Should the U.S. step back its relationship with Israel Research Paper

Should the U.S. step back its relationship with Israel - Research Paper Example For instance, the Liberty Bell inscribes that â€Å"Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof†, a statement that is taken from Old Testament scripture, Leviticus 25:10 (West, 2012). More so, the common U.S slogan â€Å"In God We Trust† came up through the influence of the Jews. Ideally, the relationship between U.S and Israel strengthened and thrived over the decades. However, the current state of the relationship seems to waver due to intensified conflicts between Israel and its neighbors known as the Middle East, where U.S intervention and objective of uniformly uniting all the warring countries seem to create bad blood from Israel, who expects U.S to back it up in spite of its reasons behind the conflict. This paper will review the current question causing heated debates on the political scene on whether or not U.S should step back its relationship with Israel. The current relationship between United States and Israel is considered as an important factor by U.S government and its overall policy. This is because congress has been and still is supporting and maintaining the relationship. The congressional research service portrays the evidence by quoting George Bush’s government prime minister Ariel Sharon saying, â€Å"‘there exists a deep friendship between Israel and U.S. - between our peoples and countries. The basis of this friendship is common values, a commitment to democratic values, freedom, peace, and common interests, including the drive toward regional stability and preventing terrorism and violence†, (ProCon, 2007). The reason unto why these two countries share a strong bond is because the share a lot in common that include deeply held self-reliance principles, religious freedom, individual responsibility, similar passion for innovation and entrepreneurship and above all they share a common enemy in radical I slam. In this regard, U.S

A Brief Profile Analysis of an Immigrant by the Name Chulryong Seo Essay

A Brief Profile Analysis of an Immigrant by the Name Chulryong Seo - Essay Example The interviewee states that there are a lot of tribulations facing North Korea such as famine, lack of freedom and lack of communication. It is sad that he lost both of his parents through starvation. His escapes from North Korea allowed him to learn about several things in America such as freedom of communication, religion, dressing and movement. He wants to learn the experiences in America so as to go and change the perceptions of living in North Korea. The 25years old boy who has lived in the United States for four years is well conversant with the English language hence giving him an opportunity to interact with the Americans effectively. Ironically, he stays with a Korean family in New York despite him saying that Koreans are not good people as compared to the Americans. He first met the family he is putting up with while in China. Despite being a tempered person he is open-minded to every person thus can interact effectively. Chulryong cites that the government of North Korea practices dictatorship which does not give its people privileges to enjoy hence causing sufferings, challenges and underestimation. The government controls both cultural and social activities in the country. The dictatorial tendencies do not go down well with Chulryong who feels that something must be done to end the vice. He is surprised that Americans do not appreciate the privilege of freedom that is bestowed upon them. The treasure of freedom is the best gift one must always appreciate because it is rare according to Chulryong. Whereas he appreciates freedom in the United States, Chulryong asserts that too much freedom is very dangerous. He cautions Americans not to send money to friends in North Korea. Too much freedom is very dangerous to a nation and can cause harm if not tamed. (Sen Pg 23) Chulryong states that freedom of religion is not guaranteed in North Korea. As a Christian, he  believes that church is an essential tool in life for progress.   

The play Essay Example for Free

The play Essay The play is set in the Dublin slums or tenements in the years of the Iris Civil War 1922 and 1923. The whole play centers on the Boyle family. Juno Boyle is married to Boyle who calls himself Captain Boyle. Boyle is a useless and irresponsible drunkard who shuns the reality of work at every stage in the play, and spends his time in the pub drinking with his friend Joxer Daly. The Boyles have two children Johnny and Mary. Johnny is a sickly individual who has been involved in the Republican movement but he ended up betraying a comrade by the name of Tancred. Johnny spends his days locked up in the house fearful of his life. His mother Juno is a selfless character who is concerned all the time about other people. Juno’s daughter Mary is deeply concerned about appearances. She is a shallow character who seems to judge people and things from the outside. When we meet her at the beginning of the play, we learn she is on strike because of the dismissal of a young girl called Jenny Claffey. Yet we are told from Juno how Mary never had a good word to say about Jenny Claffey in her whole life. The family are told that they will inherit money from a distant relative who has died. Bentham is the solicitor who informs them of this fact. He begins to have a relationship with Mary and she becomes pregnant. Bentham shortly after this abandons her. The Boyles begin to borrow money and accumulate a great deal of debts. The legacy never materializes, and the Boyles are forced to return the borrowed goods. Johnny is dragged off to be shot for the betrayal of Tancred. Juno finally realizes that Boyle will never take on his responsibilities as father and breadwinner and so she leaves him and sets up home with Mary. Themes/Issues Poverty This theme dominates the play at every level. The whole play highlights the cruel irony that while many people were fighting for ideals and principles there were others who were suffering from the debilitating effects of the poverty. Because of the negative effects generated by poverty escapism assumes a major and dramatic element in the lives of characters. Mary’s tragic situation occurs because of poverty. When it becomes clear that the Boyles will not inherit any legacy, Bentham disappears forever abandoning Mary alone to have her baby. Jerry Devine standards of what are essential features in a husband are set out in terms of money. At one stage he tells Mary how the job is worth 3 50 Juno who is the only character rooted in the harsh practical everyday world of necessity realizes that money, hard work, and responsible social commitment are stronger and more realistic values in this world than principles and ideals. Her pragmatic stance on how principles won’t pay butchers is in striking contrast to the incessant evasion from reality inherent in all of the other characters. Religion The theme of Religion is also a dominant feature in the play. The play is set against a strong Catholic background. O Casey makes frequent use of images of Our Lady and the votive light to project an air of realism and authenticity in the play. There are also a variety of different religions, and attitudes expressed throughout the play. One of O Casey’s chief mottos in the play seems to show the co- existence of strong religious convictions, together with a sincere and humane commitment to one’s fellowman. Juno’s faith is sincere, authentic, and traditional. She believes on Johnny’s death that God can do nothing against the stupidity of men, that her husband should be praying novenas for a job, and that what Ireland needs is more piety. On the other hand, Bentham espouses a religion by the name of Theosophy. This is projected as vague and abstract and certainly seems to be compatible with his own shallow commitment to people. Reality and Fantasy The play dramatizes the conflict between the dream world and the world of reality and shows what happens when a character is stripped of his illusions and forced to face reality. Boyle the ‘poseur’ or Paycock struts throughout the world of the play on a false and imaginary sense of his own self- importance. His whole life and career consist in fabricating dreams of his gallant years as a captain fighting heroic feats and sailing the oceans of the world. The news of the legacy provides another outlet to Boyle’s habitual evasion of reality, he sees himself as a potential investor on the Stock Exchange. His whole life is a lie. His pains, which are invented for the sake of shirking and avoiding work, become real to him. His refuses to face up to the truth and reality about Bentham and the deception surrounding the news of the will. When reality invades at the conclusion of the play in the form of Mary’s pregnancy and the actual removal of his material possessions, Boyle is unable to cope. His final entrance dramatized in a drunken fragmentary soliloquy is tragic. His habitual escape into fantasy is pathetically expressed through his drunken pose – ‘ Commandant Kelly died†¦.in them arms†¦..Tell me Volunteer Bullies says he that I died for Ireland’. Mary who represents the younger generation also falls victim to illusion. On her first appearance in the play, she is shown to be on strike for a principle. The oppressive and stifling atmosphere generated by the tenement life forces her to seek escape through Bentham. For her he represents another way of life and values outside the restricting and debilitating atmosphere within the two- roomed tenement. She falls victim to the subtle deception of Bentham’ middle-class gentility. She is blinded by external appearances and ends up a tragic victim of Bentham’s hypocrisy and selfishness At the conclusion of the play, she is forced to return to the reality of the slum life with Juno in spite of all her attempts to escape through learning and books. Answer Juno and the Paycock is a play that was written by Sean OCasey. It is one of the most often performed and highly regarded plays in Ireland. Juno and the Paycock was first staged at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in 1924. Juno and the Paycock: Tragoi-comedy Tragi-comedy is a kind of writing in which comedy is hovering on the brinks of tragedy. OCasey’s â€Å"Juno and the Paycock† is a tragi-comedy although, on the whole, it is a serious and somber play having much destruction and violence. But there are a number of comic elements in the play which would not fit into the pattern of a tragedy. On the other hand, as the comic elements do not outweigh the tragic ones, it would be inappropriate to label the play as a comedy. It means there is a co-existence in the play of tragic and comic elements and so, the best course is to treat it as a tragi-comedy.

Merger of JP Morgan Chase Co

Merger of JP Morgan Chase Co Executive Summary This paper on the Banking industry consist the merger of JP Morgan Chase Co. It argues that the experience of Banking industry in the US is unique and also the impact of the merger in JP Morgan Chase Co. It is not paradigmatic also tells that all banks are not driven efficiently. The paper talks about the merger of JP Morgan Chase Co. using The Porters The Fishbone Model. Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Table of Contents 2 1. INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 Overview of Banking Industry in US 3 1.2 Overview of JP Morgan and Chase 3 2. STUDY OF MERGER BETWEEN JP MORGAN CHASE (2000) 4 2.1 Purpose of the study 5 2.2 Significance of this study 5 2.3 Limitations 5 3.RESEARCH MODEL 6 3.1. The Fish Bone Model 6 3.2 Elements of the Model 7 3.3. Previous Research Findings 8 3.4. Critics for the Previous Research 8 4.PREVIOUS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 9 5.CONCLUSION 10 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview of Banking Industry in US This paper on the Banking industry consist the mergers of banks with a special emphasis on the US banks. It argues that the experience of Banking industry in the US is unique and it is not paradigmatic also tells that all banks are not driven efficiently. Mergers in banks arise because of macro structural circumstances and shifts to strategic motives in a period of time (Benston, Hunter, Wall, 1995). Over the few years, bank mergers and acquisitions have been occurring at a very high rate. During the recent decades the US banking system is experiencing an intense structural change which is happening at a very rapid place. When banks document deposits made by customers create credit evaluations and move funds they process information. The banks and the financial services industries entrants have been very much affected by the current information processing revolution. The banks are moderately transforming themselves from intermediaries that have loans, deposits and securities in their balance sheets into brokers who originate loans and then allocate them to others who obtain securitized assets. This change has occurred due to rapid increase of the technical advancements in processing information. 1.2 Overview of JP Morgan and Chase JPMorgan Chase Co. is one of the worlds largest, oldest, and best-known financial institutions. Since their founding in New York in the year 1799, they have succeeded and grown by listening to their customers and also by meeting their needs. Being a global financial services firm and with operations in more than 50 countries, JPMorgan Chase Co. combines two of the worlds best and premier financial brands: J.P Morgan and Chase. JPMorgan Chase Co. is a leader in financial services for consumers; investment banking; financial transaction processing; small business and commercial banking; private equity and asset management. JPMorgan Chase Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and also the worlds most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients. JPMorgan Chase Co. is built on the foundation of more than 1,000 predecessor institutions that has come together over the years to form todays company. Their many well-known heritage banks include J.P Morgan Co., The Chase Manhattan Bank, The First National Bank of Chicago, Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co., Bank One, Chemical Bank and National Bank of Detroit, each closely tied in its time for innovations in finance and for the growth of the United States and global economies. (The History of JP Morgan Chase Co., 2008) 2. STUDY OF MERGER BETWEEN JP MORGAN CHASE (2000) On examining, there are four main paths are identified which explains explains the reasons behind the mergers activity. These paths are related to (1) creating economies of scales, (2) expanding in geographically means, (3) increasing the combined capital base (size) and product offerings, and (4) gaining the market power. In examining these paths, it appears that, at a much higher level in Porters fishbone framework, the mergers are driven by cost reductions than increasing the gross revenue. Global consolidation and Downsizing allowing banks in increasing its size and market capabilities while creating some technological efficiencies largely responsible for the cost savings of mergers. The research results on the financial performance of the merged banks have resulted in conflicting conclusions. While some research has found that bank acquisitions are not improving the financial performance of the combined banks (Baradwaj, Dubofsky, Fraser, 1992). When Chase Manhattan announced its merger with J.P. Morgan in September 2000, the companys shares were selling at $52. (Palia, 1994). Today, they make around $30, and the press is filled with reports of the companys performance. Getting bigger has not helped Chase Manhattan to get better. Nor has it helped other companies. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the share prices of the 50 biggest corporate acquirers of the 1990s have fallen three times as much as the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (Toyne Tripp, 1998). The size counts, especially in addressing the complex problems that span geographies and functions. But bigger doesnt make a company better at serving customers. Chase is the product of two megadeals that came earlier, its mergers with Chemical Manufacturers Hanover and. J.P. Morgan is the part of the venerable House of Morgan which was traditionally a commercial bank, but has aggressively entered the investment banking business. After flirting with other merger partners from Europe and elsewhere, it finally offered the famous name and blue-chip client roster to its fellow New Yorker for about $36 billion in stock. (Madura Wiant, 1994) 2.1 Purpose of the study The history before the acquisition is very important to consider the enormity of the product. In 1991, Chemical Banking Corp. merged with Manufacturers Hanover Corp., keeping the name Chemical Banking Corp., then the second largest banking institution in the United States. In 1995, First Chicago Corp. merged with NBD Bancorp Inc., forming First Chicago NBD Corp., the largest banking company based in the Midwest. In 1996, Chemical Banking Corp. merged with The Chase Manhattan Corp., keeping the name The Chase Manhattan Corp. and creating what then was the largest bank holding company in the United States. 2.2 Significance of this study In 2000, The Chase Manhattan Corp. merged with J.P.Morgan Co. Incorporated, in effect combining four of the largest and oldest money center banking institutions in New York City (Morgan, Chase, Chemical and Manufacturers Hanover) into one firm called JPMorgan Chase Co. In 2004, Bank One Corp. merged with JPMorgan Chase Co., keeping the name JPMorgan Chase Co. In 2008, JPMorgan Chase Co. acquired The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., strengthening its capabilities across a broad range of businesses, including prime brokerage, cash clearing and energy trading globally. 2.3 Limitations It becomes abundantly clear that there is no clear direction in terms of the mergers and acquisitions that JPMorgan Chase Co. performed in before and after the marriage of the giants happened. The merger was hailed and appreciated at the time when one of the largest mergers was in a vogue. The merger seemed to have happened through lots of pressure from competition more than anything else. Even after these so many years of being together, it is not very easy to tell if the individual entities are acting as one. (Wilson, 2003) The problem faced is really because of cohesiveness and integration. Although the merger went through the lack of a proper regulatory authority to oversee such mergers leads to situations such as the sub-prime crisis of 2007-2008. RESEARCH MODEL 3.1. The Fish Bone Model The coding scheme adopted for the content analysis that was conceptualized in the Porter strategic model (Porter, 1980) as operationalized in a fishbone analysis framework (Nolan, Norton Company, 1986). The coding of the content of application approximates the use of a standardized questionnaire. Hence, content analysis has the advantage of both ease and high reliability, but it may be more limited in terms of content validity to the extent that the applications reflect the underlying stated merger decision rationale. These four paths are related to creating economies of scales, expanding geographically, increasing the combined capital base (size) and product offerings, and gaining market power. This appears that decreasing costs than increasing gross revenue drives much of the merger activity at a higher. Many of the applications stated that the reduction of costs as a reason for the merger. In addition to it, many of the applications went further than a general statement of cost reduction explaining that the combined institution would create economies of scales which would result in a reduction in costs as justification for their merger/acquisition request. 3.2 Elements of the Model -Location -Product -Competitors -Market Trends However, since the merger/acquisitions within the banking industry should provide certain data (i.e. Community Reinvestment Act compliance or Herfindahl Indexes) to reinforce the merger/acquisition stated rationale, there is more validity in the stated rationale for mergers/acquisitions of this industry than in others using this approach (Cornett De, 1991). The use of the widely accepted Porter strategic model provides an appropriate framework for both inductive and deductive conclusions. 3.3. Previous Research Findings The model provides a tight linkage to the strategy literature for validity of the coding categories. More than that, the use of multiple coders and a referee insure a high degree of reliability in coding effort. For each application, two coders independently code each paragraph and the results are entered into a spreadsheet for data management purposes. The results of the two coders were then compared, and, if there was any disagreement, the referee discussed the differences with the other coders and made a final determination. For each application, a resultant tabulation was created and overlaid upon the fishbone for visual inspection. Hence, this model contains the total numerical count of the entire sample. 3.4. Critics for the Previous Research Previous literature finds an empirical evidence of links between mergers and financial performance, measured in terms of either profitability or operating efficiency (Berger, Demsetz, Strahan, 1999). The US experience cannot be a global paradigm because US banks has dominance in the global financial arena. Prior to the US bank merger wave, the banks that operated with long standing geographic restrictions, could not expand their branch networks when market opportunities arose outside their market areas. Hence, a sustained period of banking distress began in 1981. The thrift industry collapsed; many banks experienced distress in the early 1980s due to credit problems ranging from Latin American loans, loans in oil-rich domestic areas, loans for corporate mergers and commercial real estate. The failing or troubled institutions were often are taken over by expansion-oriented commercial banks; Nations bank grew through astute acquisitions during the period. Government-assisted mergers accounted for majority of the bank mergers in the United States between 1982 and 1989. This period of distress mergers led to a shift in regulatory philosophy. Until this period, regulators guided by the antitrust law and the Bank Holding Company Acts of 1956 and 1970 placed some restrictions on bank activities and expansion, using the criteria that firms with monopolistic power will exploit it. In this period, many regulatory economists adopted Chicago new learning approach, which shifted the attention from monopoly position to contestability. Regulatory test for market power was weakened, that permitted federal regulators to override product-line and geographic restrictions in approving distress mergers. The Federal Reserve used regulatory flexibility to force modernization in U.S. banking laws. Bank regulators increasingly operated on the premise that the industry is overbanked and financial innovations has made capital and credit universally available. One approach was the emergence of an upscale retail banking strategy. PREVIOUS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The Banks using this approach identify a preferred customer base to which they can deliver both traditional banking services-short-term consumer loans, long-term mortgages, depository services-and nontraditional services such as mutual funds, insurance, and investment advice. The second and related approach was a shift away from maturity transformation and interest-based income, towards maturity matching, secondary market sales, and fee-based income. Much of the revenue from upscale households take the form of fees, encouraged by the growth of secondary loan markets and of banks involvement in the household portfolio management. The proportion of interest expenses within banks overall expenses is declined since 1982; noninterest income has been an increasing share of bank income since 1978 (DeYoung, 1994). Large banking firms have led to the second phase of the U.S. bank merger wave because they have most aggressively pursued upscale-retail and fee-based strategies. Since the banks are not more efficient or more profitable than the smaller banks they purchase, earnings increase have not financed these acquisitions, while Wall Street has. Wall Streets analysts have adopted the concept of banking industry excess capacity; and brokers and underwriters have earned the substantial fees from the equity issues that have provided the cash needed to sweeten offers for target banks equity shares (Serwer, 1995) (Chong, 1991). CONCLUSION Although there are many frameworks used for analysis of other industries, they often do not work within the banking industry because of the imposed regulatory constraints; the model reveals that the Porter Model will be suitable in this case for examining the rationale behind the merger/acquisition activity for the banking industry. There are four main paths, for the period examined that explains the reasons behind the mergers/acquisitions activity. Utilizing the synergies between the two partners is a common phrase found throughout the applications. The usual scenario is that the smaller partners will combine with the larger partners in order to develop the economies of scale and also to reduce their combined costs. The remaining three paths are related to increasing gross revenue but at a much lower level on the fishbone framework. Most of the applications justified the merger either directly or indirectly by referencing the combined banks ability to expand geographically into various markets that the individual banks had not previously had a market presence. As a result, through the geographical expansion, the bank would be able to decrease the total risk as well as increase the sales of the products and, thus, increase overall gross revenue. Many of the merger/acquisition either directly or indirectly justified their mergers through the fact that the combined asset base (size) would be larger and, thus, allowing the banks to make loans to companies that the individual banks could not have previously serviced due to capital base lending regulatory restrictions. In essence, the larger capital base allowed the merged institutions to offer a new product (jumbo loans) to an existing customer or to gain new customer through the new product offering. In addition, on the same path many of the applications justified the merger through the ability to offer a greater array of products. The smaller partner (usually) would be able to offer products already carried by the larger partner and that previously due to the smaller partners size they had not able to offer. In both cases, the merger would allow the combined institution to offer a greater product array increasing their sales and, thereby, increasing gross revenue. The last path deals with the, often, indirect merger justifications of increasing market power. Through the merger, the merged banks would be better able to compete with banks within their market, increasing their product sales, and, thus, their gross revenue.

Review of A Cinderella Story Essay -- Cinderella Story, movies,

Many traditional fairy tales have been remade into Hollywood movies. The fairy tale of Cinderella has been produced in movies many times like Ever After (1998) and A Cinderella Story (2004). A Cinderella Story (2004) has an interesting storyline, cast, themes, and appeals to teenagers and young adults. The movie begins as Sam narrating how she is in a far away kingdom with a beautiful little girl with her â€Å"weirdo† father. Then Sam clarifies that this was not â€Å"long ago† and â€Å"not a really far away kingdom;† they are in the San Fernando Valley. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley was like her kingdom. Even though she was raised by her father, she never felt like she was missing out on anything. Her father tries to exposes her to girly things like make-up and fashion. Her dad owns a diner in the San Fernando Valley which Sam loves called Hal’s Diner. All the staff was like her family. When Sam celebrated her 8th birthday at Hal’s Diner, they want for her to wish for something, but she does not wanted anything because she has amazing friends, the diner family and the coolest dad. Sam’s dad thinks that she needs only one thing to be happy, a mother; so he decides to marry Fiona who had two daughters, Brianna and Gabriella. Sam th inks that as long her dad was happy she would be happy (A Cinderella Story). One night, Sam loses her best friend, her father, in a devastating earthquake. She is left to live in an attic with her stepfamily, and soon realizes her stepfamily is evil. Fiona and the step-sisters take over everything the house, the diner and her. They make Sam do all the housework for them. Fiona treats Sam like a slave; Fiona wants Sam to do the chores including cooking for them, and does not allow her time to even study! Sam... ...nagers who comment on A Cinderella Story said, â€Å"This movie was a Great movie! If you have a knack for watching teen love stories this would be your movie. When I first watched this movie I was dying to have it. This movie shows that even though life can be bad you always have the chance to stand up for yourself and become something great and achieve your dreams† ( Ebert) Although critics were not very kind to the movie, many people really liked it. The movie went beyond my expectations, and I loved it more than other movies. A Cinderella Story has an interesting storyline, cast, themes, and appeals to teenagers and young adults. The movie was very interesting to me as a young teenager. I recommend all teenagers to review this movie because when you lose someone that in life was very important no matter what you should keep on with your life and purest your dreams.

racism :: essays research papers fc

What would you do if the Constitution said you were just as good as everyone else but some people still acted as if you were something they had just scraped off their shoe? This sort of thing happens to millions of people on a regular basis. Americans of African, Asian, or Mexican descent are all subject to this kind of treatment. Caucasians are as well, but it is not as publicly notarized as the aforementioned. Most of these feelings towards another of a different skin color are deeply rooted in our minds from previous generations. Many, many years ago, African-Americans were used as slaves. The slave owners treated them badly. The owner’s own children then grew up with the same ideals and passed them on to the new generation. Through the years, people have spoken out about these ill-conceived ideas making the ominous threat of racism more discreet than ever before. While searching online I googled Supremacist groups , I discovered a numbered list of Klu Klux Klan, Aryan, Skinhead, and many other white supremacist groups. I was shocked when I saw how many this one list had. It listed over 800 different groups. I know that number is not nearly accurate because there are many smaller groups that have not yet made themselves known publicly. Even people that do not belong in these racially biased groups perform some acts of racism. Racial profiling- the discriminatory practice by police of treating blackness (or brown-ness) as an indication of possible criminality. "Driving While Black (or brown)" is a campaign started by the American Civil Liberties Union because a study showed that minorities only make up 16% of all drivers, yet they are 74% of all drivers stopped and searched. Generally, only 12 to 13 percent of the U.S. citizens are African American, although Black inmates make up 40.29 percent of death row's population. As of 1996, there have been 232 citizens executed under the death penalty since 1977. Only one white person has been put to death for the murder of a black person. One perfect example of true racial profiling and discrimination is this next story. Danny Glover, a famous African-American actor was in New York City. It was late at night and he was trying to hail a cab. None of the cabs would stop and pick him up because of the fact that he was an African-American male.

Conflict Resolution Essay

Merriam-Webster (n.d) defines conflict as, â€Å"the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction†. Interpersonal conflicts, whether they are between family members, students and teachers, employees and supervisors, or groups, have certain elements in common. Coser (1967) asserts that conflict is â€Å"a struggle over values and claims to scarce status, power, and resources, in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, injure, or eliminate the rivals.† (p. 8) Coser’s definition grew out of the cold war, when conflict between the United States and the former U.S.S.R. dominated Western method to conflict. Conflict was viewed as a win-lose solution. According to Dana (2001) there are only three ways to resolve any conflict; power contests, rights contests, and interest’s reconciliation. Power contest is based on Coser’s (1967) win-lose situation. Each party views their point as right each wanting power over the other. Rights contest is an orderly system which has rules, regulations, policies, precedents and a hierarchy of authority which is used in order to â€Å"win† again this model is a win-lose resolution. The solution to conflict resolution is interest reconciliation. This approach enlists support from both parties to find the best solution. All parties win with interest reconciliation model as their solution. Conflict in the workplace is a condition between or among two or more workers whose jobs are independent, who feel angry, who perceive the other(s) as being at fault, and act in a way that causes a business problem. Conflict has three elements feelings (emotions), perceptions (thoughts) and actions (behaviors). â€Å"Psychologists consider these three the only dimensions of human experience. So, conflict is rooted in all parts of the human nature† (Dana, 2001, p. 5) some confuse conflict with indecision, disagreement, stress, or some other common experience that may cause or be caused by a conflict. However, those elements are not best handled by conflict resolution. The question many ask, is conflict normal? Conflict is a fact of any organizational life. On the job, â€Å"conflict is a stubborn fact of organizational life† (Kolb and Putnam, 1992, p. 311). Rather than seeing conflict as abnormal, Pondy (1992) suggests we view organizations as â€Å"arenas for staging conflicts, and managers as both fight promoters who organize bouts and as referees who regulate them† (p. 259). In addition, Pondy states that in the company, agency, or small business, conflict may be the very essence of what the organization is about, and if â€Å"conflict isn’t happening then the organization has no reason for being† (p. 259). One study surveyed workers and found that almost 85 percent reported conflicts at work (Volkema and Bergmann 1989). With an increasing awareness of cultural diversity and gender equity issues, it is essential that employees become familiar with issues surrounding promotions and harassment. In fact, one can see training in organizations as a form of preventive conflict management (Hathaway, 1995). The recognition of the frequency of conflict at work has led to books on mediating conflict in the workplace (Yarbrough and Wilmot 1995), showing how managers can learn conflict management skills to intervene in disputes in their organization. As employees, daily work with clients, customers, co-workers, or bosses can be a struggle. Conflict is as Wilmot (1995) wrote, â€Å"What determines the course of a relationship . . . is in a large measure determined by how successfully the participants move through conflict episodes† (p. 95). Conflict resolution has five styles, giving in, avoiding, fight it out, comprise, and work together style. No style is right or wrong; however some do work better than others. Accommodation, giving in to the other’s wishes or smoothing waves sacrifices one’s own goals for the sake of the other person. Accommodators often use phrases like: â€Å"Whatever you want is fine with me.† When one party in a conflict genuinely does not care about the outcome of the conflict, accommodation may be the right choice for that situation. However, if accommodation is the only style a person utilizes, he or she is advised to learn more skills. Avoidance is characterized by behaviors that either ignore or refuse to engage in the conflict. While avoidance is by some consider a negative style that shows low concern for both one’s own and the other party’s interests, there are sometimes strategic reasons to avoid conflict. For example, when the relationship is short-term and the issue is not important or when the situation has a potential to escalate to violence, avoidance may be the prudent choice. Fight it out, competition, or win/lose, style maximizes reaching one’s own goals or getting the problem solved at the cost of the others goals or feelings. While always choosing competition has negative repercussions for relationships, businesses and cultures, it can occasionally be the right style to choose if the other party is firmly fixed in a competitive style or there are limited resources. While competitive strategy is not necessarily dysfunctional, competition can easily slip into a destructive situation. Understanding the methods and strategies of others who use competitive styles can assist conflict managers in neutralizing the negative consequences of competition and work toward a mutual gain approach. Compromise is a give and take of resources. The classic compromise in negotiating is to â€Å"split the difference† between two positions. While there is no victor from compromise, each person also fails to achieve her or his original goal. Finally, working together to collaborate is when parties cooperatively team up until a mutually agreeable solution is found. Compromise and collaboration are win-win solution where as the other styles are win-lose. Why do people avoid dealing with conflict? People have a natural instinct of fear and some let that fear overpower them. The fear of harm causes people to fight-or-flight. Individuals will choose the flight option when in a dangerous part of a city that they have never been in before in order to avoid danger, it shows wisdom or strength to get out a of physically abusive relationship, commendable to stay out emotionally abusive relationships. In spite of this, in some cases people have the response to flight to a false perception of harm. People overstress in their minds t he emotional harm that someone can cause harm. The same is said for conflict in the workplace, people will avoid conflict for fear of being harmed by others. Some avoid conflict because of a fear of rejection from others. These individuals feel others will withdraw their friendship or push them away causing more hurt. People have the perception if they do not risk rejection they can suppress their needs and feelings. Loss of relationship is the fear of rejection taken up a level they fear totally losing a relationship. Others avoid conflict to mask their true desires because preserving a relationship is more important than getting what they want. These individuals are trapped into believing their worth is dependant on another accepting them. People avoid conflict for fear of anger. These people do not like listening to someone who is angry. They believe another will hurt them, reject them, or leave them, and they just cannot stand to witness anger. However, anger is just anger and it is not necessarily directed toward them. Individuals do not want to be seen as selfish. In some situations people are not afraid of others reactions, but rather their interpretation of the situation. They fear that they will appear selfish. However, is it wrong to have a need, feeling, or want and to express it? Society has sometimes had it seem that way. Although, there is nothing wrong with asking for what individuals want versus feeling they are entitled to always getting what they want. The truth is if one never asks, then they are depriving people around them from being able give to them effectively. Still, people who feel their wants should not be fulfilled, regardless of what others want, fall into the selfishness category. Sometimes people avoid conflict for fear of saying the wrong thing or something they will regret. Individuals will avoid conflict rather than risk putting â€Å"their foot in their mouth† they contain their anger and frustration which often leads to that which they fear. When people have conflicts in the past that have failed so they avoid future conflict for the fear of failing those too and begin to believe the confrontation is not worth the em otional energy it takes to deal with others. The fear of failing can impact other aspects of ones life. The fear of hurting another is more than just saying the wrong thing. These individuals are extremely sensitive and caring. They would rather hurt themselves than risk hurting another. The fear of success is a fear that most over look. However, it is much like the fear of failure. Some people are afraid to get what they want; they believe they will never get it. These people feel they do not deserve what they want, the consequences of getting of what they want is regret, or the responsibility is more than they need or desire. The fear of intimacy is the most subconscious of the fears. People do not want to share their dreams, desires, and wants with others. They feel they are private and do not want to be exposed. People do not want to appear weak. If resolution involves giving in, avoiding, or compromise they may feel they appear as though they do not have confidence. People do not want the stress of confrontation. They feel it is better to avoid conflict rather than deal with the stress it will cause them in the workplace between co-workers. Our society tends to reward alternative responses to conflict, rather than negotiation. People, who aggressively pursue their needs, competing rather than collaborating, are often satisfied by others who prefer to accommodate. Managers and leaders are often rewarded for their aggressive, controlling approaches to problems, rather than taking a more compassionate approach to issues that may seem less decisive to the public or their staffs. Conflict resolution requires profound courage on the part of all parties: It takes courage to honestly and clearly express one’s needs, and it takes courage to sit down and listen to one’s adversaries. It takes courage to look at one’s own role in the dispute, and it takes courage to approach others with a sense of empathy, openness and respect for their perspective. Collaborative approaches to conflict management require individuals to engage in the moment of dialogue in thoughtful and meaningful ways, so it is understandable if people tend to avoid such situations until the balance of wisdom tips in favor of negotiation. People have certain perceptions in conflict when dealing with different situations. Culture shapes and frames each individual’s interpretation of appropriate behaviors during conflicts. Conflict across cultures, whether across nations or across the diverse cultures within a country, exacerbates the routine difficulties of conflict management (Fry and Bjorkqvist, 1997). There is no clear conclusion about whether men and women actually behave in different ways while conducting conflicts. However, gender stereotypes do affect conflict behaviors when individuals act and react based on stereotypes of how men and women will/should act rather than selecting behaviors appropriate for the individual one is communicating with (Borisoff and Victor, 1997). Parties respond to conflicts on the basis of the knowledge they have about the issue at hand. This includes situation-specific knowledge and general knowledge. The understanding of the knowledge they have can influence the person’s willingness to engage in efforts to manage the conflict, either reinforcing confidence to deal with the dilemma or undermining one’s willingness to flexibly consider alternatives. The person sharing the message is considered to be the messenger. If the messenger is perceived to be a threat (powerful, scary, unknown, etc.) the message can influence others responses to the overall situation being experienced. For example, if a big scary-looking guy is yelling at people they may respond differently than if a diminutive, calm person would express the same message. Additionally, if the people knew the messenger previously, they might respond differently based upon that prior sense of the person’s credibility. People are more inclined to listen with respect to someone they view more credible than if the message comes from someone who lacks credibility and integrity. Some people have had significant life experiences that continue to influence their perceptions of current situations. These experiences may have left them fearful, lacking trust, and reluctant to take risks. On the other hand, previous experiences may have left them confident, willing to take chances and experience the unknown. Either way, one must acknowledge the role of previous experiences as elements of their perceptual filter in the current dilemma. These factors, along with others, work together to form the perceptual filters through which people experience conflict. As a result, their reactions to the threat and dilemma posed by conflict should be anticipated to include varying understandings of the situation. This also means that they can anticipate that in many conflicts there will be significant misunderstanding of each other’s perceptions, needs and feelings. These challenges contribute to our emerging sense, during conflict, that the situation is overwhelming and unsolvable. As such, they become critical sources of potential understanding, insight and possibility. How do people respond to conflict? There are three responses to conflict emotional, cognitive and physical responses that are important windows into our experience during conflict, for they frequently tell people more about what is the true source of threat that is perceived; by understanding the thoughts, feelings and behavior to conflict, a better insig ht into the best potential solution to the situation. Emotional (feelings) are the feelings we experience in conflict, ranging from anger and fear to despair and confusion. Emotional responses are often misunderstood, as people tend to believe that others feel the same as they do. Thus, differing emotional responses are confusing and, at times, threatening. Cognitive (thinking) are our ideas and thoughts about a conflict, often present as inner voices or internal observers in the midst of a situation. Through sub-vocalization (self-talk), people understand these cognitive responses. Physical (behavior) can play an important role in our ability to meet our needs in the conflict. They include heightened stress, bodily tension, increased perspiration, tunnel vision, shallow or accelerated breathing, nausea, and rapid heartbeat. These responses are similar to those we experience in high-anxiety situations, and they may be managed through stress management techniques. Establishing a calmer environment in which emotions can be managed is more likely if the physical response is addressed effectively. Dealing with someone unwilling to negotiate can be difficult for the person who is trying to resolve the conflict. However, the â€Å"8 Step Model† can be very beneficial, by focusing first on listening to the other person, and seeking to u nderstand the sources of their resistance, the stage can be set for clarifying the conditions he or she requires in order to talk things out. This is not about being ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in the situation, but a practical strategy for getting the other person engaged as a partner in the negotiation process. Another alternative is to focus on things we can do to influence conflicts in the future, rather than putting initial energy into understanding (or solving) problems we have had in the past. By remaining relatively flexible about the agenda – taking on topics individuals care about, but not necessarily the most pressing issues – thus, creating an opportunity to reduce the fears associated with resistance. While the conflict may not be able to be truly resolved, some key issues that exist will be managed and will help to prevent the issues from getting worse. Power is an important and complex issue facing anyone seeking a negotiated solution to a conflict. Before negotiating clarify the true sources of power in the room: The boss has position power, associated with the â€Å"carrots and sticks† that come with the role. She or he may also have coercive power, supported by contracts or statute that compels employees to behave in certain ways and do certain tasks associated with the job. Some may have a great deal of expertise power, accumulated from doing your job over a period of time. Either conflict participants may possess normative power, through which they know â€Å"the lay of the land† in their department and, therefore, how to get things done. And either may possess referent power, through which others show respect for the manner in which the employee conducts themselves. Generally, referent power accrues to those who demonstrate a mature willingness to seek collaborative solutions. An impasse is the sense of being â€Å"stuck†. Impasse is the point within a dispute in which the parties are unable to perceive effective solutions. People feel stuck, frustrated, angry, and disillusioned. Therefore, they might either dig their heels in deeper, anchoring themselves in extreme and rigid positions, or they might decide to withdraw from negotiation. Either way, impasse represents a turning point in our efforts to negotiate a solution to the conflict. As such, rather than avoiding or dreading it, impasse should be viewed with calmness, patience, and r espect. Multi-party disputes are complex situations, and they require careful attention and persistence. However, the same â€Å"8 Step Model† can be applied to the disputes. In spite of using the same process expect everything to take a bit longer than if there where only two or three people. Patiently make sure that all points of view are heard, that issues are clarified for all to see, and that all members in the group accept the agreements being negotiated. If there are limits to the group’s decision-making power, then it is important to acknowledge those limits and understand how they are perceived by all members of the group. There are many different ideas of the steps for resolution, some claim five steps while others claim six or seven for the purpose of this paper Weeks (1992) eight step resolution style is identified. Step one – Create an Effective Atmosphere Creating the right atmosphere in which the conflict resolution process will take place is very important, yet most overlook its importance. The atmosphere is the frame around the canvas which will be painted the negotiations and building of better relationships (Weeks, 1992). Step two – Clarify Perceptions Perceptions are lenses through which a person sees themselves, others, their relationships, and the situations they encounter. Perceptions have a great influence on behavior of people. Once people perceive something in certain way, even if the perception is wrong, in the mind it is that way, and often base behaviors on that perception (Weeks, 1992). Step three – Focus on the Individual and Shared Needs This step builds on the previous step as needs as the conditions people perceive they cannot do without, those conditions critical to each persons wellbeing and relationships. However, step three focuses more on skills involved in the conflict partnership approach. There are several key points to keep in mind in this step. 1) Needs are the foundation of relationship and are an essential part of that foundation. 2) People sometimes confuse needs with desires. 3) Personal needs in relationships perceived by individuals must allow for respect of the needs or the relationship (Weeks, 1992). Step four – Build Shared Power Power is a part of every relationship. However, the way people perceive and use power is seen frequently as a dirty word. Such as when people use power as means to control or to manipulate some else to get what they want. Although, power is and of itself not corrupt, it is the way in which people use their power and whether they allow such power to corrupt. Developing positive self power through a clear self-image means that we base our perceptions of ourselves not on what others expect of us or want us to be but what we believe to be our own needs, capabilities, priorities and goals (Weeks, 1992, p. 152). Step five – Look to the Future, Then Learn from the Past. All relationships and conflicts have a past, present and future. Resolving conflicts requires dealing with all three. The conflict partnership process encourages the use of positive power to focus on the present-future to learn from the past. The past experiences people face set the landscape for present and future decision making and how relate to others (Weeks, 1992). Step six – Generate Options People have the ability to discover new possibilities in their relationships as well as conflict resolution. However, both are often impaired by the packaged truths and limited vision people hold onto in times of stress, insecurity, and conflict. Generating options breaks through the predetermined restrictions brought into the conflict resolution process. Generating options imparts choices which specific steps to resolve conflicts and enhanced relationship can be agreed upon (Weeks, 1992). Step seven – Develop â€Å"Doables†: the Stepping-stones to Action Doables are the necessary stepping-stones taken along the way to resolve conflict. Doables are explicit acts that stand a good possibility of success, meet some individual and shared need, and depend on positive power, usually shared power to be carried out. Working on and accomplishing some doables can help the conflict partners see more clearly where they need to go. Many conflict partners have changed their preconceived definitions of both the conflict itself and the expected outcome due to the lessons learned and clarified perceptions through working with doables (Weeks, 1992) Step eight – Make Mutual-Benefit Agreements Mutual-benefit agreements are the next step on the pathway to conflict resolution. Conflict resolution agreements must be realistic and effective enough to survive and the potential to develop further as challenges arise in the future. Mutual-benefit agreements replace the need or want for demands, see the others needs, shared goals, and establish a standard wherein power is identified as positive mutual action through which differences can be dealt with constructively (Weeks, 1992). Conclusion Conflict is an unavoidable aspect of everyday life whether it is with family, teachers, students, friends, or an organization. The best approach to resolving conflict is interest reconciliation. It joins both parties of the dispute to find the best solution. In so doing, all parties win. People respond to conflict in three ways emotional (feelings), cognitive (thinking), and physical (behavior). All are important to the conflict experience. They allow a better awareness to best furnish a solution to the situation. An important tactic to conflict resolution is to develop persuasion skills with the ability to clearly explain one’s point of view and to argue for their conclusions and convictions. Week’s Eight-Step Process is a valuable tool in helping people to become more strategic about resolving conflict. References Borisoff, D., and D. A. Victor., (1997). Conflict management: A communication skills approach, 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Conflict, (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflict Coser, L. A. 1967. Continuities in the study of social conflict. New York: Free Press. Dana, D. (2001). 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