Conventional Approaches To Strategic Management

Conventional Approaches To Strategic Management The aim of this essay is to critically analyse and evaluate the application, validity, limitations and uncertainties of the conventional approaches of strategic management in this rapidly changing business context. It briefly outlines strategic management as it is traditionally taught, studied and practised and how organisations determine what strategies are apt within various business environments. In keeping with the goal, the essay disputes the validity and applicability of the traditional approach in todays deconstructing situation where the opportunities and challenges make any kind of logical strategic planning fail. Through the arguments stated in this paper, a combination and a right mix of prescriptive and emergent approaches is essential and needs to be incorporated in the strategic management process for continuity. Thus conventional approaches with its pros and cons, still prevail in todays economic business context. In any business venture, strategy is a vital factor for the efficient functioning, growth, development, continuity and success of a firm. It aims to achieve a set goal and embarks a direction for the future. Organisations require collaboration, cautious planning and the mindful implementation of planning. To maximise the effectiveness of strategies and to ensure the smooth functioning and success of the business, they have to be managed skilfully. So what is strategy? What role does strategic management play in this global economic world? The word strategy has been implicitly used in various ways even if it has been conventionally defined in only one. It is widely accepted that there is no single or universal definition of strategy, however the various descriptions of strategy allows people to manoeuvre and manipulate through this difficult pitch. Mintzberg(1994) defines strategy in 5 different ways. Plan A consciously intended course of action to ensure objectives are achieved. Ploy Basically a subset of plan and is a trick intended to outsmart or overcome an opponent or a competitor. Pattern Series of action which involves consistent behaviour over time which may or may not be intended. Position Locating the organisation within a environment. Perspective It is conceptual as well as cultural and is concerned with how an organisation itself sees and perceives the business environment. The above 5 Ps may be applicable in vastly different areas and can also be interrelated. Johnson Scholes (2008) defines strategy as the direction and scope of an enterprise over the long term; which achieves advantage for the firm through arrangement of resources within a demanding environment, to meet the needs of the markets and accomplish the expectations of the stakeholders. The process of strategic management includes analysis of the internal and external environment, formation of strategy, implementation of strategy, and evaluation of strategy. The theory of strategic management is analysed within an integrated model of context, content and process. There are two approaches for organisational change: The Prescriptive Approach which works best in a stable environment and Emergent Approaches which is used in an unpredictable fashion. These approaches are the widely known strategic models and must be examined thoroughly within the context of the fast paced, highly competitive and increasingly dynamic business environment. The prescriptive approach, also known as deliberate strategy is a traditional approach to strategic management. It is a deterministic and systematic plan of action designed to achieve a specific goal for the long term. It is usually the responsibility of the top management to establish lucid strategic directions through analysis and evaluation and then implement them through the successive layers of the organisation. Porter(1996) states that competitive strategies are about an intended course of action of being different from the rivals and differentiating yourself in the eyes of customer by doing various unique activities which add value and by positioning yourself competitively in the environment. Porter maintains that deliberate strategies are intentional and planning ahead is important and should be formulated and articulated by leaders in a predictable and controlled environment to achieve the goals and objectives. Porter also states that trade-offs and operational effectiveness are an integral part for sustainability. Conversely, Mintzberg (1994), one of the biggest critics of prescriptive approach developed the emergent approach to strategic management. He states that in emergent strategies the final objective is unclear and it a process of evolution, adaption, alternation and continuity. Emergent strategies are more successful in this chaotic world as they are unintentional and are the result of impromptu response to unforeseen situations which emerge over time. For example, Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, decision to open his second store in a rural area rather than a big city, for convenience of logistics and management efficiency was a fantastic winning emergent strategy. Also as there was less competition and people would travel to buy products which offered value at the lowest prices, made the business successful. An emergent strategy increases flexibility in times of turbulence and allows the firm to respond to opportunities and make the most of the threats. Mintzberg argues that the emergent strategies are the result of constant learning, adjusting and experimentation of different variables. Many of the world discoveries have happened accidently and would not have taken place if it was dictated by formal planning of strategy. On a negative note, as the emergent strategy is not a systematic and linear process, formulation and implementation occur simultaneously which would lead to slow, messy and jumbled development. Brews and Hunt points out that overdependence on emergent strategy can lead to underperformance of the organisation. On the other hand, deliberate strategies are planned and put into action, however due to the unrealised and unpredictable changes in the business environment; most of the planned strategies are not implemented. SWOT gives an insight on the internal and external factors which are helpful and harmful for achievement of a specific objective of an organisation. PESTLE is an analysis of the macro environment in which the firm operates. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS points out the primary activities which are directly related to production of products (eg logistics, sales) and the secondary activities (eg Human Resource, technology) which are not directly involved in production, but are essential for the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. It defines the core competencies of the firm and its helps to figure out the competitive advantage over cost and its competitors by adding value to the various activities. PORTERS 5 FORCE framework is an simple but powerful tool to understand the context in which the firm operates and analyse the attractiveness and economic performance of an industry which would lead to more sustainable financial returns to the stakeholders. According to Porters bestselling book Competitive Advantage, the forces that influence the profitability of an industry in a business environment are the entry of new competitors, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers and the rivalry amongst existing competitors. The above four are important tools in the strategic management process. Porter states that strategic management is all about plotting a way through the mesh of threats and opportunities mounted by external competitive forces. The uncertainty, chaos and instability that characterise global market contest any kind of predictibilty, which is a requisite base of many a traditional process of strategic management (Pitts, 2000). Brown Eisenhardt (1998) states that traditional approaches to strategy often collapse in the face of rapidly and unpredictability changing industries. The technological advances have accelerated the process of communication and globalisation has expanded significantly. The shift and restructuring in government policies and the recent terrorist attacks have impacted companies. The challenges of formulation and implementation of strategies within a framework where global catastrophic events have an undulating effect on local market conditions, has been underestimated by management, according to researchers. Trends in the biophysical ecosystem has changed and threatened humans and other species in various geographic areas. Events such as the terrorist attack on the twin tower building in New York on September 11, 2001, or the Tsunami in Japan has an undermining effect on the global financial markets. The rational approach to strategic management which is a top down approach helps to resolve the complexities of a firm in its stable environment. It is considered as a logical and continuous process which involves defining the mission and setting long term objectives, systematic and exhaustive analysis of the competitive environment, creating and evaluating alternative strategies, implementing the various strategies and finally monitoring the performance. Ansoff(1965) states that it helps to organise complex activities and employ a greater control over various business units which leads to domination of marketplace. This approach is founded on the idea that firms are adapted to cope with changes in their environment by taking rational and comprehensive decisions (Chaffee, 1985). Due to incapacity of predicting the future, this approach is very linear and unrealistic and is based on the thinking and assumptions of the upper level management. In a complex and unstable environment the values and the role of mainstream strategies are still unclear and may lead to more complications rather than solutions. It may weaken the flexibility of the firm to cope with prospective changes taking place in its environment (Wally Baum, 1994). In Mintzberg(1994) opinion, rational methods of strategic management leads to inflexibility, encourages excess bureaucracy and confines creativity and spontaneity. On the contrary, Ansoff(1991)argues the fact that conventional strategies are much more effective than a trial and error process when it comes to collecting and analysing relevant data and aligning the firm with its internal and external environments. Porter(1996)maintains that mainstream strategies can cleverly play a vital role in determining a suitable strategic direction for the firm. It can significantly help companies to avoid expensive errors and survive and sustain in a highly competitive environment (Aram Cowan, 1990). Adopting the conventional strategic approach, would help in ensuring a systematic assessment of numerous plausible options, encouraging creative thinking and ideas, enhancing internal interactions and communications, increasing motivation and commitment of staff, identifying pertinent opportunities, ensuring coordination of organisational activities and anticipating potential change. The size of a firm is a factor of high importance when it comes to adopting strategies. Often, strategic planning and management is considered a major tool for large enterprises. Due to its complexity, a comprehensive strategy is needed, as compared to, small and medium sized firms. In (Mintzberg, 1994)opinion, smaller firms operates in less complex environments and their internal operations and procedures are manageable by a smaller hierarchy, hence they abandon the formal strategy process. Smaller businesses would do well if they adopt emergent strategies especially in turbulent periods. The conventional strategies are based on a sole quantitative purpose and are very cold and give little or practically no consideration to human factor (Muchinsky, 2000). It fails to utilise people as the competitive advantage of the firm. Due to the traditional approaches to strategy, many organisations fail to realise the potential of their people, inspite of the rhetoric claim that people are the firms real strategic asset (Gratton,2000). Truss(1999) argues that a healthy organisation can be formed by incorporating humanistic principles and by aligning strategic human resource management with the rational conceptualisation of strategies, thereby evoking behaviours necessary to individual growth and effectiveness of the organisation. Along with the Human Resource of a firm, leaders too play a central role in achieving people based competitive advantage in modern organisations. The conventional approaches to leadership either is transactional reward the employee in exchange of desir able results or contingent identify leaders based on the circumstances of the firm and execution of specific strategies(Landrum, Howell Paris, 2000). Eisenbach, Watson Pillai(2000) states that these approaches are insufficient and advocates transformational leadership as the apt approach. Guest Schepers,( 1997, p 37) considers a transformational leader as a person who brings about change by formulation of a vision for the future and means of realising this mission by communication and necessary action. A leaders vision should also consider the essential interests of the key stakeholders of the organisation along with the employees needs such as growth and motivation (Ford Ford,1994). Beugre(2006) states that a transformational leader should exhibit individualised attention, positivity, encourage logical thinking and inspire the followers for team unity. Steve Jobs of Apple and Bill Gates of Microsoft are classic examples of transformational leaders who have achieved momentous s uccess with a articulate vision which have persuaded their followers (Giladi, 2000). Participation of share holders in formulation of strategies is crucial. Freeman (1984) defines stakeholders as any individual or group who can affect or is affected by the achievement of an organisations objective. It is intended to explain and guide the structure and operation of the established organisation. Many traditional strategy tools have ignored some shareholders, sidelined others and constantly traded off the interests of others against preferred shareholder group. This approach may be suitable in stable environments. However, in a dynamic, volatile and fast changing business world, the limitation of this approach becomes increasingly evident. Integration of shareholder interests into the very rationale of the firm and exploring, managing and balancing relationship with shareholders must be managed in a lucid and strategic fashion to ensure long term success of the firm. Incorporating value based management system, understanding morality and ethics play a significant role i n the enhanced performance and profitability of the firm in the long run. Ansoff(1965) contrasts that stakeholders might be a barrier on the objective and actions of the enterprise and might constraint the development of the firm. With the advent of the 21st century and the emergence of digitisation, globalisation and new technology traditional strategic tools like value chain analysis, Porters 5 forces, have become less useful. In todays varied business world, there is a need for strategists to develop more comprehensive and reasonable measures for better performance and must consider a wider array of industry organisations, bases of competitive advantage and higher level of complexity and uncertainty. As the industry conditions progresses or changes, strategies should also evolve. Scenario Analysis differs from the traditional approach and is a contemporary approach to strategic management which analyses the possible future events by taking into consideration alternative plausible outcomes that the future may unfold. It is not about predicting or projecting the future but a means of learning and improving our understanding of the long term global effects of the current trends and their interrelation considering the uncertainties and volatilities in the business context; which helps a company to make flexible long term plans. The traditional approaches rely on the notion that the future will be very similar to the past and present and works in a relatively stable environment, however scenarios help managers to prepare for the future and improve their decision making ability by stimulating out of the box thinking. The well known example of this methodology would be of Royal Dutch Shell, who by implementation of scenario planning was the only energy company to su rvive and sustain the oil price crisis in the 1970s. Scenario techniques if combined with other approaches can In summary, the traditional approaches to strategic management provide a structured and orderly approach to decision making in the strategic making process. These approaches still constitute a basic indispensable and feasible framework; however it is not sufficient alone for the profitability of a firm. Contemporary strategic approaches should be incorporated in the base model to make it more entrepreneurial and adaptable. Though the dynamic approaches can prevent control over action and may jeopardise a lack of direction, it considers the uncertainty of the future and emphasises on the flexibility of reaction to enhance the functionality of the organisation in this fast growing, turbulent and uncertain world. In essence there is no one size fits all or best approach to strategy. The organisations should adapt and align the conventional strategies such as internal and external analysis with the real time techniques to ensure continuity and facilitate organisational and individual lea rning. The management should seek the best way of combination, customisation and balance of elements from both the approaches for survival and sustainability in this tumultuous world. Rather than using the approaches individually and in isolation, they should complement each other in order to handle the intricacies of the business and still succeed over the changing conditions.

Family Values, Personal Values Essay -- Ethnicity Culture Families Val

Family Values and Unity There are so many various types of people with different ethnic backgrounds, culture and manner of living that are the cause of distinct values in a family. These families have poor, mediocre or virtuous family values, however what one may consider as a mediocre family value may seem poor to someone else and vice-versa. These family values differ from family to family world-wide. The most significant values are family unity, honesty and education. Family unity, is a family being together in blissful harmony on holidays. Family unity is regardless how bad a situation may be it will bring us closer together and make our bond stronger. Family unity is my family watching me grow from infancy to adulthood, guiding me with good values. Family unity is communicating with each other. Unfortunately, my parents were seldom around during my childhood stages. Therefore they were rarely home to guide me through good family values. Now that I am an adult my parents are persistent to spend time with me and teach me values not taught to me when I was a child. I believe it's like teaching an old dog new tricks. A child needs direction from the childhood up to adulthood not the reverse. I recall coming home from school to an empty house. My parents were working to provide us with a home, things we needed and wanted. Regardless, as a child a family was just as important. A popular soul singer, Luther Vandross, sang a song whose lyrics expla...

General Theory of Relativity Essay

The universe consists of many fascinating objects. Unfortunately, some of which cannot be known with just the naked eye. This is because it cannot be seen from Earth, and other technological advancements are needed to fully determine its nature. This is also the reason why several people have acquired false notions of what those objects are. One of those objects is the black hole. Science fiction films and and television shows have given the public a different view of black holes (Lochner 2006), poles apart from what they really are. This research paper seeks to discuss the definition and characteristics of black holes. Before the characteristics of a black hole can be discussed, it is first necessary to define what it is. An introduction is in order. So what is black hole? According to Lochner (2006), it is the â€Å"evolutionary end point of massive stars (p. 2). † There are stars which has sizes much bigger than that of the Sun. In fact, some of them are â€Å"at least 10 to 15 times as massive as the Sun (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † When a star of this size sustains a supernova explosion, it leaves behind some stellar residue. Since in space there are no other forces to fight gravity, the residue will crumble unto itself. Lochner (2006) narrates, â€Å"The star eventually collapses to the point of zero volume and infinite density, creating what is known as a ‘singularity’ (p. 2). † Eventually, density will increase; the light rays which is diffused by the star will then be encircling the star. â€Å"Any emitted photons are trapped into an orbit by the intense gravitational field; they will never leave it (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † The moment the star reaches the point of no density, all the light is trapped. Hence, it is called the black hole. The phrase ‘black hole’ was coined by John Archibald Wheeler (Bunn, 1995). Prior to that, the objects were called frozen stars (Bunn, 1995). Even in the time of Isaac Newton, the existence of objects as such has been thought of. Now it is more accurately explained using Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. This is â€Å"a geometric theory of gravitation, which incorporates and extends the theory of special relativity to accelerated frames of reference and introducing the principle that gravitational and inertial forces are equivalent (Lochner, 2006, p. 1). † This theory then explains the possibility for such occurrences like bent light caused by massive objects and the very nature of black holes. Such theory enables the event wherein â€Å"space and time become so warped that time practically stops in the vicinity of a black hole (Lochner, 2006, p. 1). † Black holes are identified to have an estimated mass of 4-15 Suns. Since black holes are formed after the death of a star, or supernova explosions, these explosions in turn have after-effects. These effects give way to X-ray binaries which is referred to as black hole candidates (Lochner, 2006, p. 1). Moreover, there exists galaxy-mass black holes. These massive black holes are usually placed in Active Galactic Nuclei, or AGN. AGN is a â€Å"class of galaxies which spew massive amounts of energy from their centers, far more than ordinary galaxies (Lochner, 2006, p. 1). † The black holes in question are said to have a mass of 10-100 billion Suns (Lochner, 2006, p. 1), a testament to how enormous they really are. The mass of one of these enormous black holes was recently determined by radio astronomy (Lochner, 2006, p. 1). The black hole has been portrayed by pop culture as one which sucks objects in; Lochner (2006) refers to the black hole’s inaccurate depiction as â€Å"a cosmic vacuum cleaner (p. 2). † He notes, â€Å"If our Sun was suddenly replaced with a black hole of the same mass, the earth’s orbit around the Sun would be unchanged†¦ Of course the Earth’s temperature would change, and there would be no solar wind or solar magnetic storms affecting us (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † This is because a black hole can â€Å"exert the same force on something far away from it as any other object of the same mass would (Lochner, 2006, p. 1). † If in any instance, an object gets â€Å"sucked† into the hole, that very same object will pass through what is called â€Å"Schwarzschild radius (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † â€Å"This is the radius r of the event horizon for a Schwarzschild black hole (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † In the Schwarzschild radius, the escape speed and light speed is equal. Therefore, in the instance that light passes through, the light would not be able to escape. Say for example, a black hole with the same mass as the Sun, takes its place. Then the radius will still be different. The Sun’s radius is estimated at 700,000 km, while the Schwarzschild radius is only 3km (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). This would entail that the Earth must be of closer proximity to get sucked in a black hole in the center of our solar system. From where we are it is impossible to see the black holes. How do we then determine their existence? Since black holes are merely massive star remains, it would mean that they are of a small size. Also, because all the light gets trapped into itself, it would be impossible to see. Nonetheless, there are instances wherein a black hole can make itself perceivable. According to Lochner (2006), â€Å"if a black hole passes through a cloud of interstellar matter, or is close to another â€Å"normal† star, the black hole can accrete matter into itself. As the matter falls or is pulled towards the black hole, it gains kinetic energy, heats up and is squeezed by tidal forces. The heating ionizes the atoms and when the atoms reach a few million degrees Kelvin, they emit X-rays. The X-rays are sent off into space before the matter crosses the Schwarzschild radius and crashes into the singularity. Thus we can see this X-ray emission (p. 1). † Thus, black holes are dependent on other stars to make its presence known. The very same X-rays are also determinants of â€Å"black hole candidates (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † It was said that a â€Å"companion star is a perfect source of infalling material for a black hole (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † Because the X-ray sources are binary, a binary system is also enforced. This system makes the computation of the black hole candidate’s mass possible. The moment the mass is calculated, it can be deduced whether the said candidate is a black hole or a neuron star. What is a neuron star? It is â€Å"the imploded core of a massive star produced by a supernova explosion (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † Now these neuron stars are characterized by masses which are estimated to be 1. 5 times more than the sun. Moreover, if there exists random variation of emitted X-rays, this is also a signifier of a black hole’s presence. Lochner (2006) states, â€Å"The infalling matter that emits X-rays does not fall into the black hole at a steady rate, but rather more sporadically, which causes an observable variation in X-ray intensity(p. 2). † In addition, â€Å"if the X-ray source is in a binary system, the X-rays will be periodically cut off as the source is eclipsed by the companion star (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † All these characteristics are considered in identifying possible black hole candidates. For further identification, there are X-ray satellites which examines the skies for X-ray sources that may point out black hole candidates. For the longest time, there has been an identified black hole candidate in the name of Cygnus X-1 (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). â€Å"It is a highly variable and irregular source with X-ray emission that flickers in hundredths of a second (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † When one exhibits such an irregularity, it becomes a black hole candidate. How? It is because it is impossible for an object â€Å"to flicker faster than the time required for light to travel across the object (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † Lochner (2006) highlights this fact: â€Å"In a hundredth of a second, light travels 3000 kilometers. This is one fourth of Earth’s diameter (p. 2)! † From this, it can be concluded that the region from which the x-rays surrounding Cygnus X-1 are derived, is relatively small. Now Cygnus X-1 has a companion star with the name HDE 226868. This companion star is â€Å"a B0 supergiant with a surface temperature of about 31,000 K (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † Now observations found that the spectral lines of HDE 226868, which is the â€Å"light given off at a specific frequency by an atom or molecule (Lochner, 2006, p. 2),† had been changing within 5. 6 days. It was also said that the mass of HDE 226868 is estimated to be 30 times greater than the Sun’s mass. This would mean that Cygnus X-1may possess at least a mass of 7 solar masses. Why 7 solar masses? This is what is required to create the tremendous gravitational pull that would result in the fluctuation in the spectral lines of HDE 226868. Astronomers thought that since 7 masses does not characterize a neuron star or a white dwarf, which is a star that has exhausted most or all of its nuclear fuel and has collapsed to a very small size, it must then be a black hole. However, this issue about Cygnus X-1being a black hole has also been surrounded by much skepticism. There is some speculation that the HDE 226868 may be too small for its spectral category, which in turn implies that Cygnus X-1is smaller than was previously declared. Moreover, uncertainty also shrouds the the mass calculations. It is because â€Å"uncertainties in the distance to the binary system would also influence mass calculations (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † If the computations are inaccurate, the Cygnus X-1may end up only having 3 solar masses. If Cygnus X-1 has only 3 solar masses, it could be classified as merely being a neuron star, and not a black hole. The good news is that there are more binaries which reveal the possibility of a black hole, that which is much stronger than in Cygnus X-1 (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). In the year 1975, an X-ray transient known as A0620-00 was discovered. In the mid-80s, it was found that the mass of this object was more than 3. 5 solar masses. This fact alone eradicates the possibility of a neuron star, since neuron stars usually possess solar masses of 1. 5. In fact, the discovery of A0620-00 may have put into question the feasibility of other theories. Nonetheless, the best finding regarding black holes is V404 Cygni. This star was found to have an estimated 10 solar masses. Several journals have also written about the existence of black holes. In the 1995 edition of â€Å"Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics,†there was a review conducted by Kormendy and Richstone, which implied the eight galaxies were thought to have â€Å"massive dark objects in their centers (Bunn, 1995, p. 1). † These cores were found to have masses which range from 1 million to several billion times that of the sun. Their massiveness was determined by noting how â€Å"the speed with which stars and gas orbit around the center of the galaxy: the faster the orbital speeds, the stronger the gravitational force required to hold the stars and gas in their orbits (Bunn, 1995, p. 1). † In fact, this is how astronomy usually measures masses. There are two reasons why these massive galactic centers were deemed as black holes. To begin with, the centers are â€Å"too dense and dark (Bunn, 1995, p. 1)† to even be considered as a group of stars, or just merely stars. â€Å"Second, the only promising theory to explain the enigmatic objects known as quasars and active galaxies postulates that such galaxies have supermassive black holes at their cores (Bunn, 1995, p. 1). † Even though these reasons point out that the galactic centers are really black holes, there is no sufficient evidence to prove it. Nonetheless, there is a continuous discovery for proofs that systems do include black holes. According to Bunn (1995), â€Å"a nearby active galaxy was found to have a â€Å"water maser† system (a very powerful source of microwave radiation) near its nucleus. Using the technique of very-long-baseline interferometry, a group of researchers was able to map the velocity distribution of the gas with very fine resolution (p. 1). † They also determined that the velocity was â€Å"less than half a light-year of the center of the galaxy (Bunn, 1995, p. 1). † It is from this fact that they deemed the object as a black hole, simply because only a black hole can have that much mass concentrated in such a small volume (Bunn, 1995, p. 1). All these results are included in January 12, 1995 issue of Nature, vol. 373. , as was reported by Miyoshi et al (Bunn, 1995, p. 1). Is there a possibility that the Sun can be a black hole? No. According to Bunn (1995), â€Å"only stars that weigh considerably more than the Sun end their lives as black holes (p. 1). † For about five billion years, the Sun will remain in its present state. After that, the Sun will undergo a phase wherein it will be a red giant star. The Sun will then end its life as a white dwarf star. If there are black holes, are there white ones? According to Bunn (1995), â€Å"the equations of general relativity have an interesting mathematical property: they are symmetric in time. That means that you can take any solution to the equations and imagine that time flows backwards rather than forwards, and you’ll get another valid solution to the equations. If you apply this rule to the solution that describes black holes, you get an object known as a white hole (p. 1). † If a black hole then pulls objects in, a white hole would then push things out. The former sucks in, the latter spits out. However, there is no proof that white holes exist, and there are no studies to point out if their existence is a possibility. There has also been speculations about the existence of what is called worm holes. What is a worm hole? It is â€Å"a theoretical opening in space-time that one could use to travel to far away places very quickly (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † It is characterized by â€Å"two copies of the black hole geometry connected by a throat – the throat, or passageway, is called an Einstein-Rosen bridge (Lochner, 2006, p. 2). † As is indicated in the definition, it is merely theoretical. There is no scientific basis nor experimental evidence for such existence. However, it is indeed amazing to think that such existence is possible. Do black holes disappear or evaporate? Even astronomers are not sure as to how black holes end their existence. Bunn (1995) notes that â€Å"Back in the 1970’s, Stephen Hawking came up with theoretical arguments showing that black holes are not really entirely black: due to quantum-mechanical effects, they emit radiation. The energy that produces the radiation comes from the mass of the black hole. Consequently, the black hole gradually shrinks. It turns out that the rate of radiation increases as the mass decreases, so the black hole continues to radiate more and more intensely and to shrink more and more rapidly until it presumably vanishes entirely (p. 1)† This is a mere theory. There have been no proof or scientific conclusions as to how black holes really diminish. Black holes are just one of the many things included in the vast universe we are a part of. Thanks to science and the technological advancements at present, we can have greater awareness and knowledge of what is within our universe but beyond our reach. References Bunn, T. (1995). Black Hole FAQ List. Retrieved December 13, 2007, from http://cosmology. berkeley. edu/Education/BHfaq. html. Lochner, J. (2007). Black Holes. Retrieved December 13, 2007, from http://imagine. gsfc. nasa. gov/docs/science/know_l2/black_holes. html.

Motivation Essay - 1262 Words

Motivational Needs and Processes What is motivation? ‘Motivation’ is derived from the Latin term ‘movere’ that means ‘to move’. Thus, motivation is a process that starts with a physiological or psychological deficiency or need that activates a behaviour or a drive that is aimed at a goal or incentive (Luthans). Broadly speaking, motivation is willingness to exert high levels of efforts towards organizational goals, conditioned by the efforts’ ability to satisfy some individual needs (Robbins). Need means some internal state that make certain outcomes appear attractive. An unsatisfied need creates tension that stimulates drives within the individual. These drives generate a search behaviour to find particular goals, that if attained,†¦show more content†¦According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are distinctly different from those that lead to job-dissatisfaction. Therefore, the managers who seek to eliminate factors that create job-dissatisfaction can bring abo ut peace at the workplace but cannot motivate the employees. These factors are termed as hygiene factors comprising administration, supervision, working conditions, salary and wages etc. While absence of hygiene factors will lead to dissatisfaction, mere presence of these factors will not satisfy (i.e. motivate) the employees. In order to motivate the employees, managers must resort to ‘motivators’ (those factors that motivate the employees towards better performance) such as recognition, challenging assignment, responsibility, opportunities for growth and self-fulfillment etc. ERG Theory Clayton Alderfer proposed the ERG theory of motivation. According to Alderfer, there are three groups of core needs: Existence (basic material existence, safety needs); Relatedness (social and self-esteem needs); and Growth: an intrinsic desire to grow and self-fulfillment. Contrary to Maslow’s theory, he proposed that more than one need may be operative at the same time and if theShow MoreRelatedMotivation : Motivation And Motivation1216 Words   |  5 PagesOverall, motivation is, â€Å"the general desire or willingness of someone to do something† (Oxford Dictionaries). For me, motivation plays a significant role in accomplishing goals, working harder, and being successful. Internal and external forces also have a powerful impact on my motivation. I discovered that my motivation stems from both internal and external forces equally. However, sometimes motivation is lacking when doing something unpleasant or undesirable, such as writing an essay. ThankfullyRead MoreMot ivation : Motivation And Motivation1341 Words   |  6 PagesMotivation Motivation is, according to the text, â€Å"A set of energetic forces that originate within and outside an employee that initiates work-related effort and determines its direction, intensity and persistence.† (Colquitt) When one hears the word â€Å"motivation†, one automatically thinks of an individual’s reasoning behind a certain task or performance. In terms of job motivation, it is what pushes or encourages a person to not only perform the work tasks, but to also be successful in the positionRead MoreMotivation : Motivation And Motivation Essay1070 Words   |  5 Pages4) Motivation Motivation is an important concept in modern psychology. It is not possible to understand, explain or predict human behavior without some knowledge of motivation. Motivation is the effective methods that relate to an individual s intensity, route and determination of effort towards the achievement of goals. Motivation is the process of producing and maintaining goal-directed behavior. Motivation is a psychological process through which unsatisfied wants or needs leads to drivesRead MoreMotivation : Motivation And Motivation1048 Words   |  5 Pages Motivation to work Jesus Guzman Psych 301 One topic of I-O Psychology that I found most interesting is motivation to work. The exploration of what it takes to push someone forward to follow certain company standards or rules and fulfilling a responsibility of behaving a certain way to help it succeed. I specifically want to explore the relationship between rewards and motivation. A few studies caught my attention; one was an exploration of a relationship between money attitudes and Maslow’s hierarchyRead MoreMotivation : Motivation And Motivation2425 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction Motivation is the number one driving force behind anything and everything an individual does each day. â€Å"Motivation is the desire to do the best possible job or to exert the maximum effort to perform an assigned task. Motivation energizes, directs, and sustains human behavior directed towards a goal.† (Honor, 2009). Motivation can determine the outcome of projects, goals, and can set limits on what an individual can obtain or what they believe they can obtain. Motivation often is theRead MoreMotivation, Motivation And Intrinsic Motivation951 Words   |  4 Pagesresearching on how motivation works in our brain, we cannot make a conclusion about the truth of the motivation in the past century. Luckily, Daniel Pink announces his latest results, â€Å"The Puzzle of Motivation†, on TED in 2009, which gives us a brand new idea about our motivation and how we could improve us by learning his method. In this essay, I will illustrates the main point of Daniel Pink, the ev idence given in his speech, also the benefits I get from his idea which increase my self-motivation and helpsRead MoreMotivation Theory : Motivation And Motivation846 Words   |  4 PagesProfessor Jones Psychology April 28 2016 Motivation Theories Having motivation to do something is very important. Motivation plays a huge roll in everyone’s life, even If someone has very little motivation. There are several types of motivation such as Instinct and drive motivation. These two motivations are quite similar, but different at the same time. I will compare and contrast both of these types of motivation and what I think about them. These motivations are very important to your life and canRead MoreMotivation, Motivation And Intrinsic Motivation1629 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction There are certain theories that works in the business organization at both practical and theoretical levels and one of such theories is motivation. The term motivation has been defined, discussed and has been dealt with a number of times as in accordance with the changing dynamics of the business organizations. Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci defines a person to be motivated if, a person is moved to do something. (2000). Thereby it simply means that the one who is not energized orRead MoreMotivation Theories Of Motivation And Motivation Essay1020 Words   |  5 Pages Overview of Presentation What is motivation? Cognitive theories of Motivation Forms of Motivation Motivation Theories Profile of Motivational Problems How to Motivate Students What is Motivation? Many different theorists have tried to define what is meant by motiviation. Urdan and Schoenfelder (2006) defined Motivation as follows: â€Å"Motivation is a complex part of human psychology and behavior that influences how individuals choose to invest their time, how much energy they exert in any givenRead MoreMotivation Theories And Motivation Of Employee Motivation Essay1517 Words   |  7 Pagescontrol and some that are not. Employee motivation is something that can directly affect an organizations production. It is no secret that un-motivated employees equates to un-productive workers, but how can we combat this? In order to better understand this concept we will look at the definition of employee motivation, some of the motivation theories and some motivation techniques that could be useful in our organizations. What is employee motivation? Motivation is a word used quite often in many different