Community Health Advocacy Project Essay

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS [2009]), says that for every dollar used in health care, less than $0.03 is spent in health prevention activities. Community and public health nurses are in position to actively participate in health promotion. This article will describe the terms community and aggregate, and the differences between these concepts. The author will identify an aggregate and describe it as a health issue. The second part will illustrate the three stages of a conceptual framework and the application as an advocate for the aggregate. Community A community is determined by the same rules, guidelines, and governmental laws. There are different types of communities: Geographic communities (same neighborhood, suburb, or city). Equally important is the community determine by culture, which includes the ethnics and religious groups, and disable, or fragile age people. The community includes several organizations and politic associations (Messing, 2009). Aggregate Is a group of individuals, families, and groups who are associated because of similar social, personal, health care, or other needs? Elders with depression within a society are an imperative aggregate in the community. The aggregate make up a community (Miller & Keane, 2009). Differences between Aggregate and Community When several aggregate are joined, it forms a whole. The aggregates are types  of communities, and the communities are types of aggregates. Both aggregates and communities are considered as a whole, but the aggregate is on a larger scale than a community. Moreover, the aggregates can be up of communities (Miller & Keane, 2009). Identification and Description of Aggregate Depression is a crucial public health problem and a frequent mental disorder found in elderly people. Elders are at an incredibly high risk of depression because more than 50% of older adults suffer two or more chronic health condition. By 2015, adults age 65 and older will increase up to about 20% of the population in America; and by 2050, the population more than 85 is expected to reach 19 million (U. S. Census Bureau’s, 2010). Depressed elders have the highest rates of suicide as compared to any other age group. The five percent of adult older suffer of depression and a high incidence of suicide is reported in this population (Naegle, 2011). In 2004, every 100,000 people age 65 and older, 14.3 died due to suicide. This is higher than the rate of about 11 per 100,000 in the general population. The statistics of depression are rapidly increasing in this population, and it is vital to identify the risk factors and implement actions to reduce these indicators (CDC, 2010). In Miami Dade County older Hispanic men who live alone reported to having the highest levels of depression. Other risk factors also are associated, such as physical disability, lack of family and social support, chronic diseases, or cancer (Russell & Taylor, 2009). In long-term care settings the percentage of residents with depression (9%) is less than the Florida (10%) and national average (15%). Identifying depression can be difficult in elderly people because the signs may be confused with the aging process, the medication’s side effect, and some medical conditions (Hospital Compare, 2010). Christoffel’s Three Stages of a Conceptual Framework This conceptual framework of Christoffel’s occurs in three stages (information, strategy, and action).The information stage includes the collection, description, and identification of data. The patterns of occurrence, risk, and defensive factors, effectiveness of the program in each level of prevention, and barriers to implement public health programs are just as important in this stage. The results of this stage are  materialized as data reports, journal articles, and other information’s tools (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2010). The strategy stage is aimed at the distribution and gathering of information to identify what must be changed. This involves the information to professionals and lay audiences, describing short term goals, building coalitions, and disseminates these aspects. The results of this stage include policy report, campaigns and public education, press conferences, strategy meetings, and other methods of information. The action stage explains the applicatio n of methods for example rising founds, the work with the organizations (local and government), and changes of individual and social patterns. The results of this stage include changes in attitudes, resource allocation; increase the social relations, policies, and procedures, which improve the positive results in public health (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2010). Christoffel’s Stages as Advocate in Older Adults with Depression The first stage (information stage) recognizes the problem: Older adults who are at a high risk of depression because they are associated with the incidences of chronic health conditions of the elderly population. The highest rates of suicide are reported in this age group. Every 100,000 people age 65 and older, 14.3 died by suicide in 2004. This is higher than the rate of about 11 per 100,000 in the general population (CDC, 2010). Miami Dade County has higher levels of depression reported in Hispanic men. Many risk factors are related to physical disability, lack of family and social support, and chronic diseases (Russell & Taylor, 2009). Furthermore, depression in older adults is frequently misdiagnosed and undertreated. One of the most imperative barriers to achieve competent effectiveness is the lack of nursing’s knowledge to assess depression in older adults. Moreover, frequent misdiagnosis due to fact that the signs and symptoms of depression are confused with the aging process, medication’s side effect, and some medical conditions (Hospital Compare, 2010). The second stage (strategy stage) contains the creation of short-term and a time frame goal is the first step to achieve the objectives of the project. This project includes numerous activities to implement new changes in this public health area. The dissemination of data throughout public forums (newspapers, magazines, websites, radio, and television) is vital in awakening the public’s attention on this issue. The creation of an association with the different stakeholders (patients, family, health care providers, insurance  companies, a nd other social institutions) is equally as important. Lastly, it is absolutely necessary to contact local governments, community services, and voluntary organizations to organize coalition to work in this issue. The third stage (action stage) is focused on the application of the strategies such as participations in local radio, television, and publishing articles in the local newspapers to disseminate the action plan. The implementation of an educational program focused on patients, families, and health care professionals is an important step in this stage. The educational program aimed at the health care professionals (nurses, social workers, and other professionals) should be supported by evidence-based results. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) will be used in this project; it is a proficient tool needed to assess depression in older adults. The National Aging Services will be contacted by the writer to obtain knowledge and support through the creation and implementation of the project. Finally to achieve the objectives it is imperative to create a multidisciplinary teamwork in the county to obtain an adequate social interaction, regulations, and legislation that permits the reduction of the asperity of this public health problem in Miami Dade County. To conclude this article demonstrated the traits of aggregate and community. This paper also characterized the Christoffel’s stages and how each stage can be applied to elders with depression. Thus, an action plan was established to improve the quality of care in this vulnerable population in Miami Dade County was described. References American Psychological Association. (2011). www.apa.org. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/depression.aspx Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved from http://www.CDS.gov/aging/mentalhealth/depression Hospital Compare. (2010). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved from http://www.CDS.gov/hospitalcompare.hhs.gov Messing, A. (2009). Panxenos: An outsider’s sociology of self. Human Architecture, 7(3), 155- 172. Miller, B. F. & Keane, C. B. (2009). Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (7th ed.). Saunders & Elsevier, Inc. Naegle, M. A. (2011, November). Detecting and screening for depression in older adults. American Nurse Today, 6(11), 18-22. National Center for Health Statistics. (2009). Nursing Home residents 65 years of age and over by age, sex, and race: Health United States 2009, tab 105. Nies, M. A. & Mc Even, M. (2011). Community/Public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Saunders. Stanhope, M. & Lancaster, J. (2010). Foundations of nursing in the community: Community- oriented practice. (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby/Elsevier. U.S. Census Bureau’s. (2010. Hospitals: A randomized trial. JAMA, 304(17), 1912-1918. Retrieve from http://www.http//2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/cb11-cn147thml

Foundations of Online Learning Essay

We are in an age where electronic devices have consumed our lives. You can’t even think of leaving your home or office without some kind of electronic gizmo. Think of how these electronic devices and technology have changed the way we think, computers and portable devices are doing all the thinking for us. Students today rely on these gizmos and have forgotten about the core fundamentals of learning and are not learning the basic skills. As you read through this research paper I will cover electronics in today’s schooling, lack of penmanship, social bearers, and online schooling. Walk into any school classroom today and they are filled with laptops, projectors, smart boards, and other electronic gizmos. Schools are relying more and more on technology to teach our students. There is nothing wrong with technology, but have strayed a way of teaching the basic fundamentals of spelling and writing. Computers today have embraced our classrooms with kids becoming accustomed to them in everyday life. Between September 1984 and September 1997 alone, the number of computers in America’s K-12 schools increased to more than 8 million units. By 2014 it is expected there will be over one billion computers available to students worldwide. In 1994 only 3% of schools had internet access, by 2005 that number had reached 94% and the ratio of students to instructional computers with Internet access in public schools was 3.8 to 1. Even with all these high tech gadgets, children still having to go to computer labs or the back of classrooms (Budig 2010). Books are starting to become a thing of the past as schools look to laptops, tablet, and eBook computers. Tablet computers allow a student to digitally write and erase their work, while allowing a student to also use it as a computer to do word processing, view books and search internet. A laptop just allows a student to do word processing, view books and the internet. Over the last couple of years a new device called an eBook has taken over. It is allowing schools to replace classroom books with one device, the average eBook can store over 160 books saving schools millions of dollars. California spends over 350 million annually on schools books and is looking to eBooks which cost only 300.00 (Tran 2009). Today kids are turning in their pencils for keyboards. Penmanship is starting to become a lost art as schools teach less writing and focus more on computer keyboarding. In 1995 adults were resorting to printing instead of cursive to make their correspondence understood. As of 2002 only a quarter of 12th grade students could write a decent essay. Even worse only 2 percent wrote really well (Brush 2011). In Canada children in first grade are expected to compose and edit simple text documents. By the third grade they are expected to type an email. â€Å"If it’s keyboarding vs. penmanship, I think penmanship loses out, just because of the packed curriculum. It’s something that you need time to do,† says Susan Whelehan, an elementary school teacher in Toronto (Schmidt, 2005). Students are relying more on computers today to do the work for them and practicing penmanship less. Social media and video games have taken over our lives and kids are interacting less with each other. Fifteen years ago kids would play outside and use their imaginations, today they sit in front of a TV or computer. On average 2-5 year old spend 32 hours a week in front of TV while 6-11 years old spend 28 hours (Boyse, 2010). According to the â€Å"Kaiser Family Foundation that for more than 7 1/2 hours a day, American children ages 8 to 18 are tethered to computers, plugged into MP3 players, watching TV or playing video, computer or handheld games — and for much of that time, doing several at once† (Healy, 2010). With all that time kids are also turning to sites like Facebook and MySpace. These sites are causing kids to stay in front of a computer which they are losing interaction with children and causing social barriers. Online learning has taken over the classroom with its flexibility to teach students. Schools have come a long way from the slide shows and reel-reel video, today they have turned to Computer Based Training (CBT) and Multi Media. In 2004 it was estimated that 37 percent of school districts had students taking technology-supported distance education courses. Today over a million high school students are enrolled in some kind of distant learning. CBT training has become a standard in training students from reading to math and has been very effective. CBTs give a student a fun way to learn without them knowing it. Flexibility is the key with CBTs. If students are having trouble in one area the program can focus more, if a student is excelling it can push the student harder. CBTs have become a great assessment tool for teachers and allows them more flexibility. Another great tool in the classroom has been slide shows and smart boards. Years ago teachers would print material out on transparencies and project them on screens. Today teachers can build slideshows which provide more detail and flexibility. When you incorporate a smart board this allows the ability of interaction with the slideshow. Over the past 20 years our learning environment has seen a complete over all. We demand information at our fingertips and on a moment’s notice. Electronic devices fill our daily lives from social media, information at our fingertips, and having them do simple tasks. We have become a nation that wants things easy. Our lives are disrupted if we can’t check Facebook every minute of the day. With that technology has done great things for our schools but has hindered some also. Students are relying on computers to do everything for them and we are losing key elements of learning. Penmanship, spelling, and grammar have been lost to word-processing. Teachers are being replaced to Computer Based Training, but with new technology changing everyday you never know what maybe robot teachers is next! References Schmidt, S. (2005, January 22). Keyboard threatens writing skills: For next generation. The art of cursive writing may be a dying one. The Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sr&csi=8422&sr=lni%284F9K-YHB0-TWD3-Y248%29 Budig, G. A. (2010, March 31). Technology an integral part of today’s education system. Retrieved from http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/mar/31/technology-integral-part-todays- education-system/ Tran, M. (2009, June 09). Arnold Schwarzenegger to scrap school textbooks in favour of ebooks. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/09/arnold-schwarzenegger-school-textbooks-ebooks Brush, D. C. (2011, September 06). Penmanship becoming a lost art. Retrieved from http://crossville-chronicle.com/opinion/x601175799/RANDOM-THOUGHTS-Penmanship-becoming-a-lost-art Boyse, K. C. (2010, August). Television and Children. Retrieved from http://crossville- chronicle.com/opinion/x601175799/RANDOM-THOUGHTS-Penmanship-becoming-a-lost-art Healy, M. (2010, August). Teenage social media butterflies may not be such a bad idea. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/18/science/la-sci-socially-connected-kids-20100518

Dramatic Tension in this final act Essay

Perplexed still, we get the impression that John Proctor wants his life but cannot stand having a guilty conscience. Elizabeth perhaps adds to his puzzlement, â€Å"I want you living John. That’s sure†. This is the first real emotion we have seen between them in the play. Elizabeth’s words finally persuades John to save himself, and as he confess’ Rebecca Nurse is brought in. Her presence makes John ashamed and guilty, especially when asked â€Å"Did you ever see Rebecca Nurse with the devil? † He is under immense pressure and when at last he is asked for his signed testimony we realise another factor as to why he took the ultimate sacrifice. â€Å"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I live and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave me my name! † The presence of Rebecca Nurse, a saint in his eyes, the importance of his name are all important factors as to why John Proctor gives up his life, but he also realises he will die a good man. It is the one good thing he can do for Elizabeth after all the pain he has caused her. There is a dignity in what he is doing for himself, Elizabeth and his own community. He is an important figure in his society and by standing up to the corruption and being brave enough he is truly doing the right thing but not just for himself. The last act shows John proctor’s emotions and his own physical bodily actions ‘in agony’, but when he tears up his false testimony his can stand up straight for the first time. His death will also bring redemption from his own guilt. He has made a statement as to how un-just and corrupt their justice system was, and by leaving behind a world of prosecution and pragmatism he has become a man of principle. In act four, John Proctor decides to give up his own life rather than confess to being with the devil falsely. We encounter Proctor as a different character, a martyr, almost Christ like. Procter wavers, and at one stage he wants his life, â€Å"I will have my life†, but at the last minute he tears up his confession to save his integrity. Arthur Miller builds up the tension in the last act by using the interaction of characters, language and stage directions. Arthur Miller reveals a character’s innermost thoughts and feelings. In comparison to Act two, when Elizabeth and John Proctor’s conversation had been confrontational and short plagued by the crime John had committed, in the last act when they meet for the final time, they act truly in love and this is portrayed by the stage directions given to the actors. John is described to be ‘weak of body’, but seems to be stronger here than at any other time in the play.

State Disaster Management System and Emergency Operation Center Essay

State Disaster Management System and Emergency Operation Center - Essay Example This is even without considering the effects of Hurricane Katrina from a few years ago. This essay is a brief on the operations (preparedness, emergency response and recovery) of the State Disaster Management System and the Emergency Operations Center in respect to hurricanes and flooding that usually accompanies such events. The first consideration for operations in the State Disaster Management System is optimizing it into a tiered response system that is compatible with the National Response Framework. This is not only a federal requirement (National Response Framework, 2008), but also an informed decision since the catastrophic effects of hurricanes are in many occasions beyond a state’s capacity. Cooperation between the state and the federal disaster response unit makes the response synergistic and more effective, unlike disjointed efforts. The next consideration in this essay is an early warning system and disaster preparedness. This will largely depend on effective communication and liaison which in this case will be facilitated by the state of the art Emergency Operations Center. The center will incorporate Information, Communication and Space Technologies (ICST) which bear wide-ranging applications for preempting, reducing and mitigating disaster such as hurricane and floods (Sahu, 2009). Liaising with weather forecast departments followed by efficient communication to residents will be optimized through the ICST system. The next step to consider is the emergency response in the event of a hurricane. Through the Emergency Operations Center, the extent of flooding at peak time in different geographical points will be established. This will be followed by a dynamic damage assessment since the disaster itself may be dynamic. Lastly, assessment of affected population and infrastructure will be done (ERS, 2010). This analysis will allow for a

Coke as a mainstay in fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC Personal Statement

Coke as a mainstay in fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC - Personal Statement Example Ever since I was a child, I remember drinking Coke every time I want to get instant refreshment. Coke is there during special occasions like parties and lunches. Furthermorer, it accompanies me even in my everyday undertakings. In fact, Coke is synonymous with refreshment to me. I just love the invigoration that consuming a can of Coke brings me. I drink it whenever I can-when I am stressed out, when I get too exhausted, and when I need an extra dose of caffeine to get me going. I associate Coke with words such as thirst quenching and more recently, with my quest to live a healthier lifestyle. No kidding. I have seen how Coke evolved. Starting from its claim of being a healthy and medicinal drink, it became a mainstay in fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC. The intense competition with Pepsi pushed it to reinvent itself to the protest of its loyal patrons. Thus, the new Coke was rebranded while the original formulation was fortunately retained in the market. The growing health consciousness among consumers urged Coca-cola to reinvent itself by offering better-for-you variants which utilized artificial sweeteners instead of sugar. Coke Diet, Coke Light and Coke Zero were launched in the market to the amusement and support of customers like me. Aside from getting rid of unhealthy sugar, this variant is fortified with vitamins, minerals and infused with green tea which suits my lifestyle. The evolution of Coca-cola did not change its promise of providing refreshment to its customers-in fact, it now gives more than that. After my decision of shifting to and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I thought I would have to give up drinking Coke my whole life. However, it seems as if the brand knows my needs that it is willing to adapt and reinvent itself so that I could still drink it whenever and wherever I want. The added vitamins and minerals is really a huge plus for it. I have read somewhere that green tea aids in weight loss by speeding up an individual's metabolism. Yes, instead of making me fat, Coke might actually enable me to lose weight by burning calories at a faster rate. These reasons make Coca-cola the top brand of soft drink for me. Actually, I don't see it as a soft drink now-I perceive it as a health drink. My passion for Coke influences my other purchase decisions especially in choosing which fastfood to dine in. I definitely don't dine out at KFC and Pizza Hut noting that they don't serve Coke but only Pepsi. Yes, sometimes I just get so choosy with the drinks while others see them as minor part of the meal. For me, it makes a lot of difference-I can actually tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. The taste is never the same Yes, I am a self-confessed Coke addict who can't live a day without having a can of this refreshment. Coke does not only add life, for me, it is life itself. Blame it on marketing gurus who worked to formulate a good product which commands global acceptance. Blame it on the intensive and very efficient marketing campaign. Blame it on the proper pricing which made it affordable even with the current recession. Blame it on its wide distribution network which makes it available anywhere I go. I will always consider Coca-cola to be one of the best brands in the world. With the current quest of its company

CEO Project-EXXON Mobil Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CEO Project-EXXON Mobil - Research Paper Example anagement strategic positioning or decision will be single handedly implemented to ensure the petroleum company to continue to shine and outperform in the oil sector. The four implementation programs will be aligned to protect the vast shareholders’ interests by ensuring profitability in its subsequent financial years, meet the ever changing customer preference in an innovative and responsive manner that continuously meets target market customers’ needs, bud an aggressive high qualified employee workforce that conforms to the global standards and finally run environmentally safe business that protects community interest. Financial program implementation will take the initiative of finance department restructuring to create financial policies that are able to cater for the per barrel cost that eat into the annual profits, increase the company’s liquidity and mitigate any financial risks that are associated with poor disaster relief methods. The major activity will entail the financial management and team is effectively trained to embrace the newer technology in management of the financial systems that provide good results. Exxon Mobil has the funds to facilitate technological systems that streamline the processing of the oil to meet customers’ specifications and hence make more profit for the company (Rea, 2015). The financial strategy will be communicated to the shareholders for purposes of accountability. Customer programs main objective is to meet customer needs. This is outright from the Exxon Mobil mission and objective which is to be the preferred world’s premier petroleum and petrochemical company. This particular clause envisions a company that has its priority in developing products that satisfies the diversified customer base, for instance, the introduction of SCAN fining process that eliminates sulfur which is deadly to automobile engines. ExxonMobil has adopted an implementation strategy that makes use of its existing employee base of

African American Stereotypes in Trading Places Assignment

African American Stereotypes in Trading Places - Assignment Example There have been several theories proposed regarding how race is represented in the media. To understand the concept fully, it is necessary to understand how media influences society, with examples from the movie Trading Places. Even in the world of strict entertainment, the media continues its long-standing tradition of reinforcing middle-class society’s concepts of the world. â€Å"Above all, the media are defensive about the sacred institutions of society – whereas black people most encounter problems in this sensitive power-areas: employment, public discrimination, housing, parliamentary legislation, local government, law and order, the police† (Hall, 1974). In order to appeal to the middle class, many of the films that come out of Hollywood tend to reflect the hopes and dreams of this class of society. This typically involves the concept that the lifestyle of the very wealthy is the only lifestyle worth having. It also reinforces the thought that it is only through hard work and struggles that one can appreciate this good life. The black man, and occasionally a woman, is allowed to enter this world only at the invitation and assistance of a white man while the typical portrayal con tinues to hold him down at the lower rungs of society. This type of portrayal reinforces the concept that black men are not capable of success and white men are not very capable of failure. As Hall (1974) makes obvious, even comedies that are merely supposed to entertain, such as Trading Places, can contain several unremarkable messages that serve to maintain and promote the existing power relations within society, representing the black man as a necessary failure. Within the movie Trading Places, these ideas can easily be traced.

Macro-Economic Objectives and their Impact on Business Activity Assignment

Macro-Economic Objectives and their Impact on Business Activity - Assignment Example The RPI reflects a weighted average of price rises over the previous 12 months and as such it can be seen as the rate of inflation affecting the average household. (Jewell, 2007) Economists attribute inflation to one of the three causes; Excess demand in conditions of full employment, this is also known as demand pull inflation. Monetary inflation, which is the excess rise in the money supply A rise in the cost of production that is, in turn, passed on to the customers by firms enjoying some degree of monopoly power. This is cost push inflation. Inflation leads to a rise in prices, it has the effects of redistributing purchasing power. Businesses might suffer if their customers experience a decline in their real incomes. Moreover, if the inflation is one of costs rather than prices, profit margins will be squeezed. Conversely, inflation caused by access demand may lead to an increase in profits margin. One of the most damaging aspects of inflation from the business point of view is t hat it makes planning for the future difficult. Budgeting becomes difficult. Making provisions for expenses and purchases becomes difficult as prices tend to increase. (Jewell, 2000) The unemployed are defined in government statistics as those people seeking work who are unable to obtain a job. Unemployment can occur due to deficiency in demand; this could be cyclic, which is temporary during recession. Or it could be persistent which results from long-term deficiency. Technological advancement curb the need for manpower and this can also result in unemployment. Structural unemployment occurs when there is a change in the structure of demand leading to the decline of a major industry. Regional unemployment occurs when a major local industry declines leaving the workers of that area unemployed. Frictional unemployment results from the unemployment while job changing. Another form of unemployment is voluntary, which is the unwillingness to work at current rates of pay McEachern, 2008) . In theory, a high level of unemployment should increase the reserves of labour available to business. Firms that are starting up would find labour easily. Furthermore, excess supplies of labour may also weaken the resolve of unions to demand high pay. These were the advantages of unemployment; however, it is possible for unemployment to coexist with shortages of particular types of labour or shortages in certain geographical regions. (Frank & Bernanke, 2001) Economic growth is basically an increase in the productive capacity of the economy or a rise in real national income per head. As it provides the means for achieving higher living standards for all, it opens up the prospects of reducing poverty without the necessity of income redistribution. Economic growth is beneficial to private sector firms. New market opportunities will be created in an expanding economy. This provides scope for emerging businesses as well as the expansion of existing ones. A growing economy is favorable for any business and especially the ones that are new. Economic growth is measured by the increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country. GDP can be measured by the expenditure approach or by the income approach. (Wessels, 2006) International Trade and the Balance of Payments The balance of payments is a set of accounts recording details of a nations transaction with the rest of the world. The current account measures a country's trade in currently produced goods and

Parents Participate in their Children Education Literature review

Parents Participate in their Children Education - Literature review Example Research shows that family engagement in a child’s education improves the child’s attitude towards school attendance, their success at the same time reducing the number of dropouts. After a research that was conducted on the American Indian, Asians, Latinos and Pacific Islanders, ethnic groups it was noted they shared similar barriers that hinder parental engagement in students school life. Generally, ethnic groups had many things in common than differences, which they use to engage families in improving communication and strengthening the relationship between ethnic parents, and schools. Most parents from the ethnic groups value parental family voice. This means that students have to listen to what their parents tell them about education. There are cases whereby some students are rude to their teachers but obey parents. In such a case if a parent is involved then they save the life of the child since the child has to obey the family voice. The ethnic groups always hire competent staff and work together as a team. They also provide in-service so that the hired school staff becomes skilled and culturally competent. This helps them to work effectively with families from other ethnic groups. Hiring competent staff means that students from the above ethnic group will receive the best of education in the region. The staff is supposed to work hand in hand with the parents so that the children feel encouraged. Most of these families ensure that they check their children book at the end of the day to know the child’s academic progress.

Person with Tattoo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Person with Tattoo - Assignment Example The design that shown to me was a dragon. The face of the dragon was on Michael’s chest and the body was uniquely drawn in the shoulder blades. Likewise, the tail enveloped his entire upper left arm. It was only in black ink and it has no other color. According to Michael, he thought of the placement as the left portion of his chest and to be expanded to his shoulder blade and upper left arm because, it was initially perceived that the heart is likewise situated almost adjacent to the left portion of the chest. Therefore, this placement is an indication that the image represents whatever he believes or hopes to achieve in life, comes from his heart; and to be exhibited through the mighty power of the dragon. Michael indicated that the choice for having a tattoo was not at the spur of the moment. The circumstances surrounding the process evolved through time. He actually thought of having a tattoo since he was very young, say, about 12 to 13 years old. By then, he was already figuring out the design, when he would eventually decide to have one, sometime in the future. When he became friends with a group of teen-agers with motorcycles, they eventually decided to have a tattoo as a symbol of their friendship. Thus, when he was 18 years old, he had the dragon tattoo drawn in the location indicated above. The experience of Michael was far from the experiences of receiving Samoan tatua done by a tufunga. It was learned that â€Å"a tatatau of Samoan origin was considered more esteemed than one completed by a Tongan tufunga. This was largely due to the origins of chiefly lineages in Tonga connecting to Manua and Upolu; and because of a divine birthright bestowed on certain Samoan tattoo families like Sua† (Manulua par. 16). Thus, the design, placement and the person doing the tattoo has different meanings, as well as levels of expertise in the Tongan tradition.  

Personal Finance Essay Example for Free

Personal Finance Essay Personal finance refers to the principal that is applied to the monetary decisions of an individual or a family unit. It addresses issues such as the ways in which the individuals or families obtain finance, budget, save and spend the monetary resources of a company over a given period of time while at the same time taking in account the financial risks and the future life events that are related to the businesses activities. The profits or loss of a company are derived by determining the incomes of a company and the expenses that are incurred by a company. If the incomes are more than the expenses the company generates profit for the company. If the expenses of the company are more than the incomes then the company incurs losses in the financial period of a company. Assumptions The income of Donna Terrell is estimated to be $3333 per month since it is assumed that he earns a salary that is equally distributed throughout the year. The expenses of Donna Terrell are also assumed to be evenly distributed throughout the year except in the months where Donna Terrell specified that the expenses were incurred in those months. After Sherman acquisition of his new job on June 2003 and his decision to assist Donna Terrell was a positive move since after the month of June the Donna’s business started to earn profits since in the previous months the business was incurring losses, but after June 2003 the company started to generate profits for the company, thus was in a position to run it affairs effectively (http://64. 233. 169. 104/search? q=cache:DmCJZy7zP6kJ) It is also assumed that Sherman would earn a salary that would be $1500 per the month that followed the month of June up to December 2003. In the first quarter of the year Donna business had been incurring losses from January to May 2008 since the amount of losses have been increasing rapidly since the expenses of the business were more than the incomes of the business. After Mr. Sherman decision to assist Mr. Donna in giving him financial assistance the business started to improve in its performance. The business incomes was greater than the expenses as from July to December of the Year 2003 and this contributed to the increased profits of the business as it continued with its operation until December 2003. As at December 2003 the Company had profits that were over $13000. The management of companies can run their activities if they ask for financial assistances from friends and also financial institutions since after the Mr. Sherman decision to assist Mr. Donna the performance of the company started to improve. The instances where the management of companies runs other business activities that generate revenue to a company this can contribute to the profitability of the company since the additional income increases the companies working capital that enables the company to generate as much revenue to the company hence its increased returns and finally this leads to the growth of the company. The management of companies should also plan their finances properly so as to avoid budget deficits as this can affect the performance of the company and also its reputation as this can result to reduce sales volume for a company hence in some cases due to the poor management of the companies finances the company go into liquidation that can lead to the closure of the company.

Of Mice and Men the Relationships Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men the Relationships Essay How does Steinbeck present the relationship between George and Lennie in this chapter? The author John Steinbeck presents the relationship between the two characters, George and Lennie in different ways as they are both different characters and have different personalities. He presents it like a parent and child relationship, with George being the parent and Lennie the child. As soon as the reader is introduced to George and Lennie Steinbeck tells us that, â€Å"They had walked in single file down the path†. This immediately notifies the reader of the kind of relationship between George and Lennie, it does this by stating â€Å"single file†. This reminds us of a game called follow the leader. It also tells us that the person at the front (George) is responsible and the leader. We can also see this idea on page five. When George says, â€Å"I ain’t sure it’s good water†. This again portrays the idea of George being the responsible, as he has to tell Lennie this and Lennie can’t tell himself. It also shows us that George is concerned over Lennie’s health. This implies that George has feelings for Lennie. We again see the idea of Lennie being like a child when on page sixteen he wants a story told to him again. This tells us Lennie is child like because this situation is like a parent reading a child a bedtime story. After drinking from the pool, when they are sat on the hill Lennie imitates George’s actions â€Å"he pulled his hat down a little more over his eyes the way George’s hat was.† Our immediate interpretation is that Lennie looks up to George as a role model, the quote â€Å"way George’s hat was† suggests he acts just like him and mimics him how a son would to a father. We also notice that Lennie tries to be clever towards George to show that he is smart even though he is not, â€Å"he said cleverly†. We can see throughout chapter one that George several times feels sorry for Lennie. the phrase â€Å"poor bastard† not only tells that there is a sense of sympathy from George in the relationship, but it also sort of makes the reader feel sorry for Lennie, Steinbeck also implies this through stating that George â€Å"looked ashamedly at the fire†. I could also notice when I was reading through the first chapter that George has a sense of authority over Lennie, â€Å"you gonna get that wood†. This is like a parent telling a child to do his chores. On some occasions though George shows a bit of hatred towards Lennie, he thinks of what he could have if Lennie wasn’t around and contrasts that with George. There is also a sense of lack of trust in the relationship  between the two men. We see this through the predicament with the work cards. It tells us that George again has to take care of Lennie, and that Lennie isn’t trusted by George. Again this idea is portrayed to the reader on page seventeen, we notice that George knows that he needs a plan b as Lennie cannot be trusted so his plan b is to tell Lennie to â€Å"hide in the brush until I come for you†. This helps us to understand the relationship even further. George also treats Lennie like a dog in one occasion in the chapter, â€Å"good boy†. This is something a master would say to a dog to encourage them, it also tells us the sort of role in the relationship George has again. In conclusion, we see that Steinbeck uses various techniques to portray the relationship between George and Lennie. But the main method is the idea of George being like a parent to Lennie.

Comparison Of Rdbms Oodbms And Ordbms Information Technology Essay

Comparison Of Rdbms Oodbms And Ordbms Information Technology Essay The presentation of the similarities and differences between relational modeling of data and the object oriented modeling of data is of great importance both for data base designers and for users. By being well acquainted with the relational model and by noting the similarities and differences between the two approaches to data modeling, designers will be able to turn into account and to make use of the already acquired experience as an important basis for understanding and learning the methodology of designing object oriented databases. At the time if designers know the similarities and differences between these two approaches they have the possibility to convert a relational model into an object oriented model and inversely Informatica Economica Journal. 01/01/2007; http://c.researchgate.net/images/symbols/icon_thumb_up_grey.png?e59f9 I like this! http://c.researchgate.net/images/symbols/icon_thumb_up.png?e59f9 You like this publication http://www.researchgate.net/publication/26589213_Comparison_of_RDBMS_OODBMS_and_ORDBMS /**************************** What is the difference between odbms rdbms and ordbms? In: Database Programming, JAVA Programming [Edit categories] Data Warehousing Software Industry leading data warehousing Gather maintain consistent data www.sas.com/uk Ads by Google http://en.site1.answers.com/templates/icons/rc_gray1.gif?v=68832http://en.site1.answers.com/templates/icons/rc_gray1b.gif?v=68832 [Improve] http://en.site1.answers.com/templates/icons/abar_a.gif?v=68832 Answer The differences between the three approaches Table 1: A Comparison of Database Management Systems Criteria RDBMS ODBMS ORDBMS Defining standard SQL2 ODMG-2.0 SQL3 (in process) Support for object-oriented features Does not support; It is difficult to map program object to the database Supports extensively Limited support; mostly to new data types Usage Easy to use OK for programmers; some SQL access for end users Easy to use except for some extensions Support for complex relationships Does not support abstract datatypes Supports a wide variety of datatypes and data with complex inter-relationships Supports Abstract datatypes and complex relationships Performance Very good performance Relatively less performance Expected to perform very well Product maturity Relatively old and so very mature This concept is few years old and so relatively mature Still in development stage so immature. The use of SQL Extensive supports SQL OQL is similar to SQL, but with additional features like Complex objects and object-oriented features. SQL3 is being developed with OO features incorporated in it Advantages Its dependence on SQL, relatively simple query optimization hence good performance It can handle all types of complex applications, reusability of code, less coding Ability to query complex applications and ability to handle large and complex applications Disadvantages Inability to handle complex applications Low performance due to complex query optimization, inability to support large-scale systems Low performance in web applications Support from vendors It is considered to be highly successful so the market size is very large but many vendors are moving towards ORDBMS Presently lacking vendor support due to vast size of RDBMS market All major RDBMS vendors are after this so has very good future http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_odbms_rdbms_and_ordbms /********************************** OODBMS (Object Oriented Database Management System) Basics http://a323.yahoofs.com/coreid/4ae33e2bid18zul6sp1/zfIn.0szaa93rhgGjKCz5w/103/tn32.jpg?ciAQ2PNBJuqYP1Eh user by Bridewin, on Sun Nov 1, 2009 7:22am PST 2 Comments Post a Comment Read More from This Author  » Report Abuse http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/CrYlacFZl0FQ/photos/3e34afb6e0dfef3b7ff88aa6f8a2a63f/ori_667cb5ad1ce04b.jpg?ug_____DU3GDkZ3x OODBMS System An object database (also object-oriented database) is a database model in which information is represented in the form of objects as used in object-oriented programming. Object databases are a niche field within the broader DBMS market dominated by relational database management systems (RDBMS). Object databases have been considered since the early 1980s and 1990s but they have made little impact on mainstream commercial data processing, though there is some usage in specialized areas. When database capabilities are combined with object-oriented (OO) programming language capabilities, the result is an object database management system (ODBMS). Todays trend in programming languages is to utilize objects, thereby making OODBMS ideal for OO programmers because they can develop the product, store them as objects, and can replicate or modify existing objects to make new objects within the OODBMS. Information today includes not only data but video, audio, graphs, and photos which are considered complex data types. Relational DBMS arent natively capable of supporting these complex data types. By being integrated with the programming language, the programmer can maintain consistency within one environment because both the OODBMS and the programming language will use the same model of representation. Relational DBMS projects using complex data types would have to be divided into two separate tasks: the database model and the application. As the usage of web-based technology increases with the implementation of Intranets and extranets, companies have a vested interest in OODBMS to display their complex data. Using a DBMS that has been specifically designed to store data as objects gives an advantage to those companies that are geared towards multimedia presentation or organizations that utilize computer-aided design (CAD). Some object-oriented databases are designed to work well with object-oriented programming languages such as Python, Perl, Java, C#, Visual Basic .NET, C++, Objective-C and Smalltalk; others have their own programming languages. ODBMSs use exactly the same model as object-oriented programming languages. Advantages: The main benefit of creating a database with objects as data is speed. OODBMS are faster than relational DBMS because data isnt stored in relational rows and columns but as objects. Objects have a many to many relationship and are accessed by the use of pointers. Pointers are linked to objects to establish relationships. Another benefit of OODBMS is that it can be programmed with small procedural differences without affecting the entire system. This is most helpful for those organizations that have data relationships that arent entirely clear or need to change these relations to satisfy the new business requirements. This ability to change relationships leads to another benefit which is that relational DBMS cant handle complex data models while OODBMS can. Disadvantages: Slower and more difficult to formulate than relational. Lack of interoperability with a great number of tools/features that are taken for granted in the SQL world, including but not limited to industry standard connectivity, reporting tools, OLAP tools, and backup and recovery standards. Lack a formal mathematical foundation, unlike the relational model, and this in turn leads to weaknesses in their query support. Applications: Object databases based on persistent programming acquired a niche in application areas such as engineering and spatial databases, telecommunications, and scientific areas such as high energy physics and molecular biology. They have made little impact on mainstream commercial data processing, though there is some usage in specialized areas of financial services.[6][7] It is also worth noting that object databases held the record for the Worlds largest database (being the first to hold over 1000 terabytes at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center)[8] and the highest ingest rate ever recorded for a commercial database at over one Terabyte per hour. Another group of object databases focuses on embedded use in devices, packaged software, and real-time systems. http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/none/oodbms-object-oriented-database-management-system-basics-533483/ /************************************** Observations from a Tech Architect: Enterprise Implementation Issues Solutions by Craig Borysowich  (Chief Technology Tactician) Enterprise Technology Architect Craig Borysowich shares the challenges and achievements of enterprise solution design and more Enterprise Technology Architect Craig Borysowich shares the challenges and achievements of enterprise solution design and implementation. ..less Blog Main  /   Archive  /   Invite Peers   RSSRSS for Posts  /   RSS for Comments Previous Entry / Next Entry Some Pros Cons of Relational Databases Craig Borysowich  (Chief Technology Tactician)  posted  5/1/2008 | Comments  (0) http://images.ittoolbox.com/vt/icons/thumbsup.pngLike (0) Please Sign In or Register to like this blog. Working Share Share The relational model for databases provides the basic DBMS characteristics. In addition, an RDBMS also conforms to Codds model. Relational Database Characteristics Dr. Codd established 12 rules to which a DBMS must conform to be considered relational. DBMSs vary in the way in which they comply with these rules, however, commercial relational databases generally conform to these rules. Strengths of RDBMS Flexible and well-established. Sound theoretical foundation and use over many years has resulted in stable, standardized products available. Standard data access language through SQL. Costs and risks associated with large development efforts and with large databases are well understood. The fundamental structure, i.e., a table, is easily understood and the design and normalization process is well defined. Weaknesses of RDBMS Performance problems associated with re-assembling simple data structures into their more complicated real-world representations. Lack of support for complex base types, e.g., drawings. SQL is limited when accessing complex data. Knowledge of the database structure is required to create ad hoc queries. Locking mechanisms defined by RDBMSs do not allow design transactions to be supported, e.g., the check in and check out type of feature that would allow an engineer to modify a drawing over the course of several working days. http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/enterprise-solutions/some-pros-cons-of-relational-databases-24144 /******************************* The Advantages of a Relational Database Management System ds_0ecbc811-e864-4fed-a7c6-5a46ff28cd3fContributor By Deborah Lee Soltesz, eHow Contributing Writer Article Rating: (0 Ratings)   Email   Facebook   Twitter   StumbleUpon Add to Favorites   Print   Share I want to do this! Whats This? RDBMSs provide user access control and data integrity features. data security image by dinostock from Fotolia.com   RDBMSs provide user access control and data integrity features. A Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) is a software system that provides access to a relational database. The software system is a collection of software applications that can be used to create, maintain, manage and use the database. A relational database is a database structured on the relational model. Data are stored and presented in a tabular format, organized in rows and columns with one record per row. Data Structure The table format is simple and easy for database users to understand and use. RDBMSs provide data access using a natural structure and organization of the data. Database queries can search any column for matching entries. Multi-User Access RDBMSs allow multiple database users to access a database simultaneously. Built-in locking and transactions management functionality allow users to access data as it is being changed, prevents collisions between two users updating the data, and keeps users from accessing partially updated records. Privileges Authorization and privilege control features in an RDBMS allow the database administrator to restrict access to authorized users, and grant privileges to individual users based on the types of database tasks they need to perform. Authorization can be defined based on the remote client IP address in combination with user authorization, restricting access to specific external computer systems. Network Access RDBMSs provide access to the database through a server daemon, a specialized software program that listens for requests on a network, and allows database clients to connect to and use the database. Users do not need to be able to log in to the physical computer system to use the database, providing convenience for the users and a layer of security for the database. Network access allows developers to build desktop tools and Web applications to interact with databases. Speed The relational database model is not the fastest data structure. RDBMS advantages, such as simplicity, make the slower speed a fair trade-off. Optimizations built into an RDBMS, and the design of the databases, enhance performance, allowing RDBMSs to perform more than fast enough for most applications and data sets. Improvements in technology, increasing processor speeds and decreasing memory and storage costs allow systems administrators to build incredibly fast systems that can overcome any database performance shortcomings. Maintenance RDBMSs feature maintenance utilities that provide database administrators with tools to easily maintain, test, repair and back up the databases housed in the system. Many of the functions can be automated using built-in automation in the RDBMS, or automation tools available on the operating system. Language RDBMSs support a generic language called Structured Query Language (SQL). The SQL syntax is simple, and the language uses standard English language keywords and phrasing, making it fairly intuitive and easy to learn. Many RDBMSs add non-SQL, database-specific keywords, functions and features to the SQL language.

The Empty pillow :: essays research papers

Using the theory of reason action-Fishbein and applying it on a 5 min. scene of the movie by: AlomaniQ8 THE EMPTY PILLOW This is a love story that it’s events occur, in Egypt, in the fifties, where there were strict traditions about love between non married lovers, and where the word of the parents rules the lives of their sons and daughters. In that movie, a young man (salah) who is still a student falls in love with a beautiful girl (Sameha), whom she is also an eighteen years old student, they are both college students, that get supported by their families. The scene begins, when Salah asks his father that he wants to be married, but his father laughs, and asks him if he is able to support himself or her. Salah’s father suggested that he should wait until he graduates and gets a job, so he could marry her. Salah refuses, saying that she would get married to someone else, and her parents will not wait for me until I graduate. Unfortunately a doctor proposes to her an d asks her hand to be his wife. Sameha’s father and mother agree instantly, without giving Sameha any notice, only thinking of the position and the how they would guarantee a wonderful future for their daughter with this doctor, adding that he is a very nice man and have great reputation. Sameha says that she is young to be married, and disagree. Sameha’s father say’s â€Å"no doughtier of mine argues with me in such matters, you will do as I say† Consequently, Sameha stop arguing. And shows yielding. She think about the hard time choosing between the two, the one she loves! or the fine rich physician, which her parents ergs her to marry. In order to prevent the marriage, Salah meets her in the desert where they used to meet. He starts convincing her to run a way with him. Sameha refuses, saying that her parents might have a heart attack, then she will not forgive herself. Salah remembers, what one of his friends suggested to him, and that he should rape her, and in this way she would be his according to the traditions. Consequently he tries to do so. She cries and begs him to let her go. But he refuses, until he notices the ring that she is still wearing, which he brought to her as a token of their love.

Determination †A Learned Trait :: Personal Narrative Experience Essays

Determination – A Learned Trait For some odd reason, the Bolivian military has a tendency to make people grow up. I was almost 18 when I was recruited, but it seems like I wasn’t much more mature than a 13 year old teenager; not that I was much older. I really felt that the world was simply a game where everyone would try to make life easy for me; I thought everything kind of revolved around me. I was well educated and polite, but things like saying â€Å"sir† simply weren’t a part of my life style. The ability to serve others for nothing still hadn’t been born within me. Incredibly that changed, beginning from the very first day of training in the Bolivian Army. Probably one of the things that helped me grow up fast was the sudden departure from my parents and friends. All of the sudden I was alone in a world of loneliness, where my only comfort was the drill sergeant yelling his lungs out at me. It was never a good idea to let anyone know you were homesick, because the drill sergeant would order a â€Å"happy hug† where every single recruit would go squeeze you as hard as they can. The first couple of happy hugs weren’t all that bad, but after 80 of them, a persons ribs feel like they’ve been run over by a truck ten times! Indeed, learning determination, coordination, and punctuality with all the exercises are one of the most challenging times in the military. Those five o’clock morning jogs – rain or shine – made us realize that it is possible to continue doing something no matter what else was going on around us; that’s a valuable lesson to learn in life. We all learned rather quickly not to yawn early in the morning, because if we did the sergeant would order us to do the â€Å"alarm clock wake up†, where the guy in front would turn around and slaps the person behind him. Then that guy would turn around and slap the guy behind him. I still feel kind of sorry for the last guy in line; he never got to smack anyone! Indeed, it is quite an effective way to wake up the troops. Unfortunately, we also learned to not have

Amazonian Economy and Exploitation Concerns Essay -- Brazil Amazon Eco

Amazonian Economy and Exploitation Concerns The economy of Manaus, Brazil and of the Amazon Basin draws from the many natural resources of the region. The indigenous populations of the Amazonian floodplains participate minimally in the market economy, sometimes selling fish during productive seasons. Their lifestyles are predominantly self-subsistence, so there is no real need for cash. Manaus, on the other hand, is a large, developed city with a thriving local market and healthy exportation market. Products of the rainforest and river used in the market include fish, rubber, brazil nuts, hardwoods, and other plant fibers. Extracted and mined from the earth are minerals such as manganese ore, diamonds, gold, and petroleum. Eco-tourism, in which outsiders tour the land and river, is a part of the local economy. Chemical production is also a part of Manaus’ economy. Exploitation has been a concern since the Europeans began colonizing Brazil, but it has been an area of concern more recently. One exploited population, the native peoples, is often overlooked. Colonizing Europeans...

Global Positioning System (Gps) Research Paper

The  Global Positioning System  With the proliferation of satellite-based defense systems and their continuing presence in the media it makes us more aware of our national defense. The United States is large, economically strong and a sometimes tumultuous presence in the global community. Although we may feel secure because of our superior technology and defense capabilities, our size and position in world affairs can make us a target for some countries. We can no longer be concerned with just our borders and now what comes from the skies and the sea is more of a threat than ever before. The United States government had to develop a way to counter these possible attacks and the Global Positioning System (GPS) was conceived. The Global Positioning System was initiated in 1973 by the Department of Defense (DOD). It was developed by the the DOD because at a cost of over twelve billion dollars the government had the monetary resources to achieve these idealistic goals. Since that time it has grown from one satellite used strictly by the military to twenty-six satellites that can be used by civilians also. This satellite system is used to determine the speed and position of an object anywhere in the world within one hundred meters to mere millimeters depending on the size and quality of user equipment. (GPS JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE. ICD-GPS-200:GPS INTERFACE CONTROL DOCUMENT. ) The original purpose of GPS was to maintain a strategic military advantage over our enemies. Toward the end of the arms race the targeting of ballistic missiles became so exact they could land directly on an enemy missile silo and destroy any missiles inside of it. The ability to take out your enemies missiles from great distances had a major effect on the balance of power. To maintain the balance of power the United States government had to develop a way to locate surfacing submarines in a matter of minutes anywhere in the world. With the use of satellites in orbit the Global Positioning System was created. GPS uses twenty-six satellites and ground tracking stations around the world to compute distances using time. This is done by finding the difference between the time a signal is sent and the time it is received. The satellites have atomic clocks so the time is extremely accurate. The receivers position is determined by using three satellites, this is called triangulation. (kAPLAN,eLLIOTT. UNDERSTANDING GPS:PRINCPLES AND APPLICATIONS) GPS is made up of three segments: space, control and user. The space segment includes the satellites and the rockets that launch them from Cape Canaveral. The satellites are powered by solar cells and continuously point their  solar panels  toward the sun and their antennae toward earth. The control segment includes the master control station in Colorado and monitor stations around the world. This segment makes sure orbits and clocks operate within acceptable limits. The user segment includes the equipment used by the military and civilians who receive GPS signals. Kaplan, Elliott. UNDERSTANDING GPS:PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS) The military applications of GPS are used in fighters, bombers, helicopters, submarines and soldier's gear. Wartime defense is now more accurate and dependable than ever. While still the most important aspect of this technology, GPS is not used strictly for navigation anymore. Other uses include but are not lim ited to: target designation, air support, soldier rendezvous and â€Å"smart† weapons. â€Å"Smart† bombs use GPS to receive location information so they can guide themselves to a preset target. This technology is a great asset in battle as it basically casts a net over a battlefield and can locate tanks, vehicles or even soldiers who may be in immediate danger. In the everyday world, GPS has also made life easier and safer. Hikers and hunters can carry hand held receivers in case they should get lost in the wilderness. On-board navi destinations through voice-activated user equipment. Drivers can also make cellular calls using these GPS computers should something happen to them in transit. Other aspects of this technology are used in farming. Maps can be created of the fields during harvest and used the next season to plant and fertilize areas that need more attention. This increases crop production while reducing the use and expense of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel which also helps our environment. This process is called â€Å"Precision Farming'. Another very important use of GPS is the avoidance of in-flight collisions. Airlines are in the process of equipping their airplanes with GPS receivers. This will enable each aircraft to detect other planes in the vicinity and make sure they don't cross paths in the air. This is much more accurate and reliable system than is currently available and is sure to make the people flying in these planes more comfortable and secure. The Global Positioning System has grown into a resource that goes far beyond the initial design goals. These days scientists, farmers, soldiers, pilots and delivery drivers are using GPS in ways that make their jobs safer and more productive. The benefits of GPS are not limited to job related aspects alone. The future of this technology is limitless and will change and develop rapidly as new and varied applications are introduced. Works Cited Bibliography Kaplan, Elliott. Understanding GPS: Principles and Applications. Boston: Artech house Publishers, 1996 Thompson, Steven D. An Introduction to GPS, (Everyman's Guide To Satellite Navigation. ARINC Research Corporation, 1994 â€Å"The Untold Story of CALCM: The Secret Weapon Used in the Gulf War†. GPS World January 1995 page 16 GPS Joint Program Office. ICD-GPS-200:GPS Interface Control Document. ARINC Research Corporation. Available On-line from United States Coast Guard Navigation Center. Dana, Peter H. GPS User's Overview. Available on-line at www. utexas. edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/gps/gps. h tml

Managers Explore and Exploit

Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit Author(s): Charles A. O'Reilly III and Michael L. Tushman Reviewed work(s): Source: California Management Review, Vol. 53, No. 4 (Summer 2011), pp. 5-22 Published by: University of California Press Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/10. 1525/cmr. 2011. 53. 4. 5 . Accessed: 27/11/2011 04:22 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www. jstor. org/page/info/about/policies/terms. sp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email  protected] org. University of California Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to California Manag ement Review. http://www. jstor. org Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers explore and exploit Charles A. O’Reilly III Michael L. Tushman he life span of the average American is 79. Japanese can expect to live to age 83, Liberians to only 46. The average age of a large company is much less than any of these. Research has shown that only a tiny fraction of firms founded in the U. S. are likely to make it to age 40, probably less than 0. 1 percent. 1 In this study, for firms founded in 1976, only 10% survived 10 years later, leading the authors to conclude that â€Å"Despite their size, their vast financial and human resources, average large firms do not ‘live’ as long as ordinary Americans. 2 While this is partly understandable because of the high mortality rates among newly founded companies, other research has estimated that even large, well-established companies can only expect to live, on average, between another 6 to 15 years. 3 Ormerod, in a study of firm failure, noted that â€Å"Over 10 percent of all companies in the U. S. , the largest and most-successful e conomy in the history of the world, fail every single year. 4 In a study of the world’s largest companies between 1912 and 1995, Hannah reported that only 20 firms remained on her list for the entire period— and many of those were in industries like natural resources without disruptive change. In her study, the modal large firm failed. 5 Why this should be is a puzzle, since when firms are doing well they have all the resources (financial, physical, and intellectual) to continue to be successful. Yet the evidence is that most organizations do not survive for long periods of time. In addressing this conundrum, James March notes that central to the ability of a firm to survive over time is its ability to exploit existing assets and positions in a profit-producing way and simultaneously to explore new technologies and markets—to configure and reconfigure organizational resources to capture existing as well as new opportunities. In March’s terms, this is the fundamental tension at the heart of an enterprise’s long-run survival. â€Å"The basic problem confronting an organization is to engage in sufficient exploitation to ensure its T CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu 5 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit current viability and, at the same time, devote enough energy to exploration to ensure its future viability. †6 March also notes that this requires not the blind variation-selection-retention process of biological evolution but what he refers to as â€Å"evolutionary engineering† in which organizational experience and memory are used to strengthen exploitation and exploration rocesses and adapt to changed environmental conditions. 7 Hannah, struggling to explain the survival of a comparatively small number of the world’s largest companies, suggests that a plausible explanation for the survivors is that â€Å"they had some distinctive architecture which enabled them—but not others—to constantly replicate their early success [and that] such corporate architectures must be complex and difficult to ident ify, describe and copy, for, if that were not the case, their value would be competed down by emulators. 8 In the past decade, a growing body of research has examined how organizations can both explore and exploit. 9 One promising stream of research has focused on how dynamic capabilities may underpin the ability of firms to sense, seize, and reconfigure organizational assets to adapt to changed environmental conditions. 10 With dynamic capabilities, sustained competitive advantage comes from the firm’s ability to leverage and reconfigure its existing competencies and assets in ways that are valuable to the customer but difficult for competitors to imitate. In this view, dynamic capabilities are embedded in organizational processes or routines around coordination, learning, and transformation and allow a firm to sense opportunities and then to seize them by successfully allocating resources, often by adjusting existing competencies or developing new ones. These capabilities underpin the organization’s ability to maintain ecological fitness and, when necessary, to reconfigure existing assets and develop the new skills needed to address emerging threats and opportunities The Roots of Organizational Ambidexterity O’Reilly and Tushman argue that the ability of a firm to be ambidextrous is at the core of dynamic capabilities. Ambidexterity requires senior managers to accomplish two critical tasks. 11 First, they must be able to accurately sense changes in their competitive environment, including potential shifts in technology, compeCharles A. O’Reilly III is the Frank Buck Professor of Management at the Graduate tition, customers, and regulation. Second, they School of Business at Stanford University. must be able to act on these opportunities and threats; to be able to seize them by reconfigurMichael L. Tushman is the Paul Lawrence ing both tangible and intangible assets to meet MBA Class of 1942 Professor of Business new challenges. 12 As a dynamic capability, ambiAdministration at the Harvard Business School. dexterity embodies a complex set of routines including decentralization, differentiation, targeted integration, and the ability of senior leadership to orchestrate the complex trade-offs that the simultaneous pursuit of exploration and exploitation requires. Developing these dynamic capabilities is a central task of executive leadership. 6 NIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit Although theoretically compelling, research on dynamic capabilities and ambidexterity is still at an early stage. Conceptually, the need for organizations to both explore and exploit is convincing, but how do managers and firms actually do this? At an operating level, how do the challenges of ambidexterity present themselves—and what differentiates the more successful attempts at ambidexterity from the less successful? To develop a more granular sense for the managerial challenges presented by ambidexterity, consider the following three examples. Mike Lawrie at Misys In 2007, Mike Lawrie was appointed CEO of Misys, a $1B FTSE 100 global supplier of software and services to banking and health care customers. Although Misys had been a star performer earlier in its history, by 2006 the firm was in trouble with margins and growth rates far below their competitors. It had grown through acquisitions and was a loose federation of 34 separate business units with 6,000 employees spread across 79 countries. Part of Lawrie’s turnaround strategy was straightforward: to install common practices across the business units to reduce costs and drive productivity. As a 27-year veteran of IBM and former CEO of Siebel Systems, Lawrie knew how to do this. More problematic was the potential disruptive challenge posed by open source software, which threatened the proprietary products from which Misys derived most of its current revenue. However, given the poor financial position of the company, Lawrie’s senior team was focused on cutting costs and getting through the immediate crisis. With their legacy business and their powerful business unit managers under cost, quality, and growth pressures, open source experiments were seen as a needless distraction and a $300M cost. They questioned whether the company should divert scarce resources to fund an uncertain new initiative that, if successful, could undermine their current business model? In addition, if they were to do this, how should the new venture be organized and led? Ganesh Natarajan at Zensar Technologies Zensar Technologies is one of India’s top 25 business process outsourcing companies proving services to 300 of the Fortune 500 firms. In 2005, its business was growing but Ganesh Natarajan, the CEO, saw the opportunity to implement a potentially radical software process innovation (Solution Blue Prints or SBP). SBP was a revolutionary way to do software development that, if implemented, would require a more collaborative relationship with clients, a different product development framework, and a different sales process. Zensar’s existing customers, its top team, its sales force and its product development staff were not enthusiastic about SBP. Like Mike Lawrie’s team at Misys, Natarajan’s senior team and business unit leaders were preoccupied with their current business and saw little need to explore an approach that would require them to alter their current business model. When pressed by Natarajan to explore the new approach to software development, several senior managers CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu 7 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit suggested that SBP simply be integrated into their existing units. Others wanted SBP to be spun out as a new venture. In contrast, the leader of the SBP project wanted to have his own business unit reporting directly to the CEO. As Natarajan reflected on the challenge, he was sure that the company should pursue SBP but was unsure how to structure the new initiative to best ensure its success. Caroline White at Defense Corp Defense Corp (pseudonym) is a major U. S. defense contractor with long-term relationships with customers in the military. Caroline White, a vice president and general manager of a division, saw an attractive opportunity for growth in the new Homeland Security market but was frustrated in her efforts to develop this area. Her mission, approved by the President, was to create a franchise in this business equivalent to those it enjoyed in other defense markets. In spite of this high-level approval, Caroline found funding difficult, with the business development funds budgeted by supporting units never available in the amounts promised. Instead, these seem to be siphoned off to support more near-term opportunities with existing clients. When Caroline pressed her colleagues in other business units about this, she heard complaints about her new initiative. They saw her mission as less tangible and immediate than theirs, with a smaller payoff to investment, and labeled her effort as a â€Å"think tank† as opposed to a real business. They also complained that her project lacked clarity around deliverables and metrics. Making matters more difficult, line of business leaders were under significant pressure to deliver revenues and questioned the viability of Caroline’s efforts. In the face of these obstacles, Caroline was resolved to ask the CEO to intercede. The question, however, was what she wanted him to do to ensure the viability of her exploratory effort? Given the resistance, she knew that it would require more than just funding to ensure the success of the new initiative. Mike Lawrie, Ganesh Natarajan and Caroline White each face the classic explore-exploit dilemma. What specifically can they do? At a high level of abstraction, ambidexterity requires a willingness of senior managers to commit resources to exploratory projects and the establishment of separate structural units for exploitation and exploration. Most research on ambidexterity begins with the acceptance of these general characteristics. 3 However, while there is general agreement about the elements of ambidexterity, O’Reilly and Tushman have noted that what is missing is a clear articulation of those specific management actions that facilitate the simultaneous pursuit of exploitation and exploration. What has been missing from the research on ambidexterity is insight into the core leadership mechanisms that underlie how dynamic capabilities operate in practice. T hus, while directionally correct, the research is not granular enough to be of much use to an operating manager facing the problems described above. To be practically useful, what is needed is greater insight into the specific micromechanisms required for a manager to implement and operate an ambidextrous strategy. This article reports the results of interviews and qualitative case studies 8 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit of leaders in 15 organizations that were confronted with the need to simultaneously explore and exploit. We use these data to induce how managers actually dealt with the challenges of ambidexterity. In doing this, we also explored those activities that discriminated between those more- versus less-successful attempts at implementing ambidextrous designs. Leading the Ambidextrous Organization In an attempt to characterize the specific elements of ambidexterity, we offer five propositions that are necessary for leaders to be successful at managing ambidexterity. 14 These are specific mechanisms that enable firms to successfully manage separate â€Å"explore-and-exploit† subunits and to leverage common assets in ways that permit the firm to adapt to new opportunities and threats. It is the presence of these characteristics that permits leaders to reconfigure existing competencies and assets to explore new opportunities even as the organization continues to compete in mature markets. Absent these elements, inertial forces keep the firm focused on the exploitative part of the business. 15 Thus, we propose that ambidexterity is more likely to be successful in the presence of the following five conditions: b A compelling strategic intent that intellectually justifies the importance of both exploration and exploitation. An articulation of a common vision and values that provide for a common identity across the exploitative and exploratory units. b A senior team that explicitly owns the unit’s strategy of exploration and exploitation; there is a common-fate reward system; and the strategy is communicated relentlessly. b Separate but aligned organizational architectures (business models, structure, incentives, metrics, and cultures) for the exploratory and ex ploitative units and targeted integration at both senior and tactical levels to properly leverage organizational assets. The ability of the senior leadership to tolerate and resolve the tensions arising from separate alignments. To appreciate the logic of these, consider the effects on ambidexterity if these elements were not present. First, without an intellectually compelling strategic intent to justify the ambidextrous form, there will be no rationale for why profitable exploit units, especially those under pressure, should give up resources to fund small, uncertain explore efforts. As previous research has shown, managers routinely discount future threats and focus on short-term gains at the expense of less certain long-term returns. 6 Second, absent a common vision and values, there will be no common identity to promote trust, cooperation, and a long-term perspective. 17 Third, if the senior team lacks a consensus about the importance of ambidexterity, those who are uncommitted will be encouraged to resist the effort, diminishing cooperation, increasing competition for resources, and slowing down execution. 18 The absence CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu 9 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit f a common-fate reward system and a lack of relentless communication of the ambidextrous strategy can further undermine cooperation and encourage unproductive conflict. 19 Fourth, without separate alignments for explore and exploit units and targeted integration to leverage common assets, there will be inefficient use of resources and poor coordination across the units. 20 Finally, if the leadership is unable to manage the conflicts and trade-offs required by ambidexterity, the necessary decision processes will be compromised and end up in confusion and conflict. 1 Method and Results To assess whether these five propositions are veridical descriptions of ambidexterity in practice, we conduc ted semi-structured interviews with senior managers at fifteen firms that were attempting to manage both exploratory and exploitative units. Eight of the 15 cases were either successes or qualified successes as reflected in increased growth or profits, three were clear failures, and four firms were underperforming before learning how to be ambidextrous and deemed successful afterwards. Table 1 lists these companies and the challenge each faced. Senior managers and key informants in each firm were interviewed and asked to describe in detail how they attempted to simultaneously explore and exploit. 22 They were probed about the nature of their leadership challenges, what actions they had taken, an assessment of their progress to date, and to identify those elements that they believed were helping or hindering them in accomplishing their task of exploration and exploitation. The focus in these interviews was on understanding in some detail what actions had been taken and how these had been implemented. The goal of these interviews was to specify in a granular way what leadership actions were associated with the organization’s ability to reconfigure existing assets and develop the new capabilities needed for exploration. 23 Table 2 provides a summary of the comparative results across the fifteen organizations studied. These results suggest that there are themes associated with the leadership of more- versus less-successful ambidextrous designs. The first proposition offered by O’Reilly and Tushman suggests that ambidexterity is facilitated when there is a compelling strategic intent that intellectually justifies the explore and exploit strategy. In each of the 15 cases investigated here, there was a clear strategic intent on the part of the organization to pursue an exploratory venture (this obviously reflects our sample selection where cases were chosen based on their attempt to be ambidextrous). While each of the 15 firms articulated a strategic intent, only ten were able to actually execute such an aspiration. The articulation of a clear strategic intent clearly does not discriminate between more- versus less-successful attempts to implement ambidextrous designs. Other research has documented the transformation of firms occurring without an explicit ambidexterity strategy. 24 These results suggest that while 10 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit TABLe 1. sample description (continued on next page) IBM Life Sciences (Success) In 2000, IbM began a programmatic effort, (termed the Emerging business Organization or EbO), to identify and develop cross-IbM business that could provide $1b in revenue within a 5-year time frame. In April of that year, Carol kovac, an IbM R manager, was asked to establish a new Life science business that would capitalize on the increased demand for computing being generated by the genomic revolution. between its founding and 2006, Carol grew the business to $5b in revenue. IBM Middleware (Success) In 1998, IbM’s software division was in turmoil. There were conflicting pressures to continue to develop and service software for their existing installed base that relied heavily on mainframe computers and to develop radically new products based on the emerging World Wide Web. Resolving this required that their senior managers exploit existing programming languages and customers and to explore new languages and markets. They accomplished this by systematically establishing different units and carefully integrating them at senior levels. Cisco TelePresence (Success) Cisco systems is a $22b company that sells plumbing for the internet. It has grown at 12-17% annually and currently has a dominant market share in its main businesses. As a part of his effort to continue Cisco systems growth, John Chambers, the CEO, has launched an ambitious initiative to identify 30 new potential $1b businesses. His aim is to generate 25% of the firm’s revenues from these new ventures within 5-10 years. In October 2006, one of these efforts (TelePresence) was launched as an internal venture to develop high-end video conferencing. since then the business has grown from two internal entrepreneurs and a sheet of paper to more than 100 people and $200M in revenue. Misys Corporation (Success) Misys is a $1b software firm selling service and systems to health care and banking clients. As a part of a turnaround effort commenced in 2007, the new CEO initiated a cost-cutting effort in the mature business and proposed a new open source approach to replace the existing proprietary platform. To ensure the success of this disruptive approach, he set up a new exploratory unit and replaced several members of his senior team who were resisting the new approach. by 2010, the new open source platform had opened up new markets and attracted a significant number of new customers. DaVita Rx (Success) daVita is a $6b business that derives the bulk of its revenues from operating kidney dialysis centers. In 2004, kent Thiry, the CEO, formed a team to identify new business opportunities that would match daVita’s clinical skills with economic opportunities. One opportunity identified was to provide prescription drugs to chronic kidney patients. begun in 2004, daVita Rx was an internal start-up with a different business model, metrics, and margins than the larger daVita. by 2010, this new business was generating $220M in revenue with 400 employees. Defense Corp (Success) defense Corp is a $6b provider of hardware and systems to the u. s. military establishment. In 2005, in an attempt to broaden their customer base the company initiated an effort to sell technology to the newly established Homeland security Agency. Although the initiative was approved by the CEO, development funding and cooperation from main lines of business were slow in coming until a separate unit was established with a clear charter, appropriate metrics, and an aligned senior team. The new unit recently won a $13M contract. Ciba Vision (Success) In the early 1990s, Ciba Vision, a maker of soft contact lenses and lens solutions, was losing ground to their larger competitors, J and bausch and Lomb. In a bold move, Glenn bradley, the President, halted all incremental innovation and placed six bets on revolutionary new products such as extended wear lenses and daily disposables. These new units were encouraged to establish their own alignments (people, structure, culture) as they pursued their breakthrough innovation. With the success of several of these, revenues tripled over the next decade. Zensar Technologies (Success) In 2002, Zensar Technologies, a mid-sized Indian IT services firm was losing market share and key talent. There was substantial tension between a potentially promising new technology platform and the existing geographical business units. A new CEO shifted Zensar to a product-focused firm but kept the new technology venture as a business unit reporting to his office. In 2008, after the entrepreneurial unit’s technology and business model was validated this unit and its innovative business model was integrated into the product units. Over the five-year period, Zensar was able to build its core business even as it brought to the market a fundamentally new technology. CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu 11 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit TABLe 1. sample description (continued from previous page) SAP Business-by-Design (Failure) In 2006, the CEO of sAP declared that future revenue growth for the company was in the small and Medium business market and selling software on demand. This software-as-a-service product (business-by-design or byd) was developed but no separate unit was established. Although this market has grown substantially, sAP has failed to successfully market their offering. In 2010, the CEO, Leo Apotheker, was fired for failing to implement business-by-design. HP Scanner (Declining to Success) beginning in 1991, HP’s scanner division had begun to develop a portable scanner to complement their flatbed product. For five years they had failed to commercialize any of their inventions. In 1996, a new division GM separated out the handheld business into an ambidextrous unit that was physically separated from the flatbed business and had its own people, systems, incentives, and culture. Two years later, this business was successful enough to be spun-out as its own division. Printing Company (Failure) In 2007, faced with increased competition and declining customer satisfaction and usage of their core legal research products, the senior managers of the business decided to reinvent their business as a web-based publisher based on a new open source architecture. In spite of a clear vision of the future, heavy investment in the new technology, and a promise to â€Å"rescue the company†, the new product has failed to reignite growth. The new unit has faced continual resistance from the more mature part of the business. Turner Technologies (Declining to Success) The Advanced IC division of Turner had issues of growth in new products as well as quality in its existing product line. While the division’s strategic intent was clear, it could not get traction on either performance issue until it split out the innovative strategic agenda from its existing product line. Energized by two new managers reporting the divisional GM and a rearticulated identity for the division, Turner was able to both effectively explore and exploit. Software Company (Failure) under pressure from corporate executives, the general manager of software Company articulated a strategic intent to both build on its struggling extant product line and initiate a remarkable set of new software solutions. This general manager built a separate unit, reporting directly to him, to focus on innovation. Over a three-year period, he did not, however, staff or fund this innovative unit. The unit underperformed in its existing as well as its innovative product line. IBM Network Technologies (Declining to Success) A highly entrepreneurial general manager articulated a strategic intent to exploit her existing chip line even as she promised to explore into fundamentally new chips. yet her zeal for exploration led her to build a business unit only focused on exploration. Her extant product line suffered. under pressure from corporate staff and client dissatisfaction, the general manager rebuilt her senior team and her business unit to focus attention on both her current product as well as her new product lines. USA Today (Declining to Success) In the late 1990s, usA Today, like most u. s. ewspapers, began to see a decline in both circulation and advertising revenues as web-based news began to supplant print. In response to this trend, Tom Curley, the paper’s publisher, adopted a â€Å"network strategy† which emphasized the delivery of news content across three platforms, print, the web, and TV. between 1999 and 2002, he was successful at managing this transition and simultaneously d elivering news content across the three platforms-with the result that earnings increased by 50 percent. 12 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit TABLe 2. Interview Results (continued on next page) strategic intent that intellectually justifies ambidextrous form Vision and values that promote a common identity but separate cultures senior team that explicitly owns the ambidextrous strategy (common-fate rewards, communication) Ambidextrous Leadership (conflict resolution, resource allocation) separate units with aligned architectures and targeted integration (senior level and tactical) Proposition 1 Proposition 2 Proposition 3 Proposition 4 Proposition 5 Success: IbM Life sciences yes yes yes 100% of bonus for senior executives yes yes yes 70% of bonus yes EbO structure yes success— $5b in revenue in 6 years Cisco TelePresence yes Council/board structure yes Geographically separate yes daVita Rx yes yes yes but some initial disputes over autonomy yes but some conflict over metrics and rewards yes senior leader integrates Ciba Vision yes yes â€Å"Healthy eyes for life† yes yes Geographically separate Explore report to senior team IbM Middleware yes yes â€Å"beat bEA† yes senior leaders agree on a new structure yes yes Geographically separate units yes distinct unit for new platform es senior leaders integration yes Tension held at top Zensar Technologies yes yes â€Å"Among the top Indian IT services Firms† Misys yes yes drive productivity and innovate yes Replaced old team with new one yes Open source reports to CEO yes CEO drove the new effort CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy . Edu Overall Performance success— $200M in revenue in 4 years success— $220M in revenue in 6 years success— tripled sales in 10 years success— old and new products combined both profit and growth doubled from 20052010 success— developed new platform with new customers 13 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit TABLe 2. Interview Results (continued from previous page, continued on next page) strategic intent that intellectually justifies ambidextrous form Vision and values that promote a common identity but separate cultures senior team that explicitly owns the ambidextrous strategy (common-fate rewards, communication) Ambidextrous Leadership (conflict resolution, resource allocation) separate units with aligned architectures and targeted integration (senior level and tactical) Proposition 1 Proposition 2 Proposition 3 Proposition 4 Proposition 5 defense Corp yes No but did set new explore culture yes After initial resistance yes unit reports to President yes used consultant to mediate conflict Failure: sAP businessby-design yes No No disputes over revenue recognition yes but the strategy does not fit well with current one yes yes â€Å"save the company† No short-term revenue still dominates No clear ambidextrous unit or leader No Continued conflicts over who owns the customer No Ambidextrous unit not represented Failure— lack of penetration in targeted markets Failure—no new growth Printing Company No Explore unit not protected software Co No No yes No Transition to Success: usA Today yes yes â€Å"Network, not a newspaper† H-P scanner yes No No then yes senior team bonus based on overall performance No to yes yes separate units with targeted integration No then yes Physically separate units No to yes Resource allocation to web-based business No to yes senior leader integrates stalled to success— increased earnings 50% in 3 years stalled to success— then innovation unit spun out 14 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Overall Performance success— Won $13M in new contracts Poor Innovation Performance Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit TABLe 2. Interview Results (continued from previous page) strategic intent that intellectually justifies ambidextrous form Vision and values that promote a common identity but separate cultures senior team that explicitly own s the ambidextrous strategy (common-fate rewards, communication) Ambidextrous Leadership (conflict resolution, resource allocation) eparate units with aligned architectures and targeted integration (senior level and tactical) Proposition 1 Proposition 2 Proposition 3 Proposition 4 Proposition 5 Turner Technologies yes yes No to yes No to yes No to yes IbM Network Technologies yes No to yes yes No to yes No to yes possibly helpful, a clear strategic intent may not be a necessary condition for executing ambidextrous designs. The second proposition suggested the importance of a common vision and values as necessary to promote a common identity across explore and exploit units. Here the evidence is largely consistent with proposition two. Six of the eight consistently high-performing firms had a clear over-arching vision and common values. In contrast, two of the three poor performing firms did not have such clarity. Printing Company (pseudonym) had a senior team that both articulated a clear strategic intent as well as an overarching vision and identity. This senior team could not, however, execute against this clear strategy and overarching identity. Moreover, three of the four firms that learned how to be ambidextrous had or developed a well-defined vision. For example, at USA Today there was an explicit strategy to â€Å"be a network, not a newspaper. † The over-arching aspiration was to be â€Å"the local paper for the global village. † This strategy and vision, and a common set of values around fairness, accuracy, and trust, helped knit together a highly differentiated organization. Of the twelve firms able to execute ambidextrous designs, only HP Scanner and Misys were able to implement the ambidextrous design without an overarching identity. Thus, while not definitive, the evidence suggests that a common vision is an important discriminator of more- versus less-successful ambidextrous designs, but not necessarily a sufficient one. The third proposition argued for the importance of a consensus in the senior team about the ambidextrous strategy and a common-fate reward system within the team to promote this. Our data supports this proposition. In each of the three instances of failure, there was a lack of consensus within the senior team about the relative importance of ambidexterity and there was no CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 3, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Overall Performance declining to improving declining to Improving 15 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit common-fate reward system for the senior team. Interviews suggested that the existing reward systems that were based on sub-unit or functional performance were a major cause of the inability of the organization to leverage common assets. In the case of SAP, these disputes played out in the unwillingness of the sales force to promote lower-margin new products and disputes among senior managers about revenue recognition. In the printing company case, short-term financial pressures and the lack of any common-fate reward for the senior team resulted in a focus on achieving short-term revenue targets through the older but higher-margin products. Similarly, at Defense Corp, White’s Homeland Security initiative was initially opposed by other members of the senior team because of its inability to generate short-term revenue. The uncertainty of a long sales-cycle associated with a new government customer was overwhelmed by the short-term metrics of revenue and gross margin. The senior team’s systems for evaluating performance lacked the capacity to evaluate a business at a more immature phase of development. In contrast, in the most-successful ambidextrous efforts, the senior team was heavily incented to promote both explore and exploit businesses. In the Cisco TelePresence case, members of the governance team (Boards and Councils) had a significant portion of their bonus contingent on the success of both units. In the successful DaVita Rx case, there were initial disputes within the senior team about metrics and margins that were only resolved after a common-fate reward system was installed. At Misys, senior team resistance was overcome only after Lawrie replaced the opposing managers. Importantly, in three of the four cases where the firms learned how to be ambidextrous, there was a shift from a lack of consensus ownership about the importance of the exploratory effort to a fully committed senior team. This shift in top team ownership of the ambidextrous strategy involved the creation of common-fate incentive systems, a shift in leadership behaviors of the senior manager, and, in several cases, turnover within the senior team. The fourth condition proposed as necessary for successful ambidexterity was the presence of separate aligned architectures for the explore and exploit units coupled with targeted integration to ensure that common resources were leveraged across units. In all three instances of failure, these distinct alignments were conspicuously missing. In the case of SAP, responsibility for the exploratory venture (software-as-a-service) was split between two functional heads with the result that effective coordination never occurred and decisions were made slowly. At Software Company (pseudonym), a separate exploratory unit was established on paper but never staffed. In each of these ambidextrous failures, the locus of integration between the needs of the exploratory and exploitative activities was either too low in the firm or was ambiguous. In contrast, in each successful case there were always separate explore and exploit units with senior-level integration to ensure that resources were allocated. At IBM this was done either through their EBO process (e. g. in Life Sciences)25 or, in the Middleware case, through the establishment of distinct units focused on different time horizons; that is, mature, growth, and emerging 16 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit products. At Cisco this was done through a Boards and Councils process where there was a clear allocation of responsibilities, resources, and structures. In all successf ul cases, the exploratory units were initially physically separated from the exploit parts of the business. Similarly, for three of the four firms that learned how to be ambidextrous, there was a switch in organization design from an integrated approach (e. g. , project teams) to the establishment of separate units for explore and explore businesses. The final core mechanism proposed as important for successful ambidexterity was the ability of the ambidextrous leader to resolve the inevitable conflicts and resource allocation decisions that this organization design entails. This too is an important discriminator between more- versus less-successful ambidextrous designs. In each failure case this capability was lacking. At SAP there were continual disputes about resources and responsibilities across the participating functions without a clear mechanism or clear leadership for resolution. In the printing firm, although there was a separate explore unit with a responsible manager, he reported to an exploit manager who was held responsible for margins and short-term revenues. The exploratory unit manager was not represented on the senior team with the result that his voice was not heard when critical resource decisions were made. In contrast, in each successful case, there was a clear, identifiable leader and forum to resolve conflicts and make definitive resource allocation decisions. For example, at Zensar, even though there were substantial conflicts between the existing business units and the new integrative software platform, the CEO saw to it that his team actually dealt with these conflicts and made the appropriate resource allocation shifts between the existing units. At Misys, Mike Lawrie ensured that resources needed for the new open source effort were allocated in a timely manner. Similarly, in each of the four units that learned how to be ambidextrous, the general manager changed the senior team composition and processes to resolve conflicts associated with exploration and exploitation. For instance, at USA Today, only after Curley replaced several members of his team was his firm able to excel at both print and web-based content delivery. Similarly, only after the division general manager changed her leadership style at IBM’s Network Technology Division was her team able to balance resource allocation and decision making between her explore and exploit business lines. The Management of Ambidexterity One of the key features of ambidexterity is the ability of the organization to reallocate assets and capabilities to address new threats and opportunities. Practically speaking, this means that leaders within the organization are able to make the difficult choices required to reconfigure assets to promote exploratory ventures. The results from these fifteen case studies suggest that there are identifiable core mechanisms that discriminate between more- versus less-successful ambidextrous designs in action. The most-successful ambidextrous designs had leaders who developed a clear vision and common identity (Proposition 2), CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu 17 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit built senior teams that were committed to the ambidextrous strategy and were incented to both explore and exploit (Proposition 3), employed distinct and aligned subunits to focus on either exploration or exploitation (Proposition 4), and built teams that could deal with the resource allocations and conflicts associated with exploration and exploitation (Proposition 5). Those less-successful attempts at ambidexterity did not employ these core mechanisms. Although useful, the articulation of a clear strategic intent (Proposition 1) and, to a lesser extent, the provision of an overarching vision (Proposition 2) did not discriminate between the more- versus less-successful attempts to build an ambidextrous organization. This suggests that articulating why ambidexterity is important is not the same as how it is implemented. In the implementation of an ambidextrous design, execution appears to trump strategy. The first two propositions (articulating a strategy and overarching vision for the ambidextrous form) are the easy part for senior managers. The next three propositions are about strategic execution. These require hard choices about resource allocation, leader behavior, senior team composition (or replacement), and the balancing of contradictory organizational architectures. The most-successful ambidextrous designs had more of these components from the beginning. In contrast, those firms that learned how to be ambidextrous struggled with at least two of these core components and only after resolving these were they to effectively implement an ambidextrous design. These results suggest that effective ambidextrous designs are based on a set of interrelated choices made by the leader. Any subset of the core mechanisms is associated with underperformance. As such, executing ambidextrous designs can be seen as a complex senior leadership task that requires an integrated set of strategic, structural, incentive, and top team process decisions. Clearly, successful ambidextrous designs require more than the simple organizational structural decision in which the exploratory and exploitative subunits are separated. The critical elements, and perhaps the more difficult elements, are the processes by which these units are integrated in a value enhancing way. Discussion These results are largely consistent with Teece’s observation that â€Å"dynamic capabilities reside in large measure with the enterprise’s top management team. †26 Concretely, it appears that ambidexterity as a dynamic capability rests on the ability of leaders not only to articulate a strategic intent and vision that justifies exploration and exploitation, but—more importantly—to manage the inherent tensions associated with incompatible organizational architectures. These results also extend previous research that has linked transformational leadership to successful ambidexterity by explicating some of the core processes that underpin the transformational leadership construct. 27 These mechanisms are largely consistent with earlier research. For example, our findings that senior team consensus is an important ingredient in the implementation of ambidexterity is consistent with previous research showing that the behavioral integration 18 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit of the senior team is a precursor to successful ambidexterity. 28 Similarly, the importance of targeted integration and clear incentives documented here has also been suggested in previous studies. 29 The critical aspect of resource allocation illustrated here has also been seen in previous studies, especially in research showing that failed efforts at renewal stem not from a lack of technology or resources but the inability of senior managers to allocate those resources effectively to the exploratory effort. 0 Finally, while each component characteristic of ambidextrous designs is important, it appears that it is the set of components interacting together that define the dynamic capabilities that drive effective ambidextrous designs. 31 These patterns suggest concrete yet integrated sets of actions that leaders can take to execute strategies that encompass both exploration and exploitation. At Misys, Mike Lawri e articulated his strategic intent for open source software solutions at a senior team offsite. He kept Misys Open Source as a separate unit reporting to his office. He also emphasized the need for cost and quality progress in his existing business units even as he encouraged disciplined experimentation in the open source unit. As a leader, Lawrie was able to tolerate the competition between Misys Open Source and other platforms and was willing to risk shortterm revenue to help create longer-term options with a potentially disruptive technology. He has seen his strategy pay dividends. The healthcare business unit revenues grew more than 30% in 2009 with Misys Open Source as the basis for important new contracts with hospitals, physicians, and insurers. At the same time, Open Source has triggered innovation into other Misys units—a new banking product has large open source components, and the Misys website is completely open source. To realize the potential of SBP at Zensar, Ganesh Natarajan made the decision to keep SBP separate from the other units. He clarified his strategic and emotional rationale for exploration and exploitation with his senior team and, for the next two years, relentlessly emphasized both exploration and exploitation. By 2008, SBP had almost doubled its number of clients as well as profits. Having demonstrated its success technically and in the market, SBP was then reintegrated within the main business in 2008. Finally, at Defense Corp, Caroline White received approval to separate her homeland security exploration unit and built a new management system and metrics for gauging progress of this business. She also changed the incentives of her top team so that they were all accountable for both short-term results as well as longer-term results. By 2010, the exploratory unit proved its value, winning a $13M contract with the Transport Security Agency for improving perimeter security at U. S. irports. Conclusion There is now convincing evidence suggesting that for organizations to survive in the face of change, they need to be able to successfully exploit their existing businesses and to explore into new spaces by reconfiguring existing resources and developing new capabilities. 32 While the evidence for the benefits CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CM R. bERkELEy. Edu 19 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit of ambidexterity is accumulating, there exists a gap in understanding how ambidexterity is actually managed within organizations. This article has explored how leaders within organizations actually implement ambidexterity. The actions, behaviors, and design choices made by the senior leader comprise the dynamic capabilities that enable firms to simultaneously explore and exploit and emphasize the key role of strategic leadership in adapting, integrating, and reconfiguring organizational skills and resources to match changing environments. Notes 1. Charles I. Stubbart and Michael B. Knight, â€Å"The Case of the Disappearing Firms: Empirical Evidence and Implications,† Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27/1 (February 2006): 79-100. . Ibid. , p. 96. 3. Rajshree Agarwal and Michael Gort, â€Å"The Evolution of Markets and Entry, Exit, and Survival of Firms,† Review of Economics and Statistics, 78/3 (August 1996): 489-498. 4. Paul Ormerod, Why Most Things Fail (New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 2005), p. 18. 5. Leslie Hannah, â€Å"Marshall’s Trees and the Global Forest: Were Giant Redwoods Diff erent? † Center for Economic Performance, Discussion Paper #318, 1997. 6. See James G. March, â€Å"Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning,† Organization Science, 2/1 (February 1991): 71–87; James G. March, â€Å"The Evolution of Evolution,† in J. Baum and J. Singh, eds. , Evolutionary Dynamics of Organizations (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1994), pp. 39-52. 7. For interesting examples of how biological evolution might apply to organizations, see Tim Harford, Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure (New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011); Martin A. Nowak and Roger Highfield, Supercooperators: Altruism, Evolution and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed (New York, NY: Free Press, 2011); Charles A. O’Reilly, J. Bruce Harreld, and Michael L. Tushman, â€Å"Organizational Ambidexterity: IBM and Emerging Business Opportunities,† California Management Review, 51/4 (Summer 2009): 75-99; Ormerod, op. cit. 8. Hannah, op. cit. , p. 19. 9. See, for example, Ze-Lin He and Poh-Kam Wong, â€Å"Exploration vs. Exploitation: An Empirical Test of Ambidexterity,† Organization Science, 15/4 (July/August 2004): 481-494; Sebastian Raisch, Julian Birkinshaw, Gilbert Probst, and Michael L. Tushman, â€Å"Organizational Ambidexterity: Balancing Exploitation and Exploration for Sustained Performance,† Organization Science, 20/4 (July/August 2009): 685-695; Michael L. Tushman and Charles A. O’Reilly, â€Å"The Ambidextrous Organization: Managing Evolutionary and Revolutionary Change,† California Management Review, 38/4 (Summer 1996): 8-30. 10. For a review of the growing literature on dynamic capabilities, see V. Ambrosini and C. Bowman, â€Å"What Are Dynamic Capabilities and Are They a Useful Construct in Strategic Management? † International Journal of Management Reviews, 11/1 (March 2009): 29-49; Kathleen M. Eisenhardt and Jeffrey A. Martin, â€Å"Dynamic Capabilities: What Are They? † Strategic Management Journal, 21/10-11 (October/November 2000): 1105–1121; J. Bruce Harreld, Charles A. O’Reilly, and Michael L. Tushman, â€Å"Dynamic Capabilities at IBM: Driving Strategy into Action,† California Management Review, 49/4 (Summer 2007): 21-43; Constance E. Helfat, Sydney Finkelstein, Will Mitchell, Margaret A. Peteraf, Harbir Singh, David J. Teece, and Sidney G. Winter, Dynamic Capabilities: Understanding Strategic Change in Organizations (Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2007); David J. Teece, Gary Pisano, and Amy Shuen, â€Å"Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management,† Strategic Management Journal, 18/7 (August 1997): 509-533. 1. C. O’Reilly and M. Tushman, â€Å"Ambidexterity as a Dynamic Capability: Resolving the Innovator’s Dilemma,† Research in Organizational Behavior, 28 (2008): 190. 12. Harreld et al. (2007), op. cit. ; David J. Teece, â€Å"Explicating Dynamic Capabilities: The Nature and Microfoundations of (Sustainable) Enterprise Performance,† Strategic Management Journal, 28 (D ecember 2007): 1319-1350. 13. See, for example, Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble, â€Å"Building Breakthrough Businesses within Established Organizations,† Harvard Business Review, 83/5 May 2005): 58-68; Justin P. Jansen, Frans A. Tempelaar, Frans A. Van den Bosch, and Henk W. Volberda, â€Å"Structural 20 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Differentiation and Ambidexterity: The Mediating Role of Integration Mechanisms,† Organization Science, 20/4 (July/August 2009): 797-811; Michael H. Lubatkin, Zeki Simsek, Yan Ling, and John F. Veiga, â€Å"Ambidexterity and Performance in Small- to Medium-Sized Firms: The Pivotal Role of TMT Behavioral Integration,† Journal of Management, 32/5 (2006): 646672; Tom J. Mom, Frans A. Van den Bosch, and Henk W. Volberda, â€Å"Understanding Variation in Managers’ Ambidexterity: Investigating Direct and Interaction Effects of Formal Structural and Personal Coordination Mechanisms,† Organization Science, 20/4 (July/August 2009): 812-828; Sebastian Raisch and Julian Birkinshaw, â€Å"Organizational Ambidexterity: Antecedents, Outcomes, and Moderators,† Journal of Management, 34/3 (June 2008): 375-409; Michael L. Tushman, Wendy K. Smith, Robert C. Wood, George Westerman, and Charles A. O’Reilly, â€Å"Organizational Designs and Innovation Streams,† Industrial and Corporate Change, 19/5 (October 2010): 1331-1366. O’Reilly and Tushman (2008), op cit. Clay M. Christensen, The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1997); Erwin Danneels, â€Å"The Dynamics of Product Innovation and Firm Competences,† Strategic Management Journal, 23/12 (December 2002): 1095-1121; March (1991), op. it. ; Mary Tripsas and Giovanni Gavetti, â€Å"Capabilities, Cognition, and Inertia: Evidence from Digital Imaging,† Strategic Management Journal, 21/1011 (October/November 2000): 1147-1161. Max Bazerman and Michael Watkins, Predictable Surprises (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2004); Mary J. Benner and Michael L. Tushman, â€Å"Exploitation, Exploration and Process Management: The Productivit y Dilemma Revisited,† Academy of Management Review, 28/2 (April 2003): 238-256; March (1991), op. cit. Justin J. Jansen, Dusya Vera, and Mary Crossan, â€Å"Strategic Leadership for Exploration and Exploitation: The Moderating Role of Environmental Dynamism,† Leadership Quarterly, 20/1 (February 2009): 5-18; R. Scott Livengood and Rhonda K. Reger, â€Å"That’s Our Turf! Identity Domains and Competitive Dynamics,† Academy of Management Review, 35/1 (January 2010): 48-66; Louise A. Nemanich and Dusya Vera, â€Å"Transformational Leadership and Ambidexterity in the Context of an Acquisition,† Leadership Quarterly, 20/1 (February 2009): 19-33. Lubatkin, Simsek, Ling, and Veiga, op. cit. Jatinder Sidhu, Henk Volberda, and Harry Commandeur, â€Å"Exploring Exploration Orientation and Its Determinants: Some Empirical Evidence,† Journal of Management Studies, 41/6 (September 2004): 913-932. Christine M. Beckman, â€Å"The Influence of Founding Team Company Affiliations on Firm Behavior,† Academy of Management Journal, 49/4 (August 2006): 741-758; J. Jansen, G. George, F. Van den Bosch, and H. Volberda, â€Å"Senior Team Attributes and Organizational Ambidexterity: The Moderating Role of Transformational Leadership,† Journal of Management Studies, 45/5 (July 008): 982-1007. Charles A. O’Reilly and Michael L. Tushman, â€Å"The Ambidextrous Organization,† Harvard Business Review, 82/4 (April 2004): 74-83; Nicolaj Siggelkow and Daniel Levinthal, â€Å"Temporarily Divide to Conquer: Centralized, Decentralized, and Reintegrated Organizational Approaches to Exploration and Adaptation,† Organization Science, 14/6 (November/December 2003): 650-669. Clark Gilbert, â€Å"Unbundling the Structure of Inertia: Resource versus Routine Rigidity,† Academy of Management Journal, 48/5 (October 2005): 741-763; Mom, Van den Bosch, and Volberda, op. cit. Charles A. O’Reilly, David F. Caldwell, Jennifer A. Chatman, Margaret Lapiz, and William Self, â€Å"How Leadership Matters: The Effects of Leaders’ Alignment on Strategy Implementation,† Leadership Quarterly, 21/1 (February 2010): 104-113; Wendy K. Smith and Michael L. Tushman, â€Å"Managing Strategic Contradictions: A Top Management Model for Managing Innovation Streams,† Organization Science, 16/5 (September/October 2005): 522-536. V. J. Gilchrest, â€Å"Key Informant Interviews,† in B. F. Crabtree and W. L. Miller, eds. , Doing Qualitative Research (London: Sage, 1992). This research used a multi-case design in which cases were written for each of the fifteen ambidexterity efforts (e. g. , Eisenhardt, 1989). These cases were then used to generate insights into those actions that were more or less likely to be associated with the successful implementation of an ambidextrous form. Each of the 15 cases was compared to the five propositions suggested by O’Reilly and Tushman (2008). Given the exploratory and qualitative nature of this investigation and the nature of our convenience sample, any results are necessarily tentative. CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu 21 Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How Managers Explore and Exploit 24. Govindarajan and Trimble, op. cit. ; Charles H. House and Raymond L. Price, The HP Phenomenon: Innovation and Business Transformation (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2009); Richard S. Rosenbloom, â€Å"Leadership, Capabilities, and Technological Change: The Transformation of NCR in the Electronic Era,† Strategic Management Journal, 21/10-11 (October/ November 2000): 1083-1103. 25. O’Reilly, Harreld, and Tushman, (2009) op cit. 26. Teece (2007), op cit. , p. 146. 27. Jansen, George, Van den Bosch, and Volberda, op. cit. ; Jansen, Vera, and Crossan, op. cit. ; Nemanich and Vera, op. cit. ; Smith and Tushman, op. cit. 28. For example, see Beckman (2006), op. cit. ; Lubatkin, Simsek, Ling, and Veiga, op. cit. ; Alva Taylor and Constance E. Helfat, â€Å"Organizational Linkages for Surviving Technological Change: Complementary Assets, Middle Management, and Ambidexterity,† Organization Science, 20/4 (July/August 2009): 718-739. 9. See Jansen, Tempelaar, Van den Bosch, and Volberda, op. cit. ; O’Reilly and Tushman (2004), op. cit. ; Wendy K. Smith, â€Å"Managing Strategic Ambidexterity: Top Management Teams and Cognitive Processes to Explore and Exploit Simultaneously,† paper presented at the 25th EGOS Colloquium, Barcelona, July 3, 2009; Tushman, Smith, Wood, Westerman, and O’Reilly, op. cit. 30. For example, see Gilbert, op. cit . ; Robert Sobel, When Giants Stumble: Classic Business Blunders and How to Avoid Them (Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999); Donald N. Sull, â€Å"The Dynamics of Standing Still: Firestone Tire and Rubber and the Radial Revolution,† Business History Review, 73/3 (Autumn 1999): 430-464; Tripsas and Gavetti, op. cit. 31. Harreld, O’Reilly, and Tushman (2007), op. cit. ; Jan Rivkin and Nicolaj Siggelkow, â€Å"Balancing Search and Stability: Interdependencies among Elements of Organizational Design,† Management Science, 49/3 (March 2003): 290-311; Richard Wittington, Andrew Pettigrew, Simon Peck, Evelyn Penton, and Martin Conyon, â€Å"Change and Complementarities in the New Competitive Landscape,† Organization Science, 10/5 (September/October 1999): 583-600. 2. Matthew S. Olson and Derek Van Bever, Stall Points (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008); Raisch and Birkinshaw (2008), op. cit. ; Juha Uotila, Markku Maula, and Thomas Keil, and Shaker A. Zhara, â€Å"Exploration, Exploitation and Financial Performance: Analysis of S 500 Corporations,† Strategic Management Journal, 30/ 2 (February 2009): 221-231. 22 uNIVERsITy OF CALIFORNIA, bERkELEy VOL. 53, NO. 4 suMMER 2011 CMR. bERkELEy. Edu