The implications of the notion of the Big Society

The implications of the notion of the Big Society The Big Society was officially launched by the Prime Minister David Cameron in July 2010 (see NCVO, 2010). However, this was not the first we had heard of the Big Society. The notion was first discussed within the Conservative Party from mid 2009 (see Conservative Party, 2010), with the terminology associated with the Big Society coming to the fore in the weeks and months before, during and after the 2010 General Election campaign. At the core of David Camerons vision for revitalising both the UK and the Conservative party is what he describes as the Big Society. The concept calls for a restructuring of the relationship between state and society, with a substantial movement of power and responsibility from the former to the latter (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p2). Some view the Big Society as a positive move with the potential to transform society and address many of its problems through community led action. Others are more sceptical and resistant, viewing the Big Society as an ideologically driven move towards a do-it-yourself society, leading to further social polarisation and disadvantage. This paper will briefly explore the theoretical and political background to the Big Society before moving on to look at the potential implications and the role of Sheffield City Council in supporting the delivery of this agenda in three key areas. What is the Big Society? Put simply, the Big Society is a Government agenda that seeks to shift power from politicians to people (NCVO, 2010, p2). It represents an approach that seeks to give increased power to people to solve problems closer to where they live (Cabinet Office, 2010). Three interlinked agendas and questions are seen as key to building an understanding of the notion of the Big Society (see GOYH, 2010). Firstly, the idea of social action is seen as an important building block of the Big Society. Examples of this include supporting volunteerism and philanthropy, in an attempt to answer the question what can we do for others?. Secondly, public service reform is seen as an important element in moving towards a Big Society. This is not only about reducing red tape and bureaucracy, but importantly about increasing transparency and accountability across public services. Key to this is identifying what the state can do, and coming to some level of consensus about what role the state can and should play in key areas of public life. Finally, community empowerment and creating communities in charge of their own direction is seen as a key part of the Big Society. This will help individuals work together to identify what we can do for ourselves as a result of c ollective endeavour and action. The Big Society moves from a default position of central design and governmental provision to citizen-driven partnership across all sectors (Cabinet Office, 2010). In order to achieve this, Government envisage an approach built around a broad ecosystem made up of three levels (see figure 1), where no one player dominates another (Cabinet Office, 2010). In addition, figure 2 shows the three priorities which Government feel need to be focussed on in order to build the Big Society ecosystem and reconfigure how policy is developed and delivered (Cabinet Office, 2010). Figure 1 Figure 2 1Neighbourhood groups comprise a broad range from those with an explicit social or activism mission to those focused on local participation, engagement and community building whether informally through sports and interests or more informally in conjunction with local anchor institutions (Source: Cabinet Office, 2010) Before going on to look at the implications of the notion of the Big Society in Sheffield it seems relevant to briefly pause and examine the theoretical and political background to the notion of the Big Society. The Big Society and public policy Although closely associated with the Conservative Party, the General Election campaign of 2010, and more recently a number of policy areas developed by the Coalition Government, the Big Society idea is far from new. In some ways, the idea is as old as democracy itself. From ancient Athens on, a recurrent normative image has been that of the engaged citizen playing an active part in his or her community (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p4). Each new British government since the late 1970s has put its own spin on this idea (as evidenced in Sheffield First Partnership, 2010). David Camerons support for this idea follows this general trend, however it is a view that has not always sat comfortably with the Conservative Party. It is important to acknowledge that in rejection of Margaret Thatchers 1987 declaration that there was no such thing as society, David Cameron used his first speech as Conservative Party leader (in December 2005) to announce his belief that there is such a thing as society, its just not the same as the state (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Historically within Conservative thought the idea of the Big Society can be traced back to Edmund Burkes championing of the little platoons. These are the intermediate organisations families, communities and so on between the individual and the state. For Burke, these little platoons were a bulwark against two sources of tyranny: on the one hand, the overweening power of the state and on the other the uncontrolled demands of the mob (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Although initially the Big Society can be viewed as the opposite to Labour statism it contains distinct echoes of New Labours agenda. New Labour had intended, for instance, greater involvement of citizens and voluntary groups in decision-making and provision of services. But intentions were sidetracked somewhat by external events and by internal disputes within the Labour government (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Outside of political debate the idea of the Big Society draws on a number of social and political trends. It taps into a growing anti-politics mood among the public (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5) and ideas surrounding politics for an anti-political age as highlighted in the work of Mulgan (1994), Stoker (2006) and Hay (2007) (cited in Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Finally, it seems worthwhile to highlight the strong links between thinking on the Big Society and the concept of social capital. Putman argued that communities rich in social capital were more efficient, happier, better-run, safer, healthier just downright nicer places to live in than communities in which social capital was lacking (Putman, 2000 cited in Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p6). Many of the positive elements of social capital are the very things that a Big Society seeks to create and sustain. The current context for the Big Society As the Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition Government took shape in May 2010 the Big Society notion once again came to the fore. The Coalition Agreement (see HM Government, 2010) specifically makes reference to the Big Society as part of a wider focus on social action. Significantly, the Big Society was the first major policy announcement of the new Coalition Government. The Government sees the Big Society as being developed within the three-fold wider national context of; a lack of trust in politics, longstanding social problems and unprecedented challenges to public finances (see Cabinet Office, 2010). The aim is to build a society with much higher levels of personal, professional, civic and corporate responsibility; a society where the leading force for progress is social responsibility, not state control (Conservative Party, 2010, p1). What does this mean for Sheffield City Council? As set out earlier in this paper, the key principles and context for the Big Society are relatively easy to engage with and think about at a general level. The difficult questions arise when thinking about its implementation. What is clear though is that in the context of increased localism, the role of the local authority will be fundamental to its success, and to turning the Big Society rhetoric and vision in to reality (Office for Public Management, 2010, p1). The following sections build on the analysis already carried out and go on to set out the potential implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Council in the following three main areas of; laying the foundations for the Big Society, the potential implications for the Council itself, and finally the implications for the relationship between the Council and the Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) Sector. Laying the foundations for the Big Society Whatever ones political persuasion, its possible to envisage how the Big Society agenda, with its emphasis on more involvement of local communities in social outcomes, could support the creation of positive change (Office for Public Management, 2010, p2). In many cases the Big Society is already happening in Sheffield. Sheffield can lay claim to innovation and best practice over a number of years in public sector reform, community empowerment (e.g. through the use of a Community Assemblies to set local priorities and allocate funding) and in its relationship with the VCF Sector. When setting the context for how the Big Society may impact on a city as large and complex as Sheffield it is important not to lose sight of what is already happening at an organisational, community and individual level. The analysis in previous sections has gone some way to setting out the varied political roots and philosophical ancestry of the Big Society notion. However, in its current form it is closely linked to the policies and ambitions of the Coalition Government. In addition, Big Society initiatives coincide with a period of austerity in public spending. Any changes in services and service delivery will inevitably be linked to cuts in much of the media and in the eyes of the public (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). These are both important points, as if the perception of local politicians and the wider general public is that the Big Society is driven by a particular political party or philosophical viewpoint this could present a barrier to the universal acceptance of any initiatives or legitimate outcomes that result from Big Society action. Within the local political context of Sheffield this is a particularly important point. The Council is currently in no overall control, with a Liberal Democrat Leader. In addition, many of the national issues around government policy and funding are played out in the City and receive increased media attention due to Sheffields connections with the Deputy Prime Minister. With this in mind it is important for any approach to the Big Society in Sheffield to be genuinely built from the needs of the community whether directly (e.g. through social action) or indirectly (e.g. from information collected by service delivery organisations) in order for it to be aligned to the needs and aspirations of the local community and to avoid it becoming overly politicised. For the Big Society to work, all local authority staff and stakeholders need to understand the Big Society. Local authorities will need to ensure that they effectively communicate a locally specific Big Society vision to their own staff, members and stakeholders to motivate people to work towards a common goal (Office for Public Management, 2010, p3). Implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Council A number of factors are currently impacting on the role, nature and size of local authorities such as Sheffield. This presents a number of challenges and opportunities as the implications of the Big Society are thought through at an organisational and political level. It is clear from the limited information from central Government surrounding the Big Society that local government will be central to creating and engaging with the Big Society ecosystem, it will also have a clear role to play in delivering a number of the priorities of the Big Society. However, it is important to acknowledge that local government is part of the state (Tizard, 2010) and therefore it will be subject to continuing reform whilst also trying to engage the local community in debate about what any reforms should look like. The Big Society represents a different relationship between citizen and the state. In some ways the Big Society can replace the state but in other ways it merely represents a nudge towards a greater emphasis on the citizen, community and third sector (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). In many instances (and in some service areas more than others) this will require a change in mind-set, with a move from a corporate to mutual philosophy, a redefinition of the role of elected members and democracy, and in some instances giving up power and demonstrating listening (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). This creates a number of challenges for local Elected Members and from a theoretical perspective raises a number of interesting questions around the ideas of representative and participatory democracy (see Pearce, 2010). This in itself is not a new concept or dilemma for Elected Members. However, the Big Society agenda potentially adds a further level of complexity to this dynamic. National Government has already announced a number of Big Society policies which set the context nationally. These include, the Big Society Bank, a national Big Society day, the Localism Bill, and a new right for public sector workers to form employee-owned co-operatives and bid to take over the services they deliver. Local Elected Members and local authority managers will be called on to deliver a number of policy goals and expectations encouraged by central Government. A key role for Sheffield City Council will be in transforming government action from top-down micromanagement and one-size-fits-all solutions to a flexible approach defined by transparency, payment by results, and support for social enterprise and cooperatives (Tizard, 2010). One concern is that through devolving power down to the local level different outcomes in different localities will lead to rising inequalities not only geographically, but amongst different sectors of society. With this difference, it must be ensured that there is a consistency of opportunity (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Key to ensuring that everyone benefits from the Big Society is focused activity to identify how to support complex communities or those with low social capital. Citizens with less time, resources, or quieter voices such as children and the vulnerable are in a worse position to take advantage of the new opportunities provided by these changes (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p5). With this in mind a key role for local authorities is managing any risks that may arise from new forms of provision. One view of the role of a Local Authority in the Big Society is not for control, but for quality control protecting core and essential services; protecting values and principles (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Within the wider context of the Big Society a key role for Sheffield City Council as an organisation will be to create the conditions that safeguard the wellbeing of all citizens and communities, providing protection for the most vulnerable. This is already a key role for local authorities but it may become increasingly important in offsetting any disadvantage or unintentional outcomes of the Big Society. Implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Councils relationship with the VCF Sector Within Sheffield a large amount of successful activity is already led or supported by the VCF Sector. In some instances this is wholly independent of the local authority and delivers vital services to the citizens of Sheffield. However, a substantial amount of VCF Sector activity in the City is publically funded. Over the coming years this will need to change as the pressure on public funding intensifies. There is a challenge for the VCF sector to change their funding base from grants from the public sector to a greater use of social enterprise, cooperative and mutuals. In addition, Philanthropy and increased charitable giving are regarded as key parts of the Big Society, yet it is unclear how they are to be increased and better directed (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). The Big Society idea sets out a larger role for social enterprises, charities and voluntary organisations in the provision of services, it also plans for a substantial transfer of control to ordinary citizens, coming together to provide for their own communities (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p2). This sets an interesting context for the relationship between Sheffield City Council and the wider VCF Sector, with local authorities having to consider how best to align their activity to and support the work of community groups, both current and emerging (Office for Public Management, 2010, p2). The relationship with the VCF Sector is integral to all three of the agendas and questions of the Big Society set out earlier in this paper. The VCF Sector is one of the key ways in which Sheffield City Council can allow local people to participate more effectively in the governance, design and delivery of services in their communities (helping to identify what the state can and should do). Through supporting community empowerment and drawing together social action the VCF Sector has a valuable contribution to make in focussing activity and providing a framework which helps individual citizens and communities identify what they can do for themselves and what they can do for others. Within local authority areas such as Sheffield the VCF Sector will need to adapt and change to the increasing responsibility placed on it by Big Society. It is widely acknowledged that there will be a need for new initiatives to emerge, but also a need to recognise the valuable resources and good practice that is already in place. Chanan and Miller (2010, p2) argue that most of the Big Society policy does not rest on the idea of communities taking over mainstream public services, although this is a view that has been caricatured by the media. It is acknowledged that few communities would want to take over statutory public services, and where they did there are no guarantees that existing problems would not exist. In many instances, where community groups want to or are able to effectively run specialist non-statutory elements of public services they are able to do so through social enterprises or by bidding for such work through established processes. Chanan and Miller (2010) go on the state that where services are statutory it is right that a certain level of accountability, standards and bureaucracy are attached to them. They do however set out an important role for the VCF Sector in complementing and co-producing public services. The underlying principle is not the state offloading public services but the state and people working together to ensure maximum value either from a public service or from a voluntary service initiated by a community group. It is this that will make public services more efficient and economical and communities more capable (Chanan and Miller, 2010, p3). However, Tizzard (2010) and NCVO (2010) have an alternative view and believe the very essence of the Big Society will lead to more social enterprise, third and community sector public service delivery. So, at one end of the potential continuum of involvement of the VCF Sector in the Big Society is the taking over of or co-production of public services. Although this may seem unlikely in the short term it is a possibility that needs to be considered and will increasingly be part of political debate. Developing ways to open up debate on this issue in Sheffield is clearly a responsibility of the democratically accountable local authority. However, at the other end of this continuum is developing an approach and local mindset where people have the power and confidence to take action where they feel it is necessary. This could be through volunteering to support local projects, causes or initiatives (existing or new), or maybe through schemes to recruit community organisers. Some infrastructure for this to take place already exists within Sheffield, but it is not consistent across all geographical areas and does not necessarily appeal to all social groups. Furthermore, it is not clear how much capacity and willingness there is for people to engage in this type of activity beyond the small army of people who are already involved (see Pattie Johnson 2010). It is acknowledged that Increased volunteering will need a framework and incentives to widen recruitment and increase the volunteer base. It should be recognised that volunteers are not a stable workforce and cannot replace aspects of the public sector like-for-like (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Within Sheffield the VCF Sector needs to be supported in building their response to Big Society and building capacity to deliver the Big Society agenda is essential. A number of commentators set out the important role that Local Authorities can play in helping to ensure that the VCF Sector have the relevant skills and capacity to deliver the Big Society and in helping to build consortia that can deliver local priorities. Outside of funding, providing assets and working with partners to set up volunteer schemes, the Office for Public Management (2010) set out a number of ways in which local authorities may support the VCF Sector in working towards the Big Society. Examples include initiating and incubating new ideas, providing support and advice, sharing knowledge in order to support community initiatives, and helping to remove some of the barriers that the VCF Sector may experience when trying to do things differently. In addition, the Office for Public Management (2010) also set out the important role for local authorities in managing risk and reducing inequalities (both points discussed earlier in this paper). Above all, there needs to be an acknowledgement that the approach and involvement of the VCF Sector in the Big Society will look different in different places. These differences will be due to the different choices and decisions made by people in these localities, different levels of service need and service provision and the ethos of any new schemes that are introduced (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p2). This difference can be viewed as positive as it has the potential to deliver increased levels of competition and choice where appropriate, allowing local services to reach and support local people more effectively. However, an important point to consider is what happens in those communities and neighbourhoods where there is little or no VCF infrastructure or where people are not willing or able to engage in the Big Society. If this is just small pockets then the hope is that the enthusiasm and energy from neighbouring areas will drive activity. However, where lack of engagement is widespread and shows little evidence of developing organically what resources and mandate will local authorities have to intervene? Will it be politically and morally acceptable to allow nothing to happen in some areas, whilst others thrive in the Big Society? This is also an important consideration given that in some areas it may take longer to build the Big Society than in others. With this in mind, there is clearly a role for the local authority to work with the VCF Sector to ensure that such potentially negative aspects of the Big Society are reduced and to unite people from all sectors and parts of the community to ensure that everyone benefits. Conclusion There is still much confusion surrounding the notion of the Big Society, which remains a potentially complex and controversial area of emerging public policy. Many commentators, politicians and academics have concluded that the Big Society can be what you want it to be and that success depends on applying the principles and ideas most appropriately and effectively at a local level. This paper has only focussed on three elements which are of direct relevance to Sheffield City Council as it starts to develop its thinking around the Big Society. However, many of the issues raised will be relevant to other areas. Much is already happening which could be defined as the Big Society. The question is not if this activity and commitment will continue (as I am sure it will), but if the terminology of the Big Society will still be with us in 12 months only time will tell. The opportunity of the Big Society is surely around harnessing the new and alternative sources of ideas, energy, capacity and challenge which the current focus on the Big Society brings. Importantly, this needs to work with existing capacity, resources, enthusiasm and political will to deliver on shared outcomes that impact positively on individuals and communities. For the reasons discussed earlier in this paper some degree of oversight over Big Society initiatives is essential. The public sector, the state, and the VCF sector have important roles to play here (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). In addition, there needs to be an acknowledgment that certain approaches (e.g. volunteering, social action) will be better suited to delivering certain types of Big Society activity. However, there is still a need for the development of long term strategic approaches and the maintenance of statutory services. The Young Foundation (2010, p20) set out a useful distinction between services that can be tailored or devolved to communities, with service standards shaped or set locally and services that require central planning, delivery and oversight, with service standards set by the local authority. Where this line falls will vary locally and will be dependent on a range of factors such as need, community capacity and political will, however this is a useful way of framing the wider Big Society debate. Within the current climate of public sector cuts and reforms it is important to understand that creating a smaller state wont necessarily (or automatically) lead to a Big Society. In some areas there will be a role to play around directing resources, leadership, nurturing, support, encouragement and enabling. In the majority of cases an organisation such as a local authority has the governance and democratic accountability to carry out this role, and importantly ensure fairness and equality. However, for the Big Society to work the overall approach needs to remain fluid, dynamic and responsive. It is only through adopting such an approach that the needs and aspirations of individuals and communities can be best met. This in itself may be a challenge for large organisations such as local authorities, but it is arguably one that they need to rise to in order to make the most of the Big Society opportunities.

Blade Runner :: Art

Blade Runner The plot of the movie â€Å"Blade Runner† becomes unrevealed till the end of the movie. Many assumptions about the plot and the final of the movie appear in the spectator’s mind, but not one of these assumptions lasts long. Numerous deceptions in the plot grip the interest of the audience and contribute for the continuing interest to the movie eighteen years after its creation. The main character in the movie is Deckard- the Blade Runner. He is called for a special mission after his retirement, to â€Å"air up† four replicants who have shown flaws and have killed people. There are many arguments and deceptions in the plot that reveal the possibility Deckard to be a replicant. Roy is the other leading character of the movie. He appears to be the leader of the replicants- the strongest and the smartest. Roy kills his creator Tyrell. The effect of his actions fulfils the expectation of the spectator for a ruthless machine. The main deception in the plot is also the main cause that holds the identity of the blade razor  ­Deckard, unrevealed through the continuance of the movie. The first assumption that comes to the mind is that Deckard is not a replicant because he is the one that Bryant calls to hunt replicants. But there also appears the question what makes him the most proper to oppose the consummate replicants. The possibility Deckard to be a replicant makes him the worthiest person for the assignment. Deckard recommends Holden who is also a replicant assuming the words of Bryant -â€Å"He can bread okay as long as no one unplugs him†. In most of the chapters Deckard acts as a human being. He has feelings for Rachael, and later in the movie he is the one that shows her how to behave in action for which she is not programmed for. Because Rachael saves his life Deckard doesn’t accept her like a replicant, which he has to hunt. On the other side if Deckard was a replicant older product ion than Zhora, he shouldn’t be smarter than Zhora and to recognize her because of sexual context. The effect of deception in the plot about Deckard’s identity awakes the imagination of the spectators and keeps interest in the plot. Another form of deception in the plot is Roy’s behavior at the final of the movie. Roy who killed Tyrell, Sebastian, and the man in the eye laboratory with unusual enjoyment, shows weakness and helps Deckard to survive.

Best Buy Essay -- essays research papers

Best Buy was founded in 1966 by the current CEO Richard M. "Dick" Schulze. Based out of Eden Prairie, Minnesota the corporation currently has 446 stores and earned over 83 million in total revenue last year. Best Buy carries a wide variety of products consisting of Major Appliances, video and audio equipment, computers, software, music, and wireless technology. When analyzing this corporation it is important to pay close attention to its current and future services and products, any problems with the corporation, the future direction Best Buy is headed, what can be done for the corporation, and what it can do for you as a consumer or employee. Best Buy is currently the number one computer retailer throughout the U.S. and offers multiple promotions. In December of 1999, Best Buy signed an agreement with Microsoft to offer yearly and monthly contracts through MSN, Microsoft’s internet service provider. This pact was an advantage for both companies. Microsoft helped Best Buy develop their website and promote eCommerce. They also bought 200 million in Best Buy stocks raising the price from $1.49 a share to $49.95. Best Buy in return is offering MSN to the 200 million customers that pass through its doors on a yearly basis. One of the largest money makers for Best Buy is its three year product service plan (PSP). The PSP is almost pure profit, and has formed into something ver...

2001 USA Patriot Act is Unconstitutional and Ineffective Essays

I. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks US Congress passed legislation known as the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 commonly known as the USA Patriot Act. This paper will attempt to prove that not only is the USA Patriot Act unconstitutional but many of its provisions do nothing at all to protect Americans from the dangers of terrorism. While this act made legislative changes that increased surveillance and the investigative powers of law enforcement agencies to protect America from further terrorist acts, the passing of the USA Patriot Act has reduced the privacy rights of Americans and also does not provide for a system of checks and balances that safeguard civil liberties. Terrorism is a serious matter that should not be handled lightly, but the act has gone over the top in trying to stop terrorism. The USA Patriot Act, enacted for protecting America from further attacks, not only does little if anything to protect Americans, but rather undermines their civil rights. The Patriot Act targets not only terrorists, but also the American people which it intended to protect. This paper will primarily speak of the violations of the First and Fourth Amendments and the lack of checks and balances in relation to the USA Patriot Act. II. Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the September 11th terrorist attacks, America was understandably frightened that this could happen again. Less than a week after the attacks the Bush administration introduced legislation that included items which had previously been voted down, sometimes repeatedly, by Congress. (Surveillance Under the USA Patriot Act) The Senate version of the Patriot Act, which closely resembled the legislation requested by Attorney General John Ashcroft, was sent straight to the floor with no discussion, debate, or hearings. Many Senators complained that they had little chance to read it much less analyze it before having to vote. In the House, hearings were held, and a carefully constructed compromise bill emerged from the Judiciary Committee. But then, with no debate or consultation with rank-and-file members, the House leadership threw out the compromise bill and replaced it with legislation that mirrored the Senate version. Neither discussion nor amendments were permitted, and once... ... feel rushed as they did with the signing of this Act. Congress should review some of the terminology in the Act such as the definition of ‘Domestic terrorism’ to ensure we are not inadvertently including innocent individuals under the name of national security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There should be a system of checks and balances where congress must review the methods the FBI, CIA and other law enforcement agencies are using in relation to wire taps, search warrants etc. Congress must ensure that the intelligence gathered is used in connection with terrorists and not just criminals in general.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  States and the private sector should get more involved in security at the airports, banking procedures and surveillance so that the federal government does not have complete control and overstep their boundaries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, the idea behind the 2001 USA Patriot Act was a solid one made in a time of extreme duress and fearfulness. Now that we have had time to readjust and really look at the consequences of this act, it is time to reevaluate and pass into law a modified version to keep in line with what our forefathers believed for our country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

How does Steinbeck prepare us for the end, and link it to the beginning? Essay

Steinbeck prepared us for the end by many different reasons that occur in the play. The Incident at weed, killing mice, killing a dog and crushing Curley’s hand is all evidence for this. The ‘weed’ incident prepared us for the end by alerting the readers that something has gone wrong at one place and how long will it be till something else like this occurs. â€Å"An’ you ain’t gonna do no bad things like you done in Weed, neither.† George liked to stroke mice in his hand, but he doesn’t know his own strength as he is a big bulky strong man. ‘I could pet it with my thumb while we walked along’ said Lennie, but as Lennie is so strong he just crushes the poor animal. Candy’s old dog was shot because it is wrong to let an animal suffer in pain. The dog â€Å"Got no teeth, He’s all stiff with rheumatism† and he is â€Å"ancient†. Lennie killed Curley’s wife by acciendent because they were in the barn together and Lennie was stroking her hair, but she didn’t want him to mess it up ‘You stop it now you’ll mess it all up’. And she yelled and Lennie put his hand around her mouth and said â€Å"Oh! Please don’t do that. George will be mad†. George broke her neck another incident were Lennie doesn’t know his own strength. Steinbeck links the beginning to the end with George and Lennie. They both continue through out the play reminding them selves of ‘The American Dream’, and that is what they talked about before going on to the ranch George thought it would be nicer to lay under the stars with one night relaxation. The last time they ever dream of ‘The American Dream’ is at the end when George shoots Lennie while he is dreaming of the rabbits. â€Å"Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now† – was the last words he ever said. Lennie is the same old Lennie with a childlike mental age. George is always there to look after him and tell him what to do like in a adult child situation, â€Å"come on, give it to me†. Stienbeck always describes Lennie as a animal from the beginning to the end â€Å"snorting into the water like a horse†. They always argue and Lennie says he will go away, but george knows that his best friend wont be able to look after him self and will end up getting shot, at the end he says â€Å"I can go away †¦ an’ find a cave†. At the beginning Lennie says the same thing â€Å"go off in the hills†¦. I’d find a cave†. George said â€Å"somebody’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself† Lennie is also a killer, he attacks Curley, curlys wife, kills mice and throws his dead pup on to the floor in anger. Lennie is not mean, he doesn’t want to cause pain or suffering. George knew that if he let Lennie live then he would sooner or later be found and caught, and would most likely be tortured by Curly then be put in a prison for the rest of his life or killed on the spot. George didn’t want to she George go through any pain or suffer so he put him out of his own misery, just like the dog!

Analysis ofthe play “Spring Awakening” by Frank Wedekind Essay

Frank Wedekinds knead retract Awakening repre directs an adults reflectivity on childishness, the repercussions of ignorance, and the consequence of inhibiting the spread of intimacy to those without it. Although very brief and lacking in extreme detail, this work has a dim aura it leaves the reader with thoughts of how things could fall in resolve themselves better had key characters acted differently. It in addition gives a sense of the sanctity of youth and the dangers of maturation up alike fast. When we are laboured to learn on our give, without the counsellor of those who we desperately need it from, do we end up in irreversible positions that we never could have fathomed in the first place? This sport gives definitive answers to all the questions surrounding the overture of age, the Spring Awakening.Looking at childhood (namely adolescence), from both an outside perspective and inside, reveals adept how differently children and adults view the world. The chil dren in this play see the world as bountiful of discoveries that need to be made in night club to grow up. In addition, they taket necessarily want to be acclaim out all these things on their own. The guidance of the adult varietys, e.g. teachers and parents, is sorely missed by the children in the history. When trying to learn where children come from, the character Wendla naturally turns to her fix. Rather than blush attempt to answer her daughters question, Frau Bergman immediately succumbs to the awkwardness of the situation and delivers a short, circumventing monologue. It is an attempt to deter her daughter, not to ray her. It is apparent to the children that they cannot look to their parents for dish out, and so they essential learn on their own.The teachers in the story are no better. Upon the suicide of 1 and only(a) of the schoolboys, it is found that a certain one of his friends has supplied him with a complete manual of the gentle reproductive system. The r eaction on the start out of the schoolmasters and teachers is to expel the student immediately. A confluence between the student, Melchior, and the teachers reveals that the teachers have no pastime in hearing what he has to say. The submit of human sexuality is simply in like manner explicit to be discussed by non-adults, disregarding of its level of accuracy on the expound of the child. The final result is that even though he has done nothing wrong, indeed, he has figuredsex out for himself, Melchior is sent to a reformatory.It seems that the children are trapped in a cycle of ignorance and penalisation. They are tending(p) no help by the ones they trust, and when they figure eitherthing out on their own, they are chastised for world essentially out of line. Their only steering to enlightenment lies in self-discovery and consequent punishment. However, the punishment some of them receive is simply too great for anyone of such an age.The harshest reality of the unblemis hed story lies in Wendla. After her mothers failure to share any knowledge with her, she is raped by Melchior. However, she was told that she involve to love a man more than deeply than she was capable of in order to have a child. She has no theme that she is with child, and once again her mother fails to help her. Her mother lies to her once more, this time insist that she has anemia. Finally, though, when it no longer matters, her mother tells her that she is pregnant. dead after, Wendla is killed by a failed abortion. Her life was the cost she had to pay in order to harness the answer to the one question she precious to know more than anything.By guardianship her daughter in the dark, Frau Bergman has destroyed what should be most important to her. In addition, she has stolen the materialise for Wendla to ever grow up. The process of growing, the solemnity of the naivete that only children posses, has completely end for Wendla. That is something that can never be replac ed, and it is also something for which one can never be forgiven.Knowledge is meant to be spread. Nobody is meant to be left ignorant of the world nigh them. This play shows that ignorance is the most powerful tool around we have to aid in our own demise.

DEVELOPING STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS Essay

IntroductionLeadership and management, these are two words we use on daily basis. But the questions like how do we realise good leaders, what qualities, attitude, style and behaviour do they exhibit, are frequent. The ability to lead is not connected to education, although most leaders what are intelligent people. Many qualities required for a leader are also possessed by managers.Although it is unique to everyone there are a total number of common ways.I think, by developing our leadership skills, we are assured a more rewarding and successful career. There is no doubt that, leadership potential can be developed. With commitment, effort and practice, anybody can move beyond the skills you how are born with to be an excellent leader.â€Å"The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born—that there is a genetic factor to leadership.Leadership differs to direction.

Bennis. Globalisation has resulted in diversity. To maximise contribution, each organisation and its managers are now challenged with creating inclusive cold working environment. They need to understand effective leadership style and culture to build trust and effective relationship.There are various means of considering leadership, that vary extract from focusing on the character traits of leadership that is excellent to highlighting facets of the scenario that help determine how folks lead.The strategies how that were effective yesterday are not necessarily effective in the same situation today†-QuinnLook more:  strategic management process essayIn order to face the growing competition in the market, it is very urgent for organisations to build potential leader. Developing strategic management and leadership skills should be a part of organisations’ actions.1.1 Explain the link between strategic management wired and leadership Strategic Management consists of t he analysis of any organisation, decision making and necessary actions in order to create and sustain competitive advantages.It is merely one of many other assets a thriving manager must possess.

Usually it is considered as the responsibility for the overall direction of the organization sums up what strategic management is all about. It can consider also define as the process of identifying and executing the organisation’s strategic goals (mission, vision and objectives) by matching its capabilities with the demand of its environment.Strategic senior management contains a set of managerial decisions. Leadership is the ability of a person to get other willingly to follow.Its something which is accomplished when a individual motivates individuals in a group.Equally, a good leader free will also be a manager. Majority of practical people are interested primarily in what they have to do, and not whether it should be labelled ‘leadership’ or ‘management’ or both. â€Å"It is very true that I have said that I considered Napoleon’s presence in the field equal to forty thousand other men in the balance† —Duke of Wellington. Difference between strategic management and leadershipManagement| Leadership|Intended to plan, organize, co-ordinate and evaluate| Job is to inspire and motivate| management administrate the organisation| Leaders innovate | senior Management tries to maintain the organisation| Leaders tries to develop| Focused on system and structure| Focuses on people|They focus on the present situation | They look towards future| React to problems logical and issues| Proactive to issues and problem| Prefer to control| Knows how to delegate|Minimising risk| Taking risk|  There are thousands of examples for leaders in the world.Leadership and top management arent synonymous.

2 Analysis of impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decision There are different leadership and management styles. Different various styles work well in different situations. They are based on different assumptions and theories. Strategic decisions taken by leaders depend upon their style.Leaders that are supportive understand and good sense women and men feel.2. Democratic styleThe leader involves employees in the decision making. This kind of style is usually appreciated by the employees or subordinate. how This style would bring problems in a situation where there are wide ranges of opinion and there is no well-defined way of taking the first final decision.They also need to make sure they manage change effectively.

Transactional leadershipThe assumption behind this kind of leadership is that people how are motivated by rewards and an organisation work well with a clear chain of command. This kind of leader works thorough creating all clear structures. Subordinates duty  will be well defined and also the reward they get for following the orders. Punishments are not always mentioned, but they how are also well-understood and formal systems of discipline are usually in place.Your leaders are the best factor on your companys capability.Transformational leaderThis style is based on the assumption deeds that employees will follow a leader who motivates them and a person with vision and passion can achieve anything. Transformation strong leadership start with the development of a vision, a view and path to future. That will excite and converter the employees. Transformational religious leaders are so committed always.Youre a pioneer, even in case you dont know it.

Understanding the situation 3. Applying appropriate skills and techniques.Leaders having different styles empty can have different levels of key elements. So the way and level in which they identify their personality can differ."Every leader has a certain style of political leadership thats innate.Especially when a strategic decision needs to made quickly. The impact of this style is for many people, this style feels harsh, a first great possibility of demotivation. Rest of people  assured leader can demonstrate consideration and compassion for team while using the Autocratic style, even though the team is not directly involved in the decision. There are situations in which leader wants input from employees or teams.Leaders are common now.

There is a more common thought that leaders who listen considerately to their follower’s opinion before making final decision get good result as compared to non-listeners. In the case of democratic style, the leader gives up ownership and control of a decision and allows the group to vote. Advantage of this own style is fairly fast decision, and an amount of group participation. No organisation or leader can implement a single style to deal with the multitude of decision that needs to be made during change process (Nancy, 2007).It could mean the folks who own and short run the company.Charismatic leadership style got few drawbacks. The complaint against Lord Browne was administration by media and business associates fuelled his charismatic new style and he ignored day to day core business activities.1.3 How leadership styles can be adopted to different situations? Success of an political organisation or a group dependent on the effectiveness of the leader.When employees are empowered theyre more prone to make decisions which are at the very best interest of the particular client and the organization also.

Leaders must be up to date of the situations. Leaders must be prepared to step in and show the way in all kind of situations.Different style can be adapted to different situations in relation to 1. Business- situations 2.Are such far more likely to reveal their very own loyalty the moment it matters.We know that high risk situation needs very strong and active direct involvement by the leader to keep it control. The people or team members: – In every organisation, there will have different different kind of employees or members.Differ by characters, talents, skills, attitude etc. identifying the team members is a tough task.IT leadership theory Learn the best way to be.

He made a resolution to transform GE into one of the world biggest firm. With his unique leadership style and character, Welch made history during his 2-decade journey at GE. His way of leading was based on some concepts. Lead, not manage:- according to him political leadership can be found in as long as they come up with good ideas and can energize rather than depress and control.Face reality: – good company was losing its market values and there was too much bureaucracy when Jack Welch joined the company. He realised the social realities and brought out strategies and  initiatives that made things better. Simplify the business: – his goal at GE was simplify the business. He didn’t think deeds that business had to be complicated.It can mean opportunities, good ideas, new business or new products (kevin, 2007). Lead by more energizing others, not managing by authority: – Welch called his leadership ideal ‘boundary less’, which means an open organization, free of bureaucracy logical and anything that prevents the free flow of ideas, people and decisions (kevin, 2007). His choice was inspiring others to perform well. red Lead by doing- one of the leadership style adapted by GEInformation technology is critical to the future of GE.The basic assumption behind the theory is that individual characteristics’ make how them suitable leaders only in certain situations. Each situation requires a leader to vary behaviour to fit the conditions. In other words, there is no right or wrong way in leading all the time. Fred Fiedler’s contingency theoryIn 1967, Fred Fiedler proposed his contingency theory.

According to Fielder, the direct relationship oriented style is more effective in situations which are intermediate in favourableness. When an intermediate situation is present, the leader can self help to build confidence and cohesion by focusing on the personal needs of the individuals (Henman, 2007). Hersey and Blanchard theoryIt is another situational theory. This economic theory was introduced 10 year after Fiedler’s theory.That is, followers are not mature or immature in any total or chronological sense; rather, they have varying degrees of maturity depending on knowledge of or experience with a specific goal (Henman, 2007). Leader-style theoryThis theory was introduced by Vroom and Yetton. They explain the different ways leader can make decisions and necessary following guidelines for leader in order to determine the extent to which subordinate should participated in decision making. Charismatic leadershipCharisma, as explained by Max Weber, is a certain good qual ity of individual personality, by virtue of which he or she is apart from ordinary people and treated as a personality with exceptional power or qualities.An effective leader needs to diagnose the needs and wants of followers and then react accordingly.The impact of different theories of management on organisational strategy will be different. giant IBM needs extraordinary leaders who can create high-performance work climates and foster employee engagement; people who not only succeed but enable others to as well. A disciplined process of identifying and developing high achievers and leaders has been a main stone of IBM’s strategy to regain market political leadership in the IT industry.As Fiedler explained, task oriented leaders are very effective when conditions are favourable or unfavourable. When conditions are favourable, members relations how are strong, there is a positive relation between team and leader. Hence new strategies can bring and work it out well so easily. In unfavourable certain circumstances or in stressful situations, a leader’s structure and control can remove undesirable ambiguity and the anxiety that goes with it.

2.2 Create a leadership strategy that support organisational direction Leadership strategy for General ElectricsThe General Electric Company, or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in New York. Company operates in five sectors via energy, technology infrastructure, capital finance, consumer andindustrial.It old has been almost a decade since Jack Welch retired as GE’s chairman and CEO, the brain behind the success of GE.If we consider their way in which they lead, and how their decisions, it is clear that they preferred transformational leadership style. Even though both used the same style, Jack Welch had been more opposite extreme than his successor. Leadership strategy: – choosing a best leadership style is the major step in leadership strategy. Leadership at company such like GE is very crucial.It is concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards, and long-term goals and includes assessing followers’ motives, satis fying their needs, and treating them as full human beings†- (Northouse). The reason behind the selection of this leadership style is this style motivates the followers. The leader and followers are full well aligned in this system. A transformational leader can motivate the followers by setting challenging goals.We have seen the different leadership style and their impact on organisation. Even though, no particular leadership style is better always. It depends on the situations. The best style GE can use is transformational leadership because of based its unique advantages.

The leaders should have collective capabilities like providing direction, motivate the followers, engaging employees in decision making and to gain their active support in implementing planned cross-functional actions, implementing successful innovations, adapting to change, ensuring transparency just like former leaders, developing talents logical and being responsive to customers like Jeffrey Immlet. Since the corporate strategy is becoming more global, it require greater cultural sensitivity among leaders, enhanced representation of different geographies at top level, enhanced language skills to enable cross cultural relationships and greater understanding of local laws and business arrangement in strategy making.3.1 Use appropriate different methods to review current leadership requirement We know the important of leaders.These programs build perfect foundation for accelerating  learning and development in a particular domain, from commercial to operations, from human res ources to information management, from finance and communications to modern technology (GE, Leadership Programs, 2013).There are more than 300,000 employees in GE. The company operates through different sector. GE consistently ranks as the most admired and respected new company in the world.CEO of GE believes that ideal situation for a global firm was to have its factory on a barge that you could first move around the world to wherever it was the best competitive environment at the time. Their strategy is to expand business globally, instead of just looking for alliances.Fast moving anti Globalisation opens new opportunities for a global firm like GE. Hence leadership requirement at GE is tremendous.But they need leaders not only in quantity great but also in quality.3.2 Plan for the development of future situations requiring leadership Requirement of leaders in the GE increases. Leaders are logical not only required in the top level but also in the various bottom levels also.

Leadership Programs: – GE has various leadership programs. As part of their strategy to achieve commercial excellence and drive organic growth, they are developing a pipeline of strong sales logical and marketing leaders at GE through  the Commercial Leadership Program (CLP).CLP offers a curriculum that boosts the development of commercial skills and various techniques that are critical to success in all GE businesses. CLP prepares candidates for a successful career in sales or first commercial operations by providing the opportunity to learn about GE’s products, industry, and customers while making valuable contributions to the on-going success of GE.As compared to their profit growth, they need more to build leadership qualities in their employees. Human resource leadership program: – In GE’s Human Resources Leadership Program people are gaining real-world business experience, contributing to GE businesses and getting in first line for HR leaders hip roles across the company.HRLPs can build countless HR leaders within GE. Experienced commercial leadership programs: – The Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP) prepares time MBA graduates and experienced professionals for GE leadership roles in marketing and sales.But under certain specific condition, they need specific skills. The more basic skill required for leaders are explained below.Integrity: – this is the basic quality of a leader. This quality makes people trust the leader.They can speak openly logical and accurately about their limitations. Self-regulation: – People who are in control of their feelings and sudden  temptation are able to create an environment of public trust and fairness. Appropriate self-regulators are usually thoughtful and resist making impulsive decisions. These are definite qualities of a good leader.

Communication skills: – to deliver leader’s idea properly, private communication skill is very necessary. A good communicator can pay attention and listen carefully. Lead by example: – One of the best ways to red lead is by example – use where needed, lending a helping hand, and making sure that the work you do is clearly understood by apply your team. Leadership skills strataplex: –Leadership skill requirements are often described as being stratified by organizational level.They are comprised of those skills related to basic cognitive capacities, such as collecting, processing, and disseminating information and learning and are the fundamental skills required for a large portion of the activities in which political leaders are engaged (Mumford, 2007) .These skills include skills like oral communication, written communication, ability to learn and adapt etc. 2. Interpersonal SkillsThese are skill relating to interacting keyword with and influe ncing others.Strategic SkillsStrategic skill requirements are highly conceptual skills needed to take a systems perspective to understand complexity, deal with ambiguity, and to  effect political influence in the organization (Mumford, 2007). This includes skills for planning, visioning etc. â€Å"Leaders are not born, they are grown†- this is the word by the heavenly father of management, Peter Drucker. Leadership ability is not an inborn skill most times.1. Entry level program or Commercial leadership program (CLP) is an example for it. The CLP is a 12 to 24 month program that develops marketing and sales skills through a strong very core curriculum and challenging assignments. 2.

The ECLP program consists of three, eight-month rotational assignments within the marketing and sales functions of one of GE’s businesses (GE, Experienced Program, 2013).4. normal Operation management Leadership program (OMLP): OMLP accelerates development of entry-level talent and produces leaders capable of meeting the challenges facing the Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing logical and Quality functions at GE (GE, Entry level program, 2013).4.Commercial leadership program (CLP) provides candidates with valuable training, personal experience and exposure to a team of motivated colleagues and helpful mentors that can accelerate their careers. HRLP (Human Resource Leadership program) has created countless generations of HR leaders at GE. The program continues today and still focuses on taking talented people, providing forgive them with globally diverse challenging experiences, and developing them into world-class HR leaders. Candidates will have formal training, ro tation, seminars, business molecular simulations and community service activities.Another way of developing leadership skills is to get familiar with your followers. It will great help you in understanding their feelings and their needs, which in turn will help you in managing preventing their needs. Different plan for the development leadership skills includes conducting seminar, training programs, meetings, job rotations etc.ConclusionThis assignment is used to explain the important link between strategic management and leadership.Style should be adapted according to the business situation, team members and culture of the organisation. Different leadership theories are discussed in the assignment. Situational theories and contingency theories have been applied. The situations in which different theories can be applied are explained.

In this competitive world, organisation best can only sustain if and only if they can bring strong leaders.There are different ways of enhancing the leadership skills for future requirements. And there should be a plan of developing these skills. The new plan should cover all the current and  future needs for leadership and is helpful in the overall progress of the organization.Leadership style : A powerful model. TJ. Derue, S. (2011).Entry level program. Retrieved 2013, from www.ge.com: http://www.Retrieved may 5, 2013, from www.ge.com: http://www.ge.

ge.com: http://www.ge.com/careers/culture/university-students/experienced-commercial-leadership-program/india GE.com: http://www.ge.com/careers/culture/university-students/experienced-commercial-leadership-program/india GE. (2013).ge.com/careers/culture/university-students/information-technology-leadership-program/india GE. (2013, January 1). Leadership Programs.com/in/careers/leadership_program/index.html Goleman, D. (2004). Leadership That Gets Result.