Leadership And Change Management At General Motors Commerce Essay

Leadership And Change Management At General Motors Commerce Essay General Motors (GM), one of the worlds largest automakers, was initially founded by William Durant in 1902 and held a remarkable presence in the automobile industry for almost a century. It is predominantly engaged in the designing, manufacturing and marketing of cars, trucks, and other automobile parts in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific regions. Additionally, GM also provides vehicle safety, security and information services through GM OnStar. This company sells not only cars but also trucks under several brands such as Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall in 31 different countries (Datamonitor). The main headquarters is located in Detroit, Michigan where over 200,000 people are currently employed globally. Its largest market is in the U.S, followed by China, Brazil, the UK, Canada, Russia and finally Germany. Globally, the automobiles and components industry was severely affected by the global ec onomic downturn in 2008. Unfortunately, the recession in the global economy harmed GMs business by adversely affecting its revenues, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition. According to Isidore (2009) in CNN Money, General Motors filed for bankruptcy on June 1, 2009. . This move was once viewed as unimaginable, since it was one of the worlds leading automakers. However, after years of losses and market share declines topped by a major plunge in sales, bankruptcy was inevitable. A new company financed by the US Treasury stepped in and purchased most of GMs assets and trademarks. By July 10, 2009, the companys name changed from General Motors Corporation to General Motors Company. Consequently, the company experienced major changes such as massive job cuts, closure of a dozen facilities, emergence of new leaders, etc. In order to evaluate the radical change undergone by General Motors, both internal and external factors leading up to the change must be identified. Several pressures such as economic conditions, competition, government intervention, technology, resource availability, and people can cause change (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). In order to be successful, organizations increasingly need to be scanning the environment to anticipate the appropriate change action. More importantly, they need to be proactive in their attitude to change. In the case of General Motors, the causes of change were economic conditions on a global scale and unavailability of financial resources. Even though there was a resistance to change, GM had to swiftly evaluate the situation and devise new strategies on how to move forward. The success of the transition of an organizational change is mainly dependent upon the leadership of senior management (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). The Chief Executive Officer at GM, Mr. Fritz Henderson, was replaced by Mr. Edward Whitacre in 2009. He was the former Chairman and CEO at ATT from 1990-2007. Mr. Whitacre serves on the Boa rd of the Institute for International Economics and the Boards of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Exxon Mobil and the PGA Tour (Datamonitor-GM). Furthermore, he is also involved in The Business Council. Even though leaders of General Motors are still trying to implement stability, the transition leading up to the radical change could have been more efficient and effective. LEADERSHIP THEORIES AND APPLICATION TO GM 1.1 Leadership Theories: Amongst the many definitions of a leader, Bryman (1992, p. 3) describes The leader is characterized by a strong drive for responsibility and task completion, vigor and persistence in the pursuit of goals, venturesomeness and originality in problem solving, drive to exercise initiative in social situations, self confidence and sense of personal identity, willingness to accept the consequences of his or her decisions and actions, readiness to absorb interpersonal stress, willingness to tolerate frustration and delay, ability to influence other peoples behavior and the capacity to structure social interaction systems to the purpose at hand. A true leader has the ability to motivate his or her followers. While the early leadership theories focused on the leaders individual characteristics and behavior, later theories explored the duties of the followers and the environment contributing to the success of a leader. Up to the late 1940s, it was believed that leadership qualities were innate primarily by men or passed along from generation to generation. Whether a leader is born or made was the controversial question that arose in the past. Historical evidence can justify that many effective leaders seem to be born with innate aptitudes. This is known as the Traits theory, which has three broad types of traits. The first is primarily based on the physical factors such as appearance, physique, height, etc. Secondly, the traits reflected on the persons abilities including intelligence, fluency of speech, and knowledge. The third type covers a wide range of personality characteristics such as conservatism, self-confidence, dominance, and emotional control (Bryman, 1992). On the contrary, the Style theory describes that employees will perform better depending on the adopted style of their leader (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). In other words, the same group of people will behave differently according to the leaders style. A type of leadership that follows the style theory is transactional leadership, based upon contingency where reward or punishment is given depending on the subordinates performance. The leader designates a specific task, and the subordinate is fully responsible to carry it out despite the circumstances. The emphasis is based on goal clarification, the setting of tasks and objectives, and organizational rewards and punishments. While this approach still remains popular, certain limitations exist such as the assumption that the subordinate is strictly motivated by money and reward (Dave Paper). On the other hand, transformational leadership theory is centralized on the development of commitment and motivation among followers. A transforma tional leader creates a vision and eventually persuades his or her followers to buy in in order to transform the performance of the organization (Porter, Smith Fagg, 2006). Even though people wont readily accept a radical vision, the transformational leader will do whatever it takes to get every person on board. This concept is based on a relational contract, where subordinates willingly contribute beyond the requirements. Both transactional and transformational are equally important to help increase organizational competitiveness in an era of global competition (Mohamed Rafiuddin, 2010). Yet, another leadership theory is that of Vroom and Yettons decision-making model. According to Porter, Smith and Fagg (2006, p.76), All leaders are considered as decision-makers, and their effectiveness can be determined by examining the quality of decisions taken over time. The most appropriate style of leadership is flexible which depends upon the subordinates preferred style, the situation and the task facing the leader. Vroom and Yetton defined five key types of leadership where two are autocratic, two are consultative and one is group-based. The way how the leader obtains information or the way how the leader makes a decision is different for each type. Situational factors influence which method is considered the most pertinent. While the path-goal theory of leadership is similar to the Vroom and Yettons model, many differences exist. A characteristic of the path-goal theory also involves a participative leadership, where the leaders consult with the followers and take their id eas into account for decision-making. However, the leaders are expected to guide, encourage, and support their subordinates in achieving the goals. For example, they are required to clear the path by removing roadblocks so that the subordinates know which way to go (Daves Paper). Moreover, the leaders are to be supportive by showing concern for the followers welfare and creating a friendly working environment. Another similarity to the Vroom and Yettons model is that the path-goal oriented leader will also vary in his or her approach depending on the situation. Finally, a term used to characterize brilliant forms of influence, exceptional, gifted, and even heroic is known as charismatic leadership. According to Galvin, Balkundi and Walkman (2010, p.477), Subordinates who view a leader as charismatic will tend to see the leader and his or her vision as core their own identity and will be willing to sacrifice so as to benefit the collective and achieve the goals and vision of the leader. Some distinguishing attributes possessed by the charismatic leader are confidence, power, success, and influence. A transformational leader can also be qualified to be charismatic and vice versa. Since a transformational leader instills the vision onto the subordinates, he or she can do so in a charismatic manner. 1.2 Leadership in General Motors Leadership models and theories should be used as frameworks for developing personal styles, and self-reflecting. While various theories exist, a successful leader should know their industries, have astute insights, and are willing to induce the changes necessary to their organization (Van Wart, 2010). Furthermore, they are an inspirational figure, where they can influence their followers in the course of events. In the case of GM, the former chief executive, Mr. Fritz Henderson was asked to step down from the position. Mr. Henderson had worked along the former GM president, Mr. Rick Wagoner, throughout his career. According to Madslien (2009), This could pose serious problems for GM, which may now find it hard to find not only a replacement for the charismatic car guy. However, concerns such as the fact that Mr. Henderson was clinging on to power in the name of stability were expressed. Additionally, he was eagerly trying to rebuild the company based on the traditional model that GM used prior the crisis. Based on this analysis, it shows that the former CEO was not apt for changeability. He can be categorized as being a transactional leader, where a clear structure must be set in place and subordinates are required to just follow. Fritz Henderson could also have been path-goal oriented, where he would direct the subordinates, tell them what to do, and provide appropriate guidelines. The new CEO stated, Mr. Henderson had done a remarkable job in leading the company through an unprecedented period of challenge and change (General Motors BBC article, 2009). On the contrary, Mr. Ed Whitacre, who replaced Fritz Henderson, is more of a transformational and charismatic leader. The newly-appointed CEO, who previously ran the ATT telecoms company, was brought in as chairman by the Obama administration. General Motors needed an outsider, who had no attachments, as the leader. When he accepted the post, he announced that sweeping management changes needed to be made at GM (Luft, 2009). The fact that Mr. Whitacre reorganized and restructured departments three days after taking over demonstrates that he is both transformational and path-goal oriented. He managed to guide his followers in how to achieve the goals and objectives set in place for the future GM. Moreover, he had a vision to recreate General Motors and put passion and energy into everything. This type of leader constantly sells the vision to his followers. With all the changes that GM was experiencing, Whitacre realized the workforce was rattled and immediately addressed it by sending a companywide email. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the email reassured the employees that the major leadership changes are all behind them (2009). Even though Whitacre might be somewhat naÃÆ'Â ¯ve in the time frame of product development amongst other areas, he strategically designates other people to overlook the areas he lacks in knowledge. Furthermore, he wants to give people more responsibility and authority deeper in the organization and hold them accountable for their doings (Luft, 2009). In decision-making, this leader follows Group procedure, where he shares the problems with followers and seeks consensus agreement. Essentially, as a transformational, charismatic, path-goal oriented leader, Mr. Whitacre will try to ensure a smooth and successful transition for GM as a company and for the employees. General Motors new management team will focus more on leadership duties and responsibilities to meet their objectives to design, build and sell the worlds best vehicle. 2.0 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS Organizations are expected to experience changes due to the instability and inconsistency of the environment. Organizational change is usually provoked by some driving force such as decrease in productivity and services, substantial cuts in funding, major new markets and clients, etc (Barbara and Fleming, 2006). The reasons why and how changes occur can only be understood if an internal and external analysis of the company is performed. The Porters five forces, PESTLE and SWOT analysis, and internal resources can be used to conduct an environmental scanning; hence, objectives and strategies can be formulated and used to implement the changes. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis PESTLE analysis is a framework comprised of political, economical, social, technological, legal, and environmental components. From the beginning, General Motors has always been affected by the law and government regulations. Most of the regulations are associated with the environment and concerns for safe automobiles. For example, the EU recently restricted the usage of heavy metals due to environmental issues. Additionally, the vehicle emissions regulations have also become stricter (Datamonitor: Automobile). Economically, since 2008, the global automotive industry has been severely affected by the major global credit crisis where both North America and Europe encountered recession. This in turn caused unstable oil prices, decreases in employment rate and decrease in consumer spending. Other essential components are the sociological and environment factors. With the increasing interest of the environment worldwide specifically in the US and Europe, General Motors has taken a firm s tance in Corporate Social Responsibility in all its business practices. This includes the operation of the factories and business offices, usage of renewable and recyclable materials, production of fuel-efficient cars and trucks, and less emission of greenhouse gases (GM website). Additionally, society has become relatively materialistic and driven by status quo. General Motors is aware of this; therefore, it would target each market depending on status and income. The last component in the PESTLE analysis is the technological component. The rise of the internet worldwide has affected not only the automobile industry, but many others as well. GM can benefit from the increasing usage of the internet, because more and more consumers can access its website and view products more easily. 2.2 Porters Five Forces Porters five forces of competition framework can be used to analyze the intensity of competition and the level of profitability (Grant, 2005). These five forces include competition from substitutes, entrants, power of suppliers, power of buyers, and established rivals. In replace of purchasing automobiles, consumers can use public transportation such as buses, trains, and bicycles. Moreover, consumers can also choose from other automobile products that are not GM-related making the threat of substitutes high-risk. High barriers to entry such as large capital allow the threat of new entrants very low-risk. In the automobile industry, the bargaining power of suppliers is considered low, since these suppliers rely on the automakers to purchase the raw materials such as steel, paint, glass, aluminum, etc. In regards to the bargaining power of the buyers, the risk is high. Customers can choose not only from other automobile manufacturers, but also from many automobile dealers that exist. Finally, there is a high rivalry existing among the competitors of General Motors. The major competitors include Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Company, Mazda Motor Corporation and several other automakers (Datamonitor- GM) 2.3 Internal Analysis According to Porter, Smith, and Fagg (2006, p.393), Environmental analysis also requires an examination of the organizations internal environment. Internal analysis is concerned with the resources and capabilities that an organization must seek to understand before it can pursue any form of strategy. An internal audit includes the organizations human, financial and other resources which contribute to supporting its strategies. General Motors employs more than 200,000 people worldwide. Moreover, it has created a business environment based upon mutual respect, responsibility, and understanding. One of GM goals is to give employees more responsibility and authority and hold them accountable (GM website). In other words, this company believes in empowering its employees. Additionally, GM understands the effectiveness of performance when personal life and work are linked. Given that General Motors is considered to be one of the largest employers in the world, the benefits offered are just as grand. Amongst some of these benefits are medical plan including dental, investment options, life insurance, paid holidays and discounts on GM products and services. Financially, GM leaders and employees are committed to building its market share, revenue, earnings and cash flow with the goal of paying back its loans by 2010. In the year ended 2009 the estimated worldwide market share was recorded as 11.6%. Furthermore, vehicle sales in the US fell drastically since the peak in 2007 (GM Annual report). 2.4 SWOT Analysis Once an audit of external and internal influences has been conducted, a framework such as SWOT analysis can be used to link an organizations resources and capabilities. Then, the implications of strategies can be identified (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). SWOT represents strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It is the most widely used analytical management technique. 1. Strengths: General Motors not only has a strong brand portfolio, but also has a wide portfolio of regional brands like Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, and Saturn. The strong brand portfolio spanning the global market allows GM to gain a competitive advantage. Also, since it has an extensive geographic presence in 207 locations, General Motors is able to spread its risks across the global markets. 2. Weaknesses: GM incurred significant losses from 2005 through 2008 due to operations and restructurings. The companys liquidity position along with its operating performance was negatively affected by the industry conditions. Additionally, there was a major decline in sales in major business segments. 3. Opportunities: The increase in the global truck market experienced a growth during 2004 and 2008 and will continuously have a steady growth for the future. This represents an opportunity for General Motors to capitalize on this market which can positively affect its revenues and profits. Moreover, there has been a worldwide demand for hybrid electric vehicles. Therefore, General Motors has been focusing on developing new high technology products for these eco-friendly automobiles. Consequently, this would boost the demand for GMs products. 4. Threats: Due to the ongoing global recession, GMs business would be significantly affected in its revenues, results of operations, cash flow and financial condition. More importantly, the global automotive industry is extremely competitive, where General Motors are facing strong competitors. As a result, there would be an adverse effect on vehicle pricing and market share. 3.0 CHANGE THEORIES AND APPLICATION TO GM According to Palmer (2006, p.50), Variety of pressures on managers: the environment, discovery of deviations from standards, new desires and visions of the future or the fundamental nature of organizations themselves. He also continues on stating that the result of change is, ironically, stability. While these pressures for change are constant, advantages of a changing organization are better integration, teamwork, common values, and mindsets. All these benefits contribute to achieving a better organization with more efficient and effective outcomes. John Kotter explains that some forces for change are greater economic integration, maturation and slowdown, technology, and fall of socialist countries and their reorientation toward capitalist economies (Palmer, 2006). 3.1 Change Theories Several change management theories describe the process of developing a planned approach to the changes taken place in an organization. The first model is John Kotters 8 steps, which was published in 1995 in the Harvard Business Review. Firstly, establishing the need for urgency refers to performing market analysis by determining the problems and opportunities. The second step, ensuring there is a powerful change group to guide the change can be performed by creating team structures to help drive the change and making sure the teams have sufficient power to guide the change. Thirdly, developing a vision can be carried out by providing focus for change. Then, the vision must be communicated by using multiple channels to constantly communicate this vision. The next step is empowering the staff by removing organizational policies and structures that inhibit the achievement of the vision. Once this is done, the organization must empower the staff which help support the need for change an d provide motivation. Consolidating gains is the seventh step. This refers to rewarding those who engage positively with the change. Last but not least, the change must be linked to organizational performance and leadership (Palmer, 2006). However, while the Kotters 8 steps outline the management of an organizational change, the Bridges Transition Model suggests that change will not be successful if transition doesnt occur. In this case, transition is defined as the ending of something, which is the first phase. The second phase is the neutral zone, which is a confusing state between the old reality and the new. During this phase, people are not ready or comfortable to welcome the new beginnings. Much importance must be given during this stage, because the change might be jeopardized if the organization decides to prematurely escape. However, if the neutral zone is completed successfully, many opportunities for creative transformation can be presented. The final phase is acceptance of the new beginnings and identification with the new situation (Bridges, 1995). Similarly, another model of change that was developed in the earlier days is that of Lewins. His model also consisted of three phases like Bridges Transition Model. The first phase is identified as unfreezing, where it involved dismantling the existing mindset of the people. For example, a change in the organizational culture would take place in this stage. According to Brown (1998, p.6), Organizational culture refers to norms, attitudes, values, and beliefs that conduct the behavior of members of an organization with each other and with external stakeholders. Changing is the second phase of Lewins model where actual changes are implemented so the organization progresses to the new position. Just like Bridges, this phase is also accounted as the hardest to overcome. In the last phase also known as refreezing, the changes are stabilized. They have been accepted and become the new norm. At this point, the need for recruiting new staff untainted by old habits might be fitting for the or ganization (Senior and Fleming, 2006). 3.2 Changes in General Motors In 2007, General Motors declared record sales of more than nine million vehicles for the third consecutive year. Despite that this company had such an achievement, environmental turbulences such as the global recession in 2009 forced GM to declare bankruptcy. This was considered as the biggest failure of an industrial company in US history (BBC website- GM ready to file). According to the news article GM ready to file for bankruptcy, GM, once the largest company in the world, has been losing market share since the early 1980s (2009). Some causes leading up to this disastrous event are high production costs and collapse in credit markets and consumer spending. Furthermore, the automaker was slow in moving away from the production of gas-guzzling SUVs when consumers were looking for more fuel-efficient vehicles (BBC-Website, 2009). Even though restructuring of the company was necessary, the transition and resistance to change were posed challenging. Using Bridges Transition Model, the radical change that occurred in General Motors can be evaluated. In the first phase, the organization realized there were major discrepancies between its goals and the current system of operation. Consequently, General Motors accepted the fact that it was the end of their glorious era and placed its fate in the hands of the US government. The new GM left the government holding 60% of the companys equity (Clark, 2009). Since this automaker was an iconic symbol of the American auto industry, it was necessary to preserve it. General Motors then entered the second phase, the neutral zone, of the Bridges Transition Model. Herein, the company faced many barriers and resistance to the changes that were taking place. According to Bridges, management and employees would feel anxious, disoriented, resentful, and self-protective (Bridges, 1995). At this stage, it is natural for people to feel confused between rushing forward and going back to the old ways. Th e GM official website states that the company has a new global operating structure, a leaner and more streamlined leadership team, and a restructured Board of Directors (GM Website). The designated leaders take a crucial role in the neutral zone. The newly-appointed CEO Ed Whitacre exercised his authority by drawing up a new management blueprint to improve accountability and responsibility for key market performance within General Motors (Luft, 2009). Inevitably, during the restructuring and reorganizing, employers were fearful for their jobs. Bridges (1995, p.41) advises, Communications help to keep people feeling included in and connected to the organization. On March 31, 2010 Whitacre decided to send out a companywide email to ease the anxiety and anticipation that had been developing during the change. In his email, he wrote, A smart company changes and adapts to the needs of the business. So, while there will always be individual moves within GM, I want to reassure you that the major leadership changes are behind us (Welch, 2010). Once General Motors was out of the neutral zone, the company was able to indulge in the new beginnings that have been much anticipated for. Even though the new GM decided to get rid of Hummer, Saturn, Pontiac, and Saab, it still held on to the most profitable brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. Additionally, it will continue to press on for structural cost reduction and a healthier balance sheet with a significant lower debt. Most importantly, the automaker will strictly concentrate on investing in innovative products and new technology. 3.3 Resistance to Change While the new GM managed to leave the neutral zone of the change process, it was prolonged because of the resistance to change. Some reasons why individuals resist change are routine, security, economic factors, fear of the unknown and selective information processing (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). In the case of General Motors, management and employees were confined to the traditional way of the companys operations. Even more so, they knew that restructuring and layoffs were going to take place; therefore, they lost their sense of security and allowed anxiety to take over. 4.0 LINKAGE OF LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE According to Porter, Smith and Fagg (2006, p.301), The change agent should be at the center of any change process, and one of the most important jobs for him or her to do is to develop a good relationship between all the parties involved in the change process. This is vital to ensure that commitment, trust and mutual respect develop. The change agent is also known as the leader of the organization. During the transition of the old GM to the new GM, Mr. Ed Whitacre was designated as the CEO. He immediately recognized the importance of organizational development by changing its structure and the people within it. A successful change is accompanied by the redistribution of power within the company so that the decision-making is moved towards shared power (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). CEO Whitacre alongside other directors and managers had to work together as a team in order to carry out the changes successfully. They may even have had to find themselves adopting the role as a transfor mational leader. As leaders, they are responsible in having a clear sense of direction in order to keep the organization moving on track towards the agreed objectives and goals. However, leaders cannot accomplish a successful change on their own. They need to also depend on the subordinates, which can be achieved by encouraging teamwork, empowerment, and acceptance of certain failures (Porter, Smith and Fagg, 2006). 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS / CONCLUSION While General Motors was able to fast-track the change process with the right leadership in place, certain actions could have been done differently to maximize efficiency and minimize resistance. Palmer suggests that resistance to change can be managed by communication to the followers, participation from everyone involved, negotiation between the leaders and the subordinates, and explicit or implicit coercion (Palmer, 2006). Although Mr. Whitacre automatically sent out a companywide email when the company was in turmoil, it was not necessarily effective. Alternatively, he could have done a video conferencing with all the employees worldwide. In this manner, not only would his body language be viewed, but also would he be able to display emotions. According to Bridges (1995, p.41), Communications help to keep people feeling included in and connected to the organization. Without communications in place, wrong information can be multiplied and people develop apathy. Moreover, since the new General Motors wanted to revive its innovativeness, it is recommended for the company to expose people to new aspects of their tasks and opportunities for collaboration (Vermeulen, Puranam and Gulati, 2010). Also, while an organization is in neutral zone, creativity should be encouraged. This can be fostered by providing training in the techniques of discovery and innovation, encouraging experiment, embracing losses or setbacks, and looking for opportunities to brainstorm new answers to old problems (Bridges, 1995). All these must be carried out by the changing agents or the leaders. In conclusion, General Motors was able to identify their disparities and firmly decided to change the organization in order to accomplish its goals and objectives. More importantly, it acted quickly and and realized that current leadership talent did not have the capabilities to deal with the radical change. As a result, General Motors was assigned a charismatic, transformational leader to guide it through change, solve complex problems, and build for the future.

Guilt of Commiting a Crime or Misdemeanors :: essays research papers

The Guilt of Committing a Crime or Misdemeanor   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the movie Crimes and Misdemeanors, the main character, Judah Rosenthal, make a life changing decision when he decided to kill his mistress. For Judah, there were no other alternatives to keep his affair a secret. His mistress, Delores, wanted to confront Judah’s wife Merriam to tell her about the affair that had been going on for the last past three years since Judah could not tell her himself. He knew that if Merriam found out she would not forgive him and he could not stand to see her suffer and his life crumbled to pieces. The public finding out about the affair would also had created problems for his buisness. He is known as a successful ophthalmologist who is well respected by his patients. Hiring a hit man to kill Delores is the only option to keep his affair a secret. For three years Judah and Delores carried on an affair. Their relationship had all started when they met on an airplane. She was a flight attendant and he was a rich ophthalmologist sitting in first class attending a business trip. The moment they started talking, they hit it off which soon led to an affair. She got an apartment in New York City so that she could be close to Judah. Of course, the affair was just a convenience thing for Judah, but on the other hand Delores starts to feel true feelings about him. She wanted him all to herself. One day, when Judah came home from work he found an unopened letter on the living room table sent to Merriam from Delores. Judah quickly looked around and opened the letter. The letter was about Delores confessed to Merriam about the three year love affair between her and Judah and how she wanted to meet up with Merriam. Judah was furious and put the letter into the fire. He went to Delores’s apartment and confronted her about the letter t o ask her why she would do such a thing. He also told her that thankfully that he got to the letter before Merriam did. She told him that it was time to put this affair to an end so that she and Judah could be together. Judah mentioned that he never made any promises of them being together and he would certainly tell his family about his secret. On occasions, Judah felt like he needed to talk to someone about this so he turned to one of his patients Ben who was a Jewish Rabbi that was steadily going blind.

Essay on Order and Superstition in the Tragedies of William Shakespeare

Order and Superstition in the Tragedies of Shakespeare   Ã‚  Ã‚   The concept of order was an extremely important one to William Shakespeare, and to Elizabethans in general. We in the existentialist atomic age have little trouble conceiving of an individual man or woman as the only beacon of light in a world gone irrevocably and irredeemably mad, but this would be inconceivable to Shakespeare and his audience. Shakespeare staunchly followed the common Elizabethan conception of the universe as deliberately and benevolently patterned and planned; when, for some reason, something happened to temporarily force things out of kilter, individual people might suffer, but the universe would soon right itself and life would go on. This belief in a divine plan also underwrote Shakespeare's usage of portents and omens in such plays as Julius Caesar and Macbeth; because he saw the world as something planned and coherent, it is possible to divine that plan through supernatural sources. But there is little point; to try to force one's will against fa te, Shakespeare tells us, will inevitably end in tragedy.       The presence of superstition would seem to be unrelated to this passionate belief in order, but in fact it is inextricable from it. All occult practices, including divination as well as the casting of spells, presuppose a consistent pattern in the universe, where, in the words of Sir James Frazer, "a red stone. . . may be thought to have the property necessary to produce red blood, and when the production of red blood is demanded, the red stone naturally presents itself to the primitive mind as a potential source whence the redness may be borrowed" (Frazer, 170). This kind of metaphoric connection between all kinds of rednesses ... ..., it signifies a departure from our underlying suppositions about how the world really works; that is what the word "supernatural" means. But in Macbeth and Julius Caesar, such devices actually work to reinforce Shakespeare's perception of the world as an ordered place in which there is a coherent plan -- both because this is what Shakespeare truly believed and because this is what his audience believed as well.    Works Cited: Asimov, Isaac. Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare. Avenel Books, NY, 1978. Frazer, Sir James. The New Golden Bough. Mentor Books, NY, 1959. Jorgenson, Paul. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. G.K. Hall, Boston, 1995. Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works. Nelson Doubleday Edition, Garden City, NY, 2001. Ferguson, Francis. "Macbeth as the Imitation of an Action," from Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Prentice-Hall, NY, 1994. Essay on Order and Superstition in the Tragedies of William Shakespeare Order and Superstition in the Tragedies of Shakespeare   Ã‚  Ã‚   The concept of order was an extremely important one to William Shakespeare, and to Elizabethans in general. We in the existentialist atomic age have little trouble conceiving of an individual man or woman as the only beacon of light in a world gone irrevocably and irredeemably mad, but this would be inconceivable to Shakespeare and his audience. Shakespeare staunchly followed the common Elizabethan conception of the universe as deliberately and benevolently patterned and planned; when, for some reason, something happened to temporarily force things out of kilter, individual people might suffer, but the universe would soon right itself and life would go on. This belief in a divine plan also underwrote Shakespeare's usage of portents and omens in such plays as Julius Caesar and Macbeth; because he saw the world as something planned and coherent, it is possible to divine that plan through supernatural sources. But there is little point; to try to force one's will against fa te, Shakespeare tells us, will inevitably end in tragedy.       The presence of superstition would seem to be unrelated to this passionate belief in order, but in fact it is inextricable from it. All occult practices, including divination as well as the casting of spells, presuppose a consistent pattern in the universe, where, in the words of Sir James Frazer, "a red stone. . . may be thought to have the property necessary to produce red blood, and when the production of red blood is demanded, the red stone naturally presents itself to the primitive mind as a potential source whence the redness may be borrowed" (Frazer, 170). This kind of metaphoric connection between all kinds of rednesses ... ..., it signifies a departure from our underlying suppositions about how the world really works; that is what the word "supernatural" means. But in Macbeth and Julius Caesar, such devices actually work to reinforce Shakespeare's perception of the world as an ordered place in which there is a coherent plan -- both because this is what Shakespeare truly believed and because this is what his audience believed as well.    Works Cited: Asimov, Isaac. Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare. Avenel Books, NY, 1978. Frazer, Sir James. The New Golden Bough. Mentor Books, NY, 1959. Jorgenson, Paul. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. G.K. Hall, Boston, 1995. Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works. Nelson Doubleday Edition, Garden City, NY, 2001. Ferguson, Francis. "Macbeth as the Imitation of an Action," from Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Prentice-Hall, NY, 1994.

Changes in Latitude :: Personal Narrative Essays

Changes in Latitude I was nominated to go to Singapore based on my achievements in the science fair. However, looking back on my recent experience in Singapore, it was the people, and not the science, that really stick in my memory. I think that's just as well. Most of the science will be yesterday's news by the time I go to college anyway. This was my first opportunity for international travel, and certainly, Singapore is about as far away as it is possible to travel from Pennsylvania. Singapore is also far away from home in its culture and climate. Traveling there opened my eyes to new ideas, values, and attitudes. The talks at the festival were great. One of the highlights of the festival for me was the spirited and humorous talk given by the Australian scientist / radio show host. I also learned a lot of new information about the human genome project, which seemed to be a prime interest of APEC's scientific community, and certainly an important project for demonstrating cooperation. Several distinguished scientists talked to us about their work with HUGO and their role in deciphering the genetic code of the human species. In addition to this exposure to scientific research in the region, I learned something about the education system of Singapore. It is, I found, somewhat different than ours. They swap the last two years of high school for something called junior college. These students are looked on with admiration by the younger students, and the adults from Singapore seem to entrust all leadership responsibilities to them, rather than the younger students. These junior college students from Singapore were also favored over students of the same age from other countries. This was upsetting to some. For example, I know one junior college-aged boy in my group who was not from Singapore complained of this. I understand, however, that this preference for the junior college students from Singapore reflects their culture's reverence for elders. Besides learning something about the education in Singapore, I had the opportunity to discuss international careers with other attendees of APEC. I think that the biggest advantage of thinking "internationally" is that you benefit from having minds from all over the globe help you solve scientific problems. And from a business perspective, you can make use of a global market to sell to a wider variety of customers.

Imagery in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Essay

In Hamlet, imagery of disease, poison and decay, are used by William Shakespeare for many purposes. Marcellus’ line in Act I illustrates the use of this imagery very well, â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.† Corruption is rampant, like a contagious disease infecting the court. The atmosphere of disease serves to heighten the audience’s disgust for the events that are taking place in the play. Secondly, disease leads to death, so the diseased society of Denmark is doomed. Because of this sense of doom, there is a slight foreshadowing of the play’s tragic ending. The tragic atmosphere is enhanced by the motif of disease and decay. These descriptions of disease, poison, and decay help us to understand the bitter relationships, the anxious, chaotic atmosphere, and also the emotional and moral decay of the characters existing in the play. The image of decay is first used at the end of Act I to help comprehend the depression Hamlet feels in his first soliloquy about suicide. When Hamlet releases the words â€Å"O that this too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,† (I.ii, 129-130) he communicates how he wishes to not exist in this world anymore. An image of Hamlet’s flesh rotting and combining with the soil is produced. At this moment, Hamlet’s true emotions liberate, and his pain and his yearn for death can be felt. Hamlet continues to say â€Å"How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on’t, ah, fie, ’tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely.†(I.ii, 133-137) Here, Hamlet feels that the world around him is useless and in constant chaos. By creating these vivid images of death and decay, Shakespeare lets us peer into Hamlet’s soul and recognize his real underlying motivations. Claudius’ relationship with Hamlet is harsh, for he harbors a great hatred for his nephew and even feels threatened and at risk when he is by Hamlet. Claudius says â€Å"But like the owner of a foul disease. To keep it from divulging, let it feed even on the pith of life.†(IV.i, 21-23) Claudius speaks these lines when he is with the queen after the death of Polonius. The King says that he is the owner of a foul disease- Hamlet. The degree to which he despises Hamlet and his goal to prevent him from ruining this new life of his is unveiled. This shows us how endless Claudius’ hatred is  towards Hamlet. Claudius’ extreme anger and frustration is displayed when he says, â€Å"For like the hectic in my blood he rages, And though must cure me.†(IV.iii, 62-63) Claudius describes Hamlet as a vicious disease traveling through his own blood. Hamlet is trapped so deep in the midst of Claudius’ utter hatred of him, that Claudius wants Hamlet dead. Only when Hamlet is gone, Claudius can be cured from this ghastly disease that he suffers. The images of disease express the genuine feelings felt by Claudius. Imagery highlights the poor, horrid relationship that exists between father and stepson, uncle and nephew, king and heir. Shakespeare illuminates Claudius’ true sentiment with these images of disease. Hamlet gravely carries a reciprocal hatred for his uncle who has now become even more connected to him as his step-father and who has also risen in rank to serve as the powerful king of England. Hamlet’s knowledge of Claudius killing his father stems his hatred, therefore Hamlet can not feel anything but disgust and loathing for him. â€Å"Not where he eats, but where ‘a is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e’en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creature else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots.†(IV.iii; 19-22) Claudius has just asked Hamlet where Polonius is, and Hamlet replies ever so mockingly by saying he is at dinner. Hamlet killed Polonius and hates Claudius so much that he can even speak of the death of the King’s friend with such vulgarity. By saying â€Å"A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm,†(IV. iii, 25-26) Hamlet again proves his hatred towards the King. Through his blatant rudeness, Hamlet surprises the King with the fact that even Kings can decay and be eaten. Hamlet’s smart and sneaky comments have underlying meanings that reveal to us his deep, eternal hatred for the king. The images of decay and rotting expose us to Hamlet’s true feelings for the King. The morality of several characters also decay. For example, Gertrude knowingly commits adultery by marrying her husband’s brother only months after his death. Only after Hamlet’s exchange with her in Act III does she appear to feel guilt or remorse for what she has done. Gertrude may be an obviously morally corrupt character, but the center of the play’s evil plots  and true decadence resides in Claudius. Claudius’ list of sins include the murder of his brother and usurp of his kingdom then marriage of his sister-in-law. In Act III he openly admits his guilt and tries to pray for forgiveness but is unable to put his heart into it, showing that he does not truly repent his sins. In addition, Claudius is also a manipulator and a hypocrite. This is revealed in Act IV when Laertes comes to Claudius demanding revenge, and the king builds up Laertes’ rage and directs it towards Hamlet. He plans various conniving schemes such as sending Hamlet to England to unknowingly be executed. When this plot fails, he stoops down even lower as to try to poison him. But Hamlet can be said to deserve some of these instances as punishments, though for Hamlet’s moral character also changes completely through the course of the play. Initially, Hamlet was extremely cautious; he was not sure of the true nature and goodness of the ghost and even doubted if Claudius had actually murdered his father, hence his decision to not act until he was sure, as shown by his â€Å"Rogue and Peasant Slave† soliloquy at the end of Act II. Likewise, at the end of Act III he again puts off killing Claudius because he does not want his father’s murderer to go to heaven, which would occur if he died while praying. Furthermore, Hamlet was once very conscientious, but in Act IV he suddenly stabs Polonius through the drapery, thinking it is Claudius, and from that point his ethics and morality falls rapidly downhill. Finally, he ruthlessly sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, his old friends and confidants, to their deaths simply for serving the king and also to save himself. His â€Å"How all occasions inform against me† soliloquy in Act IV demonstrates how his priorities have changed too, and he will finally attempt to act in order for revenge and also to preserve his honor. Hamlet speaks of Fortinbras’ bravery and his own cowardice and concludes, â€Å"O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!† (IV,iv,65-66) This Hamlet of bloody thoughts and revenge is totally different from the previous Hamlet who once had to be sure that Claudius was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before his slaughter. In this play moral principles within numerous characters experience a substantial decay. It is evident that Shakespeare uses the imagery of poison, decay and disease to develop and enhance the various conflicts surrounding the play and also  the heavy, disarrayed atmosphere hovering over it. In Hamlet we truly see what a great deal of depth imagery provides us with. The imagery of disease, poison and decay gives us a chance to truly understand the complicated emotions that the characters experience in their mind and soul. The reader perceives the pervasive chaotic mood, helping them to better understand all aspects of this classic work. Also, with the imagery created by Shakespeare, we as readers, can actually comprehend the feelings that are experienced by the characters in Hamlet, that are not always obvious, but remain definitely very important to secure optimum understanding of a great piece of literature.

Law Case Digest Essay

In 1977, four loans from Allied Banking Corporation which is enclosed by four promissory notes amounting P100, 000 each was acquired by Elias Q. Tan, then President of Lapu-lapu Foundation, Inc. The bank was inhibited to file with the Regional Trial Court of Cebu City, Branch 15, a protest in looking for payment by Tan and the foundation, jointly and solely, of the sum of P493, 566.61 representing their attorney’s fees and costs, loan obligation, penalty charges, exclusive of interests. For the reason that as of January 23, 1979, Tan and the foundation were not able to pay the whole obligation with a total of P493, 566.61 and regardless of the demands made on them by the Bank. The foundation denied of acquiring the indebtedness from the Bank as their answer to the complaint. They said that the loans were obtained by Tan in his personal capacity, for his own use and benefit and on the strength of the personal information he provided the Bank. The Foundation upheld that it never gave Tan authorization to co-sign in his place as its President any promissory note and that the Bank is fully aware that the loans contracted were made in Tan’s personal capacity and for his own personal use and benefit and that the Foundation never benefitted, directly or indirectly in any way or manner, thereof. The Foundation then interjected a cross-claim against Tan declaring that he, going beyond his authority, should be solely liable for the said loans, and a counterclaim against the Bank for damages and attorney’s fees. For Tan’s part, he admitted that he committed the loans from the Bank in his personal capacity. The parties, however, agreed that the loans were to be paid from the proceeds of Tan’s shares of common stocks in the Lapu-Lapu Industries Corporation which is a real estate firm. The loans were covered by promissory notes which were automatically rekindled every year at an amount which includes the unpaid interest, until the time that Tan would be able to pay the same amount from the proceeds of his abovementioned shares. According to Tan, the employee of the Bank required him to attach two signatures on every promissory note, giving him guarantee that the loan documents would be filled out in accordance with their agreement. Yet, after he signed and delivered the loan documents to the Bank, these were filled out not in accord with their agreement, wherein the Foundation was included as party. Further, previous to its filling of the complaint, the Bank made no claim on him. After the trial, the court handed over judgment. First, obliged Tan and the Foundation to pay jointly and solely to the Bank the principal obligation for the four promissory notes in the amount of P 493, 566.61 which includes all their charges included in the same, with 14% interest per annum, computed from January 24, 1979 until the same are fully paid, with an additional 2% service charges and 1% monthly penalty charges. Second, the court obliged Tan and the Foundation to pay jointly and solely, attorney’s fees in the equivalent amount of 25% of the total amount due from them on the promissory notes, including all charges and lastly, both Tan and the Foundation are obliged to pay jointly and solely proceedings expenses of P 1,000.00 plus costs of the suit. The CA supported with modification the judgment of the court by deleting the award of attorney’s fees in the favor of the Bank so that there will be no bias. The petition for review on certiorari was filed by Tan an d the Foundation. ISSUE: 1. Whether Tan and the foundation should be held jointly and solely liable. 2. Whether the foundation gave Tan an apparent authority to deal with the Bank. RULING: 1. As it is in the doctrine of corporate entity, the court did not make a mistake in holding Tan and the Foundation jointly and solely liable. Given these circumstances – Tan representing himself as the President of Lapu-Lapu Foundation Inc., Tan opening a savings account and a current account in the name of the corporation, signing the application form as well as the necessary sample signature cards twice for himself and the Foundation, and Tan submitting a notarized Secretary’s Certificate from the corporation, attesting that he has been authorized to sign for and in behalf of the Lapu-Lapu Foundation any and all checks, drafts or other orders with respect to the Bank; to perform business with the Bank, negotiate loans, agreement, obligations, promissory notes and other commercial documents; and to initially acquire a loan of P100, 000.00 from any bank – Tan and the Foundation cannot hide under the corporate veil. Because of the transactions Tan entered on the behalf of the Foundation, the Foundation is deemed liable. 2. According to the Secretary’s Certificate, Tan, the President, was given supposed and clear authority by the Foundation to, among other things, deal with the Bank. For that reason, the Foundation is prohibited from questioning the authority of Tan to attain the subject loans from the respondent Bank. Since it is a known doctrine that if a corporation knowingly allows one of its officers, or any other agents, to act within the scope of a noticeable authority, and holds him out to the public as someone who holds the power to do those acts, the corporation is prohibited from denying the agent’s authority.

Athenian Acropolis Paper

The Athenian Acropolis could be considered the most representative of the Greek Acropolis. The Athenian Acropolis is located on the top of a mountain and it was used as a defense and as a site of the main places of worship. The entrance to the Acropolis is a gate called Propylaia performed by the architect Mnesikles. At the front right side of the Propylaia, there is an Ionic building named the Temple of the Athena Nike designed by Kallikrates. A great statue of Athena created by Phidias, was originally stood in the center.To the right of where this sculpture was, there is the Parthenon. The architects that carried out this building were Iktinos and Kallikrates. The Parthenon is a Doric temple, which was designed with slight corrections in order to counteract the optical effects of perspective; therefore, all apparently straight lines were actually slightly sculpted curves in order to create harmony. To the left and at the end of the Acropolis, it is the Erechtheion, which is an Ioni c temple and it has a platform supported by six caryatids.Elgin was a British ambassador in Constantinople, he had the idea to take all the monuments of the Parthenon sculptures and take them to his country. As ambassador, he received some papers from the Ottoman sultan to take some pieces from the floor of the Acropolis. Elgin took most of the sculptural decoration of the monuments, columns, and hundreds of pieces and moved to England, and then he sold them to the British Museum where they are still displayed. The Elgin Marbles must return to Athens. Athens was attacked by the Persian soldiers.The Athenians had to leave the city. Later the Athenians defeated the Persians, but Athens was on ruins and it had to be rebuilt. The man in charge about the reconstruction was Pericles. He reunited the better architects, sculptors and artisans and they rebuilt the city. The Propylaia is the entrance to the Acropolis. It was built on 437—432 BCE. The architect in charge of this buildin g was Mnesikles. The centerpiece of the Propylaia has six Doric columns on the fronts, and inside there are two halls separated by a wall with several doors.On each side, two terraces with gates gave access to the interior rooms. One of this terraces displayed pictures from that time. It was built with pentelic marble. The temple of Athena Nike was built on 427—424 BCE. The project was commissioned to Kallikrates, an architect who also worked in the construction of the Parthenon. It is made by Pentelic marble. On both fronts have four Ionic columns of limited height. Among its decorations, it had beautiful sculptures carved on it, and especially a frieze decorated with reliefs representing the fight of the Athenians against the Persians.Something that stands was a relief of Athena holding her sandal. These sculptures are made with great delicacy and elegance of the clothes. The Parthenon was built on 447—438 BCE. The architects of this building were Iktinos and Kallikr ates. It is a Doric temple. It consisted of eight columns on its two main facades and seventeen on the sides surrounding the entire temple. The front of the west represents the fight of Athena and Poseidon to get the patronage of the city. The frieze shows the representation of the Panathenaic procession, the most important religious festival in Athens.The scene is along the four sides of the building and includes figures of gods, beasts and about three hundred and sixty people. The Parthenon had the great statue of the goddess Athena Parthenos, who made Phidias. It was 38-foot-tall and made with gold and savory. The Erechteion is an Ionic temple. It was built on 421—405 BCE. The Erechteion is on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in honor of Athena and Poseidon. This temple is the achievement of an asymmetric building, with a complex floor that consists of three sections dedicated to different gods.The main porch has six columns on its front, with its interior divide d into different zones, a statue of Athena carved in wood was here. The second part corresponds to the north porch, which was decorated with four columns in front and two on the sides. On the left are three holes, which according to mythology, they were made by Poseidon's trident. The south porch of the Caryatids is a small gallery of great beauty because of the sacred statues that serve as columns. The Caryatids are supporting the architrave. Those that are on the Erechteion right now are copies of the originals.The originals are in the Acropolis Museum and the British Museum. Some of the arguments about the Parthenon Marbles should return to Greece are that the marbles belong to the Parthenon which is a universal monument and not only belong to Greece. If all the pieces return to Greece, historians would be able to analyze better the Parthenon and they could come up with conclusions or discover new things if it is appreciated as a whole. Another argument is that Elgin did not have the permit to take pieces from the Parthenon, he just had permit to take a few pieces from the floor.The Parthenon Marbles are not the principal attraction in the British Museum, in the other hand if they return to Athens, tourists, historians and the Greeks can observe and analyze them in a better way. Some sculptures were sculpted in order to keep them white but this caused damage to the sculptures because the original paint was removed. One of the arguments why the British Museum does not want to return the pieces is due to Pollution, but now Athens has a museum next to the Parthenon which it is acclimated in order to prevent damage to the Marbles.At the British Museum, there are amounts of other treasures, and the Parthenon Marbles are unique in the world that is why they should be returned to Greece, because they are part of its history and heritage. On the other hand about this debate, there are also arguments about why the Parthenon Marbles should stay in the British Museum. One of the arguments by which the Parthenon Marbles should stay at the British Museum is that it is the most visited museum in the world and has no cost.People already know that the Parthenon Marbles are at the British Museum, they have been there for years, therefore; they are already an important collection of the Museum. Some experts say that the Parthenon Marbles should be returned. But others say they are safer in museums in other countries. In the case of the Parthenon Marbles, for example, experts claim that they are protected from pollution in Athens. If the museum returns the Parthenon Marbles a global war can begin and countries can start claiming their treasures.The Parthenon Marbles have been at the British Museum by years in a good condition, if they return to Athens can be damaged during the transfer. Greece must be grateful to the British Museum for taking care of these marbles and should stay at the British Museum for standing there too many years. That is why the P arthenon Marbles should stay at the British Museum. I think what it really a matter is where the marbles are. The Parthenon Marbles were created as an integral part of the temple.I am studying Travel and Tourism, and I know that when people travel or go to museums, they like to see and enjoy the complete exhibition, not only a few parts of the exhibition or collection. That’s why I think the Parthenon Marbles should be in their original place which is Greece. The marbles are not the principal attraction in the British Museum, they should be in their original place so that tourists can appreciate the entire collection. The Parthenon Marbles are a symbol of Greece culture and they should be to the place that they belong.