Essay on T.J. Rodgers Sister Gormley Case Study 5-1

Cypress Semiconductor Corporation DATE: TO: COPY: FROM: SUBJECT: Background March 27, 2013 T. J. Rodgers, President, and CEO For eyes only Vibha Kant, Vice President – Investor Relations REVIEW OF RESPONSE LETTER TO SISTER DORIS On April 23, 1996, Cypress received a letter from the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. The latter is a religious congregation of approximately 1,000 women and was, at the time the letter was written, the beneficial owner of a number of Cypress shares. The letter was a form letter, and it carried the stamped signature of Doris Gormley, OSF. In the letter, Sister Doris, speaking for the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia as a Cypress shareholder, expressed the view that a company is best†¦show more content†¦The last part is a political statement about the effect of social pressures on businesses. Of these three parts, the later two parts are highly personal and do not necessarily reflect the position of Cypress in this matter. The original letter from Sister Gormley raised valid questions concerning the selection practices for our board of directors. While the first part of the response letter does adequately redress the original concerns, the other two parts are a highly personal stance concerning morality and the role of social pressures on businesses. These types of personal comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Cypress or its board of directors, and take a strong position in response to concerns raised by current investors. This position does have its merits, yet a letter to a group of investors is not the correct forum to espouse such a position. Additionally, sending the response to all shareholders and other similar interest groups can be deemed inappropriate. Recommendations Generally speaking, every concern raised by our investors should be addressed with an appropriate response outlining the current policy and any specific facts supporting the results of that policy. Person’s comments concerning the morality behind those concerns may have a valid basis, but should be taken to another forum. Taking such a stance in a corporate letter places Cypress in a questionable position and could damage our relationship with our

Obedience to Authority - 1260 Words

Obedience to Authority No human social organization can function without some degree of obedience to authority, as the alternative would be anarchy leading to total chaos. Hence we find some sort of a hierarchy in both the most underdeveloped and the most civilized societies where certain individuals exercise authority over others. Almost everyone will agree that some degree of authority in certain individuals or groups (and their obedience by other groups) is desirable for the proper functioning of a society. The problem arises when the obedience to authority is taken to extremes. Unfortunately, history has shown that this happens time and again, usually with undesirable results. It is this blind obedience to authority that†¦show more content†¦These shocks were to start at a mild 15 volts and gradually increased to an extremely painful (and lethal) level of 450 volts. During the experiment the teacher was coaxed to continue giving the shocks to the learner. The results of the experiment were mos t disturbing: most (60%) of the â€Å"teachers† (who were ordinary people) continued to give the electric shocks right up to the maximum (lethal) level of 450 volts, just with a little bit of coaxing from the psychologist. Milgram repeated his experiments in several other countries apart from the USA, like Australia, South Africa and several European countries. The response of the â€Å"teachers† in most of these countries was similar. In one of these studies, 85% of the teachers readily â€Å"obeyed† to give the maximum (lethal) punishment to the â€Å"erring† learner. (â€Å"Baxter†). Although no such experiment can be 100% conclusive, the Milgram experiments do shed considerable (and disturbing) light on the behavior of ordinary people in obedience of authority. They also explain, to a large extent, the seemingly perplexing behavior of many ordinary Germans during World War II and some American soldiers in Vietnam. (â€Å"Milgram,† Obedience to Authority..). Another writer who has carried out work of significance on the subject of obedience to authority is Doris Lessing. Although, not a professional sociologist or historian,Show MoreRelatedObedience to Authority1250 Words   |  5 PagesObedience to Authority No human social organization can function without some degree of obedience to authority, as the alternative would be anarchy leading to total chaos. Hence we find some sort of a hierarchy in both the most underdeveloped and the most civilized societies where certain individuals exercise authority over others. Almost everyone will agree that some degree of authority in certain individuals or groups (and their obedience by other groups) is desirable for the proper functioningRead MoreObedience to Authority Essays836 Words   |  4 Pageshuman being’s life; along with this, is the expectation of obedience to that authority. Through this obedience, many great things have been accomplished, as well as many instances of cruel and immoral acts. Defiance of the established authority, though, has also lead to great things, such as the creation and founding of the United States of America. In his writing, Obedience to Authority, Stanley Milgram examines the obedience to authority with out questioning or taking responsibility and the problemsRead MoreEssay on Authority and Obedience2310 Words   |  10 PagesAuthority and Obedience Thesis: We consciously or unconsciously obey authority in all walks of life on a daily basis. Obedience is when there is legitimate power, there is pressure to comply. Compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control. Authority being the legal or rightful power; a right to command or enforce obedience on another. This essay shall discuss, explore and evaluate the explanations as to why peopleRead MoreThe Problems Of Obedience And Authority1849 Words   |  8 PagesOctober 15, 2014 The Problems of Obedience to Authority People will do about anything to stay out of trouble when it comes to someone with authority that cannot be argued with. Stanley Milgram did an experiment on the topic of obedience to authority; he wanted to know how ordinary people could do horrible things if forced to by someone of authority. Obedience to authority is instinctual for human beings, there has and will always be someone with a higher authority than ourselves. How can normal,Read MoreObedience to Authority Essay1816 Words   |  8 PagesAuthority cannot exist without obedience. Society is built on this small, but important concept. Without authority and its required obedience, there would only be anarchy and chaos. But how much is too much, or too little? There is a fine line between following blindly and irrational refusal to obey those in a meaningful position of authority. Obedience to authority is a real and powerful force that should be understood and respected in order to handle each situation in the best possi ble manner.Read MoreEssay on Obedience to Authority574 Words   |  3 PagesObedience to Authority Today our society raises us to believe that obedience is good and disobedience is bad. We are taught that we should all do what we’re told and that the people that are disobedient are almost always bad people. Society tells us this, but it is not true. Most people will even be obedient to the point of causing harm to others, because to be disobedient requires the courage to be alone against authority. In Stanley Milgram’s Perils of Obedience experiment, his studiesRead MoreThe Blind Obedience And Authority1237 Words   |  5 PagesBlind Obedience to Authority Millions of people were killed in Nazi Germany in concentration camps however, Hitler wouldn’t have been able to kill them all, nor could just a handful of people. Obedience is when society influences where/ when an individual acts in response to a direct order from another individual, who is usually the authority figure. It is assumed that without such an order the person would not have acted in this way. In order to obey authority, the obeying person has to acceptRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Obedience And Authority Essay1358 Words   |  6 Pagesof â€Å"Obedience to Authority,† Milgram aptly points out that â€Å"some system of authority is a requirement of all communal living†(Milgram 1). This is a universal human truth. Authority is something that humanity, from the beginning of time, has consistently relied upon. Milgram argues that â€Å"obedience is the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose† and that it is the â€Å"dispositional cement that binds men to systems of authority† (Milgram 1). I argue that obedience is asRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Obedience And Authority Essay1149 Words   |  5 Pages Part I: Research paper topic and outline Obedience to Authority Abbygale Javier [IT 150G, 14111; On-line; Elizabeth Rasnick; September 29, 2016] I. Introduction A. Motivation of this research There are little facts about the role of obedience up until now. Psychologists have been debating on factors that constitute obedience within an individual. For example, certain theories suggest that people do horrible actions only if they are ordered to do so. Research has shown that most people obey allRead MorePhysiological Evaluation : Obedience And Authority Essay1055 Words   |  5 PagesPhysiological Evaluation: Obedience to Authority In 1963, physiologist Stanley Milgram brought to light the idea of Obedience to Authority. He was stimulated by the trial and execution of Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi war criminal who was put to death for the crimes he committed under Hitler’s authority (McLeod , Obedience to Authority, 2007). The objective of his research was centered on the question: â€Å"Could it be that Eichmann and his million accomplices in the Holocaust were just following orders? Could

On-Time Package Delivery Free Essays

Case 2: On-Time Package Delivery Michael Bushmann Erika Thompson Jocelyn Russell Katlin Eason Mark Hogan MKT 452- Sales Management November 14, 2012 Overall, we felt that Wayne Jacobson – Senior Vice President of Sales performed his responsibilities very well. Furthermore, it was good to see that he was so vested into figuring out the problems of the company. Ultimately, the negative effects that were found could be detrimental to the sales personnel, but further – his position and the company as a whole. We will write a custom essay sample on On-Time Package Delivery or any similar topic only for you Order Now Jacobson conducted an effective job analysis by conversing with: current employees/sales staff, managers, and customers. Additionally, Jacobson calling upon local district managers before calling sales representatives or KAM’s displays that he is truly a â€Å"team member. † Now we would like to go into the problems, one-by- one, along with what we feel are respectable solutions for On-Time Package Delivery. Competition On-Time Pack Delivery is a niche company OTPD delivery services are specific to documents and small packages to be delivered quickly, reliably, and cost effective. Being the first intracity package delivery service to maximize technology gives them a great advantage. OPTD targets a condensed Market of 4 districts: Eastern U. S. cities- New York, Boston, Washington, and Philadelphia. UPS, FedEx, and U. S. Postal Service are considered competition to an extent. However, OPTD markets towards a portion of their customers (legal and consulting firms). â€Å"OTPD has carved out a niche by focusing on express intracity package delivery. † The condensed region gives OTPD no reason for decline in salesSolution: Solution: Ron Young founded OTPD as a solution to a problem and generated a business model of highly trained â€Å"delivery specialist† . The trained specialist, improved technology services, and great customer service in the package delivery business is what yielded a loyal customer base. REMEMBER: These attributes have helped establish OTPD as a company. OTPD sales forces needs to refocus on customer service considering these attributes are what initially established loyal customers. Being OTPD was the first company to enter the specific market of quick reliable delivery services, this gives them an advantage. The company needs to refocus on their customer service strategy to remain established before more competitors enter the market. Competition within OTPD? Setting higher sales standards within the company will provoke the sales force to compete amongst them selves. Lack of competition within the company. Stimulated from– OTPD targeting only a 4% sales growth, when the national average is 8%, Why? OTPD sales force are given cell phones (unlimited use), laptops, company cars, and outrageous salaries. OPTD needs to focus on exceeding their sales goals before smaller companies similar to Gold Package Delivery Services quickly come about take over the small niche market. Solution: OTPD should consider removing some of the sales forces privileges. While cell phones and laptops are necessities for the delivery services, outrageous salaries and a company car should not be. Taking away a a company car and lowering salaries would trigger sales competition within the company. A company car should only be awarded to those who- reach a certain sales growth percentage establish new customers maintain a certain level of customer service, i. e. quick and reliable Role Perceptions Role Conflict Judy Billings was accused of lacking customer service by Clark, Burton, and Bowers, one of their largest customers, but it was contributed to unreasonable demands by her DM Dan Gunther. This is placing Judy in a position of the â€Å"person in the middle† where she has conflicting expectations of her responsibility To solve this problem the job roles need to be laid out clearly for each employee to understand. There should be no confusion when it comes to taking care of customers. Salespeople should also meet with their cliental on a regular basis. This will reduce role conflict Training will also be a huge factor in solving this issue Role Ambiguity Lynn Attaway made the mistake of making a client wait for more than five hours when their package was promised within two hours This was contributed to lack of information concerning the changes to the Package Expedite Form (PEF) which was sent through email for employees to see Solutions Better communication throughout the work place from management down through all levels Training Weekly/monthly meetings where employees can learn and have a better understanding of new technology they will be working with. Mike Wagner recently visited First Call Medical Centers where he heard that Gold Package Delivery Services was offering similar services for a lower cost Could not give them an answer as to why OTPD’s costs were so much higher Felt he did not have adequate information on the competition Solutions Mentoring Someone else’s insight would have been beneficial in this instance just so he wouldn’t seem so uninformed when talking with clients On the job training Closer supervision This will reduce role ambiguity Work-Family Conflict Problem Role Conflict: Some employees may become unsure about how they want to spend most of their time and what is most important. Employers should be concerned about their employees plateauing. Carol Klein, Key Account Manager in Philadelphia, â€Å"I find myself being torn between doing an outstanding job at the OTPD and being a mom to Alice. † Solution Activities that bring the employee’s work and home lives closer. One step to a solution would be to no longer give Sales Representatives cars, and to save that luxury for the D and upper level personnel. Instead of cars, OTPD could give sales representatives a card to put gas on and maybe even a stipend for car maintenance. This not only saves OTPD money, but it also gives sales representatives another level of incentives to work to achieve. Instead of buying all those cars, OTPD could use the money saved to have more family event and functions. Another idea would also be to have an in-house daycare facility. By having these functions, OTPD will be more of a family-friendly environment. Employees would feel like their family life and their work life would be able to blend together more. Training Each level of employee (key account managers, sales reps and district managers) need to be trained individually. Some employees are making mistakes which are leading to key accounts being dissatisfied: Example: Lynn Attaway, Key Account Manager, made the mistake with the Strawn, Night and Squires (SNS) client regarding the Package Expited Form (PEF). This all happened because Attaway was emailed the changes to the Package Expedited Form. Attaway said that she receives hundreds of emails every day and must have missed the email. I suspect that many other employees missed the email too. Attaway said, â€Å"I get dozens of emails every day and that one must have slipped by me†. Emailing is NOT the way to train and educate employees about changes in the business. When a change like this is made to the way packages are sent out, a meeting must be called to discuss and learn the new changes. Mike Wagner, Sales Representative in Washington D. C. District also made remarks that suggested more adequate training is required. When Jacobson asked if Wagner needed more information on the competition in order to respond to questions he replied, â€Å"Yes, I did not have a good understanding of how our products compared with Golf Package Delivery† On-Time Package Delivery should designate one morning every 12 weeks to educating their employees about the competition and how it has changed. This is essential in order to be able to tell clients why OTPD’s products and services are superior. With our current report, we hope that OTPD implements many of our solutions to become the company that we once were. OTPD customers will love doing business with us as we deliver by: maximizing our technology, high level of customer service, and new innovations will lead to more loyal clients and customers. Furthermore, we will become the premier intra-city package delivery company in the eastern United States and beyond! How to cite On-Time Package Delivery, Essay examples