How gender is vital factor when explaining criminal behaviours

How gender is vital factor when explaining criminal behaviours In this essay the topic of how gender is a vital factor when explaining criminal behaviours will be, examined and analysed, to see the actual extent of genders impact on such behaviours. Gender refers to the opportunities and social attributes associated with being female or male. Different societies have different attributes and responsibilities assigned to males and females; they are socially constructed and are learnt through the socialization process. Gender also determines what is expected of a man or woman Soothill (et al, 2002) explained that criminal behaviours are types of acts that a society perceives as wrong doing, it is formally proceeded against by the law, and leads into convictions. Soothill (et al, 2002) said To understand criminology one needs to recognize that in the related social issues, the possible interpretations of apparent evidence represent viewpoints and philosophies which need to be examined along with the evidence gathered,. Many lives can be controlled by the personal fear of crime. The impact of crime on victims can be immense, and crime can be the harmful exercise of power by one person over another (Soothill et al, 2002). Soothill (et al, 2002) believes, Criminology shows us the diverse and sometimes divided nature of society, rather than always reinforcing the image of a homogenous, uniform society, There are various types of information and knowledge that influences peoples perception of crime. (Soothill et al, 2002). There are direct experiences of crime, mediated experiences, official information and research knowledge; these are the different types of knowledge that inform our understanding of crime. In 1997 the home office figures showed that only 17% of offenders in the British Criminal Justice System were female, Heidensohn (2000 cited in Soothill et al, 2002). In general women are likely to be convicted for offences such as theft or assault and handling stolen goods. Their careers in crime are shorter compared to men (Soothill et al, 2002). The number of women offenders are far less than male offenders, except in offences such as prostitution (Soothill et al, 2002). In terms of womens representation, serious crimes tend to be performed by men, rather than women. (Soothill et al, 2002). This shows that gender and criminal behaviour is stratified into specific types of offences, and the psychology of men can cause them to commit more serious crimes compared to women. The traditional sexual scripts that are within societies are heterosexual and gendered, so perceiving a woman as sexually aggressive, or worse, as a sexual offender, is contrary to the traditional sexual scripts'(Jackson, 1978; Koss Harvey, 1991; Byers, 1996 cited in Myriam S. Denov, 2004 p.3). According to Denov (2004) the criminal behaviour of female offending sexually challenges appropriate female behaviour, when compared to the traditional sexual scripts. Byres agreed that the image of women being described as sexually aggressive is excluded from the traditional sexual scripts, Byres OSullivan (1998 cited in Denov, 2004 p.4). This view of women not being suitable to commit sexual offences can cause females to become reluctant when contemplating whether to commit these types of crimes. These scripts also exclude the image of men as sexually reluctant or as victims of sexual coercion or assault (Lew, 1990, hunter 1990, Mendel, 1995 cited in Denov, 2004 p4). It is portrayed as an abnormality, if a male is sexually assaulted this is due to the perception of masculinity. Denov (2004) reports that up until the 1980s, female sex offenders and their victims were practically ignored, compared to males and their victims which were the main focus in reflecting traditional sexual scripts. Specific sex roles are assigned to each gender (Denov, 2004). The sexually aggressive role is assigned to men (Denov, 2004). Miller (Studying Young Women in Street Crimes). According to this collective story, the gang is an arena in which they receive status and esteem from being strong and being willing to stand up for themselves, exhibiting traits that cultural stories commonly associated with males rather than women, (cited in Bernasco, 2010). Comack Brickey (2007 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.64) suggests that masculinity is the founder of the stereotypical bad girl she is tough spoken, of low socioeconomic status, aggressive and male looking. From the literature on female crimin al behaviour, we can construct a profile of the average female offender. She is likely to be plagued with poverty and to lack an education and job skills. She is generally young, unmarried, involved in unhealthy sexual relationships, and the lone caregiver of small children, (Chesney-Lind Pasko, 2004; Franklin Lutze, 2007 cited in van Wormer p.66). Wright and Jacobs (2004 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.74) reported that in their study of young urban male offenders, they found that the conflict between men were influenced by the needs of maintaining gendered reputations. Miller (2008 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.78) also found that compared to women, men were more apt to view robbery as one means of expressing their masculinity. Men stole items that expressed their manliness, to impress their peers. Girls and women, however, were drawn to take luxury items they felt they need but couldnt justify spending household income on, items such as cosmetics and jewellery (van Wormer, 2010). The blocked opportunities within societies that persist on material success tended to lead individuals into antisocial forms of behaviour, like theft, fraud or drug dealing. This is the opportunity theory. Van Wormer (2010) claims that females are prone to this due to the marginalization they face economically. Those without education or skills felt that they will never make it, pressuring them into committing crimes in order to make it, Van Wormer explained that sociological theories of gang delinquency argue that peer group affiliation and living in crime-ridden neighbourhoods promote crime, (van Wormer, 2010). Relationship and trauma are the main attributes of women who are involved in the criminal justice system; it has the greatest effect, (van Wormer, 2010). Van Wormer (2010) claims, We can sum up this truth in this way: Trauma breeds trauma and hardship more of the same, When crime is related to criminal thought patterns a history of victimization and trauma amongst offending females is greatly evident, (van Wormer, 2010). A vast majority of female offenders endured a tough upbringing which was physically and sexually abusive; this type of victimization is usually continued in their adulthood in the form of rape and battering, this provoked emotional problems and severe stress reactions, linking to the development of their criminal behaviour, (Belknap, 2007; Failinger, 2006; Franklin Lutze, 2007 cited in van Wormer p.66). Roberts (2007 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p81) reported Examined data drawn from a sample of 105 women in prison convicted of killing their husbands/partners and 105 b attered women in a sample from the community in New Jersey. The imprisoned women had a history of being battered. These women were far more likely to have received death threats from their partners than the battered women who did not kill their partners; these threats were specific as to time, place and method. In addition to a history of partner violence, the majority of the women prisoners had a history of sexual abuse, a substance use problem, had attempted suicide, and had access to the batteres guns,. Interviews with 130 San Francisco prostitutes revealed that over half reported sexual abuse in childhood and about half reported having been physically assaulted, (Farley Barkman, 1998 cited in van Wormer, 2010). Van Wormer (2010) reported Among men and women on probation, the BJS (2000) found that 6 in 10 women in state institutions experienced physical or prior abuse. McKee (2006 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.82) focused on the characteristics of females who have murdered their children or infants, he evaluated this by using 30 females in his research, and they varied between girls and women. His research depicted that amongst the 30 females it included those who were: abusive/neglectful, psychotic/suicidal, psychopathic, detached or retaliatory. McKee (2006 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.82) analysed Susan Smith, who drowned her children in a car, kill their children, then plan to kill themselves. Smith had many of the risk factors for suicidal murder: There was a high rate of suicide in her family, including her father, who died when she was a child. Susan was sexually abused by her step father and diagnosed as having bipolar personality disorder, her marriage was shaky and her children were very young, Psychiatric women who murdered their children often showed a high tendency of psychosis, social isolation, depression, lower socioeconomic status, suicidality, substance use, and difficulties in their own childhood, (Friedman et al, 2005 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.81). La Tanya Skiffer (2009 cited in Van Wormer, 2010 p.76) Crime causation. Chris, a 22-year-old woman, was arrested for permitting her husband to sexually abuse her five and nine-year-old nieces. Chriss father was an alcoholic and was abusive to his wife and children. When she was 21, she married a 35-year-old trucker. In accounting for her failure to stop her husbands abuse of the children, Chris suggested that she acted to please her husband, so he would love her. Van Wormer (2010) had interviews with female psychopathic offenders which revealed how they reacted violently to personal insults. One 43-year-old female, for example, reacted to her neighbours racial slur in this way: She pulled out her knife and slashed the offending womans face several times, which required the woman to have other a100 stitches, Women frequently victimized other women whom they viewed as easy targets, (Miller, 2008 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.79). Van Wormer (2010) said that Several of the women, moreover, reported feelings of power and excitement in beating the defenceless, such as dogs and children, According to Strand Belfrage (2005 cited in van Wormer, 2010 p.71) The women were found to display antisocial characteristics through relational aggression, lying, deceitfulness, and lack of impulse control, Testosterone levels are a vital link to criminal behaviour in both males and females, (van Wormer, 2010). An important hormone called cortisol is also vital whe n analysing criminal behaviour especially with females. It is classed as the stress hormone because it is secreted in response to stress. Women who are more likely to commit antisocial behaviour, like violence they are often low in this hormone, (Anderson, 2007 cited in van Wormer, 2010 pg72). Depression is a mental disorder that regularly occured in female offenders and especially adolescent girls, (Bloom, Owen, and Covington, 2003 cited in van Wormer 2010 p.72). Obeidallah and Earls (1999 cited in van Wormer 2010 p.72) examined the link between depression and delinquency was established through a project that was carried out by the Institute of Justice. Males and females had similar low rates of depression but the depression rates of females clearly increased, especially during adolescence. Van Wormer (2010) reported that Interviewers gathered a self-report data on 754 girls in urban Chicago. Comparing the antisocial behaviour of girls who were depressed with those who were not, O beidallah and Earls found that 40% of non depressed engaged in property crimes compared to 68% of girls with depression fifty-seven percent of depressed girls engaged in seriously aggressive behaviour compared to only 13% of those who were not depressed. Overall, these findings suggest that depression in girls may put them at high risk for antisocial behaviour, In 2008, 700 males and 1,640 females were killed by their intimate partners, according to the BJS (Califano et al., 2009) report. Research shows, individuals who are prone to depression and are treacherously violent are more at risk of murdering their partners and killing themselves to, when the breaking up of a relationship occurs, (van Wormer Bartollas, 2010). In conclusion the gender factor is fairly crucial when examining criminal behaviour because it asses involvement and reason. There is a higher involvement of males in the criminal system compared to females. Women mainly indulge in less serious crimes like theft, whiles men usually indulge in more serious crimes. Van Wormer (2010) explained that neutral offences like assault or theft have different meanings to males and females. Miller (cited in Bernasco, 2010) brought to notice how the relations with social genders have changed and is now situational. Situations like relationship and trauma are major elements when focusing on criminal behaviour through gender, relationship and trauma regularly occurred and seemed to have the most efficient effect on the cause of criminal behaviour. Pollock Davis (cited in van Wormer 2010) claim that Policy and decision makers apparently have come to believe the myth that women are more dangerous than was previously believed. It is evident because, the arrest for women increasingly arose for aggravated assaults and simple assaults. This is clear through the dramatic contemporary changes of criminal behaviour compared to the traditional sexual scripts. Van Wormer (2010) believed that the basic biological factors that impinge on gender differences in criminality are informed by research on psychology and neurology, A biological approach accepts that there are fundamental differences between males and females and that these differences interact with cultural norms to influence differences in male/female criminality. Referencing: Van Wormer, K. (2010) Working with Female Offenders: A Gender-Sensitive Approach: Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Soothil, K. (2002) Making Sense of Criminology: Cambridge: Polity Press in association with Blackwell Publishing. Denov, M.S (2004) Perspectives on Female Sex Offending: A Culture of Denial: England: Ashgate Publishing Limited. Bernasco, W. (2010) Offenders on Offending: Learning about crime from criminals: USA: Willan Publishing.

Analysis of Strategy Formation Essay

Strategy is difficult to define. There are many popular and debated definitions available. One idea is that strategy is top management’s plan to attain outcomes consistent with the organization’s mission and goals (Mintzberg, Ahlstrand, & Lambel, 1998). Another definition is that strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions designed to exploit core competencies and gain a competitive advantage (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson 2013). Some argue that strategy cannot be defined at all because many professionals including researchers, practitioners, and theorists all have different thoughts on what strategy is, how it is formulated, and how it is implemented (Dewit & Meyer, 2010). However, all of these ideas have something in common: a strategy is a roadmap for getting from here to there. It is important to understand that strategy is not a single concept, but rather a process made up of many pieces. For this paper, I will define strategy as a roadmap or blueprint for obtaining a competitive advantage. In this analysis of strategy formation I will examine the most important issues involved in strategy formation and explain why they are important, define how corporate-level strategies relate to business-level strategies and functional-area tactics and how these pieces support each other, and finally, I will outline the primary inputs to strategy formulation in a firm. But, before we answer these questions it is important to share a brief history of strategy. The word strategy originated from the Greek work strategos. Strategos was coined when Kleisthenis developed a fresh set of organizational structure in ancient Greece in order to promote a better army. The direct definition of the singular stratos means to lead (DeWit &Meyer, 2010). Essentially the concept is derived directly from a need for a higher organizational structure, change and leadership development. Warfare was pas the point of simply winning a battle but instead was focused upon the coordination of units and tactical approaches to battle (DeWit & Meyer, 2010). When we look at how strategy is formed today we also see a parallel in that firms must coordinate corporate-level, business-level and functional-level tactical issues in order to successful formulate a strategy. By coordinating the approach a strategy helps to gain a competitive advantage for firms just as it does for armies on the battlefield. Now that we understand the history behind strategy formation we will discuss the most important points of strategy formation and discuss what makes them important. Strategy formation can be arduous because planners love to plan out every single details of a plan and press everything into an orderly, mechanistic process (DeWit & Meyer, 2010). It is critical for strategies to follow a mechanistic process with vision and end goal in mind while having a big picture mentality that takes change management and flexibility into account as the unknowns’ surface. Without a proper plan to learn and address needed adjustments the plan can become easily outdated and ineffective. Strategy formation is described as being a new way to understand old problems, however, strategic planning and formation can lead to analysis paralysis if overly complex and planned out (DeWit & Meyer, 2010). Flexibility is an important piece of strategy formation and as strategists we must avoid being married to a specific set of ideas, but rather be open to learning, experimentation, balancing risks and rewards while working towards to vision that creates a competitive advantage. This pattern in a stream of decisions works to get a company to its strategic goal and vision (Dewit & Meyer, 2010). A good approach to this is letting the strategies emerge in the process, rather than focusing on the strategy formation in the beginning. Outside of recognizing the importance of change and emergence there are many other important variables in strategy formation. For example, many organizations develop strategies based on rigid changes like their core competencies, resources, demographics, and market demand. But, there are also many other softer pieces can be equally important when formulating a strategy. According to DeWit and Meyer the most cited key issues in strategy formation are: 1) overall organization structure of its basic management style; 2) relationships with the government or other external interest groups; 3) acquisition, divestiture, or divisional control practices; 4) international posture and relationships; 5) innovative capabilities or personnel motivations as affected by growth; 6) worker and professional relationships reflecting changed social expectations and values nd 7) past or anticipated technological environments (DeWit and Meyer, 2010). These key components help give us a good framework for the most important parts of strategy formation, but they don’t make up everything. Many managers are comfortable with the planning piece of strategy formation, but lag when it comes to actually putting the plan into action (Hrebiniak, 2005). For many organizations putting the strategy in place is the easy part and creating a winning strategy doesn’t actually get you from here to there. A solid planned, documented and even inspiring plan of action doesn’t gain a competitive advantage in and of itself. It is the execution of that strategy that makes all the difference in the company achieving that completive advantage. Here are some key challenges that corporations face when executing on a strategy: 1) the culture of the organization and how it was not appropriate for the challenges ahead; 2) incentives and how people have been rewarded for seniority or â€Å"getting older† and not for performance or competitive achievement (the sacred cows); 3) the need to overcome problems with traditional functional â€Å"silos† in the organizational structure and 4) the challenges inherent in managing change as the division adapted to new competitive conditions (Hrebiniak, 2005). Actually getting the strategy to produce the desired results can clearly be more difficult that forming it in the first place. Execution is not the last important point of strategy formation to discuss; the stakeholders also play a fundamental role in the formation of a strategy. A stakeholder is any individuals, groups or organizations that can affect the firm’s vision and mission, are affected by the strategic outcomes achieved, and have enforceable claims on the firm’s performance (Hitt, Ireland, & Hosskisson, 2010). These stakeholders can be divided into categories. Capital Market Stakeholders are the banking partner and suppliers of capital. Product Market Stakeholders are customers, suppliers, host communities, and union groups. Lastly, are the Organizations Stakeholders, which are comprised of employees, manager, and non-managers. These categories are divided from top to bottom in order of importance, which means that Capital Market Stakeholders have the highest level of influence and the Organizational stakeholders have the least. All takeholders are not created equal. The more critical and valued a stakeholder’s participation, the greater the firm’s dependency on it; greater dependence, in turn, gives the stakeholder more potential influence over a firm’s commitments, decisions, and actions (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt, 2008). A shift to more emergent characteristics in the strategy making process combining stakeholder considerations and strategic conversations during s trategy formation with select stakeholders is what makes the difference in a balanced strategy (Booth and Segon, 2008). The key point is the degree to which the stakeholder’s goals align with each other, and how those aligned elements are being addressed by the strategists in the organization. Strategic leaders are responsible and accountable for realizing the expectations of each of the many stakeholders. This accountability to the stakeholders plays an important part in developing the strategy. It can also impact the expectations of each of the stakeholders. For example, the vision and mission of the strategic leaders is shared with all of the stakeholders and their confidence or lack of confidence is a direct result of those strategic leaders. The expectations and composition of our stakeholders has a significant and direct affect in our organizations strategic formation. Of course, without security and surprise, a solid plan, execution strategy, flexibility, clear objectives, concentration, and coordinated and committed leadership, a strategy can still fail. Surprise strategy must make use of speed, secrecy and intelligence to attack unprepared opponents at unexpected time, while forcing the opponent to react to your company and not the other way around (Concept Paper #1). Security addresses keeping the core competencies, operations points and resource safe from the competition. For example, if our strategy is based on the talent of our human capital, we must work to keep the working conditions safe and happy so the competition doesn’t work to recruit our talent for their own strategy. We have outlined the most important points of strategy formation and discussed what makes them important, so now it is now time to define how corporate-level strategies relate to business-level strategies and functional-area tactics, and how these pieces support each other. Functional-area tactics are short-term activities each functional area within the firm undertakes to implement the grand strategy (Pierce & Robinson, 2012). Pierce offers three characteristics that differentiate functional area tactics from business-level and corporate-level tactics: 1) time horizon, focus on immediate activities; 2) specificity, business strategies provide general direction, functional area tactics specify activities and how they are expected to be achieved and 3) participants, general managers are responsible for business strategies, operating managers establish short-term objectives and functional tactics that lead to business-level success (Pierce & Robinson, 2012). These activities are put in place as a means of achieving a business-level strategy and so their relationship is one of vision versus direct action to achieve that vision. . A business level strategy is a carefully designed methodology that aids companies in implementing and carrying through with actions designed to meet the financial and other goals set by that business (wiseGEEK, 2013). Whether a firm has a competitive advantage or not, depends on the business system or business-level strategy that is has developed to relate itself to its business environment and if the configuration of resources (inputs), activities (throughput) and product/service offerings (output) intended to create value for its customers – it is the way a firm conducts its business (Dewit & Meyer, 2010). Business strategy can be further understood as the decisions a firm makes about its alternatives when competing in a specific market and how those alternatives works to bring their core competencies to the surface through cost leadership, differentiation, focused cost leadership, focused differentiation, and integrated leadership/differentiation. According to Hitt et. l, the risks associated with cost leadership are 1) loss of competitive advantage to new technology; 2) failure to detect changing customer needs; 3) the ability of competitors to imitate the cost leader’s competitive advantage through their own distinct strategic actions (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson 2013). As also pointed out by Hitt et. al. , there are also differentiation strategy risks such as 1) a customer group’s decision that the differences between the differentiated product and the cost leader’s goods or services are no longer worth a premium price, 2) the inability of a differentiated product to reate the type of value for which customers are willing to pay a premium price, 3) the ability of competitors to provide customers with products that have features similar to those of the differentiated product, but at a lower cost, and 4) the threat of counterfeiting, whereby firms produce a cheap imitation of a differentiated good or service (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson, 2013). Previously, we have identified how business-level strategy impacts functional tactical strategy and now I will address corporate-level strategy and how it, respectively, relates to these levels. A corporate strategy is what makes the corporate whole add up to more than the sum of its parts and typically comprises four concepts: portfolio management, restructuring, transferring skills, and sharing activities (Porter, 2008). Portfolio management and diversification are central strategies for any medium or large business. Market analysis demonstrates that many organizations that are medium sized and larger are made up of multiple businesses and offer several product lines that can cross industries and regions. Organizations can have very different financial characteristics and face different strategic options depending on how they are placed in terms of growth and relative competitive position (Dewit and Meyer, 2010). A portfolio strategy requires firms to grow through investment in existing businesses, acquiring new businesses and withdrawing from failing ones. As porter points out another form of corporate strategy is philanthropic involvement. When it comes to philanthropy, executives increasingly see themselves as caught between critics demanding over higher levels of â€Å"corporate social responsibility† and investors applying pressure to maximize short-term profits (Porter, & Kramer, 2002). It doesn’t end there though, another piece to corporate-level strategy is corporate governance. Corporate governance is concerned with identifying ways to ensure that decisions (especially strategic decisions) are made effectively and that they facilitate a firm’s efforts to achieve strategic competitiveness by maintaining a harmony between the top-level managers and the shareholder’s interests (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson, 2013). We must also point out that mergers and acquisitions play a significant role in corporate-level strategy. Corporate-level strategy is made up of many pieces, but overall it shares the same goals as the other levels, to increase value by creating a competitive advantage. We have discussed the various elements to corporate-level strategy and now we will discuss how it related to business and functional/tactical-level strategy. Since corporate-level strategy is the highest level of decision-making and encompasses the end objective of the organization, allocation of resources, stakeholder’s goals and acquisitions is it always value-oriented, whereas, business-level and functional-level strategy is more relevant to each individual business entity. Corporate strategy is not the sum total of business strategies of the corporation but it deals with different subject matter; while the corporation is concerned with and has impact on business strategy, the former is concerned with the shape and balancing of growth and renewal rather than in market execution (Bhasin, 2010). Although there are different levels to organizational strategy they all relate and impact one another from the top down. Now that we understand the various levels of decision-making we will now turn to the various inputs to strategy formation for a firm. Before we conclude this analysis, it is important to review the different schools on strategy and those schools perceive strategy formation. There are 7 main school of strategy starting with the Design School. In short, the design school looks to create a fit between capabilities and opportunities or possibilities; it resulted in the famous SWOT analysis. Second, the Planning School also uses a SWOT like the design school to take into account internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. Although the design school doesn’t delineate the steps like the planning school does. It is this dividing into delineating steps that sets the planning school apart. The three phases of this school are: Objective Setting, Strategy Evaluating, and the Operationalization phase (Concept Paper #4). Third, in the Positioning School we see that the strategy formation is really driven by analyzing the market and deliberately implemented by those analytics. Forth, The entrepreneurial school is more of a singular vision of strategy from 1 person, namely the entrepreneur, rather than a collective approach as we have learned about in previous schools. Fifth, the Learning School of thought approaches strategy formulation in two separate models: 1) the grassroots model approaches strategy as emergent; 2) whereas, the hothouse model formulates strategy deliberately. Sixth, the Cognitive School states that in order to understand how strategies emerge from under other ircumstances we must look into the mind of the actual strategists. And finally, the last school is the Configuration School, as pointed out in Concept Paper #11, different dimensions of an organization cluster together under particular circumstances and conditions to define â€Å"states†, â€Å"models† or â€Å"ideal types†. It was important to review these various schools because when we look at the big picture of strategy formation and analyze how it is made up and why it is important we can glean important points from each of the seven school. Yes, the overall goal of each school is the same as the goal of strategy formation as a whole, to gain competitive advantage and overall value for the corporation, but it is not always as easy as following one school of thought. For example, what might work in one situation won’t necessarily work in another so as strategists we must be able to take pieces from each school and put them in place where appropriate to achieve our desired outcome for that particular problem. Now that we have some big picture understanding of the different perspectives we will now discuss the primary inputs of strategy. As we discuss the inputs it is first important to point out that there is a difference between emergent and intended strategy. Organizations always have an intended strategy but sometimes the inputs move them towards a more emergent strategy. While strategy formulation is the process by which an intended strategy is created, emergent strategies often come out of following a specific pattern in decision making. (DeWit & Meyer, 2010). The primary inputs are identifying, diagnosing, conceiving, and realizing; of course within this specific framework, there are more specific activities (DeWit & Meyer, 2010). The first input of identifying is outlining a mission and agenda, this could also include a vision statement. Diagnosing is the internal an external assessments, such as the SWOT analysis. Next, conceiving is the brainstorming process by which the participants envision where there are trying to go and how they will get there. This is the key component an input of strategy formation, and for most groups it can be the most difficult because it requires creative out-of-the-box thinking. Lastly, but not least, is realizing and this is where the rubber meets the road. It is here where specific activities must be undertaken to achieve the strategic plan. We have identified the most important issues involved in strategy formation and defined why they are important, differentiated between corporate/business/functional-level strategies and how they impact one another, discussed the various schools of thought on strategy formation, and finally outlined the primary inputs to strategy formation in a firm. Now it is time to dig in a little deeper and attempt to bring it all together and analyze what it means as a whole. From a big picture mentality strategy formation must encompass the important items we outlined, while also taking into account the potential for change. Having a change management protocol for the organization as a whole, as well as, for each of the subsidiary organizations is critical in today’s global market economy. Outside of change, as strategists, we must also clearly understand our competitors, threats and regions. Things like technology can play a significant part in the ability to execute on strategy. Surprise and security are also equally important to strategy formation. What this all tells us is what we discussed early on: strategy is very difficult to define as an individual concept. Rather than a singular concept see that strategy is more of a way of big picture thinking that is critical to achieving success in virtually any endeavor, not just business. Yes, you can get lucky and find success without strategy, but we could also win the lottery it doesn’t mean it is going to happen. A strategic way of thinking is also not just thinking it is an executable and traceable tool that can adjust and emerge as needed. As a metaphor we can use going to the gym for physical fitness. Our strategic vision is losing weight, increasing heart health and gaining strength. But, how will we get from here (fat, high cholesterol and weak) to there (strong, heart healthy and thin)? We start by developing an action plan, outlining the inputs and potential threats (bad eating, etc), and we follow our plan daily and adjust as needed based on what emerges from the data we gather. This methodology can be applied to any goal, and large corporate business is no different. Unless we execute by actually going to the gym, following and adjusting our strategy for maximum performance we will never achieve our goals, even if we are lucky. You cannot win heart health in a contest. The same goes for business you can’t accidentally win customers and keep them for extended periods of time with successfully executing on your strategy. As we continue and find success in the gym, we may choose to diversify and bring our success to our friend and family or co-workers. This portfolio diversification also applies to large organizations. Additionally, our goals in the gym have stakeholders like our friends, family, employers, insurance companies, communities and any organizations to which we belong, not the mention, the world as a whole that benefits from our staying healthy. This philosophy our strategic way of thinking can be with us every second of everyday, and by thinking strategically in our lives and our roles in business we not only gain competitive advantage but maintain that advantage overtime. In closing, from the origins of the word strategy, and earlier, human beings have been strategizing. We strategized how to hunt and now we still strategize how to hunt only we are not hunting mammoths, but we are hunted mammoth size endeavors that require mammoth sized strategies. As we create and execute a plan for how to get from here to there towards achieving and maintaining a competitive advantage, as strategists, we are constantly analyzing how to optimize our approach while limiting risks. Strategy as a way of thinking can also be approved upon and as humans we have the power and control to accomplish truly amazing things for our corporations and our world.

Brutality of Ivory trade Essay

In 1989, CITIES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) approved a worldwide ban on ivory trade due to extensive poaching reducing the African elephant population by more than half. However, levels of poaching and illegal trade are getting out of control once again. Since 1997, certain countries such as Botswana and Zimbabwe have tried to weaken the ban by allowing the sale of thousands of kilograms of ivory to China and Japan. It was not until 2012 that CITIES recognized that elephant poaching had reached unsustainable levels (Elephants and the ivory trade, 1). The illegal trade of ivory is pushing elephant poaching to the point where elephants are vulnerable to extinction. This terrible, wasteful act of poaching will put many species, as well as our own, at risk and harm the economy unless we take immediate action. What would happen if elephants became extinct? Elephants play a very important role in maintaining sustainable habitats for many other species (African elephant, 2). There are certain elephant-dependent tree species in Congo, Africa that have declined in growth population after more than 98% of the forest elephants have been killed by poachers. Forest elephants help these trees by spreading their seeds when they roam, and germinate them with their stomach acids. This dual relationship allows fruit trees with no other dispersal partners to ensure reproduction (Platt, 2). Depletion in these trees will have long-term ecological effects as the loss of one species directly impacts the whole balance of the food web (Bove, 2). If elephants became extinct, the elephant-dependent tree species would no longer continue to grow, causing  the herbivores that rely on these trees for food to essentially starve as well as the carnivores that eat these herbivores, eventually affecting all local people who rely on these organisms for food and me dicine. Can elephants be protected in order to save the economy? The demand for ivory is very high. Because of this, the price of ivory has risen causing the amount of poaching to rise as well. It has gotten to the point that the tusks of a single adult elephant can be worth more than 10 times the average annual income in many African countries (Rosen, 1). This is unsustainable for the economy because if we assume that these poachers hunt elephants into extinction, they will no longer have means of making money once the elephants are gone (Planet earth, video). However, if the conservation of elephants were to put money in people’s pockets, then poaching could be stopped. A way to do this would be by the means of tourism; tourists mostly go to Africa to see wildlife, and wherever there are elephants, tourists will go. Tourism brings a lot of money into the economy, and with more money coming from tourism, poaching will become less appealing to those who need money (Johnson, 3). What needs to be done to stop elephant poaching? Because demands for ivory are so high, measures need to be taken immediately to avert the extinction of African elephants. The only solution to truly protect elephants is to reinstate a total, permanent ban on all ivory sales (Sterling, 1). Other measures that also need to be taken include the application of strong law enforcement on international levels to ensure punishment, and the closing down of national ivory markets (Elephants and the ivory trade, 1). What is being done now to try and stop elephant poaching? Many elephants are being protected from poachers within national parks to ensure their continuity and survival. Organizations, such as the World Wild Life Fund, try and protect habitats by having anti-poaching patrols surveying areas within elephant ranges (African elephant, 9). There are many African countries that recognize the threat to their elephant populations and want to protect them (Sterling, 2). Among these countries, Kenya plays a  major role in trying to convince CITIES to reject any proposals from Tanzania and Zambia to allow them to sell ivory (Elephant voices blog, 7). However, most African countries do not have the power to stop these crimes from being committed without the help of European countries (Sterling, 2). IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare) is urging the European Union to support these countries that are requesting assistance to stop poaching since they have the power to ensure that a ban on all ivory is reinstated (Sterling, 2). What could be used instead of ivory? Poaching is extremely wasteful. When an elephant is killed, the poachers usually leave it there to rot. Often times, poachers will lay new snares without checking old ones and elephants caught in the old ones are also left to rot. This has lead to many animals, including humans that rely on elephants for food to starve (Poaching in Zimbabwe, 1). Ivory is mainly used in the manufacture of piano and organ keys, and minor objects of decorative value because of its durability (Uses of ivory, 1). Ivory is not a necessity; there are alternatives to the products that we manufacture that don’t require the use of tusks. A good example of this is Ivorite, made from casein (milk protein) and an inorganic hardening compound, which has both the quality and durability of ivory (Rosen, 2). Products like this always have flaws, but there is always room for improvement. In this case, RPIvory, which is an unusual polymer, was created to improve Ivorite, which made the keys less slippery for pia nists (Rosen, 2). Science and technology have improved so much that there is absolutely no more need to keep removing tusks in order to manufacture minor objects that are not essential to humans. Elephant poaching is unsustainable in the sense that it harms other habitats by disrupting their sustainability; it is extremely wasteful because of the fact that only the tusks are being used, and it ruins the African economy. At the rate we’re going today, elephants will become extinct causing many species, as well as our own, to suffer because of our greed. The African economy is so bad that people would risk their own lives to kill an elephant in order to get paid by a supplier, who will then sell it for ten times as much. There are many things that countries and organizations are doing to help elephants, but there are still many things that need to be done. Ivory is not a necessity; there are other materials  that have been created to be similar to ivory that do not require the tusks of an elephant. Nobody in the world needs an elephant tusk but an elephant. If everyone did little things, such as signing a petition to refuse to buy items made from ivory or funding elephant protection, we would still be able to meet our human needs without destroying the sustainability of the environment. Our greedy and selfish acts are making a species vulnerable to extinction; Gandhi stated, â€Å"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.† (Good reads, 1). Works cited â€Å"African Elephant.† WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. . Bove, Jennifer. â€Å"Why does it Matter if Species go Extinct?.† About.com Endangered Species. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. . â€Å"â€Å"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.†.† Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. . Kimani, Eddy. â€Å"EDDY KIMANI.† EDDY KIMANI. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. . â€Å"ELEPHANTS AND THE IVORY TRADE.†The Ivory Trade. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. . â€Å"ElephantVoices Blog.† ElephantVoices Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. . Gilford, Gwynn. â€Å"wildsingapore news: 90 dead elephants in Zimbabwe are proof that the ivory trade has gone industrial.†wildsingapore news: 90 dead elephants in Zimbabwe are proof that the ivory trade has gone industrial. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. . Johnson, Glen. â€Å"Kenyan poachers make a killing in ivory.† – Features. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. . â€Å"Kenya hunts for armed elephant-poachers.† – Africa. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

The Rise in Popularity of High Protein Diets and the Possible Implications on Kidney Health - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2602 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/02/12 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: Diet Essay Did you like this example? Introduction In 2018, High protein diets for example Dukan, Atkins, The South Beach, Paleo and Ketogenic are becoming increasingly popular. The general public relates these diets to a healthy lifestyle choice. A High protein diet is one that includes protein in excess of Dietary Reference Intake recommendations for a person without kidney disease (0.8g/kg/day) (Poortmans and Dellieux, 2000). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Rise in Popularity of High Protein Diets and the Possible Implications on Kidney Health" essay for you Create order There are various tests that can be used to detect kidney function. The most used test in the healthcare industry is to find the GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate) of the individual. This is determined by first finding the creatinine levels which is a waste product found in muscle tissues in the body. When this is found the GFR level can then be calculated using this value as well as factors such as age, gender and race. In Ireland the most used method for detecting and measuring CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) is to perform a five stage system test based on the individuals GFR levels over a period of time. The higher the stage goes the more severe the disease is.(HSE, 2018) In this study we try to find the correlation between high protein diets and the implications that could possibly be an outcome on kidney health. The increase and popularity of protein diets In recent years high protein diets have risen significantly in popularity. Proteins are essential nutrients, which are vital structural components of body tissues, for example muscle, hair and nails. Many individuals have now made a conscious choice to increase their protein consumption, and Nielsen has reported that 55% of households would regard high protein as an important attribute when buying food for their households (Nielsen, 2018). Due to protein being a vital component of the human body, it has major health benefits, which are the causes for high protein diets significant rise in popularity (Du, 2018). One of the prime benefits being that in studies where high protein diets have been consumed, it has been concluded that high protein diets are effective in promoting fat loss and therefore helping to maintain, or achieve a healthy weight ((Phillips, 2006), (Blachier et al, 2018), (Murphy et al, 2013), (Oh and No, 2018)). One of the reasons proteins helps individuals who consume it in high amounts lose weight is because tends to have satiety enhancing effects (Du, 2018). Protein is very popular amongst individuals who are also trying to increase their muscle mass. Protein promotes muscle growth because the building blocks of protein are amino acids, which help with cellular function and muscle repair. Therefore, if not enough protein is present in the diet, then there will not be an adequate supply of amino acids available for muscle metabolism and ongoing anabolism (Leal, 2018). Many studies have consistently showcased these findings that high protein diets lead to increased muscle mass ((Phillips, 2006), (Kadey, 2018)). In addition to this, high protein diets have been said to be advantageous for individuals hoping to increase their muscle strength (Kadey, 2018), and that these diets may improve training adaptations to exercise training (Antonio et al , 2016). Pros and Cons of high protein diet A High protein diet is one that includes protein in excess of Dietary Reference intake recommendations for a person without kidney disease (0.8g/kg/day). (Poortmans and Dellieux, 2000) An RDA is a general recommendation which doesn’t take many things into account calories, carbohydrate intake, biological sex, age, how active we are, how eco-friendly the protein sources intake is. Glomerular filtration rate is the most accurate overall measure of kidney function as recognised by the NFK Disease Outcome Quality Initiative. Fad diets have been known to influence high protein diets for weight loss. Only recently high protein diets have been compared to low protein diets for health reasons. High protein weight loss diets have existed in U.S. for years. Apart from their weight loss purpose there is a serious reason for concern as these High Protein diets clinically altar renal function. (Friedman, 2004). An Omni Trial study carried out in America states† high in protein diets can cause glomerular hyperfiltration, a potentially maladaptive response which may accelerate the progression of the disease†. Healthy participants involved in the Omni trial which replaces partial carbohydrates with protein had no kidney disease/problems prior to the trial. Participants keeping consistent weight followed 3 diets for 6 week periods with a 2-4-week washout period. The three diets consisted of carbohydrates, protein or unsaturated fats. Dietary protein making up to 15% of the carbohydrate and unsaturated fat diet or 25% protein of energy intake. Serum creatinine was recorded after each 6 week period. The protein diet when compared to the carbohydrate diet and unsaturated fat diet showed an increase in cystatin C-based Glomerular filtration. To conclude the Omni trial, Glomerular filtration rate increased following the High protein diet but there is uncertainty to whether high protein diets can lead to kidney disease in the long term. (Bernstein, Treyzon and Li, 2018) A high protein diet can be determined as follows: the total amount of protein, the percent of total calories as protein and the amount of protein(g) per kg of body weight. The Brenner hypothesis is the most cited reference in this topic. The hypothesis proposes that â€Å"the sustained rise in glomerular filtration rate due to a high consumption of protein is detrimental to kidney function accelerating a potential rise in renal disease†. (Tipton, 2011) In the UK, the normal intake of protein is 16% of energy intake for a sedentary adult which is around 64-88g/day at energy balance for both men and women. There is no one general consensus to state what a high protein diet is but it is referred to as a ‘protein-enriched’ in food industry for over 20% of protein from energy. (Johnstone, 2012) Long term clinical trials should be carried out to test increased protein diets in healthy subjects to determine how effective a high protein diet is and what the consequ ences are over a long period of time. Detecting kidney health and causes of poor kidney health The kidneys are a two bean-shaped organ that is found in vertebrates which is located on the right and left of the abdominal cavity. The kidneys have many functions, the most important being the removal of waste, toxins, sodium and water from the body. (NIDDK, 2018) Recently in the past few years people have become more aware of kidney health as the incidence of CKD (chronic kidney disease) has doubled; especially among older individuals. This could possibly be because of the increasing prevalence of conditions such as diabetes and hypertension in recent years which is seen to damage the delicate blood vessels of the kidneys. (Liu H, 2010) One in ten American adults is now living with some degree of CKD, and kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States (NKUDIC, 2012) According to research done by (Stack et al, 2014) they were able to determine the overall prevalence of CKD in the Irish health system. They concluded that the prevalence of CKD in the Irish health system was 11.8% in addition to the rate of 4.5% in the general population. There was a higher prevalence of CKD in women than in men. (12.6% women versus 10.9% men). Another study which was done in the UK also discussed the prevalence of CKD and found that the prevalence of low excretory kidney function was 5.2% (Sutton et al, 2015) There are many tests today in the healthcare industry that can be used to test the kidneys. Blood tests, Imaging tests, kidney biopsy and urine tests are various assessments used on kidneys. The most effective and widely used method would be detecting GFR in the blood. As mentioned in the introduction the most used method for detecting and measuring CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) in Ireland is to perform a five stage system test based on the individuals GFR levels over a three month period. The higher the stage goes the more severe the disease is. (HSE, 2018) The levels of creatinine which is a waste product in muscles is found in the blood and then this can be used to calculate GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate) along with the individual’s sex, gender and age. A study done in Australia by (M Ludlow et al,2014) assessed local GP’S on whether they were following correct current guidelines when detecting and managing the kidneys. They recommended similar tests as explained above such as serum creatinine test, urine albumin creatinine ratio. They also were able to identify key indicators of increased risk of CKD such as hypertension, smoking and family history of kidney failure. Research done by (Sutton et al,2015) on the methods used in economic evaluations of chronic kidney disease used results of 2,671 papers that were identified in which 21 were included in the final review. Eighteen studies focused on proteinuria which is the presence of protein in the urine which in turn rises GFR. Three evaluated glomerular filtration rate testing and one included both tests. Why protein is needed in the diet Protein is essential in the diet. It assists with body growth and repair of cells. Without protein the body wouldn’t be able to function to its full capacity. According to the British Nutrition Foundation , the recommended amount of protein is 0.75g per kilogram bodyweight per day. This recommendation varies for each individual depending on sex and age. Protein requirement is increased for women who are pregnant or are lactating(British Nutrition Foundation,2016). In order for athletes to excel at their chosen sport the need for protein in the diet is vital. To prevent muscle damage, an athletes protein intake would be larger amount than an ordinary individual. An athletes protein intake should be in the range of 10-15% of their total dietary intake (Urdampilleta et al, 2014). An excess of 2g of protein can be damaging to the athletes performance. The National Kidney Foundation (2018) explains that the more protein digested the more the kidneys have to filter which puts stress on them. Diets with high protein content can be damaging to an individual’s health. High protein content is associated with the increase of Glomerular Hypofiltration, ( Friedman et al, 2010). Discussion With a protein enriched diet, evidenced based research and trials carried out show an increase in Glomerular filtration rates in addition to a high protein diet. Creatinine clearance is the measure of glomerular filtration rate. From reviewing this argument, it is shown to be a controversial topic as although a high protein diet is seen to increase GFR there is no evidence based data to state that the kidneys will suffer renal damage in addition to a high protein dietary lifestyle. Although a rise Glomerular filtration rate increases stress on the kidneys to filter more fluid which in long term may degrade kidney health. After extensive research regarding this particular field we conclude, that in order to accurate evidence based data to state the whether the effect of high protein influences kidney health. Long term research/trials must be conducted on this topic to support the hypothesis. Conclusion In conclusion to the argument ‘The Rise in popularity of high protein diets and the possible implications on kidney health’, there is no scientific evidence to prove high protein damages the kidney over short periods of time, but research shows that high protein does have an effect on GFR which in long term trials may result in damaging outcomes. Bibliography Antonio, J., et al (2016). The effects of a high protein diet on indices of health and body composition – a crossover trial in resistance-trained men. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13(1), pp.6-7. Austin G Stack,Liam F Casserly,Cornelius J Cronin,Tetyana Chernenko, Walter Cullen,Ailish Hannigan, Rajiv Saran, Howard Johnson,Gemma Browne, John P Ferguson . (25 November 2014). Prevalence and variation of Chronic Kidney Disease in the Irish health system: initial findings from the National Kidney Disease Surveillance Programme. BMC Nephrology2014. 15 (185), 12. 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