-Mills is of the opinion that not growing up and socializing with children with disability will create awareness among the able-bodied children. It will make them familiar about the ordeals and experiences of the disabled people and will make them more sensitive. According to Poon-McBrayer Wong, (2013), in case of workplace, employers who did not have experience with disabled children during their growing period are less likely to recruit disabled candidates for any job. On encountering disabled people first time in the workplace can turn out to be an alienating experience. Adults will find it difficult to communicate in the right manner with people with disability. Able-bodied children should be taught in their formative years the values of mutual respect towards their disabled counterparts. Therefore, both the agencies of school as well as parents need to guide children in a proper way. Examples of social policies/schemes implemented in welfare states, like UK and other European countries and criticism of the current social services in Singapore Disability is considered to be within the ambit of European Union (EU) and this also pertains to education which can be especially manifested in the case of inclusive education. The European Union is in charge encourages its Member States to promote policies and schemes through supplementing and supporting the action of their action whenever it would be necessary. According to Oliver, (2013) the EU has adopted certain pertinent policies in the direction of inclusive education. The EU supports the member states to foster the full integration of disabled children and the young people with special needs through appropriate education and proper training. The European Union has come up with the Disability Strategy 2010-2020. This is an important drive in promoting the principles of lifelong learning among people and inclusive education. The Strategy comprises of a series of strategies that schools need to adopt in their general education system to catalyse education and promote effective individualized support (Oliver, 2017). This was provisioned with the aim of enhancing the academic development and social development that would be in consonance with the broader objective of inclusion. The EU has the Youth and Move Initiative the objective of which is to foster the exchange the exchange of good practises on the issues of dissemination of materials and inclusive education. The larger initiative of the programme is to minimize the drop-out rate and enhance the chance of participation in the sectors of tertiary education. These policies provided an impetus to inclusive education and job placement schemes for people who have disabilities. In USA, it was reported that 17. 5 per cent of people with disability have been employed (Schoolchildren's attitude towards those with special needs worrying, 2018). In case of EU the rate of employment is 47. 3 per cent. In case of Singapore as of now only 270 people with disability have been employed. According to Zhuang, (2016), fr om the perspective of social model of disability, there are certain limits that are posed on the lives of children with disability. One such illustration is the state control on the providers who provide their service in terms of subsidized services for the disabled people. Secondly, it is only the social service and medical professions that remain the arenas of accessing compatible services for the disabled people (Zhuang, 2016). Propose ways that could manage the gaps and address the social issue better. Instead of an approach that concerns with providing financial aid to the victim, there should be government initiatives to sensitize the public and raise awareness. This can be done through public education. Usually pity and sympathy hover in the interaction between the disabled child and the able-bodied person. There is a need for empathetic understanding of the children with disability. According to TAN (2018), the Government has decided to spend 400 Singapore dollar for people with disabilities. The objective of this program is to focus on expansion of the jobs and adequate training of the children enrolled in special schools. There should be the implementation of the Enabling Village that would provide a space to the disabled children to attend adequate training and orientation to enter the job market. It has been found that SG Enable has played an important role in training the beneficiaries and preparing them for employment. There is a need to raise awareness about disability t hrough public education. Skits, street plays, distribution of pamphlets, documentary shown to children in school and advertisements that focus on the lifeworld of the disabled children should be the agenda of the contemporary social workers. Conclusion From the above findings it can be concluded that Singapore is definitely one of the frontrunners in the segment of disability and inclusive education, however, the country needs to amend on certain areas. The general attitude towards disability reeks of apathy and insensitivity. Children with disability needs to be treated as equals. Able-bodied children needs to socialize more with the disabled children to understand their problems and reflect on their behaviour. Awareness towards the plight of disabled students can be done through the adoption of creative methods like showing documentaries and street plays that entrenches the cause of inclusive education. References Boyle, C., Topping, K., Jindal-Snape, D. (2013). Teachers attitudes towards inclusion in high schools.Teachers and Teaching,19(5), 527-542. Florian, L. (Ed.). (2013).The SAGE handbook of special education: Two volume set. Sage. Humphrey, N., Symes, W. (2013). Inclusive education for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders in secondary mainstream schools: teacher attitudes, experience and knowledge.International Journal of Inclusive Education,17(1), 32-46. Loreman, T., Sharma, U., Forlin, C. (2013). Do pre-service teachers feel ready to teach in inclusive classrooms? A four country study of teaching self-efficacy.Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online),38(1), 27. Oliver, M. (2013). The social model of disability: Thirty years on.Disability society,28(7), 1024-1026. Oliver, M. (2017). Defining impairment and disability.Disability and Equality Law, 3. Poon, K., Musti-Ra, S., Wettasinghe, M. (2013). Special education in Singapore: History, trends, and future directions.Intervention in School and Clinic,49(1), 59-64. Poon-McBrayer, K. F., Wong, P. M. (2013). Inclusive education services for children and youth with disabilities: Values, roles and challenges of school leaders.Children and Youth Services Review,35(9), 1520-1525. Schoolchildren's attitude towards those with special needs worrying. (2018).The Straits Times. Retrieved 9 April 2018, from https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/schoolchildrens-attitude-towards-those-with-special-needs-worrying TAN, T. (2018).The hard - and heart - part of inclusiveness for the disabled.The Straits Times. Retrieved 9 April 2018, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/the-hard-and-heart-part-of-inclusivenes-for-the-disabled Thaver, T., Lim, L., Liau, A. (2014). Teacher variables as predictors of Singaporean pre-service teachers attitudes toward inclusive education.Published by International Association of Social Science Research,1(1), 1-8. Zhuang, K. (2016). Inclusion in Singapore: a social model analysis of disability policy.Disability Society,31(5), 622-640.

Mansukh Securities and Finance Ltd. Essay Example

Mansukh Securities and Finance Ltd. Essay Company Profile.. We are Investment and Trading Solutions Provider. This has been our core business since more than two decades. Our group was founded in 1988 by Mr. J. U. Mansukhani an Ex. IES officer and U. N. O. advisor with decades of experience in capital markets. We are a Corporate Member of NSE ,BSE, NCDEX MCX and Depository Participant with NSDL and CDSL. Team Mansukh consists of qualified Professionals like M. B. As, C. As,Hardware and Software Engineers who tread the path of customer delight. Thus we are a Classic Mix of Youth and experience. We cater to the Investment and Trading needs of Retail Clients, HNIs, Corporates and Business Partners etc. You can choose your pick from the various Investment and Trading solutions customized to suit your needs. We have offices at more than 200 cities in India and a huge network of VSATs, Leased lines and modems. We use extended C-Band technology of HCL, arguably one of the best providers of VSAT Technology. We offer Equity Trading, Derivative Trading, Depositary services, Internet trading, PMS etc.. For more details about the company visit   www. moneysukh. com  . We are a Delhi based company and currently we are opening up with a new arbitrage setup at our ahmedabad branch. So the current profile is for ahmedabad branch. Profile:-  Doing System Arbitrage in two different markets applying  arbitrage strategies. (Profile would be related to hardcore finance) Designation:-  Derivative Analyst We will write a custom essay sample on Mansukh Securities and Finance Ltd. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Mansukh Securities and Finance Ltd. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Mansukh Securities and Finance Ltd. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Package:   Ã‚  Ã‚   2 Lakh (CTC) per annum (Rs. 15,050/- per month in hand Rs. 19,400/- as performance bonus at the end of one year) There would be monthly incentive depending on the performance after the probation period of 6 months. This incentive part is not included in the current CTC. Selection Procedure:-  1- Online Test 2- Case Study 3- Interview Joining: Immediate Selected Candidates have to sign three years bond  since its a hardcore finance job requires lots of training. Current package would be for one year Annual appraisal will take place based on the performance of the employee. Interested candidates should send their CV at [emailprotected] com Corporate Office: Mansukh Securities Finance Limited Mansukh House, Opp. Mother Dairy, Pandav Nagar, Delhi-92 Ph. No-011-30211888/887Mob:-9312459293 Ahmedabad Office: Part A B, 7th Floor, Trade Centre Stadium Circle, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad – 380009. Regards, Shirish Shah System Trading Head – Ahmedabad Mob: 09958419110

Strategy and Strategic Management

Strategy and Strategic Management Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategy and Strategic Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century Introduction There is no unanimity among scholars and practitioners on the meaning of strategy. Texts on the subject discuss strategy from different and sometimes contradictory perspectives. The only issue, over which there is little debate, is the origin of the term strategy. â€Å"In its original sense, strategy (from the Greek word, Strategos) is a military term used to describe the art of the general (Harvard Business School, 2005, p. xi). This art is about plans for troop deployment in battles to win wars. Many writers acknowledge that the concept of strategy has military origins, with Sun Tzu’s â€Å"Art of War† being one the oldest treatise on strategy. Businesspersons seem to enjoy using military analogies to conceptualize the running of bu sinesses in the modern world. Indeed, the pressure of keeping a business afloat amidst a very volatile operating environment that the world has become can feel like war. It is the goal of this paper to seek to uncover the essential components of strategy and the process of formulating a coherent organizational strategy in the context of the built environment. Amid the differences that exist as to what strategy is, it seems more beneficial to embrace a wide-angled view of since each of the viewpoints has merit and contributes to the overall understanding of the concept. It is the approach that Mark, (2004, p. 11) advocates for in the context of business when he states, â€Å"One of the greatest benefits of a comprehensive approach to strategy is the surfacing and exploitation of multiple sources of attractive growth†. However, this growth should give due considerations the internal resources availability for now and for the future.Advertising Looking for essay on busin ess economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Essential Components of Strategy The first essential component of strategy is action. The Harvard Business School (2005) states, â€Å"Strategy is about doing the right things† (p. xi). Actions reveal an organizations strategy. A deliberate strategy informs its actions. However, actions not based on a defined strategy still qualify for consideration as part of organizational strategy. Secondly, strategy refers to a plan. Henderson (1991) states, â€Å"Strategy is a deliberate search for a plan of action that will develop a business’s competitive advantage and compound it† (p. 5). This plan informs the actions undertaken when the strategy is deliberate. Henderson (1991) assumes that all strategy must be formally planned. In the context of strategy, it is not the formalization of a plan but the deliberate choices a business puts in place that counts. Another view forwarded by the Harvard Business School (2005) about strategy is that it is a resource control and utilization plan meant to protect the central interests of an organization. These resources include finances, physical infrastructure, and human resource. This view accomodates the lack of a deliberate centralized conventional business strategy made through a formal process. It simply refers to the arrangement of those resources in a sensible manner towards certain ends. Competitive advantage is the motive behind strategy. Robert (2005) succinctly states, â€Å"Strategy is about winning† (p. 4). This view is supported by Porter (1991) who states, â€Å"the essense of strategy formulation is coping with competition† (p. 11). The idea expressed reveals the intentional use of a plan to out-perform business rivals using unique traits of the organization in order to survive, and hopefully thrive. In this case, strategy answers the need to be the best among competitors. T he fifth essential component of strategy revealed by Robert (2005) is organizational identity. He states, â€Å"At the most basic level, strategy making extends beyond questions of resource deployment and market positioning to address fundamental questions such as: what is our business? What are we trying to achieve? What is our identity as an organization?† (Robert, 2005, p. xi). This approach requires the organization to understand itself first before venturing out into the market with a clear direction. Wall (2004) agrees with this approach showing that strategy provides an organization with a â€Å"coherent sense of direction†, which is yet another essential component of strategy (p. 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategy and Strategic Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This coherence makes it possible for all members of the organization to act in a coordinated fashion, which is esse ntial for the success of a business. This holds true for small firms as well as large corporations. The final essential component of strategy is context. Successful strategy is very contextual. â€Å"As soon as we move beyond general notions to more precise definition, then these depend upon the type of arena within which strategy is being deployed† (Robert, 2005, p. 7). This element accounts for the disparities in the views on strategy since some of the viewpoints are highly contextalized. Increasingly, in this era of multinationals and globalization, context is more difficult to delineate especially geographically, yet to ignore context when developing strategy is to court disaster. Towards a Unified View of Strategy Based on the viewpoints above, Mark (2004) seems to have developed the most comprehensive definition of strategy. He states, â€Å"Strategy is about raising and allocating resources, setting priorities, directing organizations, and demonstrating through decisi ve behaviour what will be done – and what will not – in the pursuit of a larger vision, goal, mission, or high level set of objectives† (Mark, 2004. p. xv). His definition is broad enough to capture most of the essential elements of strategy thereby avoiding the problem of high contextualization. It is also wide enough to cover the specifics of strategy that are valid in the strategic management of all organizations. This makes it useful in understanding the concept of strategy. Its other strength is that it leaves room for looking at strategy as either deliberate or consequential. The elements defined here do not require a centralized approach to strategy development but even if it is there, it does not disqualify it. Its major weakness is its lack of enviromental cognisance. It does not account for environmental factors that greatly influence the preparation and execution of strategy. This goes to demonstrate that the process of developing a unfied view of stra tegy is a work in progress, and still requires effort to sysnthesize the essential elements into a comprehensive definition of strategy. This preferred view must include the nine essential componenents identified above and in addition it must allow for both the deliberate and consequential nature of strategy.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A definition that meets the above criteria will still be somewhat incomplete since there is still the problem of universality versus contextualization. The following is an attempt to redefine strategy to meet this criteria presenting a wider understanding of the concept. Strategy is a set of actions, planned or otherwise that influence resource acquisition and allocation, deployed for the express purpose of attaining competitive advantage based on a clear organizational identity expressed in terms of its place, power, problems and potential, which informs its direction and actions within its environmental context. This definition captures all the essential elements identified but its rather cumbersome. It is long and may not appeal to the wider audience who actually need a concise definition to capture the essence of strategy. Probably, the sensible thing to do is to settle for a simplified global definition, while providing working definitions for each field, as writers have alread y done. The Strategy Process As expected, there is no universality in the recommendation of an ideal process for strategy development. There are different views on it. â€Å"Henry Mintzberg and his colleagues at McGill Unversity distinguish intended, realized and emergent strategies†. (Robert, 2005, p. 14). Intended strategy is the one the organization deliberately plans and positions itself to implement. Emergent strategy is the one which developes unwittingly as an organization responds to evolving issues. When these two strategies interact, the result is the realized strategy which is the strategy the organization finds itself implementing. These three strategies are the result of three concurrent processes and they demonstrate the organic nature of strategy. Strategy therefore is not a static process but a dynamic one that evolves and requires regular refitting. There is much concurrence though when looking at strategy as a process. In fact, there is a deliberate encourag ement that organizations should take an active role in the developement of their strategy, other than waiting for one to emerge as they undertake their daily business. The Harvard Business School (2005) states, â€Å"strategy creation and its implementation should be approached as a process† (p. xvi). The school proposes a five level process for strategy development that is useful in understanding the strategy process. The steps in the process are developement of a mission, followed by identification of organizational goals. Thirdly, there is the actual strategy development succeeded by the strategy implementation process. The final level is performance measurement. The first level of strategy development is mission. â€Å"Strategy creation follows from the mission of the company, which defines its purpose and what it aims to do for customers and other stakeholders† (Harvard Business School, 2005, p. xvi). Mark (2004) underscores the importance of mission when he says that the identification and action upon a particular set of issues determines the success of a business. When the organization is clear about its priorities, then it can sucessfully engage in determining what is essential to its operations for success. The mission sets the rules governing its key relationships and functions. The next level is the identification of goals. â€Å"Strategy creation typically begins with extensive research and analysis and a process through which senior management zeros in on the top priority issues that the company needs to tackle to be sucessful inn the long term† (Harvard Business School, 2005, p. xvii). There is a difference in opinion as to the direction of flow of the process, and whether it is the top management that is best placed to set organizational goals. They have the tools and the authority but they lack in understanding of frontline issues that are key in implementation. Frontline staff on the other hand have clear views on what is not working for them but they lack the organizational overview. Probably, a middle line where the management gets input from the frontline is the best way around this challenge. Once the goals are set, strategy creation takes place. It involves determining the internal and external forces followed by the identification of the choices that the organization has to achieve its objectives. Many tools are used to examine the organization’s capacity to settle on a particular organizational strategy after an environmantal scan. While The Havard Busienss School advocates for SWOT as a method of conducting an enviromental scan, Robert (2005) feels that this approach is difficult to implement in practice and he advocates for a two way analysis of the environment, looking at internal and external factors. He contends that its not the four way classification but the â€Å"rigor and depth† in the analysis of these factors that counts (Robert, 2005). Another popular tool worth menti oning used to conduct an evironmental scan is the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis. This tool is useful when the organization’s bottom line is the impetus driving the organization’s effort in undertaking a stategic planning process. There is lesser contention on who developes organizational strategy. Many writers agree that â€Å"the job of creating an organization’s strategy over time falls to senior managers† (Walker, 2004. p4). The forth step in the strategy process is implementation. â€Å"A strategy that is formulated without regard to its implemetation is likely to be fatally flawed.† (Robert, 2005, 14). In pushing the case for more frontline involvement, Daughtry and Casselman (2009) state, â€Å"Vision and strategy, critical though they are, are virtually useless without consistent execution right down to the frontlines† (p. 1 ). This requires good communication along the ranks of the organization. They add that â€Å"Strategy h as to be translated into the language and actions appropriate to each level in the organization† (Daughtry Casselman, 2009, P.5). The final level in the strategy process is performance measurement. This lacks in organizations that do not have deliberate strategy. They do not know what to measure since they have not categorically stated what their goals are. This five-step process is more useful as a conceptual model than as an actual implementation process. Wall (2004) warns that things do not work out this neatly in the real world where forces shift suddenly and without warning. Perhaps it is best to look at strategy development as â€Å"an iterative process that begins with a recognition of where you are and what you have now† (Henderson, 1991, p. 6). New information and circumstances feed into the old circumstances forcing us to change and adapt our methods. The role of strategic management is to ensure that the changes in the environment do not adversely affect the organization’s long term view, but that the organization prepares in advance to take advantage of these changes. Application of Strategy-Strategic Fit and Strategic Foresight Just like other organizations, construction companies exists within a certain environment defined broadly by the natural environment, demographic structures, social structures, legislative processes, technology, and economy. This environment has an immediate impact on their interest’s interests and influences everyday decisions. In addition, they have their own unique internal environments defined by organizational culture, resources outlay such as level capitalisation and expertise, and business processes defining how they find and execute construction contracts. The internal environment influences the realization of their aspirations and the momentum they sustain towards their realization. Certain other forces much larger in dimension constitute the business climate of companies in the built en vironment. These include the macroeconomic trends, political issues, and global trends. Montgomery and Porter (1991) observe, â€Å"Increasingly, both business units and corporations must compete globally† (p. xv). Dalic (2007) calls it â€Å"the convergence of cultures† (p. 4). The climate has long-term impacts on the industry though it may be a while before a particular company begins to feel the impact of climatic changes. They are a very strong motivation behind the strategy process. Before a construction company develops its strategy, it is beneficial and maybe crucial for it to determine what its environment looks like. This allows it to forecast the impact of its present actions thereby providing it with the range of presently available options and the limits within which it can operate profitably. The application of strategy and the strategy process allows an organization to determine two important contexts in strategic planning and strategic management. These are strategic fit and strategic foresight. Strategic Fit Strategic fit looks at the present. It refers to the process where an organization examines its current position to ascertain whether it is sitting squarely on its best possible footing or whether there is a mismatch, based on its objectives. In the built environment, a company looks at whether its level of staffing and financing corresponds to the available opportunities. The resulting plan from the process is a strategic plan to give the organization a better placement within its business context. Robert (2005) recognizes the need for strategic fit when he states, â€Å"For a strategy to be successful, it must be consistent with the firm’s external environment and with the characteristics of the firm’s internal environment- its goals and values, resources and capabilities, and structure and systems† (p. 14). Construction projects normally take very long from ideation to completion, and it is normal for v ery drastic changes in the business enviroment to occur within the life of the project. By seeking to attain strategic fit, a construction company ensures it takes advantage of the present opportunities which may dissapear because of environmental change. Strategic fit is the result of implementing measures concluded upon after conducting an environmental scan during the strategy process. Strategy and the strategy process may provide organizations in the built environment with the ability to determine their strategic fit to ensure that they are currently using their resources to the best effect. However, due to the dynamic environment in the present business context, for a small outfit such as small to medium enterprise construction industy, the strategy process considerations may pose challenges to them in utilizing their resources to the best outcome as it is somewhat restrictive in terms of time, cost and resource availability. Strategic Focus/Foresight On the other hand, strateg ic foresight, also known as strategic focus, refers to the preferred position of an organization usually at some point in the future. By looking at the medium and long-term opportunities, a construction company may find certain desirable positions they would prefer to occupy at that future date. Strategic foresight considers all the forces acting on the business environment within which the organization operates and seeks to determine their impact on the long-term objectives of the organization. This prepares it to take advantage of arising opportunities and prepares it to handle future challenges. â€Å"One of the biggest challenges facing executive teams is lack of strategic focus† (Daughtry Casselman, 2009, p. 7). Its long-term nature makes it easy to ignore especially for small construction companies with severe resource constraints. The pressure of the present seems to make strategic foresight an unnecessary burden on already overworked executives. By drawing on strateg y and the strategy process, a construction company creates strategic focus on its executives, thereby preparing them to handle the challenges the company will face in the future. It assures the long-term survival of the company. It is tempting to look at the strategy process in terms of strategic foresight without considering the implications of strategic fit on the desired future. Organizations in the built environment need to know that strategic foresight without strategic fit results in â€Å"a plan for the future without a plan for the present† (Wall, 2004, p. 13). On the other hand, strategic fit without strategic focus gurantees the present at the expense of the future. Hence, the outcome should be a balanced strategy where there should be a constant review of the corporate strategy and its implication on present and future resources, and the competitive advantage in the market place. Reference List Bacharach, S.B. (1989) Organizational Theories: Dome Criteria for Evalu ation. The Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 496-515 Bourgeois III, L.T. (1984) Strategic Management and Determinism. The Academy of Management Review, 9(4), 586-596 Dalic, T. (2007) Globalization of Marketing Strategies in Light of Segmentation and Cultural Diversity. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag. Daughtry, T.C. and Casselman, G.L., (2009) Executing Strategy: From Boardroom to Frontline. Herndon, VI: Capital Books. Harvard Business School (2005) Strategy: Create and Implement the Best Strategy for Your Business. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. Henderson, B.D.(1991) Developing Strategy in C.A. Montgomery M.E. Porter, eds. Strategy: Seeking and Securing Competitive Advantage. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing Division. Li. Y and Peng, M.W. (2008) Developing theory from strategic management research in China, Asia Pacific Journal Manage, 25(3), 563-572. Mark, D. (2004) Strategy: A Step by Step Approach to the Developement and Presentation of World Class Business Strat egy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Poppo, L. and Zenger T. (1998) Testing Alternative Theories of the Firm: Transaction Cost, Knowledge-Based, and Measurement Explanations for Make-or-Buy Decision in Information Services, Strategic Management Journal, 19, 853-887 Robert, M.G. (2005) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Smircich, L. and Stubbart C. (1985), Strategic Management in an Enacted World, The academy of Management Review, 10(4), 724-736. Teece, D.J., Pisano, G. and Shuen, A. (1997) Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management, Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509-533. Toffek, M.W. (2004) Strategic Management of Product Recovery, California Management Review, 46(2), 1-22 Venkatram, N. and Cumillus, J.C. (1984) Exploring the Concept of â€Å"Fit† in Strategic Management, The Academy of Management Review, 9(3), 513-525 Walker, G. (2004) Modern Competitive Strategy. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Wall, S.J. (2004) On the Fly: Executing S trategy in a Changing World. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. D31BM – Business Management for Built Environment

Why the Managing Ethics and Social Responsibility Issue Is Relevant to Essay

Why the Managing Ethics and Social Responsibility Issue Is Relevant to the BP (British Petroleum) - Essay Example Ethics are used for setting the limits in regard to the operations of MNCs in countries worldwide. In its common sense, the term ethics is used for referring to ‘a code or set of principles by which people live’ (Popkin and Stroll 1993, p.1). However, the monitoring of the alignment of organizational decisions with ethics is a difficult task; in fact, it has been proved that most decisions of MNCs may violate ethics, at least at regional level. According to Beer (2010) the decisions of organizations operating in the context of the international market are likely to oppose, more or less, to ethics. Current paper reviews the performance of a well-known multinational corporation, British Petroleum (BP), in regard to ethics. According to the company’s reports, as presented below, the firm highly emphasizes on social responsibility and ethics in regard to all its activities. However, in practice the above argument is not verified. In fact, it is proved that the organiz ation has repeatedly failed in responding to its social responsibilities, causing severe damages on its employees and people living in the areas surrounding its sites; besides, the environmental effects of the firm’s activities cannot be ignored. It is clear that the firm needs to update its operations globally promoting ethics and social responsibility. ... practices with ethics and social responsibility, can be identified by referring to the firm’s existing policies for promoting social responsibility and ethics. At the next level, events proving the violation by the company of ethics will be presented and evaluated using appropriate literature. BP operates in an industry the effects of which on the environment can be significant. For this reason, and under the influence of the accident in Mexico in 2010, the firm has tried to introduce a series of initiatives for improving its relationship with its stakeholders. Daft and Marcic (2008) explain that the organization emphasizes on the continuous increase of its performance in regard to environmental responsibility. Lord John Browne, the Group’s Chief Executive, monitors the performance of the organization in regard to the specific sector (Daft and Marcic 2008, p.149). Browne notes that the increase of the needs in oil and gas annually has led to the increase of environmenta l risks, an issue that it is difficult to be managed effectively, due to the lack of control over the global needs in oil and gas (Daft and Marcic 2008, p.149). Moreover, the firm has introduced ‘an emissions trading system’ (Daft 2007, p.761), in order to improve its performance in locating resources without set environment in risk (Daft 2007, p.761). In addition, the firm has established an Educational Service, which promotes educational schemes for informing students and teachers on the effects of industrial operations on climate change, and the impact of the latter on human life (Ferrell and Hartline 2010, p.556). In 2005 the firm developed its Code of Conduct aiming to show to its stakeholders its efforts in promoting ethics and social responsibility (Ferrell and Hartline 2010, p.556). The