Thursday, December 26, 2019

Thomas Hobbes And The Philosophy Of Political Science

He started out on the philosophy of political science while on his trips and visits to other countries outside of England to listen to other scientists and learn different forms of government. While studying, Thomas Hobbes wondered about why people were allowing themselves to be ruled and what would a great form of government for England. He reasoned that people were naturally wicked and shouldn’t be trusted to govern themselves because they were selfish creatures and would do anything to better their position and social status. These people, when left alone will go back to their evil impulses to get a better advantage over others. So Thomas Hobbes concluded that the best form of government would an absolute monarchy, which is a government which gives all power to the king or queen to provide direction and leadership to make sure the country doesn’t go into turmoil. To support his ideas, Thomas Hobbes asked the question,† If men are naturally in a state of war, why are they carrying arms and have keys to lock their doors.† In other words, even when the country is at peace, the people are still using things which can get them a better advantage over others and keeping their own interests a secret from others. According to Thomas Hobbes, the reason this is the case is because people are selfish and evil and that they protect their interests really well by using certain tactics to make sure other people devastate their needs and wants. Also, without a leader, these people wouldShow MoreRelatedThomas Hobbes s Leviathan 1190 Words   |  5 PagesThe source which will be analysed is the frontispiece of Thomas Hobbes most famous work ‘Leviathan’ and ‘Leviathan’ as a whole. The frontispiece is considered as prominent as the arguments put forth by Thomas Hobbes in the ‘Leviathan’ itself. The frontispi ece depicts a crowned figure grasping a crosier and a sword. This figure, or ‘Leviathan’, represents the all-powerful, comprehensive state. When looked at closely, the torso and arms of the figure are made up of hundreds of individual people, whoRead MoreThe Philosophy of Thomas Hobbs Essay1748 Words   |  7 PagesThomas Hobbss philosophy Hobbes Moral: Thomas Hobbes is known best for his political thought and the English philosopher. The vision of Hobbes for the world is still relevant to modern politics. He always focus the problems of social and political order: that how human beings can keep away the terror of civil and difference to live together in peace and got authorize to decide every social and political matter. Otherwise state of nature anticipate us and closely remind us of civil war where thereRead MoreHobbes, Marx, and Shah1503 Words   |  7 PagesThe Enlightenment was an 18th century movement in which rationality and science were placed as the number one things a human could have (Brians). The Enlightenment also propagated the idea equality and liberalism (Brians). Romanticism was an international movement which occurred after the Enlightenment during the late 1700s to the mid-1800s (Melani). It placed emotions at the forefront of human thought (Melani). Thomas Hobbes, a very early Enlightenment thinker, has a v ariety of ideas which do notRead MoreThomas Hobbes : The Age Of Reason1313 Words   |  6 PagesNolasco Green-Heffern Western Civilization 11/20/14 2 Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes was a political philosopher who lived at the beginning of the Enlightenment period, also known as The Age of Reason. He lived during a time when England was experiencing a lot of political conflict between the king and Parliament. (Green-Heffern) This was also a time when many questions existed about how to rule a country and what made a good government. Thomas Hobbes’ Elements of Law (1640), his analysis of the SocialRead MoreBriefly Explain What Is Meant by the â€Å"Scientific Revolution† That Took Place in Seventeenth Century Europe, and How It Marked a Departure from Ancient and Medieval Philosophy.1603 Words   |  7 Pagescentury Europe, and how it marked a departure from ancient and medieval philosophy. The term  Scientific Revolution  refers to a period in the  17th century  when the intellects of Europe had a revolution. This was an illustrious time for science and the initiation of modern science. During that period famous people such as Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and  Isaac Newton  all lived and contributed greatly to many areas of science. Just about that time period these people changed the viewpoint of ourRead MoreTwo Sided Coin: Thomas Hobbes vs. John Locke Essay905 Words   |  4 Pages Two-sided coin: Thomas Hobbes vs. John Locke There are always two-sides everything including people and the government, kind of like science vs. faith view. With Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, they give the impression to be on opposite sides when it comes to people, society and the government even and yet both were Englishmen. Hobbes was born 5 April 1588 and died 4 December 1679; he is best known today for his work on political philosophy. While John Locke was 29 August 1632 and died 28 OctoberRead MorePolitical Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and Rene Descartes1396 Words   |  6 Pagesapplication of the science Of man to the construction of the community Explain this remark and discuss what reasons there might be for thinking it is not true/i/centerbrbrIn this essay I intend to examine the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and Rene Descartes, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, and attempt to explain why their ideas prove that it is not possible to construct a science of man.brbrI will also briefly ment ion the philosophy of Donald DavidsonRead MoreThomas Hobbes And Robert Boyle990 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Hobbes and Robert Boyle are two very different men. That both, however had a huge impact in the science spectrum. The two men did not always agree with each other views on many things. The most known argument, rather differences in a view they had dealt with the air pump experiment. In this paper, a review and support of Hobbes’s will be addressed with the relationship is how Hobbes explanation was the most accurate scientific view regarding the air pump and its many experiments. LookingRead MoreThe Enlightenment : The Ideas Of The Enlightenment720 Words   |  3 PagesDuring the Enlightenment era, both elite culture and popular culture had influences, philosophers dominating the ideals of the time period. In the eighteenth century, philosophers such as Adam Smith, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean Jacques Rousseau empowered people to think upon their natural rights and suggested new ideologies to follow and/or support. Additionally, because of the Enlightenment, the Realist and Neoclassical Art Movement spurred and gathered momentum as artists changed the art scene withRead MoreSocial And Political Order : Seat Belt Laws1102 Words   |  5 PagesSocial and Political Order: Seat Belt Laws Social and Political theories aim to define the relationships between government and citizen, and concerns the organization and basis of government. (Merriam-Webster, n.d). In application, the necessity to find a balance between two primary theories becomes apparent. Modern day social and political theories can largely be attributed to ideas of two individuals, Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Hobbes believed major government influence was a necessity

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Women Of The United States Army - 1964 Words

The United States Army was founded on June 14, 1775, and since this day women have helped nurture this great branch into what is known today as the largest and oldest United States Military service. (â€Å"Women†) The US Army is consisted of about 452,064 enlisted soldiers and 87,610 officers. This total of 539,675 makes up 37.8% of all of the military branches. (Demographics†) As time has carried on more and more women are looking to serve the country in the Army. While women have many skills and abilities to offer, there is still a major issue that needs to be addressed. Double standards for women in the Army has created a disservice to not only the females but the entire Army. In order to have a more efficient armed force, standards for men and women should be equivalent. The military has always been a predominantly male environment. However, women have been active participants since the first major war, the American Revolution. Historically, women have served as nurs es in many wars including Vietnam and both World Wars. As time progressed, females started to expand into different military occupation specialties. In the middle of the 1900s the first women pilots created the WASP. This stood for Women Air Force Service Pilots and their duty was to fly and deliver the planes from the factors to the military bases. During this same time fields like factory worker, national intelligence and security started to fill with female employment. Now women make up 15.7 percent of theShow MoreRelatedWomen During World War II1674 Words   |  7 PagesIn World War II, women contributed in many ways by entering the battle. Some of the jobs the women held were Army nurses, Red Cross members, factory work, etc. The United States were one of the few countries that put their women to work and was ridiculed for it. In 1948, President Truman signed the Women s Armed Services Integration Act which authorized regular and reserve status for women in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. These women showed true leadership by becoming leaders in battleRead MoreWomen in World War 2888 Words   |  3 Pagesyoung women working to help the war effort. It was 1941 and the United States finally entered World War II. Most propaganda of the United States encouraged the average women to join the workforce and help with the war effort. With men fighting abroad, it was only necessary for women to start working and leave their normal lives of being a mother and wife. The War Department of the United States emphasized that with women working hard their sons, brothers, and husbands could return quicker (Women atRead MoreThe American Revolution And American History Essay1376 Words   |  6 Pagespeople easy to conquer. In the time period of the American Revolution, women were seen more as property rather than active participants in war, but women played a large part in the war. In the end, the American Revolution transformed the United States from a coll ection of agrarian colonies into a self-sustaining country. The American Revolution was the war that decided the United States’ independence. The war between the United Stated and Britain lasted 8 years, 1775-1783, but the tension betweenRead MoreEssay about Women and Medicine In the War1721 Words   |  7 Pagesagainst fascism, but also about the ways civilians became involved in the war – specifically, the impactful roles of women on the warfront. One of these ways women got involved was through nursing, which was a key element of healthcare during wartime. The war was a period of great advancements in medicine and was a direct response to the newly developed war weaponry. The role of women as nurses was crucial, as it was the potential difference between life and death for many wounded soldiers. The needRead MoreThe Inauguration Of Our New Commander1276 Words   |  6 Pagesthat tear at the fabric of the patchwork quilt that truly made America great. For what is America if not a melting pot? No stew, sauce, gravy, or soup has ever been considered divine with only one ingredient. The United States Army is more diverse now than it has ever been. Men and women of various ethnicities and race work together on a daily basis at assignments all around the world in a continuous effort to fight and win our nations wars. As we look to the future we must also remember the pastRead MoreEssay on Gender Norming974 Words   |  4 Pagesthe most widely known is the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). It tests the maximum amount of push-ups and sit-ups a person can do in two minutes. Along with completing a two-mile run in the allotted time prescribed. The APFT is different from any other standardized test I have ever seen. It is painfully obvious that the test is severely skewed in the females favor. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;About fifteen years ago, â€Å"a group of sports medicine experts in the Army decided that the standards forRead MoreWomen During The United States Military1345 Words   |  6 Pages 9 April 2016 TOULMIN ESSAY Women have always served in the United States Military, since the beginning of the existence of the United States. I will make the argument, that women can and should be allowed to serve in combat roles, that are traditionally open for men only. Combat does not distinguish between the sexes. This is an important issue for everyone. The main reason, why women have never been allowed to be in combat roles, is because the sight of a wounded woman on the battle fieldRead MoreThe Roles Of Wasps During The World War II918 Words   |  4 PagesBy the fall of 1944, half of the ferrying division’s fighter pilots were women. WASPs made three-quarters of the domestic deliveries of all domestic deliveries of fast fighters. Another job WASPs had was flying target planes. This job may have been the most dangerous one of them all. WASPs flew the planes back and forth with a target trailing twenty-five feet behind them, as antiaircraft crews shot at them. During these tests, two WASPs lost their lives. Although they never had to see the firefightsRead MoreEqual Opportunity in United States Armed Forces: Minorities and Women785 Words   |  4 PagesEqual Opportunity in United States Armed Forces with a particular emphasis on Minorities and Women in the Military. The United States Armed Forces has the most diverse labor force in the World. There are five branches of the United States Armed Forces: Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. The demographic profile of the all volunteer United States Military has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. The transformation that has occurred in the United States population do not alwaysRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women1447 Words   |  6 Pagesthat women should stay home and tend to the house and the children. Few women have made a name for themselves in history, fighting in war alongside men. The most notable woman in history that broke all the gender rules of ancient time was Joan of Arc. Joan fought for Charles VII, to take back France from the English. In the end she was captured by the English and burned at the stake. Joan is the most notable women in ancient history to fight in war. Fast forward to the year 2015 in the United States

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Divergence or Middle of the Path Hrm Model free essay sample

It is difficult to prescribe a HRM model without analyzing the regional and socio-contextual factors inherent in Oman and neither convergence nor pure divergence provides a solution to this end. INTRODUCTION We are living in a highly dynamic and chaotic world of business today where organizations have to be an effective customer responsive organization. They have to gear up for becoming an effective global competitor. In GCC countries and especially in Oman, firms have no choices left as well. They are facing the onslaught of globalization, and the recent economic recession has further worsened the situation. They have to be flexible and re-look at their HRM system and restructure its hard-defined procedures. It still remains a challenge for majority of Omani companies to adopt these changes. It is widely accepted now that HRM can act as a key means to achieve a competitive advantage in Omani firms. Though, some of the Omani firms have shown keen interest in recent past to be a responsive organization in this regard. But they don’t know which way to go. Either to adopt the western HRM model as being presented to them or to explore or recreate something indigenous seeing their distinct work realities. If we look at the evolving paradigm of HRM, it becomes difficult to identify which model or framework of HRM will be more relevant for Oman. There have been numerous model of HRM which can help Omani firm in achieving organizational effectiveness but there is lack of information about their utility and applicability which poses a great question for Omani firms. In many cases, these hypothetical models have been found not fully relevant for Middle East countries or GCC countries and Oman in particular. Culture-free or culture-bound is the other issue which is raised by researchers alike. In fact, there is an absence of a systematic analysis that could present a comprehensive picture of the dynamics of the HRM in the Middle-East region (Budhwar and Mellahi, 2006). In this background, the present paper is an attempt to understand the dynamics of HRM in Oman. It will evaluate various HRM models and will attempt to raise a debate on developing a HRM system which can suit to the exigencies of Omani society. 76 Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT FIRM LEVEL: EVOLVING PARADIGMS Nothing has moved as fast as in the last twenty five years for the discipline of human resource management. It has come a long way from a reactive, bureaucratic people management function (being called as personnel management) to a proactive and strategic human resource management. The shift in the paradigm has been forced by economic, business and socio-political factors but the changed stance is a reality and firms worldwide are looking at HR function as becoming important and expecting more value addition to the strategic objectives of the firm. The role of human resource management function is at a crossroad, on the one hand it is facing the crisis whereas there is an unprecedented opportunity to refocus its HRM systems as strategic assets (Becker et al. , 1997). Khatri and Budhwar (2002) also feels that the field of HRM is in transition and it is breaking away from its micro-focused role to a macro strategic paradigm in which individual HR functions are not only aligned with the organization strategy but also with one another (see Budhwar, 2000; Lundy, 1994; Martell and Carroll, 1995; Ritson, 1999 as quoted by Khatri and Budhwar, 2002). There have been numerous model of HRM which has evolved in last 25 years or so and they have contributed significantly to the discipline of HRM. In the following paragraphs, some of them are analyzed and a comment has been made on their applicability for this part of world. Starting from Michigan model (Fombrun, Tichy and Devanna, 1984) to Harvard model (Beer et al. , 1985) to contextual model (Hendry and Pettigrew, 1992; Hendry et al. , 1988) to Schuler’s 5-P model (Schuler, 1992) of strategic HRM where he emphasizes on philosophies, olicies, programmes, practices and processes, the HRM literature has evolved to a great extent. The Michigan model looks at human resource as a resource and advocates for its efficient utilization to meet organizational objectives and this model is based heavily on Chandler’s (1962) argument that an organization’s structure is an outcome of its strategy (Budhwar and Debrah, 2001) and structure is designed to serve the strategy. This model ignores the humanistic feeling or anchor point while dealing with human resource and they are seen just as a cog in the machine, that is the reason, it is referred as a hard approach to HRM. The organizational effectiveness in this model depends on achieving tight fit between HR and business strategies and it is pursued by adopting four key HRM systems such as selection, appraisal, compensation and development system of the firms. There have been many criticism of this hard approach calling it prescriptive and strongly unitarist (Boxall, 1992) and many feels that the very idea of tight fit makes the organization less flexible and moribund for a change and hence unfitted for the present day business scenario (Budhwar and Debrah, 2001). In the context of Oman, this model has less relevance as we can’t have a hard defined strategic recruitment and HR system and government plays very important role in this area. The reliance of Omani firms on expatriate workforce has forced government to undertake Omanization programs i. e. , employing and training Omani locals; and Omani firms have to employ certain percentage of Omani locals and if they fail to do so they can be penalized. The Harvard model (Beer et al. 1985) which is also referred as softer model of HRM (See Legge, 1995; Storey, 1992) focuses on human relation (Mabey and Salaman, 1997; see also Blyton and Turnbull, 1992) and tends to adopt a particular approach to work place relations: emphasizing unitary, integrative, individualistic systems, undermining workforce organization or collectivist values as outcomes of management choices about the key HRM levers affecting workforce-organization relations. This helps in creating employee commitment in organization and lead to better realization of goals. As far as its relevance to Oman or GCC countries is concerned, it seems to be limited in its utility due to heavy reliance of GCC or Omani firms on expatriate workforce. Most of the expatriate workers have a short term employment contract of a year or two and this short-termist approach and lack of employment security makes it hard for organization to generate the egree of employee commitment they require. AlRajhi et al. (2006) in their study of Saudi Arabian HR system also feels that HR has an important role to play in facilitating the successful cultural and work adjustment of these guest workers to enhance their productivity and well being. Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 77 Mabey and Salaman (1997) quote Hendry and Pettigrew (1986) who argue that the strategic aspect of HRM consists of four key elements: the use of planning; a coherent approach to the design and management of personnel systems based on an employment policy and manpower strategy, and often underpinned by a ‘philosophy’; matching HRM activities and policies to some explicit strategy; and seeing the people of the organization as a ‘strategic resource’ for achieving ‘competitive advantage’. Taking a cue from Hendry and Pettigrew, Schuler developed his 5-P model which talks of strategic integration of business and HR strategy. In recent time, HRM has been labeled as strategic human resource management and it seems to be concerned with ‘integration’ and ‘adaptation’ of business strategies and HR strategies. Schuler (1992) prescribes that: HRM should be fully integrated with the strategy and strategic needs of the firm; HR policies must be coherent; and HR practices are required to be adjusted, accepted and used by the managers and employees as part of their everyday work (Budhwar and Debrah, 2001). This model seems to be highly hypothetical (Budhwar and Debrah, 2001) and it looks to have less attraction for Omani firms. HRM in Omani firms is in nascent stage and there is lack of participation of HR specialist on the board of the firms, they are hardly involved in strategic decision making process and in this scenario, it makes difficult for them to adopt coherent and strategic HR intervention and serving the strategic needs of the firms. Though 5-Ps (philosophies, policies, programmes, practices and processes) will remain relevant as an ideal to achieve in long term for Omani firms. In recent time, High Performance Work System has made much currency among HR practitioners and researchers alike and there has been wide debate on its utility across region and culture. Becker, Huselid and Ulrich (2001) in their wide acclaimed book, The HR Scorecard present a framework for creating High-Performance Work System and prescribe that a firm must have the following characteristics among others: use of formal performance appraisal and management, use of multiscore performance appraisal and feedback, use of validated selection and promotion models and procedures, extensive training and development of new employees, linkages of merit increases to formal appraisal system, high differential in pay between high and low performers, and high percentage of jobs filled within. Though, this model appears having wide appeal and seems applicable to most firms but if we look at the prerequisites of creating such a system, it appears to be near to impossible in this part of world. Thus we see most of the models have their inherent limitation which are difficult to replicate in GCC countries. Omanization itself limits all of HPWS’s vitality prescribed by its authors. The other important point is that the region or country-specific phenomenon remains important to be seen in this regard while generalizing the utility of a particular HRM model at a firm level. Any model which looks into regional, cultural and socioeconomic factors will be more appropriate. In the present global scenario, there is a need for understanding region or country-specific phenomena that would help to generate theory for global relevant issue. It will also help to evaluate region-specific constructs to study local and global issues (Budhwar and Mellahi, 2006). CONVERGENCE OR DIVERGENCE OR MIDDLE OF THE PATH Despite all attractiveness of the emerging paradigm of HRM, certain questions need to be answered. Researchers have made great attempt in examining the applicability of some of the theoretical models of HRM but very little research or probing exists for this part of world. Researchers have questioned the universal applicability of the Anglo-Saxon model. This has generated a dilemma before the firms in this region in dealing with the change in their respective HR process. Either they should adopt the best-fit (contingency model) or the best practices approach (see also Boxall Purcell, 2000). The best practices approach is based on the normative statements of what HR practices should look like together with the proposition that the adoption of these practices will lead universally to organizational success. This 78 Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 approach is highly influenced by American researchers and commentators whereas the best fit model advocates external and internal integration of HR strategy with the overall business strategy (Doherty, Klenert and Manfredi, 2007). These approaches need to be evaluated in socio-cultural context for serving the objective of the realization of organizational goals in Omani firms. Best fit vs. best practices debate further gets reinforced with the convergence-divergence debate. The proponents of convergence approach (e. g. , Kerr et al. , 1960; Eisenstadt, 1973; Levitt, 1983; Prentice 1990) state that the international competitive pressure overrides differences in a national management system and lead to a convergence management practices towards the most successful model whereas the scholars of the divergence approach (e. . , Laurent, 1983; Whitley, 2000; Hickson and Pugh, 2001; Hofstede, 2001) stress on the management practices strongly influenced by the national-economic context (Pudelko, 2006). Thus the field of HRM is witnessing a two bipolar paradigms i. e. , universalistic/ convergence and the contextual /divergence paradigm. The applicability of an HRM model for GCC countries and Oman in particular is an i ssue which needs to be reevaluated. Most of the oil-based economies of GCC have their contextual factors which are sharply different from the US and Western developed countries. Pudelko (2006) made a comparison of HRM systems in the USA, Japan and Germany and found that the socio-economic contextual factors of the American and Japanese HR systems are in many ways at opposite ends with the German factors in between and he warns against any over-optimism with regard to fully standardize managerial practices across countries. He is of the view that the profound embededness of HR practices in their respective socio-economic contexts appear to limit the margin for MNCs to comprehensively standardize their HR practices and the immense cultural and institutional complexity of various countries seems to work as a counterweight to pressures for convergence. Smith and Meiksins (1995: 128) also observe that US, Germany and Japan are most frequently referred as ‘models’ but their perceived strength is distributed quite unequally: the American model has to be described as dominant (Dore, 2000) whereas the Japanese model is defensive and subject to profound odifications (Frenkel, 1994) and the German model appears to be in a process of change albeit a more moderate one (Pudelko, 2004 as quoted by Pudelko, 2006). In this context, it will be worthwhile to raise a question about the development of a national HRM model or system which can serve the Omani firms in more proactive ways. As it is difficult to p rescribe a HRM model without analyzing the regional and socio-contextual factors inherent in Oman. In fact, neither convergence nor pure divergence provides a solution to this end. As we have seen in the previous study of Pudelko (2006) that mere imitation of HR practices is near to impossible to be successful in a given country but he found that German system and more particularly the Japanese systems have moved somewhat more towards the ‘American side’ of the bipolar scale. In the end, Pudelko(2006) advocates a middle of the path approach calling it a universalism-particularism approach, one which seeks to integrate both opposite streams rather than trying to overcome the contradiction between the two lines of thoughts and declaring one more valid than the other. Sparrow, Schuler and Jackson (1994) in their study of HR systems of 12 countries evaluated the HR practices and policies for competitive advantage. They tried to find out that what must be done to gain competitive advantage and do firms in different parts of the globe practice human resource management for competitive advantage differently? Their investigation concludes that there is indeed a convergence in the use of HRM for competitive advantage, however, in pursuing this convergence there are some clear divergences, nuances and specific themes in the areas of HRM that must be handled carefully. HRD is another area which also needs a mention here though it has been used interchangeably with HRM. Woodall (2005) writing the editorial, theoretical framework for comparing HRD in an international context for the journal, Human Resource Development International opines that a lot of articles have been written which explore, describe and analyse HRD practices in different cultural contexts but now the HRD scholarship is confronting cross-cultural analysis problem which has been faced by earlier social science and management discipline and we have to make a choice, either we take well established theories developed and tested mainly in USA and then apply it for analyzing the empirical evidence gathered from other countries or we should start afresh in that setting, grounding our process of theorization in specific cultural context. Though, the latter approach or choice seems to be more Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 79 eaningful as it can serve the HR constituency in GCC countries in a better way nonetheless, knowledge base gained elsewhere can also be uti lized in any setting provided it doesnt change the desired objective of the course of the action and makes fruitful contribution. HRM MODEL AT NATIONAL LEVEL FOR OMAN Oman is one of the GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman) with a population of 2. 416 million (Ministry of National Economy, 2005). It is the third largest country in Arabia with a total land area of 309,500 sq. kilometers. bordering Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates lying on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula. The commercial export of oil began in 1967 in Oman. Since then, oil has been the major contributor to the GDP. The fourth five year plan (1991-1995) for the first time emphasized the need to diversify the production base other than oil and Government paid special attention to the sectoral and regional development process in Oman (Ministry of Information, 2002). Omani firms depend heavily on the expatriate workforce and they comprise 54 percent of the total workforce. GCC countries’ expatriate workforce exceeds 10 million and constitutes up to 70 percent of the GCC labor force. It accounts for 88 percent in UAE, 83 percent in Qatar, 81 percent in Kuwait, 72 percent in Saudi Arabia and 55 percent in Bahrain (Oman Economic Review, March 2006). GCC countries have taken many steps to strategically cut down its reliance on expatriate workers and Oman has also adopted Omanization policy (employing Omani nationals only—where certain percentage of employment has to be attained by firms by certain date, which is different from sector to sector) has become an important issue and many firms believe that it limits their ability to compete and impacts the value chain of their competitive advantage. There is no denying to the fact that the socio-contextual factors play very important role in Middle East, GCC countries in general and Oman in particular. Abed (2003) identifies five main root causes holding back the economic growth of the Middle East which are: lagging political reforms, dominant public sectors, underdeveloped financial markets, high trade restrictiveness and inappropriate exchange rate. Some other factors are: lack of integration into global economy (Looney, 2003), the rising rate of unemployment, closed economy, over dependence on the oil and lack of privatization initiatives (Budhwar and Mellahi, 2006). Furthermore, the legal framework, political uncertainties and the weakness of entrepreneurial cultures make this region more vulnerable (See Talib 1996; Abed, 2003). Though, some countries have pushed privatization program intensively in recent time and Oman is one of them. Oman signed FTA with US in the year 2006 and amended its labour laws in line with the international demand. These are modest beginning in the context of Oman. Many researcher have argued that the development of management theories and organization for the Arab region should pay due attention to the Arab environment. Ali (1995) also feels that management theories in this region can only be developed by giving due importance to the Arab environment. Anwar (2003) found the stark differences in American and Arabian culture and find that how US companies have adopted their management styles and philosophy to suit the cultural demand of UAE. In another study (Saleh and Kleiner, 2005), it was found that to be successful in the Middle East region, American companies must develop an understanding of the culture, people and politics of this part of the world. A number of scholars identify the immense impact of Islamic values, Islamic work ethics, and Islamic principles on the management of human resource in Islamic countries (Budhwar and Mellahi, 2006) and Oman is one such country whereupon such factors play important role in shaping HRM system and other related institutions which determine the HR. Al-Hamadi and Budhwar (2006) also endorse such view and comment that in an Islamic country like Oman, when the government decides to design HRM policies, it has to consider the effects of religion primarily besides other factors such as culture, political ideology, economic conditions and the legal system. There is a need for developing HRM framework to comprehend the dynamics of people management function at the national level. It is also important to look at cross-national and cross-cultural differences in terms of acquisition, utilization, retaining and development of the workforce. Any national HRM system evolves primarily from the industrialization process and the necessary insight can be gained by 80 Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 understanding the unique organizational criteria derived from national business systems and the resultant HRM policies and preferences (Sparrow and Budhwar, 1997). There are four frames of reference which shed light on the distinctive national and local HRM solutions and the factors associated with it. These are: Evolution of the business system and the structure of labour markets; The institutional influence on the employment relationship; The competence and role of HRM decision makers; and The influence of national culture on policy preferences (Sparrow and Hiltrop, 1997 as quoted by Sparrow and Budhwar, 1997). After critically analyzing several frameworks and undertaking extensive research work in the field, Budhwar et al. (see Budhwar 2004, Budhwar and Debrah 2001, 2004, Budhwar and Sparrow, 1998, 2002) propose a framework for examining cross-national HRM (Budhwar and Mellahi, 2006). They have identified three levels of factors and variables that are known to influence HRM policies and practices. These are: i. National factors (involving national culture, national institutions, business sectors and dynamic business environment); ii. Contingent variables (such as age, size, nature, ownership, life cycle stages of organization ); and iii. Organizational strategies and policies related to primary functions and internal labour market. TABLE 1 ASPECTS OF NATIONAL FACTORS DETERMINING CROSS-NATIONAL HRM I-National Culture Socialization process, common values, norms of behavior, customs, influence of pressure groups, assumptions that shape managers’ perceptions, insights and mindsets, management style, meaning of work and values, personal dispositions, attitudes and manners, approaches to cultural diversity, match to the organization culture. II-Institutions National labour laws, trade unions, politics, educational and vocational training set-up, labour market, professional bodies, international institutions, industry by itself, employers’ federation, consulting organizations, placement organizations, trade bodies, government institutions, local authorities, voluntary bodies. III-Industrial Sector Common strategies, business logic and goals, regulations and standards, sector-specific knowledge, informal and formal benchmarking, cross-sector co-operation, common developments in business operations, labour or skill requirements, merger activity, workforce mobility, capital mobility. IV-Dynamic Business Environment Competition, business alliances, changing composition of workforce, restructuring, focus on total customer satisfaction, facility of information, technological change, globalization of business. Source: Budhwar (2004: 8). Furthermore, Budhwar and Sparrow (2002) provide details of the aspects of national factors which determine cross-national human resource management which are listed in the Table-1. All these national factors form macro-environment of organization in a national context and play important role in shaping national level HRM system. Therefore, it can be argued that a national HRM system for Oman must take into account the culture specific factors. Other stakeholders and institutions also play important role in shaping HR discourse and learning. As cited above, specific industrial sector issues are also pertinent and above all the business environment and its dynamics like degree of competition, composition of workforce, restructuring and i. ii. iii. iv. Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 81 ownsizing of workforce, demands of customers, technological change and globalization of business are other important issues which impinge dominantly on HRM system. In Omani busi ness context, Omanization policies of the government, heavy reliance on the expatriate workforce, lack of training and vocational institutions, absence of skilled workforce, absence of trained and competent HR professionals in local labour market, prevalent collectivist work environment, in-group collectivism and sheikhocracy, prevalence of Wasta in selection and promotion systems, adherence to labor and commercial laws besides other factors are important and play crucial role in shaping HRM system at national level. Oman is an oil-based economy and to encourage the process of Omanization in oil and gas industry, Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL) was created in October 2001 by a Ministerial Decree. OPAL adopted a mindset change strategy in their second HRD Workshop which was attended by 60 HR professionals in March 2006. OPAL feels that the perceived mindset in employment environment needs to be changed as current attitudes of some companies are that: They Omanise because of the Government pressure and in order to meet the minimum target to obtain labor clearance rather than as a good employment policy. They adopt salary structure to a minimum statutory one and it doesn’t match the competencies of the individuals. Moreover, they don’t look for retaining local skills or encouraging their self development. They consider the local human resources as a financial liability and not as a valid asset that could increase their profitability. Therefore, investment in their training and development becomes the sole responsibility of the government and not the employers. Appropriate budget for the development of nationals is rarely set aside and investment in people is rarely reflects in companies’ vision (Khan, 2007). Al-Hamadi and Budhwar (2006) in their study find that the triangle of Islam, tribe and family plays a very important role in almost everything in Oman including HRM. They are of the view that Islam is at the top of the triangle in Oman with its effects on all aspects of life whereas the tribe and family form the base of triangle and the second-most influential institutions in Oman after Islam though Islam prohibits tribal prejudices. In their survey of 712 employees employed in six semi-private and public sector organizations examining the perception of employees regarding the influence of aspects of national culture and institutional factors on HRM policies and practices, they found that Omani employees give high priority to the importance of religion and the socialization process. The influence of the expatriate workforce, management style unique to Omani work environment, organizational culture, and the influence of the social elite (i. e. , people educated abroad) are other important factors. They also found that Omani employees give high priority to Civil service laws, educational and vocational training set-up, Omani labour laws, labor market and Omanization programs besides local administrative establishment such as Ministry of legal affairs, Court of legal administration, and the Court of the Royal Diwan. These are the institutions which have direct impact on HRM system in Oman. It can be summarized that in time to come the industrial relation and labour union may have a fair amount of impact on HRM in Oman. Though, it is not significant (Al-Hamadi and Budhwar, 2006) at present but the beginning has been done. The radical change in the Omani industrial relation history in regard to the formation of trade union came on July 9, 2006 when a Royal Decree as a response to the commitment to the US-Oman FTA came into force. This decree cancels or supersedes all earlier provisions of the labor law that contravene or contradict its provisions. The recent changes in the labor law undertaken in Oman in response to the US-Oman FTA will have long lasting impact on the Omani labor scene and consequent employment relationship in Oman in time to come. Though, it is difficult to predict that making such provisions will result into the emergence of the strong trade union movement in Oman. Cultural factors, encouragement by the government, institutional support, appetite among employees to protect and promote their employment interests and rights and presence of the strong union leadership will be the most important factors in this regard. But the recent changes in labor law will surely strengthen and protect workers’ interest and they will find an avenue to raise their voice in case of an 82 Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 ventuality. This may pave the way for the realization of industrial democracy in Oman at workplace (Khan, 2007). CONCLUSION This is an important fact that the HR function has attr acted the attention of corporate managers, consultants and researchers alike in GCC countries and in Oman as well. HRM is in nascent stage in Oman and the lack of HR knowledge and competency to understand the socio-contextual factors have generated a dilemma before the firms in Oman in dealing with the change in their respective HR process. The emergence of various approaches and models has further confused the HR constituency in dealing with emerging business challenges. Soft or a hard model, contextual model or culture bound HRM model, best fit or best practices HR model, convergence or divergence model, which one of them is suitable for Omani context is the moot question being raised by HR practitioners, academicians and researchers. Convergence approach labeled as the best practices approach is based on the normative statements of what HR practices should look like and it is highly influenced by American researchers and commentators whereas the divergence approach advocates that the HRM model must be embedded with culture-specific elements. It can be concluded that neither convergence nor divergence model can serve the purpose of HRM constituency which is so diverse and global at the same time. There is a need to adopt a middle of the path approach which can integrate the qualities of both approaches which are pertinent and solve the socio-contextual issues and integrate both opposite streams rather than trying to ascertain one more valid than the other. This approach will surely help in taking into account the regional ambiguity and developing a HRM framework which can be pertinent for Omani firms as well. As evident from the previous discussion, understanding the national HRM system and its constituents at macro level will surely provide the HR professionals and line managers, the requisite knowledge to deal with the exigencies of people management. As each country’s business, economic and socio-political forces shape its national HRM context which is distinct from other, and in case of Oman, we can conclude that there exists a distinct HRM system. Mellahi and Budhwar (2006) also feel that there is no such thing as a Middle Eastern HRM model in this part of the world and they opine that the current forces shaping HRM in this region will lead to more divergence than convergence between and within these countries in the foreseeable future. Thus it can be concluded that there is need for more research for understanding the dynamics of a distinct Omani HRM model and the learning gained will surely contribute to enrich the people management function and its role in achieving organizational performance and excellence in Oman. REFRENCES Abed, G. T. (2003). Unfulfilled Promise: Finance and Development (A Quarterly Magazine of IMF), 40(1). Al-Hamadi, A. Budhwar, P. (2006). Human Resource Management in Oman. In Budhwar, P. Mellahi, K. (Eds. ). Managing Human Resource in the Middle East. London: Routledge, pp. 40-58. Ali, A. (1995). Cultural discontinuity and Arab management thought. 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(Eds. ) Reassessing Human Resource Management. London: Sage, pp. 1-15. Boxall, P. (1992). Strategic human resource management: beginning of a new theoretical sophistication? † Human Resource Management Journal, 2, 60-79. Boxall, P. Purcell, J. (2000). Strategic human resource management, where have we come from and where should we be going? International Journal of Management Reviews, 2(2), 183-203. Budhwar, P. (2000). Evaluating levels of strategic integration and development of human resource management in Britain. Personnel Review, 29(2), 141-157. Budhwar, P. (2004). Introduction: HRM in the Asia-Pacific context. In Budhwar, P. (Ed. ). Managing Human Resources in Asia-Pacific. London: Routledge, pp. 1-15. Budhwar, P. Debrah, Y. (2001). Rethinking comparative and cross-national human resource managements. International Journal of Human Resource Management. 12(3), 497-515. Budhwar, P. Debrah, Y. (2004). Introduction: HRM in developing countries. In Budhwar, P. Debrah, Y. (Eds. ). HRM in Developing Countries. London: Routledge, pp. 1-15. Budhwa r, P. Mellahi, K. (2006). Introduction: managing human resources in the Middle East†. In Budhwar, P. Mellahi, K. (Eds. ) Managing Human Resource in the Middle East. London: Routledge, pp. 1-19. Budhwar, P. Sparrow, P. (1998). National factors determining Indian and British HRM practices: an empirical study. Management International Review, 38 (special issue 2), 105-121. Budhwar, P. Sparrow, P. (2002). An integrative framework for understanding cross-national human resource management practices. Human Resource Management Review, 12 (3), 377-403. Chandler, A. (1962). Strategy and Structure. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Doherty, L. Klenert, A. Manfredi, S. (2007). Expanding into Asia: the human resource challenge†. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 7(2), 109-121. Dore, R. (2000). Stock Market Capitalism: Welfare Capitalism. Japan and Germany versus the AngloSaxons. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Eisenstadt, S. N. (1973) Tradition, Change and Modernity. New York: Wiley. 84 Journal of Management Policy and Practice vol. 12(1) 2011 Frenkel, S. (1994). Pattern of workplace relations in the global corporation: toward convergence? In Belanger, J. , Edwards, P. K. , Haiven, L. (Eds. ). Workplace Industrial Relations and the Global Challenge. Ithaca, NY: ILR Press, 210-274. Fombrun, C. J. , Tichy, N. M. Devanna, M. A. (1984). Strategic Human Resource Management. NY: John Wiley. Hendry, C. Pettigrew, A. M. (1986). The practice of strategic human resource management. Personnel Review, 15(5), 3-8. Hendry, C. Pettigrew, A. M. (1992). Pattern of strategic change in the development of human resource management. British Journal of Management, 3, 3-8. Hendry, C. Pettigrew, A. M. Sparrow, P. R. (1988). Changing patterns of human resource management. Personnel Management, 20, 37-47. Hickson, D. J. Pugh, D. S. (2001). Management Worldwide: Distinctive Styles amid Globalization. London: Penguin. Hofstede, G. (2001). Cultures Consequences: Comparing Values Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations across Nations, 2nd edition. London, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Kerr, C. , Dunlop, J. T. , Harbison, F. H. Myers, C. A. (1960). Industrialism and Industrial Man. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Khan, S. A. (2007). Emerging roles and challenges for the HR managers in Oman. Proceedings of 10th International Conference on Creativity Innovation: Imperatives for Global Business and Development, Organized by Society of Global Business and Economic Development at Ryukoku University, Kyoto, Japan, August 8-11. Khatri, N. Budhwar, P. S. (2002). A study of strategic HR sssues in an Asian context. Personnel Review, 31(2), 166-188. Laurent, A. (1983). The cultural diversity of western conceptions of management. International Studies of Management and Organization, 13(1-2), 75-96. Legge, K. (1995). Human Resource Management: Rhetorics and Realities. Chippenham: Macmillan Business. Levitt, T. (1983). 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Ministry of National Economy (2005). The Address of HE the Minister of National Economy to the Honorable Majlis Ashura on the Outcomes of the Assessment of the 6th Five Year Plan Performance during the Period (2001-2004) and the Directions of the 7th Five Year Plan. Muscat: Sultanate of Oman. Oman Economic Review (March 2006). Cover story: dream big. March issue, 23-30 Prentice, G. (1990). Adopting management style for the organization of the future. Personnel Management, 22(6), 58-62. Pudelko, M. (2004). HRM in Japan and the west: what are the lessons to be learnt from each other? Asian Business and Management, 3(3), 337-361. Pudelko, M. (2006). A comparison of HRM systems in the USA, Japan and Germany in their socioeconomic context. Human Resource Management Journal, 16(2), 123-153. Ritson, N. (1999). Corporate strategy and the role of HRM: critical cases in oil and chemicals. Employee Relations, 21(2), 159-175. Saleh, S. Kleiner, B. H. (2005). 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Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Wii free essay sample

Having said that, the fight for market shares between these 3 leaders has always been intense even if, thanks to the rapid growth of the market, a price war was never started. This doesn’t mean that all the consoles had the same price-positioning strategy: in 2008, there were consistent pricing differences between the three products and companies strove to provide the best price for value, so we can say that priced-base rivalry existed among the three companies. Moreover, each firm chose a different product differentiation strategy, which ultimately lead to higher switching costs and reduced the level of rivalry. Therefore, we can conclude that the video game industry was a rapidly growing sector with a small number of competitors and a huge potential for profits. Bargaining power of buyers: as already said before, consoles-customers face high switching costs: when a customers chooses a platform, which is usually expensive, he implicitly accepts not to play video games that are not compatible with it and, because of the console’s high price, that he won’t be able to change it in the short term. We will write a custom essay sample on Wii or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is why consumers expect a good price for value and a wide selection of compatible videogames. As a consequence, the launch of a new console represents a unique opportunity, for producers, to acquire long-term customers and to â€Å"steal† them from other competitors. On the other side, once a client is lost, it will be difficult to gain him back until a new platform is launched. However, in conclusion, we can say that, with few producers and many individual customers on the market, the buyer’s power is quite weak. Bargaining power of suppliers: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo chose to outsource the manufacturing of the key (hardware) components of their consoles, a decision that gave a lot of power to their suppliers and made them responsible for their day-by-day production. Therefore, they play a key role in the success of a new product, mainly because they manufacture the most important hardware components that will be, at the end, evaluated by customers. The processor, the graphic card and the audio card have a drastic impact on the games’ level of involvement and deeply affect the overall quality of the platform. Moreover, in the light of the strategic role that consoles’ suppliers had in the past, we can conclude that the bargaining power of suppliers is quite high. Availability of substitutes: Dissatisfied customers can choose between lots of substitute products within the market, that among others comprise PC games, handheld video game devices, Smartphones, board games and other â€Å"physical† toys. Even if choosing a substitute product means facing high switching costs, the entertainment market is able to satisfy a wide range of different needs and tastes, making the threat of substitutions, for the video game industry, high. Threat of new entrants: The video game sector is a technology driven industry where a huge amount of resources are invested in the Ramp;D department: as a consequence, the initial investment needed to enter the market is almost prohibitive for small and medium sized firms. In addition, all the 3 market leaders have a strong brand power, with a loyal customer base willing to spend a lot of money for their cutting-edge products: raising brand awareness would be a very difficult achievement for newcomers. With very few companies entering in the market during the entire industry’s life and the difficulties highlighted above, we can conclude that the concentration and size of the existing companies would make it difficult, for a new company, to enter and obtain a portion of the market share. 2. The history of the video game industry has been characterized by rapid and frequent changes of fortune, often resulting in radical turnarounds that redefined its benchmarks and standards. To understand this trend, it is important to keep in mind that this industry has been cyclical in nature in response to the introduction of a new technology. With the release of a new platform, (approximately every five years) the product’s sales increase drastically, especially during the launch phase, while the older platform and all its related accessories begin to be obsolete. The introduction of a technological discontinuity (represented by the new generation console) can overturn the existing competitive structure of an industry, creating new leaders and losers. Shumpeterian’s creative destruction can be difficult to manage and the market often finds itself unprepared. Therefore, every manager should always consider the risk of product cannibalization and the uncertainty that comes along with technological innovations. Another important lesson that Mr. Hirai should learn is about the role that network externalities play in the market. Network externalities are present when the value of a product increases with the number of others using it. Within the video games industry, the success of a new platform is strictly related to the availability and quality of complementary goods (games) and, at the same time, products that have a large installed base are more likely to attract developers of complementary goods. Since the availability of appealing video games will influence users’ choice of the platform, the availability of video games will influence the size of the installed base, in a virtuous self-reinforcing cycle. Given the situation highlighted above, it becomes crucial for console companies to establish some sort of stable relationship with video games producers, in order to assure a minimum standard quality for the complementary goods. Other strategic alliances could be useful, for example with strategic components’ suppliers: it is crucial, for Sony, to keep ensuring a high level of flexibility (in terms of software compatibility and licensing model) to its strategic suppliers in order to minimize in-house development and to exploit core capabilities of business partners. But along with strategic alliances comes the risk of â€Å"technological spill over† (i. e. the result of a spread of knowledge – usually from the Ramp;D department- across the organizational boundaries). In the case of Atari, as presented in the study, the spill over was caused by four former Atari’s programmers who left the company to start up a parallel venture based on Atari’s know how and technologies. However, the problem was solved with the introduction of an authentication chip that prevented independent developers from marketing unauthorized games. Finally, one last lesson can be learned from the case study: the first mover advantage doesn’t always mean success. As seen in the case study, Microsoft worked hard to snatch the first mover advantage from Sony and launched its Xbox 360 a full year before both PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii. Even if the console sold out at launch, the high price combined with supply shortages resulted in heavy marginal losses for the American company. Nintendo, on the other side, focused more on being innovative than on being the first mover, and, as a result, between the release and August 2008 it outsold the two rivals in every month except one. Being different and innovative sometimes means much more than being the first. To conclude, the attractiveness of the video game industry has been changing over time, depending on the different role played by consoles through the years. Until the end of the 90’, platforms were only seen as mere hardware infrastructures on which hit games were played. Nowadays, consumers have become increasingly aware of the central role played by these products in providing a unique gaming experience: the purchasing process of a console is a critic and pondered decision based both on price and hardware characteristics. The market is rapidly growing, its competitors strive to provide customers with the most innovative and advanced products and profit margins continue to be relatively high. In addition, there’s room for improvement: in a few years, consoles will be technologically ready to take the lead role and become media centres. Producers are facing the opportunity to sell an all-in-one device that could make people’s life easier by aggregating every form of home digital entertaining, including video games. Ultimately, we can say that not only the market is attractive, but it also has excellent development potential for the future. 3. To regain its leadership, Sony can choose between the following strategies: Becoming a Wii follower: Nintendo’s Wii success showed, as said before, that being innovative and user friendly might be the keys to succeed in the business. Even if the video game industry is a technology driven sector, trying to think â€Å"out of the box† turns out to be, sometimes, a more valuable resource than having the most advanced product in the market. Nintendo opened a niche that was never explored before: videogames not just for teenagers or young adults but also for families. By following the Wii strategy, Sony would create a new kind of product (compared to ones generally sold by the company) and expand its existing customer base, by focusing on a not-completely-tapped segment of non-traditional gamers that, regardless of their ages and genres, are looking for a simpler and less time-consuming way of entertaining themselves. Stick to the core: Sony could choose to stay focused on its core business and to invest its resources in fine-tuning the existing technologies and trying to redefine its market position. This strategy will require specific investments in business areas, such as the online multiplayer gaming area and the online marketplace, where additional games and features could be sold. Moreover, a huge marketing campaign would be needed in order to convey a new image of the company’s main product (PlayStation 3) and to communicate its own uniqueness. PlayStation 3 should be seen as a sort of time machine, able to let users escape from routine and reality to a reign where everything is possible. The product should become a must have for users who want to spend their leisure time just relaxing and experiencing a revitalizing mental escape. By expanding, in the customer’s perceptions, the traditional horizon of a video game console, Sony would be also able to detach itself from other videogames consoles, often seen as a mere mean of distraction or, even worse, as a luxury toy for teenagers. Becoming an all-in-one digital media centre: By choosing this option, Sony would have the chance to widen its customer base like never before, since the potential consumer could be represented by teenagers, adults and/or families. The underlying idea is to expand as much as possible the console’s features in order to create a centralized hub for a digital living room, highly integrated with other entertainment platforms. A system that is basically able to coordinate all digital forms of entertaining at a domestic level, in order to simplify the way that people live and have fun. At the same time, creating a â€Å"digital amplifier† means having to deal with the continuous flux of innovation coming from other entertainment fields, such as movies, music, photography and so on. Going into the handheld video game device industry: To pursue this strategy, Sony would need to create a new portable console with the size of a smartphone and the complexity of a traditional console. By entering in the handheld devices sector, Sony would have the chance to compete against â€Å"phone-games† thanks to a product that would offer a new level of gaming involvement that no â€Å"app† could reach. A critical factor is considered to be the overall quality, availability and complexity of compatible games: the company should be able to provide games with the same level of complexity of their â€Å"older† brothers, while delivering an appealing portable solution for everyday and travelling gamers. Among the four different solutions listed above, we think that the most economically convenient option for Sony would be to follow the Wii strategy, since a big business opportunity has emerged. This strategy could be exploited especially in the short term, when competition is still low and there is a concrete chance to earn a considerable portion of the market share. This doesn’t mean that Sony should betray its traditional customers, considering also that the launch of the new platform could eventually cannibalize the sales of the older ones. Moreover, if the new consumer segment turns out to be extremely profitable, other competitors will try to enter the market, increasing competition and eroding profit margins. Sony should address this issue by seeking for a wiser middle term strategy, which involves a shift towards a different corporate image. By using a big marketing campaign and a product differentiation strategy, Sony could remain focused on the unique experience of mental escape (and not just entertainment) that its console and games can provide.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Factors Influencing Adopted Persons Decision Social Work Essay Example

Factors Influencing Adopted Persons Decision Social Work Essay Example Factors Influencing Adopted Persons Decision Social Work Essay Factors Influencing Adopted Persons Decision Social Work Essay an adoptees desire to seek for his/her biological relations is a cosmopolitan phenomenon although adoptees vary in strength of their hunt and motives for hunt. Harmonizing to other research workers, most adoptees are motivated to seek for medical information, ( Lifton, 1994 ) a few seek a replacement parent ( Sachdev, 1989 ) and some research workers argue that hapless adoptive relationship is a important factor act uponing hunt ( Feast, 2009 ) . The literature besides suggests that gender, self-esteem, grade of openness in the acceptance, quality of the acceptance experience, and age at arrangement are cardinal factors which differentiate seekers from non-searchers ( Howe and Feast, 2003 ; Triseliotis et al. , 2005 ) . : The term searcher within the context of this proposal is used to mention to an adopted individual who has actively initiated a hunt for information and/or contact with a birth relation. A non-searcher is an adoptee that had non initiated a hunt but had been approached by a birth relation for information and/or contact. Although I have no personal experience of acceptance, my involvement in acceptance issues both socially and clinically was a principle for shiping on this subject. Whilst it is acknowledged that research involvement into hunt and reunion amongst adoptees and biological relations has grown extensively in the last 10 old ages, ( Lifton, 2009 ; Feast et Al, 2011 ) , it is hoped that farther attending into this subject can lend to grounds based pattern and will assist practicians involved in the acceptance procedure better understand the affectional procedure involved in adoptees hunt and reunion procedure and therefore guarantee those involved in the procedure have entree to guidance, advice and support services that are non clip limited ( Triseliotis et al. , 2005 ) . Given that some adoptees report that the fright of aching or damaging relationships with adoptive parents is a important factor when sing whether to seek for biological relations or non ( Feast and Howe, 2003 ; Roche and Perlesz, 2000 ) ; hearing about the experiences of adoptees who search may be utile for adoptive parents in order to back up and assist advance communicating and openness within adoptive household environment ( Triseliotis et al. , 2005 ; Feast, 2009 ; Curtis and Pearson, 2010 ) . Although fond regard theory has been applied to acceptance in general ( Davis, 2012 ; Howe, 2001 ) , within the hunt and reunion literature, the nexus between attachment theory and adoptees who search and non-searchers is yet to be established, peculiarly in relation to issues sing secure base and internal working theoretical accounts of adoptees. Thus it is hoped that this proposal will foreground the demand to make full this cognition spread. Within Evidence Based Practice ( EBP ) , empirical surveies conducted utilizing methodological attacks such as randomized controlled tests ( RCT ) are often viewed as the gilded criterion for measuring intercessions ( Smith, 2008 ) . These scientific attacks exclude professional and service user cognition and concentrate on measurable facts . In contrast to EBP, qualitative attacks to research acknowledge the importance of including service user s voices and experiences in research ( Orme and Shemmings, 2010 ) . Critics of qualitative surveies argue that these surveies do non supply adequate grounds base for pattern due to their focal point on the significance, experiences and reading of those being researched and usage of little graduated table trying methods. Despite the restrictions of both EBP and qualitative surveies, research workers should take to develop an attack to research which is value-based and makes a societal part to societal work ( Fook, 2002 ) . From my reappraisal of hunt and reunion literature, bulk of the research workers utilized a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methodological analysiss for their work ( e.g. Curtis and Pearson, 2010 ; Feast and Howe, 2003 ; Kirton et al 2000 ; Feast, 2009 ) and therefore were able to capitalise on the strengths of both attacks during their informations aggregation and analysis. ( See appendex1 for farther inside informations ) Before showing the purposes and research inquiries that guided this proposal, possibly it would be utile to specify what is meant by acceptance, and supply a brief legal model of the acceptance procedure in the United Kingdom. Robinson ( 2000:195 ) defines acceptance as a legal dealing by which the kid ceases to be the legal kid of his or her natural parents and becomes alternatively the kid of his or adoptive parents, as if born to them . Adopted kids are issued with a new birth certification and their original birth certification is no longer a legal papers. Once a kid is adopted, the natural parents have no legal right to information about the kid and have no right to be told if the acceptance was terminated or if the kid has died. Following the passing of Adoption and Children Act 2002 in the UK, birth relations are now able to seek support from acceptance bureaus in order to assist them do contact with the adopted individual on their behalf ( Trinder et al. , 2004 ) . In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the earliest that an adoptive individual may use for a transcript of their original birth certification or acceptance bureau records is at age 18. The primary research inquiry that was explored within this this research proposal was: what are the experiences of acceptance for an adoptee who has decided to seek for his/her biological relations ? It is hoped that an geographic expedition of this inquiry would enable me to understand the procedures taking to seek for biological relations. Ethical considerations Adoption, hunt and reunion can be a painful and affectional topic for some adoptive people. An adoptee s petition to take part in a survey which explores their motive for hunt ( or non ) may arouse strong feelings and raise issues which they may hold non yet dealt with ( Johnston and Fox, 2004 ) . Therefore, when choosing secondary research for reappraisal within this proposal, close attending was paid unto the ways in which the research workers sought ethical blessing and supported the participants on all phases of the research procedure. Literature reappraisal Here, I provide a critical analysis of literature that emerged from my current reading on the acceptance experiences of adoptees who search and how this appears to differ from non-searchers. Following, I place acceptance within an attachment theoretical context. Although attending to hunt and reunion between adoptees and their biological relations amongst professionals can be traced back to the last decennary, every bit far as it can be determined at this authorship and peculiarly within the UK, adoptees of such surveies were adopted anterior 1975 whereby adoptees had non been given the legal right to entree information about their birth records or when comprehensive readying and preparation were non available to prospective adoptive parents.Moreover, most of the adoptive people had been placed for acceptance as babes. The chief ground for the kids being placed was due to social attitudes towards individual parents. Particularly, the shame and stigma attached to holding kids out of marriage. This is a really different image today whereby kids adopted are much older, come from complex backgrounds such as a history of disregard and maltreatment or organize portion of a sibling group ( Feast et al, 2011 ) . Literature generated from such implies that the hunt and reunion procedure, although personally and emotionally riotous, is a positive and a necessary experience for healing, psychological accommodation and a sense of individuality ( Stiffler, 1992 ; Verrier, 1993 ; Lifton 1994 ; Darangkamas and Lorenc, 2008 ; Curtis and Pearson, 2010 ) . Who searches and why? The literature suggest that more adult females search for their biological parents than work forces and that seeking frequently occurs between the ages of 24 and 35 when they were giving birth or raising kids and in demand of medical information ( March, 1997 ; Muller and Perry, 2001a ; Pacheco and Eme, 1993 ) . Pacheco and Eme ( 1993 ) besides argued that adult females frequently search more than work forces because they are more interpersonally oriented. In childhood and adolescence, misss were reported to be more funny to seek for biological parents and had a better cognitive apprehension of acceptance than male childs ( Muller and Perry, 2001a ; Grotevant and McRoy,2004 ) . Howe and Feast ( 2003 ) in their survey found that adoptees with a low self-pride and a hapless ego -image were more likely to seek for birth relations than those who have a positive self-pride. This determination was besides concurred by Aumend and Barrett ( 1984 ) . The grade in which the adopted individual is told about their birth parents and how they are told it by adoptive parents is another factor which can act upon hunt. Triseliotis ( 1973 ) in his survey found that adoptees who felt that adoptive parents withheld information about their background from them were more likely to seek for their birth parents. However, a survey by Sobol and Cardiff ( 1983 ) found that the greater the information that was provided by adoptive parents, the greater the chance that the adoptee would seek. The survey besides found that adoptees who felt unable to discourse their acceptance with their adoptive household are more likely to seek. Howe and Feast ( 2003 ) besides argued that the age in which the kid is placed for acceptance is as a important factor in make up ones minding whether the people search or non. Similarly, Howe ( 2001 ) found that the older the adoptee was at the clip of acceptance, the more likely they were to describe that experiencing unloved by their adoptive female parent and like they did non belong in their adoptive households turning. There was besides a greater chance that they would carry on a hunt. Harmonizing to Anderson ( 1988:19 ) aˆÂ ¦the hunt is most basically an look of the wish to undo the injury of separation. Adopted people either hope to live over the life that was lost at the clip of separation, or hope to mend the lesion caused by separation? ( Cited in Howe and Feast, 2003:16 ) Why do some adoptees non seek? In contrast to adoptees who seek out information about their biological parents/relatives, non-searchers are found to be less funny ( Midford, 1987 ; Grotevant and McRoy, 2004 ) ; to hold a stronger sense of trueness to their adoptive household ( Weger, 1997 ; Curtis and Pearson, 2010 ) ; to hold more positive self-concepts and more positive attitudes about their adoptive household than seekers ( Aumend and Barnett, 1984 ) . Bertocci and Schechter ( 1991 ) besides argued that although many adoptees have the desire to seek out about their biological parenthood, non-searchers are more expressed about their fright of aching or damaging relationships with their adoptive households and can go a factor in detaining or discouraging the hunt. This is frequently given as a ground by adoptees who searched subsequently in life or after their adoptive parents have died ( Kirton et al, 2000 ) . Non-searchers are besides thought to be have greater tolerance of ambiguity and more likely to hold bee n told about their adoptive position at a younger age ( Midford, 1987 ) . Aumend and Barrett ( 1984 ) argued that although differences between these two groups appear great, research workers should be cautious non to generalize findings about seeking grownup adoptees to their non-searching opposite numbers. Search and reunion procedure The hunt and reunion procedure normally begins with procuring information about birth parents and doing contact in some manner. The adoptee may ab initio compose a missive, direct images or utilize an intermediary to put up a face-to-face meeting ( Muller and Perry, 2001b ) . For persons adopted in England Wales before 12th November 1975, this procedure begins with obtaining a transcript of original birth certification. Having done this, birth relations can be traced utilizing information obtained from the electoral axial rotation, telephone directories, matrimony, divorce and decease registries every bit good as electronic beginnings and the cyberspace ( Trinder et al, 2004 ) . Searching adoptees can add their names on the acceptance contact registry to show their involvement in turn uping biological relations. As of 15th October 2012, the General Register Office for England and Wales has a new policy sing the Adoption Contact Register. This allows birth relations who are seeking to use for entry onto Part 2 of the registry to do an application based on declaration merely, alternatively of holding to supply documental grounds of their relationship to an adopted individual. Prior to this, birth relations using for entry onto Part 2 of the Contact Register would hold to supply certification which proves their relationship to an adopted individual ( BAAF, 2012 ) . Adoptees by and large describe reunions as being a positive experience. Even if they are non, most seekers report that merely doing contact with natural relations was in itself fulfilling ( Sachdev, 1992 ; Speirs et Al, 2005 ) Mental wellness of seekers Not much research has been conducted on the mental wellness of those who search for biological relations compared to non-searchers ; some research workers found that seekers experience more mental wellness jobs than non-searchers. For illustration, Curtis and Pearson ( 2010 ) in their study of 130 seekers garnered from an acceptance bureau website found that adoptees who had contact with biological parents following a hunt reported more jobs with psychological issues such as depression, isolation and heartache than adoptees who had non had contact with biological relations. Whilst this survey highlights some of the deductions of hunt and reunion, the survey s consequence needs to be briefly evaluated within the context of restrictions built-in within the sampling and design. Although the respondents fit the profile for seekers as suggested by Muller and Perry ( 2001a ) , i.e. they were largely white extremely educated adult females and were placed for acceptance as babies. Because of the unrepresentative nature of the cyberspace sampling technique, the survey s findings can non be generalized to the population of seekers. Similarly, Cubito and Brandon ( 2000 ) through researching the usage of mental wellness services of grownup adoptees found that adoptive individuals who were seeking for natural parents were more unstable than both non-searchers and those who were reunited with their birth parents. They besides found that seekers and those who had reunited with birth relations were angrier than non-searchers ( Curtis and Pearson, 2010 ) . Due to restriction of infinite, this subject will be explored further in the thesis. Critical assessment of methodological analysiss Although the literature on hunt and reunion indicates that issues of individuality and disfranchised heartache is at the bosom of many troubles that adoptees that hunt experience, ( Grand, 2005: 89 ) many of these surveies suffer from methodological defects ( Amber, 2003 ) . These methodological defects limit the generalizability of the consequences and the decisions that can be drawn from these surveies. For illustration, it has been widely acknowledged within the acceptance literature that this type of research is biased towards positive outcomes. As noted by many research workers such as Campbell et Al ( 1993 ) ; Pancheco and Eme, ( 1993 ) and Howe and Feast ( 2003 ) the samples used in these surveies are non random samples of the full population of adoptees who had searched and /or had a reunion with their biological parents. Rather, in about all instances, informations is obtained from a convenient sample of self-selected persons who responded to direct or indirect petition fo r information. Whist there is grounds to propose that some birth relations who are found view the reunion experience negatively ( Howe and Feast, 2003 ; Sachdev, 1992 ; Silverman et al, 1988 ) and some adoptees who are found by their birth relations react with daze, anxiousness and confusion, the experience of this section of the sample is frequently overlooked. For illustration, Sullivan and Lathrop ( 2004 ) found that although 72 % of birth parents felt that placing information about adoptees should be available to deliver parents on petition, merely 56 % of adoptees and 405 adoptive parents agreed with this. It is besides of import to observe that where research participants have been recruited from acceptance reunion support groups or administration ( e.g. Pacheco and Eme, 1993 ; Howe and Feast, 2003 ; Sachdev, 1992 ; Silverman et al, 1988 ) , there is possibility that the consequences may be biased towards favorable reunion experiences since such groups advocate the benefit of reunion. As noted by Campbell et Al ( 1991:334 ) it is non possible to consistently try adoptees to place a representative population of adoptees who have had reunion [ accordingly ] cautiousness must be used in generalising from the consequences presented here to the whole population of adoptees . Furthermore, it is non possible to obtain a representative sample of adoptees who search as small is known about the part of population of adoptees who really search. An appraisal of birth parents who search for their birth relation is impossible as in many instances some have non revealed this portion of their life to anyone. Estimates of the proportion of adoptees who search for birth parents range between 1 and 2 % and 30 to 40 % ( Howe and Feast, 2003 ) . Harmonizing to the Adoption Contact Register for England and Wales, at 30th June 2001, there were 19,683 adoptees and 8,492 relations on the Adoption Contact Register for England and Wales, and 539 successful lucifers had been made since the start of the Adoption Contact Register in 1991 ( BAAF, 2012 ) The fact that merely a minority of adoptees search for birth relations further limits the decisions that can be drawn from hunt and reunion research about the possible impact of the revelation of adoption-related information on adoptees and birth relations. At the really least, estimations of the proportion of adoptees that hunt casts uncertainty upon the cosmopolitan demand for a reunion that has been alleged by unfastened acceptance advocators ( Sachdev, 1992 ) . As noted earlier, adopted people who have non initiated a hunt are a hard group to entree. Approaching them raises many ethical concerns, including the possibility that many do non cognize that they are adopted ( Howe and Feast, 2003 ) . To day of the month, bulk of surveies into people s experiences of hunt and reunion procedure have been either American or Canadian. In America, entree to deliver records varies within the 52 provinces. The experience of British adoptees is set within a different tradition of acceptance and whilst it is likely that many of the North American questions will use every bit to Britain, there is still a demand to carry on farther research into the hunt and reunion procedure in the UK, the consequences which can so be compared and contrasted across the universe ( Howe and Feast, 2003 ) . In amount, although consequences of hunt and reunion surveies show that most participants view the hunt and reunion procedure positively, many of the surveies are biased in favor of happening positive results and have non investigated long-run impact of reunion on persons lives. Consequently, the consequences of these surveies can non be generalized to the full population of adoptees and birth parents who have searched and/or reunited with their birth relations. When measuring findings from these surveies, it is besides of import to admit that for many of the adoptees from the UK samples reviewed in this proposal ; their acceptance took topographic point before 1975 and hence really different from present twenty-four hours acceptances. In contrast to acceptance dating back before 1975, in modern-day acceptances, some nexus with the birth household is normally maintained and encouraged either through interchanging letters ( normally through acceptance bureau to keep confidentiality ) or through face -to-face contact. This may therefore mean that present twenty-four hours adoptees may non portion the same degree of wonder to seek for birth parents or similar grounds for desiring to seek as birth parents have potentially been involved throughout the whole procedure ( Crawshaw and Balen, 2010 ) . Puting acceptance within a theoretical context Here, I discuss attachment theory and how its application may be in utile in supplying penetration into the issue of seeking in adoptees. Originated within the plants of John Bowlby ( 1969, 1973 and 1980 ) and further developed by many others including Mary Ainsworth ( 1979 ) , attachment theory focal points on the importance of a warm, intimate and caring relationship between the kid and her primary attention giver who traditionally is the female parent. Harmonizing to Bowlby ( 1969:194 ) clear cut fond regard in kids is developed between 7months- 3years ; a break of this lasting connection through separation, want and loss has a important impact on the kids s security, and capacity to organize healthy swearing relationships in ulterior life ( Ainsworth, 1979 ; Davis,2012 ; Howe, 2002 ) . Bowlby ( 1980 ) argues that the emotional bonds between the kid and its primary giver facilitate the development and care of internal working theoretical accounts that helps the kid understand and predict its environment, engage in endurance advancing behaviors such as propinquity care and set up a psychological phase of security ( Pietromonaco and Barrett, 2000 ) . Although fond regard theory has non been applied straight unto the issue of seeking in adoptees, it remains a utile model for understanding the searching phenomenon ( Howe, 2001 ) . In footings of the application of acceptance to attachment theory, attachment theory and acceptance portion similar features: both focus on loss and separations ( Davis, 2012 ) . Inherent within acceptance literature is the issue of loss: such as the biological female parent s loss of a kid, the kid s loss of its natural female parent, and the loss of sterility associated with adoptive parents ( Bercotti and Schecter, 1990 ; Small, 1987 ; Crawshaw and Balen, 2010 ) . Adoption besides presents a challenge to the fond regard procedure because it involves the breakage of emotional bond between the baby and the natural female parent and the development of new fond regard between the baby and the adoptive female parent ( Portello, 1993 ; Rosenburg, 1992 ) . In footings of whether adoptive kids are able to organize secure, healthy relationships with their adoptive female parents, most research suggest that in order a kid to hold best fond regard outcomes, the kid must be adopted within his first twelvemonth of life ( Rispens and Hoksbergen, 2000 ) . Children placed after the age of 12 months or even at 6 months harmonizing to some research workers are likely to hold developmental damages peculiarly in the kingdom of their emotional, behavioral and societal development ( Stams et al. , 2000 ; Howe, 1997 ) . Regardless of which age is more accurate, the age in which a kid is adopted has been associated with attachment results. Howe ( 2001 ) suggested that kids adopted at older ages are more likely to see insecure attachment relationships with their adoptive female parent. How can attachment theory explain the issue of adoptees seeking ( or non seeking ) for biological relations? Whilst there is an constituted literature on the grounds why some adopted people hunt and the procedure of fond regard within adopted households ( Johnson and Fein, 1991 ; Stams et al. , 2000 ) the relationship between the two subjects has yet to be explored. As an initial measure towards this end, a few guesss will be made here. Harmonizing to fond regard theory, the procedure of fond regard involves three procedures: propinquity care ( remaining near and defying separation from primary health professional ) , safe oasis ( turning to caregiver for support, reassurance etc. ) and an constitution of a secure base ( utilizing caregiver as base for researching the universe ) ( Hazan and Shaver, 1994 ) . Therefore, possibly for some adoptees, prosecuting a hunt in some sense is an effort at propinquity seeking to their natural female parent or biological relation with a end of set uping a secure base. Given that some adoptees report that prosecuting a hunt was an effort to make full a nothingness and some speak of desiring to set up a biological connexion ( Curtis and Pearson, 2010 ) , possibly seeking could be seen as a signifier of grownup attachment behaviour. Furthermore, given that some adoptees who search study non experiencing like they belonged to their adoptive households while turning up ( Howe, 2001 ; Kirton et Al, 2000 ) it may be that the determination to seek relates to the adoptee s working theoretical account that developed through interaction with adoptive parents. So alternatively of experiencing secure within one s adoptive household and developing a sense of safety or that one has a secure base, a seeking adoptee may hold developed an internal working theoretical account that contains feelings of insecurity and disjunction within the adoptive household. The adoptee may therefore hunt in an effort to happen a true secure base with his biological relations. This may be particularly true for adoptees who search for a sense of belonging ( Sachdev, 1992 ) . Therefore, an adoptees working theoretical account of ego and others may impact on his determination to hunt. For some adoptees, holding a secure base within their adoptive household may in fact permit them to seek for biological relations. Adoptive parents have been shown to hold a formative function to play in promoting or detering inquiries around biological beginnings ( Howe, 2003 ) . Thus, some seeking adoptees may be able to research their biological roots given the secure base that their adoptive provide. While it is recognized that the above points are non yet supported by research, it is possible that constructs of fond regard such as propinquity seeking, unafraid base and safe oasis may really supply penetration into the acceptance experience and the determination to hunt. Methodology Relevant research refering grownup adoptees who search for biological relations was identified by seeking the university library online databases for primary research stuff. A sum of 6 research databases were searched for publications from 1980 through to the present ( 2012 ) , with cardinal articles obtained chiefly from PsychINFO, Swetswise, CINAHL, Social Care Online and EBSCO. To guarantee that relevant surveies were non missed, the hunt footings remained wide. These were acceptance , adoptee or adopted , plus hunt or hint , plus reunion , plus biological relations anyplace in the rubric or abstract. The surveies were eligible for consideration in this reappraisal if: ( a ) if it explores the factors which influence hunt and non-searching of natural relations of adoptees ( B ) the focal point of the survey was based on the experiences of adoptees who had chosen to seek for their birth relations. Surveies that explored the experiences of non-searchers were besides considered. Based on these standards, 16 surveies were identified and critiqued. A brief sum-up of eight surveies reviewed, its purposes and aims, methodological analysiss, and strengths/weaknesses is presented in appendix 1. Decision This proposal has attempted to inform the reader about the factors which influences some adoptees to seek for birth relations. A critical analysis of current literature on the subject country was besides explored. It is hoped that this proposal will organize a footing for farther analysis in the thesis. As briefly discussed in the literature reappraisal, there is a relatively little literature available refering the experiences of acceptance by adoptees who initiate a hunt and those who do non. Although I touched up on this difference briefly in this proposal, it is anticipated that the thesis would widen this treatment farther and where relevant, touch up on subjects including: aˆ?Research into biological parents experiences of hunt and reunion procedure ( Triseliotis et al. , 2005 ; Cortes, 2012 ; Neil, 2007 ) . aˆ?Adoptive parents reaction to adoptees desire to run into biological parents aˆ?The mental wellness of seekers ( Curtis and Pearson, 2010 ; Cubito and Brandon 2000 ) aˆ?An scrutiny of station reunion surveies and analyzing the deductions reunion on the adoptee ( e.g. Neil 2007 ; Sachdev, 1992 ) aˆ?The experience of hunt and reunion procedure of transracial adoptees ( Kirton et al, 2000 ) Appendix 1 Research Documents Matrix Research Title, Authors, Date Purposes and aims Research Methods and Ethical Issues Population and Sample Size Strengths and failings of methodological analysis Main Findingss Deductions for Practice Howe, D and Feast, J ( 2003 ) Adoption, hunt and reunion: the long-run experience of adopted grownups -To analyze the grounds for seeking given by adoptive people -To investigate adopted people s experience and rating of the hunt procedure and its result -To compare biographical features and acceptance experiences of adoptive people who search and adopted people who do non seek Postal Questionnaires and Semi-structured interviews. Ethical motives Participants were offered guidance and advice following reception of missive and questionnaire Information gathered from postal questionnaires of 374 seekers and 78 non seekers. Further 48 interviews was conducted on 74 of 472 adoptive people who completed questionnaire. The sample in this survey largely represents acceptances that took topographic point before 1975 Strengths Collating information obtained from postal questionnaires with interviews increases the profusion of informations. -adoption of both qualitative and quantitative methodological analysis ensures Failing Sample obtained from an acceptance bureau and therefore non representative of the acceptance seeking population -Over 80 % of both seekers and non-searchers had wondered what their birth relatives looked like, and whether they might look like their birth relation. -70 % of seekers and 74 % of non-searchers said they did non experience comfy inquiring their adoptive parents for information about their birth households and their beginnings. aˆ? Searchers ( 70 % ) were more likely than non-searchers -The value of hunt and reunion procedure for many adopted people to assist them finish their narrative, and better their sense of individuality, self-worth and sense of connection -The demand for expert and informed reding throughout the hunt and reunion procedure -The need for increased promotion of Adoption Contact Register -The value of adoptive parents experiencing comfy to speak to their kids about their beginnings, backgrounds and history Lichtenstein T ( 1996 ) To state or non to state: factors impacting adoptees stating their adoptive parents about their hunt. Explores factors which influences adoptees to their adoptive parents about their hunt for their biological relations Postal Questionnaires Confidentiality was promised to participants 40 Israeli seekers recruited from the cardinal acceptance bureau that is mandated to help adoptees in pursuit for hunt of family tree. 29 females, 11 males. Mean age 26.9<