Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War Essay

Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War do you agree? I do not agree fully that the Germans were to blame for the outbreak of war. German intentions were not to start a war, however there are a few events where they unintentionally helped to escalate the situation. There is no doubt that they did help to escalate the situation between Serbia and Austro Hungary. In this essay I will be arguing that Germans did not cause the outbreak of the war. I will be doing this by discussing the blank cheque, the Schlieffen plan, the September programme, the actions of the Kaiser and the actions of Bethmann Hollweg. Many historians argue that because Germany pre-planed for war that when the chance of war arose they obviously provoked it. The evidence for this argument is the Schlieffen plan, it was a military strategy devised in 1882 as a means of coping with a two front war. Some people argue that the Schlieffen plan is the first traceable reason why the war started. However this is hardly true the Schlieffen plan was drawn up because of the increasing pressure Germany was under because of the triple Entente. Germany was after all geographically in bad position on one side they had France and on the other Russia, to make this situation worse France and Russia were allied. Therefore it is not surprising that a plan was created in case a war with the both countries was to occur. A war such as this would have to be fought on two fronts so to be able to fight a war like this on side would have to be disabled quickly. The German’s plans to get to Paris in 6 weeks is seen to be an aggressive tactic that is why some people see the Schlieffen plan as a plan to expand Germany if war was to break out. It is clear this is not the case, the Schlieffen plan was a defensive strategy designed to help Germany to come with a war on two fronts. The Schlieffen plan can hardly be seen as the Germans planning for war because other nations had simial plans such as Russia who had to stick to their plans so completely that hey had to declare war on Germany. An argument has been put forward that Germany declaring war on France is proof that the Schlieffen plan was a form of expansion for Germany and that that it was not a defensive plan. However this is hardly true, Germany declared war on France because Russia had declared war on them and Russia and France were allies. So to Germany I was natural that France would join the war because of the alliance system. Russia also did the same when the Tsar was told that he could not mobilise against Austria alone because the plans were for a war with Austria and Russia. The September programme drawn up by the chancellor of Germany, Bethmann Hollweg is seen as another piece of evidence suggesting that Germany had planned the war. The September programme was a document that set out Germany’s war aims, including a list of territorial acquisitions. This is seen to be incriminating because it was written so soon after war broke out. However Bethmann Hollweg was under a lot of pressure from military who needed to know their objectives. It should also be considered that the German army had been mobilised for a few months so plans for the army had to be drawn up. Some people argue that because the September programme was released so quickly that these objectives must have been premeditated. This is not completely true, it was important for the germens to think quickly what they were going to have to achieve in the war after all they were fighting on two fronts. Some of the objective might have been premeditated but these were probably defensive ones thought up long ago. It is clear to see that Bethmann Hollweg was caught between the Kaiser and Moltke. Bethmann Hollweg’s behaviour is often criticized during the July crisis. It is Bethmann Hollweg’s actions that are used as the argument against him. However what he did can be seen as a gamble that went horribly wrong. Bethmann was not consulted on the blank cheque but did back it. Some people argue that Bethmann wanted to manipulate Russia into mobilising against Germany so they didn’t look as if they started the war. This is untrue because instead Bethmann thought that he could keep the Balkan war localized. The evidence for this argument is that Bethmann thought that Russia would not help Serbia if a war happened because the Tsar would not lend his support to royal assassins. Bethmann also felt that Russia was not military or financially ready for a war. Germany’s mobilisation against Russia was only meant to deter Russia from war not to provoke them into war that is where Bethmann’s gamble failed. The blank cheque is seen as confirming Germany’s guilt in starting the First World War. The blank cheque is another example of a mistake made by Germany. The Kaiser gave unconditional support to Austria, this was done because Germany felt isolated by the triple entente and wanted to make it clear to Austria that their alliance was strong. However as professor Rohl argues the Kaiser was a very unstable man. There is a lot of evidence to support this argument such as when the Kaiser decided to change is mind about the blank cheque but then was convinced by his wife to â€Å"be a man†. The Kaiser was heavily influenced by others and there are many examples, such as the first Moroccan crisis where he was pushed by Bulow and Holstein into provoking the French. The blank cheque is greatly misunderstood the vague phasing used is open to interpretation. The historian Gerhard Ritter argues â€Å"that Germany sought to deter Russia from war, not to provoke conflict with her†. The blank cheque like the September programme is seen as evidence that Germany had wanted a war for some time but really they have both been misinterpreted. The real nation that was to blame for the outbreak of war was Austro-Hungary who even after finding no evidence that linked the assassins to any terror groups in Serbia and after Serbia agreed to their ultimatum still invaded their country. This is really the behaviour of a nation with war on their agenda. Austro-Hungary it can be said had to avenge the death of Franz Ferdinand. Russia too could have avoided war but much like the Kaiser the Tsar kept on changing his mind. In conclusion from the evidence above it can be seen that everyone muddled into war and that no one power is to blame. The September programme and the Schlieffen plan which are seen to highlight German guilt, do not and are actually defensive precautions not premeditated plans for war. Bethmann Hollweg and the Kaiser both were trying to achieve the same objective but were both communicating very well. The nations involved in the July crisis can be blamed for standing by their alliances instead of sorting out the situation. Germany did contribute to the mix up between nations in the Balkans and for inciting Austro-Hungary however they are not ultimately to blame for the outbreak of war.

Affects of Physical Activity on the Heart Rate And Blood Pressure Essay

Purpose: The lab prepared will teach you how to measure blood pressure. Learn where systolic and diastolic pressure begins. Next observe venous return, heart rate, and blood pressure in three different scenarios including: normal range, resting rate, and increased exercise. Research: In the circulatory system lab, students observed how physical activity affects blood pressure and heart rate. With a partner, one student’s pressure was recorded at basal (normal) rate, lying down, and after exercising. Normal blood pressure is systolic 120 and diastolic 80. A normal heart rate is 60 beats per minutes. Systolic pressure is the pressure of blood during contraction and would be considered as the first twitch of the stethoscope. Diastolic pressure is the pressure in the blood vessels in between heartbeats at a relaxation point and would be the last twitch before the needle drops completely on the stethoscope. These points are considered as lub & dub. Lub or S1 is the first heart beat and the closing of the tricuspid & bicuspid valves. The second heart beat, s2 is dub, the closing of semilunar valves. Blood pressure and heart rate increase after physical activity due to the fact that the body uses more oxygen and releases higher volumes of carbon dioxide. In our experiment the test subject needed more oxygen while exercising. The 25 jumping jacks preformed increased blood pressure and heart rate. If the test was preformed on a different test subject results may change, depending on  body mass, weight, height, male or female. Hypothesis: If physical activity increases, then blood pressure and heart rate will rise. Materials: †¢Stethoscope †¢ Test subject †¢Watch †¢ Administer †¢Sphygmomanometer (Blood pressure cuff) Procedure: See† Lab 4: The Circulatory System† 2013 eScience Labs, LLC, 10/21/2014. Data/Results: Table 2: Blood Pressure and Pulse Reading Activity Blood Pressure (mmHg) Systolic/Diastolic Pulse (beats/minute) Basal (Normal) 120/75 60 Lying down 120/60 56 After exercise 140/80 68 Lab Questions: 1. What is systolic pressure? Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart ventricles contract and pump blood out of the heart. This is the highest pressure in the blood vessels. 2. What is diastolic pressure? Diastolic pressure is the pressure between heart beats when the heart ventricles are resting and filling with blood. This is the lowest pressure in blood vessels 3. Why is pressure a sensible reading to circulatory health? Because through pressure, people can determine how much blood are pumped out of the heart in a single contraction. A person with a healthy circulation‘s blood pressure should be at the normal level. 4. Explain the â€Å"lub-dub† sounds of the heartbeat? â€Å"Lub-Dub† is the first and second heart sounds that are clearly heard with a stethoscope. These sounds are the closing of the heart valves. †¢The first heart sound, know as â€Å"lub† starts when the ventricles contract. The atrioventricular valves are closed and the blood is pumped out of the heart. The second heart sound, known as â€Å"dub†, starts when the ventricles relax. The semilunar valves are closed and the ventricles are filled. 5. Why do blood pressure and heart rate change after exercise? The muscles in the body need more oxygen during exercise. The heart then pumps more blood to the lungs for gas exchanging. Since the heart needs to contract harder, the blood pressure and heart rate will be increased. 6. How might the results in Table 2 change if someone else performed the activities? Why? The results in Table 2 would be lower or higher if someone else performed the activities because the sex, height, weight, and health could also affect the results. 7. Why is it important for blood to flow in only one direction? Every part of human body needs oxygen in order to perform works properly. Oxygen-rich blood supplies oxygen needed to every part of the body and oxygen-poor blood needs to flow to the lungs to exchange gas. If blood flows backward, the body will not get the oxygen it needs to maintain normal homeostasis therefore it will be under a serious threatening. Conclusion/Discussion: In this experiment, we saw that the blood pressure and heart rate significant increased after the subject exercised. From table 2, we saw that the blood pressure increased from 120/75 to 140/80 and the pulse increased from 60 beats /minute to 68 beats /minute after exercised. The rate of blood pressure and pulse were lowest when the subject lied down, which only 120/60 mmHg for blood pressure and 56 beats/minute for the pulse. Since the blood pressure and heart rate raised as body movement increased, we concluded that this is a statistically significant result. Theory: Blood pressure measurements generally reflect arterial blood pressure. The high and low points of blood pressure are expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The normal blood pressure in healthy individual is 120/80(mmHg). Blood pressure is usually measured with the sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) which normally composed of a cuff with an inflatable bladder and a mechanical manometer with a rubber bulb.

A Thousand Splendid Suns Narrative Strategies Essay Example for Free

A Thousand Splendid Suns Narrative Strategies Essay ? A Thousand Splendid Suns the reader would think it’s a happy novel, however there’s nothing particularly â€Å"splendid† one would assume about the novel. From the very beginning of the novel the author, Khaled Hosseini inserts hints and foreshadowing to aware the reader that it will be an unhappy story. This is evident in the following illustration when Mariam breaks the sugar bowl , â€Å"It was the last peice that slipped from Mariam’s fingers, that fell to the wooden floorboards of thekolba and shattered† (Hosseini 2). Hosseini is generating depressing emotions in the novel by introducing words † fell† or â€Å"shattered† resembling failure or sin. The reader also gets introduced to the word â€Å"Harami† and other words, such as â€Å"kolba† and â€Å"Jinn† which are terms not identified by the author, so the reader must rely on the context to better understand what the word means. For example, when Mariam expresses the fear that the â€Å"jinn† has returned to her mother, the reader will assume that jinn is something bad. The use of these terms establishes the setting , but also signifies that some things cannot be translated remaining a mystery for the reader. In the novel , Hosseini makes the reader live, see and feel by portraying the experiences the characters are going through in the novel, and by writing from a third person point of view , he broadens the readers ability because the perspective of the characters is limited, sometimes Mariam, sometimes Laila, which works to great effect to attach the reader to both characters equally. A Thousand Splendid Suns Narrative Strategies. (2018, Oct 28).

HR Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

HR - Assignment Example The aim of this paper is to shed light on the various facets of telecommuting, its implications, work management tools and a pilot program suggestion that incorporates all the necessary elements for effectiveness. Gone are the days when it was customary for work to be done within confined spaces and offices behind a desk in from a designated time period. The growing importance of human resources and a study of the various aspects associated with it gave birth to new concepts that were aimed at motivating employees as a driver of productivity. Many theories emerged for example the service profit model that proposes that motivated employees contribute towards workplace efficiency and ultimately improve the overall service levels of the business. Since employee motivation plays a significant role in internally driving the workforce to give their best at their work, many steps and accommodations are allowed by the employers to make sure that the employees are at ease while at work. The growing importance of a dedicated workforce for the overall organizational success has made it imperative that their changing needs are accounted for and catered too. Employees now seek work discretion and creativity as important factor for pursuing and retaining a job. Personal lives and commitments are regarded as important as professional ones, making it necessary for the workplaces to provide them the flexibility to enjoy both. Just like job sharing and working time flexibility, telecommuting is one such feature that plays a massive role in giving the employees the power and flexibility to work as they please but within time. Telecommuting refers to the ability of the employees to work from distant locations during some days of the week (Hr.ucmerced.edu, 2014). These locations could include homes, libraries or other work stations. By allowing the employees to do the same work they would have done if they were at the office, from a place of

Response paper on a novel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response paper on a novel - Essay Example It is necessary to analyze the long and short-term effects of both parties while analyzing animal rights. Alma and Dave LaJoy are interested in saving different animals while Boyle tries to highlight a person with rights over nature. The author also uses flashback with intention of highlighting development of animal rights over a distinct period. The author also provides his viewpoint through stylistic and entertaining approaches. Alma’s job includes eradicating wild pigs and black rats. Coincidentally, the black rats are similar to the animals that Alma’s grandmother encountered after the shipwreck. It is evident that Alma’s rival Dave LaJoy intends to save the animals that the park management wants to remove. This creates a disagreement between Alma and Dave LaJoy. The management decides to use poison to eliminate the rats while Dave flies to the forest to drop pellets containing Vitamin K that would neutralize the poison. The short-term effect is that rats cou ld be eliminated. However, there will reach a point when the rats would become an endangered species or face elimination. Furthermore, elimination of rats could result to over population of murrelets that is a source of food for rats. Additionally, other animals that feed on rats could get extinct. It is quite ironical for the National park to kill one species of animals to save the other. The elimination of rats could also open gates for lawsuits against the national park. Lastly, it creates enmity between Alma and Dave. As a result, Dave heckles  Alma at meetings, has her car vandalized and plants a secret agent in the office to spy on her (Boyle 100). Boyle tries to show who has right and control over nature and animal rights. It is particularly effective for author to use Alma and Dave who have different viewpoints on issue to tell the story from several angles. The most appealing character is behind the controlled execution of rats because she intends to protect the indigenou s species of the islands though she disregards animal rights. However, there are faults in her techniques because indigenous animals that depend on rats for food would be endangered. It is also evident that the food chain could be distorted. The author demonstrates that no matter how compassionate the intention, every solution has consequences especially within complicated eco systems. Boyle effectively communicates the fragility of Mother Nature’s (Boyle 150). The key highlight of her job is ensuring that Channel Islands’ original environment is restored to original environment. This will involve taking some hard decision and actions such as getting rid of wild pigs and black rats that would lead to animal rights concerns. Apparently, her grandmother had encountered some rats during her attempt to clamber into the Anacapa Island in the aftermath of the wreckage of the ship. However, Alma’s work is not going to be an easy one owing to the conflicts of interests involved. While she is determined to, get rid of the animals from the Island, Dave Lajoy, and her nemesis thinks otherwise. He thinks that saving the animals is a better idea and commits him towards this course. As a result, an atmosphere of controversy ensues. While Alma relies on her environmental consciousness, her opponent, Dave is relying on his richness. However, none of them fits into their prejudices completely. T.C Boyle argues that this is a regular situation in real life (Boyle 183). Boyle uses historical flashback because

XTRA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

XTRA - Case Study Example The company owners are anticipating the launch of e-business as a probable solution to regain their lost business and sales. The e-business is a manifestation of the turnaround strategy that is planned by the business owners. The new platform will lend a global existence and wider consumer base reach for increasing sales. The e-business will support XTRA to restore the company’s business and the market share. The launch of e-business is expected to generate more business for XTRA by offering a reengineering strategy. Also the data collected by the information systems can be used to serve the customers personally. The staff members at are apprehensive of the new technology and fear the change in roles and responsibilities that will be accompanied with the new approach. Also, since the staff has not been using the computer systems extensively at work, they are not very well acquainted with the information systems and how to use it for the business processes. So the decision is a strategic one and the various critical factors and their impact must be evaluated. The basic problem that can be identified for the current situation at XTRA is its limited consumer base and narrow exposure. Also, company serves product line that caters to a narrow consumer segment with fans of Hollywood actors who are interested to buy a memoir of the favorite movie or actor. XTRA has been operating through a centralized outlet at the city centre. The declining sales can be contributed to the limited market exposure and constrained reach in the world of global and transnational businesses. The past success describes that local demand for the related goods has been well satisfied and saturated. The unique range of products needs to reach a newer customer base which cannot be provided by local market. E-business will help XTRA to reach global customers and to

What makes a property sustainable and how could we increase the Essay - 1

What makes a property sustainable and how could we increase the percentage of the building stock that is sustainable - Essay Example This calls for efficiency in technology supply and change in lifestyles in managing the type and resources present in a country. The usage of resources further depends on the environmental awareness, learning experiences, the value and availability of the resource, type of household and normative pressure. Property sustainability is affected by product manufacturing and assembly, building structure, maintenance system, waste disposition, material extraction, and replacement (Bulg, Leimgruber, Huni and Scholz 2009). The 2008 financial crisis that hit the world led to weakening of the housing markets and vulnerable populations, and this called for planners to redesign programs that promote sustainable home ownership. The move helped to lower risks, protect the environment while assuring robust returns to investors as they are less prone to shortfalls in returns. The major concern is usually technology, ecology and green performance. This implies that social infrastructure should be able to satisfy the present generation while posing no threat to the future generation. Thus, sustainable property should enable human systems in realizing their capabilities without posing any social inequality (Lorenz and Lutzkendorf 2005). The increase in carbon dioxide emissions is propelled by the energy used by people in heating, lighting and running the daily activities. Given that these emissions pose a serious and adverse effect on the climate change, an effective remedy to this menace needs to be developed. In this effect, initiatives that ensure that homes minimize the use of energy through building of sustainable property help to combat the emissions. Facilitated by the Sustainable Home Code, planners have introduced the buildings are constructed upon codes that enhance a greener way of living thus benefiting the society at large. There has been

Disassembling a Nintendo Wii Console Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Disassembling a Nintendo Wii Console - Essay Example The first part may need a better introduction on why one would like to do what I am suggesting or why it may be a common problem. This would then support why what I am writing holds some consequence. To grab the attention of the reader, I must establish that the same mishap could happen or has actually happened to them. Another element that I have to take note of is the grammar and the tenses. Sometimes it gets confusing on whether I have to write one idea in the past tense or in the presence tense. There are also some sentences that get quite confusing because the commas are improperly placed or that the structure of the words is jumbled. But the images of the procedural steps are easy to follow and the identification of the parts is as accurate as I could identify them. Reading the piece, I feel that it still needs work and that there are things that could be done to improve

The United States Patriot Act Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The United States Patriot Act - Term Paper Example The United States Patriot Act The law was developed to equip United States security organs with enough teeth to carry out their investigatory role and that of protection of America. The main purpose On October 26 2001, the then president of the United States of America George Washington Bush signed the USA Patriot bill into law. As consequence of this, the act aimed at strengthening the measures that were aimed at preventing, detecting, and prosecuting the money launders and those who finance terrorism. Secondly, the act was developed to subject certain foreign financial institutions to scrutiny and analyze certain transactions or some accounts are prone to criminal abuse. Finally, the Act was designed to back the development of anti-money laundering units in the country, and in other countries. In addition, the act was enacted with the objective of strengthening the processes of stopping or averting the usage of the United States financial system by unethical individuals and suspected criminals in other countries and aids the return of stolen money back. Historical perspective This act is the culmination of very many centuries of development of laws and other historical and political happenings that have shaped the domestic security situations in America. The development of this act can be traced back to 1798, when the alien and sedition Act was passed, this was developed in order to make it illegal for anybody to criticize the American president. The act gave the president immense powers to deport anybody and especially aliens whom were considered to risky to the American people and American property. At the beginning of the civil war of America, the then president of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln issued a notice to suspend the habeas corpus, this had the e ffect of providing the rioters and those who protested to be arrested and jailed without formal charges. At the height of World War 1, there were 75 foreigners believed to be German-American socialists who were denied certain mailing rights and privileges. The law also provided the security organs with the mantle to censor all forms of communication that was moving in and out of the country. After the bombing of the Pearl Harbor by the Japanese naval military, the supreme court of the United States upheld President Roosevelt executive order that led to the transfer of Japanese-Americans from the west coast, and this was in defense of the harbor bombing by the Japanese military. The patriot act: fulfilling the intended purpose The act has led to stifling of individual’s liberty, but in the face of all the terror acts and attempted terror on American soil, which issue is more fundamental, liberty or safety? The act has helped information sharing amongst different security organ s in the country, allowing greater cooperation and reducing bureaucracy. This information exchange has lead to laudable benefits in terms of operations of the different agencies tasked with collecting information and countering terrorism. This especially applied to the two federal security organs in the country, the FBI and the CIA, The act gave these two agencies more freedom and powers and in their collusion, they managed to set up strings of operations nabbing suspected terrorists and foiling their attempts and in addition, they have nabbed major money laundering rackets. Since the enactment, of the act there has not been any reported large-scale terror attack on the United States to the magnitude of the September 11 2001 attack. The critics of the Acts point towards how the Act has

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

Philosophy - Assignment Example For instance, the existence of computers is a result of the work of various people from different materials and expertise. In terms of necessity, computers are now needed because their creators imposed the need for them. In short, there is an originator to its necessity and existence. In relation to this, it can be proven that God exists because of the concept that nothing can exist without someone causing the necessity and creation of things that now exist. However, like St. Anselm’s proposition, this could face the problem of the requirement of scientific studies which demand tangible explanations. 3. The existence of evil is necessary as a tool to test one’s volition and faith in God. Although it does not necessarily mean that evil comes upon those who do evil, it is an important tool for God to measure the goodness of man. As J. L. Mackie explains, the biblical character Job was a righteous man but he experienced loses in terms of family, wealth and heath but it was necessary to determine if Job deserved to go to heaven or hell. Nevertheless, this argument can be faced with the problem of accusing God as unjust because that is what a man is called when he does evil to someone who has not done him any wrong. 4. Thomas Nagel believes that none of us can ever know what it is like to be a bat because we have different experiences from that of a bat. Even for instance, one metamorphoses to a bat, he could never tell how it is because he lacks the experience of being a bat from birth. The lack in experience makes the metamorphosed bat unable to fully understand how it is to be a bat. If Nagel is right, this would strengthen the philosophical idea that everything is physical. One may conceptualize a bat’s life but can never know how it is because of the lack of experience. 5. Monads, according to Leibniz, are simple substances which can make

Theory and Research in Contemporary Consumer Behaviour Essay Example for Free

Theory and Research in Contemporary Consumer Behaviour Essay Abstract Over the past century, each new generation has entered a new consumer world where the forms and avenues for consumption have multiplied exponentially. The twenty first century saw rapid and dramatic changes in the realms of private and public life that became subject to commodification and marketing. Although the culture of consumption has been written about extensively, the breadth and complexity of consumption within contemporary industrialized societies has not yet seen much attention, particularly among anthropologists. In looking at the consumer lives of Hip Hop subculture, this work aims not only to explore and illustrate the ways in which contemporary commodity consumption is internally differentiated, but also to highlight â€Å"an aspect of contemporary consumption that often has been overlooked: its role as a medium through which social inequalities—most notably of race, class, and gender—are formed, experienced, imposed, and resisted† (Carrier and Heyman 30). Introduction Chicago sociologists of the 1930s began to study subcultural groups in the USA as if they were studying the indigenous tribes of isolated islands. This became known as streetcorner sociology as it studied the deviant subcultures of America (Downes and Rock, 36). Ethnography is an approach to research that is often associated with cultural anthropology. This study has often been conducted over a long period of time so that researchers can gain a truly insider perspective. Management and marketing researchers have also adapted ethnographic approaches to use in shorter periods of research. Ethnographic principles have been used to study consumers and consumption in order to better understand the effects and implications of strategic marketing management actions (Clarke 1999). For example, Elliott and Jankel-Elliott (2002) have used ethnography in strategic consumer research for many global brands, while Morris (1999) studied the culture of the British pub. Ritson and Elliott (1999) used ethnographic principles to research the social uses of advertising among UK adolescent advertising audiences. Belk (1995) explored the subculture of hip-hop music. He was particularly interested in the clothes associated with hip-pop and how manufacturers gained access to the group. In management and marketing research, the applied tradition of ethnography is often reflected in the problem-focused nature of much research. Ethnography is used as a tool to help in the design of management interventions and processes. Social and cultural life is created by people through symbolic interaction. Focus on local shared meanings and the reproduction of cultural norms. This research study into a hip-hop consumption practice began with a thorough investigation of secondary sources. The research then progressed to a first-hand engagement with the contexts of consumption. In an attempt to convey something of the meanings, motivations and experiential understanding of hip-hop consumer behaviour, the research creates an imaginative representation of the social life in question. This research study involves, first, gaining as much insider knowledge as possible about the subject in question. The pervasive theme of this work is that the consumer sphere, by its very nature, is a medium for social inequality. The next section lays the groundwork for understanding the particular complexities of hip-hop consumer engagement. The following analytical section locates the hip-hop consumer experience, looks at contemporary media depictions of hip-hop youth as out of control and dangerous â€Å"combat consumers.† This analysis insists that any understanding of hip-hop consumption must be understood in its specific cultural, historical, and political context, one that engages with centuries-old incidents like slavery, as well as symbolic representations of hip-hop consumer in the contemporary consumer world. Discussion In the post-modern world of consuming passions (Huffman 25) there are a number of dynamics that are rightly the concern of cultural criminology. First there is the process of the commodification of everyday life, including crime and violence. Second there is the absolute necessity for the legal or illegal consumption of commodities for the reproduction of both the economic system and our social selves. Commodities themselves appear, as Marx (1977:435) commented, a very trivial thing and easily understood†¦it is in reality a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties. However the relationship between the production and commodification process, and the distribution and consumption process, takes on a supreme significance in late modernity. In a culture in which the supreme goal is to have†¦and to have more and more†¦and in which one can speak of someone as being worth a million dollars, how can there be an alternative between having and being? On the contrary, it would seem that the very essence of being is having; that if one has nothing, one is nothing (Fromm 3). It is worth quoting Erich Fromm further on contemporary capitalism as he unravels the connections between violent acts, crime and consumption. It means: that I want everything for myself; that possessing, not sharing, gives me pleasure; that I must become greedy because if my aim is having, I am more the more I have; that I must feel antagonistic toward all others: my customers whom I want to deceive, my competitors whom I want to destroy, my workers whom I want to exploit. I can never be satisfied because there is no end to my wishes; I must be envious of those who have more and afraid of those who have less. But I have to repress all these feelings in order to represent myself as the smiling, rational, sincere, kind human being everybody pretends to be†¦ Greed and peace preclude each other (Fromm 8). Here individualism, greed, destruction, dishonesty, fear and violence are woven, through the processes of production and consumption, inevitably into all our everyday lives. Now crime, in the form of a commodity, enables us all to consume without cost as we enjoy the excitement, and the emotions of hate, rage and love that crime often contains. As everyday life becomes less and less interesting, so it also becomes less and less bearable and there is felt a general desire for daily excitement that becomes an essential ingredient in a consumer commodity culture (Clarke, 16). Excitement is now created for consumption in a multitude of manners such as bungee jumping, spectacular rides, ballooning, theme parks and carnivals, all aimed at the commodification of excitement. All these need to be bought at the market rate. The experience of excitement can also be attained by a large range of criminal activities. Bank fraud and theft, joyriding, manipulating the stock market, all contain the thrills and spills of edge-work. In a society that demands excitement and desire in order to keep the momentum of the marketplace, we can expect the problems associated with the quest for excitement to become both enduring and extensive. The general collective yearn is now for spectacle and experience as we become consumers of imagery. As such we have lost our capacity for astonishment, wonder and curiosity in a world that no longer moves us in an emotional way. There is a high fantasy factor within emotional life and existence that creates the need for immediate satisfaction which in turn becomes the driving force of violence. In this world the desire for excitement can, for some, only be satisfied through senseless acts of violence and destruction. In this way the images we consume become devoid of context and become infantile and immediate. As Schopenhauer points out, this outlook is like the childish delusion that books, like eggs, must be enjoyed when they are fresh (Schopenhauer, 1470). In this world based on sensations and emotions the individual is revered and nurtured. It is a Disney-like world based on the immediacy of and need for fun and pleasure. In everyday life and education in particular, there is an emphasis on morale rather than morality. Here institutions strive to achieve activity without pain. Learning must be fun; poverty must be fun; housework must be fun; and as in Clockwork Orange and even Wind in the Willows (where Toad steals a car and partakes in what must be the first literary joyride) violence, crime and disorder must be fun. The violence demonstrates the closeness that the stars of rap and hip-hop have with the community that they come from. They are in a sense still part of that struggle for both survival and the maintenance of whatever success they have achieved. It is a precarious position for all young people from these communities where nothingness waits just round the corner, where acceptance and success are transient and culturally ephemeral, disappearing as quickly as they arrive. Along with clubbing and rave, rap completes the criminalisation of youth styles and creative culture that ensures that the continuing carnivalisation of everyday life will remain the major experience of being young. There is here a strange tension between the rationality (organisation) demanded by production and consumption and the irrationality of senseless consumption needed to reproduce the cycle. As science and rational liberalism attempt to order everyday life and meaning-making, so irrationality is banished to the act of consumption, as irrational acts themselves become commodified, acting as a bridge to the displaced world of the upside down. It is part of the consuming of displays, displays of consuming, consuming of displays of consuming, consuming of signs and signs of consuming (Lefebvre, 108). The endless, senseless and irrational appears a necessary ingredient of contemporary life as we strive through consumption to push back the ordering of rationality and return once more to the comfort of anarchy, disorder and irrationality. Violence itself is not to do with a rational approach to life but is connected to the personal gratification gleaned from the excitement of the superiority of winning. The consumption of crime becomes a blissful state of non-responsibility, a sort of never-ending moral holiday where we can enjoy in private immoral acts and emotions. It is the political and economic realities of life outside of polite society that are reflected in rap as it analyses and celebrates the otherness of poverty and struggle. It celebrates the cultural answer to ascribed social position and economic survival, which includes the legal and illegal acquisition of wealth, the struggle not just for work but the struggle at work. It reflects oppression both through education and through policing and the struggle for respect in life. It not only emphasises suffering but is also a celebration of leisure time as the time free from the industrial processes of production. And it is in the street where others darent go that hip-hop and rap culture is lived and comes to life. The aim is to be street-wise, to survive with dignity and respect amongst your own, without selling out. In the roll-call of rap stars, their names and song titles reflect not only their clashes with the law but also the violence involved in living a life of struggle and the maleness of the culture, although female rappers and DJs have large followings as well and reflect their own struggle for survival. To give some examples, there was the shooting of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas in September 1996 followed by Biggie Smalls (Notorious B.I.G.), shot at the age of 24 in a rap war on 8 March 1997 not long after his last album Life after Death and its ironic track Youre Nobody Til Somebody Kills You. Ninjaman was imprisoned in Jamaica charged with murder, reflecting his raps Murder Dem and Murder Weapon. Frances best-known rappers, Kool Shen and Joey Starr, were jailed in 1996 for 6 months for anti-police lyrics Piss on the brainless police machine from the Nique ta Mà ¨re (Fuck your Mother) concert. Then Frankie Tah of the Lost Boyz was shot dead on 29 March 1999. In April 1999 Sean Puffy Combs was arrested for beating up an employee of Interscope Records and later also arrested for the possession of weapons. Consumption of the irrational remains an important connecting bridge to pre-productive life. Here the marketplace and the process of hip-hop consumption take on an extraordinarily important role in the creation of self and identity. Now in the ever-expanding realm of commodification and consumption, acts of hurt and humiliation, death and destruction, all become inextricably woven into processes of pleasure, fun and performance. We all participate in the creation of crime as we consume the filming of the carnival of the chase, becoming part of the process of production of real crime and real violence. It is not just the criminals but also the police, the public and the media who all play a part (Clarke 15). If hip-hop young people dont steal cars there can be no chase. If the police dont chase there is no event. If the event is not filmed there can be no product. If the product is not communicated there can be no distribution. If we dont watch there is no consumption and the process of production distribution and consumption is incomplete. Shopping is infused with racism; going to the corner store is at once an adventure in independence and a trial where the temptations and dangers of the drug economy must be negotiated; Barbie dolls are representatives of a world both foreign and hostile. In recognizing that these childrens consumer lives are shaped by the same forces of social inequality evident in their neighbourhood, educations, and even their life chances, my aim has been to highlight consumer culture as a terrain in which questions of social justice loom large. The deprivations experienced by children like those in hip-hop subculture are deep and lasting and perhaps all the more poignant because they take place in such close proximity to wealth and comfort. More than a depoliticized cultural space in which people may choose to purchase or try on identities, fantasies, and styles, consumer culture is a medium through which multiple oppressions are brought to bear on peoples lives in enduring and intimate ways. While white kids (among others) might debate the assertion that â€Å"they have everything, † the important point made by this man is that people value the things they own, whether these are sneakers or Porsches. Consumer lives are not simply expressions of individual desire. These lives cannot be understood apart from such processes as urban renewal, deindustrialization, the drug economy, informal segregation, and public transportation, since these are the processes that have been critical in shaping the consumption horizons of the hip-hop community. The ethnography of consumption, then, needs to take into account more than the interactions between individuals and particular commodities, the specific moment of purchase, the malls and stores where shopping takes place. This is in part because consumption activities cannot be seen as being limited to these relatively obvious encounters; consumption begins well outside of the store and continues well after a given purchase has been made. Any particular act of consumption is a moment—a snapshot—taken at the confluence of complex social, political, and historical streams. Understanding these moments requires thinking about what is taking place within the relatively arbitrary frame as a prelude to investigation into the breadth of factors that brought that moment into being. Hip-hop childrens reasons for seeking out particular items and their capacity for â€Å"spending my money wisely† are socially rooted in attempts to please caretakers, efforts to avoid the disappointment or anger of parents, the desire to share with siblings, and anticipation of the pleasures of giftgiving. These relationships, in turn, are shaped by the straitened economic circumstances of these families, circumstances ensuring that consumption is often for these children not a realm of unbridled fantasy, but rather one where fantasies must be reined in. This is not to say that questions of fashion or style, fad and fancy have no place in childrens consumption. Such status items as Cross-Colours clothes and Nike sneakers were without doubt consistent objects of intense desire and scrutiny, coveted by some or lovingly cared for by others. Conclusion This work has cantered its attention on the ways in which consumption is implicated in the exercise of oppression and in responses to such oppression. Because much of the oppression operative in the consumer sphere is symbolic, much of this work has been generated in tension with discussion about the consumption of the hip-hop subculture. This work conducted analysis of consumption under the production of images of hip-hop pathological consumption, for instance, that such oppression is operative at both the symbolic and material levels, both of which have real and telling effects on peoples lives. Such images and portrayals are an important element in the politics of consumption, a politics that portrays the consumption of the poor as being, on the one hand, problematic because they do not want enough and, on the other, dangerous because they want too much. Tales of constrained consumption are often used as examples to show why the poor cannot get ahead, and a lack of consumer desire is often seen as preventing the poor from attaining middle-class status. Rather than not wanting enough, these poor people want too much. In this vein, terms like compensatory consumption surface with regularity. The beauty of this discourse is that whether consuming too little or too much, the supposed consumer orientation of the poor explains their poverty. In hip-hop and rap there is no need for special legislation to control and criminalise both music and culture, since the way of life that is talked of, that makes up the story of the lives of the performers in a musical and rhythmic form, is already criminalised. Indeed what better way of saying the unsayable, of stating the illegal in a legal form, than bringing the reactions of those in poverty and those from minority groups forward through the carnivalesque qualities of hip-hop and rap. Because consumption is at its root a social process, it is enmeshed with the full range of social action from positive, altruistic expressions to destructive and violent outbursts. The realm of consumption offers ample space for people to find profound meaning in their worlds and existence, to integrate (rather than fragment) a sense of self, and to utter or to perform commentaries about what they see and feel in daily living. Children in hip-hop culture often turned the consumer sphere to their own expressive and prosocial purposes, using shopping as a way to create connections to their family and friends, as a sphere of creative play, or a realm in which they could construct critical assessments of the world around them. The consumer lives of these children show the complex ways in which forces of ideology, hegemony, and power can be bent—if only temporarily—into the contours of a particular life.    References    Belk, Russell. (1995). â€Å"Studies in the New Consumer Behaviour.† Acknowledging Consumption, ed. Daniel Miller. New York: Routledge. Carrier, James G., and Josiah McC. Heyman. (1997). â€Å"Consumption and Political Economy.† journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 3, no. 2: 355–73. Clarke, David B. (1999). The Consumer Society and the Postmodern City. Routledge: New York. Elliott, R. and Jankel-Elliott, N. (2002). â€Å"Using ethnography in strategic consumer research†, Qualitative Market Research: An international journal. Fromm, Erich (1976) To Have or To Be? New York: Harper Row. Huffman, Cynthia. (2000). The Why of Consumption: Contemporary Perspectives on Consumer Motives, Goals and Desires. Routledge: London. Marx, Karl (1977). Karl Marx: Selected Writings, ed. D. McLelland, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Morris B. (1999). Consumer Value: A Framework for Analysis and Research. Routledge: London. Schopenhauer, A. (1969) On the Basis of Morality, Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill.

Nationalism and the origins of The first world war Essay Example for Free

Nationalism and the origins of The first world war Essay When global war broke out in 1914 dreams of world peace and prosperity were shattered. Accordingly, the First World War was arguably one of the most traumatic episodes in the history of international affairs. Geopolitically speaking, the First World War (also described as WWI in this essay) was unprecedented in both scale and sheer loss of human life. Never before had the world witnessed such carnage and violence perpetuated through the use of modern technology. The First World War touched much of the world and the implications of this conflict reverberated across the globe. Seeking to understand the historical explanations as well as the role that nationalism played in the outbreak of the First World War, this essay will explore the multiple causes of the development of global hostilities in 1914. Using a three pronged analytical model, the causes of the WWI will be discusses with reference to the pre-conditions and precipitants for conflict and the triggers which sparked the war. Understanding that WWI was an international event with global repercussions, we will analyze the various antecedents for the emergence of armed conflict through a multi-causal approach. This essay will argue that a variety of factors led to the outbreak of the First World War and while there is not one single causal explanation for the emergence of global conflict in 1914, a proper explanation of the origins of this conflict takes into account the amalgamation of each of these factors. While nationalism was an important factor leading to the outbreak of international conflict between the warring parties, this essay will argue that in fact, nationalism was an important precursors to the emergence of conflict but the sole and deciding force in the violence which erupted on the shores of Europe and reverberated across the planet. Although the First World War has recently been overshadowed in the aftermath of the WWII, this conflict was the first in terms of scale and sheer destruction and thus continues to be worthy of scholarly analysis. Nationalism in International Affairs Nationalism is an important force in international relations and has been so for centuries. As a basic principle of the international order, concepts of state sovereignty are intrinsic to our understanding of the world system. Accordingly, the international system is predicated upon the existence of nation-states and nationalism is a belief or sense of identity within the nation. The Treaty of Westphalia established the principle of state sovereignty, another fundamental principle of the international order which established the nation-state as an autonomous political entity. Similar to tribalism or a sense of social kinship, nationalism as a potent political force began in Europe in the late eightieth century and was connected with a decline in overall religiosity, the development of industrialization, Enlightenment thoughts and a concerted effort by political elites to â€Å"build states†. By inculcating a sense of nationalist fervor in the citizens of their respective countries, elites have been able to manipulate nationalism for political purposes. Mass mobilization towards a variety of specific causes through an appeal to nationalist sentiment has been used as a political tool for centuries. Although not exclusively a negative force, nationalism remains an important ordering principle of the international system and a force to be reckoned with (Anderson 2006). Preconditions to the Outbreak of Conflict There were a variety of preconditions to the emergence of the conflict, which up until that date, had been the largest that the world had ever seen. The First World War represented the dueling alliances of the Triple Entente composed of Britain, France and Russia – and the Triple Alliance – comprised of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. Pre-conditions are best described as the precursors to conflict and there were many underlying long-term causes for the belligerent behaviour of the states of Europe in 1914. An arms race, underway for years, and growing at a rapid pace just prior to the emergence of the First World War set the stage for violent conflict between the major states of the region. Accordingly, the arms race occurring at the time exacerbated the global balance of power and led to an increased likelihood of aggressive behavior between the armies of Europe. As the European armies grew and competed with one another for size, manpower and prestige, the naval race between German and Britain contributed to a partition of the major states of the continent into two opposing camps. Competition was surely facilitated by nationalist tendencies and a desire to counterbalance the political, diplomatic and military ambitions of one’s rival. In addition to international arms races, domestic pressures and a willingness of the part of the citizens of some countries to engage in war helped precipitate the conflict. Accordingly, the diplomatic isolation of Germany, Austro-Hungary was another important contributor to the outbreak of global war in 1914. German nationalism, largely ignored in the settlement of the Congress of Vienna almost one hundred years before, did experience a resurgence particularly after the imposition of what was then conceived by many to be an unfair Treaty in Vienna and gained prominence in the middle to late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Accordingly, a German nationalism movement led a revolution to unify the country in 1871 – a similar movement in Italy served to unite that country in 1861 – and remained an important, although not solely important, force in attempting to explain the preconditions of conflict in 1914 (Joll and Martel 1992). In addition to the pre-conditions above, a series of crises from 1904-1914 also helped pave the way for the emergence of the First World War and were important pre-cursors to this conflict. The First Moroccan Crisis from 1905-1906 resulted in a German offensive which created the Entente. This was followed by the Bosnia-Herzegovina Crisis of 1908/1909 in which Austria-Hungary formally annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina. This important precursor to future conflict forced Russia to reevaluate its geopolitical situation and in turn view Germany and Austro-Hungary as a potential threat. The Second Moroccan Crisis (1911-1912) united Russia, Britain and France against Germany and was an important stabilizer for the Triple Entente informal alliance. The final conflicts which were important pre-conditions to the outbreak of violence in 1914 were the Balkan Wars 1912-13. These series of wars removed the Ottoman Empire from the equation and led to an impressive German arms build-up (Strachan 2001; Joll and Martel 1992). On the Cusp of War: Precipitants to Conflict Precipitants are short-term crises that made the war seem inevitable and a series of crises, beginning with the assassination in Sarajevo of Franz-Ferdinand, Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, made large-scale war in Europe seem like an inevitability. In fact, the months of late June/early July were replete with crises beginning with the violent assassination in Serbia of the Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Assassinated on Serbia’s national day by a violent terrorist organization, the Black Hand, this event alone is described by many observers of the First World War as perhaps the most monumental precipitant to the outbreak of hostilities between the major powers of Europe. Following his violent death at the hands of a Serbian nationalist, Germany unilaterally supported the right of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to respond as it saw fit. This led to successive increases in belligerence on both sides and an ultimatum by Austria-Hungary to Serbia (Strachan 2001; Joll and Martel 1992). Triggers and the Outbreak of War There are a variety of direct antecedents to the War of 1914 and the following will describe the important triggers for the world’s largest military mobilization to-date in the aftermath of the assassination of Franz-Ferdinand, Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While there is not one single event which explains the emergence of large-scale conflict, the following will chart the important triggers which led to the internationalization of conflict and the explosion of a truly global war. Serbia’s rejection of the ultimatum put forth by the Austro-Hungarian represented a desire on its part to safeguard its independence. By rejecting the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum and seeking Russian support, the Serbian republic unwittingly set the stage for the bloodiest war the world had ever known. Serbian intransigence and refusal to acquiesce to the demands of Austria-Hungary set the stage for Russian involvement which internationalized the conflict and significantly increased its scope. At the time, the Russian army was the largest army on the planet and the inclusion of Russia into the dispute significantly increased its scope and explosive potential. Following the introduction of Russia into the equation, the first four days of August 1914 proved to significantly expand the horizons of the conflict. During those first few days of the month, Germany declared war on Russia and its ally France, leading to the mobilization of Britain and the further internationalization of belligerence. Germany’s decision to declare war on Russia and the Entente powers represented an important expansion of the conflict on the side of the Triple Alliance and set the stage for the mobilization and later involvement of Britain in the brewing hostilities (Strachan 2001; Joll and Martel 1992). Origins of the â€Å"Mass War† and Nationalism At the outbreak of World War One, states mobilized what scholars have described as â€Å"mass wars†: the uniquely modern phenomenon of warfare developed in the twentieth century which required the wholesale diversion of economies, labour and national productivity towards the war effort (44). Accordingly, â€Å"from 1914 on, wars were unmistakably mass wars†¦such a level of mass mobilization cannot be maintained except by a modern high-productivity industrialized economy. † (Hobsbawm 1994). State apparatuses grew and â€Å"mass wars† required governments to mobilize people, resources, and armaments to serve the war effort. Citizens were conscripted to fight, industry was instructed to produce arms, and the government became intimately involved in the establishment of monopolistic war economies. Although nationalism did play a role in the establishment of war economies and the growth of military-industrial complexes built up to support the war effort, many factors account for call to arms and the descent into extreme bloodshed and violence during the First World War. Mass mobilization towards the war effort was certainly helped by nationalist fervor as the belligerent parties prepared for conflict which until then would have been on an unimaginable scale, but as has been shown above, nationalism is just one part of the equation in attempting to explain the origins of the First World War (Hobsbawm 1994). Concluding Remarks As one of the most traumatic episodes in the history of the world, the First World War represented geopolitical conflict on an unprecedented scale. Never before had the world witnessed such carnage, bloodshed and violence. Seeking to understand the historical explanations and discuss the role that nationalism has played in the outbreak of the First World War, this essay has explored the antecedents for conflict in 1914. Important preconditions, precipitants and triggers have accounted for the emergence of this conflict. Nationalism, although an important factor which can help explain the emergence of World War One, is actually only one aspect of the overall conditions which lay the groundwork for World War One. Nationalism may be a guiding principle of the international order but a focus which exclusively explores the role of nationalism in the causes of war gives an incomplete picture of this global conflict. While nationalism may have been a force in the establishment of alliances in Europe, there were a handful of other preconditions, precipitants and triggers which led to this conflict. As this essay has shown, many factors led to the violent episode now known as the Second World War and while each factor differed in substance, each contributed to the emergence of the â€Å"War to End All Wars†. REFERENCES Anderson, B. 2006. Imagined Communities. New York: Verso. Hobsbawm, E. 1994. Age of Extremes: The Short History of the Twentieth Century: 1914-1991. London: Abacus. James Joll, J. and G. Martel. 1992. The Origins of the First World War. New York: Longman. McEvedy, C. 2003. The New Penguin Atlas of History. New York: Penguin. Strachan, H. 2001. The Oxford Illustrated History of the First World War. London: Oxford University Press.

Creative Report On Strategic Change Management Business Essay

Creative Report On Strategic Change Management Business Essay Every organisation goes through change but the question lies; do they know the need for change. Why are they going through change. Have the employees understood the need for this change? Strategic change management is successful when there is participation from stakeholders, employees, the leader etc. According to Bevington (2012) Strategic change affects employees, who create resistance because they do not understand the need for change and how will it benefit them. Some will resist change because they like the way things are and dont want anything to change also known as the Status quo. Business organisations need to make sure that there are proper strategies in place to overcome this resistance and implement change. This change has to be constantly monitored to overcome any negative outcomes. According to McMillan (2008) Kurt Lewin developed a change management strategy known as the force field analysis. He demonstrated that there are forces driving for change, forces repelling change. There is a need to balance out both these forces and ensure that change takes place smoothly. Forces for change include: Lewin four forces of change Miner (2007). Organisational behaviour 4: from theory to practice. Burnes (1996) states that, there is the management on one end trying to implement change and employees on the other end who do not understand the need for change. They are affected by the sudden disruption in their smooth day to day work. Therefore, there exists forces that are for change and forces that resist change. These forces can be internal or external. Internal forces that drive change are cultural differences between employees, conflicts with other departments due to competition or performance, a want for increasing profitability. The External forces that drive change in an organisation would be new legislation and taxes, politics, competition, customers needs and expectations introduction of new technology. According to Beer (2000) Lewins 3 stage model Unfreeze- Change- Refreeze is a very important tool that can be used for change. The first stage involves unfreezing, that is to create the platform for change. The second stage is change by bringing about transition via communication explaining why this change is beneficial and why there is a need for to implement this change. The third phase involves refreezing by establishing stability and letting individuals reconnect to their familiar environment. Refreezing helps in changing the low productivity state to a higher one. In this report examples of CORUS and AEGON have been provided. Corus is one of the worlds leading steel companies, which produces heavy plates for construction, shop building, energy, semi finished products for re rolling and rod for wire drawing etc. AEGON is one of the worlds largest life insurance and pension companies. It has 27,000 employees and over 25 million customers worldwide. Q1 Learners need to show that they understand the background to organisational strategic change Discussing models of strategic change Evaluating the relevance of models of strategic change to organisations in the current economy Assessing the value of using strategic intervention techniques in organisations Ans) Discussing models of strategic change Change occurs due to different factors, it can be due to stakeholders, internal or external factors. The internal and external factors contribute to the force of change. The models that are used to implement change successfully are explained in detail. ADKAR, KOTTERS 8 Step model and Mckinseys 7s model are all used for strategic change. ADKAR According to Hiatt (2006) the ADKAR change management is a management model that assists with change. It concentrates on change at personal level, and how to go about making that individual accept the need for change and work for the organisation with full motivation and co-operation. ADKAR was developed by Jeff Hiatt. Originally it was used to determine if change strategies were bringing the required results. Now days it is used to identify gaps to support the change process. The Five Elements of ADKAR In order for successful change each step of ADKAR needs to be followed. Awareness Awareness is to create an understanding for the requirement for change That is, what are the benefits of change, why is it necessary, what happens if we dont implement change etc Hiatt (2009). Desire Desire is to create the need to take part in the change Leadership plays a very important role in desire. The leader has to motivate and influence the staff that they get encouraged for change Hiatt (2009). Knowledge To give knowledge so the employees know what needs to be changed and how to go about changing that, example- explaining new tasks, providing training, understanding new roles Hiatt (2009). Ability Ability to implement change this can be done by monitoring, providing involvement, performance measurement etc Hiatt (2009) Reinforcement- Reinforcement to strengthen the changes by rewards, recognition, feedback, performance measurement and audits. Hiatt (2009) The ADKAR model can be used to monitor progress, identify employee resistance, an instrument for coaching by managers etc. The ADKAR Model can be used to ensure that there are smooth operations and that cultural change is taking place effectively. It can be used to fill the gaps within the organisational change strategies. Prepare individuals for change and emphasise areas of improvement. Evaluating the relevance of models of strategic change to organisations in the current economy Strategic change is a field in strategic management. It is a very important study of strategic management. It is important to balance the changes that are associated with technological change, competition that can pose threats etc. The strategic change models help in assessing the situation and improving it. Thus models are very important in bringing about strategic change management. Assessing the value of using strategic intervention techniques in organisations Strategic planning is very important for strategic change to take place. Strategic intervention is all about creating plans, taking action and implementing strategies that would meet customers requirements. Intervention is to balance the process of change in the macro and micro environment. Mckinseys 7S model: According to Witcher (2010) the 7S model was developed by Mckinseys Consulting, it shows how to organise an organisation effectively and is based on seven key fundamentals. It is split into two groups that are hard elements and soft elements. The hard elements are tangible, whereas the soft are intangible. hard and soft elements of 7s model Framback (2001) Creating customer value through strategic marketing planning: a management approach The 7S Model Plant (2001) E-Commerce : formulacioÃÅ' n de una estrategia The 7S Model where all fundamentals are interrelated. Shared values are the most important in an organisation. It forms the basis for culture, performance and links the structure, system, strategy into the framework. Therefore it is highly important to have a proper culture. Structure: The structure the organisation operates on such as coordination, task allocation, supervision etc. To bring about smooth operations have daily meetings Witcher (2010). Strategy: Strategy is the plan created to succeed and have a competitive advantage. Eliminate waste and increase turnover by installing KAIZEN etc Witcher (2010). Systems: The system that supports the firms such as IT, accounting, resource allocation, financial reporting etc. Introduce a good pay structure for the new team Witcher (2010). Shared Values: The shared values are the core values of an organisation. The mission and vision of the organisation is very important to have a common shared value. Respecting their values and continuously striving for perfection Witcher (2010). Style: Style how the organisation is run, democratic, autocratic, lassie faire.etc. A leader that coaches and motivates can ensure smooth change. A leader who is trained in emotional intelligence can empower employees Witcher (2010). Staff: The employees are the number of people within the organisation the various departments and keeping in mind their cultural views Witcher (2010). Skills: The skills that individuals bring to an organisation. Allow employees to take decisions Witcher (2010). The 7s model is to analyse the situation, identify gaps, fill those gaps and use the fundamentals to achieve those goals. 7S Quadrants PLANT (2001) E-Commerce : formulacion de una estrategia EXAMPLE- The CORUS workforce understood the need for change and had a clear vision They wanted to achieve 15% return on assets by productive sales of products, solution and expertise to customers in the industrial markets and construction. Corus planned to achieve this by using the resources available and driving its cost down and increasing productivity. It also seeks out new skills and expertise. CORUS management may have used the KOTTERS 8 step model to bring in change. The Kotters 8 step model is explained in detail below, it illustrates the urgency of the change, the vision that exists, how to go about communicating that vision, empowering the employees and motivating them to work towards the change. CORUS personnel introduced new values in the organisation that helped it move forward. Kotters 8 Step Model- According to Sabri (1967) Kotters 8 step model is used to find elements that are important to organisational change. Kotter Sabri (2007). Purchase order management best practices process, technology, and change management. 1. Create a sense of urgency- Creating a sense of urgency by finding the weakness and strengths of an organisation, examining the markets and completion Sabri (1967). 2. Develop a powerful coalition- By bringing together a skilful team to implement change successfully and forming strategies to achieve the vision Sabri (1967). 3. Create a Vision- Developing a vision to direct the change attempt and forming strategies to achieve that vision Sabri (1967). 4. Convey the Vision- Communicating the vision by guiding and training, communication plays a vital role in implementing change Sabri (1967). 5. Empowering others to accomplish the vision- Empowering employees to accomplish the vision by encouragement of new ideas, removing obstacles in change and changing systems that weaken the vision Sabri (1967). 6. Planning for and producing short term wins- Planning short term wins by rewarding employees and implementing a strategy to improve performance Sabri (1967). 7. Consolidating improvements- Consolidating improvements by reinventing the process with new themes and projects, hiring employees who can implement the vision and using a proper system that is credible to change the systems, policies, and structures that dont fit the vision Sabri (1967). 8. Institutionalising new methods- Institutionalising new methods by implementing proper channels to ensure the vision and mission of the organisation and the leader are clear Sabri (1967). Q2 Learners will be expected to understand issues relating to strategic change in an organisation by; 1) Examining the need for strategic change in an organisation 2) Assessing the factors that are driving the need for strategic change in an organisation 3) Assessing the resource implications of the organisation not responding to strategic change Strategic change occurs due to economy, a change in markets, new technologies being introduced and new procedures such as TQM (Total Quality Management) being introduced. Strategic change management can be explained with the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) that is the internal changes that can occur inside and organisation and the PESTLE (Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) which is the external forces that bring about change in an organisation. The external environment consists of the customers needs and expectations, shareholders, changes in politics, product design, shareholders, and technology. To understand the external environment models such as the PESTLE can give an organisation an insight into the problems that can be faced externally by an organisation that may arise and how to deal with them. A SWOT can be carried to check the strength weaknesses opportunities and threats an organisation may face. A feasibility study and scanning the environment can assist in studying the external environment and eliminating weaknesses. Market research is done to analyse the current market situation. Customers feedback and complaints are taken to improve the quality of the product or a particular process. TQM (TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT)- TQM is about planning a structure to hold on to the market share. Customers look for quality, and they are ready to pay the price for better quality. Therefore quality has exchanged places with price. TQM is about identifying the customers want, to meet these needs economically. Checking the materials that are brought in is up to standard. Focusing on prevention rather that rectifying errors. Educating the employees and constantly training them for good output. Measuring the customer satisfaction and constantly reviewing the systems to ensure progress Oakland (2003). Therefore TQM is important factor in planning quality change. PESTLE- Green (2007) The P.E.S.T.L.E framework takes into consideration the Political, Economical, Socio Cultural, Technological, Legal and Environmental Predicting the future circumstances the organisation could deal with. The PESTLE can forecast the events that will influence the organisation as well as the ability to deliver the product. http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/pestle-swot.png Henry (2008) Understanding strategic management. PILOT STUDY- A pilot study is a small panel or committee that is established by the organisation to have an overlook of the entire business or a particular process. The feasibility study is conducted to give a yes or no signal to a business project. A feasibility study can take hours to weeks to give an answer, it depends on the amount of investment that dictates how much amount of energy has to be put into it Dalcher (2000). ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING According to Kroon (1995) Environmental scanning takes into consideration the macro environment. The macro environment is the external forces that affect an organisation. The environmental analysis consists of environmental monitoring, assessment and forecasting. It is concerned with markets, companies, industries competitors and clients. On the other side there also exist the micro-level which is analysed within the industry. Customers, Suppliers and competitors signify the micro environment of a company. SWOT- The SWOT Analysis analyses the Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organisation. Threats and opportunities are considered external factors whereas strength and weakness are considered internal factors (Weihrich, 1982) cited by Leung et al (2000) http://www.marketingteacher.com/image/content/swot_new_1.gif Ferrell (1999) Marketing strategy. Strengths- The strength establishes the companys strong points Weaknesses- It determines the weakness of the organisation not only from its standpoint but from the customers vision. Opportunities- It predicts how an organisation can grow within a market place Threats- It analyses the threats that can crop up and thus establishing a plan of action to surpass them without getting affected. EXAMPLE- AEGON needed to change because although it was successful it was not known to many consumers. The reason being the government imposed price controls that reduced its profitability. In order to be better known in the market AEGON took an audit and changed their strategy. They simplified financial services, developed a workforce and focused on customer service. AEGON performed a brand audit. The company focused on itself internally and how was it positioned externally. During the audit they found out more about the organisation and made decisions how changes were to be brought in. The external audit helped AEGON to establish itself on the same level as its competitors. AEGON focused on the culture of the organisation to bring in smooth change. Q3 Learners will be able to lead stakeholders in developing a strategy for change by; 1) Developing systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change 2) Developing a change management strategy with stakeholders 3) Evaluating the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change 4) Creating a strategy for managing resistance to change Ans) 1) Developing systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change Stakeholders are people that belong to a group, organisation or individuals that have a direct or indirect stake in the organisation. Stakeholders hold a vital role in the organisation. If there is any changes going to take place it is important for the stakeholders to be aware of such change. Stakeholders can be customers, unions, government internal or external. The vision and mission of an organisation is very important to send the right message to employees stakeholders etc and letting them know what is the business about and what it wants. Communication strategies are very important to implement this change. The Kubler Grief cycle illustrates the process of change. Overcoming the grief cycle and implementing change can be done with models such as Burke Litwins change model and Kotters 8 step model etc. VISION MISSION- Vision Statements and Mission Statements are motivational and inspirational words that are chosen by a leader to clearly and concisely convey the direction of the organisation. The vision and mission statement works better when the employees and employer sit together and decide on it rather than the employer making it alone, as the employees would feel valued and optimistic. The vision and mission of an organisation is a clear and concise statement that answers the Question what business are we in? A well devised mission statement has to answer five basic questions Ferrell (1999). Who are we? What customers are we serving to? What are our competitive advantages? What are our responsibilities? What is our operating philosophy (values, ethics, beliefs etc)? The Vision statement is used to communicate the end result. It is mostly written in the future. The vision and mission statement both have to be aligned with each other. The vision statement is important as the stakeholders will not understand the big picture of the organisation without it. 2) Developing a change management strategy with stakeholders Change management strategies with stakeholders can be done by brainstorming that is generating ideas together with the stakeholder group, by looking at old data that may help in showing the stakeholders interests and characteristics. Good presentations that will help deliver effective oral ideas and diagrams to make it easy for the stakeholders to understand. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ORGANISATIONS EXISTING COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES. Carr et al. (2001) the level of job satisfaction that is associated within organisations is associated with communication strategies. Every business needs a unique selling point (USP) and for an organisation to succeed there has to be a communication strategy in place. Communication is an intangible input to an organisation that is very essential for its success. According to Carr et al. (2001) Management communication strategies have major job satisfaction. Clear communication of goals, job responsibilities have significant improvement in higher output quality. Communication within customers creates employer loyalty and quality production. Clark (1996) Leaders have to look inside the organization to ease tensions making sure quality does not fail in the corporation. Mills et al (2009) communication should be continuous and training should be supported to overcome the change, Resistance is bound to happen during change but leaders can overcome them with great ease if there is proper communication. KUBLER- Grief Model- According to Garcia (2009) the KUBLER grief cycle shows five phases the individuals face during change. Garcia (2009) The first phase being SHOCK- Shock is the first reaction when an individual is told that there are some changes going to be made. Sometimes there isnt any initial reaction until the change process starts taking place and slowly starts to disrupt their schedule and they resist the change. Garcia (2009) The second phase is DENIAL- The individuals deny anything is wrong and behave normal by saying everything is fine but emotionally they have been wounded. Garcia (2009) The third stage is ANGER- When the individual realises that they cannot maintain denial they get angry. The individual gets angry and there is little that can be done because of rage and envy that is within him. Example- During a merger, a manager loses his position from manager to supervisor. Garcia (2009) The fourth phase is BARGAINING- The individual starts bargaining with their thoughts as to what this change means to their future or what can they do next. Garcia (2009) The fifth phase is DEPRESSION- The individual becomes silent and refuses to talk and spend time with other employees. It has to be noted that grieving must be processed in order to get out of this phase otherwise the anger or depression may build in the individual. Garcia (2009) The sixth phase is ACCEPTANCE-The individual slowly and steadily starts understanding the need for change and accept it. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnA-tYB_oh7ydc7nECfL4JzLoBZpdHG8uYMHBOzEWK0loGhWTPgtd1159vl_8P6KaF19qnZytzA2ThQLnt7GqATzuvBhbLskq303UdajpM8hyphenhyphenPfgB4ostfe6ekK1q9S4LrFfGX7XXWRk1/s400/gpg1.jpg Proctor (2007). Community service chaplaincy: doing Gods work in Gods world. Evaluating the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change. Stakeholders must be involved right from the start of the project. Their constant support is required throughout the project. Clear objectives must be made to illustrate the budget, timetable, allocation of responsibilities etc. Information regarding the project must be readily accessible by stakeholders. Any affected stakeholders must be dealt with carefully and must be provided with assistance. The Burke Litwins change model describes the drivers for change. This model can be used to bring about change effectively. Burke-Litwin Change Model: Burke Litwins change model demonstrates the various reasons for change and ranks them. It demonstrates that all the important factors are on the top of the model but it also argues that even if a change takes place on one of the factors every element in this model gets affected. http://research-methodology.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/New-Picture-22.png Mumford (2010). Gower handbook of leadership and management development According to Hatlie (2004) burke-litwin considers the environmental factors as the most important reason for change. The reason being most of the change is found to be external. Elements such as leadership, culture, mission and strategy are influenced by changes that occur externally. The drivers for change 1. Hatlie (2004) External Environment- The external environment consists of markets, completion, legislations etc. All of these factors have an impact on an organisation. To watch out for external changes it is important to continuously scan the environment. 2. Mission and Strategy- The organisation has a mission for a reason. The mission sets the direction for an organisation. A strategy explains in detail the plan and objectives of how to achieve that target, goal. In order for successful change in strategy it is important to communicate the consequences to the employees Hatlie (2004). 3. Leadership- The leaders attitude and personality reflect on the organisation. If they are successful at presenting the change they can implement it just as easily. Their strength inspires employees Hatlie (2004). 4. Organisation Culture- The culture of an organisation is the way things are done. It consists of a set of beliefs, attitudes, behaviours etc. Cultural change takes time to change. It has to be noted of how the employer wants his employees to behave and what he expects from them. There has to be a constant watch over employees and make sure the organisation is headed in the direction planned Hatlie (2004). 5. Structure- The structure of an organisation can change with the changes in strategy. This has an effect on responsibilities, relationships and ways of working. It is important to see the effects of structural change and make sure the team members know of what is required from them Hatlie (2004). 6. Work Unit Climate- The work unit climate is the perceptions of employees. If the employees are satisfied in their jobs it influences the organisation vice versa. Any immediate changes need to my managed sensitively as the employees may get angered and thus result in poor performance or interference from the unions Hatlie (2004). 7. Task Requirements The skills of the employees will change from department to department. It is necessary to ensure if the skills are in the right place, if there is a need to bring someone new or if the skill can be developed Hatlie (2004). 8. Individual Needs and Values- The changes that occur in a team have to be looked at and carefully dealt with. It is impossible to get a perfect team in place therefore it is necessary to identify and potential risks and keep in mind the individual needs and values and treat them respectfully Hatlie (2004). 9. Employee Motivation- If employees are motivated there can be a successful change implemented. The challenge is to sustain motivation especially when there is resistance to change Hatlie (2004). 4) Creating a strategy for managing resistance to change Resistance is bound to happen because of many reasons; it can be due to the Status quo that is people used to ways of doing things. To manage resistance, it must be expected when implementing change, it must be formally addressed and the root causes must be removed. The root causes for resistance to change can be used by using the Fishbone Diagram that was introduced by Dr Ishikawa. FISHBONE DIAGRAM- According to Lighter (2004) the fishbone diagram provides an insight into the root causes of the problems instead of treating it from the top. The base line of the fishbone represents main problem and the branches that come from it gather information. The fishbone diagram relies on IQ, brainstorming, team work etc. The fishbone is an excellent tool in Quality improvement as it visually represents the root causes of the problem and is a great tool to implement strategic quality change. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xAl5bmwmaYg/T9IshvzJZGI/AAAAAAAAAUY/lc3YgudwZM8/s1600/ishikawa_diagram.gif Shelly (2001) Systems analysis and design. According to Beer (2000) Lewins 3 stage model Unfreeze- Change- Refreeze is a very important tool that can be used for change. The first stage involves unfreezing, that is to create the platform for change. The second stage is change by bringing about transition via communication explaining why this change is beneficial and why there is a need for to implement this change. The third phase involves refreezing by establishing stability and letting individuals reconnect to their familiar environment. Refreezing helps in changing the low productivity state to a higher one. Q4 Learners will be able to plan to implement models for ensuring ongoing change by; 1) Developing appropriate models for change 2) Planning to implement a model for change 3) Developing appropriate measures to monitor progress Change can be implemented using models such as Kaizen for continuous improvement, monitoring the system so there is always a constant watch over any side effects to the change. A gap analysis helps identify the gaps of an organisation. It looks to maintain the quality of an organisation. BPR (Business Process Reengineering) has to be constantly monitored during change. 5 GAP MODEL BUILD TO DEAL WITH THE SHORTFALL OF THE QUALITY SERVICE Nargundkar (2010). According to Grigoroudis (2010) the Servqual model is used to manage quality and measure quality in an organisation. http://ausweb.scu.edu.au/aw03/papers/deans/Fig1_Gaps_Model.jpg Kusluvan (2003). Managing employee attitudes and behaviors in the tourism and hospitality industry The gaps are as follows Gap 1. Between Customers Expectations Managements perceptions about these perceptions. GAP2. Between Managements Perceptions Customers expectations GAP3. Between Service quality specifications Service Delivery GAP4. Between Service Delivery External Communication to customers about service delivery GAP5. Between Customers expectations their perceptions on service quality The GAP model takes into account the tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy that is required in Quality Management. BPR- BPR is known as Business Process Reengineering can be used in operations management to manage quality to meet strategic objectives. According to Radhakrishnan (2008) BPR was introduced by Frederick Taylor when he printed principles of scientific management in 1900s. BPR is an analysis of the existing processes in an organisation and reengineering it for improvement in performances instead of a complete replacement of a process. BPR is used to bring about change in an organisation through focusing on employee responsibilities, organisational structures, incentive systems the use of information technology etc. It can reduce the time and cost of processes to do a certain job. MONITORING- While implementing change the organisations change has to be monitored constantly. According to Khandker (2010) a monitoring system consists of setting goals and targets. The results that are derived from it are used to evaluate the performance. Monitoring helps in promoting accountability and dialogue among the policy makers and stakeholders and also policy design and implementation. Evaluation is an assessment of the results that are achieved by the programme. The challenges in monitoring are too; Identify the goals that are supposed to be achieved. Identify key indicators that are used to monitor progress against these goals. Set targets that are supposed to be achieved by a given date. Set up a monitoring system to track progress to achieve specific targets. Therefore, encouraging better management and responsibility for projects and programmes. KAIZEN CONTINOUS IMPROVEMENT- Kaizen is continuous improvement step by step involving everyone within the organisation. While implementing quality change Kaizen can be considered because kaizen means continuous improvement. It has to be n

Essay --

As the policy pyramid shows, the best security begins with upper management creating an actual policy or mandate to implement security. The policy should be based on industry standards and regulations such as ISO 17799 and HIPAA. Procedures, practices and guidelines form the basis for all security technology. Products such as ESM measure policy compliance with policies and modules for operating applications, systems and databases. These then interact with the actual computer environment. the components of an effective information security policy : †¢Security accountability: Stipulate the security roles and responsibilities of general users, key staff, and management. Producing accountability within these three staff categories will help your organization comprehend and manage expectations and provides a foundation for enforcing all other ancillary policies and procedures. This section should also define various classes of data, such as inner,basic and external, and confidential. By classifying the data, you can then make stipulations as to what varieties of employees are accountable for, and capable to modify or distribute, certain classes of information. For example, you may send out memos that say, "No confidential data may be circulated outside the business without management sign-off." †¢Group service plans: Generate policies for protected remote access, IP address administration and router, switch and configuration security procedures, and access listing (ACL) stipulations. Before they can be implemented, Indicate which important staff have to review which change procedures. For example, your security staff should review all recommended ACL modifications before your network administrators implement the changes. Define your r... ...n making options about method configuration and employ. This method will help you create specific safety goals along with a plan to tackle them. Before you manage protection you have to have a method to measure its usefulness. Your corporate security plan provides the suitable baseline standards against which to calculate compliance. There is no need to commence from scratch. Instead of analyzing each and every risk, take a look at what others are doing. Meet up with standards of due treatment by using current standards and industry "greatest practices". Focus on regulations and requirements from industry, partners and government. Some small companies have the propensity to outline security policy from the bottom up, beginning with the features of the equipment at hand. Medium and large businesses know that noise security guidelines begin in the top straight down.

The Mexican War Essay -- History Historical Mexico American Essays

The Mexican War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The factors that started the Mexican War lay heavily on American shoulders. Whether if the factors were created by social, political or economical needs, they have all become the center of attention for the question of being a national interest or disgrace. However, the Americans felt that they existed for â€Å"†¦spreading the blessings of peace.† according to Andrew Jackson. There will always be controversy between the two sides of this matter, the Americans who feel that it had to be done, to the Mexicans who felt that it was an injustice done to their nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, socially, the Americans felt that it was their duty to spread their blessings of democracy and peace. Through manifest destiny, they insisted that their motives were pure and unselfish, and were done to help their neighboring nations. However, it actually served as the main driving force for America’s desire for the conquest of Mexico’s land that stretched to California. Another factor that added to their decision of America’s territorial conquest was best said by Walt Whitman, â€Å"†¦What has miserable, inefficient Mexico-with her superstition, her burlesque upon freedom, her actual tyranny by the few over the many-what has she to do with the great mission of peopling the new world with a noble race? Be it ours, to achieve that mission! Be it ours to roll down all of the upstart leaven of old despotism, that comes our way!† America felt that inferior races like Mexico were there ...

How should states who are all facing the same security dilemma interact

Within a society, the populace are compelled to follow rules due to being prompted by a higher authority. When these laws fail, rectifying this deficiency becomes a priority of the state; murderers are arrested, riots are suppressed, new regulations and safe checks are imposed to deter future renegades from harassing the system. These actions by the state’s sovereign power ensure that the community remains harmonious and balanced. Within the international community an individual state is unable to defer to a higher authority to demand that justice be enforced, since there is no authority higher than the state itself. The consequence of this is that independent nations are forced to rely on themselves for security within international society. These facts lead to a question that has been at the core of just war theory debates; how should states who are all facing the same security dilemma interact with one another? The various theoretical answers to this question form to t wo fundamentally opposed conclusions; nations will either seek to expand their individual power to facilitate their own security, or will construct an international union to ensure mutual defense. While the latter promotes an international community based upon cooperation, the former predicts perpetual conflict. In order to perform an analysis of these conflicting predictions we will turn to Thucydides, who provides a historical example of this debate within his recount of the Melian Dialogue. Within this dialogue, the powerful Athenians assert that strength alone justifies their demand for the submission of the weaker island of Melos. The Melians counter with their own plea to justice, claiming that the advancement of Athenian power and Melian autonomy a... ...rve life and avoid death proves that the law of nature is more suited to cooperation than conflict. Using power to maintain power ensures the necessity of the continual use of force to quell those who a state’s power is used to oppress. As the Athenians looked to history to prove that â€Å"Nature always compels men to rule over anyone they can control,† it fails to recognize that nature also compels men to be free, and the violence of the oppressor will be pitted against the violence oppressed. Even if the more powerful state is successful in its conquest, it will always be at war with those whose liberty it infringes upon. The strength that a nation utilizes to allow them to conquer today will be the same strength that forces them to fight tomorrow, and the next day. For these reasons the arguments of the Athenian’s must be rejected for those of the Melian’s.