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GREAT DEPRESSION 1929-39 : HOW IT ULTIMATELY PAVED WAY FOR CANADA TO BECOME A WELFARE STATE

Pages:8

 

This paper aims to show that during the Great Depression, which started on October 29, 1929, and continued until 1939 when the second World War began, was a period of massive suffering for the citizens. The country suffered at all fronts; there was an exponential increase in poverty as exports and imports fell, investment in local industries reduced dramatically, and output was at a recorded low, the rate of unemployment became extremely high which contributed to the decrease in consumerism. As the condition worsened, the municipal and provincial governments, as well as the volunteer organizations, could not do much to help the citizens. Therefore, the federal government stepped in to solve the problem through the implementation of several acts, provision of relief and by creating employment opportunities. The role that the government played during the Great Depression eventually led to Canada becoming a welfare state.

First of all, it is necessary to understand Canada’s context during the 1920s to understand why it was so devastated when the stock market in New York crashed. When the first World War ended, the whole world—except the United States—had suffered massively. However, Canada soon propelled out of the slump as it began to export minerals needed in the production of goods such as automobiles and electronics increased. The mining industry saw a boom as more and more US investors became interested in mining of minerals such as zinc and copper. Not only this, “US carmakers had plants in Canada able to produce half a million automobiles a year” (Clements, 2012, p. 210) which also stimulated the Canadian economy. Added to this, the agricultural yield in the year 1928 was record-breaking. All these profited the economy, but it is imperative to note that the Canadian economy was heavily dependent on the economy of the United States. Unsurprisingly, when the New York stock market crashed in October 1929, the effects were felt profoundly by the Toronto Stock exchange as well. The Great Depression that followed was extraordinarily severe, and its effects continued to be manifested in every domain for the next many years to come, so much so that Canadian authors have termed the 1930s as the “ten lost years” and “the dirty thirties”.

During the Great Depression, Canada saw dramatic deflation as “from 1929 to 1933, Gross National Product fell by 42 per cent in current, and 29 per cent in constant dollars,” (Horn, 1984, p. 3) income in 1933 dropped to being just 51 per cent of what it used to be in 1929, and “imports by volume were down by a huge 56.7 per cent from 1929 to 1933” (Horn, 1984, p.3).While the whole world was suffering, Canada was pressed at several fronts. Trade deteriorated as well; “average export prices for all Canadian goods in 1933 were only 62.6 per cent of what they had been four years earlier…[while] import prices were still 71.3 per cent of what they had been in 1929” (Horn, 1984, p.5).It did not help that one of the economic warfare strategies employed was the placement of high tariffs and export subsidies. This caused the exports to decline and therefore, Canada that relied heavily on exporting of raw and semi-produced good suffered substantial economic losses.

At the same time, different parts of the country fared differently. Western farmers, especially the Saskatchewan—who were heavily dependent on the export of wheat—suffered most. Not only were their crops plagued by droughts and grasshoppers, but now they also had to compete with Argentina, Australia, Russia, as well as the United States. During the Great Depression, prices had fallen, and the currency was devalued, so all these countries were trying to export their surplus crops. “Prior to the Great Depression, exports of wheat and wheat flour were between 7 and 8.5 per cent of GNP, roughly a third of total exports” (Amaral &MacGee, 2016, p.6). However, “wheat exports (in bushels) fell by 25 per cent between 1927 and 1933 and the price fell by over half. The fall in our exports was due to both the quantity exported and the price falling in half by 1933” (Amaral &MacGee, 2016, p.7).Their loss can be assessed by the fact that “the total provincial income was little more than one-quarter in 1933 of what it had been five years earlier” (Horn, 1984, p.5).

A decline in agricultural export is only one component of the larger picture, but one thing was connected to a multitude of other things. As the demand for wheat declined, it negatively impacted the functioning of railways. Firms that produced capital goods such as tractors could neither continue to maintain the same output, nor did the people have the same power of buying and saw meagre sales. “Export-oriented areas and industries, miners in Cape Breton and on the British Columbia-Alberta border, forest workers in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia: these and others like them suffered severely” (Horn, 1984, p.9).Workers in sectors such as those of finance, services or retail were usually still employed, but many of the blue-collar workers fared worse-off and were laid off. Average unemployment rates in 1933 range from 19.3 to 27 per cent, whereas in 1929, the unemployment rate averaged between 2.5 to 4.2 per cent. In May 1933, one-third of wage earners no longer had a job.

It was not just the earners who suffered. One-third of these unemployed meant that not only them, their whole families suffered. Not being able to pay for education meant that many children were taken out of schools. At the same time, fresh graduates were stepping into a world where there were no jobs. Doctors, engineers, lawyers were depressed as there were not enough people who would be able to pay for their services, especially when highly experienced practitioners were also competing. All this meant that the country was forced to take a step back in technology. Poverty in rural areas was not lesser, but it was relatively easier to bear that when you could sustain yourselves through growing your own food. So, the rural to urban migration that gained momentum in the nineteenth century stopped, and more people were likely to move to western provinces or the farmlands basically.

People in the cities had to be fed and kept alive. The population out of work and unable to feed themselves was so high that neither the provincial governments nor the non-profitable organizations could provide food and shelter to them for more than a few days. Therefore, it was “only government that could keep thousands of Canadians from starving or freezing to death. Relief, by 1935, cost the Canadian government a total cost of $173 million” (Horn, 1984, p.7).By 1933, around 1.5 million people were dependent on the government for basic needs. This number increased to 1.9 million in 1934, which shows that even though the Great Depression is said to be ended by March 1933, people were still devastated in Canada. When people could not even afford food, they went “on the pogey.” “Pogey,” that was relief provided by the government in the form of cash or vouchers.

  1. L. Mackenzie King was Canada’s Prime Minister when the Depression broke out. He took a lot of time even to acknowledge that the country was in a state of economic crisis. When he did, he made little measures to provide relief to the people. He had the mindset that the responsibility of creating jobs to reduce unemployment fell on the provinces. His unwillingness pushed him out of government, and R. B. Bennett was elected as the Prime Minister. Bennett, a Conservative, also held the same beliefs. Both King’s and Bennett’s “reluctance to tackle unemployment contributed to a fiscal collapse in the four western provinces and in hundreds of municipalities” (Struthers, 2013).However, once in office, Bennett allocated $20 million for relief programs. Work camps were part of the relief system Bennett had devised in the early 1930s. These work camps were operated by the Department of National Defence and were aimed to help young men who were otherwise ineligible to receive relief. Far from city centres, these men would get a room, medical care, and a meagre amount of $0.20 for their daily expenses, in exchange for their manual labour on projects. However, “in 1935, a protest against conditions in the camps culminated in the Regina Riot. This was Canada’s most violent episode of the Depression” (Struthers, 2013).

As a response to the federal government’s persistence that providing jobs was the responsibility that laid on the shoulders of the provinces and that people are responsible for their well-being, several reforms from opposing parties sprang out. Occurring at a provincial level, these movements’ main objective was that it was the government that initiates recovery. One of these was these were the Social Credit theory, proposed by William Aberhart. He “sought to increase consumer spending by issuing credits worth $25 a month to citizens. Not wishing to encourage idleness, these dividends could be suspended if people refused available employment” (Clements, 2012, p.218).Unsurprisingly, farmers of Alberta were thrilled by this promise. Others who proposed alternate strategies to revive the economy included,“the British Columbia Premier T. Dufferin Pattullo, the democratic socialism of J.S. Woodsworth and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) as well as the Union Nationale in Quebec, led by Maurice Duplessis” (Struthers, 2013).

Along with these, other groups such as “the Workers Unity League, the League for Social Reconstruction, the Relief Camp Workers Union, Jeune-Canada and the National Unemployed Workers Association” (Struthers, 2013) which used the unemployed frustrated population to participate in marches and protests did push Bennett into taking a number of measures. The Canadian Wheat Board was set up to provide shelter to prairie farmers and design strategies to market their wheat to the world market. Other acts—such as the Farmer’s Creditors Arrangement Act and the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act—were implemented to help ease the debt of farmers and to propose solutions to the drought their lands faced. Following this, the Bank of Canada was set up to formulate the government’s monetary policy. Moreover, Bennett proposed the New Deal, that finally reflected an aggressive approach to tackle the economic crisis, contrary to what his beliefs had been. Bennett’s new deal was supposed to deal with wages, hours of work, natural resource marketing, as well as provide unemployment insurance. Before it could be implemented, Bennett lost office, and King was re-elected who was not in favour of this act. He realized the need for the state to provide long-term relief to the citizens and in 1940, “the federal government assumed responsibility for the jobless by introducing a national unemployment insurance scheme and employment service” (Struthers, 2013).

The transition of the state to provide public investment to create jobs so that the rate of unemployment could be decreased as private investment failed to do so, were in line with the economic theories of British economist John Maynard Keynes. Keynes’s ideas influenced the National Employment Commission report (1938) and the report of the Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations (1940). When World War II broke out, Keynesian economics actually became integrated into the government policy, only to shape the country as a welfare state. Through active measures by the government and “the massive state expenditures necessitated by the war finally reduced unemployment to minimal levels by 1942” (Struthers, 2013). In the long run, the Great Depression directed the government into taking more active roles in providing people with relief, grants, employment opportunities and facilities.

Conclusively, the years during the Great Depression were extremely difficult for the citizens as well as the governments in power. Its impacts were continued to be faced for successive years. However, during these testing times, the government was pressurized by opposing parties, groups, and the public to take a more active role to think about their well-being and to create jobs through the investment so that the economy could retain its economic footing. In retrospect, “some of the developments that made Canada one of the most robust welfare state systems can be traced back to the 1940s,” (Vivekanandan, 2002)to the time when the country had successfully come out of the “bitter thirties” with the “vision to build a new Canadian society based in equal opportunities and equal facilities, with employment security for everybody in the country” (Vivekanandan, 2002).

 

 

 

 

References:

Amaral, P. S., &MacGee, J. (2016). Trade, Relative Prices, and the Canadian Great           Depression.

Brady, A. (1940). Report of the Royal Commission on Dominion‐Provincial           Relations. Canadian Historical Review, 21(3), 245-253.

Clements, P. (2012). The Great Depression and the Americas 1929-39. Hodder Education.

Horn, M. (1984). The Great Depression of the 1930s in Canada (No. 39). Canadian Historical       Association.

Purvis, A. B., & National Employment Commission. (1938). Final report of the National   Employment Commission, 26th January 1938.

Struthers, J. (2020). The Great Depression in Canada | The Canadian Encyclopedia.                        Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved May 20 2020, from                        https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/great-depression.

Vivekanandan, B. (2002). Welfare State System in Canada: Emerging Challenges.             International Studies, 39(1), 45-63. https://doi.org/10.1177/002088170203900103

 

Unprecedented times: Leadership at the age of Covid-19

Pages:28

Introduction

Current age is confronting challenges of health and humanity survival. The issue of pandemic global Coronavirus has stopped every business activity around the globe. Covid-19 crisis is taking over the world and testing clinical capacity of teams with unprecedented patient numbers (Bauer & Anderson, 1985). The situation is also providing opportunities to healthcare to envision effective care delivery in future. Leadership and communication are the core parts of teams during current pandemic. A thoughtful and strong leadership is critical for organizational stability. During the height of crisis, a team planning is necessary to tackle the situation. The team building approach works significantly for the leadership development and this practice yields a planned orientation. Covid 19 has modified communication ways in teamwork, focused more on team building work and developed sound basis. Leadership process is a systematic work that binds team members to produce a productive workforce.

Covid-19 upheaval has expedited team communication and virtual setup, leadership and management. Best practice to handle tough situation is team management, effective collaboration and virtual communication. Team management trains to work on virtual platform because teammates need to know their delivery and its significance. Before this crisis, team management have not faced virtually integrated and technology driven environment (Burt, 2018). Trust, confidence and engagement are some core parts of team management that needs to be communicated with customer. These attributes function effectively under thoughtful leadership.

It is critical to discuss that team leaders manage and devote essential time to train teams. Knowledge transfer through team building approach allow them to lead and perform effectively. It is important to understand that essential principles of leadership work inherently when applied to teamwork (Costantine, Landon &Saade, 2020). They aid team development approach, grouping performance and business environment. Due to effective communication and connectivity, awareness related to key societal issues needs a broad-based structure. A leader follows these rules and provide a wide scenario to implement techniques of grouping and group based tasks.

Performing strong and knowledge based teams play a critical role in developing groups. The group based learning allows individuals to participate in different ventures and focus on connectivity. Group based activities also focus on good attributes and put relevant impact on capabilities to face challenges (Georgiades, 2020). Under a leadership perspective, the goal of grouping is to face issues and develop planning. To accomplish groups’ objectives, preparation is essential that is invigorated by leaders and they develop a team charter. It is essential to understand the team operating agreement that enhance group members’ involvement and they know about work patterns. Teams can reduce stress by using mindful technologies and collaboration (Hajro, 2018). Role of group in education is significant to understand because positive and negative characteristics determine success ratio.

Purpose of study

It is important to know that how a leader contributes for the good of the group. This notion is better to understand when required leadership and grouping theories are considered. Working on leadership theories, allows understanding of team work, management principles and abilities needed to accomplish tasks. The purpose of this paper is to identify how a leader contributes to good things in a group and it will be linked to relevant theories. The paper will describe good and bad attributes of a group and its influence through leadership.

Theoretical Overview

Individual and collective level leadership pertains to effective team members. At individual level, groups behave different from the external point of view, for instance, it is reflected when a person say that someone has got into the bad company. The notion of self-managed teams is linked to the high performing and task oriented structure (Hirpara& Taylor, 2020). In certain organizations, these features of team are not common but depends on leaders’ involvement. A leader can walk in such situation and adopts necessary steps required for high performing groups. Teamwork, group and leadership play essential role in the Industrial age. Current pandemic has focused on the need to work in grouping to achieve goals and objectives.

Group Dynamics

Groups differ in size, character and composition. Some famous groups appear to share key values and similarity of features make them dominant. The systematic group study was stated by Kurt Lewin in 1940s, when multiple research papers were written on group dynamics. It is a vibrant field that overlap multiple branches like social science, psychology, education and sociology. The scope of groups and its linkage with industry is significant because in many disciplines, group study is focused (Kassema, 2020). For example, psychotherapy is about group therapy, in business, management teams are managed, and in politics, political leadership participates. Groups have taken recognition after the setting up of theories in social psychology about work nature, plan and development of teams.

In grouping, good and bad are two key types that elaborate the idea about functioning of groups. The good group functioning all goes well, it spreads positive influence and give positive motivation that persists. On the contrary, the wrong or bad group is about the rebellious attitude and conflicts in class or at workplace. This form of group engages team members in unproductive activities and show unwillingness to cooperate. The difference in good or bad group is different and based on situational factors. The group dynamics play inherent role in defining the role of group in classroom or in workplace. The internal characteristics of a good group pave the way for learning and evolve over time.

The learner group consists of active partners and members represent a strong social unit that is bigger than the sum (Kaul, Shah & El-Serag, 2020). Group development is essential to work inherently because if it goes astray, it can harm learning. It is important to consider the positive development of group processes, as driving force can pursue learning goals. Researchers have focused on key processes used in the development of group dynamics that go inside and analyze team building approaches. In educational contexts, the group dynamics determine coherency and act as independent units. The productive environment for groups allows their involvement and they specialize in subject matter training. Due to structural significance of group based behaviors, the scope of leadership extends.

Leader Member Exchange Theory

Literature presents the dimensions of leader member exchange theory under transformational leadership. The concept ‘leader-member exchange’ theory was floated in classical Greek Days under vertical dyed linkage (McArthur, 2002). The concept is about leadership approach that work on group behaviors within organizations. The theory is intuitive and discuss what a leader group structure can be. It explains the working dimensions of group and leadership by pointing towards the strong features. It also illustrates the dynamic of problems, issues of loyalty with leader and develops structure to offer solutions. A leader works to maintain team in most significant form through its hard work and striving efforts. The role of responsibility matters a lot when it comes to work through grouping.

Leaders usually garner their position of relationship. The leader member exchange theory highlights the fact that a position by grouping is secured by trust and confidence. Most of the trusted person and supporters do this with responsibility under an inner circle. The inner circle is based on dyad linkage theory. Dyad means two, and it refers to leader and it is linked to others for whom it work. Linkage is about relationship that work for the coherency to build team. Leaders feel that team is the main adhering point for their productivity because it specifically work for the support (Spinelli &Pellino, 2020). If a leader allows it followers work according to the task, they would get substantial support in this regard.

The scope of roles under leadership is undefined because a supporter can assume a formal role. A subordinate and leaders’ relationship is preserved at some instances, due to conflict of power. Due to acquisition of power, a leader undertakes challenges and can relate to the lower status. The term ‘inner circle’ can define the power of a relationship when it comes to a leader and supporter (Stillman, Fletcher &Carr, 2007). In a team, multiple tasks, strengthening roles and supportive relationship allow greater performance. Better roles define better leadership so supportive leaders support more and acquire greater responsibility. The range of leaders can be different from a small discussion forum to large and this framework undertakes strong attributes to accomplish a task.

Leadership range differs, when it comes to manage teams, either small or large encompassing roles tackle groups (Somech, 2003). For the structural framework, the complex tasks can need more organizational and group dynamics to work. In leader member exchange theory, there are three stages of development. First is the organizational stage that can be performed under some approaches and help a person rise from a crowd while having intelligence and charisma. The second stage is role development that comes with many origins and answers the questions that how group was formed. In the third stage of development, the ‘good old boy network’ expression is developed. This leader led relationship needs consideration to work on general qualities that will develop groups. In these cases, the fundamental values are integrity, trust, and willingness that not only work on openness but also delegate power. In current working environment and situation, egregious routinized systems face challenges.

Methodology

The methodology of this paper is qualitative. With the help of interviews, research question will be addressed. Qualitative interview will be evaluated under a thematic analysis approach.

Participant

The participant of this study is a 27 years old university student at her final masters’ year in Educational Leadership and Management at the University of Coalalambour. She was approached while she was about to leave Coalalambour and requested to be interviewed since her major requires her to do lots of group projects. Pre-interview was done followed by the final interview, she refused to do a third interview because she was busy with exams. She was interviewed to understand the grouping and leadership principles because her major was educational leadership. Understanding leadership and grouping allows evaluation of major differences in productive work. The participant involvement provided insights to know about managing team work and participation in productive workouts.

Procedures

The procedure used in this study is use of thematic analysis approach like the one developed by Braun and Clarke (2013). The thematic approach allows familiarizing with the data by assigning preliminary codes. In this interviewing process, data familiarity will provide themes by jotting down different ideas. After this, coding will be implemented. Coding is about summarizing three lined of interviews as dialogues that will reflect images, words or accurate concepts. Coding is the iterative stage that will explain the work and ideas.

Procedure further extends to validate the codes. It is to work on re-examining data by authenticating the consistency of data to ensure if it is not misinterpreted. Set up of themes after code validation will allow clustering in themes. The creation of multiple themes will allow finalizing of on theme, later its illustration will be done with verbatim quotations. When coding process will be finalized, the report results will be composed.

The thematic analysis of qualitative data is a useful approach to analyze data effectively. This process is suitable and appropriately applicable on interview transcripts like the one used in this study. The process will allow examining further ideas and themes that are workable and provide a future dimension. The advantages of thematic analysis of qualitative data are finding a running theme, getting flexibility of fata and think about key ideas (Singh, Meera Bai & Pal, 2011). For instance, the issue of current age is coronavirus that is modifying existing leadership behaviors in countries. Changed behaviors in leadership are transforming teamwork hence grouping.

Under this thematic approach, a freedom is attained that makes research study flexible because it is modified under different research studies. Literature helps validating different concepts of theory so a rich and detailed result is attained. Current research will contribute in this way to discuss epistemology about leadership. Our research question about leadership and changing group behavior due to Covid-19 will be significantly answered by this approach. This method will help organizing, analyzing and in identifying themes appeared from a dataset. The collected data will be analyzed in the next section in light of interview transcript.

Data Analysis

Based on interview and methodology, data is divided into three parts. A first part is a good group, a second part is a bad group, and the third part is discussion.

The good group

The interview discussion was vibrant because participant explained about her group and leading person traits. She described two group leaders who exhibited different characteristics. The researcher was interested in Group dynamics, and God forbid that how wrong can work for group related tasks. Group dynamics is a group work that operates in small numbers. Participant described that good leader gathers its team and makes it healthy by telling everyone about their roles. The leader, who builds a strong team, is enthusiastic and has an incredible capacity to empathize. A leader is visionary and tolerant who understand the issues with group members and seeks a problem-solving approach (Safronova&Urubkov, 2017).

The information provided by the participant discussed the excellent attributes of a leader and group roles. The leaders’ characteristics are never-ending because he wants to see its team strong. He is unconventional and fun-loving, neither needy nor demanding. In addition, a good leader develops a good group and has a youthful spirit. It is researched that in the times of corona crisis, leadership should be more responsible, accelerated and ready to help (Petriglieri, 2020). The foundations in the form of a strong team allow better performance and develop good team ethics (Schwarz, 2014). It also helps employees and fellows to move smoothly and communicate effectively.

Good teams and groups focus on results and outcomes when work is done collectively. The leader offers them clear direction under a visionary approach to achieve organizational objectives. During a crisis, a leader has the responsibility to gather group members and lead them effectively, so that they get hope (Miao, Newman, Schwarz & Xu, 2013). According to participant, an enchantment with vision is a clear framework that helps individuals set up their directions and learn frequently. Visionary leaders promise a better future due to their sacrificing and productive nature. In the times of crisis like the current pandemic of Coronavirus, leaders have to show responsibility to control and direct the team. If vision is not set in crisis, motivation will not be achieved.

The bad group

A bad group face the bad side of a leader during a time of crisis, so team members face the worst experience. The participant in this study has elaborated the worst experience she faced with a bad leader. For instance, at corona times, the leader kept the same plan outside of what team wanted to change because of the corona, such as social distancing.Participant discussed “the leader was less appealing to team members due to her behaviour and display of different features like, she boosted her math abilities, tried to avert his eyes and showed intense behavior”.Some bad points in her views are “changed momentum quite a bit with the Corona outbreak, unexpected change and stability in the group and lots of arguments which is a wrong way of doing things”.Team members seem unsatisfactory due to this kind of approach. Due to reduced participation or no vision of a leader, a group may turn into bad and show poor contribution.

Bad group exhibits a lethargic approach due to work and show overburdened. There is less competency in the group, and they lack crucial skills like productivity, efficiency and performance (McFarland, 2014). This kind of situation creates a stressful work environment so the leader can be disrespectful to co-workers, supervisors and other mates. Lack of involvement is the key feature of a bad group because there is no vision and direction that help team members to get involved in team activities. The poor team members refuse to take any responsibility, so they always face failures.

More specifically, Adair theory is best suited here. It is action-centered leadership that was presented by John Adair in 1960. It is three circles model that overlap each other and elaborate about task achievement, managing grouping and managing individuals that form a team (Mango, 2018).

 

Overlapping circles highlight that these three elements work together, as elements of managing individual can overlap managing group and that in turn can overlap achieving the task and so managing individuals (Junker & van Dick, 2014). This theory illustrates that if a manager wants to be a good leader, all these features should be implemented. The model is itself simple yet needs to adapt to the situation.

Summary/discussion

The interview with the participant provided key themes of grouping, such as good group, bad group and their working dynamics. The way of working and involving group members into different tasks has been greatly changed due to the crisis of coronavirus. Groups are no more working together due to social distancing rules. Leaders follow key precautionary practices to help group members stay safe and spread awareness (Grint, 2020). According to research studies, group behaviour can guide individuals in adopting goods and bad ethics. Interview inferred that group behaviour is mostly workable with leader behaviour, for instance, a positive attitude of a leader develops positive roots of a group, so it turned into a good group and vice versa. Corona crisis has changed the notion of many groups and group leaders about work and work ethics. For instance, better and improved collaboration has been seen today than earlier to tackle the crisis. Improved support and value-added opinion have been seen in current times due to a positive group working ethics (Dörnyei& Murphey, 2009).

In the bad times, the good group can hold power, trust and mouldbehaviours of the team, so a leader can have influence over the entire team. A good group have a powerful sense of strength and an incredible sense of authority so the leader will be idealistic. On the contrary, “a bad leader can be a critical person and always try to be a perfectionist” discussed by participant, so this will create distance in team members. Popular and ideal leader work on social skills to gather a team and tries to resolve conflicts. For example, in the interview, the participant mentioned some weak points of a leader while working as a group in corona situation when no precautions were followed, and gathering was allowed.

The difference in the good and bad group is apparent from working ethics, following the current scenario and leadership approach. Different team leader perceptions allow team members to think and behave according to the situation (Chappelow, 2007). From the participants’ view, good leader values its members and work together during the issue of the coronavirus, since it is important to follow distance maintaining rules. Hence, a leader can focus on group members’ behaviour and modifies them. A behavioral theory of leadership considers the reactions and observable actions of leaders and followers in a particular situation, just like a corona. The theory focuses on leaders’ behaviour and assumes that whether the leader is born or made, successful leadership is based on learned and definable behaviour.

Participative leadership theory describes a style of leadership that is an idea on the basis of group learning (Davis, 2001). These leaders enhance contribution and encourage the participation of the team in a group so that they feel more accountable (Cardiff, McCormack &McCance, 2018). This process help group members to be more specific to adopt decision-making approach and use a decisive style. A leader in this way enhance communication and social skills and brings in teamwork format. The structural process of team and leadership needs to be updated with the current crisis such as Covid-19 situation to train and educate the team members.

Conclusion

Leadership during crisis interpret the ideal traits necessary to form a group and build skills. Leaders not only provide structural approach but also reassure people to participate in product decisions. Adapting to new challenges of current crisis like corona is attributable to leader because he instils need in the team required to tackle conflicts. Group behaviour is decided on behalf of the leader. The report discussed the key issue of coronavirus today and its impact on leadership. It is based on leaders’ guidelines and actions. Mostly good leaders develop good groups because they develop good habits in-group members that allow them to participate in objective accomplishment. Bad groups face declined morale due to less involvement and less participation. In view of the participant of the study, a good leader engages team members and encourage them to participate in activities.

Leadership defines group roles, and current pandemic needs leadership skills that develop good group collaboration. If a good group develops better collaborative skills in members, it’s evident to work in collective support during a crisis. Moreover, good leadership necessitates a trustworthy image and decision making power. This interview analysis illustrated that the current challenging situation needs effective leadership skills to monitor group behaviour as well as to educate people. A leader works as a mentor and educator to direct group fellows, thus enhance learning. The views of the participant about good group and leadership showed that the best leader is an ideal one because he/she supports its team in all respects, is trustworthy, exchange ideas and coordination.

The leader is an influential figure and encourages the team to spread positive influence, get educated and stay involved. The study is useful in terms of analyzing the role of a good leader in building the best team with all good features. The study is beneficial in terms of describing a bad leader that corresponds to a bad group. The study discussed that bad group behaviour not only discourages team members but reduce their involvement. Lack of involvement declines productivity. The study illustrated the practical experience of a participant in the current scenario of coronavirus and how important it is to maintain social distancing and rules to avoid contact with the public. The study provides an institutional approach in terms of understanding the good behavior of a leader that results in good group ethics and that positive group activity improves health.

Group dynamics-based approach discussed that group interaction is essential to maintain in an organization, which is attributable to the leader. The performance of a leader describes how effectively a group is being managed and what attributes are built in the group members. The attitudinal/behavioural and participatory theories are relevant to discuss in this paper because they define the attitude of leaders and foster skills that are necessary to implement in the team. The current paper is valuable in terms of analyzing team behaviour and leadership approach. It helps to learn key frameworks of leadership and its role in modifying team members’ attitude. The paper enhanced learning about standards a leader set for managing teamwork allows establishing productive roles and responsibilities. During tough times like corona, leadership supports teamwork and develops group behavior. This situation also invigorates competencies in teams and groups.

References

Cardiff, S., McCormack, B., &McCance, T. (2018). Person-centred leadership: A relational approach to leadership derived through action research. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 27(15-16), 3056-3069. doi: 10.1111/jocn.14492

Chappelow, C. (2007). Dividends & interest- Drawing on leadership. Leadership In Action, 27(5), 23-24. doi: 10.1002/lia.1224

Davis, T. (2001). Integrating internal marketing with participative management. Management Decision, 39(2), 121-132. doi: 10.1108/eum0000000005418

Dörnyei, Z., & Murphey, T. (2009). Group dynamics in the language classroom (4th ed., pp. 12-36). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.

Grint, K. (2020). Leadership, Management and Command in the time of the Coronavirus. Leadership, 174271502092244. doi: 10.1177/1742715020922445

Junker, N., & van Dick, R. (2014). Implicit theories in organizational settings: A systematic review and research agenda of implicit leadership and followership theories. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(6), 1154-1173. doi: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.09.002

Mango, E. (2018). Rethinking Leadership Theories. Open Journal Of Leadership, 07(01), 57-88. doi: 10.4236/ojl.2018.71005

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Appendices

Gender: Female
• Approximate age 27
• Nationality Colombian
• Current status
•Time and language of the interview : English

Appendix A The Actual Interview Transcript

Interviewer: Good Morning!

Participant: Good morning!

Interviewer: I hope everything is okay with you?

Participant: Yea. What about you.

Interviewer: Pretty good, I would say. Thank you.

Participant: You are welcome.

Interviewer: So, are you ready?

Participant: Ready when you are.

Interviewer: Okay. Just to recap, you said you were in two distinctive groups, good and bad.

Participant: Yes.

Group Nature

Interviewer: What is the description of the groups in your opinion?

Participant: Well for the good group, we were five from different countries. Our leader ‘R’ was enthusiastic throughout the project. Which was about a presentation on the effects of depression on managing the team. We decided early on that we should get together in [location of the gathering] and we were always there except for one guy but he had his own reasons. As for the other group, we had four members. The leader of the first group was just a regular member there in the second group. He was a bit shy at first. The leader ‘K’ was a bit older than all of us. She said that she knew him from somewhere, but I did not bother to ask. We had a pretty good start, since the leader knows how to figure her way through numbers because statistics was our issue in the first group!

 

Interviewer: What were the symptoms of the groups being good/bad?

Participant: As for the good group, ‘R’ gave each and every one of us our roles and was tolerant of our mistakes. I still remember his smile wherever he was waiting for us when we get together. Like we often asked where this guy actually gets angry or not! He was optimistic and often seeking to understand. One day, [name of one of the group members] was completely lost for like a full week. Then, he suddenly contacted us and said that he ran into an accident. Our leader quickly gathered us and we went to his place to check up on him. Our leader told him that he already did his job and all he wished for is his fat recovery! What a man! He was also fun loving and unconventional, which validates my need for freedom. He was neither needy or demanding. I felt I was there because I want to be, not because I had to be there, if that makes any sense? There other guys were a bit slow but with quick minds and youthful spirits. I think it helped stimulate my mind.

As for the bad group, the leader ‘K’ was pretty confidant of herself. She even boosted about her math abilities. Saying that it will be a smooth sail and all that and winked at ‘R’. He tried to avert his eyes. Anyhow, she gave us high hopes since we did struggle quite a bit. Well, let us just say it was our main pitfall! The momentum changed quite a bit with the Corona outbreak. There where periods of unexpected change and stability in our second group. We were meant to meet at the evening. She said that we can meet in her place. One of the girls said that we should not because of social distancing rules. But she said that nothing would ever happen and we should meet to get things done. Suddenly, one of the girls did not come, ‘K’ was somewhat angry because she met her in the grocery store that day and, according to her, she was fine. ‘K’ argued a lot with her on phone. I knew this way of doing things is wrong. Yet, ‘R’ did not do anything at all! Her intensity scared us. As if there was not outlet for what she was thinking about. All she had in mind is that the work needs to be done according to her plan. ‘R’ Had an unsatisfactory look on his face.

Q3. Do you think group activity helps i.e. positive or negative?

  1. explain if it is negative

It depends on how the group acts with its leader. I think the second group was negative because of its leader. She thought that she is more capable than all of us and therefore she bossed us all around. She came across as cold and critical. I mean she did not listen to any of us. All she wanted is that we gave our answers to whatever questions she had. Thinking nothing about the current situation, I mean Corona kept us doing nothing but work and work. I do not know why he did not say anything to her, though!

As for the good one, being understanding and supportive really elevated some of the pain. Like no one was able to go as deep as we could! We spent quite sometime together outside of what we had to do.

Interview: What is your opinion about working in groups can impact grade?

Participant: Well It did impact both our grades and our health!

For the good group, we got a lower grade, but we thought that all of our efforts were payed off. As for the bad group, we got a better grad at the expense of our mental health!

Interviewer: Do you think grouping allows everyone to put in similar effort?

Not always! I got this sense of inadequacy with the second group. Like I need to just follow her and that’s it.

Interview What are the reasons that attribute the group’s being good/bad to?

  1. please mention if there are bad attributes

Participant: As for the good group, ‘R’ was practical, trustworthy and could hold things for others. He gave some of his time and did one of the guys work!

 

Influence of the leaders

Interviewer: What influence of the leaders had on grouping?

Participant : As for the good group, although he gave powerful sense of power and an incredible sense of authority, he was idealistic and in touch with his soft side.

The bad group had a leader who was critical and perfectionist and I think it created a distance.

Interview:  Can you state three drawback of group work in both groups?

Participant:To be honest, I did not like ‘R’ helping the other member that much. It is good to be caring but not to the extent of doing his work! Secondly, he did not ask about our weaknesses. We know that no one is competent enough in statistics not until the end! I think it because we also spent so much time having fun together.

The bad group had a pretty bossy leader. She seemed like she did not need the help of others. She also trusted herself so much  that she went to the extreme trying to prove that she was right! Thank god no one got corona!  I also felt like we were in the group only to do the work.

Interviewer: Do you agree that group projects enable individuals to use skills which individual assessment do not?

Participant: Yeah. Social skills, for example. Humans tend to view the world through closed kingdoms. Group work allows us to see the issue from multiple angles!

Interviewer: You mentioned conflicts in the two groups, what do you think the main reason behind them? Could you please state some causes?

Participant: Hmmm. I will be honest. ‘K’ is highly independent but a bit hard-headed. We failed to persuade her to do the work via Zoom. She said that since we all live in the same area, we had to come in one place and do the work. The police noticed us and told us to disperse and she was about to fight with the saying that we do not have corona. She was also so wrapped up in the project that she never spoke to any one of us outside of what she told us to do. She did an outstanding job in her part. But the others were less productive.

The good group was about to fell apart at the end. We were quite weak in statistics. As a result, we had this thought that all of our work is in vain. Still, being together gave us hope that everything will be fine in the end.

Significance of grouping

Interviewer: can you describe your general feelings about significance of grouping min light of the two groups?

Participant:The bad group left a bad taste in my mouth. I really wanted to be myself. But ‘K’s’ Impulsiveness made us doubt ourselves. I felt like if I follow my gut feelings, there will always be unfavorable consequences. So, from my perspective, I could not take any actions effortlessly. Had to go back to her.

As for the good group. We had this sense of belonging that we did not do anything wrong. Rather than seeing this pattern, I mean us not knowing anything bout statistics, as punishment, we thought of it as a process of personal growth.

Interviewer: How did the leaders as the group leaders behave and how did this contribute to what the group was like?

Participant:The good group had a pretty down-earth leader. I felt like it does not matter how hard I worked because perfection is hard. We really had fun together and felt like family.

As for the bad group. I think, while her intensity could help her achieve success in this world, it would not be very helpful to her in the long run. I do not think that I would ever work with her again
Interviewer: What happened to the groups in question?

Interviewer: Do you think the two leaders exerted influence on group members?

Participant:A big yes! I wanted to be the good group because I wanted to. I had to be in the bad group because I had to!

Interviewer: How leader’s ideas forward towards a strategy in groups , mention two ideas?

‘R’ felt like he already embraced his kindness and desire to provide. When he helped our friend, I felt safe and take care of. I can depend on this leader. Yeah and he likes to work in cooperation with others. I felt like I can help anyone with anything and I learned new things! Unlike the bad group. ‘K’ was like a robot, she said that everyone should only do his job and I felt board the whole time! She also did not follow social distancing rules and we did not work like we should. I think her not following the rules by the government worsened our commitment. It is like we thought he was a perfectionist in everything.

Interviewer: Are the described phenomena common in the country the you come from?

Participant: Oh boy! A roller coaster of emotions! You can find both good and bad people in my country!

Interviewer: Can you make your assessment of team effectiveness, if yes, mention three characteristics?

Participant: The workflow was solid with the first group. The leader seed like he had a knack for knowing how to deal with people. He was fun-loving and approachable.

The second group was bad. She was intense, arrogant and a bit nasty. I tried to hide what I felt a number of times. One day, I woke up and saw like 23 messages from her. She thought I was ignoring her. I did not bother to say that I was feeling sick because I do not think she would believe me. I just said that I was away and I am sorry.

Interviewer: How perceptions of one team leader can be different from others?

Participant: Since we came from different backgrounds, we had some religious and language barriers. But we did not think of it that much. In the good group, we had fun. In the bad group, we worked like hell. So, each leader had his own qualities that resulted in new experiences.

Interview: What are the key values that are inherent in the two leaders, as a participant of the group?

Participant:  ‘R’ valued group work and fun above all. As a result, we felt close to him and everyone else. ‘K’ Thought that we only need to do our job and we were distant from each other.

Interviewer: So you think a leader need to focus on group behavior, how a leader connects all the team members together?

Participant: Exactly.

What can minimized the conflicts in group members

 

Interviewer: Can you specify two things that you feel work differently the minimized the conflicts in group members?

Participant: ‘R’s’ kindness. It worked like magic with the good group. But he was almost non-existent in the bad one that I felt like it was a bad trait!

Also, ‘K’s’ intensity could have been beneficial to us in the statistical part of the project. We were a bit carless. But it was bad in the second group because it but so much pressure on us.

Interviewer: What is the reason some people go off task at any point during the group work?

Now that I think about it, the way ‘R’ showed his kindness towards us and that everything is aright make us procrastinate a bit. Also, When my friend got sick and ‘R’ helped him, I had this satanic thought of doing the same thing. But with ‘K’, we went discussing trivial things like that we can do everything online and she said that she would never join us! We had to come, and I did not work elsewhere except when we got together.

Interviewer: Since one of your team member was absent from group work but role is assigned, what would you do if you were the leader?

Participant: I would compensate that member’s work and move on.

Interviewer:  In your opinion, which leader was best to in assessing the understanding of group member?

Participant: I think the bad one. She asked about what each excels at.

Interviewer:  How collaboration in group work can yield learning?

Participant: Through coordination and exchange of ideas

Interviewer: Based on your experience with the group work, how every participant behaves with it?

Participant It was different in both. As I told you, the leader is the most influential figure.

Interviewer: Is it important for all group members to show consent towards agreed goals?

Participant: Of course!

Interviewer: What are some other thoughts about group work?

Participant: Sharing is caring. You need to always let the other members feel that you are connected with them.

How team members behave

Interviewer: Do you believe team members understands one another’s’ role?

Participant: Yes for the bad group but the pressure was so hard for us we lost interest in doing our best.

Interviewer: Do the two leaders assume the responsibility to train their members and focus on effective collaboration, coordination and development?

Participant: The leader of the bad group did not. She said: “What do you excel most at?” and we decided on the roles. She than said that since no one said anything when she said the word “excel”, no one needs any help! That snake!

Interviewer: What about the good group?

Participant: He did the same but followed us through to the end.

Interview: I think this is it. Do you have anything else to say?

Participant: No, Thank you.

Interview: You are welcome, Thank you for your help.

Participant: No problem. Good luck!

Interview: You, too!

Appendix B Pre-Interview

Interviewer: Good morning [Name of the participant]! My name is George! I am a researcher interested in Group dynamics and God forbid what might go wrong during group work! All of your info will not be shared by anyone, including this recording.

There will be two interviews. The first one is to just lay the ground for the second interview. So, for now, let us just talk in general and not go too deep. We will leave it for the second interview. Is this alright with you? I may ask for a third one if there is something that would need any clarification. Do You Have any questions?

 

Participant: Ready when you are.

 

Interviewer: How are you coping with the corona outbreak? I hope you are doing fine!

 

Participant: I am fine, Thank you. It has been really tough for me.

 

Interviewer: I am really sad to hear this! I really everything is fine. Do you need any help?.

 

Participant: Thank you so much. No , I am doing fine. I hope you are, as well. Do you need any help?

 

Interviewer: No, I am doing fine. Thank you for asking!

 

Participant: Good! I heard your boss is trying to get in touch with you all.

 

Interviewer: Yes. They are Putting us in groups of small numbers to take us back.

 

Participant: HeHe. Group dynamics the right way.

 

Interviewer: Haha. I would not say this at such an early stage but thank you!

 

Participant: No problem. Wish for your safe travel.

 

Interviewer: Thank you. Speaking of Which, you did say that you had a very interesting experience in two distinct groups. May I know about them? Let us first start with the good one.

 

Participant: Yes. We knew our roles from the very beginning. [The group’s leader] was a very active guy. He was pretty enthusiastic and I was instantly into the mood. I must confess, though. He was a bit confrontal. But I always felt that it was never an issue.

 

Interviewer: Do you mind if I ask why it was never an issue?

 

Participant: He felt like my practical side. Like he was a maturing influence on me.

 

Interviewer: Interesting! So he felt like he had this energy that made you want to show up, right?

 

Participant: Yes.

 

Interviewer: Was this the same for everyone else?

 

Participant: Yes, I think so. He had this incredible capacity to empathize.He was able to see the good in all things and he was visionary and can see the world from both sides despite the differences among us. Ironik enough, He was a complete guy in the other group!

 

Interviewer:Was he the leader in both?

 

Participant: No, He was just another member in the second one. He disapproved of that girl’s intensity, that was apparent. But it felt like his will was somewhat diminished and he could not express himself. He even reacted quite recklessly. Typical man!

 

Interviewer: I completely understand you. But may I ask you to discuss the two groups separately? Just to avoid confusion.

 

Participant: No problem.

 

Interviewer: So, you said that, for the good group, you all were different from one another. May I ask how? what was so different about you all.

 

Participant: Well, since this is an international university. We all came from dramatically different backgrounds.

 

Interviewer: Yes. I see. Was this the same with the other group?

 

Participant: Yea, minus having one member I knew from the older group.

 

Interviewer: Oh this second group seems totally different, eh?

 

Participant: Well the start was actually better than the first one!

 

Interviewer: Seriously?

 

Participant: Yeah but with the spread of Covid-19, it went downhill.

 

Interviewer: Oh! That is too bad.

 

Participant: I know, right!

 

Interviewer: What was the main thing that made it the worst experience?

 

Participant: Despite the fact that she showed a period of struggle, she kept with the same plan outside of what we wanted to change because of the corona. We went through trials for no clear reason! Just when we thought we leveled off and found a solution, she said no and when I confronted her in private, she said I trust my intuition and we should not change the way things are! What the! And he just stood there Like a wall despite his experience as a leader!

 

Interviewer: I really feel you. You need to give reasonable reasons for your actions!

 

Participant: I do not think that I will be able to get that man *tch*.

 

Interviewer: He must have been a headache. But I think this is it. Thank you so much. I will get back to you in 5 days time. Just email me with times you are comfortable with. Is this okay with you? Do you have anything else to add?

Participant: Not that I think of. Okay. Thanks!

 

Interview: Your welcome! Thank you so much for the help! Talk to you later!

Participant: You, too! See you soon!

 

 

 

Appendix CCoding List

Description of Good Groups:

  • They are collaborative
  • They are trustworthy
  • They communicate effectively
  • They show involvement

Description of Bad Groups:

  • Groups that are less involved
  • They are not trustworthy
  • Lack of involvement
  • No vision, less optimistic

Group activity benefits

  • understanding and supportive role
  • Positive collaboration
  • Optimism
  • Improvement in grades and health

Influence of leaders on Grouping

  • Strength
  • incredible sense of authority
  • Better communication
  • Focus on decision making

Projects help groups than individuals

  • Team building approach
  • conflict resolution
  • Enhancing social skills

Leaders as the group leaders

  • They modify team behavior
  • They enhance decision making skills
  • They encourage members by fun and learning
  • They give ideas that forward towards a strategy

Team effectiveness

  • Approachable
  • Fun loving
  • People dealing

Group Behavior

  • Kindness
  • fun & learning
  • Collaboration

Benefits of Group work

  • Sharing
  • Understanding
  • Coordination

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fishing by Torch Light by Paul Kane

Pages:4

The art selected for the essay is Fishing by Torch Light by Paul Kane, which is an oil on paper sketch dating back to 1845 and is a rare piece depicting Canada’s history. The oil-on-paper sketch by Paul Kane is among Canada’s First Peoples art collections at Royal Ontario Museum. This essay will argue that in Fishing by Torch Light, Paul Kane’s use of color, line, and shape focuses on emphasis and movement in the composition. The formal elements, as well as principles of art, form an impression of mystery and foreboding.

The medium used for the artwork is oil on canvas, and the Canadian artist sketched the western landscape to denote the lives of the Natives. This artwork was undertaken during his voyage from 1845 to 1848 as he traveled far west. While observing the artwork, one notices that the hues in this sketch have been used mainly on the fishermen rowing the boat as well as on the outline of the boat and torchlight. This emphasizes the importance of the torchlight and its impact on the fishermen. This emphasis makes the torchlight along with the fishermen, the focal point or center of interest for the observer. The dark hues used correlate with harmony as a large amount of area within the artwork has been painted with limited hues (Field, 2018). The relatively simple arrangement of yellow, black, and brown are distributed throughout the artwork and ties the parts together to forge harmony. At the same time, the pop of color makes the torchlight appear more pronounced. This contrast of light and dark values aid in emphasizing the torchlight and the fishermen, but also the river, trees, and the night sky. It should be noted how the light of the torchlight is shown in the water against the dark background. This clearly establishes the importance of torchlight. On the other hand, the light values of the fisherman, boat, etc. make them stand out against the darker values.

The element of line can be observed within the painting, and it can be tied to the principle of movement. The diagonal lines within the sketch convey a feeling of movement. For example, the movement of the boat moving forward is depicted through the torchlight, which is neither horizontal nor vertical. It is imperative to note that the oil on paper sketch also contains characteristics of impressionist painting as it captures the essence of the subject matter, which is fishing aided by the torch lights (Webster, 1944). Paul Kane thus manipulates the use of line to create a movement which the observer channelizes through observation. A sense of intrigue is created in the backdrop of the night as the boats are shown to move forward through diagonal lines, however, the path forward is not clear because of dark hues surrounding the light emitted by the torchlight(Brommer, 2000).

In addition, the diagonal lines within the artwork are creating the potential effect of confusion surrounding the space. The thick and thin, long and short, curved and straight lines across the river and on the trees tie the element of the line to the principle of variety as well. This is because the curved line of the torchlight, vertical line of the fishermen, and the curved outlines of the trees provide the variety which is necessary for generating curiosity in the onlooker as well as a sense of mystery within the realm of the painting.

Furthermore, the elements of shape and form, along with the principles of emphasis, create a gradual change from darkness to light. It can be noticed how the transition of light from the torchlight to the surroundings, i.e., boat, water, etc. overlaps, which in turn overlaps with the fishermen. This overlapping draws the eye of the observer to the trees as well as the river. The illusion of depth is created by the reflection of the light from the torchlight into the dark water that creates atmospheric tension and mystery(Brommer, 2000). The opposing element of light and dark water creates a sense of foreboding. The emphasis on light, as well as the changing of light as it passes through deep water, creates an impression of uncertainty. The theory of impressionism can best describe the judgment on this formal analysis as the fleeting effect of light on the surface of the water is captured in such a profound way that it is emphasizing on color and tone rather than on outline and shape (Brommer, 2000). Kane has mixed hues with opposite colors, such as shadows of yellow, to create atmospheric tension. Furthermore, the mystery does not have to be depicted visually as it can be felt.

The uncertainty of where the fishermen are headed to or what might lay in their path creates a metaphysical scenario that cannot be measured. The shape of the torchlight, boat, and fishermen range differently, and the directions of the lines enclose them diagonally, which projects visual interest because of unequal proportion(Field, 2018). For example, while looking are the waving torchlight one is drawn towards the image of the fisherman rowing the boat in forward direction creating a sense of ease while the small shape of the boat ahead and a potentially deep river ahead creates a sense of foreboding as it denotes the relatively minor impact of the efforts of the fisherman in comparison to the vastness of the deep dark water or the night. The shape of the trees is a circle and in an equal proportion, which creates less interest and the emphasis, which is why they amount to a large void encompassing the deep river.

References

Brommer, G. F. (2000). Elements and Principles of Design. Crystal Productions.

Field, J. (2018). An Illustrated Field Guide to the Elements and Principles of Art + Design. Hot Iron Press.

Webster, J. C. (1944). The Technique of Impressionism: A Reappraisal. College Art Journal, 22.

 

 

Critical and Rhetorical Methods in Communication

Pages:10

Generic Criticism of COVID-19 in Satirical shows

With the advent of Coronavirus, many life situations and systems have witnessed a massive change in how they operate and that includes the change adapted by late night shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Show with Steven Colbert, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. They have all shifted to quarantine versions of the shows. Their satirical lens to the current situation has changed little and their views and opinions on this novel crisis and what it implies including life in quarantine, the death crisis, the weakness in the healthcare system, political negligence, mental health, the impactful economic crisis, and many more face the fire of these shows’ satire.

 

Coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, China, and very quickly, was transmitted to rest of the world. One of the main reasons for this included the dynamics of the global village we live in today where traveling has become extremely prevalent and fluid. Where China appeared to be the epicenter of this virus, the highest death rate and confirmed number of known cases for the virus is, as of yet, found in the US. Where about 4500 people lost their lives in Mainland China, about more than 90,000 people have lost their lives in the US. This has given rise to many conspiracies such as the virus in itself being used as a biological weapon to gain the global status of “superpower” by having economic and power hegemony by China. Other theories of its origin include that the novel virus was found in the bats in Wuhan and when some people consumed them for food, the virus was contained in them and they became carriers for it, infecting other people unknowingly with the deadly virus until its consequences became apparent.

 

Soon, this virus took over the lifestyle of the entire world as the only solution for containing it was disclosed to be social distancing and a concept used ages ago was put forward known as self-isolation or quarantine. This resulted in people slowly decreasing their social activities, although exceptions apply, and this later metamorphosed into countries applying national lockdowns and closing their borders to other nations for travel and trade to contain the virus. Dire steps were taken especially after Europe, including France and Italy, and the US came under the bus of Coronavirus. This, however, revealed a lot about the loopholes in the “developed countries” political systems, as in many, it took thousands of lives for country leaders to understand that human lives should be the priority in this case.

 

The superpower of the United States of America reacted too slowly in dealing with what now has become a pandemic. The Trump administration received international and national backlash. The Trump administration kept making things up and in the mid of March, Trump said that “Nobody knew there’d be a pandemic” in a press conference. However, evidence suggested otherwise. Trump was also criticized for making contradictory statements such as when he announced that there will be a travel ban on everybody coming from Europe into the US. Later his team and his own tweets cleared up the misunderstanding that the travel ban will not apply to US residents, their families and some important businesses. Also, Trump’s body language also spoke volumes about his inner confused, stressed and tense state of mind as opposed to his apparently confident demeanor. Further, some of the promises made by Trump that were consistently insisted that will be met, were actually not met and caused more anxiety and angst in the already endangered Americans. For instance, Trump repeatedly insisted that by Easter, the Coronavirus will go away. However, the consequential impact of the virus instead blasted America by leading to exponential rise in deaths. Moreover, Trump’s promises to open the country to counter the economic crisis that ensues as millions of Americans have signed up for unemployment by May 1st too proved hollow and impractical in actuality. It can be seen from these examples that Trump’s instinct’s on the virus were extremely wrong and so was the case with many other Americans who have faced backlash from the mentioned shows in a subtle manner by using satire as a tool to highlight their shortsightedness.

 

Using Generic Criticism is extremely useful in bringing about the actions of the status quo under scrutiny by playing it safe and not while doing so at the same time. Many have termed this concept as being one of the many “meta-critical approaches” that ought to paid attention to (Brock and Scott). This concept can be traced back to the Aristotelian times when Aristotle came up with the study of the art of persuasion now known as rhetoric. The need for the specific term Generic Discourse came to be about when a plethora of different discourse found their way in the norm and thus the term was coined so (Black).

 

Rhetoric is basically a way of trying to effectively convey one’s message or thoughts to other people in their speech or any other form that uses language. Generic Criticism generally encompasses the types of criticism used in a piece of speech, art, or written work and is a great tool to be used to convey one’s point of view in a unique way.

 

The scripts of the shows mentioned in the introduction can be broken down and looked at with the lens of satire. For instance, in the episode snippet named “The Battle Over Wearing Masks” from The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (it’s quarantine edition called The Daily Social Distancing Show) Trevor uses satire to convey his point brilliantly. The extract mentions, “Trevor Noah: But if we know that masks can help save lives and stop the spread of coronavirus, why are so many people refusing to wear masks when they go out in public? Well, one reason is that just honestly, they’re not super comfortable. And one woman in Kentucky found a solution that totally didn’t work.

NewsMax: A Kentucky woman is going viral for the way she wears a mask. This woman is caught on camerashopping with a hole cut in the middle of her protective mask. She claims it made it, quote, easier tobreathe. Everyone is required to wear a mask while out. Of course, the CDC is advising that masksshould cover both the nose and mouth completely.

Trevor Noah: OK, I’ll be honest. I get where this woman is coming from. Wearing a mask can make it a little harderto breathe. But you know what can make it a lot harder to breathe? Coronavirus. Like, I think somepeople might be missing the point of the mask. It’s not about conforming. It’s about safety.” The genius of this script not only lies in the content but visual effect as well that complement it. The content is effective because it presents a humorous way to humiliate the ones who put comfort higher up in their priorities but whereas, in this time, priorities are clear: masks can save lives and no alternative exists. This is not belittling, degrading or shading the woman but this tactic softly makes fun of the woman who did not actually pay heed to the coronavirus threat as much as she should have.

 

Continuing the theme of masks, Trevor given another funny example, “Trevor Noah: Although I will say one guy in San Diego got a little too creativewith his coverage.

KTLA 5: Outrage is growing over a man seen wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood inside of a Von’s grocery store nearSan Diego. Other shoppers took pictures of the man seen Saturday in the city of Santee. Store clerksreportedly asked the man to remove the hood or leave. He finally took it off while he was in line, thenpaid for his items and left. Santee’s mayor and others have condemned the incident.

KTLA 5: Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department are now investigating and will pursue anyappropriate charges.

Trevor Noah: Wow! Wearing a Klan hood as a face mask. That seems counterproductive.

Trevor Noah: Because, I mean, you might be protecting yourself from Corona, but you’re definitely going to get acase of ass whipping. And I know this guy thought he was being intimidating wearing a KKK mask inpublic. But I’m sorry, man, you’re in a grocery store. I can’t be scared of anyone buying GoGurt. Plus, Ilike how he only wore the hood. Yeah. So he was at home like. Should I put the robe on as well.” This dialogue contains tongue-in-cheek along with satire to criticize the ones making a joke out of this serious situation where thousands are losing their lives. The usage of words in this is extremely important to notice as it sets the satirical tone from the very start by introducing the action of the man of wearing a Klan Hood as being a “creative” action.

 

 

Trevor also integrates a similar serious situation of the arms debate in the US with a lighter tone that conveys his point that some Americans care more about not covering their faces than taking an important issue like the ownership of gun with due seriousness. The dialogue mentions, “Trevor Noah: …in America, you don’t just have the right to bear arms. You also have the right tobear face.

ABC 8: In Houston you could get a thousand dollar fine for not wearing a mask. That’s led to at least onelawsuit and complaints of government overreach. These mandatory masks amount to governmentoverreach.

Fox 26: There is now a lawsuit over face mask requirements here in Harris County.

Fox 26: There are many people who are unhappy with the order. Close to 150. Demonstrators protested themask mandate.

CBS: I don’t want to wear masks. I don’t want the government telling me what to do.

Fox 26: You cannot allow the government to overreach the Constitution, because if you allow that, then whatelse is next? Only God knows how.

Trevor Noah: Hell yeah, I’m sick of the government telling us what to do. Telling us to wear masks. You’ve got thosered lights that tell us when we can drive. Stopping me from buying romaine lettuce because it has E.coli on it.”  The rhetorical device Trevor uses take help from simple everyday life examples such as comparing a traffic light to governmental order of taking precautionary measures. This highlights the stupidity of the people who are refusing to abide by the rules set by the government related to Coronavirus.

 

Similarly, Jimmy Kimmel’s show also showcases satire when viewed using the lens of Generic Criticism. In the episode titled, “Perfect Mother’s Day, Maskless Pence, Busy Trump and Mom Texts,” he blatantly makes fun of the unintellectual nature of Trump and the US Vice President, Mike Pence as the dialogue mentions, “Jimmy Kimmel: Mike Pence, pretending to carry empty boxes of PPEs into a hospital is the perfect metaphor for whohe is and what he’s doing. A big box and nothing, delivering another box and nothing.

Jimmy Kimmel: His boss, King Joffrey, got a bit of unsettling news today. One of the President’s personal valets hastested positive for Coronavirus, which is a big deal because the White House valet works very closelywith the President on a personal level. He does everything from handing him the remote to turn onFox News in the morning to grinding up his Adderall at night.

Jimmy Kimmel: The White House says Trump took a test. He gets tested every day and tested negative. Think he getsthat swab shoved up his nose every time? I wonder what kind of sound he makes when he gets that.But this President doesn’t have time for the virus. He is very busy obstructing justice and redecoratinghis wall. Trump reportedly wants to have his border wall painted black. Now he wants it painted blackso it will get hot from the sun and then people won’t want to climb it.” Two very serious jokes are employed by Jimmy in his dialogues and yet he slides away easily using satire by making fun of the heavy stuff. He questions the cleverness and intellect of Mike Pence by comparing him with an empty box indicating that he is hollow from the inside by insinuating that he does not have a brain. This is the underlying message yet is shrouded in the metaphor. Another serious joke used is by highlighting Trump’s absurdity by mentioning how the evident humanitarian crisis in the US is being undermined by Trump as he prefers to talk about his border wall amidst such desperate times. Using words like “redecorating” the wall really signifies what Jimmy thinks is the superficial and stupid nature of the American President that is costing him a lot.

 

Building upon the theme of the wall, Jimmy mentions, “Jimmy Kimmel: The paint job will reportedly cost anywhere from five hundred million to threebillion dollars to complete, which is a lot of money to paint a wall that doesn’t exist. But don’t worry,Trump put his number one son in law in charge. Jared Kushner, whenever there’s a job around theWhite House, Jarrett gets it. Jarrett is like Jared Kushner is like the world’s least reliable handyman.” Jimmy also drags Trump’s nepotism under the bus while mentioning his other weaknesses that help in highlighting his overall bad performance during covid-19.

 

Likewise, The Late Show With Steven Colbert also widely uses this technique of satirically commenting on politics in an attempt to let the general people know what is actually going on. In the episode titled, “Trump’s Valet Tests Positive For Covid-19 As His Campaign Prepares To Deploy Their Death Star”, he mentions, “One of the things about this virus is that itdoesn’t care who you are or whether you believe the virus is worth staying inside for. You can stillcatch it. Case in point, we learned today that one of Trump’s personal valets has tested positive forCoronavirus. Well, maybe this will help the President understand how scary it is for the average American when one of their personal valets tests positive.

Steven Colbert: Now, the President’s fine, but this was a risk given that Trump’s valets do not wear masks and thevalet who tested positive works in the West Wing and serves the President his meals. That soundstroubling. But keep in mind, the way you serve Trump, his meal is to kick the door open. Throw thechicken bucket inside and slam the door before you lose a hand. The President was reportedly prettyupset. A White House source said that “news that someone close to Trump had tested positive forCoronavirus was hitting the fan in the West Wing.”

Steven Colbert: Luckily, the White House fan is so caked with poop at this point; it no longer spins. Now, this news isinconvenient for the President because it gets in the way of Trump’s core message that we’ve got toopen up the country as fast as we can. And to that end, the CDC is actually already prepared adetailed document with step by step advice to local authorities on how and when to reopen. But theadministration has shelved the document. It’s just another part of the President’s long runningcampaign. The less you know.” This dialogue is highly satirical as it mentions the indifference of the American President towards the safety of the people around him that might also affect him in turn. Also, the informal language used such as the fan being caked with “poop” is definitive as it makes fun of the presidency’s apathy. This combined with the jokes made on the entire Trump regime regarding the propaganda related to information being hindered from reaching the public, emphasizes the message Steven is trying to convey in a subtly open manner.

 

Conclusively, it can be seen that understanding generic criticism is important as it makes one grasp the hidden messages in many different aspects in life and different sources. The examples given of the three shows explore the type of satire in generic criticism and how it proves to be effective in conveying harsh reality to the pupils.

 

Bibliography

Gustainis, Justin J., (1982) The Generic Criticism of Social Movement Rhetoric, Rhetoric Society Quarterly, Taylor & Francis, Ltd.

Harrell, Jackson and Linkugel, Wil A., (1978) On Rhetorical Genre: An Organizing Perspective, Penn State University Press

Foss, Sonja K., (2004) Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration & Practice

 

 

Transformational Leadership

Pages:4

Introduction

Every individual idealizes some other individual and sees them as a leader. We often need some leadership figures in our lives because they motivate us to become better people and be more productive (Ramanaiah, Balaji, 2012). There are very different types of leaders with various leadership styles and they appeal to us for different reasons based on our personality traits and passions in life. One such leader that inspires me is Bill gates. In this paper, I will be talking about Bill Gates and his leadership style.

Background

Bill Gates is one of the most well-known individuals on this planet and he is known for all the right reasons. He was born in 1955 in Seattle in the United States. His real name is in fact, William Henry Gates III. Today Bill Gates is a business magnate who has to build his empire through his love for software programming. Ever since a little kid, Gates loved computers and had a passion for them. So, at just the young age of thirteen, he learned about computers and started working on programming mainframe computers. While attending college at Harvard, Bill Gates was successful in creating his very own BASIC computer programming language. Soon afterward he began his venture of Microsoft with a friend named Paul Allen. By 1981, this partnership led to Microsoft becoming an incorporated company that sold computer operating systems that today we use in almost every personal computer by the name of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft office (Bellis, 2020).

Amassing this empire and becoming a billionaire wasn’t something that Gates achieved overnight. It took a lot of hard work. He was an amazing leader who led not only himself but his workforce to achieve the level at which they are today. He did not exactly start in a way we would picture a leader in our minds which only makes him more awe-inspiring. Bill Gates dropped out of college to follow his dream and took risks with only his knowledge and creativity to get by. Due to these qualities, I am inspired by him. We are often told to follow a strict path that is not only stereotypical but also not guaranteed to be successful. I applaud him for creating his path, breaking the norms.

Leadership style and strengths

From amongst the different leadership styles, the one most befitting for Bill Gates is that of a transformational leader. A translational leader is one who follows a powerful vision with fervor and passion for his work. The energy he surrounds himself with as a product of his passion is what inspires others to follow him as well. Transformational leaders encourage effort on a personal and individual level. So, motivation is more directly transmitted on an individual level from the leader to those below him. In this way, they reach the result with a clear path in mind (Mauri, 2017).

Transformational leadership came naturally to Bill Gates.He is an exemplary leader. He is very focused on what he is good at and made that into his business. he has clear goals and picture in mind that he works towards. He makes a clear line of action that he follows and preaches others to follow. All the goals he sets are practical and approachable. Progress is achieved one step at a time rather than a leap. He inspires a vision for others and models a unique way for them to follow. He promotes creativity and innovation on an individual level. So, he enables others to act and to face challenges rather than being laid back in comfort zones. At the same time, Gates is also compassionate and caring. This quality of his also one of my favorites. He supports not only his workforce and strengthens them but is also very charitable. He has contributed billions in philanthropic efforts for various worldly causes and yet he has a very down to earth and humble personality (The Lancet, 2005). So, he is not only a good leader when it comes to business but also as a teacher and as the head of a social charitable organization. He is always looking for something new to learn. In his leadership style, learning and acquiring more knowledge does not stop (Sahin, Cubuk, Uslo, 2014).

Weaknesses

On the other hand, it is also important to understand that to err is human and after all Bill Gates is also a human. He has some weaknesses that he can work upon to become an even better leader. Identifying one’s weaknesses and working on them is a leadership quality in itself. For Bill Gates, arrogance is a weakness. Being as passionate as an individual he is, it is difficult for him to consider his ideas wrong or not the best. He should be able to consider other ideas for the betterment of his company. As a transformational leader, he is also very results-driven. He focuses on the end goal only rather than on the process that leads to the goal. This can cause losing track of the steps needed to achieve the result. lastly, Gates wants everyone to be on the same page as a transformational leader but this is not always easy to achieve and may cause conflicts. Gates needs to work on facing these conflicts heads-on rather than ignoring them (Patching, 2011).

Conclusion

All in all, Bill Gates is an extraordinary leader. It is underestimation to say that it is hard to be the kind of leader that he is. If only he could include a little patience in his leadership recipe, he would be nothing less than a perfect leader.

 References

Bill Gates: a 21st century Robin Hood? (2005, March 12). The Lancet, 365, 911.

Şahin, D. R., Çubuk, D., &Uslu, T. (2014). The effect of organizational support, transformational leadership, personnel empowerment, work engagement, performance, and demographical variables on the factors of psychological capital. EMAJ: Emerging Markets Journal, 3(3), 1-17.

Mauri, T. (2017). Why leadership styles matter. Strategic Direction.

Patching, K. (2011). Throw away that leadership competency model. Industrial and Commercial Training.

Ramanaiah, G. (2012). Leaders and Managers: A Quality Perspective in the Corporate World. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Management, 1(2), 41.

Bellis, M. (2020, January 31). Biography of Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/bill-gates-biography-and-history-1991861

War and Peace Leo Tolstoy

Pages:10

Analysis

Theme: Events that character go Through Change and Impact their thinking and Behaviour

Executive Summary

This essay explores the theme of whether events in characters’ life in the epic novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy affect the thinking and behavior of the character. This essay explores arguments related to historical context of the novel and vastly analysis the character development of Nikolai Rostov to understand the stance taken by the novel on this theme.

The Russian novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is a recognized epic that was initially published in series but was later released in its full form in 1869. The novel is extremely profound in its nature as it does not encompass a single theme or adds to a single idea but explores human sublimity by mentioning topics such as psychological themes, philosophy, historical commentary, social dilemmas, ideological conflicts, and political struggles. Like other intellectual pieces of Tolstoy, this work as well gives an insight into the great mind of the author who made his mark in establishing the nuanced nature of a human mind. As expected from Tolstoy, the novel has many interesting and timeless themes such as individual desires versus the worldly “right”, the dynamics of social classes and many more. Ones of the most important themes explores the human tendency to be affected by what goes through their lives and how the events they go through effect and change their thinking. This theme is important because understanding this enables the readers to realize why this novel came to be about.

The historical context plays an important role in the plot, character development and thematic concerns of the novel and how the events affect the character is a major theme in the academia of history. It is important to note that this novel is fundamentally a thrilling example of history as much as it is an interesting story. It is important to note that it was in 1863 that Tolstoy endeavoured to write about a political dissident who was returning from exile in Siberia. The process took him five years, and he came up with a book that looked nothing like what he had planned initially. The story was instead spread around themes of love-stories, battlefields, economic strife, and religious teachings. This stemmed from his fascination of the Decembrist Revolution of 1825, whereby around 3000 Russian soldiers protested against the Nicholas I’s ascension to the throne after Tsar Alexander I. So his ideas tilted towards the events of 1825. Then he realized how can he comment on the events of 1825 without mentioning the story of 1812 when Napoleon’s tremendous invasion of Russia helped propel authoritarianism that the Decembrists were primarily rebelling against. Even after this, he realized how could he talk about Napoleon’s invasion without mentioning 1805 when the Russians first learned about the danger Napoleon posed after their defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz. This ordeal of what to incorporate led him to come up with something that would integrate his initial aspiration of mentioning the individual struggle and do so in the background provided by the significant historical context.

The starting of the novel is significant in establishing its overall stance as it opens with the scene of war between France and Russia. While he also mentions the tales of Aristocrats at the cocktail party and their indifference concerning the war. Their conversations subdue to money, sex and all the lavish niceties of life. This indicates the norm set by the author as he considers the upper class to have such conversations. This sheds light at the aspect of the events in people’s life affecting their behaviours as here the aristocrats are affected by the luxuries nature of their status so much so that it consumes them and blinds them to the real pains, struggles and actual reality of the world that they live in by large. The aristocratic conversations that take place in Anna Pavlovna’s salon serve as a microcosm of the upper strata of the society (chapter 1-6, pages 3-52).

Moreover, the historical significance of the novel is established as it questions the idea of the “great man”. Tolstoy is famous for bringing about the elephant in the room into the highlight. The nineteenth-century witnessed a boom in wars and invasions, whereby the cult of Napoleon was extremely prevalent. He was a recognized great man and was also an opportunist. The novel is set in 1805-1820 and describes the war between France and Germany. In doing so, a commentary on leadership is also given, and Tolstoy rejects the notion of the “Great Man” by mentioning the Battle of Borodino that was fought between Napoleon’s 130,000 troops, about 500 guns, versus Russians’ 120,000 men and about 600 guns. About 30,000 French men lost their lives, and 45,000 Russians were killed. The concept is stated brilliantly in Book 10, chapter 28, pages 1848-1849, “And it was not Napoleon who directed the course of the battle, for none of his orders was executed, and during the battle, he did not know what was going on before him. So the way in which these people killed one another was not decided by Napoleon’s will but occurred independently of him, in accord with the will of hundreds of thousands of people who took part in the common action. It only seemed to Napoleon that it all took place by his will. And so the question whether he had or had not a cold has no more historical interest than the cold of the least of the transport soldiers. Moreover, the assertion made by various writers that his cold was the cause of his dispositions not being as well planned as on former occasions, and of his orders during the battle not being as good as previously, is quite baseless, which again shows that Napoleon’s cold on the twenty-sixth of August was unimportant. The dispositions cited above are not at all worse, but are even better, than previous dispositions by which he had won victories. His pseudo-orders during the battle were also no worse than formerly, but much the same as usual. These dispositions and orders only seem worse War and Peace 1849 of 2882 than previous ones because the battle of Borodino was the first Napoleon did not win. The profoundest and most excellent dispositions and orders seem very bad, and every learned militarist criticizes them with looks oks importance, when they relate to a battle that has been lost, and the very worst dispositions and orders seem very good, and serious people fill whole volumes to demonstrate their merits, when they relate to a battle that has been won. The dispositions drawn up by Weyrother for the battle of Austerlitz were a model of perfection for that kind of composition, but still they were criticized- criticized for their very perfection, for their excessive minuteness. Napoleon at the battle of Borodino fulfilled his office as representative of authority as well as, and even better than, at other battles. He did nothing harmful to the progress of the battle; he inclined to the most reasonable opinions, he made no confusion, did not contradict himself, did not get frightened or run away from the field of battle, but with his great tact and military experience carried out his role of appearing to command, calmly and with dignity.” This lengthy quote gives an insight into the author’s mind that he believes that history is not only shaped by great men, but rather other cultural, social, societal and economic factors come into play. Also, the events of the past are so significant that they affect the people who later change the way events happen as hinted in this quote. This quote largely brings out Tolstoy’s way of criticizing people who believe in the “Great Man” concept. It is Tolstoy’s effort to highlight the importance of “ordinary” people that sort of cement the concept that people’s experiences shape people, shape them to become who they inevitably become. Hence, by that logic, they should not be given special attention, treatment or titles such as that of “Great Man” as Napoleon was recognized as.

This novel is a literary genius of Tolstoy’s imagination and sheds light on his own ideas of what causation means for him. The natural metaphor of a bee’s activity used is reflective of his own ideas in the complex novel War and Peace. In the First Epilogue, pages 2692-2693, it is mentioned, “A bee settling on a flower has stung a child. And the child is afraid of bees and declares that bees exist to sting people. A poet admires the bee sucking from the chalice of a flower and says it exists to suck the fragrance of flowers. A beekeeper, seeing the bee collect pollen from flowers and carry it to the hive, says that it exists to gather honey. Another beekeeper who has studied the life of the hive more closely says that the bee gathers pollen dust to feed the young bees and rear a queen, and that it exists to War and Peace 2693 of 2882 perpetuate its race. A botanist notices that the bee flying with the pollen of a male flower to a pistil fertilizes the latter, and sees in this the purpose of the bee’s existence. Another, observing the migration of plants, notices that the bee helps in this work, and may say that in this lies the purpose of the bee. But the ultimate purpose of the bee is not exhausted by the first, the second, or any of the processes the human mind can discern. The higher the human intellect rises in the discovery of these purposes, the more obvious it becomes, that the ultimate purpose is beyond our comprehension.” Hence, this quote proves that Tolstoy does not necessarily believe in the process of causation or he believes that the human mind is not enough or sufficient to encapsulate the entire process that goes behind an action and even though many of Tolstoy’s characters exhibit change after experiencing formative experiences, he also believes that one cannot truly understand or point out what is actually the decisive watershed moment.

Tolstoy also comments on the human tendency to find an answer in Book 13, Chapter 1, page 2324, as he states in an omnipresent tone, “Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul. And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: ‘This is the cause!’” Thus, it must be established that Tolstoy did not reject absolutely the notion that causation must not be made, but rather he pointed out the human weakness in the process of coming to a conclusion in a hasty manner whereby many important details are termed as unimportant.

Book 7 is highly important in demonstrating the theme that events shape character developments. The character of Nikolai (Nicholas) Rostov although had impactful moments in his life before book 7, it is here that his changed self is shown to emerge. However, book 4, chapter 2, pages 690-691, also marks the beginning of his change in character from an immature child to a young mature adult, “He felt that he had grown up and matured very much. His despair at failing in a Scripture examination, his borrowing money from Gavril to pay a sleigh driver, his kissing Sonya on the sly- he now recalled all this as childishness he had left immeasurably behind. Now he was a lieutenant of hussars, in a jacket laced with silver, and wearing the War and Peace 691 of 2882 Cross of St. George, awarded to soldiers for bravery in action, and in the company of well-known, elderly, and respected racing men was training a trotter of his own for a race…” It is important to note that the first six books prepare Nikolai’s transition from his war values into peace values. This also shows the strong connection between the entirely opposite concepts, and perhaps explores that the existence of one causes the other. But coming back to the importance of Nikolai’s character development, the pattern is evident in book seven during the scene of hunt and Christmas games. In the hunting scene, Nikolai is shown to develop a fascination for the land, and in the Christmas scene, for the first time ever, he decides to marry. The following sentence from book 9, chapter 12, page 1510, mentions his change, “The autumn in Otradnoe with the hunting, and the winter with the Christmas holidays and Sonya’s love, had opened out to him a vista of tranquil rural joys and peace such as he had never known before, and which now allured him.” This decision to marry has been visible in the metaphors used in the novel. In book 7, it is clear that despite the arrival of Christmas, the atmosphere is gloomy and sad, but things change on the third day of Christmas. This all can be seen as a precursor to the romantic meeting of Sonya and Nikolai in the upcoming chapter. It is important to note that this meeting marks a stark change in his character and this can be viewed in the light of an event changing the course of a character’s life as book 7, chapter 13, page 1246, mentions, “Firmly resolved, after putting his affairs in order in the regiment, to retire from the army and return and marry Sonya, Nicholas, serious, sorrowful, and at variance with his parents, but, as it seemed to him, passionately in love, left at the beginning of January to rejoin his regiment.”

Nikolai arrives at his first-ever win when he captures the young French Officer but rather than feeling good about it or feeling an air of victory; he feels “moral nausea” (book 9, chapter 15, page 1533). The cause for this can be traced back to book seven as his values were changed then during the hunting experience. The author reminds us of that by comparing war with the hunt and Nicholas in his soldier state with a huntsman by mentioning in book 9, chapter 15, pages 1529-, “Rostov, with his keen sportsman’s eye, was one of the first to catch sight of these blue French dragoons pursuing our Uhlans…He acted as he did when hunting, without reflecting or considering…With the same feeling with which he had galloped across the path of a wolf, Rostov gave rein to his Donets horse…” Now from this point ahead, the usage of comparing the French to the hurt animal and the Russians to the hunter becomes a recurrent theme in the novel such as stated in book 11, chapter 2, page 1941, “For five weeks after that there was not a single battle. The French did not move. As bleeding, mortally wounded animal licks its wounds, they remained inert in Moscow for five weeks, and then suddenly, with no fresh reason, fled back…” Hence, the events in Nikolai’s life are moved and shaped by his experiences in the past, and his feelings too are overshadowed by the working of the past. Similar to Nikolai, many other characters of this novel too face the same destiny of being moved by the events that have occurred, and their actions are shaped by the happenings in their life.

However, it must be pointed out that Tolstoy does not take a single stance on the debate under consideration of whether events shape character’s life as he mentions the complexity that lies in giving a distinct answer. It appears that the themes and the characters of this novel, such as Nikolai, indicate that human and living being’s behaviour is not merely dictated by the actions of the past. Instead, it is important to highlight that there are many reasons that lead to behavioural changes. By subtly communicating that “Great” people like Napoleon are not the supreme reasons that led to supreme happenings, but rather the happenings were a combination of environmental factors as well, including cultural, social and many other factors. Hence, the denial of “Great Man” theory in this novel sheds light in the belief that characters are more than the events and experiences that they endure as they actions that come as being attributed to them may not be only there doing as lots go behind an action that is undocumented. To respond to this quandary, the author Tolstoy also wrote a note to historians to improve on their work, but though this might not be directly related to the thematic discussion at hand, it is, however, interesting that he recognized the importance of historians and that in itself proves that he does believe in some sort of causation relationship, though a blind trust is not to be found.

So, conclusively it can be said that the theme of past events shaping people’s thoughts and lives is mentioned in both ways in the novel, both it is agreed upon, but at the same time it is discredited as well. This is the genius of the profound author Leo Tolstoy who managed to communicate the nuanced version of this debate in an understandable manner by fully mentioning the attached complexities of the theme at hand. It must be recognized that he is in no way discouraging humans from refraining from establishing such causal relationships but is, in essence, offering his view and conveying the nuances he thinks exist in dealing with such a complex theme.

 

 

 

 

 

Karl K. Carlson Case

Pages:5

Karl K. Karlson has an idea of starting a website called Aryans R Us. Amongst many other plans on how we want to run this website the one major project is to use it a platform for promoting the ideas he has in his mind. White supremacy, attitudes and theories that assert inherent dominance over other ethnic classes of the lighter-skinned, or “white,” human races. John Philip Jenkins redefines the term “white supremacy” used in this eraby such organizations that espouse ultranationalist, imperialist, or authoritarian ideologies. He is a white supremacist & he has some friends that also share the ideas that he has. (Jenkins, 2020)

He wants to use this website as a platform to post articles that they have been write to promote their cause of making the white people understand their place in the race. Another point of making this website is to call out and arrange the meetups of the white Supremacists mindset. He wants them to meet each other and discuss all the issues they feel are essential. Lastly, he wants to make an eBay type websites on which he wishes to sell Nazi and Neo-Nazi memorabilia. He wants to execute all these three ideas on his website. In this paper,I would argue if a website with such motivations of creation should be allowed to go live.

Keeping in mind that white supremacy movements have a history of frequently focused on aggression to achieve their goals, the website can’t be allowed to go live. The reason why I say this is that it would promote hate speech. People that feel they are racially superior to others they do not say it to hurt people. It could become a movement that attracts like-minded people and destroy the overall fabric of society. Even with a constitution protecting the rights of freedom of speech, there are ethics that need implementation.

The use of digital mediums like “websites” is exercising of Freedom &each individual has the right to do so as per his or her ideas. In this manner, if the website is leading to any movement that would lead to harm humanity and create unrest, these are reason enough not to let it go live.

It should be illegal for a website promoting ideas and memorabilia tied to hate speech to exist. Hate speech leads to creating unrest in society. If its popularity grows, it will ruin the peace of the community. The consequences of running such a campaign are dangerous. As per the harms principle, the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. (1978, 9) (stanford.edu, 2017). This website is likely to create a divide in the society as it reflects the pseudo mindset that despite so much struggles to condemn such ideals that promote injustice or unrest in the community can lead to creating harm.

Karl, should not be allowed to make his website, as hate speech is unacceptable in the modern-day world. Most liberal societies have set limitations to freedom of speech crossing the boundaries of hate speech (Stanford, 2017). The US has proven to be a promoter of freedom of expression over the years & the Nazi march through Skokie was one of its examples. Yet if anyone in America should be living their lives feeling safe and happy. Instead of white nationalists and other racist actor’s immunity target refugees, minority groups and religious minorities.

Despite understanding the value of freedom of free speech, the negative consequences of hate speech can’t be denied at all. Racial supremacy as a full-fledged philosophy is much more complicated than pure bias or bigotry. Moreover, most white supremacists today believe that the white race is in danger of extinction because of a growing “flood” of non-whites dominating society. This sort of mindset is hazardous in the log-run and their belief that drastic intervention is required to “save” the white race from being effected by other sports.

People with extremist mindsets always abuse freedom of speech. By definition, hate speech means degrading a person based on race, color, gender, faith, age, disability, or some other related grounds is hateful. (ALA, 2020) Allowing this website to be formed is equal to allowing Karl to gain access to so many like-minded people and spread hatred in the name of white supremacy is not just condemnable but unacceptable. This could lead to rage war between the white and the people of color leading to a violent movement.

Peter Hopkins, in an article, describes the violence spread by the white supremacists against Muslims. They are racially motivated towards shaping the minds of the followers that leads to hate speech that further leads to hate crimes. White supremacists show this attitude publically now near places like religious centers and community buildings where they focus on the teachings of their leaders. The researcher explored the modern types of religious and culturally based abuse that leads to further violence. (Hopkins, 2016) Hence, if this website is allowed, their policies will be aimed at communities who are victims of religious and ethnicity-based abuse. They will be motivated to abuse the rights of people from other races and religion, and they will refuse to accept co-existence of people from all religions and races.

Apart from the argument that how much of it is true, it is extremely dangerous to provide support to such mindsets who have historically chosen violence as their means of expression. The falseness or immorality of Karl’s views is another significant reason not to let this site go live. The message that these sorts of ideals bring, initiate violence in the mind of the viewers and even those who didn’t have any such beliefs start having such thoughts. This aggression is not coming out of thin air. When these loyalists employ racial language and enforce discriminatory policies such as the Muslim Ban, family splitting, silencing colored voters are amongst some of their actions that fuel the minds of their followers. Aggressive actions beget acts of aggression. (civilrights.org, 2019)

After careful consideration of the motives of Karl that include posting articles they have written on white supremacy, using it for white Supremacists to meet and discuss issues of importance to them and selling the things Nazi and Neo-Nazi collectables, I don’t think this website should be allowed to go on air. It clearly can lead to promoting hate speech and develop all sorts of negative mindsets that are unacceptable in the modern world. If they employ racial language and enforce discriminatory policies.

This could lead to campaigns such as the Muslim Ban, silencing colored voters as well as other hate crimes. Adding to that Aggressive actions beget acts of aggression that are also not acceptable at any cost. There should not be any such campaigns running that negatively affects the overall fabric of society. They should not be allowto run this website at any level and giving them the freedom to express their hatred against all other non-white people would only spread hatred and violence in society. Hence my verdict after analyzing all the outcomes of this campaign is no; they should be banned rather than allowed.

References

ALA. (2020). Hate Speech and Hate Crime. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/hate

civilrights.org. (2019). Here Are 10 Things You Can Do To Stop White Supremacy. Retrieved from https://civilrights.org: https://civilrights.org/heres-10-things-you-can-do-to-stop-white-supremacy/

Hopkins, P. (2016, 7 22). Gendering Islamophobia, racism and White supremacy: Gendered violence against those who look Muslim. Retrieved from https://sagepub.com: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2043820616655018

Jenkins, J. P. (2020). White supremacy. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com: https://www.britannica.com/topic/white-supremacy

stanford. (2017). 2.3 Mill’s Harm Principle and Hate Speech. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/freedom-speech/#MilHarPriHatSpe

stanford.edu. (2017, 5). Freedom of Speech. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/freedom-speech/#JohStuMilHarPri

 

 

 

Strategic International Business Management

Pages:15

Introduction

Management performance tends to handle the operational process in organizations through regular feedback. The scope of business management is enhanced when a business model is invigorated. It is vital for a company’s success that several changes should be implemented (Korsgaard, Rask &Lauring, 2007). The process of strategic management is to implement a strategy in an organizational framework that allows the accomplishment of strategic goals. This kind of operation is to get more customers who spend more, so longer retention is made. (Lechehab&Kamassi, 2016) The monitoring and planning analysis in an organization need specific processes to meet the objectives. This report will discuss international strategic business management in IKEA regarding Malaysia. The report will discuss the mission, strategic goals, and SWOT analysis.

Company Overview

IKEA is a global brand that was found in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad. The company is famous for its famous and modern stores. Its different kinds of products are eco-friendly and cost-effective. IKEA operates in 389 stores worth of 42.9 billion. It also has few branches across the world with such as KungensKurva, in Shen Zhen, and Texas. It has presented an example of trendiest with low-cost furniture. IKEA is considered a recognizable brand at the globe with best practices. The trademark of the company is well designed and functional regarding frugality experience. These practices are related to the principle that offers competitive advantage (Soh, Wong & Chong, 2015). The image, quality, and affordability of products is an asset for the company. The company has the opportunity to be streamlined about its customs, franchising, and popularity.

IKEA is successful in terms of its management operations. Its formulation processing is based on the right demographic framework. IKEA stores are customized to offer a better experience to customers in terms of fluid shopping (Hultman, Johnsen, Johnsen & Hertz, 2012). The living room and domestic style experience for customers are exciting. They need to take a code linked to the selected item when they buy furniture. The functional layout of products is seen as a mass service for a product offering that fulfills the basic needs of consumers.  Some basic features of the firm are high quality, wide variety, the flexibility of products, less disruption, and easy supervision.

Mission

The mission of the company is to build a strong culture that will deploy crucial factors for the continued success of IKEA. The concept of sustainability is inherent because furniture is considered a necessary value for people’s lives (Korsgaard, Rask &Lauring, 2007). The recognizable brand name and concept are linked to low valued price and home furnishing products. The company has a wide range of its products and allow frugality practices for being the first choice of consumers as compared to other brands. The culture of IKEA is to work within everyone, create and develop it further, so people live with this vision. This concept is building a core competency of the company against others. IKEA has established its long going capacity in Malaysia with the science and technology concept and managerial practices. The developing economy of Malaysia is offering huge potential to the company to produce furniture due to newly identified competitive advantages (Garnier&Poncin, 2019).

SWOT Analysis

IKEA is a valuable furniture brand in the world, and in 2019, its worth is estimated at US$45.4 billion. The strengths of the company are its brand image and brand name. The reputation and awareness of the company are its key strengths (Johansson &Thelander, 2009). A most significant strength is its low-cost affordable furniture because it aims to sustain in the lives of people, so it is cost-conscious. The philosophy of IKEA is to keep costs low and incorporate new technologies, advances, and innovation to allow profit margins(Arrigo, 2005). This is associated with the profitability, efficiency solutions, and cost-effectiveness methods in handling products. In Malaysia, IKEA has a competitive advantage in producing products.

The combination of effective packaging and low price furniture startup in Malaysia is a big strength for the company. The products of the company are new, different, and allow extraordinary shopping experience to people, so consumers are engaged in decision making (Soh, Wong & Chong, 2015). It is different from other brands because of the wide variety, selection, and offering a chronological order. Just as its competitors are working in Malaysia, IKEA aims to maintain long term relationships with customers, so optimizing its cost and transport timing.

Its weaknesses are less focused on improvement policies while working in less developed countries like Malaysia. It also has inadequate support policy as well as limited visibility regarding marketing and promotion. The sparsely located few stores in Malaysia can be less responsive to increased demand of the population (Minkes&Minkes, 2005). It has to employ more staff to enhance the buying experience of customers by attracting them. The packaged furniture and its technical nature is different and needs more focus on assemblage. It depends on the third party to assemble and assist in purchasing products that can be a weak point for IKEA. There is an absence of detailed instructions that can accompany products and retain consumers when they go for detailing.

There are some opportunities for IKEA to further develop and boost its concept in Malaysia. It can increase its clientele by educating people more about environmental waste and pollution. If wastes are reduced regarding furniture usage, it can develop a strong concept as an opportunity in corporate social responsibility (Hultman, Johnsen, Johnsen & Hertz, 2012). With Malaysia and other less developed counties like India and Indonesia, IKEA can fully develop its network of furniture supply. It has the advantage of working on broader concepts by developing effective solutions for business. This will provide solutions to reduce environmental pollution, so a sustainable life at home will be easy. In Malaysia, the potential exists regarding natural resources and others like advanced technology and science, so it can promote a technical friendly product (Garnier&Poncin, 2019).

Some external factors can work as threats to the company in Malaysia. There are many low-cost retailers in Malaysia that can share market value and specialty of furniture with IKEA; there is a need to produce more economical and consumer-friendly products to compete with the rivals. The financial conditions of a country are other luring threats for IKEA. Any financial crisis and economic downturn in the economy can cause threats to IKEA (Lechehab&Kamassi, 2016). The size and scale of the company is also a threat because it has to focus on the operating economy where experts believe watering down of innovation due to less targeted consumers in Malaysia. The company is steadily acquiring a household place in masses, so it has to improve quality and standard with its expansion (Fröding& Lawrence, 2017).

IKEA strategies and its associated plans

IKEA’s marketing strategy through which the organization searched out cultural and advanced customers and also searched a sufficient market to sell its products. IKEA sends its designs to concern professional people to its homes and provide them feedback(Arrigo, 2005). This strategy allows the ministers to make the market decisions that are based on people’s life’s experience; this experience might be collected from survey and data collection. IKES Strategies considered all elements that are involving around product and price into mixed marketing. IKES tries to present its best product on the lowest market rate, and it is also called the 7Ps of marketing, in which position, development, methods, characters, and material elements are taking place (Hultman, Johnsen, Johnsen & Hertz, 2012). IKEA was established by Kamprad in 1943; this term developed when the home furnishing stores are used for monetary purposes around the world. All IKEA retailers are running their own franchise business.

IKEA of Sweden concerns all product ranges, which are associated with IKEA; the entire production differentiated with tags, designs, and quality. To start IKEA’s strategies, find the solution to various questions.  IKEA knows about consumer satisfaction and how much it is important. Consumer relations influence the business significantly (Stanciu, Zlati, Antohi&Bichescu, 2019).

Different research objectives also take place in this term, like investigating the consumer demand theory. Establish a referencing and suggestion system for company development. The basic purpose of this theory is to satisfy the consumer at any cost, either the consumer belongs to any category of life. In those days’ customers have awareness about the brand and its worth; at first, the consumer judges the product, and its services afterward estimate his personal experience and, at last, make a decision whether the product is appropriate and meets its exceptional level or not. After using the product, if the product fulfills its requirements, then the customer will purchase it again. Otherwise, he contacts any other commodity. In this fast business establishment affairs, customer relations are critical to managing. Customer satisfaction shows that he will purchase the commodity afterward to satisfy the demand that would be a long-term relationship to company and customer till then the other product may not facilitate its needs. An efficient marketing program consisted of all terms and conditions to evaluate the mix marketing concerning the market objectives which a company has to occupy to compete for the other rivals (Fröding& Lawrence, 2017).

IKEA base the business success on superior marketing strategies that must be the same around the world, which consisted of the description list it must be in written form in 17 languages and color should be blue and yellow, the color of the Swedish flag. This technique applied to the customer that they are free to purchase any commodity. The price also is shorter than other brands because the consumers, first of all, focused on the price (Johansson &Thelander, 2009). To understand the IKEA business strategy, it is necessary to be based on business conception and formulation prepared by IKEA 12th January 2009. It also provides a wide variety of sketches, functional, and other home decorating products at a low price thus can purchase every kind of class. The main objective must be centralized the objectives and purposes of IKEA’s business strategy. It also provides a guideline on work; these rules implement all sectors of the strategy, whether they belong to the country or around the world. IKEA focused that the environmental designs are presented into its home decor items; for this purpose, it launched a plan in 2015(Arrigo, 2005). This plan will combine the cultural, environmental, and financial and commercial crises. IKEA follows SWOT analysis to gain its objectives (Carter, 2009). This is a developmental business tool. It also assists the business to focus on its fundamental issues. SWOT is a planning stage and focuses on strengthening and weakening and also deals with the internal and external aspects of the business, and also face all threats that are affecting the company matter and associated with other business merchants. The SWOT business plan also concerns retailing, production departments. It also can deal with economic situations, social variations, and technological advancements. IKEA also emphasizes that every business holder has to sense its strengthening aspects to overcome its future challenges. IKEA also focuses on attracting the fundamental group of customers to establish a brand in a world community. It also provides different business techniques at a low price (Alänge, Clancy &Marmgren, 2016).

To maximize the profit, the brand has to establish a trustful relation to the supplier, retailer, and customers. It also embraces several strategic techniques to create customer trust and gain worth in a market. Long term relations to customers or retailers also provide a profitable sense to the business. IKEA emphasizes making good relations with customers by fulfilling their expectations and trying to find out how the new customers ties in a long-term relationship (Baxter & Landry, 2017).

Successful Strategic Goals

The world economy is booming, so the furniture market is also going up with rapid development. 70% of the global market is acquired by traditional furniture companies. The scenario is easy to understand due to increased production capacity, technical advancement, and strategic management. IKEA has also managed to enter in China, Indonesia, and Malaysia by focusing on the key significant strengths and its strategic goals. In many less developed countries, it has developed its concept of competitive advantage and working to show greater potential. Its production is increasingly focused on matching quality standards in Malaysia and beat its competitors. The clear mission of the company is to sell a wide range of furniture with reasonable prices that allow people to buy and get involve (Baxter & Landry, 2017). The wide range offering is a keyword in functionality because consumers, in this way find a place where everything is present. The strategic goals that IKEA has considered to enter in Malaysia are creating high efficient sales department, offering best ideas for home furnishing and serving customers with the best shop of furnishing ideas.

The aim of IKEA at Malaysia to offer them successful appearances and a perfect shopping experience for whole family (Carter, 2009). The people and environment is always a concern for IKEA so its management try to manage every day’s life with a better notion of commitment. It has also responded any rising public concern regarding sustainability, choice of the communication and product range. In Malaysia, effective focus on transportation and raw material was easily maintained due to easy access and prevalence of raw material. This situation helped company get its green targets and spread impact. In Malaysia, it is working on the original approach of dealing customers, i.e. self-serving method. The catalog allow people select whatever they want so they choose their products and put and assemble at home.  The centralized strategic direction at IKEA is increased with its expansion (Alänge, Clancy &Marmgren, 2016).

The rapid internationalization has enhanced the challenges for company in a broader scenario so there is also increasing difficulty of managing and responding needs. It is considering cultural and social factors while operating in new premises so emerging demographic trends are easy to tackle with a focused strategy(Arrigo, 2005). IKEA is also focusing on varied level consumer groups by implementing its strategies. The power of strategic management is significant under the organizational structure. It is focusing on maintaining a balance between autonomy and country-level centralized intervention, which will be attributable to franchisee autonomy and subsidiaries. Its suppliers are located in low-cost countries that are an advantage for Malaysia based IKEA (Stanciu, Zlati, Antohi&Bichescu, 2019). They can access raw materials so effectively reach out to distribution channels. The suppliers are selling standard products with broader dealing at the same time.

IKEA’s brand is focusing on innovation mix, advanced, and quality furniture. A combination of low-cost high quality furniture is the business model that is further being tackled with new innovations and techniques to expand and cut costs. Its simple idea of keeping costs low for manufacturers and customers is workable because it doesn’t own its sole manufacturing facilities. The upstream innovation and research & development activities are centralized in Malaysia. The strategic and operational strategies are workable and acquired a steady scope due to global policies.

Challenges

While operating in a global market, an international brand may face some challenges. For instance, while operating in Malaysia, it has to focus on its internal capabilities, ceasing activities, and incorporate key strategies to make its reputation (Carter, 2009). It has to work in an intensely competitive environment because targeting consumers is not easy, and there are multiple brands considering similar operations. It has been facing external and internal challenges in Malaysia regarding raw material, transportation, and availability of the latest technology. Some competitors are focusing on influential corporate decision-making strategies to make effective decisions for the firms. The management team has identified key threats from this business point objective so IKEA has to implement consumer related methods. It is facing diversification issues to boost sales (Alänge, Clancy &Marmgren, 2016). Some internal cultural issues are also prevalent. Due to geographic factors, IKEA is facing different taboos in Malaysia so it has to focus on to improving furniture design.

Conclusion

IKEA in Malaysia is working on competitive strategy with low cost initiatives. It has opened new stores, with an aim to use stability strategy. This will be helpful to monitor performance of the products and allow well operating conditions for business. The stability factor increases productivity of a company so it can take profit based features. Low cost operating methods, effective decision making approach and a business formulating method for its consumers are main pillars of Malaysian market that company is focusing. IKEA is working at global level so a focus on price and differentiation is a key to maintain. The price cost of company is linked to the cost of production, under strategic management framework, this scope is maintained. Globalization is a central aspect of strategic management, so IKEA in global market places, is expanding this view by gaining better competitive advantages and profits. The trend of consumer products at global marketplace is emerging and IKEA is viewing this phenomenon in Malaysia to reap a better growth.

References

Alänge, S., Clancy, G., &Marmgren, M. (2016). Naturalizing sustainability in product development: A comparative analysis of IKEA and SCA. Journal Of Cleaner Production, 135, 1009-1022. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.148

Arrigo, E. (2005). Corporate Responsibility and Hypercompetition. The Ikea Case. Symphonya. Emerging Issues In Management, (2). doi: 10.4468/2005.2.04arrigo

Baxter, M., & Landry, A. (2017). IKEA: Product, pricing, and pass-through. Research In Economics, 71(3), 507-520. doi: 10.1016/j.rie.2017.03.003

Carter, R. (2009). Will consumers pay a premium for ethical information?. Social Responsibility Journal, 5(4), 464-477. doi: 10.1108/17471110910995339

Fröding, K., & Lawrence, G. (2017). Sustainability at IKEA. Linnaeus Eco-Tech, 67. doi: 10.15626/eco-tech.2010.008

Garnier, M., &Poncin, I. (2019). Do enriched digital catalogues offer compelling experiences, beyond websites? A comparative analysis through the IKEA case. Journal Of Retailing And Consumer Services, 47, 361-369. doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.12.011

Hultman, J., Johnsen, T., Johnsen, R., & Hertz, S. (2012). An interaction approach to global sourcing: A case study of IKEA. Journal Of Purchasing And Supply Management, 18(1), 9-21. doi: 10.1016/j.pursup.2011.11.001

Johansson, U., &Thelander, Å. (2009). A standardised approach to the world? IKEA in China. International Journal Of Quality And Service Sciences, 1(2), 199-219. doi: 10.1108/17566690910971454

Korsgaard, S., Rask, M., &Lauring, J. (2007). The Diversity Management Paradox in Globalization – The Swedish IKEA Way. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.1135570

Lechehab, S., &Kamassi, A. (2016). The Benefits of Implementing Lean Management System at IKEA Malaysia Company. مجلةالباحث, (16), 55-66. doi: 10.12816/0034358

Minkes, J., &Minkes, A. (2005). Decentralisation, Responsibility and Ethical Dilemmas. Social Responsibility Journal, 1(1/2), 16-20. doi: 10.1108/eb045790

Soh, K., Wong, W., & Chong, C. (2015). Strategic Choices: A Composite Model for Logistics Service Providers. Journal Of Southeast Asian Research, 1-10. doi: 10.5171/2015.652416

Stanciu, S., Zlati, M., Antohi, V., &Bichescu, C. (2019). The Development Analysis of the Romanian Traditional Product Market Based on the Performance Model for Sustainable Economic Development. Sustainability, 11(4), 1123. doi: 10.3390/su11041123

 

IKEA Business Growth

Pages:12

Introduction

The Swedish furniture company is expanding globally. It has started business ventures in many countries under its global recognition. The home furniture retailer IKEA was started by a Sweden person Kamprad that later expanded to a titan.  The quality production and IKEA investment under private segments provide specialization of restructuring. Company is efficient in its production and specifically invests in Sweden. The estimated equity investments of IKEA in 2009 are from $15-$70 million with the observed sale value from $30-$150 millions. The investment ventures under IKEA’s personal capital are mainly in AB Company in Europe (Fröding & Lawrence, 2017). The performance of IKEA in global regions is remarkable due to retail business. This paper will discuss main marketing tactics of IKEA, its growth strategies and main reasons why it is not operating in Brazil.

IKEA, as a furniture company from Sweden, is planning to enter in Brazilian market and has started its first research station in Curitiba, Parana. In South America, Brazil is currently leading the furniture industry, holding around 63% of market share in the whole region. Furniture companies of Brazil are mainly small and micro sized with low technology and unskilled workers. The Brazilian environment and market size are attractive to many furniture companies from around the world having enough skilled workers and technical competence like IKEA and also other big brands like Bed Bath & Beyond. Entering the Brazilian market has both opportunities as well as threats for any industry (Kohl, 2015).

IKEA Business Strategies

The hundreds of stores in multiple locations are working on leadership of IKEA. The basis of marketing and business growth is accrued to the unique idea. IKEA is a value driven entity that make products for the people and provide them a variety to choose and fulfill their dreams from. The main priority of the company is to meet customer demand and gain competitive edge by providing top notch quality. This is relevant to establish a culture of satisfaction and maintain loyalty. The role of strategic position by the company is inherent, since it is related to the long run sustainability (Fröding & Lawrence, 2017).

IKEA is a successful company and following sustainable operations for its business. Its operations are expanded to different countries of the world. The reduction of macroeconomic factors by the company is central to get a streamlined growth company. This is undertaken by expanding the supply chain mechanism. The possibility of improving unique products is bright and company is employing latest technology in its manufacturing. Since a large network is playing its role for the company, there is an increased chance of complexity in its functioning. This is tackled by establishing stabilized conditions to get long term profitability from innovation.

The prominent business strategy of the company is to build foundations for growth in terms of re-investing, quality and an integrated approach. IKEA is strongly pursuing its vision to produce quality products and it never compromise on the quality standards. The steady reduction of a product price is a main strategy by IKEA. By leadership, this is considered an art that is making company’s growth enviable by the competitors.  The full knowledge regarding manufacturing, design and production activities are acquired. Production costs are reduced; low prices and high quality are the key tactics that IKEA is maintaining in the market.

IKEA has positioned itself after the global recession of 2008 as it is necessary to maintain the long term growth strategy. The increased saving is re-invested again to acquire core business competency. This is helpful to orient the directions of company and streamline its growth potential. The price reduction strategies are also stable and employed to get a forward looking strategy (Kohl, 2015).

IKEA not operating in Brazil

IKEA focuses on some specific factors before expanding into global markets. These factors are essential to run business in an effective way. The international franchising is a magnificent opportunity for the company like IKEA which is needed to expand in the market. IKEA focuses on international expansion; innovation and research and development environment that can help the company grow at international level. For instance, research is the center of the franchising plan and to enter in Brazil, IKEA is focusing on research. The role of a multinational firm is to focus on demographics, consumer attitude, aspirations, tastes and cultural roots. These specific elements provide information about their buying behavior (Fröding & Lawrence, 2017).

IKEA will open in Santiago de Chile by 2020 and it has planned to follow eight establishments in Lima, Chilean capital, and Bogota, according to BBC. The company has not found good infrastructure and high speed efficiency in Brazil and Mexico. It needs high volume markets, larger size of supply chain and efficiency in areas like Peru, Columbia, and Chile because these areas have more than 100 million people (Magnusson & Molin, 2018).

The success factors that IKEA focuses on for its development are the main elements that are not readily available in Brazil. IKEA is not expanding its business into Brazil due to several reasons. The company focuses on selling its products at random level. It mainly involves customers to sell its products. Customers play a central role to get required furniture design as own desired interior. The customer involvement is the main innovation by IKEA. Though, this idea does not always embrace success and in some places, IKEA has failed to implement this idea. In the developed markets, IKEA is listed among the low-priced big-market brand, but in developing countries where low prices are much needed, it hits the growing middle class that requires products of international lifestyle in lesser prices. In BRICS countries China already has 18 stores and Russia has 14. Also the organization is planning to open three more stores in China in Suzhou, Chengdu and Guangzhou. While in Russia their revenue increased by 11 percent in a single year.   IKEA opened its first store in India in August 2018 after a customer research of few years in the country. According to media reports, the stores first day attracted a large number of visitors. IKEA has not included Latin America in its aggressive plans of expansions due to low income population. These regions have different patterns of spending, for instance, in Latin American population; furniture is not considered a consumer commodity and the spending priorities do not include furniture (Post, 2018).

The market size and environment in Brazil is conducive for business and it has attracted many multinational companies to work. It is investigated by many researchers that how IKEA can enter into Brazilian market and how it can explore their customers. The exploring of middle class consumer might serve as an opportunity for IKEA to reach its potential customers. The growth potential is prevailed in government policies and in 2012, in Brazil, average wage ate per hour was increased from $5.5-$5.8 that helped increasing consumption of food items. This provides the role of middle class as affluent enough to help a company in growth.

For the middle class, IKEA has to aim excellence in Latin America, as it is not consistent and broad. It is globally known as a business with low prices but for the market of Brazil and Mexico, it has to go for an aspirational profile. According to Brazilian perceptions, the firm should target middle and low income population (Magnusson & Molin, 2018).

IKEA needs to target right customers in Brazil but it is unable to accomplish this. It is a main reason for no expansion and business startup. Online market in Brazil is significant and IKEA can perform very well only it targets right websites for its marketing. The potential expansion of IKEA relies in the penetration of social media in Brazil; since its people spend on average spend 10 hours on social media. High focus on family and connectivity can be targeted by IKEA. In addition to this, company can start online campaigns. It can work like to start allowing all brands to get insights about affluent consumers.

The Swedish brand IKEA is facing some difficulties in entering Brazilian market. Though it has good profitability ratios in 34 multiple countries, such as Russia, Poland and China has seen good growth rates. It has grown 10.3 per cent that is up to €2.97-billion in last year. The revenue growth rate in Sweden is estimated to be €25.17-billion with its existing stores. It has also planned to open 28 new stores in India. Their estimated goal is to reach at €50 billion in sales by 2020. Beside this performance at global level, company is facing difficulties in targeting customers in Brazil. The competition in markets of Brazil is appearing complex for IKEA. In addition to this, it is facing tough logistic structure and the taxation difficulties to operate (Post, 2018).

The internet has helped many businesses to enter and grow in the Brazilian market. The Brazilian customers are perfectly ready for IKEA to start business in their market; as increase in usage of internet in Brazil will allow the company to keep their approach of selling its products online with low prices. There are around a 100 million internet users in Brazil, which represents a major potential for an online market for IKEA.

IKEA in Mexico

IKEA has an excellent opportunity of growth in furniture market of Latin America through the online business stores, but, Latin America is far behind the other developed countries in terms of internet access for its people. In Latin America around only 45 percent of the population has the internet access which is much less as compared to rest of the world. These figures show IKEA that they cannot rely only on the online trade stores as less than half of their targeted customers has the access to their products through the internet (Edvardsson & Enquist, 2011).

Mexico and Brazil are living in turbulent times, and waiting for the implementation of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Brazilian market is unstable due to political climate and presidential elections. IKEA is planning with its franchise partner Flabella to invest $600 million to enter in the South America. It needs physical investments in form of staff, knowledge and support to operate in Mexico and Brazil (Post, 2018).

This brand also needs to differentiate itself according to the Brazilian customer. Entering into a new market needs to target the demographics of customers.  The complex situation in Brazil is different for IKEA.  Government policies have supported the growth that has helped in increase the minimum national wage to help the low income people. In 2010, 5.57 USD per hour was the minimum national wage and it was increased in 2012 by 5.82 USD. This had supported decrease in poverty and made a large customer base for drink, food and retail sectors. In accordance with this, growth can be supported by providing prosperity to the middle class community as well.

Government schemes have been initiated to provide the ownership of consumer products like washing machines and refrigerators to the low income people. Government is also encouraging the commercial banks to offer loans or credit to more persons, particularly the poor. This tendency along with more spending by consumers and rise in minimum wage shows that IKEA entered in Brazilian market well in time. The number of customers that IKEA needs to target has increased already. Many Brazilian customers can now purchase the products and repeat the purchase from IKEA stores with variety of prices (Schirone & Torkan, 2012).

Looking into the Brazilian middle class’s rapid growth in the internet usage and household expenditure, it is eminent that there are great opportunities for the international companies like IKEA to start their business.  For the better understanding of the market, IKEA has to analyze the consumer behavior in Brazil. Brazilian customers are proven to be more eco-friendly, they are more concerned about the assembly or manufacturing of the products. IKEA is a major organization in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and dealing issues regarding environment is the organization’s major objective. The increasing number of people with growth in income indicates that more people can now be selective and particular about the furniture type they need to buy. The eco-friendly trend has already become famous in some markets of Brazil, with many supermarkets already has started selling eco-friendly products, and reduces to use plastic bags. Brazilian customers have cited that any company doing business in market should be responsible towards environment, according to a survey more than 60 percent Brazilians feel that it is the key obligation of any organization (Warren, 2018).

Conclusion

IKEA considers environment an important factor and takes care while manufacturing their products. They term it important that their products must be manufactured under suitable working conditions by their workers. IKEA developed its first environmental policy in 1990 and has been working for sustainability since then. It focuses on areas such as providing sustainable products and diminishing their carbon footstep. As an eco-friendly organization is so reflected in the working of IKEA. The produce flat packs furniture which allows its delivery easy from industry to market, that also lessens damage. IKEA is working to reduce their levels of power consumption since 2005 and shifting its stores towards alternative renewable energy. Thus IKEA can be a great contender to enter into a flourishing eco-friendly market in Brazil and can be a big success if the requirements set by the Brazilian customers matches the organization’s ethos.

Brazil is now the only BRICS country where there is no IKEA store. In Brazil, matters are always likely to be more complicated than others. There are some reasons that can be challenging for IKEA if they choose to start their business in the Brazilian Market. For example, Brazil has increasingly high rate of taxes for imported products, nearly 75 percent or more over FOB rate. Local businesses like Tok & Stok have also faced similar issues, but perhaps they have already improved their purchases to control the tax impact. Also the logistics in Brazil is a serious problem. Ports are sluggish where the country is huge. The transport is much expensive and limited. Moreover, IKEA can have a tough competition in Brazil as the county has already established businesses in its strong furniture market; also some of them have already a model comparable to IKEA’s. The market lobby-groups of Brazil’s furniture industry have simply averted IKEA to enter market in Brazil. As long as they do not find out the solution of these issues and develop a strong business strategy for Brazil, it may not be possible for them to open a store in Brazilian market. The good thing is that they already have established an office in Brazil, analyzing these problems and understanding the environment, customer behavior and market trends.

References

Edvardsson, B., & Enquist, B. (2011). The service excellence and innovation model: Lessons from IKEA and other service frontiers. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 22(5), 535-551. doi: 10.1080/14783363.2011.568242

Fröding, K., & Lawrence, G. (2017). Sustainability at IKEA. Linnaeus Eco-Tech, 67. doi: 10.15626/eco-tech.2010.008

Kohl, M. (2015). Bloom units for IKEA and ASP in California, and market in Japan. Fuel Cells Bulletin, 2015(4), 7-8. doi: 10.1016/s1464-2859(15)30084-5

Magnusson, N., & Molin, A. (2018). Ikea Puts Latin America, Southeast Asian Markets in Its Sights. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-09/ikea-puts-latin-america-southeast-asian-markets-in-its-sights

Post, L. (2018). Learn how Ikea will arrive to Latin America. Retrieved from https://latinamericanpost.com/21354-learn-how-ikea-will-arrive-to-latin-america

Schirone, D., & Torkan, G. (2012). Food in IKEA: A Strategy to Support the Core Business. Business And Management Research, 1(4). doi: 10.5430/bmr.v1n4p81

Warren, M. (2018). Can this robot build an IKEA chair faster than you?. Science. doi: 10.1126/science.aat9251

 

 

 

Strategic Analysis of Netflix

Pages:18

Instructions:

to analyze the strategic position of an organization
b)
Assess the strategic choices available to the organization to achieve substantial growth and make relevant recommendations(for the purpose of the plan, you will assume that a strong investor has been found who can fund the recommended strategies)
To this end, you need to select the organization on which your entire project will be based. It can be the organization whereyou are working or have worked in the past, an organization with which you are familiar, or if you are not employed, an organization you are able to research.
•
Part 1: Select the organization which will form the basis for your project. Provide a brief introduction of the selected
(10)organization (what it does, size etc.)
•
Part 2: Analyse the broad macro-environment of the organization in terms of political, economic, social, technological,
ecological and legal factors (PESTEL). Construct alternative scenariosas necessary.
(15)Use Porter’s five forces analysisin order to define the attractiveness of the industries and markets in which the
organization operates. Use the above analysis in order to recognise threatsandopportunitiesin the market place.
•
Part 3: Using suitable frameworks (e.g. benchmarking, value chain, value system) diagnose the strategic capabilities of the
(15) selected organization and classify them using the VRIO criteria. Prepare a suitable SWOT / TOWS matrix summarizing the
findings of the analysis of strategic capabilities and the analysis of the external environment (from Part 2).
•
Part 4: Express the strategic purpose of your selected organization through suitable statements of mission,vision,valuesand
(10)objectives. Take into consideration any influences from the type of ownership, the adopted social responsibility stance and
the expectations of the various stakeholders (perform a stakeholder analysis).
•
Part 5: Perform a cultural web analysis of your selected organization. Can you discern any inimitable capabilities embedded in
(10) the culture and which could enrich your answer to Part 3 of the project?
•
Part 6: Identify the strategic business units (SBUs) which exist in your selected organization. Using Porter’s framework and the
(10) strategy clock, identify the various generic strategies (e.g. cost-leadership, differentiation, focus and hybrid strategies)
currently followed by each distinct SBU. Given the desire of the organization for substantial growth, would you suggest a
change in any of the generic strategies followed by any of the SBUs? Please explain.
•
Part 7: Given the desire of the organization for substantial growth, generate a list of possible choices which could be pursued
(15) by the organization (e.g. market penetration, diversification, vertical integration, internationalization, innovation and
entrepreneurship) and the various methods for achieving them (e.g. organic development, M&A, strategic alliances).
•
Part 8: Evaluate the options (choices) compiled in Part 7 in terms of the SAFe criteria (suitability, acceptability, feasibility).
(15) Regarding the likely return (part of acceptability) there is no need to perform an in-depth financial analysis (you probably
do not have such data available anyway). Regarding financial feasibility, simply assume that the found investor can
provide the necessary funding for each of the identified options. Provide your recommended option(s) for the organization.
(3000 –5000 words)

Answer:

Introduction

Netflix. was founded Reed Hasting. In 1999, it was established as a movies rental service. The business model of Netflix, then and now, is the same – that is subscription model. The business was at first only a DVD-dispatch service, subscribers would pay for particular membership that would include the number of DVDs that could be rented at one time. DVDs were shipped to the customers, and then the customers would send it back (Hosch, 2020)

With thriving business for years, the company incorporated new segments, along with the DVDs rental service, into its model, including streaming services. The mission was to increase the number of subscribers and reduce cost – the cost associated with shipping and postage of DVDs. The streaming segment was initiated in 2007, with almost seven thousand titles available instant-watching; by 2010, the titles had grown up to twenty thousand. Customers had the option to avail the DVD subscription, the streaming option, or both. All three was available to them. In 2010, Netflix started its streaming services in Canada, and in 2011 it had initiated in 43 other countries. In the United States, member can still order DVDs to their homes. By 2016, Netflix was providing streaming services to more than 190 nations. Now, Netflix has three operational segments: International streaming, Domestic Streaming, and domestic DVD. Domestic Streaming and Domestic DVD are only available in the U.S (Reuters, 2020).

Although Netflix was founded a decade earlier, it was known mainly in 2010 as the most customary and famous subscription online streaming platform. Customers were consistently increasing, and Netflix was taking on the majority of the market subscribers. In 2011, the company announced that it would no longer provide a package subscription that includes both the DVDs-rental services and the streaming subscription. However, the company faced criticism from its customers, and the stock price fell drastically.

In 2014, Netflix announced that it had raised $400 million in new capital through equity investing. On April 22, 2020. Netflix proposed $1 billion worth of Senior Notes for its production, development, capital acquisition. On April 21, 2020. The company announced its Quarterly Earnings Per Share of $1.57; the Quarterly revenue was $5.77 billion (Reuters, 2020).

Netflix has a very aggressive business strategy; in 2012, it was initiated in new countries; Netflix provides free one-month access to the streaming service. The reason for the international expansion was to generate more profits, but not all foreign markets have such strong capabilities for streaming. For example, in Latin America, the company faced many issues due to the unavailability of internet-capable devices for the people. The company’s marketing strategies include customer guarantees, a user-friendly website, and witty advertising.

External Analysis

PESTEL Analysis

Worldwide economic condition is the primary factor of Netflix operations, therefore, understanding these things are crucial. Additionally, Netflix has majority international business which makes the PESTEL analysis even more salient (Favaro, 2018)(Fund, 2017).

Political

  • Political factor is increasing in relevance to tech companies worldwide. Netflix is a streaming service, but it is also a tech company so it is liable to the government scrutiny. Governments around the world has put a cap with regard to data collection and other practices. Particularly in EU, the government has taken strict measures against tech companies that overindulgean anticompetitive behavior by targeting users through data collection processes (Pratap, 2020)
  • Netflix has tailored its services accordingly, depending on a region’s regulation. Another factors that affect companies like Netflix is the new tax regime in the EU.
  • Copyright and Patent ordinance.
  • Piracy statute in services sector.

Economic

  • Exchange rate fluctuation is a fundamental issue especially in third world countries where a rise in exchange rate makes Netflix a luxury.
  • Market efficiency and capital requirement to sustain presence.
  • Economic growth affects the purchasing power. As income rises, people tend to spend more on entertainment and luxuries (Tapalaga, 2019)
  • The growth in global economy, in past years, has resulted in more spending, by people around the world, on services like Netflix (Tapalaga, 2019)
  • With the global pandemic of coronavirus and lockdowns, Netflix has witnessed a temporary rise in membership and viewers around the world (Pratap, 2020)
  • Unemployment has risen radically, and if the situation continue people are likely to cut on unnecessary expenditure and save for basic necessities only.

Social

  • Continually changing of customer preferences. Netflix is entertaining customers worldwide, it must adhere to the tastes and preferences from different cultures and societies.
  • Social class. The success of Netflix has been linked with the influence it has on social media networks and promotions, and the fact that it leans more toward the young generation (Tapalaga, 2019)
  • Consumer attitude towards health and environment, that may affect the viewership.
  • Continual adaptation of new segments and genres.

Technology

  • Communication with consumer is the most important marketing strategy. Netflix uses social media, which is linked with technology (Tapalaga, 2019)
  • Netflix uses numerous algorithms and machine learning that make relevant recommendation to consumer, while considering their preference and choice based on their previous search and watch (Pratap, 2020).
  • Requirement for internet connection.
  • Increase Video on Demand (VOD) demand.

Environmental

  • Laws of production affecting environment. In 2019, Netflix reduce its energy consumption by 50% and they are planning to lower it by 80% and shift completely to sustainable energy products like solar panels and wind turbines (Tapalaga, 2019)
  • Competitors using sustainable energy products.

Legal

  • Tariffs in service industry
  • Employment regulations
  • A stern censorship regime in large markets – like China.

Porter Five Forces Analysis

This analysis will help understand profit potential for Netflix and the implication that these forces have on Netflix.

        i.            New Entries Threat

  • Low barriers to entry – easy to emulate, broadly available technology
  • Easily accessible – no switching cost.
  • Lower pricing strategies
  • New value promotion and subscription to customers
  • Higher product differentiation

      ii.            Bargaining Power of Suppliers

  • Supplier has higher power as they produce content and decide which content provider they want to partner with.
  • Bidding negotiations
  • Strong relation with the suppliers is the key
  • Some most-watched shows will be removed, therefore increasing risk of power of suppliers (TFLIE, 2020)

    iii.            Bargaining Power of Buyers

  • Consumer power will rise as Netflix competition rise – such as the newlylaunched Disney+ and Amazon Prime. Switching costs are low
  • Higher customer expectation.
  • Minimum consequences for cancelling subscription
  • In contrast to traditional media platform, it is less expensive.

    iv.            Threats of Substitutes

  • Traditional medium of viewing trend is declining (TFLIE, 2020)
  • Reluctance to adopt new technologies.

      v.            Competitive Rivalry

  • Competitors like Amazon Prime, not only offers free one-month access, but also free and fast delivery, music, and books.
  • Long term fixed cost
  • New technology and video streaming platform are continuously increasing.
  • In 2018, Netflix had 8 of the top most-viewed shows in the world, in its streaming list.

Takeaway from Netflix’s P5 analysis

Switching to Netflix is carries a low cost. Netflix takes into consideration customers’ preference. Netflix must refine its brand. Build capacity and R&D. Association with potential and devoted suppliers whose business depend on Netflix. Expanding customers’ base. Innovate & produce new content rapidly. Build a sustainable point of differentiation. Collaborate with competition.

 

Internal Analysis

VRIO/VRION

Organizational Resources and Capabilities V R I O N
Competitive disadvantage
Highly dependent on third-part-production content
Competitive Parity or Equality
Innovation Potential P
Tech-savvy Assets P
Temporary Competitive Advantage
Licence from entertainment content creators P P
Undevoloped Competitive Advantage
Music segment P P P
Video Games P P P
Textual Content
VRIO Core Competencies
High Equity P P P P P
Large base of customers and producers P P P P P
Original Content Production Capacity P P P P P

 

Competitive Disadvantage. Netflix’s negative aspect is its dependence on third party production content. Although it has its own production series as well, the company mostly put content from other production sources to attract more customers by providing a variety of content. This factor endangers Netflix to competitive forces of producers. Platforms, like Disney and Disney+, offer only its original content. In the resource context, Netflix is a value chain source supports competitive advantage. Based on the VRION analysis, this platform is difficult to imitate. Competitors may produce more content, but Netflix’s customers base, funding of streaming business and its global reach are its solid points. Netflix value chain is big enough to produce original content. The value chain does include not only the supply of content and products but also the supply of information for the ease of subscribers/customers: the algorithms and content management. The VRIO analysis makes the original content production a fundamental beneficiary to the company’s sustained competitive advantage.  The high equity build up the company’s supply chain and its value chain by expanding its customers’ base (Knott, 2015) (Talaja, 2012)(Riveria, 2019)

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

  • First mover advantage
  • Small operating cost
  • Netflix has made agreements with manufacturers for integrated Netflix app in their devices.
  • Tons of consumer data/expertise
  • High quality ratings for in-house production content

Weaknesses

  • Heavy dependence on suppliers.
  • Large fixed cost
  • Small resources, as compared to competitors like Amazon
  • Netflix originals require high cost
  • Subject to technological changes.

Opportunities

  • Potential growth for subscription
  • Expansion of movie download option
  • Technological advancement – such as 4K, Virtual Reality (VR)
  • Video streaming in china
  • Leverage niche markets

Threats

  • Few barriers
  • Content Piracy
  • Fiercely competitive market
  • Amazon aiming to acquire live sports broadcasting platform.
  • Increasing cost could lead to higher subscription rate which lead to consumer switching to competitors.

Cultural Web Analysis

Introduction

  • 130 million users worldwide
  • Turnover of more than 10 billion dollars
  • 114 million people

Culture

  • Freedom and responsibility
  • World leader in online entertainment

Stories

  • Founded in 1997 by Reed Hasting
  • The company’s fundamental business is movie streaming- subscription-based

Rituals and Routines

  • Encourage independent decision making by members and employees
  • Freedom and responsibility
  • Corporate team-work
  • Work is not too demanding

Symbols

  • Smartphones and Laptops
  • Free vending machine
  • Pop-corn machine
  • Transport and vehicles provided by the company
  • Own corporate language
  • Free breakfast and dinner

Power Structures

  • Regional functions
  • Worldwide company

Paradigm

  • Multinational presence
  • World leader in online entertainment
  • Growth potential company
  • Freedom company (Capucine, 2020)

Possible Strategies for Growth

  1. Partnership with Multinational Television Provider

Netflix could further expand its global reach by partnering with television providers and TV channels. Netflix will likely reach areas where internet access is not very simple by partnering with local and famous TV channels. Such as the HBO, Sahara, Showtime. It will broaden and strengthen Netflix; it will provide an additional communication mean to consumers. It would also benefit from it in term of association with big names like the HBO.

  1. Acquire HBO

HBO content and seasons are by far the most popular and watched content around the world. Netflix should acquire HBO powerhouse. Production costs are rising, and they are likely to expand at a higher rate in future. So, instead of making its Netflix original, HBO will make its production. They are widely accessible and most-watched than the Netflix originals. Such as the Game of Thrones, West world, Succession.

  1. Continue International Expansion

Netflix is the leader in multinational reach and online entertainment, because of its aggressive expansion plans. But, there are still countries where Netflix do not operate fully, such as China and the middle east. Netflix is likely to double its size with these markets, reach economies of scale, and early movers benefit into these integrated markets. Netflix must deliberately control its cost and capital management in its growth plans.

  1. Initiate a sport broadcasting segment

Netflix is likely to further expand its customer, and not just millennials and generation Z, but people of every age and demographic by incorporating sports broadcasting into its services. Sports fans are more likely to purchase subscription, even at a higher price, than people who only binge-watch movies and seasons.

  1. Leverage Latest Technology

4k and Virtual Reality are becoming is popular worldwide. Initiating these segments into services are likely to increase brand image and quality content. Netflix should incorporate these (Diagle, 2019)

  1. Strategic Recommendations
  • It is recommended that Netflix initiate a strategy like YouTube – where third party content providers can sell their content directly so subscribers, but prices must be controlled by Netflix.
  • Providing a platform for third party content provider will make Netflix a more integrated and comprehensive platform for online entertainment
  1. Continue Focus on Original Contents Production, allocating capital towards content licensing, with time.

It is thought of that Netflix should emphasize its original content production. The company takes great measures in analyzing and contemplating customer’s preferences from all around the world and produces content that are acceptable, highly-rate, and appealing to customers.

Strategic Analysis of Netflix Vision and Mission Statement

Netflix vision and mission statements, both revolves around entertainment industry. The company’s vision statement directs the corporate decision making and the mission statement aim towards higher achievement. Netflix operational management involve handling multinational business growth. The company has the biggest market shares in international market.

Netflix Mission Statement

Netflix mission statement is to accustom the world with entertainments. It depends on the idea Netflix providing on-demand entertainment content. Like the vision statement, the mission statement put emphasis on the industry, as the company flourishes in fulfilling purchasers’ desires about the media they get to. The two main points of Netflix corporate mission are

  1. World Wide reachability and measures
  2. Entertainment

The primary purpose of Netflix mission statement is to show the company’s nature and role in the entertainment industry. Be that as it may, this business class extensively incorporates motion pictures, arrangement, performance art, stage plays, and others. Subsequently, this purpose of the statement might be excessively expansive in determining Netflix’s activities, even though it demonstrates conceivable vital plans of differentiating the business. A factor to consider is that the organization’s center procedure is to develop the streaming membership business.

This strategy framework suggests Netflix’s regular philosophy for high ground and genuine advancement methods and intentionally derives the corporate mission statement. For example, to reasonably entertain the world, the streaming business must build up its cooperation and membership to a grander overall scale. It is the spot where the second reason for Netflix’s corporate mission comes in, as the organization expects to contact gathers all around and reach the global audience. This overall size of assignments also includes that Netflix’s legitimate structure is fit to offering on the online services of help to diverse groups and markets. The on-demand media spouting association’s corporate vision clarification similarly addresses such an essential goal of the overall working

scale (Riveria, 2029)

Netflix Vision Statement

The vision is to be the leader in online entertainment streaming service. The vision is aligned with the corporate statement of purpose, and this vision has helped Netflix with its fundamental goal of being the leader in the competition, against huge players like Amazon and Disney.Netflix states that it points “To continue leading by offering an astounding entertainment experience.” The vision statement is composed of three main things:

  1. Leadership
  2. Entertainment
  3. Internet

Netflix’s strategic underpins the objective of leading with authority, demonstrating that the organization has accomplished its past corporate vision explanation of worldwide industry leadership. The business expects to keep up its authority and operational viability, while developing its enrollment to fulfill the corporate vision’s targets. The business qualities listed in the SWOT analysis of the above add to this industry initiative. The ‘internet’ some portion of the corporate vision explanation speaks to online media as an essential factor in business operations. Additionally, Netflix’s tendency as an entertainment business is incorporated as a point in the corporate vision, like how the corporate statement of purpose portrays the company as an entertainment organization. Prominent is Netflix’s Cultural Web, which spurs and motivates employees to help the business ceaselessly advance to fulfil the vision explanation by guaranteeing consumer loyalty and industry

initiative (Riveria, 2029)

Generic Strategies of Netflix

The company’s generic strategies line up with the company’s growth strategies – the Porter Five Forced model – and the in-depth growth strategies. Generic strategies play a significant role in Netflix’s on-demand content segment. Netflix focuses only on series, movies, and its own production content. Besides, Netflix’s development procedures and growth strategies for competitive advantage require the management activities that degree beyond online streaming entertainment.

Netflix Business Model

Netflix operations has these models:(Moore, 2019):

  1. Platform Model: Digital media marketplace. Through this the company’s content reach the customers. It is in the stage plan of action that the generic strategy is generally huge, considering the competitive advantage dependent on cost efficiencies conceivable through data advances for worldwide computerized content circulation
  2. Pipeline: Entertainment content production. Netflix utilizes the conventional pipeline approach to deal with and create moviesand series. This approach action empowers the organization to control content creation and bring sustainable growth, while the business development potential by means of business platform model cushions Netflix’s development and nonexclusive system for competitive advantage.
  • No Middle-Man Model. The company removes the middleman and distribute its original content via its own streaming service. For example, the new movie The Irishman was shown in a very limited number of cinemas, after Netflix’s approval.
  1. Unlimited Subscription model. The business model is designed in such a way to accommodate unlimited subscription.

Netflix Generic Competitive Strategy

Cost Leadership

Netflix has low charges. Netflix’s customers’ base is the largest as compared to its competitors. The approach relies on the company’s business model and value chain, which satisfy customers partly through personalized customizations, such as in mobile app settings. Through intensive growth strategies, the cost leadership generic strategy for competitive advantage gains the most significant market share, relating to Netflix Inc.’s corporate mission and vision statements which point to the strategic plan and goal of attaining and maintaining leadership in the international online entertainment.  industry(Moore, 2019)

Differentiation

Despite the fact that Netflix essentially applies cost administration as its generic strategy for competitive advantage, the business additionally utilizes separation in its tasks. As a nonexclusive technique, separation includes building up the online business and its items in manners that make them unique in relation to the opposition (Moore, 2019)

Netflix Growth Strategy

Market Penetration

It is the fundamental intensive strategy. This development system’s target of developing incomes and market share relies upon how Netflix’s generic strategy keeps up upper hands to pick up and hold more customers in current markets (Moore, 2019)

Market and Product Development

This strategy backs the company’s organizational development.Market improvement works by selling the organization’s present online streaming services and unique content to new markets. The Product development strategy goal is to create and sell new content in the organization’s current markets(Moore, 2019)

Suitability, Acceptability, and Feasibility (SAF)

Suitability Criteria

 

Criteria Hybrid Differentiation
Partnership Not in the long term. It requires capital and current prices are unlikely to generate profits in the long run Yes. Higher profit could lead to more investments.
Expansion Not in the long term. Due to international expansion and limitations in some countries Yes. Collaboration with other entertainment providers
Sports Broadcast Long run feasibility is unlikelyAs the sports industry is dominated by players like ESPN Yes. Collaboration with the big players in market.

 

Acceptability Criteria

Criteria Hybrid Differentiation
Risk of Loss High. Expansion to other regions and countries will double the short term cost. High capital is required because content productions are costly and too much of it will bring uncertainty and risk.
Investment Returns Low. Prices are not high enough to generate enough profit High. Collaboration would result in safer profits and high barriers to copying content.
Customers’ Reaction When customers are not loyal, they are more likely to switch to other online streaming platforms if Netflix prices are high and competitors prices are low or they provide better content. Customers will be loyal and will not switch to any other platform, because the content is differentiated and better.
Suppliers’ Reaction Subscription video on demand considered second tier as they do not generate enough profits. When suppliers have no power over content, price are likely to fall as a result. Thus reducing the cost.
Investors’ sentiment Short on shares. Netflix’s stock price has shown variation because of the sudden rise during the global coronavirus pandemic (Epstein, 2020) High profits will bring in more customers, as profits generated by the company rises.

 

For investors, decline is profit is unbearable. Therefore, they will not adhere to the hybrid strategy as it will result in profit decline. Prices might get down too, with hybrid adaptation.

Feasibility

Criteria Hybrid Differentiation
Do the current technology assets support the company’s strategy ? Yes. Company’s data levels have reached high levels.
Are the current financial resources enough to implement strategies effectively? Yes. However, not in the long term. Companies cash is expected to fall when the global lockdown is over and everything is back to normal(Poletti, 2020) Cash is abundant with Netflix, but need to quit the international expansion to stop the loss.
Is available data/information enough to implement strategies? Yes. Netflix is continuously investing to implement algorithms and machine learning into its management systems. Yes. Netflix was aware why its original content is going to be a hot because of the years of data collected. This was (still is) a great advantage in the ‘Netflix Original’ creation.

 

Netflix capabilities can sustain both hybrid and differentiation strategy.

 

 

References

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