Management and Organizations Assignment: Milgram & Linear Programs

This assignment explores two key concepts: the Milgram experiment and linear programming, within the context of management and organizations in a global environment. The first part analyzes the Milgram experiment, a psychology study that investigated obedience to authority, referencing a similar experiment conducted at La Trobe University. The assignment examines the experiment's findings, highlighting the conflict between compliance and personal principles. The second part focuses on linear programming, a mathematical method for determining the best outcomes, such as minimum cost or maximum profit, in various scenarios. The assignment explains the application of linear programming in solving word problems, specifically focusing on cost optimization in the consumption of fats and protein. It presents a linear equation and constraints to illustrate how companies can use linear programming to manage costs and maintain revenue. The conclusion summarizes the success of the Milgram model in demonstrating obedience and the effectiveness of linear programming in optimizing costs and profits.

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONS IN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
Management and Organisations in a Global Environment
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONS IN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
E-Learning Activity
Week 5 – Activity 1- The Milgram Experiment
Milgram experiment is one of the most famous Psychology experiment put forward by
Stanley Milgram in 1963 (Slater 2016). Through this experiment, he tried to prove that there is
some conflict between compliance to the high authority and personal principles. The experiment
started just after realizing the accused of the World War 2. He started his experiment first by
investigating about the Germans and their behaviour towards their authority. He initiated the
experiment by printing advertisement and asking the male students to take part in the
experiment. For carrying out the experiment the participants was closed in a room and was tied
with electrodes on his arms (Calhoun et. al. 2015). On the other hand, his supervisors were made
to sit in the other room with the electric shock control. This was carried out to see whether the
student is ready to take any shock or he will not accept to take any risk for his teachers. The
experiment used to take place with two students at a time where one played the role of a teacher
and the other one is the learner. However, the experiment later proved that about 65 percent of
people could do anything to obey their leaders. They can harm anyone just to keep the authority
happy (Burger 2014).
According to my experience, such type of experiment was once applied in the La Trobe
University in 70s where a lot of student took part in the experiment of testing their obedience for
the authority. The experiment that took place in this university is similar to that of Milgram in
early 60s. in the university two friend were made to sit in a separate room and one was asked to
give a shock to other on the ground that is she doesn’t do it then her friend will be put out of the
university. Thus, the other friend gave her friend the shock as her rejection would pay for her

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friend. However, after she pressed the electric shock machine, all the authority started to laugh
saying that the shock was not real and she is not hurt by it. The experiment took place with other
students as well and there were many who just thought of obeying the authority rather than
thinking about their friends. The experiment ended successfully like that of Milgram in 60s.
However, in the end the authority felt sorry about the people who are hurt because of the
experiment and would provide them with counselling session. The experiment soon spread all
over the world and unlike Milgram; there were university that included both men and women in
the experiment (Haslam et. al. 2015).
Week 6 – Activity 1 - Linear Programming Word Problems
The activity that took place in week 6 was about Linear Programming and its application
in the work problems. Linear programming is a method of obtaining the best outcome in any
situation. The outcomes measured in Linear Programming are usually about minimum cost or
maximum profit. However, the outcome is obtained by means of a linear equation (Dantzig
2016). It is a part of a mathematical programming model. All the reachable points are displayed
on the graph and the point, which shows maximum or minimum points are stated as the result.
The programming is given by simple linear equations or as a word problem in which the students
needs to form the linear equation themselves using the information given in the problem. There
is also a constraint in every problem, which needs to be stated in the beginning. The constraints
show that the answer cannot exceed this amount (Coffrin . and Van Hentenryck 2014).
The activity that took place in week six taught about the use of linear programming
problem to take out the minimum cost of consuming a mixture of fats and protein. The cost of
consuming protein and fat was given separately and adding both gave the cost equation. Then to

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form the constraint two equations was formed, one was with fats and one was protein. This
helped to give the maximum amount of fat and protein that can be consumed at a minimum cost
(Williams 2013).
Minimum cost C=aX + bY
Subject to,
nX + nY ≥ N
mX + mY ≥ N
Constraint, X ≥ 0, Y ≥ 0
From the above equation, it can be seen that X and Y are the two types of brands. m and
y represents protein and fats used by brand X and brand Y respectively. M and N is the total
amount of protein and fats. Constraint shows that quantity of fats and protein of any brand
cannot exceed zero. The equation shows that it requires minimum cost of consuming fats and
protein of both the brands. Here “a” and “b” are the price of consuming fats and protein of both
the brands. Thus by solving this equation one can find various values of consumption of fat and
protein of both the brands. Thus we need to put each value of X and Y in the cost equation. The
points, which give the minimum amount, will be chosen as the result. Thus, this shows that linear
programming is an ideal model for calculating the minimum cost and the maximum profit a
company can obtain to run successfully. Companies use this model to adjust their cost and profit
margin and maintain the revenue. The possible outcomes and pair of both fats and protein
consumption are presented on a graph, which makes it easier to analyse the result (Anderson et.
al. 2015).

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Conclusion
From the above solution, it can be deduced that Milgram model has been successful in
proving their point that juniors can do anything to be in the good books of their authority.
Maximum of the university received a high rate on it. The shock experiment suggested by
Milgram in 60s to prove that students believe in their authority more than their own conscience
has proved to be correct.
On the other hand, the second activity is about Linear Programming, which is used to
find the maximum and minimum solution of profit and cost respectively. This activity has also
been very fruitful as it helps the student to know more on managing the activities of their
companies in future and receive the maximum revenue.

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References
Anderson, D.R., Sweeney, D.J., Williams, T.A., Camm, J.D. and Cochran, J.J., 2015. An
introduction to management science: quantitative approaches to decision making. Cengage
learning.
Burger, J.M., 2014. Situational features in Milgram's experiment that kept his participants
shocking. Journal of Social Issues, 70(3), pp.489-500.
Calhoun, A.W., Pian-Smith, M.C., Truog, R.D., Gaba, D.M. and Meyer, E.C., 2015. The
Importance of Deception in Simulation: A Response. Simulation in Healthcare, 10(6), pp.387-
390.
Coffrin, C. and Van Hentenryck, P., 2014. A linear-programming approximation of AC power
flows. INFORMS Journal on Computing, 26(4), pp.718-734.
Dantzig, G., 2016. Linear programming and extensions. Princeton university press.
Haslam, S.A., Reicher, S.D., Millard, K. and McDonald, R., 2015. ‘Happy to have been of
service’: The Yale archive as a window into the engaged followership of participants in
Milgram's ‘obedience’experiments. British Journal of Social Psychology, 54(1), pp.55-83.
Slater, M., 2016. Exploring Moral Action Using lmmersive Virtual Reality. Universitat de
Barcelona Barcelona Spain.
Williams, H.P., 2013. Model building in mathematical programming. John Wiley & Sons.