Change Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Change Management - Term Paper Example The intended change initiative has been measured to be cultural in nature where a flexible workplace is aimed to be introduced and is expected to be accepted in the place of a traditional form of workforce. Importance of Change Management There are stated to exist certain strong macroeconomic factors which are expected to turn out to be increasingly powerful in the coming few decades. Owing to such an anticipated and unforeseen situation, organizations will recognize the need to trim down the expenses, enhance the quality of the products as well as services, identifying fresh prospects related to development and escalation of the productivity factor (Kotter, 1996). These factors evidently focus on the requirement of a proper process related to change management in the organizations. Change management is referred to the application of planning, organizing, employing and screening the alterations creating an influence on the production aspect of the concerned organizations. The process needs to be structured in a planned way (ITSM Community, n.d.). In the initial stage, the consciousness regarding the need for an alteration needs to be identified and established. Then, a desire for backing such a change and a requirement of participation needs to be triggered. In the next step, a proper knowledge regarding the ways related to change needs to be communicated to the concerned individuals. The subsequent step would involve the competency to employ the needed expertise and conducts. The final step would involve the aspect of support in order to maintain the change (Hiatt, 2006). The organization considered for this paper plans to introduce a change in the seating arrangements of their employees in order to make available increased floor space in the office. The seating arrangement has been planned for those working staffs who are majorly engaged with work related to manufacturing as well as lab. These employees are learnt to spend most of their working hours in the m anufacturing and the lab areas and are just needed to spend almost 2 hours in an average each day in their respective allocated workspace. It was observed in this respect that the workspace of such individuals remains idle for most of the time in a given working day and for which an opportunity loss was also measured. In order to make the optimum use of office space, the management of the organization planned for an unallocated seating arrangement in replacement of the personal workspace. This particular notion of flexible workspace is assumed to facilitate the organization to accommodate 232 numbers of employees in place of 58 seating spaces in each shift in each day by taking into deliberation the 2-hr window. Need of a Vision Statement The above mentioned change is estimated to be a cultural shift as a flexible workspace concept will be introduced in place of individual workspace. The organization needs to carefully introduce this intended change as the loosing of one’s pe rsonal workspace might lead to resentments among the existing workforce. A planned procedure requires to be employed in order to carry out this change process successfully in the organization. The organization would need to put in additional efforts to make the employees believe in the actuality that the intended change is vital along with

Nothing Succeds Like Success Essay Example for Free

Nothing Succeds Like Success Essay All desire success but only a chosen can be fortunate enough to get it. What is the secret of their success? What makes them a chosen few out of thousands of people struggling uselessly? Why all men and women cannot be the creators of their own destiny? Why does the spotlight shine over only a handful of people? As we all think about success, the first couple of things that come to our minds are†¦riches†¦wealth†¦a big name†¦famous. There is nothing as sweet as success. And it is the sweetest when reached through sweat and hard work. Success is the crowning glory and comes only after fighting a battle full of risks. It is the success, which motivates man to work tirelessly, and urges man beat himself and become his own competition. â€Å"Run after Excellency and success shall follow,† means that success is also overvalued sometimes. If you work hard to become the best in the field, success would come to you naturally. For example: Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough first step. A newspaper editor fired him because, he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didnt last too long and ended with financial ruin and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked. There are infinite examples of people who made it in their early life but what about those who don’t. Do they give up? Or keep trying until they finally hit the perfect chord? Why can’t they succeed? Why do people believe that if you fail once there is no chance of success later in life? That’s because our fear of loss is greater than the fear of gain. This Nobel Prize-winning, twice-elected Prime Minster of the United Kingdom wasnt always as well judged as he is today. Churchill struggled in school and screwed up his sixth grade examinations. After school he faced many years of diplomatic failures, as he was crushed in every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister at the withered old age of 62. Success teaches us many lessons in life like never giving up and trying till we finally reach to our goal. It also teaches us that no matter how high the hurdles are, you must always keep your eye on your goal. â€Å"Successful people don’t do different things, they just do things differently.†

Transactional Leadership and Transformational Leadership

Transactional Leadership and Transformational Leadership Compare and contrast between Transactional Leadership and Transformational Leadership. What are the significant differences between the two leadership models? Give relevant examples. 1.0 What is Leadership? Leadership has been described as the process of social influence in which one person can enlist or procure the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. It is the way of organizing a group of people for the purpose of achieving a common goal. A leader is the person to who is capable of guiding, inspiring and associating others with the dream goal. In addition, there are various types of leadership models which include transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and charismatic leadership and so on. In this contest, transactional leadership and transformational leadership will be compared and contrasted. 2.0 Description Transactional Leadership Transactional leadership is a term used to classify a formally known group leadership theories that inquire the interactions between leaders and followers. A transactional leader focuses more on a series of transactions. This person is interested in looking out for oneself, having exchange benefits with their subordinates and clarifies a sense of duty with rewards and punishments to reach goals. The transactional leadership style developed by Bass is based on the hypothesis that followers are motivated through a system of rewards and punishment. The transactional leaders view of the leader / follower relationship is one of quid pro quo or this for that. If the follower does something good, then they will be rewarded. If the follower does something wrong, then they will be punished. Transformational Leadership Transformational leadership is defined as a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems. In its ideal form, it creates valuable and positive change in the followers with the end goal of developing followers into leaders. Enacted in its authentic form, transformational leadership enhances the motivation, morale and performance of his followers through a variety of mechanisms. These include connecting the followers sense of identity and self to the mission and the collective identity of the organization; being a role model for followers that inspires them; challenging followers to take greater ownership for their work, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of followers, so the leader can align followers with tasks that optimize their performance. The theory behind transformational leaders, on the other hand is based, on the hypothesis that leaders can exploit a need of the follower. These particular needs are not based on quid pro quo transactions, but higher order needs. These needs are those of the total person, and are closely aligned with the internal motivational factors of the follower. So at one end of the spectrum we have transactional leaders that are making many deals with those being led. On the other end of the spectrum, we have transformational leaders, which are looking to satisfy a greater need of an individual. 3.0 Mission Transactional Leader: approaches followers with an eye to exchanging one thing for another à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Burns pursues a cost benefit, economic exchange to met subordinates current material and psychic needs in return for contracted services rendered by the subordinate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Bass Here, transformational leaders make exchange of work with their followers for benefit or rewards. Followers are motivated with the rewards being given. Transformational Leader: recognizes and exploits an existing need or demand of a potential followerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (and) looks for potential motives in followers, seeks to satisfy higher needs, and engages the full person of the follower à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Burns The leader who recognizes the transactional needs in potential followers but tends to go further, seeking to arouse and satisfy higher needs, to engage the full person of the follower à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to a higher level of need according to Maslows hierarchy of needs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Bass Here, transformational leaders tend to focus on the move to change the followers and the organization. In addition, as explained by Bass, the transactional leaders focus on the organizational work within the organizational culture as the way it exists; on the other hand, the transformational leaders try to bring changes to the organizational culture. 4.0 Personal characteristics Transactional Directive Dominating Action-Oriented Transformational Self Confident Assertive Seizes Opportunities Tolerates Risk Uses Systems Thinking 5.0 Characteristics of Transactional leaders 1. Contingent rewards: Transactional leaders link the goal to rewards, clarify expectations, provide necessary resources, set mutually agreed upon goals, and provide various kinds of rewards for successful performance. They set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals for their subordinates. These leaders work on some aspects which include; Exchange of rewards for effort contracted. Rewards for achieving goals promised. Accomplishments recognized. Clear goals and recognition once they are reached is held to result in individuals and groups achieving expected levels of performance. 2. Management by exception (active): Transactional leaders actively monitor the work of their subordinates, watch for deviations from rules and standards and taking corrective action to prevent mistakes. These personalities also include; Standards specified by leader. Deviations are searched from the rules and standards. Corrective action taken quickly if necessary. May involve follower punishment. 3. Management by exception (passive): Transactional leaders intervene only when standards are not met or when the performance is not as per the expectations. They may even use punishment as a response to unacceptable performance. These leaders have some uniqueness which include; Leader awaits emergence of problems before acting. Intervenes only if standards are not met. 4. Passive-avoidant/Laissez-faire: The leader provides an environment where the subordinates get many opportunities to make decisions. The leader himself abdicates responsibilities and avoids making decisions and therefore the group often lacks direction. This can also be explained as; Agreements are not specified; there are no expectations set; and goals and standards are avoided. 6. 0 Characteristics of Transformational Leadership 1. Charisma or idealized influence The degree to which the leader behaves in admirable ways that cause followers to identify with the leader. Charismatic leaders display convictions, take stands and appeal to followers on an emotional level. This is about the leader having a clear set of values and demonstrating them in every action, providing a role model for their followers. 2. Inspirational motivation The degree to which the leader articulates a vision that is appealing and inspiring to followers. Leaders with inspirational motivation challenge followers with high standards, communicate optimism about future goals, and provide meaning for the task at hand. Followers need to have a strong sense of purpose if they are to be motivated to act. Purpose and meaning provide the energy that drives a group forward. It is also important that this visionary aspect of leadership be supported by skills that allow the leader to articulate his or her vision with precision and power in a compelling and persuasive way. 3. Intellectual stimulation The degree to which the leader challenges assumptions, takes risks and solicits followers ideas. Leaders with this trait stimulate and encourage creativity in their followers. 4. Individualized consideration or individualized attention The degree to which the leader attends to each followers needs, acts as a mentor or coach to the follower and listens to the followers concerns and needs. This also encompasses the need to respect and celebrate the individual contribution that each follower can make to the team (it is the diversity of the team that gives it its true strength). Transformational Leaders Motivating for performance beyond expectations. Inspiring for missions beyond self interest. Instilling confidence to achieve performance. Transformational leadership goes beyond transactional leadership. Transactional Leaders Motivating for performance at expected levels. Initiating structure to clarify the task and roles. Stressing the link between reward and goal achievement. Uses agreed upon performance to motivate. Performance beyond expectations 7.0 Assumptions Transformational leaders People get inspired by a person then they will follow that person. Great things can be achieved by person with vision and passion. Things are gotten done by the way they are injected with enthusiasm and energy. Transactional Leaders Followers/Employees are motivated by reward and punishment. Orders are given by the superiors, and the subordinates have to obey the orders. These subordinates are not self-motivated rather they need to be intimately monitored and controlled in order to get the work done from them. 8.0 Differences Transitional leaders Transactional leaders are aware of the link between the effort and reward Transactional leadership is responsive and its basic orientation is dealing with present issues Transactional leaders rely on standard forms of inducement, reward, punishment and sanction to control followers Transactional leaders motivate followers by setting goals and promising rewards for desired performance Transactional leadership depends on the leaders power to reinforce subordinates for their successful completion of the bargain. Transformational leaders Transformational leaders arouse emotions in their followers which motivates them to act beyond the framework of what may be described as exchange relations Transformational leadership is proactive and forms new expectations in followers Transformational leaders are distinguished by their capacity to inspire and provide individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation and idealized influence to their followers Transformational leaders create learning opportunities for their followers and stimulate followers to solve problems Transformational leaders possess good visioning, rhetorical and management skills, to develop strong emotional bonds with followers Transformational leaders motivate followers to work for goals that go beyond self-interest. In addition, the below table will give a detailed contrast of the differences between Transactional leadership and transformational leadership. Transactional Leadership Transformational Leadership à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leadership of the status quo. Effective in stable organizations and contexts. More likely to be observed in a well-ordered society. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leadership of change (within leaders, followers and organizations). Important in times of distress and rapid and destabilizing change. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focuses on social and economic exchanges between leaders and followers, using contingent rewards and administrative actions to reinforce positive and reform negative behaviors. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focuses on organizational objectives and organizational change by disseminating new values and seeking alternatives to existing arrangements. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leader-follower relationship sees each exchange needs and services to satisfy their independent objectives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leader-follower relationship sees purposes of both become fused, leading to unity and shared purpose. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Motivates followers by appealing to their own self-interest (for example, pay, and promotion). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attempts to raise follower needs (following Maslows hierarchy) to higher levels (for example, self-esteem) and to develop followers into leaders. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Based on directive power acts. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Based on interaction and influence. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Follower response based on compliance. Supervision likely to be important. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Follower response based on commitment. Supervision may be minimal. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leadership act takes place but leaders and followers not bound together in mutual pursuit of higher purpose. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Founded on peoples need to make a living by completing tasks. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Founded on peoples need for meaning. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focuses on situational authority, politics and perks. Involves values, but typically those required for successful exchange relationships (for example, reciprocity, and integrity). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focuses on personal power, values, morals and ethics. May be demonstrated by anyone in an organization in any type of position. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emphasis on day-to-day affairs, business needs short-term goals and quantitative information. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Transcends daily affairs, concentrating on long-term issues. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leader-follower relationship may be established quickly. A relatively impersonal relationship maintained only as long as benefits outweigh costs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ May take time for leader-follower bonds to develop. A personal relationship that may persist when costs outweigh benefits. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tends to be transitory. Once a transaction is completed, relationship may need to be redefined. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tends to be enduring. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emphasizes tactical issues. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emphasizes missions and strategies for achieving them. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Typically involves working within current systems. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ May involve redesigning of jobs to make them more meaningful and challenging. Emphasizes realization of human potential. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Supports structures and systems that emphasize outcomes. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Aligns structures and systems to overarching values and goals. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Follower counseling focuses on evaluation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Follower counseling focuses on personal development. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Atomistic worldview and moral altruistic motives based on teleological perspective (that is to say, based on consequences). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Organic worldview and moral altruistic motives based on deontological perspective (that is to say, based on promises). In addition to the above table, their differences can also be categorized as the following; Basis Servant or steward Leadership Transformational leaders have idealized vision. They are likable and honorable hero that worth imitating and identifying. They lead to promote change in the environment. On the other hand, Transactional leaders have the basis of exchange process. They work on mutual need satisfying, giving rewards for job performance. They lead to promote stability in the workplace. Leadership development Transformational leaders tend to have more power. They empower and energize their followers excel. They re-engineer their followers. On the other hand, Transactional leaders design structures, control and reward system in their workplace to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Lead by example Transformational leaders are charismatic. They handle and meet individuals needs. As well, they upgrade the level of the needs. On the other hand, Transactional leaders possess different types of leadership style, using the right style at the necessary time. Proactive change agent Transformational leaders make an effort to inspire their followers to help them change and transcend their selves for greater purposes. On the other hand, Transactional leaders reward their followers in terms of their performance. They are reactive to change at instances. Vision creator propagandist Transformational leaders make effort to create a vision of desired future state. They communicate pain of change that worth the effort. On the other hand, Transactional leaders focus on company goals and objectives. They make sure the needed goals are achieved. 9.0 Examples Transactional Leadership In this kind of leadership, a clear chain of command is established. The leader motivates his subordinates by presenting them rewards and punishments. All requirements for a subordinate are clearly stated with corresponding rewards. If they fail to satisfy those requirements, they will receive a corresponding punishment. A couple of famous examples of transactional leaders are Joseph McCarthy and Charles de Gaulle. Transformational Leadership Transformational leaders lead by motivating by their followers. Leaders appeal to their followers ideals and morals to motivate them in accomplishing their tasks. Basically, these kinds of leaders empower their followers using their own beliefs and personal strengths. Simply put, they inspire their followers. Famous transformational leaders include Martin Luther King Jr. and Walt Disney. 10.0 Conclusion Finally, the transactional style of leadership is viewed as insufficient, but not bad, in developing the maximum leadership potential. It forms as the basis for more mature interactions but care should be taken by leaders not to practice it exclusively, otherwise it will lead to the creation of an environment permeated by position, power, perks, and politics. On the other hand, transformational Leadership by definition, seek to transform. When the organization does not need transforming and people are happy as they are, then such a leader will be frustrated. Like wartime leaders, however, given the right situation they come into their own and can be personally responsible for saving entire companies.

Australian and American Female Nurses in the Armed Forces Essay

Australian and American Female Nurses in the Armed Forces To what extent were Australian and American female nurses treated as professionals in the armed forces? "We have made partners of the women in this war; shall we admit them only to a partnership of suffering and sacrifice and not to a partnership of privilege and right?" U.S President Wilson, September 1918 My research for this essay showed that although there were similarities between American and Australian attitudes towards female nurses serving in their armed forces, some elements of the American War Department were more reluctant in allowing female nurses to serve as part of the armed forces in World War One. The different types of sources consulted were useful for different purposes. For example, the Australian Defence Department website (See Web Reference 3) although very detailed, suffers the expected bias due to it being written and published by the nursing corps of the current Australian Army. I also discovered that it was essential to distinguish between different parts of the armed forces because in some instances, like the case of the US War Department and the US Army, they had conflicting views on female nurses serving in World War One. This essay shows that there was a temporary marked change in each country towards the attitude of female nurses participating in the armed forces as the war progressed. However, after the conclusion of World War One, whilst they had earned respect for the nursing profession, their contribution was still not enough to admit them into the armed forces on a permanent basis. The establishment of the Australian Army Nursing Service in New South Wales in 1898 (Adam-Smith, 1984, 16), and in America the creation... ...World War One was still not enough in proving that women nurses were capable of serving as a permanent part of the armed forces. (See Web Reference 5) Works Cited: 1. http://www.anzacday.org.au/hidtory/ww1/overview/nurses.html 2. http://www.awm.gov.au/1918/medical/nurses.htm 3. http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dhs/main/infocentre/history/army/raanc.htm 4. http://www.skp.com.au/memorials/00010.htm 5. http://bss.sfsu.edu.tygiel/Hist427/paddison.htm 6. Bullough, V.L & Sentz, L. American Nursing, a biographical dictionary. Vol I. 2000, Springer, New York 7. Barker, M. Nightingales in the Mud: The Digger Sisters of The Great War 1914-1918, 1989, Allen and Unwin, Sydney 8. Cohen, I.B. Florence Nightingale, 1997, Springer, New York 9. Cochrane, P "Australians at War" 10. Adam-Smith, P "Australian Women at War" 1984, Thomas Nelson Australia, Hong Kong

How did the involvement of the United States affect the outcome of World War II Essay

Part A: Plan of Investigation The United States before and after the beginning of World War II prided itself on independence and isolation from foreign affairs. The U.S. already had to intervene in World War I, helping to create the Treaty of Versailles against Germany, and did not wish to repeat history in World War II. Germany, being angry of this treaty, began an uprising under the authority of German Chancellor Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Revolts spread throughout all of Europe, causing the creation of various alliances, mainly the Allied and Axis Powers. The United States still held its standpoint of isolationism and did not interfere with or support any war effort; that is, until Japan made an attempt to seize China, which was a strong trade nation for the U.S. The U.S. made attempts to keep Japan out of China for trade purposes only, but were unsuccessful due to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s desire to keep neutrality. Japan then struck at the United States with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The next day, the U.S. officially declared war. How did U.S. involvement affect the outcome of World War II? This investigation will cover the chronological order of events of World War II that involved the United States in any matter and how they affected the tide of the war. Most of the research will be from books written by historians of the late 20th century (1994-2000), mainly on the events of World War II from different vantage points. These primary sources incorporate most of the information that proved futile for World War II, giving extensive knowledge of all events. Part B: Summary of Evidence At the beginning of World War II, the U.S. lived by one phrase: â€Å"Stay Out of the War!† All actions done by the government were attempts to keep the U.S. out of the war at any means necessary. But after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. had no choice but to enter the war and fight against the Japanese seize of power. Almost immediately following the U.S.’s declaration of war, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. The involvement of United States in World War II revolutionized how war would be fought for the coming centuries. [pic] Spitfire War Fighter Plane Manufacture at Castle Bromwich in Great Britain The most important factor that affected the outcome of World War II was the U.S.’s mass production of weapons. The economy became known as the â€Å"arsenal of democracy†, using almost every dollar on spending to produce every kind weapon imaginable to win battles on land, sea, and air. The economy of the United States boomed as mass production peaked, unemployment was dissolved, and American citizens’ payments were doubled. In turn for this rapid production of weapons, the U.S. was now allied with three other military powerhouses: the British Empire (currently known as Great Britain), France, and the Soviet Union (mainly Russia). With the addition of America’s mass weapon supply, the tide of the war completely changed. This new alliance became a force to be reckoned with. These new additions led to the creation of the atomic bomb, which would devastate Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Another factor that affected the war was the U.S.’s knowledge of warfare in both air and water. America and Great Britain were the most important factors of air bombings during their time in the war, which was the most important weapon when it came to the invasion of Germany. Great Britain and the U.S. came together to design the P-51 Mustang, which was used to escort bomber planes during the day; with this addition, air raids could now take place both at day and night. Germany was being destroyed piece by piece by the constant borage of bombings it suffered. America also created the proximity fuse, which was a device put inside antiaircraft shells that detonated when it came close to airplanes or the ground. This added to the ability of the Allies to fight against air warfare from Germany and Japan. Along with these creations, the U.S. advanced its naval warfare. The creation of the inflatable flotation device advanced the U.S. fight forward with extreme momentum, as the devi ce gave tanks the ability to â€Å"swim† across rivers and other bodies of water. The creation of the U.S.S. Bogue also created another advantage for the U.S. as it was able to fight against the German U-Boat. Part C: Evaluation of Sources Stein, R. Conrad. World War II in Europe: â€Å"America Goes to War† Hillside, N.J., U.S.A.: Enslow, 1994. R. Conrad Stein, who studied history at the University of Illinois and the University of Guanajuato, is an author of history reference books. He has written extensively on the events of history, ranging from the Underground Railroad to the Korean War. The purpose of this book is to explain the events of World War II and also explain the role of the United States in the war. This book explains in great detail the events of World War II and how each side of the war was affected with each event; thus making the book valuable to this investigation. This book is also valuable because it provides a full list of the important events of World War II in chronological order and an appendix for each chapter so that further references can be made for the book. There aren’t any major limitations on this book. Adams, Simon. World War II. New York: DK Pub., 2004. Simon Adams, who studied history and politics at the London School of Economics and Bristol University, is an author and editor of reference books on history. He has been a full-time history writer for 15 years and since then has written over 60 books on a wide spectrum of historical events. The purpose of this book is to explain the events of World War II and use examples, such as wartime symbols and other objects, to convey the information of the war to the reader. The book is valuable because there are first hand quotes from individuals who witnessed the events of World War II and there are actual articles of evidence from the war to give further explanation its events. The only limitation is that some of the information of the book seems to be slightly vague and broad instead of in great detail, but overall this book proves to be very resourceful. Part D: Analysis The United States’ intervention was extremely essential to the outcome of World War II, as supported by the sources listed in the previous section and other reliable sources. Seeing that R. Conrad Stein and Simon Adams both graduated from top tier universities for history (University of Illinois for Stein; Bristol University for Adams), one can conclude that the information presented in their books is very accurate. The only information that seems to be missing is that the United States wanted to stay completely isolated from this war because of World War I, but this piece of information is presented in most sources including information on the U.S. and World War II, so this can be implicated. The evidence used for this investigation overall is very accurate. This presents the appropriate interpretations and point-of-views that convey the information of the events of World War II involving the United States. This investigation is important because the U.S.’s involvement in the war changed the course of world history. Just as in most events involving military conflict, a number of factors played a role in the U.S. decision to join World War II. Even though the U.S. had only one prime purpose at the beginning of the war-eliminate the Japanese uprising-, their actions affected the entire war as a whole. However, the U.S. was not primly concerned with Japan before their entrance in the war; the U.S. was more concerned about how China would be affected. On the other hand, even though China played a role in the U.S.’s decision, it would be Japan’s desire for domination that would lead to the involvement of the United States in World War II. Ultimately, the involvement of United States in World War II changed the tide of the war as well as the tide of history that would affect foreign affiliations greatly. Part E: Conclusion According to these sources as well as many prestigious historians on World War II, such as Stephen Ambrose, the war seemed to mostly, if not almost entirely, in the Axis Powers’ favor when it came to deciding the victor. The Axis Powers were in control of most of the war and had dominated the big names of the Allied Powers (France and Great Britain). Had the U.S. never gotten involved after the attack on Pearl Harbor, The Allied Powers would not have been able to bounce back from their losses and the Axis Powers would have emerged out of the biggest war the world has ever seen as the victors, changing the tide of world history forever. Hitler’s Nazi ideology would’ve been able to spread like wildfire through all of Europe and eventually would’ve been able to spread to the rest of the world. Not only that but other major events of during the era, such as the beginning of the space race, would’ve never been able to occur because the United States and the U.S.S.R. would’ve been bended to the will of Germany, Japan, and Italy. The United States and the U.S.S.R. would have never became the two sole superpowers of the world; instead, the major countries of the Axis Powers, mainly Germany, Japan, and Italy, would have taken the U.S. and U.S.S.R.’s places. The U.S. intervention would have also affected the present day. The United States would have never been able to be called â€Å"the land of opportunity† because the United States would have lost their worldwide acclaim. Overall, one can say that had the U.S. not intervened in World War II, the world would not be the world we know of today.

Culture and Blogging Essay

In this modern age, society has undergone evolution, making man’s life far more complex and diverse compared those of his predecessors. Once the dominant figure in the society, an individual’s influence over his self-identity has greatly been reduced and he has been a subject of change and development based on social forces. One of the theories that explore this modern development is Anthony Giddens’ theory of structuration, wherein he explores and attempts to determine whether it is people who shape their social reality or modern social forces. Giddens (1992) cited that it is the individual who serves as the catalyst for social reality through the process of structuration, wherein social structures are seen as influential agents of change. He further emphasized that social structure contain system that actors (individuals) learn to use after experiencing it and moves towards its application in an actor’s culture. Changes with oneself and identity transpire with information, something that coincides with Giddens’ view of a reflexive identity. Reflexive identity is often identified as an endeavor, in which individuals seek to observe and reflect on their identity and work on it. He also emphasizes the process of repetitive social interaction to formally develop one’s self-identity, in which reactions of others are deemed important in order to attain growth and development. He addresses this as the narrative identity in which an individual continues to welcome events and integrate these into his life for developmental purposes. Giddens’ Theory of Intimacy and Self-Identity in Modern Society In his work, Giddens (1992) has broken down the possible changes that have taken place in the realm of intimate relationships, causing developments that shake teleological understanding. Using the American society as its model, Giddens (1992) cited that the supposed unity among marriage, sexuality and reproduction has been broken down by these changes and that it represented a new image of what is the new intimate relationship, something that is at par with modernism. Under these developments, couples could live through a compassionate marriage, and that it is also possible to nurture each other without the need to involve the opposite sex or a child as a medium of love. According to Jamieson (1999), what Giddens has cited in his works are probably what people call or view as â€Å"pure relationship† where intimacy matters less and that relationship itself matters more. This is seen among couples who do not conceive children all throughout their relationship. However, Giddens (1992) cited that the focus of the social order still lies on the heterosexual marriage and that there have been numerous advantages in entering such relationship. This led into what Giddens (1992) calls â€Å"plastic sexuality† where the discussion was centered on having attained or surpassed the needs of phallus in a relationship. Here, Giddens’ (1992) views intimacy as equal to sexuality. Giri (1994) cited that Giddens’ (1992) use the term phallus to describe the male experience or the intimate moments shared with the human male species. Giddens (1992) cited that â€Å"plastic sexuality† frees individuals from the needs of reproduction which characterizes heterosexual marriage. Much of the analysis of Giddens’ theory of identity will confirm that â€Å"plastic sexuality† commonly refers to the third sex, more commonly known as gays and lesbians. The relationship between individuals of the same sex has been one of the favorite topics of debate as early as the 1990s. It was criticized for being indecent mainly due to the concept of having physical and emotional relationship with the same sex. Giri (1994) cited that same sex relationships became a taboo, and were regarded as similar to incest relationships. Yet in the work of Giddens (1992), he cited that â€Å"plastic sexuality† was a decentralized form of sexuality which is not bound by traditional or conventional relationships. This is the reason why many have viewed Giddens’ (1992) work as something out of the ordinary, and at par with the changes occurring in society (Giri, 1994). As mentioned earlier, he brought a new definition to intimacy and expanded its application to a certain degree. Using the American and European society as its model, Giddens (1991) showed the transformation of intimacy to a new degree. Giddens (1991) cited that the third sex – lesbians and gays – aside from being involved in â€Å"plastic sexuality† are also tied with what he calls reflexive sexuality. This is where an individual’s sexuality serves as a property of oneself, while having its own qualities. However, the evolution of intimacy has produced transmutations of biological categories, between male and female, such as the degradation of the male’s sexual organ. The core idea in Giddens’ (1991) view of intimacy is close to the degradation of the male’s phallus or the function of the male’s sexual organ, and the fortification of the third sex. By emphasizing a relationship that is free from reproduction and moving away from the confines of the heterosexual marriage, Giddens (1991) indirectly pointed his views of intimacy as being directly justifying lesbians and gays relationships. In his work, he cited that women could now see men on the cognitive level at the very least. Schiffrin (1996) cited that it emphasized gender empowerment in terms of being involved in a relationship. He also supported one of Giddens’ (1991) view about self-identity in which fragmentation versus unification influences the formation or development of self-identity. In here, Giddens’ (1991) view of intimacy moves away from the widely perceived; although it still pays importance to physical contact, its significance lies in its support and empowerment of the third sex. As cited, Giddens (1991) also has views about the formation and development of self-identity. Unification versus fragmentation was cited earlier and there are still three other dichotomies of self-identity. Unification and fragmentation in simpler terms mainly focus on what cultural patterns offer against an individual whose self evaporated into a variegated context of action. Giddens (1991) cited that an individual constructs himself within the boundaries of his environment, culture or even his own parents. Unification is solely based on the emulation of something or someone that is recognized by the public (Giddens, 1991). On the other hand, fragmentation represents individuals who adjust themselves in relation to what is needed or demanded in a particular scenario or environment. Schiffrin (1996) cited this as â€Å"authoritarian conformity,† wherein an individual adapts to its surroundings until he is barely recognizable. The dilemma between the two is that the true self would feel empty and inauthentic (Giddens, 1991), and anything else could not fill it easily. The end result is likely an individual who acts and behaves reasonably or appropriately in front of the public, bringing in a sense of psychologically security; and yet the same individual may be feeling empty in relation to his true self. The second dimension is that of powerlessness versus appropriation. Giddens (1991) cited that powerlessness focuses on the alienation suffered by individuals in the context of modern society. Under the influence of capitalistic production, the individual loses its dominance over machines and markets. Giddens (1991) cited that in the process, what used to be human now seems alien and that in the so-called â€Å"mass society†, as such society becomes more extensive, individuals are more sheared with autonomy. On the other hand, Giddens (1991) describes appropriation as a complex picture between extensional and intentional change in a world under rapid globalization. It is a form of expropriation, wherein an individual undergoes a transformation that is characterized as disembedding, and moving away from the interest of any actors. Giddens (1991) also cited that it could also be a form of mastery of life only available in modern situations. Moreover, according to Giddens (1991), an individual would feel engulfed, being dominated by force that he could not transcend or resist. Unlike the first dilemma, in here, the dominating forces are compelling. The individual ends up having a feeling of helplessness due to loss of his autonomy.