Abraham Lincoln as the Greatest President Essay - 1704 Words

Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many Americans as the greatest president to ever hold office in the history of the United States, and his reputation is definitely well deserved. Lincoln wasnt scared to stand up and fight for what he knew was right. He was convinced that within the branches of government, the presidency alone was empowered not only to uphold the Constitution, but also to protect, and defend it. Lincoln was able to lead our country and preserve the Union, keeping the United States from splintering during the devastating times of the Civil War. As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization, and he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the†¦show more content†¦Lincoln had an older sister, Sarah, and a younger brother, Thomas, who died in infancy. Little is known about Lincolns mother and the Hanks ancestry. She was one of at least eight children named Nancy Hanks born during the 1780s. (Donald, 1995) His mother was reportedly an illegitimate child born out of wedlock, but it was a subject that Lincoln rarely discussed. Nancy died when Lincoln was only nine years old. Family meant a great deal to Lincoln, and he was unfortunately too young to actually know and remember his mother. A year after her death, his father Thomas married again and Lincoln became interested in new family relations. Lincoln and his stepmother were very close. She helped fill the void in his heart and the overall feeling loneliness after his mothers death. Of his Lincoln ancestors he knew only a little more than he did about his mothers side the Hanks. Lincolns grandfather was putting in a crop of corn one day in 1786 when he was attacked and killed by a group of Native Americans. Lincolns father Thomas, due to the loss, was left a poorShow MoreRelatedAbraham Lincoln : The Greatest Presidents1876 Words   |  8 PagesAbraham Lincoln is widely known as one of the greatest presidents we have had. He hold this title because he got out country through the civil war. Even though he tried to prevent this war from happening he used everything in his power to bring it to a stop once it had begun. Lincoln had the utmost confidence in the Union and this showed by how America healed from the tragic death he went through. While Lincoln was in office his main priorities was to see this nation flourish and he did everythingRead MoreEssay on Abraham Lincoln - the Greatest President1069 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Lincoln There have been forty four U.S. presidents over the past two hundred and twenty years. What president has served the best for our country? None other than Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln is the greatest president ever because he did great things such as ending slavery, getting the us through the Civil War, and helped our country a lot. The American Civil War was a war between the Southern states and the Confederate states. Abraham Lincoln was not very prepared for the war militarilyRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Greatest Presidents1671 Words   |  7 Pagesauthors takes on whether Abraham Lincoln was one of America’s greatest presidents was that Paludan stated Lincoln was a president who wanted to defend and uphold the constitution of the United States, especially since President Lincoln always stated that all men are created equal and that meant blacks to in his opinion. He was the type of person who talked to the people not at the people when he spoke. Paludan believes Lincoln was a president that was greater than any other President in history. He feelsRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Greatest President2176 Words   |  9 PagesLaycock; Was Abraham Lincoln America’s Greatest President? Abraham Lincoln; America’s Greatest President In Larry Madaras and James M. SoRelle’s book Taking Sides: Clashing Views in U.S. History Volume 1: The Colonial Period to Reconstruction the topic as to whether or not Abraham Lincoln was America’s greatest president during and after the eighteenth century is explored and debated by Phillip Shaw Paludan and Melvin E. Bradford. Paludan believes Lincoln was America’s greatest president on theRead MorePresident Abraham Lincoln : Greatest President Of American History1516 Words   |  7 PagesOctober 2014 President Abraham Lincoln: Greatest President in American History President Lincoln said the following about the South in his Inaugural Address, In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you.... You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it.(Freidel and Sidey 2006) President Abraham Lincoln is look uponRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : The Greatest President Of All Times798 Words   |  4 Pageshailed as the greatest president of all times, Abraham Lincoln was a strong Presidential leader who is known for his honest ways. He was President during one of the worst wars in American history and was a great leader for our military. Abraham Lincoln helped to abolish slavery. He was shot down in the prime of his life and term of President by John Wilkes Booth. President Lincoln’s contributions to the American society will never be forgotten. On a February morning in 1809 Abraham Lincoln was bornRead MoreAbraham Lincoln: Americas Greatest President Essay952 Words   |  4 Pagesto just any person, but rather it highlights a courageous, respectful, and driven individual. Abraham Lincoln’s contribution to the United States is so grand and captivating, that he is deservingly recognized as America’s greatest president. For example, he abolished slavery, led America through the Civil War, and prevented the Union from splitting apart. Abraham Lincoln is America’s greatest president and was the forceful leader that manipulated America from a state of turmoil into a state of justiceRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : The Greatest President Of The United States1051 Words   |  5 Pages Abraham Lincoln, arguably said to be the greatest president of the United States, was simply a smooth-tongued politician with the ability to sway the masses and imbibe a sense of patriotism which would allow for the United States to g o to war against itself, all while under the guise of equality and slavery; when in reality the war was about individual state rights, and the fact that the southern states were becoming too powerful to be controlled by the centralized federal government. Even fromRead MoreGreatest Presidents of the United States: Abraham Lincoln930 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the great Presidents of the United States and a condemner of war, Abraham Lincoln, once said, â€Å"Military glory--that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood--that serpents eye, that charms to destroy.† Similarly, E.E. Cummings denounces war in his poems, after first hand experiences of battle in World War I. Although American society glamorizes war and the honor of sending a loved one to war, Cummings argues through his depictions of actual life on the battlefield, that this glamorizationRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln Essay944 Words   |  4 PagesAbraham Lincoln The President that was murdered because he forever freed the slaves in 1863 is how many people in today’s society remember the sixteenth president of the United States of America. President Abraham Lincoln leadership qualities and accomplishments go far beyond that life altering proclamation. American educator Dr. Stephen Covey states, â€Å"Always surround yourself with people who are even more talented and competent than you† This quote is relevant to the leadership skills and qualities

To Kill A Mockingbird Reflection Essay - 890 Words

In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, it talks about the racism and discrimination against blacks in the 1900’s in Alabama. It is narrated from the perspective of the author Harper Lee herself and is based on memories of her own life. The main character Scout, has an older brother named Jem, who is not as childish as Scout so he is a little more mature. At the beginning of the book, Jem’s level of maturity is not fully developed; nowhere near close at that. But, towards the end of the book, he seems to be able to understand and relate that the world could be a cruel and unfair place. At the beginning of the book, Jem truly has no idea of what is going on in the town of Maycomb. He is completely ignorant of his surroundings and is very†¦show more content†¦This shows that Jem is attempting to comprehend everything thats happening around him like the case with Tom Robinson and the scary assumption’s he has about Boo Radley or Arthur Radley. In addition to th ese changes in Jem’s personality, he also shows that he has completely broken away from his childish ways and wants to understand everything he sees happening in his life with the racism towards blacks and the lies he has in his mind about Arthur Radley. Scout precisely says â€Å"Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood†(141). This is undoubtedly displaying the courageous step Jem is taking towards his manhood and truly understanding that theres certainly a deeper message than what there seems to be, but he still does not fathom what is going on in his life and all the inequality there is in the world; specifically in Maycomb. Soon after he starts to grasp all this information and tries to process it through his head, he begins to have feelings towards the unfair treatment of others around him. At first, he did not know much about what was happening to Tom Robinson or what he was being accused of, but he soon recognizes that what they’re doing to him is absolutely inhumane and unacceptable. Jem shows complete sympathy for Robinson after the case was closed and was declared guilty. Scout describes in detail how emotionally destroyed Jem was after the case when she reveals â€Å"HisShow MoreRelatedTo Kill A Mockingbird Reflection Essay744 Words   |  3 PagesTo Reflect on Mockingbird To Kill A Mockingbird reflected the contentious race relations of the 1930’s-1960’s, and sparked nationwide examination of racism. There are countless court cases that closely resemble the trial that took place in the novel, such as the Scottsboro Trials. The book was published right before the culmination of the Civil Rights Movement. In the years after the book’s publication, the Freedom Riders made their famous trip across the South, and the March on Washington took placeRead MoreReflection Essay On To Kill A Mockingbird720 Words   |  3 PagesCharacter To Kill a Mockingbird was a great book and had many wonderful characters in it. As I was reading, I reflected on my reactions to the characters. Scout was an undoubtedly unique character in all that she did. Scout stood out in a crowd, not only for her courage, but her instinct to do what is right. When Atticus told her not to get into fights with other children about the lawsuit, she held back on her urge to fight. She chose to do what was right, even though she found it difficult. Scout’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Angela s Ashes By Frank Mccourt Essay1425 Words   |  6 Pageslife for those who are poor. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee~ Pulitzer Prize winner -This book is the sequel of To Kill a Mockingbird, which follows 26 year old Jean Louise Finch (Scout), home from New York to visit her father, Atticus. While visiting Scout discovers troubling truths from her past. This book would be a good choice for me because, when I read To Kill A Mockingbird in eighth grade I fell in love with the story. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes~ Man Booker Prize -This bookRead MoreThe English Assessment Task For Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1360 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish Assessment Task 1 - ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ Essay â€Å"Whether Maycomb knows it or not, we’re paying him the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do right.† To what extent are life values and lessons reflected throughout the novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’? The great degree that Harper Lee reflects life values and lessons throughout ’To Kill A Mockingbird’ is elucidated through the teachings of the main adult protagonist, Atticus Finch. Over three summers, Atticus guides his childrenRead MoreHow Harper Lees life and childhood influenced her writing of To Kill A Mockingbird2417 Words   |  10 PagesHARPER LEES VIEW OF THE 1930S AS A CHILD Harper Lee is well known for her great contributions towards modern society through her astounding book, To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel is read world-wide, in high schools and colleges because of its in-depth look at the social classes in the south during the 1930s. The book was influenced by society, in particular the social order of the south during her childhood. Lee grew up during this time of controversy which is why she writes so passionately aboutRead MoreHow To Write Literary Analysis4174 Words   |  17 PagesHow To Write Literary Analysis The Literary Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide When you read for pleasure, your only goal is enjoyment. You might find yourself reading to get caught up in an exciting story, to learn about an interesting time or place, or just to pass time. Maybe you’re looking for inspiration, guidance, or a reflection of your own life. There are as many different, valid ways of reading a book as there are books in the world. When you read a work of literature in an English classRead MoreCreating Opportunities For Students Proficiency Directing Their Own Learning And Have Done So Within My Classroom Environment Essay1865 Words   |  8 Pagesof the classroom environment. EXAMPLE 2- Throughout the course of the term, the year 11’s were deconstructing the themes and ideologies behind Harper Lee’s â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird†. This required students to have an understanding of messages present within the text, how to analyse these messages and place them within a structured essay layout. Over the first few weeks of the term, students focused purely on the ideologies and discourses present throughout the novel, they were then asked to deconstructRead MoreOutline the Primary Skills Used in Counselling Relationships2629 Words   |  11 PagesOutline the primary skills used in counselling relationships This essay intends to introduce the reader to the most important skills involved within developing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship between a client and the therapist or counsellor. The onus will be on Humanistic counselling but many of these skills are central to all counselling types. Humanistic counselling is a process whereby the eventual goal is to facilitate the client in developing a personal understanding of self, andRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 PagesKeri The bone people AF Jones, Lloyd Mister Pip AF Joyce, James Ulysses AF Kafka, Franz Metamorphosis AF Kesey, Ken One flew over the cuckoo’s nest AF Keneally, Thomas The chant of Jimmie Blacksmith AF King, Stephen Carrie AF Lee, Harper To kill a mockingbird AF YA Li, Yiyun A thousand years of good prayers AF London, Jack White fang AF McCaffrey, Kate Destroying Avalon YA McCaffrey, Kate In ecstasy YA McCullers, Carson The heart is a lonely hunter AF Malouf, David Remembering Babylon AF MarchettaRead MoreInterpretation of the Text13649 Words   |  55 Pagescircular pattern, whrai the closing event in the story brings the reader back to the introductory part; aframe structure - a story within a story; the latter may contrast or parallel. Tasks to Module 2 1. What are the themes of the novel â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† by N. Harper Lee? Which one would you call the main theme? 2. Think of a novel you have recently read in English and formulate its message. 3. Does the title of the novel by R. P. Warren â€Å"All the King’s Men† refer to its theme, message or both

Organizational Change Reflective Learning Portfolio

Question: Describe about the context of change management, resistance to change and managing change. Answer: The Context of Change Management Central to todays organizational change and development are the theories of change management and creative practices developed decades ago by prominent theorists like Maslow, Lewin or Senge. Abraham. H. Maslow is without argument one of the most important psychologists that the world has seen. His hierarchy of human needs and the motivational theory are one of the most enduring contributions to the world. After Maslow postulated his hierarchy of needs theory, individual development became a good in itself. Self-actualization was considered a pre-requisite for a change management. According to the theory of motivation, a person who has his needs in the lower part of hierarchy met, would then progress further towards realizing his potential. This thought serves as a paradigm shift in forming the basis of good leadership and a successful management. One of the core premises that underpin the use of change management is motivation. Every concept about change all boils down to that one word. It is natural for people to become defensive or anxious at the prospect of a change which is something different from the routine a person is used to. Therefore, if an action does not primarily motivate people to put in the effort required to achieve the desired results, the probability of an improvement (change) gets lowered there. But motivation is not something that is achieved in a short run. While we must consider that the beginning of all successful journeys is bound to a little bumpy without motivation as a central part of the strategy, the entire process could easily fail. And as a leader implementing the change, it is his/her duty to carefully undermine the difficulties that go into a change process. A change process begins with preparation or planning, change management, reinforcing and finally evaluating the change. It is during the first step of this process that Maslows theory of motivation plays an important role. It is a leaders responsibility to make attempts to understand the physiological needs of those upon whom the change is inflicted and would be reflected. Any form of initial challenge would be posed by them and when theyre adequately motivated with all their hierarchical needs taken care of, initiating the change shouldnt be as difficult. We live in a world of unprecedented change. With businesses and organizations increasingly going global, competitive, complicated and unpredictable, change is something that has become inherently emergent. The continuous change has made organizations unstable, planned change is not the only kind that is acceptable. Purposeful, calculative and collaborative change processes are to be efficiently connected to unplanned, unexpected emergent changes. This requires immediate implementation as soon as a new trend is spotted. While a number of authors have attempted the what and how of changes, Kurt Lewin is the pioneer in the field. He identified three stages through which an organization traverses before the change becomes a part of the system: Unfreezing, Moving and Refreezing. The first step involves examining the status and requirement for change, the second denotes initiating the change by taking action and involving people and finally finalizing the changes and making them permanent. An expansion and modification to Lewins theory was provided by Rogers (1983) who described planned change to comprise of five phases including awareness, trial, interest, adoption and evaluation which was then further expanded by Ronald Lippitt (1958). These theories can be clustered together and while these theories are the best form of change implementation, it is a time consuming process considering all the stages of implementation. These may be suited for a business environment that is stable but during complex, dynamic period, a more quick thinking is required and emergent planning may be more suitable. Lewins Theory Rogers Theory Lippitt Theory Unfreezing Awareness Problem Diagnoses Motivation and capacity for change assessment Change agents motivation and resource assessment Moving Interest Evaluation Trial Selection of progressive change objective Appropriate role choosing for the change agent Maintaining the change Refreezing Adoption Termination of helping relationship Figure: Comparison between change principles Source: (Roussel, 2006) And these are the main limitations of the Lewins theory wherein the theory assumes an organizations environment as stable and these types of change management could be applicable in small-scale change products. Also, organizational power and politics have not been taken into account and is completely management driven. But the core theme of his work is that the group in which an individual is a part of influences his perceptions, feelings and actions and is most important in bringing about change whether it was at an individual level, group level or the organization level. His primary interest was in resolving conflicts through behavioral changes and to succeed he identified two requirements, an understanding of the formation and maintenance of groups and the motivation behind them and to change their behavior as required for the change. The criticisms on Lewins work could be a result of narrow interpretation of his work. His view of organization wasnt stable or fixed nor did he view change to be one-dimensional and his work demonstrates that he was aware of the limits to stability. Far from viewing change as predictable, he viewed it as an iterative learning process in which the final achievement would hold more value than the journey. His work recognizes that organizational transformation under certain conditions of crisis could be rapid but is limited to structural or technical changes while behavioral changes take time. Conflicts are an ongoing process and his approach with its basis on understanding, developing new insights, and testing solutions is relevant even in todays world of business whether in organizations or the wider society. Decision making in dynamic situation is complex especially when the decision-making process has indirect, delayed and have a number of effects. Yet, in organizations today, managers are constantly put in such situations where they are expected to act. According to the systems thinking approach of Senge (1990), its practice begins with understanding of feedbacks. This basic understanding will then pave the way in enabling people identify recurring patterns. This proves that managers no longer have the liberty of ignoring feedbacks nor misperceive them. And as the strength of feedbacks increase and the time delays happen, the performance in an organization deteriorates markedly. In his book, The Fifth Disciple, Senges relies on the concept of Mental Models which according to him are very important in paving the way in which an individual perceives reality which is in turn shaped by his/her view of the world. The systems perspective allows managers to look beneath the surface into the underlying structures of attitudes and behaviors which aids in gaining the necessary leverage to change which is not accessible by concentrating on only specific events. The basic aim is to achieve growth not by pushing for growth but by limiting the obstructions in the path of growth. But Senges principle is limited in that it did not explore the fundamental structural, social and economical limitations in the growth of an organization because doing so would have been contradictory of his basic goals. But still, the conditions for the operation of an organization are generalized in his book. This way of thinking can be defined as viewing the connections and relationships between things. Instead of considering the individual parts and pieces of an occurrence, systems thinking considers the interdependency between the parts and appreciates it as a whole. According to this theory, an organization is composed of a number of subsystems. The hierarchical needs, bureaucratic relationships, process flow, individual attitudes, perceptions, production, service, sales, quality control and assurance and a number of other factors. And any change to one subsystem will definitely have an impact on the other systems because of the interconnectedness of the subsystems. People in different levels of organization hold diverse perceptions on a particular action and that is what is appreciated in systems thinking perspectives. This leads to a recognition of the underlying structures and map them to the complexity of the change and understand factors that have remained invisible otherwise. Therefore, the three theories of change management arent dated but are still central to todays organizational change management but not as individual theories but are interconnected to each other. These theories are holistic in their view and applicable universally. As argued by Burnes (2014), the best theory for change management would be the one that brings different disciplinary angles together. The systems perspective is valid in its claim that the organization is divided into subsystems that are interrelated and while considering that, the systems theory may seem the best way to go about. But whether the change proposed is organization wide or on the systems of the organization, the ultimate change will have to be effected by the individual and group behaviors and would be reflected on them and in that case, the relevance and applicability of Maslows and Lewins theories cannot be ignored. Resistance to change Employee resistance to change is inevitable and at any point of time, a management must be prepared to respond to it. It is the individuals within the organization that are thwarted and affected by a change and they resist it primarily due to the fear of the unknown. That is, there is a general fear of the effect the brought about change would have on their job performance, their work place relationships and other factors associated with the job. According to Fine (1986), these individuals together have the power to thwart the implementation of any change. People need time to adjust to the changes and this fear of unexpected is more rational than irrational. Weinbach (1986), Malinconico (1983) demonstrate that individuals belonging to an organization are more accepting of changes when the organization management tries to ease their anxieties in a number of ways. These can be achieved by firstly letting the employees know in advance about the change plans. And in specific, the management must provide those employees that are directly affected by the decision with the complete information regarding the changes. And in any case, the management must continuously provide clarified answers to all of the employee questions and provide the employees with the time to reflect on the effect the proposed change will have on themselves and the organization as a whole. For instance, let us consider an example from a study conducted by two communication researchers. The study was about a government agency that had plans to move to a new office building. The workers in the office were old fashioned and used to working under the conditions present in the current building and even though the plan for change had been discussed within the senior management for a while, the plan was not communicated to the employees. The study was conducted by separating the employees into three groups where in one of the group would receive positive information about the change, the second group would receive negative information and the third group would have no information at all. Consequently, one group was informed that the new building would have better amenities and better furniture, the second group was informed that the environment in the new office would hinder privacy and third group was given nothing (Miller, 1985). As expected, the group that received positive information responded positively to the change but the surprising part was that the group that had negative information also responded positively compared to those with no information at all. This made it clear that, be it positive or negative information, sharing as much information as possible with the employees made them better adaptable to the change rather than keeping them in the dark. Another common reason responsible for resistance is when people are apprehensive of the new job-related expectations that a said change could bring. According to a study by Sagie et al (1985), emphasized that individuals who are more experienced at performing a particular job are more resistant to change than the lesser experience employee because theyre used to doing it in a certain way for a long period of time. Debra Shaw (1986) emphasizes on increasing employee participation to reduce resistance to change. People differ in ways they respond to change. Oreg (2003) established the concept of dispositional resistance to change which embodies the differences in reaction of different people. A scale called the RTC was used to measure dispositional resistance to change in which the structural and predictive validities of the resistance was measured. The studies demonstrated that dispositional resistance was related to yet very difficult from intolerance for secrets, aversion to risks, dogmatism or other traits. The trait, according to him comprised of four dimensions including routine seeking which involves the extent to which an individual relies on the stability of an environment, emotional reaction referring to the individuals reaction of discomfort and stress as a result of the change imposed, short-term focus which denotes the inconvenience caused due to individuals pre-occupation with the short term problems that the change might cause without looking into the bigger picture and cognit ive rigidity that refers to the stubbornness and a willful resistance to innovative ideas and changes. Dispositional resistance may prompt people to be not accepting of the changes even if the changes are docile and has a comparatively welcoming context (Jones, Jimmieson and Griffith, 2005). Another important notion crucial to the understanding of resistance is the depth of intervention. The notion was advanced by Harrison (1970) who identified some of the most important factors that have to be considered when making a choice about the depth of intervention. The depth here is associated with the extent to which a persons individual feelings or cognitions are identifiable and the degree to which an individual is emotionally involved in the change process. The depth of intervention choice and time will also depend upon the strategy involved in the change process. For instance, when considering a change in the organizational culture which is part of a fundamental change, the depth of intervention is to be pitched at a depth level and if it is done superficially, the level of resistance will be high and the change process is bound to fail (Jabri, 2012). The cognitive dissonance theory demonstrates that people who are inherently committed to a particular course of action will become insensitive to the potential benefits of the proposed change (Jermias, 2001). In his study, Jermias demonstrated that people refused to accept change even if they are faced with negative feedback on the current system. People who are in general convinced that they should decide objectively instead of being subjective still unconsciously make preconceived decisions towards the course of action to which they find themselves committed. And in applying these to principles to change management of an organization, if the proposed change is out of proportion to the general mindset of people concerned, the proposition is bound to be met with resistance unless a change in attitudes of those involved prevails (Burnes, 2014). And in cases where there is minimum level of dissonance, the resistance will be minimum and the attitude problems negligible. The scenario tur ns upside down in case of crisis situations when the attitude change among concerned people can be brought about rather quickly and a radical change is the only way to overcome dissonance. Involvement of employees can be explained by another concept called the psychological contract. For an organization to effectively implement change, an understanding of the employees is more important than they understand change. Employees of an organization are bound by a set of unwritten expectations based on a persons degree of self-worth and prestige and when it is threatened it leads to unrest. If a person employed in particular position, location or sector is suddenly transferred to a new position, it is imminent that he feels threatened and concerned about his job security, performance and convenience. Hence, psychological contract is another important area that has to be dealt with caution. Therefore, any proposed change by a company needs to be a well thought about plan including the level of employee involvement rather than a hasty situation that is bound to create unrest (Burnes, 2014). Managing Change While change may have been broadly classified as planned and emergent, there are other dimensions to change that find relevance in todays business environment. Transformational change identified by Kotter (1996) is a key type. In his first paper, Kotter identified eight key areas of concern that leads to an organizations transformation efforts to fail. And subsequently went to identify an eight stage process every organization must go through in order for their transformation to be successful. McDonalds is one such company that has undergone a number of transformational changes in recent years. Case Study McDonalds McDonalds underwent transformational change to reposition them in the food market and re-brand them. When the company faced increased censure due to the campaigns from anti-obesity and anti-junk food protesters, McDonald had to change its culture entirely to suit the growing needs of people that had suddenly become very different than what it was a few years ago. And the change was necessary to bring it back into profit. This change though broadly can be classified as emergent change, fits more prominently into the category of transformational change. It was not planned as McDonalds clearly did not see it coming and had to undergo a radical transformation. One of the major characteristics of transformational change that differentiates it from the other styles is the effort of the leaders to involve self-esteem, efficacy and confidence of their employees (Shamir et al, 1993). McDonalds transformation was at broad organization level wherein the organization adapted itself to the environment. The main vision behind McDonalds transformation was to become a health conscious food outlet as opposed to being categorized as junk food (Kapica, 2004). The company repositioned its products as being more nutritious and aligning itself to a new brand image of health and fitness. In the year 2003, McDonalds began this initiative and started serving salads. Their lifestyle initiative strategies included adding nutritional information about the food served in serving trays and their brochures and the year saw McDonalds selling hundreds of millions of salads (Boje and Rhodes, 2006). Jim Cantalupo, the then CEO and Chairman of McDonalds brought about the change my drastically changing the menu and introducing McSalads and launching campaigns for fitness nutrition. Governments and other influential health advocates around the world pointed to McDonalds as a reason for their obesity levels increase. America, the country native to McDonalds is the country with the most obese people. The ongoing Menu changes were then promoted with a new slogan, McDonalds. But not as you know it. The main aim here was to make changes to peoples thinking about McDonalds products and create awareness about the new products for which direct mailing of brochures was done to nearly seventeen million households in the UK. Another problem with McDonalds image emerged when in 2001 the company was accused of using natural beef extracts in its fries enraging vegetarians and Hindus around the world. The consumer base in those sections of the society felt cheated by the apparent misleading of the company even though the fries were never claimed suitable for vegetarians by the company. After a protest on the use of animal fats in the oil used for frying, McDonalds switched to using vegetable oil frying oil and to make up for the lost flavor because of the switch, natural beef flavoring was added to the fries before frying and this did not go well with vegetarian groups. The FDA at the time did not require the company to list natural flavorings in the nutrition table and this controversy came to light when an Indian origin vegetarian living in Los Angeles went to the Headquarters of McDonalds and learnt about the use of natural beef flavors. McDonalds also found itself subject to a number of lawsuits accounti ng to millions of Euros (Schlosser, 2001). The controversy then came to an end when the company admitted to the use of beef extract and claimed that it had never announced the suitability of the fries to vegetarians. They also declared a public apology for the confusion created (Davis, 2001). But strict compliance was followed in India and other Hindu and Islamic countries. And since beef is banned in India and is opposed to the religious beliefs of the people there, McDonalds changed their menu offerings customized to the needs of the country. The menu did not include pork and beef. Similarly, menus in other countries around the world were customized according to the preference of the local community. This transformational change made McDonalds to return back into profit books. Quite recently, the fast food giant also spent a billion in Canada for their brand transformation in the hope of reinvigorating its image in the country. The project will include renovating the stores to make the customers feel more inviting when they enter the outlets. The majority of the investment has been designed to make changes to the store interiors but a part is also accounted to making changes in the menu to include premium salads and healthy beverage alternatives. The company understands that the needs and wants of its consumer bases are changing continuously and adapting to the change is the only way for them to remain continually successful. It has also revised several of its locations as 24-hour operations (Moran, 2011). In spite of all the fast and convenient options and healthy menu option aimed at the baby boomers, the challenges that the company faces today are far more serious than they were a decade ago. Todays generations put calorie count and health ahead of everything else when it comes to their food choices and unfortunately when you think of low calorie food McDonalds is not the first place that comes to our mind. A major overhaul planned in the company features more fruits and vegetables. According to Don Thompson, chief executive officer of McDonalds, the rebranding strategy will look at the company from top to bottom in order to create better value for the customers, good service, effective marketing and adhere to sustainability options. In 2014, it was announced that the rebranding would take a year and a half to be effective. And as a most recent announcement, the company after facing a weak first quarter in the current year announced in New York city involving eighty eight restaurants that an isolated McDonalds delivery experiment where full menus will be available for delivery and some even with round the clock delivery options (Gasca, 2014). This McDelivery service is aimed at achieving a more competitive position. The company hopes to strip away the bureaucratic layers and attain a more effective decision-making model. The aim is to achieve a turnaround in the business (Soergal, 2015). Considering this, while the transformation change of McDonald was successful a few years back, it still has a long way to go before attaining the success it once enjoyed. References ABC News, (n.d.). McDonald's Sued Over Beef in Fries. [online] Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93386 [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Boje, D. and Rhodes, C. (2006). The leadership of Ronald McDonald: Double narration and stylistic lines of transformation. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(1), pp.94-103. Burnes, B. (2014). Managing change. 6th ed. Harlow, England: Prentice Hall Financial Times. Davis, S. (2001). McDonald's admits using beef fat for 'vegetarian' French fries. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1331625/McDonalds-admits-using-beef-fat-for-vegetarian-french-fries.html [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Fine, S. (1986). Technological Innovation, Diffusion and Resistance. Journal of Library Administration, 7(1), pp.83-108. Fullan, M. (2006). Change theory: A force for school improvement. Centre for Strategic Education, Seminar Series, Paper No. 157. Gasca, P. (2014). McDonalds' Rebranding Strategy: Why the World's Biggest Restaurant Thinks It's Time to Tweak Its Recipe. [online] Inc.com. Available at: https://www.inc.com/peter-gasca/mcdonalds-rebranding-strategy-why-the-world-s-biggest-restaurant-thinks-it-s-tim.html [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Harrison, R. (1970). Choosing the Depth of Organizational Intervention. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 6(2), pp.181-202. Jabri, M. (2012). Managing organizational change. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Jones, R., Jimmieson, N. and Griffiths, A. (2005). The Impact of Organizational Culture and Reshaping Capabilities on Change Implementation Success: The Mediating Role of Readiness for Change. J Management Studies, 42(2), pp.361-386. Lippitt, R., Watson, J. and Westley, B. (1958). The dynamics of planned change. New York: Harcourt, Brace. Liu, Y. (2009). Analysis and Evaluation of Organizational Change Approaches. IJBM, 4(12). Malinconico, S. (1983). Listening to the resistance. Library Journal, 108, pp.353-355. MILLER, K. and MONGE, P. (1985). SOCIAL INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE ANXIETY ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE. Human Communication Research, 11(3), pp.365-386. Mitchell, G. (2013). Selecting the best theory to implement planned change. Nursing Management, 20(1), pp.32-37. Moran, A. (2011). McDonald's to spend $1 billion on brand transformation in Canada. [online] Digitaljournal.com. Available at: https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/311225 [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Mourdoukoutas, P. (2013). McDonald's: Three Strategies To Reignite Sales Growth. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2013/11/23/mcdonalds-three-strategies-to-re-ignite-sales-growth/ [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Oreg, S. (2003). Resistance to change: Developing an individual differences measure. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(4), pp.680-693. Oreg, S., Bayazit, M., Vakola, M., Arciniega, L., Armenakis, A., Barkauskiene, R., Bozionelos, N., Fujimoto, Y., Gonzlez, L., Han, J., HÃ…â„ ¢ebÄ kov, M., Jimmieson, N., KordaÄ ov, J., Mitsuhashi, H., MlaÄ iĆ¡, B., FeriĆ¡, I., TopiĆ¡, M., Ohly, S., Saksvik, P., Hetland, H., Saksvik, I. and van Dam, K. (2008). Dispositional resistance to change: Measurement equivalence and the link to personal values across 17 nations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(4), pp.935-944. Rogers, E. (1983). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press. Roussel, L., Swansburg, R. and Swansburg, R. (2006). Management and leadership for nurse administrators. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Sagie, A., Elizur, D. and Greenbaum, C. (1985). Job experience, persuasion strategy and resistance to change: An experimental study. J. Organiz. Behav., 6(2), pp.157-162. Schlosser, E. (2001). Fast food nation. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline. 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Conversation of Five free essay sample

A group of 5 friends set a date to make a study group. Fazlee, Imran, Firdaus, Amir and Anas agree to do the study group at Imran’s home on Saturday at 9 in the morning. ~ Firdaus has already arrived at Imran’s home. They decided to surf the internet together while waiting for Fazlee, Anas and Amir. Later, the three arrive at Imran’s home. The Conversation Anas: Hi! What are both of you doing? Imran: We’re surfing about the latest sports news. Do you know, our National Football Team, the Harimau Malaya has set their new goal, which is to qualify in the 2012 London Okympics. Fazlee: Wow, really? After being the champion of the AFF Cup last year, they aim to qualify for the 2012 Olympic games in London. They are very ambitious. Firdaus: Hey look! An amazing fact about our national badminton player, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, he has won the Malaysian Open for the seventh time. We will write a custom essay sample on Conversation of Five or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Amazing. Amir: You know, he is the world’s number 1 badminton player according to BWF, Badminton World Federation. Imran: Really? The world’s number 1 badminton player? How do you know that? Amir: I read about it before in the newspaper. He has won many world-class badminton tournaments. Anas: Wow! You seem to know about badminton so much. Amir: Of course, it’s my favourite sports. I love playing badminton. Firdaus: Since when did you start playing badminton? Amir: I started playing badminton when I was 9 years old. It was so fun. My cousin taught me how to play badminton. Fazlee: Where do you go to play badminton? Amir: Usually, I play badminton at a multi-purpose hall in Section 5. Plus, I play badminton with my father and friends. What about you Imran do you have any favourite sports? Imran: Yes, I like cycling. Anas: Why do you like cycling? Not running or anything else? Imran: Cycling releases my stress. For instance, after school, I feel so tension about homeworks; and, when I go home by cycling, I feel happy and eventually it releases my stress. Firdaus: Nice tip, what kind of bicycle do you have? Imran: I have a mountain bike and a BMX. My mother bought them for me last year. Moreover, I often cycle around the football field at Section 19. Fazlee: The football field? When? Imran: Usually every evening? Why? Fazlee: You know, I play football there every evening. Why can’t I notice you there? Imran: Well, I don’t notice you either. Fazlee: Oh, maybe the field is too big. Amir: Hey Fazlee, with whom do you usually play football with? Fazlee: I play football with my brothers and neighbours. I have so much fun playing football. Anas: Me either, but I don’t really know how to play football. By the way, what kind of football boots do you have? I have a pair of Adizero F50. Fazlee: I wear a pair of Nike Mercurial when I play football. The boots which Christiano Ronaldo uses when he plays football. Anas, do you like playing football too? Anas: No, not really; I like watching football matches, but not playing football. It’s too tiring; but I like skating, ice-skating. Amir: Ice-skating? Malaysia is a hot country! Where in Malaysia do you ice-skate? Anas: Yes, Malaysia is a hot country. But there are some ice rings in Malaysia. For instance, the one which I usually go to ice-skate is at Sunway Pyramid. There’s an ice-ring there and it is open to the public. Imran: Wow! I never knew about that. Is it fun to ice-skate? I’ve never been on an ice ring in my life. Anas: Yes, it is so much fun as I gain a new experience, which is to ice-skate. My cousins taught how to skate. Furthermore, I make lot of new friends there. Firdaus: It must be fun to ice-skate. I wish I can skate with you Anas. Can you teach me how to skate? Anas: Of course, why not; whenever possible I will; and Firdaus, you’re the onleyperson who hasn’t told about favourite sports. Do you have one? Firdaus: Yes, I like swimming. Fazlee: Interesting! Where do you swim? Firdaus: I swim at the Shah Alam Aquatic Centre. It is near to the Tesco Hypermarket. Amir: When did you start swimming? Was it a long time ago? Firdaus: Yes, I started swimming when I was 7 years old. I was in standard 2 back then. At first, I was too scared of the water; but after learning the ays to swim, I could swim happily with no worries. Imran: Wah, nice story you have there. Anas: You know, I have the 4th degree swimming certificate. I got it when I attended a course on swimming few years ago. Fazlee: Wait, we’re here to make a study group right? Amir: Oh yes! I almost forgot about it. Firdaus: Haha, yeah; I forgot about it too. Imran: Come on friends, let’s start our stu dy group. Anas: Yeah, Fazlee, did you bring the English reference book? Fazlee: Yes, here it is. ~ Closing After the conversation, they begin their study group together.