Columbian Exchange Facts Essay Example

Columbian Exchange Facts Essay Example Columbian Exchange Facts Essay Columbian Exchange Facts Essay The Effects the Trade for New World Goods on Indigenous Relationships The European notion that the Americas had an overflow of untapped treasures and new world goods drove the development of labor in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The new world products were inclusive of commodities that had their origin from the Americas as the only source. These goods that were only found in the Americas were the cause of movements across the Atlantic Ocean by people from Eurasia and Africa. These new world products included maize, potatoes, cinchona tree (malaria therapy), tobacco, cacao, peanuts, sunflower, animals, slaves and of course diseases such as Syphilis. The motive to acquire these products led to the development of the Columbia exchange that apart from itself requiring much labor was a means of forcefully and cheaply acquiring much needed human labor from other accessible parts of the world like Africa. The resource-angry Europeans were short of labor to carry on with their quest for amassing the new world goods and therefore granted the America n natives the right to own both domestic and imported energy; a right popularly known those days as encomiendas. Bumpy rewards were in store for individuals who enabled high performances through their laborers. Columbian Exchange Effects Of all the good exchanged between the Americas and the other parts of the world, sugar was the most valuable, akin to the current worlds oil value. European conflicts arose in the struggle to establish and control sugar plantation in the Americas best sugar plantation regions. Tobacco also stood out to have great importance in this trade in the new world, where it was rather smoked a compared to the Americans use for medicinal and ritualistic purposes. Also of great value in the new world was cacao that was used to produce chocolate. Chocolate drinks known as xocolati was a ceremonial beverage among the Mesoamerican Indians and was used during marriages. This use, however, did not sink well with the Spaniards who viewed it as vile and named it the devils vomit; Apart from the crops, animals were also traded as new world goods. For instance, Christopher Columbus brought cows, pigs, horses and chicken to the Caribbean Islands on his second voyage. The new world animals also included sn akes and sloths that appeared bizarre to the Europeans. (Bresnahan; Gordon, 1997) Microbes were also unconsciously exchanged since they were small insignificant creatures with devastation effects on humans. Examples of infections that were acquired from the bacteria included smallpox, measles, and chickenpox. There was also the exchange of sexually transmitted infections (STI;s) like syphilis amongst the traders.; The labor offered under this kind of relationship was a rather full of slavery practice and was forceful to the natives. This exploitation could be seen in the bargaining tool of the conquest rulers who exposed the laborers to Catholicism instead. Being in such an exploitative kind of a relationship the American natives opted to exploit their rights and resist the colonialists rule and roles in the new world trade. Instead, they inclined to their old beliefs and systems instead of the early adopting Catholicism. Others were however adapted to portions of the new belief that had some sense and appeal in them. Effects of the Columbian Exchange The import of forced labor from other parts of the world in the context of the Columbian exchange came with violence especially brutality from the Spanish rulers. One Dominican friar named Las Casas had previously owned Indian slaves in the Americas. After witnessing the brutality that the encomenderos implicated on the natives he gave it up and sharply differed with other recipients of the encomiendas. Later in 1515 he started advocating for the kind regard and handling of the native laborers and slaves that led to the establishment of New Laws that were aimed at ending slavery and the encomiendas system.(Brands, Breen, Williams, Gross, 2016.) Although mostly discussed, Indians were not the only forced labor victims in the Americas. Africans also were victims of forced labor to the European rulers and were utilized in the production of tobacco, sugar and other cash crops for sale in the European markets. To justify the integration of Africans into enslavement, the Europeans viewed the as non-Christians and as a consequence, were completely and brutally denied the control of their lives. Any attempt of resistance to the forced labor and slavery was met with physical, mental and sexual violence from the Europeans; as a method to assert their status as master and superior. More involved in the trade for slave laborers across the Atlantic into the Americas were the Portuguese. The Portuguese had slave holder pens on the west coast of Africa like Ghanas Elmina Castle, after which the captured slaves were sold to the Spanish, English, and Dutch colonial inhabitants in the Americas to assist in the production of sugar for export. In the sugarcane plantation farms, the laborers could manually harvest and process large masses of sugarcane. The labor intensive methods involved in the production of sugar and the recycling of their byproducts into molasses was very dangerous to the unprotected manual laborers. According to Las Casas, by the year 1550, there were about fifty thousand enslaved workers in the Hispaniola owners section of the Americas. He recounts that this was the largest tragedy yet in the New Atlantic World. (New Worlds in the Americas: Labor, Commerce, and the Columbian Exchange | US History I (OS Collection), 2016) Columbian Exchange Impact Effects of Labor Trade on the Indigenous Relations The transactions between the new world and the old world had various effects on the existing indigenous relationships. Previously before these developments there existed a deep connection to the indigenous people and their geographical territories, cultural and spiritual beliefs and aesthetical connections. Encroachment of colonial rulers and the Europeans into the Americas for New world goods could have caused an imbalance in the much-treasured coexistence of the American inhabitants. Spiritually, the Europeans forcefully introduced to the Americas the new practice of Catholicism against their wish to practice their belief. This new idea is viewed to have diluted the local spiritual relationships as other natives resorted to either fully adopting the new faith or adopting the practices of the new religion that suited them most. The crops and foods that were initially viewed by the local natives as of aesthetic and therapeutic value were later abused and new uses adopted due to these interactions. An example is the use of tobacco that was initially for medicinal purposes until the Europeans made a health-deteriorating smoking habit out of it. The import and use of forceful labor and slavery in the farms and crops plantations was against the cultural belief of the natives. This engagement and the encomiendas system introduced a concept of brutality, slavery, violence and greed for resources by to against the unifying indigenous culture in the Americas. The regard for human rights and values were also corroded due to the occurrence of such incidences within the transaction zones. Sacred beliefs by the natives were also mutilated by the engagement of the colonial traders in sexual and psychological violence. Columbian Exchange Significance The export of the locally produced crops and animals also led to the loss of their aesthetic value that comes with ownership and are viewed as a value of wealth. The import and export of labor from within the exchange led to the exchange of previously non-existent infections and diseases in both camps. The acquisition of measles, chickenpox, and smallpox are a direct consequence of the purchase of slaves used as laborers from the various parts of the world. The export and import activities were also of the positive effect the indigenous people. For instance, the Americas learned better ways of land use and discovered new and essential products from the old word. The new world goods were also further explored to identify better and more appropriate uses to the American inhabitants. It evident that at the first instance, the effects associated with the trade for new world goods and labor was grave and unbearable to the indigenous people. However, the effects waned over time and a multicultural, advanced and harmonious society developed within the Americas in the long run. The world also became more open to commodities and this market the beginning of a long standing trade revolution that has generally benefited worlds economy. References Brands, H., Breen, T., Williams, R., Gross, A. American Stories. New Worlds in the Americas: Labor, Commerce, and the Columbian Exchange | US History I (OS Collection). (2016). Courses.lumenlearning.com. Retrieved 22 October 2016, from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/ushistory1os2xmaster/chapter/new-worlds-in-the-americas-labor-commerce-and-the-columbian-exchange/ Bresnahan, T. Gordon, R. (1997).The economics of new goods. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Summary of the Russian Civil War

Summary of the Russian Civil War Russia’s October Revolution of 1917 produced a civil war between the Bolshevik government – who had just seized power - and a number of rebel armies. This civil war is often said to have started in 1918, but bitter fighting began in 1917. Although most of the war was over by 1920, it took until 1922 for the Bolsheviks, who held the industrial heartland of Russia from the start, to crush all opposition. Origins of the War: Reds and Whites Form In 1917, after the second revolution in one year, the socialist Bolsheviks had seized command of Russia’s political heart. They dismissed the elected Constitutional Assembly at gunpoint and banned opposition politics; it was clear they wanted a dictatorship. However, there was still stiff opposition to the Bolsheviks, not least of which from the right-wing faction in the army; this began to form a unit of volunteers from hardcore anti-Bolsheviks in the Kuban Steppes. By June 1918 this force had survived great difficulties from the infamous Russian winter, fighting the ‘First Kuban Campaign’ or the ‘Ice March’, a near continuous battle and movement against the Reds that lasted over fifty days and saw their commander Kornilov (who may have attempted a coup in 1917) killed. They now came under the command of General Denikin. They became known as the ‘Whites’ in contrast to the Bolsheviks ‘Red Army’. On the news of Kornilovâ€⠄¢s death, Lenin announced: â€Å"It can be said with certainty that, in the main, the civil war has ended.† (Mawdsley, The Russian Civil War, p. 22) He could not have been more wrong. Areas on the outskirts of the Russian empire took advantage of the chaos to declare independence and in 1918 almost the whole periphery of Russia was lost to the Bolsheviks by localized military revolts. The Bolsheviks stimulated further opposition when they signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. Although the Bolsheviks had gained some of their support by pledging to end the war, the terms of the peace treaty – which gave substantial land to Germany – caused those on the left wing who remained non-Bolshevik to split away. The Bolsheviks responded by expelling them from the Soviets and then targeted them with a secret police force. In addition, Lenin wanted a brutal civil war so he could sweep away the substantial opposition in one bloodletting. Further military opposition to the Bolsheviks also emerged from foreign forces. The Western powers in World War 1 were still fighting the conflict and hoped to restart the eastern front in order to draw German forces away from the west or even just stop the weak Soviet government allowing Germans free reign in the newly conquered Russian land. Later, the allies acted to try and secure the return of nationalized foreign investments and defend the new allies they’d made. Among those campaigning for a war effort was Winston Churchill. To do this the British, French and US landed a small expeditionary force at Murmansk and Archangel. In addition to these factions, the 40,000 strong Czechoslovak Legion, which had been fighting against Germany and Austria-Hungary for independence, was given permission to leave Russia via the eastern fringe of the former empire. However, when the Red Army ordered them to disarm after a brawl, the Legion resisted and seized control of local facilities including the vital Trans-Siberian Railway. The dates of these attacks – May 25th, 1918 – are often incorrectly called the start of the Civil War, but the Czech legion did swiftly take a large territory, especially when compared to the armies in World War 1, thanks to seizing almost the entire railway and with it access to vast areas of Russia. The Czechs decided to ally with anti-Bolshevik forces in the hope of fighting against Germany again. Anti-Bolshevik forces took advantage of the chaos to coalesce here and new White armies emerged. The Nature of the Reds and Whites The ‘Reds’ - the Bolshevik-dominated Red Army, which was hastily formed in 1918 - were clustered around the capital. Operating under the leadership of Lenin and Trotsky, they had a uniform agenda, albeit one that as the war continued. They were fighting to retain control and keep Russia together. Trotsky and Bonch-Bruevich (a vital ex-Tsarist commander) pragmatically organized them along traditional military lines and used Tsarist officers, despite socialist complaints. The Tsar’s former elite joined in droves because, with their pensions canceled, they had little choice. Equally crucially, the Reds had access to the hub of the rail network and could move troops around quickly, and controlled the key supply regions for both men and material. With sixty million people, the Reds could muster greater numbers than their rivals. The Bolsheviks worked with other socialist groups like the Mensheviks and SRs when they needed to, and turned against them when the chance w as there. As a result, by the end of the civil war, the Reds were almost entirely Bolshevik. On the other hand, the Whites were far from being a unified force. They were, in practice, comprised of ad hoc groups opposed to both the Bolsheviks, and sometimes each other, and were outnumbered and overstretched thanks to controlling a smaller population over a huge area. Consequently, they failed to pull together in a unified front and were forced to operate independently. The Bolsheviks saw the war as a struggle between their workers and Russia’s upper and middle classes, and as a war of socialism against international capitalism. The Whites were loath to recognize land reforms, so didn’t convert the peasants to their cause, and were loath to recognize nationalist movements, so largely lost their support. The Whites were rooted in the old Tsarist and monarchical regime, while Russia’s masses had moved on. There were also the ‘Greens’. These were forces fighting, not for the reds of the whites, but after their own goals, like national independence – neither the Reds or Whites recognized breakaway regions - or for food and booty. There were also the ‘Blacks’, the Anarchists. The Civil War Battle in the civil war was fully joined by the middle of June 1918 on multiple fronts. The SRs created their own republic in Volga – ‘Komuch’, aided greatly by the Czech Legion - but their socialist army was beaten. An attempt by Komuch, the Siberian Provisional Government and others in the east to form a unified government produced a five-man Directory. However, a coup led by Admiral Kolchak took it over, and he was proclaimed Supreme Ruler of Russia (he had no navy). However, Kolchak and his right-leaning officers were highly suspicious of any anti-Bolshevik socialists, and the latter were driven out. Kolchek then created a military dictatorship. Kolchak was not put in power by foreign allies as the Bolsheviks later claimed; they were actually against the coup. Japanese troops had also landed in the Far East, while in late 1918 the French arrived through the south in the Crimea and British in the Caucuses. The Don Cossacks, after initial problems, rose and seized control of their region and started pushing out. Their siege of Tsaritsyn (later known as Stalingrad) caused arguments between the Bolsheviks Stalin and Trotsky, an enmity which would greatly affect Russian history. Deniken, with his ‘Volunteer Army’ and the Kuban Cossacks, had great success with limited numbers against larger, but weaker, Soviet forces in the Caucasus and Kuban, destroying a whole Soviet army. This was achieved without allied aid. He then took Kharkov and Tsaritsyn, broke out into Ukraine, and began a general move north towards Moscow from across large parts of the south, providing the greatest threat to the Soviet capital of the war. At the start of 1919, the Reds attacked Ukraine, where rebel socialists and Ukrainian nationalists who wanted the region to be independent fought back. The situation soon broke down into rebel forces dominating some regions and the Reds, under a puppet Ukrainian leader, holding others. Border regions like Latvia and Lithuania turned into stalemates as Russia preferred to fight elsewhere. Kolchak and multiple armies attacked from the Urals towards the west, made some gains, got bogged down in the thawing snow, and were pushed well back beyond the mountains. There were battles in Ukraine and surrounding areas between other countries over territory. The Northwestern Army, under Yudenich – very skilled but very small - advanced out of the Baltic and threatened St. Petersburg before his ‘allied’ elements went their own way and disrupted the attack, which was pushed back and collapsed. Meanwhile, World War 1 had ended, and the European states engaged in foreign intervention suddenly found their key motivation had evaporated. France and Italy urged a major military intervention, Britain and the US much less. The Whites urged them to stay, claiming that the Reds were a major threat to Europe, but after a series of peace initiatives failed the European intervention was scaled back. However, weaponry and equipment were still imported to the Whites. The possible consequence of any serious military mission from the allies is still debated, and Allied supplies took a while to arrive, usually only playing a role later in the war. 1920: The Red Army Triumphant The White threat was at its greatest in October 1919 (Mawdsley, The Russian Civil War, p. 195), but how great this threat was is debated. However, the Red Army had survived 1919 and had time to solidify and become effective. Kolchak, pushed out of Omsk and vital supply territory by the Reds, tried to establish himself at Irktusk, but his forces fell apart and, after resigning, he was arrested by left-leaning rebels he’d managed to totally alienate during his rule, given to the Reds, and executed. Other White gains were also driven back as the Reds took advantage of overreaching lines. Tens of thousands of Whites fled through the Crimea as Denikin and his army were pushed right back and morale collapsed, the commander himself fleeing abroad. A ‘Government of South Russia’ under Vrangel was formed in the region as the remainder fought on and advanced  out but were pushed back. More evacuations then took place: nearly 150,000 fled by sea, and the Bolsheviks shot tens of thousands of those left behind. Armed independence movements in the newly declared republics of Armenia,  Georgia, and Azerbaijan were crushed, and large portions added to the new USSR. The Czech Legion were allowed to travel east and evacuate by sea. The major failure of 1920 was the attack  on  Poland, which followed Polish attacks into disputed areas during 1919 and early 1920. The worker’s revolt the Reds were anticipating didn’t happen, and the Soviet army was ejected. The Civil War was effectively over by November 1920, although pockets of resistance struggled on for a few more years. The Reds were victorious. Now their Red Army and Cheka could focus on hunting down and eliminating the remaining traces of White Support. It took until 1922 for Japan to pull their troops out of the Far East. Between seven and ten million had died from war,  disease, and famine. All sides committed great atrocities. Aftermath The failure of the Whites in the civil war was caused in large part by their failure to unite, although because of Russia’s vast geography it’s hard to see how they ever could have provided a united front. They were also outnumbered and  outsupplied  by the Red Army, which had better communications. It’s also believed that the failure of the Whites to adopt a program of policies which would have appealed to the peasants – such as land reform – or the nationalists – such as independence – stopped them gaining any mass support. This failure allowed the Bolsheviks to establish themselves as rulers of the new, communist USSR, which would directly and substantially affect European – and world – history for decades. The Reds were by no means popular, but they were more popular than the conservative Whites thanks to land reform; by no means an effective government, but more effective than the Whites. The Red Terror of the Cheka was more effective than the White Terror, allowing a greater grip on their host population, stopping the sort of internal rebellion which might have fatally weakened the Reds. They outnumbered and outproduced their opponents thanks to holding the core of Russia, and could defeat their enemies piecemeal. The Russian economy was massively damaged, leading to Lenin’s pragmatic retreat into the market forces of the New Economic Policy. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were accepted as independent. The Bolsheviks has consolidated their power, with the party expanding, dissidents being quelled and institutions taking shape. Quite what effect the war had on the Bolsheviks, who started with a loose grip on Russia with little established, and ended firmly in charge, is debated. For many, the war happened so early in the lifespan of the Bolshevik’s rule that it had a massive effect, leading to the party’s willingness to coerce by violence, use highly centralized policies, dictatorship, and ‘summary justice’. A third of Communist party (the old Bolshevik party) members who joined in 1917 – 20 had fought in the war and gave the party an overall feeling of military command and unquestioned obedience to orders. The Reds were also able to tap into the Tsarist mindset to dominate.

Why does knowledge of different generic approaches to strategy matter Essay

Why does knowledge of different generic approaches to strategy matter - Essay Example For long term sustainable growth organizations need to follow a well charted out business plan which defines the strategy derived from organization’s vision and mission and transforms the strategy into business activities and actions in all departments including HR. Defining and designing strategy is a complex task. It is derived not only from the vision and mission of the company but various internal and external factors also need to be taken into account for developing an appropriate and well designed strategy. There are many different generic approaches to strategy. HR being considered a strategic partner, these approaches to strategy also has its implications on Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). This paper aims at studying the different approaches to strategy and their implications on SHRM. For the critical analysis of this issue it will make use of the recent literature as well as any empirical evidence available from the real world. Strategy and its Importance What is strategy? The above discussed definition of strategy is a very broad one. Defining the phenomenon of strategy is a difficult assignment. There are various ways in which the definition of strategy can be approached. Application of different approaches may yield conflicting results about how to act, yet each will be based on a reasoned and possible approach. Strategy itself can be based on four basic conceptions that is rational, fatalistic, pragmatic and relativist. Each concept will be suitable for a given set of internal and external environment (Goldman, 2006) . Only an effective strategy ensures sustained profitability and growth. Approaches of Strategy Today’s highly competitive world demands commitment to change and a clear and well defined direction charted out through strategy. There are four basic approaches to strategy namely Classical, evolutionary, processual and systematic (Whittington, 2001). These four approaches of strategy are mapped against some criti cal elements of strategy. These critical elements identified are leadership, decisions, planning, innovation, diversification, internationalization, organization and strategic change. Sloan influenced classical approach is driven by policy. It is authoritative and centralized in nature with major focus on economics only. It is rooted in the elitist mentality and hence an authoritative view of the world and the concerned issues. This approach does not encourage involvement by the workers and hence Human capital management is not emphasized. This classical approach sets long term targets and goals and it is believed that managers have the capability and the willingness to adopt and practice those profit maximizing strategies devised by them through rational long term planning. In short it is top down driven strategy with very minimal role or almost no role for SHRM. The concept behind evolutionary approach is that managers are free to adopt any method but in the long run only the top performers will survive. It is based on the theory of survival of the fittest hence named evolutionary approach. It is believed that achieving the best fit between internal and external factors can yield organizations profits in the short run whereas investing in the long range activities can be counterproductive. This theory is strictly against long term

Making a major Purchase Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Making a major Purchase - Term Paper Example The need for shelter is a necessity. Such, individual has to buy a house at some time or another. The bigger question would be when and will it be right time to buy it. The act of purchasing a house is relatively infrequent and generally constitutes an individual or a family’s â€Å"single most important investment and expenditure (Levy et al., 2008 pg. 253). To make the analysis clearer in this case, let us assume that the buying decision to purchase will be made on cash. Buying on cash can also demonstrate clearly the economic principles behind making such decision or indecision. To illustrate further these economic principles, let us assume that the buyer is a typical middle class with a regular job and regular income that making a purchase would require a serious evaluation on his or her part. A house is a need. It shelters us from the vicissitudes of the weather and the inclemencies of the storm. It provides a place for rest and recreation where we can grow our families and live as a person. But before getting those benefits, we can consider what we have to give up. This consideration is very important because purchasing a house is the most expensive purchase that we will make. In addition, we have to be careful in letting go of our scarce resources especially that we are still in the process of recovery. The economy has to be considered in making that purchase. There are two things that should be considered before making that purchase; first, is the economic condition of the economy as this will determine the price of the house whether it is the time to make the purchase and this will also determine the individual’s capacity to pay. The economy is still in the process of recovering and it may be slow certainly not entering into a recession as observed by Fred Smith, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Corp. (FDX) (Del Giudice, 2011).

Analysis of leadership and managerial effectiveness

Analysis of leadership and managerial effectiveness Leadership power, influence, path-builder and director. it can defined in many ways, but most commonly Leader is person who influences the thoughts and behaviors of others; a leaders is one who establishes the direction for others to willingly follow. One person can serve as a leader or several persons might share leadership. A person may be appointed as leader or may be elected by people within his circle. Leaders play vital role in standardizing performance. Leaders can influence other to perform beyond the expectations. Managers plan, organize, lead and control so that leading and managing are inseparable, they are both integral part of each other. If one cant influence and inspire others to work willingly towards aims then all planning and organizing will be ineffective. Similarly setting direction is usually not enough, no matter how inspiring one can be, management skills are crucial. Main characteristics of leadership:- Self Confidence- They have complete confidence in their judgment and ability. A vision- This is an idealized goal that proposes a future better than the status quo. The greater the disparity between idealized goal and the status quo, the more likely that followers will attribute extraordinary vision to the leader. 3.Ability to articulate the vision- They are able to clarify and state the vision in terms that are understandable to others. This articulation demonstrates an understanding of the followers needs and, hence acts as a motivating force. 4.Strong convictions about vision- Charismatic leaders are perceived as being strongly committed, and willing to take on high personal risk, incur high costs, and engage in self-sacrifice to achieve their vision. 5. Behavior that is out of the ordinary- Those with charisma engage in behavior that is perceived as being novel, unconventional, and counter to norms. When successful , these behaviors evoke surprise and admiration in followers. 6.Perceived as being a change agent- Charismatic leaders are perceived as agents of radical change rather than as caretakers of the status quo. 7. Environmental sensitivity- These leaders are able to make realistic assessments of the environmental constraints and resources needed to bring about change. Main objective of leadership:- 1- Begin with the End in Mind Clearly define AND communicate the objective; then lead unapologetically to its conclusion 2- There is no I in TEAM Team players have value and are contributors to a group effort; self promoters do not have value and steal from the group. Cultivate team players and cull self promoters 3- Develop an Institutional Memory Remember mistakes and the costs associated with fixing them or they will repeat themselves ad nauseum 4- Set a good example by being a good citizen at home, in your community and at work No business success will make up for being a lousy citizen 5- Control the environment effectively, without suppressing creativity flow Dont let the environment control you. 6- Do reward behavior you want repeated Behavior (and success) that is rewarded will increase in duration, intensity and frequency. 7- Dont reinforce and dont ignore behavior you want stopped Fear of conflict and avoidance of accountability will only lead to wide spreaddys function and more unwanted behavior. 8- Insure that a task is done right the first time The project and any hope for momentum will grind to a halt if the task has to be done over again 9- Hire Integrity over Skill:-Skills can be trained; but honesty, integrity, morals and trust can not 10- Serve others How may I help you? Should be asked early and often by and to every person in your organization. Earned loyalty through thoughtful service is the greatest ROI in business MANAGERIAL EFFECTIVENESS :- Managerial Effectiveness is fast becoming a competitive advantage for organisations, especially in the context of high demand for and therefore, continuous migration of competent managers from one organisation to another Organisations therefore, have started investing in retaining competent managers and putting in place systems for developing new cadre of effective managers. It is in wake of these contextual factors that this programme on Managerial Effectiveness is being conducted. Managerial Effectiveness is often defined in terms of output what a manager achieves. This result oriented definition leads us to look for the factors that contribute towards the results. Studies find three factors to be responsible for the results that an organisation achieves through its managers. These are: (a) the efforts and ability of the managers, (b) the environment in which the managers and the organisation operates, and (c) the efforts and ability of the subordinates. Thus, the managers ability is the key element in achieving the desired results.This programme on Managerial Effectiveness focuses by and large on the managerial ability of Managing Self, Managing Subordinates Relationships (which can enhance subordinates ability), Managing Change and Decision Making (which requires the managers to understand the environment in which she/he and her/his organisation operates). Objective of managerial effectiveness:- 1. To develop and understanding of concept of managerial effectiveness. 2. To help the participants to understand the importance of team work and value of resolving the conflicts for developing effective relationship and work culture. 3. To enable the participant to develop specific skills such as team work and conflict management in order to enhance their contribution to the organisational growth. 4. To provide the participants an opportunity for sharing experiences and analysing managerial styles thereby, enabling them to meet the diverse needs of your te. Trait Theory Trait theory tries to describe the types of behavior and personality tendencies associated with effective leadership. In modern times, Thomas Carlyle (1841) can be considered one of the forerunners of trait theory. Although trait theory has an intuitive appeal, difficulties may arise in proving its tenets, and opponents frequently challenge this approach. The strongest versions of trait theory see these leadership characteristics as innate, and accordingly label some people as born leaders due to their psychological makeup. On this reading of the theory, leadership development involves identifying and measuring leadership qualities, screening potential leaders from non-leaders, then training those with potential. In response to criticisms of the trait approach, researchers have begun to assess leader attributes using the leadership attribute pattern approach. Leader as a communicator the framing Framing is a way of communicating to shape meaning. Its a way for leaders to influence how others see and understand events. Selecting and highlighting one or more events while excluding others. It is the ability of the leader to influence others to act beyond their self interests Two contemporary theories of leadership with a common theme. 1. Charismatic leadership 2. Transformational leadership Charismatic Leadership The Charismatic Leader gathers followers through dint of personality and charm, rather than any form of external power or authority. The searchlight of attention It is interesting to watch a Charismatic Leader working the room as they move from person to person. They pay much attention to the person they are talking to at any one moment, making that person feel like they are, for that time, the most important person in the world. Charismatic Leaders pay a great deal of attention in scanning and reading their environment, and are good at picking up the moods and concerns of both individuals and larger audiences. They then will hone their actions and words to suit the situation. Pulling all of the strings Charismatic Leaders use a wide range of methods to manage their image and, if they are not naturally charismatic, may practice assiduously at developing their skills. They may engender trust through visible self-sacrifice and taking personal risks in the name of their beliefs. They will show great confidence in their followers. They are very persuasive and make very effective use of body language as well as verbal language. Deliberate charisma is played out in a theatrical sense, where the leader is playing to the house to create a desired effect. They also make effective use of storytelling, including the use of symbolism and metaphor. Many politicians use a charismatic style, as they need to gather a large number of followers. If you want to increase your charisma, studying videos of their speeches and the way they interact with others is a great source of learning. Religious leaders, too, may well use charisma, as do cult leaders. Leading the team Charismatic Leaders, who are building a group, whether it is a political party, a cult or a business team, will often focus strongly on making the group very clear and distinct, separating it from other groups. They will then build the image of the group, in particular in the minds of their followers, as being far superior to all others. The Charismatic Leader will typically attach themselves firmly to the identify of the group, such that to join the group is to become one with the leader. In doing so, they create an unchallengeable position for themselves. Key characteristics of charismatic leadership Vision and articulation; Sensitivity to the environment; Sensitivity to member needs; Personal risk taking; Performing unconventional behavior Vision and articulations Has a vision Expressed as an idealized goal The goal proposes a future better than the status quo Is able to clarify the importance of the vision in terms that are understandable to others. Personal risk Willing to take on high personal risk Incur high costs Engage in self sacrifice to achieve the vision Sensitivity to followers needs Perspective of others abilities Responsive to others needs and feelings. Unconventional behavior Engages in behaviors in behaviors that are novel and counter to norms. Personality of charismatic leaders Extraverted Self confident Achievement oriented Articulate an over arching goal Communicate high performance expectations Empathize the needs of their followers Project a powerful confident and dynamic presence Captivating and engaging voice tone Three step process of becoming a charismatic leader An individual needs to develop an aura of charisma by maintaining an optimistic view, using passion as a catalyst for generating enthusiasm and communicating with the whole body, not just with words. .An individual draws others in by creating a bond that inspires others to follows. . An individual brings out the potential in followers by tapping into their emotions. Charismatic Leadership Issues People following these leaders will be exerting extra effort, express greater satisfaction. Charismatic effectiveness and situation Charisma works best when: The followers task has an ideological component There is a lot of stress and uncertainty in the environment The leader is at the upper level of the organization Followers have low self-esteem and self-worth Dark Side of Charisma Ego-driven charismatic allow their self-interest and personal goals to override the organizations goals Very effective leaders who possess the four typical leadership traits: Individual competency Team skills Managerial competence Ability to stimulate others to high performance Plus one critical new traità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ A blend of personal humility and professional will Personal ego-needs are focused toward building a great company Take responsibility for failures and give credit to others for successes Prided them on developing strong leaders inside the firm who could direct the company to greater heights after they were gone. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Abstract It is argued that the fate of any society is determined by the quality of its leadership. This discusses the various managerial styles with the aim of buttressing the role of leadership in attaining organizational goals and objectives. This relies on extensive review of literature and employs content analysis of managerial leadership styles. This reveals that the correct style of leadership depends on: nature of the job; preference of the followers; the leaders attitude and the situation at a point in time. However, emerging economies are bereft of good and effective leadership in all fields of human Endeavours due to self-aggrandizements. Therefore, they recommends that: leaders should be made to be accountable for their stewardships both when in office and afterwards; and there should be general social re-orientation, for people to be honest, God fearing and to remember the day of reckoning when they will be asked to account for their deeds in this world. Gibb (1954) According to him leadership is the exercise of power and authority in collectivity; such as groups, organizations, communities of nations. This power can be addressed to any of the three very general and related functions: establishing the goals, purposes or objectives of the collectivity. This implies that exercise of authority involves making things happen though others. In achieving such purpose, leaders may engage in any of the following activities: coordinating, controlling, directing, guiding or mobilizing the efforts of others. Conclusion:- He suggested that the leader is a person who always suggested that leadership is the quality that a leader can act as a manager in performing all managerial function as well as with power and authority he can easily manage the things. Fielder (1967):- He defines leadership effectiveness as success of the leader in achieving the organizations goals. To be effective, the leader must help individuals in the group to satisfy their needs; for instance by giving responsibility to those with high power needs, close involvement to those with high inclusion needs and so on. Therefore, the most effective leaders are capable of dealing with the groups problem that depends on leaders ability to persuade his followers, which in turn depends largely on how much power he possesses. Conclusion:- Manager includes leadership qualities to achieve the organizational goals. They help individual in group to satisfy all the organizational needs. Weick 1979, Kiesler and Sproull 1982, Streufert and Swezey 1986:- This model is one of few that allows for an empirical test of some of the central ideas developed by the paradox perspective. There study also contrasts the recent emphasis on cognitive complexity in the organizational literature with the relative lack of attention given to behavioral complexity. Cognitive complexity, the paper argues, may well be a necessary condition for the effective practice of leadership. Behavioral complexity, however, must certainly be the sufficient condition. Conclusion:- Leadership must inevitably be performed through action, not cognition, and it would thus appear to be time for leadership researchers to begin to develop theories of behavioral as well as cognitive complexity. Burke and Day (1986) They applied meta-analysis to available managerial training and development studies to determine the types of management training that were effective, to what degree they were effective, and the relative effectiveness of the different training methods in improving learning or the acquisition of skills. The meta-analysis conducted by Burke and Day is commonly regarded as the principal empirical support for the effectiveness of managerial training and leadership development programs. Burke and Day (1986) incorporated the following training content areas in their analysis: general management, human relations, and self-awareness, problem solving/decision making, rater training, and motivation/values. Descriptions of those content areas were as follows: 1) General management training taught facts, concepts, and skills and included training topics such as labor relations, a broad focus on management theory and practice, company policies and procedures, labor economics, and general management functions. 2) Training in the human relations content area focused on the human relations problems of leadership, supervision, attitude toward employees, and communications. 3) Studies that were coded into the self-awareness training content area involved the understanding of ones behavior, how others view ones behavior, and learning ones strengths and weaknesses. Examples in the self-awareness content area were sensitivity training and transactional analysis. 4) Problem solving training included studies with a wide range of work problems that managers encounter including generalized problem solving and decision making skills. 5) Rater training programs taught participants to minimize errors in observing and evaluating subordinates. 6) Motivation/values training included programs designed to increase the managers motivation and modify managers values or attitudes. Conclusion:- He used organizational variables as outcome criteria. Some studies in their research had mixed results in demonstrating that managerial leadership development programs enhanced individual, group, and/or organizational effectiveness. Yukl (1989):- He described the status of the field of leadership as being in a state of ferment and confusion. Most of the theories are beset with conceptual weaknesses and lack strong empirical support. Several thousand empirical studies have been conducted on leadership effectiveness, but most of the results are contradictory and inconclusiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The confused state of the field can be attributed in large part to the disparity of approaches, the narrow focus of most researches, and the absence of broad theories that integrate findings from the different approaches. Conclusion:- The status of the field of leadership is in a state on ferment and confusion. Leadership is necessary for the manager to perform affectively within an organization by integrating different approaches. This helps in applying different approaches results in better managerial performance by possessing better leadership qualities. (Bass and Avolio, 1993) He proposed another type of leadership which is known as transactional leadership, which is e. Instead of being communal, the emphasis is on individuals or small groups of employees within organizations or businesses who vie for favored status with a manager. Cooperation occurs through negotiations and loyalty is bought with reward to individuals. In these cases, some employees demonstrate little or no commitment to the organizations mission or vision, and cooperation is the result of negotiations. This model emphasizes marginal improvements in performance based on exchange relationships with subordinates. Conclusion: leadership is a systematic relationship where no leader leads without followers. To measure leadership effectiveness, Avolio believed that the focus should be less on what the leader does and more on what the followers do. This committed to a full range of leadership. Fleishman et al. (1991) developed taxonomy of descriptive leader behaviors from 65 authors, which provided a systematic definition of leadership behavior for use in designing leadership development interventions. The major approaches to leadership study were identified as the power-influence approach, managerial behavior approach, trait approach, situational approach (nine different ones including path-goal, situational leadership, contingency theory, and leader-member exchange) and transformational or charismatic leadership (Yukl, 1989) Conclusion: he explained the different leader behaviours and different approaches applied to leadership study. Sourcie (1994) He states, Managerial leadership is indeed a subtle mixture of formal authority, skills, knowledge, information, intelligence, courage, tenacity, instinct and hard work. As individuals rise to higher levels of formal leadership in organizations, the balance between leader and manager behavior shifts, but there are very few instances where a person can develop leadership skills without also being competent at managerial functions. Conclusion:- There should be a balance between leader and managerial behaviour. To enhance leadership styles sometimes becomes at the managerial level in performing different functions of management. Chen (1994) He used meta-analytic procedures to describe and statistically integrate 25 studies from the empirical literature regarding the effectiveness of cross-cultural training for managers. A great majority of the studies (88%) used control group design. Chens meta-analysis produced a highly significant average effect size (1.60) for the comparisons between those who received cross-cultural training and those who did not, indicating that the average trainee was 1.60 standard deviation higher than controls on the cross-cultural training effectiveness measures. Chen discovered that control group studies produced lower effect sizes than single group pretest-posttest studies. Chen also found that the longer the time between cross-cultural training and the measurement of training effectiveness, the less effective the training was judged to be by the primary study participants, with almost 56% of the variability in effect size magnitude caused by the time of outcome measurement. Conclusion:- The results of Chens meta-analysis did not conclude that any certain type of cross-cultural training program was more effective than another one as he generally impact the effectiveness of cross-cultural training for managers. Brungardt, 1996 He suggested the that leadership development efforts will result in improved leadership skills appears to be taken for granted by many corporations, professional management associations, and consultants. In essence, many companies naively assume that leadership development efforts improve organizational efforts. Leadership development is defined as every form of growth or stage of development in the life cycle that promotes, encourages, and assists the expansion of knowledge and expertise required to optimize ones leadership potential and performance. Conclusion:- Leadership development will leads to the improvement leadership skills with in the corporations, to improve the organizational efforts by developing their employees. McCall (1998):- Managerial leadership development through on-the-job experiences has emerged as a powerful source of learning. He believed that on-the-job experiences were the primary classrooms for the development of leadership skills. These developmental jobs provide transitions that put the manager into new situations with unfamiliar responsibilities and tasks where they create change and build relationships (Brutus, Ruderman, Ohlott, McCauley, 2000; McCall, Lombardo, Morrison, 1988; McCauley Brutus, 1998). According to McCall, et al. (1988), most 31 developments of successful business leaders took place on the job and not in seminars, classrooms, and MBA programs. Additional literature regarding on-the-job experiences will be cited in the Leadership Development. Conclusion:- He explained that the managerial leadership development through on-the job experiences. It develops leadership skills with in a manager to enhance their skills. It helps them in handling unfamiliar responsibilities and tasks in which they can easily make changes. Driggs (1999):- He emphasized that outcomes can be encapsulated as the awareness of the importance of organizational motivation and understanding, the flexibility to adapt to individual organizational needs, the openness to encourage continuing discussion and interchange, and a readiness to continue learning. Examples of outcomes in the current literature were improved subordinate and human relationships, improved knowledge skills and attitudes, improved trainee leadership and group effectiveness, improved decision-making style, sensitization of trainees to their management role, and development of a shared personal and organizational vision. Conclusion:- He explained that managerial effectiveness is analysed by motivating and understanding the organization needs by improved trainee leadership. Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed:- He defines leadership as the individual qualities of assertiveness and ambition that shine through a charismatic individual. Leadership means collective commitment to progress wise and tough actions that create new systemic regularities in our institutions of education. It means constructing a seamless pipeline for all our children from preschool years to completing collegeIt means institutions and communities work for the greater good of our world. Conclusion:- Leadership leads to progress which help in regulating our institutions of education. They generally work for the greater good of our world. Swanson Holton, 1999:- The Results Assessment System was used in this research to analyze the outcomes of leadership development studies from both a learning and performance perspective. The Results Assessment System (Swanson Holton, 1999) enables practitioners to measure results within three domains: performance, learning, and perception, each of which has two options. Performance results are either system or financial results. System results are defined as the units of mission-related outputs in the form of goods and/or services having value to the customer and that are related to the core organizational, work processes, and group or individual contributors in the organization. Financial results are defined as the conversion of the output units of goods and/or services attributable to the intervention into money and financial interpretation. Performance-level assessment requires that mission-related performance outcomes be connected to the mission of the system (Swanson Holton, 1999). Performance outcomes typically are assessed in terms of being counted or time taken to produce the units of goods or services. Swanson and Holton clarified that performance outcomes are classified in terms of the performance levels at the whole system level (organization), the work processes within the system (subsystem), or the contributor level (individuals or intact work groups). According to Swanson and Holton, within the performance domain, a complex organization can have a variety of performance outcomes but a unit of performance must be selected as the focal point of the assessment. Learning results as defined by the Results Assessment System (Swanson Holton, 1999) are delineated into expertise or knowledge results. Expertise results are defined as human behaviors having effective results and optimal efficiency, acquired through study and experience within a specialized domain. Human expertise is the most complex of learning results. The premise is that people with expertise have knowledge and are able to act on that knowledge (Swanson Holton, 1999). Measuring human expertise requires that an individual demonstrate his or her behavior in a real or simulated setting. Conclusion:- Knowledge results are defined as mental achievement acquired through study and experience (Swanson Holton, 1999,). Swanson and Holton believed that knowledge, an intellectual or cognitive result of learning experiences, was the basic learning result of an intervention. Measures of knowledge confirmed the level of knowledge held by individuals within a particular subject area. Zhang (1999) He applied meta-analysis procedures to experimental evaluation studies to find out the magnitude of the effect of management training from 1983-1997 on trainees learning, job performance, and organization results. The study followed Burke and Days coding criteria and included forty-seven empirical studies on training for managerial personnel in business and industry and in education. Zhang included experimental and quasi-experimental studies, most of which were found in journal articles, while one-third were doctoral dissertations. The results indicated that evaluation was being conducted beyond the reaction and learning levels. Zhangs research produced a .47 effect size for studies with knowledge-subjective outcomes, .80 for knowledge-24 objective, .50 for expertise-subjective and .49 for studies with system-objective outcomes. A major finding was that management training made a significant difference in trainees learning when self-efficacy and various knowledge tests measured the o utcomes. A human relations leadership program made a significant difference in trainees job performance when performance appraisal instruments measured their on the- job behavior. Management training programs were effective when measured by subjective result criterion, such as employees commitment to the organization and job satisfaction. There was a significant difference in the training effect measured by objective organization result criterion, such as job accuracy, turnover and productivity. Conclusion:- He recommended that more quantitative reviews be conducted using meta-analysis to accumulate quantitative data of training effectiveness across studies and that more high quality empirical studies are conducted. It also concluded that measurement of organization results outcomes needed more research in which the organizational indicators that are most relevant to training are prioritized. Lynham, 2000:- The nature of management and leadership has changed significantly and organizations are experiencing an increased number of outcome-based demands on their time and resources. Organizations also are committing to an increased number of managerial leadership development interventions and take for granted that those interventions enhance their organizations effectiveness. But, there remains a void as to what is known about managerial leadership development and the contribution of managerial leadership development interventions to individual knowledge and expertise as well as organizational performance. Conclusion:- Interventions results in enhancing organisations effectiveness this leads to development interventions for individual knowledge and expertise. Interventions results in better managerial effectiveness. Friedm

Aqa Food Anthology Essay

Compare two texts from the Anthology, which present different views about what we should eat. Text 9 is a newspaper article by John Torode on ‘Why we should all eat red meat’ that vibrantly explores the issue of eating red meat and with a ‘meat lover’ perspective fighting a passionate argument against the ‘bad boy of British culture’ reputation meat has. John Torode is a well-known celebrity chef and his picture endorses the article with a sense of knowledge and character smiling for ‘the culmination of his love of beef’. This article is written to reach out to the general public, more so to the health conscious and the skeptics to persuade and guide through to a new way of thinking towards eating red meat and food in general. A very similar purpose is seen throughout text 11, the Vegetarian Society websites ‘Seven simple steps to going- and staying- vegetarian’ which aim to guide prospective vegetarians to the ultimatum of ‘you are vegetarian’ through the use of enabling and reassuring lexis. In text 11 the text is clearly set out into seven steps that are structured to coincide, following an order to which a structured plan flows like a timeline- building up confidence and experience to the reader with the desired effect of easing them in to the direction of becoming vegetarians. This is almost like an instruction manual and by the text being set in steps it is easy for the reader to digest. In comparison the structure of text 9 does not use bullet points but instead is presented in prose, which allows for story telling. Even though the texts are structured differently they are both still informative, instructive and possibly persuasive. Language techniques are chosen carefully to create these types of texts. For instance, Torode uses narrative and inclusive language. Torode begins by using first person pronouns: â€Å"When I first moved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  in his anecdote of his experiences with meat, this creates a personal, colloquial effect almost as if he is revealing himself to you making him more likeable and warm, and this is consistent throughout the text as he carries on telling us how he’d â€Å"been raised on the stuff† making him seem like a ‘down to earth’ guy who the reader can connect with. Later on in the article Torode employs inclusive language: â€Å"Why? Because we eat too much†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , in this example Torode also uses rhetoric possibly with the purpose of persuading as it makes the reader think and is a transition to his argument to why this is true. To end the article Torode slips back into the more personal first person narration much like the formalities of a conversation. There is a change of direction in the text from the anecdotal and friendly tone to where he gets serious and then back to very personal and reassuring- this is all formed to be persuasive as the personal address is comforting and the serious facts are used to further persuade the reader. The â€Å"Seven Steps† lack some of the fore mentioned techniques. What can be seen instead is a third person narrative throughout the article, thus making it sound less personal but more instructive and informative. The writer uses a brisk selection of lexis making the sentences and whole body of text shorter than text 9. Even though this text is significantly shorter it still manages to come across as concerned and helpful: â€Å"or borrow one from your local library†, here its almost like a whisper as if the voice is matched to someone friendly doing you a favor. So even though text 11 is not as colloquial and expressive as text 9 it still uses language in a way that makes it seem slightly informal, neutral and relaxed for the effect of seeming reassuring and therefore persuasive. For example the personal caption under the picture of the woman also uses first person pronoun â€Å"I gave up meat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and even uses informal language such as ‘veggie’ to seem relatable and also down to earth- just like Torode is trying to sound. This is seen in both texts as a technique to warm to the reader and draw their interest. In text 9 we see a consistent use of expressive lexis which displays passion from the narrator as he tells us ‘we ate platters of it’ and ‘I loved it’. He tells us about â€Å"my love affair with beef† using an array of adjectives (â€Å"large, smoky, well marbled join of beef†) and alliteration (â€Å"succulent steak†) to entice the readers imagination and glorify meat in support of his argument of â€Å"Why we should all eat red meat†. Combined with the use of  hyperballys and negative exaggeration (â€Å"cholesterol overdose†) when speaking of the opposing argument it radiates a consistent sense of passion backed up by authoritative facts. All in all creating a very impressive, persuasive argument. How the Vegetarian Society’s ‘Seven simple steps’ does try to persuade and guide the reader is quite different from the ‘why we should all eat red meat’ article in terms of language use. As it is a step-by-step guide it doesn’t include a personal story or emotive language like in Torodes article. Instead it uses imperatives and suggestions, (â€Å"try something new†) in every step and modal verbs throughout in a simplistic manner. Perhaps because it doesn’t need to be as persuasive since it is aimed at the already prospective vegetarian and therefore it is not opinionated or overly patronizing in any way. The effect of this is that a calm tone is created and each step simply guides the reader- the persuasion is much more subtle. Whilst language is chosen to include and instruct it is also chosen to discriminate against the opposition to eliminate possible doubts and reassure the reader, this is used in both texts. In Torode’s article he declares, â€Å"Uninformed customers still worry that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  here it mocks those who worry about BSE and what it might do. A superior stance is taken here in order to persuade. In text 11 it is strikingly similar as it tells the reader â€Å"don’t be put off by†¦ ill-informed scare stories† from â€Å"people who know very little about their own health†. Both of these bias declaratives are used to- once again- effectively comfort and assure the reader. Although not so inclusively as text 9, text 11 uses celebrity endorsement in the form of a picture of â€Å"Sir Paul McCartney† a ‘musician and vegetarian society patron’ almost like a figure head that is encouragement for readers to think that it is more acceptable to follow the views of what we should eat according to them because these famous people do. The rhetorical question posed by Sir Paul apparently, captioned below the picture is a touch to make the reader think, the words sound wise and are placed there to enliven such thoughts to the reader. This is also seen in text 9 towards the end of the article when Torode very personally tells us â€Å"My family eats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  which he makes very personal even telling us his children’s names. Torode is using himself as a figure head to the views on ‘what we should eat’ as after all he is this celebrity chef and if it is good enough for his family- it should be good for us? In conclusion the texts argue completely different views on what we should eat but the sought effect on the reader is very similar and this is why there are similarities in the way the texts both try to persuade. They are both different types of texts and therefore the language, tone and techniques vary- text 9 uses a more personal and complex approach in the form of a personal narrative to persuade the reader and create an impressive argument, whilst text 9 is a much more simplistic and subtle informative text. They are both consistently persuasive and lead to the final purpose- of leading, encouraging and informing the reader through a set of steps or a structured narrative to a new view of what we as the reader should eat. Even though Text 9 is more opinionated both texts are still biased arguments with mainly the purpose of persuasion. I think both texts are very suited to their purpose and although look and are different they interestingly use language for a very similar purpose.

What to Do If Your Professor Hates You

Regardless of your intentions, you seem to have stumbled into a less-than-ideal situation: youre convinced your professor hates you. Whether its the way she reacts to your questions in class, the grades youre being given for your assignments and exams, or just an overall feeling, youre pretty certain there is some kind of issues going on. Now what? Take a Step Back ​Chances are, your professor doesnt actually  hate you.  Now, there may be some disagreement -- your professor may not like your attitude, may think you arent trying, may think youre being disruptive in class, or may simply think your opinions and beliefs are ill-informed -- but actually  hating  you is pretty serious. (Side note: If you do think there is something personal going on, like sexual harassment, definitely talk to your dean of students, academic dean, or any other ally on campus as soon as possible.) Its much more likely that theres some kind of miscommunication or personality clash going on. Try to reflect back on when things started to become tense between you and your professor. Was it gradual? Or was there a key moment when you felt things shift? Similarly, see if the way youre being treated is pretty normal (e.g., your professor is just a moody genius) or if youre feeling particularly singled out. Trying to look at the issue one step removed can be a smart way to gain perspective. Think About an Ideal Solution to the Problem Dont worry about consequence when first thinking through what your dream situation would be. Do you just want to drop the class? Have to interact with your professor less often? Change to another specific professor who, in contrast, seems to adore you? Or do you want to stick it out, stay in the class, and show the professor youre not who he thinks you are? Similarly, if your ideal solution is to get your professor fired, you might want to challenge yourself to see if the disdain goes both ways here. Think About a Realistic Solution to the Problem Alright, so regardless of the reason, youre pretty convinced your professor doesnt like you. So what can you do about it? Can you stick it out for another few weeks? Or are you concerned that, because your professor seemingly has it out for you, that you wont get the grade you earn (note: not necessarily deserve, but  earn)? Can you transfer to another section of the same class? Is it too late to transfer to a different course altogether? Do you need to just drop the class, or is getting an incomplete a better option? Can you think about some feedback your professor has given you and, consequently, can you try to approach the course in a different and more productive way? Make a Plan of Action with a Deadline If youre convinced that your professor hates you, that she has absolutely no reason for doing so, and that theres nothing you can do to change her opinion, its time for Plan B. Of your ideal and realistic solutions, which ones seem most feasible? What can you do to help yourself make the most of your situation? Look to your friends, your classmates, tutors, other professors, and anyone else who can help. If you cant change your professors opinion of you, you at least owe it to yourself to make sure you still get the most that you can out of your courses this semester.