Management and Organisational Planning

Management and Organisational Planning Free Online Research Papers ‘Organisations that fail to plan are in essence planning to fail’. Discuss this statement. In your answer consider types of organisational plans, and the link between planning and the strategic management process. Support your answer with examples drawn from real organisations, using textbooks, journals, newspapers, business magazines, and periodicals. Managing companies in the 21st century has changed in many ways compared to the managing system used in the olden days. Starting from the structure of the organization itself, how they plan, how they make decision, up until how they doing things; but one thing that has not changed is that organizations which perform with an outstanding result never neglect their planning. Each organization competes with each other to perform better in accordance to others. These changes are made in order to form a better organization each day as well as better results at the end of all progress. This essay will examine why organizations that fail to plan are in essence planning to fail, as well the types of organizational plans; hence the link between planning and strategic management process. â€Å"Organizations that fail to plan are in essence planning to fail†. From this statement it is clearly understood that organizations which do not plan their future organizational goals are more likely to fail. Not only is this applicable in the context of management. Anything that is done without planning is very unlikely to succeed. A well defined plan in academic term means â€Å"a drawing or diagram showing the arrangement in horizontal section of a structure, piece of ground† (Webster’s New World College Dictionary 2001). In planning, the very first step is to set a goal which is defined as â€Å"statements of intended results that are general in nature and are measureable on a naming or ranking scale of measurement† (Kaufman 1988). It is crucial to plan every single step and thing that is needed to be done to avoid failure. Hence, the importance to understand the purposes to plan; which is providing a direction about what the organization does, and what and why it needs to be achieved so that the organisation, as a whole, knows exactly what they are required to do. Therefore when they know what to do, they can work together with other staff to accomplish the goals that been set. For instance when the plan is set, the staff can easily refer to the master plan and remind themselves what each of them are required to do. Planning reduces uncertainty and makes sure everybody is committed to the achieving the goal. It also forces the staff to anticipate any changes so they can construct an appropriate response. In simpler terms, planning makes it easier to deal with uncertainty. For example, where there is uncertainty or any problem in an organization, they know what to do and are faster to react. To minimize waste or redundancy is another one of the vital reasons to plan. This mean that the organisation makes sure that nothing is left out or wasted in order to reach an efficient result at the end of the day. These include time and financial resources. For example when dealing with the food industry where the stocks are bound to the expiry date, companies have to make sure of the amount needed in a certain period of time so it does not result in waste of stock, expired food stock. The last reason is to set a standard. This keeps things on track, or in the terms of a managerial role it is known as controlling, as well as being a reference in competing with other companies. This ensures us of what we are trying to achieve, and whether or not we achieved it yet. For example, companies keep track of the progress of their plan by determining their position in accordance to the plan daily, weekly, monthly or annually. Even though many cases show that performance organizations that plan are mostly do well, cannot be said that organizations that did not plan always fail. One of the real life examples for the organization that did well planning where lead to outstanding outcome is Sunrise Confectioners. In 1987 when Ken Klooger took over the confectionary after his father in law retired, the company had annual revenues of approximately $4 million which did not increase or decrease much in the last ten years. He then realized that he needed some planning in order to increase the revenues. After the changes that he made through new products and methods in producing the products themselves as well some ongoing research about the consumers’ preference and awareness, he did some appropriate response to it such as spending $300,000 on television advertising for two months due to consumers’ unawareness that their product contains no artificial colouring and flavouring which one of the way to a ttract most health conscious consumers. This resulted in the increase of revenues from $1.5 million to $15 million in 2000-2001 periods, as well as the market share that had risen from 2 per cent to 25 per cent. In this context, Sunrise Confectionary uses their organizational planning to give them direction as well as set standards in accordance to its competitors (Robbins et al 2003). In general terms, planning can be referred to in two ways: formal and informal. Formal planning means concentrating on the achievement of the goals. Simple thing such as setting a period of time to achieve that goal and writing down a list can be shared by throughout the organizational structure so everyone knows what they have to do, where they have to go also have something to refer back to while they are at it. Informal planning is the reverse of the formal planning which is usually present in a small business or organization. Informal planning is not as well organized because it is not written and there is limited sharing among individuals due to an abstract form of it. This shows that formal planning is addressed for a bigger organizational structure that want to achieve their future organizational purpose positively because it assists them in formalizing and systemizing all the processes being made. There are various types of organizational plans. However, this essay will only discuss the three major types of planning in an organization: budget planning, project planning, and strategic planning. The best way to categorise each of the organisational plans is via its breadth, time-frame, specificity and frequency of use. In specific terms, a budget is a plan of action matched by resources required to implement the plan (Hussey 1998). In other words, a budget is a plan. Budgets generally divide between two broad categories: the operating budget, sometimes known as the â€Å"expense† budget and the capital budget. Budget in simpler terms mean a sum of money allocated for a particular purpose (Webster’s New World College Dictionary 2001). Budget is in everyone’s life, be it a small or a big one. Budget is a tool which helps in controlling and planning the functions of an organization. It is a formalized statement of the goals of an organization stated in financial terms and accomplishes several important functions for managers. It states future projections of revenues, expenses and expected profits. Planning, evaluating performance, co-ordinating activities, implementing plans, communicating, motivating and authorising actions are the main functions of a budget. The budget period de pends upon the action plan; it might be for a short or long duration. A budget compels the managers to think ahead by formalizing their responsibilities for planning, and is best framework for judging subsequent performance and aids managers in coordinating their efforts, so that the plans of an organization meets the objectives of the organization as a whole (Hussey 1998). To plan a project a team should have a goal and should work as one unit to achieve certain objectives. In project planning, team members should implement inventive ideas that would serve their goal in a resourceful way. Each individual on a team should take part in the planning process, because the diversity of team members and their different perspectives can create more than one approach to initiate a project. Project planning can be explained as determining the goals and objectives of a project through a coordination of procedures and determination of courses of action before initiating a project. Project planning is a rational determination of how to initiate, sustain, and finalize a project. There are many steps to be taken when planning a project within a team. To have a successful plan when working with a team, set a role of conduct for the team members (Free Management Library 2007). Define what each individual’s responsibility is and what to be expected from them. Eac h project should be broken down into specific tasks; it is important to find ways to divide the work into manageable parts. All projects encounter problems and conflicts. In order to have an early resolution to those problems, team members should discuss each potential problem that they might face (Free Management Library 2007). Team members should have a logical approach to problem solving. All problems must be predefined. Also, a deadline for the project is essential. If time to get done with the project is not controlled then the project itself can not be controlled (Free Management Library). Team members have to prioritize and work on a certain pace. They might also have a set schedule on when each task within the project should be done. Another important point in project planning is communication. Team members should always give each other a feedback on the progress of their tasks or roles and what have they accomplished. The process of communication and its result helps dimini sh the conflict of change (Free Management Library 2007). Discussing ideas within team members is a process where each individual should contribute in. Having different ideas will make the project unique and will create more than one method to reach the project’s goal. Strategic plans are plans that apply to the entire organisation, establish the organisation’s overall goals, and seek to position the organisation in terms of its environment. Strategic plans tend to cover a longer time frame. Long-term plans can be defined as those with a time frame of more than three years (Robbins et al 2003). They also cover a broader view of the organisation. Strategic plans also include the formulation of goals (McNamara 2007). There are a variety of perspectives, models and approaches used in strategic planning. The way that a strategic plan is developed depends on the nature of the organizations leadership, culture of the organization, complexity of the organizations environment, size of the organization, expertise of planners and et cetera. For example, there are a variety of strategic planning models, including goals-based, issues-based, organic, scenario and so on. Goals-based planning is probably the most common and starts with focus on the organiz ations mission, goals to work toward the mission, strategies to achieve the goals, and action planning. Issues-based strategic planning often starts by examining issues facing the organization, strategies to address those issues, and action plans. Organic strategic planning might start by articulating the organizations vision and values and then action plans to achieve the vision while adhering to those values. Some planners prefer a particular approach to planning (McNamara 2007). There is a link between planning and strategic management process. Planning is one part, though small, of the strategic management process. This can be shown using the roles of corporate managers. One of the four major roles of a manager is to plan. This planning plays a crucial part in determining the success of an organisation as mentioned earlier. But first, we have to ask: What is â€Å"strategic management process?† and â€Å"What are the steps in the process†. There is not just one definition of the phrase â€Å"strategic management process†. The definition, though similar, differs in accordance with people’s personal opinions. For example, Johnson views it as a six-step process. On the other hand, Viljoen Dann see it as a five-step process. However, in my opinion, I agree most with Robbins’s view on the process. Robbins et al analyses strategic management process as an eight-step process that consists of strategic planning, implementation and evaluation. Although the first six steps describe the planning that must take place, implementation and evaluation are just as important. Even the finest strategies can fall short if management does not put into practice or assess them properly. The first step in strategic management process is identifying the organisation’s current mission, objective and strategies (Robbins et al 2003). Every organisation requires a statement of the purpose of the organisation, also called a mission. The mission verifies the reason for which the company is in the business. To do this, managers must vigilantly recognize the range of its products and services. It is also vital for managers to identify the goals and strategies currently being pursued in the company. Goals are a foundation of planning which provide the measurable performance targets that the organisation as a whole strives to reach. By being aware of current goals allows managers to decide whether or not these current goals need to be changed. This can also be applied to strategies currently in place. The second step is analysing the environment (Robbins et al 2003). Analysing the environment is a critical step in the strategy process. Robbins describes the external environment as a significant basis on a manager’s actions. To outline a successful strategy, it must be supported well by the environment. In this step, managers need to know what is going on outside the organisation. Information such as what the competitors are doing, what on-going laws might affect the organisation and what degree of labour supply is available around the area where the company is located. Aside from analysing the external environment, managers must also examine specific and general environments to observe and be conscious of the trends and changes which are occurring. This step of the process can be considered complete when the manager has an accurate understanding of what is occurring in the external environment and the developments which could possibly affect the organisation. Following this, managers need to evaluate the results they have achieved in step 2 and determine the opportunities which the company can utilize and threats it encounters. This is all part of the SWOT analysis. Robbins defines opportunities as a positive development in the external environment and threats as negative trends. After identifying threats and opportunities, managers must now look inside the organisation by analysing the organisation’s resources and capabilities (Robbins et al 2003). This includes employees’ skills, the organisation’s resources, success at innovating products, quality of products, the organisation’s financial status, and the way customers distinguish the organisation. All of these show that no matter how large or how small an organisation is, the organisation is bound to the availability of resources and capabilities. This analysis of the internal environment allows managers to recognize specific capabilities and resources. When these capabilities and resources are outstandingly unique, they can be used as competitive weapons. This key value-generating skill is referred to as core competencies (Robbins et al 2003). From the previous step, the organisation should now have a comprehensible appraisal of its internal resources as well as its capabilities in executing various practical activities. Strengths are any strong capabilities the organisation possesses or unique resource materials (Robbins et al 2003). Weaknesses are the activities which the organisation does not perform well or the lack of resources which they need. Robbins states that different strengths and drawbacks have different outcomes on the strategy being pursued. An organisation’s culture is its personality or characteristics. It is a sign of the organisation’s mutual beliefs and values. When an organisation has a strong culture, it becomes more straight-forward for managers to convey the organisation’s core competencies and strengths to new employees. However, strong cultures are difficult to change. It then becomes a barrier to acknowledging any alterations in the organisation’s strategies. â€Å"Su ccessful organisations with strong cultures may become prisoners of their own success† (Robbins et al 2003). Strategies need to be formulated in all levels of an organisation, be it a corporate, business or functional level. This follows a decision-making process. Strategic alternatives must first be assessed. Managers must select strategies which harmonize with each other and bring out the best of the organisation in terms of its strengths and environmental opportunities. A successful strategy would be one that puts the organisation at a relative advantage over its competitors and the most favourable aggressive edge (Robbins et al 2003). The organisation must try and maintain this advantage to call the strategy a victory. As mentioned earlier, the first six steps are the planning of strategies. After an organisation comes up with strategies, they must apply it. The same efforts put into planning the strategies must be put into implementing it. No matter how effective the strategies are, if the organisation fails to apply it properly, these strategies will be deemed useless (Robbins et al 2003). Implementing strategies efficiently often means that the organisation has to hire new people with different skills, relocating a portion of current employees to new positions, or in the worst case, make redundant some employees. Most organisations nowadays run their management using teams. Therefore, building and managing effective teams is ability in implementing strategies efficiently. Top-management leadership is equally as important. So is a motivated group of middle and lower-managers who perform the organisation’s specific strategy needs. The final step in the strategic management process is evaluating the results of the strategies in terms of effectiveness, and adjustments that need to be made to improve the success of strategies. As a real-life example, Anne Mulcahy who is the president of Xerox Corporation made strategic modifications to develop her company’s competitiveness in the information services industry. These strategic actions were made after assessing the results of previous strategies and coming to a conclusion that changed were needed (Robbins et al 2003). In conclusion, the four key factors for success when implementing change within an organisation are: pressure for change; a clear, shared vision; capacity for change; and action. The various types of organisational plans as well as the implementation of strategic management process play a significant role in planning and managing change. Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation, and above all, consultation with, and involvement of, the people affected by the changes. The four key factors for success when implementing change within an organisation are: pressure for change; a clear, shared vision; capacity for change; and action. REFERENCES Agnes, M Guralnik, DB (eds) 2001, Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th edn, IDG Books Worldwide Inc., Foster City, California. Free Management Library 2007, Planning in Organisations, viewed 2 May 2007, . Hussey, D 1998, ‘The Making of Strategy’, Strategic Management: from theory to implementation, 4th edn, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, pp. 161-508. Kaufman, R 1988, ‘Where to go and why get there: goals, objectives, needs, and roles’, Planning for Organisational Success: a Practical Guide, 2nd edn, Social Impacts Publications, Australia, pp. 1-20. McNamara, C 2007, Strategic Planning: in non-profit or for-profit organisations, Free Management Library, viewed 3 May 2007, . Robbins, SP, Bergman, R, Stagg, I, Coulter, M 2003, ‘Planning’, Management, 3rd edn, Pearson Education Australia, New South Wales, pp. 171-270. Viljoen, J Dann, S 2000, ‘Process of Strategic Management’, Strategic Management: planning and implementing successful corporate strategies, 3rd edn, Pearson Education Australia, New South Wales, pp. 45-89. Research Papers on Management and Organisational PlanningThe Project Managment Office SystemLifes What IfsBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part OneStandardized TestingOpen Architechture a white paperMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New Employees

Arguing The Ethics Of Abortion Philosophy Essay

Arguing The Ethics Of Abortion Philosophy Essay According to Don Marquis, the majority of abortions are seriously immoral and should fall under the same moral category as killing innocent human adults. His central argument revolves around the idea that it is prima facie wrong to kill adult humans because doing so results in the victim’s loss of the value of its future. He concludes that it is therefore prima facie wrong to kill fetuses because it also results in a loss of a valuable â€Å"future life like ours.† However, Judith Thompson and Margaret Little are able to provide more reasonable arguments for what should be considered the most important factor in deciding how to deal with abortion. They may be more open-minded to abortion but do not feel as though abortion should always be permissible. After considering each argument, I have found that a woman’s right to have an abortion is determined by each situation and is simply a choice-which should not be taken lightly-that should be made solely by a pregna nt woman. Marquis simply fails to recognize that a woman has rights that can make abortion morally permissible upon declining to continue the extremely intimate period of gestation. Unlike Marquis, I believe abortion is not impermissible yet not always permissible either. Upon thorough inspection, I have found some flaws in Marquis’ argument. Marquis tries to argue that â€Å"personhood† is not the moral category in question with regards to the moral permissibility of abortion. But he claims that someone (the fetus) has a future like ours and therefore should not be deprived of such future. If personhood is irrelevant, then it is unclear that there actually is someone (a person) who can be deprived of such things. At one point Marquis even says that morally permissible abortions would be rare under his argument-unless they occurred early enough in pregnancy when a fetus is not yet a definite â€Å"individual.† So, is personhood important to him or not? What does he mean by â€Å"individual†? Further complications ensue from his argument. In addition to assuming that a fetus is not a person yet still has a right to life because with their death comes a deprivation of a future like ours, people who use Marquis’ argument could then argue that it is wrong to â€Å"kill† fertilized, but not yet implanted, eggs. Is it then wrong to use contraceptives because possible egg and sperm pairs (zygotes) are prevented from having a future like ours? Marquis says that the immorality of contraception cannot be argued for with his â€Å"future-like-ours† analysis because there is no identifiable subject that can suffer this loss. However, neither the potential person (fetus with a future-like-ours) or the possible person (zygote prevented by contraception) actually exist. Because of this, it becomes difficult to understand how a potential person can be a subject of harm anymore than a possible person can. Therefore, the question of existence is being asked here because it seems as if potential persons (and their futures alike) are only possible things, not actual existing things. If this is so, then is there really a subject of harm?

Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing Essay

Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing countries - Essay Example Their investment in developing nations have improved the material well being of the people in these nations through access to better goods or services and improved wages. Studies conducted by the OECD reveal that developing nations tend to receive higher wages from multinationals than their local counterparts. The OECD report found that a person working for a multinational is likely to earn 40% more wages than their counterparts in local firms. This is especially true for workers in Latin America and Asia. MNCs are motivated by the need to retain more workers in order to reduce turnover costs (OECD 44). Not all such organisations intend to pay workers more for similar work. Instead, they do so because the nature of industries they invest in is capital intensive. Additionally, a number of them have fairly large operations which may require committed employees. It is for this reason that they tend to pay better rewards to workers than their peers in firms within the same industry. Irrespective of their motivations, the end result is better earnings (Dunning and Sairanna 5). Analyses conducted in developing nations concerning how wages change over time after foreign direct investment show that wages may increase by close to 20%. Indonesia enjoyed a 19% increase in wage labour owing to foreign acquisitions of local firms. The increase emanated from the use of modern techniques of production. Parent companies in the first world already had the technical expertise needed to enhance production. Therefore, workers accumulated new skills that were eventually used as a precursor for better pay (Hijzen and Swaim 8). If a person moves from a locally-owned firm to a foreign-owned one in a country like Brazil, they are likely to enjoy a 21% increase in earnings. The OECD Employment outlook report also shows that those who make the same transition in a country like Portugal can enjoy increases of about 14%. It is for this reason that many third world countries seem to be so

The University of North Carolina maintains a website, Documenting the Essay

The University of North Carolina maintains a website, Documenting the American South, which contains an excellent collection of - Essay Example There are also different challenges facing slaves evident from the narrative; Aaron is lamenting waiting for relief help from well-wishers such as Priests and Levites. It pains to see how he among other slaves suffers in the hands of slaveholders as the congress continues with its process regardless of the issues affecting slaves. However, he is grateful because he is alive seeing a new day as he struggle to fight slavery (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). How did masters maintain the institution of slavery? Oppression was one of the ways used by masters to maintain slaves in slavery. A slave was subjected to torture through thorough beating if they tempted to quit. This made most of the slaves submit as they feared death or other mistreatment from resisting forced labor. Examples of areas where slaves suffered were in the south and the north in the hands of slaveholders, who tied up their slaves for whipping and torture yet they had done nothing. What tactics did they use to enslave other h uman beings? One of the common tactics used by masters to enslave people is bribing friends or relatives; they would go kidnap people and later sell them to slaveholders. An ideal example is the family that was taken away by their cousin at midnight and sold into slavery back in 1834. The other example is the white man sold his three daughters after selling his wife to slavery. This was one of the challenging and painful issues taking place in slavery; people betraying their relatives into slavery for money in quite inhuman. There are also cases where people captured strangers, and sold them to slavery; this is in instances where they met them stranded in their activities or on their way attending to their issues. Arabs were the communities known to practice such activities (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). Another tactic used by slaveholders to keep slaves was making them ignorant of their status. This is by building the thought that slavery is a natural state of being. Most of blacks in the narrative depict a thought that blacks have no capacity of taking part in civil societies in America. Through this, the white gathered courage to oppress the blacks by making them their servants. In slavery, slave children were denied a chance to education as this would make them have the capacity to read and write and this would be a challenge to the slaveholders. This is the reason why Aaron is an illiterate; this denied him a chance to evaluate the state of self-sufficiency and capability. If these slaves had the basis knowledge, they would question the dominance of whites over blacks. Slaveholders also took illiteracy to ensure that the life of slaves did not reach authorities who were against slavery. From this, slaves should seek education, as this is a gateway to freedom. Communication is also significant, as this would mobilize slaves in opposing oppression by slave-masters (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). Most slaveholders were strong Christians. They had buried their evil di d in church thus blinding slaves; most slaves were also Christian therefore found it wired to fight their own religious leaders. This fact also barred the thought that slavery was an unchristian practice following the fact that most of the slave masters were religious leaders. This tactic made slavery prevail in the south as well as in the north despite the fact that it was an era where Christianity was gaining popularity among different communities. Christianity also blinded slaves because they had a strong faith thus

Essay --

There’s a myth that time is money. In fact, time is more precious than money. It’s a nonrenewable resource. Once you’ve spent it, and if you’ve spent it badly, it’s gone forever, this famous quote by Neil Fiore has drastically changed my life. I have decided to use time efficiently thus not wasting this priceless resource. Comparably reducing time duration in doing projects in industries is one of the main ambition of Fredrick Winslow Taylor popularly known as Father of Industrial engineering and Charles W. Babbage who contributed greatly to industrial engineering. Greatly inspired and motivated by the works of these mechanical engineers, I have decided to pursue active research in Industrial Engineering as a career objective. It was in my sixth semester of my under graduate university curriculum I took a course titled Operations research which took me close to the basic concepts of Industrial engineering. The topics learned in this course and its usage in day to day life made me to show further interest in the subject. For example before buying a new vehicle, you would evaluate all the possible options available to reach office, then you would select the fast and cost effective option thus reducing your expenses by doing this you are unknowingly using the concept of â€Å"Optimization† which is a basic concept of Industrial engineering. This liveliness present in the subject truly enthralled me. However it was in my fourth semester the course Industrial engineering management taught how an industry can be managed effectively. Deeply interested in the topics I also selected project management as an elective subject; this even made me to go deeper into the basic concepts of Industrial Engineering like Gantt charts, critical path m... ...co curricular are as important as studies in evaluating students profile. I am an active member of National Social Service of VIT University.In the National service scheme special camp, I taught children in elementary schools for over 60 hours and explained to them the importance of education. .It is my firm belief that in order to achieve greater things in life, a bachelor’s degree is not sufficient. Based on my abilities and interests I feel that pursuing a graduate program at your prestigious university would benefit me greatly in the pursuit of my dreams and goals. In this rapidly progressing world, higher knowledge, and wider exposure to practical experience and involvement in more extensive research are essential to the development of a well-rounded engineer. Hoping with a positive attitude, I ardently look forward to be a part of your esteemed institution.

Police Abuse Essay

An officer who uses more force than policy allows is said to have used excessive force and may be guilty of police brutality, the excessive and lawless use of police force. Police officers are often seen as a thin blue line of protection between criminals and law-abiding citizens, but when they use excessive force, they cross the line and become criminals. Police brutality damages the image of law enforcement as well as the justice system. It leads to loss of trust in the policemen, which then creates a gap between them and people in the community. According to the early policing principles imported from 19th century England, it is the lack of centralized control which forms a corruption in America when opportunities of bribery were widespread. Police reforms from the 1930s to the 1950s sought to establish professionalism among police forces by introducing military-like command and higher performance standards. Not everyone agrees with this type of procedure when critics see the March 1991 beating of Rodney King by officers of Los Angeles Police Department which used professional policing. From Rodney King beating in 1991 through the O.J. Simpson trial, the rift has widened the threatening racial discrimination. The reasons for the gap are complex and deep. According to the experts, it is based on the nation’s painful racial history. The current practice of racial profiling, where skin color is a criterion to pull over a driver is ongoing today. For instance, when Reggie Miller, who is Black, had been ordered to pull over by a Nashville police officer for driving with expired tags, had suffered chronic back problems as a result of the beating. It was about 8:40 p.m. when he was shot on his chest and ordered him to lie face down on the ground. Within couple of minutes the officer, who didn’t have a chance to identify himself, called for backup. Suddenly Miller found himself as a cushion using his body from five police officers that had surrounded him. Miller also recalls that the officers gouge his eyes and choke him. This 1992 incident of Miller made him suffer a permanent back problem due to the beating and the shot he encountered. Police officers have no right by any  means to harass a person. Otherwise, they are more considered as criminal because of such inhumane acts. In general, brutality is a form of punishment. Police officers are not supposed to punish but are expected to protect and serve. However, they seemed to expose brutality as punishment when they beat up Adolph Archie in March of 1992. Archie was shot by a police officer and the police officer did not even bother to rush him to the hospital. Instead, they waited in the parking lot until they found out that their injured colleague had died. Then the officers took Archie in the hospital while beating him dead. Unfortunately, Archie only breathe for 12 hours and was diagnosed with two skull fractures, a broken larynx, fractures of the cheekbones, bleeding testicles, teeth had been kicked in, and his entire body was exposed to blunt trauma. Brutality is an inhuman or savage form of cruelty. Police officers need not use too much force to stop a sus pect. Police brutality is an important topic to discuss because it deals with the life of a person, the misconduct of some police officers, the burden it caused and the lesson that everyone should get from it. Police officers must realize they were not given their badge to show that they are one’s to be afraid of but to keep the peace and order of the community. They have the right to discipline a suspect which will depend on the physical condition of the latter. Police need not use the force if the suspect is already injured because it may only lead to a more tragic situation. In several cases, people died after being restrained by police officers. Police brutality does not cause anything positive. It only leads to racism, disrespect among people, loss of respect and confidence for the police and it makes citizens feel less safe. Not a single act did brutality explicit an advantage to the people. The possible solution to police brutality is to include in their training new techniques in handling suspects and criminals geared towards the demand for public policies that promote social and racial justice. Furthermore, police officers should receive antiracism and diversity training as a part of their education in police academies. Police officers must learn to conduct themselves in multiethnic and multicultural communities. To fund this  solution, everyone must cooperate by respecting the police officers in our community and the law of United States of America. Without the cooperation of everyone, the prevailing widespread of police brutality will continue to grow. The people should give a serious thought of what they are doing in order to avoid violence. Let’s just think about the victims of violence and how thousands of people die every year because of brutality. Let’s not make one of our families and our next generations become a victim of these humiliating, devastating and inhumane acts of the police. We, as a nation, need concerted effort in protest for all the victims whose lives have been stolen and sacrifice. The goal must be nothing short of creating a just, humane, peaceful and less violent society. If there is no justice, there will be no peace in the United States. The widespread of police brutality has widened all over the world. The nation must join together to eliminate repression, unjust and abusive treatment by the police in order to have a more peaceful and harmonious nation. To terminate police brutality means calling for justice for our brothers and sisters whose lives have been stolen. In addition, this will give time for the government to open their eyes for the families of those who are unjustly locked down behind prison walls. It will allow balance of justice between the government officials and the people regardless of racial status. Our world would be a better place to live in because it lessens violence, death rate, and increases the confidence and harmony between the police and the community. Moreover, the absence of such brutality will terminate arrest and harassment based on racial origin. Bibliography: â€Å"Activists Protest Against Police Brutality in LA,† MAS magazine, (August 16, 2000), 2 pages. â€Å"Call for a National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation, http://www.mojo.calyx.net/~refuse/ndp/071400oct22.html, October 22, 2000. â€Å"DNC Activists Protest Cop Brutality,† MAS magazine, (August 16, 2000), 2 pages. â€Å"NYPD’s Bloody Month of August 1999, http://www.mojo.calyx.net/~refuse/ndp/090699ndpnyc.html, September 6, 1999. Anderson, Kelly, Police Brutality, San Diego California, Kelly Anderson, 1995. Bender, David, Policing the Police, San Diego California, David Bender, 1995. Charles, Nick, â€Å"Criminally Suspect,† SIRS, (September 1995), 4 pages. Conroy, John, Unspeakable Act, Ordinary People, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. Fitzgerald, Terence, Police in Society, New York, Terence Fitzgerald, 2000. Meeks, Kenneth, Driving While Black, New York, Kenneth Meek, 2000. Nelson, Jill, Police Brutality, New York, Jill Nelson, 2000. Roleff, Tamara, Police Brutality, San Diego California, David Bender, 1999. Steinhorn, Leonard, By the Color of our Skin, New York, Leonard Steinhorn, 1999.

Biography of Empress Theodora, Byzantine Feminist

Empress Theodora (c. 497–June 28, 548), wife of Emperor  Justinian I, is regarded as the most powerful woman in  Byzantine  history. Because of her intelligence and political savvy, she was Justinian’s most trusted adviser and used her influence to promote religious and social policies in line with her interests. She significantly expanded the rights of women. Fast Facts: Empress Theodora Known For: Most Influential Woman in the Byzantine EraBorn: c. 497 on Cyprus or in SyriaFather: AcaciusDied: June 28, 548 in Constantinople, modern-day TurkeySpouse: Justinian I Early Life Little is known of her early years. According to the historian Procopius—whose historical work, according to one source, which resembles a tabloid newspaper but is the best available—her father Acacius was a bear keeper at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, a large stadium where chariot races and other events were staged, including bear-baiting. He died when she was 5. Her mother remarried and started Theodoras acting career. Theodora had two sisters, Comitona and Anastasia, and as a child she worked on stage as a mime with older sister Comitona before becoming a full-fledged actress, though in that day much of what was termed acting would later be euphemistically called adult entertainment. Offstage she was known for having numerous lovers and wild parties and for prostitution. She became the mistress of a wealthy man named Hecebolus, who for reasons unknown threw her out in roughly 521. She found religion, renounced her former lifestyle, and made a living as a wool spinner, returning to Constantinople in 522. Marriage When Justinian somehow met her, he was attracted by her beauty and intelligence and made her his mistress before marrying her in 525. Because of her disreputable background, special legislation was required to legalize such a marriage. (The independent record of this law being changed supports Procopius account of Theodoras lowly origins.) Justinians uncle and adoptive father, Emperor Justin I, died on August 1, 527, the date that Justinians reign is usually said to have begun, though modern scholars believe that he actually took over the government as early as 518. When Justinian took the throne, Theodora became the empress. Theodora exercised considerable influence, though she was never made co-regent. Because of her intelligence and unerring political sensibility, many believe that she, rather than Justinian, ruled Byzantium. Her name appears in nearly all the laws passed during that period, and she received foreign envoys and corresponded with foreign rulers, roles usually taken by the ruler. Nika Revolt Her influence in political affairs is illustrated by the Nika Revolt of January 532, which involved the Blues and the Greens, two Constantinople political factions that sponsored chariot races, animal contests, and stage plays in the Hippodrome and had attained substantial political power. The Blues and Greens had set aside their traditional rivalry to unite and oppose the government and establish a rival emperor. The revolt started on January 13, as the chariot races were to begin. Before the day was over, many public buildings were in flames.  Justinian had failed to head off the situation, and most of his advisers urged him to flee. Preparations were made, and a ship sat ready in the harbor to carry the emperor and empress to safety. At a meeting of the Imperial Council on January 18, Theodora sat listening to the men debating whether they should flee the city. Then, according to Robert Brownings Justinian  and  Theodora, she stood and addressed them: Whether or not a woman should give an example of courage to men is neither here nor there....I think that flight, even if it brings us to safety, is not in our interest. Every man born to see the light of day must die. But that one who has been emperor should become an exile I cannot bear.   She suggested that Justinian, his generals, and the other officials stay and save the empire. After she sat down, the men looked at each other and the generals began to discuss military plans. Belisarius, one of her husbands generals,  eventually herded the rebels into the Hippodrome, where they were slaughtered. Religion Theodora was a monophysite Christian, believing that Jesus Christs nature was purely divine, while her husband reflected orthodox Christianity, which holds that Jesus nature was both human and divine. Some commentators, including Procopius, allege that their differences were more pretense than a reality, presumably to keep the church from having too much power. She was known as a protector of members of the Monophysite faction when they were accused of heresy.  She supported the moderate Monophysite Severus and, when he was excommunicated and exiled—with Justinians approval—Theodora helped him to settle in Egypt. Another excommunicated monophysite, Anthimus, was still hiding in the womens quarters when Theodora died, 12 years after the excommunication order. She sometimes explicitly worked against her husbands support of Chalcedonian Christianity in the ongoing struggle for the predominance of each faction, especially at the edges of the empire. At the end of his life, Justinian was said to have moved significantly toward monophysitism, though he took no official action to promote it. Death and Legacy Theodora died in 548, possibly from cancer or  gangrene. Her death illustrated how important she was in Byzantine political life: Little significant legislation dates from the period between her death and 565 when Justinian died. Theodora had given birth to a daughter, either before she met Justinian or early in their marriage, but the girl didnt live long. No other children were born to the imperial couple. Through her relationship with her husband, who treated her as his intellectual partner, Theodora had a major impact on the political decisions of the empire. Justinian wrote that he had consulted Theodora when he promulgated a constitution that included reforms meant to end corruption by public officials. She is credited with influencing many other reforms, including expanding the rights of women in divorce and property ownership, prohibiting forced prostitution, giving mothers some guardianship rights over their children, and forbidding the killing of a wife who committed adultery. She closed brothels and created convents, where the ex-prostitutes could support themselves. Sources Browning, Robert. Justinian and Theodora. Gorgias Pr Llc, January 1, 2003.Garland, Lynda. Byzantine Empresses: Women and Power in Byzantium AD 527-1204. 1st Edition, Routledge, January 8, 2011.Holmes, William Gordon. The Age of Justinian and Theodora, Vol. 1: A History of the Sixth Century. Paperback, Abridged edition, Forgotten Books, July 6, 2017.Procopius. The Secret History. Penguin Classics, Peter Sarris (Editor, Translator, Introduction), G. A. Williamson (Translator), Paperback, New Ed. / edition, December 18, 2007.Underhill, Clara. Theodora: The Courtesan of Constantinople. 1st Edition edition, Sears Publishing Company, Inc., 1932.Theodora: Byzantine Empress. Encyclopaedia Britannica.Theodora. Encyclopedia.com.