Planning For Change In An Organization

Planning For Change In An Organization The purpose of this essay is to understand the background and the issues related to organizational strategic change. Be able to lead the stakeholders in the development of a strategy for change and to be able to plan to implement models for ensuring ongoing change. According to Rajagopalan Spreitzer 1997, strategic change is a difference in the form, quality, or state over time in organizations alignment with its external environment. Managing change is all about creating changes in a planned and orderly movement and it is considered to be a crucial role in the organization. Background of the Organizations Strategic Change Travelodge Hotel According to Travelodge 2011, they are considered to be the first budget hotel brand to be introduced in the Uk in 1985 and now managed to operate 380 hotels (over 26,000 rooms) throughout Ireland, Spain and the UK. The chain is under the operation of Dubai International Capital, who purchased the organization from Permira in 2006 as stated in Travelodge site, 2011. January 2009 is the date when Travelodge UK has been launched. They have undergone the first retail-style price checking programme. Through this, they were able to measure up the prices of all the giant UK hotel chains to make sure that they remain being the leader on price. Due to its rapid growth, they are continuously working on their plan of operating 70,000 rooms which is approximately 1000 hotels by the year 2020. Aside from that, they are aiming to be the biggest hotel operator when the Olympics come on 2012. Based on last years data, six and a half million people dwelt in Travelodge. Due to its promotion in the internet of  £19 per night, 87% of those guests booked from online according to the data gathered. This promotion is applied throughout UK. LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1.1 KURT LEWIN ( Unfreeze, Change, Freeze ) Unfreezing This stage involves preparing oneself for a change and preferably making a situation in which change is needed. The more urgent the change should be made, the motivation to make the change is high. Change Time is needed and must be given to people as this is not an easy time because people are learning about the changes and they need to understand the process, In this case, support from the management is essential such as coaching, training and expecting mistakes being a piece of the course. Freezing This is the final stage of the process and it is very relevant as the desired change must be accepted and sustained. Without the freezing stage, there is always a tendency of the people to return back to the things that they are used to do. It is necessary to ensure that desired change is continually being performed and not forgotten. Bullock and Batten, planned change This model involves four stages: exploration, planning, action and integration. The occurrence of the exploration is when the management confirms that there is a need for change and secure resources needed for it (enotes,2011). Resources may be classified into physical or mental such as the expertise of the manager. Subsequently, planning takes place when the people in charge in decision making create a desired plan followed by review and approval. When the implementation of the plan takes place, that is when the action stage occurs. Lastly, integration starts by the time the action in the desired change plan is in motion and when the changes have been associated with the organization with a certain degree of validation by means of policies and organizational procedures. McKINSEYS 7S Strategy to have a competitive advantage in the competition, strategies are needed. Structure organizational structure and the line of management Systems employees daily activities Shared Values organizational values being implemented to employees Style the way leaders and managers behave towards the realization of its objectives. Staff employees and their whole capabilities Skills the expertise and capabilities of the people in the company 1.2 RELEVANCE OF CHANGE MODEL Travelodge Hotel is best analysed using the McKinseys 7 S. In this case, due to the constant existence of the hostels, which obviously offer low prices, Travelodges objective of expansion every year has been affected. In this matter, they need minimize their cost and expenses for them to sustain in the competition regarding price. The company needs to have a good strategy to maintain their growth and to have an advantage in the hotel industry, like providing extra discounts to students and tourist. Talking about the structure, being a hierarchical management as all orders are mandated by the head office, they need to see to it that proper communication must be observed from the top to the bottom. In this way, a change of structure is needed. Likewise, for the change to be effective, systems of the organization must be taken into consideration without neglecting the core values of the hotel which is to provide affordable accommodation to everybody. In my point of view, objectives of the company relating to expansion and change will be best fulfilled if management is supportive enough to motivate people to perform. In implementing changes, employees and their skills are relevant because without them planned changes in Travelodge Hotel will just be wasted. The models and techniques are important for the organization because it serves as the guidelines to achieve the plan. 1.3 VALUE OF STRATEGIC INTERVENTION In every planned action that needs to be materialized, strategic intervention is needed because it gives and reminds individuals a certain motivation and direction in between the process. Making us understand on the things that we do, why we do it and how, is the main function of intervention. Its value cannot be underestimated as they are the tools in the process of achieving organizations objective. Travelodge process of change within the organization and among individuals, requires human process intervention, team building consensus and conflict, as well as human resource management as they are a huge organization. Considering the external, organizational and government intervention is also necessary because the target of expansion requires all those things to operate. ISSUES RELATING TO THE ORGANIZATIONS STRATEGIC CHANGE Various issues are to be considered pertaining to the strategic change in an organization. It does not matter how we define this change because of the mere fact that challenge to the company is inevitable: balancing the demands and hopes among the stakeholders including customer, employees, management and shareholders. Without balance, an organization risks an anxious work force that may yield declining output. Needs for Change Travelodge is experiencing a decline of sales nowadays due to the emergence of new hotels and hostels in the City Of London. Further promotions and offerings about their products and services must be considered. One of the reasons why people tend to stay in other hotel is because of their services and prices. Another thing to be considered by the organization is the culture of their staff. The company is experiencing a high people turnover for years already. Since people are having various options to choose from in the market regarding accommodations, plus the crisis in the economy, Travelodge must be able to have an edge in the market. This thing must be given focus by the organization to maintain the market share. Factors that are driving the need for strategic change in Travelodge The present economy and the massive competition in the hotel industry are one of the factors why there is a need for a change. Travelodge being a low cost accommodation, still needs to find ways on how to increase market share and be profitable. The upcoming Olympic games on 2012 is a good opportunity for them to increase profit. Hence, further development of their promotions and offers must be studied and done. Customer satisfaction is one of their problems nowadays because of low performance of the team which leads the company to adapt change in the system of delivering exceptional experience and services to the guests. Considering the external factors, competitors edge in prices and services are one of the factors that affect the operation of Travelodge Hotel because it decreases the guest turnover and therefore affects their financial status necessary to run the business. Resource Implications of the Organization Not Responding to Change Human Resources which pertain to employees are expected to resist in the process of change because they may feel uncomfortable in doing new things related to what they are used to. Skills Development is necessary for each and every employees working in the hotel industry especially in the aspect of customer service. Strict compliance of the standard operating procedure is required for guests satisfaction. Likewise, physical resources like refurbishments of the building may be hard to do because it entails a lot of time and money to finance the said project. Though it is necessary for Travelodge to keep their rooms and the entire hotel presentable to gain more positive reviews from guest, there are still lots of things to be prioritized and considered especially in the matter of finance. Financial resources is always an issue in implementing any projects because of the fact that there is a decline in the income of Travelodge Hotel. In connection with this, a difficulty in implementing the change is visible. BE ABLE TO LEAD STAKEHOLDERS IN DEVELOPING A STRATEGY FOR CHANGE MULTIPLE CAUSE DIAGRAM According to Hopkins 2005, it is a technique that you can use on your own or with groups of people and also known as the fish bone method. To start with a definition of the performance problem is the essential idea followed by a question of why it is happening until building up a picture of various factors affecting the performance. Travelodge Hotel is undergoing a decrease in performance of their sales and income because of the massive competition in the market. Their regular patrons are finding better options regarding to prices and services. Recent reviews show a lot guest complaints and guest being dissatisfied. This is because staffs are not delivering exceptional service to the guest as well as the appearance of the room itself. Due to crisis financially, further trainings to individuals and building improvements have been left out for a while which results to low performance. Change Management Strategy with Stakeholders 3.2.1 Employees Development Employees must undergo training programs to enhance their skills in customer service. This refers to staff from Front Office Department and Food and Beverage Department because they are the one who are directly in contact with the guest. Further trainings and performance appraisal of the employees must be given focus by the management because in this way employees will tend to do their best in imparting good customer service to the guest. Next step is to create a system which motivates the employees to perform well such as providing extra gratuities at the end of the month. Normally, in the hotel industry, guests are generous enough to leave some tips for the staff, in connection with this, Travelodge must have a system for the gratuities to be divided equally amongst the employees from all departments. 3.2.2 Promotions As Travelodge Hotel is accepting bookings online like all other hotels, promotions and offers must be presented as well in their site to create peoples awareness of what is being offered during the season. 3.2.3 Customers Feedback External stakeholders are relevant in developing a change. By asking feedback from them regarding the services during their stay will help the hotel to develop the areas which they are low in performance. Reviews regarding the hotel provide a lead for the potential guest to make a choice. Nonetheless, Travelodge must see to it that guest are satisfied in order for them to leave an excellent rate and review. Evaluation of the System Used Using the Multiple Cause Diagram is advantageous because in this way, the management can pinpoint the exact cause of the problem that needs to be change. It is an easy to use tool for Travelodge Hotel to be performed because answering to the why question is all it needs. For instance, the cause of a decline in profit is the massive competition in the market, hence, followed by moving their regular guest to other hotels because of poor services. In this way, the management of Travelodge will be able to identify the factors which cause the main problem. And through this, they can easily formulate a strategy which will help them overcome the present status in their business. Management of Resistance Strategies 3.4.1 Open Communication This must be done all throughout the process for the people to fully understand the purpose of the planned change, and the opportunities that lies ahead if change will be implemented. In the process of change exchange of ideas is necessary for the people to feel that their participation is important which somehow results to motivation in responding positively to change. Authority Process This is necessary in order to control peoples behaviour for the benefit of the implemented change. Management must direct people that certain change must be adapted and they need to participate on it. Evaluation In the implemented change, an evaluation is necessary for the management to know whether people are responding positively and whether the goals are halfway to achieve. Knowing the cause of resistance must also be taken into consideration so that proper ways to handle the situation will be exercised. BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT MODELS FOR ENSURING ONGOING CHANGE 4.1 ADKAR Model In my own understanding, ADKAR model is appropriate to use for Travelodge Hotel as it delivers awareness for the necessary changes, desire to participate and support the change, knowledge on how to change, ability to implement the planned change and reinforcement to sustain the change in an organization. Implementation of the Model for Change 4.2.1 Awareness Travelodge Hotel management must see to it that people concerned are aware of the planned change before implementing it so as to avoid resistance and more chaos in the organization. Because strict compliance of standard operation procedures are needed to be implemented which have been neglected by most of the people, management has to announce accordingly its pros and cons. Desire To instil this to the employees, they need to be aware first of the necessity why change must have to happen. So therefore, in informing people that policies and procedures must be changed pertaining to customer service efficiency, convincing them to believe that the hotel is not performing well in terms of income which somehow affects their benefits can create a desire for them to participate in the process. 4.2.3 Knowledge This comes after having the desire of participating in the process. The management is therefore required to elaborate the things that need to be done in the implementation of the planned change. For instance, in order to have a high rate performance in the reviews, receptionist must perform well in dealing with the customers complaint and in achieving that, further trainings are needed. Ability In this area, the Managers of Travelodge Hotel must provide coaching and mentoring to people. In the case of Food and Beverage division, Food and Beverage Managers must provide hands-on training to the staff because this is where he knows whether staffs are performing according to the standard of the hotel. Reinforcement This is where the management needs to have focus for the change to stay in place. This can be done by undergoing evaluations and proper monitoring of the employees performance through feedback from Travelodge guests or on the job observation. Measures to Monitor Progress Progress of the change can be monitored through progressive reviews during meetings and consultation. Wherein each individual will have a chance to speak out their ideas and observation. Likewise, goal- based evaluation is also helpful because this is where the management can assess if the goal is being reached already or still needs more hard work for it to be realized. Similarly, regular reports regarding customers feedbacks and employees performance must also be considered for the management to take necessary measures if something out of the context is happening. CONCLUSION In my own understanding, ADKAR model is suitable to use in implementing the change for Travelodge because it emphasizes to individuals which are the main resources in the organization. By using this model, determining the specific area to improve and to maintain is easy simply because it is a step by step process. Travelodge current situation is driving the company to strive more in formulating ideas on how to improve their services especially in customer satisfaction. Hence, by implementing the planned strategies, it will somehow give the organization an edge to compete in the market.

King Lear Shakespeare’s Essay

Dylan Thomas’s â€Å"Do not go gentle into that good night† was influenced by William Butler Yeats’s â€Å"Lapis Lazuli† and William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ but the villanelle bears a stronger resemblance to Shakespeare’s play. The attitudes toward how an individual lives in the face of impending death, explored by Thomas, are similarly examined with the portrayal of Gloucester and Lear. Dylan Thomas’s â€Å"Do not go gentle into that good night† has been noted to bear the influence of and even echo W. B. Yeats, especially â€Å"Lapis Luzuli,† and, secondarily via this poem, Shakespeare’s King Lear. One scholar notes its â€Å"Yeatsian overtones† (Fraser 51); another judges Thomas’s villanelle to have â€Å"much of the concentrated fury of expression which the poetry of the older Yeats contained, but †¦ more tenderness and sympathy† (Stanford 117), and goes on to say. , citing â€Å"Lapis Lazuli,† that â€Å"Yeats described the poet as one who knows that `Hamlet and Lear are gay'† (118). William York Tindall cites not only â€Å"Lapis Lazuli† but also Yeats’s â€Å"The Choice† as sources (204). Another scholar seems to skip over Yeats entirely (though his own phrasing echoes line 1 of â€Å"Lapis Lazuli†), seeing the â€Å"Grave men/blind† tercet (which contains the injunction to â€Å"be gay†) as â€Å"perhaps invok[ing] the Miltonic† (Tindall also mentions Milton 205) and the effect of the phrase â€Å"be gay† as â€Å"rather hysterical sentimentality† (Holbrook, Dissociation 53); of the earlier â€Å"Wise men/lightning† verse, however, he says â€Å"The images are merely there, histrionically, to bring in the phrase `forked no lightning’ to give a Lear-like grandeur to the dirge† (52). I would like to propose that â€Å"Do not go gentle into that good night† bears a much stronger and more direct connection to Shakespeare’s play than is suggested by references to Yeats or to â€Å"Lear-like grandeur. † I would like to propose that the attitudes towards death–or, more precisely, the attitudes towards how one lives in the face of impending death–that Thomas explores in this poem–the implied attitude his speaker attributes to his direct audience, and the one he urges be adopted in its place–are similarly explored in King Lear and dramatized in the characters of Gloucester and Lear. I also propose that the voice we hear in â€Å"Do not go gentle† may not be a directly lyric speaker but an obliquely drawn persona, that of Gloucester’s son Edgar. Further, when read in the shadow cast by King Lear, the tone of Thomas’s poem grows dark indeed. â€Å"Do not go gentle into that good night† is addressed to Thomas’s father, David John, known as D. J. According to biographer Paul Ferris, D. J. was â€Å"an unhappy man †¦ a man with regrets† (27); born with brains and literary talent, his ambition was to be a man of letters, but he was never able to advance beyond being â€Å"a sardonic provincial schoolmaster† in South Wales, feared for his sharp tongue (26-33). After his first serious illness, though–cancer in 1933–â€Å"A mellowing is said to have been noticeable soon after; his sarcasm was not so sharp; he was a changed man† (104). As he grew more chronically ill in the 40’s, mostly from heart disease and with one of the complications being trouble with his sight, the mellowing intensified: As Ferris puts it, â€Å"It must have been [D. J. ‘s] backbone of angry dignity that his son grieved to see breaking long after, when he wrote `Do not go gentle into that good night'† (27), and the poem is â€Å"an exhortation to his father, a plea for him to die with anger, not humility† (259). The poem was first published in November, 1951, in Princess Caetani’s Botteghe Oscure, on consecutive pages with â€Å"Lament,† a dramatic monologue spoken by an old man on his deathbed who recalls his rollicking youth and middle-age spent in the pursuit (and capture) of wine, women, and song, but who has married at last in order to obtain a caretaker, and must suffer pious comforting in his final, helpless days. (Bibliographic evidence suggests the two were also composed, or at least finalized, more or less simultaneously; Kidder 188.) In the letter to Caetani that contained â€Å"Do not go gentle,† Thomas remarked that â€Å"this little one might well be printed with [â€Å"Lament†] as a contrast† (qtd. in Kidder 188). As Ferris suggests, it would be difficult to over-estimate D. J. ‘s influence on his son: â€Å". . . the pattern of [Dylan’s] life was in some measure a response to D. J. Thomas and his wishes. For the early books that Dylan Thomas read, the rhythms he absorbed, and probably for his obsession with the magic of the poet’s function, he was indebted to D. J. † (283). Prominent among those â€Å"early books† read by Thomas are the works of Shakespeare. In 1948 (and Thomas might have begun his, as usual, protracted drafting and revision of â€Å"Do not go gentle† in 1945, after D. J. suffered a nearly fatal illness; Tindall 204), Thomas wrote a journalist that D. J. ‘s â€Å"reading aloud of Shakespeare seemed to me, and to nearly every other boy in the school, very grand indeed; all the boys who were with me at school, and who have spoken to me since, agree that it was his reading that made them, for the first time, see that there was, after all, something in Shakespeare and all his poetry. . . † (qtd. in Ferris 33; his ellipses). That Thomas was familiar with and admiring of Shakespeare is, of course, no surprise, but his direct linkage of his father with Shakespeare, particularly at this point in time, is interesting, and he demonstrated more than familiarity with King Lear: In 1950, during one of his reading tours in America, he spent an evening with novelist Peter de Vries (who would later use Thomas as the basis for the poet Gowan McGland in Reuben, Reuben) and, among other conversational gambits, â€Å"declaimed some Lear† (de Vries, qtd. in Ferris 233). That he was equally well-immersed in Yeats is verified by the fact that poems by Yeats were among those he performed on his 1950 tour of

Benefits of Media Fast Essay

Most of the innovations that happened in the twentieth are extremely valuable to human kind. Advancement in technology that mostly happened in the twentieth century has other various advantages besides making machines efficient and convenient. The discovery of computers has made work easier, and in addition, computers are a substantial contribution to effective communication. With the rising population, it is easier to control and regulate people by the use of computers. Through the same innovation, creation of social networking sites has brought the world closer. Social networking sites such as Facebook provide a credible platform for interaction among people from various communities across the world. In the course of interaction, individual perception of the social, economic, political, physical and spiritual world can be significantly influenced due to the constant exchange of ideas (Vorderer, 2006). However, technology has consumed people’s time and space, making it imposs ible to live without technology. This paper is going to explore the benefits associated with fasting from media for a weekend. First, fasting from media, including all electronic gadgets reduces impulse buying and unhealthy eating habits encouraged by advertisements. Advertisements encourage people to buy things that they really do not need. Impulse buying occurs due to advertisement; this is because of the nature of advertisement content which convinces consumers. On the other hand, branding of commodities entice buyers to purchase things that they don’t intend to buy. Advertisement cost is extended to consumers, hence making products to have a top-notch price compared to the initial price. The new arrival of a gadget in the market sets a certain class and advertisement plays a great role in promoting it (Vardi, 2011). Moreover, the information given about it can be misleading, for example, when an advertisement message speaks of nutritious food, while in real sense is chemically manufactured and it contains nothing nutritional. Emerging trends of luxurious goods, mostly compromise the market diversi ty since many people will be enticed on a new commodity’s arrival rather than analyze its exclusivity quality. This affects consumerism negatively. Fasting from advertisement exposure reduces risk of eating unhealthy foods, and also impulse buying. Secondly, media fast enable one to create and build relationships with family and friends. Technology has been blamed for the elevated exasperation in youth. The usage of smart phones for texting, internet and playing games has had a negative impact on their psyche, which has increased their frustrations. The adolescents get frustrated and agitated any time they are asked to do anything, especially when they are on the internet playing games. For example, when a mother asks a child to take out the trash can, the child will get very angry instantly since he or she thinks the mother is interfering with his or her chat or playtime, and such issues have led to the deterioration of mother- child relationships (Vardi, 2011). Additionally, a media fast will enable more interaction between people, which rarely occurs due to use of technological gadgets. Fasting from media helps in family and friends’ social bonding. Abstaining from the media over the weekend helps in relaxation and better sleep. People experience difficulties everyday because of the blue light given off by TV and computer screens. This light resembles the light given off by the sun, tricking the human body into reducing the melatonin production, a hormone responsible for sleep pattern (Price, 2013). People therefore, stay up late either surfing or watching movies instead of resting at night over the weekends. However, a media fast enable one to avoid watching television and being exposed to blue light, which results to a good night’s rest. Lack of sleep issue a serious health issue that can cause serious medical problems for a person. Media fast, therefore, eliminated the melatonin production interruption, enabling the body to rest well during the night and to consequently exhibit better health and energy the following day. Lack of physical activity in many adolescents is as a result of overusing technology. Advanced technology has provided a completely alternative and unique way of communication and way of interacting with one another. The youths are using applications like the apps, social networks, online games which has hindered the physical communication and interaction the kids used to have before the emergence of technology (Prasad, 2011). Youths that spent long hours on the internet are known to be lonely. When people are mainly on the internet, TV, and cell phone, they isolate themselves, feel neglected and their senses become over stimulated leading to obesity. These problems may later translate to heart attack, stroke and Diabetes or mental retardation that causes addiction to the internet or drugs, development of pervert behaviors and also, they may become very violent (Price, 2013). Although putting down media for a weekend is not enough to start exercising, the chance provides one with tim e to take a walk, meet new people, work on the garden, visit the gym and any other activity as long as one is doing something. Media fast helps in reducing stress related issues. People have become so addicted to media such that they cannot go without it. The constant flow of information, updates, TV and internet are quite overwhelming. As a result of this, many adolescents lack patience due to overusing technology. Patience being a key virtue in one’s life, lack of it may cause a person to lose his will. In today’s life one has to be determined and you cannot achieve it without being patient, which makes the impatient individuals to find it hard to survive. Vardi (2011) attests that many adolescents are losing tolerance, due to using technology wrongfully and for a long time. When the adolescents want to view a page and the internet is taking long to load they become very frustrated and impatient and this even translates to their daily lives and they may end up stressed. For the people who are employed, it is not possible to get any rest since they carry the office back at home! Smart phones a nd computers take the time intended for family. Turning of all these updates, internet and TV provides one with a chance to relax and avoid stress. Media fast enable people to think for themselves. Overusing the internet has seen many people lose their creativity and writing skills. This is as a result of excessive use of chatting engines and shortcuts which have seen the youths lose writing skills. It is difficult for a youth to even construct a sentence without putting in the shortcuts that make it lose meaning and cannot be used in a learning environment. They rely more on communicating in a digital way that they cannot even spell certain words, proper use of grammar is an issue and they are not able to do cursive writing (Vardi, 2011). However, this opportunity can provide them with a chance to use their mind. In conclusion, technology has again consumed people’s time and space, making it impossible to live without technology. Although the human brain is capable of keeping up with the high rate of technological advances, a breather once in a while may be useful to avoid stress and help in relaxation of the mind and body. References Prasad, P. (2011). Information communication technology (ICT) – its waste and consequences. International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 363-363. Price, R. (2013). Technology and its Consequences. Radiography, 185-186. Vardi, M. (2011). Technology has social consequences. Communications of the ACM, 5-5. Vorderer, P. (2006). Playing video games: Motives, responses, and consequences. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Source document

The Role of Fate in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet

Theres no real consensus among Shakespearean scholars about the role of fate in Romeo and Juliet. Were the star-crossd lovers doomed from the start, their sad futures determined before they even met? Or are the events of this famed play a matter of bad luck and missed chances? Lets take a look at the role of fate and destiny in the story of the two teenagers from Verona whose feuding families cant keep them apart.  Ã‚   The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliets story begins in the streets of Verona. Members of two feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets, are in the midst of a brawl. When the fight is over, two young men of the Montague family (Romeo and Benvolio) agree to secretly attend a Capulet ball. Meanwhile, young Juliet of the Capulet family is also planning to attend the same ball. Romeo and Juliet meet at the ball and instantly fall in love. Each is horrified to learn that their love is forbidden, but they nevertheless secretly marry. A few days later, in another street brawl, a Capulet kills Romeos dear friend Mercutio, and Romeo, enraged, in turn, kills the Capulet. Romeo flees and is banned from Verona. Meanwhile, however, friends help him and Juliet to spend their wedding night together. After Romeo leaves the next morning, Juliet is counseled to drink a potion that will make her appear to be dead. After she is laid to rest, Romeo will rescue her from the crypt and they will live together in another city. Juliet drinks the potion, but because Romeo doesnt learn of the plot, he believes she is really dead. Seeing her dead, he kills himself. Juliet wakes, sees Romeo dead, and kills herself. The Theme of Fate in Romeo and Juliet The story of Romeo and Juliet asks the question are our lives and destinies preordained? While it is possible to see the play as a series of coincidences, bad luck, and bad decisions, most scholars see the story as an unfolding of events predetermined by fate.   In the opening lines of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare allow the audience to be party to his characters’ destiny. We learn early on what is going to happen to the title characters: â€Å"a pair of star-crossd lovers take their life.† Throughout the story, the words of the play encourage the audience to think about fate and to what extent our actions and outcomes are preordained.Before the Capulets party, in Act 1, Scene 3, Romeo is already feeling that fate is planning his doom. He wonders if he should attend the party, as my mind misgives/Some consequence yet hanging in the stars.  Ã‚  When Mercutio shouts â€Å"a plague on both your houses† in Act 3, Scene 1, hes foreshadowing whats to come for the title couple. This bloody scene in which characters are killed gives us a glimpse of whats to come, marking the beginning of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic downfall.Later, when Mercutio dies, Romeo himself foreshadows the outcome: This days black fate on more days doth depend/This but begins the woe, others must end. The others upon whom fate later falls, of course, are Romeo and Juliet.In Act 5, when he hears of Juliets death, Romeo swears he will defy fate: Is it even so? Then I defy you, stars! Later, in Juliets tomb, as he plans his own death, Romeo says: O, here/Will I set up my everlasting rest,/And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars/From this world-wearied flesh. This brave defiance of fate is especially heartbreaking because Romeos suicide is the event that actually leads to Juliets death. The idea of fate permeates many of the events and speeches in the play. Romeo and Juliet see omens throughout the play, continually reminding the audience that the outcome will not be a happy one. Their deaths are a catalyst for change in Verona: The dueling families are united in their grief and create a political shift in the city. Perhaps Romeo and Juliet were  fated to love  and die for the greater good of Verona. Were Romeo and Juliet Victims of Circumstance? A modern reader, examining the play through the lens of happenstance and coincidence, may feel that Romeo and Juliets fates were not wholly predetermined, but rather a series of unfortunate and unlucky events. Here are just a few of the coincidental or unlucky events that force the story into its apparently preordained track: Romeo and Benvolio happen to meet and talk about love on the very day of the Capulets ball. Had they had the conversation the following day, Romeo would not have met Juliet.Friar Lawrences messenger to Romeo, who would have explained the plan by which Juliet was to pretend death, is detained. As a result, Romeo doesnt get the message.Juliet wakes just moments after Romeos suicide. Had Romeo arrived just a few moments later, all would have been well. It is certainly possible to describe the events of Romeo and Juliet as a series of unfortunate events and coincidences, but that was almost certainly not Shakespeares intent. By understanding the theme of fate and exploring the question of free will, modern readers still find the play challenging and intriguing.