The differences in ethical and Christian views concerning homosexuality Essay Example for Free

The differences in ethical and Christian views concerning homosexuality Essay Homosexuality is a subject, which is forever being raised in todays media and society. It is constantly brought to the attention of many to be somewhat reassessed in terms of ethical and religious view points, whether through the newspapers or the television. While religious view points used to manipulate society in all matters, it now seems to be the media which influences and guides social attitudes towards homosexuality. For many years, it has been seen as intrinsically wrong to everybody, religious and secular. However, it is fast becoming more and more accepted by a larger number of people. Just the mention of homosexuality in a Roman Catholic Church is bound to be frowned upon or combated with a quick fire of biblical references to show you that homosexuality is wrong in the eyes of God. Catholicism has often been blamed for the development of homophobia, particularly in the West. While this may seem a little unfair, it is most certainly true that homophobia is ubiquitous within this Christian denomination. Many Catholics often refer to what few references there are in the Bible to the subject of homosexuality. For example, the story of the town called Sodom (Gen. 19-21) is one of the most famous indications that people often refer to. Here, a man named Lot is greeted by two of Gods divine messengers, who wish to warn Lot that God is displeased with the terrible behavior. He then receives men at his door saying that they wish to commit sexual acts with these divine messengers and in response to this, God burns the town to the ground. Christians believe that this was because of the men wishing to commit homosexual acts. They feel that there is no necessary analysis of this story as the message is quite clear. Jack T. Chick is a publisher of fundamentalist Christian leaflets and comic books. In one of his childrens comic books, entitled Birds and Bees, he wrote, The worst city was Sodom. These Sodomites worshipped Satan, were possessed with devils and they hated God. Their stink reached heaven and God was fed up with them. He planned to destroy them to keep their filthy lifestyle from spreading. As soon as they got Lot and his family out of Sodom, God firebombed the cities and turned them into ashes. Today, those same kinds of people are back, but now theyre called Gays! This opinion is shared by many Christians today and is often the message, which is portrayed through Christian propaganda such as this. From looking at this sort of publication, it is easy to see why Catholics are so frequently blamed for the development of homophobia. However, many Catholics today argue that this was simply a misinterpretation of the biblical reference itself. John Macquarrie and James Childress wrote in the New Dictionary of Christian Ethics To the extent that the Sodom story focuses on homosexual acts, the judgment is on the homosexual rape of divine messengers, and its larger judgment appears to be against social injustice and inhospitality to strangers (see Ezek. 16:49-50). They clearly state that the passage in the bible is not about the homosexual acts themselves, but the wish to do it without consent, implying that homosexual acts are perfectly okay as long as they are with two compliant adults. Not only this, but God was displeased with how the men acted towards guests when they should have been hospitable in a more Christian and loving way. There are many other examples of homosexual references in the bible, such as the Levitical Holiness Code (Lev. 18:22; 20:13), which prescribes the death penalty for homosexual acts. The NT (New Testament) calls homosexual acts idolatry (Rom. 1:26-27) and suggests that certain homosexual activity will deny you entry into Gods Kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9-10, 1 Tim. 1:9-10) But yet again, Macquarrie and Childress argue the same thing. They wrote, The references in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy quite clearly take the sordid and dehumanizing dimensions of Greco-Roman pederasty as their image of homosexual relations. Macquarrie and Childress argue that the reference in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy are in reference to relations between men and boys and not in fact between two grown men. This changes the meaning entirely of the supposed reference to homosexuality, as we know very well that relations between men and boys is still found highly unacceptable and illegal even in todays society, not just in the religious circles. This is a highly different interpretation to what most Catholics would agree with, however, as times change many Catholics are actually considering these alternative interpretations to meet with the ever changing ethical views of society. There were many others to follow Macquarrie and Childress in re-interpreting the Bible and its rules on homosexuality. Many criticized Catholics for ignoring other rules that suited them but sticking to the rules about homosexuality because they didnt like the idea. In his book, Ethical Studies, David Bowie wrote The bible condemns hypocrisy and greed, but no one died at the stake in medieval times for these offences, while homosexuals perished. This view was shared by the likes of John Boswell (1982) and Gareth Moore (1992). Moore wrote, in his book The Body in Context: Sex and Catholicism (1992), that Christians dont follow the rule in Leviticus 19:19 that states that wearing garments that are made of two types of material is forbidden. He goes further to say that we ignore the laws, which are convenient to us while pursuing those that attack minorities that we dont like (pp. 184-186). He too agrees with the interpretation of the Sodom story, which states that God was troubled by the failure to meet the responsibility of hospitality, as oppose to disapproving homosexuality (p. 191). St. Paul wrote that homosexuality often comes from godless people who lead a precarious lifestyle. In 1 Corinthians he lists all kinds of unrighteous people including male prostitutes and sodomites. He says that people engaging in same sex actions are dishonoring their bodies. He also writes about men committing shameless acts with men. Moore also criticizes this idea from St. Paul. Moore argues that, whilst this may have been true in St. Pauls lifetime, it certainly isnt true now; with the fact there are many holy, Christian homosexuals around today who just want to be accepted. This doesnt fit into St. Pauls argument of godless homosexuals. While biblical references are very powerful to Catholics as Gods spoken word, there are also many modern day references that are used by Catholics such as the Declaration on Sexual Ethics (1975) which states In Sacred Scripture homosexual acts are condemned as a serious depravity and even presented as a sad consequence of rejecting God. This judgment of scripture does not, of course, permit us to conclude that all those who suffer from this anomaly are personally responsible for it, but it does attest to the fact that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and cannot be approved of. This seems to express the general view of conservative Catholics and provides another reason for practicing Catholics to be against homosexuality even if it is not entirely what they think. If it is written in something as serious as the Declaration on Sexual Ethics, people feel that they must follow it no matter what simply because they dont want to go against their religion. Disagreeing with this documentation would be opposing what the modern day Catholicism is requiring them to do and therefore many Catholics see it as intrinsically wrong to be homosexual, no matter what the reasons or circumstances. As well as actual textual references that say homosexuality is wrong, there are many other arguments that are always put forward by Catholics. Perhaps the most famous was that developed by Thomas Aquinas, called The Natural Law. This is the idea that sex is only for pro-creation, that is having children. He argues that this is why God gave us the sexual organs and using them for anything other than reproduction would be to misuse our bodies. Of course, this includes any form of homosexual activity and many Christians stick to this rule explicitly. This means, however, that some Christians find it perfectly acceptable to be homosexual but remain celibate throughout their entire lifetime. There are several Christian denominations that do find forms of homosexuality acceptable. Quakers say that homosexuality is no more deplorable than left-handedness and that it is the nature and quality of the relationship that matters. This means that as long as the relationship is a loving and caring relationship then it is perfectly acceptable no matter who is involved. This view is shared by the Methodist denomination of Christianity, which states that For homosexual men and women, permanent relationships characterized by love can be an appropriate and Christian way of expressing their sexuality. Many Christians believe that the most important teaching of Jesus was that you must love each other and treat each other how you would like to be treated. In this case, we must treat homosexuals with respect and not judge them for their way of living. We must show compassion for every human being, no matter what his or her race, creed or sexuality. While these religious views are still seen as highly acceptable, it is fast becoming the ethical views that are dominating the societys opinion of homosexuality. Due to the investigation into the cause of homosexuality, many people now believe that being a homosexual is something that you do not choose to be, something that you cannot change about yourself. The causes of homosexuality can often be split up into different categories; biological, psychoanalytical and social learning theories. And of course many doctors and psychologists seem to go for a combination of all three. However, despite the general consensus that we do not know the cause of homosexuality, there have been certain aspects of it that people agree on. For example, we know that it seems to become fixed in early childhood, usually by the age of seven. This is said to be not of the individuals own choice. Another agreement is that while efforts to change ones sexual practices may be successful, it will not change the sexual orientation of the individual and things such as feelings and desires. And finally, people agree upon the fact that most people are neither exclusively heterosexual nor homosexual but that they have leading predispositions towards either orientation. With these ethical considerations in mind, many people take these into deliberation when making judgments or decisions about homosexuality. People often question whether homosexuality actually is a moral issue. Not all Christians would find these biblical references useful or even relevant to the modern day debate as to whether homosexuality is right or wrong. We also have to consider the views of those who dont follow the Christian tradition at all. At which point does homosexuality become a moral problem for people in society? Surely sexual acts that occur between two consenting adults, homosexual or heterosexual, are perfectly okay in the privacy of their own homes. True, people shouldnt be exposed to things that they may find offensive in their opinion but it doesnt mean that they can stop other people from doing so. Of course there has been the issue of homosexuality in the law. What is legal is not necessarily the same as what is moral. Up until 1967, it was illegal to perform sexual acts at any time in any place. However, the 1967 Sexual Offences Act legalized homosexuality but many people still think it should be against the law. J.S. Mill claimed The only purpose for which power can be rightfully be exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will is to prevent harm to others. This opinion was shared by John Rawls who stated every person has a right to the maximum amount of liberty compatible with allowing liberty for all.(Ethics: Homosexuality by Reg Luhman p.20) This means that every individual, homosexual or heterosexual has the right to do whatever he or she want as long as it doesnt harm other people. He questions why people think they have the right to deny some human beings of their right to be homosexual and happy at the same time. However, Lord Devlin challenged this. He stated in his lecture on the reinforcement of morals, that homosexuality could damage our societys status and that allowing homosexuality to exist legally could jeopardize this. He believes that a society must do what it takes to preserve its own existence even if this means illegalizing homosexual acts in private between consenting adults. H.L.A. Hart criticized Devlin for this, drawing divisions between what is immoral and what is an upset to public civility. It brings attention to the fact that sexual acts between husband and wife would be seen as perfectly okay as long as it was in private but if it public then it would be considered immoral. However, sexual acts between two homosexuals would be considered immoral whether it was private or in public. He says The idea that we may punish offenders against a moral code, not to prevent harm or suffering or even repetition of the offence but simply as a means of venting or emphatically expressing moral condemnation, is uncomfortably close to human sacrifice as an expression of religious worship. The fact that humans can punish other humans for doing nothing but expressing their sexuality seems morally wrong in itself. To punish someone for something which they cannot help and did not choose is a far greater and unchristian way of dealing with the issue than allowing them to be homosexual in the privacy of their own homes etc. Joseph Fletcher argued that any of the 10 commandments or moral values could be broken if the circumstances required people to do so. He proposed the idea of situation ethics, which suggested that acts should be committed depending on what would be the most loving thing to do. The obvious problem with this is that we cannot know the outcome of any action and so we cannot determine what the most loving thing to do would be. But in the situation where two people love each other very much and feel that they must find a way to express their love, Fletcher would argue that they should be allowed to express it simply because they are acting out of love for each other and not causing any harm to anybody. With these considerations in mind, people still find homosexuality immorally wrong, whether theyre religious or not. Many people call it unnatural and against what man was made to do, so to speak. Natural would be to preserve the human race and of course, homosexual relationship do not do this. Charles Darwin proposed the idea of Naturalistic Humes Law which said that just because things are natural does not mean they are good and just because things are artificial or unnatural does not mean they are evil or bad. If we put this into modern day perspective we can see that, while homosexuality may be considered unnatural (which it may or may not be depending on ones opinion), it does not mean it is necessarily wrong. This seems to suggest that the question of whether homosexuality is natural or unnatural is irrelevant because that factor doesnt contribute to whether it is right or wrong, moral or immoral. In conclusion, it seems that there will probably always be an issue with homosexuality and religious groups until religious leaders are willing to see alternative interpretations of their sacred texts. However, it does seem that many people are beginning to accept homosexuality into society without the consideration of religion. The media has heavily influenced the acceptance of homosexuality as well as the legalizing of it in 1967. In a few years times, homophobia should be almost non-existent, excluding the religious groups who arent willing to change their views with the modern day times. We could argue forever which view is more right in terms or morals and religious aspects but in the end it depends entirely upon personal opinion and we cannot force people to be okay with something as controversial as this. Homophobia should be something, which will diminish given time. Bibliography Ethical Studies David Bowie (2001) Groundwork of Christian Ethics Richard G. Jones (1984) A New Dictionary of Christian Ethics Edited by John Macquarrie and James Childress (1986) Religious Studies Sarah K. Tyler and Gordon Reid (2002) On Liberty J.S. Mill (1859) The Body In Context: Sex and Catholicism- Gareth Moore (1992) Rediscovering Gay History: Archetypes of Gay Love in Christian History John Boswell (1982) Ethics: Homosexuality Reg Luhman (1999)

Education vs Social Class Essay -- Higher Level Skills, Capitalistic E

Social class vs. Education America is considered the land of possibility to many, the land of the free. There is a plethora of businesses that function only through the collaboration of members that reside in every level of social class. As Anyon puts it, â€Å"†¦ social class describes relationships which we as adults have developed, may attempt to maintain, and in which we participate in every working day†(anyon 398). One’s social class contains and is built by many different interactions. Your social class begins to be constructed at birth and is developed through interactions in the community, work place, and before all else places of education. Indeed the skills and level of thinking learned through education is a deciding factor in how strongly you can participate in the economy there for determining a major factor in social class (Anyon 398 p. 10). This topic is discussed in articles written by (Kozol, Matzios, and Jean Anyon) who pose similar arguments to reinforce this observation b ut also have contrasting ideas on the subject. In all functioning capitalistic economies in the world there are distinct separations between the types of work done, or rather the skills used, to complete the job at hand. The lower level jobs like factory work generally function through having employees follow strict guidelines with attention to detail. While this is still a skill to be learned it requires little development of outside knowledge or the ability to analyze critically. Higher paying jobs come with the responsibility to be able to act for oneself and in the interest of what is beneficial by dealing with each situation in a calculated and often creative manner. These different skill sets are acquired through different methods of learnin... ...ion and for that reason it leaves few opportunities open to learners other than professions that The labels of cause and effect can be applied to both sides of the education vs. social class relationship; each effect on the other is seen in full circle. To conclude, what can be learned from each level school is most likely what caused the child to be in that level education in the first place. The environments of each teaching environment are re-created in the working environment seen at the corresponding level of job. Better education leads to more opportunities in the work force and allows for more money to be reinvested into that symbolic capitol for the next generation. Sadly until the flaws of the lower class education system are fixed it will continue to reiterate the fact that â€Å"The rich only get richer while the poor only get poorer† (Mantsios I think)

Effective Board of Directors

1. Topic: Effective Board of Directors 2. Six Steps to Building an Effective Board By:Bruce R. Evans 3. Summary: The author Bruce R. Evans is a managing partner in Summit Partners’ Boston office. He has also been a member of more than 25 boards, which include 10 public company boards. He claims that when a Board is working effectively it is a big part of the company’s success. However, an ineffective board can be distracting and cause liabilities for the company. Through his experiences he has created six steps to building an effective Board of Directors. The first step is â€Å"find the expertise you are missing†.CEOs of companies that are similar but not in competition with your company can give you information on the industries trend. The second step is â€Å"look for board experience†. This means that getting people that are experienced are key because they know what they are doing and understand critical issues of audit, finance, and strategy. Next is â€Å"do not overlook non-CEO candidates†. Other types of executives can be extremely valuable because most of the time they want board experience and therefore will be willing to serve on smaller company’s boards unlike CEOs. Another step is â€Å"keep your board size manageable†.The smaller and more focused boards are preferred than large ones. The more directors you have the more time you will invest in order to manage them. There should always be an odd number of directors to avoid ties in voting. The next step is â€Å"choose people who can participate fully†. The people on the board should be able to put in time for the company, and not just show up for the meeting. Members that live close to the company are preferable because when problems arise you can meet them face-to-face. The final step is â€Å"divide your board into focused committees†.The Board of Directors work on many issues, such as, compensation, audit, transactions, financing, business strategy, lawsuits, and other problems. To increase the effectiveness of the Board Evans suggest you form focused committees on these critical areas. A diverse and experienced board can be key in the success of a business. It will offer a different perspective on industry trends that can help you avoid liabilities and take advantages of opportunities. 4. I believe that this article very accurately explains the keys of creating a Board of Directors.All of Evans’ steps are very simplistic but are very important. Before I read the article I did not know what exactly a Board of Directors did, but now I know that they work on many key issues in the company. For that reason they need a diverse group of members so they get a different perspective on the issues. Also, it is important that they have focus groups for each issue that way they can go into each issue in depth and in detail. I am sure that the most successful companies have well diverse group of Board of Directors .

The Baroque Style in English Prose and Poetry

In literary studies and rhetoric, a style of writing that is extravagant, heavily ornamented, and/or bizarre. A term more commonly used to characterize the visual arts and music, baroque (sometimes capitalized) can also refer to a highly ornate style of prose or poetry. Etymology From the  Portuguese  barroco  imperfect pearl Examples and Observations: Today the word [baroque] is applied to any creation that is exceedingly ornate, intricate, or elaborate. Saying a politician delivered a baroque speech wouldnt necessarily be a compliment.  (Elizabeth Webber and Mike Feinsilber, Merriam-Websters Dictionary of Allusions. Merriam-Webster, 1999) Characteristics of Baroque Literary Style Baroque literary style is generally marked by rhetorical sophistication, excess, and play. Self-consciously remaking and thus critiquing the rhetoric and poetics of the Petrarchan, pastoral, Senecan, and epic traditions, baroque writers challenge conventional notions of decorum by using and abusing such tropes and figures as metaphor, hyperbole, paradox, anaphora, hyperbaton, hypotaxis and parataxis, paronomasia, and oxymoron. Producing copia and variety (varietas) is valued, as is the cultivation of concordia discors and antithesis--strategies often culminating in allegory or the conceit.(The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, 4th ed., ed. by Roland Green et al. Princeton University Press, 2012) Cautionary Notes to Writers Very skilled writers will sometimes use baroque prose to good effect, but even among successful literary authors, the vast majority avoid flowery writing. Writing is not like figure skating, where flashier tricks are required to move up in competition. Ornate prose is an idiosyncrasy of certain writers rather than a pinnacle all writers are working toward. (Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman, How Not to Write a Novel. HarperCollins, 2008)[B]aroque prose demands tremendous rigor from the writer. If you stuff a sentence, you must know how to do so with complementary ingredients--ideas that do not compete but play off one another. Above all, as you edit, concentrate on determining when enough is enough. (Susan Bell, The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself. W.W. Norton, 2007) Baroque Journalism When Walter Brookins flew a Wright plane from Chicago to Spingfield in 1910, a writer for the Chicago Record Herald reported that the plane drew out great crowds at every town along the way ... In baroque prose that captured the excitement of an era, he wrote: The sky-gazers looked on in astonishment as the great artificial bird bore down the heavens. . .  Wonderment, surprise, absorption were written on every visage . . . a machine of travel that combined the speed of the locomotive with the comfort of the automobile, and in addition, sped through an element until now navigated only by the feathered kind. It was, in truth, the poetry of motion, and its appeal to the imagination was evident in every upturned face. (Roger E. Bilstein, Flight in America: From the Wrights to the Astronauts, 3rd ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001) The Baroque Period Students of literature may encounter the term [baroque] (in its older English sense) applied unfavorably to a writers literary style; or they may read of the baroque period or Age of Baroque (late 16th, 17th, and early 18th centuries); or they may find it applied descriptively and respectfully to certain stylistic features of the baroque period. Thus, the broken rhythms of [John] Donnes verse and the verbal subtleties of the English metaphysical poets have been called baroque elements. . . . Baroque Age is often used to designate the period between 1580 and 1680 in the literature of Western Europe, between the decline of the Renaissance and the rise of the Enlightenment.​  (William Harmon and Hugh Holman, A Handbook to Literature, 10th ed. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006) Renà © Wellek on Baroque Clichà ©s One must, at least, admit that stylistic devices can be imitated very successfully and that their possible original expressive function can disappear. They can become, as they did frequently in the Baroque, mere empty husks, decorative tricks, craftsmans clichà ©s...If I seem to end on a negative note, unconvinced that we can define Baroque either in terms of stylistic devices or a particular worldview or even a peculiar relationship of style and belief, I would not like to be understood as offering a parallel to Arthur Lovejoys paper on the Discrimination of Romanticisms. I hope that baroque is not quite in the position of romantic and that we do not have to conclude that it has come to mean so many things, that by itself, it means nothing...Whatever the defects of the term baroque, it is a term which prepares for synthesis, draws our minds away from the mere accumulation of observations and facts, and paves the way for a future history of literature as a fine art.(Renà © Wellek, The Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarship, 1946, rev. 1963; rpt. in Baroque New Worlds: Representation, Transculturation, Counterconquest, ed. by Lois Parkinson Zamora and Monika Kaup. Duke University Press, 2010) The Lighter Side of Baroque Mr. Schidtler: Now can anyone give me an example of a Baroque writer?Justin Cammy: Oh, sir.​​Mr. Schidtler: Mm-hm?Justin Cammy: I thought all writers were broke.(Literature. You Cant Do That on Television, 1985)

The Social Construction Of Race - 1242 Words

At the turn of the 20th century, much of American society was dominated by perceived ideologies embedded in the scientific studies. One of the leading fields of study at the time was eugenics. Scientists believed that by analyzing the works of Mendel and his contemporaries, researchers could effectively weed out humanity’s most undesirable traits (Norrgard, 2008). In a noble quest to alleviate genetic flaws the inadvertent perversion of ideas became the foundation for what appears to be the social construction of race. Somewhere along the lines, eugenics became more about isolating certain human characteristics, like skin color, and relegating them to a hierarchy of societal importance (Norrgard, 2008). Race is simply defined as a pattern-based concept that allows for the general public to draw conclusions based on an individual’s geographical location and thereby predetermining their inclusion into a particular social group (Yudell, et al., 2016) The philosophies embed ded in social ideas about race has long been at the heart of contentious discussions throughout the last century. It has led to individualized implicit personality theories by which people tend to link certain attributes together because of an apparent frequency in a particular racial group (Greene Heilbrun, 2015). Even as claims of society’s progressiveness and advancements pour in, the fires burning from racial debates have yet to be extinguished (Yudell, et al., 2016). Not only has the socialShow MoreRelatedRace And Race : The Social Construction Of Race858 Words   |  4 PagesThe race is an indefinite term, which has not been created from science or research, but more so the idea of what it is. Essentially, race is all about perception. One person may separate races based on a certain category of traits while another person uses totally different guidelines to define what races there are. Race has ultimately been created socially, therefor has no biological components until people connect the two terms. This paper examines the connection between society and race whileRead MoreRace As A Social Construction1679 Words   |  7 PagesAlisha Sparks Dr. Stanley POLS 24 November 2015 Race as a Social Construction When we talk about race, what are we really talking about? The issue of race is a complex issue, with socially ambiguous undertones that have plagued our society for decades. Race has been a marker and maker of stereotypes. Race has been used as a justification for injustice. 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Lopez believes that this fickleness stems from a social climate formed by a variety of factors such as human economic interest, current events, and ideology. There are certain racial definitions however, that have remained mostly the same despite efforts to bring attention to the offensiveness and immorality of such discriminatory thinkingRead MoreThe Social Construction Of Race1638 Words   |  7 Pagesstupid immoral, diseased, lazy, incompetent, and dangerous to the white man’s virtue and social order â€Å"(p.181). Blackness have become objectified in public spaces, they are view as a threat on the street of Toronto, surrounding areas and even in the criminal justice system. In fact this negative stere otype of criminalization have put Black males under scrutiny and constant surveillance. 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Transcultural Nursing An Increasingly Important Role Of...

Transcultural nursing plays an increasingly important role in health care today. The constantly growing multicultural population in the world has made it challenging for nurses to provided individualized patient care. Nurses must gain the knowledge, skills, and the ability to identify and understand the unique cultural differences and how it affects patient care. Research has shown that culturally sensitive nursing care encourages patient satisfaction and positive outcomes. Nurses today are using the Culture Care Theory, developed by nursing theorist Madeleine Leininger, worldwide to provide culturally sensitive patient care. Madeleine Leininger is known as the founder of transcultural nursing. She played a significant role in the transformation of cultural sensitive nursing care. Her focus was on studying and changing the meaning of caring. During her career, Leininger experienced that lack of knowledge regarding culture affected her ability to provide appropriate patient care. She saw the negative effects it had on the patient outcome. Leininger decided to become more familiar with the different cultural factors and pursued a doctoral degree in social and cultural anthropology. She found anthropology so fascinating that she lived and studied with the indigenous people of New Guinea for 2 years. Leininger formed the basis of her Culture Care Theory of Diversity and Universality from her studies and first hand experiences she gained during these years. AccordingShow MoreRelatedPurnell Model: a View on Asian Indian Culture Values. Essay1246 Words   |  5 Pagesculture and the culture of others in order to offer competent and culturally sensitive care and understand how their cultural beliefs may affect their health. (Leuning, Swiggum, Wiegert, and McCullough-Zander, 2002). 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Best Leadership and Change Management Practices

Question: Discuss about the Report for Best Leadership and Change Management Practices. Answer: Introduction Effective leadership creates harmony, shapes positive change, and enables an organization to optimize its productivity. Change management requires leadership alignment and clarity so that practitioners meet the predetermined strategic goals. Sustainable business development depends on effective change leaders who efficiently develop strategies for overcoming resistance to change and managing conflicts (Curwen Whalley, 2014). With the current digital business environment, firms need to employ the most innovative business leaders. Under the leadership of Morten Lundal, Maxis CEO, the company has gone beyond borders to get recognized internationally within and across all industries. This essay will provide research on the best leadership and change management practices used at Maxis Mobile company to maximize the company's overall productivity. Brief on the Companys Leader The chief executive officer (CEO) of Maxis company has been Morten Lundal since 2013. The CEO remains to be one of the most innovative leaders and recognizes that business success depends on how efficient and adjustable a leader is when it comes to utilizing all resources of a firm towards a unified direction. Under his leadership, Maxis invests in simple, personalized, and enriched technologies that make every stakeholder feel motivated to become creative and optimize their full potential for the benefit of the firm. Leadership and Change Management Issues in Maxis Political instabilities, technology advancements, changing customers tastes, globalization, and cultural transformations force Maxis telecommunication industry undergo change management. During the financial year ended 2012, Maxis company reported a drop in the net profit worth RM 0.67 billion compared with the previous year (Curwen Whalley, 2014). Changes in leadership and management were necessitated to create more efforts towards establishing a management structure that could meet the changing consumer demands in the market. In 2013, the company appointed two chief operating officers Nasution and Suren and reaped the old management to at least renew revenue growth (Said, Adham, Quoquab, 2013). Dealing with setbacks is the greatest change management issue that the company faces in its attempts to protecting the stakeholder's interest. The primary cause of these delays is poor leadership and change management strategies in which managers fail to communicate the company's targets c learly to the employees as well as failing to build strong coalitions when dealing with human resources by the practitioners. Literature Review on the Best Leadership and Change Management Practices Effective leaders keep management programs on the right track. Implementing a change in an organization acts as both a threat and an advantage to different people. Organizational change best practices ensure that changes in management conform to the business needs which should get aligned with behavioral and regulatory adjustments that accommodate the all business environment changes (Kotter, 2008). For most companies, the business policy recommends a leadership culture that follows an order of command involving all departments. With integration of leadership models, the management easily understands business culture dictates everything towards an overall success. Most company policies require that not only the executive officers but all employees should also emphasize these values in their behaviors and attitude while at work (Schaarschmidt Kilian, 2014). For ensuring a high code of discipline, companies should have well-laid consequences for the breach and mainly the most severe is losing the job. However, for example, Maxis only hires only the eligible personnel to ensure a prospective growth in the market. For avoiding confusion, the company's structure clearly states the responsible people in the different departments such that in the case of poor results of the firm, every departmental leader may be held liable to explain the cause (Booth, 2015). This proper job description enables the board of directors to implement the right changes in the right department so that a sustained productivity gets maintained by the company in the market. Practitioners should recognize that successful change management actions start at the most executive organizational level with a firmly committed team of managers supported by the CEO (Liden, Wayne, Liao, Meuser, 2014). However, of great importance, effective leadership values driving change at the individual level and uses all departments to engage employees at every level in implementing changes (Ebert Brinkkemper, 2014). Different telecom industries adopt different leadership and change management practices due to the conflicting points of view by the CEOs in various companies. Therefore, Maxis involves every layer of the directorate when making critical decisions regarding needs for change either over the executive or subordinate management. The role of effective leadership cannot get overestimated since change begins as a dream at the top most organizational level. Despite the fact that most companies think that executive involvement in change management leads to the success of the process, Maxis involves its leaders meaningfully (Chuang, Jackson, Jiang, 2016). The CEO together with the other executives goes to every department in the organization to find out whether the current management is working efficiently and listen to employees concerns. The company regularly makes changes to address the complaints raised by the workforce regarding a particular leader; this highly motivates the staff to get accountable and drive their efforts towards realized the optimal goals of Maxis. Kurt Lewins Force-Field Analysis Model Change management ensures that enterprises respond effectively to the business environment in which they operate. Despite the fact that resistance to change is evident, the management has to implement changes due to its dissatisfaction with the present performance. Kurt Lewin identified four forces that provide an overview of the modification challenges that need to be addressed by a business, splitting the factors into forces for and against change (Burnes Cooke, 2013). The below is a literature review of the applicability of Kuwin Lewins forces for Maxis Mobile company in designing effective leadership and change management strategies. To begin with, a diagram showing the forces for and forces against change in Maxis Mobile company is as below. Forces for change Forces against change Intensity of competition Status quo Job insecurity concerns Technological advancements region in the Threat over competition Presence of new CEO telecom Unclear reason for change Increased sales Sector Coping with the change Global economies of scale High cost implications The force field analysis assists the leadership of Maxis company to make informed decisions when planning and implementing change management programs in the firm. The directors of the enterprise use the model in analyzing the differences underlying the forces for and against change in the acting executive strength in managing the current situations in the environment (Shirey, 2013). The company faces stiff competition from the other telecom industries, example DiGi and Celcom and this calls for the application of Kurt Lewin's forces for change in leadership by replacing the less creative and innovative executives with the most technologically knowledgeable personnel on coping with the market changes. However, the-the argument for change faces opposition from the responsible officers due to fear of their job security; this then triggers them to take the right initiatives for gaining a competitive edge over the competitors through the application of new technologies to ensure that the broadband and internet services satisfy the customer needs. To add to the above, whenever the driving forces get stronger than the restraining forces, the equilibrium in the telecom sector also changes. Following the reduced profitability of Maxis Company in the financial period of 2012/2013, it was neutral for all the forces that change got required in the organization's executive management positions. The directors recommended recruitment of new CEO so that the company could cope with the social trends and modifications in the telecom market (Pescosolido Saavedra, 2012). The new executive officers were to take an action towards establishing functionality at all levels of the organization towards effective telecommunication and mobile service provision. There was no resistance to change from either party since every stakeholder in the industry understood the need for the proposed change in management. The new executive has been able to make the right steps to recover the lost market share to the global markets to its competitors and therefo re The administration of the Maxis tries to reduce the forces that strive to maintain status quo by tarnishing the existing mindset of the personnel. Maxis recognizes the need to adjust from an old technology to the application of new technologies so that solving market problems is made easier. With the speed of technological transformation, the telecom industry needs to adopt the use of sophisticated techniques in the provision of broadband and internet services to the customers (Shirey, 2013). The executive leadership takes the initiative to communicate to every member of Maxis the needs for change, and this develops positive attitudes, behaviors, and values towards change management. To prevent the company from backsliding to the use of outdated technologies, the IT department of the firm crystallizes the adaptation of the new technologies which intensify market competitiveness and gaining of global economies of scale in the telecommunication world. Theories for Best Leadership and Change Management Practices Leadeship theories explores the common leadership styles that managers should adopt in change management strategies (Miner, 2015). Based on the leadership styles adopted by different companies, some may be successful while other may not be able to succeed. The application of transformational leadership depends on the theories of leadership adopted by a firm namely the trait theory, behavioural, and contigency model. The following is a literature review of the best leadership theories and change management practices that the employers of different firms in different sectors consider suitable for the enterrprises success. Trait Theories This theory suggests that effective leaders share a number of common personality characteristics. Various attributes of employees determine to what extend the management implements change within an organization. In different sectors, the work team considers this theory an excellent strategy for brinnging leadership changes within the organization for this theory helps managers in identifying qualities and traits possessed by different personnel. Trait theories help the leaders in making good decisions that are likable to all the team members (Miner, 2015). For example, innovative, intelligent, courageous, and loyal employees have a great opportunity to get promoted in the place of work since they can be creative and innovate more ideas for effective management. Failure to understand the varrying characters of personnel in an organization makes the leades have difficulties when it comes to grouping the teams and bringing changes in their performance. Behavioural Theories The behavioural theories seek to answer the question, what does a good leader do?, as well as studying the behaviour of leaders while executing their roles in an organization. The individuals response to events occuring in the working environment results to behavior changes within an organizations management. Behavioural theories are cited on the personal, environmental, and behavioural traits of the workforce. Leaders apply behavioural needs to analyse the level of coorperation from the employees (Liden, Wayne, Liao, Meuser, 2014). Organizational practitioners apply democratic leadership approaches that involve consultation of all team members in various sectors so that they may make sound decisions addressing every stakeholders needs. If managers fail to understand the behaviours and attitudes of their workforce, grouping the personnel in the right department will be challenging and therefore resulting to losses. The theory assumes that the success of a leader in implementing mana gerial changes is grounded solely on how people behave while in the working area. Contigency Theories The fact that there is no perfect type of leader resulted to proposition that best leasdership styles depends on the situation facing the leader. Numerous theories merge together to predict which leadership style suits what circumstance (Liden, Wayne, Liao, Meuser, 2014). The integration of all leadership theory while formulating a company policy results to the perfection of decisions made by the practitioners when seeking to introduce change within management processes of an enterprise. Various industries requires leaders to make quick decisions on the best styles and approaches to adopt in the market so as to gain competitive advantage over the rivals. Basically, the objectives of a company dictates on what contigency based model to choose, path goal theory being the most suitable theory to bring transformation in leadeship. Application of one theory in leadership may not suit all the leaders, and this may lead to losing a considerable customer base in the market place. Power and Influence Theories Different leaders use power and influence to get things done, and monitor leadership styles emerging as a result of the followership. To bring leadership changes in an organization, many managers use the transactional leadership approach assuming that workers get motivated to perform better when they are rewarded for no other reason other than excellence. Various companies uses a leadership approach that seeks to build strong relationships and develop a motivating work environment on a daily basis so that they may gain influencial power (Miner, 2015). Establishing a conducive working environment with a companys workplace motivates employees to sacrifice all their efforts towards achieving excellence. However, failure to establish a conducive working environment for the workers in an organization will result to lack of coorperation and hence poor productivity. With stong coorperation between the managers and the workforce, it becomes easy to implement changes in the management program s of an enterprise. Conclusion Change is a planned and managed process whose benefits should get understood before its implementation in an organization's systems. Leadership and change management practices play a significant role in the conceptual scaffolding for implementing a transformation in an enterprise's processes. Change management allows a company access the impact of the change in the day to day operations of a business and ensures provides an accurate way to anticipating the challenges previously faced by an organization. Best leadership and change management are not only advantageous for an organization, but also beneficial for individuals involved in the program. Transition management creates the right perception to change by the staff and therefore, enabling them to remain committed to upgrading the company's image to the public. However, organizations who ignore change faces a lack of collaborative cooperation and communication between the management and the personnel, therefore, results in low pro ductivity. Therefore, it is important for all business organizations irrespective of the sector, to develop the best leadership and change management strategies for sustained development in the business environment. References Booth, S. A. (2015). Crisis management strategy: Competition and change in modern enterprises2015. Chicago: Routledge. Burnes, B., Cooke, B. (2013). Kurt Lewin's Field Theory: A review and Re-evaluation. International journal of management reviews, 408-425. Chuang, C.-H., Jackson, S. E., Jiang, Y. (2016). Can intensive knowledge team works be managed? Examining the roles of HRM systems, leadership, and tactic knowledge. Journal of Management, 524-554. Curwen, P., Whalley, J. (2014). Mobile Telecommunication Networks: Restructuring as a Response to a Challenging Environment. Edward Elgar Publishing. Ebert, C., Brinkkemper, S. (2014). Software product management- An analysis of industry evaluation. Journal of Systems and Software, 10-18. Hornstein, H. A. (2015). The integration of project management and organizational change management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 291-298. Kotter, J. P. (2008). Forces for change: How leadership differs from management. Simon and Schuster. Latiff, R. A., Mahmud, W. A., Salman, A. (2013). A broadcasting history of Malaysia: Progress and shifts. Asian Social Science, 50. Liden, R. C., Wayne, S., Liao, C., Meuser, J. (2014). Servant leadership and servicing culture: Influence individual and unit performance. Academy of Management Journal, 1434-1452. Miner, J. B. (2015). Organizational behavior. Routledge. Osiyevskyy, O., Dewald, J. (2015). Inducements, impediments, and immediacy: Exploring the cognitive drivers of small business managers' intentions to adopt business model change. Journal of Business Management, 1011-1032. Pescosolido, A. T., Saavedra, R. (2012). A review cohesion and sports teams. Small Group Research, 744-758. Ray, M. D., Breland, B. D. (2011). Methods of fostering change in the practice model at the pharmacy department level. American journal of health-system pharmacy, 1138-1145. Said, M. F., Adham, K. A., Quoquab, F. (2013). The strategic posturing of Malaysian mobile phone service providers. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences Humanities, 1-34. Schaarschmidt, M., Kilian, T. (2014). Impediments to customer integration into innovation process: A case study in the telecommunication industry. European Management Journal, 350-361. Shirey, M. R. (2013). Lewin's theory of planned change as a strategic resource. Journal of Nursing Administration, 69-72.