Globalisation Has Made The Modern Nation State Irrelevant Essay Example

Globalisation Has Made The Modern Nation State Irrelevant Paper Globalisation challenges the state centred set of theories that assume that the nation state is the most powerful organisation in society, and can therefore be used to challenge the idea that there is a single ruling elite because there is no power in society to force the state in a particular direction. A state is a central authority exercising legitimate control over a given territory and which can use political violence against either its own citizens or other states to enforce that control. A nation state is constantly under scrutiny because it has not yet been defined but sociologists are still happy to use the term nation state. However, most sociologists agree that the term nation state refers to any country that can make its own laws, operate its own economy and maintain economic power within its own territory. Nation states also wish to determine their own foreign policy, having their on defence and military capabilities. James Fulcher defines globalisation as the growing integration between of people across the world. There are four main forms that globalisation takes; global communication, global interdependence, global awareness and global organisation. Global communication is used to express the increasing speed of which information, goods and people can be moved around the world, however, it is the capacity of forms of information that can be communicated that has really changed. Global interdependence shows that as different parts of the world are become interlinked, they become more interdependent. This interdependence takes two main forms economic and ecological. We will write a custom essay sample on Globalisation Has Made The Modern Nation State Irrelevant specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Globalisation Has Made The Modern Nation State Irrelevant specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Globalisation Has Made The Modern Nation State Irrelevant specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Many poor countries are becoming increasingly dependent on tourists from rich ones, for example, workers in the Caribbean process data for the United States and Europe. This is closely linked to financial dependency because Capitalism is a global issue and every country is dependent on the flow of capital. Ecological interdependence is more complicated as it is and unintended consequence of technical and economic development. Environmental issues effect the whole world, deforestation in one country may not directly affect it but could affect another country. Global warming is mainly due to carbon dioxide emissions from rich countries like the United States but in the end it will be low-lying countries that will suffer when they loose land not the United States. Global awareness is the sense that we all live in one earth, this has been driven by economic and ecological interdependence. Robertson (1992) claims people increasingly see themselves not as members of a community or a nation but as members of humanity, of a single threatened species. This awareness that we live in a global village is supported by global communications because it is bringing people closer together. Global organisations like McDonalds, Ford and Greenpeace are present all over the world and it is not yet clear how big a corporation must be for it to be global. Giddens (1985) supports the idea that nation states can no longer control their own economies and argues that political decisions are no longer taken by the state or governments but that decisions are made through global networks of information exchange, the world capitalist economy and world military order. David Held (1992) follows a Marxist perspective and argues that international bodies like the World Bank reduce the power of the nation states. Massey (1999) argues that multinational corporations have created the myth of globalisation in an attempt to legitimatise economic and social policies that serve in their interests rather than the countrys in which policies originate. International organisations are often thought of as supranational that transfer authority from nation states to international bodies above the nation. They do subject the nation state to some external regulation but this is negotiated by nation state representatives and operates through nation states. The UN is handed power by the supranational corporations and may only use this power when another nation states security is threatened. The UN accepts the sovereignty of the nation states; however, they are dependent on nation states when the military becomes involved. International organisations are composed of nation states, whereas transnational organisations operate outside the nation states, the key feature of a transnational corporation is the movement of money, information, ideas, and people across national boarders. The movement of money seriously limits government policies because money can go anywhere if government policies threaten profits or weaken a currency. Gould (1993) argues that there has been a Japanisation of welfare as European countries cut back on welfare states expenditure in order to compete with Japan, where welfare expenditure is much lower. This transnational migration of labour shows the widening gap between rich and poor countries, meaning that ethnic, cultural and religious diversity is created in the nation states. Naomi Klein argues that women and children living in third world countries and working in free trade zones are extremely exploited and are allowed to be paid less than the real cost of living. Large supranational corporations can turn over more money in one week than some nation states do in a year. For example, the American giant corporation, Wal-Mart, the parent company of ASDA has a weekly turnover of i 4 billion. For a Marxist, globalisation is an extension of capitalism and how capitalism has been promoted throughout the world. They would therefore agree that the nation state has become irrelevant because multinational corporations grow with capitalism and are taking over in every aspect of human life; culture, religion, ethnicity, gender, age and class. Marxists understand that world trade is important and that the division of labour can help every country to grow faster however; the division of labour is established under capitalism and therefore the division of labour is imposed upon the less developed countries. Marx and Engles claim in the Communist Manifesto The bourgeoisie has through its exploitation of the world market given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country All old-established national industries have been destroyed or are daily being destroyed. In conclusion, we now live in a multi level society that has a global level of organisation but also regional and national levels. Global international agencies reinforce the nation state; global movements only challenge the authority of the nation state and although nation states are loosing some of their autonomy and sovereignty, but that this has been lost because countrys are becoming more regionalised. Castells (1997) argues that subnationalisms and communal resistance by ethnic and religious groups have forced the nation state to decentralise authority and decision making to meet their demands.

The Secret History Essay Example

The Secret History Essay Example The Secret History Paper The Secret History Paper Essay Topic: Literature When it was published in 1992 The Secret History was acclaimed as the most hyped novel of all time. It sold in vast numbers and despite being marketed as The Thinking Persons Thriller it included elements of many other genres. It has been stated by some critics that much of its success comes from the depth provided by the first person narrative along with the autobiographical detail from Tartt herself. The narrative in The Secret History is provided by Richard Papen, who fulfils the role of an outsider; looking in upon the classics group and gradually becoming assimilated within them. Through the use of the first person narrative the reader only sees Richards perception of events, along with the inaccuracy of his observations; an example of this is his reference to the heavy sweet smell of apples rotting on the ground being both the thing he hated about Plano and one of the things that made Hampden so appealing to him. Richard also states that one of his skills is lying on my feet, something which hardly lends reliability to the narration. This effect is furthered by the separation of Richard the narrator and Richard the leading character. The narrative switches between the recall of events in the past tense and his feelings about these events in the present tense; through this use of a first person retrospective narrative the progression from the focaliser and past self to the narrator represented by the present self can be seen: I suppose at one time in my life I might have had any number of stories, but now there is no other. This is the only story I will ever be able to tell (Prologue) This creates a drama in which the protagonist attempts to make sense of his own self and place within society as the novel progresses. The narration is intra-diegetic and the expression of thought and feeling that this entails draws the reader into the plot very effectively; it has been said by some that it almost implicates the reader in the action themselves. Richard as a narrator drew a mixed response from the critical press; Lee Lescaze in the Wall Street Journal review accused Tartt of using this first person narration as a way of masking her substandard abilities of characterisation, whilst James Wood in the London Review of Books found Richard a fascinating invention and colluded to the fact that he drew the reader into the action. When Bunny is murdered the reader is sympathetic to the actions of the group because they see it only from the perspective of Richard, who by this stage perceives himself to be an integral member of the group. Later in the text he acknowledges his less important position in the whole thing: And it made me feel better in some obscure way: imagining myself a hero, rushing for the gun, instead of merely loitering in its path like the bystander I so essentially am. (Epilogue) In a similar vein, as the group begins to fall apart, and the realisation of the full implications of their actions sinks in, then the reader shares to a certain extent the revulsion and the shame experienced by Richard. As a result of the narration coming from an outsider, who himself is drawn into a group; the sense of involvement felt by the reader is heightened. As Richards is the only perspective provided on events the reader shares his surprise and dismay as initial preconceptions about other characters such as Charles and Camillas incestuous relationship are removed. Through the use of the first person narrative Tartt gains the ability to legitimately provide a biased view on events, as well as to give a much deeper insight into the workings of Richard as a character. His influences become clearer; his cultural reference points are revealed to be very different to those of the group whilst his suburban, west-coast, childhood is evident in his phrasing and language. This difference is one of the things picked on by Bunny; he chastises Richard for his use of the phrase totally weird. Richards thought process is that of the modern mind it bears many similarities with that of Judy Poovey and his tendency to digress at the critical moment leads him to remain an outsider and not fully comprehend the magnitude of events. An example of this is when he fails to understand that it was more than mere coincidence finding the flight details in Henrys flat; his ability to live without thinking something which Henry later admits to be jealous of means that he takes the most logical course of action and does not attempt to understand the background to events. His lack of understanding of the motives and actions of the group is undoubtedly a result of his inability to think in Greek and it is this separation that he never overcomes, something that adds intrigue and suspense to the narrative. These elements combine to create a more thrilling plot which it can be argued led to the commercial success of the novel. The narrative technique also gives Tartt scope to purge her own emotions through the feelings expressed by Richard himself in the novel; the potential for exploring autobiographical detail is vastly increased. This adds intrigue to the plot and is also of direct benefit to Tartt herself. It has been suggested by the critic Amanda Vaill of the Washington Post in particular that Tartt uses the novel to avenge her beloved T. S. Eliot; a critic of Eliot (Edmund Wilson) also went by the name of Bunny and it was implied that her vilification of Bunny was in a way a vengeful lash against him. The use of intra-diegetic narration does however limit Tartt in her exploration of other characters, something that has led to criticism of the novel for weak characterisation. Indeed, James Kaplan (writing in Vanity Fair) went as far as to say that he found it necessary to return to Richards initial description of the characters to even tell them apart. The style of the narration is fixed and does not vary; this can be somewhat tiresome in a novel of such length. The final limitation comes from the appeal of the book; readers like protagonists that they can identify with on a personal level and therefore to increase the potential readership of the book Tartt was required to use an everyman character as a narrator. This prevented her from making the book totally autobiographical. Tartts success in creating an everyman narrator is illustrated by Richards lack of outstanding characteristics that would vary the narrative; the two goals are irreconcilable for it is impossible to have an everyman narrator who has enough character traits and variations to be in themselves a point of interest throughout a novel as long as this. It is widely accepted that Tartt did succeed in creating an everyman narrator, something illustrated by the wide variety of critics who claimed that they could identify with Richard and indeed his lack of distinguishing characteristics. Tartts narrative technique bears a strong resemblance to that used by F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby, a novel that is made explicit reference to in the text. A split narrator/focaliser is used to a great and similar effect, something that is especially apparent in the opening passages; Chapter One of The Great Gatsby and the Prologue of The Secret History. The pervading sense is that of the experience having changed the narrator permanently; an experience that transcends all others within each of their lives. Richard says that This is the only story I will ever be able to tell and Nick Carraway describes the sense of hope he found within Gatsby as being something I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again. This flatters the reader into believing they are to be told something of great magnitude and encourages them to read on. A feature of both novels is the jaded perception that the narrator has of other characters in the book, much of the plot being subsequently derived from watching their preconceptions fall apart. Tartt uses an interesting twist on this in relation to Richards perception of Charles and Camilla, his initial view of them as a couple is broken down, only to be reaffirmed much later: I thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend, until one day I saw them up close and realized they ad to be siblings. Later I learned they were twins. (Chapter 1) This tendency to is true of Richards views on almost of all of the characters and Nicks view of Gatsby and Jordan Baker in particular. When compared with other first person narratives, Tartt does not exploit the medium to its full potential; for example when compared to Brontes Wuthering Heights which employs a far more sophisticated narrative technique. The Secret History uses a diachronic narrative structure whereas Wuthering Heights begins the narrative in medias res and the plot is then built up in a synchronic manner. This adds a far greater level of depth, intrigue and suspense to the plot and launches the reader in the centre of the action in the opening chapter; in contrast in The Secret History the reader has to wade through a lengthy preamble that builds up the character of Richard before the action begins. It can however be argued that without this period of characterization first then the subsequent events would lose much of their resonance and the factors that make the narrative appealing such as the inaccuracy of the narration itself would be far less apparent. Whilst it cannot be argued that The Secret History begins in medias res the prologue does however provide an initial retrospective view of events and it is from this that much of the suspense in the first book is generated. The split between the narrator and focaliser is introduced, explaining the time gap between Richards description of events and his subsequent commentary on them: through once I thought that I had left that ravine forever on an April afternoon long ago, now I am not so sure. (Prologue) When interviewed by Kirsty Wark for the BBC, Tartt explained that she believed she was experimenting with the technique of in medias res by beginning her narrative after the conclusion of events and then using a diachronic narrative structure to build back up to that point once again. Her technique could perhaps be therefore described as in finis res. One way in which Tartt varies the narrative is through the limited use of letters, something that is also evident in Wuthering Heights. In Francis suicide letter to Richard the cultural reference points that Francis employs are evident as being different from those of Richard and this adds depth to his character. This is similar to the way in which Bronte uses the letter from Isabella to Ellen Dean to provide a different perspective on events. Henry is used to a limited extent in the narration as well; when Richard finds out about the events of the bacchanal it is Henry who describes them to him. Henrys aloof manner and detachment from society is emphasized in this passage. It can be said that the losses inherent with first person narration can be excused because of the benefits that vastly outweigh them. The commercial success of the book indeed points to that fact whilst in a literary sphere the intra-diegetic narrative technique gives the reader a much deeper insight into Richards emotions. The reader feels almost implicated in the actions of the group themselves as a result of this. However in contrast to this, the appeal of the book is limited by the need for readers to identify with the protagonist, Richard, and this in turn reduced Tartts scope for exploring in greater depth the psyche of other characters. As such it appears that first person narration gave the book much of its success and the author indeed gained more than she lost. It has been argued by many critics that The Secret History is largely autobiographical. When the content of the novel is compared to Donna Tartts life then there are indeed a number of similarities, but they are spread amongst the main characters rather than being embodied entirely by one. No one character follows the pattern of her life; therefore the novel cannot be strictly regarded as being autobiographical. Despite this, the way in which elements of her life are evident amongst most of the main characters does lend the novel certain autobiographical qualities; Tartt is relating experiences that actually happened to her, although it can be argued that by including elements of her own experiences within all the major characters she limits her scope for deeper characterization and more varied personalities. When Tartts life is compared to that of Richard then a number of similarities become apparent. She moved from Mississippi University to Bennington, a move that is replicated in Richards own from a small college in my home town to Hampden College. Although strenuously denied by Tartt in interviews, there are a vast number of similarities between Bennington and Hampden and it is accepted by many critics that Bennington was in fact used as a model for the setting of The Secret History. At Bennington Tartt was a member of a similar Classics clique around a tutor called Claude Fredericks who, in remarkable similarity to Julian, taught Greek and admitted very few students to his classes. A good friend of Tartts at Bennington was Paul McGloin who bears resemblance to Henry intellectually, sartorially and physically. In another similarity to Richard, Tartt used her own past as a disposable resource, creating a new existence for herself at college. Tartt makes this trait of Richards very clear to the reader: My years [in Plano] created for me an expendable past, disposable as a plastic cup. Which I suppose was a very great gift, in a way. (Chapter 1) Beyond these bare facts the similarities with Richard end and any further details emerge from analysis of the other leading characters and events. Tartt was the only female in the clique, drawing similarities with Camilla, and the eccentric and incongruous figure she cut at Mississippi is reminiscent of Richards impression of Henry. In her childhood Tartt spent much of her time bed-bound through illness, a time in which she claims to have increased her literary awareness through reading, again in much the same manner as Henry does. Events that replicate themselves in the narrative are evident in her past too, the drugged experience at the funeral may be in reference to her own long, drugged afternoons in bed whilst her family background of abnormal relationship structures as a result of absent parents is evident in the past of Charles and Camilla. Her sense of being left behind by her aloof mother is replicated by Henry and Francis. The use of a first person narrative does not lend credibility to the autobiographical nature of the novel because if this was the case then her life would be embodied by the experiences of Richard. Whilst there may be passing similarities it would be difficult to say that Richard is representative of her path through college, and as already discussed her experiences also manifest themselves in the other characters. The autobiographical elements are also evident in the setting of the novel. It would have been as easy for Tartt to explore these issues using a third person narrative and it can be argued that this would have enabled her to explore aspects of her past, such as being the only female in the clique as Camilla is, with greater ease. What Tartt gains in emotional detail with relation to Richards character could be autobiographical but due to her secretive nature and reluctance to reveal details about her own past then this cannot be proven. Indeed, her own Secret History is what makes the book so interesting because of the tantalizing glimpses into her past which the reader flatters themselves into believing that they are seeing. Autobiographies are in their very essence first person narratives and Tartts use of this technique does lend that implication to the plot but her previously stated reticence to divulge information on how her life related to The Secret History makes further discussion on the point little more than fatuitous speculation. In conclusion The Secret History is a modern literary classic at least in part as a result of the depth and intensity that comes as a result of the first person narrative. Tartt employs this technique to such an effect as to draw the reader into the text to such an extent that they themselves feel implicated in the crimes that occur. It is true that this intra-diegetic narrative limits the scope for characterization and leads to a lack of variety in the novel, something which drew criticism from some parties, but the losses incurred as a result of this do not outweigh the aforementioned gains. It is difficult to say that the use of a first person narrative lends much credibility to the autobiographical argument because of the manner in which such details are distributed amongst the main characters as opposed to being embodied in Richard. Whilst certain aspects of her life that bear similarity to Richards could have given her a deeper insight into his emotional state, not only are the instances too diverse to represent such a trend, but the lack of information divulged by Tartt makes further investigation almost impossible.

Substance Abuse, Homelessness, Hunger and How They Relate Research Paper

Substance Abuse, Homelessness, Hunger and How They Relate - Research Paper Example Homelessness is the aspect of an individual lacking housing facilities as a basic need and they end up living in the streets. These people lack a fixed or even regular place they can stay at night and end up living in tents or structures made up of unsustainable materials to shelter themselves at night which is only temporary (Shumsky 12). Hunger can be defined as staying for long periods of time usually a minimum of 24 hours without eating any food for the lack of it. Hunger causes health problems as a result of lack of energy to enable them function to full physical and even mental capacity. According to statistics, homelessness in the United States is attributed to the following main causes: poverty, unemployment, lack of affordable housing and the greatest of them all is substance abuse (Didenko & Pankratz 9). Substance abuse incapacitates an individual to the extent that they are unable to function to their full physical and mental capacity. They lose their jobs and cannot sustain their families. With the lack of income and money to pay rent or even purchase food, they end up homeless and hungry and have to reside on the streets or even emergency shelters and temporarily made up tents. The deplorable conditions under which the homeless people live in provides a reason for them turning into substance abuse as a way to drown and forget their current poor state of affairs or the hunger they are constantly facing. A food pantry is a food bank or a large storage of food products mostly the canned food that cannot easily expire and it is mostly for emergency purposes only or when a given part of the community requires the food. Since the homeless are incapacitated to provide decent food for themselves and most of the time they go hungry, there is a need for the community to have a food bank to be supplying food to these homeless people occasionally (Gitterman 25). Taking care of the homeless people as a community through feeding them is one huge step in changing their lives.

The Dispute between Shylock and Antonio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Dispute between Shylock and Antonio - Essay Example It is ineffective when one or both parties are bargaining from an extreme position, in that one party either has a high demand and cedes ground slowly, or that one party has a low demand and cedes ground quickly (Carnevale & Pruitt, 1992). Mediation is negotiation between two parties, with a neutral third party guiding the process (Goltsman, et al). Mediation may be successful in traditionally high conflict situations like divorces. That said, it is not successful in divorce cases where one party is unreasonable, one party dominates the other, or one party is unable to approach the issues in a fair way (Gold, 1992). Litigation is the solution when the other strategies fail, and the parties appear before a judge and allow the judge to decide the case (Fox & Nelson, 1999). In this case, Shylock is not rational, is operating from emotion, and cannot approach the issues in a fair way. Because of the nature of the parties, and the conflict of the situation, litigation would be the most ap propriate method of settling this dispute. Discussion Negotiation and mediation are both non-coercive actions that help parties come to an agreement (Bercovitch & Jackson). The first type of legal maneuver that will be examined will be negotiation. Carnevale & Pruitt (1992) state that negotiation is basically a discussion between the parties in an attempt to get to a goal. Goltsman et al. state that negotiation may end with one party winning; a compromise; no agreement; or a win-win, where both parties end up with an agreement that leaves them in a better position than if there were a straight compromise. The strategies of negotiation are that one party may concede some ground; one party may contend, in that they try to make the other person concede by stating that they will not concede; or problem-solving, in which both parties work together to find a solution that may be beneficial for both (Chapman, 1996). Carnevale & Pruitt (1992) state that all three strategies are needed to co me to an agreement, even if each of the strategies seem to be mutually incompatible. Mediation is another tactic that may be used. Mediation is basically negotiation between the parties, but with a neutral third party guiding the proceedings (Carnevale & Pruitt, 1992). Goltsman et al. state that mediation has an advantage over negotiation only in the situations where conflict is high. If conflict is low, then non-mediated negotiation may produce favorable outcomes with just two sessions (Goltsman et al.). Mediation may be effective, if the mediator is able to make each side see the other’s point of view. A mediator may also make use of a caucus, where the mediator meets privately with either side. Carnevale & Pruitt (1992) states that this is most effective when the parties show a high level of hostility towards one another and a joint agreement seems unlikely. That said, a mediator may be misled by one of the parties, who might make a derogatory statement about the other par ty, and the other party is not around to rebut the statement. Mediators may be helpful in the negotiation process, as they may help one party realize how to save face; may help them resolve internal disagreements; or may help them talk to their constituents. They may also help the parties reach agreement by adding in incentives for agreement, or issuing threats for non-agreements. They may als

Incarceration Essay Example for Free

Incarceration Essay There has been a lot of discussion regarding the prison population in the United States but little efforts have been engaged in regard to the transformations observed in the composition of the jail population. The law enforcement agents are under obligation by the federal, state, and local authorities to arrest and confine individuals who are criminal suspects. It is the duty of our judicial system to imprison individuals who are crime convicts. The confinement that is imposed on individuals whether prior to or after conviction is what is referred to as incarceration. Any person irrespective of race, color, sex, and age is subject to incarceration at least in theory according to the constitution. Studies have however continued to show increasing imbalance in our penal institutions as more African Americans and Hispanics continue to account to a slightly larger percentage in comparison to the whites. This paper shall present an analysis of the structural inequality as observed in the judicial system within the United States. Structural Inequality: Structural inequality is something that is affecting virtually all societies around the world. This phenomenon however does not stem from the variations amongst individuals as generally thought, but it can be attributed to the meanings and values that individuals hold in regard to these variations. These values and meanings become systemized and thus the foundation of inequality in our society. The society becomes stratified based on differences between the individuals. This leads to a hierarchical society where prejudicial values and attitudes are developed which affects the views held by the different categories of individuals (Bartels-Ellis, 2010). The US is among the world’s most leading jailers with a rating of 750 imprisonments in every 100,000 individuals (Williams, 2009). The prison population is however disproportional with African Americans and the Hispanics and other minority groups accounting for a larger percentage compared to the majority whites. It is estimated that over 60% of the prison population is from the minority groups. The imbalance in the incarcerated population has been attributed to the war against drugs that has gained momentum in the recent past. This has had a toll on the minority groups though studies have continued to indicate that drug use is also a significant phenomenon amongst the whites. The judicial system has therefore been accused of racist discrimination when it comes to matters of fair and effective judgment (Williams, 2009). Racial Bias in the Judicial System: Racial inequalities have been observed when it comes to judicial matters in the United States. There are great variations in the incarceration of different racial groups that make up the population of the US (Martel, 2008). Studies have continued to reveal the unending trend of disparities in the criminal justice system as revealed by the United States Census Bureau in 2000. According to the Bureau, there is un-proportional representation in the incarceration within the US penal institutions which happens to favor the whites. As of the year 2000, out of close to 2 million adult prisoners, 63% were from the minority groups including the African Americans and Latinos. Such disparities are in contravention of the general population as it has been established that the minority groups account for only 25% of the general population (Human Rights Watch, 2002). Statistics: According to Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), in every twenty blacks aged over 18, one is likely to be in prison whereas for the whites, the imprisonment rate is put at one in every 180 individuals. The African Americans and the Hispanics comprise of about 2/3 of the prison population. As of the year 2001, African American males and Hispanic males had a higher chance of being imprisoned compared to the whites. The blacks had a 32. 2% chance; Hispanics 17. 2% chance; whereas the whites had a 6% chance. In the year 2003, African American prisoners accounted for a larger portion of those serving a term of more than one year at 44% of the prison population followed by the whites at 35% whereas the Hispanics accounted for the remaining 19% (Families Against Mandatory Minimums Foundation, 2010).

Terrorism †Wake Up America! :: September 11 Terrorism Essays

Terrorism – Wake Up America! America, wake up! That's what we think we heard on the 11th of September 2001 and maybe it was, but I think it should have been "Get Out of Bed!" In fact, I think the alarm clock has been buzzing since 1979 and we have continued to hit the snooze button and roll over for a few more minutes of peaceful sleep since then. It was a cool fall day in November 1979 in a country going through a religious and political upheaval when a group of Iranian students attacked and seized the American Embassy in Tehran. This seizure was an outright attack on American soil; it was an attack that held the world's most powerful country hostage and paralyzed a Presidency. The attack on this sovereign US embassy set the stage for the events to follow for the next 23 years. America was still reeling from the aftermath of the Viet Nam experience and had a serious threat from the Soviet Union when then President Carter had to do something. He chose to conduct a clandestine raid in the desert. The ill-fated mission ended in ruin, but stood as a symbol of America's inability to deal with terrorism. America's military had been decimated and downsized / right sized since the end of the Viet Nam war. A poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly organized military was called on to execute a complex mission doomed from the start. Shortly after the Tehran experience, Americans began to be kidnapped and killed throughout the Middle East. America could do little to protect her citizens living and working abroad. The attacks against US soil continued. In April of 1983 a large vehicle packed with high explosives was driven into the US Embassy compound in Beirut. When it explodes, it kills 63 people. The alarm went off again and America hit the Snooze Button once more. Then just six short months later a large truck heavily laden down with over 2500 pounds of TNT smashed through the main gate of the US Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut. 241 US servicemen are killed. America mourns her dead and hit the Snooze Button once more. Two months later in December 1983, another truck loaded with explosives is driven into the US Embassy in Kuwait, and America continues her slumber. The following year, in September 1984, another van was driven into the gates of the US Embassy in Beirut and America slept.

A Strategy To Align Organization And Environment Essay

This paper analyzes the term ‘strategic fit’ exactly means, types of strategic fit, necessities to focus on strategic fit, and most importantly how well an organization can align its resources & capabilities with the opportunities that exist in the external environment so as to achieve peak performance in the business. Strategy of Nestle as an example to discuss how far it is true that effective strategic fit ensures organization’s resources & capabilities and what the environment exactly needs from it. Key Words Strategic, Fit, Strategy, Resource, Capabilities, Opportunities, Environment, Business Introduction It should be recognized that any strategy or management style is appropriate only in a particular set of circumstances. Strategic fit enables an organization to operate in its particular competitive situation at peak effectiveness. It expresses the degree to which an organization is matching its resources and capabilities with the opportunities in the external environment. The matching takes place through strategy and it is therefore vital that the company have the actual resources and capabilities to execute and support the strategy. Meaning of Strategic Fit The contingency theorist’s argument that performance outcomes are maximized when a firm achieves an alignment or â€Å"fit† between a firm’s external environment, its internal factors and its strategy has been well established in the literature (Burns & Stalker 1967; Lawrence & Lorsch 1967; Keats & Hitt, 1988). Nadler and Tushman (1979) theorized that the greater the total degree of congruence or fit between the various components, the more effective will be the organization, leading to higher levels of goal attainment, utilization of resources, and adaptation. Need for Strategic Fit Strategic fit is a quest to align the organization’s operation with the needs of the market. It also involves identification of the opportunities and the action to capitalize on the opportunities. Strategic fit can be used actively to evaluate the current strategic situation of a company as well as opportunities such as M&A and divestitures of organizational divisions. Strategic fit is related to the Resource-based view of the firm which suggests that the key to profitability is not only through positioning and industry selection but rather through an internal focus which seeks to utilize the unique characteristics of the company’s portfolio of resources and capabilities. Resources s Capabilities A unique combination of resources and capabilities can eventually be developed into a competitive advantage which the company can profit from. However, it is important to differentiate between resources and capabilities. Resources relate to the inputs to production owned by the company, whereas capabilities describe the accumulation of learning the company possesses. Types of Resources Resources can be classified as tangible resources and intangible resources. Tangible Resources The term tangible means capable of being touched, real or actual, rather than imaginary or visionary, definite; not vague or elusive, having actual physical existence, as real estate or chattels, and therefore capable of being assigned a value in monetary terms. Financial (Cash, securities) †¢ Physical (Location, plant, machinery) are some of the tangible resources Intangible Resources Resources that are not physical in nature are said to be Intangible resources. Corporate intellectual property (items such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, business methodologies), goodwill and brand recognition are all common intangible resources in business point of view. An intangible resource can be classified as either indefinite o r definite depending on the specifics of that resource. A company brand name is considered to be an indefinite resource, as it stays with the company as long as the company continues operations. However, if a company enters a legal agreement to operate under another company’s patent, with no plans of extending the agreement, it would have a limited life and would be classified as a definite resource. †¢ Technology (Patents, copyrights) †¢ Human resources †¢ Reputation (Brands) †¢ Culture, are some of the intangible resources. Capabilities Capabilities are what a firm does, and represents the firm’s capacity to deploy resources that have been purposely integrated to achieve the desired end state. Capabilities become important when they are combined in unique combinations which create core competencies which have strategic value and can lead to competitive advantage. Capabilities needed for strategic fit are 1. Coordination 2. Commitment 3. Competence (technology, management and leadership) 4. Communication 5. Creativity 6. Capacity management (allocation of resources) Benefits of Strategic Fit The extent to which the activities of a single organization or of organizations working in partnership complement each other in such a way as to contribute to competitive advantage. The benefits of good strategic fit include cost reduction, due to economies of scale, and the transfer of knowledge and skills (technological expertise, managerial know how), use of common brand name. The success of a merger, joint venture, or strategic alliance may be affected by the degree of strategic fit between the organizations involved. Similarly, the strategic fit of one organization with another is often a factor in decisions about acquisitions, mergers, diversification, or divestment. Types of Strategic Fit 1. Market related fit 2. Operating fit 3. Management fit Market Related Fit Market related fit arises when value chains of different businesses overlap so that the products can be used by same customers, marketed and promoted in similar ways, distributed through common dealers and retailers.