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Organized crime has long been an issue of concern in the United States and worldwide. It has been a source of power and influence for centuries, existing in various forms, ranging from underground gangs to legitimate businesses. Drug trafficking, in particular, has been a significant area of concern for authorities, and the illicit trade in substances such as heroin has been linked to organized crime for decades. The origins of traditional organized American crime and drug trafficking in heroin can be traced back to the 1920s and 1930s with the emergence of the American Mafia (Al Profit, 2020). The mafia, led by Sicilian-born mobsters such as Charles Lucky Luciano, was the first organized crime syndicate established in the United States. In addition to its traditional criminal activities, the mafia began to gain a foothold in the drug trade, becoming a significant player in the heroin trafficking business in the 1930s.

Organized Crime Networks

Luciano, the leader of the American Mafia, had French Connection, a network of traffickers bringing heroin into the United States from France. This network was the first to establish a large-scale heroin trafficking business in America. The drug was smuggled into the country via the ports of Marseille and Le Havre and then shipped to New York, where the mafia distributed it. The French Connections, whose operations were many in the 1950s, was established by a Corsican gangster named Paul Carbone, who had ties to the Italian-American mafia. Carbone and his associates smuggled drugs from Marseille in France to the United States, primarily through New York City (Al Profit, 2020). The French Connection was a highly organized operation, and it operated for over a decade, becoming the largest and most profitable heroin trafficking organization in the world. It is estimated that Carbone and his associates smuggled more than a ton of heroin into the United States in a year.

The French Connection was the first major step in developing international organized crime and drug trafficking. It was followed by the emergence of other international networks, including the Italian-American Mafia, the Turkish mafia, the Chinese Triads, and the Colombian Cartels(Chepesiuk, 1999). These networks expanded the heroin trade to other countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Mexico, and Canada. These networks, the French Connection’s success, and Luciano’s influence in the drug trade led to the emergence of the modern heroin trade. In the decades that followed, heroin trafficking became a major international business, with large-scale operations in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The heroin trade was particularly lucrative, and it became a major source of revenue for organized crime groups around the world (Al Profit, 2020). As the heroin trade grew in size and scope, organized crime groups began to specialize in drug trafficking and developed sophisticated methods for smuggling and distributing the drug.

The expansion of the drug trade in the mid-1900s led to a dramatic increase in heroin use and addiction worldwide. This increase was driven by the availability of the drug and its low cost. As heroin use and addiction rose, so did the demand for the drug. To meet this demand, the international drug trafficking networks began to expand their operations, becoming even more powerful and influential. The emergence of organized crime networks in the heroin trade also had a major impact on the illegal drug market in the United States. As organized crime groups began to specialize in drug trafficking, they established alliances with street gangs and other criminal organizations to gain access to new markets. This, in turn, allowed them to increase their profits even further. The alliances between organized crime groups and street gangs also increased the violence associated with the drug trade as organized crime groups sought to protect their interests and expand their influence.

The increased power and influence of these organized crime networks profoundly affected the global drug trade. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the international drug networks had become highly sophisticated and powerful criminal organizations, controlling much of the world’s heroin supply (Al Profit, 2020). These networks could use their power and influence to control the price and availability of heroin and its production and distribution. As the power and influence of the international drug trafficking networks increased, so did the level of violence associated with the trade. Drug-related violence increased significantly, with drug traffickers using violence and intimidation to protect their interests. This violence has had a devastating effect on many communities around the world, leading to increased crime, poverty, and instability (Ering, 2011). Despite the efforts of law enforcement, international drug trafficking networks remain a major force in the global drug trade.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the development of traditional organized American and international crime with drug trafficking in heroin has profoundly impacted the world. The illicit heroin trade had become a significant source of revenue for organized crime groups worldwide, leading to increased violence and corruption (Dorn & South, 1990). The emergence of the French Connection and the influence of Charles “Lucky” Luciano in the heroin trade were instrumental in developing organized crime networks in the drug trade. The networks established by organized crime groups have allowed for the large-scale smuggling and distribution of heroin. They have allowed organized crime groups to access new markets and increase profits. The emergence of organized crime networks in the heroin trade had a significant impact on the illegal drug market in the United States, and it has led to increased violence and corruption.

References

Al Profit. (2020). Opioid Conspiracy | Addiction America / American Dope Documentary Al profit. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52-oe6y6cjc

Chepesiuk, R. (1999). The war on drugs: an international encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO.

Dorn, N., & South, N. (1990). Drug markets and law enforcement. The British Journal of Criminology, 30(2), 171–188.

Ering, S. O. (2011). Trans-border crime and its socio-economic impact on developing economies. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 2(2), 73–80.

The effects of European colonization of Latin America in the 15th and 16th centuries were far-reaching and long-lasting. The colonizers disrupted and suppressed indigenous cultures and societies. Also, they exploited economic resources and wealth from the region to the disadvantage of locals and their economies. The theft created a dependent economy run by newly imposed forms of government and social structures while suppressing traditional ones. Traditional gender roles and identities were suppressed to create a way for European gender norms and expectations. Europeans were imposing their way of life on the people leading to significant psychological effects, causing a lack of self-esteem and creating a sense of inferiority and dependency on the colonizers. The changes they would bring about would significantly affect the political, economic, societal, and gender aspects in this region

Effects of European colonization of Latin America on Politics

Latin American political systems were the first sector to suffer the effects of European colonization of Latin America. Leading colonial powers in the region, namely Spain and Portugal, introduced their political systems and forms of government to the territories they conquered. Thus, indigenous forms of government were often disregarded or repressed. The implementation of these new government systems was facilitated by the high death toll witnessed due to diseases that the locals were not accustomed to. The European illnesses led to immense demographic damage to native populations. According to Williamson (2015, pg.15), “The demographic collapse destroyed indigenous political and institutional structures.” The high death toll meant that the existing political and institutional structures were no longer functional or weak, creating the way for European forms of government. These new political systems often meant colonizers frequently set up a strict social hierarchy, with themselves at the pinnacle and natives at the bottom. Laws and regulations that sided with the invaders and oppressed the indigenous peoples further solidified this social order. The new political system created different social classes, which would always conflict with one another. The system would prove disastrous after independence as most Latin American countries found it hard to create stable and effective political systems. The old political system could not be used in the new country, which meant a vacuum was left, and they had to deal with competing power struggles and interests from various groups, such as the military, the new elite, and the urban vs. rural poor.

When the colonizers created their systems, they placed their interests first and occupied all the important positions at the top. The concentration of power among the white elite led to the development of centralized and authoritarian regimes in many Latin American nations. Military individuals who often took over power in these nations would use force, just like the colonizers to maintain law and order while squashing any dissent on their leadership. These leaders would often work in tandem with the political elite in these nations who controlled most of the wealth to the disadvantage of the poor. The control of power by a few people would often fuel dissent leading to major conflicts and instability in this region. When the colonists arrived, they found societies that could be termed as democratic because leadership was meant to serve the masses (Rovira Kaltwasser, 2017). Leaders took positions of power as an opportunity to serve their people which meant they took action that advanced the interests of the people. Additionally, power was not centralized as groups had distinct forms of political systems most of which had direct connections to their traditions. Colonization suppressed these political systems and created centrally controlled governments that would elect leaders on behalf of the people ignoring the traditional selection mechanisms.

Economic Impacts

When colonizers embarked on their voyages to Latin America, they had one single goal in mind, the extraction of resources from these territories to enrich their economies across the ocean. They saw these regions as sources of raw materials which meant every activity was skewed to benefit their businesses. They exploited the land, resources, and labor with little investment in the local economies along with destroying existing ones. The colonizers were creating an economy that benefitted them thus they destroyed the existing one which largely depended on agriculture and replaced it with forced labor. They took away their land and gave it to settlers leading to the displacement of large numbers of people who would be forced to work on these farms growing different crops from the traditional ones like sugarcane. The encomienda system is the greatest example as natives were forced to work on these farms to benefit the colonizers. The country was growing many crops but the colonizers took the proceeds while giving peanuts to locals which meant the majority of the people and the region stayed poor (Maurer & Abad, 2019). The colonizers who were the minority in these nations controlled most of the economy which meant the infrastructure and associated aspects were developed to support their businesses while those of the natives were underfunded.

The colonial powers invading Latin America wanted cheap labor which meant they would use every strategy to ensure natives were available to work for them. They would place trade restrictions and promote monopolies which influenced whole industries making domestic production of goods stunted. For instance, when a firm dominated the sugar sector controlling everything from farming to production, it left no space for outside parties to compete. These firms would ensure locals lost their land and had to work on their farms or factories in exchange for meagre wages which were determined by the employer with no input from employees.

They also taxed domestic production, reducing their ability to compete in global markets. As a result, Latin American economies became highly dependent on the export of commodities like gold and silver as well as agricultural products like tobacco, sugar, cotton, and cocoa. Economies in these areas were unable to diversify and industrialize because of their reliance on exporting raw materials and agricultural products. The colonial period’s influence on Latin American economies is still felt strongly today (Maurer & Abad, 2019). There are many nations in the region still reliant primarily on agricultural and mineral exports and have done little to diversify their economies or become more industrialized. As a result, there is widespread poverty and inequality and low rates of economic growth. Inadequate infrastructure investment and education, in addition to the inequitable distribution of resources and land, have all led to the region’s lack of growth.

Effects of European colonization of Latin America on Gender

Colonialists imposed their values and beliefs on the colonized greatly impacting views on gender roles and relations in Latin America. These beliefs and values conflicted with those held by indigenous people but the colonizers utilized their institutions to force them on the people. Thus, it led to the imposition of patriarchal values and beliefs which are reinforced through traditional gender roles whereby men are the leaders while women serve subordinate roles. According to Kuznesof (2013, pg.18-19), “In its most basic form honor was related to status—which was male and depended on conquest.” The culture of honor which was prevalent in Latin America during the colonial period put men on a pedestal because they would gain higher status through victories while the women would only be honored if they maintained their female virtue. Women were expected to self-sacrifice on behalf of society and fulfill traditional gender roles such as caring for their families. Men were seen as the natural breadwinners which meant they were given all the opportunities while women missed out on economic opportunities and education making it hard for them to gain economic independence. Additionally, most people at the time were forced to convert to Christianity if they wanted to escape forced labor but it was a way of forcing their culture on the people. The Catholic church which had great influence was critical in reinforcing these gender roles and the idea that women were inferior to men.

The imposition of western culture on natives through the church and political institutions led to the erosion of traditional gender roles, rights, and customs of native people. The dislocation of women from their traditional roles as local leaders, healers, and religious guides, as well as the loss of cultural identity, were common outcomes of the dissolution of traditional gender roles.

Gender roles in modern Latin America are profoundly affected by colonialism’s lingering effects. Women are seen as weak, unlike men which mean they are not expected to perform tasks outside of their homes. This attitude led to the loss of power and status for most women further reinforcing the traditional gender roles and subordination of women. Discrimination against women persists in many countries in the region, limiting their access to school, work, and political representation. It might be especially challenging for women to achieve economic independence and full participation in civic and political life because conventional patriarchal ideas and attitudes are still widely prevalent. Institutions like churches that still promote the idea of males being dominant are influential in women’s lives being the majority of the congregants which means they are also active in promoting their oppression (Reeves, 2018). Women are more likely to participate in reinforcing attitudes like urging daughters to be good mothers or taking of their homes instead of encouraging them to pursue careers.

Effects of European colonization of Latin America on Society

Native societies experienced major changes as colonists imposed their new ways of life. The forced removal of indigenous peoples from their homelands was one of colonialism’s most far-reaching social effects. As a result, entire agricultural systems were wiped out, along with valuable land, resources, and knowledge. The decline in population and the erasure of cultural knowledge were exacerbated by the advent of new diseases and the implementation of forced labor regimes. The elderly were at the highest risk of contracting and dying from an illness yet they held all the traditional knowledge which meant their death led to the loss of leaders who could pass on the traditions. Also, when groups lost most of their members, they were unable to continue functioning as cohesive units. Religions and governments were also imposed by the colonial powers on the colonized populations. The Catholic Church served as a state agency in the process of colonization by evangelizing the indigenous peoples. Because of this, traditional religious practices faded away, and the people gradually lost their sense of cultural identity. Furthermore, colonial political institutions frequently resulted in the elimination of indigenous leadership and the replacement of established social order (Williamson, 2010).

The European colonizers built a government system that placed them at the top while the natives were at the bottom. This system led to the development of a social hierarchy based on class and race leading to the unequal distribution of opportunities and resources while promoting discrimination and marginalization of people based on their race and class. This legacy is still felt in modern Latin American society. Poverty, inequality, and racial/ethnic prejudice are still major problems in many countries in the region. In addition, the colonial era’s destruction of indigenous communities’ customs and values has resulted in a generational gap and a loss of cultural identity. Also, Mestizos, people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry, emerged as a distinct social group as a result of colonialism (Rodríguez Mega, 2021). This new group of people was often caught between the colonists and the natives, putting them in a precarious situation from which they suffered prejudice on both sides. Further, colonialism had a profound effect on Latin American culture because it undermined gender norms and upended conventional family arrangements. Because of the colonizers’ insistence on forced labor arrangements, many men were absent from their homes for extended periods of time, causing the disintegration of traditional families.

Colonization in Latin America had far-reaching effects on the region’s economics, gender norms, politics and social structures. Traditional civilizations and ways of life were eroded as invaders pushed their own cultural beliefs, values, and institutions on the colonized peoples. Latin American communities were profoundly affected by the forcible removal of indigenous peoples from their native lands, the introduction of Western cultural norms, new systems of governance and religious beliefs, and the establishment of a racial and socioeconomic caste system. Further, export-oriented economies emerged as a result of resource, labor, and land exploitation, which displaced subsistence farming. Poverty, inequality, prejudice, and the erosion of cultural identity are only some of the lasting effects of colonialism on modern Latin American nations.

One of the significant businesses that have been presenting the greatest success stories in the globe is Amazon Company. Being a well-known firm, Amazon manages to do business online, with one of the leaders who has helped it develop in dealing with various product lines being its founder Jeff Bezos. As a consequence, they have seen an increase in online retail sales. However, the business also has difficulties maintaining its online shop due to managerial issues. Massive product failure has been their primary problem, making it difficult for the business to adapt to changes in the industry. Amazon has had success selling goods from other businesses, but it has not been able to do the same with its own. This essay will discuss Amazon’s enormous product failure and examine it using the Kotter 8-Step methodology.

Company Overview

Amazon.com is a Seattle, Washington-based online store, e-book reader, and web service provider. The company’s creator, Jeff Bezos, chose the name because of its resemblance to a river in South America. Along with other major IT businesses like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Apple, it is among the Big Five in the US information technology sector. The online business offers gadgets, books, toys, and various other goods and services directly and via an intermediary. Amazon also participates in the cloud computing industry, renting out computer and data storage resources. The business manufactures the popular eBook reader Kindle. The marketing of the Kindle e-book has contributed to Amazon’s explosive rise in the book publishing industry (Sharma et al., 2020).

An Amazon Sales Rank mechanism might provide details about merchandise offered in any Amazon region. Although it does not directly impact a product’s sales, the approach aids Amazon in choosing which goods to include among its bestsellers. As part of a multi-level e-commerce strategy, the firm first concentrated on the business-to-customer interaction before shifting its attention to the customer-to-customer relationship. Amazon allows other businesses to promote on their website to drive sales, taking a tiny cut of each item sold via their online platform (Wells et al., 2018). The business has faced some criticism for, among other things, exerting excessive pressure on suppliers to increase and sustain profitability. Providing facial recognition tools to law enforcement, driving people away from bookstores, remotely deleting items that Kindle users have purchased, collaborating with the CIA to set up cloud computing partnerships, and negatively affecting the environment are just a few of the things that they do.

Diagnosis

Amazon has been attempting to develop new platforms for online book sales. These have motivated business owners to focus on addressing client demands by first recognizing them and attempting to secure ways of dispersing their services. Their main goal has always been to strike a balance between two optimistic points of view. While the second does not listen to their clients, the first does. The use of philosophy has been a helpful strategy that helps clients to get what they want. By 2012, they had reached the point where they could quickly source goods from several partners all around the globe. It is a vital sign of how far the business has come in leveraging an internet platform to swiftly promote and sell things (Sharma et al., 2020).

However, there have been issues with their interactions and how quickly they cooperate with other partners. This is due to a delay in being given the chance to create their items and sell them on the marketplace. The firm operates by putting theory into real-world application for their clients, a notion that makes them productive. They have built creative venues through their ability to assist the organizational atmosphere required to enable their management (Simmons & Kang, 2018). However, as they still haven’t been able to expand their activities, this will not help them adapt to the changing environment. The company’s management was able to improve efficient coordination using the internet in previous years. Even though it was a dangerous step, they were able to share their ideas and thoughts on how companies may utilize the outside web to manage their rivals.

However, even though they have a chance to expand their business but choose not to take advantage of the opportunity, the firm does not function as predicted. Amazon has also not been able to capitalize on its fame to develop items under Bezos, but it is still feasible that they will be able to keep their fans. There have been efforts to break into the market, such as the introduction of the Fire Phone, which would have been unsuccessful in the United States, according to (Wells et al., 2018). The main reason for this failure was that the company was unable to appeal to its clients because they did not see it as having the characteristics they need. It is a great illustration of how difficult it is for Amazon, despite being the largest online retailer in the world, to comprehend the changing demands of its consumers. In the meantime, time, it was claimed that the launch had failed because the device’s expenses had been timed incorrectly. They adopted a cheap price approach without taking into account what their rivals were providing or how customers might react (Li et al., 2019).

The management was forced by their failure to concentrate more on their e-commerce operation and strive toward making money from it. This demonstrates how the business prevented itself from pursuing the development of new items. Their potential is being restricted by their incapacity to handle change in their working environment while comprehending market dynamics and consumer needs. They still do not understand what their CEO, Jeff Bezos, has in mind for the business. Instead, the administration has put greater emphasis on their expansion while putting other suggestions to support them in starting new companies on hold. Bezos has a goal for the business that includes purchasing additional markets to grow its market operations. Due to Amazon’s absence of appropriate ecosystems that can assist change implementations within its production of design and new goods required by its consumers, this has not been feasible.

Application of the Kotter 8-Step approach

First phase of the Kotter 8-Step model

Amazon can benefit from the Kotter 8-step change model since it will help develop effective strategies to accomplish change. Creating urgency is the first phase of the Kotter 8-Step model, which is a component that Amazon and its executive management should strive toward comprehending their business practices. Because of their success in satisfying their customers’ requirements, Amazon has grown into a sizable business with numerous positive reviews. However, the management must assess the issues that need immediate attention, pinpointing the source of the issue and coming up with remedies. Communication is essential, and in this situation, it will be crucial that Amazon’s management start discussions on forums so they can obtain the data they want. Management must support any change for it to be successful inside a firm, which is a situation that Amazon should take into account. They may use it to identify what needs to change and work to make it happen.

Application of the second phase of the Kotter 8-Step model

To Amazon, which is assembling a powerful alliance, the second phase is equally important. One may argue that Amazon has struggled to understand and manage the need for change. In this situation, assembling a strong coalition would be necessary to provide them with support by giving them a course of action. The fact that coalitions often include a wealth of knowledge and expertise may work in Amazon’s favor since it will provide a channel for the dissemination of ideas and the assignment of all responsibilities necessary for each member to realize their goals. Any organization needs support to carry out its plans successfully since it serves as a tool for fostering teamwork and providing the power necessary to advance toward objectives (Haas et al., 2020). In the case of Amazon, receiving the assistance they need will encourage collaboration and increased effort, guiding them to accept the adjustments they require and succeed in their endeavors.

Third phase of the Kotter 8-Step model

Making a vision for change, which Amazon requires, is the third stage of the Kotter 8-Step model. The company’s management will be encouraged to identify areas where they need to improve in order to advance the organization by implementing change initiatives. Since most workers have a hard time accepting change, management must establish a hierarchy that will include them in the decision-making process. Employee involvement may allow the business to communicate with them and make choices that will improve their performance. To assist the team of the firm in making choices that will achieve its goals, management may also develop a clear and specific vision that is simple to comprehend. For instance, Jeff Bezos aims to devise strategies that will enable the business to penetrate new markets. Here, making the vision accessible will enable management to act with greatest impact and bring their objectives to fruition.

Fourth Phase of the Kotter 8-Step model

To make change easier to execute across the company, Amazon will need to reevaluate how it communicates its goals. It is the fourth phase in the Kotter 8-Step model, which emphasizes the necessity to support strategies for effective communication. Amazon has to improve on their internal processes, which includes making sure that the staff is informed of their goal, in order to allow them to acquire the correct items that may satisfy their customers’ preferences and desires. As a result, they have a fantastic chance to cultivate a culture of cooperation and concentrate on seizing the opportunities that present themselves in order to create something meaningful. The management team’s responsibility should be to regularly communicate the key elements of their vision in order to foster support and the development of networks with individuals from outside who can aid in their entry into the new market.

Fifth phase of Kotter 8-Step model

The fifth phase, which is very important if Amazon is to successfully navigate the transition process, is removing roadblocks. The business must assess if both internal and external factors are opposing the product it is introducing to the market. Additionally, determining if other strategies or rivals are impeding their creativity is a great approach to understand how to overcome their criticisms and seize the intended market. This action was taken by Amazon in an effort to lower delivery costs for its customers. This process thanks and acknowledges customers for bringing about change. The business’s decision to initially placate the public by offering Super Saving Shipping in 2002 for more than $99 was a growth inhibitor. By removing these roadblocks, a business may attract the customers it needs to carry out its goal and develop (Quotschalla, 2022).

Sixth phase of Kotter Methodology

The sixth phase entails producing short-term successes so that the workforce of the firm may be rewarded. An example is when Amazon attempted to introduce the Fire Phone, which failed as a result of their failure to satisfy its customers (Wells et al., 2018). Here, I would suggest Amazon to look at what they did good and wrong and try to make the most of it rather than giving up on their failure. The idea caused them to incur a significant loss, which encouraged the upper management to concentrate more on increasing sales. Instead of focusing on what went wrong for trying to figure out how to make it better, it would be better if they had instead focused on how far they had gone in developing the innovation. The conclusion may have made them feel as if their efforts were in vain, which may be demoralizing. Instead, Amazon’s management need to have thought about how to bounce back from their failure by making space for adjustments where it was feasible.

Application of the seventh phase

Most initiatives fail since an early triumph is announced, which is the seventh stage—building on the change. As significant improvements take time to take root, quick successes should mark the start of achieving long-term objectives. The business recognized it couldn’t keep up with the trend when it produced a “fire phone” on the same day the iPhone 6S hit the market, so it chose to concentrate on tablets and smart home products instead (Wells et al., 2018). This failure made it clear that a better method to guarantee that a product satisfies the demands of the customer is to analyze what went well and what needs to be improved after each victory. By bringing in new suggestions from agents and coalition leaders for change, the phone might have made beneficial strides. This can guarantee that the business maintains the impetus it has gained.

Eighth Step of Kotter Methodology

To ensure that improvements stay, Amazon should also make a fundamental adjustment that is anchored in how company culture is created. The eighth step comprises the kind of culture that Amazon’s corporates will use to decide the type of work that is done. As a result, the principles behind the company’s mission must be evident in their everyday job activities. Every so often, Amazon needs to discuss development, share tales of how change occurs, and reiterate other tales that energies individuals. To ensure that the corporate culture is uniform and up-to-date, the ideals should be reciprocated when hiring and training new employees. This includes going public with the contributions of the change coalition’s key members and ensuring that the rest of the staff is aware of their contributions to the venture. Amazon has teamed up with Awards, which delivers a strong, user-friendly, and effective platform for honoring workers who are making a difference in the workplace.

Conclusion

Amazon has had success selling goods from other businesses, but it hasn’t been able to do the same with their own. It is clear from evaluating their colossal product failure that the business must devise ways to bring about change in order to fulfill Jeff Bezos’ goal. The method to achieve the distinction is neither simple and fast; it calls for appropriate integration and assistance. In Amazon’s example, adopting a strategy similar to the Kotter 8-Step model aids in their success. It focuses more on the strategies businesses might employ to be ready for new endeavors. Initiatives for change may contribute to a company’s long-term success. Organizations must establish strategies that will enable them to concentrate more on the areas to consider while making changes. Chang may experience several disruptions, which might lead to losses and an increase in tensions, but organizations like Amazon can handle these difficulties with the help of a practical framework.

References

Haas, M. R., Munzer, B. W., Santen, S. A., Hopson, L. R., Haas, N. L., Overbeek, D., … & Huang, R. D. (2020). # DidacticsRevolution: Applying Kotter’s 8-Step Change Management Model to Residency Didactics. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 21(1), 65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6948686/
Li, J., Tang, J., Jiang, L., Yen, D. C., & Liu, X. (2019). Economic success of physicians in the online consultation market: a signaling theory perspective. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 23(2), 244-271. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10864415.2018.1564552?casa_token=qyAVM2x4KtIAAAAA:kPQG6zUmGwr5dlhReJ76omM_5zkf9DPcpd0bgxwLUmwoJ9eD01t_lBvIJBRxWRaXUyAcxD3_sTeLFtVapQ
Quotschalla, F. (2022). DIGITAL BUSINESS MODELS: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS IN THE TECH-INDUSTRY (Doctoral dissertation, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck). https://diglib.uibk.ac.at/ulbtirolhs/content/titleinfo/7794710/full.pdf
Sharma, A., Liu, H., & Liu, H. (2020, December). Best seller rank (bsr) to sales: An empirical look at amazon. com. In 2020 IEEE 20th International Conference on Software Quality, Reliability and Security Companion (QRS-C) (pp. 609-615). IEEE. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9282620/?casa_token=9L32_tBtHFQAAAAA:bd9eENN1euWj-VeQTcsJnbKKjqzSCCflGNx7k-TlCmzsVMsJz4BeM7m7-BowbWa1mb4_ddOLO9ZIUN0
Simmons, A., & Kang, J. H. (2018, January). The Strengths and Weaknesses of Amazon. com and Macy’s as Fashion Retailers. In International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings (Vol. 75, No. 1). Iowa State University Digital Press. https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/itaa/article/id/1275/download/pdf/
Wells, J. R., Danskin, G., & Ellsworth, G. (2018). Amazon. com, 2018. Harvard Business School Case Study, (716-402). https://www.academia.edu/download/58692202/Amazon.pdf

Most ethnically/racially diverse countries are divided along racial lines. As a result, contemporary artists have advocated against racism that unfairly impacts ethnic minorities. One of these artists to speak against racism is Michael Jackson, who sang the pop song ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ contained in his album HIStory: Past, Resent, and Future, Book, released on April 16^th, 1996. Considering Jackson’s seven-minute song, it begins with a note that insists that God should grant humans the capacity to fight all forms of injustices they experience, including racial prejudice. Another artist, Kanye West, sang an industrial hip-hop song, ‘Wash Us in the Blood,’ contained in his scrapped album God Country, released in July 2020. Kanye imagines the upcoming apocalyptic event of blood rain that will deliver African Americans from the evil of racism. Jackson and Kanye’s songs blended references to systemic racism and religion with biblical imagery that calls upon God’s punishment on perpetrators of racism. Considering the legacies of the two songs, contemporary art has become a vital tool in speaking against racial discrimination, which was what Kanye and Michael intended for their albums to become.

Definition of Racial Discrimination and Prejudice

Racial discrimination and prejudice are hotly debated topics in the world. By definition, prejudice is an unfair and rigid generalization regarding an entire group of people (Pager & Shepherd, 2016). For example, if someone believes African-Americans are unintelligent, they will apply to it every member of that group without any supporting evidence. Prejudices are similar to stereotypes or simplified and exaggerated descriptions applied to every person in a specific category (Zemore & Karriker-Jaffe, 2017). Negative stereotypes are directed at people who are different from the majority. Notable stereotypes associated with African-Americans include being drug dealers or crack addicts, having an appetite for fried chicken and watermelons, and welfare kings and queens (the desire to defraud the public welfare system for personal gains) (Lee et al., 2019). But all the stereotypes associated with African Americans are false since they are based on implicit reasoning rather than scientific evidence.

Conversely, racism includes actions, thoughts, and beliefs based on the assumption that one race is superior. Other academicians have broadened the context of racism and posit that the phenomenon is tied with the power structures, implying that racism is the belief that a race with more societal power is superior to other races (Pager & Shepherd, 2016). A recent survey by Pew Research revealed that six in ten Americans believe race relations in the US are worsening due to white supremacy and the recent elections of President Donald Trump (Horowitz & Brown, 2019). Additionally, 78% (eight in ten) African Americans argue that the country does not have a robust legislative climate to guarantee equal rights among all races (Horowitz & Brown, 2019).

But racism can be bigger than a single individual. Here, racial minorities may be subject to institutional racism. Typically, institutional racism refers to biases that are built into the operations of critical institutions such as the labor force, banking systems, healthcare, and schools. For example, it became difficult for politicians in the first half of the 20^th century to implement policies to ensure timely access to quality schooling, healthcare, food, and housing among African Americans. Elevated mortality and morbidity among African Americans due to lack of access to critical institutions was a result of discrimination based on race and might go unnoticed because there is no single person or government agency to blame (Zemore & Karriker-Jaffe, 2017).

Comparison of Jackson’s and Kanye’s songs on Racial Discrimination

Michael and Kanye released powerful singles that laid bare rampant racism that was negatively skewed against African Americans and believed religion could be a solution. The video of Michael Jackson’s song began with a note ‘This film is not degrading to any one race, but pictorializes the injustices to all mankind. May God grant us peace throughout the world.’ Similarly, Kanye West’s song beings with a prayer ‘shower down on us, wash us on blood, whole life being thugs, no choice, selling drugs.’ In both cases, the introductory parts of the song point to the artists’ Christian faith and acceptance that a divine figure can be a solution to racial injustices since the government has failed.

Additionally, Jackson mentions in the first line, ‘all I want to say is that they don’t really care about us.’ In this line, Jackson uses the word ‘they’ to represent the government. Jackson implies that ethnic minorities, especially African-Americans, are usually mistreated by the government due to institutional racism such as racial bias in US healthcare and racial profiling by authorities, among others. In the same way, Kanye raps ‘whole life being’ thugs with no choice selling drugs’ to imply that governments at all levels have neglected African Americans, forcing them to engage in illicit ways of making money as a way to escape poverty. In both songs, the artists appear to insinuate that African-Americans are unwanted by authorities and are left to fend for themselves no matter what.

Additionally, Michael sings ‘bang bang shot dead everybody’s gone mad’ to suggest that African-Americans are often a target of police brutality due to their race. Typically, ‘Bang’ is an echoism of for the sound of the gun, and after hearing gunshots, everyone scatters for safety. Michael could be referring to the widespread police shootings of African Americans. ‘Everyone’s gone mad’ is Michael’s connotation that after the unfair shootings of African-Americans, they organize themselves to engage in peaceful protest against the shootings. Similarly, Kanye raps ‘genocide what it does slavery what it does’ to imply that unfair targeting of African-Americans by authorities is a form of genocide. By forcing African-Americans to live in impoverished conditions and being targets of police brutality, Kanye believes that the authorities stripped them of their dignity and dehumanized them. Kanye cleverly uses the iteration of the phrase ‘..what it does’ to demonstrate that sin is the cause of all bad things African-Americans experience; that is, racism and police brutality are a consequence of a sinful ruling class. At the same time, the illegal activities that African-Americans engage in, such as drug dealing and other crimes, also destroy communities and contribute to genocide. Therefore, by raping ‘wash us in the blood oh,’ Kanye, just like Michael, urges African-Americans communities to come together and receive divided interventions (for example, through protests) to end their suffering.

In the post-chorus section of the song, Michael sings, ‘I am the victim of police brutality, now, I am tired of being a victim of hate’ to imply that he is a target of hatred due to the color of his skin. Since he is a black man living in the US, Jackson laments that he is part of a community that is usually the target of police brutality. Thus, he feels that he is a victim of an unfair criminal justice system just like any other African American. Likewise, Kanye raps ‘mass incarceration what it does’ to imply that black people in the US are a target of an unfair criminal justice system. In this part of the song, Kanye refers to the mass imprisonment of African-Americans who end up in prison not because they are guilty, but because of a skewed justice system. The prison industrial complex, according to Kanye, is a product of racist policymakers who have stereotyped African Americans to be criminals. He further goes ahead to rap ‘execution, thirty states, thirty states will execute’ to advocate against the state-sanctioned murder, which he believes will unfairly target African-Americans.

In another post-chorus, Michael sings, ‘I can’t believe that this is the land which I came, the government does not want to see’ to mean that the authorities have turned a blind eye to the problems facing African-Americans. Michael wonders if the government notices African-Americans’ existence and if it has initiated policies that will ensure all races thrive in common land. Another potential meaning of this lyric is that Michael believes the government is corrupt and demonstrates little care towards African-Americans and other underserved communities. Similarly, Kanye raps ‘we dodging time in the federal, squad box in like a sectional’ to refer to neglect by the government. The lyric by Kanye refers to the shape of sectional sofas that has corners around them to insinuate the barriers that African-Americans living in inner cities face in their everyday lives.

Music/Lyric Connection

Michael’s song is a plea against systemic racism and the neglect by authorities to the plight suffered by ethnic minorities. In the bridge section, he says, ‘some things in life, they just don’t wanna see’ to indicate that the government has failed to notice the oppression and social prejudices that are still ongoing. He also complains about institutional racism, especially in the media industry, where players continue spreading negative stereotypes against African Americans. He sings ‘In the suit, on the news, everybody, dog food’ to highlight the negative press and propaganda that black Americans receive.

Conversely, Kanye references systemic racism and evokes the plagues of blood in the biblical books of Revelation and Exodus. He pleads ‘rain down on us’ as a way to request the African-Americans to turn into religion and cleanse their sins such as drug dealing or crime. Even though Kanye believes that African-Americans engage in crime, he attributes this to government neglect. He raps ‘whole life being thugs, no choice, selling drugs’ to imply that African-Americans engage in illicit activities since they do not have any choice as a result of limited economic opportunities due to racism.

Conclusion

This paper has discussed the social issue of racism and how contemporary artists use their medium to bring the issue to light. The songs reviewed in this paper are Michael Jackson’s ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ and Kanye West’s Wash Us in the Blood.’ From the analysis of the lyrics, it is apparent that contemporary art has become a vital tool in speaking against racial inequality, which was what Kanye and Michael intended for their albums to become.

Discography

Michael Jackson, They Don’t Care About Us, Epic Records (1996), New York City

Kanye West, Wash Us In The Blood, Def Jam (2020), New York City

In “Alone in a Crowd,” Michael Rossmann suggestively alludes to the fast-changing American society wherein people preferably keep to themselves at the expense of engaging in social circles. While this was not the case in the past, it is one of the most notable characteristics of American citizenry in public today. Indeed, a lot has changed, especially regarding the communication and interaction of people in modern times due to technology. Advancement in technology has led to the development of communication and entertainment devices, including Xbox, digital TVs, and smartphones. These devices have enabled people to communicate easily over long distances. In fact, people today find it more convenient to communicate via myriad online sites instead of meeting in social circles, as was the norm several decades ago. Most people find it hard to strike up a conversation in social settings.

Personal experience relating to the “Alone in a Crowd” perspective

Being an extrovert, I always find it easy to make new acquaintances. More often than not, however, this is never actually the case. I recently noticed that most people nowadays find it hard to make eye contact with strangers in public on my visit to a friend a couple of days ago in a busy neighborhood. I failed at every attempt to make conversation with a stranger. Most of the people I tried smiling at never responded in kind, and the few who tried to make eye contact never seemed interested in waving back or partaking in conversation.

I seemed to notice the same habit on the way back home. I tried again to make conversation with a passenger on the bus and got the same results. She looked at me and only fidgeted a bit on her seat, and then she turned away from me and continued gazing out the bus window. Indeed, it is true that people have become unsocial in this era.

Response to Q.3

Yes. People have become more and more socialized, especially in bustling urban neighborhoods teeming with nearby people. In such neighborhoods, it is common for people to practice civil inattention by acknowledging the presence of a strange neighbor in an attempt to express no desire for hostility and any sustained interaction.

How would you characterize the nature of competition in the restaurant industry?

The primary objective of trade is to maximize profit over the scope of business operations. The token of logic surmised above increasingly ascertains the competitiveness of business operations, especially the ones that operate in the service industry such as banks and restaurants. In particular, the restaurant industry exists as one of the most competitive service industries globally (Movahed, 2018). The restaurant industry is an example of industries that increasingly exhibits monopolistic competition. The basis of this argument is widely based on the notion that restaurants have myriad market sellers, with each seller selling slightly differentiated products in the market. In a similar vein, thus far, restaurants are hugely characterized by the presence of submarkets harboring specific competitive pressures.

Are there submarkets with distinct competitive pressures in the restaurant industry?

Yes. Restaurants have distinct submarkets with competitive pressures. In particular, restaurants increasingly exhibit different types of product differentiation. One common aspect of product differentiation that is widely prolific in this industry is the horizontal differentiation of products. Indeed, aspects of horizontal product disparities increasingly stem from the interplay of wide-ranging factors, including types of meals served, service offered by each restaurant, location, quality of the meals offered, and the décor and ambiance of the premises (Tsai et al., 2020). Competition and location of a restaurant increasingly determine the prices of said features. Customers find it convenient to travel shorter distances for meals instead of restaurants situated in distant locales regardless of the quality of their services.

Are there important substitutes that constrain pricing?

Existing substitutes for meals prepared in restaurants comprise frozen dinners and home-cooked meals.

Given these competitive issues, how can a restaurant be profitable?

Restaurants can adopt and implement diverse operation techniques to circumvent the obstacles mentioned above to realize good returns. To begin with, restaurants can secure their profitability by creating a loyal return clientele. This could be achieved by producing and supplying quality products that meet the demands and needs of the several clients served by a restaurant (Movahed, 2018). Nonetheless, selecting a strategic location for business operations is also vital to ensuring the profitability of myriad restaurants.

Strategic planning and strategic management are critical areas for any organization seeking to improve its performance or success. The two components considerably influence the business model in terms of practicality and performance. Planning or strategic management failures can lead to substantial business blunders, as observed in the holiday blunders committed by UPS and FedEx a while back. It is always essential to understand the best strategic approach to support the growth and sustainability of an ever-expanding or changing demand. Companies need to appreciate the importance of strategic planning and management and choose the best possible approaches for performance, growth, and increased profitability.

Definition of Strategic Management and Planning

Abraham (2012) defines strategic management as the ability to steer and manage a company to become successful in the long term. It is a process that involves the decisions which steer a company, the products to develop, and keeping tabs on changing industry trends. Strategic management, therefore, requires identifying and understanding the main competitors and how to beat them, understanding the customer needs and demographics, and developing the right products or services for the right markets for enhanced profitability. Strategic planning or strategic formulation, on the other hand, is a complex process involving strategic thinking, internal analysis, developing critical strategic issues, developing strategic alternatives, and choosing the optimal strategy designed to be the company’s criteria for success (Abraham, 2012). Planning helps develop applicable practices that will push the company towards developing the required services and products to compete effectively. Strategic planning is essential in determining the business model, including the different systems of various company activities and selecting an appropriate model for improving the business (Abraham, 2012). The strategy, which is the wider view of the business, helps to determine which model a business will choose since the two are interdependent.

Strategic Management and Planning Failures of FedEx and UPS

FedEx and UPS both made some terrible mistakes which led to the holiday fiasco experienced in 2013. The companies made several errors, including under forecasting the delivery demands of the 2013 season, failing to have a backup plan, and failing to set up a functional automation center prior to the holiday (Banker, 2014). The above failures are the key strategies that any delivery company must always consider, especially during peak season. Fear of losing their markets stopped both companies from charging their clients additional fees to ensure continuous operations and mitigation of losses. The fear mentioned above also meant that the companies could not pursue prior planning and strategic management plans to grow. The two companies have since made major strategic changes to their peak season operations to avoid hitches. Some of the changes include UPS adding more delivery days starting on November 28^th and more package delivery cars. Further changes include developing mobile distribution centers and villages, building more warehouses, and investing more in anticipation of the peak seasons.

Possible Strategies for Optimizing Operations

Based on the models discussed by Abraham, it would be necessary for the company to have a combination of different models in one market to enable the business to grow and operate sustainably. Primarily, the company needs to work on product development and market strategies to ensure a solid entry to the market and maintenance of performance (Abraham, 2012). It should also consider generic strategies involving differentiation, low-cost leadership, and focus, which ensure the development of high-quality products and management of clients. At the extreme level, a company can consider acquisitions and mergers, which might not be necessary. In conclusion, the best recommendation would be to focus on generic strategies.

Conclusion

Strategic management and planning are the most critical factors to ensure optimal business operations. FedEx and UPS are examples of companies that failed to work on their strategic planning and management, leading to the holiday fiasco incident. A company that fails to plan accordingly or include risk management and mitigation is likely to fail in its business performance. The most recommended strategic approach for success in business growth and sustainability is the application of generic strategies. Therefore, it is crucial for a company to always have a team that works on strategic development to ensure the business runs competitively.

Human services denote a profession charged with an obligation to cater to the diverse needs and problems of different persons in society. Human services increasingly provide support to wide-ranging clientele in different environments and communities. The individuals responsible for the training of social workers champion the use of significant values and tenets to provide the requisite social services to diverse clients. Therefore, human service professionals make it a top-notch priority to uphold the use of critical ethical values and integrity in delivering their professional services to their vast clientele in society. Human service professionals rely on ethical values and integrity while providing services to satiate the development of numerous outcomes, most of which are client-centric. In particular, human service professionals use ethics to encourage the wellbeing of both the community and the clients. The present research reviews four specific scenarios that present ethical dilemmas in the human service profession, identifies the dilemma, and outlines NOHS standards and resolutions to the dilemma at hand.

Scenario 1

The ethical dilemma in the first scenario concerns threats to the privacy and confidentiality of the human service professional’s financial information related to diverse clients. Indeed, the human service professional is faced with the difficulty of upholding the privacy of her other clients because one of them works as a teller at her bank and is thus able to gain access to all of her financial transactions with other clients. A human service professional must never jeopardize the confidentiality of their clients (Burke, n.d.). Both clients and social workers run the risk of becoming victims of identity theft, extortion, or fraud when sensitive information such as bank records and financial transactions fall into the wrong hands.

The National Organization for Human Services’ ethical standard that addresses the current dilemma is the confidentiality and privacy clause (Reamer, 2016). This clause outlines that clients’ privacy must be protected at all costs (Burke, n.d.). For this reason, social workers must first seek informed consent from their clients before getting down to business. The best strategy to resolve the present dilemma in question is for the social worker to change banking institutions. This is important as it will reinforce boundaries with the client that works at the bank while simultaneously protecting the confidentiality of the other clients in the long run.

Human Service Dilemma Scenario 2

The present scenario presents the dilemma of boundaries and confidentiality. A human service professional must be mindful of their client’s privacy. It may be prudent for the social worker to wave from afar instead of completely snubbing their client in this particular case. In so doing, the client feels recognized. According to the NOHS, human service professionals must respect the social boundaries of their clients (Burke, n.d.). Nonetheless, a social worker must safeguard the client’s privacy (Burroughs, 2020). One of the best strategies to address this dilemma would be to wave from a distance and go on about shopping. It may also be prudent for the social worker to shop from another aisle to maintain a safe distance from their client.

Scenario 3

The third ethical dilemma similarly offers insights into yet another instance of recognizing boundaries in social spaces. As the scenario suggestively indicates, it is clear that both the human service professional and the client coincidentally meet at a party to which they have been invited. As such, the human service professional may courteously greet their client and leave it at that because it is a public social space. If the client decidedly begins to complain about the social worker’s friend, it may be prudent for the professional to advise the client to make an appointment and discuss the issues further at the relevant venue. NOHS ethical standards ascertain that a social worker must respect the client’s dignity, welfare, and boundaries above all else (Burke, n.d.). As such, it may be prudent for the social worker to avoid meddling in the romantic life of their client while at the party. Respecting the dignity and privacy of the client is critical to the development of cordial relations between the social worker and the patient (Wark et al., 2019). The best strategy to avoid this dilemma would entail the social worker respecting the privacy and boundary of their client.

Human Service Dilemma Scenario 4

Scenario 4 presents an ethical dilemma widely involving the recognition of boundaries and privacy between a client and a social worker. The proliferation of digital technology has increasingly led to the emergence of new dilemmas especially concerning the privacy of clients and social workers (Reamer, 2016). The NOHS ethical standards explicitly ascertain that social workers must prioritize privacy, confidentiality, and boundaries while dealing with clients (Burke, n.d.). Social media interactions increasingly jeopardize the privacy of the social worker and her other clients. A former client may get information regarding the personal life of the social worker, including their spouse, children, and home, thereby risking the safety of the social worker in the long run (Reamer, 2016). The best strategy to solve this dilemma is unfriending the former client and keeping matters professional between them for the foreseeable future.

Conclusion

Suffice to say, human service professionals must uphold ethics in their line of work in order to safeguard the dignity of the client. The continued reliance on ethics during their provision of services also creates a sound framework from which human service professionals can enhance their growth within their line of work. Some of the ethical guidelines applied by human service professionals include encouraging self-determination, respecting the welfare and dignity of clients, championing the promotion of social justice, upholding honesty, integrity, objectivity, genuineness, and recognizing and embracing cultural diversity. Upholding the aforementioned ethical values is vital to providing quality and unbiased human services to numerous clients and communities across society.