Leadership
Describe the interaction between the two leadership groups.
In the movie American Samoa: Paradise Lost? The movie brings forth the interaction between the American government representatives and the traditional Samoan chiefs. The movie brings out the variation between civilizations of the two forms of leadership (Allen). The American government representatives were termed to as being more educated and well civilized in what they do and how they do it. Their ways of life were quite different. The interaction that existed between the American government and the Samoan chiefs is that the American government ruled a bigger part of the country while on the other hand the Samoans ruled a relatively smaller part which was basically the Samoan community. The Samoan community was basically being ruled by the American government in all aspects of their life.
What behaviors of the American representatives could create conflict with the Samoan leaders?
The American representatives took up behaviors that were demeaned to be quite offending to the Samoans leaders and this was bound to bring about conflict between the two forms of leadership. The traditional life of the American Samoan was being transformed and defied by the governing power which was the United States of America. The American representatives came up with educational televisions for the Samoan children which they thought would elevate the speed at which they learn English. There however arose conflict between the western objectives of education which laid emphasis on independent thinking and cultural values of the Samoa which was more insistent on obedience to the family, community and authority (Price, 1966). Moreover, the Americans came up with a value system which was insistent on the requirement to amass money to a type of people who in their past life experiences have undergone a life that was more concerned about mutual sharing of what they have with their fellow family members and community as opposed to the personal gain which was being insisted upon by the American representatives. The children are to learn in the schools to acquire respect for authority them to accord attention to the teacher. The movie claims that this form of behavior would definitely conflict or hinder of thinking for them. The Americans are introducing is quite foreign to the Samoan culture that expects their children and future to obey, serve and not question their leaders.
Are there similarities from this meeting and the Blue Horizon Cruise simulation meeting?
There are similarities between the Blue Horizon Cruise simulations. In the Blue Horizon Cruise simulation meeting the traditional way of life and hospitality being practiced being experienced by visitors was starting to change. The people in the villages were getting motivated by money. Another similarity was the intention of the government to bring about change in the society which they saw would bring about development and benefit for the local villagers (Mueller, Deusen, & W. Gerald Glover, Volume 28, 2001). The Blue Horizon Cruise simulation meeting had brought about the concern for chiefs and elders. They were concerned about the fast eroding of their culture in the face of advancement. Their political strength was similarly declining as most of the locals not reliant any more of the village fund and economy. These aspects of the Blue Horizon Cruise simulation meeting were similar to what was happening in the Samoan case.
If you were the American Governor, how would you have conducted the meeting?
As the American governor, the thought of bringing into being a new culture to one that has existed for long would require a lot of persuasion and understanding between the two groups. Learning that the Samoans have lived with their culture for long, proper education would be the best move to accord the Samoan leaders. Nothing is ever in or out of a traditional community if it is not acceptable amongst the leaders first as the responsibility of taking care of the family is based on them. With the knowledge that they have they would hence be able to make sensible judgments on the best way to do this. The American government would then later be able to instill the much needed education elements. As the governor, sense to the authority of the Samoans has to prevail before it could be applied to the children.
How does power, both formal and informal, influence the interaction of stakeholders in a potential conflict situation?
Both formal and informal leaderships have several impacts in the stakeholders of a conflict resolution mechanism. The formal power involves legitimate power. They are attributed to being in the possession of authority in an institution so as to impact on other informal settings to meet the objectives of the institution. Informal leadership on the other hand does not have the ability to do the same thing. Both forms of leaderships are attributed to possession of expert knowledge and personal attraction. The informal leaders on the other hand note the institutions goals are a significant asset to any institution. Considering that the formal settings are termed to as being illegitimate in conflict situation it is the informal leaderships that tend to retain legitimacy. The local stakeholders during a conflict situation may act as an interface between the state and the society. These informal settings are viewed by the formal settings as undermining their forms of government hence act in way to spoil the conflict resolution process. It should come to the knowledge of the informal forms of leadership, that an engagement in conflict resolution does not in any way endorse them; it is done so as to acquire certain rights.
Bibliography
Allen, G. Paradise Lost in Samoa? The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney.
Mueller, C. B., Deusen, C. A., & W. Gerald Glover, P. F. (Volume 28, 2001). BLUE HORIZON CRUISES: AN INTERNATIONAL SIMULATION EXERCISE TO ILLUSTRATE CONFLICTING ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL MODELS. Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning.
Price, W. (1966). America’s paradise lost. John Day Co.
