Southwest Airline Essay Example for Free

Southwest Airline Essay Southwest Airlines was introduced in Texas on June 18, 1971 with three Boeing 737 airplanes and only serving three cities of Texas which included Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. The company came a long way since 1971; today Southwest Airlines has 537 Boeing 737 airplanes and serving 68 cities around the US. Southwest Airlines has become a major airline in 1989 when it hit the billion-dollar revenue mark. Southwest Airlines is the United States’ most successful airline due to the low fares, high frequency, and point-to-point carrier. According to the Southwest Airlines Fact Sheet 2010 â€Å"Southwest operates more than 3,200 flights a day coast-to-coast, making it the largest U. S. carrier based on domestic passengers’ carrier as of September 30, 2009†. As June 2011, Southwest Airlines has become the top airline to carries the most domestic passengers in the US. Southwest Airlines in 2013 has expanded their destination to 86 cities in 42 states and Puerto Rico. The current CEO of Southwest Airlines is Gary Kelly and his vision for the company is â€Å"to connect people to what important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low cost air travel†. According to the swamedia.com â€Å"Gary is a 27-years Southwest veteran who began his career at Southwest Airlines as Controller, moving up to Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance, then Executive Vice President and CFO, before being promoted to CEO and Vice Chairman in July 2004. Gary assumed the roles of Chairman and President in 2008. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines in 1986, Gary was a CPA for Arthur Young Company in Dallas and Controller for Systems Center, Inc.† Gary has received many awards during his 27 years with the company and twice being named CEO of the year by D CEO Magazine’s. Also, he was named of the best CEO in America by Institutional Investor three times. According to the Sawmedia.com â€Å"Gary was selected as Dallas Business  Journals CEO of the year for 2011. In 2010, Gary was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2013, Gary will be inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame at the University of Texas at Austin; Gary is the recipient of the 2013 Father of the Year Award; and Gary is the recipient of the 2013 McLane Leadership in Business Award at Texas AM University.† According to Gary Kelly and SouthwesAirlines.com their mission statement â€Å"is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual price and Company Spirit†. They have been operating their business exactly as their mission statement. They have been so successful due largely to the usual focus on their employees. LUV and FUN is the program which Southwest has created for their employees and their focus on customer service which they have to show respect for one and another, represent the company and create a comfortable, relax and fun working environment. Southwest Airlines’ Strengths Southwest airlines has many strengths’, but one that brings in profit to the company in a major way is their customer service. Southwest airlines has the highest quality of customer service that is delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit. That statement is not only their motto, but also their way of making a profit. Southwest brand their name on good customer service. They have been admired to be the third top ranked airline in the U.S and the tenth in the airline industry. Buyology and an online research marking company evaluated 4,000 men and women, with four key parameter of a company; the awe, the superiority harmony and exploration of a company to rank the top ranked company. According to www.southwestonereport.com, â€Å"220 brands and companies were studying during this evaluation the company were matched by numerically with strength and weakness. With relation with Southwest airline consciously and unconsciously Southwest airline earned the top spot for 2012.† Not only do bag fly free Southwest airline was the first airline to offer senior discounts, ticketless traveling, and services for air freight delivery to the common traveler. Southwest airline offers credit based on the number of trips with the airline instead of the total miles traveled also understanding the not how far you fly it’s how many times you fly with  Southwest airline. As Southwest’s major strength is the customer service making a profit is another strength that has sustained them. In 2012, Southwest airline marked the most profitable airline in U.S airline industry unmatched for over 30 years. These profits is the results of the exemplary customer service that Southwest airline has making over 421 million dollars in 2012 alone. Another major strength is Southwest airlines website. During the second quarter of 2013, 80 percent of Southwest airline passenger revenues were booked via southwest.com. In addition to flights, customers are able to make car, hotel, cruise, and complete vacation package reservations on southwest.com. Southwest airline has the Southwest Shortcut feature on southwest.com, which is the first online tool that helps customers find the lowest fare based on availability across the entire month. Southwest airline has many strengths, but as southwest airline put it in a nut shell its all about. According to www.southwestonereport.com, â€Å"Southwest continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers each year among 96 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and five near-international countries all at low far.† Southwest Airlines’ Weaknesses Southwest Airlines has become one of the top airlines in America, it is the number one airline that carries domestic passengers around the state. Southwest Airlines have followed their CEO leadership, they do what they are supposed to do and they are carried on their mission statement to the fullest. With that in mind Southwest Airlines could be the only perfect airline and have many advantages compare to others: as for examples low fares, beautiful flight attendants and happy employees who respect one and another. Southwest Airlines has successfully built a great, comfortable and relax workplace for their employees. Also, they have great customer service which is always their first priority. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a perfect company or a perfect person because the world that we live in right now is not perfect, so Southwest Airlines has many strengths but they are also have many weaknesses as well. The first weakness of Southwest  Airlines is within their company. Debt and operating expenses are among the tops of the company priority, according to quality-assurance.com â€Å"The company is estimated to possess $361 million of debt on their balance sheet, and until they pay down these debts it will drag significantly on their business†. Debt will drag on the business of Southwest. Also the Mounting Operating Expense can count as one the weaknesses of the company as well. The company has to pay out more for fuel because it has grown 182.30% for the average of gallon from 2005 to 2011. Unfortunately, the company also has to deal with it employees’ union because of the union has demand more services and benefits for their members, and by the end of the day Southwest doesn’t have much left money to cover their debts and expenses. The second weakness of Southwest Airline is the services provided to customers. According to businesstune-ups.com â€Å"Southwest Airlines doesn’t provide international flights, they don’t have seating options, their cargo space is very limited, they only have one type of airplane, Very short trips earn the same amount of perks as a long, extensive flight. Scrutiny of potential employees based on personality before skill could be dangerous.† Not having international flights and only have one aircraft for their services are the disadvantages to Southwest’s competitors. These days more and more passengers going out of country for their business trips which will increase profits and customers for the company. Only have one type of aircraft which is a great way to save money when the maintenance services come. Also, it is a big disadvantage for Southwest Airlines because the aircraft has a limited space for passengers’ luggage. Southwest Airlines also doesn’t have a seating chart and no business option for their passengers. It is a great way to save money for the company and as well for the passengers to get a lowest air fares as possible, but many business passengers want their own space to work on their presentations or their companies’ projects. So, without the business class option the airline will be losing out to its competitors. Another weakness of Southwest Airlines is the company only provides limited destinations for its passengers and mostly is from the South. The limited areas will limit the number of passengers who will choose Southwest as their designated airlines. It is hard and difficult to compete with other larger airlines that serve both domestics and internationally with also help them to build bigger market for their companies. Southwest Airlines’ Opportunities Now that the merger of Southwest Airline with AirTran is now complete, growth is on the rise for Southwest, its customers and employees. In the acquisition, Southwest now can handle more international destinations with its new fleet of larger aircrafts. This gives more diversity for the customer and gives Southwest the ability to keep its fares low. Southwest also gained 8,000 additional employees from AirTran and if done correctly, this merger can only improve its customer service rating. Southwest Airlines is one of the top airlines in service today; known for their strategy, dedicated work force, low fares and customer service. The competitors’ component or analysis is defined as the process of identifying the performance and marketing strategy of competitive brands or products in the marketplace. So what is it about Southwest Airlines that has put them in such an elite category compared to the competition? Southwest’s main strategy is to keep things simple. â€Å"It has never served meals, does not have advanced seat reservations, and flies only Boeing airplanes. These decisions have helped Southwest be flexible in the face of the recent decreases in airplane passengers caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the world economic crisis.† (http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com) By reducing some of the amenities that other airlines offer, it allows them to reduce the amount of employee cut backs, maintain low fares while retaining employees that are loyal to the brand, ensuring a good customer experience. This strategy has allowed Southwest to have 39 years of profitable growth (Thompson). Southwest has been on the cutting edge of managing employee loyalty. In a recent interview with, Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest, he expressed that the key to a productive workforce is â€Å"Paying personal attention to each of your people instead of a formula, also to empower employees and back them up (Kelleher)† (Thompson). Over time, implementing these general tactics has reinforced a working culture at Southwest that separates them from their competition. A happy employee means great customer service, customer retention and consistently growing profit margins. Southwest airlines is known for its low fares but due to increasing fuel costs, limited destinations and people finding alternate ways of travel; ultimately Southwest’s competitive advantage of being the leader of low fares will diminish. Having fewer planes equals lower fuel costs which  is an area that Southwest is struggling with to maintain those low airfare prices. â€Å"Fuel crisis and fuel price become threats to Southwest Airlines Company. Fuel costs in 1978 averaged 37 cents per gallon while in 1979 it became 80 cents. In 1980 fuel costs exceeded $1.00 per gallon. This price hike changes the expenditure pattern of the company. Operating costs become 40% of the total budget† (MBA Study Point case study). The only true competition for Southwest is regionally. Delta out marks them in most areas but due to Delta’s concentration in the Southeast they only compete on a regional level. Delta does however fly to most of the areas where Southwest is the preferred airline. The same is not true for Southwest who has more limited destination availability. In order to compete, Southwest will need to add more destinations to their roster. Business travelers will still prefer Delta because of their perks for Business travelers which Southwest does not have. Not to have a business class excludes a whole subset of travelers that are more likely to fly on a regular basis which cuts down on profits. Southwest’s culture is centered around the customer. While in recent years they were positioning themselves as a low-cost airline with exceptional customer service; their fares have seen a slight increase but the standard for high quality customer service remains the same. They create an employee friendly environment that motivates employees to want to work hard and be the best they can possibly be for the company. Southwest’s website states â€Å"happy employees = happy customers† and this is the culture they operate with every day. Southwest airline believes that volunteering is crucial to the health of nonprofit organizations that work to meet needs in different communities. Southwest airline employees volunteer their time day in and day out for the important causes that are closest to their hearts. â€Å"In 2009, Southwest Airlines Employees volunteered more than 45,000 hours to charities across the country. In an effort to support these passionate Employee volunteers, Southwest Airlines launched the Tickets for Time program. For every 40 hours our Employees volunteer for a nonprofit organization, the benefitting nonprofit organization is eligible to receive one complimentary, round-trip ticket on Southwest Airlines for fundraising or transportation needs†(Southwest.com). Southwest Airline has an outreach program for every culture and lifestyle the employee volunteer more than 137,  000 hours. Southwest airline has an Adopt-A-Pilot program where students will  research careers and further develop life skills, while the importance of staying in school is reinforced. Southwest Airlines and AirTran pilots mentor fifth grade students and offer this program at no charge to the schools that participate in the Adopt-A-Pilot program. Southwest airline has several outreach programs that reach out to many cultures such as African- American, Asian, and Hispanic programs and LGBT. Southwest Airlines’ Treats Airline industry could be affected by many factors such as general economic environment, fuel price, airline terror acts, weather conditions and air traffic restrictions. General economic environment has an impact on the demand for travel, and therefore influences the number of flights run by Southwest. The fuel price controls the company’s costs; rising fuel price would increase the cost, and the company cannot always avoid influences of fuel price by fuel hedging. Terrorist attack incidents would both physically and psychologically affect customers and employees, which leads to a higher security cost. Weather conditions also, have an important impact on flights as well. Bad weather conditions may delay flights, increase turnaround time, and thus mark up costs. All these potential threats are faced by Southwest Airlines. Having been very successful in their operations, Southwest Airlines is surely a target of competitors’ focus. And by that, other airlines may begin co pying Southwests strategies. Though this may show that Southwest is definitely a leader in the airline industry, it is somehow disadvantageous for the company in the long run. If those airlines try to imitate Southwest’s cost efficiency strategies, they can also lower their ticket prices and compete with Southwest. Through such, competition will get tougher for Southwest and it will no longer be able to monopolize the low fare sector of the industry; and worse, there is a possibility that a big company in the future, possessing more advanced technologies and facilities, will operate using Southwest Airlines low-cost model to a wider market, which will encroach and outdo Southwest Airlines. Terrorism is one of the greatest threats for people to lose faith on the airline industry. Airline companies in the US can attest to that after experiencing the â€Å"911 Attack† in 2001 when they incurred major losses. Though Southwest was one of those airlines who did not incur a major loss, the possibility of an unforeseen terrorist aggression using airplanes is still a major threat in  the company’s operations. This is because any loss of confidence in the safety of air travel would lead to a shift to the use of other forms of transportation, leaving Southwest struggling to fill its seats. High unemployment and inflation are keeping more travelers at home; Supply and demand price elasticity of airline carriers may vary depending on the nature of the industry. The macroeconomic factors affecting the airline industry include unemployment, the economic growth in the United States, and inflation. With low economic growth, consumers are finding luxury items more difficult to purchase and airline tickets for vacations fall into that category. Unemployment contributes to a lack of vacation travelers since individuals who are not employed do not have extra money for vacation or airline tickets. Inflation also causes operating costs of the airlines to be higher which entails cuts into the profits of Southwest. Unemployment is affecting the airline industry because consumers are taking more â€Å"stay-cation† at home or vacationing to areas to which they can drive. As unemployment has risen, the airlines have laid off a much higher percentage of their people as well. Southwest Airlines’ Grand Strategies Recommendations Grand strategies, often called master or business strategies, provide basic direction for strategic actions. There are many grand strategies that Southwest Airlines can choose from when considering which match with their company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Southwest Airlines is excellent in planning their long-term goals. The above SWOT analysis proved that the company is successfully carrying out the cost leadership strategy to manipulate their competitors and boost up their company. Their mission in providing low fare cost is one of the best strategies that they have to increase their market share, and it also put a significant increase in the demand of air travel. Southwest Airlines’ rapid rewards program is brilliant, so they should continue and expand it even more. Southwest Airlines’ employees mainly belong to the Union and they are mainly full time workers. Since the Union has demanded more services and benefits for their members, the company gained limited profit. To fix this, the company should hire more part time workers instead of full time workers because if they implemented this they would not have to provide full  benefits and instead focus on gaining profit. Also, Southwest Airlines should make all flights within the states point-to-point flights, and give their employees a strict timeline to alleviate delays. This will keep an accurate time frame for customers. As far as the flight concerns, Southwest Airlines has only one dependable flight, which is very dangerous when it comes to safety, but the good thing about that is an inexpensive cost for maintaining the aircraft. The safety of the customers is very important, so Southwest should increase at least one more dependable aircraft just in case something unexpected happens to the other one. Customer service is superior for Southwest Airlines, but many of their weaknesses can give their competitor many advantages. Southwest does not offer international flights, and there are increases in demand for international flights, so they should consider flying internationally within the next 5 or 6 years, or Southwest should completely become integrated with AirTran Airline by 2014 because they could put an increase in their net income. The advantages that Southwest’s competitors such as American Airlines and US Airways have are their inflight meals, seating charts, and highly advanced technology they have available for their customers. In this case, Southwest Airlines should invest in one more jet that provides higher quality and luxurious experience for customers such as business travelers who are willing to pay extra for it. In that jet they would offer inflight meals, provide seating options when customers book their tickets, and most important of all, they have to adv ance their jet to have advanced technologies such as television. One of Southwest Airlines’ threats is a general economic environment problem like high unemployment and inflation that they cannot control. One thing that can be done is to create a program that provides customers time to pay off their ticket 5 months in advance before flying. So the customers would have enough time to pay in increments over a period of time so they do not have to worry about spending a lot of money at once. When it comes to expanding their name brand Southwest Airline should continue to increase their popularity by increasing the advertisements on both their and AirTran’s website. Since the websites are the main places where customers go to book their tickets, the company should put that into a good use by creating more advertisements, and therefore gaining more popularity. Lastly, Southwest should continue to foster its remarkable culture. The fun-loving attitude that the company has  for their customers and employees shows that Southwest has a great working environment; the dedication that the employees have for the company contributes to both the tangible and intangible benefits. â€Å"It is a true competitive advantage for Southwest Airlines.† (Terra Thompson) Conclusion As a result in performing this project, we have learned that SWOT Analysis is the key for all businesses success. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses within the company and understanding the opportunities and threats that the company has externally are extremely important in planning the strategic plans to help the business overall outlook. As far as Southwest Airlines, we have learned that the company is very successful when it comes to the superior customer services, but Southwest should definitely continue on increasing their brand by upgrading their services within their aircrafts to become more high tech. We know that Southwest is known for their low cost fair, which gave them a huge advantage of their competitors. And the fact that they are integrating with Air Trans was a brilliant idea, because they are expanding their brand through Air Trans in providing International flights, which are, in a very high demand right now. We think Southwest Airlines is in the borderline in gaining a sustainable competitive advantage if they are expanding their aircraft to fit what their customers needs and wants. References Analyzing southwest airlines [Web log message]. (, April). Retrieved from http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com/2012/04/southwests-competitive-advantage.html AP News. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://traveltips.usatoday.com/kind-planes-southwest-airlines-fly-62394.html Broughtson, R. (n.d.). Southwest airline swot analysis. Retrieved from http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/southwest-airlines-swot-analysis.html Bruwick, L. (n.d.). Southwest airlines swot analysis powerful business assessment tool. Retrieved from http://www.businesstune-ups.com/Southwest-Airlines-SWOT-Analysis.html Case analysis: Southwest airlines. (2012, may 17). Retrieved from http://netmbastudy.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/case-analysis-southwest-airlines/ Gale Encyclopedia of Small Business. Competitor analysis. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/competitor-analysis Gary , K. (n.d.). Gary

Earth and Space Reflection

Earth and Space Reflection Reflecting on our class these past few weeks, makes me realize the inadequacies of my scientific knowledge. In order to help students learn science content, teachers must have a firm grasp of the important ideas in the discipline. I fall short of my content knowledge. In part, my lack of science knowledge might be a result of my college degree plan. I took the basic sciences in high school and in college. At the time of my undergraduate degree, elementary teachers had less extensive college coursework in sciences than did my intermediate or high school counterparts. For this reflection, I am challenging myself by choosing TEK 8.8A and 8.8B. These two TEKS reflect new information I have processed from our class discussions and investigations. TEK Breakdown TEK8.8A is a readiness standard and uses the verb describe to communicate to students. The students expectations are to use models for classification of universal components including by not limiting stars, nebulae, and galaxies (Lead 4ward, 2017). Teachers and students might also include planets, Galilean moons, asteroids, meteors, and comets. There are various ways to compare and describe these components of the universe. Some possible comparisons might be relative mass, relative size, orbiting objects that the components orbit, and objects that orbit the component (TEKS Resources, 2016). In this TEK, the students will be exposed to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for the first time. This model will allow students to examine and investigate the relationship between brightness, surface temperature and color of the stars. TEK 8.8 B is a supporting standard. I chose this TEK because although I thought I had some knowledge of the Sun, I lacked important knowledge and understanding to convey to students. The verb recognize will communicate that students expectations are to identify the Sun but also include recognizable attributes such as a medium sized star, near the edge of a disc-shaped galaxy, and many thousand miles closer to the Earth than any other star (Lead 4ward, 2017). Future Learning/Past Learning Eight grade students were exposed to TEK 6.11A during sixth grade with an introduction to the physical properties, locations, and movements of the components of our solar system. Students also had TEK 7.9A in seventh grade. In seventh grade students analyzed the characteristics of objects in our solar system that allowed life to exist such as the proximity of the Sun, presence of water, and composition of the atmosphere (Lead 4ward, 2017). Both TEKS helps eight graders to better comprehend the present school year science TEK 8.8A. However, students leaving eighth grade should know the universe is comprised of billions of galaxies. Each of these galaxies are comprised of billions of stars. Although these galaxies seem nothing more than fuzzy, dim spots seen through the lens of our eyes, they exist (TEKS Resource, 2016). Students should also comprehend that some of these galaxies are so remote that their light takes several billion years to reach the Earth. The understanding that peopl e on Earth see these galaxies as they existed long ago. Types of Instruction Students should be allowed to work in small group of 3-5 participants. This allows a safe learning environment for reflection, reasoning, discussions, and explaining. A graffiti writing wall could be established at the beginning of the content study. Each day students could add new evidence of learning, and use this wall as a reference for reviewing information. Eighth grade students have many challenging vocabulary words. Therefore, instruction is a must. Some words to consider; Universe, stars, nebulae, galaxies, Hertzsprung Russell, (HR) diagram, asteroid belt, nuclear fusion, blue giant, main sequence, luminosity, super nova, milky way, spiral, elliptical, irregular, telescope, big band theory, Hubble, etc. These words could be incorporated in a journal. Student could generate definitions and picture sketches. Also, vocabulary card sorts could be created to reinforce vocabulary acquisition. Using a PowerPoint along with realia pictures of the universe should be shown with information pertaining to the content. PowerPoints provide great note taking opportunities for students. Students could research information such as definitions of components of the universe (stars, nebulae, galaxies) and recognize and explain the types of galaxies. This type of information could be integrated into a group PowerPoint to present to the classmates. Using Discovery Education for videos on space, the universe, and the night sky will assist students in making connections with the content. Using provoking questions throughout the days of study would provide great student discussions about video information and content learning. A few questions to consider might be; What can observing stars tell us? or When we look into the night sky we are actually looking in the past. How do we explain that? Sentence stems should be used to assist students with their thinking and writing. Graphic organizers could be used for taking notes from the videos. Scaffold Instruction Differentiation for all whether ELLs, special education, or regular education students should be identified and specific. The incorporation of additional resources and teaching tools must be considered. One idea to be considered would be pacing. Slowing down a lesson may take longer to teach, but the end product is greater quality and the experience for the learner is much more rewarding. In small groups, reviewing standards should always be considered and individualized intervention as well. All students but especially our ELLs, should receive sheltered instructional strategies. Students should have the opportunity to incorporate their prior knowledge before beginning any lesson. Prior knowledge sets the foundation for new ideas and concepts. Pre-teaching vocabulary and using visual aids sets the students up for success. Throughout the lesson, teachers should always pause, ask questions, pause for responses, and finally a review of information. These scaffolding practices assures st udents achievement. Personal Growth When we started this unit of study I had many questions about the origin of the universe and the age of the earth. I had many questions about the components of space. As we studied these topics, I was reminded that the questions that scientists ask must be testable. Scientists have provided answers to testable questions that have helped us calculate the age of the universe, the distance of certain stars, and how fast they are receding from us. Whether we can get a definitive answer, we can be confident in the process by which the explanations were developed. These explanations allow us to rely on the knowledge that is produced through the process of science. Ive come to understand that many of these scientific questions can be answered by science investigations and calculations. Reference Texas Education Agency, Lead 4ward, (2017). Process standards. Retrieved from http://lead4ward.com/docs/resources/snapshots/science/teks_snapshot_science_gr_08.pdf Texas Education Agency, Lead 4ward, (2017). Resources. Retrieved from http://lead4ward.com/resources/ Texas Management Curriculum Management Cooperative, TEKS Resources, (2016). Retrievedfrom http://www.teksresourcesystem.net/module/content/search/item/2057/viewdetail.shx

Main Features Of British Conservatism

Main Features Of British Conservatism The ideology of conservatism is seen as one of the most important structural components of modern political ideologies. However, there are great difficulties in determining its substantive content. The term conservative comes from the Latin conserve to maintain, protect. However, its ideological and political importance can be hardly identified, which is associated with a number of circumstances. Firstly, in the process of development an inversion of historical values of liberalism and conservatism has occurred. Thus, many fundamental principles of classical liberalism the demand for freedom of the market and limiting government intervention are now seen as conservative. At the same time the idea of a strong central governing power of the state, launched earlier by traditionalist conservatives, now became an essential component of a liberal mind. Secondly, there is the internal heterogeneity of the political ideology of conservatism, which includes various aspects, but is gathered by one common feature the justification and stabilization of established social structures. Bearers of the ideology of conservatism are the social groups, strata and classes who are interested in preserving the traditional social order, or in its recovery. There are two ideological formations in the structure of conservatism. One focuses on the sustainability of the social structure in its unaltered form, the other one addresses the opposing political forces and trends. In this context, conservatism is both political ideology justifying the existing order, and appeal to the lost. Different directions and forms of conservatism exhibit common features. These include: recognition of the existence of universal moral and religious order and the imperfection of human nature, belief in the innate inequality of men and the limited possibilities of the human mind, the conviction of the need for a rigid social and class hierarchy and preferences of established social structures and institut ions. British conservatism is perceived by many people as a British national trait, inseparable from everything English. Conservatism, which got here its highest expression and perfection, is a traditional political ideology of the British. It is with the English Parliament originated the famous distinction between right and left, and many other political definitions (Clarke 1996). British conservatism, which understands that human nature is not perfect enough for perfect political institutions, is implemented in the following fundamental approaches: Preference of gradual changes to the radical. Preference of specific and nearby to the distant and utopian. Mentality of conservatism is the mentality of traditionalism. Conservatism is characterized by a certain conception of man, society, state, and history. Conservative thinking may be regarded as an ideology of right-wing forces in society, expressing their desire to preserve the existing social organization. But not this aspect is important. It is important that the proletariat has nothing to lose but their chains, right and conservative members of society have much to preserve, develop and grow. Conservatism can be considered independently of the material and economic interests as an ideology consisting of certain basic principles and concepts of human, state, society and history. For example, the answer to the question What makes the freedom of each person and the real political freedom in society and state? inevitably leads us to understanding of the better role of conservative unchanging institutions like the state, family, law, religion, against the backdrop of progressive attempt to rebuild and destroy for extreme individualistic self. Traditional conservatism is associated with the names of E. Burke (1729-1797), J. de Maistre (1753-1821) and Louis de Bonald (1754-1840). In the 20th century, the main forerunner of this trend was R. Kirk, who published in 1953 book The Conservative Mind. Homeland of conservatism as a political ideology, which was a specific reaction to the ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, was England. In 1790 E. Burke published a book Reflections on the Revolution in France. Louis de Bonald and J. de Maistre are considered to be original classics of feudal aristocratic conservatism. E. Burke, son of modest Irish lawyer, is characterized by ambivalence and inconsistency of the feudal-aristocratic and bourgeois system components of his political views. Precisely because of inconsistencies and discrepancies, many of Burkes ideas can be interpreted very widely and in different contexts, and find support of the wider social groups (Coxall & Robins 2003). Political ideology of the British conservatism includes many of the categories developed by these thinkers. One of the most important in it is the concept of natural aristocracy, which includes, according to Burke, not only the nobles, but also rich businessmen, educated people, lawyers, scientists and artists. Wealth on the grounds of reason and policy deserves a privileged position in society. Otherwise, recurrence of the revolution is possible. One of the main features of the British conservatism is the concept of traditionalism. In contrast to the ideas of the Enlightenment, tradition is opposed to reason and put over it, because it means the subordination of action under the natural course of things and the age-old wisdom. Traditionalism is the basis of understanding the change, update, reform, which should not violate the natural course of things. At the same time two main types of reforms are distinguished: reforms aimed at restoring the traditional rights and principles, and preventive reforms aimed at preventing revolution. At the same time there is seen the difference between change and reform. Changes alter the essence of the object; the reform doesnt affect it and is forced as a tool that must be applied. Joseph de Maistre and Louis de Bonald, rejecting the republic, any reform and contrasting it to tradition and prestige, saw the path to salvation in strengthening the political role of religion. The core of the po litical ideas of de Maistre was the idea of equilibrium, understood as the creation of the strategic balance in the political and spiritual life based on a theocratic approach. De Bonald, without giving priority to either secular or religious authorities, launched the idea of an alliance of religious and political society (Clarke 1996). In general, the political idea of traditionalism includes organic conception of society, according to which it has been originally there, like organic nature, and does not arise as a result of social evolution: the interpretation of the participation of the individual as presenting no intrinsic value, but entirely dependent on the support of the conservative order; the idea of elitism and antidemocratism, according to which inequality among people is an axiom of politics, because equality is the enemy of freedom (Burke), freedom for the highborn and propertied; rejection of the idea of progress and contrasting it to the ideas of the historical cycle (Mitternih). In the 20th century, R. Kirk, developing the principles of traditionalism, wrote that in the revolutionary era people were fascinated by novelty, but then they got tired of it and wanted the old principles back. History is interpreted as a cyclical process. Therefore, at a certain turn the conservative order comes back again. Conservatives seek to ensure a broad national consensus, appealing to the traditional views and prejudices, authority and religion. Social and economic problems they rarely transfer into a religious-ethical plane. Thus, in the 80ies, R. Kirk has emphasized the following principles of traditionalist conservatism: the belief in the order of a higher level than the human ability to adapt, and the belief that the economy goes into politics, politics into ethics, and ethics into religious concepts. Another basic feature of the British conservatism lies in understanding that individual is foolish. The crowd is stupid, when acting without thinking, but the human race is always wise, and when it has enough time, he is always doing the right thing. The experience of many generations is embodied in the mores, customs and traditions. So, we must take care of this heritage: instead of getting rid of all old prejudices, we must consider them. It is dangerous to allow people to live and act with the support of just own stock of mind, because this stock of the individual is small, it is better to turn to a universal bank of knowledge accumulated for centuries by many peoples. The older the existing institution is, the more respect it deserves, as it has passed the hardest test the test of time, and absorbed the wisdom of the ancestors (Coxall & Robins 2003). Confrontation between parliamentary factions gives the necessary guarantee to preservation of the state system of Britain. Party unities, regardless of what goals they pursue in their work, are an integral part of a free state. British people by Burkes mouth gave the classic definition of a political party a group of people united by a particular, shared by everyone principles for national interests. But not only inter-party contradictions define the development of the state. Rivalry between different branches of government, each of which wished to expand its influence but is forced to reckon with other similar encroachments, provides a dynamic equilibrium for the state, and the inviolability of the rights and privileges for citizens. This balance of opposing aspirations lies at the basis of the English political system. Although the three highest state authority in Britain are of different nature the monarchy (the Crown), aristocratic (the Lords) and democratic (House of Commons) together despite their differences, are harmoniously integrated. English conservatism also recognizes divergence of interests between different social strata, in particular, stressing that income inequality is the most effective incentive to work, without which the existence of civilization is impossible. According to the conservative views the problem of poverty can be solved only gradually, with the development of production. Conservatism believes the contradictions are an inherent element of social life and art of politics is to achieve such an optimal combination of strengths and weaknesses, where even weaknesses would serve to the benefit of society. Conservatism of Great Britain denies the possibility of the existence of political organization, same suitable for all ages and nations (Clarke 1996). Institutions of each state are the result of long historical development and adaptation to national circumstances, traditions and customs of the country. Every age has its own customs, and policies are determined by them. During the conflict of Britain with its American colonies, the Conservatives called on to carry out in each of the parts of the empire management according to the nature and circumstances of local people. They believed that the government was something purely practical, designed to benefit of people rather than to ensure compliance with the schemes of politicians. Among the most serious crimes of Lord Hastings and the entire administration of the East India Company conservatives attributed assault on centuries-old way of life of local people. If you manage the inhabitants of another country, you must do it according to their norms and principles, rather than forcing them to adapt other peoples ideas. Together with the respect for the historically formed institutions British conservatism does not reject the possibility of reforming them. Life goes on, and in the new circumstances the old institutions may lose their original significance and become a hindrance to the normal functioning of the public body. In this case, even the most advanced age does not justify their preservation in old form (Coxall & Robins 2003). However, any transformation, according to conservatives, must be partial and purely pragmatic. Reform is never a change of the essence or the common device of the subject. It is nothing more than a pill directed specifically against harassing malady. In other words, here the dominant principle for conservatism is also continuity and respect for the existing realities.

Greek Mythology Essay -- essays research papers

Greek Mythology Mythology was an integral part of the lives of all ancient peoples. The myths of Ancient Greece are the most familiar to us, for they are deeply entrenched in the consciousness of Western civilization. The myths were accounts of the lives of the deities whom the Greeks worshipped. The Greeks had many deities, including 12 principal ones, who lived on Mt. Olympus. The myths are all things to all people – a rollicking good yarn, expressions of deep psychological insights, words of spine-tingling poetic beauty and food for the imagination. They serve a timeless universal need, and have inspired great literature, art and music, providing archetypes through which we can learn much about the deeper motives of human behavior. No-one has the definitive answer as to why or how the myths came into being, nut many are allegorical accounts of historical facts. The Olympian family were a desperate lot despite being related. The next time you have a bowl of corn flakes give thanks to Demeter the goddess of vegetation. The English word "cereal" for products of corn or edible grain derives from the goddess' Roman name, Ceres. In Greek the word for such products is demetriaka. Demeter was worshipped as the goddess of earth and fertility. Zeus was the king and leader of the 12. His symbol was the thunder and in many of his statues he appears holding one. Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, was most at home in the depths of the Aegean where he lived in a sumptuous golden palace. When he became angry (which was often) he would use his trident to create massive waves and floods. Ever intent upon expanding his domain, he challenged Dionysos for Naxos, Hera for Argos and Athena for Athens. Ares, god of war, was a nasty piece of work – fiery tempered, bloodthirsty, brutal and violent. In contrast Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, symbol of security, happiness and hospitality, was as pure as driven snow. She spurned disputes and wars and swore to be a virgin forever. Hera was not a principal deity; her job was a subservient one – she was Zeus' cupbearer. Athena, the powerful goddess of wisdom and patron of Athens, is said to have been born (complete with helmet, armor and spear) from Zeus' head, with Hephaestus acting as midwife. Unlike Ares, she derived no pleasure from fighting, but preferred settling disputes peacefully using her wisdom... ...ed to Greece where he organized drunken revelries and married Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. In addition to the gods the Ancient Greeks revered many beings who had probably once been mortal, such as King Minos, Theseus and Erichthonious. Intermediaries between gods and humans, such as the satyrs, also appear in the myths. The satyrs lived in woods and had goat horns and tails; they worshipped the god Dionysos, so, appropriately, they spent much of their time drinking and dancing. Nymphs lived in secluded valleys and grottoes and occupied themselves with spinning, weaving, bathing, singing and dancing. Pan found them irresistible. The Muses, of which there were nine, were nymphs of the mountain springs; they were believed to inspire poets, artists and musicians. Finally, mention should be made of the three crones Tisiphone, Aledo and Megara – sometimes called the Furies – whose job it was to deal with grievances from mortals, and punish wrongdoers. They had dogs' heads, snakes' hair, bloodshot eyes, coal black bodies and bats' wings and carried brass-studded scourges. It was considered unlucky to call them by name – they had to be called Eumenides – the kindly ones! Bill Gates

Essay --

Heart of Darkness, Things Fall Apart, and Learning to Bow are three works which give insights on indigenous societies and cultural conflicts. Heart of Darkness and Learning to Bow both provide insights on indigenous societies from the eyes of outsiders from completely different cultures. Things Fall Apart is different than the other two readings in the sense that it is written from the perspective of an indigenous person. All three works clearly provide â€Å"An insightful perspective of indigenous society; a penetrating analysis of culture conflicts.† Heart of Darkness is written from the perspective of a European sailor named Marlow who travels to Africa and ends up working for the Company, which is a trading company in Africa. Soon after arriving in Africa, Marlow notices a group of enslaved Africans walking in a single file line. He notices how malnourished they are and says â€Å"I could see every rib, the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope; each had an iron color on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinking.† (Conrad 10) It does not take long for Marlow to realize how horribly Africans are being treated at the hands of Europeans, the Company in particular. He noticed the face of a young slave near his hand when he was observing his surroundings and gave him a biscuit. Right after seeing these malnourished and mistreated natives, Marlow meets the company’s chief accountant, a man who was so well dressed and groomed that Marlow thought he was a vision at first. Unlike the natives, who wear rags, the chief accountant has â€Å"a high starched collar, white cuffs, a light alpaca jacket, snowy trousers, a clean necktie, and varnished boots... ... effects of imperialism on natives and white men in Africa. The Company has enslaved many natives and one of its officials, Kurtz, goes insane because he is in the jungle by himself with no moral compass to guide him and after the natives start to view him as a demigod, he starts to believe it. Learning to Bow is a journey into Japanese culture from the eyes of an American who ends up teaching the Japanese a lot about his own culture. Throughout his time in Japan, he is faced with what he calls the â€Å"widespread myth of Japanese uniqueness† and encounters many Japanese who believe that he can’t understand their culture because he isn’t one of them. This reading is unlike the others because it takes place in Asia, not Africa. Things Fall Apart is an insight into indigenous African culture from an insider and shows how diverse and complex Africa is.

Leadership in the 21st Century: Contrasting Views of Leadership and Their Utility for My Practice

HML 1001: Leadership of change S. McGowan. June 2008 Leadership in the 21st Century: Contrasting Views of Leadership and their Utility for My Practice Introduction In this paper I will examine two modern views of leadership. The leadership models I have decided to review are Servant-Leadership and Discretionary Leadership and my aim is to describe them, explore some of their similarities and differences and consider their usefulness for my own practice. Servant-Leadership Robert K Greenleaf defined Servant-Leadership in1970 in his essay ‘The Servant as Leader’ (Greenleaf, 1970). Greenleaf attributes the inspiration for his idea to the novel ‘Journey to the East’ by Herman Hesse (1932), where the central character Leo; servant to a party of travellers, proves ultimately to be the vital member of the group, whose mission fails without him. The servant-leadership theory is based on a model of empowerment and contrasts sharply with models of leadership that are based on power. Instead of concentrating on the acquisition of power and control, servant-leaders focus on helping people to grow and fulfil their potential. Greenleaf states: the servant-leader is servant first†¦ It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions’. (Greenleaf 1970) The servant-leadership theory advocates the role of leader as serv ing rather than controlling. By serving the needs of their workforce, clients and communities servant-leaders can harness the full force of an empowered group. Servant-leadership models promote a sense of community and an holistic approach to work and, ultimately, society. Steven R Covey, vice chairman of Franklin Covey, the world’s largest management and leadership development organisation, described four roles of leadership in his keynote speech to the Greenleaf Centre’s (www. greenleaf. org) 1999 conference (Covey 1999). These are: (i)Setting an Example: Leaders must work hard, contribute and model integrity, humility and the values of servant-leadership. Integrity breeds confidence and generates followers. ii)Pathfinding: Creating a vision that involves and inspires, and that through empowerment, mobilises the efforts of others. This way, strategic planning is values based and derived from an understanding of people’s needs. This is in stark contrast to power models, which espouse individualistic missions and goals for organisations to be ‘herded’ towards. (iii)Alignment: Aligning the systems and struct ures of an organisation to serve the agreed task and vision. Values need to be ‘institutionalised’ and language and action must be consistent. iv)Empowerment: This is what Covey describes as the ‘fruit’ of the first three roles: When you have a common vision and value system, and you have put into place structures and systems reinforcing that vision, when you have institutionalised that kind of moral authority – its like lifeblood feeding the culture, the feelings of people, the norms, the mores – feeding it constantly†¦You can†¦release the enormous human creativity, the human ingenuity, the resourcefulness, the intelligence of people to the accomplishment of those purposes. Everything connects together: the quality of the relationships, the common purpose and values. You find that people will organize themselves. They’ll manage themselves. People are drawn to doing their own best thing and accomplishing that worthy purpose, that vision. That’s empowerment! (Covey 1999) Max DePree has famously defined leadership as ‘a serious meddling in other people’s lives’ (DePree 2002). DePree is concerned with the interdependence of members of organisations and has argued that leadership can’t be just about the individual: When we think about the people with whom we work, people on whom we depend, we can see that without each individual, we are not going to go very far as a group. By ourselves, we suffer serious limitations. Together we can be something wonderful. (DePree 1990) DePree coined the term ‘Fiduciary Leadership’; one of the three things he believes to be vital to servant-leadership. Fiduciary leadership describes a model of leadership based on trust and reliance. With this model, leadership is a set of opportunities and accountabilities bestowed (temporarily) by followers, in the trust of the leader. Central to this concept is the idea that the ‘led’ are consenting to be led and this idea lies at the heart of democratic society. In the 18th Century Edmund Burke (1729-1797), Anglo–Irish statesman and political philosopher wrote: It is the love of the people; it is their attachment to their government, from the sense of the deep stake they have in such a glorious institution, which gives you both your army and your navy, and infuses into both that liberal obedience, without which your army would be a base rabble, and your navy nothing but rotten timber. Burke1775) With regard to fiduciary leadership Burke said: All persons possessing any portion of power ought to be strongly and awfully impressed with an idea that they act in trust. (Burke1790) And DePree says: Leadership is not a position†¦promotion has never made anyone a leader. Leadership is a fiduciary calling. Inherent in this calling is the knowledge that hope plays a critical part in the lives of fo llowers. Fiduciary leaders design, build and then then serve inclusive communities by liberating human spirit and potential’ (Depree 2002) Here again, then, the themes of leaders serving and harnessing human potential in organisations that are communities. Depree’s second ‘necessity’ vital to servant-leadership is broadenning the definition of leadership competence. He describes five areas of compertence: Firstly, defining and expressing reality for an organisation; second, vision and strategy; third, enabling creative people; fourth, transforming – by learning, risking and changing – and finally, unleashing the potential of all members of an organisation. Depree’s referrence to ‘transforming’ is important. Servant-leadership and fiduciary leadership are both examples of Transformational Leadership (Burns 1978). Transformational leadership is concerned with bringing about progress and accomplishing success through communication, influence and empowerment, as opposed to Transactional approaches, which favour activities such as resource management, and management by policy, proceedure and control. Transactional leaders prefer systematic approaches, organisational hierarchy, straightforward objectives and tried and tested techniques. They manage efficiently but are in danger of producing mediocrity and suffocating innovation and creativity (Fairholm 1991). Transformational leaders reject the rigidity of transactionalists, arguing that ideas such as Scientific Management (Taylor, 1910), with their focus on controlling the minute details of the means of production are restrictive , dehumanising, alienating (Marx, 1959) and, ultimately outdated. Conversely, the transformational model can be criticised as inefficient, wasteful and lacking focus and direction. The third of Depree’s three neccesities for servant-leadership is a clear moral purpose. He argues that leadership requires moral purpose to give it meaning, measures and a worthwhile goal. Keen on lists, DePree desribes six ‘signs’ of moral purpose. These are: (i)An acceptance of Human Authenticity: Organisations comprise individuals with a ‘cornucopia of gifts and talents’ and not just their ascribed roles or inherent characteristics. (ii)Rights: All are entitled to the right to belong; to ownership; to opportunity; to inclusion; to a covonatal relationship as ‘members’ of the organisation. iii)Truth: Consistent, multifaceted honesty is crucial to moral leadership (iv)Vulnerability: An absence of ego and openness to criticism. Willing to listen to others, to experiment, to make mistakes and to learn from them. (v)Equitable Distribution of Results: Distributing ‘profits’ fairly is a necessary and motivating feature of an org anisation that demands high levels of contribution from its members. Results or profits can be financial or else less tangiable outputs. (vi)Personal Restraint: Vulgar displays of power, wealth and status are offensive and demotivating to others. Ultimately, then, the servant-leadership theory regards leadership as a moral calling. Greenleaf’s leadership theory also has its basis in morality and latterly he concerned himself with the question of managing change in society, citing examples of immoral, senseless and destructive problems in the world. His view was that the system to deliver the necessary change would be the one that works best – in his view servant-leadership: The difference [between leader first and servant-leader] manifests itself in the care taken by the servant first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and the most difficult to administer, is this: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? (Greenleaf, 1970). To read Greenleaf and his followers, one might conclude that servant-leaders are essentially ordinary people drawn naturally, perhaps randomly, from the servant ‘classes’. People with philanthropic and selfless natures, who assume leadership positions only to spread their good deeds more widely. Interfering (DePree 1993) ‘do-gooders’ best suited to social and charitable enterprises! However servant leadership places as much emphasis on leadership as it does on servitude, even if the servant has to come first. Powerful servant-leaders can be found at the head of many serious, succesful, profit making organisations (e. g. Herb Kelleher, CEO South West Airlines, Jack Lowe, chairman of TDI Industries and Rich McClure, president of UniGroup Inc. [all US]) and, most recently, servant-leadership is the leadership philosophy espoused by newly elected President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea, who has called for servant-leadership as his primary presidential leadership vision (Hyun-kyung, 2008): Military leaders or professional politicians will be unable to manage the economy any longer mainly because they were born to wield power, instead of serving citizens. These leaders attempt to rule the country, while managers serve their customers. As a result, the boss is destined to wane, while servant leaders achieve mutually beneficial goals for the community. (Myung-bak, 2002) If we look more closely, then, servant-leadership, far from rejecting the idea that some people are natural leaders, actually shares many ideas with ‘trait’ models of leadership. Trait theories date back to the first half of the twentieth century and Weber’s thory of leadership-charisma (Webber 1947) is a good example. Trait theorists argue that leaders neither emerge naturally as a result of a personal ‘epiphany’, nor are they created by experience or training, but that they are born. Born leaders are the result of natural selection (Darwin 1859). Nicholson (2000) describes how evolutionary psychology has produced ‘alpha-males’: hard wired individuals with natural leadership qualities driven, by high levels of testosterone, to seek an optimal seratonin buz by taking charge and achieving personal success. Grrrrr! Foremost among these natural leadership qualites is charisma. Charismatic Leadership (House 1977, Burns 1978) concerns itself with the impact of charisma on the leader/follower relationship and the effect of charismatic leadership on the motivation and morale of followers. Charisma is regarded as an inate quality, a charm that compells others to follow. Freud described charisma as an ability to realise compliance from others (Freud 1922). Charismatic leaders are heroic, energetic and driven by dissatisfaction with the status quo. Although generally seen as a transactional model, charismatic leadership, when paired with a moral basis, is far from inconsistent with servant-leadership. In fact, many of the qualities required of the servant-leader such as vision, integrity and empowering others can be regarded as extremely attractive and thus charismatic qualites. Indeed Jesus Christ, cited by many servant-leadership disciples as the ultimatate servant-leader, was undoubtedly a charismatic leader. Discretionary Leadership In contrast to servant-leadership – which, whilst advocating a different moral basis for leadership, retains traditional ideas of hierarchy and organisational structure – discretionary or ‘shared’ leadership theory recognises the need for a number of leaders with different viewpoints and responsibilities to coexist and cooperate in organisations. Discretionary leadership has emerged as a model suitable for complex modern day organisations (Kakabadse, 2000) with complex environments, contexts, and structures or, as Hunt put it, ‘macro-variables’ (Hunt 1981). Modern organisations are frequently network based, where the sum of a wide and diverse set of functions and departments combine to form a ‘virtual’ whole. Discretionary leadership places high value on an organisations’ ability to respond effectively to multiple agendas and stakeholders in a variety of situations simultaneously: a challenge that would be impossible to meet with conventional hierarchical organisations where leadership authority is held by a small number of senior managers. In essence, modern complex organisations need to coordinate the actions of a broad group of employees who adopt leadership behaviours, when and as required, to tackle the issues they face. Discretion would seem to be a two way process with this model: Senior leaders still define the degree of leadership authority that is delegated at their discretion, whilst employees are expected to adopt leadership roles, when necessary, at their discretion. Not completely un-hierarchical, but certainly less paternal and more organic than traditional models of leadership. Thus roles are defined in terms of the breadth of their discretion. At one extreme, some employees will have minimal discretion and be expected to carry out their duties in strict accordance with prescribed procedures – a model akin to that of production line workers in a scientific management system (Taylor 1910). At the other extreme, the CEO of an organisation has ultimate discretion. Between these two extremes it is vital that the quantity and quality of available leadership is commensurate with the needs of the organisation. Discretionary leadership, it is argued, is not only a suitable model for complex network-based organisations, but also the model of leadership that will naturally emerge in response to the pace and pressure of organisational change in the twenty-first century: The nature of role discretionary boundaries is increasingly determined by personal views concerning the challenges leaders face and the nature of those with whom they interact†¦Thus, the idiosyncratic nature of the organisation, the peculiarities of each leader role and the characteristics of each individual occupying such a role, are critical considerations in determining role boundaries and parameters. Kakabadse & Kakabadse, 1999) Organisations that require/generate substantial numbers of discretionary leaders will, by definition, include a multitude of visions and ideologies. Achieving cohesion is the vital key for this group model of leadership to be effective. This is achieved by those in charge skilfully conducting multiple conversations (or ‘polylogue’ – Kakabadse, 2005); by discretionary leaders reflectively understanding their roles and relationships and acting responsibly, and by promoting a shared philosophy, core vision and value system. Kouzmin has described this as the role of the ‘organisational architect’: The focus [for Contemporary leaders] has shifted increasingly to the role of the ‘organisational architect’. The principal contributing skill of architects is an ability to design and develop organisations; skills that require considerable creative insights and technical knowledge about how to analyse, design and stimulate complex, increasingly globalising, social and communication networks supported by rapidly advancing IT. Kouzmin et al. , 2007) With this model, leadership is not simply about goal-oriented control and coordination. Leaders need to properly understand the context in which actions are exercised and the appropriate mobilisation of others (Kakabadse, 2005). The modern organisation will be flatter, less hierarchical and based more on networks. It will be founded on interdependency, communication and the flow of ideas (supported by ever more sophisticated information techn ologies) rather than command and control models. With discretionary leadership employees will be incentivised to produce value by being fully and intelligently involved in the overall purpose of their organisation rather than alienated in the way that Marx (1959) has criticised scientific management (Taylor 1910). However, discretionary leadership also has its critics. Variations and tensions among workers in leadership roles can lead to negativity, whilst success is highly dependent on cohesion and the quality of interactions; both notoriously hard to control in network-based organisations: Where discretionary role analysis highlights variation of experience, capability, values, personality, behaviours, and the exercise of choice among the leaders of the organisation, tension and conflict become endemic with potentially disastrous implications for individuals and the organisation. (Finklestein and Hambrick, 1996) Globalisation, fast moving technological development, the increased recognition and value of social capital, multi-faceted demands and accountabilities, and the need to respond simultaneously and effectively to a number of agendas, means that organisations need different leadership models in the twenty-first century. Models of leadership that might have been appropriate to the manufacturing industries of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries now seem increasingly inappropriate to the educated, informed, skilled and sophisticated workforce of the present day, whether working in manufacturing or (more probably) in paper-based organisations or the service sector. It can, therefore, be argued that discretionary leadership is the ideal solution for the future, but only in a carefully esigned and managed system that maturely accepts the inherent will and ability to lead that is both needed and to be found within many key members of complex organisations. The utility of these ideas for me The leadership theories that I have chosen to examine might be considered to have much in common and it might seem that more radical alternatives could have been examined in order to better illustrate the contrast between theories. I have however chosen to focus on these models because of their resonance with my own i deas about leadership and their utility for a modern health service. I would also refute the view that servant leadership and discretionary leadership are very similar. Yes, they are both progressive, placing as they do an emphasis on employee empowerment and the importance of shared values and vision. However, servant leadership takes a rather traditional and paternalistic view of the structure of organisations and those destined to lead them, whilst discretionary leadership is based on a much more sophisticated understanding of the structural configuration of modern organisations. Personally, I have found utility in each of these models. As service lead for a new specialist mental health service, I am acutely aware of the complexity of modern day organisations as described by Hunt (1981) and Kakabadse (2000) in their explorations of discretionary leadership. The multifarious environmental, contextual and structural variables of the NHS epitomise the challenges recognised by advocates of this model. The NHS is also increasingly network based and is certainly the sum of a wide and diverse set of functions. For my own service, the ability to respond effectively to multiple agendas and stakeholders in a variety of situations simultaneously is vital. Our structure, although not completely without hierarchy, is relatively flat. The largest group of employees in my service are senior, professionally qualified practitioners including nurses, doctors, psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists. Each of these practitioners is responsible not only to me but also to their professional bodies and, as such, have a substantial degree of authority devolved to them, and broad freedoms to act and make decisions. The need to coordinate the actions of this broad group of employees is central to my role as service lead, as is the need for these well-paid individuals to accept and adopt leadership behaviours, when and as required, without undue recourse to management advice or consent. Discretionary leadership theory also recognises the need for a number of leaders with different viewpoints and responsibilities to coexist and co-operate in organisations. This is extremely pertinent to modern mental health services, which are both multi-disciplinary and multi-agency. With multi-disciplinary teams, each different discipline ideally brings unique professional skills and ideologies to the service, which are then combined to produce a multi-dimensional ‘whole’ befitting of a service aimed at meeting the holistic needs of diverse individuals. For me, the achievement of cohesion is certainly the vital key to realising this ideal and Kakabadse’s (2005) notion of ‘polylogue’ resonates with me. Similarly, modern mental health services exist as components of broader networks that transcend the traditional boundaries of the NHS. In order to run an effective service I need to manage interfaces with a wide and diverse range of partner agencies and stakeholders that include GPs and other referrers, social care agencies, specialist providers, the criminal justice system, drug services, community and faith groups, and service users and their carers. Pollywollydollylogue! Central to the achievement of cohesion in my service has been the promotion of a shared philosophy, vision and value system and Kouzmin’s (2007) concept of the ‘organisational architect’ appeals to me in this sense, with its emphasis on leaders’ responsibility for designing and developing organisations with shared vision and effective communication networks. This concept of shared vision is also found in servant-leadership. Covey (1999) emphasised the need for leaders to create a vision that involves and inspires, and that mobilises the efforts of others, and Depree’s (2002) third neccesity for servant-leadership was a clear moral purpose, arguing that leadership requires moral purpose to give it meaning. It is not surprising that such sentiments should find esonnance in the NHS, or any other care sector organisation that has its base in social morality, and we are reminded of Bevan’s vision for a national health service, available to everyone and free at the point of access, sixty years ago: The collective principle asserts that†¦ no society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means. (Bevan 1952) Interestingly, ‘moral purpose’ has played a significant role in influencing the development of my specialist field, Early Intervention in Psychosis (EI P), in this country. The introduction of this new model of mental health service has been extensively driven by a ‘bottom up’ approach that has witnessed the emergence of a ‘social movement’ for mental health reform (Bate et al, 2004): A diverse group of proponents, including statutory and non-statutory agencies, clinicians, service users and carer groups who are impatient for service reform and find commonality with the civil rights movement, equal rights for women campaigners and Gay Pride. Despite its diversity, this mental health social movement is connected by a shared view that that the suffering associated with the poor outcomes experienced by people with serious mental health problems is unnecessary, and largely a product of inadequate and ineffective services. It is argued that the kind of radical, transformational change required for mental health modernisation will not be achieved by top down, programmatic, transactional leadership approaches, but must be complemented by a grass roots desire for bold, sustainable change. Harnessing this shared sense of moral purpose has proved crucial to achieving cohesion in our complex service and is constantly and intentionally reinforced through team meetings, training and supervision. DePree’s (2002) notion of ‘fiduciary leadership’ also resonates and the sense that my position is one of responsibility and accountability both to and for a group of staff remains important for me. Having emerged from the ‘ranks’, my painfully slow rise to mediocrity might be seen as a good example of Greenleaf’s model, where individuals accept leadership, with modest reluctance, as a means to better serve others. In reality, my pathway has been determined by a combination of bossiness, laziness and poverty, fueled by a growing sense of moral purpose and by a personal philosophy that ‘it is better to lead, than be led by a w*nker’. I am, however, genuinely drawn to many of the core values of the servant-leader model: I believe that as leader I must work hard, contribute and model the values of the service. I believe that language and action must be consistent and that integrity breeds trust and confidence. I am keen to drive progress through experimentation and risk-taking but recognise interdependence with work colleagues and that change and improvement will only be delivered by harnessing human potential, empowering staff and clients, and by helping people to grow and fulfil their potential. In a service where ‘recovery’ is the product (or ‘profit’) it is vital that everybody’s contribution is acknowledged and people are fairly rewarded. Inevitably our system rewards some more than others and the recent introduction of ‘Agenda for Change’, the new NHS pay structure, has arguably made this harder. Never the less, I strongly agree with the need for personal restraint (DePree, 2002) in a system with such a wide range of pay scales. There is nothing more offensive than a highly paid NHS manager in an expensive sports car, no matter how severe their mid-life crisis. I do also recognise the reasonable criticisms of servant-leadership when presented as a purely transformational approach. Traditional transactional activities such as resource management, policy and proceedure are also necessary in a twenty-first century health service and some control remains necessary if outcomes are to be realised efficiently. Balancing these requirements with empowering models is the key, in my view, to enabling innovation and creativity whilst avoiding mediocrity and waste. Finally, as a big, hairy bossy-boots, I would need to declare some sympathy for the trait theorists. I think that I do have some natural in-built leadership qualities, as well as plenty of testosterone, and I enjoy seratonin as much as the next man (or woman)! Learning Points Foremost among the learning points stemming from this assignment for me was the relevance and usefulness of this subject to my work and this has been explored in the previous section. Also, I was surprised at just how large in both breadth and depth this subject is. Theories on leadership can be traced as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans, with a massive expansion of interest dating back to the nineteenth century, culminating in a veritable explosion from the middle of the twentieth century onwards. And leadership theories stem from a wide spectrum of fields including industrial, religious, military, financial, educational, political and organisational. I have learned that no one model fully explains everything or is pertinent to all situations, and that leadership models, like history, are open to interpretation and reflective of the dominant culture of a particular place or time. Theories seem to exist, like most things, on a continuum, with poles that represent unworkable extremes such as dictatorship and anarchy. In between lie a spectrum of models that will have different levels of utility according to the presenting circumstances. I have reflected that there are times when strong, authoritarian leadership is necessary (such as wartime or when trying to organise a multi-agency conference! ) and there are times when more subtle influence is required. Coming from a health service management perspective, this assignment has reinforced my view, as illustrated by Covey’s (1999) description of servant leadership, that clinicians in caring roles have to want to perform well and that managers can’t force workers to ‘care’ – any more than the north wind could force the man to remove his cloak in Aesop’s sixth century BC fable of the wind and the sun: Kindness, gentleness, and persuasion win where force fails. (Aesop, 6BC) I have also learned to recognise that different, coexisting parts of the same organisation can be working to different leadership models simultaneously. For example, in our organisation, the IT and catering departments might be run along the lines of scientific management, the finance department (and in particular the director of finance) employ authoritarian transactional control, whilst our clinicians require engaging and empowering approaches to optimise their creativity and output. The CEO, as ‘organisational architect’ needs considerable skill to hold all of this together and I have learned that complex organisations like ours can only function when discretionary leadership roles are promoted. When thinking about the different types of leadership required in the NHS, I was also led to consider the problems that occur when leadership style conflicts with leadership need and there are many examples of organisational problems stemming from this kind of dichotomy. Similarly, problems occur when the ‘espoused’ (Argyris, 1974) theory of leadership differs from the theory in action. The starkest example of this, perhaps, would be Adolph Hitler, who espoused to be the natural leader (‘Ubermensch’ – Nietzsche, 1883) of national socialists but was in fact a nasty dictator. Speaking of dictatorship, in studying for this assignment I found myself naturally drawn to models of leadership that reflect my own values and beliefs and that vindicate my own approach. At the same time I found it useful to see these ideas in their broader context and contrasted with alternatives. I have become increasingly aware of the social, political, philosophical and spiritual dimensions of leadership theory and was struck by the strong link between Christianity and servant-leadership, with many of its exponents being unashamed god-botherers with evangelical tendencies. This led me to reflect on the way leadership theories have been influenced by dominant cultural models over time, and how we have seen a transition from authoritarian ‘old testament’ models of leadership at the start of the industrial revolution, to the scientific and evolutionary models of the twentieth century and, finally, to models based on the modern Christian/Humanistic values of empowerment. In the NHS we have witnessed a shift from leadership models based on power and status (Consultants, Medical Superintendents etc. to models based on emulating the business models and management control of business/industry, to the discretionary models of leadership that are increasingly found in large, complex, network-based NHS organisations. It remains to be seen whether the NHS will continue this evolutionary journey or, as some fear, pendulum back to models based on the divine power and status of medical leads and general managers. Conclusion This essay asked us to consider leadership requirements for the twenty-first century and I would be inclined to agree with Greenleaf’s (1970) axiomatic proposition that the system needed to deliver the necessary change would be the one that works best. For Greenleaf that was servant-leadership. Importantly Greenleaf identifies the requirement for leadership to deliver the ‘necessary change’, and this examination of leadership theories has shown me how the management of change is central to the purpose of leadership and how successfully managing change is a defining characteristic of leadership (Pedler et al, 2004). Pedler describes this in a way that both resonates with me and promotes simultaneously the ideas of discretionary leadership, servant leadership and transactional progress: Major change usually involves large numbers of people, and there are usually many agendas present concerning what the change should be, what it is for and how it is achieved. Listening to and balancing these views and concerns, whilst continuing to move forward is one of the hallmarks of good leadership. (Pedler et al, 2004) With regard to whether a different kind of leadership is required for the twenty-first century, I think that it can be concluded that different scenarios demand different models of leadership. Kakabadse (1999) argues that discretionary leadership will naturally emerge in response to the pace and pressure of organisational change in the twenty-first century. For me, the model of leadership needed in the twenty-first century, will be the one that best reflects the cultural norms and values of the century. For modern NHS organisations, I am inclined to agree with the discretionary leadership theorists that flexible, interdependent, multi-layered leadership based on shared values, relationships, communication and the flow of ideas is required. Gooding supports the view that the requirements of the twenty-first century will undoubtedly be different to those of the preceding centuries: The manager will become much more of a coach, positioned alongside rather than above his team, working with them, acknowledging their concerns, ideas and aspirations. (Gooding, 2005). According to Gooding, the ‘command and control’ culture is dying and the personality profile of successful managers will change, emphasising empathy and sensitivity. However, despite many examples of successful servant-leaders, I remain to be convinced that these models will soon be adopted in the ‘for-profit’ sector, where macho, transactional behaviour is still valued and rewarded: ‘You’re fired! ’ (Alan Sugar, 2008) References Aesop, (6BC). A Selection Of Aesop’s Fables From A New Translation For Modern Readers (1953), Wolverhampton College of Art Argyris, C and Schon D (1974). Theory in Practice, Jossey Bass Bate, P, Robert, G & Bevan, H (2004). The next phase of healthcare improvement: what can we learn from social movements? Quality and Safety in Health Care,13, p62 Bevan, A (1952). In Place of Fear, New York: Simon and Schuster Burke, E (1775). Speech on Conciliation with America, March 22, 1775, Department of Alfa-informatica, University of Groningen Burke, E (1790). Reflections on the Revolution in France and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event in a Letter Intended to be Sent to a Gentleman in Paris, Pall Mall (London): Dodsley Burns, JM (1978). Leadership, New York: Harper Row Covey, S R (1999). Servant leadership and Community Leadership in the Twenty-first Century in Spears LC and Lawrence M (2002) Focus on Leadership: Servant-Leadership for the 21st Century, Wiley Darwin, C (1859). On the Origin Of Species, London: John Murray DePree, M (1990). Leadership is an Art, Dell Depree, M (2002). Servant Leadership: Three Things Necessary in Spears LC and Lawrence M (2002) Focus on Leadership: Servant-Leadership for the 21st Century, Wiley Fairholm, GW (1991). Values Leadership: Towards a NewPhilosophy of Leadership, London: Praeger Finklestein, S and Hambrick, DC (1996). Strategic Leadership: Top Executives and their Effects on Organisations. New York: West Publishing Agency Freud, S (1922). Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego. London: International Psychological Press Gooding, V (2005). What will Tomorrow’s Organisation Look Like? In Leadership and Management in the 21st Century: Business Challenges of the Future (ed. ) Cooper, CL (2005). Oxford University Press Greenleaf, RK (1970). The Servant as Leader. In (eds. ) Zimmerli, WC, Richter, K and Holzinger, M (2007. ) Corporate Ethics and Corporate Governance, Berlin: Springer Hesse, H (1932). Journey to the East (Die Morganlandfahrt), Samuel Fisher House, RJ (1977). A 1976 Theory of Charismatic Leadership. In Leadership: The Cutting Edge, (eds. ) JG Hunt and LL Larson. Carbondale. IL: Southern Illinois University Press Hunt, JG et al. (1981). A Multiple Influence Model of Leadership. Report for the US Army Research Institute. Carbondale. IL: Southern Illinois University Press Hyun-kyung, K (2008) Will Servant Leadership Work in Next Government? In Korean Times, 30/01/08 Kakabadse, A & Kakabadse, N (1999). Essence of Leadership. London: International Thompson Kakabadse, A (2000). From Individual to Team to Cadre: Tracking Leadership for the Third Millennium. Journal of Strategic Change, Vol. 9 pp. 5-16. Kakabadse, A (2005). Discretionary Leadership: From Control/Coordination to Value Co-Creation Through Polylogue. In Leadership and Management in the 21st Century: Business Challenges of the Future (ed. ) Cooper, CL (2005). Oxford University Press Kouzmin, A Kakabadse, A & Kakabadse, N (2007). Leadership and Ethics in a Managerialist Context. In Public Governance and Leadership: Political and Managerial Problems in Making Public Governance Changes the Driver for Re-Constituting Leadership (ed) Koch, R and Dixon, J. Wiesbaden: Deutscher Universitats-Verlag Marx, K (1959). Economic & Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844, Moscow: Progress Publishers Myung-bak, L (2002). Having Hope Among Continued Frustration, Nicholson, N (2000). Managing the Human Animal. London: Texere Nietzsche, F (1883) Also Sprach Zarathustra, Cherrnitz: Ernst Schmeitzner Pedler, M Burgoyn, J and Boydell T (2004). A Manager’s Guide to Leadership. Glasgow: McGraw Hill Sugar, A (2008). The Apprentice, BBC TV Taylor, FW (1911). The Principles of Scientific Management. New York: Harper Weber, M (1947). The Theory of Social and Economic Organisation. Henderson, AM and Parsons, T, New York: Free Press

Far From Feminism: A Doll’s House Essay

First performed in Denmark of 1879, â€Å"A Doll’s House† by Henrik Ibsen shocked Europe with its controversially courageous ideas. Although the play undeniably paints a sympathetic salutation to the plight of women during the 18th and 19th century, Ibsen repudiated the piece as being of solely feministic construct, declaring it a humanistic piece. In fact, when he was being honored by the Norwegian Society for Women’s Rights, Ibsen himself stressed that his general intent as a writer was not to solely bring light to the plight of women when he asserted that, â€Å"True enough, it is desirable to solve the woman problem, along with all the others; but that has not been the whole purpose. My task has been the description of humanity† (Ibsen Letters 337). Upon further examination, it becomes evident that the feminist ideals that are present in â€Å"A Doll’s House† culminate as merely a symptom of an all-encompassing epidemic. Through the characters of Torvald, Nora, Krogstad, and Christine, Ibsen underlines the lethality of a marriage diseased by societal pressure, and the hope of a union that is free from fallacy, yet by no means fault. Torvald is a caricature of the chauvinistic male products of the patriarchal prison that perpetuated throughout society in the 18th century. A result of embracing the role that society has assigned him, is the projection of those societal ideals onto his own environment. Unfortunately, society has misconstrued Torvald’s interpretation of love, and what it means to be a ‘good’ man/husband; he believes he loves his wife, but what he loves is the idea of her. He loves the idea of her as a dazzling doll that he can dress and disregard, or a child whom he can control and (pretend to) protect. Torvald reflects his assumptions of his wife’s inferiority in many ways: He refers to her as â€Å"Little Squirrel/Skylark/Songbird† (Ibsen 1352), he indicts her of â€Å"think[ing] and talk[ing] like a heedless child† (Ibsen 1401), and he accuses her of not â€Å"understand[ing] the conditions of the world in which [she] live[s]† (Ibsen 1400). These assumptions culminate in an insurmountable amount of irony. While Torvald accuses his wife of being ignorant to the world around her, it is he that is in fact unaware of the harsh realities of his life. During a time when Torvald became ill, Nora committed forgery of her father’s name to yield the necessary funds that permitted they travel to receive the medical attention required to save her husband’s life, an act that Nora fruitlessly fights to ensure remains unbeknownst to her husband. Additionally, Torvald is kept unaware of Dr. Rank’s impending death by both the doctor, and by his wife, Nora. Rank tells Nora, â€Å"Helmer’s refined nature gives him an unconquerable disgust at everything that is ugly† (Ibsen 1377), directly alluding to Torvald’s superficial nature and his inability to face the unpleasant realities of life. Thus, it is Torvald that does not â€Å"understand the conditions of the world in which [he] live[s]† (Ibsen 1400); however, his ignorance is not of his own doing. Further irony is offered to Torvald’s patronizing pet names for his wife. Torvald’s use of naturally elusive animals in reference to his obedient wife invokes images of unnaturally caged creatures, a reflection of Nora (and all women) as ‘caged’ within society’s assigned role to women as, and capable of, lesser than what Ibsen revolutionarily believed to be their actual worth and ability. The superficial standards of society have conditioned Torvald to believe that Nora depends on him (and thus, the more important he is), and that she, as a woman, is emotionally and mentally childlike (and thus, the stronger and wiser he is). Furthermore, Torvald casts himself a heroic role in his own fictional theatrical production when he tells Nora, â€Å"I have often wished that you might be threatened by some great danger, so that I might risk my life’s blood, and everything, for your sake† (Ibsen 1394). Torvald, enthralled by Nora’s dazzling demeanor, fantasizes about how he might rescue her from some great danger. However, shortly after his chivalrous charade, Torvald, having learned the details of Nora’s debt, has the opportunity to do just that, and fails miserably. Nora’s husband shows no appreciation for her intelligence or intention in performing an act that could have been avoided had Nora been capable of exceeding the superficial barriers imposed by society (such as attaining a credible career, or the ability to acquire a loan). Additionally, Torvald lacks even slight consideration of his wife’s feelings in light of the details of her loan, despite the fact that her actions saved his life. He rejects her as both a wife to him, and a mother for their children. Furthermore, he asserts that he wants her to remain in his house and pretend that all is well with their marriage asserting that â€Å"From this moment happiness is not the question; all that concerns us is to save the remains, the fragments, the appearance† (Ibsen 1396). Thus, Torvald’s harsh and selfish reaction to the insight of Nora’s crime is far from heroic, and prompts Nora’s revelation of her husband and marriage: â€Å"You don’t understand me, and I have never understood you either–before to-night† (Ibsen 1397). Ironically, Nora has also been at fault for deceiving her husband of her true nature prior to this proclamation. Nora, who has never lived alone–she went directly from the care of her father to that of her husband–has been conditioned to believe that a woman’s â€Å"happiness is dependent on the happiness of the head men in her life† (Northam 251). This belief results in a faà §ade that Nora fabricates and flaunts as an embodiment of a woman/wife consistent with the ideals of her father, husband, and society at large. As Torvald gently chides Nora throughout the play, Nora good-naturedly responds to, and even plays into, his criticisms. She has learnt to coax her husband into submission of what she asks by appealing to what she knows he finds desirable in her. Nora’s character shifts from initially struggling to define self-fulfillment, to the astoundingly audacious pursuance of it on conclusion. Ibsen carefully constructed the character of Nora so that her independence and precaution are consistently shown as persistently trying to outshine her adolescent-like dependence and unpredictability. Although her father, husband, and societal standards have perforated any practical understanding concerning gender roles, she has retained enough intrinsic wisdom to confront an emergency, perhaps an implication of Ibsen’s faith in the commendable innate characteristics of women at large. The fact that she confronts her and her husband’s inability to pay for treatment of her husband’s pressing illness by means of a forgery provides credence to her independence of thought; the carelessness of the act however, reflects her lack of sophistication. The collision of wisdom and childishness within Nora’s character enables her to test by experience the social hypothesis which declares that duties to the family are the most sacred. To her dismay, Nora realizes that despite her diligence towards her dues as both mother and wife, her marriage is not one of true love. Nora concludes the play with the world famous slam of the door as she releases herself from the infectious incubator in which she has so long been  entrapped by fault of her husband, society, and her own self-deception. She declares her right to tend to â€Å"other duties just as sacred†¦Duties to [her]self† (Ibsen 1399) in her flight to freedom. Subsequently, her conclusive and dramatic exodus offers Torvald a chance for liberation (and perhaps even redemption). When Torvald claims he has â€Å"it in [him] to become a different man† Nora responds, â€Å"Perhaps–if your doll is taken away from you† (Ibsen 1401). This is a direct implication of Nora’s realization not only of her own imprisonment, but also her insight regarding the contribution her role as Torvald’s doll has had towards her husband’s conditioning. This, in addition to her own self-realization, adds subtle yet substantial reinforcement to the humanistic nature of the play. Nils Krogstad, from whom Nora acquired the scandalous loan and has been blackmailed her since, is a character that can be reasonably stigmatized as a grade-A villain (A is for antagonist). However, although Krogstad undoubtedly uses some villainous tactics over the course of the play, there are in fact indications throughout that, underneath Krogstad’s villainous exterior, there is, at least to some degree, a respectable man who can then be recognized as another victim caught in the stranglehold of society. Krogstad’s former fiancà ©e, Mrs. Christine Linde had brutally severed her relationship with him when she was left fatherless, her brothers and ailing mother to care for, and without means for monetary support. Since a woman of the 18th century could not take out a loan, nor acquire a high-paying job, Christine’s circumstances necessitated that she marry a man with money. Eventually, Krogstad married and had children but when his wife passed away, he was left to raise and support his children alone. Under the pressure of his circumstances, Krogstad commits forgery, and is consequently viewed by the community as having a â€Å"diseased moral character† (Ibsen 1360). Thus, Christine’s rejection of Krogstad for a man whom could provide monetary support, combined with â€Å"society’s reaction to his petty crime performed to support his family out of reasonable desperation† (Hardwick 294), has programmed Krogstad to believe that to be a man worthy of a woman’s love or societal acceptance, he must be a man of flourishing financial standing, thus tragically fating him to a decade of self-suffering through petty crime and blackmail (Hardwick 294). When Christine’s brothers are grown, and her mother and husband have passed away, the newly independent, and, while of by  no easy means, self-sufficient Christine perpetually â€Å"found life profoundly depressing and aimless without the anchor of a husband and children† (Northam 252). Christine does not find happiness again until she reunites with Krogstad, telling him â€Å"I want to be a mother to someone, and your children need a mother. We two need each other† (Ibsen 1388). For a play that is often painted as a feminist paean, Christine’s proclamation is an awfully traditional assertion. Her tenacity to jump back into the role of wife and mother could be defined as tragic: society has conditioned her to believe that the only way she will feel satisfied in her role as a woman is to play the part of wife and mother. On the other hand, Christine makes her statement not out of ignorance, but as a woman well aware of life without men. Thus, Christine’s dissatisfaction may not be a nod to the tragic conditioning of women to fit the role of wife and mother, but an acknowledgement of the intrinsic inclination that we as humble humans feel regarding a need and desire for love. Christine and Krogstad, who reunite towards the end of the play, contrast the relationship of the Helmers in that the foundation of the new found relationship is one of mutual understanding and equality. Christine says to Krogstad, â€Å"Nils, how would it be if we two shipwrecked people could join forces? [†¦] Two on the same piece of wreckage would stand a better chance than each on their own† (Ibsen 1388). Perhaps the point Ibsen is trying to perpetuate in the reunion of Christine and Krogstad is that â€Å"the most wonderful thing of all† (Ibsen 1403) is, in fact, a marriage, a marriage that is â€Å"a wonderful thing† despite the imperfections of the individual, or within the relationship, a marriage that depicts what Nora defines as â€Å"a real wedlock† (Ibsen 1402). Although it can’t be entirely denied that Ibsen is making a statement on the rights of women in this era, a greater feat is his illustration of the institution of marriage as flawed by fallacious fronts. Ibsen’s greatest achievement in â€Å"A Doll’s House,† however, is not the judgment it passes on the institution of marital union, but the warning it perpetuates: â€Å"It is of no use lying to one’s self† (Ibsen 1376). Ibsen incorporates implication of hope in the union of Christine and Krogstad, a union that may be full of imperfection, but is free of fallacious fronts. Ibsen illuminates the issue of societal pressure through the intricacies of each, Torvald, Nora, Krogstad, and Christine, to underline an issue that goes far beyond feminist ideals, and perhaps even more impressively, an idea that transcends time. Works Cited Hardwick, Elizabeth. â€Å"Ibsen’s Women.† Seduction and Betrayal: Women and Literature. New York: Random House, 1974. 31-84. Rpt. in Drama Criticism. Ed. Lawrence J Trudeau. Vol 2. Detroit: Gale Research Inc, 1992. 292-296. Print. Ibsen, Henrik, and Evert Sprinchorn. Letters and speeches. 1st ed. New York: Hill and Wang, 1964. Print. Ibsen, Henrik. â€Å"A Doll’s House.† Literature and Its Writers: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. By Ann Charters and Samuel Barclay. Charters. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2012. 1349-1402. Print. Northam, John. â€Å"Ibsen’s Search for the Hero.† Ibsen: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1965. 91-108. Rpt. in Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Paula Kepos. Vol 37. Detroit: Gale Research Inc, 1991. 249-253. Print.