Advantages And Disadvantages Of Genetically Modified Organisms Biology Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Genetically Modified Organisms Biology Essay The benefits and risks of any particular genetically modified crop depend on the interactions of its ecological functions and natural history with the agro-ecosystem and ecosystems within which it is embedded. These evolutionary and ecological factors must be considered when assessing genetically modified crops. We argue that the assessment of genetically modified crops should be broadened to include alternative agricultural practices, ecosystem management and agricultural policy. Such an assessment ecological services that support it. The benefits of genetically modified crops should be compared to those of other means of agricultural intensification such as organic farming, integrated pest management and agricultural policy reform. A gradual and cautions approach to the use of genetically modified crops that relies on a truly comprehensive risk assessment could allow people to reap substantial benefits from genetically modified crops while mitigating their serious risks. INTRODUCTION Genetically modified organisms ( GMOs ) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources which are combined into one molecule to create a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism, giving it modified or novel genes. Genetically Modified Organisms can be produced by gene cloning methods in which a non-native gene is introduced and expressed in a new organism. Generally the new protein has also been somewhat modified or engineered for proper expression in the new host. In particular, differences between microorganisms and eukaryotic cell must be overcome, such as the presence or absence of introns, occurance of DNA methylation and certain post-translational modifications to the protein itself for proper transport within or between cells. The advent of PCR and gene sequencing methods have opened up the door to all sorts of manipulative techniques for changing the structure of protein through genetic alterations. The introduction of bacterial genes into cash crops, to enhance their growth, nutritional value or resistance to pests, is becoming rather common place in plant technology. One example that has made frequent headlines is the introduction of bacterial genes for natural pesticides into plants in order to eliminate the need for chemical pesticide use. The drawback to this technology is public concern over the consequences of ingesting these natural pesticides. Problems such as these might be alleviated by site-specific expression of the gene or control of expression throughout the lifecycle. For example, it might cause less concern if expression of a pesticide gene in the leaves of young plants could be used to prevent foliage from being destroyed early on without expression in the fruit later in the lifespan. Advantages of Genetically Modified Organisms The world population has topped 6 billion people and is predicted to double in the next 50 years. Ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population is going to be a major challenge in the years to come. Genetically modified foods promise to meet this need in a number of ways: Pest resistance Crop losses from insect pests can be staggering, resulting in devastating financial loss for farmers and starvation in developing countries. Farmer typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. Consumers do not wish to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of potential health hazards and run-off of agricultural wastes from excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers can poison the water supply and cause harm to the environment. Growing genetically modified foods such as B.t. corn can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides and reduce the cost of bringing a crop to market. Herbicide tolerance For some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weedkiller) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process, that requires care so that the herbicide doesnà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t harm the crop plant or the environment. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resistant to one very powerful herbicide could help prevent environment damage by reducing the amount of herbicides needed. For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup. A farmer grows these soybean which then only require one application of weed-killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste run-off. Disease resistance There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases. Plant biologists are working to create plants with genetically-engineered resistance to these diseases. Cold tolerance Unexpected frost can destroy sensitive seedlings. An antifreeze gene from cold water fish has been introduced into plants such as tobacco and potato. With this antifreeze gene, these plants are able to to tolerate cold temperatures that normally would kill unmodified seedlings. Drought tolerance/salinity tolerance As the world population grows and more land is utilized for housing instead of food production, farmers will need to grow crops in location previously unsuited for plant cultivation. Creating plants that can withstand long period of drought or high salt content in soil and groundwater will help people to grow crops in formerly inhospitable places. Nutrition Malnutrition is common in third world countries where impoverished people rely on a single crop such as rice for the main staple of their diet. However, rice does not contain adequate amounts of all necessary nutrients to prevent malnutrition. If rice could be genetically engineered to contain additional vitamins and minerals, nutrient deficiencies could be alleviated. For example, blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency is a common problem in third world countries. Pharmaceuticals Medicines and vaccines often are costly to produce and sometimes require special storage conditions not readily available in third world countries. Researchers are working to develop edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes. These vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable vaccines. Phytoremediation Not all genetically modified plants are grown as crops. Soil and groundwater pollution continues to be a problem in all parts of the world. Plants such as poplar tress have been genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil. Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Organisms The pros and cons for using genetically modified organisms ( GMOs ) are vast and varied but there is little argument over the uncertain consequences of this relatively new science. The pace at which GMOs have found their way into the food supply is what frightens many opponents, as long-term risk assessments wonà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t be available for many years. Long-term health effects The science of genetically modifying organisms is in its infancy, coming online in earnest in the mid-1990s. Pressure from agricultural interests and the scientific community eager to prove the viability of the process has led to what some would call an irresponsible rush to market of these products. More than 60 percent of the products in most U.S. grocery stores are derived from sort of genetically altered plant or animal, notes Nina Fedoroff, a molecular biologist at Penn State University in the spring 2007 issue of Science Journal. There simply hasn;à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t been enough time to study the long-term health effects on humans from eating genetically altered foods. Gene spilling Many of the arguments against bio-engineered food stuffs focus on the law of unintended consequences. It is unclear what effect, if any, genetic pollution from inadequately sequestered populations of genetically modified crops would have on the surrounding wild varieties. Releasing pollen from genetically altered plants into the wild via wind and insects could have dramatic effects on the surrounding ecosystem but there is no long-term research yet available to gauge the impact. Reduced biodiversity Biodiversity even within a species or genus, keeps plant and animal population viable. If a particular virus for example, affected corn in Northern Iowa but the slightly different variety of corn grown on an adjacent farm was immune, only the portion of the crop susceptible to the virus would be lost. As genetically engineered crop consume more and more acreage, the number and variety of wild species is reduced. Such as alignment threatens the entire supply as pests and diseases repelled by just one or a few genetically altered varieties develop resistance to those defenses. In a doomsday scenario, a lone pathogen could wipe out an entire harvest nationwide and spawn years of underproduction as the agriculture industry struggles to recover and combat the threat. Cross-pollination The potentially negative environmental impacts of GMOs are numerous, and many are as yet unknown and could be irreversible. These include the loss of flora and fauna biodiversity, unintended harm to other organisms and reduced effectiveness of pesticides. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, one of the biggest concerns is the creation of super weeds: the unintentional transfer of herbicide resistance genes from desired crops to weeds. Some of these concerns, however, are the same concerns that could occur with breeding. Genetic consequences The artificial insertion of genes into organisms could destabilize that organism, encouraging genetic mutations that could be detrimental either to the environment, to humans or both. Insertion of the desired gene into a crops genome could activate or deactivate other genes, causing unintentional consequences as well. For example, genes that orchestrate the precise development of tomatoes could be de-activated, leaving tomatoes rotting on the vine before maturation. Long-lived organisms, such as trees, would be most at risk with consequences unknown for perhaps years. Its entirely possible they would no longer bear fruit, or they would have weak trunks. Characteristics of bark we may rely upon for paper products may disappear. The possibilities are essentially endless. Furthermore, changes in gene expression of genes that already exist in the organism may have negative consequences by interacting with the product of the inserted gene. For example, the gene coding for the red color of berries could interact with the inserted disease resistance gene creating an entirely new protein that perhaps would cause cancer after the berries were eaten by humans. As of 2010, many of the consequences are purely speculative and true issues would not be known for perhaps years. Animals GMOs pose a potential risk to insects, particularly those involved in pollination of GMO crops, as well as birds, insects, organisms in soils, and water. The impact of GMO pollen in bees gut or ingestion by bacteria is not known. One fear is that the insects may develop resistance to the pesticides after ingesting GMO pollen, creating swarms of pesticide-resistant bugs. Intellectual property The risk of GMOs to the world economy may be significant. It is entirely possible that world food production would be dominated by a few companies, increasing the dependence of developing countries on industrialized nations. Foreign exploitation of natural resources, labeling issues and scientific advances skewed to interests of richer countries are just a few of the concerns. Although eventually more efficient and economical, initial research and development costs involved in bringing GMO products to market are substantial. To offset these costs, companies patent their products. Infringement issues are a major issue. Human health Human health is also at stake. GMO plants may create new allergens or unintentionally confer antibiotic resistance in humans. As part of the technique, genes that confer antibiotic resistance are inserted into GMOs as markers but they could confer resistance to these antibiotics when consumed by humans. However, the gene introduced into the potatoes was already known to be toxic to mammals. Researchers simply chose the gene to test the technique and it was never intended for human or animal consumption. As pollen spreads, pharmaceuticals derived from plants and fed to animals are then consumed by humans, also with unknown consequences. Food supply at risk Genetically modified seeds are a patented product, and in order to purchase the seeds customers must sign an agreement for use with the seed manufacturer. As the reliance on GM seeds expands world wide, concerns about food supply and safety continue to escalate. Genetically engineered seeds are identical in structure, and if a problem affects one particular crop a major crop failure can result. Environmental destruction Most GMO seeds are genetically engineered to be herbicide tolerant, resistant to insect infestation and disease. Environmentalists worry that the characteristics of GM crops may encourage farmers to increase their use of herbicides and pesticides, which will raise human consumption of dangerous toxins. GM crops also manufacture their own pesticides, which puts further poisons into humans and soil and may cause unforeseen changes in the environment. Another concern is that toxins contained in the GMO plants may harm other organisms, such as monarch caterpillars, bees and birds. The pesticide found in genetically modified cotton and corn is implicated in the deaths of poultry, cows, horses, sheep and buffalo worldwide. Conclusion As a nutshell, although Genetically Modified Organisms have a lot of advantages but still face many ethical issues related to the growing and consumption of genetically engineered crops. They hold potential to greatly increase the nutritional value of food as well as the productivity of crops, while at the same time provide many safety as well environmental concerns. These decisions need to be looked at by all of humanity since everyone is directly affected by the choices. While each person can read these details and come to different conclusion on the value of genetically engineered foods as well as the ethical choices being made by the companies in charge of producing these foods. The ultimate choice on genetically engineered foods should be placed onto a well informed consumer not held in the dark by those in power of the government and large corporations which may not have the general publicà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s interests as their primary goal.

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum :: essays papers

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum This AD is about an alcoholic beverage called Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum. When you first see this AD you can clearly see that the focus of this ad is to make you want to drink. It jumps out and says â€Å"drinking is cool†. It’s saying not directly but indirectly. The focus of it is to make you want to buy this beer because those people are drinking it. They’re having a fun and great time, so the ad can get those people that want to have a fun and great time. The tone of this ad is pretty funny. As you can see the headline of this ad says, â€Å"take off your pants and stay a while†. You can make different interpretations of this ad which makes it even funnier. The voice is also very funny, because of that line. The language is quite funny to me, but some people that do not understand it probably would not enjoy this ad. Some people might think the language is ridiculous and inappropriate. Most young people would find this ad very natural to them. I am not saying that old people wouldn’t like this ad, but some of them might not get it or understand the humor of the ad. It all depends what your definition of humor is. The audience is mainly designed for younger people. I can conclude this by seeing that all the people in cabin are young, maybe in there 20’s. Also they could be snowboarding and not a lot of old people snowboard. So this ad is mainly to attract the younger folks. The design of this is pretty thought out. The whole logo is in red, and the ad is in black and white so they try to catch your attention by doing that. You turn the page in the magazine and all of sudden you see â€Å"take off your pants and stay a while† you probably are going to see what the ad is all about. I think its smart advertising that they have the main logo in red and the alcohol colored but the background in black and white.

McKinsey Case Study Analysis Essay

This paper applies the management by objective (MBO) philosophy of Peter Drucker to the case study analysis of McKinsey and Company (McKinsey). Founded in 1926 by James â€Å"Mac† McKinsey, a University of Chicago professor, the firm started as an accounting and engineering consultancy agency, which experienced rapid growth. This paper is a plan that outlines key aspects of MBO and how it will have both positive and negative effects when applied to the McKinsey case study. Mac recruited experienced executives and trained them on an integrated approached he coined as the General Survey Outline (Mintzberg, et al., 2003, p. 319). Over the years, the firm’s general approach to consultancy lacked specialized knowledge concerning industry competencies. This paper brings into focus McKinsey’s potential to make a paradigm shift, and provides recommendations to implement MBO to increase the organizations effectiveness internationally. The leaders of McKinsey wanted to transform the firm of practice development, (â€Å"snowball making† the internal name) to client development (â€Å"snowball throwing†). To achieve this, the concept of general practitioners would have to change in order to keep up with technology and the global marketplace. The paper provides recommendation to aide McKinsey in development, capturing, and leveraging company assets worldwide. McKinsey and Co. Case Study Summary The McKinsey and Company case study is a presentation of the management of knowledge and learning by a large consulting firm. The case study discusses  the founding and evolution of the company under the direction of a group of professional educators and executives. The company has served as a consultant to elite firms focusing on issues important to top management for 70 years. The long history of the company is described with the addition of tables and charts to depict 20 year growth rates, mission and principles, areas of practice, and functional groups. Succession, employee growth and development; expansion, and shrinkage are explained in detail within the case study. The company expanded from the original small organization to one of global proportions and significant stature within the industry. The focus of the text is to depict the management and evolution of the firm through the periods of change and discuss future decisions and direction under a new managing director. Key Aspects of Drucker’s Philosophy Peter Drucker is recognized as the founder of modern management. He advocated for autonomy, participatory democracy, and doing what one wants. He promoted the creation of a pluralistic institution of a free society that functions and performs. In searching for finding an answer to how individual freedom can be observed in the corporate society considering the power executed by the managers; Drucker developed the managerial philosophy called management by objectives (MBO). According to Hoopes (2003), managers communicate to their subordinates the goals and objectives based on what is required by the organization; consequently, enabling their subordinates to have autonomy and be responsible for what they do at work. Drucker created this philosophy of management with the purpose of giving employees the opportunity to achieve freedom and individual responsibility in an organization. In past articles Drucker had defined freedom as â€Å"a responsible choice†¦between†¦act one way or another† (as cited by Maciariello, 2005). In addition, Drucker defined the concept of responsibility by stating that responsibility has an external component that involves _accountability to a person with authority_ and an internal component that involves _commitment_. Both making responsible choices and be accountable and committed to the person who has authority are the keys for an effective MBO. According to Maciariello (2006) Drucker believed that â€Å"leadership is taking responsibility for results† (p. 29) and that the leader is expected to show integrity and be a role model for others to follow. Regarding the leaders’ responsibility, Drucker stated that the CEO is the only one who can align the internal environment with the external environmental to make certain that the organization understands the demands of the external environment [_market, customers, and competitors_]. Drucker’s stated that the most important rule in business is to serve the consumer (Lafley, 2006). In addition, Drucker believed â€Å"in the power of strategic ideas and making clear choices†¦. [and that] the only way you can manage change is to create it† (as cited by Lafley, 2006, p. 7). Finally, as the founder of modern management, Drucker viewed organizations as a â€Å"means through which people find access to social status, community, achievement, and satisfaction [and the leaders as having] the responsibility to ensure that jobs are fulfilling and that individuals contribute fully† (as cited by Lafley, 2006, p. 7). Positive Aspects of Strategies Applied If McKinsey and company were to apply the management theory of Drucker they would identify several positive outcomes related to the management by objectives aspects. The company had experienced expansion into a global market and many changes in management and structure. The company was staffed by professionals with few levels of authority and, according to the case study, run more by consent than decree. The consultants worked within a matrix arrangement with a professional core and contractual element in its operations. The application of MBO would increase the performance of the organization by positively identifying the objectives of each employee and their relationship to the objectives of the organization. Francis and Bolander (1976) claim that relationships between corporate and employee objectives are vital to a positive outcome for any business. Under management by objectives employees would receive input that would help identify their objectives and time lines for implementa tion and closeout. Greenwood reiterates Drucker’s theory that â€Å"objectives are not given, are not obvious, are not something that everyone knows† (p. 229). Another  provision of the Drucker theory is the continuous tracking of the process and continuous feedback. This feedback is valuable in increasing the productivity of the employee and their completion of tasks. With all McKinsey managers participating in the development of the strategic plan and cascading the goals and objectives throughout the firm the positive impact of management by objectives would be evident. Francis and Bolander (1976) describe the positive outcomes of management by objectives as improved communication, increased motivation, reduced conflict between roles, and attention focused on results, not activities. With the adoption of Druckers management by objectives McKinsey and company would experience the positive outcomes described by Francis and Bolander. Outcomes of Implementation Using Drucker’s theory of management, the evolution of the management styles practiced in the McKinsey and Co. were based on decentralizing the centers. Once managers established and announced the goals of the organization, they left it up to the leaders operating in each of their offices to practice their own leadership styles to achieve the goals. They called this strategy â€Å"practice leadership† (Mintzberg, Lampel, Quinn, and Ghoshal, 2003, p.322). The management styles implemented were based on the underlying principle of Drucker’s theory of using power top-down. The results of the implementation were significantly positive and led to the emergence of management concepts that we see commonly used today, making McKinsey the industry leader of setting numerous industry trends as explained: (a) Knowledge Management – â€Å"Knowledge is the lifeblood of Mckinsey†. (Mintzberg, et al.,, 2003, p.319). Managers at McKinsey developed a process of knowledge management wherein the task of knowledge management had to be each individual’s responsibility and not just that of the team manager or leader. (b) Knowledge Sharing – By the use of publishing their key findings, employees were able to learn and communicate from each other and understand how processes worked best and most efficiently. (c) Online repository of knowledge – The success of their knowledge sharing documents and papers led manageme nt to develop an online repository of information wherein centers across the globe could access  common data and information that was entered by employees from these centers. This module made a significant impact on the communication among individual centers and the organization as a whole. (d) Identifying Best Practices – With improved communications, managers were able to access information and identify best practices that helped improve the efficiency of their applications and systems. Identifying best practices also led to the creation of establishing benchmarks that further assisted enhance and improve defects in processes. (e) Inter-office bulletins – The introduction of interoffice bulletins and papers led to the development of newsletters and e-letters that modern organizations use today to communicate with their employees globally. (f) Building Customer Loyalty – Using client relationships and training specialists to build relationships with their clients, McKinsey was one of the pioneering organizations to introduce the concept of customer loyalty. Managers trained their employees to focus only on the clients they worked with and provide then with world class quality service. The idea was to gain the customer’s business for life. This concept brought in recurring revenues for McKinsey and also helped create a loyal customer base that enhanced McKinsey’s image by in the industry by word of mouth. (g) Focus on Informational Literacy – The rapid increase in the rate of information literacy made it imperative for employees to be trained and kept abreast of new technologies and offerings that helped them sell better, communicate effectively, learn faster about new products and services, and enhance their own skills. (h) Employee growth and enhancement – Managers at McKinsey saw the value in retaining their workforce by providing the training and helping them hone their skills to perform efficiently. They paid attention to their employee’s growth patterns and career paths and assisted them in developing their profiles so they could move them laterally or higher up in the organization without having to search for someone from the outside. This also helped build the employee knowledge base that could be transferred or shared with one another when needed. One of the negative aspects of the evolution was that the organization grew too fast. Secondly, the organization became a victim of technology where most of the teams were virtual teams leading to lack of direct interaction. Finally, the decentralization of each business unit, across the globe, led  to each unit creating their own processes using the same applications, which resulted in more time being spent in determining best practices of successful processes. Recommendations â€Å"A change leader sees change as an opportunity. A change leader looks for change, knows how to find the right changes, and knows how to make them effective both outside the organization and inside it† (Drucker, 2000 as cited in McKenna, 2006). These words spoken by Drucker were as if they were meant for Mr. Gupta as he reviewed the progress of McKinsey & Co. Growth had been meeting expectations and they were being rewarded handsomely by the market but Mr. Gupta had begun to question whether McKinsey & Co. was, in Drucker’s terms, not just getting things done but getting the right things done.. He questioned, â€Å"If this represented the tip of McKinsey’s knowledge and expertise iceberg, how well was the firm doing in developing, capturing, and leveraging this asset in service of its clients worldwide?† (Mintzberg, et al., 2003, p. 319). After all this was the second component of the McKinsey Mission Statement. No where had this rang truer than in the halls of McKinsey & Co. They had experienced tremendous growth and change over the decades and like many others saw their share of recessions but they had continued to grow into their present International stardom in spite of it all. Drucker, would concur with Mr. Gupta’s questioning their success irrespective of their huge windfalls. He would caution others in that success is not inevitable or forever and can quickly evaporate if one’s focus is not on the right things. Drucker, wrote of the knowledge worker, a description that applied to most, in the 21st century and he spoke of the importance of efficiency but more importantly about getting the right things done. This was the obvious question that was plaguing Mr. Gupta. He cited three intersecting concerns of the knowledge-driven age that were making the task more difficult and complex. He wondered if his initiatives would be enough. The first concern rests in the amount and rate of change.  Second, the increasing expectations and expertise, and finally, the firm’s success itself contributed to the difficulty, in linking and integrating the consultants and the worldwide offices. Drucker, in writing on what executives must do would applaud Mr. Gupta for his foresight. â€Å"Drucker wrote of ‘five habits of the mind’ that executives must acquire†: (a) knowing where their time goes. (b) Focusing on outward contribution. (c) Building on strength- their own and others. (d) Concentrating on the few major areas where performance will provide outstanding results. (e) Making effective fundamental decisions (McKenna, 2006, p. 4). The outcomes as highlighted above, those stated by Mr. Gupta, along with the Practice Olympics were a beginning and answer to the question of whether McKinsey & Co. were on the right track. They were not only aligned with the five habits as outlined by Mr. Drucker above but were also realigning with the Mission Statement of McKinsey & Co. which stated, â€Å"McKinsey Mission: To help our clients make positive, lasting, and substantial improvements in their performance and to build a great Firm that is able to attract, develop, excite, and retain exceptional people† (Mintzberg, et al., 2003, p. 321). The only additional recommendation not covered in Mr. Gupta’s initiatives but an underlying principle was that growth had made it impossible to link the knowledge and expertise of the organization. This barrier could be easily addressed within the two-tiered career path he proposed. Allowing for ‘intrapreneurship† to flourish and â€Å"to let 1,000 flowers to bloom (Gluck, 1991, as cited in Mintzberg, et al., 2003, p. 324) would be a way to not only ensure the future success of McKinsey & Co. but would also be a direct link back to the philosophy of Mr. Gluck, a former and highly successful Managing Director of McKinsey & Co. Conclusion This analysis of McKinsey illustrates how MBO can serve as a change agent to  help the organization continue to grow in spite of recessions over the years. The implementation of MBO has its negative and positive aspects, yet in a broad since of theories, the positive outweighs the negative. McKinsey is able to live its mission to help clients make positive and lasting improvements while retaining exceptional people. In conclusion, although the organization grew extremely fast and became victims of technology, the implementation of Peter Drucker’s, MBO could increase the firm’s efficiency for two main reasons. First, it reduces conflict between roles and focuses on results. However, most notably, MBO improves communication, increases motivation and the McKinsey team transforms into snowball makers (practice development) and snowball throwers (client development) worldwide. References Francis, J. G., & Bolander, S. F. (1976). MBO and the small organization. _American Journal of_ _Small Business,_ _I_(1),1-6. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from EBSCOhost database. Greenwood, R. G. (1981). Management by objectives: As developed by Peter Drucker, assisted by Harold Smiddy. _Academy of Management Review, 6_(2), 225-230. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from EBSCO host database. Lafley, A. G. (2007). What Drucker taught me. _Leadership Excellence_, 24(1), p. 7. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from ProQuest database. Maciariello, J. (2005). Peter F. Drucker on a functioning society. _Leader to Leader_, 2005(37), 26-34. Retrieved March 7, 2007, from Academic Search Premier database. McKenna, Joseph F. (2006). _Drucker in December_. T & P; Tooling and Production, 72(12), p. 4. Retrieved March 16, 2007 from EBSCOhost Research Database Mintzberg, H., Lampel, J., Quinn, J.B., & Ghoshal, S. (2003). _The strategy process-concepts,_ _contexts, cases._ Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

World War II and Operation Vengeance

During the Pacific conflict in World War II, American forces conceived a plan to get rid of Japanese commander Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Date Conflict Operation Vengeance was conducted on April 18, 1943, during World War II (1939-1945). Forces Commanders Allies Admiral William Bull Halsey16 Lockheed P-38G Lightnings Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto2 G4M Betty bombers, 6 A6M Zero fighters Background On April 14, 1943, Fleet Radio Unit Pacific intercepted message NTF131755 as part of project Magic. Having broken the Japanese naval codes, US Navy cryptanalysts decoded the message and found that it provided specific details for an inspection trip that the Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, intended to make to the Solomon Islands. This information was passed to Commander Ed Layton, the intelligence officer for the Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Meeting with Layton, Nimitz debated whether to act on the information as he was concerned that it might lead the Japanese to conclude that their codes had been broken. He was also concerned that if Yamamoto was dead, he might be replaced with a more gifted commander. After much discussion, it was decided a suitable cover story could be devised to alleviate concerns regarding the first issue, while Layton, who had known Yamamoto before the war, stressed that he was the best the Japanese had. Deciding to move forward with intercepting Yamamotos flight, Nimitz received clearance from the White House to move forward. Planning As Yamamoto was viewed as the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt instructed Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox to give the mission the highest priority. Consulting with Admiral William Bull Halsey, Commander South Pacific Forces and South Pacific Area, Nimitz ordered planning to move forward. Based on the intercepted information, it was known that on April 18 Yamamoto would be flying from Rabaul, New Britain to Ballale Airfield on an island near Bougainville. Though only 400 miles from Allied bases on Guadalcanal, the distance presented a problem as American aircraft would need to fly a 600-mile roundabout course to the intercept to avoid detection, making the total flight 1,000 miles. This precluded the use of the Navy and Marine Corps F4F Wildcats or F4U Corsairs. As a result, the mission was assigned to the US Armys 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, Thirteenth Air Force which flew P-38G Lightnings. Equipped with two drop tanks, the P-38G was capable of reaching Bougainville, executing the mission, and returning to base. Overseen by the squadrons commander, Major John W. Mitchell, planning moved forward with the assistance of Marine Lieutenant Colonel Luther S. Moore. At Mitchells request, Moore had the 339ths aircraft fitted with ships compasses to aid in navigation. Utilizing the departure and arrival times contained in the intercepted message, Mitchell devised a precise flight plan that called for his fighters to intercept Yamamotos flight at 9:35 AM as it began its descent to Ballale. Knowing that Yamamotos aircraft was to be escorted by six A6M Zero fighters, Mitchell intended to use eighteen aircraft for the mission. While four aircraft were tasked as the killer group, the remainder was to climb to 18,000 feet to serve as top cover to deal with enemy fighters arriving on scene after the attack. Though the mission was to be conducted by the 339th, ten of the pilots were drawn from other squadrons in the 347th Fighter Group. Briefing his men, Mitchell provided a cover story that the intelligence had been provided by a coastwatcher who saw a high ranking officer boarding an aircraft in Rabaul. Downing Yamamoto Departing Guadalcanal at 7:25 AM on April 18, Mitchell quickly lost two aircraft from his killer group due to mechanical issues. Replacing them from his cover group, he led the squadron west out over the water before turning north towards Bougainville. Flying at no higher than 50 feet and in radio silence to avoid detection, the 339th arrived at the intercept point a minute early. Earlier that morning, despite the warnings of local commanders who feared an ambush, Yamamotos flight departed Rabaul. Proceeding over Bougainville, his G4M Betty and that of his chief of staff, were covered by two groups of three Zeros (Map). Spotting the flight, Mitchells squadron began to climb and he ordered the killer group, consisting of Captain Thomas Lanphier, First Lieutenant Rex Barber, Lieutenant Besby Holmes, and Lieutenant Raymond Hine to attack. Dropping their tanks, Lanphier and Barber turned parallel to the Japanese and began to climb. Holmes, whose tanks failed to release, turned back out to sea followed by his wingman. As Lanphier and Barber climbed, one group of Zeros dove to attack. While Lanphier turned left to engage the enemy fighters, Barber banked hard right and came in behind the Bettys. Opening fire on one (Yamamotos aircraft), he hit it several times causing it to roll violently to the left and plummet into the jungle below. He then turned towards the water seeking the second Betty. He found it near Moila Point being attacked by Holmes and Hines. Joining in the attack, they forced it to crash land in the water. Coming under attack from the escorts, they were aided by Mitchell and the rest of the flight. With fuel levels reaching a critical level, Mitchell ordered his men to break off the action and return to Guadalcanal. All of the aircraft returned except Hines which was lost in action and Holmes who was forced to land in the Russell Islands due to a lack of fuel. Aftermath A success, Operation Vengeance saw the American fighters down both Japanese bombers, killing 19, including Yamamoto. In exchange, the 339th lost Hines and one aircraft. Searching the jungle, the Japanese found Yamamotos body near the crash site. Thrown clear of the wreckage, he had been hit twice in the fighting. Cremated at nearby Buin, his ashes were returned to Japan aboard the battleship Musashi. He was replaced by Admiral Mineichi Koga. Several controversies quickly brewed following the mission. Despite the security attached to the mission and the Magic program, operational details soon leaked out. This began with Lanphier announcing upon landing that I got Yamamoto! This breach of security led to a second controversy over who actually shot down Yamamoto. Lanphier claimed that after engaging the fighters he banked around and shot a wing off the lead Betty. This led to an initial belief that three bombers had been downed. Though given credit, other members of the 339th were skeptical. Though Mitchell and the members of the killer group were initially recommended for the Medal of Honor, this was downgraded to the Navy Cross in the wake of the security issues. Debate continued over credit for the kill. When it was ascertained that only two bombers were downed, Lanphier and Barber were each given half kills for Yamamotos plane. Though Lanphier later claimed full credit in an unpublished manuscript, the testimony of the lone Japanese survivor of the battle and the work of other scholars supports Barbers claim. Selected Sources World War II Database: Operation VengeanceUS Naval Institute: Operation Vengeance