Friday, December 27, 2019

Religious And Civil Life During The 19th Century - 779 Words

One can hardly speak of the Haskalah in Eastern Europe without referencing its relationship to Hasidism. Beginning in eighteenth-century Poland-Lithuanian area, the Bal Shem Tov created a brand of simple and extremely pietistic Judaism appealing most to uneducated working class Jews. Hasidism viewed Western ideas, language, and even dress as a threat to traditional Jewish society. In addition, religious and civil life were inseparable, unlike their western coreligionist. These values brought Haskalah in Eastern Europe into a continuous and often tense struggle with the traditional Jewish community. Unlike their Western coreligionist, Eastern European Jewish communities were still quite traditional by the early 19th century. The Hasidic movement strengthening traditional Jewish life and filled the leadership gap left by the government abolishment of autonomous communal structures known as kahals. At the same time, the maskilim were also exerting increasing influence and leadership among Eastern Jewish communities, and viewed Hasidism as outdated separatist preventing Jews from modernizing. To this end, maskilim sought to discredit Hasidism particularly with state authorities. Journals such as Ha-Karmel, Razsvet,and Kerem Hemed, carried the clever satire from maskilim such as Joseph Perl and Isaac Erter’s Gilgul Nefesh (Transmigration of the Soul) portraying Hasidism as backward, and purposefully antagonistic to government efforts towards Jewish social and politicalShow MoreRelatedThe Shaping Of Our Country1092 Words   |  5 Pagesfactors, each contributing to it in their own way. Four of the major pivot points that occurred consists of: Jeffersonian democracy, Jacksonian democracy, Civil War/Reconstruction, Revolution/Constitution. However one of them happened to be the most impacting which was the Civil War and Reconstruction. The American Civil War occurred during 1861 to 1865, lasting only five years. America’s bloodiest clash resulting in the death of approximately 620,000 Americans and millions more were injured. InRead MoreEssay on Religion Causes War1486 Words   |  6 PagesSide) They further contend that the claim that religion causes war is not supported by the historical or contemporary evidence. They maintain that only 7 (10%) of all the wars (and the same percentage of 20th century wars) had clear religious motivation, and most had no detectable religious motivation at all. The counter argument is that flies in the face of historical fact: for every year of peace in humankinds history there have been fourteen years of war, 90% of which have been fought eitherRead MoreAmericanization of Foods: Food is traditionally considered as a simple means of subsistence but1400 Words   |  6 Pagesof subsistence but has developed to become filled with cultural, psychological, religious, and emotional significance. Consequently, food is currently used as a means of defining shared identities and symbolizes religious and group customs. In the early 17th and 18th centuries, this mere means of subsistence was considered as a class maker but developed to become a symbol of national identity in the 19th centuries. In the United States, food has been influenced by various cultures such as NativeRead MoreThe Roots Of Transcendentalism And The United States1481 Words   |  6 Pagespeople needed to fight the government by practicing civil disobedience. People who shared these ideas became to be known as Transcendentalists as they were struggling to define spirituality and religion in a way that took into account the new understandings their age made available; the main contributors to t he ideas of this period were Emerson, Whitman, and Thoreau. The roots of Transcendentalism can be traced back to the early 19th century to a religious movement called Unitarianism. This movement rejectedRead MoreThe Eight Wars Of Religion1587 Words   |  7 Pages16th century. but escalated in the 19th century. It began as a reaction to the Medieval Roman Catholic doctrine and practices. After a procession of European religious wars in the 16th and 17th centuries, and especially in the 19th century, it spread throughout the world. Wherever Protestantism arose, it altered the social, economic, political, and cultural life of the area The wars would end with the Edict of Nantes an edict that ingrained a limited tenacity. Frances struggle with religious turmoilRead MoreThe Eight Wars Of Religion1587 Words   |  7 Pages16th century. but escalated in the 19th century. It began as a reaction to the Medieval Roman Catholic doctrine and practices. After a procession of European religiou s wars in the 16th and 17th centuries, and especially in the 19th century, it spread throughout the world. Wherever Protestantism arose, it altered the social, economic, political, and cultural life of the area The wars would end with the Edict of Nantes an edict that ingrained a limited tenacity. Frances struggle with religious turmoilRead MoreWomen s Rights Movement : Seneca Falls Convention1628 Words   |  7 PagesValandingham Dr. Katherine Fredlund WS450 October 8, 2014 Women’s Rights Movement: Seneca Falls Convention Before the 19th century women had no rights, no status and no voice. They were the property and identity of their husbands, and in a way women were barely seen as human beings, they were merely there to serve and bare children. Much started to change at the start of the 19th century in social and economic areas. These transformations changed the game and provided an opportunity for women to seizeRead More Role of Women During and After the Age of Revolutions Essay1727 Words   |  7 Pages There have been many stereotypical views and misconceptions about the role of women during and after the age of revolutions. Although the role of women did change, it is important to understand their position before the revolutions in order to wager how their role changed and of course, to what extent. It would be unrealistic to assume that all women during this period fell into one category. There are many factors to consider and so it is vital to address how different types of women behav edRead MoreAfrican Americans And Women During The Civil War Essay739 Words   |  3 PagesAs of the mid-19th century and on was when African Americans and women were beginning to gain somewhat equal rights or were still disputing them. It is also well know that both have suffered in vastly different manners, but in some cases are very similar in certain struggles. African American men and women had to survive the terrors of the Ku Klux Klan in the southern states, managing life with the Black Code looming over their every move. They were basically fighting for something that a lot ofRead MoreTheme Of Individualism In Huck Finn1190 Words   |  5 Pagesold protagonist Huck exposes the hypocrisy of white societys morals during his childhood in the Antebellum South. The author’s purpose of authoring his work is to criticize white society and how they’re ignorant about their religion or using it as a justification. Portrayed in Walt WhitmanÅ› poem,  ¨Song of Myselfà ‚ ¨ from book Leaves Of Grass (1855), intuitive poet , Huck shows us his affection for the grass being a symbol of life and death and how his individuality was praised because as he remained

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Power of Manipulation Essay - 1079 Words

The power of manipulation is a very powerful tool and can easily be misused to benefit the person who uses it, while harming the people who are subject to its effects. If left unchecked a large group can be controlled by a single person. Much of this manipulation has been seen through nations seeking to control the populous, such as in Germany during World War II, in order to maintain an illusion. The manipulation used by Nurse Ratched and McMurphy in Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest is used primarily to benefit themselves, while harming the other patients. This causes harmful events to later befall the other patients. Nurse Ratched gains much of her power through the manipulation of†¦show more content†¦Ratched threatens to tell Billys mother about his dealings with Candy. In doing so, the nurse is able to get Billy to turn on the other patients. He states that [the patients] t-teased me, called me things. This momentary victory gives the nurse back much of the control she once held previously. It is however offset by the suicide of Billy Bibbit. Ratched threatens many of the Acutes into submission to her ways and if they dont youll end up over on [the Chronic] side. (Kesey 18) Ratched is implying the use of either electro shock therapy, or a lobotomy if they do not stay in line. Even though the nurse has manipulated the patients so many times to create the image that electro shock therapy and lobotomy helps the patient, they truly know it will lead them over to the chronic side, one of their worst fears and why the Acutes normally stay away from the chronic side. When Nurse Ratched uses all of these methods in combination, she is able to easily control most of the Acutes on the ward. Nurse Ratched has had benefits from this control in the form of awards that her ward has received and an easier everyday job in running the ward. McMurphy manipulates the patients many times through the book, most times either for a financial gain or a privilege. McMurphy has a strong addiction to gambling, and takes advantage of the patients on the ward, most of whom cannot play asShow MoreRelatedPower and Manipulation Essay771 Words   |  4 Pagesstructure, the consequences would result condemnation and shame on the entire family. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice contain many underlying information regarding women’s hierarchy status, maintaining social distinctions and obligations, and acquiring power. Although Jane Austen concentrates on developing the female characters, she also distinctly establishes their social disagreements. For example, Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s objection towards Elizabeth and Darcy’s rumored engagement demonstrates theRead MoreThe Power of Manipulation Essay784 Words   |  4 Pages57-61) Macbeth was never ridded of his free will. In fact, he was never strong enough to walk away from it. Furthermore, he fails to realize what lead him to commit murders in the first place- bloody promises, but nevertheless, promises of wealth and power. Promises that were made by the Three Witches, who never gave much importance as to what would happen to Macbeth. They valued what would bring them entertainment. Once they saw the abyss that Macbeth had thrown himself into, they, with Hecate’s supportRead MoreJane Eyre - Power and Manipulation2259 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"Jane’s relationship with Rochester in the early part of the novel is based not on love but control, manipulation and secrecy. She does well to escape† On Jane’s first meeting with Rochester, he immediately asserts his control without Jane even realising, his whole presence suggests that he has a powerful awe about him. He broke the medieval trance that Jane was in, â€Å"The man, the human being, broke the spell at once† she was expecting a Gytrash, a mystical creature that lies in wait of lonely travellersRead MoreHandmaids Tale - Manipulation of Power Essay1257 Words   |  6 PagesTHE HANDMAID’S TALE Grade 11 English Analytical Essay Words: 1 245 Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a disturbing novel that displays the presence and manipulation of power. This is displayed throughout the novel and is represented significantly in three ways. As the book takes place in the republic of Gilead, the elite in society are placed above every other individual who are not included in their level. Secondly, men are placed at the top of the chain and they significantly overpowerRead MoreThe Handmaid s Tale : Manipulation Of Power1516 Words   |  7 Pageschanges Manipulation of Power in The Handmaid s Tale 116PAGES ON THIS WIKI View source Comments0 Anna Krainc Prof. Richards Gender in Literature 29 January 2013 Manipulation of Power in The Handmaid’s Tale The Handmaid’s Tale tells the story of a future dystopia where individuals use power from their position in society to manipulate others. The Commander, a high-up in Gilead’s hierarchy, initiates a forbidden, though at first non-sexual, affair with his Handmaid and uses his power to directRead MoreEssay on Power and Manipulation in The Ladies Paradise1878 Words   |  8 PagesPower and Manipulation in The Ladies Paradise As the world has grown throughout the centuries, females have generally been under the domination of males. This remained culturally entrenched until the late nineteenth century, when women began to appear in public more often and also began to join alongside men in the work force. In the network of employees and employers in the emerging institution of the Parisian department store, men and women depended on each other for survival in the workplaceRead MoreThe Inclusivity And Exclusivity Associated With Power And Manipulation Of Cliques1256 Words   |  6 PagesAssociated with the Power and Manipulation of Cliques The centralization of growth is and has always been fundamental to one’s adaptability, accountability, responsibility, and the fitness of one’s proclivity or appetite for power. The learner’s research paper contains writings about cliques in the work force and in the body of believers, the church. Clique may be defined as ones circle of involvement in which those with influence, leaders in particular, brandish power and manipulation over those in theirRead MoreA Good Man is Hard to Find: The Power of Manipulation Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesThe Misfit was no exception to her ways of manipulation but her efforts came up short. Her actions, in many ways, could be compared to species of prey as they use their unique characteristics to elude the grasp of their predators. Just as the speed of the gazelle against the strength of the lion, the grandmother’s intelligence could be compared to the Misfit’s need for vengeance. When some people can see death coming, they will do anything in their power to avoid it. The grandmother knew who she wasRead MoreManipulation Of Power In George Orwells 1984 By George Orwell779 Words   |  4 Pages Manipulation of the Mind After capturing Winston Smith for thought crime, O’Brien describes real power as â€Å"tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your choosing† (Orwell 266). By this he explains that true power is being able to choose what people minds think. In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, Winston, a Ministry of Truth worker who hates the Party, slowly starts to disobey the Party rules such as having freedom of thought and individuality. He entrustsRead MorePsychological Manipulation And Social Psychology1112 Words   |  5 PagesManipulation Influences There are many factors that affect and influence the behavior exhibited by people. These factors can be either positive or negative in nature. The behaviors exhibited can also be defined as positive or negative. Psychological manipulation, also known as emotional manipulation, is categorized as one of the negative behaviors exhibited by some individuals. Psychological manipulation is a form of covert aggression used to gain control and power over an unsuspecting individual

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Leadership in IT Project Management Research Methodology

Question: Discuss about theLeadership in IT Project Management for Research Methodology. Answer: Review of 1st Article This particular research work has provided a clear explanation of systematic approach for solving the delay of delivery of the project. It can be stated that a clear methodology has been used in order to make sure that the projects undertaken are appropriate and they are done in the right procedure. Moreover, it has focused on a proper network of the project manages in order to share good practices and the lessons learned. However, it can be stated that the delivery of the projects have got improved and at the same time, there exist no new stories in the local media regarding the delivery of the projects for the last 12 months (Summers, 2011). It is required to mention that the approach for conduction of the research work is depending on the following principles like stakeholder involvement, appreciate inquiry for gaining an understanding of the requirements and a community practice for engaging as well as involving the project managers (Summers, 2011). Review of 2nd Article Turner and Mller (2005) in their research work have stated the fact that leadership style of the project managers is one of the major success factors on the final projects. In order to focus on the research topic deeply, the researchers have made an in-depth review of the existing literatures on leadership and competence. Leadership theories, leadership styles have been analyzed thoroughly and this has helped to gain knowledge on this topic. However, reviewing the article, it can be concluded that leadership is all about achieving specific targets by creating a proper direction for a business as well as inspiring the existing employees to take initiative and focus on right decisions (Turner Mller, 2005). Review of 3rd Article After reviewing the article of Hoegl and Gemuenden (2001), it can be stated that this article has shed focus on the importance of teamwork quality in their success towards the innovation projects. It can be stated that a good team work has the potentiality to lead towards the success of the team. Therefore, reviewing the paper, it can be seen that this article has shed the entire focus on how the team performance become successful and the entire procedure can be measured with six constructs. Communication, balance between members contribution, mutual support along with effort and cohesion and co-ordination. The entire study has shed immense focus on these six major constructs and helped in gaining in-depth knowledge on this part. Review of 4th Article From the research work of Packendorff, Crevani and Lindgren (2014), it has been observed that the authors have described the concept of general leadership with several different project leadership styles. It can be seen that the authors have argued on the ongoing project of the social arts that takes into account deconstruction and construction of present activities and rhythm. Therefore, it can be stated that the entire article concludes with the broad concept of the project management leadership. Some recommendations have been made that certain changes are required to consider that commonly includes maintaining ace of leadership traits. This article mostly focuses on the space action and the direction of change in an organizational management (Packendorff, Crevani Lindgren, 2014). References Hoegl, M., Gemuenden, H. G. (2001). Teamwork Quality and the Success of Innovative Projects: A Theoretical Concept and Empirical Evidence. Organization Science, 12(4), 435-449. doi:10.1287/orsc.12.4.435.10635 Packendorff, J., Crevani, L., Lindgren, M. (2014) Project leadership in becoming: A process study of an organizational change project Summers, P. (2011, September). A SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO IMPROVING PROJECT MANAGEMNT PERFORMANCE. In Proceedings of the 55th Annual Meeting of the ISSS-2011, Hull, UK (Vol. 55, No. 1). Turner, J. R., Mller, R. (2005, June). The project manager's leadership style as a success factor on projects: A literature review. Project Management Institute.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

People and Skills in Risk Management

Abstract Risk management failures are common in organizations that fail to plan effectively. Risk management is defined by several theorists as the assessment and quantification of the various risks that an organization runs and also the prescription of measures to reduce or avoid the risk in question (Alexander Sheedy, 2005; Lam, 2003; Roehrig, 2006; (SAA, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on People and Skills in Risk Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper looks at a scenario where an organization failed to manage its risks effectively leading to a huge loss. The case study seeks to link theories of risk management to actual field experience. Throughout the paper, I shall seek to identify the particular causes of the loss and the measures which the organization would have taken to mitigate the loss. Introduction Hubbard (2009) describes risk management as the â€Å"identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities.† Risk is defined as the result of an uncertainty in an organization which could be financial, legal, natural or a deliberate act of a competitor or adversary (Crockford 1986; Gorrod 2004). Many organizations that practice risk management are mostly concerned with those risks that are well within their control and those which can be quantified and assessed. The criterion in risk management is similar in all organizations due to the standardization of the process. The ISO standard requires that risk management is done in five steps (SAA 2009; Institute of Risk Management 2002). First, the risk manager identifies and characterizes the threats that the organization is faced with. Next, he or she assesses the vulnerability of the organization’s critic al assets to the identified threats. The third step involves determining risk which involves establishing the expected consequences of a threat materializing. The next step involves identification of ways to reduce the risk established. Finally, the manager prioritizes strategically all risk reduction measures. The identification of risks plays an important role in risk management. Once the risk that is likely to cause problems is identified, the risk manager should work from the source of the problem or the problem itself (Alberts et al. 2008; Charles 2004). Therefore, there are two ways of analysis risk; source analysis and problem analysis.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Source analysis involves investigation of the internal and external elements of the system that are vulnerable to risk such as employees, project stakeholders e.t.c that can be considered risk sources (V an Deventer et al. 2004). Problem analysis looks at identifiable threats e.g. threat of accidents, loss of money, stealing of private information e.t.c. These threats are extrinsic to the company and involve customers, shareholders and government entities all of which are outside the organization’s control (Moteff 2005). The method of identifying risks generally depends on the industry practice (Hutto 2009) and thus various industries use any of the following methods; objective-based risk identification which is based on the organization’s objectives (Dorfman 2007). Scenario-based identification that looks at market scenarios (Hopkin 2010), taxonomy-based identification which analyzes risk sources through taxonomy and best-practices approach (Borodzicz 2005), common risk checking where the particular industry provides a list of known risks (Stulz 2009) and finally, risk charting which combines all the approaches above with an aim of identifying resources which are at r isk (Charles 2004). Risk assessment is the natural successor to risk identification. An identified risk has to be assessed for the two factors of probability and severity (Stulz, 2009). Probability is the likelihood of occurrence while severity is the magnitude of loss that would ensue upon the attaching of risk. Risk assessment helps in prioritization of risks and the drafting of a risk management plan. Since it is difficult to evaluate rates of occurrence of all risks and also determining the severity of losses for immaterial risks, risk assessment heavily relies on best educated opinions and statistical information (Lam 2003). In quantification of risks, risk managers rely on several formulae that have been adopted as part of risk management practice (Stulz 2009). Risk determination is often considered a part of assessment but the two are different in their aims. While assessment looks at severity and probability, determination seeks to ascertain the particular consequences that come with the attaching of a particular risk (Charles 2004).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on People and Skills in Risk Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Once the risk manager finds out the magnitude of the loss and severity of the risk, he or she now determines whether the organization should consider ways of risk reduction or ignore it altogether. Risk determination is therefore an integral part in prescribing risk reduction measures.  After all the above steps, the organization then decides what method to use to reduce risk. Stulz (2009) states the several ways an organization can reduce risk such as; risk avoidance where the organization ceases to engage totally in a particular activity that has been deemed risky, risk reduction where measures are put in place to reduce losses that may occur if the risk were to attach, risk sharing through outsourcing and/or insurance and risk retention where the organization accepts the risk and budgets for it. Finally, the risk manager has to prioritize all the risk reduction measures for all the risks identified so as to ensure sufficient allocation of enough resources for serious risks. Implementation of the risk management plan is another important part of risk management since without it the whole process would be defeated. Risk management failure therefore occurs from the failures in one of the above steps (Alexander Sheedy 2005). It can be concluded that a failure to properly identify, assess, determine, prescribe appropriate risk reduction measures and prioritize amounts to risk management failure. A failure in risk management could prove to be a nightmare for any organization and thus should be avoided at all costs. This paper shall look into such a failure and establish which part of risk management was faulty. Case study: The Toyota Recall Debacle The Toyota recall case popularly known as ‘pedalgate’ in the US occur red between November 2009 and February 2010. It involved three recalls of several vehicle models made the Toyota Motor Corporation. The reason for the recalls was a reported unintended acceleration in some Toyota models. The first of the three recalls was made on 2nd November, 2009 and was intended to correct an incorrectly placed floor mat which could lead to an entrapment of the accelerator model leading to accidental acceleration.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second was made on 21st January, 2010 after it was established that accidental acceleration was also caused by the mechanical sticking of the vehicle’s accelerator pedal. The third recall was made in February, 2010 and was intended to correct the anti-lock brake software for three of Toyota’s hybrid models. In total, Toyota recalled around 9 million vehicles from the US, Europe and China. The spate of recalls was triggered by 50 fatalities reported in the US which the National Highway Transport and Safety Authority (NHTSA) attributed to manufacturer errors in vehicle design. However, Toyota had already identified these errors in its October Defect Information Report (DIR). Due to the media attention given to the debacle, there were numerous other reported incidents of accidental acceleration though further investigations revealed that driver error was the most common fault. The Toyota models recalled first included the Camry, Avalon, Corolla, Matrix, RAV4,Sequoia, Tundra and Highlander. The second recall expanded the list to include the Venza and Highlander and also extended the recall to Europe and China. In Europe, recalls were made for the Yaris, iQ, Auris, Aygo, Verso, Corolla, RAV4 and Avensis. The third recall was for the hybrid vehicles which are the Prius, Sai and Lexus HS 250h. All in all, Toyota suffered massive losses from these recalls. Multiple law suits were filed against it and the sale of its multiple-recalled vehicles was suspended in various markets. The company estimated that the entire debacle would cost them over $ 2.47 billion dollars in actual losses. However, the greatest loss was the denting of customer confidence in Toyota vehicles which saw reduced sales. The value of Toyota shares also slumped by over 15% during the entire period. Causes of the recall: A case of failure in risk management The massive recall of 9 million units of Toyota vehicles was caused by serious design flaws made in Toyota’s assembly pla nts. While the vehicles were of different designs, they shared common features such as an accelerator pedal and braking system. This should have been adequately foreseen by the company’s management as a substantial risk. Additionally, the company failed to provide an override system in the recalled products leading to multiple recalls for the same products which further increased the company’s losses. The problems of unintended acceleration and inefficient braking system could have been solved through providing an alternative system but the company insisted on ‘cosmetic’ repairs rather than well-researched mechanical changes in design. The managerial problems that led to Toyota’s huge loss and dented image are thus threefold. First, the company did not have a risk management plan to foresee this kind of situation. Secondly, the top managers went for cost cutting as the company’s priority instead of safety and quality and finally, the manageme nt failed to look for stopgap measures to end the problem immediately leading to frustrated customers and further losses. Theories of organizational risk management failure According to Stulz (2009), the occurrence of a huge loss in a company does not necessary indicate a failure in risk management or that a mistake was made. However, such a loss can be used as evidence of a failure in risk management in almost all circumstances. While effective risk management is not a guarantee against failure, a good risk manager does his or her best to ensure that the people who determine the organization’s risk appetite, the top management, understand the risks, the probability of their occurrence and the magnitude of loss (Scott 2007). According to Mullins (2007), the ultimate decision as to whether to take risk or avoid it lies with the senior management of the organization. It is not part of the risk manager’s mandate to decide which risks to ignore but he/she is tasked with es tablishing all the risks (Tompkins 2005) and presenting all the information gathered to the management to decide on the next course of action. The failure of risk management therefore lies mostly on the decisions of the top management (Yukl 2006). Therefore, decentralization of decision making through a ‘middle’ organizational structure as compared to a top-down decentralized system is a viable way to reduce risk. French et al (2008) state that among the leadership skills required of managers, the manager’s directorship role plays a vital part in an organization’s strategy development. The directorship role includes decision making and formulation of strategy. Decision making skills of the manager are very vital for risk management. This involves; working with all the available information, avoiding ‘jumping’ into conclusions, knowing their risk preferences, considering all points of view and optimizing the limited resources (Herbert 1997). Wh en there is a failure in decision making, then the management of risk is put into jeopardy. Since risk involves assets and resources of the organization including its employees, good leadership skills are also needed to manage them effectively. A poor leader is likely to have a significant part of his workforce being a risk to the organization rather than an asset (Yukl 2006). Disgruntled employees pose the risk of financial loss through underperformance or malicious activities that stem out of their dissatisfaction with their managers (Weick 1979). Stacey (2007) states that proper strategic management can also be an effective way to avoid risk. Poor strategic management is thus a risk management failure in the sense that the organization lacks direction and is thus vulnerable to risks that come from uncoordinated leadership and lack of goal-oriented strategies. Stulz (2009) categorizes risk management failures into five groups; failure by use of inappropriate risk metrics, poor mea surement of known risks, overlooking risks, poor communication to top managers and poor management of risk. The first four failures can be attributed to the risk manager while the last part is the fault of the top management. Appropriate risk management involves using the right risk metric. Risk metrics inform the risk manager what kind of risk he or she should assess that is relevant to the organization. Measurement of a wrong metric whether accurate or not will definitely result into a failure in risk management since it will not relate to the organization’s dynamics. Poor measurement of a known risk on the other part places the organization in a precarious situation since the organization’s management will not get accurate information to make the right decision regarding the risk. Just like poor measurement of known risks, miscommunication results in the top management making the wrong decision due to the provision of inaccurate data by the risk manager. Relating th eory to the Toyota case Using Stulz’s (2009) theory on risk management failure, there is a failure in risk management in as far as measuring appropriate metrics is concerned. The company did not construe that their ‘lean’ manufacturing system that was designed to cut costs would be a risk in the long run. Using similar parts for all its models and centralizing the supply chain was a foreseeable risk that any risk manager would have identified and quantified. However, due to the lack of a risk management plan in the first place, the organization was already exposed to the risk without an adequate remedy. Huczynski Buchanan (2007) state that an organization’s top management should embrace leadership and management styles that are strategically sound for the organization. Through this, the organization should attempt to decentralize its decision making since it is economically sound that those close to the subject matter are in the best position to make a de cision about it e.g. owners of dealerships in the US are more likely to make correct sales decisions that the company’s executives in Japan. However, Toyota’s top-down organizational structure vested all decision making to the top management in Japan thus centralizing the system which increases risk. Another theory by French et al (2008) and Montana Charnov (2008) states that an organization is naturally dependent on the leadership skills of its top management. Therefore any organization that is run by leaders who have not honed their directorship, supervisory, communication, negotiation, coordinating and motivation skills runs a risk. These leaders are a risk in themselves (Yukl 2006). In Toyota’s case, the top management failed to provide leadership in the sense that it did not recommend a thorough research into the causes of the accidental acceleration but instead it preferred easier ‘quick fix’ measures such as replacing floor mats instead of a holistic inquiry into the mechanical systems of the vehicles. Measures to avoid risk management failure at the organizational level An organization needs to be dynamic (Fincha Rhodes 2005). It must at all times move with the changing times. To do so, its top-level management needs to possess sufficient leadership skills (Argyris 1976; McGrath 1962; Mumford1986; Hackman Walton 1986). The first step to avoid risk at an organizational level should be an enterprise wide risk management plan (Olson 2003). Most organizations have annual plans but these are usually insufficient in meeting the demands of the time (Borman Brush 1993). With the current financial crisis, managing risk should be on the minds of organizational leaders since it would be difficult to absorb losses while all players in the industry are struggling. In Toyota’s case, the company should have put in place a risk management plan which would have enabled it to put in place measures that would counter the effec ts of their lean manufacturing system that requires uniform supply and design. A thorough risk assessment would have assisted the company to establish that its policy would eventually lead to loss. Alternatively, the company should have decentralized its operations such that only few vehicles or models would have been affected by the design flaws. Its top managers should also have had the foresight to see that the uniform supply and distribution system would run a risk in the event of manufacturer error. The poor leadership provided by the company’s top executives was thus the main cause of the risk management failure. Conclusion Toyota’s loss is a good example of a failure to properly manage risk. Organizations should embrace the risk management measures of avoidance, transfer, retention and/or reduction depending on the nature of the risk so as to avoid suffering similar losses. Reducing risk should always start as an initiative of the organization’s leadershi p and thus proper risk management is a product of good leadership (Hatch 2006; Robbins 2004). References Alberts, C.; Audrey, D., Lisa. M. 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