Political Culture And Malaysia

Political Culture And Malaysia Abstract: Pre-1999 studies pictured Malaysia as having a subject political culture. The post-2008 survey data shows Malaysia having a participant political culture and a high level of participation. The 2008 elections which witnessed the emergence of a strong opposition in the parliament reflect the maturity of the Malaysian electorate which augurs well for democracy in the country. Keywords: Malaysian political culture, elections, electoral behaviour, reformasi, democracy The results of the 2008 elections in which the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (National Front or BN), lost two-thirds majority which it enjoyed, for half a century, to a loosely combined opposition parties, is argued by many to be the extension of the new idiom of politics created in 1998. The electoral change in 2008, according to several electoral studies, augurs well for the democratization of the country.  [1]   Projecting democracy for Malaysia entails an understanding of her political culture. A democratic form of participatory political system requires as well a political culture consistent with it.  [2]  It is sometimes termed the substructure of the state because its underlying values and beliefs influence the operation of all social and political organizations.  [3]  Political culture, derived from a structural-functional model of the political process, is defined as the political attitudes, beliefs, values and skills [within] an entire population, as well as those à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ within separate parts of that population.  [4]  It is the set of values within which a political system operates.  [5]  To Almond and Verba, it is the pattern of orientations to political objects among the members of the nation.  [6]  They divided orientations into cognitive, affective and evaluative dimensions. Cognitive orientation refers to knowledge of and belief about the political sy stem, its roles and the incumbents of these roles, its inputs, and its outputs. Affective orientation is feelings about the political system, its roles, personnel, and performance; while evaluative orientation is the judgments and opinions about political system and usually involves a combination of value standards and criteria with information and feeling. On this basis, Almond and Verba identified three cultural orientations: parochial, subject, and participant.  [7]  Parochialism is characterized by general ignorance about political objects. In subject political culture, citizens possess the requisite political knowledge without the sense that they could be effective political actors. Participant political culture combines knowledge about politics with a willingness to participate in the political process. After a period of some disuse, cultural approaches to understanding politics have experienced a revival in recent years. Scholars in the past did explore the political culture of Malaysia but with limited empirical evidence owing to the paucity of survey research. The contemporary political culture can, however, be analysed by using public opinion surveys conducted in Malaysia in recent years. This study reviews the findings of earlier studies on political culture which were based upon intuitive speculation supported by fragmentary evidence from several highly selective studiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.  [8]  This is followed by an examination of the existing political culture with the help of data from the survey conducted from 12 to 18 April 2008 in Peninsular Malaysia among 1,027 adult citizens. This random sample was stratified according to state, ethnicity, age and gender of the respondents. The distributions over age, ethnic groups and religions correspond to national figures. The interviews were conducted in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, Tamil and English using the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview ( CATI) facilities of the International Islamic University Malaysia. Each interview lasted for about 25 minutes, on average. At a confidence level of 95 per cent, the survey results have a statistical precision of  ± 2.8 per cent of what they would be if the interviews were conducted with the entire voting age population residing in peninsular Malaysia. The questionnaire contained 38 items. This paper uses only part of the data (24 items) dealing with cognitive, affective and evaluational orientations and voting in the 2008 elections. The Traditional Political Culture Malaysia, with an area of 127,320 sq miles (329,758 sq km), is a federation of 13 states and 3 federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and the newly created administrative capital for the federal government of Malaysia, Putrajaya. According to July 2009 estimate, Malaysia has a population of 28.31 million.  [9]  Malaysia is a multicultural society, with Malays (54.2 per cent), Chinese (25.3 per cent), Indians (7.5 per cent) and others (13.0 per cent) living side by side in peace. Malays along with the natives of Sabah and Sarawak (Eastern Malaysia), are officially classified as Bumiputra (sons of the soil, or indigenes). The non-bumiputras, consist mainly of the Chinese and the Indians whose large-scale immigration took place in the 19th century with colonization and modernization. Malaysias political culture is significantly impacted by the British colonial administration.  [10]  The British looked upon the Malays as intellectually deficient and lazy. They admired the Chinese for their industry, entrepreneurship and greed; while the Indians were viewed as cheap and compliant labour. Referring to Chinese and Indians, Lucian Pye characterized Malaysian politics as a confrontation of two incompatible cultures with different systems of values and behavioural norms.  [11]  Pye, however, missed out the Indians, perhaps because they are a minority. The Malays are Muslims; they speak Bahasa Malayu and maintain traditional customs and practices. They generally live in rural areas and their relations are based on mutual help, self-respect and the concept of brotherhood in Islam. All these impart a feeling of solidarity among the Malays. Malays refer to Malaysia, particularly Western Malaysia, as Tanah Melayu (the Land of the Malays) and they are very proud of it. Chandra Muzaffar argues that Malay political culture is a complex mix of elements inherited from the feudal tradition, Western values, and Islam.  [12]  Elections and the culture that accompanies it, the product of Western influence, are an integral dimension of Malay and Malaysian political culture. The factors that influence voting patterns are the product, among others, of Malay feudal history characterized by deference to the royalty, uncritical acceptance of state authority and subservience to governmental power. Malaysian political leaders expect and they do rec eive due respect and appropriate electoral support from the Malay electorate. The Malay government is known as kerajaan that refers to the raja who ruled from the pre-colonial courts. Members of parliament and state Legislative Assembly men are referred to as yang berhormat (he who is honoured), and sustain remarkable resiliency in office. The Malay political culture is parochial and passive; they tend to relieve anxieties created by political conflict by avoidance and silence and by repressing emotions in the hope that the problem will go away if matters are smoothed over.  [13]  Islam has also impacted on Malay political attitudes and orientations. Islam brought with it a feudal political culture in the 14th or the beginning of the 15th century and reinforced the feudalism of pre-Islamic Malaysia.  [14]   The Chinese derive their values from Confucian patterns and assumptions. According to Pye, the Chinese concept of power is one of an unambiguous leader or father figure to whom the subordinates dutifully obey. Both the omnipotent leader and his dutiful subordinates are assumed to be Chinese. Complaints of all sorts should be aired and redress sought from authority figures. The idea of a Chinese leader becoming the subordinate of a foreigner is culturally unthinkable. Thus, there is no role for minority leadership in a community dominated by a non-Confucian culture. It effectively means that the Chinese cannot be subservient to the Malay majority leadership. As a result, a large number of Chinese in Malaysia feel that a truly national politics is unattainable for them.  [15]  This makes the Chinese to opt out of the majority system and focus instead on special parochial groupings.  [16]  The Chinese political culture is aggressive; they tend to release anxieties created by pol itical conflict by voicing anguish to somebody and seek sympathy even from bystanders.  [17]   Of the current population, the Chinese are the most heterogeneous. Most of them confess to one or more of the three great religions of mainland China: Buddhism, Taoism or Confucianism, and speak Hokkien, Hakka and/or Cantonese. This heterogeneity is reflected in their politics. Unlike the Malays, the Chinese were and are divided in their loyalties. Most of the Chinese supported the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), the component of the BN but many also identified with opposition leftist and reformist parties. Yet, the Chinese were relatively far more mobilized socially and politically than the Malays. Living in urban centres and economically better off, the Chinese had easy access to higher education which tended to make them politically better informed. Indians, oftentimes regarded as a minority race, have made significant contributions to the socio-political and economic development of Malaysia. The Indian community is generally found around the urban areas and suburban rubber estates. It is generally believed that most Indians in Malaysia are politically informed and they operate small businesses. Some Indians work as professionals or labourers. They are industrious and entrepreneurial but cherish their values and traditions. Indians are close-knit community and are deeply religious. Many Indians adhere to Hinduism, some of them profess Christianity and Islam. The earlier immigrants had forged strong ties with their homeland without forming a strong bonding with their adopted country. The 1970s and 1980s generation regard Malaysia as their homeland. The Indian community has been perceived as passive and parochial. They did not cause much anxiety to the imperial rulers. They are culturally divided and their cultural diversity may be identified with their ancestors places of origin. They are mainly Hindu Tamils from southern India, speaking Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam, and some Hindi. In the post-independent Malaysia, the Indians do not form majority of their own in any Malaysian constituency. Hence most of them opted to support the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) which is a component of the ruling Barisan Nasional, in order to gain access to the Barisan system of the ethnic apportionment of political power and material resources. However, a small segment of the Indian community supported opposition. Malaysias multi-ethnicity made it imperative for the elites of each ethnic group to unite in a mutually beneficial fashion. The resultant system is a variant of conosciational democracy in which elections play an important role to fill in the public positions.  [18]  In procedural terms, however, Malaysian political system is considered narrow because it constrains the practice of civil and political rights through restrictions on assembly, the strategic use of detention orders and other legal and emergency powers. Yet, the pioneering survey of political attitudes in Malaysia conducted in November 1994 found majority of 395 respondents, selected randomly, supported limited practice of democracy.  [19]  According to Welsh, Malay respondents overall opposed the expansion of democracy; the minorities, especially the Indian respondents, favoured democracy, while the Chinese respondents were more ambivalent.  [20]  There was some sort of congruence between political culture an d regime type. In the elections held between 1959 and 1995, the ruling coalition, the BN, constantly maintained two-thirds majority of seats in the parliament as shown in Table 1. Table1: Results of Parliamentary Elections, 1959 to 1995 Year Alliance/BN Opposition Parties Total Seats Seats Per cent Seat Per cent 1959 74 51.8 30 48.2 104 1964 89 58.5 15 41.5 104 1969 66 48.4 37 51.6 103 1974 135 60.7 19 39.3 154 1978 131 57.2 24 42.8 154 1982 132 60.5 22 39.5 154 1896 148 57.3 29 41.5 177 1990 127 54.4 53 46.6 180 1995 162 65.1 30 34.8 192 Source: Abdul Rashid Moten and Tunku Mohar Mokhtar, Elections and the Electoral System in Malaysia at 50: Achievements and Aspirations, edited by Syed Arabi Idid (Singapore: Thomson Learning, 2008), 199. State and Society in Transition Political cultures, though often highly stable, are not immutable. They may evolve over time, and may even be profoundly altered in a short span of time. This change may result from the spread of mass education, technological development, globalised discourses of human rights and the like. Voluntary associations and popular movements may help with the formation of new identities.  [21]  In the Malaysian context, the intense economic development programme pursued by the government over the years has led to the transformation of the state, Islamic organizations and civil societies. The political identities of the Malay, Chinese, Indian and other communities have likewise undergone changes.  [22]   The British, during the colonial period, pursued policies that created an imbalance in development between the urban sector involved in tin mining and rubber plantation and the rural sector engaged in small scale agriculture. Post-independent leaders pursued policies that aimed not merely at developing the economy and alleviating poverty but also at narrowing the differential development gap among various groups. The national development policies outlined in the Five Year National Development Plans (NDPs) in the earlier phase concentrated on improving the living standards of the rural society by providing facilities for infrastructure, social services and agricultural development. Since 1971, the government, under what was called the New Economic Policy (NEP), embarked upon a socio-economic restructuring affirmative action programme. The NEP aimed at promoting national unity and a just society by attacking poverty and reducing and eventually eliminating the identity of race with econ omic function.  [23]  In 1990, the post-NEP era began with Vision 2020 which espoused a commitment to forging a Bangsa Malaysia, a united Malaysian nation with a sense of a common and shared destiny under the leadership of Mahathir Mohamad, who served as Prime Minister from 1982 to 2003. That became the basis of the National Development Policy that aimed, among others, to strike an optimum balance between the goals of economic growth and equity.  [24]   Malaysia, under a soft authoritarian regime led by Mahathir Mohamad, made good economic progress, technological development and considerable rural-urban migration.  [25]  However, the growth was accompanied by an element of patronage leading to significant leakages and disproportionate gains to individuals and companies, such as the Renong, Technology Resources, Berjaya and Tanjong groups, associated with UMNO, the dominant party in the BN, the ruling coalition.  [26]  This state-capital nexus in Malaysia is termed party capitalism or money politics. Nevertheless, the economy grew at an average annual rate of 7 per cent during the 1990s. GDP per capita rose from RM 1,090 in 1970 to RM 14,924.3 in 2000. During 1970 to 2000, employment in agriculture shrank from 53.2 per cent to 15.2 per cent while employment in manufacturing increased from 9.0 per cent to 27.6 per cent. Literacy rate for the corresponding period rose from 58.1 per cent to 87.4 per cent. There was also a marked reduction in both rural and urban poverty.  [27]  Between 1981 and 1989, economic growth averaged 5.4 per cent which rose to 8.8 per cent between 1990 and 1996. The middle class expanded from 20 per cent of the working population in 1970 to approximately 45 per cent by 1993.  [28]  The rapid expansion of the middle class is considered as an impetus to liberalization and democratization in Malaysia. It has given rise to a consumer culture and a lifestyle dominated by shopping malls, restaurants, and Western-owned fast-food outlets.  [29]  Interestingly, this new Malay middle class was suffering from alienation presumably because they did not benefit from party capitalism by joining the elite group who enjoyed the state patronage. The growth of the middle class led to the emergence of civil societies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Aliran was established in August 1977 for the reform of Malaysian society guided by universal spiritual and moral values. It launched its publication Aliran Monthly in 1980. SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia, or Voice of the Malaysian People) was established in 1987 to promote freedom of expression, assembly and association. HAKAM (Persatuan Kebangsaan Hak Asasi Manusia or The National Human Rights Soceity) was formed in 1990 to work on human rights issues. Tenaganita (Womens Force) was established in 1991 to promote the rights of women workers and migrant workers. In 1993, some 50 NGOs adopted The Malaysian Human Rights Charter. Evidently, these organizations advocate various social, economic, cultural and political causes, interests, and agendas.  [30]  They have been instrumental in initiating positive changes in various spheres of life. They have helped Malaysians eng age in networking and increase their strength and confidence to solve problems with or without government assistance. Malaysians have learned to form groups, organise meetings and rallies, improve means of communication and gain new knowledge. These associations have been critical of various government policies and voiced their concern in public. Indeed, civil societies became more vocal during the reformasi period.  [31]   Reformasi and the Changes in the Electoral Behaviour In July 1997 money speculators attacked the Malaysian currency which eventually plunged the country into first recession for many years. The financial crisis widened the differences between Prime Minister Mahathir and his ambitious deputy Anwar Ibrahim who was seen as conspiring to overthrow the Prime Minister which became overt in June 1998 at the UMNO party elections in which one of Anwars supporters openly criticised Mahathir for economic mismanagement. The speech came too close on the heels of the Indonesian anti-KKN (kolusi, korupsi dan nepotisme, or collusion, corruption and nepotism) reformasi movement that toppled Suharto in May, a month earlier.  [32]  Mahathir blamed currency speculators especially George Soros for the financial crisis whereas Anwar Ibrahim blamed it upon Mahathirs obsession with unproductive mega projects and nepotism. Mahathir would not seek assistance from the International bodies to overcome the crisis while Anwar was fully committed to adopting res cue package from International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Subsequent expulsion from the party, arrest and imprisonment of Anwar Ibrahim, on charges of misuse of power and immoral conduct, triggered the movement for reform, reformasi, demanding participatory democracy and justice for all.  [33]  The movement drew new actors, namely Malay women, youth and sections of the Malay middle class.  [34]   NGOs and civil societies cooperated and coordinated their anti-government actions. Numerous street demonstrations that followed led to the formation of Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat (Coalition for Peoples Democracy or Gagasan), on 27 September 1998, composed of 18 political parties and organizations. Gagasans 10-point joint declaration demanded freedom of speech and assembly, impartial judiciary and the abolition of detention without trial and the draconian Internal Security Act. There also emerged Gerakan Keadilan Rakyat Malaysia (Malaysian Peoples Movement for Justice or Gerak) composed of various Muslim non-governmental organizations but included the opposition political parties like Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Partai Se-Islam Se-Malaysia (Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, PAS). December 1998 saw the emergence of the Pergerakan Keadilan Sosial (Movement for Social Justice or Adil) under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahims wife, Wan Azizah Ismail, which pressed for political, economic and social reform. Adil, in 1999, metamorphosed into the multi-ethnic Parti Keadilan Nasional (National Justice Party or keADILan). Subsequently, KeADILan, DAP, PAS and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (Malaysian Peoples Party, PRM) formed an opposition alliance known as the Barisan Alternatif (Alternative Coalition, BA). Simultaneously, several reformasi-related websites emerged demanding more democratic space, accountability of the rulers and a participatory political system. The first reformasi website, Anwar On-line, was launched on September 1, 1998 and was followed within a few months by over fifty pro-Anwar and pro-reform websites. Well developed professional sites include AIM (Abolish the ISA Movement), Aliran Online, HarakahDaily, Bereita Keadilan, the Free Anwar Campaign, etc. The countrys first commercial on-line newspaper, Malaysiakini, was launched just nine days prior to the general election of 1999. The number of internet users rose from about 500,000 in 1999 to an estimated two million in 2002. The Internet was relatively free from government control and was an important venue for political discourse. The internet has created dense networks linking geographically dispersed activists that constitute themselves into the building blocs for bottom-up democratisation process.  [35]  As society has changed, with demographic shifts reinforced by new information technologies and globalization process, political culture has changed, too, particularly among the younger generation.  [36]  Malaysians became active citizens and took it upon themselves to know, to feel and to evaluate the policies emanating from the political system and to vote accordingly. This is clear from the voting behaviour of the Malaysian electorate in the 10th, 11th and 12th general elections. The tenth elections for parliamentary and state assemblies were held on November 29, 1999 preceded by a nine-day campaign period. The elections saw many non-governmental organizations in the forefront making their voices heard through various mechanisms including the use of internet. The BA contested the November 1999 elections with a joint manifesto: Towards a Just Malaysia free from widespread corruption, abuse of power and crippling poverty. The manifesto promised a strong national economy, enhanced government transparency and accountability, national unity and a genuinely democratic society. They took full advantage of the Internet to disseminate information. The opposition front made startling gains winning 45 out of 193 seats in the national parliament. PAS, the major component of the BA, not only retained the state of Kelantan but it also captured the neighbouring, oil-rich Terengganu. Four Malay cabinet ministers and the chief minister of Terengganu lost in the election. Prim e Minister Mahathirs winning margin in Kubang Pasu constituency in Kedah had shrunk by about 40 per cent from 1995. Most of BN candidates won with slim margins. The eleventh general elections were held on March 21, 2004 in which the BN won unprecedented 62.37 per cent of the votes and 90.4 per cent of seats in Parliament and recaptured Terengganu lost in 1999. This result shows maturity on the part of the Malaysian electorate for three reasons. One, the leadership of BN has changed. Abdullah Badawi who took office on October 31, 2003 was perceived as friendly and a man of the people. His fight against corruption; insistence on public accountability and shift from corporate mega-projects to agro-based, rural projects were well received by the electorate tired of corruption and confrontational politics.Two, the BN adopted the core reformasi demands of accountability, transparency and good governance. Its manifesto described BN as moving Toward Excellence, Glory, and Distinction. Three, the opposition front, BA, that performed well during the 1999 elections could not continue to work as a team. The cordiality between the parties waned and some of them suffered from financial difficulties and mass defections. The opposition parties contested against each other in many constituencies. Under the circumstances, the best bet for the Malaysian electorate was to vote BN. The reforms Abdullah instituted during the following four years did not meet the public expectation. A number of factors contributed to a rising discontent among Malaysians including rising crime, a number of corruption scandals, the weaknesses of the judicial system, and interferences with the appointment of senior judges and increased food and fuel prices. The opposition parties joined hands under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim and capitalized on the public anger over transparency and accountability. Using alternative media, they highlighted the weaknesses of the government and campaigned effectively in the twelfth elections held on March 8, 2008. The electorate reversed their earlier decision in the 2008 elections denying the ruling coalition its two-thirds majority in parliament and giving the opposition parties control of 5 state assemblies. The reformasi movement is considered by many to be a clear manifestation of a change in Malaysias political culture. They reshaped the configuration of forces and, since then, Malaysian politics has changed. According to Jomo, the reformasi liberated the Malaysian and, in particular, the Malay political discourse.  [37]  Since 1998, writes Francis, a new discourse and practice of participatory democracy has gained ground among Malaysiansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.  [38]  Meredith Weiss is emphatic: Reformasi marked a shift in Malaysian politics.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Whatever degree of institutional change has so far occurred, Malaysian political culture now leans more toward new politics-characterized by fragmentation of ethnic communities and contesting discourses of ethnicism, participatory democracy, and developmentalismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.  [39]   Andres Ufen argues that the Malaysian opposition has succeeded in establishing a viable pro-democratic political culture that is hardly destructible through sheer repression.  [40]   The landslide victory achieved by the BN under Abdullah Badawi in 2004 is also a reflection of the maturity of the Malaysian electorate. Citizens voted with the belief that the new government would be responsive to their needs, wants, and purposes which is an ess

Mckinsey’s Knowledge Management

Competitive Advantage over other firms – Unique Resources and Capabilities Bower’s Vision – Development of Unique Organizational Culture First Mover Advantage Between Marvin Bower, Ron Daniel, and Fred Gluck, who was the most effective strategic leader? Why do you think so? Upon evaluating each individual’s strategic leadership ability based upon the six elements of effective strategic leadership, we concluded that Fred Gluck was indeed the most effective of the three individuals. The six attributes which a strategic leader can be compared against are listed below. We found that Fred Gluck’s contributions were more pronounced in elements 1 through 4, and where there was not enough material in the case to support any arguments for or against Gluck’s superiority in elements 5 and 6 (Establishing Ethincal Practices, and Establishing Balanced Organizational Controls) we can assume that the contributions of all leaders were similar, or differences were not significant. Determining Strategic Direction Exploiting and Maintaining Core Competencies Developing Human Capital Sustaining an Effective Organizational Culture Emphasizing Ethical Practices Establishing Balanced Organizational Controls {draw:frame} Determining Strategic Direction Exploiting and Maintaining Core Competencies At one time, Daniel realized that most of McKinsey’s knowledge was spread all over the company, and was not codified. Apart from a few publications (Peter’s and Waterman’s In Search of Excellence and Kenichi Ohame’s The Mind of the Strategist), there was no way of tracking what breakthroughs might have been achieved in certain projects, or what might have been some of the creative solutions that had been applied to other client projects. Here too, the most concrete efforts to consolidate company knowledge were undoubtedly those of Fred Gluck: Gluck introduced the idea of â€Å"Practice bulletins† which were short two page summaries published and distributed company wide, which highlighting some of the new emerging ideas regarding how to tackle new projects. It was under Gluck’s instruction that the Knowledge Management Project was initiated in 1987, even a year before he became Managing Director. The recommendations of the Knowledge Management Project led to the creation of the Firm Pratice Information System (FPIS), and the Practice Development Network (PDNet). These Databases eventually became the backbone of â€Å"knowledge Management† per se – a place to electronically store written reports and documents so that they would be accessible to the entire company, therefore enabling the easier spread of ideas, knowhow, and previous knowledge implementations among consultants. The Knowledge Resource Directory (KRD) – popularly known as the â€Å"Mckinsey Yellow Pages† – was a small portable pocket sized consultants’ manual was also a breakthrough introduction that took place under Gluck’s supervision. Development of Human Capital – See â€Å"Consultant Development† above. Sustaining an Effective Organizational Culture An effective organizational culture for McKinsey would have been (or would still be) one which creates a strong synergy in employee interaction within the company, especially when its core competencies are â€Å"Human Capital† and â€Å"Knowledge†. Gluck promoted this synergy, by putting in place a structure that allow those synergies to grow. The FPIS and PDNet were important elements of that, as were the â€Å"Super Group† discussions which generated great new ideas for the company to build upon. In essence, Gluck as the leader kept encouraging and coaxing consultants to expand the company’s capabilities â€Å"mentally† also – within the minds of its employees. 3) Through application of the Balanced Scorecard and the evidence in the three mini-cases of front-line activities in the mid-1990’s, how effective was the firm in the 1990’s? As evident in the mini-cases, McKinsey was highly effective throughout the 1990’s in regards to the firm’s Balanced Scorecard. Financial Perspective McKinsey was highly effective during the 1990’s in respect to financial performance. After Fred Gluck’s change in strategic direction, McKinsey was able to double revenues to an estimated $1. 5 billion during his six year term as Managing Director. This type of sizeable growth had not been seen since the early years of the firm when it was under direction of Marvin Bower. McKinsey was able to compete with BCG through Gluck’s change in strategy and win back clients and skilled recruits. Customer Perspective With respect to the Balanced Scorecards customer perspective, McKinsey was performing extremely well. This was evident in the Jeff Peters case where his three person team was able to work with a highly respected financial services company in Sydney, Australia. They were able to have a strong client impact and added value to their client because of their access to knowledge, intellectual rigor and their ability to build understanding and consensus among a diverse management. Their client was extremely satisfied with their recommendations and believed that any failures would be due to the client’s own fault. By adding more value to their clients and increasing client satisfaction with the work McKinsey consultants provided, the client base grew thus leading to better financial performance. Internal Business Processes In each of the three mini-cases, McKinsey effectively used internal business processes to grow as a firm. In the Jeff Peters case, the knowledge necessary to provide quality recommendations to the client was accessed easily by scanning the Knowledge Resource Directory, the FPIS and the PDNet. This knowledge sharing is key in providing clients with specialized solutions and helping build the individuals. Also the constant flow of consultants across offices contributed to the transfer of knowledge. The end result of the case was the development of John and Patty, two of the team members, making them ready to take on a management role in their next assignment while still providing quality recommendations that the client was completely satisfied with. In the Warwick Bray case, the specialist promotion track and practice development was exemplified. Warwick was able to leverage his technological experience and become an expert on deregulation. Warwick was able to be promoted to a co-leadership role in the practice because he established credibility with clients and not because he had a broad-based problem solving skills. At the same time, Michael Patsalos-Fox, with the help of Warwick and Sulu Soderstom, was able to develop the practice. His first goal was to make the practice interesting to attract the best associates. Patsalos-Fox also created a practice-specific intranet link designed to spread knowledge that was more focused than the firm-wide systems like PDNet. Also in the Stephen Dull case, the B to B nitiative was established because Stephen had focused on becoming an expert in this area and developing the practice. He was able to establish credibility with his colleagues and with clients which led to more client impact. Although he was still uncertain about his promotion prospects, he was reassured that 15-20% of the firm’s partners would be functional experts within the next five to seven years. By effecti vely using its internal business process, McKinsey was able to have more client impact and customer satisfaction. Learning and Growth Perspective In the Jeff Peters case, the firm actually didn’t perform well in respect to learning and growth. The team had utilized the knowledge databases to create a recommendation that satisfied the client but they were disappointed that they had not come up with anything radical and innovative. The team was afraid that it had fallen into the trap of becoming too introverted and satisfied with their own view of the world. The best examples of learning and growth were demonstrated in the Warwick Bray and Stephen Dull cases. Warwick Bray is an example of the creation of an I-shaped consultant. He had specific knowledge of deregulation and spread his knowledge with executive clients and consultant teams. In Stephan Dull’s case, he provided an excellent example of the â€Å"stewardship model† the firm want to put in place. He had taken it upon himself to increase his knowledge of B to B and ended up helping create a new Center of Competence that provided more value to clients and increased knowledge of the consultants. What is your evaluation of Rajat Gupta’s â€Å"four-pronged† approach to knowledge development and application within McKinsey? What specific risks and benefits do you see for each of the four prongs? What specific advice would you give him to address the risks and leverage the benefits? Emphasis 1 â€Å"Capitalize on the firm’s long term investment in practice development driven by the Clientele Industry Sectors and Functional Capability Groups†¦ †¦Creating some new channels, forums and mechanisms for knowledge development and organizational learning† {draw:frame} Evaluation – NOT RECOMMENDED Emphasis 2 â€Å"Grass Roots knowledge-development approach called Practice Olympics†¦ â€Å" {draw:frame} Emphasis 3 â€Å"Six special initiatives multi year assignments focusing on issues important to CEOs.. † {draw:frame} Evaluation – NOT RECOMMENDED Adding another six dedicated centers over the already numerous pre-existing Clientele Industry Sectors and Functional Capability Groups will only add to the confusion. As it is, McKinsey is having trouble with the promotion criterion of its â€Å"Specailist â€Å"I† Consultants† where they are mostly left on their own, and it is hard to measure a specailist’s performance in his area when he is, infact, the only specialist of that area in the company. While it is getting difficult to measure contribution in these â€Å"tangible† specialist areas, it makes no sense to put in place another 6 departments focusing on â€Å"emerging issues of importance to CEO’s†. Given the changing dymanic of the consulting industry – or the entire economy given its jerks and bends, it is very likely that the issues too would change over the span of years that each of these â€Å"dedicated centres† plans to spend studying each issue. Already, Gluck’s emphasis on specialization led to the creation of â€Å"72 islands of isolated activity† which had to be trimmed down by the CPDC, this is similar to such â€Å"diversification†. Emphasis 4 â€Å"Expand on the model of McKinsey global institute†¦. † {draw:frame} Creating pools of dedicated resources that study economic trends, and are free from pressures of delivering results to clients, will definitely boost the self reliance of McKinsey on its own knowledge. By studying global and local trends – such as the present economic downturn situation or the effects on the environment, McKinsey will be able to pre-empt the kinds of problems that are likely to emerge in business today, and be prepared with a solution that is more fundamentally tied into, for example, an actually prevalent or emerging economic phenomenon or trend. Having its own â€Å"high-end economic research unit† for example, will definitely be a confidence booster for the firm consultants – they will always have an avenue to turn to if they need to validate any of their recommendations on a more fundamental level.

The Ultimate Power Struggle: One’s Descent into Immorality

If we must fight, we should put up a damn good one. In my power struggles in the past, either within myself or with others, I realized that when I am in the right I don't back down. I assert my standpoint well and stand firm in what I believe in. All through my childhood, adolescent and adult years, I knew that if I own it, I win it.   The short story, â€Å"Hunters in the Snow† illustrates a complicated power struggle between three friends, who each sink into a sense of immoral conviction as they own up and affirm their weaknesses. The power struggle among the three characters, Tub, Frank and Kenny, is evident all throughout the story. At the beginning of the story we see Kenny, an insensitive man, play a scary joke on Tub by almost running down his friend with the truck. Right away, he shows the reader his dominance over Tub. Frank, on the other hand, treats Tub like a joke, ignoring Tub’s concerns and emphasizing Tub’s obesity as an impediment. With Kenny delightfully participating, he leaves Tub behind in the hike through the snow (Please cite the page number here). Tub meanwhile tries to forgive his friends, and struggles to keep up with their pace. As the story progresses, however, his submissive behavior changes and his struggle for power becomes pronounced when he shoots Kenny and confronts Frank (Please cite the page number here). Wolff’s rich characterization is achieved through skillful narration, in revealing the characters’ personality; and through skillful use of suspense and surprise, in revealing the characters’ actions. Wolff’s characters are so ingeniously shaped and presented that the reader instantly connects with  them.   The power struggle in my friendships with men and with women is in parallel with the story. It is inevitable, in a set of friends, to not acquire a certain reputation; be it a bully, a meddler, a cohort, a confidante. Establishing such an image or a reputation is a dilemma, and a power struggle within the self and with others. The power struggle within oneself is illustrated in the internal conflicts Tub and Frank are experiencing. Tub is lying to himself and to people around him about his weight problem. He appears to be on a strict diet, eating only hard-boiled eggs and celery sticks (Please cite the page number here).   He tells friends that his obesity is a glandular problem, and therefore not within his will to control. Towards the end of the story, however, he admits to Frank that he is lying about this aspect of his health (Please cite the page number here). Frank, on the other hand, is lying to himself and to his family about his pursuit of lust. He twists facts about Roxanne Brewer, the fifteen-year-old babysitter with whom he has an illicit affair. He rationalizes that her age is not an issue, and that there is something special about her that goes beyond the sexual aspect (Please cite the page number here). He cannot readily admit to himself and to Tub that the ultimate reason for the affair is his sexual gratification. Wolff’s use of the narrative voice and of character dialogue is powerful because it accurately illustrates the convictions of each character with merely a line or two. Wolff crafts character dialogue in its best form. While reading the story, I sympathized with the character named Tub a great deal. He reminds me of an old saying that goes â€Å"A lie, when oft repeated, is eventually considered a truth.†Ã‚  Ã‚   Like Tub, I sometimes tell lies to mask embarrassing inadequacies. However,  unlike Tub, my strength lies in recognizing early on, when to stop seeing the lie as a truth. The power struggle between the characters and their circumstance is illustrated in the plot of the story. The three friends find themselves in a dilemma when, after Tub shot Kenny, the long drive to the hospital is difficult to make because of the unfamiliar area. (Please cite the page number here).   Dealing with their own personal circumstance did not help either, with Frank and Tub taking their sweet time to stop by a tavern, and confessing each other’s weaknesses (Please cite the page number here), clearly an action out of place especially when a wounded and bleeding Kenny is waiting in a truck, out in the cold. When Frank and Tub finally proceed with the drive to the hospital, they take a wrong turn (Please cite the page number here), implying that Kenny might not even make it alive to the hospital. Wolff’s narrative voice is powerful in the revelation of the character’s actions and in the unfolding of the story. The last two lines of the   story have a strong impact on the reader: â€Å"†¦He was wrong. They had taken a different turn a long way back† (Please cite the page number here). Figuratively, it depicts the characters’ descent into immoral convictions, with Frank indulging Tub’s gluttony and Tub condoning Frank’s illicit relationship (Please cite the page number here). I sometimes find myself in a power struggle with my personal circumstance. It is during such times that the feeling of helplessness is so oppressive. Tobias Wolff is clearly a skillful storyteller. With his ingenious use of fiction elements and his masterful ease with manipulating the narrative voice, he creates a powerful story that readers such as myself can relate with.   At the same time, Wolff shocks and  enlightens his readers by revealing the foibles of human character. He achieves one purpose of great literature: to deliver insight so that the reader will realize the value of his strengths and experiences, and the dangers of his weaknesses. Part B. Writing about Poetry On the poem, â€Å"Birches† by Robert Frost (Please cite the page number here). The image of bent birches suggests the idea of an entity being ravaged by external forces, such as a human being weighed down by age and its burdens. This image evokes a sad, poignant fact about life: when we age and are constantly weighed down by problems we may end up â€Å"bent†, radically changed. Using birches as a symbol is an effective technique used by the poet, Robert Frost. During its reading, the verses depict two different images: the literal and the figurative; and so the reader is given two separate but related ideas to grasp, and the experience is enlightening. The image of a boy swinging on birch trees suggests the idea of childhood innocence. Lines 26–28 clearly depict so: â€Å"Some boy too far from town to learn baseball / Whose only play was what he found himself / Summer or winter, and could play alone† (Please cite the page number here). The poet is right on target in conveying the message that childhood, unlike adulthood, is innocent and simple. It does not include complex problems that adults are faced with. The reading of the verses is a delight, since it brings back memories of the reader’s own childhood. On the poem, â€Å"On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High† by D.C. Berry (Please cite the page number here). The image of water filling the room as is a fresh, new way of depicting the gradual invasion of intellectual discourse in a learning environment. As the persona is discussing a poem to his class, he likens the situation to an aquarium, where the students open up like gills and let him in (lines 13-14, page no.__ ). The use of water as a metaphor for verbal discussion is appropriate and masterful. The image of the persona and his students swimming around the room, â€Å"like thirty tails whacking words† (lines 16-17, page no.__ ) conveys the idea of a loud, intense activity such as a lively discussion of poems.   The poet, D.C. Berry, successfully concretizes an abstract idea by his use of this imagery. He succeeds in making the poem a delightful read, and introducing a fresh concept to his readers. This poem is a fresh new way of looking at class discussions or poetry readings. It is remarkable how one poem can introduce a reader into seeing an idea in another point of view. On the poem, â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owen (Please cite the page number here). The most memorable and haunting images in this poem can be found in lines 17-24 (Please cite the page number here). The images convey the idea of death in its violent form. White eyes writhing, blood gargling, sores on tongues (lines 19-24, page no.__ ) are perfect images for this poem that depicts the real, raw situation of soldiers at war. The reader gets a sense of distaste for the concept that it is sweet and becoming to die for  one’s country. The images portray a death so violent it is far from being sweet. The author uses imagery and tone to convey his message to his readers. As a result, it is as if the persona himself takes the readers by the hand and shows them the ghastly conditions of war. This poem offers a vivid vicarious experience and the realization that the effect of war is rarely glorious, especially to those who experience it first hand. Part C. Writing about Poetry On the poem, â€Å"The Unknown Citizen† by W.H. Auden (Please cite the page number here). This satire ridicules the life of the unknown citizen, a life so average that it is perfectly in conformation to the expectations of society. Auden’s use of satirical humor is exemplified by his persona supposedly praising the average conformist, but really putting this conformist in ridule. The title alone is satirical; the conformist, ideal citizen is nameless, he is unknown despite the fact that he did everything right in his life. Instead, he is reduced into a code, JS/07 M 378, conveying the message that this person is treated as a statistical datum, and nothing more. Further, the use of certain departments, like the Bureau of Statistics (line 1) or Producers Research (line 18) that affirms the good qualities of the citizen is also satirical. If the unknown citizen led an insignificant life, why does he need to be investigated? This satire is an important, effective comment on the treatment of individuals in modern society. It is very effective in conveying the idea of man’s loss of his personal identity. The examples of irony in this poem include the title itself, â€Å"the unknown citizen.† He is insignificant and yet the state praises his insignificant existence. In addition, although he led a boring, conformed life, the state chose to investigate and examine his affairs. W.H. Auden cleverly used these ironic elements to reveal the absurdity of conformity He reveals this idea to the readers in a humorous satire using irony, so that readers relate to the poem well. This poem effectively communicates the ridiculous concept of uniformity in society. The feeling of outrage, however, is tempered by satirical humor, an interesting delightful mix. For this literary achievement, Auden deserves to be sincerely lauded. The reduction of human beings into mere numbers or statistics shows an insensitive, inhuman society. Uniformity is good for inanimate objects, but not for living, breathing, feeling individuals who are each so unique. I have always viewed conformity as a negative factor in living a healthy life. This poem re-affirmed my strong belief that there is strength in being different. To have people of varied backgrounds, intellect, convictions, and lifestyle in a society is to allow people to be free; free to be themselves, free from the shackles of conformity. However, I have to admit that I have a quality in common with the unknown citizen. I am a conformist up to the point of abiding the law. Our similarity, however, stops there. I rage against absurd uniformity, and for this, unlike the unknown citizen, I know that I am perfectly happy and free.

Psy 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article...

PSY 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/psy-496-week-2-assignment-methodological-issues-article-review Description Methodological Issues Article Review. Read the following articles, which can be accessed through the ProQuest database in the Ashford University Library: Evidence-based practice in psychology: Implications for research and research training. Practice-based evidence: Back to the future. Psychological treatments: Putting evidence into practice and practice into evidence. Write a three- to four-page article review in which you discuss methodological issues unique to psychological research and analyze basic†¦show more content†¦Take the point of view of Brendtro, Mitchell, Doncaster (2011) and analyze the article(s) you selected in #3. Using these authors’ arguments from their â€Å"Practice-Based Evidence: Back to the Future† article, what would be their evaluation of the article(s) you selected? Discuss ways in which an evidence-based practice model might provide practitioners useful information for making decisions about the degree to which the treatment modality you selected in #3 is an appropriate treatment for the disorder you specified. PSY 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/psy-496-week-2-assignment-methodological-issues-article-review Description Methodological Issues Article Review. Read the following articles, which can be accessed through the ProQuest database in the Ashford University Library: Evidence-based practice in psychology: Implications for research and research training. Practice-based evidence: Back to the future. Psychological treatments: Putting evidence into practice and practice into evidence. Write a three- to four-page article review in which you discuss methodological issues unique to psychological research and analyze basic applied psychological research relevant to the treatment of mental disorders. In your paper, you will discussShow MoreRelatedPsy 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review1114 Words   |  5 PagesPSY 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/psy-496-week-2-assignment-methodological-issues-article-review Description Methodological Issues Article Review. Read the following articles, which can be accessed through the ProQuest database in the Ashford University Library: Evidence-based practice in psychology: Implications for research and research training. Practice-based evidence: Back to theRead MorePsy 496 Entire Course Applied Project1345 Words   |  6 PagesPSY 496 Entire Course Applied Project Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/psy-496-entire-course-applied-project Product Description PSY 496 Week 1 Assignment Case Study Evaluating Ashford University Institutional and Program Outcomes.docx PSY 496 Week 1 DQ 1 Topic for Literature Review PSY 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review.docx PSY 496 Week 2 DQ 1 Analyzing Basic Applied Research.docx PSY 496 Week 2 DQ 2 Controversies Associated With Changing Diagnostic CriteriaRead MorePsy 496 Week 5 Essay1968 Words   |  8 PagesA++PAPER;http://www.homeworkproviders.com/shop/psy-496-week-5/ PSY 496 WEEK 5 PSY 496 WEEK 5, DQ1 Read the articles â€Å"Applications in Social Justice Counselor Training: Classroom Without Walls† and â€Å"The Multicultural Workplace: Interactive Acculturation and Intergroup Relations† and review the APA Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services to Ethnic, Linguistic, and Culturally Diverse Populations prior to considering the following scenario. You are a psychologist in an urbanRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pagesthree different roles of HR management. Discuss the three dimensions associated with HR management as a strategic business contributor. Explain why HR professionals and operating managers must view HR management as an interface. Discuss why ethical issues and professionalism affect HR management as a career field. ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  3 HR TRANSITIONS HR Management Contributes to Organizational Success More effective management of human resources (HR) increasingly is being seen as positively Psy 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article... PSY 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/psy-496-week-2-assignment-methodological-issues-article-review Description Methodological Issues Article Review. Read the following articles, which can be accessed through the ProQuest database in the Ashford University Library: Evidence-based practice in psychology: Implications for research and research training. Practice-based evidence: Back to the future. Psychological treatments: Putting evidence into practice and practice into evidence. Write a three- to four-page article review in which you discuss methodological issues unique to psychological research and analyze basic†¦show more content†¦In the body of your paper: Discuss the methodological issues and challenges that are unique to psychological research investigating effective treatments for psychological disorders. Explain the concepts of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence and identify controversies associated with these concepts. Select one treatment modality associated with a disorder in the DSM-5 and present at least one example of pertinent, applied psychological research investigating the efficacy of the treatment modality. Discuss the findings of the research. Locate at least one peer-reviewed article that contains a research study on a treatment modality to fulfill this requirement. You may not use any of the course materials. Take the point of view of Bauer (2007) to analyze the article(s) you selected in #3. Using this author’s arguments from his â€Å"Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology: Implications for Research and Research Training† article, what would be his evaluation of the article(s) you selected? Take the point of view of Brendtro, Mitchell, Doncaster (2011) and analyze the article(s) you selected in #3. Using these authors’ arguments from their â€Å"Practice-Based Evidence: Back to the Future† article, what would be their evaluation of the article(s) you selected? Discuss ways in which an evidence-based practice model might provideShow MoreRelatedPsy 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review1104 Words   |  5 PagesPSY 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/psy-496-week-2-assignment-methodological-issues-article-review Description Methodological Issues Article Review. Read the following articles, which can be accessed through the ProQuest database in the Ashford University Library: Evidence-based practice in psychology: Implications for research and research training. Practice-based evidence: Back to theRead MorePsy 496 Entire Course Applied Project1345 Words   |  6 PagesPSY 496 Entire Course Applied Project Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/psy-496-entire-course-applied-project Product Description PSY 496 Week 1 Assignment Case Study Evaluating Ashford University Institutional and Program Outcomes.docx PSY 496 Week 1 DQ 1 Topic for Literature Review PSY 496 Week 2 Assignment Methodological Issues Article Review.docx PSY 496 Week 2 DQ 1 Analyzing Basic Applied Research.docx PSY 496 Week 2 DQ 2 Controversies Associated With Changing Diagnostic CriteriaRead MorePsy 496 Week 5 Essay1968 Words   |  8 PagesA++PAPER;http://www.homeworkproviders.com/shop/psy-496-week-5/ PSY 496 WEEK 5 PSY 496 WEEK 5, DQ1 Read the articles â€Å"Applications in Social Justice Counselor Training: Classroom Without Walls† and â€Å"The Multicultural Workplace: Interactive Acculturation and Intergroup Relations† and review the APA Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services to Ethnic, Linguistic, and Culturally Diverse Populations prior to considering the following scenario. You are a psychologist in an urbanRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pagesthree different roles of HR management. Discuss the three dimensions associated with HR management as a strategic business contributor. Explain why HR professionals and operating managers must view HR management as an interface. Discuss why ethical issues and professionalism affect HR management as a career field. ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  3 HR TRANSITIONS HR Management Contributes to Organizational Success More effective management of human resources (HR) increasingly is being seen as positively