The cost of an MBA program worth

Bloomberg Business week talks about the top 10 MBA programs in the country and how the average cost for an MBA is 111,000 dollars. This might seem really high to some people, but research shows that from 2004-2012 the median debt load of business school grads has remained steady. This indicates that most MBA college students can afford the cost of tuition. Most MBA students have been in the workforce for awhile, which has allowed them time to save money to put towards tuition. Also many companies offer financial assistance for college tuition. There are many factors that attribute to rising cost in MBA tuitions. It’s important to keep in mind that as tuition rises so doesn’t the starting salary at most companies. As the cost of living goes up companies realize that they have to pay for quality workers. Then is important to consider the benefit of an MBA degree and how that can improve your financial situations. According to Quacquarelli’s company survey the average MBA salary starts at 93,000. So the question you have to ask yourself is the cost of an MBA program worth it? I think that the cost is worth the reward. The cost of an MBA program is a lot, but it is something that you plan. If you save your pennies and get financial assistance from your employer the cost is manageable. It is not just a financial decision it is also personal accomplishment. Regardless the cost you have accomplished something that many people dream of. The outcome from an MBA program can be prosperous for your career path. It can allow you to scale quickly and reach your ultimate goal. Not to mention that it can also be very financially rewarding. Reference Clark, Patrick. (2014, March). Debt is Piling Up Faster for Most Graduate Students-but Not MBA’s. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-25/student-loan-debt-piles-up-for-graduate-students-but-not-mbas#r=nav-f-story.

The Art of Persuasion

Especially, in the political world is really common to see famous persuasive leaders. Politics that is commonly employed, convincing a person’s politics as any informing ideology which has the potential of persuasion, of influencing another person’s belief and value systems. I am struck by the diversity of persuasive modes which they exhibit. I have read about two great persuader’s leaders in the U.S, such as Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson. Beyond their presidential campaign, I believe that they went beyond their political power promoting their own political views among people, negotiation with other political subjects, and making laws, and their persuasive styles were present throughout their government. They had to persuade their people, but they also did a great job to influence the Congress and politicians with the only purpose to make huge changes in the history of their country with their own styles.

For example, Abraham Lincoln, who was called Lincoln the persuader. His persuasion went beyond that a simple political position. Famous in the 1850s for his speeches and his ability to talk into framing common ground (as in his debates with Stephen A. Douglas), Lincoln was always carefully prepared, with

many of his arguments and positions written out and polished in advance. Wilson remarks that “Abraham Lincoln was president, the American public gradually discovered, much to its collective astonishment, that this unprepossessing Illinois politician had remarkable abilities as a writer.” Moreover, Lincoln’s ceremonial speeches, messages to Congress, proclamations, and public letters in newspapers proved to be timely, engaging, consistently lucid, killing in argument, and most important of all, invested with memorable and even inspiring language.

The next great example of persuasive leaders was Lyndon Johnson; I remember one of the famous pictures that it is in the hall of the L.B.J library. I confessed that this picture persuaded me, and his style.

 “LBJ leaning on his friend Abe Fortas, whom he would later name to the Supreme Court, and even later attempt to elevate to Chief Justice.“ 

LBJ was famous for his powers of persuasion, dispensing them with what became known as "the Johnson Treatment." He used his imposing physical size and intimidating personality to emphasize his point. According to the article published by Brummet, president editor, “The Johnson Treatment has been described as having 'a large St. Bernard licking your face and pawing you all over.' LBJ was a big man, and the original "close talker." The Johnson Treatment was a singular combination of physical intimidation and coercion, and it was one of his most effective tools as he mastered the Senate, and later, to a far lesser degree, the Presidency.”

According to Conger, “credibility grows out of two sources: expertise and relationship.” Political leaders have their especial style to persuade and influence their people. I think for politicians persuasion is art because it their profession. Then, the lectures of these greater persuaders are based on their original and unique persuasive style. In short, a variety of methods are applied in politics, which include promoting their own political views among people, their power of negotiation with other political subjects, making laws, and exercising force, including warfare against adversaries. the challenge here becomes to fill their gaps are their own styles to persuade.

References

Brummet J. (2011, February). The Johnson Treatment: LBJ's version of persuasion and coercion, with photos and links to 15 previous stories on LBJ and "The Johnson Treatment". Jack Brummet Presidents Editor. Retrieved from: http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com/2011/02/johnson-treatment-lbjs-version-of.html Conger, J. (1998, June). The necessary art of persuasion. Harvard Business. (pp. 57-68).
Wilson, D. (2006). Lincoln the Persuader. The American Scholar Retrieved from: http://theamericanscholar.org/lincoln-the-persuader/

Cooperating Leadership

   Some people believe that the best way for a society to prepare its young people for leadership in government, industry, or other field is by instilling in them a sense of cooperation while others think that is by instilling in the sense of not competition. I agree with the statement that young people for leadership is by instilling in them a sense of the corporation for the following reasons:

   First, cooperating leadership encourages young people to share different point of views. I think that when the leadership is doing by cooperation they heard many different point if views, ideas, thoughts that enrich the discussion or debate. In this sense the making decision is based on the plurality. At the same time each members receives a feedback about their positions or thoughts. For example, my country is living in deep social and political crisis right now; however, we have student protests, who are demanding for better social benefits, such as education, health, housing and food. All these protests consist of by students from different universities. Each group requires specific need even though they are from different region of my country. Each day they have an agenda about which protest is delivering during the week. All this occurs because they discuss every day about the next step. They listen each other and make their final decision based on their thoughts and opinions.

   Second, cooperating leadership motivates other young people to share the same causes or goals. I think when the leadership sets specific and measurable goals, each member knows what the have to do or what are their next steps. Keeping the same example in above paragraph about the Venezuelan protest. all these protests are become violent, and most of this violence is come from the government. However, the students have developed a specific plan with goals well defined, which is sharing for their members. They tell the government what is the really situation of their people. For example, they don’t see future for their carrier or people don’t have an excellent health services, the unsafe of our cities has increased considerably in the last years. The students continue demanding these basic needs with strong arguments.

   Thus, cooperation is an important skill. As for tomorrow's leaders, their responsibilities are to serve their companies and subordinates. In a word, only when a leader efficaciously focuses on the cooperation among all the team members, can he or she do a good job. Cooperating leadership encourages young people to share different point of views and motivates other young people to share the same causes or goals.

Martha McCaskey case # 3

        Martha McCaskey case is the typical that people experience while they are working in a corporate environment or in government institutions. The questions here are what is morally correct, and what is out of the law. It is well known that property information is the legal right of each corporation or government institution to protect their confidential information and refuse divulging it to the public. Martha is one thousands examples that corporations and government are facing today event tough they have ethical norms, corporate polices, and formal contracts. Moreover, corporations and government institutions require a special screening of employees in strategic and critical positions; however, they still face these ethical issues.

   Given the circumstances, if I we in Martha position in a company where top managers behave like Malone and Richardson, I would leave IAD immediately. Working at PricewaterhouseCooper   for 9nyears as Finance Auditor, I learned how important and confidential about manufacturing process and cost structures are. This type of information is always carefully protected by companies. I couldn’t think about a method called incentive, consulting feed or gift. It is still bribery and illegal selling confidential information.

   Finally, if I were Martha, I should have to follow “The assessing Ethical Concerns” for our decision making process. Is this decision fair? Will I feel better or worse about myself after I make this decision? Does this decision break any organizational rules? Does this decision break any laws? How would I feel if this decision was broadcast on the news?

General Electric Case N # 2 - Jack Welch

    Continuing with the analysis of the study cases, what I learned from the GE Case? I would like to start with the fact that Jack Welch transformed a traditional American company into an energized company ready to face global competition and future challenges. If we make an analysis through all the initiatives used by Welch, we can gain a better understanding of how to promote an outstanding performance in any organization through goals setting and how to prepare the company on a corporate level for its competitive challenges, empowering employees at all levels of the organization, and communicating new goals and vision through the entire organization, using tools such as extensive training programs, newly formed team, and 360 review process.

   Jack Welch’s initiatives were really important, but I would like to focus on how his communication style was an important tool presented in each of his initiatives. Jack started reducing the autocracy and secrecy, and his attitude toward communication was to establish clear lines of communication within the organization. Jack believed in an opening of communication channels. One of his first tasks was to eliminate the unnecessary communication filters or barriers. He went directly to the source when he wanted a question answered.  Another motivating communication channels was the 360 review between boss and subordinates to encourage input or feedback from every employee, and from the factory floor to the executive level. Therefore, the employees felt that they were directly contributing to the success of the company. They felt part of GE’s culture.

The Mount Everest -1996 case N # 1

During my spring break, I was reading some study cases of my Organizational Behavior and Communication subject, and one of them was the Mount Everest -1996 case. I did an analysis of this team work and I gained some important learnings.

  I believe that there are important lessons to learn from the Mount Everest -1996 case. If I point a finger to identify blame the individuals responsible for this catastrophe, I will miss the opportunity to identify valuable lessons from this case.

I would like to focus on three important learning:

·         I learned that leaders must pay close attention to how they balance pressure in their organizations. They have to find a balance between overconfidence and low confidence. Leaders must proceed decisively when faced with challenges, and they must inspire others to do so as well.

·         I learned that effective communication between team members is really necessary. Leaders must stimulate divergent thinking in their organizations, insure that each participant gets a fair and equal opportunity to voice their opinions during the decision process, and they demonstrate that they have considered those views carefully and genuinely.

·         Finally, I think when an organization suffers a terrible failure, others try to learn from this bad experience.  Having the opportunity to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past seems like an admirable goal.

By concluding that human error had caused others to fail, our ambition and self-confident can convince us that we will learn from those mistakes and will succeed where others could not.

The international gentlemen's club: OAS or OEA

During many years, Venezuela has been a member of the Organization of American States (OAS).  The website of the OAS establishes that “since 1948, the goal of the member nations in creating the OAS was to achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence".  A country that is a member of the Organization of American States believes that this democratic international organization always follows its original goals, but it’s wrong sometimes. After analyzing the huge political and social problem in Venezuela, we have seen how the Venezuelan people have not received support facing this current situation as a member of this international organization. The instability in Venezuela and the threat of civil war are causing a polarized politically, own lack of governance, and over out-of-control inflation (Berger, 2014). Facing these political and economic crises, Venezuelan government has a difficult time creating coherent policies. Additionally, this polarized situation is highly worrying, but more worrying is to see how the OAS' goal has been distorted by wishes of some countries member. Within a passive behavior the OAS has taken a long sleep, yet they have to wake up and doing something for democracy and human rights in Venezuela (Canton, 2013). More critics believe the OAS’ acts have been unacceptable for the following arguments: when their personal interests are above the Organization of American States purpose, they become in a gentlemen club, and when they has kept in silent while Venezuela continues the struggle for democracy and peace, and the Venezuela protests have suffered human rights violations.

The OAS has become an international of the gentlemen club where some countries members are making personal business. The argument over making personal business has been strongly questioned by many international leaders because a majority of OAS members, many of whom are allies or clients of the oil-rich Venezuela (De Cordoba, 2014). Another argument was appreciated during the last session in Washington, when Maria Corina Machado an opposition lawmaker wanted to talk in this session about human-rights abuses by the Venezuelan government against a six-week-old protest movement, but some countries member denied her voice right. Member states voted 22 to 11 to bar the media from the day's session, a strange event for the organization whose meetings are normally a public session. Maria’s presence was strongly blocked by a majority of OAS members, many of whom are allies or clients of the oil-rich Venezuela (De Cordoba, 2014). In what was widely viewed as an attempt to prevent Ms. Machado from addressing the body.

 In contrast, during the event of the organization were the others 11 countries which have stand up their position facing the Venezuelan crisis. They were The U.S., Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, Paraguay and Chile. All these countries supported opening session and Ms. Machado's presence (De Cordoba 2003).

Behind a big silence and lack of credibility lies the Organization of American States State which has become the center of many and harsh criticisms in the last weeks. According to the article published by Berger, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen called it "unconscionable that the member states at the OAS find it difficult to stand up for the people of Venezuela.” This international organization was created with the purposes to support the democracy of the American continent when it is under threat, but until now, the OAS didn’t stand up a firm position or proposal facing the current Venezuelan crisis. The increased focus on OAS’s acts is not surprising because in a recent interview with Chile's El Mercurio newspaper, Insulza said that “the OAS would never intervene in Venezuela while he was the secretary-general.” This type of comment is really embarrassing coming from the head of this organization. According to the article published by De Cordoba, “Many analysts say part of the responsibility for the OAS's paralysis lies with Secretary-general José Miguel Insulza, a Chilean diplomat.” The OAS is an institution that has not been effective when in Latin America countries have problems with their democracy. Facing the OAS’ behavior, “further reforms are needed. We can no longer stand idly by and let the OAS self-destruct into irrelevance due to its feckless Secretary General and some member states that fail to support democratic principles.” suggested Ros-Lehtinen.

For the last two months, regrettably, the Venezuelan protests have suffered human rights violations. The human rights violations that have been committed in the country and political persecution has increased in the last month of protests in Venezuela, putting the case of the arrest of Leopoldo López and Daniel Ceballos mayors and Enzo Scarano. “Human-rights activists said the day's session served as a referendum on the OAS itself, which has been strongly criticized for its failure to take an active role in mediating Venezuela's political crisis.” says De Cordoba. The Organization of American States has to play a more active role in Venezuela because there are many cases with human rights violations. Waves of arrests continue steadily and complaints procedures across the country agree. OAS has reminded silent before huge protest and manifestations and violations of human rights. Biden suggested to a Chilean newspaper that the government was using armed vigilantes against protesters (Berge, 2014) that support the human rights violations. Additionally, Venezuelan opposition leader has visited some parliaments as Brazil, Peru, and the European Union in order to discuss alleged human-rights abuses by the Venezuelan government against a six-week-old protest movement.  (De Cordoba, 2014).

In short, while revising the OEA functions, and goals, I believe that the OEA functions and responsibilities require being analysis deeply by all countries membership. The Secretary General of OAS has been José Miguel Insulza, who should leave from his current responsibility if he had had personal interest because "The credibility of the organization is in serious question by any credible observer," said José Miguel Vivanco, director of the Americas division of Human Rights Watch. This situation is embarrassment because it is a right and duty to protect Venezuelan people as a member of the OAS. The OAS’ duties are to work on the solution of political, judicial, and economic problems with its membership. However, in the last week, the OAS has done sightless to find a potential solution or constructive dialog between the government and Venezuelan against.

Reference

De Cordoba, J. (2014, March 21,). Regional Body for Americas at Center of Venezuela Showdown. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304026304579453831436990584

Berger, J. (2014, March 11). Venezuela 'sham' resolution renews US scorn for Organization of American States. Fox News. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/11/venezuela-sham-resolution-renews-us-scorn-for-organization-american-states/