The Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon Essay Example for Free

The Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon Essay People are more likely to comply with a larger favor if a smaller favor is asked first. The Foot-in-the-Door refers to an influence technique based on getting a person to do a large favor by starting out with a smaller favor and building up. The research subjects were normal randomly assigned people whom were contacted at their homes and asked to place a small sign in their windows to promote recycling. The subjects were also given and incentive of nothing, one dollars, or three dollars. Later, half of the participants were asked about why they complied with the behavior while the other half was not. Two weeks later, both the control and experimental groups were asked to comply with a moderate or large second favor relating to recycling. After, the behaviors and intentions of the participants were recorded. Then, a subgroup of the experimental participants and a second control group were asked to respond to a community poll which contained attitudes toward recycling and personal involvement. The experiment was commenced in order to test the usefulness of the phenomenon on a social behavior context (Scott, 1977). The Foot-in-the-Door phenomenon has come up numerous times in my childhood regarding a simple commute to a friend’s house. It starts out with me asking my parents if I could walk down the block over to see my friend. I then call home and ask if I could stay a couple hours or so longer to which my parents usually agree to. Sooner or later I might call home again and ask if I could sleep over which usually end up in my parents complying with the idea. In the movie Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne/Batman asks Luscious Fox many favors regarding the battle gear. At first, Bruce casually asks Fox if he can â€Å"borrow† the gear for exploring the cave after he was introduced to it. Later he asks for a vehicle to come in black which Fox indifferently agreed to. Although some favors were obliged to Fox, he may have declined many of Bruce’s requests.

Biography of Aristotle Essays -- biography biographies

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and scientist who lived from 384-322 B.C who was born in Stagira, Macedonia. His father played a major role in society as a physician in the royal court. Young Aristotle took a liking to Plato and decided to go to his academy at the age of seventeen. For the next twenty years, Aristotle remained there first as a student then as a teacher. After the death of Plato, Aristotle moved to Assos in the Asia Minor where he tutored his friend Hermias who was the ruler there and decided to marry his niece. After his death he then tutored Alexander the Great at the capital of Macedonia known as Pella. Later in his life, Aristotle decided to move back to Athens, Greece to open up his own school known as Lyceum. â€Å"Upon the death of Alexander in 323 B.C., strong anti-Macedonian feeling developed in Athens, and Aristotle retired to a family estate in Euboea (Évvoia). He died there the following year† (Brumbaugh, Robert S.). Before he had died, the A thenians charged Aristotle, like Socrates, with impiety that means a lack of reverence to the gods. He remembered the fate that Socrates once had where he was condemned to death. â€Å"He fled to the city of Chalcis so the Athenians would not, as he said, "sin twice against philosophy† (Soll, Ivan). Aristotle has written many works in his lifetime and has had many ideas. One of his many ideas was his idea of freedom. He had many opinions on the way one should live their life. â€Å"Aristotle argued that the goal of human beings is happiness and that we achieve happiness when we fulfill our function† (Soll, Ivan). What Aristotle means by this is that you have to figure out what makes you happy in life and do whatever it takes for one to reach that ultimate goal of happiness. In order to do this, we must figure out what our function is. â€Å"Thus, according to Aristotle, a happy life for human beings is a life governed by reason† (Soll, Ivan). A book that Aristotle wrote in 350 B.C. was called Nicomachean Ethics Book III that deals with his idea of freedom. The purpose of this book is to express his beliefs of the importance of human actions and how those actions could shape up their lives. What he also does is emphasis the difference between voluntary and involuntary actions. Involuntary actions are those that are presented in ignorance or under pressure. An act is under pressure only when i... ...s situation worse if the coach decided to punish the whole team by making them run extra and then his teammates would be disappointed with him. What people must do is realize that the choices they make in life will not only benefit themselves, but will affect those around him/her. One must be as responsible as they can possibly be in order to obtain total happiness, which is their ultimate goal in life according to Aristotle. I agree with Aristotle in his way of thinking because I feel one must make the right decision in life and be responsible with those decisions that they make. Aristotle learned a lot back in this time period when education was very hard to find and this is why he is considered one of the most famous and respected people in Greek history. Works Cited Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics Book III. Editorial. Classics of Philosophy. Louis P. Pojman. 304. Oxford University Press, Inc. 1998. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016. Brumbaugh, Robert S. â€Å"Aristotle," Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2003. http://encarta.msn.com  © 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation. Soll, Ivan. "Aristotle," World Book Online Americas Edition,

Strategic Decision-Making

â€Å"Rational decision-making is an impossible ideal in strategy formulation and implementation due to incomplete information and organisational politics. † Strategy is formulated and implemented by organisations as a means of gaining competitive advantage and achieving organisational success. Frequent fast, widely supported, and high quality strategic decisions are the cornerstone of effective strategy (Eisenhardt, 1999 in Clegg et. Al, 2012). In today's world of borderless business, ever-evolving technology and rapid change, can these decisions be made rationally?Currently there are three main decision-making paradigms in the literature – rational decision-making, political decision-making and the garbage can model. Each paradigm frames the decision-making process differently and each will be discussed in turn in this essay. It will then be concluded that while rational decision-making is possible, it is only boundedly so due to incomplete information confounded by t he limitations of human cognition, particularly in the fast-paced business world of today.Furthermore, while people can be individually rational, collectively this is not the case (Eisenhardt ; Zbaracki, 1992) – as organisations are political systems, politics and power are often central to decision-making in the formulation and implementation of strategy. Rational decision-making Model According to the rational decision making model, clear goals and objectives are first identified and listed in order of importance. All the alternative courses of action associated with each objective are then identified and the consequences of each action are established.Consequences are assessed against the values and objectives pursued, with the course of action that best maximises these values being the one that is chosen. This logical step-by-step approach suggests that the outcome will be maximised. It also assumes the decision maker has complete knowledge of not only all possible altern atives, but also their consequences. For strategists who subscribe to this model of decision making, the organisation is seen as a rational bureaucracy where strategic planning is conducted by top management and organisational structure follows.This prescriptive view of decision-making has scientific principles at its core as decision makers are thought to be accurate and objective. Research, however, has shown that the decision-making process used by managers is not as straightforward or linear in nature. In fact, the assumptions underpinning the theory of omniscient rationality, while ‘strikingly simple and beautiful' (Simon, 1978), are fundamentally flawed. Although such an approach to strategy formulation may appear ideal in theory, it cannot be practised except for with relatively simple problems (Linblom, 1959).Limits of the cognitive capacity of humans, and on available information set definite limits on a manager's ability to be fully rational. In addition to this, oth er members of the organisation may disagree with the decision makers choice leading to power plays and politics. Whilst strategic decisions then, fall short of omniscience, they are not necessarily irrational. Rather, they are, and can only ever be, a bounded rationality. Cognitive biases of managers limit the applicability of the rational decision-making approach (Santos & Garcia, 2006).The organisational situation is framed by the decision makers who perceive an approximate model of the circumstances, choosing from a limited list of subjective alternatives. Some choices are given weight and others are relegated to the background, thus large segments of reality are out of focus (Feehan, 2013). Simon (1956) recognising the limits of comprehensive rationality, posited the concept of ‘satisficing', that members will choose the first alternative that is deemed to adequately meet the organisation's objectives rather than taking the time to survey all possible alternatives and find ing the optimal choice.This satisficing alternative will meet the minimal satisfactory requirements. Linblom's ‘Muddling Through' theory (1959) was one of the first to recognise the role of politics in strategic decision-making. Linblom refers to the comprehensive rational model mentioned above, as a ‘root' approach to decision-making where the process begins with the fundamentals, always starting from the ground up. This means-end analysis requires that values are clarified in advance of examining alternatives. He posits a ‘branch method' of incremental comparisons as a more suitable method for complex problems.Here, the decision-making process begins in the current situation, building out with incremental changes. Lindblom argues that the organisation and individuals may hold conflicting values which only become clear after the fact. A good outcome is therefore, not the optimal one but one that is agreed upon by all players. These theories highlight both the limi ts of rationality and the importance of context in strategic decision-making. Unlike many other decisions, strategic decisions are made in an organisational context where the reaction of the players affects the outcome.This view of organisations not as rational optimisers but ‘satisficers' resonates with the author's experiences. Having owned my own business I understand due to time constraints, working memory limits and finite funding levels, it is not possible to make decisions in a perfectly rational fashion. There will always be alternatives you (the organisation) had not considered, preferences you have that may be conflicting, and choices that cannot be made due to disagreements among stakeholders.This is not to say that the strategic decisions cannot be rational – they can but only boundedly so. It is important, in my view, to approach these significant and complex decisions in a systematic manner when possible. However in a dynamic world, where business is borde rless and technology is advancing at an ever increasing rate, I would question the utility of this approach. Context is key. Political decision-making model The political model of decision-making presents a compelling case against the possibility of perfect rationality in strategy formation and implementation.In fact, according to Clegg (2012, p. 267) the biggest enemy of rationality is the power and politics that are inscribed in every organisational decision. The division of an organisation into separate departments, encourages political activity between them as they compete for scarce resources (Pettigrew, 1973). Coalitions are formed around a perceived affinity of interests, with the ultimate aim being to accrue enough power to influence the decision-making process. It is out of this struggle for power that decisions emerge.Strategic decisions are particularly likely to stimulate political actions because they are complex, significant, and subject to uncertainty. There may be mu ch to gain/lose for each of the players from both a material and reputational point of view (Child, Elbanna ; Rodrigues, 2010). Take for example, an organisation such as a hospital. It is pluralistic in nature, often experiencing conflict between departments, staff subcultures and rifts between administrative staff and departments.Imagine as part of a cost containment strategy, it is decided after rational analysis, that the optimal alternative is to reduce wage costs by 20%. The highly paid consultants and lower paid floor staff will be pitted against each other, each protecting their own self-interests. The cost cutting strategy may have to be adapted in order to appease the players. As this example conveys, it is out of differences in self-interests that conflict rises (Eisenhardt ; Zbaracki, 1992). Research has consistently found organisational decision-making to be political in nature.A study of nine international corporations found that they were political systems comprised of a myriad of coalitions and groups (Quinn,1980 in Child et. al 2010). Pettigrew (1972) observed a scenario where established computer analysts conflicted with a newer team of analysts over which IT system their company should invest in. A member of the established coalition of analysts acted as gatekeeper, using his role to control the flow of information to top management whilst communicating negatively about his opponents ideas at the same time.This resulted in management deciding to take his advice. Another often cited example of the political decision-making model the Cuban Missile Crisis (Clegg et al 2011; Child et al 2010). Garbage Can Model The garbage can model of decision making offers an alternative insight into strategic decision-making in organisations. Here, the organisation is described as a loose collection of already-made solutions, waiting for new decision opportunities to be applied. Contrary to the assumptions of the rational model, decision making in these organi sed anarchies is not an orderly, linear process.The ambiguity is due to the radical instability of three premises – preferences, technology (know-how, techniques ; equipment) and participation. Decision-making occurs when the right problem arises and the right people are receptive to it's solution. These variables are coupled temporally, by chance, rather than consequentially by rational calculation (Rainey, Ronquillo & Avellaneda, 2010). The garbage can model differs from the rational and political models as it conveys the role of chance in the decision-making process.Decisions are not arrived at through boundedly rational analysis, nor are they negotiated by the interactions of coalitions. Instead, they are the random result of the convergence of problems and solutions at a particular point in time. This is not to say that this model is intended to replace rational decision-making, rather it's purpose is to supplement it (Rainey et. al 2010). Not all decision making situati ons are organised chaos, neither are they all rational. Many organisations in the public sector serve as examples of the garbage can model of decision-making.Many policy-making decisions for example, are imprecise and vague in nature with no defined goals attached. Participants in the public sector decision making process are prone to change – board members, consultants and even governmental parties are likely to change during the course of the decision-making process. Rational decision-making then, is problematic for making the predictions about the future preferences and consequences when formulating strategy. The human cognitive system will simply not allow us to consider all possible alternative solutions to any given problem.This assertion highlights the importance of brainstorming and group work in order to generate possible alternatives that we, ourselves, may not have thought of. Even taking this into account however, it is doubtful that an exhaustive list of all even tualities would be arrived at. Groupthink and politics are also likely to factor into the equation. Furthermore, even if rational decision-making were possible, it may not be even be the ideal. It does not allow for the input of emotional intelligence and ethical considerations which are often required in the decision-making process.How then can the business of today ensure they are making adequate decisions when formulating and implementing strategy? Organisational learning has been posited as an alternative view to organisations as decision-makers. Organisations are seen as learning by encoding inferences from experiences which are then used to direct behaviour (Levitt ; March, 1988). Organisations adapt to changes in the environment, storing data in it's repository to be drawn on later. References Clegg, S. , Carter, C. , Kornberger, M. amp; Schweitzer, J. (2011) Strategy: Theory & Practice. London : Sage. Child, J. Elbanna, S. & Rodrigues, S. . (2010). The Political Aspects of S trategic Decision Making. In: Nutt, P. C. & Wilson, D. C. Handbook of Decision Making. Sussex: Wiley. 105-138. Eisenhardt, K. M. & Zbaracki, M. J. (1992). Strategic Decision-making. Strategic Management Journal 13, pp. 17-37. Feehan, M. (2013) Organisation & Strategy Slides. IPA Moodle. Accessed on 21/01/2013. Levitt, B. & March, J.G. (1988). Organizational Learning Annual Review of Sociology. 14, pp. 319-340 Linblom, C. E. (1959). ‘The Science of Muddling Through. ‘ Public Administration Review 19 , 2. pp. 79-88. Pettigrew, A. M. (1973) The Politics of Organizational Decision Making. London: Tavistock Pettigrew, A. M. (1972) Information control as a power resource, Sociology, 6, 187–204. Santos, M.. V & Garcia, M. T. (2006) Managers’ opinions:reality or fiction. A narrative approach. Management Decision 44, 6. pp 752-770.

Mandatory Aids Testing - 2012 Words

Mandatory AIDS Testing AIDS has become a worldwide epidemic that has struck every identifiable group. However, persons who are considered to be in a high-risk group of contracting HIV, the disease believed to cause AIDS, are still stigmatized by the media and other professionals as being diseased and abnormal. It is quite surprising still that this type of stereotype still exists now in our gender-bending society. No longer do only gays, prostitutes, bisexual men, intravenous drug users contract HIV, the heterosexual community is also facing the epidemic at phenomenon increases. It is estimated that heterosexual transmission accounts for 75% of all AIDS cases in the world.(Video, CBC In Review) And still individuals persist that AIDS†¦show more content†¦The consequences of public disclosure or even select disclosure are very damaging to a person who has just learned of his HIV positive status. Some of the negative consequences are alienation from community and family, loss of accommodation, denial of disability and life insurance, travel restrictions and also the prospect of blackmailing. (IPC, HIV/AIDS, p17) The notion that mandatory AIDS testing and its implications deter people from voluntary testing is evident from the possible discrimination that one might face undergoing the procedures of the policy. As of today, there is no mandatory AIDS testing programs being implemented for persons of high-risk groups. One cannot help but feel the society as a whole believes when one is dealing with an issue like AIDS, which is so sensitive and private, the rights and the comfort of the individuals stricken with this horrid disease should come first. As a result, anonymous testing has been made available to provide people with discretion and protection from discrimination. Although not many cities provide this sort of services, just the fact that it is available is a relief for those who suspect that they might be infected with HIV. This type of service encourages testing and is the right tool to help prevent HIV infection. Some of the question asked may b e very difficult or even impossible to answer, but a strong debate can be put up for both sides. Can Aids testing control the spread ofShow MoreRelatedMandatory Prenatal HIV Testing Essay901 Words   |  4 PagesMandatory Prenatal HIV Testing This particular journal researches prenatal HIV testing as it relates to vertical transmission. Randomized controlled studies involving HIV- positive pregnant women at various stages of pregnancy were monitored and evaluated in an effort to find conclusive reasoning for prenatal testing. Women of different income levels, educational and ethnic backgrounds were involved in these studies. 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