Gordon Allport An American Psychologist Psychology Essay

Gordon Allport An American Psychologist Psychology Essay Psychology  of  the lack  of interest  and  limited  methods, in general,  fails  to  disclose  or study  of the  integrity  and consistency of  the characters  that  actually  exist.  The greatest drawback  of a psychologist  at the present  time   is  his  inability to  prove the truth  of  what he  knows. Gordon Allport is an outstanding figure in the world of psychology, and now there is hardly a book on psychology of personality without a special chapter on his theory, or at least references to it.  Having experienced the impact of different schools, Allport did not actually belong to any of them, and created his own.  He believed that the comprehensive theory of personality can be created by combining the achievements of different scientific fields, and thus, of course, has earned numerous accusations of eclecticism.  Today, such accusations can be viewed more as praise, for the future of scientific psychology more clearly seen in a balanced position rather than in an opposition of antagonists.  In approving such a position Allport played a very important role, and now has a decent place of honor in the gallery of masters of psychology.  His influence  on  the psychology of  the world  can not be overestimated.   Allport  refers to a rare  type of  systematizers, he  was  perhaps  the smartest  person  of those  who  engaged in the psychology of  personality,  a man  with imagination,  but the  most striking  feature of Allport  was  logical thinking.  Allport introduced  into  the psychology a lot  of new ideas, he smoothed out  the extremes  and  overcome the contradictions of  the science,  that is why he  can rightly be  called one  of the  dialectically-minded  psychologists. He was often  called   eclectic,  and he agreed  with  it,  specifying  that eclecticism  in this  sense  was  not a vice,  but a very  productive  method  of research. (Evans, 1971, p.19) Perhaps  few people  can be  compared  with him  on the number of  ideas  that are included  in textbooks  on  theories  of personality,  and  in  the main  body  of knowledge  of personality psychology.  Allport  was behind the  theory of  traits,  humanistic   psychology,  wrote the first textbook  on  the synthesis  of personality psychology,  has legalized  the introduction  to the academic  science  of qualitative  methods,  research problems  such as  personal  maturity, vision, self-actualization, religiosity.   He  did not make  discoveries or breakthroughs,  has not created a  school or any new paradigm,  but  in many respects  he  is credited with  creating  the psychology of personality  as a  particular subject  area  Ã‚  it  is no exaggeration to  call him the  architect of  personality psychology. During his lifetime Allport managed to get all kinds of honors: he was elected as the president of the American Psychological Association (1939), president of Society of the Study of Social Problems, received the award for outstanding contribution to science (1964), etc. But in his autobiography he admitted that among the  numerous scientific distinctions the most valuable to him was the prize given to him in 1963, a two-volume collection of works of 55 of his former graduate students with the inscription from the students with gratitude for the respect for their individuality. The list of Allports publications includes his reviews and prefaces to other peoples books, as he was engaged in the educational activity: he enriched the American science with ideas of personology of W. Stern, Psychology of the spirit of E. Spranger and Gestalt K. Koffka, W. Kohler and M. Wertheimer.  He was able to assess the significance for psychology of the ideas of existentialism, and supported the establishment of the Association of Humanistic Psychology.     Another distinctive feature of scientific style of Allport is to be always on the cutting edge of social issues of the time, because he wanted to study what was more important for people.  In many specific areas he has created articles and books: the Psychology of expressive movements, psychology radio, rumors psychology, psychology of war, the psychology of religion, and his 600-page work devoted to the nature of prejudice for almost 50 years remains the main source of the problem, and its relevance only increases. Gordon Allport Biography Gordon Willard Allport was born on November 11, 1897 in Montezuma, Indiana.  He was the youngest of four sons of John and Nellie Allport.  His father was a modest and not very successful doctor, his private clinic was situated within the walls of his own house.  Allports mother was a schoolteacher, and, most importantly, a devout and pious woman, and she thought the children of reasonable, orderly and virtuous life skills.  And the character of Gordon was formed largely under the influence of a strict, but humane maternal morality.   Gordon in 1915 went to Harvard, and from then began a half-century of his collaboration with Harvard University.  At Harvard, the intellectual abilities of Gordon turned in full force and gained focus.  In parallel with the psychology he dealt with social ethics from an early age his interest was divided between psychology and the broader social context, and not by accident in the 30 years he created at Harvard the Department of Social Relations, an interdisciplinary by its very nature, with synthetic approaches of psychology, sociology and anthropology.   A distinctive feature of the scientific outlook of Allport was a pretty big influence on him of European psychology, especially of William Stern, Eduard Spranger, and Gestalt psychology (in many respects this was caused by staying of young scientist in Europe in the early 1920s).  Influenced by these ideas, Allport, having been engaged in a 1920 in study of the issues of personality psychology, especially of personality traits and expressive movements, he quickly realized the need to consider the whole personality, rather than its parts. After returning  to  Harvard,  Allport  at the age of 24  wrote his doctorate  in psychology, but the key  ideas of  his work  were  presented  to them  a year earlier  in  the article  Personality  traits:  their classification and  measurement,  written jointly  with  his brother  Floyd, and  published  in the  Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. In the next two years Allport went to the internship in Europe first in Germany, where he worked with M. Wertheimer, V. Kohler, W. Stern, C. Stumpf, and then for a short time in England, at Cambridge.  Drawing on personal experience with work with masters of German psychology, he later at home has long been a leading expert in this area and the interpreter of their ideas. In 1924 he returned to Harvard, where he began to read a completely new course of personality psychology.  It is important to note that until then, many psychologists considered problems in the theory of personality not as psychological.  The final breakthrough in this area has occurred in 1937, after publication of the Allports major monograph Personality: a psychological study.  In it the author (by the way, long before the groundbreaking theory of Maslow) was first to study a healthy personality and described its essential features. Allports collection of works Personality in Psychology presents a wide range of his interests: health issues, religion and superstition, social prejudices, as well as the main methodological problems of psychology.  In his work, which was reflected in 12 books and more than two hundred articles, he tried to capture the complexity of human existence in the contemporary social context and resolutely refused to follow the fashionable tenets of his profession, demonstrating commitment to the imaginative and systematic eclecticism. During his career, Allport was awarded with almost all the regalia of a psychologist: he was elected president of the American Psychological Association (1939), President of the psychological study of social problems, in 1963 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the American Psychological Foundation, in 1964, APA received an award for outstanding contribution  in science.   Allports approach to personality Allport was the first in the world of psychology to build a holistic theoretical knowledge of the scientific psychology of personality.  His book Personality: a psychological interpretation, which was published in 1937, marked the beginning of the academic personality psychology.  Personality, by Allport, is a dynamic organization of psycho-physical systems of the individual, which defines a unique adaptation of the individual to his environment. (Allport, 1937) G. Allport theory of personality is a combination of humanistic and individual approaches to the study of human behavior.  Humanistic approach lies in an attempt to identify all aspects of human beings, and individual approach is reflected in an effort of G. Allport to understand and predict the development of the real, specific person.  One of the main postulates of the theory of G. Allport is that personality is open and self-developing.  People first and foremost are a social beings and therefore can not develop without contacts with other people and society.  Here comes the Allport rejection of psychoanalysis on the antagonistic, hostile relations between the individual and society.  In this case, G. Allport argued that the communication of personality and society is not striving for balance with the medium, but for networking and interaction.  Thus, he strongly objected to the generally accepted postulate that development is an adaptation, an adaptation of man to the outside world, arguing that human nature just need to blow up the balance and reach more and more new peaks.   Explaining human behavior, G. Allport introduced the concept of traits.  He defined the trait as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the neuropsychological structure capable of converting a set of functionally equivalent stimuli, and to encourage and guide equivalent forms of adaptive and expressive behavior.  Simply it is propensity to behave in a similar manner in a wide range of situations.  G. Allport theory states that human behavior is relatively stable over time and in diverse situations.  In the G. Allport system personality is characterized by traits, or defining characteristics. He proposed eight basic criteria for determining personality traits:   personality traits are real: they exist in humans, and are not theoretical abstractions;   personality trait is a more generalized notion than a habit; personality traits is the driving, or at least, a defining element of behavior, it motivates the individual;   the existence of personality traits can be established empirically;   personality traits is only relatively independent, as people tend to react to events and phenomena according to a generalized manner;   personality traits can not be associated with this individual moral or social assessment; the fact that actions and habits are inconsistent with the personality traits is not evidence of lack of that traits.   Allports Theory of Individual Trait and Common Trait Each person is an idiom unto himself, an apparent violation of the syntax of the species.   ( Allport G. Becoming: Basic Considerations for a Psychology of Personality,1955, p.19).   G. Allport pointed general and individual traits.  The first include any characteristics peculiar to some number of people within a particular culture.  Individual traits represent characteristics of the individual, which does not allow comparison with other people, that are those neuropsychiatric elements that direct, manage and motivate a certain type of behavior.  This category of traits more fully reflects the personality structure of each individual.   Later G. Allport called individual personality traits as dispositions, and identified three types of them: Radical disposition.  Almost all human actions can be explained by the influence of inborn traits.   Central dispositions.  They do not dominate, but are the foundation of human individuality.   Secondary dispositions.  These traits are less visible, less generalized, less stable and therefore less suitable for the characteristics of personality.  For example, eating habits and clothing, etc.   G. Allport believed that personality is determined by the unity and integration of individual traits that give him originality.   The Proprium In 1950 Allport, however, introduced a new concept to replace the traditional I concept the notion of proprium.  A  Proprium by Allport is similar to what William James once explained as an area of I.  The main thing that has developed Allport in connection with the concept of the proprium and proprium structures of personality is periodization of personal development, based on seven aspects of proprium.   G. Allport identified seven stages of development of proprium from childhood to adulthood:    During the first three years child demonstrate three aspects: the sense of a body, a sense of continuous self-identity and self-esteem or pride. At the age of four to six years, there are two other aspects: self-identification and self-image. Between six and twelve years a child develops self-awareness, so that he can cope with problems on the basis of rational thought. In adolescence, there are intentions, plans and long-term goals, they called their own aspirations. So,  in  an adult  individual we can see  a person  whose  determinants  of behavior  is  a system  of organized  and  congruent  traits, these  traits  resulted from many different motivations of a  newborn.  Normal  individuals  usually know  what  they are  doing and why.  This  behavior is consistent with  congruent  pattern,  and  at the core  of this pattern  lie traits that  G.  Allport  called  proprium.  Complete  understanding of  the adult  is not possible without  considering his  goals  and  aspirations. Motive and Functional Autonomy According to Allport, the core of the personality are the motives of activity.  In order to explain the nature of motivation, he introduced the concept of functional autonomy, which means that the motivation of the adult is not functionally connected with his childhood experiences.  Motives of human activity do not depend on the initial circumstances of their occurrence.   Thus, adults are responsible for their deeds and actions, and do not depend on the vicissitudes of childhood. Motives  of adults  can not, according to  Allport,  result  from their  childrens  intentions and perceptions,  and  these goals  are determined by  the current  situation  and  current intentions.   Thus, functional  autonomy,  in the view of  Allport,  are motives of adults  which do not depend  on  their  childrens   experiences. Criticism of Allport Despite his  influence in  psychology,  theory of  Allport  has not received  sufficient experimental  confirmation.  What is the empirical validity of the theoretical concept of personality in Allport?  Analysis of relevant literature shows that the Allports theory does not rise any study to confirm its validity.  With his views and concepts agreed only few well-known authors in the field Personology (Maddi, 1972).   Allports position,  emphasizing the  uniqueness of the human  personality, as well as  the importance  of understanding   personal  goals  and expectations,  had a  significant  impact on  the views of  Abraham  Maslow,  Carl  Rogers  and  other members of  humanistic psychology.  Allport  work  on  personality theory  have played  a significant  role  in the renewed interest  of researchers in  this  subject.  His  idea of  produce  a very  strong impressionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  and  gives  impetus to  a number  of new theoretical and  applied  research  in contemporary  personality psychology. (Evans, 1971) Conclusion During the years of his long and highly productive career at Harvard University, Gordon Allport has done much to make research on the psychology of the individual of an academic importance.  Before his book Personality: psychological interpretation, the theory of personality problems in general was not considered as the subject of psychology.  G. Allport was one of the few psychologists who made a bridge between academic psychology with its traditions on the one hand, and rapidly evolving field of clinical psychology and personality psychology on the other.  This connection not only enriches sub-discipline discoveries, but also allows to set the intellectual continuity that is important for the future development of psychology.   Finally, the novelty of the position of G. Allport lies in the fact that he focused on the future and present, and rarely on the past.   Gordon Allport was a unique, proactive, integrated, forward-looking person, who left great theoretical material on the psychology of individual, and  influenced  many  scientists, their  views and  approaches,  as well as all   the science of psychology.

New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management

Why Do We Need Professional Human Resource Management in Retailing? Such terms as globalization, process management, and value-based management dominate the current discussion of management in retail co mpanies. There has been an increasing realization that people are one of a company’s key assets. Re- tail means working and serving customers in a direct, personal way. This calls for special actions from retail companies to fulfill the demands of an increasing num- ber of well-informed and sophisticated consumers.In view of all the c hanges in both national and international contexts, it is ab solutely essential to get the right people if a business is to be successful and sustainable. Retailing is a major labor-intensive industry sector. The refore, companies are continually challenged to re-organize and adapt their st ructures to become more efficient. The necessity for part-time workers, because of long store opening hours and peaks in the trading day/week, requires a flexi ble framework to optimize labor processes. Emotionally, the workforce needs orientation and vi sion in changing times.Human resource management (HRM) has to provide a â€Å"coach,† not only to organize, but also to support employees and m anagement mentally and p rofes- sionally in fulfilling their tasks in terms of future company goals. People are the driving force behind all transactio ns that occur in retailing outlets. In the future world of retailing, there will be an increasing need to adapt and change towards a more formative and proactive style of HRM. M. Krafft and M. K. Mantrala (eds. ), Retailing in the 21st Century: Current and Future Trends , DOI 10. 007/978-3-540-72003-4_16, ? Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010 257 258 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick Changes Changes in Retail The formats of retailing have been evolving continuously over the last 100 years, and individual retailers have changed tremendously in the products they sell and in the man ner in which they operate. Retailing of lifestyle products impacts directly on the changing culture of our societies—one has only to think of the introduction of the Sony Walkman or the Apple I-Pod to grasp the international range of con- sumer needs.In order to provide an expanding product and service range, retail has had to alter and amend its approaches to satisfy ever more voracious and in- creasingly sophisticated consumers. For several years, retailers have had a promi- nent role in today’s society in their capacity as employers: the retail industry em- ploys one in nine of the UK workforce, for example (Gilbert 2003). Nearly two thirds of employees are female. Therefore, special concepts in HRM are require d to allow for the compatibility of work and family.Gilbert (2003) also points out that: â€Å"[T]he retail sector has had a reputation for not supporting its employees and for having lower pay and longer hours than other sectors. † Future HRM h as to find a practical ap proach that will lead to the right balance of companies’ and employees’ needs in terms of pay ment and hours for the workforce, and service guarantees for their customers. The developments in many European countries show the changing attitudes of young university graduates for whom retailing now provides modern and attractive career pro spects.However, retailing is still far from the first choice for top graduates and this needs to change. Environmental factors such as economic, social, political, cultural, and demo- graphic developments are driving the rapid changes in the retail business. Retail management and HRM departments have to be aware of all these changes. Some of the environmental factors are described below. New Forms of Trading New trading formats have been the lifeline allowing businesses to gain and sus- tain competitive advantage. New t rading form ats are constantly appearing at both ends of the spectrum.Higher margin goods, sometim es even with designer labels, have coexisted with the increasing demand for more aggressive pricing such as that app lied by hypermarkets, off-price retailers, and hard discounters. Often, consumers switch from smaller local stores to supermarkets, and increas- ing numbers of consumers are using new channels for Internet and TV shopping. The international press reports the continuing success of new fo rms of online retailing (e-tailing) in Europe and the USA, as well as rapid changes in Eastern Europe and Asia in use of the Internet.Within these trading formats, new pro- fessions, working careers, and functions are developing very fast. To succeed, HRM has to recognize and manage these changes in retailing human resource requirements. Exchange of knowledge is one of the basic prerequisites: For ex- New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 259 ample, the German retailer METRO Group is installing software that will allow knowledge shar ing with sy stematic tr ansfer of all n ecessary infor mation and skills to METRO Group sites throughout the world.It is imperative for a retailer to co llect and struct ure all exper ience and knowledge fro m d ifferent staffs, stores and country-markets. The challenge in the future for retail company man- agement i n general and HRM in particular will be t o ensure t hat th e right knowledge is available at the right time and in the right place. Consumer Behavior Closely aligned with the expansion of new trading formats are the changing needs of consumers.Increasing social acceptance of women in the labor force has led to the emergence of a new l ifestyle and changed consumer purchasing patterns over the last seve ral decades (Gilbert 2003). Present-day consumers are m ore experi- enced, more aware of their important role in the business, and more self-confident than previous generations. Further, as international retailers have found out, there is a great need for retail chains to adapt to ‘local’ ways, so as to fulfill regional needs and shopping habits, especially in the food business (e. g. , see c hapter by Mierdorf, Mantrala and Krafft in this book).Technology Let us consider what retailing looked like 20-30 years ago: little or no EPOS tech- nology, electro-mechanical tills, paper-driven accounting, checking and co mptom- eter systems, perhaps enhanced by a ‘Kim ball tag’ system to aid stock replenish- ment. Thirty years ago there were not even many supermarkets—self-service was just appearing over the horizon for some modern retailers in the 1960s and 1970s. The advent of increasing computerization in the late 1970s started to affect busi- nesses as they adapted to possibilities that began to open up through IT-supported working practices.Processes for controlling, distribution, payroll, accounting and, especially, merchandise management systems started to be aut omated during the early 1980s. E DI, scanning, and bar-coding were im plemented—after he avy IT investments—to lower costs and increase accuracy levels. Many organizations were downsized and refocused as these manual processes were converted to more cus- tomer-focused activities and professional supply chain management. Structural Trends and Competition In Europe and USA, retailing is characterized by increasing rates of market con- centration.This is caused by shareholders’ requirements for more cost-effective operations, mergers among suppliers, and the growth of technology. Future retail- ers have to be fast and flexible in making decisions about worldwide sourcing and selling. This calls fo r people to acquire skills and competencies that will allow them to compete successfully in both national and international contexts. Interna- 260 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick tional HRM has to consider different ways of working with people: in many Euro- pean countries, HRM departments have to cooperate with works councils, which influence companiesà ¢â‚¬â„¢ management thinking.HRM has the role of developing and defining human working processes fai rly an d prov iding for capability-oriented working conditions. Germany’s political debate about the consequences of capital- ism in 2005 shows the need for companies to act and communicate on the basis of consistent and balanced argumentation. HRM needs executives who are familiar with developments going on in a society, shifts in cultural values and behavior. To be competitive in global markets, many organizations reduce staffing levels and change to automated processes to lower costs.Beyo nd this, h owever, more pro- gressive ret ailers, s uch as Carrefour, M ETRO G roup and Wal-Mart, have ex – panded their offerings: they have i nvested heavily in new product ranges, new trading f ormats, and joint v entures, o r i n shapi ng an d spreading t heir bra nds. Merely cutting investments, e. g. , in the sales force, or opening stores around the world per se i s not enough to meet the demands of the new retail age. A clear strategy, stable and IT-supported processes, and correct allocation of financial and management resources are needed for international success the future. Globalization of SourcingSourcing from overseas vendors gathered momentum with the conclusion of trad- ing agreements with, for example, the Peop le’s Republic of China and grants of ‘favored nation’ status. Manufacturing’s importance has decreased enormously in most W estern countries since the em erging Asi an â€Å"t igers† a nd l ess expensive Eastern European manufacturers began to dominate the supply of goods, espe- cially, nonfood goods, to the industrialized countries. Consequently, in the West, distribution has become one of t he most promising sources of improved margins as new technology drives down the cost of logistics.However, with globalization of sourcing, it has become imperative to develop special strategies to enable the headqu arters workforce to be aware of international processes, markets, and com- petitors. Further, domestic retail companies anywhere have to also stay on top of emerging global trends. Companies that plan to enter new foreign markets have to carefully consider local cultures, religious values, and national laws in developing their new market entry strategies. All the developments mentioned above are stron gly interrelated.Retail man- agement and HRM have to jointly examine all these change s to m ake adequate and appropriate adaptations to organizational structures, systems, and processes. Changing Role of HR Departments HR departments—originally called payroll departments, then relabeled staff man- agement, followed by another m etamorphosis to personnel and then to human resource management—have been in the vanguard of change management in re- New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 261 tailing. Many companies have recognized that HRM is an essen tial componen t in achieving long-term success, and not just a means of recruiting workers.Areas such as the recruitment process, selection, induction, retention, performance moni- toring and evaluations, staff training, development and motivation. Decision mak- ing, and re-sourcing for expansion will continue to demand the professionalism of HRM workers. Personnel in different kinds of businesses have to adapt and change in response to emerging trends. The international HRM professional has to think globally, while rem aining ab le t o fu lfill lo cal asp irations. This i dea is based on Geert Hofstede’s theory of cultures. He turned the well-known slogan, â€Å"Think globally, act locally† into: â€Å"Act g lobally, think locally. A major task of th e international HRM professional is to provide expertise in terms of interpretations of the local laws and working practices, so as to offer practical steps for successful operation of the international retailer. Building the Future à ¢â‚¬â€œ HRM Challenges for Retailers Retailing means working in a g lobal con text but sim ultaneously adjusti ng to local needs. We describe below some international challenges to HRM in retail which are connected with national and local requirements. As mentioned above, major retail com panies have decided to invest globally to en sure greater po ten- tial for sustainable growth.Several ret ailers have identified internationalization as a huge oppor tunity for growth. In 2006, about 50 % of the METRO Group’s employees work ed ou tside Germany. Th e Am erican retail g iant Wal -Mart, France’s Carrefour, and United Kingdom’s Tesco are thr ee more organizations that are aggressively pursuing international expansion. This immediately gives rise to qu estions that require answers in every ar ea of operati on. An swering these questions is key to successful transformation of a national business model into an international one.HRM strategy builds on the business stra tegy of the firm. The HR persons in charge have to be b usiness partners for management, providing strategic and practical operational solutions in the form of HR concepts or staffing solutions based on thorough know ledge of the bu siness. Wal -Mart’s initial attempt at expansion in Germany failed—as did Marks and Spencer’s—because neither of these companies appreciated the nuances of German retail culture, underestimat- ing local competition and, especially, the price sensitivity of German customers.Carrefour’s for ays i nto the United Kingdom lik ewise end ed with a strategic retreat. As long ago as in 1989, Dawson stated that: â€Å"Retail is a response to cul- ture†Ã¢â‚¬â€and the HRM function plays a c rucial role in assisting corporate man- agement understand and adapt to local cultures. For example, UK consumers’ resistance to th e use of self- scanners p rovided b y some retailers to r educe queues at checkou ts might have be en anticipated by HR managers interacting with local employees. 262 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen PickStrategic Tasks of HRM: Key strategic tasks of human resource management of an international retailer include: ? Assisting the retailer’s top managers who work well over 60 hours a week negotiating myriad complex issues in a competitive marketplace, cope with stress arising from quick changes, fierce competition, cost pressures, time management problems, and the need to make quick decisions. ? Keeping up to date with continuously developing technology and being able to optimize its usage so as to achieve the right balance between pro- ductivity gains and service gains.HR needs to find answers to the follow- ing question: How much technology can customers and the workforce han- dle in the store? ? Dealing with demography, e. g. , an aging workforce in Western Europe but predominantly young and inexperienced employees in other areas of the world, such as Asia and the M iddle East. Strategically, this poses one of the hardest challenges for HR professionals who are required to recruit and develop t alented st aff, offer t raining f or all age gr oups, ens ure a well- balanced age structure, and build up a working climate enabling employees of all ages to buy in and show suitable results. Cross-cultural recruiting and training: All cultures have their own unique practices and emphases, some of which are obvious while others are more subtle and harder to detect. HR departments need to be able not only to of- fer advice and professional preparation to local managers but also ensure that individuals appointed to these positions are aware of company policies as well as sensitive to the local culture. That is, in international settings, in- dividuals need both a common language and intercultural sensitivity. Identifying and retaining highly qualified, highly motivated individuals ready for international management appointments: The role of HRM is to prov ide an international assignment policy that takes into account individual prob- lems of expatriates, works around and supports family integration abroad. Operational Tasks of HRM: Some key HRM tasks that have to be fulfilled to enable the workforce to meet the needs of customers nationally and internationally include: ?Reshaping and r estructuring the workforce so as t o broaden their e xperi- ence by the acquisition of n ew skills: Developments like automatic stock replenishment, new methods of conducting transactions, and alterations to the way goods are displayed, have increased retailer employee training re- quirements. Also employees must learn to serve increasingly litigious con- sumers wh ile main taining h igh productivity wh ich is essen tial in h igh- volume, l ow-margin e nterprises.P rofessional human reso urce m anagers must train employees on how to balance these oft-conflicting demands for high staff-productivity and great customer service. New Challenges in Retail Hu man Resource Management 263 HR Challenges General Conditions ?Company Strategy ?Added Value Management ?Change Management ?Recruitment and Retention ?Employability and Lifelong Learning ?Corporate Governance ?Technology / IT Infrastructure Fig. 1. Challenges and General Conditions for HRM ? The critical resource of most businesses is no longer financial capital, but rather their employees (Barber, Strack 2005).Consequently, identifying and gathering the data for human capital valuation and assessment of the return on human resource investments is an important task for HR managers. ? HRM itself must develop, moving from being a ‘personnel’ department to its new role as a strategic business partner and building the basic structural foundation that will enable companies to organize and optimize their return on human resources. The emerging trends that persistently need HR attention currently include some of the areas discussed below.We m ake a di stinction between HR chal lenges and general conditions (Figure 1). In the case of HR challenges HRM has direct influ- ence, while general conditions are contingencies within which HRM has to oper- ate. This list is not exhaustive, but looks at some selected current trends and needs. Current HR Challenges ? Company Strategy. HRM has to adapt its entire program to the company’s overall vision and strategy. It is known that organizations with good human capital management generally create substantially more shareholder value than other companies.The significance of human capital is especially visi- ble in the case of a merger. The success of a merger depends much more on the competencies of the staff and m anagement than on other aspects, such as finance, IT, and production. Hax and Majluf (1991) feel that it is there- fore essential for well-planned practices and highly efficient HR functions to be aligned with the business of the company concerned. An HR strategy must be ‘com prehensive’ in the sense of addressing all the different per- sonnel and HR activities central to the long-term development of the firm’s businesses.HRM departments have to conceptualize and structure business 264 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick plans with detailed operations extending from the current to the future state of strategy, organization, and action. These must be based on the organiza- tion’s mission and common values. ? Added Value Management. This confronts HRM with the critical q uestion of what actions add m easurable value to the business. There is less cer- tainty about the central direction and more about committed management setting the right tone within the organization for defined values to flourish.Commitment in the form of personal engagement and belief in the organi- zation and its concepts is important. HRM has to support this by elaborat- ing concepts and criteria for their evaluation, some of which should be re- vised annually. The following behavioral aspects of the workforce should be included in the HRM concept: ? Personal Honesty and Integrity ? Self-Motivation and Entrepreneurial Style ? Ability to Communicate the Values and Benefits ? Encouraging Others to Want to Work with the Company and Share its Values; Pride in the Company Training and Developing, Coaching, and Mentoring ? Change Management. The most important drivers for change are globaliza- tion, technology, and a workforce that is in creasingly knowledge-based. Ulrich has stated that there is a need to redefine firms’ performance less in terms of cutting cost and more in terms of profitable growth (Ulrich 1997). Managers have to be able to make changes happen of their own volition and also to support the company in its drive for sustained success. Manag- ers have to be able to empower their own staff.Moss Kanter (1989) states that it is only through true empowerment that staff will really contribute to the changing needs of a busi ness, since they will then be doing things be- cause they understand them and for the right reasons, thinking and reflect- ing on the changes and t heir likely impact, and above all feeling at ease with the implementation of change. Change management recognizes the need to reflect on t he manager’s role in the management of cha nge, the identification of problems, and the ability to make changes in either a pro- grammed or a no nprogrammed manner.HRM has to take accoun t of the risks required for the achievement of change in the company. ? Recruitment and Retention. Employee recruitment and selection is one the most vital HR functions. However, the retail industry is faced with difficul- ties in attracting highly educated people. Nonetheless there is a po sitive trend for change. The challenge for HRM is to show the attractiveness of the retail sector a nd ensure that appropriate training and careers are avail- able, so that this sector can take a leading place in t he competition for availab le talent.Retail has recently been promoting opening up access to its workforce by declared rejection of discrimination on the grounds of gender New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 265 or race, and, lately, also by employing more elderly persons. It is also nec- essary to build up programs for part-time workers. The ability to value di- versity within the workforce is a strength, provided that this is backed up by continuous training and correctness. Many organizations run courses on this aspect, usually under the title of ‘Inc reasing Self-awareness,’ as t he ability to understand one’s impact on others is a powerful skill.Next, reten- tion focuses on the goal of keep well-performing staff in the company. This depends not only on interesting work, fair compensation, and a motivating climate and management culture, but also on transparent and achievable ca- reer paths combined with a supportive management that provides guidance. ? Employability and Continuing Education. This is a major area of challenge to most employers, but especially those who employ large numbers of staff, as retailers do. Staff have to take retraining in order to adapt to a constantly changing external environment.It is a question of mind-set, working envi- ronment, and attitude towards self-responsibility. The future will be charac- terized by the following needs, amongst others: ? The need to handle increasing complexity. ? The need f or co ntinual enh ancement of th e ma nagement skill sets known as ‘Life-Long Learning,’ i. e. the ability to adapt to changing en- vironments, challenges and technology. ? The need for a positive attitude to newly emerging opportunities: Manag- ers themselves have to become life-long learners.This is of particular im- portance to the changing generations. The process can be aimed, for ex- ample, at obtaining further business qualifications, such as an M BA, a marketing diploma, or HRM qualifications, or atte nding training courses on key skills, such as lead ership, or personal development workshops. Some universities are now of fering master’s degree courses on wor k- based learning in which projects are directly related to the learning envi- ronment of the individual s tudent’s workplace.Analysis of actual workproblems can be counted as a credit toward an MA o r an MSc. Classroom training fostering positive acceptance of new structures, top- ics, and technologies is necessary. ? The need to communicate regularly and precisely, and transmit meaning and values: While the company will provide support, it will be the indi- vidual managers who have to ‘drive’ their own learning and that of others in periods of intense change, often using technology such as video con- erencing or E-l earning/blended learning to pursue their studies. HRM needs to consult with managers on how best to use modern methods. ?The need for creative management: This can be the way to bring new insights into common view or to introduce new issues as an area for the HRM specialist to develop. Many managers are locked into their own reality or their own version of their world, allowing themselves to be trapped into a mind-set of either success or self-perpetuating failure. One 266 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick f the keys to successful business growth is for managers not to allow themselves to be trapped in a ‘psychic prison’ (Morgan 2001) of t heir own making, causing them always to see retail in one dimension only. Current General Conditions ? Corporate Governance. The recent case of Enron and the difficulties faced by retailers such as Sainsbury suggest that the governance of these organi- zations was grossly at fault in permitting the excessive amounts of power vested in their chief executive officers (CEOs).The nonexecutive directors seem to have abdicated their duties in not restraining the CEOs in their riskier schemes. Expansion, absolu te power, soaring costs, and misinterpre- tation of facts and figures appear to have gone unchecked and a tacit acqui- escence to have been entered into, presumably with the goal of presenting stakeholders with a picture that was m ore positive than the reality. As th e impact of the backlash is always difficult to predict, it is likely that HR di- rectors will become more closely involved in the careful examination of candidates’ integrity and suitability for high office.It is likely that this will slow t he decision-making process within t he board e nvironment, b ut i t might be a small price to pay for a more responsible environment acting in the best interests of all parties. HRM needs to motivate the entire staff of their company, to observe and evaluate the ‘political’ situation within the company, and to react in a n appropriate way that ca n influence the re- tailer’s level of success. HRM has the opportunity, and therefore the duty, to influence national and international codes of corporate governance. ? Technology/IT Infrastructure.In some of the ne w and emerging m arkets management has to decide whether to implement a total system with all branches totally aligned with the parent company. It can be prohibitively expensive for a branch at the periphery of the organization to lock into a global IT infrastructure that is geared to operations in Western countries where labor costs are very much higher. Retailers operating internationally rely on com mon platforms and IT structures; the decision to be m ade is when is the time right for investments? A major change in retailing in the future will be the worldwide use of RFID technologies.The success of the METRO Group in developing and running their â€Å"Future Store† in R heinberg as a tigh tly controlled experi- ment has ha d a strong impact on t he application of new technologies in ‘real business,’ since METRO Group has shared the results with industry and with its wholesalers, as well as its IT and logistics providers (see, e. g. , chapter by Kalyanam, Lal a nd Wolfram in this book). The scientific re- search involves customers’ reactions to the new shopping methods, and possibly also staff training in the use of intelligent technologies and intro- ductions to available information and changing processes for customers.New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 267 In conclusion, there has been, and continues to be, a great deal of activity sur- rounding staff appraisal. The management of progression, or performance moni- toring, continues to exercise HRM professionals, who wish it to be as fair as pos- sible to individuals, but also want the company to obtain maximum benefit from the exercise. While the strategy should be systematic, it also needs to be continu- ous, with a fully im plemented set of key me trics.A full look at each individual’s future, which can be a position as well as a set of personal go als, should be carried out at regu lar intervals. HRM professionals must ensure that line managers can perform this function. Next, we discuss approaches that address current HR challenges in retailing. HR Challenges General Conditions ?Company Strategy ?Added Value Management ?Change Management ?Recruitment and Retention ?Employability and Life-long Learning ?Corporate G overnance ?Technology/ IT Infrastructure Structure Motivation Fig. 2.Approaches to Challenges and General Conditions for HRM Approaches to HR Challenges in Retailing Practice Building up and Keeping Motivation As indicated in Figure 2, HRM has to en sure that the workforce is motivated and trained to satisfy consumers’ needs. Retailers have to develop the employee value proposition. This means an attractive position with the fulfillment of employee needs and expectations and achievement of a go od, unique image in terms of re- cruiting and keeping human capital. We list below some approaches to retaining an adequate sales force. HR quality cannot be assured without investment.Such investment has to be justified in economic terms and must therefore be constantly monitored: ? Planning the HR costs and expenditures for the annual business budget and forecasts ? Supplying key data needed for planning the workforce at all levels and providing benchmark data on key performance indicators, such as average working hours per store opening hour, turnover per w orking hour, profit per working hour 268 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick ? Elaboration of systems to measure the work involved in and results of HRM (training investment per employee, rate of internal job placements, etc. ? Providing common and communicated values of the com pany to give the workforce a strategic framework and common mind-set ? Creating a transparent internal job market ? Offering the staff a perspective for the future and clear career paths ? Flexible models of working times, such as part-time working concepts , an- nualized hours contracts, and balancing of profession and family with the aid of sabbaticals ?Ensuring adequate processes, tools, and budget to allow for members of the workforce to achieve their objectives and ambitions Continuing education of ex ecutives and employees within actual training programs and a corporate university ? Training the workforce in soft skills and mentoring to ensure proper align- ment of their values with the company’s values and beliefs ? Initiation of an employee suggestion/inquiry system to improve the process of cooperation ? Recruitment of talented graduates from exchange programs with universi- ties worldwide ? International education within internal exchange programs, with p artici- pants from different countries ? Apprenticeships and e ducations in new professions to build up t he best workforce Sharing company success with e mployees (incentive systems at all sta ff levels, based on parameters that are accessible to employees) ? Offerin g fringe benefits, such as discounts for shopping at the employer’s stores, company cars, equity programs, retirement arrangements, company nursery/kindergarten, and other social benefits. The Future of HRM and Final Remarks Most employees spend a substantial amount of time at work. Some people there- fore consider their job decisions on joining a retail company or some other indus- try in the cont ext of social environment.HRM has to kee p an eye on s uch con- straints, as the retail trade is anxious to attract the best employees. Future HRM will concentrate on supporting management and workforce and outsource admin- istrative tasks to contractors. In future, there will be more intensive collaboration New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 269 and networking with external parties. New professions in retail, such as that of IT specialist, are developing. HRM must also place greater emphasis on ethical work- ing conditions, safer working environments, and equal-opp ortunity policies (end- ing sex/age discrimination, inclusion of minorities, etc. . In any company, HRM has to build up trust and commitment among all persons working in that organiza- tion. Continued reliance on traditional processes is d efinitely no longer a recipe that pr omises much success. HR m anagement has t o a ssure fast a nd market- oriented actions that are appropriate to complex market situations. HRM will have to set priorities on the HR strategy and its realization, but will be viewed on the operational side more in the role of a serv ice center. In future, the issue of management development will gain even greater importance.To sum up, HRM has to be aligned with the business strategy of the company, to work in keeping with all of its corporate objectives, and to be prepared not only to help in implementing all changes necessary but also to instigate and be at the vanguard of change programs. Further, HRM should be aware of employee inter- ests within the organizatio n yet conscious of its place as the ‘power house’ when controversial business decisions, such as downsizing, have to be implemented. Lastly, it plays a key role in ensuring that constant retooling and retraining takes place in the operation to meet ever-evolving challenges.Life-long learning should be an integral part of any business, to enable it to respond to its rivals’ activities with fresh initiatives within the company. HRM specialists have to ensure the long-term performance of â€Å"their† retail or- ganizations. It is a big challenge for HRM to meet the future needs, and the task is wide ranging. How well HR managers perfo rm th eir fu nction will determin e whether a reta iler registers a sustainable success in the future. We have tried to show in this chapter the comprehensive and central role of HRM in retailing.Re- tail has been and will continue to be an exciting field of business throughout the world. The main function of the retail sector i s to wo rk with and for people all over the world, so that retail has the chance to give people interesting and fulfill- ing workplaces.References Barber, F. and Strack, R. (200 5): The Surp rising Economics of a â€Å"People Business†, in: Harvard Business Review June 2005, pp 81-90. Davies, G. (1999): The Evolution of Marks and Spencer. Service Industries Journal. 19, 3, 60-73. Dawson J. A. (2001): Strategy and opportunism in European retail internationalisation Brit- ish Journal of Management, 12, 253-266. Dawson, J. A. (2000): Retailing at Century End: some challe nges for management and re- search. International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 10, 119- 148. Gilbert, D. (2003): Retail Marketing Management, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall. 270 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick Hax, A. and Majluf, N. (1991): The Strategy Concept & Process. A pragmatic Approach, Prentice Hall. Mellahi, K. , Jackson T. P. and S parks, L. (2002) : An explor atory stu dy into failure of a successful organisations: the case of Marks and Spencer, British Journal of Man age- ment, 13, 15-29. Morgan G. (2001): Images of Organisation Sage, London Moss Kanter R. (1989): When giants Learn to Dance Simon & Schuster, London Seth, A. and Randall, G. (1999): The Grocers: the rise and rise of the supermarket chains, London: Kogan Page, Social Science Research, 24, 28-62. Ulrich, D. , Losey, M. R, Lake G. editors (1997): Tomorrow’s HR Management New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Ulrich, D. (199 7): Human Resources of the Future: Conclusions and Observ ations, in: Tomorrow’s HR Management, edited by Dave Ulrich, Michael R. Losey et al. , 354-360, John Wiley & Sons.

Gun Control Essay

Under federal law people with felony convictions, fugitives from justice, dishonorably discharged from the military, illegal aliens in the United States, or convicted of domestic violence, and restraining orders are permitted from purchasing firearms. This also includes the purchase of firearms using false statements. According to (May, 2005) â€Å"a police officer found guilty of domestic violence was reissued his firearm, because the judge stated the conviction created a manifest injustice†. This illustrates how judges in certain situations overrule the domestic violence laws, which are federally regulated. This reasoning can avoid police officers in this case from losing their firearms and their employment. This can also lead to a judge’s decision to continue to put citizens in danger. Restricting gun access can decrease homicides by firearms. Some private dealers legally sell guns at gun shows, and do business from their homes without proper background checks. This result can lead to convicted felons and suspected terrorists purchasing firearms without a background checks. Imposing harsher sentencing on illegal gun dealers, who distribute firearms without background checks, can impact they way firearms are being distributed. This would also provide for safer streets. Prior to transferring a firearm for purchase, The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) does a background check on all person(s) prior to purchase. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) accesses the (NICS), which determine if a person(s) who are prohibited from purchasing a firearms. The effect of illegally purchasing firearms is that, the firearms end up in the hands of criminals. This subsequently leads to firearms used in serious crimes, which causes harm and ultimately resulting in the death of a person(s) and at times innocent bystanders. This also affects the way law enforcement does their jobs to protect the public. The National Rifle Association (NRA) opposes gun control. The (NRA) views gun control as a violation of the Second Amendment, which state, â€Å"A militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed†. Firearms protect citizens from harm and even life threatening situations. The firearms purchased legally by honest American citizens, to protect themselves and their properties can deter crime and save lives. As a deterrent to violent crimes, American citizens who have purchased firearms legally have deterred crime against themselves, and their property. This has also prevented citizens, who carry firearms legally from becoming victims of serious violent crime and saving their lives thwarting of attacks. Gun control provides safety to citizens. Communities are safer places knowing that responsible American citizens are purchasing firearms legally. Not all people who purchase firearms use them to protect themselves and their property. Some people legally use firearms for the sport of hunting during certain times of the year, which is legal. Hunting related deaths by firearms are statistically are lower, than firearm related homicides each year. The people who purchase firearms legally provide positive reinforcement to public safety. The benefit of having safety features on firearms is that safety features save lives, and prevent accidental deaths. In regard to children who stay in homes where firearms are located, there are immediate dangers that present themselves. One of the dangers is that young children do not know the difference between a real firearm, and a fake firearm. Some young children are strong enough to pull a trigger. According to the (CDC, 2004) â€Å"accidental shooting deaths are most commonly associated with one or more children playing with a gun they found in the home†. Safety is very necessary, for those people who have firearms around young children to teach, and practice safety precautions. There is the need to teach safety precautions even if people do not own a firearm. Young children may need to know the dangers of firearms where ever they go. There is a possibility that they may encounter a firearm at someone else’s home. To ensure the protection of children, certain safety measures need to be under consideration. All firearms should be safely secured, and locked up. Firearms should not be accessible to children or other unauthorized personnel. The ammunition needs to be stored, and securely locked up properly. The use of trigger locks can also provided for safety. Some gun manufacturers, such as Smith and Wesson are providing safety features on their firearms. The additional safety feature would include childproof trigger locks on firearms. This is an additional form of safety for gun owners with children in their homes. This can also lead to a decrease in injuries and accidental deaths amongst children. The National Rifle Association (NRA) opposes additional safety features on firearms. The (NRA) argues new legislation laws on additional safety features, means the federal government will add more restrictions, and regulations for safety features. This would ultimately put some gun manufacturers out of business. This would also cause extra burdens for law-abiding citizens who seek to buy and sell firearms. The (NRA) also argues the new legislation laws would infringe on the â€Å"Second Amendment†, and the right for law-abiding citizens to bear arms. The impact on the homicide rate from firearms, can attest to the dangers caused by firearms being illegally purchased. The illegal use of firearms can increase the homicide rate. When criminal minded individuals can access guns illegally, the outcome of that purchase usually results in someone getting injured or being killed by that firearm. The deaths from firearms are rear in some countries compared to the United States. This can be a result of the population in other countries or the gun laws. However, the United States has seen a decrease in homicides by firearms. This can attest to new legislation laws being passed, strict regulations on gun manufacturers, and gun being kept from criminals by way of proper screening through database in which The Federal Bureau of Investigations, State police, and local authorities have access to. The rate of suicides and accidental deaths from the use of firearms attribute to gun not being securely stored in house-holds. There were over 31,000 firearm deaths in the United States in 2005. Firearms deaths were at an all time high in 2005. [pic] The (CDC, 2005) concludes that â€Å"suicide remains the highest cause of death by firearms†. According to (Hemenway, 2007) â€Å"One of the strategies for reducing firearms suicides is the removal of the firearm from the home, where there adolescents, and young adults. Children are also victims of accidental gun deaths. This can also be attributed to excessive guns in the communities and areas where children frequent such as schools, and playgrounds. The impact of firearm safety and training is also important in reference to saving lives. There are numerous gun training and safety organizations to help the law abiding citizens, with gun safety or self defense. Some organizations include the National Rifle Association (NRA), and Front Site Firearm Training Institute. Since firearms injuries affect children and teenagers classes are taught to children. This would help the children learn the dangers of guns and to stay away from guns. This would also help children identify and report any guns found or not safely secured. The increase in firearm deaths amongst children is on the rise. The lack of awareness can be fatal to children not aware of the dangers of gunplay. Volunteer training can also can decrease firearm incidents. Firearm related incidents have an impact on health care. According to (Beasley, Theodore March 2006) â€Å"firearms injuries are a major public health issue, with a significant impact on society in both economic and human terms†. The medical cost of gun violence put a burden on health service providers. The effect factors in mental health, rehabilitation, legal, and judicial cost. The cost of gun violence in the United States can range from 100 billion dollars annually. Gun control provides for safer schools and communities. In the wake of the Columbine shooting, and the shooting at Virginia Tech laws are being passed to make sure schools are safe for students to attend, and communities are safe for people to live in. To ensure communities and schools are safe, communities have to be a part of the process. This may include groups such as neighborhood watch, to report any illegal activity observed in the community or around schools especially where children frequent. Illegal activity such as drug dealing poses a high risk to children. This can attest the gun being involved which are used to protect drug dealers and their turf, which is ultimately the community the children play in. There are also gangs that factor into illegal activities. These gangs also protect the neighborhoods or turfs with guns. The dangers involved result in drive by shootings, which can injury or kill innocent individuals. They also recruit young children to participate in these gangs. This also exposes children to illegal activities, which include giving young adolescents firearms to protect themselves from rival gang members and to protect their turf. These high crime areas continue to involve individuals who obtain firearms illegally. Some poverty stricken neighborhoods see an increase in firearm violence, due to the environmental surroundings. This would include public housing projects, and other low income housing areas surrounded by drugs, prostitution, gangs, and illegal gun activity. These neighborhoods see an increase in violent crimes by firearms, such as assaults, robbery, and murder. This can also attest to the young adolescents that bring firearms to school. The men and women of law enforcement are also at risk against legally obtained firearms. This is because suspected criminals can be armed and dangerous. The dealers, who sell firearms without proper screening, put the public’s safety at risk. Law enforcement officers are not equipped for the type of gun power these criminals’ possess. Some criminals possess assault weapons, which are military style weapons. If the weapons get into the wrong hands of criminals, these weapons can impose at grave risk to law enforcement, often putting law enforcement in grave danger trying to protect the public. There are law enforcement officers that have die at the hands of firearms. This is a result of handguns and assault weapons being purchased by criminals. Law Enforcement deaths by firearms since 2005 [pic] National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund (2008) The law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty has declined since 2007. Law enforcement agencies adopted new safety measures to assure law Enforcement were better equipped to apprehend suspected criminals who carry deadly firearms. Do Americans citizens want guns illegally circulating in their community? Individuals and criminals purchase guns illegally every day.

Platos Philosophy in Apology - 1375 Words

PHL202H5 Plato s Philosophy in Apology Plato was known to be one of Socrates students, and knew him for over 40 years. Although Plato s version of Apology is popularly believed to be (the most accurate) historical recount of what happened in 399 B.C on the day of Socrates trial, historians cannot be sure the validity of everything he wrote. It can be argued that it is actually a philosophical work, remarking on the teachings of Socrates and his beliefs, which he stood by even until his death. Plato does attempt to develop a new mission for philosophy through this text. By writing Apology, Plato hopes to inspire deeper thinking amongst everyone. There are three main themes in Apology that seemed to show Plato and Socrates †¦show more content†¦Only after we accept our faults, can we go out and teach others. The only way to be wiser is to accept that neither of us know anything fine and good (21d). Socrates, when faced with the death penalty, goes back to the issue of knowing. He is not afraid of death because fearing death is nothing other than thinking one is wise when one isn t, since it s thinking one knows what one doesn t know. (29a) Because death is part of what we don t know, it could be neither positive nor negative. Many demigods gave up their lives for virtue, to fight for what they believed in. Socrates says he would rather follow in their footsteps; that death is better than having to be afraid of living as a bad man (28d). This philosophy on death makes us think that we cannot ever imagine what we don t know. It s argumentative whether it s unreasonable to fear the unknown, as fear is a human driven emotion. It can t really be compared to thinking one is wise when one isn t, because its knowledge does not lead to immediate engagement. Socrates perhaps readily accepts his fear of death, yet he has not fully vanquished it. The Virtuous Life vs The Unexamined Life Plato s perhaps greatest mission in making people realize what philosophy is lies in Socrates speech ....if I say it s the greatest good for a man to discuss virtue every day, and other things you ve heard me discussing and examining myself and othersShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Platos Apology On The Man Of Save The Day, But Not Himself1285 Words   |  6 PagesHimself An Analysis of Plato’s Apology Socrates, painted as a humble man who never had any of his own writings, and often speculated to be illiterate, is considered one of the major partisans of Western philosophy. Western philosophy is the philosophical thought of the western world. This idea proves to be quite accurate when considering Plato’s Apology, the apology of Socrates which is not really considered an apology but a defense. 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