Effective Administration Essay Example for Free

Effective Administration Essay Outline the ways in which the Director of Administration and Corporate services and her team can ensure they provides an effective administration service to achieve Accent’s ‘commitment to excellence.’ For the existence and survival of any business it is pertinent to have visions, set objectives and create strategies to achieve these objectives. Because business objectives are long term and in continuum, a machinery is required to design and implement these plans, this is known as administration. Mullins (2007:414 ) defines administration as† a key part of management process that is responsible for the design and implementation of systems and procedures instigated by management to help meet stated objectives†. Structure of the Business (ACCENT HOTEL GROUP) The business runs a chain of seven hotels in major cities and airports. These hotels include 3 and 4 star hotels. It has 8 directors on its board and Daniel Rycaart the founder also as the CEO. Each hotel runs a semi-autonomous strategic business unit and is headed by a General Manager. All the SBUs report directly to CEO. The units headed by the directors: -Administration and corporate service (includes IT) -Finance -Hospitality and hotel services -Human Resources -Legal Service (company Secretary) -Operations and conferences -Risk Management -Sales and Marketing The hotels together offer accommodation to about 800 guests and employ about 800 staff. As part of its commitment to excellence and the provision of a quality experience for all guests, the hotels offers service which include: -Conference suites for day delegates and function rooms for wedding receptions and parties -Evening entertainment in the bar -Indoor heated swimming pool -Leisure centre (gym, sauna, spas, etc for residents and members) -Outdoor terrace -Two bars (one of which offer 24 hour bar meals) -Two restaurants with top chefs (a la carte and self service buffet style) Due to the CEO Vision and business strategy, aiming to achieve ‘100% occupancy all year round was achieved by 40% increase in gross profits in the last four years, due to the group’s ‘commitment to excellence, ‘which has been underpinned by a number of strategic initiatives, stated below; Culture The Group’s culture has ‘changed’ with the introduction of a new management philosophy which sees everyone’s contribution (not just those managing the hotels) as key to its success. This more ‘inclusive’ culture gave all staff an opportunity to input into the Group’s critical success factors and key performance indicators (KPIs). These include: Commitment to excellence via quality, standards of performance and customer service Terms and conditions of employment Outsourcing and in-house services Health, safety and hygiene Occupancy Sales and marketing Ensuring that KPI were written into their business and operational plans and objectives were set and met accordingly would ensure that the organizations visions and strategies were communicated and understood from top to bottom through the organization. Learning and Development The Group’s commitment to being a ‘learning organisation’ and maintaining the status of an ‘Investor in People’ included the setting up of a new Learning  and Development Unit. A learning organisation as defined by Peter Senge (1990) are organisations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together. The organisation’s commitment to being a learning organisation will ensure that the learning and development needs of the employees were in line with the business objectives of the organization. Performance Management A report, commissioned by Daniel, identified a number of inconsistencies with the outdated performance appraisal system, including the fact that reviews weren’t taking place at regular intervals, individual objectives weren’t linked to strategic, business and operational plans and some employees (including waiters, porters, chamber personnel and seasonal and casual staff) were not as adept at identifying their own learning and development needs. Performance management entails planning. Organizational overall performance depends on achieving outcomes identified by the planning process. Commitment to Excellence Daniel’s vision ‘commitment to excellence’ is the flagship behind the group’s success. However, with the new culture of ‘team work’ and ‘openness’, Daniel is striving to improve on the already successful ‘quality culture’. Daniels has asked for suggestions and ideas from both managers and staff on how service quality and performance could be improved. By linking the results of the internal feedback to performance management and identification of learning needs will further improve the successful quality culture through continuous improvement. Standard Operating Procedures In January 2005, a new set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were introduced to support the new culture, specific operational activities and good planning and control within the Group. The SOPs developed included: _ administrative management _ corporate governance _ customer satisfaction _ knowledge management _ outsourcing Daniel’s vision of ‘a commitment to excellence and the provision of a quality experience for all guests’ could be achieved through effective administration, this could be provided through the provision of systems, procedures, services and resources to support the business. This effectively will be determined on how effective the administrative management system in place is. â€Å"Administrative management can be defined as the effective and efficient management of the administration function and associated processes that support the organization in the achievement of its day-to-day business activities, objectives and strategies†. (Study Guide, p.49) Fayol’s theory on five function of management can also be used by the group in its strive to achieve its visions: 1. Forecasting and planning: This is analysing the future and drawing a course of action to achieve set goals and objectives. Developing administrative objectives and goals, keeping abreast with new development in external environment, determine human resource requirement for the functions and developing administrative budget. 2. Organising: It is the management function of ensuring that all roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. All skill level and training requirements are adequately in place. 3. Directing: This as an administrative function entails commanding to ensure that organizations’ tasks are carried out efficiently and effectively. 4. Coordinating: This is a very important part of management, it entails that all the resources of the organization are aligned to ensure that input, processing and output functions are supported. It is very important to ensure effectiveness and efficiency. 5. Controlling: Control is an integral part of planning process and involve measuring and correcting the performance of organizational objectives and plans, to ensure that they are implemented efficiently and effectively, within set timescales and  allocated resources (Fayol (1916) cited in study, p151). In conclusion, the onus is on the director of administration and corporate services to ensure achievement of the group’s success in its commitment to excellence through cohesiveness, planning, control and coordination of organization activities through effective management skills and administrative management. PART B In order to achieve ‘commitment to excellence’ and continually improve their business practices and services, organizations must put in place sound business strategies that must be flexible in nature so as to be compatible with the challenges and dictates of the business environment. This forces within the environment in which businesses operate have created the need for organisations to be effective and efficient in their resource allocation and administrative measures, thus; the quest for business excellence. Continuous improvement is an ongoing effort to improve products, services or processes. These efforts can seek â€Å"incremental† improvement over time or â€Å"breakthrough† improvement all at once. Continuous Improvement is a strategic approach to driving a cost competitive method for meeting or exceeding customer expectations. Regardless of customer needs, competition, or business challenges, a well executed continuous improvement program can ensure the success of any organization Different models can be used to illustrate and evaluate how organizations can achieve commitment to excellence and continually improve their business practices and services. Some of the widely used tools are identified below: Peters’ and Waterman’s Eight Attributes of Excellence Peters and Waterman in their submission in 1982 looked at some of the best-managed companies in the United States and found that they had a lot of things in common. They compiled a list of eight qualities that they believed to be present in the companies. Although not all eight were present in every company, these qualities regularly stood out. †¢A Bias for Action: Company gets things done; increases knowledge, interest, and commitments. †¢Close to the Customer: Customer satisfaction is very important throughout all the roles that the business plays. †¢Autonomy and Entrepreneurship: Encourage risk taking and innovation. †¢Productivity Through People: Everyone is respectful and enthusiastic towards each other. This creates an atmosphere that enables good work. †¢Hands-on, Value-Driven: Company philosophy and values are discussed openly. Leaders in the organization are also positive role models. †¢Stick to the Knitting: Company focuses on doing what it does best. †¢Simple Form, Lean Staff: Authority is shared as much as possible between the employees. †¢Simultaneous Loose-Tight Properties: Good planning and controlling that still allows for worker autonomy and a less rigid atmosphere. Source: Kreitner (1992) However, organisations should be weary to consider these principles during strategy formulation as against the view that they are solutions to business problems EFQM Business Excellence Model This model was developed in 1992 by the European Foundation for Quality Management. . According to this body; Organisations can proactively identify areas of strengths and weakness which is allowed through a process of self development and in order to sustain this improvement planning and evaluation has to be continuous. The model focuses on the key elements that sustain business excellence, five of which are enablers (what the organisation does) and four of which are results (what an organisation achieves). The model gives equal emphasis to enablers and result. The five enablers are: Leadership People Policy and strategy Partnership and resources Processes. The four areas focusing on results are: People Customers Society Key performance Source:http://www.ims-productivity.com/page.cfm/content/EFQM-Business-Excellence-Model/ Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle Another tools for continuous improvement is the PDCA cycle. This cycle is a four-step quality mode which aims at achieving continuous improvement by identifying opportunities for change and planning for them, followed by actual implementation, monitoring and re-evaluation. This model is also known as Deming Cycle: †¢Plan: This entails identifying an opportunity and planning for change. †¢Do: This involves implementing the change on a small scale. †¢Check: This requires the use data to analyze the results of the change and determine the impact and effect it has had and whether it made a difference. †¢Act: This entails determining if the change was successful, and if yes, it is implemented on a wider scale and continuously assessment of results. However, if the change did not work, the cycle will begin. Six Sigma Another model that can be used in the evaluation of how businesses can achieve continuous improvement is the Six Sigma Model. This model or technique sees tasks as processes that can be defined, measured, analyzed, improved and controlled. All tasks will have inputs and produce outputs. By controlling the inputs, the outputs would have been effectively controlled. This process or model of continuous improvement emphasizes prevention of errors or variation in quality and standards over detection of them. It drives customer satisfaction and achievement of objectives by minimizing variation in quality and waste, with a view of earning competitive advantage. In conclusion, a review of the models above shows that they are all focused on the efforts to improve products, services and or processes with the aim reducing variations and waste. There is an emphasis on inputs, processes and outputs as well as continuous planning and re-evaluation. The Continuous Improvement Model allows organizations to make incremental change to existing processes, adopt new ways to improve and measure productivity and control, discontinue activity that adds no value and increase emphasis and  focus on the organization’s mission and objectives. Getting a continuous improvement environment institutionalized takes Executive Level support. A collaborative team approach inspires workers to make the extra effort and strive to do what is beneficial for the company and in line with management objectives. Management and administrators work with employees to implement change and ensure standards are in place and controls are functioning to optimize productivity while managing cost. REFERENCES David, B. and John, D. (1999) Understanding Learning At work. Routledge. Kreitner, R. (1992). Management. 5th Edition. Geneva: Houghton Mifflin. McLean, J.E. (2005). Contemporary issues In Administration And Management, International Study Guide. MDP (UK) Ltd. http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/continuous-improvement/overview/overview.html http://www.ims-productivity.com/page.cfm/content/EFQM-Business-Excellence-Model/ Senge, P (1992). The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. Century Business

Christopher Columbus vs. Alvez Nunez Cabeza de Vaca Essay -- American

Christopher Columbus and Alvez Nunez Cabeza de Vaca were both explorers for Spain, but under different rulers and different times. The more famous, Christopher Columbus, came before de Vaca’s time. Columbus sailed a series of four voyages between 1492 and 1504 in search for a route to Asia which led accidentally to his discovery of new land inhabited with Indians. Christopher sailed under the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella for his journey to the â€Å"Indies,† whom he was loyal to by claiming everything in their name. De Vaca , followed in Christopher’s footsteps and journeyed to Hispanionola for Spain’s emperor, Charlves V, the grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella. Both, Columbus and de Vaca composed a series of letters addressing the main issue of their journey to the new land, but both were expressed in a different manner, included different material, and were motivated to write for dissimilar reasons. Columbus’ and de Vaca’s purposes to compose letters are quite divergent. Christopher Columbus’ main objective in his Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella Regarding the Fourth Voyage, was to list his unnoticed accomplishments, justly sufferings, and devotion in order for the monarchs to save him. He had his heart set on Ferdinand and Isabella’s pity to obtain their permission to go to Rome and other places of pilgrimage. In Columbus’ â€Å"Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella Regarding the Fourth Voyage,† Columbus had the intention to please his majesty by claiming his â€Å"[pure devot...

Greek victory over the Persians in 490 to 480/479 BC Essay

Assess the reasons for the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 to 480/479 BC. Make a judgement based on outcome, results and values. The reasons for the Greek victory against the Persians in 490 to 480/479 BC was a mixture of exceptional leadership, skilful tactics and strategy, superior weapons and soldiers, and Greek unity. Strong leadership was the most important aspect of the Greek defence, as without the intelligence and bravery of the leaders, the Greeks would have been easily defeated. As a result of the excellent leadership; Greek tactics, strategy, and unity were greatly strengthened. Combined with their better weapons and soldiers, the Greeks held the advantage and seized opportunities at the perfect moment. Also, with each victory the Greeks grew more confident of success and defiant of the Persian attempts to invade. The poor organisation and disarray of their enemy led to an undermining of the Persian might and further improved Greece’s chances of success. Despite the lack of official unity throughout Greece, many brilliant leaders from individual cities combined their skills and abilities to defeat the Persians. Greek leadership developed from weak and conflicting to united and strong, directly contributing to a Greek victory over the Persians as they promoted unity, strategy and a determination to defend their homeland. Without this firm leadership, the other reasons for Greek success would not exist as strongly. Despite the Greeks strong defiance of Persia, Darius and many of his council still foolishly believed that they could easily overcome the Greeks. They were short sighted as they saw only personal fame and glory to be gained, and as a result, did not prepare for the possibility of difficulties, and certainly not defeat. This arrogance reflects the poor leadership from the Persian side, which aided the Greeks in defeating them. When Darius invaded, there was conflicting debate at Athens as to whether they should defend the city walls or meet the enemy. However Miltiades’ excellent leadership persuaded the council to take supplies and leave the city if the Persians landed. This is seen in the ‘Miltiades’ Decree.’  Despite being the Polemarch, Callimachus relied on advice from Miltiades who had in depth experience in Persian combat. As opposed to the Persians, the Greeks were willing to co operate in the defence of their country which directly lead to their success. Both Callimachus and Miltiades convinced the Athenian Assembly to send an army to Marathon. At Marathon, the 10 strategoi were equally divided in decision as to whether to attack the Persians or retreat, as they were heavily outnumbered. A decision was made to attack, and each of the generals was given one day to hold in command. Aristides and three other leaders gave their leadership command to Miltiades. This meant that Miltiades was in command for five out of the ten days of battle, and due to the generosity of the other generals, was able to carefully plan a much more effective attack over five days instead of one. When Miltiades was informed that the Persian calvary was absent, he timed the attack to surprise the Persians. â€Å"We know enough to realise the brilliance of Miltiades’ generalship at every stage: his decision to march to Marathon, his determination to attack, his grasp of the suitable opportunity, and his tactical disposition of the infantry line.† (Hammond) It was this brilliance that allowed the Greeks to win at Marathon, which directly increased their confidence and improved future chances of defeating the Persians. The Persian leaders Datis, Hippias, and Artaphernes were confident of a victory over Athens after their defeat of Eretria. â€Å"Their experience at Eretria will have encouraged them to believe that there would be divisions among the Athenians at Athens, and possibly on the field.† (Bury& Meiggs) They therefore did not predict the Athenians to challenge them at Marathon, and dismissed their own cavalry. This foolish decision costed them the battle as the Athenians would have been intimidated by the excellent Persian cavalry, which could have easily defended a Greek attack. It is this arrogance and poor insight from the Persian leaders that added to a Greek victory. After the death of Darius, his son Xerxes was persuaded by his overconfident advisor Mardonius to attack the Greeks, and in doing so, Mardonius exaggerated Greek weaknesses and character. Even when Damaratus repeatedly told Xerxes that the Spartans were the bravest and best fighters of Greece, Xerxes still mocked them for their appearance and actions. â€Å"For four whole days he suffered to go by, expecting that the Greeks would run away.† (Herodotus) Contrasting with Persia’s arrogant and assuming leaders, Greece produced the finest leadership after Marathon. Themistokles was an example of excellent leadership, as he prepared for the possibility of renewed attacks from Persia. He fortified the Piraeus bay, and used surplus to build 100 new triremes to fight against the Persians. â€Å"The pre eminent importance of his statesmanship was due in the first place to his insight in discerning the potentialities of his city and in grasping her situation before any one else had grasped it; and then to his energy in initiating, and his adroitness and perseverance in following, a policy which raised his city, and could alone have raised her, to the position which she attained before his death.† (Bury& Meiggs) Themistokles’ clever tactics and strategy emerged from his high quality leadership, as he carefully selected the positions and methods for the Greek defence. Themistokles persuaded the Greek navy to battle against the Persians despite being outnumbered as Artemisium. Herodotus says that Themistokles even bribed some of the navy leaders to keep the Greek unity together. He again exhibited his leadership skills when he planned the attack on the Greek navy. Themistokles chose excellent timing and precision in attacking the Persians where the weather, tide, and narrow straits made it difficult for the enemy. At Artemisium, â€Å"The Persian admirals did not know the coastal waters of the Greek peninsula, and they were comparatively inexperienced in naval warfare†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hammomd) The Persians were unorganised as they did not  expect attack and disadvantaged because of their lack of competent leaders. At Thermopylae, Leonidas was a responsible, respected, and courageous leader; and despite facing inevitable death, he continued to fight for the Greek cause, whilst dismissing many of the other soldiers from battle because â€Å"he tendered their safety†. (Herodotus) Sparta was given overall command but did not abuse her powers as a leader. â€Å"The fact that Sparta did not seek to extend her own Alliance and assert her own supremacy, but preferred to treat as an equal with the other states and let them choose their leader, is an outstanding mark of her far sighted statesmanship.† (Hammond). This again contrasted with the competitive and all-for-one nature of the Persian leaders, as the Greek leaders promoted unity and alliance. Themistokles also cleverly chose the position of the battle at Salamis so that the Greeks few numbers would be placed at the biggest advantage- â€Å"Themistokles had managed that a naval battle should be fought at Salamis, and under the conditions most favourable to the Greeks.† (Bury& Meiggs). However the Persians were â€Å"badly generalled† and this spread chaos throughout the Persian navy. Themistokles made an extremely clever and daring plan to fool the Persians at Salamis. He sent a slave to tell Xerxes that the Greeks would attempt to escape during the night through the straits. The Persians wasted their energy guarding the exits and in the morning the Greeks successfully attacked them. Themistokles’ ingenious plan lead to the defeat of the weary Persians at Salamis, and once again proved that the main reason for the Greek victory was the insightful and daring leadership shown at that time. Pausanius â€Å"won the most splendid victory which history records† (Herodotus) at Plataea. He found it necessary to withdraw from Plataea as the battle had developed into a stalemate. Whilst the Persian leader Mardonius assumed that the Greeks would be weak whilst they were changing position, the Greeks counter attacked. â€Å"But when the main body of Persians had drawn up within  bowshot behind their fence of wicker shields, the order to charge was given, and the heavy Peloponnesian infantry dashed at a run upon the enemy’s line†¦The result was decisive.† (Kagan) The clever strategies used by the Greeks were a direct result of their qualified leaders, and lead to the defeat of Persia. All the locations and tactics chosen by the Greeks contributed immensely to their victory and was the second most important reason for the Greek triumph. Miltiades chose Marathon as a strategic site for the battle- the high lands surrounded both roads to Athens and hid the Athenians until the perfect moment to attack. Due to Miltiades’ former knowledge, he knew that the Persians would be strong towards the centre, and so he placed the skilled Athenian infantry into wings to encircle the Greeks. Miltiades aimed at surprising the Persians and â€Å"the men charged at the double and hurled themselves upon the Persian infantry†. (Hammond) This was the first time such an attack had been attempted, and the creativity and excellent strategy was all due to the amazing ability of the leaders, Miltiades and Callimachus. The run created fear and confusion in the Persian ranks and allowed the Greeks to close in before the Persian bowmen could release their arrows. Despite the Persians breaking through the middle Greek troops, the Greek wings wheeled around to attack the Persians from the rear, as Miltiades planned. He had even organised the attack so that the Persians could only flee north towards a difficult marsh, where many died. The Persians did not realise the Greek tactics and strategy, as they underestimated their ability. Instead they believed that â€Å"the Athenians were bereft of their senses, and bent upon their own destruction: for they saw a mere handful of men coming on at a run without either horsemen or archers.† (Herodotus) As they were caught unaware, the Persians had little time to adopt new tactics for battle. Their strategic preparation was poor. At Thermopylae, Leonidas selected his position carefully, and fought in a narrow pass in which the Persians had difficulty in passing through. This greatly advantaged the Greeks, as the narrow space could only admit a small  portion of the Persian army. They also had a stone wall to protect the army camp. In addition, the Persian cavalry were unable to fight in the small area, which would increase the Greek chances of winning dramatically. The Spartans planned strategies on drawing the Persians into the pass and would then wheel around and attack them. Themistokles understood that the Greeks were unable to fully defeat the Persians over land and selected Artemisium as the ideal location to battle their navy. At Artemisium the Greek leaders developed strategy of combining the triremes to form a circle facing outwards to attack the Persians. This plan overcame the disadvantage of being greatly outnumbered. Themistokles carefully chose the timing and position of the battle. The strategy of drawing in the Persian fleet into narrow waters meant that the enemy ships began to collide with each other. Themistokles waited until the tide rose and began to push the Persian ships off course, â€Å"the low-built Athenian triremes, which were less affected by the swell, rowed in to the charge and rammed their opponents, shearing their oars or holing their sides†¦A great victory had been won by tactical skill, by the use of the ram, and by the fighting quality of the Greek marines.† (Hammond) Despite using citizen troops, the Greek hoplites were better trained and equipped than the Persians. The hoplites wore bronze visored helmets, solid bronze breast plates, and carried longer shields and javelins. On the contrary, the Persians wore light armour, wicker shields and used bows and arrows, which became useless in close contact. The discipline in which the hoplites were famous for was shown through their ability to encircle the Persians and attack from the rear. â€Å"In hand to hand fighting their defeat of a more numerous enemy was due to their courage, spearmanship, general and the finest infantry force in her whole history.† (Hammond) At Artemisium, the navy was extremely well disciplined whilst facing many Persian ships surrounding them. They responded to two signals and successfully formed a close circle to attack the Persians. This shows the exceptional skill from the sailors that contributed to their victory. Both the Spartan hoplites and the Tegeans were acknowledged as having great fighting skills and discipline at Plataea- â€Å"by the superb spirit and skill of the Spartan hoplites, who proved themselves to be the finest infantrymen not of Greece alone but of the civilised world.† (Plutarch, Aristides) Thus the incredible skill and ability of the Greek soldiers, combined with their superior weapons contributed immensely to their victory. The battle at Marathon was to be a direct planned attack by the Persians on Athens. After the downfall of Eretria, Athens united under their leaders like Miltiades and planned on how to save the city. Their appeal to Sparta for aid was reluctantly refused as the Spartans had an important religious festival to attend to. Despite Sparta’s inability, the Plataeans sent help â€Å"in full force† (Herodotus), and 2000 Spartans did arrive soon after the battle and congratulated the Athenians on their defeat. â€Å"No one in antiquity doubted the sincerity of the religious scruples which had prevented them from participating in the battle.† (Kagan?) Sparta and Athens â€Å"now joined hands to resist the invasion† as they were singled out by Persia as the Greek leaders. (Bury& Meiggs) In 481 BC the congress at Isthmus united 31 Greek states to discuss the possible Persian threat. Athens discarded her claim to leadership, knowing that the other states would prefer Sparta to lead. In doing so, a quarrel that may have divided the union was avoided. All past disputes were ended, and deadly enemies Athens and Aegina combined their naval superiority. The meeting of the Greeks was â€Å"an attempt to combine all the scattered cities of the Greek world to withstand the power of Persia.† (Grote) Themistokles issued the Troezen decree so that â€Å"all Athenians may in unity ward off the Barbarian† (Troezen Decree) by calling back Greek exiles. This plan was clever, as the exiles like Xanthippus and Aristides combined their efforts to resist the Persians, despite being previously forced to leave their own country. At Thermopylae â€Å"the Thespians stayed entirely for their own accord, refusing to retreat and declaring that they would not forsake Leonidas and his followers.† (Herodotus) Despite the number of forces joining the army at Thermopylae, many of them, including the Spartans were unwilling to provide full assistance as they did not think it was feasible to defend the northern states. Thus unity was at times strained and lacked the full force it potentially had. Mardonius attempted to offer peace with the Athenians in an attempt to undermine Greek unity and overpower the Spartans. However the Athenians angrily refused, displaying their courage and alliance with the Greek cause. Mardonius made a second offering, and he even believed they would change their minds. The underestimating of the Greek unity and Athenian determination was one reason why Persia failed to defeat Greece. â€Å"Artistides declared that, so long as the sun continued in his course, the Athenians would attack the Persians with the aid of the gods†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kagan) â€Å"The campaign of Plataea was the finest achievement of Greek unity.† (Kagan) 23 states took an oath of comradeship to fight together until the Persians were defeated, and over 100 000 Greeks joined the battles. In comparison with the Greeks, the Persians were ominously competitive. Pausanius and his second in command Artabazus were rivals and schemed to take control and glory from each other. The strongest reason for a Greek victory against the Persians in 490 to 480/79 was the extraordinary ability of the leaders. This led to the next most important reason- the cunning tactics and strategies used by the Greeks. The skill of the Greek soldiers and their superior armour also  greatly contributed to their victory, as only their bravery and aptitude would help them overcome the size of the Persian army. Unity was the least contributing factor throughout the battles as it was inconsistent and was only really significant when Athens and Sparta joined forces.

The Soviet Union During The Cold War - 1772 Words

Whilst United States-Soviet relations were central to post 1945, an understanding about other relations will give a fuller, wider understanding of the Cold War context. The 1950s crisis over Korea and Taiwan, the Vietnam War in the 1960s, and the conflict between Washington and Moscow all highlighted the central theme of power. Bi-polar conflicts were at the heart of the Cold War and global struggles complicated situations. The conflicts during the Cold War were underpinned by strategic, political and economic motives. The clash between the Capitalist United States country identified expanisist world communism as a threat, mainly Soviet Russia. Russian Context The Soviet Union during the 1950s was seen as a threatening power that could be compared to the 1930s and 40s Nazi Germany. However in the late 1960s, Soviet Russia focused on internal matters due to an insecure empire and only emphasised its security measures for external relations. After 1945, it was clear that Russia s objective was not world conquest or invasion of Western Europe. Even though Stalinist regimes imposed on Poland and Rumania from 1945, Hungary and Czechoslovakia avoided this fate until 1947 and 1948. A non-aggressive pact was created also in Finland. American Context As World War II drew to a close, Americans focused efforts to their domestic economy. The war economy had fuelled employment opportunities and even lifted the nation out of the Great Depression (1929-1939), however theShow MoreRelatedThe Soviet Union During The Cold War999 Words   |  4 PagesThe emergence of the Cold War with the Soviet Union had far reaching impacts on American society, including hindering the pace of social reform in the United States. While some aspects of the Cold War may have helped promote certain social reforms, the net impact, deterred inevitable social reforms. 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Interpretations of the Second Red Scare have ranged between two poles: one emphasizing the threat posed to national security by the Communist Party, and the other emphasizing the threat to democracy posed by political repression. Americans historically have been fearful of â€Å"enemiesRead MoreRonald Reagan Prolonged The Cold War Essay1539 Words   |  7 Pagesfactor which played a part in ending the Cold War was the internal unrest of the Soviet Union. Also the ever changing system we know now as International Relations had a role in the conclusion of this time period. I will additionally argue the antithesis of the question and explain how Ronald Reagan prolonged the Cold War. Response: During the Second World War, USA and the Soviet Union came together against a common enemy. It was the immediate events after the War which lead to renewed tensions betweenRead MoreThe Movie Goldeneye 997 Words   |  4 Pagesstop terrorist from taking a Soviet Union satellite that can fire an electric magnetic pulse satellite (EMP) . The movie takes place from 1986 to 1995, all during the time of the cold war. Within the movie there are a few villains that are fighting against Bond, Alec Trevelyan formally MI6 special agent 006 and James Bond partner, Boris Grishenko an indepent hacker that works for the Janus group, and Soviet Union fighting against other countries during the cold war. The movie Goldeneye shows themesRead MoreCauses Of The Cold War1396 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cold War was a political, ideological and sometimes indirect military confrontation that took place after the Second World War between the two largest powers in the world: The United States and the Soviet Union. The conflict between these two great powers intensified without a real war on the ground. It was a silent war characterized by both powers in an arms race with the most lethal weapons without actually using these weapons. That is why that war was known as the Cold War. In this paper,Read MoreThe Cold War and Us Diplomacy1213 Words   |  5 PagesThe Cold War and the United States Diplomacy Name: Institution: The Cold War and the United States Diplomacy The Cold War was the state of military and political tension between Western countries, especially the United States, its NATO allies, and the communist nations, particularly the Soviet Union and other satellite states. The war began after World War II had got to an end. The Cold War was named so since it did not feature any