Leadership and Change Management Research

Leadership and Change Management Research Free Online Research Papers Introduction The ability to change and flexibility are important for the success of any organization. By using change models, businesses can assess the necessity for changes within their organization. Some of the changes that a business makes depend on the strategic plan, personalities of the employees, and the leadership styles that the employee’s personalities require. Our team has been asked to examine the differences in change models, leadership styles, challenges with change, and success factors of multiple organizations. By doing so our team can gain a better understanding of what models are appropriate to the organizations and how critical those models are to the organizations’ success. General Electric and Chrysler – Tawana Keels General Electric At the time, Jack Welch became CEO of General Electric the companies market value was $13 billion dollars, in 2000 when Jack Welch stepped down as CEO, market value was over $500 billion dollars, GE had became the most valuable company in the entire world (General Electric, 2010). When Jack became CEO, he attracted plenty of attention, although he was known for being a transformational leader, he was also known for being direct and abrasive, this much different from his predecessor (Business Week, 2004). Although he did not have a master plan for restructuring GE, he had a vision of what he wanted the company to be. Like CrysTel CEO, Jack Welch knew his company had to be flexible and adapt to constant change. Additionally, he knew the company would need a complete restructuring and a dismantling of the bureaucracy that existed within GE. But the concept of change would not be completely accepting by the staff at GE. Similar to CrysTel, Jack Welch encountered a great deal of resistance to change. According to our class material, resistance to change is an emotional response to actual or imagined threats to an established work routine (Kreitner Kinicki, 2004). Unfortunately, not all people have positive responses to change. Resistance to change is by fear, lack of trust, and unwillingness to discover new ideas. Implementing his vision would not be easy; his response to this issue would be swift and aggressive. He would initially sell off many unprofitable business lines and began trimming GE from â€Å"top down.† Second he would introduce the Work Out concept, a results-focused approach to solving problems (Business Week, 2004). Last, he would implement a quality program, which would process efficient first-class products. Although his response was swift and aggressive, they would put GE in an excellent position. However, during his first tenure, Jack would conduct mass lay-offs, more than 100,000 workers (25%) of the workforce would lose their jobs (Business Week, 2004). The outcome would garner many critics. Although his management strategy tends to more controversial, his contribution to General Electric will never be disputed. Chrysler America has been in worst economic situation since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Most businesses in America have seen a steep decline in consumer spending, which has had a considerable affect on the bottom line. The decline in consumer spending coupled with an increase in competition, consumers demand for innovative and economical solution to everyday life – businesses have been forced to change how they conduct business. This is the common issue for both CrysTel Communications and Chrysler Corporation are facing. CrysTel and Chrysler companies are finding that external forces are requiring them to be flexible and adapt to frequent change. Both must reexamine their organizational structure and implement new programs that will make them competitive to increase revenue and sales. Both have to be flexible and adapt to continuous change. Similar to CrysTel, the last two years the Chrysler Corporation has seen a consistent decrease in sales. To respond, the automaker under went a total restructuring, from hiring a new CEO, developing more fuel-efficient vehicles, to selling off its unprofitable assets, and terminating dealership agreements with 25% of its dealerships. However, this would prove not to be enough, to increase sales. In 2007 total American sales were down 3.1%, but the situation would prove to grow worse, the following year sales were down 30% (New York Times, 2009) Chrysler executives realized that the company would need financial help stay in business. To aid Chrysler in continuing their operations, the federal government loaned the company almost seven billion dollars (Voice of America, 2009) During the spring of last year, the Chrysler Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection coincidently, the CEO announced he would leave as once the bankruptcy was over (Voice of America, 2009) Additionally, Chrysler would receive more funding from the US Government, more than one billion to be exact. For Chrysler, the following year would be even worse, in 2009 sales dip below one million – the worst sales figures in almost 50 years. During this transition, Chrysler hired a new CEO Sergio Marchionne – for 2010 he says his goal is to sale 1.1 million cars (USA Today, 2010). Palos and South Deering Supply Corporation – Debra Newcombe Palos Palos is a medium-sized, well-established manufacturing company that has six plants nationwide and approximately 4700 employees. Palos (fictitiously named because of the three-year involvement with the program) has agreed to involve its management and employees in a Management by Objectives (MBO) program to determine if the company has sufficient job satisfaction levels. The MBO survey done on Palos is the same MBO implemented with Purex Corporation with favorable results including better communication and understanding of the company’s goals (Donnelly, Ivancevich, Lyon, 1970). The personnel manager handled every aspect of the MBO at Palos, but before initiating the program a questionnaire referred to as the Porter job satisfaction instrument was distributed to the managers. After finishing the questionnaire, the initial findings for the long-term goals were formally documented and given to all levels of management. Long-term goals are important in determining â€Å"what the company would like to become† (Kinicki Kreitner, 2003, p. 92). After the company’s long-term goals were set, each department determined the short-term goals and submitted those plans to the personnel department. Short-term goals are important in an organization because they lay the foundation for the long-term goals. Then the managers set one-year goals and distributed copies to supervisors and subordinates for their review. Goal-setting has always been important in organizations to determine if employees are motivated and have a sense of job satisfaction. However, unlike CrysTel, whose surveys were geared toward all personnel, Palos presented surveys to management only. This type of leadership style is defined as directive leadership, in which employees are not involved with decisions and company goals. CrysTel’s management is defined as a servant-leader type relationship with subordinates because of the company’s involvement with the company’s long-term, short-term goals, and job satisfaction surveys. The differences in leadership styles between CrysTel and Palo’s is that CrysTel empowers all employees to make decisions about goals and needs, Palos does not. At the time of the survey, the challenges with Palos are the negative feedback for the implementation of additional paperwork the new goals set forth. The future challenges for Palos management is to teach them to become leaders versus managers, empower employees, and develop teams to reach short and long-term goals. South Deering Supply Corporation Like Palos, South Deering (whose real company name was also withheld) is a medium-sized, well-established organization with about 4,000 employees. Unlike Palos, South Deering has only one plant in a small Midwestern town. South Deering agreed to perform the MBO on its employees and also chose to use management as a catalyst for this study. South Deering chose top managers to teach the philosophies of the study to the other employees (Donnelly, Ivancevich, Lyon, 1970). South Deering’s approach to the MBO mirrored that of Palos with the long and short-range goals implemented by the managers. The exceptions to the similarity were that the goals at South Deering were submitted to a committee for review and the evaluation of goal attainment was done every three months instead of annually. As with Palos, the management at South Deering were directive as well, but the outcome of the results were different with South Deering as it boasted more positive results in employee needs satisfaction. The study infers the difference between the outcomes at Palos and South Deering is the involvement at South Deering with the top managers in goal-setting rather than the personnel manager used at Palos. Personnel managers are far less apt to express the results of goals in a quantifiable measurement than top managers. Another positive outcome in the study referred to the shorter frequency of review on the goals as a contributing factor to the MBO’s success. Palos and South Deering Supply Corporation Synopsis’s Like CrysTel, Palos and South Deering’s employees had low levels of job satisfaction, which prompted the need for the MBO’s implementation. CrysTel’s employees were more involved in the survey process than Palos and South Deering, which enabled CrysTel to empower its employees and teams to set specific goals and create motivation. Palos and South Deering could learn by benchmarking CrysTel’s methods to increase employee satisfaction and motivate employees through goal-setting and education. The feedback process showed significant improvements for both Palos and South Deering after the MBO was implemented. Although issues still existed, both companies had a solid base for which to put motivational theories to work. Using the Expectancy Theory of Motivation, both Palos and South Deering management would benefit from involving themselves in communicating standards to the employees, provide valid performance ratings, and set rewards accordingly. By implementing these steps, management could promote a positive work environment and insure future motivational goal setting participation. The leadership styles for Palos and South Deering should better suit the new MBO objectives. Because of Palos and South Deering’s former objectives, the directive style worked well for the employees; however, the new objectives promote the need for a more charismatic leadership style, which managers can use to motivate employees to be more involved in goal-oriented activities. In addition to the charismatic leadership style, Palos and South Deering could also benefit from the transactional leadership style for their management to promote a better relationship between the employees and management, something that either company has been able to achieve in the past. CrysTel was able to implement leadership changes within their organization from high structure – low consideration leadership to total employee empowerment within the teams. Ford Motor Company and General Motors – Donna Ray CrysTel has strong top executives, but its departmental leadership skills especially in the Marketing and Sales departments need to improve. With transformational leadership providing timely feedback and motivation in these departments, CrysTel will be able to adjust better its changing market conditions and provide smoother transitions during these times of change. Ford Motor Company In 2000 Ford Motor Company wanted to develop and improve their leadership skills and become more consumers friendly. Fords 2000 Corporate Citizen Report Chairman, William Clay Floyd, said the difference between a good and an excellent company is: A good company provides quality goods and services; an excellent one provides excellent goods and services and attempts to make the world a better place (Friedman, 2001). Ford began to look for ways to transform into a consumer focused company as a means of guaranteeing long-term financial success, and Ford understood this transformation would require leadership. Ford decided to develop the Leadership Development Center that offered a sequence of leadership programs that focus more on Fords core principles. Ford’s leadership programs created training for the development of transformational leaders through action learning, like Quantum Idea Projects (QIP) that promote critical and creative thinking, e-tools like the Internet and e-mail, incorporate work and life, and create business contact financially and organizationally (Friedman). This approach is what Ford identifies as total leadership. Over the course of these trainings through the Learning Development Center, members who worked with Quantum Idea Projects have developed effectively 600 projects with major business contacts, and a Ford’s current Supplier and Business Leadership project has seen $300 in profit for each vehicle (Friedman, 2001). The main focus of Ford’s Leadership Development Center is to build leaders with a consumer mindset, to incorporate full leadership, and to strengthen business alliances and be open to new ideas. Key Findings CrysTel could gain ideas from Ford by considering a leadership development program. CrysTel has come across constant changes in the unstable telecommunications market, and it will need quality leadership in its Marketing and Sales departments to supervise and grow with these changes. Leaders change his or her company through their vision, communication, and ability to build commitment (McShane Von Glinow, 2004). Alternative Solutions Although CrysTel presently has good upper management leaders; a leadership development program could be develop to help improve leadership styles and skills in its Marketing and Sales departments and direct the development of training programs centered on CrysTels core principles and a changing culture. General Motors The Service Parts Operations (SPO) of General Motors is in charge of ensuring GM dealers, distributors, and vendors have the correct part at the right time at the correct price (Davis, Lucas, Marcotte, 1998). Although SPO employees gave an account of strong financial performances and output, the divisions general manager, Bill Lovejoy, learned that the SPO division was not meeting its customers needs. Lovejoy believed that the next level of productivity could be accomplish with the evaluation of leadership style and managerial skills, and so Lovejoy hired Design Dimensions International (DDI) to evaluate desired management competencies, perform the training, and offer individual coaching (Davis, Lucas, Marcotte, 1998). The evaluation was executed over a two-day period on a direct group of managers, clerks, and supervisors. After evaluations were performed each employee developed a training plan with his or her DDI coach who focused on management simulations and skills like developing accountability, communication, and customer relations. Training assessments and follow-ups are an ongoing process. The data result from the pilot group was compare to those of a controlled group and the results were remarkable. First, the pilot group saw major improvements with role clearness and personal influence, available resources, and the use of personal skills and acknowledgment. The performance ratings for the pilot employees outweighed those of the control group in areas: schedule achievement, excellence, production, health and safety, and absenteeism. The productivity improvement resulted in nearly $4.4 million savings to the operating budget (Davis, Lucas, Marcotte, 1998). Key Findings CrysTel could benefit from the works of an outside group who could assess their current leadership proficiencies. Proficiencies cover a broad range of personal characteristics like knowledge, skills, abilities, and values (McShane Von Glinow, 2004). Improved leadership will help CrysTel build a culture that can sustain continual change. Alternative Solutions If the budget allows, CrysTel could employ one or two consultants to evaluate leadership proficiencies and develop personalized training programs that center on communication, and adjust to change. Department of Health and JC Penney – Tamira Summers Department of Health Technology, size and strategy increased in ways that decreased positive attitudes and caused resistance for the WIC program within the organization. Although new technology is important, the state continues to work in a DOS system. The strategy is serves clients more efficiently and quickly to reach more of the public that needs the service. Later as statistic reviews are discussed and shared with corporate and county departments, will help solidify the cost, use, and contract of the software. Looking at new technology advances will takes retraining for new comers not familiar with DOS programs or have not used DOS in years. As the state contracts with different vendors for functional software that assists various programs with doing daily job duties, the use of it is exciting. Workers can work faster and provide services more proficiently. On the other hand, as the new programs are used more often, the possibility of an overload can occur which may cause it to shut down more frequently. This would account for the popularity of the program, meaning it started small and became bigger and bigger. What happens is that it allows us to service the public more and the more we service our system appears not to handle the traffic well. This means that more ram, memory and all that good technology talk needs revamping. The WIC provides women, infant and children with dietary counseling to ensure they are eating healthier during pregnancy, postpartum, and the children up to age five. As clients receive counseling, many are excited about the new foods they will receive for the children but also their self. The checks have increased with numerous amounts of food and variety of foods listed, but at the same time, foods they were able to purchase either have been changed or eliminated from the program. One of the most challenging educational explanations for milk is the decrease in percentage. Many believe they should be able to have what they had before and continue to challenge Nutritional Educators saying, â€Å"My child will not drink anything other than whole milk or two percent.† Other challenges also include wanting milk that the hospital gives and the program uses another company name whose formula is compatible. It requires a medical referral to receive other brands because there is a particular reason for needing that brand. Others include simple complaints such as â€Å"the bread is hard to find† or â€Å"I waited for this formula to come in and it never did; now my check has expired.† Simple solution, go to another store and find it. Most clients are excited and share the newly imposed foods and benefits to their friends or family. JC Penney As a major chain in retail, JC Penney desire is to make shopping a pleasure and price merchandise within the general consumer budget. As a previous employee, the company sold cosmetics. These brands were sister brands some big box retailers and sought to service ethnic groups of all sorts. In addition, some lines were very European and rare to see at that time in JC Penney. As the economy changed, the cosmetic and fragrance lines were discontinued. In an effort to introduce other strategic move, the space use for accessories took over. Other departments expanded their space and were able to increase in merchandise; other areas underwent a redesign such as jewelry. Resizing other departments indicated a strategy move to increase in revenue and meet more of the consumer demands. With the missing cosmetic market, JC Penney could not compete with other major department stores such as Dillard’s, Belk’s and Parisian at that time. â€Å"Also a re-introduction of cosmet ics included the installation of Sephora inside JC Penney located in some key stores. Beginning in 2007 the store slogan changed from â€Å"It’s All Inside† to â€Å"Every Day Matters.† Many major cosmetic designers sought companies that had the look of what they wanted to sell as well as the type of clients they wanted to sell to. Looking forward, the strategic move to eliminate the department did not just vanish. After years of going without a cosmetic department, Sephora introduced itself once again as a partner with JC Penney. Desiring to compete and meet the customer request along with many other back office dealings, Sephora brought added life to the company. This strategic move was necessary for competition but also to reenter a competitive cosmetic market with the help of another prominent line that caters to a variety of cultures. Technological bases in this industry focuses on Internet telecommunication, material, and biotechnology. JCPenny’s is a giant in apparel retail; the right material is necessary and must provide a form of comfort to customers. Take for instance, the new sketcher shoes designed to help support the back and strengthen muscles in the legs, hips, and butt area. The technical design of the shoe provides a heel to toe rocking motion that guides the proper walking notion. The same is cosmetics, which the chemical balance is necessary to support the natural body’s hormonal reactors. Most current is the anti-aging serums. JC Penney realizes the market for vanity is serious and is a multibillion-dollar industry. In addition, this line of cosmetics is fun, trendy, and sophisticated meeting ages of sorts. In addition, JC Penney offers online purchasing and phone purchases. Without some of the technological advances in Internet and telecommunications, some clients would not shop at their favorite store. The company continues to grow in popularity and size. The need to build in convenient locations as well as go international is reason to adapt to change. Compare and Contrast Department of Health for Duval County technological advances are state approve. For new software and machines to come into the different sights for our division has identified the need for it. The new program implemented helps increase in speed and accuracy of serving the public, which the division caters to. Better technology in programming removes the use of a DOS system despite functions used to input information. As more and technology programs are designed to meet the functions of government programs, the use of old technology will completely disappear and eventually the state will meet more challenges with precision. JC Penney technology avenues have increased with Internet shoppers and transforming them into buyers. â€Å"In 1998, J.C. Penney launched its third channel for shopping convenience. Its Internet store has grown into one of the largest apparel and home furnishings retail sites on the Internet. Among its general merchandise peers, the on-line store has the highest rate (10.1%) of converting site visitors into buyers.† Between Internet and telecommunications, JC Penney continues to compete not just in the physical store but virtually as well. The both meet the needs of the consumer, but one lags behind in the combination of Windows and DOS programming. The move to reach the consumer is greater for JC Penney because of the technological advances and apparel industry. In order for Department of Health to reach the consumer is more challenging because the use of some technology such as the Internet is not readily available to clients, but word of mouth is an important tool relied upon to attract the clients we need. Department of Health size is based on the size of the county and the number of residents that need the program. Jacksonville, Florida is the largest county here and the number of residents is over 800,000. Our goal is to service at least 95% of the county. Many also come from neighboring counties, but they are not without their county division. Because of the size of the county, more opportunity is here to reach those in need. Surrounding counties have only one office clients can travel to. Thanks to funding and clients, the county has more offices for WIC, but also for medical attention and dental attention. JC Penney started business in 1902 and continues to thrive decades later. Almost going bankrupt, this retail leader has survived more challenges than many other departments who eventually closed its doors. In this current age, JC Penney moves forth in size and has retailer itself to meet fashion trends, refocus areas of greater need and continues to grow as a retail giant. Once introducing cosmetics and doing away with its cosmetic department, the company was able to expand in different areas meeting a different consumer demand for apparel and accessories. As the organization revisited the cosmetic industry, it reintroduced its self with a new hot and trendy cosmetic line named Sephora. This company contracted with JC Penney and increased the cliental and financial reward of this industry. One company size can focus on demographical need; the other industry can focus on a need to clothe the demographical area. It also relies on another industry that attracts clients through media, marketing, and trend. The other attracts customers through a need and not a desire. One helps feed the population and the other feeds off the population. This may be an unfair analysis, but respectively true to its industry. The Department of Health strategy is based on grants through the United States Government. Identifying and analyzing the needs of the public, there is a strategic analysis that shows the state why requests are in need. Statistics such as infant mortality, obesity, doctor visits and so on indicate why new programs or increase funding for existing programs are in need. Forecasting for the future to reach a percentage of customers will set forth other strategies that will continue to offer help to those in need. JC Penney strategy is trend focus. To remain competitive and meet consumer desires, the company relies of buyers and designers to set forth the next wave of colors, materials, cuts, chemical serums and technology use to help set the stage for upcoming changes. Virtual communication has led the company to implement a new shopping habit through Internet use. Technology is the future and seeking ingenious technological outlets to meet and exceed consumer desires are all part of the ability to forecast strategic moves. Conclusion The ability to change and adapt are important in today’s organizations. Change models assist businesses in developing goal-setting skills and understanding employees. Organizations that can identify specific leadership skills among their managers can implement changes such as education and training to improve their performance as well as the performance of the employees with whom they supervise. Empowering employees with the ability to make decisions, be creative, and provide input can be a valuable asset to any organization. Our team was asked to research and assess multiple companies that have endured change and continue to be successful because of their flexibility. References Business Week (2004). Jack Welch: Management Evangelist. Retrieved from businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_43/b3905032_mz072.htm Davis, S. R., Lucas, J. H., Marcotte, D. R., (1998, April). GM links better leaders to better business. Workforce, 77(4): 62-64:66+, Retrieved February 28, 2007, from RDS Business Suite database. Donnelly, J., Ivancevich, J., and Lyon, H. A Study of The Impact of Management By Objectives On Perceived Need Satisfaction. Personnel Psychology; Summer70, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p139-151, 13p. Retrieved January 24, 2010 from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=bthAN=6263059site=ehost-live Friedman, S. D., (2001, March). Leadership DNA: The Ford Motor story: Training Development, 55(3), Retrieved February 28, 2007, from RDS Business Suite database. General Electric (2010). GE Past Leaders: John F. Welch Jr., Biography. Retrieved from ge.com/company/history/bios/john_welch.html JC Penney (2009). JC Penney: Then Now. Retrieved January 24, 2010 from www.JC Penney-coupons.com Kinicki, A., Kreitner, R., 2003. Organization Behavior, Sixth Edition. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies McShane, S. Von Glinow, M., (2004). Organizational behavior: Emerging realities for the workplace revolution (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. New York Times. (2009). A short history of Chrysler. Retrieved from nytimes.com/2009/05/01/business/01history.html USA Today. (2010). Chrysler CEO Promises Five New Models for 2010. Retrieved from http://content.usatoday.com/topics/article/Brands/Automotive/Jeep+Grand+Cherokee /0fg78aW4eq5Vd/1 Voice of America. (2009). Obama Reject GM, Chrysler Bailout Plans. Retrieved from http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2009-03-30-voa37-68812652.htm Research Papers on Leadership and Change Management ResearchAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Project Managment Office SystemTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductResearch Process Part OneDefinition of Export QuotasBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfPETSTEL analysis of India

Personal time management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal time management - Essay Example Apart from being a mother, I am a full time professional as well. I am undertaking online classes within the nursing informatics class for the BSN degree. Handling all these affairs is indeed a difficult task but I have to be on my toes at all times. This is in line with my understanding that I am also a mother who has to look after her family and thus be available to the kids and home on a consistent basis. My life does not know any shortcuts or alternatives coming to its fore. I have to be present when the going gets tough, and this happens to me on a constant basis. What is even more significant is the fact that my work tasks are handled on a regular basis, and there are no time delays as such. I have to give top priority to my family because they remain quintessential to me all said and done. I am of the view that time management is not that big of an issue as it is made of. This is because time management comes about when there are concerted efforts to get things right and that too within such a scenario where there is immense understanding of the regular routines that happen, and thus happen without any rhyme and reason. If we can do away with such nuances, it would be correct to state that the time management issue would not even crop up in the first place. I am sure that time management issues hurt those individuals who are not punctual, in fact who do not want to be on time at all. The people who make an effort to be on time and thus complete their chores in accordance usually remain successful with not only managing this issue but also the other pertinent ones that mar their lives every now and then (Warhurst, 2007). As a mother of five kids, I am optimistic that time management is not that big of an issue and could be resolved if there are proper efforts put in pl ace by the people who want to have it under their grasps. However, all that has been said by our forefathers in relation with

Project management report of urban regeneration project south america Essay

Project management report of urban regeneration project south america - Essay Example It also sets out a timetable for the preparation and review of these documents and covers a rolling 3-year period. The LDF is made up of the following Local Development Documents (LDDs) Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which delineates the standards the project management team intends to adapt in an attempt to involve the community in the preparation of the LDDs and the planning application process in Guayaquil In producing the LDS the project management team has taken into consideration the fact that the Imagen Objetivo has been completed and a draft scheme has been received from the key stakeholders (Planning Portal 2005). The Pertinent Development Plan Documents (DPDs) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) which will be prepared over the course of four years. These plan documents coincide with the phases of development Some of the planning policy documents that the will be produced will be development plan documents and others, such as supplementary planning documents, will not. The project management team recognizes the fact that any recommendations in the Planning Inspectors report are binding. As a general rule, supplementary planning documents are not subject to a public examination but will still be the subject of public consultation before they are adopted by the Council. For the purposes of operating within a clear time constraint, the project live cycle was designed to be coincidental with the LDS. As such, the project phasing begins with a strong focus on the development of the Commercial Centre first and foremost and subsequently the development of the New Plaza Civica, the food court, the public walkway, the refurbishment of the old fish market, the cultural centre and finally the development of the New National Art Gallery and Museum. The rationale behind beginning with the development of the Commercial Center relates to the

The State of Affirmative Action in Michigan Essay Example for Free

The State of Affirmative Action in Michigan Essay The term affirmative action refers to positive steps taken for the purpose of giving members of minority groups (including women) increased representation in the workplace, education, and in business opportunities. The term was first used in Executive Order (EO) 11246 issued by then President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 to ensure that federal contractors were not discriminating against minority groups pursuant to the provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, it took another five years before the Secretary of Labor came out with Order #4 which contained the implementing guidelines for EO # 11246. In 1972, Revised Order #4 was issued by the Secretary of Labor to amend Order #4 and fully implement EO 11246. In order to carry out the revised order, directives were issued by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to bring colleges and universities under its coverage. Because the revised order already included women among the minority groups that should be â€Å"fully utilized,† the different institutions in the country, including colleges and universities, were required to set their â€Å"goals† and â€Å"timetables† for such full utilization of the so-called â€Å"protected classes† which by then included women (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Controversy followed the implementation of the revised order not only because of the inclusion of women under the minority groups but particularly when it came to the interpretation of the terms â€Å"goals† and â€Å"timetables.† Some quarters insisted that â€Å"goals† and â€Å"timetables† meant â€Å"quotas† which required institutions to employ gender and/or racial preferences in their employee selection. Others believed otherwise. They argued that a correct interpretation of EO 11246 would show that affirmative action did not actually mean using racial or gender preferences in the selection processes but merely increasing representation. In an essay entitled â€Å"Preferential Hiring,† Judith Jarvis Thomson supported the idea of preferences as a way of compensating for the discrimination that minorities suffered in the past. Thomas Nagel, on the other hand, in his â€Å"Equal Treatment and Compensatory Justice,† claimed that preferences could be a manner of achieving social good without necessarily being unfair and unjust to anybody. Their arguments were immediately contradicted by Lisa Newton who argued that if schools give preference to women and minorities, the â€Å"reverse discrimination [that inevitably results] violates the public equality which defines citizenship† (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). As the debate raged on how to go about giving more teaching posts to women and members of the minority groups, some colleges and universities took the initiative of increasing the presence of minority students in their student population. Unfortunately, one problem became immediately apparent: not enough minority students could obtain sufficient test scores or high school grades that would enable them to gain eligibility for college admission. To overcome the problem, some colleges and universities decided to change their criteria for admissions if only to accommodate minority students and achieve a better representation ratio in the process. This practice resulted to some white applicants being bumped off despite getting higher test scores than some minority students who were admitted. Consequently, charges of reverse discrimination were raised in many campuses nationwide, culminating to cases being filed in court (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). The University of Michigan was not spared from this chaotic situation. One such case was filed by Jennifer Gratz and Patrick Hamacher on October 14, 1977. They took the university to court for allegedly granting illegal preference to minority students in the undergraduate admissions. The case, which was ruled later by the District Court as a â€Å"class action lawsuit† in December of 1998, was initially scheduled for trial in May 1999 but was later postponed at a later date. The Center for Individual Rights represented the plaintiffs (York). The case filed by Gratz and Hamacher stemmed from their failure to obtain admission to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). Gratz applied in 1995 while Hamacher filed his application in 1997. According to the complaint, although the college considered Hamacher as â€Å"within the qualified range† and Gratz as â€Å"well qualified,† they were denied admission in favor of minority students. Gratz and Hamacher claimed that the university used racial preference in its undergraduate admissions and violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (York). On October 16, 2000, twenty Fortune 500 companies which included 3M, Abbott Laboratories, Microsoft Corporation, and The Procter Gamble Company filed a joint amicus brief supporting the University of Michigan. In their brief, they stated that ethnic and racial diversity in institutions like the University of Michigan is vital not only in their efforts to put together a diverse workforce but also in their desire to hire workers from all backgrounds who have obtained their education in diverse environments. On January 15, 2003, President Bush made known his opinion on the case. According to his statement which was released by the Office of the Press Secretary, although he was supportive of racial diversity in colleges and universities, he did not approve of the method employed by the University of Michigan. He not only described its method as flawed but pronounced it a â€Å"quota system that unfairly rewards or penalizes perspective students, based solely on their race.† He further said that the university’s practice of granting minority students extra points (20 out of the needed 100 points for admission) is unconstitutional since under the system being observed in Michigan, a student gets only 12 points for obtaining a perfect score in SAT (York). In response, university president Mary Sue Coleman explained the university’s admission criteria which, according to her, were simply misunderstood by the president. She said that the university only allocated 12 points for the SAT score because the high school grades were given more value. Race and socioeconomic status were also among the factors considered, explaining that only one of these factors could get 20 points for a student. Another 16 points could be obtained by a student coming from the upper peninsula of Michigan, in consideration of geographic diversity. She continued on to state that other factors included in the criteria were â€Å"leadership, service, and life experiences† (York). On December 13, 2000, Honorable Patrick Duggan of the District Court of Michigan, ruled that the admissions policies adopted by the university during the years in question was indeed unconstitutional. However, he granted no remedy to the complainants. On June 23, 2003, the United States Supreme Court, after reviewing the case, ruled that the university policy violated the Equal Protection Clause because its use of race was â€Å"not narrowly tailored to achieve [its] asserted interest in diversity† (York). After the Supreme Court came out with its ruling, Ward Connerly, a black who formerly served as regent of the University of California immediately announced his intention to place a voter’s initiative on the ballot. Connerly also spearheaded the campaigns for the earlier ballot initiatives that ended minority preferences in the states of California (1997) and Washington (1998). He convinced Jennifer Gratz to spearhead the effort. Gratz organized the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative and by January 2005 was able to come up with more than 500,000 signatures. That number exceeded the 317,757 signatures needed to get the initiative on the ballot in 2006. After much controversy involving accusations of fraud, proposition 2 was finally placed on the ballot with election scheduled for November 7, 2006 (Vu). Proposition 2 won by a majority of 58% of the votes cast. As a result of that victory, 45 days after the election proposition 2 would take effect to bar affirmative action in employment, public education, and contracting. A CNN exit poll showed that in a state whose population is 14% black and 81% white, one out of every seven black voters and about 67% of the white voters signified their intention to put an end to affirmative action in Michigan. Opponents of the initiative, however, immediately filed a federal lawsuit which challenged the constitutionality of the measure. For her part, University of Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman expressed her intention to continue the fight for a diversified campus. Her exact words were: â€Å"I believe there are serious questions as to whether this initiative is lawful, particularly as it pertains to higher education. I have asked our attorneys for their full and undivided support in defending diversity at the University of Michigan† (Lewin). Unfortunately, on December 29, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit decided against any delay in the implementation of Proposition 2. The result was a considerable drop in the admissions of minority students at the University of Michigan.             Works Cited Cinti, Dylan. â€Å"Leveling the Playing Field.† The Communicator. 11 September 2007.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   14 March 2008. http://the-communicator.org/index.php/site/article/leveling_the_playing_field/   Lewin, Tamar. â€Å"Michigan Rejects Affirmative Action, and Backers Sue.† The New York   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Times. 9 November 2006. 14 March 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/us/politics/09michigan.html?_r=2oref=slogin). oref=slogin Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. â€Å"Affirmative Action.† 4 March 2005. 14 March 2008.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/affirmative-action/ Vu, Pauline. â€Å"Affirmative action in Michigan ballot.† Stateline.org. 29 August 2006.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   14 March 2008. http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=137542 York, Grace. â€Å"Affirmative Action In College Admission: Gratz and Hamacher/Grutter v.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Regents of the University of Michigan.† The University of Michigan Documents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Center. 18 January 2008. 14 March 2008. http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/affirm.html

Brief History and Introduction of Privacy and Human Rights Essay

Brief History and Introduction of Privacy and Human Rights From Article 21 of the Japan Constitution states, â€Å"Freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed. No censorship shall be maintained, nor shall the secrecy of any means of communication be violated.† Article 35 states, â€Å"The right of all persons to be secure in their homes, papers and effects against entries, searches and seizures shall not be impaired except upon warrant issued for adequate cause and particularly describing the place to be searched and things to be seized . . . Each search or seizure shall be made upon separate warrant issued by a competent judicial officer.†1 A 1988 Act for the Protection of Computer Processed Personal Data Held by Administrative Organs governs the use of personal information in computerized files held by government agencies. It imposes duties of security, access, and correction. Agencies must limit their collection to relevant information and publish a public notice listing their file systems. The Japanese government has followed a policy of self-regulation for the private sector, especially relating to electronic commerce. Essentially, there were no set privacy laws other than the general issues stated in the constitution, but when needed the Japanese government will intervene and regulate. In June of 1998, former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announced that he had signed an agreement with U.S. President Clinton for self-regulation for privacy measures on the Internet except for certain sensitive data. â€Å"If data in a certain industry is highly confidential, legal methods can be considered for that industry.†2 Several committees have been ... ...s not safe. We need to take more time.†4 References 1 Constitution of Japan, November 3, 1946. 2 U.S. Japan Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce, May 15, 1998. 3 Japan: More Crime, Less Privacy, 2 Jun 1999, 4 James Brooke, Japan in an Uproar as 'Big Brother' Computer File Kicks In, 5 Aug. 2002, 5 Lies and Secrets: Japan's National ID Network Has Gone Live Already, 31 Jul. 2002, 6 Japan ID System Raises Big Brother Fears, 5 Aug. 2002,

HR Affirmative Action Essay

Human Resource Management is one of the most important parts of an organization. This is due to the fact that it gives due attention to an essential asset in an organization, which is its employees. Due to this, the human resource management has the responsibility of hiring, organizing, motivating, and dealing with other employee-management concern. In relation to these, the concept of affirmative action is also one of the issues that the human resource management has to deal with. It is within their prerogative and authority to implement the policy of affirmative action in the operations of their organization. This could be exemplified through this recent article that discuses the idea of affirmative action in the workplace. This article explains the decision of the Supreme Court with regards to the case of Ricci, et al v. DeStefano that is related with the implementation of affirmative action. The lawsuit is against the city of New Haven, Connecticut that was filed by 18 White firefighters that also belong in the same place. They argued that the municipality discriminated against them when it comes to their promotions, which violated their constitutional rights. In connection to this, they also claimed that they were denied the promotion because they were White. The main root of the case is the New Haven’s 2003 promotion exam that was held in order to help in selecting 15 firefighters that would occupy the positions of captain and lieutenant in the fire department. 118 candidates took the exam and 27 of them are African Americans. The results of the test showed that no African American scored high enough in order to qualify for the position. Being the case, the city did not promote anyone and they defended this decision through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that outlawed racial segregation (Krenkel, 2009). The case of alleging reverse discrimination that was filed against the city of New Haven, Connecticut was ruled by the federal district court in favor of the city. An appeal was made regarding this case, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals decision affirmed the district court’s ruling but they added an opinion that required the review of the United States Supreme Court. Currently, the case has reached the Supreme Court and the trial is still undergoing (Whelan, 2009). The issue in this case is with regards to the authority of the municipalities on whether they could decline to certify the results of promotion exams in order not to disproportionately make more white applicants eligible for promotion in comparison with the minority applicants. This issue could be rooted from the reason that the authorities that are involved in this case are afraid that certifying the results of the examination for the promotion of more white applicants would be taken against them that could lead to charges of racial discrimination. In this situation, it is quite observable that the implementation of affirmative action has become complicated and problematic. It even led to a court battle that reached the Supreme Court. This only goes to show that applying the principle of affirmative action in the workplace is not appropriate anymore because favoring minority group sometimes infringed upon the rights of those that belong to the majority. In relation to these, the idea of affirmative action could also be seen as inequality because it tends to favor the minority. This could be seen in this case wherein the examination for the promotion of firefighters was disregarded because of the fact that no African American pass the exam. Despite the notion that the city could disregard the exam as it did not yield the result that they wanted, it still affected the White firefighters who were also availing for promotion. Their efforts for preparing and passing the exam was taken for granted. This kind of situation could de-motivate the other employees especially those that belong in the majority group. Organizations could still be able to maintain equality and prevent discrimination in the workplace by applying the proper standards and measures for this not to happen. However, in terms of admission and promotion they should not favor a certain group over the other especially if they are sure that the proper procedure like a promotion exam has done its job to choose the best people for the position. By doing so, they could still be able to address the concern and at the same give importance to all stakeholders that are involve.

Essay on John D. Rockefeller - 1369 Words

Jessica M. Hintermeister American History Louisa Garry Due: Thursday, March 15, 2001 The Rockefellers feared the temptations of wealth, yet a visitor once described their estate as the kind of place God would have built if only hed had the money. They amassed a fortune that outraged a Democratic nation, then gave it all away reshaping America. They were the closest thing the country had to a royal family, but the Rockefellers shunned the public eye. For decades, the Rockefeller name was despised in America, associated with John D. Rockefeller Sr.s feared monopoly, Standard Oil. By the end of his life, Rockefeller had given away half of his fortune. But even his vast philanthropy could not erase the memory of his predatory†¦show more content†¦Oil was being used to grease the wheels of Americas infant industries, to fuel the expansion of growth. Rockefeller lamented that so many wells were flowing that the price of oil kept falling yet everyone went right on drilling. He saw an industry plagued from overproduction and h is own success was being threatened by ruinness cut throat competition. John D. was shrewd enough and he was analytical enough that he realized that in order to figure out a way to save his own firm and his own newly-won fortune, that he had to figure out a solution for the entire industry. It was at that point that John D. began to conceive of the oil industry as one big interrelated mechanism. And you couldnt just change one component, you had to control the entire machine. In a move that would transform the American economy, Rockefeller set out to replace a world of independent oilmen with a giant company controlled by him. In l870, begging bankers for more loans, he formed Standard Oil of Ohio. The next year, he quietly put what he called our plan -- his campaign to dominate the volatile oil industry - into devastating effect. Rockefeller knew that the refiner with the lowest transportation cost could bring rivals to their knees. He entered into a secret alliance with the railroads called the South Improvement Company. In exchange for large, regular shipments, Rockefeller and his allies secured transport rates farShow MoreRelatedJohn D. Rockefeller1671 Words   |  7 PagesJohn D. Rockefeller, born on July 8, 1839, has had a huge impact on the course of American history, his reputation spans from being a ruthless businessperson to a thoughtful philanthropist (Tarbell 41). He came from a family with not much and lived the American dream, rising to suc cess through his own wit and cunning, riding on the backs of none. His legacy is huge, amassing the greatest private wealth of any American in history. Rockefeller’s influence on our country has been both a positive andRead MoreJohn D. Rockefeller1369 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction John D. 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