Saturday, December 28, 2019

Employee Retention Rates And The Quality Of Work - 910 Words

The American population spends a large percentage of time at their place of business. The culture of the work environment plays a major role in an employee’s happiness, in addition company culture affects employee retention rates and the quality of work the organization produces. Issues such as conflict resolution is a major facet in employee satisfaction It is very important to try and ensure that the time employees are spending at work is both fruitful for the organization, as well as conducive to the staffs mental health. Disgruntled employees can impact an organization in a small way by not completing tasks accurately or in a timely fashion. They can also make a large impact by spreading negative information about the organization or even as far as a violent workplace outburst. Employees need to have somewhere to turn when they are at odds with the organization or specific individuals within the organization. It used to be an odd happening when employees turned to violence to settle their unhappiness at work. That is no longer the case. The term â€Å"going postal† was coined after the string of postal office shootings in the 1980s. Though, violent outbursts by employees that end in death or injury are the extreme end result, if employee unhappiness can be headed off before it gets to that point, then that is something that needs to be done. Many employees are not comfortable going through the chain of command at their organization to get results for conflict in theShow MoreRelatedEmployee Turnover Can Occur For Numerous Reasons Essay1691 Words   |  7 PagesEmployee turnover can occur for numerous reasons. Employers need to listen to employees’ needs and implement retention strategies to make employees feel valued and involved in order to keep them. The cost of retention is far less more brutal than the cost of employee turnover. Employee turnover has many aspects that will contribute to becoming a lot more money that a company is losing. By recognizing the reason for employee turnover, the cost associated and implementing retention strategies anRead MoreEssay about Reducing Turnover in The Restaurant Business1622 Words   |  7 Pages The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, a national chain of franchised seafood restaurants, prides itself on great customer service and affordable high-quality food, and knows that to meet their goals, they need a culture that attracts and retains the best employees (Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, 2011). In an industry notorious for high employee turnover and low job satisfaction (Prewitt, 2000), the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company reduced â€Å"management turnover from 36% to 16% in 2 years† (Aamodt, 2010, p. 397). Read MoreFactors Contributing At The Behavioral Health Sector Of Public Service1745 Words   |  7 PagesIntended Audience As a result of an unusually high turnover rate of 33% within the first 90 days of employment, Partners in Behavioral Milestones’ (PBM) upper management and the company involved in the acquisition must understand the factors leading to such high turnover and low retention rate (M. Goff, personal communication, June 29,2016). Additionally, while the company performed services in the behavioral health arena and focused on the highest behavioral disruptive individuals in the KansasRead MoreU.s. Department Of Justice Essay1670 Words   |  7 PagesEven though employment rates are still down therefore the state can still hire qualified candidates. Keeping qualified candidates promotes the wellbeing of our state and citizens because Georgia experiences some of the highest turnover and employee are leaving to go to the private sector for better money. In certain organization in the state level such as: keep qualified candidate that promoted the well-being state and the citizens in arena such as correctional and police officer, hospital staffRead MoreAnalysis Of The Lincoln Electric Company1164 Words   |  5 Pages(J, Lincoln) James valued customer satisfaction above all else, which inevitably led to the innovation and production of a great product that met the consumer’s needs. His views on employee retention continue to be a guide within the company. If fulfilling customer needs is the desired goal of the company then employee performance and productivity are the means by which this goal can best be achieved. Labor and management are properly not warring camps; they are parts of one organization in whichRead MoreA Company s Total Rewards Program1227 Words   |  5 Pagesprofessionals should work with organizations to create a holistic and integrated total rewards program. As business objectives and priorities evolve HR professionals should work to make sure the company rewards program stays relevant and attractive. Creating and successfully executing the company total rewards package requires HR staff who are knowledgeable of market rates and trends. There are many ways to measure the perceived success of a company’s rewards program; I believe attrition rates and performanceRead MoreMentoring Systems For New Hires1293 Words   |  6 Pagesincreased power and position, and work related accesses (O’Neill, 2005). Bonzionelos et al. (2011) has shown a correlation between socio-emotional supports, positive career success and positive work related attitudes and engagement for bo th mentors and protà ©gà ©s. Research provides a framework of support for organizational benefits including enhanced organizational learning, competitive advantages, motivated employees, increased performance, and employee retention (O’Neill, 2005). Mentoring systemsRead MoreMiddlefield Hospital Essay1211 Words   |  5 PagesHospital has a reputation for quality care in the area. Problem: The Hospital’s turnover rate exceeds 20% and there are over 100 nursing vacancies. Factors that may contribute to the turnover is that a new hospital has recently opened in our market area that has produced competition for Middlefield, employee morale has deteriorated over the past 12 months, and Essex University is considering eliminating its nursing degree program because of the difficulty recruiting quality instructors. Strategy: Read MoreImproving Organization Retention Paper1446 Words   |  6 Pagesorganization retention In the past few years the state of Pennsylvania has made an effort to boot their economy by allowing gambling. One of the casinos that have made an impact is JC’s Casino and Resort. This establishment is state of the art in all aspects. It follows all state and federal laws, including being an equal opportunity employer, excellent wage rates, benefits, and has a great reputation for career advancement. However, over the past several months JC’s has had issues with employee retentionRead MoreMicrosoft Career Development, And The Implementation Of Human Resource Strategies777 Words   |  4 Pagesretain quality talent; the ability to ensure that the aforementioned talent receives the tools required to achieve; and the fostering of continual innovation and reinvention. Despite the companys success with various facets relating to career development such as; creating autonomy through a lifestyle balanced with work and recreation, as well as managerial competency and feedback acknowledgment, the company does lag behind in some areas. One in particular to note is that of employee retention. According

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Dealing with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - 971 Words

I hurt†¦Over the many year’s now of dealing with the disease commonly referred to today as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), this simple yet weighted term of â€Å"I hurt† has become imprinted upon my brain. This term has also become synonymous in describing how I feel to every physician, family member, and friend, when describing the chief symptom with CRPS. What is also troubling, is all the additional places I hurt now since being diagnosed with this disease. The paragraph above is intentionally wrote in the first person, however, it never states whom the â€Å"I† or character is and at any other time would be slanted for poor grammar. Here being the â€Å"I† in the first paragraph, in this case, can stand for anyone diagnosed with CRPS, as well as, the undiagnosed. People in the undiagnosed category is where a lot of misery abides, they are telling everyone they hurt yet get no relief. This is a sad category because a lot of it lies in the f ace of false hood. Doctors and family do not believe you. You might have no other symptom than pain, and then, you get slapped with drug seeking behavior. I shutter and cringe as to how many undiagnosed cases of CRPS take place every year just in the United States. There is also a middle category to this conundrum, whereby, your given the title of CRPS, however, your not fully diagnosed per se or the diagnosis of CRPS is not recognized, understood, or believed to be the case by other physicians. This nice little slice of heaven is whereShow MoreRelatedWhy I Didn t Know About The Most Difficult Time Of Their Life1634 Words   |  7 Pagesspent 27 days in the hospital afterward, drugged to the point where I could barely speak let alone remember any of it now. What I do remember is that I spent most of that time crying and screaming in pain. No one could figure out what the problem was. They pumped me full of various narcotics, any pain medicine and sedative they could. None of it wor ked. After seven days of my mother arguing and fighting them, my mother finally convinced the hospital staff to cut the casts off my legs – the ones thatRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Pain Management1791 Words   |  8 PagesPain Management INTRODUCTION Pain is defined as â€Å"an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage† (Merskey 1994, IASP). Acute pain is of recent onset and could be due to illness, injury or surgical procedures. If it persists beyond the time of healing, then it is termed as Chronic pain. Physiological pain includes nociceptive or inflammatory pain; Pathological or mal-adaptive pain includes neuropathic pain. ThisRead MoreOpiate Use and Abuse2585 Words   |  11 Pagesare a group of drugs most often used for moderate to severe pain relief. Opiates are the drugs derived from opium and its ingredients, such as morphine and codeine, and opioids are synthetic imitations of these types of drugs. The term opioid also refers to naturally occurring substances in the body, such as endorphins and enkephalins, which act on the brain to decrease pain sensations (Ling, 1990). Frequently abused prescription pain medications include hydrocodone (Lorcet, Lortab, Vicodin), oxycodoneRead MoreMyofascial Triggger Point: Acupuncture and Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy for Upper Back Pain5100 Words   |  21 PagesMyofascial Triggger Point:Acupuncture and Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy for Upper Back Pain | Literature Review Introduction This chapter is the review of the available literature concerning the theoretic content that is necessary to understand the trapezius muscle and its role in the symptoms associated with upper back pain. Particularly the issues about the types of trigger points, including a discussion of myofascial trigger point therapy and acupuncture trigger point therapy. More importantlyRead MorePsychosocial Processes And Interaction Skills Needed When Working With The Client With Terminal Illness2457 Words   |  10 Pagesincluding but not limited to numerous cancers, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig Disease), Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, and the list goes on extensively. Terminal Illness as defined by the American Cancer Society as â€Å"an irreversible illness that in the near future will result in death or a state of permanent unconsciousnes s from which the person is unlikely to recoverRead MoreSocm Study Guide Essay30404 Words   |  122 Pagesgenerations of similar organisms D. Movement – Organisms are capable of movement a. Internal – moving food, blood, or other materials internally b. External – moving through environment E. Metabolism – Organisms rely on complex chemical reactions to provide the energy for responsiveness, growth, reproduction and movement. Refers to all chemical operations under way in the body. Define Anatomy and physiology, and describe the various specialties within each discipline Read MoreThe Factors That Can Influence Communication and Interaction with People with Dementia14323 Words   |  58 Pagesand the carer. This will enhance wellbeing. â€Å"Carers can do much to alleviate the difficulties by providing good emotional and attachment care.† 11 DEMENTIA CARERS COPING WITH CHANGE Caring and supporting someone close with dementia involves dealing with a lot of change and can be stressful. It can take time to adapt as carers face changes around roles, work, finances and lifestyle. Research shows that experiencing a lot of change, particularly over a short space of time can have an effect onRead MoreIndian Social Structure and Values Ethics in Business13564 Words   |  55 Pagesuniform pattern of religion among the tribal peoples of India. Mandelbaum mentions eight characteristics of Indian tribes: (i) kinship as an instrument of social bonds, (ii) lack of hierarchy among individuals and groups, (iii) absence of strong, complex, formal organizations, (iv) communitarian basis on land holding, (v) segmentary character, (vi) little value for surplus accumulation. (vii) lack of distinction between form and substance of religion, (viii) a different Socio-psychological make-upRead MoreThe Social Impact of Drug Abuse24406 Words   |  98 PagesRecognition of illegal importation and distribution, a criminal activity frequently involving foreigners, is politically less troublesome than purely domestic illicit production or consumption. The involvement of outsiders makes smuggling or illicit dealing appear less of a home-based problem. Few countries are immune to drug abuse problems. Indeed, in most countries, what were formerly thought of as safe places - religious, penal or educational institutions - have now been found to have some form ofRead MoreCorrectional Administration Reviewer 18383 Words   |  74 PagesCORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION CHIVAS GOCELA DULGUIME, R.C I. INTRODUCTION PENOLOGY - the study of punishment of crime. - a branch of Criminology dealing with prison management, and the deterrence and reformatory treatment of criminals. SOURCES OF THE TERM PENOLOGY: a. Peno was derived from Greek word â€Å"piono† and from the Latin word â€Å"poena†, both terms mean punishment. b. Logy was from the Latin word â€Å"logos†, meaning science. c. Penology distinguish from Penitentiary Science- Penology deals

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Role that Operations Management Plays in an Organization

Question: Discuss about theThe Role that Operations Management Plays in an Organization. Answer: Introduction The operations management fills the crucial function in the operations of business, authorities, or other organizations. The precise function of the operations management entirely depends on nature as well as the size of the enterprise, but the management needs the full range of business operational skills and interpersonal understanding to succeed. In general, the operations managers plan for management that oversee and boosts process of communication in the organization (Anand and Gray 2017, p. 3). Beside, operations management remains to be the design, operation, along with the improvement of the system of production that develops the primary product or services of an organization (Cox et al., 2012, p. 38). Functions of operations management are mostly related to the production of appropriate commodities and services in the organization. The significant role of operations management in every process of organizations is to run the operations of businesses successfully, smoothly, an d efficiently by utilizing the minimum resources available while meeting expectations and needs of different customers. Therefore, the principal target of this survey paperwork is to explore different roles that operations management plays in an organization in various marketplaces. The role of operations management in organization In present business society, operations management in an organization plays the role of embracing the use of technology to gain the competitive business advantage. The operations management in an organization plays the role of improving the use of technology to help business to increase their activities that deal with return on investment. Besides, most companies are driven by varying forces (Hutchinson and Purcell 2010, p. 367). These forces in business include the power of buyer, the power of supplier, threats of substitute services or commodities, threats of advanced entrants, along with rivalry among existing chief competitors. All these forces in business operations remain to be determinants of success of operations of any business. It is thus useful for business individuals to use technology to gain their competitive advantage based on the factors. Additionally, operations management in an organization plays the role of growing their business operations to work in the right dir ection. Most of the individuals in business operations term increase in operations to means that they need to leverage their competitive advantage (Yaghoobi et al., 2014, p. 321). Competitive advantage in activities of different organizations acquires or develops the attribute or combination of various characteristics by operations management in an organization that enables operations of a given sector to outperform its chief competitors around marketplaces. It is then necessary to for operations management to understand precisely what organizations competitive advantage is as well as how operators can wield it to win clients (Zhu and Verstraeten 2013, p. 167). Information technology plays a crucial function in augmenting organizations competitive advantage, but businesses have to ensure that the money, time, and energy they spend on information technology are appropriately placed. Some of the essentials roles of operations management include management of available resources for op erations, management of finance, setting goals for operations, and developing ideal channels of communication. Management of available resources Operations management has an essential role in managing available resources within operations of an organization. The managers play the principal duty in managing both personal as well as raw materials used to achieve the set objective of an organization (Boakye et al., 2014, p. 21). Besides, operations management have the roles of over sighting of inventory, purchasing, together with supplies that help in maximizing output and minimizing inputs of organizations around global marketplaces. Human resource managers perform various tasks that entirely aim at management of resources used in operations. Some of the roles that operations management perform while managing resources include the activities that deal with the determination of needs of employees so that they can remain to be productive. Managers also aim at improving the process of recruiting and hiring of employees as a way of attaining only qualified candidates to fill vacant posts in case such positions arise in operations o f an organization (Minavand 2013, p. 59). Operations management has the role of overseeing the assignment of different workers as well as planning for development of workers. All these management issues on available resources for organizations help in improving the outcome of operations of businesses around the world. Managing finance Operations managers perform the fundamental purpose of the process of implementation and planning operational budgets. The managers are the critical element in controlling different costs and keeping the organizations around the business community to remain on track financially (Pollack and Algeo 2016, p. 459). The manager of the supply chain and other available resources by operations management help in the process of minimizing production charges. Besides, operations managers have the duty of surveying business forecasts and reports of sales as a way of ensuring that the company remains to work as per the set objectives and missions. The management also study different financial statements to help them in attaining the ideal ways that they can use in maximizing the output of an organization within business marketplaces. Managers in most cases utilize different techniques such as cost-benefit analysis that help the organization to improve their operational efficiencies (Ketokivi 201 6, p. 76). Moreover, modern operations management in business community even goes to are extend to include roles of sustaining the financial equation to help in developing business operations. Operations management set goals for business operations In most organizations, operations managers have the responsibilities of setting goals as well as objectives and establishing policies or various departments of operations. For instance, operations managers perform different duties that ensure that company operates as per the guidelines of the ideal business sector (Monga 2014, p. 22). Some responsibilities of operations managers comprise of sales forecasting along with the planning of sales promotions of services and products. When operations managers cooperate with other stakeholders in business, they tend to establish appropriate procedures for operations before they place them into operational effects. Improving channel of communication Operations managers in the different organization need appropriate communication along with interpersonal skills during their operations. The development of such skills helps the various sections of the organization in the competitive marketplaces to work as a team. Therefore, duties of operations management comprise of development of a positive culture where the work can be achievable (Galvin 2014, p. 4). Sometimes, operation managers assist in resolving various disagreements and disputes that have the adverse effect on well being and output of an organization. Therefore, operations managers cooperate in the process that deals with the making of decision at the high level with other top executives of the organization. Operations management develops technology For several operations of different organizations, saving of costs of operations remains to be one of the most significant roles that operations management plays in an organization. By going paperless along with adoption of streamlined processes, operations management make the organization to be capable of developing essential functions of saving effort, money, as well as the duration of operations (Ollila and Ystrom 2016, p. 245). However, some ideas that organizations do not realize right away in their operations is that there is another benefit to embracing the use of digital techniques and that help them to gain competitive advantage. There are several ways or models that can be applicable to operations management to obtain competitive advantage using technology among companies. Some of these approaches consist of selecting only appropriate systems, relying on the support that develops as the operations grow, staying true to their core values of the business, and utilizing the te am of experts at their call. The other ways of obtaining competitive advantages by use of technology in business operations consist of the idea of not having to spend on expensive processes of recruitment, training, and orientations (Knott 2015, p. 1817). All these approaches are essential in operations of management in boosting competitive advantage as they help in reducing operational costs, attaining actionable information faster, and making appropriate investments in technology among other reasons. Therefore, making the proper investment in technology by operations management of organizations helps organizations to benefit. Businesses can support operations to be high from activities that aim at assessing how the management and workers of operations can utilize technology and help them improve results of the business. The use of information technology by can help businesses among organizations to leverage technology that help in improving existing processes along with accelerati on of business development (Huffman 2012, p. 219). The use of technology can provide an organization with the appropriate strategic advantage if operators understand how to harness the technology. Represents organization in different meetings The operations managers perform the ideal role of representative to the organization in seminars, committee, as well as conference meetings among other such purposes. Operations management in most cases addresses the profile of the organization, its operational objectives, performance, together with plans for progress and growth of the organization (Chicksand 2015, p. 142). Operations management has the role of explaining different projects or products, or current services that organization offers. Presentation of the organization by operations management in various meetings has enabled it possible for the officials to explain and develop ideal operational budgets with the help of other companys stakeholders during the seminars. Besides, operations management together with attorneys and adviser on legal issues that affect operations of organizations has the role of sorting out legal, operational issues that associate with the progress of security of the organization. Operations manag ers have the different function in the organization that relates on how to deal with employees (Galvin 2014, p. 3). Managers concentrate on maintaining discipline in the office among employees along with developing regulations for workers to boost their efficiency to be a section of many functions of the operations managers (Chowham et al., 2016, p. 465). Apart from the issue that deals with problems along with complaints of workers, operations managers help to teach employees new techniques that are essential in improving the performance of workers. Operations management increases competitive advantage Operations managers act as a consultant for questions that are the concern with development and progress of company to be competitive in the global marketplace. Operations management has the role of creating the competitive advantage for both small and significant business operations around the global community (Ketokivi 2016, p. 75). Technological usage in operations continues to be the driving force behind the burgeoning small business marketplaces. Technology is an essential factor that tends to level the playing business field together with allowing small businesses to perform business in any part of the globe from where they choose to invest their operations. Besides, as advancement in operational management continues, organizations are staying to enjoy the advantages of improved profitability as well as productivity in operations (Yaghoobi et al., 2014, p. 321). Therefore, both small and large business operations need to embrace operational management in all aspects of their bu siness operations from the issues that include accounting, management of data to marketing, along with supporting of business sales. The operational management ensures that every organization work with an information technology expert is necessary for most business operations as a way of obtaining the competitive advantage. Functional managers who are IT expert help organizations that are not familiar with tools that base their operations on technology to remain active in competitive marketplaces (Zhu and Verstraeten 2013, p. 167). The use of proper personnel in information technology sector helps a corporation to operate on the right track that can help them in eliminating cases of being caught up in the sizzle by attaining solutions that work effectively for their operations. Conclusion As cases of competition in global marketplace intensify, organizations that are leaders in their industries find it hard to afford to become complacent. There is a need for operations management to effectively and efficiently manage operations of human resources to help in gaining, developing, and sustaining competitive merits to become more essential. In integrating the best strategy for operation management, organizations must not forget essential factor for policies to become successful in the competitive marketplace. It is clear that while most operations management concentrates on the production of different commodities and services, it is essential to the overall organization to ensure that they do not underestimate roles of operations managers. When operations of various organizations are well managed, the functions of all other departments are smooth, and when the operations of organizations are mishandled, all other departments decline in operations. Therefore, operations ma nagement is capable of making appropriate roles on meeting the needs of organization stakeholders. List of References Anand, G. and Gray, J. (2017). Strategy and organization research in operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 53-56, pp.1-8. Boakye, K., McGinnis, T. and Prybutok, V. (2014). Q-TAM: a quality technology acceptance model for technology operations managers. Operations Management Research, 7(1-2), pp.13-23. Chicksand, D. (2015). Partnerships: The role that power plays in shaping collaborative buyersupplier exchanges. Industrial Marketing Management, 48, pp.121-139. Chowhan, J., Pries, F. and Mann, S. (2016). Persistent innovation and the role of human resource management practices, work organization, and strategy. Journal of Management Organization, 23(03), pp.456-471. Cox, R., Aljubran, S., Lockey, R. and Kolliputi, N. (2012). Caspase-4 Plays a Role in the Activation of the Cryopyrin/NLRP3115 Inflammasome. World Allergy Organization Journal, 5, p.S38. Galvin, P. (2014). A new vision for the Journal of Management Organization: The role of context. Journal of Management Organization, 20(01), pp.1-5. Huffman, M. (2012). Organizations, Managers, and Wage Inequality. Sex Roles, 68(3-4), pp.216-222. Hutchinson, S. and Purcell, J. (2010). Managing ward managers for roles in HRM in the NHS: overworked and under-resourced. Human Resource Management Journal, 20(4), pp.357-374. Ketokivi, M. (2016). Pointcounterpoint: Resource heterogeneity, performance, and competitive advantage. Journal of Operations Management, 41, pp.75-76. Knott, P. (2015). Does VRIO help managers evaluate a firms resources?. Management Decision, 53(8), pp.1806-1822. Minavand, H. (2013). Project Managers Vs Operations Managers: A comparison based on the style of leadership. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 12(5), pp.56-61. Monga, A. (2014). Patch testing plays a role in management of chronic urticaria. Clinical Dermatology. Ollila, S. and Ystrm, A. (2016). An investigation into the roles of open innovation collaboration managers. RD Management, 47(2), pp.236-252. Pollack, J. and Algeo, C. (2016). Project managers and change managers contribution to success. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 9(2), pp.451-465. Yaghoobi, N., Bakhshimazdeh, M. and Alikhasi, M. (2014). Analysing key concepts of organisation: knowledge management, competitive intelligence and competitive advantage. International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 18(3), p.321. Zhu, Y. and Verstraeten, M. (2013). Human resource management practices with Vietnamese characteristics: a study of managers responses. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 51(2), pp.152-174.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Pearl harbor Argumentative Essay Example For Students

Pearl harbor Argumentative Essay Pearl Harbor: IsolationismIt is a common held belief that America has historically been a nation driven by the ideology of isolationism. The best cases for these arguments are through our unwillingness to participate in either world war. The lynch pin being the events that happened in Pearl Harbor.I will try to dispel this theory in my essay. On December 7th, 1941 war was forced upon America by the Japanese assault on Peal Harbor, and declarations of war by Germany and Italy four days later. It is a myth that Franklin D. Roosevelt was anxious to bring America into the war, and was prevented from doing so by the overwhelming isolationist spirit of the American people. The evidence shows that FDR was primarily concerned with his domestic policies and had no wish to join in a crusade against Nazism or totalitarianism or indeed against international aggression. He took no positive steps to involve the United States in the conflict. The war came as much a surprise-and an unwelcome surprise-to him as anyone else. There is a persistent myth that he was forewarned about the Japanese aggression at Pearl Harbor, and did nothing to stop it, being anxious that American participation in the global conflict should be precipitated by the unprovoked act of aggression. That all kinds of warnings were in the air at the time is clear.But an objective survey of all the evidence indicates that Pearl Harbor came as a real and horrifying shock to all the members of the Roosevelt administration, beginning with the President himself. It is also a myth, however, that Americas unwillingness to engage in World War Two-the polls show that around 80 percent of the adult population wanted America to stay neutral until the Pearl Harbor assault-sprang from a -2-deep sense of isolationism, which was Americas pristine and natural posture in world affairs. This myth is so persistent that it has led in the 1990s to a demand to return to isolationism, as though it were Americas destiny and natural preference. So it is worth examining in a longer historical context. There is nothing unique, as many Americans suppose, in the desire of a society with a strong cultural identity to minimize its foreign contacts. On the contrary, isolationism in this sense has been the norm wherever geography has made it feasible. A characteristic example of a hermit state is Japan, which tried to use its surrounding seas to pursue a policy of total isolation. China, too, was isolationist for thousands of years, albeit an empire at the same time. T he British were habitually isolationist even during the centuries when they were acquiring an empire embracing a quarter of the worlds surface. The British always regarded the English Channel as a cordon sanitaire to protect them from what they saw as the Continental disease of war. The Spanish too were misled by the Pyrenees, and the Russians by the Great Plains, into believing that isolationism was feasible as well as desirable. The United States, however, has always been an internationalist country. Given the sheer size of the Atlantic (and the Pacific), with its temptation to hermitry, the early colonists and rulers of the United States were remarkably international minded. The Pilgrim Fathers did not cut themselves off from Europe, but sought to erect a City on a Hill precisely to serve as an example to the Old World. The original Thirteen Colonies had, as a rule, closer links with Europe than with each other, focusing on London and Paris, rather than on Boston or Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin had perhaps a better claim to be called a cosmopolitan than any other figure on either side of the Atlantic. He believed strongly in negotiations and in mutually advantageous treaties -3-between nations. Americas ruling elite was always far more open towards, interested in, and knowledgeable about the world (especially Europe) than the French-Canadians to the north and the Spanish- and Portuguese-Americans to the south. Despite the oceans on both sides, the United States was from the start involved with Russia (because of Oregon and Alaska), China (because of trade), Spain, Britain, and other European powers. Isolation in a strict sense was never an option, and there is no evidence