Archive for month: February, 2023

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American Ignorance of War by Czeslaw Milosz’s

‘American Ignorance of War’ is a historical overview of the life of Americans during the interwar years up to the end of the Second World War. Milosz indicates that he was once asked, while in Warsaw, whether Americans are stupid. This probably culminated largely due to their involvement in another devastating war, appearing to have forgotten the aftermath of the previous war. This paper is a critical analysis of Czeslaw Milosz’s ‘American Ignorance of War’, giving substantial examples and a close critic of the article, including organization, target audience, writers assumptions of the audience, including language, imagery, and style used.

Milosz’s article organization uses well-coordinated and distinct paragraphs with the preceding readings creating a logical flow. The essay also embraces a system of chronologically documented events to increase understandability and ease of transitioning paragraphs. Besides, the paper also embraces a system of hierarchically organization in documenting events to enhance appeal and capture the audiences’ attention while reading. Milosz’s essay organization also embraces the use of short paragraphs that are distinct, summarized, and detailed to capture and maintain the reader’s attention. The short paragraphs also make it simpler for readers to comprehend quickly, at a short glance, what the article discusses. The longer paragraphs are few within the article. Their purpose is to elaborate on topics that need more clarification. For example, when the author tries to explain why the people of the East can hardly understand Americans, he uses a longer paragraph to offer more explanation and enhance the readers understanding. This is helpful for minimizing misconceptions on the volatile issue of the East and West spheres. Lastly, the paper embraces the use of a succinct conclusion that allows the reader to derive own conclusions based on how he or she understands the article.

The article seeks to address its issues to a targeted active audience that should take action to rectify future errors by looking at the matters discussed from different perspectives. Milosz uses several question tags in the article to get the readers thinking before proceeding with the narrative. The first paragraph, for example, begins with the question ‘are Americans really stupid?’ Another question within the article asks which world is natural according to the reader’s perspective. Questions are useful tools that invite the audiences to reason and possibly give a solemn response while reading. Milosz also targets a mature audience that can decipher issues out rather than employ a shallow understanding. For example, when he uses the analogy that people think the world they are living in is natural, the author expects the mature audience to realize that ‘natural’ is used in a different context to mean the status quo of things, such as lifestyle, ways of dressing, bloodshed, and others. These, according to the author, create the natural world. In addition, the author also chooses his words wisely to enable only mature audiences to understand what the texts mean. For example, the author uses the term ‘copulate’ instead of ‘sexual intercourse’ to ensure that only mature readers can follow through the discussion. In addition, the author uses several vocabulary words throughout his work to ensure that only mature audiences grasp the details. Other examples include physiological, accustom, and fabricate. Moreover, the author targets governments and decision makers who make war decisions, as well as the common people, young men, and women, who engage blindly in fighting that leaves their families, societies, countries, and economies devastated. The author wants this class of audience to open their eyes wide and realize that wars only bring more problems than benefits, such as loss of lives, damage to property, lifelong miseries, and other societal ills.

Milosz assumes that readers will find answers to some rhetorical questions and open ended phrases used in the article. For example, when the author asks ‘are Americans really stupid’, he does not offer a reply. Instead, he assumes that after reading the question, the reader will respond based on their view of the American society, before proceeding to the next sentence. Besides, the author assumes that the mature target audience will understand the complexity of words used and comprehend the wordings from a deeper meaning. For example, the author says that a man in the streets walks past a boy who is poking his stick into a pile of smoking ruins while whispering a song about a leader who will save their nation. In this case, Milosz assumes that the reader will not take this statement from the face value. Instead, they should look at it from a deeper perspective. For example, the extent of damage caused by the war (as represented by a pile of ruins) and that even a young boy recognizes that the nation needs a great leader than the current one. Milosz also assumes readers will derive their own conclusion based on their understanding of the reading, and take a side. The conclusion offered is open ended with no specific inclination or side taking. It delegates the duty of making a conclusion to the reader by offering a thought, instead.

The author has made great use of a diversity of language, imagery, and style to produce a brilliant and interesting article. Language used takes the form of simple and complex wordings to capture the reader’s attention in an interesting way. Form of language used also requires the readers to decipher meanings by themselves. Examples of interesting words used include natural, unnatural, decree, more urgently, and residue of hope. Additionally, a word such as copulate is polite and serves to minimize hurt to the readers. Copulate is also an outdated word that returns the reader years back to when the article was written. The use of imagery is also evident and adequately utilized to make the article more captivating and interesting than a dull essay using merely simple words. For example the author has used phrasal words such as the; world goes on, man of the east, fat little man, and warmth of the beehive life. Style used is a mixture of simple and complex words and sentences in a chronological narrative that flows from one paragraph to the other flawlessly. The author has also employed the use of questions within the essay to engage the audience in finding answers.

To conclude, the author has managed to pass his message across, by the use of a combination of simple, complex, and imagery wordings and illustrations, in a single interesting narrative. The article is informative and seeks to enlighten Americans on the devastating long-term effects of wars, especially to the economy, family integration, and societal wellness. The author intends to reach out to war organizers and participants to realize their involvement, in whichever way, only creates more devastation than positive outcomes.

Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction

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Examining Emotions, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction

Positive work Environment

In improving positive environment Joe creates great correspondence so as to make employees feel they can identify with the manager and that they are congenial, they will believe the manager. Making a decent correspondence style from the earliest starting point make workers feel better and help keep more content. Furthermore, group attitude get employed. When staff considers they are group unit; they are certain to each other instead of everybody for themselves. Also, positive contribution frequently offers feedback when something is not correct, while they ignore giving attention when an employee has made a decent presentation. Joe searches for genuine motivations to furnish staff with positive input by praising when they do things right more regularly than when they are doing things erroneously. Additionally positive working surroundings are available. A positive environment amplifies the demeanor and activities of the individuals who work. There is periodical examination to check whether the physical setup makes a positive feeling. Joe keeps it positive whether one is attending to an issue or giving an assessment; one attempts to say everything on a positive note. The leader concentrates on the changes that one wants to see, as opposed to harping on what the individual has not been doing (Aniket al., 2013).

Improving job Performance

Workers are persuaded by accomplishment of objectives, and they discover pride in attaining or surpassing the objectives. The administrator makes objectives intended to bring individual and expert fulfillment. For instance, issues a quarterly reward focused proceeds, and then set an objective to surpass those numbers and a bigger reward. Joe as well set an objective to increment departmental generation to get the official group to take into account vital updates and progressions to departmental supplies. According to Taneja, (2014), administrators who feel the need to perform the majority of the regulatory and managerial errands for their specializations alone are adding anxiety and distancing the staff. They know hot figure out how to get workers included in settling on the day by day preferences by enabling members to create their work routines, have a week by week staff meeting where the workers give departmental issues. The representatives will experience a feeling of contribution in the accomplishment of the division, and one will have diminished the anxiety and gather the fulfillment of enhancing worker advancement (Taneja, 2014).

Emotional intelligence in leadership

In managing relationship, leaders can employ mindfulness and regulation towards one-self. In the case of mindful, one know how one feel, and know the feelings and one’s activities that can influence the individuals around. The leader starts by being mindful when in an administration position. Additionally, it means having a reasonable picture of the qualities and shortcomings, and it means acting with tranquility. Keeping a diary – diaries help one enhance the mindfulness. In the event that one uses a couple of minutes every day recording the contemplations, this can move one to a higher level of mindfulness. Ease off – when one encounter annoyance or other solid feelings, back-off to inspect why. Keep in mind; regardless of what the circumstances, one can simply pick on the response. The second trait is the regulation toward oneself. Pioneers who direct themselves viable seldom verbally assault others, settle on hurried or enthusiastic choices, generalization individuals, or bargain their qualities. Regulation toward oneself is about staying in control. It is the component of enthusiastic knowledge, as indicated by Jansen et al. (2014), additionally covers a pioneer’s adaptability and duty to individual responsibility (Jansen et al., 2014)

Leadership traits to increase competitive advantage

First is to communicate. In any association, information is force, and extraordinary pioneers guarantee that each representative, from the extremely top to the exceptionally bottom of the organization line, is furnished with complete and forward facts about the association’s objectives, execution, triumphs and disappointments. To accomplish this level of association, one ought to likewise give sufficient channels to two-path correspondence in the middle of management and supervisors, enthusiastically requesting their thoughts for development and remunerating workers for putting forward (Daft, 2014).

Secondly is to be an unequivocal. A standout amongst the most fundamental obligations of any pioneer is to decide. Profoundly powerful pioneers are not hesitant to be conclusive and to make extreme calls immediately when circumstances oblige. When one has the entire facts one have to settle on a well-informed choice, then don’t flatter -make it. Also, once one settles on a choice, then stay with it unless there is an especially convincing purpose behind to transform. Regardless of what kind of association or industry, it is conceivable to turn into a more successful pioneer, moving the people to give absolute best each day of the week. Make a state of honing these seven initiative characteristics, and one will be a profoundly successful leader.

Thirdly is to help and encourage the group. For individuals to do the absolute best work, they require a hierarchical environment that back the people by making it sheltered to go out on an extremity, to come clean, and to talk up … without being rebuffed for doing so. Help the members by making this sort nature’s domain, and it is going to encourage advancement to accomplishing the firm’s objectives and hence creating a competitive advantage (Landis, Hill, & Harvey, 2014).

References

Anik, L., Aknin, L. B., Norton, M. I., Dunn, E. W., & Quoidbach, J. (2013). Prosocial bonuses

increase employee satisfaction and team performance. PloS one, 8(9), e75509.

Daft, R. (2014). The leadership experience. Cengage Learning.

Landis, E. A., Hill, D., & Harvey, M. R. (2014). A Synthesis of Leadership Theories and

Styles. Journal of Management, 15(2), 97.

Jansen, C. A., Moosa, S. O., Van Niekerk, E. J., & Muller, H. (2014). Emotionally intelligent

learner leadership development: a case study. South African Journal of Education, 34(1), 1-16.

Taneja, S. (2014). Violence in the Workplace: A Strategic Crisis Management Issue. Journal of

Applied Business and Economics, 16(1), 33.

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American History from the Civil War to the Present

From 1946 to 1965 the United States was facing the effects of the Cold War. The war was considered one of their ways of life. The biggest effect of this was evident among the middle class individuals who were rising to be the social class popular. From 1945 to 1963, the births in the United States were almost 70 million babies. This was an increase as compared to the numbers between 1928 through 1944. With the experience from the war, the Americans were better than they were in the past. This could count to a party because of the economic boom that had swept the nation after the Second World War ended. This economic boon was led by changes in construction industry, automobile as well as defense industries. These economic changes lasted for only twenty-five years. All the above changes in American culture were attributed to the start of the cold war. In 1947, Harry Truman had been the president for United States for two years; however, as a Vice President under Franklin Roosevelt regime he has hid the President about foreign and military objectives (Brody, David, Lynn, and Susan 12).

 The united States Joined World war II with the resources they had at their disposal and came out with world power. When the war started, President Roosevelt developed the Neutrality acts, which kept United States out of war (Timothy 617). This was not until Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and United States decided to take part in the War and amalgamated the Allies. The Americans joined the War without military bases and world’s market to apply its will. The United States took control all the experience, resources, and power it gained in the Cold wars.

After defeating Japan, the United States took control of economic and political control in Asia. The United States took control of the empire in Europe and swapped it as the main powerhouse in Middles east where United States took control of major Oil reserves. The Americans developed the United Nations to increase its role and created the World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund). The Americans built empires in Europe out of ruins of Europe’s exiting colonies by backing regions doctorial leadership like that of The Shah of Iran and Mobutu in Zaire. This gave America advantage over other countries that also completed for the same resources and world market.

History states that conflicts that exists between nations cannot be avoided. Even the smallest countries in the world need military protection. However, few countries in the world have been involved in cross conflicts with other nations for more than fifty years and been in a battle with each other. The Russians and the American had been friend for more than a century, then on December 1917 when the communist took power, formed the Soviet Union, and announced a biological for the states in the west, at this time they started developing enmity with the United States. The United States did not recognize the Soviet Union until 1933. The two countries went into war in World War II hand in hand to fight the Germans as allies.

In 1944, the Soviet Union and the United States broke their long time alliance because they had two different political systems. The two countries had a very bad history, but the USSR moved to Europe the United States afforded not to overlook the country. One of the individuals that the two countries was grateful about was Winston Churchill after the he divided the line between Europe’s iron curtain and USSR satellite. The United states were aware that if the left the creeping Communism it would be worse in the future. The two nations completed for everything that appeared worth from how well their sportsmen performed on the Olympics as well as the size of their empires. The dangerous competition that both United States and the Soviet Union went into was the Arms Race. The made people to develop fear for possible war due to previous war experiences that started in such manner.

After several years of conflict, the United States knew that competition with the USSR would not be a solution to end of communism. President Truman came up with the Containment Policy; that stated that the Americans would help the people forced to become soviet satellite in Europe. The United States started this policy implementation with Turkey and Greece. In order to manage the plan, President Truman idea was funded with $400 million in aid. To date Greece and Turkey remain the states were Democracy started.

Just after the accomplishment of the Containment policy, the Americans once again reached another new plan; the Marshall Plan. In the plan, the United States helped countries who had not gained social, political, and economic wellbeing after the Cold War. The mission of the plan as instigated by marshal was to resuscitate a working economy in the World. This was considered as a solution to end the communism as the communist relied on countries that were unstable. The Americans spend more than $13 billion into the plan, but it was considered money well spent.

America was established more than 200 years ago and since then, it has grown into one of the most powerful nations in the world. Currently, the United States stands as the globe’s oldest country, and one among the countries seriously holding morals of its constitution. The concept that makes America where it is today is the state’s representation of the people by it leaders using its constitutional Law. It is not possible to identify the development of United States by not recognizing the Steps it has made to be where it is today. The US is one of the countries that have contributed extensively to Globalization. America’s development is attributed to several ideas driven with different individuals or groups, but there are three specific events that contributed to United States current expansion and growth. The well-established constitution and Jacksonian democratic engineered projects led to United States current development and Growth. In addition, the Gold rush and Success in the World Major Wars also played part.

Around forty year, the war between United States and Mexico erupted. The war was driven western expansion Idea. The conflict started when Mexico claimed that Texas was under their territory following the United States annexation (Mary 3). After several years of conflict, the treaty of Guadalupe awarded the United States with the victory with various other states under Mexico Possession. For a price of more than $15 million, the boundary between Mexico and Texas was marked by Rio Grande River while New Mexico and California was given to United States (America). This treaty expanded United States by more than 600,000 square miles. The treaty of Guadalupe and purchase of Louisiana indicated the capabilities of United States expansion of the American Western region or Expansion.

At last, the Gold Rush was a very vital time in the course of American history that brought both positive and negative conditions, also offered one of the greatest developmental achievements of the time. In fact, the period can be viewed as one of the most significant attributes of patent destiny by enticing more than a million people to America especially California in search for gold. The number of people in the city was a loud laugh for economical expectations of United States since some of the people who did not get gold remained in the country and invested what they had come with. James Marshall’s was the first person to discover Gold in Sutter’s Mill in 1848 in California, just after his discover, the word moved first about the rare element (Holden, Robert, and Eric 15). More people started flooding into California and precisely, San Francisco. After these discover racial diversity started as people from other parts of the world such as Europe, South America and Asia moved to the single State. The travels and demand assisted to develop and transform America’s economy. Communication was one of the ideal aspects in the economy of United States at that time hence books industries and the newspaper roared in manufacturing. The production of the print and audio media exceeded those of the prior competitors, leaving Francisco as the center for development and production for several years.

The America’s history of expansion and development is no doubt a step towards globalization of the country. The path that America has taken is more of a linear one. With the ideas and the manifestations of destiny that sparked the idea of western development and expansion, America engaged in all that acts fueled with desire to make a change from its old past. A combination of wars and treaties rewarded with more territories and land that it did not have before. As more people began to move to the west, the United States developed rapidly as compared to other countries or nations such as Canada. Additionally, the period of the Gold Rush brought people from the rest of the world to the United States and brought racial diversity. By the choices and decisions of many, the Americans made and positive history hence technological advancement and other impacts of globalization (Frederick 17).

Works Cited

Brody, David, Lynn Dumenil, and Susan Ware. America’s history. Worth Publishers, 1997.

Cotton, Timothy YC. “War and American Democracy Electoral Costs of the Last Five Wars.” Journal of Conflict Resolution 30.4 (1986): 616-635.

Dudziak, Mary L. Cold war civil rights: Race and the image of American democracy. Princeton University Press, 2011.

Holden, Robert H., and Eric Zolov. Latin America and the United States: A documentary history. Oxford Univ Pr, 2010.

Turner, Frederick Jackson. The frontier in American history. Courier Dover Publications, 2012.

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American Government and Politics

Introduction

Democracy is a conception that has undergone dynamic changes since historical times. Currently, it is defined by a fair and active representation of the public in governance. Political governance is a sensitive issue and needs to be accorded utmost attention in order to enhance sustainable living. Notably, there are various factors that are used to define a democratic mode of government. Besides equity, the constitution and mode of governance play an integral role in shaping democracy. Equally important is the role of the media that shapes the public and political opinions and perceptions. All these aspects interplay to form an intricate and augmenting relationship that defines the type of governance that a country adopt as well as the inherent level of democracy. It is against this background that this paper provides an explicit analysis of American government and politics in light of equity, human diversity, the constitution, model of democratic government and the role of the media in democratic governance.

Equality is in most instances is considered an important aspect of democracy and populations hold it in high regard. It can not be disputed that it is a multifaceted conception that is used in different circumstances to support a wide range of causes. From a political point of view, Janda, Berry, Goldman and Hula (2008) indicate that equality is defined by every citizen having a single vote and having all votes counted equally after the election process. However, this definition is compounded by economic concerns. In most instances, the public generally perceives the rich to have an upper hand with regards to politics than their poor counterparts. This is because of the fact that wealth gives the rich more influence and more often than not, their activities tend to be more pronounced than those of the poor. With respect to the social perspective, equality entails having the same potential with respect to wealth, status and education. Janda et al (2008) indicates that this is essential for attaining political equity. This can be attributed to the recognition that these factors are vital in empowering individual and according them the ability to influence a host of activities.

Social equality is also viewed in terms of providing each individual with equal opportunities as well as ensuring equal outcomes. Equality of opportunity implies that all segments of the population are given a similar chance to lead a successful life. Janda et al (2008) ascertains that this conception is a mainstream factor in American culture. In particular, the American constitution shuns nobility titles and wealth is not considered fundamental for holding any public office. In addition, important public institutions such as schools and libraries are often free to the entire public. A significant percentage of the population believes that social equality constitutes giving all people an equal opportunity to advance in life. Yet others liken true social equality to the concept of equality of outcome. This requires that all people are equal. The government in this regard is charged with the responsibility of designing policies that need to be employed in redistributing wealth as well as status. Ultimately, this contributes significantly to achieving social and economic equity. Equality of outcome is also connected to rights that are supported by the government and which the entire public is entitled. Notably, government participation in the later is much more than in the preceding conceptions. At this point, it can not be disputed that equality as a vital component of democracy is indeed a complex conception.

Currently, it cannot be disputed that the US population is increasingly becoming diverse in nature. The inherent diversity is apparent in light of age, education, gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, lifestyle and so forth. This implies that the personal attitudes, perceptions and value systems are also different because of the recognition that these are in most instanced greatly influenced by the preceding factors. The government is faced with the challenge of ensuring that all these all these factors are addressed accordingly and the rights of certain populations are not infringed upon. In order to attain this, there is dire need to customize the mode of governance in a bit to ensure that all the requirements of the diverse population are addressed by the constitution. Notably, a single mode of governance can not be able to address the multiple concerns in an effective manner. It is therefore imperatively important for the government to use different modes of governance whose respective strengths reconcile the weaknesses of others.

The majoritarian and pluralist forms of governance have been identified by Janda et al (2008) to be ideal. Specific attributes of each need to be integrated and tailored to strike a balance and coherence in governance. In particular, as much as the majoritarian rule needs to be employed in democratic governance by allowing people to participate in elections and governance through defined political parties and programs respectively, the pluralist mode of governance should also be used to ensure that the welfare of minority populations is safeguarded. This would enable the government to attain and be able to exercise utmost democracy.

During the fashioning of the US constitution, the framers advanced the principles of checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers and republicanism in their efforts to establish a distinct political order. Essentially, republicanism denotes a form of governance in which the vital power resides in the general public but is exercised by specific representatives that are elected by these people (Janda et al, 2008). This was desirable as it sought to eliminate aristocracy, direct democracy and monarchy that were disregarded by the framers.

The federalism principle postulated that the division of the given power between two institutions; regional units and central government. This makes the citizens that are governed by the particular law subject to two law bodies. Regardless of this, it is worth appreciating that the national government was given more power than the state governments. Nonetheless, the people are given ultimate sovereignty and have the power to restrain both the national and state governments. This is made possible through amendment of their governing charters and active participation in the process of election.

Regarding the principle of separation of powers, the function of law making, enforcement and interpretation is accorded separate government branches; the legislative, executive and judiciary respectively. Finally, checks and balances principle encompasses according each and every branch of government a certain ability to scrutinize as well as have control over all other branches. This was aimed at avoiding incidences of exclusive exercise of specific powers by any of the government branches. Notably, these principles were aimed at enhancing democracy and at the same time according the public ultimate sovereignty. In addition, these sought to strike a balance amongst the different governing bodies and prevent possible conflicts with regards to governance.

As aforementioned, the majoritarian and pluralist models of governance contribute differently to democracy. There assumptions with regard to the importance of public opinion in a democratic government have been identified to differ considerably. In particular, the majoritarian model indicates that the government needs to pursue measures that the public want. In this regard, it should be acknowledged that the public under this form of democracy has massive influence on the political decisions that are adopted by the government. However, pluralist democracy indicates that in most instances, the general public does not demonstrate clear and consistent issues while addressing daily and emergent issues of the government.

Moreover, pluralists are cognizant of the fact that different subgroups that constitute the public often express a wide range of opinions regarding specific matters vigorously. They therefore require that the relevant government institutions provide viable environments that can enable the minority segment of the population to express their opinions freely. In this consideration Janda et al (2007) maintains that democracy can only be attained when the personal and different opinions of various segments of the public conflict over government policy openly.

Although the majoritarian rule postulates that the government needs to address the public concerns, emergent research indicates that this seldom happens. Current trends show that unlike the public, political leaders have over time acquired the capacity to influence public thought. This contradicts the expectations of this policy because political leaders, as opposed to the public influence most of the policies that are enacted by the government. This trend can be attributed to the economic disparities as well as the influence of the media that make the politicians’ opinions popular than the opinions of the public. Thus from a practical point of view, this ideology has dismally failed to attain its goal. In contrast, it can not be disputed that the rise of powerful groups that represent varied views of minority populations has contributed significantly to a state of democracy. This is because the respective groups force the government to adopt the concerns of the populations that they represent through policy formulations. This conforms to the prepositions of the pluralist model and therefore ascertains that unlike the former the latter’s assumptions are correct because they are reflective of the public opinion.

With the recent technological advancements, it is certain that the media plays an integral role in informing the public about a wide range of issue. Statistical evidence indicates that this has had massive implications on public opinion on different social and political matters as well as the attitudes and values that the general public upholds. The media is instrumental in underscoring and evaluating the political agenda. According to Janda et al (2008), this constitutes diverse issues that are expected to be discussed and debated by the government officials. This directly influences the decision of the government in this regard once the issues have been brought to light. Further, the media has played a leading role in influencing the government to address varied scientific concerns. In particular, issues pertaining to AIDS, human cloning and global warming have been increasingly highlighted by the media.

Governments have been pressurized to address the inherent moral concerns in a timely manner. In this consideration, the media can be considered instrumental in enhancing and advocating for ethical moral values. These have been effective in molding the value system that the population ultimately assumes. Likewise, social concerns such as child abuse have also been commonly highlighted by the media. At this juncture, it can be ascertained that the media greatly influences public opinion and attitudes in different ways. It is also at the center stage with regards to influencing political decisions. However, it is worth noting that in some instances, the media has had a negative impact on the value system of the society. For instances, it has in some instances influenced the government to allocate resources in a faulty manner. This can be attributed to its undue emphasis on social aspects such as crime that do not contribute positively to development.

Conclusion

From the preceding analysis, it can be ascertained that democracy is a complex issue that comprises of various factors. Social, economic and political equity contribute significantly to sustainable growth. This is because of their ability to give citizens an equal footing in addressing diverse factors. Increasing diversity of the American society calls for a customized mode of government in order to effectively address the various concerns of specific populations. A viable constitution needs to draw upon different models in a bit to tailor the most ideal model of democratic governance. The constitution plays an instrumental role in meeting this goal. During its development the framers captured the republicanism, federalism, checks and balances and separation of powers principles in order to enhance equitable governance.

As it has come out from the study, the pluralist assumptions regarding public opinion in governance is correct as opposed to the majoritarian model’s assumptions that are impracticable and faulty. Finally, the media can be complemented for shaping public and political opinions as well as values in different ways. At this point, it can be concluded that components of democracy are not only multifaceted but they are also integrated and mutually reinforcing.

Janda, K., Jerry, B., Goldman, J. & Hula, K. (2008). The Challenge of Democracy: American Government in a Global World, Brief Edition. USA: Wadsworth Publishing.

Examining A Business Failure

Any lessons to be learnt by the rest of the world from the stout, market-oriented systems of the American corporate models were suddenly made redundant by a series of corporate misfortunes at WorldCom, Tyco International, Enron, and Adelphia Communications among others. The crumple of Enron was a major bankruptcy case study in the history of the United States. It resulted in the loss of life savings of its employees that amounted into billions of dollars worth of stocks. The federal indictments against the company’s executives were for complex but unethical financial schemes to swindle the company, along with its stakeholders, using off-the books transactions that made Enron to appear more profitable that the reality on the ground (Maak and Pless, 2006). Various organizational behavior theories can be used to explain the failure of Enron.

Enron was started in 1985 as a company dealing in natural gas by Kenneth Lay. The newly created company was a leader in the newly deregulated natural gas industry. The gas bank permitted manufacturers and outlets to hedge and trade gas supplies. With the leadership of Jeffrey Skilling, initially the Chief Financial Officer and later the CEO, the company invested in the energy sector worldwide. Enron progressively developed to become a leading trading entity in the energy industry. The company later ventured into coal, metal, plastic, paper, and electricity generation. With the advent of Enron Online, it entered the telecommunication industry through bandwidth provision.

Despite Enron’s reputation for performing better than its earnings expectations, its diversified market performance begun to suffer due to unseen catastrophes that included a public disgrace in India. CFO Andrew Fastow established numerous special purpose entities in order to maintain the appearance of continued growth despite the company’s shortcomings. Enormous amounts of losses running into billions of dollars were cloaked in financial arrangement that the company maintained with its partners. Faced by falling share prices, the company found itself unable to keep its losses secret which resulted in the fall of Enron, a long time energy giant (Maak and Pless, 2006).

The upheaval caused by its demise was incomparable to the consequences that would have resulted had the opposite happened. Had Enron been left to continue making huge profits through unethical means, by exploiting business opportunities that would leave adverse economic effects in their countries of operations, its shareholders interests would have been served but its monopolistic power would have left prices sky rocketing. Monopoly would have destabilized the critical energy sector along with most of the other crucial services that rely on energy. It would have created volatility in the industry and destabilized the efforts of maintaining normality and result in far reaching negative impact in people’s lives (Crane and Matten, 2007). What happened at Enron validates the agency theory which shows how managers with self-interest can siphon resources out of an organization, leaving misinformed shareholders with nothing from their had earned investments.

Economic theories that put emphasis on maintaining checks and balances on organizational management in order to solve problems facing an organization have been made even more relevant by Enron, where an uncontrolled management system efficiently escaped the scrutiny of the company’s auditors, the company board, financial regulators, and even the market itself. The demise of Enron can also be explained using the managerialist theory. Based on this theory, Enron was inexorably a result of a period in which all powerful chief financial officers, CEOs and executives endowed themselves stock-options whose astronomic value would have astounded even the medieval princes, were given virtually unlimited freedom provided they showed improved earnings. This was a time when money making was the most important thing and not the means of making it. Both professional and ethical commitment failed in this organization. Despite the presence of a professional code of ethics in Enron it was never put into practice.

According to the doctrines of stewardship theory, the ability and willingness of managers in balancing various company pursuits in the quest for organizational strategy would seem to have been challenged by the Enron scandal. The executives of Enron were irresponsible in that they failed to uphold their fiduciary and stewardship duties. This is a clear indication of how some of the modern day CEOs and other executives have ceased treating the decision making process as a moral exercise and management as a profession (Ciulla, 2004).

As shown above, failure of Enron has demonstrate that systematic failure of chairman, board of directors and CEO, as well as the basic failure in ethical and moral essentials of decision making of the organization accompanied with systematic manipulation of markets, deception of investors and exploitation of customers among others played a central role in the collapse of Enron. Hence, organizational culture, leadership, management and organizational structure had a share in the demise of Enron. The issue of business ethics is fundamentally inseparable from the operations of any organization regardless of its size or international reach and cannot be disregarded in favor of profits or unrealistic impressions of high performance.

References

Ciulla, J. B. (2004). Ethics, the heart of leadership. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Crane, A. & Matten, D. (2007). Business Ethics: managing corporate citizenship and

Sustainability in the age of globalization. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

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