Strategic Analysis Corporate Strategy - 1782 Words

Strategic Analysis Corporate Strategy Garmin follows a first mover, differentiation strategy. Through heavy investment in research and development they are able to develop new products that users perceive as more valuable and are willing to pay a premium for. The first mover aspect is most easily observed in their aviation division where they have received numerous awards as well as FAA certifications for being the first to market with new and innovative products (Feather, 2010). Garmin has been able to develop a high quality product while still striking a balance with costs, for their products priced only slightly higher than their competitors. They have been able to achieve this in two ways, heavy investment in RD and acquisitions that have vertically integrated value chain operations. This has allowed the firm to not only be the first to market with new products, but also be able to design manufacturing processes that allows the company to adapt and be dynamic. Garmin uses multi-disciplinary teams including industrial designers, various engineers as well as members from manufacturing operations to develop products allowing them to quickly move from concept to manufacturing. The company has also used a series of acquisitions to vertically integrate itself creating a supply chain that has given it a competitive advantage. Garmin believes manufacturing operation in Shijr, Jhongli and LinKou, Taiwan, Salem, Oregon and Olathe, Kansas is one of its core compete ncies. VerticalShow MoreRelatedStrategic Analysis and Strategic Management900 Words   |  4 Pages Explain why strategic analysis is necessary in the process of developing an appropriate strategy. Identify tools that are available to examine the external environment and discuss how and why they are used. Introduction Strategy is a high level plan in which to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty. It is very important because resources available to achieve these goals are usually limited. Strategy is often the difference between mediocrityRead MoreMng301 Strategic Management Possible Questions1462 Words   |  6 PagesUNISA Strategic Management Workshop Knowing the answers to all of these questions (seventy-six in total) will guarantee you outstanding marks in the final examination as they represent the Strategic Management course (up to chapter six) in its entirety. Therefore virtually every question that can be associated with the course material thus far has been covered. Please therefore answer all of them in your own time in order to prepare yourself for the pending examination. Once you have done soRead MoreDescribe The Strategic Management Process1200 Words   |  5 PagesDescribe the strategic management process. What does it mean to manage strategically? Answer: Strategic management method is that the full set of commitments, decisions, and actions that are needed by the organization that helps the organization to attain strategic fight and earn above-average returns. the primary step of the strategic management method is to analyse the external setting and internal organization to work out its resources, capabilities, and core competencies—the sources of its â€Å"strategicRead MoreBusiness Strategy-Kfc Company Overview 11080 Words   |  5 Pagesback to 1930. The company adopted the abbreviated form of its name in 1991.[3]  Starting in April 2007, the company began using its original name, Kentucky Fried Chicken, for its signage, packaging and advertisements in the U.S. as part of a new corporate re-branding program;[4][5]  newer and remodeled restaurants will have the new logo and name while older stores will continue to use the 1980s signage. Additionally, Yum! continues to use the abbreviated name freely in its advertising. 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Tyge Payne, PhD 1 Strategic Management Strategy: The unifying theme that gives coherence and direction to the decisions of an organization Strategic Management: Consisting of the analysis, decisions, and actions an organization undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantages. Or, the Strategic Management Process is: The full set of commitments, decisions, and actions required for a firm to create value and earn aboveaverageRead MoreStrategy without action is only a daydream, but action without strategy is a nightmare Discuss the benefits of formal corporate planning in directing organisational action1588 Words   |  7 PagesIS STRATEGIC CORPORATE PLANNING RELEVANT IN THE 21ST CENTURY? This essay will discuss the benefits of corporate strategic planning. Firstly, we will look at what strategy is, and why strategic planning is important to an organisation. Secondly, what types of strategic models are used for planning, and finally given that organisations are increasingly complex and market dynamics are constantly changing is there a need for strategic corporate planning in the 21st century. It is hard to get a properRead MoreMarketing Strategy : The View From A Different Looking Glass1450 Words   |  6 PagesMarketing s Contribution to Strategy: The View from a Different Looking Glass Submitted by - Shonit Mittal Introduction The case, â€Å"Marketing s Contribution to Strategy: The View from a Different Looking Glass†, by Dr. P Rajan Varadarajan, discusses the growing influence of marketing in the strategic decision making of the organization. The author cites numerous instances from the field of marketing where one can observe how the marketing is guiding the strategy of the companies like de-conglomerationRead MoreStrategic Marketing : Business World, Tourism And Hospitality Industry Essay1379 Words   |  6 Pagesconducted to deal with the present condition of Great Yarmouth as a tourist destination through the analysis with strategic marketing, planning process, environmental analysis and recommended some strategic options for Great Yarmouth for achieving a sustainable source of competitive advantage. Task 1: The key fundamentals of strategic marketing Strategic marketing: The ultimate goal of strategic marketing is achieving a distinctive position (i.e. above average performance) that can give it a sustainableRead MoreCsr And Its Two Streams818 Words   |  4 Pagesstructure. He then started the lecture which was on the strategic management. 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What Are Al-Qaedas Main Tactics and Techniques free essay sample

The al-Qaeda of today is a vastly different entity from the al-Qaeda formed by Osama bin Laden towards the end of the Afghan war against the Soviets in 1988 (Alexander and Swetnam, 2001: 37). The evolution, or as Burton (2006) has termed it â€Å"devolution†, of al-Qaeda, is partially linked to its terrorist acts, and, in particular, the counter-terrorist measures employed by governments to deal with them. This is most evident in reference to the single most expensive, in terms of life lost and economical impact, terrorist act in modern history, the destruction of the World Trade Centre, and the subsequent declaration of a â€Å"war on terror† by George Bush’s United States and its Allies. It is the actions in response to terrorist acts that has propagated these dynamic changes in the tactics and techniques used by al-Qaeda. This adaptation has seen the ideologies of al-Qaeda survive, despite constraints being placed on its operations. It has also ensured the continued jihad against the near enemy of apostate Islamic governments in the Middle East, and the far enemy of the United States and its Allies (Hoffman, 2004: 553) to further pursue its goal to establish a Caliphate muslim state governed by the Sharia (Alexander and Swetnam, 2001). We will write a custom essay sample on What Are Al-Qaedas Main Tactics and Techniques? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are many variations of the accounts as to how the al-Qaeda network was originally established. The common theme to all of these variations is that al-Qaeda was born out of Soviet-Afghan war, from the training camps set up in Afghanistan and Preshawar, Pakistan, by Osama bin Laden, and others, to combat the Soviet invaders. The original concept of ‘al-Qaeda’ (‘the base’) was a network used as a means of keeping track of mujahideen fighters passing through these camps and also a means of informing families of the fighters about their loved ones (Smith 2002: 35, Alexander and Swetnam, 2002: 4). At the end of the Soviet-Afghan war, some of the foreign mujahideen left Afghanistan to continue jihad with Islamic militant groups in their respective countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa (Martin, 2003: 232). The return of the foreign mujahideen fighters to their countries of origin contributed to the establishment of al-Qaeda as a global network, and helped sew the seeds of the pan-Islamic ideology (Gunaratna, 2002: 4). This ideology of pan-Islamic unity in fighting the common enemy of the unbelievers has set al-Qaeda apart from most other guerrilla and terrorist groups because it is not mono-ethnic, nor nationalist in nature (Gunaratna, 2002: 87). The ideologies of al-Qaeda take basis in the need for a united Islamic state that is governed by the strict Islamic laws of the Sharia. Muslim governments that do not conform to these laws are seen as apostate, corrupted by Western influence and must be overthrown. This includes the government of bin Laden’s home land, Saudi Arabia, which he has condemned for allowing the US to establish a base of operation during the Gulf War (Martin, 2003: 194). However, it is the US that is the major source of hatred for the al-Qaeda network for many reasons which include the suppression of Iraq, and the continued struggle between US backed Israel and Palestine and US links to the undemocratic Arab regimes. This is evident in the fatwa that he issued in February of 1998 (Simon and Benjamin, 2001: 8): The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies – civilian and military – is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy mosque from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. Bin Laden has also made statements to justify attacks on American civilians. In these statements he iterates that American civilians live in a morally corrupt society and that it should pay for the foreign policies of its democratically elected government (Blanchard, 2005: 7). This tactic of claiming that the government has the blood of its civilians on its hands due to its policies is one that has been commonly used by other terrorist organisations, such as the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) in Spain and the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) in Northern Ireland. Pre-9/11 operation of al-Qaeda followed an informal, loose, horizontal structure, which comprised of many terrorist organisations and cells, as well as a more formal vertical, hierarchical structure with Bin Laden the leader and below him the consultative council of the majlis al shura. The vertical leadership structure provides the direction and tactical support to the horizontal network of compartmentalised cells and terrorist organisations associated with al-Qaeda (Gunaratna 2002: 55). Directly below the majlis al shura are the four operational committees that were dedicated to military, finance, Islamic study, and media. In this way the al-Qaeda organisation operates in a way that is reflective of how a multinational corporation would be run (Smith, 2002: 34). Hoffman (2002) has further expanded on the notion of al-Qaeda as a multinational corporation, in which he names bin Laden as being the CEO that defines the specific goal and aims of the organisation and issues orders to the different committees and appointing members of the majlis al shura to oversee and ensure their implementation. Hoffman goes on further to break down the operational styles of al-Qaeda into four different levels: 1. The professional cadre, responsible for the atrocities of 9/11. This is made up of the highly trained, committed and professional members of al-Qaeda that are involved in only the most important, high value attacks, and are highly funded. 2. The amateurs are only modestly funded. Require acquisition of further funding by participants, and are given a broad range of targets. 3. The local walk-ins, comprise of groups of local Islamic groups that come up with a terrorist attack idea and then seek funding from al-Qaeda in order to carry them out. 4. Like-minded insurgents, guerrillas, and terrorists. This level consists of Islamic groups carrying out their own respective jihads that receive benefits from al-Qaeda, such as funds, training and sometimes central command directly from al-Qaeda. It is the fourth level of Hoffman’s operational styles that the horizontal structure of al-Qaeda with its multi-cellular structure fit into. The advantage of using a multi-cellular structure of loosely tied networks of local militants is that they can operate with the support of al-Qaeda, but cannot be easily traced directly back to it (Engels, 2001). This allows al-Qaeda to continue to function even when one of its cells is disrupted. Compartmentalised cells are unaware of the plans of other cells and therefore are unable divulge any useful information about them to governments. The financial backing of al-Qaeda had originally come from bin Laden and his enormous wealth. However, fund that are acquired by the network come from a large range of different sources. There is an emphasis on the acquisition of funds by through legitimate means and avoided trade in people smuggling and narcotics (Gunaratna, 2002: 67), a tactic that was adopted by the Taliban. It has been suggested that at one stage bin Laden controlled upwards of 80 companies, and owned most of the most profitable businesses in Sudan (Hoffman, 2003: 434). Al-Qaeda has also siphoned funds from Islamic charities, and non-government organisations (NGOs) for use in its terrorist networks (Gunaratna, 2002: 62). One technique that is exclusive to al-Qaeda is its use of the informal Islamic banking system of hawala. This provides a means for al-Qaeda to transfer funds around the world without raising much suspicion as most hawala operations are regulated an there are few transaction records kept (Comras, 2005: 8). The terrorist tactic that al-Qaeda has invested extensive time and effort in is the preparation of its members for martyrdom (Gunaratna, 2002: 91). Suicide attacks are not exclusively isolated to Islamic terrorism, but it is Islamic groups that have been the main perpetrators. Suicide attacks are an effective means of terrorism because they are able to inflict a maximal amount of losses and damage to the enemy, whilst only inflicting minimal, even singular, losses to the instigators. A further benefit is that there is no risk of the attacker being questioned and leaking information after the attack. The concept of martyrdom has meant that there are rarely any shortages of volunteers for suicide attacks. Martyrdom in the performance of jihad is encouraged, justified and even glorified by the Koran. Martyrs are promised to ascend directly to a glorious heaven, where, amongst other things, the services of 72 virgins will be waiting (Hoffman, 2002: 305). The glorification of martyrdom is reflected by bin Laden himself in a statement made in August of 1998, â€Å"I am fighting so I can die a martyr and go to heaven to meet God. Our fight is now against America. I regret having lived this long. I have nothing to lose. (Hoffman, 2003: 436). A statement of this nature, whilst it is more than likely a true reflection of bin Laden’s thoughts, is also a very smart public relations â€Å"stunt† that highlights the conviction and belief in the ideologies of the group by its leader, potentially leading to increase support, sympathisers and recruits to the network of jihadists. The emphasis on tighter security around the â€Å"highly valuable† terrorist targets of the West, such as military instillations, economic centres, and airports, has seen a shift in the types of places and buildings being targeted by suicide attacks. This was none more evident than in the 2003 Bali bombing at a popular nightclub in the Kuta district (Hoffman, 2003: 436). The al-Qaeda that has come to exist in the post 9/11 era is almost unrecognisable to the al-Qaeda pre-9/11. Experts in terrorism and international affairs, such as Peter Bergen, Karen Greenberg, Steven Simon, and Bruce Hoffman (2005), have all discussed al-Qaeda’s transformation from a once centralised entity with trans-national terrorist cells (Gunaratna, 2002), to that of a global movement. The removal from its base operations in Afghanistan, and the subsequent removal of some of its leadership have reduced the capability of al-Qaeda to physically participate in a campaign of jihad and as a result it has subsequently enhanced its ideological dissemination strategy. This has been referred to by Burton (2006) as the devolution of al-Qaeda, as it has â€Å"taken a back seat†, so to speak, in terms of operational activity. This effectively makes al-Qaeda harder to ablate, as it is harder to target ideologies than it is an organisation and its members (Stratfor, 2007). Central to this strategy of ideology dissemination is the emphasis on propaganda in all its forms and a reliance on modern technologies and the exploitation of globalisation and the media to do this. Al-Qaeda has used a multi-media approach to increase the global audience for its jihad by using the mini-cam, videotape, television and the internet as his weapons of choice (Hoffman, 2002:307). It has produced a professionally edited two hour training video, which has subsequently been converted to CD-ROM and DVD formats to further aide the spread of the message due to the ease in which it can be copied. The use of the internet has been rife for the spread of propaganda throughout the world (wide web). The al-Qaeda website, Al Neda,that continually resurfaces after being shutdown is another means in which al-Qaeda tries to increase the dissemination of anti-American message and its pan-Islamic ideologies. Still, the most powerful means in which al-Qaeda furthers its worldwide call for jihad is through the speeches given by bin Laden and al-Zawahiri, that are broadcast, first on the Middle East news network al-Jazeera, and later the mainstream media of the West. The propensity for al-Qaeda to attract new recruits for the continued Jihad against the enemies of Islam is a technique that sets it apart from many other terrorist groups. The call for a pan-Islamic uprising against the un-believers draws on the insecurities and sense of isolation that the dispora of umma feel around the world. This has already brought results for al-Qaeda with encouragement of independent â€Å"grassroots† jihadists to carry out terrorist attacks, such as the groups responsible for the attacks in London and Glasgow in 2007 (Stratfor, 2007), as well as its ability to inspire un-associated groups, such as the Singaporean terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (Hoffman, 2004: 550). To borrow the popular metaphor of Bruce Hoffman (2002: 313, 2003: 435, 2005: 9*), â€Å"al-Qaeda is like the archetypal shark in the water. It must constantly move forward to survive and indeed succeed. † This metaphor could be considered to be overused by Hoffman, but it is so because it fits so well with the techniques that al-Qaeda employs in their acts of terrorism. Al-Qaeda changes, adjusts and adapts its tactics and modus operandi so that it can exploit gaps in defences and counter-terrorism measures. Simply put, al-Qaeda is the epitome of a terrorist organisational model of Darwin’s evolutionary concept, â€Å"survival of the fittest†. It has adapted to the changes in the global environment and counter-terrorism measures in order to survive, and increase its influence, and hence strength, throughout Islamic radical groups and the diaspora mulsim communities of the world. It is due to the continued dissemination of its ideologies that has led al-Qaeda to claimed that it is stronger and more capable today than it was on 9/11. Calipha spiritual leader of Islam, claiming succession from Muhammad CaliphateThe office or jurisdiction of a caliph EmirCommander fatwaan Islamic religious decree issued by the Ulama afizthose who have memorised the Koran hijrathe flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution a. d. 622: regarded as the beginning of the Muslim Era ijmathe consensus of all believers on the rightness of a belief or practice jihadthe real meaning of jihad is striving; personal striving to achieve the ideals of Islam as a way of life; striving in the sense of improving the religious situation for the community of believers; striving in the sense of converting non-Muslims and carrying the word of God to the unbelievers. The definition of jihad being a holy war is the misinterpretation/reinterpretation of bin Laden. jihada holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Mulsims; any vigorous, emotional crusade for an idea or principle qiyasjudgment of an act or belief by application of established principles governing some analogous act or belief ShariaLaw, as seen as deriving from the Koran UlamaMuslim scholars trained in Islam and Islamic Law UmmaIslamic community.

Religion In Public Life Essays - Prayer, School Prayer,

Religion In Public Life Prayer in school has been the topic of the century, ?Is it right to pray in school,? stated a Texas teacher. The society as a whole believes it is wrong, but there is some people that thinks it would be a good addition to our school. Maybe it will lower school violence. Yeah, right, whatever! Come on people, be a little intelligent. Our country has had violence before we created prayer in school. Religion will probably make it worse. Sociologists has taken a look at this issue. They perceived it preposterous. Sociologist think if we had prayer in school, might as well force us to read a bible and say amen every time a teacher finishes a sentence. Prayer in school is ridiculous and absurd. Sociologists opposes school prayer for a number of reasons. To begin, it is unconstitutional and a clear violation of our First Amendment. Remember, that amendment contains the Establishment Clause which prohibits the government fromestablishing religion. Simply put, secular institutions like the pu blic schools should NOT be a forum for religious ritual or indoctrination. And do a majority of people support school prayer? Often, those results depend on exactly how the question happens to be asked. Surveys suggest that most people reject the notion of mandatory prayer. But even if the overwhelming majority thought that prayer was, somehow, a good idea, that does not make the practice ethically just or constitutional. Sociologists also points out, in opposing school prayer, that prayer is not efficacious. School prayer is obviously a form of religious indoctrination; it teaches children that there are invisible, supernatural entities which can be implored and appeased through mumbling prayers or reading from holy books. Many people believe that just because there is a bible, does it mean we have to take it seriously. If we wrote a book and put it in a time capsule and send it back 4000 years ago it will become a religion. What about school initiated prayer? Before getting excited about student initiated prayer, ask yourself: which students are doing the initiating? Student populations often reflect the diversity of the culture. Some students may wish to pray in class or at official school ceremonies like graduation exercises or sporting events, but are they being fair to other students who may not wish to pray? Lately, there have been court cases involving this very question. It is clear that even in areas such as Utah where a school may have a high percentage of students from the same religious background, not all students feel comfortable with this bogus student led religious ritual. If you see a huge group of people praying will you join them? The survey says 1 out of 4 students say yes. The reason is, they want to keep their friends. Sociologists believe teen peer pressure is why this is the way it is. What about a moment of silence? What for? Why do we need a moment of silence? School prayer boosters have sometimes proposed this as a way of establishing a legal precedent which, they hope, will eventually lead toward explicit and vocal school prayer. Over a decade ago, the Supreme Court struck down this type of proposal; legislation of this type often calls for the moment of silence to be used for meditation or prayer. Besides, consider the declining number of hours that students are in school each year. Every moment should be used for useful and educational instruction, not meditating! The whole idea of this is if we create some way to do this, without violating any rights, it won't effect any one. But yes it does, even a moment of silence is basically saying you must do this or else... Our government has always stood by the First Amendment, For one reason. The First Amendment creates an issue with how to stop certain things from happening. There is a lot of power in the First Amendment. But, our government exercises this right narrowly. We are always battling with the First Amendment. There is a lot of culture in this issue. One main reason we live in America is because we wanted the right to believe in a god, many gods, or no god(s)

Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt in World War II

Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt in World War II Gerd von Rundstedt - Early Career: Born December 12, 1875 at Aschersleben, Germany, Gerd von Rundstedt was a member of an aristocratic Prussian family. Entering the German Army at age sixteen, he began learning his trade before being accepted into the German Armys officer training school in 1902. Graduating, von Rundstedt was promoted to captain in 1909. A skilled staff officer, he served in this capacity at the beginning of World War I in August 1914. Elevated to major that November, von Rundstedt continued to serve as a staff officer and by the end of the war in 1918 was chief of staff for his division. With the conclusion of the war, he elected to remain in the postwar Reichswehr. Gerd von Rundstedt - Interwar Years: In the 1920s, von Rundstedt rapidly advanced through the ranks of the Reichswehr and received promotions to lieutenant colonel (1920), colonel (1923), major general (1927), and lieutenant general (1929). Given command of the 3rd Infantry Division in February 1932, he supported Reich Chancellor Franz von Papens Prussian coup that July. Promoted to general of the infantry that October, he remained in that rank until being made a colonel general in March 1938. In the wake of the Munich Agreement, von Rundstedt led the 2nd Army which occupied the Sudetenland in October 1938. Despite this success, he promptly retired later in the month in protest of the Gestapos framing of Colonel General Werner von Fritsch during the Blomberg–Fritsch Affair. Leaving the army, he was given the honorary post of colonel of the 18th Infantry Regiment. Gerd von Rundstedt - World War II Begins: His retirement proved brief as he was recalled by Adolf Hitler the following year to lead Army Group South during the invasion of Poland in September 1939. Opening World War II, the campaign saw von Rundstedts troops mount the main attack of the invasion as they struck east from Silesia and Moravia. Winning the Battle of Bzura, his troops steadily drove back the Poles. With the successful completion of the conquest of Poland, von Rundstedt was given command of Army Group A in preparation for operations in the West. As planning moved forward, he supported his chief of staffs, Lieutenant General Erich von Mansteins, call for a swift armored strike toward the English Channel which he believed could lead to the strategic collapse of the enemy. Attacking on May 10, von Rundstedts forces made swift gains and opened a large gap in the Allied front. Led by General of Cavalry Heinz Guderians XIX Corps, German troops reached the English Channel on May 20. Having cut off the British Expeditionary Force from France, von Rundstedts troops turned north to capture the Channel ports and prevent its escape to Britain. Traveling to Army Group As headquarters at Charleville on May 24, Hitler urged its von Rundstedt, to press the attack. Assessing the situation, he advocated holding his armor west and south of Dunkirk, while utilizing the infantry of Army Group B to finish off the BEF. Though this allowed von Rundstedt to preserve his armor for the final campaign in France, it allowed the British to successfully conduct the Dunkirk Evacuation. Gerd von Rundstedt - On the Eastern Front: With the end of fighting in France, von Rundstedt received a promotion to field marshal on July 19. As the Battle of Britain began, he assisted in the development of Operation Sea Lion which called for the invasion of southern Britain. With the Luftwaffes failure to defeat the Royal Air Force, the invasion was called off and von Rundstedt was instructed to oversee the occupation forces in Western Europe. As Hitler began planning Operation Barbarossa, von Rundstedt was ordered east to assume command of Army Group South. On June 22, 1941, his command took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union. Driving through Ukraine, von Rundstedts forces played a key role in the encirclement of Kiev and capture of over 452,000 Soviet troops in late September. Pushing on, von Rundstedts forces succeeded in capturing Kharkov in late October and Rostov in late November. Suffering a heart attack during the advance on Rostov, he refused to leave the front and continued to direct operations. With the Russian winter setting in, von Rundstedt advocating halting the advance as his forces were becoming overextended and hampered by the severe weather. This request was vetoed by Hitler. On November 27, Soviet forces counterattacked and forced the Germans to abandon Rostov. Unwilling to surrender ground, Hitler countermanded von Rundstedts orders to fall back. Refusing to obey, von Rundstedt was sacked in favor of Field Marshal Walther von Reichenau. Gerd von Rundstedt - Return to the West: Briefly out of favor, von Rundstedt was recalled in March 1942 and given command of Oberbefehlshaber West (German Army Command in the West - OB West). Charged with defending Western Europe from the Allies, he was tasked with erecting fortifications along the coast. Largely inactive in this new role, little work occurred in 1942 or 1943. In November 1943, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was assigned to OB West as commander of Army Group B. Under his direction, work finally began on fortifying the coastline. Over the coming months, von Rundstedt and Rommel clashed over the disposition of OB Wests reserve panzer divisions with the former believing they should located in the rear and the latter wanting them near the coast. Following the Allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, von Rundstedt and Rommel worked to contain the enemy beachhead. When it became obvious to von Rundstedt that the Allies could not be pushed back into the sea, he began advocating for peace. With the failure of a counterattack near Caen on July 1, he was asked by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, head of the German armed forces, what should be done. To this he brusquely replied, Make peace you fools! What else can you do? For this, he was removed from command the next dayand replaced with Field Marshal Gunther von Kluge. Gerd von Rundstedt - Final Campaigns: In the wake of the July 20 Plot against Hitler, von Rundstedt agreed to serve on a Court of Honor to assess officers suspected of being opposed to the fà ¼hrer. Removing several hundred officers from the Wehrmacht, the court turned them over to Roland Freislers Volksgerichtshof (Peoples Court) for trial. Implicated in the July 20 Plot, von Kluge committed suicide on August 17 and was briefly replaced by Field Marshal Walter Model. Eighteen days later, on September 3, von Rundstedt returned to lead OB West. Later in the month, he was able to contain Allied gains made during Operation Market-Garden. Forced to give ground through the fall, von Rundstedt opposed the Ardennes offensive which was launched in December believing that insufficient troops were available for it to succeed. The campaign, which resulted in the Battle of the Bulge, represented the last major German offensive in the West. Continuing to fight a defensive campaign in early 1945, von Rundstedt was removed from command on March 11 after again arguing that Germany should make peace rather than fight a war it could not win. On May 1, von Rundstedt was captured by troops from the US 36th Infantry Division. During the course of his interrogation, he suffered another heart attack. Taken to Britain, von Rundstedt moved between camps in southern Wales and Suffolk. After the war, he was charged by the British for war crimes during the invasion of the Soviet Union. These charges were largely based on his support of von Reichenaus Severity Order which led to mass murders in occupied Soviet territory. Due to his age and failing health, von Rundstedt was never tried and he was released in July 1948. Retiring to Schloss Oppershausen, near Celle in Lower Saxony, he continued to be plagued by heart problems until his death on February 24, 1953. Selected Sources JVL: Gerd von RundstedtGeneralfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt Lone Sentry: von Rundstedt Explains

Laura Clay, Southern Womens Suffrage Leader

Laura Clay, Southern Womens Suffrage Leader Laura Clay Facts Known for: major Southern woman suffrage spokesperson. Clay, like many Southern suffragists, saw womens suffrage as reinforcing white supremacy and power.Occupation: reformerDates: February 9, 1849 - June 29, 1941 Laura Clay Biography Laura Clay Quote: Suffrage is Gods cause, and God leads our plans. Laura Clays mother was Mary Jane Warfield Clay, from a wealthy family prominent in Kentucky horse racing and breeding, herself an advocate of womens education and womens rights. Her father was the noted Kentucky politician Cassius Marcellus Clay, a cousin of Henry Clay, who founded an anti-slavery newspaper and helped found the Republican party. Cassius Marcellus Clay was the United States ambassador to Russia for 8 years under Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant. He returned from Russia for a time and is credited with talking Lincoln into signing the Emancipation Proclamation. Laura Clay had five brothers and sisters; she was the youngest. Her older sisters were involved in working for womens rights. Mary B. Clay, one of her older sisters, organized Kentuckys first womens suffrage organization, and was president of the American Woman Suffrage Association from 1883 to 1884. Laura Clay was born at her familys home, White Hall, in Kentucky, in 1849. She was the youngest of four girls and two boys. Lauras mother, Mary Jane Clay, was largely in charge, during her husbands long absences, of managing the family farms and property inherited from her family. She saw that her daughters were educated. Cassius Marcellus Clay was from a wealthy slaveholding family. He became an anti-slavery advocate, and among other incidents where he was met with violent reactions to his ideas, he was once nearly assassinated for his views. He lost his seat in the Kentucky state House because of his abolitionist views. He was a supporter of the new Republican Party, and nearly became Abraham Lincolns vice president, losing that spot to Hannibal Hamlin. At the beginning of the Civil War, Cassius Clay helped organize volunteers to protect the White House from a Confederate takeover, when there were no federal troops in the city. During the years of the Civil War, Laura Clay attended Sayre Female Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. She attended a finishing school in New York before returning to her family home. Her father opposed to her further education. The Reality of Womens Rights From 1865 to 1869, Laura Clay helped her mother run the farms, her father still absent as ambassador to Russia. In 1869, her father returned from Russia and the next year, he moved his four-year-old Russian son into the family home at White Hall, his son from a long affair with a prima ballerina with the Russian ballet. Mary Jane Clay moved to Lexington, and Cassius sued her for divorce on grounds of abandonment, and won. (Years later, he created more scandal when he married a 15 year old servant, probably against her will as he had to restrain her from leaving. He divorced her after she attempted suicide. That marriage ended in divorce just three years later.) Under existing Kentucky laws, he could have claimed all the property his ex-wife had inherited from her family and he could have kept her from the children; he claimed his wife owed him $80,000 for her years living at White Hall. Fortunately for Mary Jane Clay, he did not pursue those claims. Mary Jane Clay and her daughters who were still unmarried lived on the farms she inherited from her family, and were supported by the income from these. But they were aware the under the existing laws, they were able to do so only because Cassius Clay did not pursue his rights to the property and income. Laura Clay managed to attend one year of college at the University of Michigan and one semester at State College of Kentucky, leaving to put her efforts into working for womens rights. Working for Womens Rights in the South Laura Clay Quote: Nothing is so laborsaving as a vote, properly applied. In 1888, the Kentucky Woman Suffrage Association was organized, and Laura Clay was elected its first president. She remained president until 1912, by which time the name had changed to the Kentucky Equal Suffrage Association. Her cousin, Madeleine McDowell Breckinridge, succeeded her as president. As head of the Kentucky Equal Suffrage Association, she led efforts to change Kentucky laws to protect married womens property rights, inspired by the situation in which her mother had been left by her divorce. The organization also worked to have female doctors on staff at state mental hospitals, and to have women admitted to State College of Kentucky (Transylvania University) and Central University. Laura Clay was also a member of the Womens Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and she was part of the Womans Club movement, holding state offices in each organization. While Laura Clays father had been a liberal Republican and perhaps in reaction to that Laura Clay became active in Democratic Party politics. Elected to the board of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), newly merged in 1890, Clay chaired the new groups membership committee and was its first auditor. Federal or State Suffrage? Around 1910, Clay and other Southern suffragists began to be uncomfortable with efforts within the national leadership to support a federal woman suffrage amendment. This, they feared, would provide a precedent for federal interference in the voting laws of Southern states which discriminated against African Americans. Clay was among those who argued against the strategy of a federal amendment. Laura Clay was defeated in her bid for reelection to the board of the NAWSA in 1911. In 1913, Laura Clay and other Southern suffragists created their own organization, the Southern States Woman Suffrage Conference, to work for state-level womens suffrage amendments, to support voting rights only for white women. Probably hoping for compromise, she supported federal legislation to allow women to vote for members of Congress, providing the women otherwise qualified as voters in their states. This proposal was debated at NAWSA in 1914, and a bill to implement this idea was introduced into Congress in 1914, but it died in committee. In 1915-1917, like many of those involved in womens suffrage and womens rights, including Jane Addams and Carrie Chapman Catt, Laura Clay was involved in the Womans Peace Party. When the United States entered World War I, she left the Peace Party. In 1918, she briefly joined in supporting a federal amendment, when President Wilson, a Democrat, endorsed it. But then Clay resigned her membership in the NAWSA in 1919. She also resigned from the Kentucky Equal Rights Association that she had headed from 1888 to 1912. She and others formed, instead, a Kentucky-based Citizens Committee to work for a suffrage amendment to the Kentucky state constitution. In 1920, Laura Clay went to Nashville, Tennessee, to oppose ratification of the woman suffrage amendment. When it (barely) passed, she expressed her disappointment. Democratic Party Politics Laura Clay Quote: I am a Jeffersonian Democrat. In 1920, Laura Clay founded the Democratic Womens Club of Kentucky. That same year was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Her name was placed in nomination for President, making her the first woman so nominated at a major partys convention. She was nominated in 1923 as a Democratic candidate for the Kentucky State Senate. In 1928, she campaigned in Al Smiths presidential race. She worked after 1920 for repeal of the 18th Amendment (prohibition), even though she herself was a teetotaler and a WCTU member. She was a member of the Kentucky state convention that ratified repeal of prohibition (the 21st Amendment), primarily on states rights grounds. After 1930 After 1930, Laura Clay led mostly a private life, focusing on reform within the Episcopal church, her lifelong religious affiliation. She interrupted her privacy to oppose a law paying male teachers more than female teachers would be paid. She worked mostly within the church on womens rights, especially on allowing women to be delegates to church councils, and on permitting women to attend the Episcopal churchs University of the South. Laura Clay died in Lexington in 1941. The family home, White Hall, is a Kentucky historical site today. Laura Clays Positions Laura Clay supported womens equal rights to education and to the vote. At the same time, she believed that black citizens were not yet developed enough to vote. She did support, in principle, educated women of all races getting the vote, and spoke at times against ignorant white voters. She contributed to an African American church project aimed at self-improvement. But she also supported states rights, supported the idea of white superiority, and feared federal interference in Southern states voting laws, and so, except briefly, did not support a federal amendment for woman suffrage. Connections The boxer Muhammed Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay, was named for his father who was named for Laura Clays father. Books About Laura Clay Paul E. Fuller. Laura Clay and the Womans Rights Movement 1975.John M. Murphy. Laura Clay (1894-1941), a Southern Voice for Womans Rights. Women Public Speakers in the United States, 1800-1925: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook. Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, ed. 1993.

Student Development in Western Society Higher Education Research Paper

Student Development in Western Society Higher Education - Research Paper Example The model of service delivery is also an important issue in the student development which is also covered this paper. In the paper is also the analysis of elements of institutional policy that inhibits and those that contributes to student development. The paper also provides an analysis of legal, professional and ethical consideration related to student development in higher education.The paper concludes with the analysis of core competency of student development professionals and evaluation of their potential in the evaluation of their ability in driving student success. In the years back, there was the idea that the work of student personnel was not only on the student administration but an all-round development and education. This was the concerns of the official of higher education forty years ago. The only new thing about the late 70s and 60s student development movement was that the proactive program was to be introduced by the university staff. On the addition to the introduc tion of the proactive program, the intervention content and nature and the result could be specified by crafting than in conformance with the right theory of human development. The student development as explained in three different documents: student development service in higher education, Student development in tomorrow higher education and a student development model for student affair for tomorrow higher education.Today, there is a recent association composed of professionals that perceives human development as the professions commonly held core.

Organization as a Machine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organization as a Machine - Essay Example It also adopts British Telecom as the case study. Overall functioning structure of traditional organization using machine metaphor Evidently, machine metaphor concept has immensely contributed to growth prospects of various institutions due to its noble ideals and synergies. Morgan (2007) asserted that, it has in stilled basic elements and ideals, which organizations should embrace. He further stated that, organizations are all about effective interaction, predictability, reliability and controllability at various points of activity through structured systems, which instills sanity. In particular, machine metaphor concept is a system, which provides a comprehensive view of institutions through detailed interaction of various elements, which facilitates predictability, and control of events (Odubiyi, 2012). Clearly, organizations must adopt predictable and reliable business practices including market positioning to ensure sound performance, which is a critical aspect for most institut ions. Mechanistic view is a noble concept, which considers institutions as holistic entities, which operate under strong combination of manageable components. As indicated by Odubiyi (2012), major components, which requires effective management includes organizational chart, job description, policies, operational plans and people. Critically, machine metaphor concept facilitated growth in various traditional institutions due to its effective management and control ideals, which ensured delivery of services based on quality policies. Consequently, the concept enhanced organizations competitive capacity through development of superior production and business techniques, which were accurately coordinated in similar form as machine operation. Functional structure is also a vital pillar, which influences growth in various in situations. As noted by McCrimmon (2012), functional structures enhances decision making process in institutions hence should be effective and operate within set gui delines. He stated that poor functionality of various organizational components through inferior guidelines have contributed to liquidation of many institutions globally. As such, corporations should adopt viable and well structured operating levels with comprehensive job delegation to enhance quality in choice making. Clearly, machine metaphor provides requisite incentives through its structured network system, which enhances management and control at various levels towards formulation of quality decisions (Morgan & Rotunda, 2006). Ideally, modern institutions require credible systems, which ensure business accountability and structured way of executing duties at various levels of operation. Evaluation of organizational functional departments