Europe Between Secularization And Christianity Religion Essay

Europe Between Secularization And Christianity Religion Essay Can we still today perceive Europe as the last shelter of secularism? Is the position of Religion as we used to know it a personal matter that should not appear on the public space and even play a role at the state? In the year 2007 an international conference was organized at the Libera Università   degli Studi HYPERLINK http://www.luspio.it/HYPERLINK http://www.luspio.it/San Pio VHYPERLINK http://www.luspio.it/ in Rome to think about the nature and development of the European political thought after 1989 between globalization and new humanism. One of the main issues discussed was a question of how the different political and philosophical cultures have come back to questions about religions role in public sphere. In addition to the issue of identity, this is the central intellectual question of our times and one of the most exciting new zones of interdisciplinary research and studies in both European and non European studies and even in some postcolonial research centers. It seems quire relevant to ask these questions with the quite few issues that sprung up with the unification and Europeanization processes between more than 27 states now of the continent those new big and tremendous wars that lasted for decades. In his article A new Humanism in Europe between Secularism and the Return of Religion Dnillo Brechi reported that even most renown intellectuals of atheism and secularism have started to raise questions about the limits of secularism. religions such as Judaism and Christianityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Habermas is more and more sceptical about the thesis of an unstoppable secularization of the West, if not of the entire world. On the contrary, the last years have shown how secularized Europe is much more of an exception than a rule.1 One of the main drives for these questions about Europes secularism is that dialectic on European identity and the position of religion in the unified constitution in addition to the big refusal and rejection of Turkeys to join the European Union and which is a rejection see http://www.telospress.com/main/index.php?main_page=news_articleHYPERLINK http://www.telospress.com/main/index.php?main_page=news_articlearticle_id=195HYPERLINK http://www.telospress.com/main/index.php?main_page=news_articlearticle_id=195article_id=195 most probably due to the fact of Turkey being a Muslim country. Words like Lord God, Christian Patrimony, and Christian Club in the European constitution project appeared to put European secularism in doubt despite the continuous talk about the commitment to secularism. This idea has been reinforced by claims and declarations of personalities and European parties about accepting turkeys joining the European Union as a threat to the idea of Europe as a Christian Club. 2. Christian Religion in the unified constitution The dialectics of Christianity and secularism appear in the very daily practices of political and social institutions in a competitive yet complex manner. In his Religion and Modernization: Sociologists and Historians Debate the Secularization Thesis, Bruce Steve wrote Where Culture, identity, and sense of worth are challenged by a source promoting either an alien religion or rampant secularism and that source is negatively valued, secularization will be inhibited. Religion can provide resources for the defense of a national, local, ethnic, or status group culture. Again, Poland and the Irish Republic are prime examples, but Ulster can also be included, as in more attenuated form can other dual societies, or the peripheries of secularizing societies, resistant to the alien encroachment of the center. In the united kingdom, for example, the greater attachment to their religious institutions of the welsh and still more of the scots evidences this factor. The national culture and ident ity are associated with presbytery and chapel against the attempted cultural domination of metropolitan secularity. In Northern Ireland, rates of church involvement are highà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ pp 17. 2 The involvement of religion is today more apparent as pressures started to insist on the Christianity of Europe in the unified constitution since the European conference in 2003. This also appeared in the discussions related to the issues of abortion and teaching religion in schools then also with the enlargements and the inclusion of Eastern European countries known for their excessive religiosity like Romania, Bulgaria and Poland. p 17; Bruce, Steve, ed. Religion and Modernization: Sociologists and Historians Debate the Secularization Thesis. Oxford: Clarendon, 1992 This later instigated many troubles for this purpose and supported the current that calls for a Christian Europe with the increase of talks about accepting Islamic Turkey into the Union with its very dense population which in its turn created some fears and worries about the dissemination of Islam at the extent of Christianity. The Ex French president Valery Giscard dEstaing who presided the conference tried to find a solution accepted by everyone without affecting the stable secular roof especially with the French insistence on the principle of secularism. He actually suggested three norms included in article 51 related to the churches and religious organizations: The European Union should respect the position of churches, organizations and existing religious groups inside the member states. The European Union should respect the position of organizations with philosophical beliefs. The European Union should be committed to open a wide, honest and organized dialogue with churches and organizations, in recognition to their identity and participation. Despite the medium solutions that contrast with secularism, looking at the problem proves a special characteristic and existence of religion, regardless of its bias to Christianity, it does in fact contradict the article included in the constitution3 related to the freedom of expression and religious beliefs which permits the freedom of beliefs without prejudices or favorism. The bias to Christianity is however clear in the direct pointing out to the Christian religion and church members without mentioning other religious institutions. All the articles and norms mention particularly the word Church instead of religious institutions add to that the fact that opening a dialogue with the church means implicitly recognizing its role in the issues and matters of the Union. See Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, Official Journal of the European Union, C 310, Volume 47, 16.12.2004. (HTML/PDF) or go to http://www.unizar.es/euroconstitucion/Treaties/Treaty_Const.htm 3. The Truth of European secularism Despite the continuous European insistence on the principle of secularism, the actual and concrete reality proves the strong existence of the Christian background even in public spaces that is supposed to be far from religion according to the secular text that means the complete split between religion and the state a reason why Turkey is refused integration into the EU. Another contradiction is that although the Turkish Constitution4 dictates the secularity of the state, many countries among the EU blames it for what they call an incomplete commitment to the principles of secularism. They blame Turkey for teaching religious courses at schools and making it obligatory and also for paying the teachers from the government budget. They also accuse Turkey of not respecting the rights of minorities and discriminating between them on a religious basis favoring the Sunnah to the other minorities and privileging some cultural and political rights of some minorities to the others like Orthodox, Catholics and Armens. The other contradiction is that this happens elsewhere in many of the European countries that claim secularism. Italy for example, insists on teaching Christianity in the public schools and hire priests from the churches to teach Christianity and get paid from the government. While describing Italy, L. Mariotti wrote in his book Italy: Past and Present From the Earliest period of Christianity, [until todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.] Italy seemed to be designed to be its chief seat, its august metropolisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ p 34. 5. Also, the sate allows people to pay some of the taxes to the churches and present some subsidies to help them build new churches and religious places. Italy also allows schools to get funds and subsidies. The church marriages in their turn are more respected than the civil ones. In England as well, the queen is considered the head of the church, she also supports inter-faith relations, often meeting with leaders of other religions, and granting her personal patronage to the HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Council_of_Christians_and_JewsCouncil of Christians and Jews and is considered as Defender see part I article II, c1 of the Turkish Constitution at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Republic_of_Turkey#2.1 Mariotti,  L. Italy Past and Present. London: Oxford University, 1994 of the Faith6. The queen has many exceptional privileges apart from the tax exonerations. It is a fact that 26 members of the board of lords in UK are priests from churches. The same thing applies to Denmark whose parliament includes a number of priests from the church and are nominated by a minister called minister of church affairs. What is more is that secular parties in most Europe do not oppose the Popes agreements between the church and the state, especially the Vatican. These agreements usually give a specific position to the religion in the state via legal texts. In February of the year 1984, Italy signed an agreement with the Vatican that gives a specific value to the religious culture and takes into consideration the catholic principles which is indeed a part of the historical patrimony of the Italian peoples. In an article entitled Religion in Italian Schools: how it is taught, and to Whom?, we read The Italian Republic, recognizing the value of religious culture, and keeping in mind that the principles of Catholicism are part of the historic patrimony of the Italian people, will continue to assure, among the broader goals of education, the teaching of the Catholic religion in all public schools below university level. Respecting the freedom of conscience and educational responsibility of parents, every one is guaranteed the right to choose whether or not to take advantage of such teaching. When enrolling, students or their parents can exercise this right, upon request of the school authorities and their choice may not give rise to any form of discrimination. 7. What is more is that when some disagreed and opposed this expression, the high court rejected the appeal and emphasized its acknowledgment of the agreement. The same thing happened in Spain. Despite the law that appeared in 1980 that stresses the freedom of religions and equality of the different religious sects, the state however allowed itself to make agreements and relationships with Churches 8, in addition to providing them with financial support that was declared on a text of law under what is called Not For Profit entities with charitable purposes. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II_of_the_United_Kingdom#Religion See http://www.beginningwithi.com/italy/living/religion.htm See religion in Spain in Livingstone, E. A. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. London: Oxford University Press, 2006. Now In Greece, a very good example of contradicting with secularism, the state declares a direct relationship between the state and the church9, even after the democratic transition in the year 1975, for the religious institution exist with a legal text and under the law. Many practices and religious pacts take the form of a legal matter like religious marriages that is recognized by the law. Also, Greece is he only country that still refuses to have Islamic mosques built on its lands. The situation may differ a bit in Eastern Europe that was under the rule of communist regime systems which limited the role of churches and nationalized its possessions and properties. However, immediately after the fall of communism, the church in fact restored its properties and its position in society. Poland here might be the best example we can illustrate with in this case for it is clear the very important role that the church played in overthrowing the communist regime and starting to inaugurate a new regime with a pope agreement and the Vatican signed in 1995 by the parliament, and when Poland was obliged to legally distinguish between the state and the church in order to be able to join the European Union, Poland insisted on preserving its Christian identity through the name secular state with a Christian patrimony. 4. The position of the Vatican The longing for Christian identity of the united Europe was not however sought only by the member states but there has also been the power of the Vatican, the biggest and strongest religious institution in Europe and which put a lot of pressures and lobbied against the political leaderships and decision makers in the states and their representatives in the European Union to stress the Christian identity in the constitution.10 Before the ratification of the Maastricht Agreement in 1979, the Vatican suggested an idea to be added to the articles related to the rights and the general freedoms which is to mention in the constitution that Christianity is the Christian cultural patrimony of European peoples. This recommendation was refuse with the argument that the Vatican is 9. ibid 10. No better account of this extremism can be like Michael Barkuns Religion and the Racist Right: The Origins of the Christian Identity Movement which examines the origins and ideology of the so-called Christian Identity Movement. not a member of the European Union; yet, just before the Amsterdam conference of the same year Italy, Germany and Portugal adopted this suggestion and hence the Vatican practiced its pressures on representatives of the member states until he succeeded in adopting the article number 11 that stipulates the preservations and the privileges that churches and religious communities should have without the intervention of any states. Thus, with this ratification all the member states became obliged to abide with these privileges although this contradicts with secularism. Pressures and lobbying continued with the start of talks and discussions of the constitution project in order to modify and add in the article 11 some words that are to preserve the important role of the church through calling the Union to start honest and clear dialogues and in a constant manner with the churches and religious organizations. In Chapter III named The Vatican Power Avro Manhattan goes far in his huge well documented book The Vatican in World Politics and says that [.] the diplomatic machinery of the Vatican would be of little value if the Pope had to rely upon it alone. What gives the Vatican its tremendous power is not its diplomacy as such, but the fact that behind its diplomacy stands the Church, with all its manifold world-embracing activities. The Vatican as a diplomatic centre is but one aspect of the Catholic Church. Vatican diplomacy is so influential and can exert such great power in the diplomatic-political field because it has at its disposal the tremendous machinery of a spiritual organization with ramifications in every country of the planet. In other words, the Vatican, as a political power, employs the Catholic Church as a religious institution to assist the attainment of its goals. P 28. 11 It is worth mentioning also that before the conference related to the future of Europe was held, the Catholic academy in Berlin organized a meeting to discuss the Christian social responsibilities which gathered hundreds of personalities from twenty different European states. Among the recommendations was calls for demonstrations in the winter of 2004 that should be open to all those who are interested in the Christian message that the civil 11. See page 28 on Manhattan, A. The Vatican In World Politics. London: C.A. Watts Co., Limited Gaer Associations, Inc, 1949. society should base itself upon. The meeting stressed the importance of the European Union as a federal Union that encourages connections and cooperation which is a principle that allows churches to practice and play their roles without any hurdles from the state. The other controversy is hat these meetings and gatherings were welcomed by the institutions of the Union whose parliament supported and financed indirectly these meetings. In a parliament meeting dated October 10th 2004 related to the budget status of 2005, Salvador Garriga Polledo the Spanish politician and Member of the European Parliament with the PeopleHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Party_(Spain)HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Party_(Spain)s Party, part of the European PeopleHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Peoples_PartyHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Peoples_Partys Party and sits on the European Parliaments Committee on Budgets and also a substitute for the Committee on Budgetary Control and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Polledo suggested an adjustment which consists of transferring a million and a half Euros to finance the international Youth Day arguing that it is the day that gathers all European youth to call for values of justice, freedom and coexistence, without mentioning of course the truth of this gathering and that it was the German Catholic Church which was behind organizing this event and that they invited more than four thousand journalists to broadcast the words of the Pope of Vatican which he was going to deliver in front of eight thousand catholic youngsters. His words in fact contained some preaching that mention the Christian roots of Europe à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and others related to Peace. For this reason, the head of the Catholic Church does not oppose the calls of both Catholics and orthodox to unify to defend their Christian heritage. In February 2003, John Paul II delivered a preach at the Saint-Sià ¨ge Church in the Vatican in front of the catholic politicians where he urged them to fight in order to keep the word of god in the constitution; he also urged them to unify with their orthodox brothers. A few Days after that call, the president of the papal board asked to meet with representatives of the Orthodox Church. It is clear then that the Vatican with its continuous pressures was able to unify all the right and left parties in Italy to call their representatives in the Union to mention the expression the Christian Patrimony in the constitution. This was parallel to many actions led by bishops and archbishops and secretary of the Vatican state to put many more pressures on the rest of the European Politicians. 5. Why Turkey Only?! One cannot understand the insistence on the Christian identity without the strong dissent and disagreement about Turkeys joining the European Union for all the arguments and proofs show that the main reason behind not accepting Turkey is for her being Islamic otherwise Turkey has all the necessary potentials and institutions to fit in the EU. As a matter of fact, Turkey is one of the founding states of the European council and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1995. Turkey is also one of the pillars of the NATO and holds the biggest military after the US, this means that Turkey has the biggest Military in the western European Union that constitutes now a vital component of the European Military. It is not possible neither to deny Turkeys role in protecting Europe from the Eastern alliances during the cold war for it was the country that shared frontiers with Russia and then played a vital role in preventing Russias Military incursions and raids in the European lands. Turkey did equally the same in confronting the Russian maritime presence in the black sea. Turkey has no doubt an economic importance as well for Europe. It represents a big and new market and a gate for big European expected economic enlargements in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Through this Europe could control ways of transports of the Hydrocarbons, Oil and Gas from Iraq, Russia and Iran. It has also immense water resources in the time of expected wars on waters. There are also many political fears that Turkey will turn its back to Europe and go instead towards Asia and the Middle East especially Iran which would mean emphasizing its Islamic belonging and thus for Europe the Danger of the existence of a strong Islamic country on the frontiers of Europe. It is clear then that despite all these qualifications the right wing Christian parties in Europe insist to refuse the idea of Turkey joining the EU, which we can deduce now is because of the will to keep Europe unified with a Christian civilization and which would be threatened if Turkey with its 70 million inhabitants join the EU. These fears and worries are also explained by the fact that if Turkey joins the EU, this would lead to a big demographic transformation. Searching in the internet today one could easily find some propaganda films and documentaries about Muslim demographics and how immigration threatens the European existence, and as a matter of fact since 1990, 90 % of immigration towards Europe has been Islamic immigration 12; and while in France it is a 1.8 children per family, Muslims 8.1 per family which are not very plausible statistics. Claims that in some parts of European cities there are more mosques than churches are also not plausible. However the German government for example decided to talk publicly about this matter and said that while now there 52 millions Muslims in Europe, it will double in just 20 years. All this is considered to be an obstacle to the Christian Club. Some of the opposing European countries present many arguments from the past history of Turkey especially human rights, and racial ethnic minorities like the Armenian genocide in 1915, the persecution of Christians in 1955 and the invasion of Cyprus in 1973. So this resort to history is an argument to legitimize their fears. However, what is certain also is that these kinds of crimes and mistakes happened also in most of European countries. Some of these arguments might be true but these violations can also apply to many of the countries that joined the EU especially those related to public and general freedoms and rights especially the Easter European countries like Slovenia and Estonia and may be even some of western European countries also like Spain with the worse human rights records in violating minorities and immigrants rights with the most horrible ways like 12. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU shooting them, torturing them and humiliating them. It is clear therefore that the EU has a specific and a systematic strategy to marginalizing Turkeys candidature to join the EU. In his Turkey and the EU: An Awkward Candidate for EU Membership, Arikan Harun wrote à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In fact, the EU has developed an alternative approach towards Turkey, which can best be described as a containment strategy, designed to delay indefinitely the prospect of membership while anchoring Turkey in the European structure through a close relationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦on the other hand [ pointing out ] to Turkeys failure to undertake the necessary policy reforms to meet requirements for EU membership which has enabled the EU to legitimize its hard policy stance towards Turkeys membership. P 2. 13 6. Conclusion The joining Turkey to the European Union poses more questions and problematic on the notion of Europeanization and Europeness which should as said the European Deputy in the European parliament, a peace project that should not be limited to the western Christian patrimony for the joining of Turkey will benefit Europe to a great extent. The definition of Europe through its Christian heritage or the Enlightenment era is not very convincing for there are no objective criteria that could define ones future and identity. So what is then Europe? It is what we want it to be through a subjective meaning of human rights and democracy which is in fact unsustainable since we have witnessed a war which is not very far n time, that of former Yugoslavia and also through the implication of many European countries with the CIA in kidnapping people and sending them to Guantanamo. The strategic importance of Europe in Central Asia and Middle East is clear and vital and so it is for the world. The challenge in my view will soon always be that continuous clash and dialectic between the regional and the global. The future alone will determine which path the White continent will take. 13. Arikan, H. Turkey and the EU: An Awkward Candidate for EU Membership. Ashgate Publishing, 2006.

Leadership and Change Paper

One of the greatest challenges for any professional as they travel their career journey is to deal with changes in the workplace. Changes can occur in the workplace at any time. Although some changes in the workplace are carefully planned by an organization as a budgeted path of growth and development, the majority of changes in the workplace can often occur unexpectedly and without warning. In either situation, a wise professional will make the necessary adjustments to their own business approach in order to blend in seamlessly with their organization’s changes. Too often, the first signal of change that comes from the leadership team of an organization that has taken over is the uncertainty of the company. The team synopsis includes a case study and three companies selected to provide issues of what each company is facing regarding leadership problems. The first synopsis is a case study based on orthopedic surgery and family practice. The three companies chosen were Olin Pool Products, Ford Motor Company and Northwest Airline. The scenario will identify change models for both short-term, small-scale, as well as long-term, large-scale changes. The paper will further evaluate the implications of different leadership styles on the change management process and evaluate the influence of leadership on management practices. Next, the paper will consider the factors that contribute to a long-term commitment to change within the organization and appraise future leadership challenges. Lastly, our conclusion will select leadership styles for a given situation base on the synopsis. Synopsis – Alejandra Guerrero Transformational Leadership: A Case Study A joint venture between two health care systems was formed in 1999, combining one system based on orthopedic surgery and the other specializing in family practice. The objective of this combination was to have both health care systems in one single location; therefore, creating one of the largest state-of-the-art rehabilitation health care facilities in the Midwest. According to the author of the case study â€Å"A newly formed department got off to a rocky start with varying corporate cultures, a faulty organizational structure, and declining morale. Here’s how new leadership helped turn the situation around† (Winans, Ronda, July 2005). Cultural and psychological differences, and having two co-directors, resulted in separating the facility rather than effectively uniting both health care systems. Physical differences also arose as the facility was designed to suit both practices; as a result, each group began operating on opposite sides, another division. In addition, each group had differences on how to approach treatments, with both practices unwilling to share concepts that could eliminate clinical issues. Morale within the two practices decreased as the years progressed and as a result, faculty turnover staff increased. During this time, an employee within the facility conducted an employee satisfaction survey, resulting in what was already known with the employees and expected by management. The employees rated scores that measured management effectiveness low; and there were high results indicating that employees would seek employment with other health care companies. A need for change was required after three years with an existing culture that had been negatively ingrained to all of the employees within the facility. The change would include a model of having a single manager with oversight from a director in order to help solve previous conflicting issues with two separate practices. Radical changes included an emphasis on employee satisfaction, stronger commitment to employees, and a focus on the outcome of better patient care. Synopsis: How to lead revolution: How Doug Cahill got everyone into the pool The general manager at Olin Pool Products, Doug Cahill, recognized the need for radical change. Profits were low with pressure on margins and a loss of market share to competitors, along with poor customer satisfaction and orders shipping late. There were many reasons to blame for the losses of Olin Pool Products during the early 1990’s, however one of the root causes came from Cahill insisting on blaming the process of how each person did their job. Cahill soon realized that people were not the problem; it was the company structure and how it was being operated. As a result, fourteen departments were reduced to eight process teams, and they included the crucial areas of fulfillment, new products, and resources. Cahill converted managers into future coaches that would assist in transforming leaders within each department. At the core of the new organizational chart were the customers. Cahill conducted a test with each new future coach. Each coach was given four dollar bills and was told plan a group dinner. An incentive of free dinning was included for the coach that would get the job done for three dollars a person. Specific rules of the test were provided and the coaches started to assist the best way to make the dinner in order to meet the objective of three dollars a person. Meeting their goal with a specific budget. Underlying this concept is that the departments were being eliminated along with titles. This in turn forced the coaches to be responsible for their actual work and not just the job. Radical change within Olin Pool Products came as the result of a plant fire, destroying crucial inventory needed for the beginning of the pool season. Cahill used his influence in finding replacement products from a plant in Brazil. Along with getting the factory back up, and salvaging any product that was not damaged from the fire, Cahill most importantly made a plea to the customers, asking them to understand why their products were not being delivered as promised. Finally, with no blame game to deal with, each coach had the motivation, experience, and knowledge of how to best overcome the tragedy and bring about success. Synopsis – Tresa Rucker Ford Motor Company The automotive industry has taken a turn for the worst based on the rising cost of fuel and consumer preference for economical transportation. According to Ford’s website, â€Å"Ford Motor Company has been around for years and grown to be a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and 108 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, and Volvo. † (Ford 2007) According to a CBS News article, Curtis Giles is a union representative but with the impact of his responsibilities, the position could be viewed as a management job. Giles is helping production workers at Ford Motor Co. ’s Michigan Truck Plant solve work related problems and maintain a high quality product. Ford, along with other automakers, has been struggling with the sales of SUVs. Due to the high cost of fuel, consumers are choosing not to purchase SUVs, which are known for poor fuel efficiency. Ford has borrowed billions to restructure as gas prices continue to increase and consumers are looking to purchase more fuel-efficient models. Curtis Giles started with Ford as a teenager, which was 19 years ago. According to the article, Giles stated, â€Å"it was a good stable job that would help support his family. † (CBS News 2007) Giles holds membership with the United Auto Workers, but the reputation of the union has steadily lost influence and membership in the U. S. over the years. Many workers have indicated that the support of the union simply does not exist as it used to be. Toyota has specifically avoided unionization partly because the plants are primarily built in rural or poverty areas where the people are just appreciative for the jobs and not familiar or accustomed to the role of unions. Ford leadership goals have changed to switch the primary focus to producing a quality product and providing workers with better training. Giles further stated that the workers at the plant recently approved a competitive operating agreement allowing work rule changes that make the workplace more competitive. Are there leadership problems at Ford? Can they be resolved to benefit the employees as well as the consumers? Northwest Airlines The airline industry has been hurt by the war, terrorism, and high oil prices. The airline industry has continued to struggle since the Sept. 11 attacks. Recently, in the news there have been several airlines, which have been restructured because of bankruptcies, mergers, and acquisition. According to the web site flightstats. com, Northwest canceled 127 flights of its 1,424 scheduled flights Monday, or 9 percent. Northwest Airlines just came out of bankruptcy, and Northwest pilots were limited to working only 90 hours a month. The pilots are now overworked due to the long hours and lack of staffing. Northwest Airlines has come to realize that they need to call back more pilots in order to survive with scheduling additional flights. However, the pilots that are called off furlough must be retrained before he or she can fly the aircraft, resulting in crew scheduling delays and inconsistent flight schedules. Leadership at Northwest must recognize that by cancelling flights the company leaves the consumer wondering if Northwest Airlines is dependable when making their travel and flight arrangements. Due to the bankruptcy, Northwest Airlines has restructured the organization. As a result, leadership often undergoes changes to better position the company as a structured and effective organization. The leadership is now a combination of both new and previous board members, which will result in a diversity of expertise and leadership ability to Northwest. The reorganization will help the company repositions itself to be a strong, and profitable company going forward. Change Models for Short-Term, Small Scale and Long-Term Large Scale Changes The Fred Fiedler model is said to be the oldest and most widely known of situational leadership. Fiedler believes that leaders are either task or relationship motivators (Kreitner-Kinicki, 2003). The leadership case study appointed a department coordinator that resulted in combining two practices. Gaining the trust back from each practice was an easy task to accomplish by completing simple human resource issues, such as the ability for employees to request new address changes on their paychecks. Positive actions taken by the new department coordinator established keeping immediate promises and cementing them by fulfilling longer-term commitments to the employees. Olin Pool Products’ organizational restructure involved radical change from the several separate departmental layers into teams with coaches. By eliminating titles and departments, Cahill forced each team coach to collaborate and work together. Each team member was given the freedom of assisting other departments as long as the work was being done, with an emphasis on results. Long-term commitments were formed and carried through resulting in bonuses to be given by division profit, not just on departmental goals. Ford Motor Company and Northwest Airlines have decided the old style of leadership is invalid due to technology and competition. Ford has determined that their new style will keep the organization more competitive in the auto industry. However, Ford may just be a little late in the process. According to the reading, traditional pyramid-shaped organizations, conforming to the old-style pattern tends to be too slow, inflexible, whereas the new styles are customer focused, and dedicated to continuous improvement and learning. (Kreitner & Kinicki 2004) Implications of Different Leadership Styles on Change Management Process The two different leadership styles are transactional and charismatic. According to the reading, â€Å"transactional leadership focuses on interpersonal transaction between managers and employees. Charismatic can produce significant organizational change and results because it ‘transforms’ employees to pursue organizational goals in lieu of self-interests†. (Kreitner & Kinicki 2004) Based on the two types of leadership styles Ford Motor Company and Northwest Airlines conform to the transactional leadership style. Ford is more customers focused instead of employee oriented. Without the consumers, Ford will not survive the auto industry. Northwest Airlines is both employee and consumer focused because the company is realizing that without the employees the company will suffer a substantial loss on revenue. In the health care case study, the organization changed their mindset to start investing in the people rather than investing on the building and/or equipment. Previous leaders had not considered this different approach. The new department coordinator took a risk when changing past transactional leader managing style to becoming a transforming leadership style. The work began by focusing on the facility’s biggest investment, their workforce. Training, instead of having the new staff figure how to do their jobs on their own, was now a matter of teaching and mentoring, resulting in better overall practices used toward their patients. Cahill’s approach was to change the ambience of how the work was getting done, in fact he compares having ambience within a restaurant as being just as important as cooking the meals. Processes changed in how to overcome slumping sales and gaining customer satisfaction, â€Å"For instance, it would be difficult to persist on a project if you were working with defective raw materials or broken equipment. In contrast, motivated behaviors are likely to be enhanced when managers supply employees with adequate resources to get the job done and provide effective coaching, (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2003, p. 260)†. Influence of Leadership on Management Practices The director of the health care facility assisted in making final decisions on what proposed project would be the best fit for the two practices. The new department coordinator influenced the director to invest in developing continuation educational programs for their staff. The coordinator had recently completed a Masters degree in business administration and was the person responsible for initiating employee satisfaction surveys when previous leaders were in charge. Understanding the importance of providing formal continuation educational courses provided an increase in company employee morale. Olin Pool Products also had similar influences with the President of Olin Chemicals Patrick Davey. Cahill called Davey, advising him that there would be radical changes within the organizational structure and that the need for change was necessary. Cahill also advised the team coaches that they would figure out how to resolve the issues at hand, as they continued to make progress. Davey agreed to proceed with Cahill’s proposal; this is a test of influences: â€Å"the crux of the issue is social influence. A large measure of interpersonal interaction involves attempts to influence others, including parents, bosses, coworkers, spouses, teachers, friends, and children (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2003, p. 260)†. Ford Motor Company leadership has changed over the years with the focus of keeping the company out of the red. Leadership has been influenced to accept hat the industry has changed and in order for the company to excel in the industry, they must first listen to the consumers. The reading defines servant-leadership, which focuses on increased service to others rather than to one. (Krietner & Kinicki 2004) Factors that Contribute to Long-Term Commitment to Change Results from the changes made within the health care stu dy case were in management style and the organization had made significant changes to support and expand on employee satisfaction, commitment to employees and outcome resulting on better patient care. Existing and new staff recognized the importance of these strides and resulted in increased commitment with improved performance quality. Cahill removed structural barriers in encouraging team coaches to learn from one another and be open about sharing solutions that would result in increased sales and better customer satisfaction. Northwest Airlines new leadership has undergone change within the organization because of the restructuring. Most organization tends to react once they notice something is wrong instead of acting while everything is going right. This process is call being proactive instead of reactive. The company has a loss of effective communication within the leadership. Future Leadership Challenges and Leadership Styles for Specific Situation Changes that have been implemented as the healthcare, pool, auto, and airline industry demands are constantly changing. What has been implemented may not be as effective in the near future; since it has been proven that all industries are bound to go through changes, then so do the organization’s needs. It is crucial that throughout the process of change, organizations must continue learning when to recognize the need for change, what type of change is needed, and proactively move forward. Conclusion The health care study approached new leadership in the form of transformational style; the employees were inspired by the small changes made by department coordinator. This resulted in the acceptance of change in how the two practices were to be formed as one clinical office. Olin Pool Company was also transformational leadership style, having a fire disaster at one of their plant locations. The disaster motivated the company to form new product lines. Ford Motor Company is changing its leadership style by using line level managers to implement changes in producing quality products and providing workers with better training. This is a transformational type of leadership style that Ford is implementing within its organization. Northwest Airlines leadership has been focused on short term goals to reduce overhead cost by reducing number of pilots. However this short term focus came at the expense of the customers having to reschedule flights. This has diminished customer confidence and may lead to long term issues. Leadership style is missing as the organization is setting short term goals that do not support long viability of the organization. There are a number of different approaches, or styles to leadership and management that are based on different assumptions and theories. The leadership style that organizations use will be based on a combination of the companies’ beliefs, values and preferences. Also the organizational culture, values and ethics will encourage some styles and discourage others.

Mayan Civilization

Dwayne Sinclair 1 Taking Sides paper Prof John Dunn History 1111 02/26/2012 THE FALL OF MAYA CIVILIZATION DUE TO ENVIROMENTAL FACTORS. The collapse of the Maya civilization was a result of environmental factors which eventually led to warfare as a way of coming up with solutions to avoid the inevitable collapse of this civilization. Environmental factors like over population, agricultural scarcities, disease, natural disasters, were the major factors for the collapse of the Maya civilization. Judging from rcheological evidence from the lost chronicles of the Maya kings, by David Drew (university of California press, 1999). David focuses on the bones of the Maya people throughout the region in sites such as Tikal, Lamilpa, and Altar de sacrificios, with similar stories of an unhealthy and stressed population, shrunk skeletons, decrease in life expectancy of children which had not occurred in earlier societies of the Maya. The fact that similar patterns of deterioration was found in mo re than one area shows a pattern that spread all across the maya region.According to David, the Maya's view of their universe saw a ruler as having divine powers. Also in the text from Warfare in Ancient Mesoamerica by Payson D Sheets (AltaMira press, 2003) who argues that the collapse of the Maya civilization was a result of military expansion agrees with the view point that the rulers divine powers could influence the gods by by bloodletting sacrifices, essential for the proper functioning of the Maya society. Sacrifices in various forms like food and drink, human sacrifice in the form of captives needed to appease he gods for the purpose of receiving rainfall which led to a good crop harvest, and recovery from diseases. 2 Over a period, this unquestioned belief in the rulers wore thin, because of a series of natural disasters in the form of environmental factors like dense populations, famine, diseases, natural disasters like droughts, hurricanes, earthquakes which caused a lot o f ecological stress that made agriculture almost impossible, leading to food shortages to an already overpopulated region.In an attempt to salvage the situation of the Maya's, the rulers felt their powers were failing and the gods needed more blood sacrifices that led to expansive militarization for the purpose of capturing neighboring warriors who were offered as sacrifices to the gods, to take over antagonistic city states for the purpose of claiming new fertile agricultural land, because their land had been devastated by a combination of natural disasters that rendered their land unsuitable for agriculture. The only option that could keep the rulers in power and feed their assive population was to take land very scarce resources from neighboring states through violence in the form of war. The Maya's belief system could not hold up due to changes in environmental factors that were out of their rulers control, and this led to chaos in the form of wars and violence in desperation to turn their fortunes around. Environmental factors were the reasons that led to the excessive militarization that brought about wars, and brought about the collapse of the Maya civilization. Mayan Civilization Dwayne Sinclair 1 Taking Sides paper Prof John Dunn History 1111 02/26/2012 THE FALL OF MAYA CIVILIZATION DUE TO ENVIROMENTAL FACTORS. The collapse of the Maya civilization was a result of environmental factors which eventually led to warfare as a way of coming up with solutions to avoid the inevitable collapse of this civilization. Environmental factors like over population, agricultural scarcities, disease, natural disasters, were the major factors for the collapse of the Maya civilization. Judging from rcheological evidence from the lost chronicles of the Maya kings, by David Drew (university of California press, 1999). David focuses on the bones of the Maya people throughout the region in sites such as Tikal, Lamilpa, and Altar de sacrificios, with similar stories of an unhealthy and stressed population, shrunk skeletons, decrease in life expectancy of children which had not occurred in earlier societies of the Maya. The fact that similar patterns of deterioration was found in mo re than one area shows a pattern that spread all across the maya region.According to David, the Maya's view of their universe saw a ruler as having divine powers. Also in the text from Warfare in Ancient Mesoamerica by Payson D Sheets (AltaMira press, 2003) who argues that the collapse of the Maya civilization was a result of military expansion agrees with the view point that the rulers divine powers could influence the gods by by bloodletting sacrifices, essential for the proper functioning of the Maya society. Sacrifices in various forms like food and drink, human sacrifice in the form of captives needed to appease he gods for the purpose of receiving rainfall which led to a good crop harvest, and recovery from diseases. 2 Over a period, this unquestioned belief in the rulers wore thin, because of a series of natural disasters in the form of environmental factors like dense populations, famine, diseases, natural disasters like droughts, hurricanes, earthquakes which caused a lot o f ecological stress that made agriculture almost impossible, leading to food shortages to an already overpopulated region.In an attempt to salvage the situation of the Maya's, the rulers felt their powers were failing and the gods needed more blood sacrifices that led to expansive militarization for the purpose of capturing neighboring warriors who were offered as sacrifices to the gods, to take over antagonistic city states for the purpose of claiming new fertile agricultural land, because their land had been devastated by a combination of natural disasters that rendered their land unsuitable for agriculture. The only option that could keep the rulers in power and feed their assive population was to take land very scarce resources from neighboring states through violence in the form of war. The Maya's belief system could not hold up due to changes in environmental factors that were out of their rulers control, and this led to chaos in the form of wars and violence in desperation to turn their fortunes around. Environmental factors were the reasons that led to the excessive militarization that brought about wars, and brought about the collapse of the Maya civilization.

Football Attendances Essay Online For Free - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2292 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Analytical essay Tags: Economy Essay Did you like this example? Introduction The British football sector is characterised by considerable diversity in relation to the nature, type, size and success of football clubs (Wilson and Piekarz, 2015). However, what these clubs all share is a diminishing ability to attract large audiences. For example, by June 2015, just two months before the start of the 2015/2016 season, the English Premier League club, Newcastle United had only managed to sell 70 per cent of its season tickets; articles that just one decade earlier had been the subject of considerable demand (Edwards, 2015). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Football Attendances Essay Online For Free" essay for you Create order Clubs at the lower echelons of the English footballing hierarchy, like Millwall and Brighton are faring even worse (Gupta, 2013), while many of those in the Scottish League are suffering a similar fate (Watt, 2014). This paper examines and discusses the drivers of the fall in football attendances and ticket sales in the United Kingdom in recent years. The paper finds that the decline cannot be attributed to any one factor; rather, a number of aspects have combined to produce a decline in interest, or ability of football fans to attend games. Against this background, a number of strategies to boost ticket revenues are proffered. The paper is organised as follows. The next section identifies and critiques four possible reasons for the decline in attendances and sales (the late 2000s recession, the limits of capacity, hooliganism and the increase in the number of televised football matches). Next three novel tactics to boost sales are identified. A short conclusion summarises the key fi ndings of the paper. Causes of decline The late 2000s recession In 2008, the British economy officially entered into a recession. Unemployment rose particularly among the working classes (the social class in which football fans and audiences have traditionally been located), downward pressure was placed on wages, and, as a consequence of growing inflation, disposable incomes were squeezed (Wilson and Piekarz, 2015). It seems reasonable, therefore, to suggest that the decline in the uptake of football tickets by potential attendees is at least partially attributable to their inability to afford the expense. Indeed, research shows that during periods of economic downturn, households cutback expenditure on items that are perceived to be non-essentials or luxuries; for many households, attendance at a football game will fall into one of these categories (Dobson and Goddard, 2011). Thus, a negative correlation between (paid) football attendances and inflation rates should be expected. However, there is some research that indicates that football con sumption is in fact, price inelastic, even in the higher price brackets (Forrest, Simmons and Feehan, 2002). What this means is that avid football fans will continue to purchase tickets and attend matches if the relative price increases (as occurs during a recession) even if their economic circumstances should, according to a rational analysis, inhibit this. The price inelasticity of football attendance has been explained according to the theory of fandom (Goldblatt, 2014). This refers to the fact that football should not merely be understood as a game, but as a subculture comprised of a community of consumers whose identities and interests are reinforced through the consumption of the activity of which they are a fan (Harris and Alexander, 1998). Many individuals are long-term fans of football teams (or, of the game in general); their history of interaction with the sport can often be traced through familial lines. In such instances, expression of fandom continues regardless of obs tacles such as affordability and economic context. The fact that football is characterised by fandom suggests that the recession alone cannot explain the sharp decline in attendances and revenues witnessed in recent years. However, some commentators have argued that the effects of the recession should be understood in conjunction with the massive, real rise in prices of football tickets that have been evident over the past two decades. Since the 1980s, the cost of attending a football game has increased substantially (Buraimo, 2014). In the English Premier League the highest professional league in the country the average price of a ticket has risen by some 1100% (in real terms) since 1995 (Buraimo, 2014). One of the reasons for the huge increase in prices is the need for clubs to invest substantial sums in new talent in order to remain financially viable (Dobson and Goddard, 2011). Devoted fans understand this and may be happy to contribute funds through higher ticket prices du ring normal economic times. However, faced with declining incomes, even the most dedicated followers may be forced to make cutbacks on attendance. Capacity limits have been reached Another explanation for the decline in attendances and sales is that the limits of growth have now been reached. During the 1990s and early 2000s, many large clubs built new stadia or extended or remodelled their existing infrastructure (Dobson and Goodard, 2011). Examples include Boltons Reebok Stadium, which was built in 1997, Sunderlands Stadium of Light (completed in 1997) and the DW Stadium (Wigan) which was built in 1999. Indeed, Deloitte (2014) catalogues some 30 new stadium built between 1992 and 2012. The improvement in facilities and increase in capacity meant that aggregate attendance levels, and hence, revenues, sharply rose in the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s (Dobson and Goddard, 2011). Thus, the fall in numbers attending games and the revenues that this yields that has been witnessed in recent years merely represents a return to what economists term equilibrium, or the natural state of things (Dobson and Goddard, 2011). Hooliganism Since the 1980s, many football matches have been marred by instances of hooliganism (Hopkins and Treadwell, 2014). Hooliganism refers to a bundle of deviant and criminal behaviours (including violence, destruction, vandalism, intimidation, brawling and fighting) that is not typical of, but unique to the sport of football. Although hooliganism in football has a long history (according to Hopkins and Treadwell, 2014, the earliest recorded incident of football hooliganism occurred as far back as 1880), it proliferated during the 1970s and 1980s in English football. Many teams were supported by organised groups of hooligans such as Middlesbroughs Frontline, the Naughty Forty (hooligans associated with Stoke City) and the County Road Cutters (Everton) (Hopkins and Treadwell, 2014). Growing incidents of hooliganism arguably made physical attendance at football matches far less desirable compared with the ability to watch the sport at home or televised in some space away from the stadium (Jewell, Simmons and Szymanski, 2014). The impact of hooliganism on attendances and revenues may also be more indirect. It may also have been partly responsible for the hike in prices that occurred during the 1990s, as clubs sought ways to attempt to dissuade hooligans from attending games. However, the impact of hooliganism on football attendances and revenues could perhaps be overstated. As Green and Simmons (2015) and Perryman (2013) have both noted, there has been a decline in incidents of hooliganism in recent years in both England and Scotland. This is attributable to a crackdown placed on hooligan activities by British law enforcers as well as increased powers of clubs to prevent sales of tickets to individuals known to be associated with football related crime. Increased access to televised football Finally, it is argued that physical attendances at football matches have dropped because there is simply no need for fans to attend any longer. As a consequence of new economic models characterised by the sale of the rights to televise football games to a number of production companies, it is possible for fans to watch most games either at home (if they have the relevant subscriptions) or in some other space (such as a public house) (Solberg and Mehus, 2014). Furthermore, channels through which football can be watched and accessed are growing in diversity as a result of advances in communications technologies. The proliferation of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets means that individuals can tune in to their favourite clubs games even when they are on the go (Cleland, 2015; Solberg and Mehus, 2014). Although football fans express the joy and excitement of attending a real-life game (Goldblatt, 2014), there are many advantages to watching a game outside of the football s tadium. First, audiences have access to home comforts and facilities, such as toilets and drinks, and do not have to endure poor weather which may in fact improve their enjoyment of the game. Second, watching a game at home or in a public space is considerably less expensive than attending a physical game, even if a television (or other platform) subscription must be paid for (Dobson and Goddard, 2011). The cost of ancillary products such as food and drink is lessened, and souvenirs, if desired, can be easily sourced online (Solberg and Mehus, 2014). Thirdly, there may be better camaraderie for fans of the game because large groups of individuals are able to watch the game together; whereas only devoted fans are likely to travel to away games, and the cost of both home and away games, as well as restrictions on sales may prevent some individuals from attending. Fourthly, if hooliganism is perceived to be a problem, fans may believe it to be safer to watch the game away from the stad ia (Perryman, 2013). Despite the advantages of watching football games away from the stadia, as well as the increased ability to do so, some commentators argue that the impact of television and other media on the negative economic fortunes of the game have been overstated. Firstly, it is pointed out that clubs derive considerable revenues from their deals with television companies (Cleland, 2015). Secondly, many avid fans view televised games as inferior to watching games in real life. Thirdly, the games of many football clubs, especially those in the lower leagues, are not televised at all (Wilson and Piekarz, 2015). This means that the drop in attendance at these games cannot be attributed to the proliferation of broadcasted matches. Strategies to boost revenues from ticket sales Many of the factors that may be driving reduced sales are, to some extent, out of the control of the football clubs. Therefore, novel or innovative strategies may be necessary to increase sales. Drawing on the tactics used by American sports teams faced with declining sales (reported in Howard and Crompton, 2004), the following strategies are recommended to UK football clubs to boost revenues from ticket sales. Use differential pricing. Differential pricing is a pricing strategy in which the price of tickets is adjusted according to the quality of the teams involved in the game, the weather or the time of the season (Dobson and Goddard, 2011). If low audience numbers are expected due to, for example, poor weather or the economic climate clubs are advised to drop prices in order to boost sales. Flexible season tickets. This involves offering fans the ability to tailor season ticket packages to their needs and has been found to be highly successful in boosting sales (Howard and Crompton, 2004). Facilitate resale markets. Clubs are advised to develop ticket facilities that enable secondary sale of already purchased tickets. This will allow individuals facing financial difficulties to recoup losses by selling tickets to other fans. Concluding remarks Football is big business. The survival and thriving of British football clubs depends largely on their ability to attract audiences, to grow those audiences (particularly season ticket holders, who are more loyal) and to convince those audiences to spend cash on ancillary goods (e.g. food drinks and souvenirs) when they are in attendance. However, the ability of clubs in the UK to grow audiences and to convert them into revenues is under threat. This paper has highlighted some of the drivers of the drop in football attendances and revenues from ticket sales in the United Kingdom in recent years. The paper finds that reduced revenues cannot be attributed to any one factor. Rather, the fall in sales is likely due to increased prices in tickets, reduced affordability caused by the economic downturn, the increase in hooliganism and the increased ability to watch football matches in spaces away from the physical stadia. Against this background, clubs are advised to adopt three tactics t o support their economic and financial growth. References Buraimo, B. (2014). Spectator demand and attendances in English league football. In Goddard, J. and Sloane, P. (Eds.). Handbook on the Economics of Professional Football. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Cleland, J. (2015). A Sociology of Football in a Global Context. London: Routledge. Deloitte (2014). Annual review of football finance. London: Deloitte Dobson, S., Goddard, J. (2011). The economics of football. Cambridge: and Goddard, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Edwards, L. (2015). A third of Newcastle season tickets unsold. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/11706929/A-third-of-Newcastle-season-tickets-unsold.html Forrest, D., Simmons, R., Feehan, P. (2002). A Spatial Cross-Sectional Analysis of Elasticity of Demand for Soccer. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 49(3), 336-356. Goldblatt, D. (2014). The Game of Our Lives: The English Premier League and the Making of Modern Britain. London: Nation Books. Green, C., Simm ons, R. (2015). The English disease: has football hooliganism been eliminated or just displaced? In Rodriguez, P., Kesenne, S. and koning, R. (Eds). The Economics of Competitive Sports. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Gupta, R. (2013). Clubs like Brighton Millwall take steps to halt declining attendances https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21142999 Harris, C., Alexander, A. (1998). Theorizing fandom: Fans, subculture, and identity. Jersey: Hampton Press Hopkins, M. and Treadwell, J. (2014). Football Hooliganism, Fan Behaviour and Crime: Contemporary Issues. London: Palgrave Macmillan Howard, D. R., Crompton, J. L. (2004). Tactics used by sports organizations in the United States to increase ticket sales. Managing Leisure, 9(2), 87-95. Jewell, R. T., Simmons, R., Szymanski, S. (2014). Bad for Business? The Effects of Hooliganism on English Professional Football Clubs. Journal of Sports Economics, 15(5), 429-450. Perryman, M. (2013). Hooligan wars: Causes and effects of football violence. London: Random House. Solberg, H. A., Mehus, I. (2014). The Challenge of Attracting Football Fans to Stadia?. International Journal of Sport Finance, 9(1), 3-19. Watt, T. (2014). How has your clubs average attendance changed in past 20 years? https://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/celtic/302136-how-has-your-clubs-average-attendance-changed-in-past-20-years/ Wilson, R., Piekarz, M. (2015). Sport Management: The Basics. London: Routledge.