Origin Of The Term Identity Politics Cultural Studies Essay

Origin Of The Term Identity Politics Cultural Studies Essay A Contested Term. The origin of the term identity politics is sometimes traced to the 1960s Civil Rights Movement but it was articulated by women of colour in their 1977 Combahee River Collective Statement. The term refers to collective group identities like race, ethnicity, sex, religion, caste, sexual orientation, physical disability as the basis for political analysis and action. Its main objective is to empower individuals to articulate their discrimination and invisibility through consciousness raising and action. Identities and Movements It is important to debate this term and its politics as it has been the basis for several movements as well as an ideological challenge to existing analytical frameworks and explanations. In the 1980s, there was a cultural and religious revivalism in the form of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, Hindu communalism in India and global Islamist fundamentalism. In the 1990s, there was the violence and tragedy of former Yugoslavia, movements based on tribal identities in Rwanda and Sudan. Many countries especially in the European Union saw right wing movements in the context of immigration and nationalism with debates on Britishness or the banning of headscarves in France. Currently, scholars have seen its re-appearance in the Presidential contest between Obama and Hillary Clinton in the USA i.e. pitching their campaigns around the first woman president or the first black president. Making of an Identity Some identities come with birth like the black, caste or religious ones. Or they can be acquired like national ones, sexual preferences or interest groups. Identities are fluid, multiple and unstable. They may be blurred or erased over a period of time. That they may be created as the identity of being Indian was propagated after Independence from British colonialism. Multiple identities mean that they are competing with each other often resulting in conflicting loyalties like a woman may during a communal riot have to choose between her religious group identity and that of her gender. Often there is strong societal resistance to crossing identity boundaries like in the case of sexual identities. Social norms and institutions do not allow people to step out of their prescribed identity. Causes for Identity Mobilisations Why have identity movements emerged during this conjuncture of history? Theoretical explanations bring together the cultural, political and economic. The global flight of capital has spread industrialisation all over the world. World wide trade and communication has created a homogenization of culture and politics. Young people in most parts of the world are familiar with the Coke and Jean culture, American films and TV serials. However the impact of the economic process has been uneven. There is a polarisation between the rich and the poor in a country and between nations of the North and the South. Gender relations are also changing as more women are joining the workforce often when men are unemployed creating resentment and competition. Women are more mobile and visible. And the patriarchal family structure is weakening. Bitter Sweet There is a section of people who are benefiting from the globalised world market. But the aspirations and hopes of many are belied. Descending social and economic groups resent their loss of privileges. So there is a public outburst in UK that Indian doctors are taking over the British medical system or that outsiders are taking over jobs which should rightfully belong to Marathi speaking people in Mumbai. The onslaught of Westernisation and its values due to globalisation has created a reaction of orthodoxy. Right wing Muslim, Hindu and Christian groups have called for cultural re-assertion and pride in ones identity. Parallel to the sweeping cultural, political and economic changes and identity based movements was the rise of post modernism in academia. As a critique of Marxist dominance in theory, post modernists gave culture a significant place in analysis and shifted the focus to power relations, identities, construction of gender, class, race etc. The Rise of Identity Movements [ Used in Womens Movement] Identities are powerful sources of consciousness and mobilization as they make an individual conscious of his/her identity and bring them together for political protest and demands through violent or other means. At present there are large mobilisations based on identities like: World wide Islamist Movements Hindu right wing movements Regional self determination movements like Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka, Kashmir and North East in India, Kurds in Turkey Sexual preferences like the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered [LGBT] movement Trade Union Movements There is a tendency to see id based movements as regressive because they are usually associated with right wing movements. But the sexuality movements have challenged conservative notions of sex and sexual activities. 6. The Other Exclusion and Inclusion are critical criteria for identity formation. The we of a certain group can only be identified versus they of the other group. The process of defining and controlling these boundaries of difference has been coined as Other-ing. This process of creating sameness and otherness amongst people, has been used to justify all manners of oppression and violence against marginalized, weaker, less powerful groups. Across history these have included Women, Blacks, Jews, Homosexuals, Dalits, Tribals, lower classes, People with Disabilities etc. The Ideal Woman Identity Movements, which are right wing, have given a special place to women. For example, both Muslim fundamentalism and Hindu communalism project an ideal woman as indispensible for society. These ideals are related to womens dress, behaviour, sexual activity and motherhood. Nazi Germany glorified the blond Aryan woman, who bears children, accepts secondary status to her husband and the State. Muslim fundamentalism advocates a return to tradition as Islam is in danger, reinforces Muslim identity by rejecting Westernisation and especially by propagating the veil for women, role of a homemaker, and the return to or imposition of the Sharia Laws or Muslim Personal Laws. Roots of tradition are in the past and is not open to interpretation. Life and Laws flow from the holy book, and its meanings are fixed and non debatable. Women are regarded as guardians of Muslim culture and honoured as long as they perform their duties to be good mothers and raise their sons as warriors of Islam. 8. Sita not Draupadi Hindu communalists idealise Sita, the wife of the mythological god, Ram. The qualities of Sita are that of a chaste pati vrata or ideal wife who follows her husband to the forest, bears him sons and immolates herself when her fidelity is in suspicion. Draupadi on the other hand was an articulate, assertive and proud woman who has 5 husbands, who she continually challenges and even seeks revenge. Women have been part of the internalisation process since their childhood. They too believe in many of these values and strive to maintain the roles propagated by fundamentalists. And for doing so, they are honoured and given status by their men and fundamentalist leaders. Many educated, professional and Westernised women have turned to their religion because it also offers them mental and physical security. Crisis in Feminism The womens movement and feminist theory went into a crisis with the advent of post modernism and identity based movements. The former contested the category woman as also all universalisms. Women could not be considered a homogenous group and the using of we was politically incorrect. The slogans of women of colour were picked up by Jewish women, indigenous and later Third World women. Global sisterhood was laid to rest. These voices of other feminists introduced the notions of feminisms, rather than simply feminism. In addition, these feminisms brought in the notion of multiple oppressions, multiple patriarchies and womens movements. Feminist analysis shifted from standpoint feminism to various postmodernist feminisms. Studies on womens subordination across cultures, societies, and historical periods shifted to micro-narratives of class/race/and gender. 10. Crisis in Feminist Politics The clash of multiple identities and allegiances which surround them came out into the public. The womens movement in India and the feminist groups are not that large or popular to have reached the masses of women to shore up a gender based identity. In the absence of a popular secular movement, the majority of women align with their caste or religious identities. Large numbers of them participated during the Mumbai Riots of 1992-93 after the demolition of the Babri Masjid against Muslims and in support of the sati of Roop Kanwar [1987] against feminist groups and progressive movements asking for a ban. In the Shah Bano Case [1985], women supported a maintenance law formulated by the govt and Muslim leaders against their own interests. Sometimes women are pulled into battles not of their making as in the case of the Cauvery River riots. Both Tamil and Kannadiga women had no knowledge of river water issues but were subjected to rape and molestation by the rival community. Domestic violence becomes invisible in the face of other state wide violence like in Kashmir, North East and Sri Lanka. Women would like to address domestic violence but sacrifice their individual rights as women to community rights for self determination. 10. Strategies One of the main problems with identity politics is that its assumptions can lead to an almost infinite number of small, atomised identity groups. Taken forward this logic comes to mean that ultimately each individual is her own group. Identity politics makes it difficult to bring together large groups to protest and collectively act for radical social change. In an oblique way, it supports conservatism and status quo and works against collective struggle. On the other hand, identity politics has introduced important elements and lessons within the womens movement. It has changed its lexicon, challenged its assumptions and visibilised many sections of women and transgendered people. Sexual minorities, religious minorities, women with disabilities and race and caste based womens groups have come into their own with vibrant movements. The lessons for the womens movement in general is that it has to respect and build bridges with different identity groups, take on board their agendas and issues and together move towards transformative strategies for a just society.

Organizational Ethics Essay -- Business Management

Market economies as ultimately embarked consumer sovereignty as the cornerstone of capitalism; further, bearing moral compasses in a pluralistic society of ethical behaviour. Hence, dictating the normative enactment of corporate social responsibility subsequently undertaken via individual businesses. Consumers under capitalism are, accordingly to ideology, the decision makers on the allocation of society’s resources (N. Smith, 1990). Echoing, mere imperatives for companies to articulate their role, scope & purpose in order to maintain their validity, reputation & self worth depends on their ability to understand their place in society (W. Visser, D. Mallen, M. Pohl, N. Tolhurst, page 101). As such, meriting thorough analysis of FirstGroup plc rather compulsion of fulfilling both ethical and corporate social responsibility in an ever evolving societal landscape will be undertaken. FirstGroup plc operates a transportation business model with a wholesome revenue stream of over  £6 billion & employs 130 000 staff throughout the UK & North America with a testimonial annual total passenger calculus of 2.5 billion and a justifiable 23% market share (UK bus and rail division). Griseri et al (2010) points out such core stakeholders of the company which are reluctantly vital for the existence and success of the company. These stakeholders form the principal resource base for the company. As FirstGroup maintain and improve their ability to on the resources held via their core stakeholders. In contrast, the second group (depicted above) relates to the company’s competitive position within the company’s particular industry and market. The main challenge for the company with this group of stakeholders is to establish and sustain relati... ...ivil society: emerging embedded relational governance beyond the (neo) liberal and welfare state models’, Journal of Corporate Governance, 5 (3), 159–74 Robert W. Kolb (2008), Encyclopedia Of Business Ethics And Society, Vol. 5, page 71 John Henry (2004), Between Enterprise and Ethics-Business and Management in a Bimoral Society, page 111 FirstGroup plc., 2010. Section 3 – Employment, . [online] FirstGroup plc Available at: [Accessed 16 December 2010]. Ghoul, S. et al, 2010. Does Corporate Social Responsibility Affect the Cost of Capital?, [online] Available at: [Accessed 2 December 2010]. Heinkel, R., A. Kraus and J. Zechner, 2001, The Effect of Green Investment on Corporate Behavior, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis 36, 431-449.

Accepting Rejection and Rejecting Acceptance Essay

Dreamers are most likely to be the kinds of people who are prone to rejections and disappointments. I was once a dreamer who aimed to reach for certain heights which I believed were essential to my so-called â€Å"fulfilled life†. When I was young, I was in love with stories as poets are obsessed with their muses. There was something sensuously tempting about the idea of creating a world where your personal ideals exists and the place you have always longed to belong with is just around the corner of your imagination. I create stories in my head with such a passionate gesture that I would place a pen and paper beside my pillow and even talk to my characters alone in my room. I enjoyed conversing with their silent responses and violent whispers which led to a gradual creation of plots and conflicts. They became my friends and literary partners who helped me out with the stories that I wish to tell. My room suddenly became a place where stories transpire and manifest themselves on typewritten manuscripts. Every time I take a look at my drafts, they seemed to show a particular eagerness to be shown out there in public. I could not help but smile and absorb the eagerness too. When I was 16 years old, I took all my guts to show my four of my friends a freshly-written manuscript and asked them to give it a quick scan. They were just my friends and not even a publisher but it had been one of the most thrilling and suspenseful time of my life. The next day, two of my friends told me that they were not really that happy with my work. They thought it was boring. See more:  Manifest Destiny essay The other two did not even dare finish it. My story obviously was not good enough. However, I never lost hope. I knew I had a great story to tell filled with remarkable characters that were destined to be perpetually remembered such as Harper Lee’s Atticus Finch and Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. I knew there was something special about these people that I wish to free from my imagination and introduce to the real world. But I have failed them. I began to feel like a loser who pretended to be Superman by promising these creatures freedom from the clutches of a writer’s sporadic imagination. That depressing day gave me the realization that not only my work was rejected. It was the entirety of my ideal world that they have dismissed and discarded as something that was unacceptable and boring. I was a wreck. Suddenly, I began to despise the room which once seemed to provide me all the gladness in the world. Apparently, I have expected a lot from myself. I gave myself and these characters false hopes that one day we would be known for our uniqueness and greatness. Obviously, the world does not revolve that way. It rotates the other way around against the normal rotation of an insipid clock. Five years later, when I was trying to clean up my room, I visited my old box where my old manuscript was and started reading it after a very long time. I could not help but laugh about how amateur it had been at that time. The world that I have created in that story is absolutely not the world that I imagine to be ideal in the present time. The characters appeared to be some kids taken out directly from a teen flick. Rejection plays a brutally important role in a person’s development and growth. Without criticisms, one cannot experience the beautiful feeling of maturity. Truly, I have lost a great deal of positivism and childish enthusiasm when the first story that I dared to print for my friends received negative reviews. I have not printed and showed another story to someone for a long time after that incident. I have lost my personal communication with my characters. Meaning to say, they have stayed in their world as I have stayed in mine. That rejection made me realize that being too overly passionate about something is not healthy as it can ruin an aspect in your life that is essential. I could have gone mad if I have stayed drowned in my own pool of rejections. However, I finally came into realization that creating your own world by writing stories does not give you an assurance that other people are willing to share that world with you. Most of the time, you just have to keep that wonderful place hidden because it is your—and yours alone.

Comparison of writers

Comparison of writers The author Arthur Miller as analyzed through the book â€Å"Death of a sales man† and the author Flannery O’Connor as analyzed through the book â€Å"A good man is hard to find† are both similar because the authors are inclined towards tragedy. In other words, their works both end disastrously.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Comparison of writers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the circumstances surrounding these downfalls are very complex and dependent on the dissimilar surroundings that the two writers were focusing on. In Death of salesman, the author talks about a delusional and self obsessed man. However, his tragedy was partly a direct result of his own inadequacies. Therefore, Miller breaks away from the traditional form of tragedy because the protagonists’ ruin was his own undoing. He was under the misconception that greatness could be achieved merely through oneâ €™s personality yet this was not so; such kind of thinking led to his self destruction. In this regard, the death of the protagonist also causes readers a sense of despair because the main character was not transformed prior to his death. All lessons are to be learnt by the audience only. On the other hand, author O’Connor focuses on growth or transformation in her main character (Votteler, 53). Initially, the grandmother is a selfish and overbearing individual who wants to bully the whole family into going for a vacation at her choice destination. Her selfish ways are also seen when she attempts to save her own life during the encounter with the Misfit. However, at the end of the story, grandmother is overcome by grace and soon realizes that she has been living a pretentious life. Therefore, although this play is still a tragedy in that the main character died, the author created a different twist to her character by illustrating that she has undergone a transformatio n and is now more charitable and graceful. O’Connor and Miller also resemble one another in their attempt to depict an everyday person. Readers can relate to both types of writings because the characters embody everyday Americans.Advertising Looking for term paper on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Miller and O’ Connor also want to bring back their characters to reality and if this eventually involves some form of violence or even their own demise, then the authors were willing to take it there. In Death of the salesman, Arthur Miller continually illustrates the importance of taking reality seriously through Willy. Willy asserted that in order to be successful, one should be well liked (Miller, 1949). However, when he soon finds out that this was not insync with reality then he immediately looses hope. Also his continual resistance to technology and the new developments in socie ty put him at odds with it. He believes that he has more worth if he were dead than if he were alive. Eventually, this despair causes his tragic end. O’Connor also stresses the importance of reality through the grandmother. This protagonist has been living under the illusion that she is the perfect Christian. She has her mind fixated on her own ways and does not really care about the perspective of the people around. Since grandmother’s head is so deeply separated from reality, the only aggressive way of bringing her back is through an act of violence. The violent acts of the ‘Misfit’ eventually caused the protagonist to look at herself and realize that she is indeed a mirror image of the hardcore criminal who has attacked them in their trip. Even the murderer remarks that grandmother was meant to be a good person the only thing she needed was to be shot everyday. In other words, O’Connor sacrifices the life of the main character in order to prov e a point on reality. To this author, violence was the only way that grandmother would ever look at herself for who she really is. Likewise, Miller saw that Willy’s end was the only way that readers could identify with the importance of reality (Sandage, 2005). These writers’ literary works may also be viewed as commentaries on society. Miller wanted to despise the individualistic nature of American culture, corporations and its people. Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Comparison of writers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These entities have become carried away with image/perceptions rather than solid character. Many Americans can identify with the protagonist Willy because salesmanship has permeated all aspects of American’s lives. Everyone seems to be in a continual quest to be the best but this is never really possible for everyone. Nothing drives this point home like Willy’s s ituation. Similarly, O’Connor also gives a commentary about society. She wanted to illustrate that most people lack an understanding of true spirituality. They are obsessed with self preservation and may border on being deceitful and egotistical. The authors also had mostly unlikeable characters in their works. O’Connor chose Grandmother who was always quite petty and dominating for a reason. She wanted to illustrate that even the worst of us deserve a little grace. There were plenty of opportunities for the protagonist to mend her ways and become graceful but she chose not to take up those challenges because of her spiritual blindness. Many characters in this story also miss critical moments of truth because of this blindness, however, when they finally do, it is clear to realize that even the most unlikeable individuals still deserve grace. Similarly, Arthur Miller has used an unlikeable character to drive his main point across. Willy thinks that he and his sons are likely to succeed in the business world owing to their greatness. He thinks that likeability is all one needs to be successful. This grave misconception causes the audience to realize how pitiful Willy is. Furthermore, as the play continues, Willy’s mental state gets further and further away from the norm. He is always resisting change and often questions any new technological developments. Advertising Looking for term paper on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These are all issues that make his character seriously flawed. However, in the midst of all this, the author is still able to make his main point which is that the frantic and often self obsessed American culture has its casualties and never really offers real solutions to problems. Comparison of O’Connor, Miller and Faulkner Faulkner is similar to O’Connor in terms of his description of the American South at that time. It may be true that the South may have changed from 1939 when Faulkner wrote â€Å"A barn is burning† and 1952 when O’Connor wrote â€Å"A good man is hard to find†, nonetheless; these authors were still writing about a region that was rarely the focal point of literary works. In fact, these writers sparked off a lot of controversy because of this. O’Connor’s protagonist comes from the South and she was representative of what actually goes on in most households there. Non southerners misunderstood the Grandmother and wrote her off as nothing more than an evil character. However, when a Southerner reads about her, one can easily relate to her because it is likely that the reader also has a relative who is just like Grandmother. In fact, this makes Southerners more sympathetic towards the protagonist in â€Å"A good man is hard to find† because they all realize that she means well (Oschshorn, 1990). Miller and Faulkner are also quite similar because they both utilize protagonists who are not sure about themselves. In Miller’s â€Å" Death of salesman†, Willy is a product of the harsh corporate system that used him down to the last drop then poured him out once he was of no use to them. His identity is therefore shattered because he can no longer be the salesman that he was so used to being. He is in dire need of curving out a new identity but his inability to do so has caused him his demise. The same thing goes on in William Faulkner’s Barn burning. Sarty is strugglin g with his identity as well. He does not know whether to take actions based on loyalty to his father or whether to focus on his own moral principles (Faulkner, 154). This individual is quite confused and even goes through an emotional rollercoaster. At the beginning, Sarty sticks to his family inclinations when he expresses solitude and support to his father. He stretches this loyalty when he becomes a partial accomplice to his dad’s ill actions by fetching the fuel to be used in lighting the fire. However, he eventually sheds off this identity of a good son by listening to his inner conscience. The story is therefore characterized by a continuous battle to find himself as a person. Faulkner also resembles O’Connor because protagonists in both narratives get to redeem themselves or to find themselves. Sarty avoids becoming a victim to his father’s manipulations, threats, paranoia and selfish thinking by running away from him. It is these inadequacies that bri ng Sarty and the family much discomfort; his father causes them to become poor plus they are always in a state of transit. Eventually, this protagonist sees his dad for who he really is and thus frees himself from such bondage. Similarly, Grandmother also goes through a similar experience by the end of the narrative. At first, she is driven by her own needs and thinks that she is the ideal Christian. Eventually, she redeems herself when she sees a reflection of herself in the hardcore criminal who had attacked her family (O’Connor, 1955). Generally, all three writers focused on tragedies but these were dependent on the ideals prevalent at the time of composition i.e. modernist and realist thoughts. Their portrayal of the tragedies was also dependent on their themes and the ends that the authors were trying to achieve at any one time. Sandage, S. (2005) Born losers: a history of failure in America. Cambridge: HUP Miller, A. (1949). Death of a salesman. NY: Viking press Oâ₠¬â„¢Connor, F. (1955). A good man is hard to find. NY: Harper Oschshorn, K. (1990). A cloak of grace: contradictions in a good man is hard to find. Studies in American fiction Faulkner, W. (1939). Burn Burning: selected short stories of William Faulkner. NY: Modern Library Votteler, T. (1969). O’Connor, Flannery on her own work. Gale research Inc, 21(5): 1-67

Limiting Reactant Theoretical Yield (Worked Problem)

Limiting Reactant Theoretical Yield (Worked Problem) The limiting reactant of a reaction is the reactant that would run out first if all the reactants were to be reacted together. Once the limiting reactant is completely consumed, the reaction would cease to progress. The theoretic yield of a reaction is the amount of products produced when the limiting reactant runs out. This worked example chemistry problem shows how to determine the limiting reactant and calculate the theoretical yield of a chemical reaction. Limiting Reactant and Theoretical Yield Problem You are given the following reaction: 2 H2(g) O2(g) → 2 H2O(l) Calculate: a. the stoichiometric ratio of moles H2 to moles O2b. the actual moles H2 to moles O2 when 1.50 mol H2 is mixed with 1.00 mol O2c. the limiting reactant (H2 or O2) for the mixture in part (b)d. the theoretical yield, in moles, of H2O for the mixture in part (b) Solution a. The stoichiometric ratio is given by using the coefficients of the balanced equation. The coefficients are the numbers listed before each formula. This equation is already balanced, so refer to the tutorial on balancing equations if you need further help: 2 mol H2 / mol O2 b. The actual ratio refers to the number of moles actually provided for the reaction. This may or may not be the same as the stoichiometric ratio. In this case, it is different: 1.50 mol H2 / 1.00 mol O2 1.50 mol H2 / mol O2 c. Note that the actual ratio of smaller than the required or stoichiometric ratio, which means there is insufficient H2 to react with all of the O2 that has been provided. The insufficient component (H2) is the limiting reactant. Another way to put it is to say that O2 is in excess. When the reaction has proceeded to completion, all of the H2 will have been consumed, leaving some O2 and the product, H2O. d. Theoretical yield is based on the calculation using the amount of limiting reactant, 1.50 mol H2. Given that 2 mol H2 forms 2 mol H2O, we get: theoretical yield H2O 1.50 mol H2 x 2 mol H2O / 2 mol H2 theoretical yield H2O 1.50 mol H2O Note that the only requirement for performing this calculation is knowing the amount of the limiting reactant and the ratio of the amount of limiting reactant to the amount of product. Answers a. 2 mol H2 / mol O2b. 1.50 mol H2 / mol O2c. H2d. 1.50 mol H2O Tips for Working This Type of Problem The most important point to remember is that you are dealing with the molar ratio between the reactants and products. If you are given a value in grams, you need to convert it to moles. If youre asked to supply a number in grams, you convert back from the moles used in the calculation.The limiting reactant isnt automatically the one with the smallest number of moles. For example, say you have 1.0 moles of hydrogen and 0.9 moles of oxygen in the reaction to make water. If you didnt look at the stoichiometric ratio between the reactants, you might choose oxygen as the limiting reactant, yet hydrogen and oxygen react in a 2:1 ratio, so youd actually expend the hydrogen much sooner than youd use up the oxygen.When youre asked to give quantities, watch the number of significant figures. They always matter in chemistry!

Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essays

Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essays Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essay Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa Essay Lufthansa: Going Global, but How to Manage Complexity Strayer University Business Administration Capstone – BUS 499 #004016 September 5, 2010 Describe the type of international strategy the company has chosen. An international strategy is a strategy through which the firm sells its goods or services outside its domestic market (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Lufthansa tends to follow a transnational strategy that will help grow the company internationally and in their own country. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks airlines have been struggling to stay in business. The fear that passengers have is slowing diminishing but it is still affecting the airlines. Airlines have been forced to enforce many regulations and fees adding to their financial struggle. With any international strategy comes a risk. Lufthansa seems to have managed to survive many risks all while being one of three airlines where their debt is to the point of bankruptcy if they have not started it already. Since mergers are illegal across country boarders the response from Lufthansa was an alliance with Star Alliance (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Star Alliance is an alliance that is made up of a partnership amongst several airlines, in an effort to offset costs and create value. The alliance has been a constant balancing act. The alliance was done to help reduce Lufthansa’s debt but has come with many challenges in managing the alliance with Star Alliance. The plan was to increase the revenue side of Star Alliance by keeping passengers’ loyalty to fly with them. Since the late 1999, Lufthansa has been running according to the value –based management. The aim of the value-based management approach applies to all planning, steering and monitoring processes in order to achieve a purposeful, long-term and continuous increase in enterprise value in investor’ and lenders interest (Lufthansa Investor Relations). Explain what means the company has used to expand internationally The biggest move that Lufthansa has done to expand internationally and help reduce their debt and increase revenue was to join with Star Alliance. Star Alliance is a group alliance with Lufthansa and airlines like Air Canada, United and SAS Scandinavian Airlines, just to name a few. They are a good option for intercontinental business travel. The alliance helps to reduce costs by coordinated flight schedules, have common lounges and baggage handling. Lufthansa has a few more cost saving strategies in place. While it does affect their employees, they have a cost saving structure resulting from slightly lower wages, they have smaller planes adjusted to the traffic density a reduced services level, an operating base in second-tier airports, and point-to-point-services so that the on time in the air is greater for â€Å"network† airplanes (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). They have also restored antique planes. Lufthansa has some of the newest built planes in their fleet but the rebuilt airplane is for the airplane enthusiast. Enthusiasts wait months and pay C259 ($400. 00) for a bumpy hour long ride on a 1936 Junkers-52 propeller plane (Lufthansa’s Labor of Love). To ensure safety of the passengers the planes are re-built every winter. Identify and describe the elements and objectives of Lufthansa’s cooperative strategy A cooperative strategy is a strategy in which firms work together to achieve a shared objective (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). The alliance that Lufthansa has with Star Alliance is almost by definition a cooperative strategy. The airlines that are in the alliance are all working together to cut costs and develop and grow each of their own airlines. The alliance is a partnership that works for all involved to include the right to leave the alliance. Lufthansa is the leading member in the Star Alliance (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Lufthansa’s value-based management adds viable recognition of cooperative strategy. Lufthansa has a joint venture with Star Alliance that gives Lufthansa strength in its network in the transatlantic traffic. These networks have been used to gain the shared objectives of those in the alliance. Describe the uncertainties and challenges related to operating beyond the company’s national boundaries Having a stable airline is the key to a successful airline. If the airlines in the Star Alliance are not stable they will lose their place in the market. Many think of Lufthansa as the leader and integrator, because the biggest member, United Airlines, was preoccupied for more then three years with emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy procedures in the United States. With United Airlines otherwise occupied, Lufthansa was driving the revenue side thus implemented through â€Å"code sharing† leading to higher utilization of planes and infrastructure and sometimes economies of scale in purchasing and sales (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). One of the biggest challenges that Lufthansa, actually all airlines, are dealing with is global warming. This is something that most businesses do not need to think about. Airlines claim 3 percent of carbon dioxide comes from the air traffic but because of the higher altitude of the planes they number is rapidly growing and by 2020 the emission from air traffic might increase by 20 percent (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Describe the potential risks of cooperative strategies The decision to be involved in a cooperative strategy is a risk in itself. You are trusting other firms to work with you in order to accomplish mutual goals of financial and organizational stability. One risk is the risk of trust. There is always a risk of one of the firms becoming involved in unethical practices for their own selfish gain. The firms have to trust that the alliance they have developed is based on productive and positive motives. The firms involved in the alliance have to be in it for the good times and bad. Another risk is the entrepreneurial risk. If any of the partners is not making available resources, that can not only bring down that company but it can bring down the value of the alliance. The purpose of the alliance was to develop services and products that would be productive to the alliance. Explain the use of organizational structure and controls to effectively support Lufthansa’s strategy. An organizational structure specifies the firm’s formal reporting relationships, procedures, controls and authority, and decision making processes and organizational controls guide the use of strategy, indicate how to compare actual results with expected results, and suggest corrective actions to take when difference is unacceptable (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). In any business organizational structure and controls are important. Organizational structure develops a chain of command making everyone involved responsible. Lufthansa is no different. Lufthansa is part of the organizational structure of Star Alliance. The formal organization has the CEO who is in charge of legal, HR/Training and finance and strategy and then the corporate office who runs commercial, products and services, loyalty marketing and information technology (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson). Lufthansa at one point had an integrated corporation and now has six business lines. The business lines are related in the area of shared products and markets and help develop their economies of scale. Their executive board is responsible for managing the company and their goal is growth and adding value. Corporate Profile, 2009) Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for developing human capital at Lufthansa. Human capital refers to the knowledge and skills of a firm’s entire workforce (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Human capital is the most important aspect in a business. Any business will essentially fail if t hey do not take time to invest time and energy into improving their employees. Lufthansa should continue to invest time in developing and training staff and the management teams to ensure that they have the highest knowledge and the best developed skills. This will not only help Lufthansa but it will help the alliance because of all the changes, additions of the partnerships and acquisitions. It is important for Lufthansa’s strategic leadership to create a positive culture for the continued training and development to build continued success. The investment of building development programs not only build knowledge and skills but it motives employees to want to learn, it can boost internal core values and morals and promotes Lufthansa vision and organizational goals. Lufthansa is operating in a very diverse area with being part of the Star Alliance. It is important for them to develop their employees to fit the needs of the alliance as well as Lufthansa. Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for establishing an effective organizational culture at Lufthansa. Having a strong and positive organizational culture is important to any business. An Organizational culture consists of a complex set of ideologies, symbols, and core values that are shared throughout the firm and influence the way business is conducted (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Lufthansa used to be known for a strong culture based on pride, the positive image of the company in Germany, its reputation for engineering excellence and ongoing training and educational activities. However, in 2001 there was a pilots strike that showed the changes within the company and the unhappiness of the employees toward the company was not as good as they thought. The management teams should make sure they are fully aware of the diversity within the segments of the business. They need to make sure they are communicating any messages, training or even promotions to fit the different cultural diversities within Lufthansa. All the employees should be involved in solutions to problems, to include the discovery of them, within their core position. It is also necessary for the leadership to make sure they are leading by example not just in working but in ethical practices. It is the leadership’s responsibility to encourage all employees on all levels to follow their lead. Improving an organization’s culture will do nothing but increase the company’s value and the opinion of its employees; from simply an employee working for a paycheck, to an employee who feels they have worth. The employees then will want to invest time and energy into the company. Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for promoting an entrepreneurial mind-set at Lufthansa. Lufthansa main goal, like any other business, is to maintain financial discipline and health. Because of the crisis from 2001-2004, the gearing increased from 36 percent in 2000 to 85. 4 percent in 2005 and because of that the operating goals are dominant and Lufthansa has learned to focus its cost cutting on the cash flow impact (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2009). Lufthansa should continue to lead by allowing its acquisitions to keep their identities and brand but operate with limited control. Investing in developing their training of their staff and managers will help in maintaining that financial discipline by having well rounded and educated employees who will limit the mistakes they could be making without the knowledge and training. It is important for Lufthansa to have an entrepreneurial mindset to gain the advantage over its competitors and even for keeping the lead within Star Alliance. With Lufthansa having an entrepreneurial mindset they are showing that they are a committed business that will focus on gaining financial growth and developing more and stronger value to the business. They should be involved in strategic entrepreneurship and focus on opportunities in the external environment of the business. They should make sure that all the segments have the means to grow innovatively and reward them when success is apparent. Lufthansa is one of the world’s largest airlines with 424 aircrafts and 39,500 employees. They transport approximately 55. 5 million passengers every year; they have sales revenue of 39. 1 billion dollars and have been a member of Star Alliance since May 1997 (Lufthansa a Star Alliance Member). This all shows the current success of Lufthansa and that their entrepreneurial mind set is going in the correct and positive direction. Describe what strategic leadership actions should be recommended for reducing complexity at Lufthansa. It is important for Lufthansa to have knowledge of all the segments in the division’s internal operations. Top management must stay well versed in global economics with the fluctuating prices of oil, the competition, and increasing no-frills airlines. Because of the alliance with Star Alliance they have pushed themselves into the center of the world of complexity. It will be important for them to keep a well rounded culture by having diversity in top management to include females in top positions. The top management team must have knowledge of their European counterparts in order to stay on top. Not only will top management have to deal with the complexity but they will have to work hard to remain a part of the world’s leading airline. The top management team can be used to make strategic decisions along with CEO and ensure that the decisions are followed not by just the employees but by members of top management. Maintaining the knowledge and training that Lufthansa had developed is a must. Because of the high priced competitive market, Lufthansa’s segments will need different cost structures and support financially. They will need to monitor the acquisitions, partnership and alliances to make sure that there are no unnecessary expenses and that no one is being non-productive. References Corporate Profile (2009), Retrieved September 3, 2010 from lufthansa- cargo. com/content. jsp? path=0,1,19142,91382,99001 Hitt, M. , Ireland, D. R. Hoskisson, R. E. 2009), Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, Concepts and Cases. Ohio: Cengage Learning. Lufthansa a Star Alliance Member (2010), Retrieved September 3, 2010 from staralliance. com/en/about/airlines/lufthansa/ Lufthansa Investor Relations (2009), Retrieved August 24, 2010 from http://investor- relations. lufthansa. com/en/fakten-zum-unternehmem/group-strategy. html Michaels, D. (2008). Lufthansa’s Labor of Love: Restoring Some Really Old Junkers, Retrieved August 25, 2010from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB121357457537975947. html? mod=hps_us_inside_today

Press Releases & Networking - The Background and Fact Sheet Essay

Press Releases & Networking - The Background and Fact Sheet - Essay Example their work ranging from academic books, journals, biographies, tutorials and internet links consolidation .The Company has expressly found out that the internet has a gap. In order for this gap to be filled the Company has continued to engage experts in the Information Technology field to perform further development and analysis. Examples of such experts are Web Designers, Graphic Designers, Web Writers, Scripters and Internet Promoters with each expert concentrating on his own area of specialization. The Company has appreciated cumbersome nature of a direct development of marketing strategy and implementation of such technologies being used. Thus more research is being conducted to ascertain what technology and marketing program is more suitable in selling a designated good or service. This Company has invested on its employees in areas of their profession to maximize the sales growth rate. For instance Renee Kennedy has in the recent past concentrated on researching about marketing strategies and techniques to maintain the Company on the growth path. Terry Kent had continued to perform his research in graphic design optimizing growth in the diverse internet world. The Company has developed a book that has excelled on analysis of the web and summarizes on how to optimize an internet search engine to conduct comprehensive research and analysis. Furthermore the book entails on wide range of strategies applicable in enhancing product and services advertisement. The future plans for this Company is to write a book showing how to write for the web. In addition to that the Company intends to develop more sites. The main changes noted between the original backgrounder and this backgrounder is the wording. Basically the original wordings have been varied to abolish the room for plagiarism. Another variation implemented is concerning the owners or researchers who have been featured in the first paragraph of the backgrounder. This necessitates any reader of the articles