Failure Analysis Change Strategy Essay Example for Free

Failure Analysis Change Strategy Essay Team â€Å"A† reveals the circumstances regarding the failure analysis of an hotelier and how a CEO leads an organizational change processes to prevent an impending failure of the company. To counterbalance the hotelier business failure analysis, the team discusses the success analysis of Apple Inc. The team identifies each organization’s mission and vision statements with a behavioral theory explanation discussing the success and failure indicators. Research focuses on which specific organizational behavior theories could possibly explain the company’s failure or success, bureaucrat’s roles, and organizational structure and culture. Leading organizational change identifies the most vital areas for change, potential barriers in the changing process, addressing political and power issues, and steps implementing the organizational using the John Kotter’s 8-step plan. Business Failure Analysis Apple’s Mission statement Apple does not clearly define a mission statement. According to Farfan (2014), â€Å"Apple ends their press releases with a statement that resembles what a traditional mission states is expected to be†¦Apple commits to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings† (The Mission Statement, Global Vision, and Values of Apple, Inc.). Vision. Tim Cook, current CEO of Apple, does not have a simple vision for the company. During a 2009 interview, Cook mentions several values behind the company leading the vision Cook expects; â€Å"We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that’s not changing, we are constantly focusing on innovating and we believe in the simple, not the complex† (Hull 2012, para. 5). Apple’s Success. Apple’s approach to success bases itself on a  redesign by t he former CEO in 1997, Steve Jobs. Jobs partners with several organizations such as Microsoft and CompUSA forming a strategic alliance with Apple products. According to Finkle and Mallin (2010), Steve Jobs states â€Å"the reason why his companies have become so successful is because they hire the very best people in the world to work for them; his business savvy, negotiation skills, and propensity to take risks enable him to transform technology into companies that flourish† (p. 38). Apple’s leadership style is a major contribution in the company’s success. Charismatic, inspiring, flexible, receptive and free spirit describe former CEO Steve Job’s; constantly challenging employees and influencing a team environment where individuals can voice ideas (Toma and Marinescu, 2013). Apple’s Successful Behavioral Theories. Two behavioral theories contributing to Apples success during Steve Jobs tenure are the top-down creative process and situational â€Å"Zen like† transformational leadership style Job’s runs the organization with. Eliminating layers of bureaucracy enables Apple to conform in a transitioning global market possessing pioneering the technology into new markets. Top-Down Management. During Steve Jobs tenure at Apple, the company incorporates a strong top-down creative process eliminating bureaucracy. This enables information to go directly to Jobs and then filters to sub-teams as specific assignments for completion (Robbins Judge, 2013, p. 506). This process eliminates a top-heavy culture of management increasing product to market response time. Organizational behavior theories mirror the subject matter with which they deal, and people are complex and complicated (Yukl, 2013, p. 15). Situational Leadership. Jobs address the market with a leadership style conforming to market demands. Eliminating a traditional culture of managers within Apple enables Jobs to manage Apple directly and effectively on a global scale. The situational leadership style works for Job’s as the passion toward the company, consumers, and operations are thought of on a global scale. on a cross functional global scale enables the company to adapt to needs and demands on a global scal e. Apple’s Organizational Leadership. Apples role of leadership during the Steve Jobs era concentrates on simplification; taking responsibilities end to end; when behind, leapfrog; put products before profit; dont be a slave to focus  groups; bend reality; impute; push before perfection; know both the big picture and the details; tolerate only A players; engage face to face; combine the humanities with the sciences; and stay hungry and foolish (Isaccson, 2012). Management. Apples managers posses extensive knowledge about the services and products competitors are providing for the market. This ability enables the organization to formulate new ideas raising the bar for their competitors; Apple takes innovation to a new level. Managers and leadership both seek new ideas taking technology into completely new areas. This in conjunction with a completely lean management approach contributes to extraordinary productivity at Apple (Sullivan, 2011). Organizational Structure. Apples organizational structure is simple. There are no committees at Apple, general management is frowned upon, and only one person, the chief financial officer, has a responsibility for costs and expenses that lead to profits and losses (Lashinsky, 2011). Culture. The culture at Apple is very informal and demanding from employees. Rather than a work/life balance many organizations proudly emphasize, Apple makes it clear throughout the organization that it seeks committing, extremely hard-working individuals. An example here on the company website proudly states: This isnt your cushy corporate nine to fiver (Apple, 2014). This reinforcement repeats itself throughout the website instilling a demand for a culture to share an obsession getting every last detail right. Leave your neckties, bring your ideas (Apple, 2014). Innkeepers USA Trust Objectives and Mission Since its bankruptcy and other acquisitions, Innkeepers USA Trust objectives and mission possess no clear definition. Innkeepers USA Trust was widely known as one of leading owners of extended-stay and upscale hotel properties across the United States. In reference to O a real estate investment trust (REIT), Innkeepers USA Trust owns interest in several hotels in many states. The organization’s focal point at one time is to acquire, develop, rebrand, and reposition hotel properties. This organization’s general purpose, prior to failing, is to acquire and develop real estate investments increasing shareholder profit. Behavior theory predicting Innkeepers, USA Failure The companys failures are a result of cutbacks on both business and consumer levels. With decreasing travel, increasing fuel costs, rising energy expense, an abundance of new hotels entering the market, and over $1 billion in debt, Innkeepers USA was forced to file bankruptcy (McCarty Kary, 2010). Preventing the failure of Innkeepers USA Let’s look at some of the vital areas needing change at Innkeepers USA. As property values fall and business dry up during the recession, Innkeeper USA cannot meet financial obligations paying down loans (Aquino, 2011). The organization must restructure and work its way out of bankruptcy. Evolving technology, world cultures, and property employee support need attention in order for the company to be successful. Through the use of evolving technology, the company creates the Hilton performance Advantage system. This system includes a global online service for customers and property owners. Specific customer service sites address every company location throughout the world and staff with employees who are fluent in their native languages. A global e-commerce team and revenue management consolidation center allows property managers to seek guidance from staff specializing in specified sales management and revenue topics. These teams assist with research, strategies, and managemen t needs for individual property owners. Barriers to Change Technology education is one of the largest challenges. The organization organizational strategies to grow the company back to a profitability and sustainability state. As a result of the recession, most organizations decrease and terminate employee travel to minimize expenses. As a result, opportunities for online growth increase reaching customers on a global scale. Cultural issues need attention. Employees fluent in many languages are made available to assist customers in these cultures improving customer care. Each individual property needs evaluations to assess the needs of the demographics; properties cannot be cookie cutter designs. Employee support services create a cultural balance in the company. Educational support is on line; anytime, anywhere a company employee can receive the guidance they seek without waiting. This results from the installation of newer technologies. Power and Political Issues As Innkeepers USA Trust struggles with decreasing room revenue, debt burdens, and liquidity constraints, the real estate investment trust finds itself with power and political issues. Two perspectives of power issues in this organization are the finite and infinite perspective of power. The finite perspective of power is the competitive spirit of an organization that spurs productivity and focuses on winning. Through its competition and power perspective, the organization will ultimately diminish returns; in which Innkeepers USA Trust finds itself in this power struggle by oversupplying new hotels while room revenues are stagnate. Understanding Innkeepers USA Trust power and political struggles, issues require the infinite perspective of power and expert power. An infinite perspective of power seeks to understand that winning or losing is not the main issue. The purpose of an infinite power is to sustain. To sustain Innkeepers USA Trust, Learning Team A suggests acorporate strategy a pproach basing this on skill and knowledge. An example is Apples previous CEO, Steve Jobs. Job’s possess expert power. Job’s first hand involvement with many of Apple’s innovations creates a dependency the company relies on propelling innovation. According to Robbins Judge (2013), expert power is one of the most effective bases of power to influence a company and is positively related to employees satisfaction (p. 416). Implementing Change To successfully implement change within Innkeepers USA Trust, Learning Team A suggests following Dr. John Kotters eight-step process. According to Kotters process, a majority of organizations fail because they do not take a holistic approach that is required to see the change (Robbins Judge, 2013, p.586). The team will establish a sense of urgency creating a compelling reason as to the change, form a powerful coalition leading change, create a new vision to direct change, plan for, create, and reward short term wins that move the organization toward the new vision, reinforce the change by demonstrating the relationships between new behaviors and organizational success (Robbins Judge, 2013, p.586). Conclusion In conclusion, there are many factors in consideration when developing and maintaining a successful organization. It’s important to develop a strategy to meet organizational goals. Looking at the success and failures of existing organizations is an invaluable strategy in developing and maintaining organizational victory. Team â€Å"A† reveals the circumstances regarding the failure analysis of an hotelier and how a CEO leads an organizational change processes to prevent an impending failure of the company, which specific organizational behavior theories could possibly explain the company’s failure or success, and the organizational change identifying the most vital areas for change with recommendations from John Kotter’s 8-step plan. References Aquino, J. (2011).15 Companies that died in the past year: Business Insider, Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://www.businessinsider.com/15-companies-that-tanked-2011-3?op=1#ixzz35z4L2CQt Farfan, B. (2014). Apple Inc. mission statement is not very innovative and barely a mission at all. Retrieved from http://retailindustry.about.com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/Apple-IncMission-Statement.htm Finkle, T. A., Mallin, M. L. (2010). Steve Jobss and Apple Inc. Journal of the International Academy of Case Studies, 16(7), 31-40. Hull, P. (2012). Be visionary. Think big. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickhull/2012/12/19/be-visionary-think-big/ Issacson. W. (2012). The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobss. Retrieved from: hrb.org/2012/04/the-real-leadership-lessons-of-steve-Jobss/-The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobss Harvard Business Review Lashinsky. A. (2011). How Apple Works: Inside the worlds biggest startup. Retrieved from: fortune.com/201/08/25/how-apple-works-inside-the-worlds-biggest-startup-2/-How Apple works: Inside the worlds biggest startup McCarty. D. Kary. T. (2010). Apollo Investments Inkeepers USA Trust Files for Bankruptcy in New York. Retrieved June 29, 2014 from: www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-19/inkeepers-usa-apollo-investment-unit-files-for-bankruptcy-in-new-york.html Robbins, S. R. Judge, T. A. (2013). Organizational behavior (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Sullivan. J. (2011). Talent Management Lessons from Apple: A Case Study of the worlds most valuable firm. Retrieved from: www.ere.net/2011/09/12/talent-management-lessons-from-apple-a-case-study-of-the-worlds-most-valuable-firm-part-1-of-3/ Toma, S., Ph D., Marinescu, P., Ph D. (2013). Steve Jobss and modern leadership. Manager, (17), 260-269. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1518528902?accountid=35812 Worlds most admired companies. (2011). Retrieved from http://fortune.com/worlds-most-admired-companies/apple-1/ Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson /Prentice Hall. Retrieved from: https://newclassroom3.phoenix.edu/Classroom/#/om3.phoenix.edu/Classroom/#/contextid/ (LDR/531)/ context/ cdg/ vie w/activityDetails/activity/270c6ef7-2f01-4c47-8c71-5ba7a9d19509/ expanded/False

Eulogy for Son :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Son Good morning. Joe and I thank you all for coming to celebrate our son Mark's life. About four months ago on February 21, 1999, Joe and I had one of our biggest dreams come true. God blessed us with a beautiful baby boy. We named him Mark Warren, after his two grandfathers--and two of the strongest men we know. By bringing the names together, Mark became the greatest little boy we know. A lot of people called him "Markie," including his big sister Madeleine. Together, Madeleine and Mark made us very happy. We had the family we always dreamed of and a home filled with warmth and love. We were devastated on March 25th when Mark was admitted to the hospital, where he stayed for nine weeks. It was the most difficult time in our lives, to know that our beautiful baby boy was so sick. After many tests and consultations with many doctors, we found out that Mark had a severe neurological condition that affected his brain and development. We quickly realized that Mark would not live the life we had dreamed of for him. Fortunately we have been blessed with a very loving, supportive family and thoughtful, caring friends to help us through this difficult time. It was also Mark's strength, courage, and love, together with our faith in God, that brought us comfort. Mark went through so much and hardly ever complained. He was a tough little guy with a brave heart and innocent soul. It was because of these qualities that Mark touched so many lives and spread love and comfort to all those who knew him. Mark has made Joe and I better people. Mark has made a huge impact on the world by using the gifts that God gave him, which is, after all, what we as parents want from our children. Ever since Joe can remember he has wanted a son. Anyone that knows Joe knows that he has a very special relationship with his dad. Joe was ecstatic when Mark was born. He was going to create a relationship with Mark similar to the one he shares with his own dad. He made plans for them to go fishing and play one-on-one basketball in the driveway. When that dream was taken from Joe, he felt lost. As time went on, Joe realized how truly special a father/son relationship can be, and how love can overcome obstacles and bring peace.

Revisiting the Juvenile Offenders in Adult Criminal Justice System

The statistics are striking. In 2002 alone, one in twelve murders in the U. S. involved a juvenile offender (Snyder and Sickmund p. 65). Half of high school seniors (51%) surveyed in 2003 said they had tried illicit drugs at least once (Snyder and Sickmund p. 75). About 9% of murders in the U. S. were committed by youth under 18 in 2000 and an estimated 1561 youth under the age of 18 were arrested for homicide in 2000 (Fox). Youth under 18 accounted for about 15% of violent crime arrests in 2001 (FBI).One national survey found that for every teen arrested, at least 10 were engaged in violence that could have seriously injured or killed another person. (US Dept. of Health and Human Services). The alarming numbers continue but leave a question mark on the propensity and effectiveness of existing US juvenile laws, pushing for an inclination towards adopting adult justice systems in youth offender cases. Yet, alongside these figures are far more alarming statistics. While juvenile crimes are persistent, it is also true that one of every four violent crime victims known to law enforcement is a juvenile (Snyder and Sickmund p.31). Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers. In fact, 1921 young people ages 10 to 19 died by suicide in the United States in 2000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In fact, about 1 in 11 high-school students say they have made a suicide attempt in 1999(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention p. 6). And, officials have reported that of the more than 2,800 sexual violence allegations in juvenile facilities in 2004, 3 in 10 were substantiated (Snyder and Sickmund p. 230).A juvenile offender is one who is considered too young to be tried as an adult. Typically, the age at which a person can be tried as an adult varies among states, but ordinarily, it is the age of seventeen or eighteen, although this age can go down for certain serious offenses, such as homicide or sexual assault (Larson). When charged with a cri minal offense, a juvenile is sent to a juvenile court where he may either waive his right and be tried under adult criminal systems. Ideally and ordinarily, the focus is on what will rehabilitate the juvenile, rather than on punishment.For juvenile offenses, the juvenile are often said to have committed a â€Å"delinquent act,† as opposed to a â€Å"criminal offense. † (Larson). Although the juvenile court has broad discretion to tailor a sentence to the needs of a young offender this juveniles are still sentenced to prison. In fact, many states have large juvenile prisons and treatment facilities. The principle is that that the present criminal justice system believes that some juvenile offenders are very dangerous, despite their age, that incarceration seemed to be appropriate.While most of the policymakers and the press claim that an increase in the youth population shall also result in the rate of juvenile offenses, a lot of considerations need to be addressed. Jus tifications, as will be discussed later, however, boil down to one conclusion- when a juvenile commits an adult crime, he should not be required to face the consequences as an adult. In an effort to derive justifications why youth offenders should not be tried under adult criminal justice systems, several propositions are laid out below based on recent studies: 1.Youth are developmentally different from adults; 2. Incarcerating youth offenders in adult jails is dangerous to the juvenile offenders; 3. Youth incarceration in adult jails does not reduce crime rate; 4. Trying juvenile offenders and imposing death penalty to youth offenders is unconstitutional. These are discussed in detail in the following sections. Youth are developmentally different from adults The basic principle of equality of rights is commonly understood to mean that persons who are similarly situated shall be treated the same under the law.A close analysis of adult and youth offender profiles however suggests tha t adult and youth criminal offenders are not similarly situated so much so that existing adult justice systems should be liberally applied if not totally abolished as against juvenile offenders. Psychologists and lawyers have raised significant and recent studies in the juvenile brain in reconsidering the existing juvenile laws. An issue in point is whether a teenager who commits capital offenses can be executed or whether this would be cruel and unusual punishment, banned by the Constitution's eighth amendment.The point is, adolescents are not morally culpable as adults because their brains are not as capable of impulse control, decision-making, and reasoning as adult brains are. Psychologists say that this is because the brain's frontal lobe, which exercises restraint over impulsive behavior, â€Å"doesn't begin to mature until 17 years of age,† says neuroscientist Ruben Gur of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. â€Å"The very part of the brain that is judged by the legal system process comes on board late.† Other than this, adults behave differently not just because they have different brain structures, but because they use the structures in a different way ( Beckman ). Because of these social and biological reasons, an article in Times Magazine read, â€Å"teens have increased difficulty making mature decisions and understanding the consequences of their actions. † With much of these studies leaning towards the immediate fact that juveniles are not as mentally developed as the adult offenders, it is but proper that minors should never be tried as adults and should be spared the death penalty.Incarcerating youth offenders in adult jails is dangerous to the juvenile offenders It is a fact that despite a federal law preventing juveniles from adult jails existing for over three decades, 7,500 youth are in adult jails, according to a report released by the Campaign for Youth Justice. It must be reconsidered that rather than reh abilitating the youth offenders, incarcerating youth offenders in adult jails poses more danger to the juvenile. In fact, they are exposed to these dangers even before they’ve had their day in court (Campaign for Youth Justice).Incarceration exposes the youthful offender to sexual assault. Officials reported that of more than 2,800 sexual violence allegations in juvenile facilities in 2004, 3 in 10 were substantiated with girls more likely than boys to be sexually victimized (Snyder and Sickmund p. 229). In 2005, 21% of all substantiated victims of inmate-on-inmate sexual violence were under eighteen years old, even though youth make up less than 1% of the total jail population (Campaign for Youth Justice).Likewise, incarceration in adult are at greater risk of suicide than similar youth in theU. S. population (Snyder and Sickmund p. 229). In fact, youth have the highest suicide rates of all inmates in jails. â€Å"They are 36 times more likely to commit suicide in an adult jail than in a juvenile detention facility, and 19 times more likely to commit suicide in an adult jail than youth in the general population† (Campaign for Youth Justice). Finally, jailing juveniles in adult facilities are counterproductive and even increases their likelihood of reoffending.Based on studies, children who are prosecuted in adult court are more likely to be rearrested more often and more quickly for serious offenses(Campaign for Youth Justice). Youth incarceration in adult jails does not reduce crime rate While it is true that juvenile population in the US is increasing similarly to other segments of the population such that population projections indicate that the juvenile proportion of the U. S. population will hold constant through 2050 (Snyder and Sickmund p. 2), it is not true that this increase would also result in the increase in juvenile crime rate.In an analysis conducted based on official crime statistics of youth offenders in California from 1970 to 1 998, Macallair and Males said that â€Å"the popular claim that the rising teenage population means more crime and violence is a myth† (2000). According to them, the current crime trends among youths are indication of declining crime rates into the next century and suggest a reevaluation of current trends in youth crime policies and reexamination of popular assumptions based on these statistics. Death penalty to juvenile crimes is unconstitutionalThe truth of the matter is that all states in the US now allow certain juveniles to be tried in criminal court or otherwise face adult sanctions (Snyder and Sickmund p. 110). More over, the federal consititutionality of the American juvenile death penalty was a reasonably settled issue for the past 15 years. This is a serious matter that poses more danger to juvenile offenders in facing adult consequences. It is a good thing however, that the United States Supreme Court has now expressed a renewed interest in reconsidering this issue with state courts getting more involved as well. In Thompson v.Oklahoma, 487 U. S. 815 (1988), the United States Supreme Court held that â€Å"executions of offenders age 15 and younger at the time of their crimes are prohibited by the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution† (Death Penalty Information Center). In Simmons v. Roper, 112 S. W. 3d 397 (Mo. 2003), the Supreme Court of Missouri interpreted current national data to hold that the death penalty for juvenile offenders now violates the United States Constitution's prohibition against Cruel and Unusual Punishment. They however did not reach the issue under the Missouri State Constitution.Although a ruling on federal constitutionality, Simmons applies only in Missouri at this juncture. In the meantime, the two prevailing issues before the Supreme Court is whether the lower court can subsequently reinterpret and reject the standards under evolving standards of decency once the United States Supreme Court sets the Eighth Amendment Cruel and Unusual standard and whether death penalty for a 17-year-old offender is now Cruel and Unusual under the Eighth Amendment's evolving standard of decency (Death Penalty Information Center).In 2005, the U. S. Supreme Court (5-4) upheld the Missouri Supreme Court and banned the death penalty for juvenile offenders, Roper v. Simmons (2005). With this as precedence, it is but due time for states to also reconsider the adverse consequences of juvenile commitment in adult prisons. Conclusion With all the issues raised above, it is but appalling why juvenile offenders should be tried under adult criminal justice systems. It is but due time that existing state policies be revisited and amended to adjust to the need of youthful offenders.In the meantime, since the present state policies on juvenile offenders are already in place, it is only but fitting to reconsider some adjustments in existing policies if at least to address and prevent these dangers until such time that the federal and state systems are ready for the new, more effective and revitalized policies. In referring to the special circumstance of juvenile offenders, the following recommendations were given in an ABA Task Force Report in 2001:†¢ Since youth are developmentally different from adults, these developmental differences need to be taken into account at all stages and in all aspects of the adult criminal justice system. †¢ Pretrial release or detention decisions regarding youth awaiting trial in adult criminal court should reflect their special characteristics. †¢ If detained or incarcerated, youth in the adult criminal justice system should be housed in institutions or facilities separate from adult facilities until at least their eighteenth birthday.†¢ Youth detained or incarcerated in the adult criminal justice system should be provided programs which address their educational, treatment, health, mental health, and vocational needs. †¢ The ri ght to counsel in the adult criminal justice system should not be waived by a youth without consultation with a lawyer and without a full inquiry into the youth's comprehension of the right and capacity to make the choice intelligently, voluntarily and understandingly. If the right to counsel is voluntarily waived, stand-by counsel should always be appointed.†¢ Judges in the adult criminal justice system should consider the individual characteristics of the youth during sentencing. †¢ The collateral consequences normally attendant to the adult criminal justice process should not necessarily apply to all youth arrested for crimes committed before the age of eighteen. (ABA p. 2) In sum, trying youth offenders under the adult criminal justice system â€Å"is not safe, is not fair and does not work† (Youth for Justice p. 4) and should therefore be guarded against. Rather than considering the youth as vices of the community, they should be looked upon as needing of socie ty’s support.Works Cited Beckman, Mary. â€Å"Crime, Culpability and the Adolescent Brain. † Death Penalty Information Center. 30 July 2004. Science Magazine. 10 March 2008. . Fox, James Alan. , Zawitz, Marianne W. â€Å"Homicide Trends in the United States. † US Department of Justice. 2002. Northeastern University and Bureau of Justice Statistics. 11 March 2008. < http://www.ojp. usdoj. gov/bjs/homicide/homtrnd. htm>. Larson, Aaron. â€Å"Juvenile Offenders. † LawExperts. March 2000. 10 March 2008. . Snyder, Howard N. , and Sickmund, Melissa. â€Å"Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report. † Death Penalty Information Center. 2006. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. 11 March 2008 . Wallis, Claudia and Dell, Kristina.â€Å"What Makes Teens Tick; A flood of hormones, sure. But also a host of structural changes in the brain. Can those explain the behaviors that make adolescence so exciting–and so exasperating? † Death Penalty Information Center. 10 May 2004. Time Magazine. 10 March 2008. . â€Å"Youth in the Criminal Justice System: An ABA Task Force Report. † American Bar Association. February 2002. Criminal Justice Section. 9 March 2008. â€Å"Youth risk behavior surveillance – United States, 2001.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2002. In: CDC Surveillance Summaries. June 28, 2002. MMWR, 51(SS-4), p. 6. 10 March 2008. . â€Å"Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General. Executive Summary. † U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2001. p. vii. Comparison of data from the Monitoring the Future Study from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research and data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. 11 March 2008. < http://www. surgeongeneral. gov/library/youthviolence/summary. htm>.

An Indepth Look at Warfare in Medieval Japan in Joseph...

Joseph Conlans â€Å"State of War; The Violent Order of Fourteenth Century Japan† is an depth look at Japans emerging warrior class during a time period of constant warfare in Medieval Japan. His work however doesn’t revolve around the re-fabrication and in-depth analysis of battles sieged like many contemporary examinations of wars and battles won and lost. Instead the author vies to navigate the reader on journey into the warrior class’s lives and how they evolved through a statistical analysis of records. This illustrates how warfare changed and transformed with the constant evolving of the Samurai, but it also includes how their actions affected their Political environment as well as the society in which they dwelled from the bottom up.†¦show more content†¦In the introduction, Conlan states; â€Å"War represents a process that encompasses all. Rather than merely hastening change on a static state and society, war creates its own particular and p eculiar order.† Nothing could be truer when looking at fourteenth century Japan. War for the Political figures represented an opportunity to further their control and power over society and the archepelego. For those in political office, such as the Taisho and Shugo it was an opportunity to increase or further their political and social economic benefits from their appointed positions. For the middle class such as the Tozama (and their followers the Miuchi), Gokenin, Myoshu and Hyakusho, who often had priority’s not only of Monetary gain but more in the ability to have the rights to their current land holdings confirmed and the opportunity to possibly expand their wealth through the acquisition of property from those of defeated enemies. Under whos command these warriors would fight to acquire such means was often of little significance to them, so as long as they were granted their lands as promised. Those leaders unwilling or unable to honor such agreements often found their forces diminishing, as family and clan overseer would often strike a new deal with the opposing forces leaders. Loyalty or â€Å"Chusetsu† as it was called was a hard thing to find when everyone was trying to survive or get ahead. In fact desertion for another’s army was so common that the word treason