Management information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management information system - Essay Example Confidentiality ensures that the information is not accessed by any person who is not authorized. Integrity ensures that the data is not modified or altered by unauthorized users and authentication deals with ensuring that the user is actually the person he claims to be. These days computers are used by everyone from banking to shopping and communicating with others. Though there might not be any secret information in your data but one would not want a stranger getting access to his/her information. Intruders often gain control to anyone’s computer so that they can use it for their attacks on other confidential systems. According to (Caldwell 175) computer security has five fundamental functional areas which are listed below: Risk Avoidance This is a basic security fundamental which deals with questions like unrestricted internet access, business engaging in risky activities and standardization on a desktop operating system. Prevention This consists of implementing security to the system in order to avoid any attacks. Complete prevention is desirable but not achievable. Deterrence It deals with the threats to information assets, consisting of communication strategies which are developed and designed to catch the intruders when they attack the system. Detection It works well with preventive measures. When prevention fails, detection should be started in order to minimize the damage. It also includes activities like log-keeping and auditing. Recovery When all measures fail and the intruder has successfully attacked the system and nothing has worked, it is important to focus on recovery. Includes backing up servers, internet connections and other similar recovery activities. Attacking Techniques There have been various techniques used by intruders these days to attack a single computer or a network. Some of them are listed and described briefly below: Viruses A virus is such a program that when it is executed it works within the security policy completely. When a virus is activated, that is when it becomes a part of a process; it makes use of a Trojan horse to look for the authorized environment for executable programs which are modifiable and then attaches itself with all such programs. Hence, when these programs are executed, the virus activates and spreads throughout the executable code of the computer. Viruses can create, modify, move, replicate and erase the files on a computer in order to engage much of the computer’s memory and causes the system not to function properly. Some viruses even have the ability to duplicate themselves and attack to other programs. An infected email attachment is one of the most common and easy ways to get a virus. (Caldwell 212) Trojan Horse A Trojan horse attack can be designed to attain any desired goals by the attacker. Trojan horse attacks are one of the most serious threats to computer security. If a computer has been attacked with a Trojan horse, it may not be the only computer under att ack but unknowingly it is used to attack several other computers. Trojan Horses are usually built and attached to the source code of an original program and is made to remain dormant until an attempt is made to overcome security. For example a Trojan horse may appear in the form of a computer game, which once double clicked, starts writing on parts of your hard drive, corrupting the data. Trap door A trapdoor is normally an entrance to the

Virginia Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony Essay Example for Free

Virginia Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony Essay Virginia Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony are two of the North American Colonies. These colonies have a lot of similarities especially in their government since they are under the governance of Northern America but differ in their ways of living and social structure. The Massachusetts Bay Colony and Virginia Colony are governed under their constitutions. The legislature under these colonies, called the General Court, consists of a Senate of 40 members and a House of Representatives of 160 for Massachusetts and 100 for Virginia, all elected for two years. The legislature meets annually. The governor is elected for a four-year term (Brown, 2006). The lieutenant governor, secretary of the commonwealth, treasurer, and receiver general, auditor, and attorney general are also elected to four-year terms. The governor is assisted by an executive council of eight members, elected for two years. The judiciary is headed by the Supreme Judicial Court of seven justices. Other courts include the appeals court, trial court, and minor courts. All judges are appointed by the governor and council and serve until age 70 (Brown, 2006). In addition, during the next decade of Massachusetts, several small fishing settlements grew up along the Massachusetts coast. Moreover, it is a predominantly a manufacturing area. The most valuable products are machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, instruments, and fabricated metal items. Printing and publishing are also major endeavors. Other economic activities include the processing of foods, the production of beverages, and the making of rubber and plastic goods, paper products, chemicals, clothing, and textiles (Brown, 2006). It has the most valuable fisheries and is one of the leading colonies in the nation in the value of its catch. The catch includes flounder, haddock, cod, whiting, Pollack, tuna, herring, scallops, lobsters, and clams. On the other hand, Virginia’s economy is based heavily on government 9federal, state, and local), wholesale, and retail trade, services, and manufacturing. Together, they account for more than 80 percent of all nonagricultural employment. Its manufacturing accounts for about a fifth of the colony’s nonagricultural employment. Chemicals and chemical products are of outstanding importance (Morris, 2001). Chief among these are synthetic fibers, such as nylon, and polyester. Tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, are also important. Foods, including dairy products and canned and preserved fruits, vegetables, and seafoods, are processed in many localities. Virginia also has a number of textile mills. Moreover, livestock and livestock products, mainly cattle and milk, provide nearly 60 percent of all farm income. Beef and dairy cattle are raised throughout the area, but are most numerous on the northern Piedmont and in the valleys west of the Blue Ridge. The raising of turkeys and broilers is a major activity (Morris, 2001). In conclusion, Virginia was the site of the first permanent settlement and colony in North America. Virginians were prominent among the nation’s founding fathers and played major roles in the Revolutionary War while Massachusetts was one of the New England states of the United States. These two colonies contributed much of the history of the United States in terms of its state governance and economic contributions to the nation. Reference: 1. Brown, R. D. Massachusetts: a Bicentennial History (Norton, 2006). 2. Morris, Shirley. The Pelican Guide to Virginia (Pelican, 2001).

Relationship Between Leadership And Change Management Essay

Relationship Between Leadership And Change Management Essay Organizations have to endure significant and traumatic changes in order to survive in the dynamic and competitive business environment. Leadership plays a vital role in the implementation of organizational change. This study will discuss how leaders would effectively implement such strategic changes with specific approaches, theories and styles of leadership. The author will relate to appropriate organizational examples and incorporate academic frameworks models of leadership. Defining Leadership Although many people have tried to define leadership there is no single definition that would capture the essence of leadership. Daft suggested that Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers, who intend real changes that reflect their shared purposes (Daft 2008, p.4). Yukl stated that Leadership is the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives (Yukl 2006, p.26).Both Daft Yukl gave similar view points and spoke about the ability of a leader to influence followers in order to achieve a shared objective. For some people, leadership is a trait or ability, for others it is a skill or behavior whereas still for others leadership is a relationship. Therefore it is evident that people have a wide range of perspective on leadership (Northhouse, 2009). Therefore it is taken into authors consideration that leadership is the ability to influence followers to improve performance in sequence to achieve a shared objective. For a leader to be able to achieve the objective he/she should possess the right attitude and right skills. . Defining Change Dawson (2003 , p.11) stated that there can never be a universal theory for organizational change, as change involves a movement to some future state that comprises a context and time that remains unknown. Whereas Matcheva (2010) mentioned that organizational change refers to the fundamental and thorough reorientation in the way the organization operates. Organizational change may occur due to several internal and external environmental factors. The external factors will consist of political, economical, social and technological stimuli where as internal factors will be factors such as organizations management policies and styles, systems, procedures and employee attitudes. (Buono, 2009) Perry (2006) argued that change is inevitable and therefore should be planned for and form part of the normal process of management. Burke (2011, p.1) gave a different view mentioning Organizations change all the time each and every day. The change that occurs in organizations is for the most part unplanned and gradual. Relationship between leadership and change Change has been a challenging area and has affected many organizations. Organizations have to endure such significant change in order to survive in the dynamic and competitive business environment. The change must be aligned according to organizational culture, values, people and behaviors to encourage the desired results. Therefore human leadership plays a key role in making change a success. Such transformation is difficult and will definitely result in resistance and resentment by employees. The social and psychological fear of change and the lack of technical expertise will affect the change process. Therefore Leaders should be equipped with skills that would enable effective strategic change. David (2004) also emphasized how leadership could help overcome resistance to change. He indicates that In order for World Class Organizations to survive, management must understand that change is inevitable and that they themselves are responsible for overcoming employee resistance through sound management and change-oriented leadership (David, 2004). Globalization, technological changes, knowledge management and cross boundary collaboration are the four major forces affecting organizational change. Change could occur either in the external environment or macro environment. Organizations are in need of innovative and creative visionaries who understand how to make decisions in such changes Tappin (2009). An effective change leader should have a sense of purpose and a vision, ability to manage people through tough situations, ability to take accountability and responsibility and motivate people to achieve respective goals. Once people believe in leaders, the excitement will drive them to achieve targets. Therefore it is evident that there is a strong relationship between leadership and change. Leadership plays a major role in minimizing resistance to change as well as ensuring smooth execution of change. Importance of leadership in change The most challenging aspect of a business is leading and managing change. With the business environment being subject to fast paced economic and social change modern businesses need to adapt and be flexible to survive. The main challenge in leading change is to manage human resources. As mentioned by Kotter (1999, p.19) More change demands more leadership Kotter emphasized the need of a leader to manage change. Nilakant Ramanarayan (2006) also mentioned the importance of leadership during each phase of change, mainly the execution stage. Kotter (1999, p.7) identified one of the most common errors of organizational failures during change as its inability to create a powerful guiding coalition. He stressed on the importance of strong line leadership during change. Kotter identified a 8 stage change process which consist of Establishing a sense of urgency. Creating a guiding coalition. Developing a vision and strategy. Communicating the change vision. Empowering broad based action. Generating short term wins. Consolidating gains and produce more change. Anchoring new approaches in the culture. (Kotter, 1996, p.21) In order to follow the above steps, an initiative needs to be taken which demands leadership. Through the above approach leaders would be able to act as a change agent minimizing resistance to change. Tappin (2009) mentioned that a leader needs to develop the following characteristics in order to manage change. A vision, and be able to communicate it to their organizations An orientation to serving An entrepreneurial mind-set A commitment to continuous innovation A global mindset Ease and confidence with technology Know-how in systems thinking (a broad view of the inter-relationship of an organizations parts, rather than a narrow view that is focused on one part or event.) A sense of ethics and appreciation of spirituality in the workplace A commitment to continuous learning, personal and professional development Tappin stated characteristics that he believes should be present in a change leader. An in-depth analysis need to be taken in order to identify the most effective approach a leader could follow when managing change. As the characteristics of a change leader have been laid down above. It is appropriate to carry out a thorough analysis on leadership styles and approaches and thus identify which style or approach is greatly suited. Styles of Leadership There have been many studies conducted to evaluate and identify different types of leadership styles. Goleman (2011) identified six leadership styles. They are Coercive, Authoritative, Affiliative, Democratic, Pacesetting and Coaching. He argued that leaders who have four or more styles especially Authoritative, Democratic, Affiliative and Coaching styles will be able to drive a better business performance and maintain a good climate delivering better results. According to Northouse (2009) the primary study on styles of leadership was conducted by Lewinn, Lippitt and White (1939). The main styles of leadership they identified are Authoritative, Democratic and Lassiez-faire. Northouse (2009) mentioned that a leader may display a combination of these styles and execute each of these styles in a given circumstance. Coercive style This style is also known as the Autocratic model. According to Goleman (2011) coercive type leaders expect immediate compliance from its followers. These types of leaders are very competent in self control, initiating and achieving results. The above style works best in crisis situation where quick change is required as well as situations with problem employees. But the coercive model may have a detrimental effect on the employees therefore should be used with extreme care. It may impact the morale and feelings of the followers and may negatively affect employee motivation. In almost all cases, autocratic leadership style helps improve organizational efficiency and contribute to the bottom line in the short-term. This improvement is however a quick fix, coming at the cost of erosion of a companys underlying assets and laying the foundation for permanent damage in the future (Nayab, 2010). Therefore this can be considered as the least effective style of all leadership styles since it has a negative influence on the overall climate of the organization. In 2007 Martha Stewart single handedly turnaround her ailing Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. In her we find a substantial amount of controversy but she continues to prosper with her organization and is effectively served by her autocratic style of leadership as well. But critics say that she wouldnt have reached the verge of bankruptcy and would have achieved more if she had not followed her autocratic style (Nayab, 2010) This example suggests that Martha was not able to reach her full potential and achieve success with her autocratic style during the turnaround because of its aggressive nature. Authoritative Style An authoritative leader is a person who guides people towards a vision and follow organizational goals and strategies. This is a more flexible strategy where the followers are permitted to be innovative, experiment and take calculated risk which will give the follower a sense of belonging and involvement to the organization (Goleman, 2011).This style of leadership works best when change is required in a new vision or clear direction is needed. His research indicates that this is the most effective style of leadership. But a leader who is working with experts who are more experienced will find it difficult to apply this style. The team members may sense that the leader is trying to dominate. Northouse(2009) also gave a similar view on authoritative style of leadership. He mentioned that Authoritarian leadership is used to give direction, set goals, and structure work. He identified positives and negatives of using such style for leadership. The positives are that there is a person to give direction and clarity to employees work which will bring about productivity and efficiency enabling accomplishments of goals in a shorter period. On the other hand this style will hamper individuality and will create dependence on the leader which will result in subordinates losing interest and becoming dissatisfied with their work. Both of the viewpoints above can be related to Mc Gregors Theory X. The assumptions he made are applicable for the followers of authoritarian leaders. He made three assumptions which are as follows. The average person dislikes work and will avoid it if possible. Because people dislike work, they need to be directed, and sometimes threatened with punishment or reminded of rewards to make them work. The average person prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, has little ambition, and wants security more than choice. (Northouse, 2009) The authoritarian leader needs to provide direction to its followers and control them. Therefore they will be in charge and take up responsibility to control the group. Considering the above three authors ideas the authoritative style of leadership would be a suited style of leadership in managing change because during change the entire company needs to be given proper direction and their needs to be someone to take responsibility and take initiative by creating a vision to manage change. The CEO of Microsoft Bill Gates is considered an authoritative leader who was able to successfully move Microsoft in the direction he saw the industry moving. He is considered as a leader with a vision who aligned Microsoft with that vision (Authoritative Leaders,2006) CEO of DELL Michael Dell identified the requirement of change in their customer services department and executed a unique strategy of his own to retain and satisfy its large customer base, unlike other companies he introduced a strategy where customer queries are directed to a real human voice not a voice mail system. In an environment where the trend is towards voicemail systems Michael Dell introduced such a system (Franklin, 1998) This in fact displays his leadership and vision in understanding the work his people do at all levels as well as his understanding the requirement for change according to the trend. Affiliative style Affiliative style of leadership is a more human friendly style. Its a style which helps to create harmony and build emotional bonds. People come first always. Communication is considered a key element. This style is best suited to motivate people during stressful situations. Even though there are certain advantages of using this style constant use of this style will also have its drawbacks. When employees are over praised they might lose focus and may lead to poor performance. Over reliance on this model may lead the company to fail (Goleman 2009). Kotter (1999, p.37) mentioned Communication of ideas helps people see the need for and the logic of change. Therefore according to his findings the affiliative style could be considered a suitable style of leadership to adopt during change due to it focusing on communication as a key element. Democratic Style The democratic style of leadership gets the followers to participate and express their opinion. The leader builds trust, respect and commitment from the employees. Communication collaboration and team leadership plays an important role. The leader will listen to employees ideas and concerns thus learning how to keep the spirit of the employees high (Goleman2010). This style will work best when the leader itself is uncertain about the path to be taken. The drawback of such a style is that the leader will be receiving endless opinions resulting in difficulty of making a proper decision. Northouse(2009) also gave a similar view on democratic style of leadership. He said that democratic leaders always try to treat its subordinates fairly. This leader will not to be controlling rather they will listen and obtain support from all subordinates. This is a collective approach of leadership where the leader will be consulting subordinates. The democratic leadership style resembles the assumptions of Mc Gregors Theory Y. Which are as follows People like work People are self motivated People accept and seek responsibility. (Northouse, 2009) Since people are fully capable of doing their work alone theory Y stresses that people neednt be controlled by their leaders as they are self motivated. Kotter(2009, p.38) has also mentioned the importance of participation and involvement to overcome resistance to change . The democratic style concentrates on participation and involvement which will help overcome resistance to change. Therefore could be considered as a good style of leadership to manage change. Anne Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox also used a democratic style of leadership. She led Xerox through a major transformation. In the task of cutting costs quickly, she used the knowledge of employees and encouraged them to give their opinion. Together they were able to do so. (Helliriegel, Jackson and Slocum, 2008, p.509) Pace setting style This style focuses on developing people for the future. The leader set high standards and expect employees to follow them. The leader demands for excellence, therefore employees will feel that they are being stretched beyond their capability. This is best suited when quick results are needed from a motivated and competent team, but gives an overall negative impact on organizational climate (Goleman 2010). Since change in a company is a long term effect the pace setting leader may have a negative effect. They do more harm than good when an organization needs long term results (Chynoweth 2008). The 8th CEO of General Electric Jack Welch strongly believed in leading by example. He was a persistent and demanding executive and showed characteristics of a pace setting leader. He turned the company from $12 billion into a $500 billion market capitalization. He was renowned for his human process to drive change having respect for each individual in the process of change (Pace Setting Leadership, 2006) Coaching style Personal success purely brings achievement. Helping others succeed confers genuine accomplishment. Passion for success through others -the common aspiration of the consultant, counselor and coach is a source of synergy and a hallmark of leadership (Goldsmith Lyons, 2006.p.1). These types of leaders train new leaders for the future. The leaders help employees to learn and develop their skills even if it may take time and not achieve organizational goals. This style is the least used by leaders the reason being leaders not having time to go through teaching employees in a highly pressurized competitive business environment. The style will work best where the employees are willing to improve their performance and build long term strengths (Goleman, 2010). Other than Authoritarian and Democratic style of leadership Northouse identified the Lassiez-faire style which does not resemble any of the characteristics of the above six styles. Lassiez Faire Northouse (2009, p44) mentioned that The Lassiez-faire leader is a nominal leader who engages in minimal influence. This style has no relation to either Theory X or Theory Y. The leadership responsibilities are shared by all. This mainly relies on good team work and good interpersonal relationship skills also can be useful in businesses where creative ideas are important. Unlike the autocratic method this style of leadership can be highly motivational as people have control over their working life. (Northouse 2009). This style is suited for less critical areas of change where followers are specialists who are capable and independent. But it is arguable whether change could be successful with such a hands-off style of leadership. Gucci CEO Robert Polet uses the lassiez-faire style but within a framework so that he doesnt lose control (Gitman Daniel, 2009). He may have opted to choose the above strategy due to the drawbacks of the leadership style Theories of Leadership Trait Theory There are many different types of leadership attributes, traits and qualities; these may differ from person to person. E.g. Bill Gates is known for his intelligence and for being a visionary, whereas Oprah Winfrey is recognized by the world as a very influential leader and an excellent communicator. As listed by Northouse (2007) some of the positive leadership attributes are, trust worthy, positive, dynamic, honest, encouraging, motivational, builds confidence and intelligent. However there are also some negative attributes that leaders carry with them which are asocial, egocentric, loner, dictatorial and ruthless. One or more of these attributes are usually very commonly seen in every individual although they would differ from person to person. Leadership traits are the qualities that people often associate with leaders. As indicated by Shead (2007) the five most important leadership traits are, honest, forward looking, competent, inspiring and intelligent. Both Northouse and Shead mentioned the importance of honesty as a key attribute to leadership. When Toyota had to recall vehicles due to faulty brakes Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota handled the situation really well by being transparent and honest. He was brave enough to face a live interview. His quick response helped minimize the damage made to Toyotas reputation. Therefore it is evident that leaders should be equipped with the necessary skills and competencies to handle change. Transformational Theory Bass Riggio (2006, p.3) described transformational leaders as those who stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. Transformational leaders behave inspire and motivate people, encourages creativity and stimulate followers, pays individual attention to its followers in order to become successful (Bass Riggio 2006). Hacker Roberts (2004, p.3) Transformational leadership is the comprehensive and integrated leadership capacities required of individuals, groups or organizations to produce transformation as evidenced by step functional improvement. The two statements above have a common thinking which suggests that the leader should be the transformer and has to act as the initiator. Hacker Roberts gave a broader view concentrating on the individual as wel the organization. Whereas Bass Riggio gave a more specific view as in how leaders could be transformational as an individual. To be successful at transformational leadership there are some components that were put forward by Bass and Riggio (2006). They mention four components that describe the transformation leader and leaders are strongly required to possess these components in order to be successful transformation leaders. The components put forward by Bass and Riggio (2006) are; Idealized Influence: Leaders should behave as role models; they can be counted on to do the right thing demonstrating high standards of ethical and moral conduct. Inspirational motivation: Leaders must behave in ways that inspire and motivate followers. Team spirit should arouse while displaying enthusiasm and optimism. Intellectual stimulation: Stimulate followers efforts to be innovative and creative, by questioning assumptions, reframing problems and approaching old situations in new ways. Individualized consideration: Leaders should pay attention to each individual followers need to achieve and grow by being a coach and mentor to them. The leader also improves communication between the followers and also must be a careful listener. Through idealized influence, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation and inspirational motivation, transformational leaders are likely to promote performance beyond expectations and achieve enormous changes within individuals and organizations. The above four components are evident in Sam Walton the founder of Wal-Mart. He showed his appreciation and thus inspired his associates and spoke to his customers by visiting all of the Wall-Mart stores around the country. His approach enabled to minimized resistance to change in Wall-marts culture of constant change (Bergdahl, 2006). Charisma could be considered a key ingredient in transformational leaders. Bass Riggio (2006, p.5) Transformational leadership has much in common with charismatic leadership, but charisma is only part of transformational leadership. Steve Jobs is also considered a transformational leader. His vision, charisma and communication skills are part of his success (Krietner, 2007, p.453). His vision enabled him to position his company in the changing world market by introducing cutting edge products like iMac, iPad and iPhone. Conclusion The global competitive business environment has changed dramatically over the past. As a result the need for competitive leadership to handle change is clear. One of the most difficult responsibilities of leadership is leading change. This study reveals certain leader skills and abilities necessary for successful organizational change. Leaders who exercise attributes such as a vision, good interpersonal skills, communicational skills, motivational skills and supportive team skills are more effective in driving change because they are the key elements through which successful results can be achieved. There are lots of arguments for and against each of the leadership styles and approaches. According to authors observation the lassiez-faire style, coercive style and pace setting style may considered least effective whereas affiliative, coaching, democratic style and transformational approach could be considered the most effective. There is no exact model of leadership that could be used; rather there are multiple models all of which have their place depending on the demands of the organization. The leader should be capable of identifying the best method appropriate in a given situation taking into consideration the individual leader and organizational environment. Different styles of leadership will suite different types of change. There is no hard and fast rule that a certain type of leadership is perfect for a given change situation. The leadership style will depend on the organization, individual skill levels and attitude of followers. Therefore authoritative style and democratic style could be recommended in general as the author thinks it is the most appropriate because it powers commitment, communication as well as direction.

The United Kingdom and India: A Study of Gender and Economic/Regional Cleavages :: India England Government Politics Essays

The United Kingdom and India: A Study of Gender and Economic/Regional Cleavages Introduction The United Kingdom, a former world power and colonizing empire, and India, the second most populous country in the world and former colony of the United Kingdom, share a bond of democracy. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a Parliament consisting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Similarly, India is a federal state also with a parliamentary form of government. Despite these similar political systems, studies of the individual histories, economies, and political cultures of each country reveal cleavages within each society affecting aspects of the governments such as institutions, voting behavior, and policy making. This paper will address two major cleavages within the United Kingdom and India, gender inequality and economic/regional divisions, and will analyze the effects each cleavage has upon political systems of each country. Gender Cleavages Although the United Kingdom and India include legal equality, or suffrage, for men and women, both countries experience a persistent gender gap including discrimination against women. The United Kingdom distinguishes itself from India in that gender issues affect the population primarily in government and in the labor realm, while India's cleavages influence the government, labor, and social realms. With the efforts of National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, formed in 1897, and the Women's Social and Political Union of 1903 (Bartley 8), women gained partial suffrage as those over thirty were allowed to vote in 1918, and in 1928, those twenty-one and older were included (Shively 111-112). Legislation was not passed until 1970, with the Equal Pay Act establishing that women should receive equal pay for the same work as men, and the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 attempted to curb unfair practices preventing women's equal access to jobs (Makepeace 1). Despite these governmental at tempts to close the gender gap, women share only twenty-eight percent of total labor income (although this has increased from seventeen percent in 1965), and, while women continue to spend more time than men doing unpaid domestic work, women receive only sixty-four percent of men's average hourly pay in the labor market (Horrell 12-13). Further, women are underrepresented in government--they compromise less than one-fifth of the House of Commons (Taylor 1), sixteen percent of the House of Lords, and only twenty-five percent of local councilors (Follett 3). According to Parliament member, Barbara Follett, these few women in the House of Commons must conform to a male culture that is "competitive, confrontational, conservative, conformist, and ceremonial.

Hewlett Packard Spying Scandal Essay

Corporate misconduct, (or people’s misconduct so to speak) is an issue that has been dominating headline news in the American business world in recent years. Theodore Roosevelt, one time U.S. president was probably right when he said, â€Å"To educate a person in mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society† (Platt, 1989). The American society has continued to suffer from corporate scandals, despite the fact that people are now better educated because behind each scandal and crisis is a possible lack of morals in the â€Å"educated people† running those corporations (Low et al, 2006). It should be noted that unethical behavior is not a new phenomenon in US business nor it is an issue of the US alone. Research Questions and Objectives The year 2002 witnessed the collapse of giants like Enron, Tyco, Arthur Anderson, WorldCom and less known cases like Morgan Stanley, Dupont and Prudential Financial amongst others all involved in one form of scandal or the other.   Such widespread corporate misbehaviors have left many people (including this writer) to wonder where things are going wrong. Should blame be placed on perceived weaknesses of legislation and accounting standards? Or is it that education is not producing the type of business graduates needed to prevent such scandals? (Low et al).  Ã‚   Do the misdeeds simply involve a few â€Å"bad apples†: a smattering of corporations that make the rest of American business look bad? Or is the problem much broader than that? Further, if it is a widespread issue, what needs to be done? (Clement R. May 2006). Such are the kind of questions this study is out to seek answers to in light of the Hewlett Packard Spying scandal of 2006. Conceptual Framework This section explains what the literature on business ethics suggests for achieving ethical behavior in an organization. It is hoped that this will lay a foundation for the analysis of the recent corporate misdeed of Hewlett Packard. Business Ethics: Business ethics, Black J. (2002) is the branch of ethics that studies what standards businesses should observe in their dealings over and above compliance with the letter of the law. This covers questions such as fair dealing with their labour force, customers, suppliers, and competitors, and the impact of their activities on public health, the environment, and animal welfare. If a good reputation helps to gain and retain business, ethical conduct need not necessarily conflict with profit, but there are bound to be cases where it does. Particularly difficult questions of business ethics arise in multinational firms, where practices such as gifts to officials, which are essential to doing business at all in some countries, are regarded as criminal in others. Previous research works on business ethics have pointed out some measures that can be taken within an organization to help foster a culture of ethical behavior. Many of these studies highlight the role that top management commitment plays in developing an ethical organizational culture. Weaver, Trevino and Cochran (1999) found that the commitment of top management is essential for ethical decision making to be integrated into a firm’s culture; in other words, management’s decisions and actions in promoting the program are more effective than making sure that the program addresses a long list of ethical issues. Trevino and Brown (2004) found that top executives must manage ethical conduct proactively by means of explicit ethical leadership and conscious management of the organization’s culture. To this end, they suggest that top managers should study the cultures of their organizations to see what ethical messages are being sent. The researchers also assert that executives should communicate the importance of ethics, reward ethical behavior, and model that behavior themselves. Holmes et al (2002) found that employees are more likely to engage in ethical behavior if top management is firm in its expectations of ethical behavior of all employees, including themselves (p. 97) while Harrington (1997) concluded that, to achieve ethical behavior, top management needs to gain social consensus through changes in organization culture and by encouraging employees to live up to their responsibilities. What constitutes â€Å"unethical† behavior? It is important to determine the types of corporate behavior to consider unethical, and to decide on the time period over which the data on that behavior should be gathered. Some types of behavior may seem unethical to certain individuals but not to others (Clement R, 2006).   He however identifies three conditions that seem to signal unethical behavior: – A plea of guilty by a firm to charges of misconduct; – by courts or government agencies against a firm as solid evidence of corporate misconduct, even if the firm is still appealing the ruling. – agreement by a firm to settle charges, often by paying a fine or agreeing to other restrictions on company behavior even if the firm is not required to admit guilt. The Hewlett Packard (HP) spying scandal Origins In a Newsweek report by Kaplan D, (2006), the confrontation at Hewlett-Packard started innocently enough in January 2006 when online technology site CNET published an article about the long-term strategy at HP and other information that could only come from a director quoting an anonymous HP source. HP’s chairwoman, Patricia Dunn, fed up with the ongoing leaks told another director she wanted know whom it was. According to an internal HP e-mail, Dun then took the extra ordinary step of authorizing a team of independent electronic-security experts to spy on the January 2006 communications of other 10 directors – not the records of calls (or emails) from HP itself, but the records of phone calls made from personal accounts. That meant calls from directors’ home and their private cell phones were intercepted. Dunn acted without informing the rest of the board and this caused a boardroom fury at the world’s largest technology company. In a related story by Sakuma P. (2007), the HP boardroom-spying scheme erupted into a national scandal , September 2006, after the company disclosed that detectives it hired obtained the private phone records of directors, employees and 9 journalists in an effort to ferret out the source of media leaks. The scandal also introduced the world to â€Å"pretexting,† a shady tactic in which detectives used other people’s Social Security numbers to fool telephone companies into divulging detailed call logs. In an interview with Newsweek, Dunn said she didn’t know that the investigation would reach such heights. Consequences In two separate press releases, HP announced a number of moves that was an outcome of 2 days of teleconferences among the board. – Patricia Dunn was to step down as chairwoman. – CEO Mark Hurd will replace her. – George Keyworth, the longest serving director and one who leaked information to a CNET reporter that led to HP’s investigation was to resign immediately. – Richard Hackborn, who served on the board since 1992 would become â€Å"lead independent director†. – A criminal investigation against Patricia Dunn, Kevin Hunsaker, HP’s former ethics chief who allegedly directed the probe, and 3 private investigators was started on 4 counts: use of false or fraudulent pretenses to obtain confidential information from a public utility; unauthorized access to computer data; identity theft; and conspiracy to commit each of those crimes. Each charge carried a fine of up to 10,000 dollars and 3 years in prison. How and Why HP successfully overcame this scandal Testifying before a congressional in September 2006, Dunn said she was repeatedly reassured by HP’s lawyers about the legality of its detectives’ subterfuge. In a Business Week report, November 2006, a state judge Cunningham in California dropped the above charges against ex-Hewlett-Packard Chair Patricia Dunn after she pleaded guilty. The court however did not accept the pleas of the other three defendants and offered to dismiss the charges against them if they met two conditions – by Sept. 12   2006, they must serve 96 hours of community service and complete any court-filed restitution requests made by victims. In a related story by CNN’s Katy Byron, (September, 2006), the court dismissed Dunn’s charge because of her cancer battle, according to the attorney general’s office. The dismissal came â€Å"not because she’s innocent but because she is sick,† attorney general’s spokesman Barankin told CNN. Dunn had breast cancer in 2000 and melanoma in 2002 and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2004 and is still battling it. She also underwent extensive surgery last year after doctors discovered a malignant tumor in her liver. In a CNBC news report (september 2006) Hewlett Packard agreed to pay $14.5 million to settle the lawsuit brought by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, whose office accused the company of unfair business practices in its attempts to unmask the source of boardroom leaks. HP also implemented changes to its corporate governance policies to ensure that future internal investigations are conducted legally. There was no finding of liability against HP. The settlement includes an injunction and agreement that the California Attorney General will not pursue civil claims against HP or against its current and former directors, officers and employees. The vast majority of the settlement — $13.5 million — will fund state and local investigations into privacy rights and intellectual property violations, Lockyer said in a statement. The personal efforts of new HP chairman and CEO, Mark Hurd also contributed greatly to HP’s successfull exit from the scandal. He says â€Å"We are pleased to settle this matter with the Attorney General and are committed to ensuring that HP regains its standing as a global leader in corporate ethics and responsibility†. The company shareholders rejected a proposal that would have given investors the right to nominate directors to HP’s board. About 39 percent of HP shares entitled to vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting favored the measure, which was supported by funds including Calpers, the largest U.S. pension fund, and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the No. 3 fund. The above factors culminated in a slight stock price increase of HP in September 2006 despite the fact that September 2006 was a rocky month for the company. Its stock actually rose a bit that month, ending at $36.69. It has since climbed to nearly $40 as HP continues to perform strongly in the PC and printer markets. HP today has regained its leading position as the worlds number one technology company. The Role of Business Ethics in this Success The conceptual framework of this study laid some guidelines on how to identify when a company behavior should be considered ethical or not. In the context of the widely publicized Hewlett Packard spying scandal discussed above, there is no plea of guilt by the firm nor by Patricia Dunn and the other defendents to charges of misconduct, we haven’t seen a ruling against either the Carlifornia court that handled the case nor the Securities and Exchange Commissions against HP for unethical behavior. However, HP agreed to settle charges of $14.5 million to close the case and save the goodwill of the Silicon Valley icon. The payment, by ethical standards could be considered a fine, which is an evidence of unethical behavior, by a firm. HP’s intention, perhaps, as we have seen was to save the company’s image and probably in compliance with a court injunction or lawyer’s advice. Taking a look at HP’s Standards of Business Conduct, (SBC) , we find that it embodies the fundamental principles that govern   ethical and legal obligations to HP. They pertain not only to conduct within the company but also to conduct involving HP’s customers, channel partners, suppliers and competitors. (www.hp.com). As a business, remaining profitable and viable is a must for Hewlett Packard though this is not the only concern for the company. HP seeks uncompromising integrity through what each individual can contribute — to its customers, co-workers, company and communities. HP’s business success is dependent on trusting relationships. Its reputation is founded on the personal integrity of the company’s personnel and its dedication to the principles of: (www.hp.com) – Honesty in communicating within the company and with its business partners, suppliers and customers, while at the same time protecting the company’s confidential information and trade secrets. – Excellence in its products and services, by striving to provide high-quality products and services to its customers – Responsibility for its words and actions – Compassion in its relationships with employees and the communities affected by company business – Citizenship in observance of all the laws of any country in which the company does business, respect for environmental concerns and service to the community by improving and enriching community life. – Fairness to our fellow employees, stakeholders, business partners, customers and suppliers through adherence to all applicable laws, regulations and policies, and a high standard of behavior. – Respect for fellow employees, stakeholders, business partners, customers and suppliers while showing willingness to solicit their opinions and value their feedback. Conclusion From the above, we can say that Dunn’s investigation into the leak was simply in compliance with the first principle (Honesty) of the company’s code of ethics. Her intentions were clear from the outset – to probe into an alleged boardroom leak while at the same time respecting the principles of respect and fairness (last two principles) in the investigation. That in itself shouldn’t have been a scandal. It is the methods of the investigation – pretexting that raised controversy and finally erupted into a scandal. Patricia Dunn was able to prove before congress and the courts that such an act was carried out without her knowledge, though she acknowledged that an investigation was going on, which in itself complied with company ethics.

Examination of The Little Matchstick Girl

Examination of The Little Matchstick Girl First published in 1845, The Little Match Girl by  Hans Christian Anderson  is a story about a young impoverished girl trying to sell matches on the street on New Years Eve who is afraid to go home without selling enough for fear of an abusive father. This tragic short story paints a dismal picture of life for the poor in the 1840s but also carries with it that grim hope of a fairy tale with visions of huge Christmas trees and shooting stars appearing before the young match girl- her dying wishes and dreams. The Harsh Realities of Poverty Andersons The Little Match Girl is not far from classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm- they both share a certain darkness to their content, a melancholic and an often morbid obsession with consequences for actions or for merely existing. Its an often studied piece in academic circles. In The Little Match Girl, Andersons titular character dies by the end of the piece, but the story is much more about the perseverance of hope. In these sparse, unforgiving lines, Hans Christian Andersen packs so much simple beauty and hope: The girl is cold, barefoot, and poor- without a friend in the world (it seems)- but she is not without hope. She dreams of warmth and light, of a time when she will be surrounded by love, and filled with happiness. Its so far outside of the realm of her current experience that most of us would have long since given up such dreams, but she holds on. Still, the harsh realities of poverty haunt the little girls reality- she must sell a match for fear of being beaten by her father upon returning home and this fear propels her to stay outside all night, which ultimately leads to her death by hypothermia. Lessons and Adaptations Thanks to its brevity and delicate approach to the topic of death, The Little Match Girl serves as a great tool, like most fairy tales, to teach children important lessons about the tougher topics in life like death and loss as well as social issues like poverty and charity. We may not want to think about the horrible things that happen every day, and its certainly hard to explain such things to our children. It does seem, though, that we can often learn the greatest lessons from the children- in how they deal with the most hopeless situations. In those final moments, this little girl sees visions of splendor. She sees hope. But, her passing- punctuated by the shooting of a star in the night sky- is tragic and troubling. Fortunately, there have also been many adaptations of this short piece by Hans Christian Anderson including several animated and live action short films which provide an easier way for children to access the themes of this brilliant short work of fiction.