Lateral Structural Arrangements - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2575 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Lateral structural arrangements   Introduction How the reporting and information flows throughout an organization is determined by the structures that subscribe to the different organizations, because they play a significant role in this. Most organizations decision making accountabilities may be disseminated within the company and other organizations decision making is the duty of the corporate supervision. Instead of functioning as separate and distinct entities, organization departments labor together in accomplishing a common goal. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Lateral Structural Arrangements" essay for you Create order This is done with organizations that largely constitute a lateral structural composition or arrangement. More and more often the nature of power dynamics and interface amongst personnel different from traditional organization structures are reformed due to the fact that structural arrangements provide an avenue for communiquÃÆ' © and coordination between widely differently aspects within organizations (Writing, 2013). The process in which information flows or is distributed within organizations that widely use lateral relationships and the information is known as a valid source of information has definitely lead to to new types of organizations that are unlike the traditional organizational constructs. He went ahead and identified some of the lateral structural arrangements as professional organizations, project teams, clan or organic systems and matrix structures (Bombaci, 2010). In this research paper, I will talk over and assess several of different lateral structural arrang ements. I will discuss lateral structural arrangements, the different lateral structural arrangements that organizations utilize, and organizational lateral structural arrangements managerial consequences. Lateral structural arrangements The way in which the organization distributes its labor force into separate roles, task and functions and accomplishes effective synchronization between these different functions and roles is basically the structure of an organization (Hernaus, 2008). The organizational structures where divisions or workers in the company coordinate tasks at the division level rather that vertical is known as a lateral structure. These are largely founded on organizational lateral relationships that are often within equal hierarchical levels and assist in creating excellent working relations amongst organizational departments and personnel (Hernaus, 2008). The lateral relationships can be relationships between employee in the same organizational level within the company and working in working in different divisions. These relationships can also be between workers who work for one boss or in the same division (Bombaci, 2010). The main driving force and theory behind the importance of lateral structures is that Lateral structures accomplish more than collaboration between divisions and workers during the organizations operational processes, they also assist the organization in reaching the its goal to produce excellent products, services and higher outcomes within the company through information sharing. Lastly lateral structures help an organization in increasing its workforce productivity which is the driving force and theory behind their significance. To accomplish a product or idea, teams and a number of divisions work self-sufficiently in these structures (Bombaci, 2010). It is vital, that if the organization is to expand and endure in this day and age of this economy as companies constantly face a continually changing environment that is extremely competitive, the need for efficient and effective organization operations and collaboration is definitely needed. Structural difference Organizational entities which are structurally dissimilar, such as different departments have a tendency to be differentiated in their time viewpoints with patterns of communication strengthening this segregation and information flow, interaction methods, and degree of formalization structure goals (Writing, 2013). According to (Writing, 2013) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“though that such differences can be organized and coordination strengthened between organizations through effective lateral relationships that assist in communication and data flow which in the end, enhances work place efficienciesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Lateral relations Lateral relations have definitely over the years, have more and more become significant within organizations structures and have been characterized by non-stop education, interdependence, and flexibilit y. According to (Writing, 2013) fewer structures are required for effective control of lateral relations, with an adequate amount of room left for a number of parties to position themselves and act in response to new conditions and situations as they come about. This leads to believe, that a lateral structural arrangement imbedded in an organization ought to be capable of effectively combining firmness and flexibility. Additionally, demands for information handling, which are levied by high levels of job uncertainty, are somewhat dealt with utilizing lateral structures. Organizations they are frequently to some degree limited in the way they process required information and exposed to various risks, due to the fact the organizations are open systems. Lateral relations effects nonhierarchical formal structures, which link essential undertakings in different organizational functional areas by altering the quantity of communication, style, and the quality. The frequency and amount with in which dependable formal information is distributed through the organization is ultimately enhanced and increased by this and it also improves the overall organization functioning (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Different lateral structural arrangements in use within organizations As stated before, a number of the lateral structural arrangements are organic or clan systems, project teams, professional organizations and matrix structures. Additionally, beside these lateral structural arrangements are task forces, meetings, coordinating roles, committees, network structures and self-managing teams (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). An adhocracy structure is also a lateral structural arrangement and others include enthusiastic group efforts and integrated management teams, process based structures, and cross functional teams. These arrangements promote efficient organizational coordination and the flow of information (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Meetings According to (Bombaci, 2010), m eetings are formal or informal exchanges which aid in the lateral coordination of information sharing by way of the organization and are the foundation of successful horizontal coordination. They are the basis upon which boards share information agree to make organizational policies that enhance organizational efficiency or committees make strategic decisions regarding the organization based on information gathered. Formal meetings play a major role in organizations as they form the foundation upon which many important decisions are made and provide the largest share of horizontal synchronization in most organizations. Essential information and linked significant activities in different organization sections are shared when meeting are convened and people from different areas exchange this information while sitting together discussing organizational goals. Informal meetings are definitely essential due to the fact they combine bits of information and bring together the bits in or der for managers to make sense to ensure that a reasonable response time to fix or deal with issues in this day and age fast paced and competitive work environments. The effective flow of organizational information is accomplished by meetings, due to the fact they not only assemble resources together from different organizational areas, and lead the organization towards accomplishing a common organizational goal (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Committees Lateral relations which are primarily put together to resolve issues which affect different organizational departments are formed by committees. These committees mostly consist of personnel of comparable organization rank level, but from different organizational sections getting together for the purpose of making modifications to previously existing issues or to find a resolution to a given problem (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Some committees models which may be established in an organization, include project committees that consist of supervising the execution of all projects begun inside the organization, or inspection and audit committees which analyzes the numerous organizational financial aspects of all divisions located within the organization (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Coordinating rules The use of arbitration and persuading to aid a number of workers in organizations enhancing their hard work is a process utilized by coordinating roles and units, which are also forms of lateral structure arrangements. Also, coordinating roles or units are individuals or boundary spanner groups that are skilled at dealing across numerous distinctive sections and inside other organizational turfs (Bombaci, 2010). This of course consists of filling several organizational roles while having an understanding the workings of each role, then through the information collected, have the capability to improve unit efforts and guide each unit to accomplishing a mutual goal (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Task Forces As with any organization new issues and opportunities arise consistently within the organization which require some coordination and collaboration of company diverse specialties and functions to solve these issues and task forces are lateral structural arrangements that come together to accomplish this task (Bombaci, 2010). This task force is usually assigned to take care of the task at hand, and is more than likely on a temporary basis. The task force will discuss and carefully analyze the specific given strategic issue and provide recommendations on the issue affecting the organization. To accomplish an effective deep dive analysis of a specific opportunity or issue, task force personnel are strategically taken from several areas of the organization (Writing, 2013). Self-managing Teams Self-managing teams are lateral structural arrangements in which a group of workers control their own activities and themselves, staff, and plan. This team sets goals on what completed or accomplishe d, and also make decisions and take action to remedy and rectify all issues that come about in their operations such as issues with quality or discipline and rewards. Due to the criticality of some issues, this requires the coordination of personnel from several organizational departments with different skills to ensure information flows between team members effectively and efficiently enhancing organizational efficiencies (Bombaci, 2010). Network structures Network structures are lateral structural arrangements that manage multifaceted, diverse relationships in several organization divisions which specialize in very specific business responsibilities. The network structures improve network development with and between organizations and often disintegrate various up and down strategies. Networking can enable well-organized and effective widely dispersed information flow. Network structure coordination possibly will take place through contracts informal relations or market mech anisms, they arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hierarchical and they are highly flexible and adaptable. With these structures, people build on one anotherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s strengths building and capabilities (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Adhocracy structure An adhocracy structure is a lateral structural arrangement in which personnel contribute their knowhow to enabling the company in achieving their strategic objectives, which is essential because in this type of structure there is lateral communication, reduced formalization, and flexible definition of task. Structural designerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s regard these as liabilities because they are exploit benefits (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Cross functional teams Cross functional teams for the most part are frequently convened for certain task completions and to resolve any arising organizational issues and to enhance different organizational lateral. These teams typically are made up of personnel with the needed skills, experience pull ed from other divisions to complete the task at hand and be able to complete their product and job in an effective, timely, and professional manner (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Integrated management team In every organization there are supervisors or managers the keep everyone on point as well getting the organizations tasks completed and on time. Integrated teams are an essential lateral structure arrangement and are successful when they are well integrated; this is because it aids in aligning organizational processes with the companies goals and keep operational awareness while staying focused on the vision and mission. This ultimately leads to the organizational management functions being combined into a synchronized unit which allows management the ability to operate as a single unit to accomplish objectives. This is a must in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s constantly changing business environment. Integrated management teams aid an organization in achieving their goals from minim izing risks to observing the competition, supervising employees, and properly utilizing resources (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Process based structure According to (Hernaus, 2008), process based structure is a lateral structural arrangement which entails diverse teams functioning from place to place in several core processes that include, sales generation to produce products, customer support, order fulfillment or services within a common unit. With chief operating officers supervising important support, there are few involved hierarchical processes over actions such as strategic planning, finance, and HR in this structure (Writing, 2013). Process based structures are designed to remove hierarchical and departmental limitations which obstruct the flow of information, slowing down the decision making process and task performance. With satisfying the customer at the forefront, process based structure aids organizations in focusing their resources in accomplishing this. This defin itely assists in the satisfaction of consumers and also increases efficiency speed. Additionally in eliminating management layers, the process based structure improves information flow within the organization (Hernaus, 2008). There are on the other hand several disadvantages to the process based structure, which are, mindsets and expertise changes most often requires a lot of time and resources, and often faces push back from functional managers and staff experts. Also there is always difficulty in changing organizations, as this requires change management, and these processes can also lead to sluggish decision making, particularly if teams arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t experienced. Additionally this can cause replication of technical experts, which are a limited resource (Hernaus, 2008). Managerial Implications of Lateral structured arrangements in organizations Sophisticated lateral organizations are definitely needed in organizations which conduct business in very diverse and un certain environments (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Informal contacts and personal relationships In pushing the organization on the road to attaining its goals, personal relationships and contacts that are informal typically come to be stronger than structures which are formal and reward systems. A lot bosses that operate in lateral structures learn how to manage difficult problems, and develop loyalties into strong shared organizational principles (Stanwick Stanwick, 2009). These lateral structures remove specialization in a job and rather replace it with diversity that enhances synergistic effects where people build on each others competencies and strength building a whole that exceeds the sum of its parts (Hernaus, 2008). Decision making in lateral structures In most cases, project ownership is frequently given to personnel that are capable and competent to successfully complete the project (Pinto, 2010). With this said, employees are often encouraged and empowered that ar e close to the lateral structures decision making process. This authority is not what position an employee occupies, but how capable they are and the knowledge they have. Lowering horizontal limitations or boundaries resolves problems, enhances leadership, processes, and information flow. In lateral organizations employees are rewarded for increasing their job knowledge and skills, but on the other hand there are less promotion opportunities (Bombaci, 2010). Various costs Work commitment, and stress, form of role overload are the various costs that are primarily associated with lateral organizational structures. Dysfunctional organizational behaviors can also be direct result of uncertainty and diversity in the reporting relations, but, this can be overcame with leadership by developing a detailed organizational chart which displays various reporting relationships as to who works for whom (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). Conclusion So as you can see, management must diligentl y work and ensure organizational lateral structural arrangements ensure organizational goals. As each day passes in this ever changing environment, the competitive trends are definitely pushing organizations to become more efficient to ensure their survivability. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“There are a very small numbers of companies which can afford to function in a vacuum; others should optimize their business activitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Brindle Mainiero, 2000). References Bombaci, S. A. (2010). Management structures: Business communication and organizational and management. Retrieved from https://www.hkiaat.org/images/uploads/articles/Management.pdf Brindle, M. C., Mainiero, L. (2000). Managing power through lateral networking. Westport, CT: Praeger. Hernaus, T. (2008). Process-based organization. Retrieved from https://web.efzg.hr/repec/pdf/clanak 08-06.pdf Jones, G. (2010). Organizational theory, design, and change (Sixth ed.). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Pinto, j. (2010). Project management achieving competitive advantage. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Stanwick, P., Stanwick, S. (2009). Understanding business ethics. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Wheelen, T., Hunger, J. (2010). Concepts in strategic management and business policy: Achieving sustainability. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Writing, A. (2013). The advantages of a team-based lateral organizational structure. Retr ieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-team-based-lateral-organizational-structure-718.html

Bryons childe Harolds Pilgrimage The Byronic Hero Essay

Bryons quot;Childe Harolds Pilgrimagequot;: The Byronic Hero In Byrons poem, quot;Childe Harolds Pilgrimagequot; the main character is portrayed as a dark brooding man, who doesnt like society and wants to escape from the world because of his discontent with it. Through the poem we see the strong resemblance the Byronic hero has to many of todays popular characters, such as Batman. In the third stanza of the poem we learn that Childe Harold is the product of a long line of nobility. Ã’Childe Harold, was he hight-but whence his name and lineage long.Ó Bruce Wayne who is Batman is too the product of an extremely wealthy family. As with Bruce Wayne, Childe Harold is bothered by his family ties. Ã’But one sad lose ruins the†¦show more content†¦Stanza ten reads Ã’If he had friends, he bade adieu to none.Ó This proves that Childe Harold did not have many friends, and if he did their friendship was not highly valued. Bruce Wayne too comes across as an extremely depressed and alone individual. He has n Ãâ€"o friends in the films, except for Alfred his butler. Both characters share the same feeling of disassociation. Neither has the desire to associate with others than themselves. There is a woman in the lives of Childe Harolds life and Bruce Wayne. Ã’ Had sighed to many but though he loved but one, and that loved one, alas could neer be his.Ó This woman as explained in the passage is the only woman that Childe Harold will think about. Although he has had the chance for many others one woman will always win his affection. The one problem with this love is that the woman for whom he strives can never be his. In Bruce Waynes case Michelle Pheifer is the woman whom he loves. Although he would do anything for her she never seems to show a great interest toward him. Every time he seems to have the chance to win her over something intervenes, and his chance is taken away. Out of his disgust and discontent with society Childe Harold leaves to find another way of à ¿ life. Ã’And een for change of scene would seek the shades below. The Childe departed from his fathers hall.Ó He flees the society and place in which he lives to seek something better in nature. Bruce Wayne as well leaves theShow MoreRelated Journal Analyzing the Byronic Hero and Lord Byron’s Writing Styles3002 Words   |  13 PagesA Journal Analyzing the Byronic Hero, Those who Closely Resemble the Hero, Byron’s Writing Styles and Literary Criticism (Journal entry 1, Defining the Byronic Hero) The Byronic Hero is a term derived from the poetic narrative, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, by Lord Byron. Though the idea of the Byronic Hero originated with the creation of Byron’s characters, Byron himself possessed the physical features associated with the Byronic Hero. These features include dark brooding eyes

Disembowelment in Japanese History Free Essays

Seppuku or ritual disembowelment is often considered by those of us in the western world to be a common form of institutionalized (by ritual) suicide: an ancient custom dating back to the age of Samurai under the code of bushido. However, in Japanese culture, it escapes this easy stereotype and is considered something much more complex and meaningful than mere suicide. T. We will write a custom essay sample on Disembowelment in Japanese History or any similar topic only for you Order Now Harada, writes: ‘It was not mere suicide. It was an institution, legal and ceremonial†¦by which warriors could expiate their friends or prove their sincerity’. From historical evidence as well as by contemposrary Japanese cultural identification with seppuku we can ascertain that â€Å"it is at least questionable whether thinking of seppuku as a variety of suicide is justified† (Fairbairn 144). Seppuku, in its original form as practiced by the bushi, involved slicing open the abdomen normally with a cross-cut from left to right and then slicing upward to the navel. The method might result in the victim living on for hours before death. For a bushi who was accused of a crime, whether innocent or guilty, seppuku was often the only honorable death. One central reason for the form of seppuku was the fact that the Japanese believed the soul or spirit of a person resided in the abdomen. By cutting open his abdomen the bushi could ‘lay bare his soul’ and show his firmness to atone for his crime, or demonstrate innocence and earnestness. For a bushi who actually committed crimes seppuku was considered a lenient punishment, which preserved his honor and property. â€Å"A samurai might commit seppuku after having felt duty- bound to give his lord sensible but unwelcome advice, as a means of demonstrating his absolute sincerity† (Blomberg 75). Disembowelment in Japanese History Page -2- The sensational nature of seppuku as a painful and self-punishing act, as it is most commonly viewed by Western eyes is founded on a number of divergences in philosophy and spirituality that divide the East and West culturally. Foremost among these divergences is the perception of death. In Western society death is viewed in linear terms, with little or no expectation that the â€Å"soul†would be reborn into earthly life. Japanese culture regarded death as cyclical and based in reincarnation; therefore to die honorably was more important than to live at all costs. â€Å"The connection with death is another part of the image we have of the samurai. The way of the samurai is found in death. aspects of the samurai connection with death figured prominently in Shogun† (Hurst 520). The belief in honor, coupled with the belief in reincarnation and in the cyclical, ever-present force of death, allowed the Japanese to regard seppuku as an act of preservation rather than an act of suicide. To Western eyes, the samurai willingly commits suicide, but to the Samurai, death and disembowelment is a much preferable remedy to shame or disgrace than living on past the point of moral or martial defeat. To atone for a crime or to accept responsibility for some error, by seppuku, or to gain glory and honor by the sword in battle: these concepts are one and the same to the Eastern mind. The samurai were conditioned to slaying others, especially peasants, with calm. â€Å"Although the bushi alone were entitled to be executed by decapitation with a sword, zanzai, a public execution was regarded as a disgrace† (Hurst). Disembowelment in Japanese History Page -3- â€Å"The convicted criminal was paraded through the streets to the common execution ground, with placards recording his crime carried before him. He had to kneel on the ground in order to be dispatched by the public headsman, and his severed head was then gibbeted for a certain period, with a wooden sign proclaiming his name and the nature of the crime† This disgraceful type of public ridicule disgusted the bushi; â€Å"only samurai proper could be sentenced to commit seppuku as punishment for a crime† (Hurst 521). So, far from an appalling and self-despising act, seppuku evolved out of a Japanese sense of honor and integrity, which, in its formality and tradition becomes rigidly different from contemporary Western standards for moral, ethical or legal punishment. For the Samurai the punishment lay in living, not dying. Because the seat of the soul was in the abdomen, the naked â€Å"exposure† of one’ soul also confirmed that the act of seppuku was not so much rooted in suicide or self-abnegation, but in revelation and in a (final) demonstration of personal will and moral fortitude. Over the centuries, common citizens sought to copy the ethical system of the leading elite, widening the practice of seppuku far beyond its original elitist conception. In fact, the tradition persisted well into the twentieth century: â€Å"Especially among military men of bushi stock the custom of seppuku lingered on [†¦ ] Many of the conspirators behind the attempted military coup of 1936 killed themselves in this manner when the coup failed† (Blomberg 191). In due time a non-lethal, symbolic variant of seppuku penetrated Japanese culture: â€Å"Imagine that the ritual of seppuku was further attenuated so that it involved nothing more than reaching out to a ceremonial dagger after which the seppuku’s aide whirled a ceremonial sword round his head Disembowelment in Japanese History Page -4- three times, then shook the seppuku’s hand. In this case, seppuku could not be suicide because the individual engaging in it would be aware that by doing so he could not arrange his death. And yet he would have done seppuku†(Fairbairn 145). If there is a widely understood Western parallel to the Japanese practice of seppuku, it may lie in the famous death of Socrates which has been much discussed by historians and philosophers. Socrates’ death as recorded by Plato noted that he had been accused, among other things, of introducing unusual religious practices and of corrupting young people. At his trial he defended himself but was found guilty and sentenced to death. In the month leading up to his execution by means of a self administered cup of hemlock, Socrates did not accept the possibility for escape arranged by friends because it would have gone against his sense of duty to avoid the punishment decreed by Athens. Then on the appointed day, he drank the hemlock before the hour stipulated for his death. (Holland, 1969, p. 74) Though Socrates drank the cup of hemlock (and so could technically be said to have died by his own hand) â€Å"yet even this cannot make a man a suicide, given the fact that his death was not decreed by him [†¦ ]. Suicide would have to have been the case that by acting as he did Socrates intended not only to do that which he ought to do or had to do, but that he wanted to be dead and intended to bring about his death† (Fairbairn 148). The ritual of seppuku is, then, far from being a desperate act of a suicidal nature, an act of self and soul preservation that, viewed through the prism of Japanese history and culture, emerges as a strong symbol of national and racial orientation, particularly impacting views of ethics, honor, and personal responsibility. How to cite Disembowelment in Japanese History, Papers Disembowelment In Japanese History Free Essays Honor was defined in Dr Johnson’s Dictionary in several senses. The first sense described honor as â€Å"nobility of soul, magnanimity, and a scorn of meanness. † This sort of honor derives from the perceived virtuous conduct and personal integrity of the person endowed with it. We will write a custom essay sample on Disembowelment In Japanese History or any similar topic only for you Order Now On the other hand, Johnson also defined honor in relationship to â€Å"reputation† and â€Å"fame†; to â€Å"privileges of rank or birth†, and as â€Å"respect† of the kind which â€Å"places an individual socially and determines his right to precedence.† This sort of honor is not so much a function of moral or ethical excellence, as it is a consequence of power. Finally, for women, according to Dr Johnson, honor is synonymous with â€Å"chastity†. On the other hand, dishonor means loss of honor, respect, or reputation; the condition of having lost honor or good repute. Many Japanese heroes choose to engage in disembowelment because it forms the way of graceful suicide by a samurai in Japan. By this method, samurais are deemed to be free from the dishonor. A samurai is a professional warrior belonging to the Japanese feudal military aristocracy. Disembowelment or evisceration is the removing of some or all of vital organs, usually from the abdomen. The results are, in virtually all cases, fatal. It has historically been used as a severe form of capital punishment. The last organs to be removed were invariably the heart and lungs so as to preserve the victim’s life force for the full procedure. In Japan, disembowelment also formed part of the method of execution of or graceful suicide by a samurai. In killing themselves by this method, they were deemed to be free from the dishonor resulting from their crimes. The most common form of disembowelment was referred to in Japanese as seppuku (where the term â€Å"hara-kiri,† literally â€Å"stomach cutting,† is regarded as vulgar), involving two cuts across the abdomen, sometimes followed by pulling out one’s own innards. The act of beheading, in most cases by one’s best servant, was added to this ritual suicide in later times in order to shorten the suffering of the samurai or leader, an attempt at rendering the ritual more humane. In the English language, hara-kiri and seppuku are often treated as synonyms. Seppuku was a key part of bushido, the code of the samurai warriors; it was used by warriors to avoid falling into enemy hands, and to attenuate shame. Samurai could also be ordered by their daimyo (feudal lords) to commit seppuku. Later disgraced warriors were sometimes allowed to commit seppuku rather than be executed in the normal manner. Since the main point of the act was to restore or protect one’s honor as a warrior, those who did not belong to the samurai caste were never ordered or expected to commit seppuku. Samurai women could only commit the act with permission. In his book The Samurai Way of Death, Samurai: The World of the Warrior (ch. 4), Dr. Stephen Turnbull states: Seppuku was commonly performed using a tanto. It could take place with preparation and ritual in the privacy of one’s home, or speedily in a quiet corner of a battlefield while one’s comrades kept the enemy at bay. In the world of the warrior, seppuku was a deed of bravery that was admirable in a samurai who knew he was defeated, disgraced, or mortally wounded. It meant that he could end his days with his transgressions wiped away and with his reputation not merely intact but actually enhanced. The cutting of the abdomen released the samurai’s spirit in the most dramatic fashion, but it was an extremely painful and unpleasant way to die, and sometimes the samurai who was performing the act asked a loyal comrade to cut off his head at the moment of agony. Sometimes a daimyo was called upon to perform seppuku as the basis of a peace agreement. This would weaken the defeated clan so that resistance would effectively cease. Toyotomi Hideyoshi used an enemy’s suicide in this way on several occasions, the most dramatic of which effectively ended a dynasty of daimyo forever, when the Hojo were defeated at Odawara in 1590. Hideyoshi insisted on the suicide of the retired daimyo Hojo Ujimasa, and the exile of his son Ujinao. With one sweep of a sword, the most powerful daimyo family in eastern Japan was put to an end. In time, committing seppuku came to involve a detailed ritual. A Samurai was bathed, dressed in white robes, fed his favorite meal, and when he was finished, his instrument was placed on his plate. Dressed ceremonially, with his sword placed in front of him and sometimes seated on special cloths, the warrior would prepare for death by writing a death poem. With his selected attendant (kaishakunin, his second) standing by, he would open his kimono (clothing), take up his wakizashi (short sword) or a tanto (knife) and plunge it into his abdomen, making a left-to-right cut. The kaishakunin would then perform daki-kubi, a cut in which the warrior was all but decapitated (a slight band of flesh is left attaching the head to the body). Because of the precision necessary for such a maneuver, the second was often a skilled swordsman. The principal agreed in advance when the kaishaku made his cut, usually as soon as the dagger was plunged into the abdomen. This elaborate ritual evolved after seppuku had ceased being mainly a battlefield or wartime practice and become a para judicial institution. The second was usually, but not always, a friend. If a defeated warrior had fought honorably and well, an opponent who wanted to salute his bravery would volunteer to act as his second. In the Hagakure, Yamamoto Tsunetomo wrote: From ages past it has been considered ill-omened by samurai to be requested as kaishaku. The reason for this is that one gains no fame even if the job is well done. And if by chance one should blunder, it becomes a lifetime disgrace. In the practice of past times, there were instances when the head flew off. It was said that it was best to cut leaving a little skin remaining so that it did not fly off in the direction of the verifying officials. However, at present it is best to cut clean through. Some samurai chose to perform a considerably more taxing form of seppuku known as jumonji-giri (. â€Å"cross-shaped cut†) in which there is no kaishakunin to put a quick end to the samurai’s suffering. It involves a second and more painful vertical cut across the belly. A samurai performing jumonji-giri was expected to bear his suffering quietly until perishing from loss of blood, passing away with his hands over his face. While the voluntary seppuku described above is the best known form and has been widely admired and idealized, in practice the most common form of seppuku was obligatory seppuku, used as a form of capital punishment for disgraced samurai, especially for those who committed a serious offense such as unprovoked murder, robbery, corruption, or treason. The samurai were generally told of their offense in full and given a set time to commit seppuku, usually before sunset on a given day. If the sentenced was uncooperative, it was not unheard of for them to be restrained, or for the actual execution to be carried out by decapitation while retaining only the trappings of seppuku; even the short sword laid out in front of the victim could be replaced with a fan. Unlike voluntary seppuku, seppuku carried out as capital punishment did not necessarily absolve the victim’s family of the crime. Depending on the severity of the crime, half or all of the deceased’s property could be confiscated, and the family stripped of rank. Seppuku as judicial punishment was officially abolished in 1873, shortly after the Meiji Restoration, but voluntary seppuku did not completely die out. Dozens of people are known to have committed seppuku since then, including some military men who committed suicide in 1895 as a protest against the return of a conquered territory to China by General Nogi and his wife on the death of Emperor Meiji in 1912; and by numerous soldiers and civilians who chose to die rather than surrender at the end of World War II. In 1970, famed author Yukio Mishima and one of his followers committed public seppuku at the Japan Self-Defense Forces headquarters after an unsuccessful attempt to incite the armed forces to stage a coup d’à ©tat. Mishima committed seppuku in the office of General Kanetoshi Mashita. His second, a 25-year-old named Masakatsu Morita, tried three times to ritually behead Mishima but failed; his head was finally severed by Hiroyasu Koga. Morita then attempted to commit seppuku himself. Although his own cuts were too shallow to be fatal, he gave the signal and he too was beheaded by Koga. In 1999, Masaharu Nonaka, a 58-year-old employee of Bridgestone in Japan, slashed his belly with a sashimi knife to protest his forced retirement. He died later in the hospital. This suicide, which became widely known as ‘risutora seppuku’, was said to represent the difficulties in Japan following the collapse of the bubble economy. Well-known people who committed seppuku: How to cite Disembowelment In Japanese History, Papers