Mies van der Rohe and Neo-Miesian Architecture

Mies van der Rohe and Neo-Miesian Architecture The United States has a love-hate relationship with Mies van der Rohe. Some say he stripped architecture of all humanity, creating cold, sterile, and unlivable environments. Others praise his work, saying he created architecture in its most pure form. Believing that less is more, Mies van der Rohe became the designer of rational, minimalist skyscrapers, houses, and furniture. Along with the Viennese architect Richard Neutra (1892–1970) and the Swiss architect  Le Corbusier  (1887–1965),  Mies van der Rohe not only set the standard for all modernist design but brought European modernism to America. Background Maria Ludwig Michael Mies was born on March 27, 1886, in Aachen, Germany. He changed his name in 1912 when he opened his own design practice in Berlin, adopting his mothers maiden name, van der Rohe. In todays world of one-name wonders, he is simply called  Mies  (pronounced  Meez  or often  Mees). Education Ludwig Mies van der Rohe began his career in his familys stone-carving business in Germany, learning about the trade from his father who was a master mason and stonecutter. When he was a teenager, he worked as a draftsman for several architects. Later, he moved to Berlin, where he found work in the offices of architect and furniture designer Bruno Paul and industrial architect Peter Behrens. Career Early in his life, Mies van der Rohe began experimenting with steel frames and glass walls, a style that would become known as International. He was the third director of the Bauhaus School of Design, after Walter Gropius and Hannes Meyer, from 1930 until it disbanded in 1933. He moved to the United States in 1937, and for 20 years (1938–1958), he was the director of architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), where he taught his students to build first with wood, then stone, and then brick before progressing to concrete and steel. He believed that architects must completely understand their materials before they can design. Although Mies was not the first architect to practice simplicity in design, he carried the ideals of rationalism and minimalism to new levels. His glass-walled Farnsworth House near Chicago stirred controversy and legal battles. His bronze and glass Seagram Building in New York City (designed in collaboration with Philip Johnson) is considered Americas first glass skyscraper. The Meis philosophy that less is more became a guiding principle for architects in the mid-20th century, and many of the worlds skyscrapers are modeled after his designs. What Is Neo-Miesian? Neo  means  new.  Miesian  refers to Mies van der Rohe. Neo-Miesian  builds upon the beliefs and approaches that Mies practiced- the less is more minimalist buildings in glass and steel. Although Miesian buildings are unornamented, they are not plain.  For example, the famous Farnsworth House combines glass walls with pristine white steel columns. Believing that God is in the details, Mies van der Rohe achieved visual richness through his meticulous and sometimes surprising choice of materials. The towering glass Seagram Building uses bronze beams to accentuate the structure. Interiors juxtapose the whiteness of stone against the swooping, fabric-like wall panels. Some critics call the 2011 Pritzker Prize-winning Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura neo-Miesian. Like Mies, Souto de Moura (born in 1952) combines simple forms with complex textures. In their citation, the Pritzker Prize jury noted that Souto de Moura has the confidence to use stone that is a thousand years old or to take inspiration from a modern detail by Mies van der Rohe. Although nobody has called Pritzker Laureate Glenn Murcutt (born in 1936) a neo-Miesian, Murcutts simple designs show a Miesian influence. Many of  Murcutts houses in Australia, like the Marika-Alderton House, are elevated on stilts and built on above-ground platforms- taking a page from the Farnsworth House playbook. The Farnsworth House was built in a floodplain, and Murcutts above-ground coastal houses are raised for protection from tidal surges. But Murcutt builds on van der Rohes design- circulating air not only cools the house but also helps keep the Australian critters from finding easy shelter. Perhaps Mies thought of that, too. Death On August 17, 1969, at the age of 83, Mies van der Rohe died of esophageal cancer at Chicago’s Wesley Memorial Hospital. He is buried in nearby Graceland Cemetery. Important Buildings Some of the more notable building designs by Meis, include: 1928-29: Barcelona Pavilion1950: The Farnsworth House, Plano, Illinois1951: Lake Shore Drive Apartments, Chicago1956: Crown Hall, Chicago1958: Seagram Building, New York (with Philip Johnson)1959-74: Federal Center, Chicago Furniture Designs Some of the more notable furniture designs by Meis, include: 1927: Side Chair (MR 10)1929: The Barcelona ® Chair1930: Brno Flat Bar Chair1948: Mies allowed one of his protà ©gà ©s, Florence Knoll, exclusive rights to produce his furniture. Learn more from Knoll, Inc.

Definition and Examples of a Transition in Composition

Definition and Examples of a Transition in Composition In English grammar, a transition is a connection (a word, phrase, clause, sentence, or entire paragraph) between two parts of a piece of writing, contributing to cohesion. Transitional devices include pronouns, repetition, and transitional expressions, all of which are illustrated below. Pronunciation: trans-ZISH-en EtymologyFrom the Latin, to go across Examples and Observations Example:  At first  a toy,  then  a mode of transportation for the rich, the automobile was designed as mans mechanical servant.  Later  it became part of the pattern of living. Here are some examples and insights from other writers: A transition should be short, direct, and almost invisible.Gary Provost, Beyond Style: Mastering the Finer Points of Writing. Writers Digest Books, 1988)A transition is anything that links one sentence- or paragraph- to another. Nearly every sentence, therefore, is transitional. (In that sentence, for example, the linking or transitional words are sentence, therefore, and transitional.) Coherent writing, I suggest, is a constant process of transitioning.(Bill Stott, Write to the Point: And Feel Better About Your Writing, 2nd ed. Columbia University Press, 1991) Repetition and Transitions   In this example, transitions are repeated in the prose: The way I write is who I am, or have become, yet this is a case in which I wish I had instead of words and their rhythms a cutting room, equipped with an Avid, a digital editing system on which I could touch a key and collapse the sequence of time, show you simultaneously all the frames of memory that come to me now, let you pick the takes, the marginally different expressions, the variant readings of the same lines. This is a case in which I need more than words to find the meaning. This is a case in which I need whatever it is I think or believe to be penetrable, if only for myself. (Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking, 2006) Pronouns and Repeated Sentence Structures Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it. We anticipate (we know) that someone close to us could die, but we do not look beyond the few days or weeks that immediately follow such an imagined death. We misconstrue the nature of even those few days or weeks. We might expect if the death is sudden to feel shock. We do not expect this shock to be obliterative, dislocating to both body and mind. We might expect that we will be prostrate, inconsolable, crazy with loss. We do not expect to be literally crazy, cool customers who believe that their husband is about to return. (Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking, 2006)When you find yourself having difficulty moving from one section of an article to the next, the problem might be due to the fact that you are leaving out information. Rather than trying to force an awkward transition, take another look at what you have written and ask yourself what you need to explain in order to move on to your next section.(Gary Pr ovost, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing. Mentor, 1972) Tips on Using Transitions After you have developed your essay into something like its final shape, you will want to pay careful attention to your transitions. Moving from paragraph to paragraph, from idea to idea, you will want to use transitions that are very clear- you should leave no doubt in your readers mind how you are getting from one idea to another. Yet your transitions should not be hard and monotonous: though your essay will be so well-organized you may easily use such indications of transitions as one, two, three or first, second, and third, such words have the connotation of the scholarly or technical article and are usually to be avoided, or at least supplemented or varied, in the formal composition. Use one, two, first, second, if you wish, in certain areas of your essay, but also manage to use prepositional phrases and conjunctive adverbs and subordinate clauses and brief transitional paragraphs to achieve your momentum and continuity. Clarity and variety together are what you want. (Winston W eathers and Otis Winchester, The New Strategy of Style. McGraw-Hill, 1978) Space Breaks as Transitions Transitions are usually not that interesting. I use space breaks instead, and a lot of them. A space break makes a clean segue whereas some segues you try to write sound convenient, contrived. The white space sets off, underscores, the writing presented, and you have to be sure it deserves to be highlighted this way. If used honestly and not as a gimmick, these spaces can signify the way the mind really works, noting moments and assembling them in such a way that a kind of logic or pattern comes forward, until the accretion of moments forms a whole experience, observation, state of being. The connective tissue of a story is often the white space, which is not empty. There’s nothing new here, but what you don’t say can be as important as what you do say. (Amy Hempel, interviewed by Paul Winner. The Paris Review, Summer 2003)

Discuss the different eras of resistance kinship relationships to Essay

Discuss the different eras of resistance kinship relationships to Aboriginal people - Essay Example Aboriginals are more found in Australia, India, Africa etc. they are different in the patterns of dressing, adoring, intake of food and medicinal practices. They have been different in various eras like primitive society, agricultural society, industrial society and post modern society. Kinship is the main objective of the sociologists since it is the basic factor in the organization of the society. They focus on the history of kinship irrespective of nation, state and geographical area. â€Å"Kinship systems establish relationships between individuals and groups on the model of biological relationships between parents and children, between siblings, and between marital partners.† (Kinship: a dictionary of sociology, 1998). But some theorists are on the view that the relationship between wife and husband through which they are related by marriage do not include in the category of kinship. They tell that this relationship is called as affinal relationship. But some other theorists say that the biological relationship is not necessary to determine kinship because some children have social father who takes the responsibility of them and therefore kinship must be established on account of social fathers. When we think about kinship the entire influential factors must be considered like the way of relationship, cultural and political background, economic status etc. There are two theories which emerged in the second half of the twentieth century and they are alliance theory and descent theory. Descent theory stresses that the role of kinship system is to understand political entities of the lineage group in the history. When descent theory gives more importance on the descent and succession, alliance theory emphasizes on the marriage. â€Å"Ernest L Schusky has given the following types of kinship.† (Joshi 1999, p.109). First type of kinship is consanguineal kinship which means the relation by blood like parent child

E-business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

E-business - Essay Example ainst this background, this report seeks to critically explore some of the measures that can be put in place by Friendly Supermarket which has underscored to transform from the traditional use of price tags at the tills while processing a transaction to a modern and sophisticated system that uses scans to detect the bar codes which in turn detect the product and its price. Friendly supermarket is developing this system from scratch and this report seeks to outline the major requirements as well as the benefits of adopting this new system to the top management of the group of supermarkets in Port Elizabeth. Revamping the traditional method of using price lists at the tills or price tags on all products as the only source of getting the correct price for the product at Friendly Supermarket requires a holistic approach since it will certainly bring about various changes to the infrastructure. The traditional method meant that more people would be on the floor sticking prices to each single product in the supermarket using the rivet stickers. However, the new system would see a dramatic shift from this traditional way to a sophisticated method aided by the use of computers and scanners. The major change to the infrastructure would be the introduction of computers in many departments including the till areas and these would be connected to a single server so as to ensure a smooth network. This would also require a system that is capable of holding large quantities of data and can process it at a tremendous speed so as to ensure effectiveness and efficiency compared to the traditional way of sticking price tags on each single product. This system would require all the bar codes on the products to be captured where all necessary details about the product would also be recorded. In this case, the name of the product, quantity as well as price would be recorded against the barcode of that particular product. Scanners connected to the computer servers in the supermarket

Gay Marriage Essay Example for Free

Gay Marriage Essay The issue of gay marriage remains controversial. Some people think that this trend has adverse effects on the society while others believe that it is seen as a natural trend and right for people to choose this type of marriage. My essay will discuss causes and effects of this problem. First, gay marriage is the result of psychological, legal, economic and biological effects. Medically speaking, if someone is born to be gay, the tendency is that he will not change his nature and want to live with people of the same sex. There are cases of men who marry the opposite sex and end up being unhappy till the day they decide to lead their own lives and stay with the same sex. Another reason is derived from economic drive. Despite not being inborn gay, several people, for sake of profit, opt for the solution to marry the similar sex. Besides, only after undergoing painful break-ups with so many people of the different sex do people lose their belief in love, and hence, choose to be by the side of the same sex. These people are believed to sympathize and care about them more. In addition, in such an open society where equality is recognized, it is inevitable that people can marry the one they love, despite the differences in age, race, family background and marriage notion. There are both positive and negative effects in this problem. As a result of recognizing the right of gay people in form of marriage, the society bestows upon these people the feeling of equity which makes them motivated to work as hard as other people. It is the acknowledgement of gay marriage that talented gay people continue contributing their best to social development, without bias. However, the fear is that no sooner has gay marriage become official than the society lacks the next generation since hardly could gay couples give birth. Another disadvantage is that children who are raised in gay families can rarely receive comprehensive education. Such purely male environment or female one is not enough for kids to develop normally, which might result in their mental disorders and sexual disorientation.

Recommendation Letter for Former Employee :: Business Recommendation Letters

November 20, 2004 Mr. Richard Pillsbury Manager, Marketing Services All Industries Inc. 111 Strawberry Bend, Suite 1551 Smallville, OH 05252 Dear Mr. Pillsbury: This is in response to your recent request for a letter of recommendation for Mary Lamb who worked for me up until three years ago. Mary Lamb worked under my direct supervision at Technical Technologies for a period of five and a half years ending in August 2003. During that period, I had the pleasure of seeing her blossom from a junior marketing trainee, into a fully functioning Marketing, Program Co-Ordinator, in her final year and a half with the company. That was the last position she held before moving on to a better career opportunity. Mary is a hard-working self-motivator who understands exactly what a project is all about from the outset, and how to get it done quickly and effectively. During her year and a half in the Marketing Co-Ordinator position, there was never an instance in which she missed a major deadline. She often brought projects in below budget, and a few were even completed ahead of the deadline. Ms. Lamb is a resourceful, creative, and solution-oriented person who was frequently able to come up with new and innovative approaches to her assigned projects. She functioned well as a team leader and she worked effectively as a team member under the direction of other team leaders. On the interpersonal side, Mary has superior writing and verbal communication skills. She gets along extremely well with the staff under her supervision, as well as colleagues at her own level. She is highly respected, both a person and a professional, by colleagues, employees, suppliers, and customers. A year ago, when Ms. Lamb announced her resignation to take up a new position with a larger company, we were not happy to see her leave, although we wished her the best in her new undertaking.

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson opens on a warm June day in a town of about three hundred people, and describes an annual event in the town, a tradition that is apparently widespread among surrounding villages as well. While the townspeople, more than 300, await the arrival of Mr. Summers, and the black wooden box from which everyone is to draw a folded slip of paper, adults chat while children play a game in which they gather stones. The event for which they gather is a lottery conducted by Mr. Summers, a neatly dressed, jovial business man with a wife, but no children. Although many traditional customs associated with the lottery seemed to have been lost over time, Mr. Summers still has †a great deal of fussing to be done† before he declares the lottery open. He has created lists of households, including the heads of households in each family, and members of each household in each family. Just as Mr. Summers turned to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson, a house wife, arrives late just then, telling Mrs. Delacroix that she â€Å"Clean forgot what day it was† until she noticed that her children had left her house, and remembered it was the day of the lottery. Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson than makes her way through the crowd to her husband, while the villagers comment on her arrival. Mr. Summers begins the necessity of confirming everyone’s attendance, and clarifying whom will represent the family. When everything is finalized , each representative is called up one after another, and nervously draws a folded slip of paper from the black box. While people are called up, one of the villagers presents the idea of other towns giving up the lottery. Old Man Warner snorts in reply, â€Å"Pack of crazy fools, Listening to young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work anymore, live that way for awhile. Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First thing you know, we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There's always been a lottery.† This statement sets the importance of this annual event, and the strong beliefs of the town. When the big moment arrives, everyone is silent until the name of Bill Hutchinson rapidly spreads throughout the crowd. Tessie Hutchinson, Bill’s wife, shouts out to Mr. Summers that he didn’t give Bill enough time, and that its not fair. Tessie is silenced, and Mr. summers recons for the family of Bill Hutchinson to come forward. Bill, Tessie, and their three children than proceed as every family of the lottery ever has, and draws a new folded piece of paper from the black box. One by one the family unfolds their piece of paper to determine the sacrificed. Tessie Hutchinson , the declared winner, was led to the center of a cleared space, and with her hands desperately held out in front of her she was hit with the first stone. Everyone then closed in on her, picked up the rocks, the â€Å"proceeds† of the lottery, and stones her to death. â€Å"Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual, and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones.à ¢â‚¬  The Lottery by Shirley Jackson There are many characters that are named in Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery†. Mr. Summers, a kindly man who runs a coal business, Mr. Martin and his sons, Baxter and Bobby. There is Mr. Graves, the man who helped Mr. Summers prepare the lottery, and Old Man Warner. There is Mr. Hutchinson, Mrs. Hutchinson, and their daughter Eva and son-in-law, Don—just to name a few. And although Jackson’s story has many characters, she is most interested in the social phenomenon of the lottery than she is in the characters, themselves. Instead, the characters serve as a means to depict â€Å"a graphic demonstration of the pointless violence and general inhumanity in people’s lives† (213). From the start of the story, throughout, and in the end, Jackson defines her view of society’s insouciant attitude toward violence with the villagers’ apathetic way of life. Every year on June 27th, the families of the village (and of other towns, too) gather in the center of town and participate in a lottery which culminates with the stoning death of a member of one of the families. This heinous tale takes place amid a pleasant setting, â€Å"The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green† (213). She writes of the children playing and little boys gathering stones that are stockpiled and guarded and ready for the kill. Jackson stupefies the reader as she describes how the lottery is meticulously prepared by Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves, with such pomp and circumstance: â€Å"There was a great deal of fussing to be done before Mr. Summers declared the lottery open† (214). Then there’s poor Mrs. Hutchinson, who, in her ominous late arrival, is greeted by Mr. Summers, â€Å"Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie†, and she jokingly replies, â€Å"Wouldn’t have me leave m’dishes in the sink, now would you, Joe? † (215). It is this kind of small-talk among the villagers that makes this incredulous social phenomenon more significant than the characters. As fate would have it, Mr. Hutchinson draws the slip of paper with the black dot on it. â€Å"You didn’t give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair! † (217). Fair? Because her husband draws the paper with the black dot on it, it is inevitable that someone from her family or even herself, will be stoned to death. â€Å"Be a good sport, Tessie. All of us took the same chance† (217). Even the innocent children are included in the lottery. Do these people have any sense of right or wrong? Tessie Hutchinson draws the paper with the black dot on it. Her neighbors, her friends, â€Å"and someone gave little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles† (218), with which to hurl upon his mother. This sick ritual spares no one. The mere thought of this annual lottery is mind-boggling. The matter-of-fact way in which the villagers carried themselves throughout the event as though they are conducting an election of some sort is unconscionable. Jackson’s writing is brimming with obdurate expressions. As the stoning begins, â€Å"All right, folks, let’s finish quickly†, (218). They want to â€Å"be through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner† (213). Unbelievable. Hello Lisa, I really enjoyed the insight you offered in your journal. You make very good use of the book by including a great number of citations in your essay and your vocabulary definitely adds to the reader’s understanding of your journal and the passage overall. While you have ample evidence to support your claims throughout your entry, I found a few grammatical and technical errors that I would like to point out: 1. ) â€Å"And although Jackson’s story has many characters, she is most interested in the social phenomenon of the lottery than she is in the characters, themselves. – You do not need a comma before â€Å"themselves†, as a comma separates the thoughts and almost prepares the reader for a new thought. 2. ) â€Å"She writes of the children playing and little boys gathering stones that are stockpiled and guarded and ready for the kill. † – A better way of writing this could be: â€Å"She writes of children playing and gathering stones to be stockpiled, guarded, and readied for the kill. † 3. ) â€Å"Jackson stupefies the reader as she describes how the lottery is meticulously prepared by Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves, with such pomp and circumstance†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – Again, you do not need a comma before â€Å"with such pomp and circumstance†, as you are not introducing a new thought. 4. ) Putting â€Å"unbelievable† at the end of your journal weakens it a little bit as you do not further the claim and give it some evidence. Overall, I think you did a really great job answering the question and giving solid evidence to your claims. From your journal essay, I was able to see that the social phenomenon that the writer is talking about is the desensitizing of our culture as a whole! Good work and good luck for the rest of the semester!

Strategic Hrm

Cornell University ILR School [email  protected] CAHRS Working Paper Series Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) 4-1-2006 Strategic Management and HRM Mathew R. Allen Patrick M. Wright Cornell University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons. ilr. cornell. edu/cahrswp This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) at [email  protected] It has been accepted for inclusion in CAHRS Working Paper Series by an authorized administrator of [email  protected]For more information, please contact [email  protected] edu. Strategic Management and HRM Abstract [Excerpt] The purpose of this chapter is to discuss this intersection between Strategic Management and HRM, what we know, and future directions for SHRM research. We will begin by briefly discussing the concept of strategy and the popularization of the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm. Next we will address its role in creating the link between HRM and Strategic Management including key questions that the RBV has raised in relation to SHRM.We will then examine the current state of affairs in SHRM; the progress made, and key questions and concerns occupying the attention of SHRM researchers. Finally, we will conclude with our views on future directions for SHRM research. Keywords CAHRS, ILR, center, human resource, studies, advanced, link, information technology, business partner, strategic role, competencies, HR, HRM, HR professionals, management Comments Suggested Citation Allen, M. R. & Wright, P. M. (2006). Strategic management and HRM (CAHRS Working Paper #06-04).Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies. http://digitalcommons. ilr. cornell. edu/cahrswp/404/ This article is available at [email  protected]: http://digitalcommons. ilr. cornell. edu/cahrswp/404 CAHRS at Cornell University 187 Ives Hall Ithaca, NY 14853-3901 USA T el. 607 255-9358 www. ilr. cornell. edu/CAHRS WORKING PAPER SERIES Strategic Management and HRM Mathew R. Allen Patrick M. Wright Working Paper 06 – 04 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04Strategic Management and HRM Mathew R. Allen Patrick M. Wright Department of Human Resource Studies School of Industrial and Labor Relations Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-3901 April 2006 http://www. ilr. cornell. edu/cahrs This paper has not undergone formal review or approval of the faculty of the ILR School. It is intended to make results of Center research available to others interested in preliminary form to encourage discussion and suggestions. Most (if not all) of the CAHRS Working Papers are available for reading at the Catherwood Library.For information on what’s available link to the Cornell Library Catalog: http://catalog. library. cornell. edu if you wish. Page 2 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 Abstract Page 3 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 Strategic Management and HRM Introduction It has been said that the most important assets of any business walk out the door at the end of each day. Indeed, people and the management of people are increasingly seen as key elements of competitive advantage (Boxall & Purcell, 2003; Pfeffer, 1998; Gratton, Hailey & Truss, 2000).Spurred on by increasing competition, fast paced technological change, globalization and other factors, businesses are seeking to understand how one of the last truly competitive resources, their human resources, can be managed for competitive advantage. This idea that the human resources of a firm can play a strategic role in the success of an organization has led to the formation of a field of research often referred to as strategic human resource management (SHRM).This relatively young field represents an intersection of the strategic management and human resource management (HRM) literatures (Boxall, 1998; Boxall and Purcell, 2000). Wright and M cMahan (1992) defined strategic human resource management as â€Å"the pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable the firm to achieve its goals† (1992, p. 298). The purpose of this chapter is to discuss this intersection between Strategic Management and HRM, what we know, and future directions for SHRM research.We will begin by briefly discussing the concept of strategy and the popularization of the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm. Next we will address its role in creating the link between HRM and Strategic Management including key questions that the RBV has raised in relation to SHRM. We will then examine the current state of affairs in SHRM; the progress made, and key questions and concerns occupying the attention of SHRM researchers. Finally, we will conclude with our views on future directions for SHRM research. Strategy And The Resource-Based View Of The FirmThe field of strategy focuses on how firms can position themselves to c ompete, and its popularity began increasing exponentially in the mid 1980s with two books. First, Peters & Page 4 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 Waterman’s (1982) In Search of Excellence provided a practitioner-oriented analysis of excellent companies and the common threads that united them. However, Porter’s (1980) Competitive Strategy presented a more academically based analysis of strategy, but in a way that practitioners/executives quickly gravitated toward.This Industrial/Organization Economicsbased analysis primarily focused on industry characteristics, in particular the five forces of barriers to entry, power of buyers, power of suppliers, substitutes, and competitive rivalry as the determinants of industry profitability. While this analysis did propose four generic strategies (cost, differentiation, focus, and ‘stuck in the middle’), the bulk of the analysis focused on external factors that determined company profitability. This f ramework seemed to dominate strategic management thinking of the early 1980s.However, with the advent of the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991; Wernerfelt, 1980), strategic management research moved to a more internal focus. Rather than simply developing competitive strategies to address the environment, the resource-based view suggested that firms should look inward to their resources, both physical and intellectual, for sources of competitive advantage. Though others had addressed the concept of the RBV previously, Barney (1991) specifically explicated how firm resources contribute to the sustained competitive advantage of the firm.He suggested that resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable will lead to competitive advantage. Value in this context is defined as resources either exploiting opportunities or neutralizing threats to the organization and rarity is defined as being a resource that is not currently available to a large number of the organization’s current or future competitors (Barney, 1991). Inimitability refers to the fact it is difficult for other firms to copy or otherwise reproduce the resources for their own use.Finally, non-substitutability means that other resources cannot be used by competitors in order to replicate the benefit (Barney 1991). When all four of these conditions are met, it is said that the firm or organization possess resources which can potentially lead to a sustained competitive advantage over time. Page 5 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 The resource-based view has become almost the assumed paradigm within strategic management research (Barney and Wright, 2001).It has been the basic theoretical foundation from which much of the current strategic management research regarding knowledge-based views of the firm (Grant, 1996), human capital (Hitt et al. , 2001), and dynamic capabilities (Teece, Pisano, & Schuen, 1997) are derived. In fact, Priem and Butler (2001) ma pped RBV studies against eighteen strategy research topics, demonstrating the breadth of its diffusion within the strategic management domain.More importantly from the standpoint of this chapter, the resource-based view has become the guiding paradigm on which virtually all strategic HRM research is based (Wright, Dunford, & Snell, 2001). In spite of the wide acceptance of the RBV, it is not without criticism. Priem and Butler, (2001a, b) have leveled the most cogent critique to date suggesting that the RBV does not truly constitute a theory. Their argument focuses primarily on two basic issues. First, they suggest that the RBV is basically tautological in its definition of key constructs.They note that Barney’s statement that â€Å"if a firm’s valuable resources are absolutely unique among a set of competing and potentially competing firms, those resources will generate at least a competitive advantage (Barney, 2001: 102)† essentially requires definitional depe ndence. In other words, without definitional dependence (i. e. â€Å"valuable resources†) the diametrical statement – that unique firms possess competitive advantages – does not logically follow. Their second major criticism of the RBV as a â€Å"theory† focuses on the inability to test it (Priem & Butler, 2001b). They note he necessity condition of â€Å"falsifiability† for a theory. In other words, in order for a set of stated relationships to constitute a theory, the relationships must be able to be measured and tested in a way that allows for the theory to be found to be false. This relates directly to the tautology criticism, but brings the debate into the empirical realm. In spite of these criticisms, even the critics agree that the impact of the RBV on strategic management research has been significant and that the effort to focus on the internal aspects of the organization in explaining competitive advantage has been a useful one (Preim & B utler,Page 6 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 2001b). While the debate might continue as to the theoretical implications of the RBV for strategic management research, it is clear that it has made a significant contribution to Strategic Management and, more specifically, SHRM research (Wright, Dunford & Snell, 2001). A Brief History Of Strategic HRM Wright and McMahan’s (1992) definition of strategic human resource management illustrates that the major focus of the field should be on aligning HR with firm strategies.Jim Walker’s (1980) classic book, Human Resource Planning, was one of the first to directly suggest considering a firm’s business strategy when developing a human resource plan. Devanna, Fombrum, and Tichy’s (1981) article, â€Å"Human Resources Management: a Strategic Perspective†, added to the foundation. These attempts tended to take an existing strategy typology (e. g. Miles and Snow’s (1978) prospectors, analy zers and defenders) and delineate the kinds of HRM practices that should be associated with each strategy. These attempts to tie HRM to strategy have been referred to as â€Å"vertical alignment† (Wright & McMahan, 1992).Beer, Spector, Lawrence, Mills and Walton (1984) introduced an alternative to the individual HR sub-function framework for HR strategy. They argued that viewing HRM as separate HR sub-functions was a product of the historical development of HRM and current views of HR departments. They proposed a more generalist approach to viewing HRM with the focus on the entire HR system rather than single HR practices. This led to a focus on how the different HR sub-functions could be aligned and work together to accomplish the goals of HRM and a more macro view of HRM as whole rather than individual functions.This alignment of HR functions with each other is often referred to as â€Å"horizontal alignment† (see this Handbook, chapter 19. ) The combination of both vertical and horizontal alignment was a significant step in explaining how HRM could contribute to the accomplishment of strategic goals. However, given the external focus of the strategic management literature at that time, HR was seen to play only a secondary role in the accomplishment of strategy with an emphasis on the role that HRM Page 7 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 layed in strategy implementation, but not strategy formulation. Lengnick-Hall and LengnickHall (1988) stated â€Å"strategic human resource management models emphasize implementation over strategy formulation. Human resources are considered means, not part of generating or selecting strategic objectives. Rarely are human resources seen as a strategic capacity from which competitive choices should be derived† (1988, p. 456). A shift in strategic management thinking would be required to change that perception and open the door for further development of the SHRM literature.The diffusion of the resource-based view into the Strategic HRM literature spurred this paradigmatic shift in the view of the link between strategy and HRM. Because the resourcebased view proposes that firm competitive advantage comes from the internal resources that it possesses (Wernerfelt, 1984; Barney, 1991), the RBV provided a legitimate foundation upon which HRM researchers could argue that people and the human resources of a firm could in fact contribute to firm-level performance and influence strategy formulation.This resulted in a number of efforts to conceptually or theoretically tie strategic HRM to the resource-based view. For instance, Wright, McMahan, and McWilliams (1994) suggested that while HR practices might be easily imitated, the human capital pool of an organization might constitute a source of sustainable competitive advantage. Lado and Wilson (1994) argued that HR practices combined into an overall HR system can be valuable, unique, and difficult to imitate, thus constituting a resource meeting the conditions necessary for sustained competitive advantage.Boxall (1996, 1998) proposed a distinction between human resource advantage (advantage stemming from a superior human capital pool) and organizational process advantage (advantage stemming from superior processes for managing human capital). The resource-based view also provided the theoretical rationale for empirical studies of how HR practices might impact firm success. One of the early empirical studies of this relationship was carried out by Arthur (1994). Using a sample of steel mini-mills, he found that a specific set of HR practices was significantly related to firm performance in the form of lower Page 8 of 26Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 scrap rates and lower turnover. Huselid (1995), in his landmark study, demonstrated that the use of a set of 13 HRM practices representing a ‘high-performance work system’ was significantly and positively related to lower turnover, and higher profits, sales, and market value for the firms studied. In a similar study, MacDuffie (1995), using data from automobile manufacturing plants, demonstrated that different bundles of HR practices led to higher performance, furthering the argument that the integrated HR system, rather than individual HR practices, leads to higher performance.Delery and Doty (1996) similarly demonstrated the impact of HR practices on firm performance among a sample of banks. This vein of research quickly expanded in the U. S. (e. g. , Batt, 1999; Huselid, Jackson, & Schuler, 1996; Youndt, Snell, Dean, & Lepak,, 1996), the U. K. (e. g. , Brewster, 1999; Guest, 1997; Guest, Michie, Conway, & Sheehan, 2003; Tyson, 1997), elsewhere in Europe (e. g. , d’Arcimoles, 1997; Lahteenmaki, Story, & Vanhala, 1998; Rodriguez & Ventura, 2003) and Asia (e. g. Bae & Lawler, 2000; Lee & Chee, 1996; Lee & Miller, 1999), as well as in multinational corporations operating in multiple international environment s (Brewster, Sparrow, and Harris, 2000). In sum, the RBV, with its focus on the internal resources possessed by a firm, has given the field a theoretical understanding of why human resources systems might lead to sustainable competitive advantage and provided the spark to generate empirical research in this vein (Guest, 2001; Paauwe & Boselie, 2005; , Wright et al, 2005). Key Questions Raised By The Application Of RBV To SHRMIn spite of the significant amount of research demonstrating a link between HRM practices and firm performance, there are several key questions regarding the RBV and its implications for SHRM research that remain unanswered. First, there is some question as to whether current research on HRM and performance is truly testing the RBV. Second, there is still a general lack of understanding around the concept of fit, and its role in the link between strategy and HRM. Third, there are still unanswered questions regarding HRM and whether orPage 9 of 26 Strategic Manag ement and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 not HRM defined as systems of HR practices truly constitutes a resource under the conditions outlined by Barney (1991) and, specifically, whether those resources are truly sustainable over time. Finally, there are several measurement and methodological issues that, while not within the direct scope of this chapter, are worth mentioning as they are pertinent to our discussion of this intersection between Strategic Management and HRM research. Testing of the RBV within SHRMWhile the SHRM research just discussed has used the RBV as a basis for the assertion that HRM contributes to performance, it has not actually tested the theory that was presented in Barney’s (1991) article (Wright, Dunford & Snell, 2001). Most of this research has taken a similar view on how HR practices can lead to firm performance. The model generally argues that HRM in the form of HR practices directly impacts the employees either by increasing human capital or motivation or bot h. This in turn will have an impact on operational outcomes such as quality, customer service, turnover or other operational level outcomes.These operational outcomes will in turn impact firm-level outcomes such as financial performance in the form of revenues, profits or other firm-level measures of performance (Dyer, 1984). In a similar vein, Wright Dunford and Snell, (2001) point out that there are three important components of HRM that constitute a resource for the firm that are influenced by the HR practices or HR system. First, there is the human capital pool comprised of the stock of employee knowledge, skills, motivation and behaviors.HR practices can help build the knowledge and skill base as well as elicit relevant behavior. Second, there is the flow of human capital through the firm. This reflects the movement of people (with their individual knowledge, skills and abilities) as well as knowledge itself. HR practices can certainly influence the movement of people. However, more importantly, the types of reward systems, culture, and other aspects of HRM influence the extent to which employees are willing to create, share, and apply knowledge internally. Page 10 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04Third, the dynamic processes through which organizations change and/or renew themselves constitute the third area illustrating the link between HRM and the resource-based view of the firm. HR practices are the primary levers through which the firm can change the pool of human capital as well as attempt to change the employee behaviors that lead to organizational success. There appears to be a general consensus among SHRM researchers around the general model of the HR to performance relationship and the role of HR practices, the human capital pool, and employee motivation and behaviors as discussed by Dyer (1984) and others.The implications of this for RBV and SHRM research is that while separate components of the full HRM to performance model have been tested such as HR practices (Huselid, 1995; McDuffie, 1995) and human capital (Richard, 2001; Wright, McMahan & Smart, 1995), a full test of the causal model through which HRM impacts performance has not (Wright, Gardner, Moynihan, & Allen, 2005; Wright, Dunford & Snell, 2001; Boxall, 1998). Current research has established an empirical relationship between HR practices and firm performance, but more remains to be done.By testing the full model, including the additional components of the human capital pool and employee relationships and behaviors, a more complete test of the underlying assumptions of the RBV could be established, thus adding credibility to the theoretical model of the relationship between HRM and performance. Fit and the Resource-based View of the Firm In the Priem and Butler (2001) critique of the RBV, one of the points brought up as a theoretical weakness of the RBV is lack of definition around the boundaries or contexts in which it will hold.They point out that â€Å"relative to other strategy theories †¦ little effort to establish the appropriate contexts for the RBV has been apparent† (2001 p. 32). The notion of context has been an important issue in the study of SHRM (Delery & Doty, 1996, Boxall & Purcell, 2000). Most often referred to as contingencies (or the idea of fit), contextual arguments center on the Page 11 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 idea that the role that HRM plays in firm performance is contingent on some other variable.We break our discussion of fit into the role of human capital and HR practices. Human Capital and Fit. The most often cited perspective for explaining contingency relationships in SHRM is the behavioral perspective (Jackson, Schuler & Rivero, 1989) which posits that different firm strategies (other contingencies could be inserted as well) require different kinds of behaviors from employees. Consequently, the success of these strategies is dependent at least in part on th e ability of the firm to elicit these behaviors from its employees (Cappelli & Singh, 1992; Wright & Snell, 1998).Going back to the distinction between human capital skills and employee behavior, Wright and Snell (1999) noted that skills and abilities tend to be necessary, but not sufficient conditions for employee behavior. Consequently, any fit to firm strategy must first consider the kinds of employee behavior (e. g. , experimentation and discovery) required to successfully execute the strategy (e. g. , focused on offering innovative products), and the kinds of skills necessary to exhibit those behaviors (e. g. , scientific knowledge).Obviously, the workforce at Nordstrom’s (an upscale retailer) is quite different from the workforce at Wal-Mart (a discount retailer). Thus, the resource-based application to SHRM requires focusing on a fit between the skills and behaviors of employees that are best suited to the firm’s strategy (Wright et al. 1995). While this idea of fit focuses on across-firm variance in the workforce, Lepak and Snell (1999) developed a framework that simultaneously addresses variation across firms and variations in HR systems within firms (see this Handbook, chapter 11).Their model of ‘human resource architecture’ posits that the skills of individuals or jobs within a firm can be placed along two dimensions: value (to the firm’s strategy) and uniqueness. Their framework demonstrates how different jobs within firms may need to be managed differently, but it also helps to explain differences across firms. For instance, within Wal-Mart, those in charge of logistics have extremely valuable and unique skills, much more so than the average sales Page 12 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 associate.On the other hand, at Nordstrom’s, because customer service is important, sales associate skills are more critical to the strategy than those of the logistics employees. HR Practices and Fit. The t heoretical assumption that the skills and behaviors of employees must fit the strategic needs of the firm in order for the workforce to be a source of competitive advantage leads to the exploration of how HR practices might also need to achieve some form of fit. With regard to vertical fit, as noted previously, business strategies require different skills and behaviors from employees.Because HR practices are generally the levers through which the firm manages these different skills and behaviors, one would expect to see different practices associated with different strategies. For instance, one would expect that firms focused on low cost might not pay the same level of wages and benefits as firms focused on innovation or customer service. Horizontal fit refers to a fit between HR practices to ensure that the individual HR practices are set up in such a way that they support each other (Boxall & Purcell, 2003; Baird & Meshoulam, 1988, Delery, 1998).An example of this would be a selec tion process that focuses on finding team players and a compensation system that focuses on team-based rewards. Theoretically, the rationale for horizontal fit suggests that (a) complementary bundles of HR practices can be redundantly reinforcing the development of certain skills and behaviors resulting in a higher likelihood that they will occur and (b) conflicting practices can send mixed signals to employees regarding necessary skills and behaviors that reduce the probability that they will be exhibited (Becker & Huselid, 1998).There appears to be some agreement in the literature that both types of fit are necessary for optimal impact of HRM on performance (Baird & Meshoulam, 1988; Delery, 1998; Delery & Doty, 1996; Boxall & Purcell, 2003), but not necessarily empirical support for these types of fit (see this Handbook, chapter 27; Wright & Sherman, 1999). Potential Pitfalls of Fit. The idea of fit, whether it be vertical or horizontal, raises two important questions for SHRM res earchers. The first question focuses on empirical support forPage 13 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 the idea of fit. Second, even if fit has positive consequences in the short term, does fitting HRM practices with strategy or other contingent variables universally lead to positive results? That is, are there negative implications of fit? As previously discussed, numerous researchers have argued for fitting HRM to contingent variables. However, the efficacy of fit has not received much empirical support (Paauwe, 2004; Wright & Sherman, 1999).Huselid’s (1995) landmark study sought to test the fit hypothesis using a variety of conceptualizations of fit, yet found little support. Similarly, Delery and Doty (1996) only found limited support across a number of fit tests. The lack of empirical support may largely be due to focusing only on a fit between generic HRM practices and strategy, rather than the outcomes, or products (Wright, 1998) of the HRM practices (sk ills, behaviors, etc. ). Thus, it seems that it may be too early to draw any definite conclusions about the validity of the fit hypothesis.However, while fit between HRM practices and various contingency variables might enhance the ability of HRM to contribute to firm performance, there is also the possibility that a tight fit between HRM and strategy may inhibit the ability of the firm to remain flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances. Firms are increasingly required to adapt to environments that are constantly changing, both within and outside the firm. A tight fit may appear to be desirable but during times of transition and/or change a lack of fit might make adaptation and change more efficient (Lengnick-Hall, Lengnick-Hall, 1988).Wright and Snell (1998) developed a framework in which HRM contributes to fit and flexibility simultaneously without conflict between the two, but this framework has yet to be tested and the question remains as to when and where fit might be more or less appropriate. The second question raised by contextual issues surrounding SHRM and the idea of fit is related to the efficacy of fit. Regardless of whether or not fit can have a positive effect on organizational outcomes, there is still some question as to whether or not true fit with key contingencies is feasible.Large organizations operate in complex environments, often across Page 14 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 multiple products, industries and geographies. This complexity leads to questions regarding the ability of the firm to fit HRM practices to all of these diverse and complex circumstances (Boxall & Purcell, 2003). In addition, Boxall and Purcell, (2003) argue that there are competing ideals within a business that require trade-offs in fit.They describe fit as â€Å"a process that involves some tension among competing objectives in management and inevitably implies tensions among competing interests† (2003, p. 188). A simple example o f these tensions can be seen in attempting to fit a strategy of commitment to employees with a hostile or extremely competitive operating environment. A firm with a strategic commitment to the well-being of employees operating in an economic downturn or time of increased competition may be forced to make choices between commitment to employees and a need for estructuring, layoffs or other non-friendly actions toward employees in order to stay solvent. In these situations, compromises will have to be made on either the fit with the strategy or the fit with the environment or both, raising the question again as to whether or not a true fit with contingencies is feasible. These questions regarding the ability to achieve fit and the desirability of achieving fit do not diminish the importance of understanding contextual issues in SHRM research.Understanding the contextual issues surrounding HRM and its impact on performance remains critical. In spite of the interest in the role of conte xtual issues and fit in SHRM, findings in support of contingency relationships have been mixed (Wright & Sherman, 1999). Much of this criticism could be due to ineffective methods used in the measurement of HRM or the contingency and performance variables studied or that the correct contingencies have not yet been studied (Becker & Gerhart, 1996, Rogers & Wright, 1998; Wright & Sherman, 1999).In addition, Boxall and Purcell (2000) have argued that more complex and comprehensive models of contingency relationships are needed in order to understand the impact of context on the HRM to performance relationship. Regardless of the reasoning, it is clear that the impact of context on this important relationship is not yet completely understood and more research is Page 15 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 needed to understand the role of context, as well as questions surrounding models of fit in SHRM research.HRM Practices and Sustainable Competitive Advantage Another issue that has been raised by the RBV and its application to SHRM research is the sustainability of HRM as a competitive advantage. Whether one focuses on bundles of HR practices as an HR system, the human capital pool or employee relationships and behaviors, there remains the question as to whether HRM as a resource meets the inimitability and nonsubstitutability conditions that are required in the RBV for sustained competitive advantage (Barney, 1991).According to Barney (1991), there are three general reasons why firm resources would be difficult to imitate: the resources are created and formed under unique historical conditions, the resources are causally ambiguous, or the resources are socially complex. Labeled as path dependency by Becker and Gerhart (1996), the unique historical conditions under which HRM is formed in individual firms may make its understanding and replication extremely difficult, if not impossible.HR systems are developed over time and the complex history involved in their development makes them difficult to replicate. The development and implementation of a single HR practice such as a variable pay system takes place over time including time to solicit management input and buy-in, work out discrepancies, and align the practice with current strategies as well as firm culture and needs. The end result is a practice that reflects the philosophies and culture of the firm and its management, created to solve the specific needs of the company.Compound that single HR practice with a whole system of practices each with its own history and evolution specific to a particular firm, its philosophies and current situation and you have an HR system that cannot be bought or easily replicated without a significant investment both of time and financial resources. Causal ambiguity implies that the exact manner in which human resource management contributes to the competitive advantage of the firm is either unknown or sufficiently ambiguous Page 16 of 26 Stra tegic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 so as to be difficult or impossible to imitate.According to Becker and Gerhart (1996), the ability to replicate a successful HR system would require an understanding of how all of the elements of this complex system interact and in turn impact the performance of an organization. Given the previous discussion of the basic HRM to performance model and the manner in which it is expected that HRM contributes to firm performance, it is difficult to imagine how the intricate interplay among various HR practices, human capital and employee behaviors, employee outcomes, operational outcomes and firm-level outcomes could be understood by a competitor in a meaningful way.Finally, Barney (1991) points out that competitors will find it difficult to replicate a competitive advantage based on complex social phenomena. Given the nature of HRM and its direct relation to employees, almost every aspect of the HR system, the human capital and especially the emplo yee behavior and relationships has a social component.The way in which HR practices are communicated and implemented among different departments and parts of the organization is influenced by the various social relationships involved; top management to general managers, general managers to department heads or managers and those managers to employees as well as interactions between departments and employees. The complexity of the social relationships in the case of HRM makes it difficult for competitors to imitate it. Finally, for a resource to constitute a source of sustainable competitive advantage it must be non-substitutable.This implies that competitors should not be able to use a different set of resources in order to achieve similar results (Barney, 1991). This concept has not yet been tested, but could provide for interesting research in the area of contextual factors and SHRM. If, in fact, it is found that a particular set of HR practices is positively related to performance in a given context, then, a follow-on question to that which would get at the substitutability question might be whether or not there is another set of HR practices for which the results are similar.This could lead to discussions about strategic configurations of HR Page 17 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 practices rather than universal high-performance work systems that have dominated past research (Delery & Doty, 1996). Regardless of whether there is one or many ways to achieve similar results in different contextual situations, the testing of these possibilities would lead to an increased understanding of the relationship between the RBV and SHRM research and the sustainability of HRM as a strategic resource.Measurement and Methodological Issues In addition to key questions surrounding the RBV and SHRM research, there are also several measurement and methodological issues which have hindered our ability to better understand the relationship between strategy and HRM. Measurement issues relating to the HRM, competitive advantage and key control variables have made the comparison of results across studies and interpretation of findings difficult (Rogers & Wright, 1998; Dyer & Reeves, 1995).In addition, there are questions around the appropriate level of analysis within the firm at which to test these relationships as well as issues related to the mixing of variables measured at different levels of analysis (Rogers & Wright 1998, Becker & Gerhart, 1996). Finally, as was pointed out, the majority of research to date has focused on the relationship between HR systems and firm-level performance and, while the findings indicate a positive relationship, there is insufficient evidence at this point to be able to infer that the relationship is causal (Wright et al. , 2005).A full discussion of these issues is beyond the scope of this chapter and a more thorough discussion may be found in other chapters in this text (see particularly chapters 26 and 2 7), but it is important to note in discussing key questions in SHRM that they exist and need to be addressed or at least considered in future research. Future Directions Research on SHRM management over the past decade has made significant progress in developing our understanding of the role that HRM plays in firm performance. The field now has a significant foundation upon which to build future research.In our opinion, future research should focus on both answering key questions that remain in understanding the relationship Page 18 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 between HRM and performance and by expanding or broadening what is considered SHRM. Such extension would encompass both other resources and other theories currently studied in strategic management research. Key Unanswered Questions The previous portion of the chapter pointed out several key questions that have been raised as a result of the application of the RBV to SHRM research that are not yet answered. First, research that directly tests the concepts outlined in the RBV has not been done (Priem & Butler, 2001). Thus future research should focus on testing the concepts of the RBV by testing the full model through which HRM leads to competitive advantage or firm performance. Do HR practices impact the human capital pool and the relationships and behaviors of the employees and do those outcomes in turn impact both operational and firm-level performance? Answering these questions by testing the full causal model would be a significant contribution to our understanding of the strategic nature of HRM.In essence, this reflects the â€Å"black box process† that Priem and Butler (2001) argued must be addressed by RBV theorists and researchers. Second, future research should focus on understanding the contextual questions surrounding the HRM to performance relationship. Mixed results in past contextual research is not reason enough to abandon the question all together. It is highly l ikely that HRM matters more or less in certain situations or under certain conditions. Efforts should be made to continue to test established models of HRM in new and unique situations.In addition, more thorough tests of moderating variables in the HRM to performance relationship should be tested. Given the complexity involved in the measurement and testing of these relationships and the mixed results of past research in this area it is likely that researchers will need to seek out contexts with reduced complexity such as departments within large organizations or small businesses where reduced complexity will provide more meaningful measures of potential moderating variables and more meaningful tests of the moderating relationships can be performed. Page 19 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04Another step that needs to be taken in understanding the role of context in the HRM to performance relationship is to move away from universal-type models of HRM such as highperform ance work systems and high-involvement work systems and develop and test different configurations of HR practices that might apply to specific situations. In doing this, researchers will be able to better understand the specific bundles or HR practices that are applicable or fit with different types of organizations or situations, thus making a significant contribution to our understanding of the types of HRM that will matter in a given situation.Expanding the Role of SHRM Future research in SHRM should focus on conceptually expanding what is considered to be the role of SHRM. Historically, SHRM has been viewed as the interface between HRM and strategic management (Boxall, 1996) with the focus of much research being on understanding how the HRM function (namely HRM practices) can be strategically aligned so as to contribute directly to competitive advantage.This implies a concern with how HR practices can contribute to strategy implementation without addressing the larger question o f how HRM can contribute or play a role in strategy formulation (Lengnick-Hall & Lengnick-Hall, 1988). Wright et. al. (2001) argued that it is the human capital (the knowledge skills and abilities of the human resources) as well as the relationships and motivation of the employees that leads to competitive advantage. The purpose of HR practices is to develop or acquire this human capital and influence the relationships and behaviors of the employees so that they can contribute to the strategic goals of the irm. Future research should examine human capital and the social interactions and motivations of the human element within a firm (Snell, Shadur, & Wright, 2002), not only as independent variables but also as mediating and dependent variables. A focus in this area will bring the field more in line with contemporary views in strategic management. Research in this area will also help us to get beyond questions regarding how HR practices can facilitate the strategic goals of a firm an d begin to understand how organizations can understand the resources found in their human element and use that Page 20 of 26Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 understanding to influence or even drive their decisions about their strategic direction. For instance, IBM’s strong HR processes/competencies led it into the business of offering outsourced HR services. This was an internal resource that was extended into a new product line, and illustrates how an understanding of such resources can influence strategic direction. Along these same lines, another way to break away from this notion of HRM as a facilitator of the strategic direction of the firm is by focusing on some of the resources currently salient to strategic management researchers.In their review of the RBV and SHRM relationship, Wright, Dunford and Snell, (2001) argue that the RBV created a link between HRM and strategic management research and that as a result of this link the two fields were converging. Be cause of this convergence, the potential impact of SHRM research on mainstream strategy issues is tremendous. Increasingly, strategy researchers are focusing on knowledge and knowledge-based resources (Argote, & Ingram, 2000; Grant, 1996;), human capital (Hitt et al. 001), social capital (Inkpen & Tsang, 2005; McFadyen, Ann, & Albert, 2004), capabilities (Dutta, Narasimhan, & Rajiv, 2005), and dynamic capabilities (Teece, Pisano, & Schuen, 1997), as critical resources that lead to organizational success. While HRM practices strongly influence these resources, the SHRM literature seems almost devoid of empirical attention to them. Only recently have researchers began to explore these issues (Kinnie, Swart, & Purcell, 2005; Thompson & Heron, 2005). Additional research in these areas would provide tremendous synergy between HRM and strategy.In addition, alternative theories such as ‘learning organizations’ (Fiol & Lyles, 1985; Fisher & White, 2000), real options theory (Mc Grath, 1997; Trigeorgis, 1996) and institutional theory (Meyer & Rowan, 1977) can be combined with SHRM research to enhance our understanding of the strategic nature of HRM. For instance, Bhattacharya and Wright (2005) showed how real options theory can be applied to understanding flexibility in SHRM. In addition, Paauwe and Boselie (Chapter 9) provide a detailed analysis of how institutional theory can better inform SHRM research. The use of these in addressing questions in SHRM research willPage 21 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 provide new lenses through which researchers are able to view the HRM to performance relationship, potentially providing new insights and ideas that will further our understanding of SHRM. Conclusion While the field of strategic HRM is relatively young, significant progress has been made at a rapid pace. Researchers have provided great theoretical and empirical advancements in a period of just over 25 years. Much of this progress is the r esult of the RBV and its emphasis on the internal resources of the firm as a source of sustainable competitive advantage.The RBV and its application to SHRM research created an important link between strategic management and HRM research. Its application has been followed by a significant amount of research using the RBV as a basis for assertions about the strategic nature of HRM. However, the link between HRM and strategic management can be strengthened by breaking away from the focus on HR practices. Other key resources currently being researched in strategic management have the potential to be directly influenced by HRM, but their coverage by SHRM researchers has been minimal, leaving a tremendous opportunity for future research in this area.In addition to this, new theories relevant to strategic management have yet to be combined with SHRM research, leaving potential for additional contributions to our understanding of the intersection between strategic management and HRM. Page 22 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 References Argote, L. , Ingram, P. , Levine, J. M. , & Moreland, R. L. (2000). Knowledge transfer in organizations: Learning from the experience of others. Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, 82(1), 1-8. Arthur, J. B. (1994). Effects of human resource systems on manufacturing performance and turnover.Academy of Management Journal, 37(3), 670. Bae, J. , & Lawler, J. J. (2000). Organizational and HRM strategies in Krea: Impact on firm performance in an emerging economy. Academy of Management Journal, 43(3), 502. Baird, L. , & Meshoulam, I. (1988). Managing two fits of strategic human resource management. Academy of Management Review, 13(1), 116. Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99. Batt, R. (1999). Work organization, technology, and performance in customer service and sales. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 52(4), 539. Becker, B. E. & Huselid, M. A. (1998). High performance work systems and firm performance: A synthesis of research and managerial applications. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 16, 53-101. Becker, B. , & Gerhart, B. (1996). The impact of human resource management on organizational performance: Progress and prospects. Academy of Management Journal, 39(4), 779. Beer, M. , Spector, M. , Lawrence, P. R. , Mills, D. Q. , & Walton, R. E. (1984). Managing human assets. New York: Free Press. Battacharya, M. & Wright, P. (2005). Managing human assets in an uncertain world: Applying real options theory to HRM.International Journal of Human Resource Management 16, 929-948. Boxall, P. , & Purcell, J. (2003). Strategy and human resource management. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Boxall, P. (1996) The strategic HRM debate and the resource-based view of the firm. Human Resource Management Journal, 6: 59-75. Boxall, P. (1998). Achieving competitive advantage through human resource strategy: Towards a theor y of industry dynamics. Human Resource Management Review, 8(3), 265. Boxall, P. , & Purcell, J. (2000). Strategic human resource management: Where have we come from and where should we be going?International Journal of Management Reviews, 2(2), 183. Brewster, C. (1999). Different paradigms in strategic HRM: Questions raised by comparative research. In P. Wright, L. Dyer, J. Boudreau & G. Milkovich (Eds. ), Research in personnel and human resource management: Strategic HRM in the 21st century (Supplement 4 ed. ). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Brewster, C. , Sparrow, P. , & Harris, H. (2005). Towards a new model of globalizing HRM. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16 Capelli, P. & Singh, H. (1992). Integrating strategic human resources and strategic management. In D. Lewin, O. S.Mitchell, & P. D. Sherer (Eds. ) Research frontiers in industrial relations and human resources pp 165-192. Madison, WI: IRRA. Collins, C. J. , & Clark, K. D. (2003). Strategic human resource pr actices, top management team social networks, and firm performance: The role of human resource practices in creating organizational competitive advantage. Academy of Management Journal, 46(6), 740-751. d'Arcimoles, C. (1997). Human resource policies and company performance: A quantitative approach using longitudinal data. Organization Studies (Walter De Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG. ), 18(5), 857. Delery, J. E. (1998).Issues of fit in strategic human resource management: Implications for research. Human Resource Management Review, 8(3), 289. Page 23 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 Delery, J. E. , & Doty, D. H. (1996). Modes of theorizing in strategic human resource management: Tests of universalistic, contingency.. Academy of Management Journal, 39(4), 802. Devanna, M. A. , Fombrun, C. , & Tichy, N. (1981). Human resources management: A strategic perspective. Organizational Dynamics, 9(3), 51. Dutta, S. , Narasimhan, O. , & Rajiv, S. (2005). Conceptualizing and measuring c apabilities: Methodology and empirical application.Strategic Management Journal, 26(3), 277-285. Dyer, L. (1984). Studying human resource strategy. Industrial Relations, 23(2) Dyer, L. , & Reeves, T. (1995). Human resource strategies and firm performance: What do we know and where do we need to go? International Journal of Human Resource Management, 6(3), 656. Fiol, C. M. , & Lyles, M. A. (1985). Organizational learning. Academy of Management Review, 10(4), 803. Fisher, S. R. , & White, M. A. (2000). Downsizing in a learning organization: Are there hidden costs? Academy of Management Review, 25(1), 244-251. Grant, R. M. 1. (1996). Toward a knowledge-based theory of the firm.Strategic Management Journal, 17, 109. Gratton, L. , Hailey, V. H. , & Truss, C. (2000). Strategic human resource management. New York: Oxford University. Guest, D. E. (2001). Human resource management: When research confronts theory. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 12(7), 1092-1106. Guest, D. E. , Michie, J. , Conway, N. , & Sheehan, M. (2003). Human resource management and corporate performance in the UK. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 41(2), 291-314. Hitt, M. A. , Ireland, R. D. , & Hoskisson, R. E. (2005). Strategic management competitiveness and globalization (6th ed. . Mason, Ohio: Thompson South-Western. Hitt, M. Bierman, L. , Shimizu, K. & Kochar, R. (2001). Direct and moderating effects of human capital on the strategy and performance in professional service firms: A resource-based perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 44, 13-28. Huselid, M. A. (1995). The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity, and corporate.. Academy of Management Journal, 38(3), 635. Huselid, M. A. , Jackson, S. E. , & Schuler, R. S. (1997). Technical and strategic human resources management effectiveness as determinants of firm performance.Academy of Management Journal, 40(1), 171. Inkpen, A. C. , & Tsang, E. W. K. (2005). Social capital, netw orks, and knowledge transfer. Academy of Management Review, 30(1), 146-165. Jackson, S. E. , Schuler, R. S. , & Carlos Rivero, J. (1989). Organizational characteristics as predictors of personnel practices. Personnel Psychology, 42(4), 727-786. Lee, J. & Miller, D. (1999). People matter: Commitment to employees, strategy and performance in Korean firms. Strategic Management Journal, 20(6), 579. Kinnie, N. , Swart, J. , & Purcell, J. (2005). Influences on the choice of HR systems: The network organization perspective.International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16 Kogut, B. , & Zander, U. (1992). Knowledge of the firm, combinative capabilities, and the replication of technology. Organization Science: A Journal of the Institute of Management Sciences, 3(3), 383-397. Lado, A. A. , & Wilson, M. C. (1994). Human resource systems and sustained competitive advantage: A competency-based perspective. Academy of Management Review, 19(4), 699-727. Lahteenmaki, S. , Storey, J. , & Vanhal a, S. (1998). HRM and company performance: The use of measurement and the influence of economic cycles. Human Resource Management Journal, 8(2), 51-65.Page 24 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 Lee, M. B. , & Chee, Y. (1996). Business strategy, participative human resource management and organizational performance: The case of south Korea. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 34, 77-94. Lengnick-hall, C. A. , & Lengnick-hall, M. L. (1988). Strategic human resources management: A review of the literature and a proposed typology. Academy of Management Review, 13(3), 454. Lepak, D. P. , & Snell, S. A. (1999). The human resource architecture: Toward a theory of human capital allocation and development. Academy of Management Review, 24: 31-48 Macduffie, J.P. (1995). Human resource bundles and manufacturing performance: Organizational logic and flexible.. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 48(2), 197. Mahoney, J. , & Pandian, J. (1992). Resource-based view within the c onversation of strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 13: 363-380 McFadyen, M. A. , & Cannella Jr. , A. A. (2004). Social capital and knowledge creation: Diminishing returns of the number and strength of exchange relationships. 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Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building profits by putting people first. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Porter, M. , E. (1985). Competitive advantage. New York: New York Free Press. Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive strategy. New York: New York Free Press. Priem, R. & Butler, J. (2001a) Is the resource-based â€Å"view† a useful perspective for strategic management research?Academy of Management Review, 26: 22-41. Priem & Butler, J. (2001b). Tautology in the resource-based view and the implications of externally determined resource value: Further comments. Academy of Management Review, 26: 57-67. Richard, O. (2001). Racial diversity, business strategy, and firm performance: A resource-based view. Academy of Man agement Journal, 43: 164-177. Rodriguez, J. M. , & Ventura, J. (2003). Human resource management systems and organizational performance: An analysis of the Spanish manufacturing industry. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 14(7), 1206-1226. Rogers, E. W. , & Wright, P. M. (1998).Measuring organizational performance in strategic human resource management: Problems, prospects, and performance information markets. Human Resource Management Review, 8(3), 311. Schuler, R. S. , & Jackson, S. E. (1987). Linking competitive strategies with human resource management practices. Academy of Management Executive, 1(3), 207. Snell, S. A. , Shadur, M. A. , & Wright, P. M. (2001). Human resources strategy: The era of our ways. Blackwell Handbook of Strategic Management, , 627-649. Teece, D. J. , Pisano, G. , & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509-533.Page 25 of 26 Strategic Management and HRM CAHRS WP06-04 Thompso n, M. , & Heron, P. (2005). Management capability and high performance work organization. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16 Trigeorgis, L. (1996). Real options: Managerial flexibility and strategy in resource allocation. 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Machiavelli essays

Machiavelli essays The Prince, written by Niccol Machiavelli in 1513, was a book about political power and how to keep it. Machiavellis general message was that in order to hold power, one must not only lie to his enemies, but lie to his own people as well if he must. A ruler must always seem to be honest, benign, and trustworthy even if, in reality, they are not. In addition, if a ruler could choose to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved, then it is much safer to be feared rather than loved, since most people will be too afraid to anger a prince that would not hesitate to punish them. Machiavelli also emphasizes that many people will see what you seem to be and only a few will discover what you really are. It is extremely important to always have those positive characteristics around these people. Machiavelli spoke of flatterers as well, saying that the best way to deal with flatterers is to have a council of wise men who the flatterers would speak to. The flatterers would be urged to speak the truth on whatever things are asked. The prince should take advise, but only when he wants it. A 20th century ruler that I think would agree with Machiavelli is Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler seemed to be a very power-hungry ruler as he invaded neighboring European countries. It would seem likely that such a ruler would do whatever possible to gain absolute power of not only his own country, but his enemies as well, no matter what the costs. Another ruler that I think would have agreed with Machiavelli is Joseph Stalin. Once he took over the Soviet government, the people were constantly lied to. As conditions started to become worse and poverty began enveloping the country, Stalin would always say in his speeches that conditions were better than they were before the Bolshevik Revolution. Machiavelli suggested that the people be lied to if it is not to the rulers benefit which I think Stalin would definitely agre...

Themes for May Classroom Activities

Themes for May Classroom Activities Here is a list of May themes, events, and holidays with correlating activities to go with them. Use these ideas for inspiration to create your own lesson plans and activities, or use the ideas provided. Get Caught Reading Month   The Association of American Publishers nationally launched Get Caught Reading Month to remind people how much fun it is to read. Celebrate this month by having students see how many books they can read in the month of May. The winner of the contest can receive a free book! National Physical Fitness and Sports Month Celebrate by getting active, learning about nutrition, and creating sports crafts. American Bike Month Celebrate American Bike month by having students ride their bikes to school on May 8th and learning the rules of the road and how to be safe. Childrens Book Week   Childrens Book Week often occurs at the beginning of May, but youll need to check the dates each year. Since 1919, National Childrens Book Week has been dedicated to  encouraging  young readers to enjoy books. Celebrate this day by providing  activities  that will encourage your students to love reading. Teacher Appreciation Week Teacher Appreciate Week occurs in May, but the dates can vary. During this week, schools across the nation celebrate the hard work and dedication of teachers. Try a few of  these teacher appreciation activities  with your students. National Postcard Week   During the first full week of May, celebrate National Postcard Week by creating postcards and sending them to other students across the country. National Pet Week During the first full week of May, celebrate Pet Week by having students bring in a photograph of their pet to share with the class. National Police Week   National police week occurs the calendar week during which May 15th falls. Invite a local policeman to your school, or plan a field trip to your local police station to honor this week-long celebration. National Transportation Week National Transportation Week usually occurs during the third week of May. Celebrate the community of transportation professionals by having students explore possible jobs in the transportation field. Have students research and fill out an application for a job opening in the field of their choice. Mothers Day Mothers  day  is observed on the second Sunday of May every year. Celebrate with  Mothers Day activities, or try these last-minute lesson plans. You can also use this word list to help you create a Mothers Day poem. Memorial Day Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May each year. This is a time to celebrate and honor the soldiers that sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Honor this day by providing students with a few  fun activities, and teach students the value of honoring the memory of those who came before us with a  Memorial Day lesson plan. May 1: May Day   Celebrate May Day with crafts and activities. May 1:  Mother Goose Day Explore the truth about Mother Goose by reading the Real Mother Goose. May 1: Hawaiian Lei Day In 1927 Don Blanding came up with having a Hawaiian holiday that everyone can celebrate. Honor his wishes by partaking in Hawaiian traditions and learning about the culture. May 2: Holocaust Remembrance Day   Learn about the history of the Holocaust, and read age-appropriate stories such as The Diary of Anne Frank and One Candle by Eve Bunting. May 3: Space Day   The ultimate goal of Space Day is to promote math, science, and technology, and inspire children about the wonders of the universe. Celebrate this day by having your students partake in a few fun space-related activities to help nurture their curiosity of the universe. May 4: Star Wars Day   This is a day to celebrate the Star Wars culture and honor the films. A fun way to celebrate this day is by having students bring in their action figures. You can use these figures as inspiration to create a writing piece. May 5: Cinco De Mayo   Celebrate this Mexican holiday by having a party, making a pinata, and making a sombrero. May 6: No Homework Day   Your students work hard each day, celebrate this day by giving your students a No Homework Pass for the day. May 7: National Teachers Day   Finally, a day to honor and celebrate all of the hard work teachers do! Show your appreciation for our fellow teachers by having students write a letter of appreciation to each of their teachers (art, music, physical education, etc). May 8: National School Nurses Day   Honor your school nurse by having students create a special gift of appreciation. May 8: No Socks Day To celebrate this wacky and fun day have students create crafts out of socks, learn the history, and wear fun colored socks to school for the day. May 9: Peter Pan Day On May 9, 1960, James Barrie (the creator of Peter Pan) was born. Celebrate this day by learning about the creator James Barrie, watching the movie, reading the story, and learning the quotes. After reading his quotes have students try and come up with their own. May 14: The Start of the Lewis and Clark Expedition   This is a great day to teach your students about Thomas Jefferson and his role in the Lewis and Clark expedition. Learn the history of the expedition, and read students the book Who Was Thomas Jefferson by Dennis Brindell Fradin and Nancy Harrison, and visit the Monticello website for photos and additional resources. May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day Whats a better way to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day than to bake some cookies with your students! For some added fun, try this chocolate bar math lesson. May 16: Wear Purple for Peace Day   Help make the world a better place by having all students wear purple for peace day. May 18: Armed Forces Day   Pay tribute to the men and women who serve the United States armed forces by having students write a thank you letter to someone in your local armed forces. May 20: Weights and Measures Day On May 20, 1875, an International treaty was signed to establish an international branch of weights and measures. Celebrate this day with your students by measuring objects, learning about volume, and exploring  non-standard measures. May 23: Lucky Penny Day   Lucky Penny Day is celebrated to reinforce the theory that if you find a penny and pick it up, you will have good luck. Celebrate this fun day with your students by creating a penny craft, counting and sorting pennies, or using pennies to graph Another fun idea is to give students the writing prompt, Once I found a lucky penny and when I picked it up... May 24: Morse Code Day   On May 24, 1844, the first Morse code message was sent. Celebrate this day by teaching your students Morse Code. The students will love the secretiveness of it all. May 29: Paper Clip Day   In 1899 Johan Vaaler, a Norwegian inventor invented the paper clip. Honor this amazing little wire by having students come up with a new way to use it. May 29: John F. Kennedys Birthday   John F. Kennedy was one of the most beloved United States Presidents of our time. Honor this remarkable man and all of his accomplishments by having students create a KWL Chart, then read your students his biography, called Who Was John F. Kennedy? by Yona Zeldis McDonough. May 31:  World No Tobacco Day   World No Tobacco Day is a day to reinforce and highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use. Take time out on this day to stress the importance of why students should not smoke.

Does the Law of Defamation Strike a Fair Balance Between the Essay

Does the Law of Defamation Strike a Fair Balance Between the Protection of Reputation and Freedom of Expression - Essay Example The public naturally looks to the media to provide this information. The law of defamation has a greater impact than any other area of the law, on what and how this information is reported to the public. The law of defamation holds the publisher of information responsible for the accuracy of the information revealed. In the absence of the law of defamation, reputations would be harmed without remedies. However, the law of defamation must be framed so as to allow freedom of expression so that information released to the public has substance.2 It is therefore necessary that fair balance is struck between the protection of reputations and freedom of expression to allow for the free and fair exchange of information necessary in a democratic environment. In the UK, freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and although reputation is not a specific fundamental human right, it is connected to the right to privacy which is a fundamental human right.3 The right to privacy and freedom of expression are both provided for by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and are applicable in the UK by virtue of the Human Rights Act 1988.4 There are tensions between the right to privacy and freedom of expression. ... formation in England and Wales and identifies the extent to which the law of defamation attempts to strike a fair balance between the protection of reputation and freedom of expression. It is argued that while there is a recognized need to strike a fair balance between protection of reputational interests and freedom of expression, the historical preference for protection the reputation prevails although in more recent times there appears to be a shift away from this preference. In this regard, this research study is divided into three main parts. The first part of this paper presents a review of literature in which previous studies on the tensions between the law of defamation emphasizing protection of the reputation and freedom of expression are presented. The second part of this paper will analyse the relevant cases. The third part of his paper will present an analysis of the material discussed in the previous two parts of the paper. II. A Review of Literature In a study conducted by Smet of the ECtHR’s decisions on cases involving protection of the reputation and freedom of expression, it was revealed that momentum has been building in the ECtHR jurisprudence recognizing a conflict between the two rights. In order to resolve this tension the ECtHR has used what has been referred to by Smet as an â€Å"impact criterion†.6 The impact criterion refers to an approach in which the court considers: ...the extent to which both rights would be impaired by allowing the opposing right to take preference. 7 With respect to defamation cases, the ECtHR is particularly appreciative of the important role that the press plays as a conduit for public information at its â€Å"contribution to ensuring the proper functioning of a democracy†.