Adolescence as a Time of Storm and Stress - 1386 Words

Conflict during adolescence, including storm and stress, and alternative views Stanley Hall (1904) one of the founders of developmental psychology, suggested that adolescence is a time of personal ‘storm and stress’ during which the child must experience the turbulent history of the human race in order to reach maturity. This was very influential in later psychological research and popular culture. The implications of Erikson’s (1980) theory of psychosocial development portray adolescence as a period of ‘storm and stress’ as adolescents experience role confusion as they try out different roles in attempting to establish a sense of identity. The formation of an identity is vitally important as it enables the individual to cope†¦show more content†¦(1996) found that the amount of time adolescents spend with their parents decreases as the teenage years proceed. Steinberg and Silver (1986) argue that as adolescents become more independent from their parents, they become increasingly dependent on their peers. It is in this environment where they experience the stress of peer pressure, as they develop a desire to become the ‘in group’ and idolise peers. Furthermore, research conducted by Smith and Crawford (1986) highlight adolescence as a time of storm as stress as they found that over 60% of a group of secondary school students reported at least one incident of suicidal thinking, and 10% had attempted suicide. In additional support of the view of adolescence as a time of ‘Storm and Stress’, Larson et al. (1984) found that adolescent Americans displayed extreme mood swings in the space of an hour whereas adults typically takes several hours to change from one mood to another. Adolescence could actually be a social construct; an alternative way of looking if adolescence is generally a time of ‘storm and stress’ is to compare adolescence in other cultures. This gives us an indication of whether all cultures experience adolescence in the same way. If this is th e case it would tend to indicate that the storm and stress experienced at adolescence is something that is purely down to nature, while if differences are found between cultures then it would indicate that nurture isShow MoreRelatedChapter Questions On Vocabulary Words1283 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing a young person in certain American culture or the culture of recent Mexican American immigrants.† (Arnett, 2013. P. 25). I chose this quotation because it made me think differently which I like. I did not think as much into the fact the adolescence is so different in many cultures. I thought everyone pretty much went through the same things. I went back and reflected on what I went through and how hard it was. I could not imagine some of the things some children go through in other culturesRead MoreUnderstanding Youth And Adolescence Fall Into Five Main Perspectives Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesDiffering perspectives towards defining youth and adolescence fall into five main perspectives which help to portray and provide a thorough guide to gain an understanding on what is youth and adolescence. The perspectives are psychological sociological philosophical biological and cultural Youth and adolescence are words which often get confused with each other. The term can get crossed over with one another as they cover a timeframe that is sometimes viewed as the same transition period. PierreRead MoreAdolescence And The Adolescence Period970 Words   |  4 Pagesteenager the adolescence period can seem like a lifetime because a lot of changes are occurring physically, emotionally, cognitive and socially. With puberty going on and hormones all over the place it was extremely stressful especially when menstruation began because at that point it felt like everything horrible came along with it, acne, unbearable pain, nausea, moodiness and feelings of insecurity and self consciousness. The teenage years definitely involves periods of storm and stress, it is alsoRead MoreThe Term Storm And Stress Is A Term Coined By G. Stanley Hall2017 Words   |  9 Pagessame time pass through this stage of life with relative stability, as the empirical view indicates, how do they do it? (Coleman and Hendry, 1999). The term ‘storm and stress’ is a term coined by G. Stanley Hall (1904). It is derived from the German word ‘Sturn und Drung’. ‘Sturn ung Drung’ is a psychological theory that occurs when youths experience idealism, ambitiousness, rebellion, passion, suffering, as well as expressing feelings. The term is used because Hall (1904) viewed adolescence as aRead More1. Describe and Evaluate the Notion That Adolescence Is a Period of ‘Storm and Stress’.2146 Words   |  9 Pages1. Describe and evaluate the notion that adolescence is a period of ‘storm and stress’. Adolescence is a period of time in an individual’s life when they undergo the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this time there are a number of changes that occur within a person which can characterise the remainder of their life. Throughout history many intellectuals have made attempts to gain a better understanding of this time and a plethora of different theories on the subject now existRead MoreThe Psychology of Mean Girls 1339 Words   |  5 Pagesadolescents. Stanley Hall characterized adolescence as a time of â€Å"storm and stress† and this negative image has stuck with society. As we’ve learned and discussed in class, Sigmund Freud took the concept of storm and stress a step further and developed his stages of psychosocial development but saw adolescence as a time when major conflicts were already solved. . Anna Freud continued researching the same concepts as her father, and viewed the absence of storm and stress as a sign of a serious psychologicalRead More Adolescence: Stress, Depression, and Suicide Essay1309 Words   |  6 Pages Adolescence is a stage of maturation between childhood and adulthood that denotes the period from the beginning of puberty to maturity. However, many conflicting opinions are raised about weather such a stage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and innerRead MoreAdolescence Essay 101357 Words   |  6 PagesAdolescence is a stage of maturation between childhood and adulthood that denotes the period from the beginning of puberty to maturity. However, many conflicting opinions are raised about weather such a stage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adol escence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and innerRead MoreThe Womans Natural Journey from Adolescence to Menopause Essay790 Words   |  4 Pages Women between adolescence and menopause do not experience trauma in adjusting to their roles as a woman. With the topic being broad and not giving much detail, I would have to assume that this is women who have led a relatively normal life, with all the nature intended changes. Trauma is an event that creates a long lasting negative effect on a person. Trauma is usually associated with a wife witnessing her husband being killed, a soldier witnessing a member of his platoon being shot at. WomenRead MoreThe Struggle Through Adolescence Essays1930 Words   |  8 Pages Adolescence has been depicted as a time typified by stress and storm for both, parents and friends of adolescents.This is evident with increased disagreements between both parent-child and peer relationships. Hall, (1904) suggested that this period occurs due to a search for identity. The following essay will examine and provide evidence to understand why there is an increase in conflict throughout a period of adolescence. During the period of adolescence, children often clash with their parents

Merger and Acquisition Free Essays

In recent years human resource (HR) managers have been encouraged to play a more strategic role in their organizations, especially in the case of extensive organizational change processes such as international  mergers  and  acquisitions  (IMAs). Today this requirement is even more acute since the past decade has been characterized by enormous growth in IMAs. In addition, it has been argued that the challenge in making MAs work is the management of people. We will write a custom essay sample on Merger and Acquisition or any similar topic only for you Order Now In a case of IMAs the role of  HR  managers is very demanding because they needs to integrate  HRpractices and, moreover, perform two other roles simultaneously: a strategic role for company-wide integration and a support role for business unit transaction. Considering the importance of human resource management (HRM) in IMAs, it is surprising how little is known about the role and activities of  HR  managers in these processes. This study addresses the existing research gap by investigating the role of  HR  managers in the IMA process. Based on semi-structured theme interviews among corporate level managers in three Finnish international industrial organizations, the roles of corporate  HR  managers at different stages of the IMA process are analysed. This study applies Ulrich’s (1997) theory of the four  HR  roles in combination with the  HR  issues which are present at the different stages of the IM process. This paper demonstrates that HRM is an essential part of M and that  HR  issues are given a lot of emphasis throughout the process. In addition,  HR  managers play an important role in the IM process, although it is not self-evident in every case. Once a business has decided to merge with another company, one of the most important tasks is the combination of the two workforces into one. This task is primarily carried out by Human Resources (HR), and it is a critical and ongoing process that supports the entire merger or acquisition. HR must lead decision processes, prepare the company for integration and execute the actual reorganization. Throughout the process, they should also focus on building relationships with the new company. What about M tools? In today’s mergers and acquisitions, an  org chart  is a requirement as it will make the process of workforce planning easier and quicker. A good  software solution  can help management combine workforces by using visualization and workforce organizational tools. Management can then set new budgets and organize the structure to best meet the new organization’s objectives. Centralizing the data and personnel files helps in the allocation of resources, mapping out of the future company layout, and ‘what if’ analysis for possible reductions in force or promotions. The role of HR during mergers and acquisitions can be separated into three phases: Pre-deal ? Analyze hierarchies and reporting relationships ? Identify key personnel ? Generate headcounts by department ? Roll up total workforce cost ? Audit the workforce for diversity and other characteristics ? Assess government compliance issues Integration planning ? Model the workforce to determine optimal structure ? Conduct â€Å"what if† scenario planning to visualize merger integration ? Collaborate with department managers to plan resources and structures ? Identify duplicate roles and plan necessary reductions Plan optimal management and reporting hierarchies ? Determine pay structure and reward systems ? Determine retirement and benefits structure ? Align workforce costs with departmental budgets ? Determine HR technology Integration implementation and communication ? Consolidate workforce data into a centralized organizational chart ? Share the integration roadmap with management ? Provide managers with adjusted Spans of Control and budgets ? Publish a view of the new organization to all employees ? Produce documentation of the merger process for auditors ? Capture a history of organizational changes as planning progresses ? Communicate changes in compensation, benefits and reward systems Post-merger workforce management and optimization ? Merge workforce data into a single system of record ? Ensure the successful assimilation of corporate cultures ? Align resources with corporate initiatives and business goals ? Refine business processes and workflow to reduce operational expenses ? Communicate performance management, talent acquisition and succession planning data. ? Present the unified workforce via a globally accessible, secure, intelligent organizational charting system An increasingly important critical success factor in M is the ability to identify the organization that is not only the most strategic play but also the best organizational fit. Organizations with senior HR leadership are able to analyze the human capital factors during the due diligence process – often leading to better decisions ROLE OF HR DEPARTMENT AND HR PROFESSIONALS IN M HR department plays an important role during a merger. The success or failure of a merger or acquisition deal depends upon to a large extent on the involvement of HR professionals. Many mergers fail to achieve their objectives because HR professionals are either not involved or are involved at a very late stage in the merger process. To ensure a successful merger, the HR department of the concerned companies should undertake the following activities: Formulating strategy- all companies should formulate a strategy before starting the process of a merger or acquisition. HR departments should be involved in formulating the strategy. Creating teams- HR department should form teams including members from both the companies. The team members should be trained to develop various types of skills. Creating structure- HR department should create a new organizational structure in line with the merged entity’s new strategy. Developing a communication plan- HR department should prepare a communication plan so that information is collected and delivered to the right people at the right time. Creating a transition system- HR department should also prepare a blueprint of the new HR systems, like compensation and performance appraisal system to avoid confusion after the merger. In HR there are two phases †¢ Pre-acquisition Post acquisition period. In pre-acquisition phase things which needs to be taken care of: an assessment of the cultural and organizational differences, which will include the organizational cultures, role of leaders in the organization, life cycle of the organization, and the management styles. In post acquisition phase: power equation between management and trade unions needs to be d ealt with utmost care. These are the issues which are very brittle. Designations for the employees’ compensation structure and performance appraisal systems BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED BY HR DURING MA: Train managers on the nature of change †¢ Technical retraining †¢ Family assistance programs †¢ Stress reduction program †¢ Meeting between the counter parts †¢ Orientation programs †¢ Explaining new roles †¢ Helping people who lost jobs †¢ Post merger team building †¢ Anonymous feedback helpline for employees CULTURE COMPATIBILITY: An important issue in MA By understanding the similarities and differences between the two companies early in the game, it is possible to avoid a divorce before the marriage vows are taken. Should incompatibility be too great, it may even be wise to call off the wedding. It’s important to identify cultural areas of dissonance so that people can dispel misconceptions and begin creating a culture that’s right for the new organization. That’s often left until after the final papers are signed, which is risky because culture mismatches can be the Achilles’ heel of many deals. How do we identify cultural differences and similarities and learn to leverage them? Often, the most seemingly inconsequential programs and policies have great symbolic impact. Practices regarding casual dress, attitudes about long hours, and how offices are apportioned are deeply ingrained and must be dealt with. One can’t consider culture compatibility without touching on the different views that the acquirer and the acquired have about the new company. The acquirer assumes that the new company will closely resemble the original but with greater mass and capabilities. The acquired company expects that many of its strengths will be crucial to the new company (after all, isn’t that why it was acquired? ). Human capital development role of human resource (HR) during mergers and acquisitions Selden and Colvin (2003) stated that 70 – 80% of acquisitions fail, meaning that they create no wealth for the share owners of the acquiring company. Successfully integrating the target and the acquirer’s businesses after the transaction closes is critical to achieving the goal of the combination, which is, making the new entity worth more than the sum of its parts. One of the ways to accomplish this is to effectively implement the required changes and address the related dynamics occurring in the new entity. Most mergers and acquisitions deals fail to accomplish many of the strategic objectives so optimistically projected in the initial announcements. Schmidt (2003) has identified five major roadblocks to merger and acquisition (M A) success, the last three of which are HR issues: Inability to sustain financial performance (64%), loss of productivity (62%), incompatible cultures (56%), loss of key talent (53%) and clash of management styles (53%). According to Marks (1997), human resource professionals should take an active role in educating senior executives about HR issues that can interfere with the success of the merger and with meeting key business objectives. His work has stated the important role of HCD to smoothen the transition. The following ways have been described by him: Education of managers and employees To help employees and managers manage stress, low morale and productivity issues in work groups, educational seminars should be developed and delivered to minimize stress and uncertainty in the organisation during the merger process. These seminars should focus on specific issues which affect employees rather than on general change management HR Problems in Mergers and Acquisitions McCann and Gilkey (1988) have developed a seven-step model of the merger process that provides a useful framework for considering the difficult human resource problems that may arise in any merger or acquisition. The first five steps occur in the pre-merger stage and the last two in the postmerger stage. The Pre-Merger Stage Strategic Planning and Organization The first step is strategic planning in which the acquiring firm develops its mission statement and determines the type of merger or acquisition that will be sought and how it will achieve corporate objectives. In the next stage the firm is primarily concerned with organization—creating a specific team to manage the MA activity. In their eight-year study of mergers and acquisitions, Marks and Cutcliffe (1988) found that corporate executives generally failed to integrate human resource aspects into the merger process, perhaps because they were not familiar with the appropriate methods of managing the change in their organizations or because they did not realize that the merger might have a significant negative effect on their employees. Consequently, financial and legal concerns dominated the pre-merger stage, and human resource managers, who could have provided advice on managing the human side of the transaction, were -seldom included in the core planning group. Similarly, Bohl’s (1989) survey of 109 companies with active MA programs found that the human A better understanding of human resource issues in the integration stage of MAs could help them s u c c e e d. esource function had not played an important role in the pre-merger planning in about two-thirds of companies reporting post-event problems, while the same was true in only about half of those reporting no problems (34). With such results in mind Fombrun, Tichy, and Devanna (1984) stress the need to include human resource managers in the core strategic team. Because ‘people problems’ are a primary source of poor MA performance, including HR managers early in the decision-making process is an important part of any MA strategy (Marks and Mirvis 1986; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988; Tichy and Ulrich 1984). Searching Searching for potential acquisitions and thoroughly investigating the merits of each is the third step of the merger process. Of particular relevance to HR are the results of Schweiger and Weber (1989) who found in a survey of 80 firms that the most important factors in evaluating potential acquisitions were the talent and management philosophy of the acquired top managers and the talent of the acquired middle managers. Similarly, McCann and Gilkey (1988) and Walsh (1989) note that most MA’s are undertaken partly to capture the valuable asset of a qualified management team. The retention of management thus becomes a key factor in the success of a merger or acquisition. Analysis and Offer The fourth stage of the merger process is analysis and offer, in which a primary objective is to evaluate the ‘fit’ of the two firms. McCann and Gilkey (1988) identity three types of fit—financial, business, and organizational fit—that must all be present if the merger or acquisition is to be successful. For the purposes of this study, organizational fit, which includes human resources and the two organizational cultures, is of primary importance, since it helps to determine how well the two firms can be integrated. McCann and Gilkey suggest that ‘the greater the differences between the two firms in these areas, the greater the difficulty in achieving the desired level of integration and in realizing business synergies which will ultimately show up in financial performance’ (58-9). The Post-Merger Transition The last two stages in a merger or acquisition are the transition and integration. These two stages are the most complicated and are surrounded by the highest level of uncertainty. The transition stage is in fact the most poorly managed of all, and consequently it is the stage where most failures occur (McCann and Gilkey 1988). A Delicate Balance Management of the transition stage requires a delicate balance between providing a stabilizing influence and creating a climate for change. Uncertainty and anxiety, anger, frustration, psychological withdrawal and family disruptions are pervasive during MA activity (Schweiger, Ivancevich, and Power 1987). Those who voluntarily leave their company indicate that uncertainty leads them to do so early in the acquisition process (130). The importance of transition management is further emphasized by Beatty (1990) which shows that negative employee reactions and behaviours are more common in failed acquisitions than in successes Insecurity and Anxiety Negative employee feelings and behaviour are typical responses to threatening situations (Dyer 1983)—in this case, job insecurity. The magnitude of the response will be determined by the employee’s perception of the severity of the threat and the degree of powerlessness to counteract it, which will in turn be a function of his or her confusion concerning the expectations of the new firm. For example, if employees are unaware of how they will be evaluated for the retention decision, feelings of powerlessness will be Transition and integration are the most c o m p l i c a t e d and are surrounded bythe highest level of uncertainty. high. Since information is generally scarce in the transition stage, the employee’s perceptions will be influenced predominately by rumour and speculation. Greenhalgh and Jick (1979) found a positive correlation between job insecurity and resistance to change (see also Staw, Sandelands, and Dutton (1981)). Individuals faced with a threatening situation exhibit strong attachment to previously learned behaviours, even if they are inappropriate. Since the transition stage in the merger process is supposed to facilitate change, high levels of uncertainty are clearly counterproductive. Unanticipated Turnover The predominance of negative attitudes caused by uncertainty often leads employees to act on the worst scenario and begin updating resumes (Greenhalgh and Jick 1975). The most valuable employees— those that the post-merger corporation can least afford to lose—tend to be the first to leave the organization. For example, when Fluor Corporation acquired St. Joe Mineral in 1981, in a deal costing $2. 2 billion, the large-scale migration of key managers following the acquisition contributed to millions of dollars in losses at the previously profitable St. Joe (Shrivastava 1986). Estimates of unanticipated turnover suggests that 47 percent of top executives in an acquired firm leave within the first year and 75 percent within three years. Within five years 58 percent of all managers leave (Walsh 1989, 313), and it is often the managers with the best performance histories who leave early on (Walsh and Ellwood 1991, 215). If there is no planned intervention strategy to deal with negative feelings and behaviours, the long-term behaviour of employees who do remain with the organization may be affected, significantly reducing the likelihood of a successful post-merger integration (Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). ‘More than any other issue, how you handle employees in the first three to six months will set thetone for future relations between the two firms’ (McCann and Gilkey 1988, 65). HR Interventions Several authors have suggested how to reduce the incidence of counterproductive behaviours (Bridges 1988; DeNoble, Gustafson, and Hergert 1988; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). Preliminary interventions target emotional support, and may begin while negotiations are still underway. Activities in this phase are focused on providing stability. Other techniques are intended to create apositive environment for change by decreasing the level of uncertainty and fostering realistic expectations for the future. Feelings of powerlessness on the part of employees are reduced by providing information to determine how (or if) the threat to job security can be counteracted. Commitment to the new organization may be fostered if the employees are encouraged to see that career opportunities are available and continued success is possible in the new organization CONCLUSION Merger and Acquisitions success entirely depends on the people who drive the Business, their ability to Execute, Creativity, and Innovation. It is of utmost importance to involve HR Professionals in Mergers and Acquisitions discussions as it has an impact on key people issues. As Mergers and Acquisitions activity continues to step up globally, Companies involved in these transactions have the opportunity to adopt a different approach including the increased involvement of HR professionals. By doing so they will achieve a much better outcome and increase the chance that the overall deal is a total success. HR professionals can play an active role in the change process by offering interventions that will help ensure a successful merger. How to cite Merger and Acquisition, Essay examples Merger and Acquisition Free Essays In recent years human resource (HR) managers have been encouraged to play a more strategic role in their organizations, especially in the case of extensive organizational change processes such as international  mergers  and  acquisitions  (IMAs). Today this requirement is even more acute since the past decade has been characterized by enormous growth in IMAs. In addition, it has been argued that the challenge in making MAs work is the management of people. We will write a custom essay sample on Merger and Acquisition or any similar topic only for you Order Now In a case of IMAs the role of  HR  managers is very demanding because they needs to integrate  HRpractices and, moreover, perform two other roles simultaneously: a strategic role for company-wide integration and a support role for business unit transaction. Considering the importance of human resource management (HRM) in IMAs, it is surprising how little is known about the role and activities of  HR  managers in these processes. This study addresses the existing research gap by investigating the role of  HR  managers in the IMA process. Based on semi-structured theme interviews among corporate level managers in three Finnish international industrial organizations, the roles of corporate  HR  managers at different stages of the IMA process are analysed. This study applies Ulrich’s (1997) theory of the four  HR  roles in combination with the  HR  issues which are present at the different stages of the IM process. This paper demonstrates that HRM is an essential part of M and that  HR  issues are given a lot of emphasis throughout the process. In addition,  HR  managers play an important role in the IM process, although it is not self-evident in every case. Once a business has decided to merge with another company, one of the most important tasks is the combination of the two workforces into one. This task is primarily carried out by Human Resources (HR), and it is a critical and ongoing process that supports the entire merger or acquisition. HR must lead decision processes, prepare the company for integration and execute the actual reorganization. Throughout the process, they should also focus on building relationships with the new company. What about M tools? In today’s mergers and acquisitions, an  org chart  is a requirement as it will make the process of workforce planning easier and quicker. A good  software solution  can help management combine workforces by using visualization and workforce organizational tools. Management can then set new budgets and organize the structure to best meet the new organization’s objectives. Centralizing the data and personnel files helps in the allocation of resources, mapping out of the future company layout, and ‘what if’ analysis for possible reductions in force or promotions. The role of HR during mergers and acquisitions can be separated into three phases: Pre-deal ? Analyze hierarchies and reporting relationships ? Identify key personnel ? Generate headcounts by department ? Roll up total workforce cost ? Audit the workforce for diversity and other characteristics ? Assess government compliance issues Integration planning ? Model the workforce to determine optimal structure ? Conduct â€Å"what if† scenario planning to visualize merger integration ? Collaborate with department managers to plan resources and structures ? Identify duplicate roles and plan necessary reductions Plan optimal management and reporting hierarchies ? Determine pay structure and reward systems ? Determine retirement and benefits structure ? Align workforce costs with departmental budgets ? Determine HR technology Integration implementation and communication ? Consolidate workforce data into a centralized organizational chart ? Share the integration roadmap with management ? Provide managers with adjusted Spans of Control and budgets ? Publish a view of the new organization to all employees ? Produce documentation of the merger process for auditors ? Capture a history of organizational changes as planning progresses ? Communicate changes in compensation, benefits and reward systems Post-merger workforce management and optimization ? Merge workforce data into a single system of record ? Ensure the successful assimilation of corporate cultures ? Align resources with corporate initiatives and business goals ? Refine business processes and workflow to reduce operational expenses ? Communicate performance management, talent acquisition and succession planning data. ? Present the unified workforce via a globally accessible, secure, intelligent organizational charting system An increasingly important critical success factor in M is the ability to identify the organization that is not only the most strategic play but also the best organizational fit. Organizations with senior HR leadership are able to analyze the human capital factors during the due diligence process – often leading to better decisions ROLE OF HR DEPARTMENT AND HR PROFESSIONALS IN M HR department plays an important role during a merger. The success or failure of a merger or acquisition deal depends upon to a large extent on the involvement of HR professionals. Many mergers fail to achieve their objectives because HR professionals are either not involved or are involved at a very late stage in the merger process. To ensure a successful merger, the HR department of the concerned companies should undertake the following activities: Formulating strategy- all companies should formulate a strategy before starting the process of a merger or acquisition. HR departments should be involved in formulating the strategy. Creating teams- HR department should form teams including members from both the companies. The team members should be trained to develop various types of skills. Creating structure- HR department should create a new organizational structure in line with the merged entity’s new strategy. Developing a communication plan- HR department should prepare a communication plan so that information is collected and delivered to the right people at the right time. Creating a transition system- HR department should also prepare a blueprint of the new HR systems, like compensation and performance appraisal system to avoid confusion after the merger. In HR there are two phases †¢ Pre-acquisition Post acquisition period. In pre-acquisition phase things which needs to be taken care of: an assessment of the cultural and organizational differences, which will include the organizational cultures, role of leaders in the organization, life cycle of the organization, and the management styles. In post acquisition phase: power equation between management and trade unions needs to be d ealt with utmost care. These are the issues which are very brittle. Designations for the employees’ compensation structure and performance appraisal systems BEST PRACTICES FOLLOWED BY HR DURING MA: Train managers on the nature of change †¢ Technical retraining †¢ Family assistance programs †¢ Stress reduction program †¢ Meeting between the counter parts †¢ Orientation programs †¢ Explaining new roles †¢ Helping people who lost jobs †¢ Post merger team building †¢ Anonymous feedback helpline for employees CULTURE COMPATIBILITY: An important issue in MA By understanding the similarities and differences between the two companies early in the game, it is possible to avoid a divorce before the marriage vows are taken. Should incompatibility be too great, it may even be wise to call off the wedding. It’s important to identify cultural areas of dissonance so that people can dispel misconceptions and begin creating a culture that’s right for the new organization. That’s often left until after the final papers are signed, which is risky because culture mismatches can be the Achilles’ heel of many deals. How do we identify cultural differences and similarities and learn to leverage them? Often, the most seemingly inconsequential programs and policies have great symbolic impact. Practices regarding casual dress, attitudes about long hours, and how offices are apportioned are deeply ingrained and must be dealt with. One can’t consider culture compatibility without touching on the different views that the acquirer and the acquired have about the new company. The acquirer assumes that the new company will closely resemble the original but with greater mass and capabilities. The acquired company expects that many of its strengths will be crucial to the new company (after all, isn’t that why it was acquired? ). Human capital development role of human resource (HR) during mergers and acquisitions Selden and Colvin (2003) stated that 70 – 80% of acquisitions fail, meaning that they create no wealth for the share owners of the acquiring company. Successfully integrating the target and the acquirer’s businesses after the transaction closes is critical to achieving the goal of the combination, which is, making the new entity worth more than the sum of its parts. One of the ways to accomplish this is to effectively implement the required changes and address the related dynamics occurring in the new entity. Most mergers and acquisitions deals fail to accomplish many of the strategic objectives so optimistically projected in the initial announcements. Schmidt (2003) has identified five major roadblocks to merger and acquisition (M A) success, the last three of which are HR issues: Inability to sustain financial performance (64%), loss of productivity (62%), incompatible cultures (56%), loss of key talent (53%) and clash of management styles (53%). According to Marks (1997), human resource professionals should take an active role in educating senior executives about HR issues that can interfere with the success of the merger and with meeting key business objectives. His work has stated the important role of HCD to smoothen the transition. The following ways have been described by him: Education of managers and employees To help employees and managers manage stress, low morale and productivity issues in work groups, educational seminars should be developed and delivered to minimize stress and uncertainty in the organisation during the merger process. These seminars should focus on specific issues which affect employees rather than on general change management HR Problems in Mergers and Acquisitions McCann and Gilkey (1988) have developed a seven-step model of the merger process that provides a useful framework for considering the difficult human resource problems that may arise in any merger or acquisition. The first five steps occur in the pre-merger stage and the last two in the postmerger stage. The Pre-Merger Stage Strategic Planning and Organization The first step is strategic planning in which the acquiring firm develops its mission statement and determines the type of merger or acquisition that will be sought and how it will achieve corporate objectives. In the next stage the firm is primarily concerned with organization—creating a specific team to manage the MA activity. In their eight-year study of mergers and acquisitions, Marks and Cutcliffe (1988) found that corporate executives generally failed to integrate human resource aspects into the merger process, perhaps because they were not familiar with the appropriate methods of managing the change in their organizations or because they did not realize that the merger might have a significant negative effect on their employees. Consequently, financial and legal concerns dominated the pre-merger stage, and human resource managers, who could have provided advice on managing the human side of the transaction, were -seldom included in the core planning group. Similarly, Bohl’s (1989) survey of 109 companies with active MA programs found that the human A better understanding of human resource issues in the integration stage of MAs could help them s u c c e e d. esource function had not played an important role in the pre-merger planning in about two-thirds of companies reporting post-event problems, while the same was true in only about half of those reporting no problems (34). With such results in mind Fombrun, Tichy, and Devanna (1984) stress the need to include human resource managers in the core strategic team. Because ‘people problems’ are a primary source of poor MA performance, including HR managers early in the decision-making process is an important part of any MA strategy (Marks and Mirvis 1986; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988; Tichy and Ulrich 1984). Searching Searching for potential acquisitions and thoroughly investigating the merits of each is the third step of the merger process. Of particular relevance to HR are the results of Schweiger and Weber (1989) who found in a survey of 80 firms that the most important factors in evaluating potential acquisitions were the talent and management philosophy of the acquired top managers and the talent of the acquired middle managers. Similarly, McCann and Gilkey (1988) and Walsh (1989) note that most MA’s are undertaken partly to capture the valuable asset of a qualified management team. The retention of management thus becomes a key factor in the success of a merger or acquisition. Analysis and Offer The fourth stage of the merger process is analysis and offer, in which a primary objective is to evaluate the ‘fit’ of the two firms. McCann and Gilkey (1988) identity three types of fit—financial, business, and organizational fit—that must all be present if the merger or acquisition is to be successful. For the purposes of this study, organizational fit, which includes human resources and the two organizational cultures, is of primary importance, since it helps to determine how well the two firms can be integrated. McCann and Gilkey suggest that ‘the greater the differences between the two firms in these areas, the greater the difficulty in achieving the desired level of integration and in realizing business synergies which will ultimately show up in financial performance’ (58-9). The Post-Merger Transition The last two stages in a merger or acquisition are the transition and integration. These two stages are the most complicated and are surrounded by the highest level of uncertainty. The transition stage is in fact the most poorly managed of all, and consequently it is the stage where most failures occur (McCann and Gilkey 1988). A Delicate Balance Management of the transition stage requires a delicate balance between providing a stabilizing influence and creating a climate for change. Uncertainty and anxiety, anger, frustration, psychological withdrawal and family disruptions are pervasive during MA activity (Schweiger, Ivancevich, and Power 1987). Those who voluntarily leave their company indicate that uncertainty leads them to do so early in the acquisition process (130). The importance of transition management is further emphasized by Beatty (1990) which shows that negative employee reactions and behaviours are more common in failed acquisitions than in successes Insecurity and Anxiety Negative employee feelings and behaviour are typical responses to threatening situations (Dyer 1983)—in this case, job insecurity. The magnitude of the response will be determined by the employee’s perception of the severity of the threat and the degree of powerlessness to counteract it, which will in turn be a function of his or her confusion concerning the expectations of the new firm. For example, if employees are unaware of how they will be evaluated for the retention decision, feelings of powerlessness will be Transition and integration are the most c o m p l i c a t e d and are surrounded bythe highest level of uncertainty. high. Since information is generally scarce in the transition stage, the employee’s perceptions will be influenced predominately by rumour and speculation. Greenhalgh and Jick (1979) found a positive correlation between job insecurity and resistance to change (see also Staw, Sandelands, and Dutton (1981)). Individuals faced with a threatening situation exhibit strong attachment to previously learned behaviours, even if they are inappropriate. Since the transition stage in the merger process is supposed to facilitate change, high levels of uncertainty are clearly counterproductive. Unanticipated Turnover The predominance of negative attitudes caused by uncertainty often leads employees to act on the worst scenario and begin updating resumes (Greenhalgh and Jick 1975). The most valuable employees— those that the post-merger corporation can least afford to lose—tend to be the first to leave the organization. For example, when Fluor Corporation acquired St. Joe Mineral in 1981, in a deal costing $2. 2 billion, the large-scale migration of key managers following the acquisition contributed to millions of dollars in losses at the previously profitable St. Joe (Shrivastava 1986). Estimates of unanticipated turnover suggests that 47 percent of top executives in an acquired firm leave within the first year and 75 percent within three years. Within five years 58 percent of all managers leave (Walsh 1989, 313), and it is often the managers with the best performance histories who leave early on (Walsh and Ellwood 1991, 215). If there is no planned intervention strategy to deal with negative feelings and behaviours, the long-term behaviour of employees who do remain with the organization may be affected, significantly reducing the likelihood of a successful post-merger integration (Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). ‘More than any other issue, how you handle employees in the first three to six months will set thetone for future relations between the two firms’ (McCann and Gilkey 1988, 65). HR Interventions Several authors have suggested how to reduce the incidence of counterproductive behaviours (Bridges 1988; DeNoble, Gustafson, and Hergert 1988; Marks and Cutcliffe 1988). Preliminary interventions target emotional support, and may begin while negotiations are still underway. Activities in this phase are focused on providing stability. Other techniques are intended to create apositive environment for change by decreasing the level of uncertainty and fostering realistic expectations for the future. Feelings of powerlessness on the part of employees are reduced by providing information to determine how (or if) the threat to job security can be counteracted. Commitment to the new organization may be fostered if the employees are encouraged to see that career opportunities are available and continued success is possible in the new organization CONCLUSION Merger and Acquisitions success entirely depends on the people who drive the Business, their ability to Execute, Creativity, and Innovation. It is of utmost importance to involve HR Professionals in Mergers and Acquisitions discussions as it has an impact on key people issues. As Mergers and Acquisitions activity continues to step up globally, Companies involved in these transactions have the opportunity to adopt a different approach including the increased involvement of HR professionals. By doing so they will achieve a much better outcome and increase the chance that the overall deal is a total success. HR professionals can play an active role in the change process by offering interventions that will help ensure a successful merger. How to cite Merger and Acquisition, Papers

Heroism In Mythology Essay Research Paper Heroism free essay sample

Heroism In Mythology Essay, Research Paper Heroism is an of import component in both Roman and Greek mythology. Honored as a adult male of cunning and a maestro of scheme, Odysseus is a beau ideal of Grecian gallantry. Bing a adult male of forfeit, rational thought, and subject, Aeneas is a praised opposite number to Odysseus. Both were victims of savageness and enticement, illustrations of gallantry and heroism, and receivers of battle and satisfaction. Even when they are characters of different writers, they portion common features and stay by certain personality traits that define them to be heroes. A hero, about by definition, is an illustration of gallantry and intelligence. In times of danger and devastation, a hero must stay strong, weather, and think of his endurance, every bit good as the endurance of his work forces. Odysseus, being a adult male of many strategies, intoxicates and blinds the mighty Cyclops, Polyphemus in order to obtain a opportunity to get away. We will write a custom essay sample on Heroism In Mythology Essay Research Paper Heroism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Odysseus acted calmly and courageously and thereby succeeded in obtaining freedom from the awful Cyclops. Romans, nevertheless, congratulations Aeneas for his rational and less excessive thought. When he and his work forces encountered the blinded Cyclops, Aeneas # 8217 ; crew merely rowed off in their ships seeking safety. Aeneas augmented to the definition of a hero by moving rationally. Bravery, strength, repose, and principle are a few features that appear from a hero at times of hazard. Yet another feature of a fabulous hero is an unselfish attitude toward carry throughing one # 8217 ; s map in life. ? Scylla caught my six comrades, lifted them up to her lair, and threw their writhing organic structures behind her into her hollow undermine? they screamed and reached toward me with their custodies, imploring me to the last to salvage them, I watched the monster sit in the room access of her lair, and devour them. ( 96 ) This instead ghastly scene depicts Odysseus leting six of his work forces to be consumed by the impossible barking monster. If his sense of duty disappeared, he really probably would happen felicity someplace else to hedge this state of affairs all together. However, his responsibility was to convey every bit many of his work forces every bit good as himself safely to Ithaca, raise his immature boy as a warrior, and reconstruct order in his land. Aeneas besides sacrifices his desires in order to be the laminitis of the Roman race. # 8217 ; Tell him, # 8217 ; the Godhead of Olympus commanded, # 8216 ; ? He must put canvas at one time! # 8217 ; . Here Zeus commands Aeneas to go forth Dido and to travel to Italy where his boy will be the swayer of a new race. Aeneas causes the self-destruction of Dido after he insists on his going to Italy. Aeneas has no pick ; he can non indulge in his involvements while his soon-to-become state # 8217 ; s hereafter is at interest. Both work forces show heroism and committedness by pretermiting their desires for the hereafter and wellbeing of others. Odysseus with his courage and Aeneas with his rational thought exhibit reliable gallantry. Almost every piece of mythology has a hero or diacetylmorphine because he/she facilitates in the coherence and flow of the narrative. Heroism is an indispensable factor of Greek and Roman mythology every bit good as the footing for the reader # 8217 ; s satisfaction.