The English East India Company was established by the British under Queen Elizabeth I. A group of merchants was granted the charter and trading rights to trade along the East India stretch extending from Africa to South America. It was a big monopoly because no other company was allowed to trade in that area aside from EEIC. The company was in existence for nearly 250 years and is often associated with the rise to glory and influence of Queen Elizabeth’s authority. It was not just created by the charter alone. However, it resulted from years of Britain’s desire to join the Easter trade routes due to the associated profits and the costs the country had to pay for trading through middlemen, especially Portugal, which had a direct link to the Eastern trade. The company had also been established because the country’s efforts to find an alternative route through voyages that directly connected Britain and the Eastern trade routes had been futile. The company joined the spice trade and dealt in cotton, silk, tea, and the slave business. Due to its trading rights, the company made cotton, textiles, spices, and tea readily available in England, with the investors enjoying large profits. EEIC transformed from a monopoly to a vast territorial empire in the Indian subcontinent in various including the charter that pulled political weight to their side, their company’s business strategy, the fall of the Portuguese hold on the trade, and its increased tax collection powers after the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
The company was a private corporation but used the support of the Queen as a political power to form allies among the rulers of the Indian communities. The company also had employees ready for battle, which came in handy in its expansion as they intimidated the Indian rulers, who saw an opportunity to extract bribes from the company’s officials, strengthening the EEIC against the French or Dutch. This relationship also created an opportunity for the company to build trading outposts in places where the rulers were corporative. In the end, these vast trading outposts created an opportunity for the company to control the surrounding regions, which accumulated to the vast empire’s creation. The company started collecting taxes in these areas for trading opportunities via the company contributing to increased wealth and power.
In most cases, such activities would require authorization from the Queen since the company is not a political entity or a state. Stern (2015, p. 427) establishes that as long as the company continued making profits and the board of governors was satisfied, the Queen did not interfere, making it easier for the company to use their trading outposts as administration centers which collectively made an empire. This mode of business was key for the transformation. With these increased resources by heavily taxing Indians and selling Indian products in other parts of the territory, the government looking out for the company’s interests could drive away the Dutch and the French, who were key competitors, thus, making the whole Indian region a trading center for EEIC.
Secondly, the company’s growth is attributed to the economic and financial prowess exhibited in the Battle of Plassey, where under the leadership of Robert Clive, the company entered into a war with Nawab of Bengal and his French allies in 1757. The Nawab complained about the taxes, while the French supported the Indians as a strategy to win Bengal in their competition with EEIC (Brunton, 2013, p. 80). The Nawab and the French were defeated, placing the company politically and economically on another level. Further, it increased the company’s taxation powers, especially in Bengal, which all contributed to the growth of the empire. The taxation system was not new in the Indian subcontinent, especially under the Portuguese, who had started it earlier; the only difference is that the company charged more, and people had to pay because it recruited the local rulers to manage the outposts. After the war, the position and office of a revenue collector were established, affecting other city-colonies like Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta, forming the foundation of the British Empire in India. Therefore, implementing tax was more accessible and effective as it used local rulers to explain, collect and give company. This created vast wealth to acquire more territories as the building blocks from a monopoly to an empire. Using the war as an example, the company also conquered other territories through force. In other instances, due to its power, the company made alliances with other territories. Further, because of its military prowess, the company started controlling some parts of the trade routes, especially the opium trade controlled in Bengal. It collected pass fees for traders who came for the commodity ad excise taxes on domestic sales, increasing the British revenue significantly (Deming, 2011, p.2).
Instead of security personnel, the company had an army to protect its interest. This army was recruited among the Indians, complemented by Englishmen, creating a big and powerful military force. This is also how it grew from a mere corporation to an empire, as its competitors could match the implied power the company had through the army. Using this powerful army, the company slowly and eventually subdued region after region until it controlled the entire Indian subcontinent. The company witfully made rulers sign property documents that they thought went to the Queen but legally became the company’s property. EEIC was owned by nearly half of the members of the parliament in England. Therefore, they did everything in their power, including creating and implementing British foreign policy to protect their interests in the company. Such support made the company triumph over business and territorial competitors leading to its growth.
The company was willing to go to any lengths for profit, which was the driver for its vast territorial empire. Tea was a valuable trading commodity at the time, especially in England. Thus, the company sought ways to enter and dominate the tea trade. The EEIC smuggled opium into China from its Indian colonies in exchange or in a bid to get over the tea trade in China. This is because China produced the highest quality, and tea was in demand in England, making it a perfect business opportunity for EEIC. However, the company did it through unconventional means by smuggling opium into China. This raised health concerns, among other issues with the Chinese that contributed to the opium wars. Like other wars, EEIC had superior military resources, thus defeating the Chinese and taking over the tea trade. This also meant that the company had some leverage on China influencing several trade decisions indicating its expansion further into the Chinese. Britain wanted bilateral trade with the Chinese as England’s demand for tea and silk was high compared to Chinese demand for British products.
Further, China did not conform to the Westernized ways of doing business. Thus, the war was a way of putting China in line and accepting bilateral trade relationships with the company as a representative of Britain. Therefore, forcing China into business with Britain was another reason for expansion. EEIC became the leading trader in tea, a commodity it does not produce, where the profits are added to the company’s existing resources.
Dalrymple (2019, p.7) explains that the company’s behavior and features as a sovereign state contributed to its expansion. This is evidenced by its military prowess, where the company had military and associated resources that questioned whether the company was a business entity or a state. The business outposts the company was its territory where it “combined the tights of private persons, such as to sue and be sued or contract debts, with features of sovereign public power such as the prerogative to wage war and conduct diplomacy, govern over people and places, or coin money” (Stern, 2015, p. 433). Such kind of power meant that the company, through the charter signed by the Queen, had implied sovereign power, which contributed to its growth. As established, there was little to no interference from the crown, where such power made it stronger to reign and acquire more wealth for its country and shareholders. This is evidenced in how in the end, Britain did not give power back to the Indians and other territories acquired by the company but instead took them on such British territories and colonies.
In the end, the British government, through the India Act, formalized the government’s involvement in the company. This meant that all its territories and the vast empire it had conquered as now under the government. The government held the company in check, and an accountability process emerged. This compromised the functioning of the company, including highlighting corruption in its operations and questions about commercial interests surpassing everything else, including the sovereignty of the Indians came to light. This was the beginning of the end which was made worse by the free trade ideology that compromised the functionality of the monopoly the company had become. Aside from economic failures, the company also failed to manage its territories. India revolted against the company’s insensitivity to their religion and the increased military use, which created frequent tensions which were not good for business; thus, the government intervened. Stern (2015, p. 440) explains that though EEIC dissolved many years ago, it created the idea of modern business especially conglomerates, where if unregulated, can have unimaginable power. The company’s impacts are felt today, with tea, pepper, and other products brought into the country by the EEIC still part of the English culture.
References
Brunton, Bruce. “The East India Company: Agent of Empire in the Early Modern Capitalist Era.” Social Education 77, no. 2 (2013): 78–98. https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/publications/articles/se_77021378.pdf
Dalrymple, William. The anarchy: The East India Company, corporate violence, and the pillage of an empire. Bloomsbury Publishing USA, (2019):1–87. https://cdn.waterstones.com/special/pdf/9781408864371.pdf
Deming, Sarah. “The economic importance of Indian opium and trade with China on Britain’s economy, 1843–1890.” Economics Working Papers 25 (2011). 1–20. http://www.whitman.edu/Documents/Academics/Economics/WorkingPaperContents/WP_25.pdf
Stern, Philip J. “The English East India Company and the Modern Corporation: Legacies, Lessons, and Limitations.” Seattle UL Rev. 39 (2015): 423–444. https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2311&context=sul
The Labor Movement University Essay Example
Introduction
The Labor Movement, referred to as the labor union motion or the union movement, is the collective efforts of people who have come together to protest for higher working conditions, wages, and opportunities.[1]. It has been used as a force in promoting employees’ rights and social justice throughout history. The labor movement’s roots can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution when employees were exposed to dangerous and exploitative working situations.[2]. Therefore, labor unions and different companies have come together to fight for employees’ rights through diverse collective movements, including strikes, protests, and legislative lobbying. The movement’s advocacy efforts have brought about massive legislative reforms which have alleviated working conditions and guarded employees from exploitation.[3]. The movement performed a huge function in the civil rights movement in America throughout the twentieth century. They wanted better operating situations and wages, to cease child labor, and to guard women’s rights. This paper will look at the impact of the Labor Movement on the civil rights movement by looking at how they drove for these modifications. The paper will go into the Labor Movement’s advocacy efforts for improved working conditions and salaries, the abolition of child labor, and women’s rights. This research will use primary and secondary sources to argue that the Labor Movement played a significant role in the civil rights struggle.
Subtopics
These are the subtopics that are going to be looked at under the body.
- The Labor Movement’s advocacy efforts for better working conditions and wages.
- The Labor Movement’s Role in eliminating child labor.
- The Labor Movement’s efforts to protect women’s rights.
Advocation for Better Working Conditions and Wages.
The Labor Movement has played an important function in shaping the working conditions and wages today.[4]. Before the creation of the Labor movements, people had been subjected to long hours, low wages, and unsafe operating conditions, and they did not have legal guidelines to protect them. The labor movement’s advocacy efforts throughout the civil rights movement caused giant legislative reforms that regulated minimum wages, maximum working hours, and overtime pay, halting employers from exploiting workers.[5] These Labor Movement efforts not only helped guide groups of color living in poverty due to discrimination but also improved working situations for all workers.[6] In this section, we explore the labor movement efforts in advocating for better operating situations and wages, their impact on the civil rights motions, and the legacy in their advocacy these days.
The labor motion played a crucial role in the civil rights motion, specifically advocating for higher operating situations and wages. Earlier, before the development of the Labor Motion, there were no legal guidelines to protect employees from exploitation by their employers. Workers have been forced to work for long hours with low wages, and many have been subjected to unsafe operating situations.[7]. The Labor Movement recommended laws that would modify the minimum wage, maximum working hours, and additional time pay, which would assist in stopping employers from exploiting workers.[8].The fair labor standard Act of 1938 changed into one of the substantial laws that the labor movements lobbied for and efficaciously succeeded[9]. The Act set a minimum salary and most working hours, which made it unlawful for employers to overwork and underpay employees.
The Labor Movement’s efforts in advocating for better wages and working conditions additionally helped communities of color dwell in poverty due to discrimination.[10]. Many individuals of color have been regularly restrained to low-paying jobs, with no hope for better pay or a working environment.[11]. The Labor Movement’s advocacy efforts for better wages and running conditions gave those groups an opportunity for better lives. As a result, they get the chance to carry themselves out of poverty and contribute to the financial system, which ultimately helps to sell social justice and equality.[12].
The Labor Movement’s efforts to enhance operating situations and wages additionally led to better operating environments for employees.[13]. Earlier, before the Labor Movement, many people worked in unsafe environments, and many died because of accidents that they experienced in the workplace.[14]. The labor movement’s advocacy for the place of work safety measures caused the established order of legal guidelines that mandated employers to ensure the safety guidelines for the workers. These days, workers have access to shielding gears, secure working environments, and the knowledge of their rights as workers.
In conclusion, the labor motion was essential in advocating for improved operating situations and wages throughout the civil rights movement. They efficaciously lobbied for legal guidelines that regulated minimum wages, maximum work hours, and extra time pay, which helped to stop employers from exploiting the workers. The motion’s efforts helped to guide communities of color residing in poverty and improved the working environment for all workers. Thanks to the Labour Movement’s advocacy efforts, people have access to even higher wages, more secure working environments, and greater knowledge of their rights.
Advocation for Elimination of Child Labor
The Labor Movement within the U.S.A. has an extended history of advocating for better operating conditions, fair wages, and the protection of employees’ rights.[15]. One significant area of focus of the Labor Movement was the problem of child labor.[16]. During the early 20th century, many children were subjected to harsh working conditions, including in factories, mines, and farms. The Labor Movement identified the injustices of child labor and began organizing protests, moves, and lobbying efforts to quit this practice.[17]. Their advocacy efforts ultimately led to legislative reforms and public attention campaigns, which helped to stop child exertions and shape modern-day labor laws. This subsection will look at the effort of the Labor Movement to bring child labor to a stop in the united states and also look at its impact on contemporary labor legal guidelines.
The labor movement’s advocacy activities were important in eradicating child labor in the United States.[18]. During the early twentieth century, many youngsters, particularly those from impoverished households, were forced to paint in dangerous and arduous conditions. Children did a variety of work in industries, mines, and farms. They did hard jobs for very long hours, and yet they were paid little amount of money. The Labor Movement saw the harm and the injustices attributed to child labor and began looking for ways to eradicate this practice. One of the objectives was to ensure that children had the privilege of accessing education. Another objective was to ensure that employees did not exploit the children since they were young and did not understand things.
To achieve their objectives, Labor Movements and other organizations that fought for human rights began looking for ways to fight for the eradication of child labor. These strategies included organizing protests, marches, and lobbying for legislative improvements against child labor. The effort they were putting in eventually bore fruits, and as a result, many legislations were passed. These legislations had the target of putting a halt to child exploitation in the labor workforce. A good example is the National Business Recovery Act of 1933. This Act banned the employment of children under sixteen in working industries. This measure gave way to even more detailed policies, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which dictated the minimum working age and working hours.
The Fair Labor Standard Act of 1938 created the first government minimum wage advisory. This policy prevented employers from exploiting children by reimbursing them with low wedges. The Act also ensured that children were not working when they were supposed to be in school. In return, they were able to attend school and attain an education. As a result, children are no longer compelled to work long hours in hazardous and inhumane conditions.
In addition to legislative improvements, the labor movement’s attempts to eliminate child labor involved protected public awareness programs. They attempted to educate the general public about the risks of child labor and the value of education in the development of children. They built a strong coalition of support for their cause by raising public awareness.
Ultimately, the labor movement’s campaigns were instrumental in abolishing child labor in the United States of America. Their persistent dedication to ensuring that children had access to education and were no longer harmed by corporations led to substantial changes to legislation and campaigns to raise awareness. These efforts contributed to developing current labor regulations that safeguard children’s rights and prevent industrial exploitation.
Advocation for the Protection of Women’s Rights
The labor movement has been a very important subject in vouching for a much better working environment, fair and equal pay, and equal rights for all workers in the workforce. The movement has also strived to fight for women’s rights. For a long time now, women have been suffering from workplace discrimination.[19]. This section of this paper will concentrate on the Labor Movement’s strive to protect women’s rights in the workplace and its important role in the civil rights struggle. It is very evident how the labor movement was in favor of equal pay. The treatment of women fought against workplace discrimination and harassment and played a crucial role in the fight for women’s suffrage. The labor movement’s contributions to women’s rights were critical in creating a more equitable society for all.
The labor movement’s campaign for women’s rights became an important component of the civil rights movement.[20]. Ladies have always been a significant element of the labor sector, but they experienced significant prejudice in the administrative center. They were frequently paid less than men for performing the same task and had fewer process prospects. The labor movement recognized the importance of women’s contributions to the economy and campaigned for their rights. One of the key triumphs of the civil rights movement was the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination in the workplace based entirely on gender, race, and national origin.[21]. The Act assisted in the creation of an equitable environment for all workforce members, whether men or women.
The Labor Movement’s work also created legal reform to be created. These reforms protected women from being sexual harassment and discriminated against in their places of work.[22]. Before these regulations, girls had few criminal remedies to protect themselves from harassment and abuse in the workplace. However, the activism of the labor movement led to the passage of laws that made sexual harassment illegal and established guidelines for businesses to follow. These legal standards helped create a safer and fairer administrative center for women.
Similarly to advocating for women’s rights inside the place of work, the Labor movement also fought for women’s right to vote.[23]. Women’s suffrage turned into a protracted and tough struggle, and the Labor Movement performed a critical function in this struggle. Ladies’ suffrage became an important step toward attaining equal gender rights for ladies, and the Labor Movement recognized this. The movement mobilized ladies to demand the right to vote and actively supported women’s suffrage campaigns.
The labor movement’s efforts to shield ladies’ rights have been a crucial issue of the civil rights movement. Women’s rights were an important part of the struggle for civil rights, and the labor movement identified this. Their advocacy efforts led to sizable modifications inside the place of the job, making sure that ladies received fair pay and treatment. They also helped to establish legal guidelines that blanketed women from harassment and discrimination. In the end, the labor movement performed a crucial position in the combat for women’s suffrage, which became a giant milestone in attaining the same rights for ladies. The Labor Movement’s contributions to women’s rights were vital in creating a greater, just, and equitable society for all.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Labor Movement played a huge role in the civil rights movement, advocating for a much better working environment and wages, ending child labor, and protecting women’s rights. Through their advocacy efforts, the labor movement effectively lobbied for legislative reforms, such as the Fair Labor Standard Act of 1938, which regulated minimal wages and maximum working hours, preventing employers from exploiting employees. The labor movement’s efforts to end child labor brought about the status quo of legal guidelines that mandated children’s schooling and prohibited their employment in an unsuitable environment. Additionally, the Labor Movement promoted ladies’ rights, which helped to interrupt gender barriers and create room for women in the workforce. Today, the labor movement’s advocacy legacy is seen within the modern-day labor legal guidelines and policies that shield employees’ rights and ensure safe working environments. Typical, the Labor movement’s impact on the civil rights movement cannot be overstated, and their advocacy efforts continue to lead our society today.
Bibliography
Cheng, Zhiming, Fei Guo, Graeme Hugo, and Xin Yuan. “Employment and wage discrimination in the Chinese cities: A comparative study of migrants and locals.” Habitat International 39 (2013): 246-255.
Collins, Jane L., and Victoria Mayer. Both hands tied: Welfare reform and the race to the bottom in the low-wage labor market—University of Chicago Press, 2010.
Compa, Lance, and Jeffrey S. Vogt. “Labor rights in the generalized system of preferences: A 20-year review.” Comp. Lab. L. & Pol’y J. 22 (2000): 199.
Fantasia, Rick, and Judith Stepan‐Norris. “The labour movement in motion.” The Blackwell Companion to social movements (2004): 555-575.
Fantasia, Rick, and Kim Voss. Hard work: Remaking the American labor movement. Univ of California Press, 2004.
Ghigliani, Pablo. “International trade unionism in a globalizing world: A case study of new labour internationalism.” Economic and Industrial Democracy 26, no. 3 (2005): 359-382.
Grossman, Jonathan. “Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938: Maximum struggle for a minimum wage.” Monthly Labor Review 101, no. 6 (1978): 22-30.
Hall, Jacquelyn Dowd. “The long civil rights movement and the political uses of the past.” The Journal of American History 91, no. 4 (2005): 1233-1263.
Kalleberg, Arne L. “Precarious work, insecure workers: Employment relations in transition.” American sociological review 74, no. 1 (2009): 1-22.
Luders, Joseph E. The civil rights movement and the Logic of social change. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
MacDowell, Laurel Sefton. “The elliot lake uranium Miners’ Battle to gain occupational health and safety improvements, 1950–1980.” Labor 69 (2012): 91-118.
Marshall, Anna-Maria. “Injustice frames, legality, and the everyday construction of sexual harassment.” Law & Social Inquiry 28, no. 3 (2003): 659-689.
Min, Jeehee, Yangwoo Kim, Sujin Lee, Tae-Won Jang, Inah Kim, and Jaechul Song. “The fourth industrial revolution and its impact on occupational health and safety, worker’s compensation and labour conditions.” Safety and Health at Work 10, no. 4 (2019): 400-408.
Moehling, Carolyn M. “State child labor laws and the decline of child labor.” Explorations in Economic History 36, no. 1 (1999): 72-106.
Mohajan, Haradhan. “The first industrial revolution: Creation of a new global human era.” (2019): 377-387.
Narro, Victor. “Impacting next wave organizing: Creative campaign strategies of the Los Angeles worker centers.” NYL Sch. L. Rev. 50 (2005): 465.
Neak, Samsen, and Raymond Robertson. “Globalization and working conditions: Evidence from Cambodia.” Globalization, wages, and the quality of jobs: Five country studies (2009): 97-129.
Neuman, Johanna. Gilded Suffragists: The New York Socialites who Fought for Women’s Right to Vote. NYU Press, 2019.
Nilliasca, Terri. “Some women’s work: Domestic work, class, race, heteropatriarchy, and the limits of legal reform.” Mich. J. Race & L. 16 (2010): 377.
Quadagno, Jill S. The color of welfare: How racism undermined the war on poverty. Oxford University Press, 1994.
Quadagno, Jill S. The color of welfare: How racism undermined the war on poverty. Oxford University Press, 1994.
Wilmers, Nathan. “Labor unions as activist organizations: A union power approach to estimating union wage effects.” Social Forces 95, no. 4 (2017): 1451-1478.
[1] Fantasia, Rick, and Judith Stepan‐Norris. “The labour movement in motion.” The Blackwell Companion to social movements (2004): 555-575.
[2] Fantasia, Rick, and Kim Voss. Hard work: Remaking the American labor movement. Univ of California Press, 2004.
[3] Narro, Victor. “Impacting next wave organizing: Creative campaign strategies of the Los Angeles worker centers.” NYL Sch. L. Rev. 50 (2005): 465.
[4] Neak, Samsen, and Raymond Robertson. “Globalization and working conditions: Evidence from Cambodia.” Globalization, wages, and the quality of jobs: Five country studies (2009): 97-129.
[5] Nilliasca, Terri. “Some women’s work: Domestic work, class, race, heteropatriarchy, and the limits of legal reform.” Mich. J. Race & L. 16 (2010): 377.
[6] Quadagno, Jill S. The color of welfare: How racism undermined the war on poverty. Oxford University Press, 1994.
[7] Mohajan, Haradhan. “The first industrial revolution: Creation of a new global human era.” (2019): 377-387.
[8] Min, Jeehee, Yangwoo Kim, Sujin Lee, Tae-Won Jang, Inah Kim, and Jaechul Song. “The fourth industrial revolution and its impact on occupational health and safety, worker’s compensation and labour conditions.” Safety and Health at Work 10, no. 4 (2019): 400-408.
[9] Grossman, Jonathan. “Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938: Maximum struggle for a minimum wage.” Monthly Labor Review 101, no. 6 (1978): 22-30.
[10] Quadagno, Jill S. The color of welfare: How racism undermined the war on poverty. Oxford University Press, 1994.
[11] Collins, Jane L., and Victoria Mayer. Both hands tied: Welfare reform and the race to the bottom in the low-wage labor market—University of Chicago Press, 2010.
[12] Wilmers, Nathan. “Labor unions as activist organizations: A union power approach to estimating union wage effects.” Social Forces 95, no. 4 (2017): 1451-1478.
[13] Kalleberg, Arne L. “Precarious work, insecure workers: Employment relations in transition.” American sociological review 74, no. 1 (2009): 1-22.
[14] MacDowell, Laurel Sefton. “The elliot lake uranium Miners’ Battle to gain occupational health and safety improvements, 1950–1980.” Labor 69 (2012): 91-118.
[15] Compa, Lance, and Jeffrey S. Vogt. “Labor rights in the generalized system of preferences: A 20-year review.” Comp. Lab. L. & Pol’y J. 22 (2000): 199.
[16] Moehling, Carolyn M. “State child labor laws and the decline of child labor.” Explorations in Economic History 36, no. 1 (1999): 72-106.
[17] Ghigliani, Pablo. “International trade unionism in a globalizing world: A case study of new labour internationalism.” Economic and Industrial Democracy 26, no. 3 (2005): 359-382.
[18] Ghigliani, Pablo. “International trade unionism in a globalizing world: A case study of new labour internationalism.” Economic and Industrial Democracy 26, no. 3 (2005): 359-382.
[19] Cheng, Zhiming, Fei Guo, Graeme Hugo, and Xin Yuan. “Employment and wage discrimination in the Chinese cities: A comparative study of migrants and locals.” Habitat International 39 (2013): 246-255.
[20] Hall, Jacquelyn Dowd. “The long civil rights movement and the political uses of the past.” The Journal of American History 91, no. 4 (2005): 1233-1263.
[21] Luders, Joseph E. The civil rights movement and the Logic of social change. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
[22] Marshall, Anna-Maria. “Injustice frames, legality, and the everyday construction of sexual harassment.” Law & Social Inquiry 28, no. 3 (2003): 659-689.
[23] Neuman, Johanna. Gilded Suffragists: The New York Socialites who Fought for Women’s Right to Vote. NYU Press, 2019.
Organizational Change And Management At JC Penney Sample Essay
Describe the change objective.
JC Penny focused on transforming human resource training into capacity building to address the skills gap. Arguably, the organization’s focus was to develop a new approach to human resource management geared toward improving the personnel. With the focus on enhancing employee relations, the capacity-building objective was to ensure a renewed approach to the leadership process (Tokosh, 2019). Central to the initiative was to improve, retain, manage employee knowledge, and develop competency resources geared at positive outcomes. Emphasis on maximizing their HR impact was directed at fostering growth and ensuring sustainable projects in reviewing personnel (Eames, 2021). Focus on designing and delivering highly competent personnel would be the objective construed at enhancing performance. Providing the personnel with the basic principles of knowledge management and training would translate into every work being delivered on a quality basis (Hill & Moussa, 2022). Thus, building capacity would be the foundation for positive transformation at JC Penny.
What did the organization do correctly in implementing the change?
From the onset of the change deployment, the company believed in harmonizing transformative capacity building. Arguably, the participation of the personnel was an important dimension of decision-making that was deployed effectively. Inclusivity meant that the company could ensure collaboration in deploying the best measures (Eames, 2021). For the management, it was crucial to implement democratic, participative techniques. Ensuring that comfortable working environments were created were within the scope of operations. Therefore, the company allocated significant effort to developing capacity programs that emanated from the personnel requirements (Hill & Moussa, 2022). Harnessing employee input led to their recognition as the engines of change. Direct interaction translated into personnel ready to embrace the capacity-building initiatives, emphasizing the intended objectives to be accomplished (Tokosh, 2019). Further, throughout the participative endeavor, it was prudent that real-time information and progress tracking is undertaken for successful implications.
What did the organization do incorrectly in implementing the change?
The company’s top leadership relied on a transactional style to execute the changes. Accordingly, the approach was impersonal and deviated from the values of close-knit interaction. Focus on the short-term goals of revenue yield and profitability was apparent (Hill & Moussa, 2022). Consequently, the favor for structured policies and practices was within the parameter of operation, which led to dissuaded personnel on the capacity building initiatives (Tokosh, 2019). Further, in deploying capacity-building measures, the leadership style thrived on conformity to the rules and accurately undertaking diverse activities. Despite the initial emphasis on the participation of employees in decision-making, the leadership exerted undue pressure on the personnel for results (Eames, 2021). With the inflexible leadership style, the change initiatives were faced with significant rigidity in the operation process. The leadership should have sought out a different style that deviates from the bottom line and focuses on efficiency. Thus, adopting a new leadership style would have developed an enabling platform for rapid transformation.
What should the organization have done differently in implementing the change?
The organization should have harnessed the transformational leadership style in line with the comprehensive capacity-building initiatives. Revisiting the style should have encouraged the leadership to act as role models. The idealized influence geared at developing good decisions would have been advisable for successful outcomes. Leaders playing the motivational role would have led to the commitment to the organizational goals and objectives (Eames, 2021). Instead of the short-term goals, focus on the long-term sustainability of the capacity-building measures would have prevailed. Central to the recommendation would have been encouraging innovation and creativity that emanates from the employees (Hill & Moussa, 2022). Encouraging independence in providing ideas should have led to an enabling platform for the leaders and personnel to collaborate effectively toward transformation. The superiors and co-workers associating closely should have led to an enhanced workplace based on personnel appreciating their role.
References
Eames Jr, R. W. (2021). Ron Johnson’s Debacle at JC Penney: A Management Case. In SAGE Business Cases. SAGE Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals.
Hill, M. J., & Moussa, M. (2022). Organizing Cultural Change: Leveraging the Four Forces Framework. Journal of Business Anthropology, 11(2).
Tokosh, J. (2019). Is the Macy’s in my mall going to close? Uncovering the factors associated with the closures of Macy’s, Sears, and JC Penney stores. Growth and Change, 50(1), 403-423.