Morale 194619 224906722 2008-07-10T23:01:55Z Neelix 1169106 Added link to athlete {{distinguish|Murali}} {{for|the Italian athlete|Salvatore Morale}} {{redirect|Esprit de corps}} '''Morale''', also known as '''''esprit de corps''''' when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used for the capacity of people to maintain [[belief]] in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others. The second term applies particularly to [[military]] personnel and to members of [[sport]]s [[team]]s, but is also applicable in business and in any other organizational context, particularly in times of stress or controversy. According to [[Alexander H. Leighton]], "morale is the capacity of a group of people to pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose".<ref>[[Alexander H. Leighton]], ''Human Relations in a Changing World: Observations on the Uses of the Social Sciences'' (1949)</ref> Morale is unrelated to [[Morality|morality]] (the ability to distinguish right and wrong). ===Military morale=== In a [[military science|military sense]], there are two meanings to morale. Primarily it means the cohesion of a unit, task force, or other military group. An army with good [[Military Supply Chain Management|supply lines]], sound air cover and a clear objective possesses, as a whole, can be said to have "good morale" or "high morale." Historically, elite [[military unit]]s such as the [[Praetorian Guard]], Napoleon's [[Imperial Guard]], and many Special Forces or elite units like the [[United States Marine Corps]], Israeli [[Golani Brigade]], [[French Foreign Legion]], [[United States Army Special Forces]], [[Special Air Service|SAS]], Australian [[SASR]] and [[Spetnaz]], have "high morale" due to both their elite training and pride in their unit. When a unit's morale is said to be "depleted", it means it is close to "crack and surrender", as was the case with Italian units in [[North Africa]] during World War II. It is well worth noting that generally speaking, most commanders do not look at the morale of specific individuals but rather the "fighting spirit" of squadrons, divisions, battalions, ships, Marine Safety Detachments, etc. ==Factors affecting military morale== Despite the intangible nature of morale, improvements in material factors (such as [[remuneration]], food and shelter) can improve the morale. However, history is filled with stories of the self-will and determination of a poorly supplied army maintaining morale to the very end, such as the [[Army of Northern Virginia]] in the [[American Civil War]]. ===Military morale can benefit from=== *Adequate quantity, and quality of [[food]], [[water]], and shelter. *The quality of military [[leadership]]. *The quality of military [[training]]. *Having a [[volunteer]] military, as opposed to a force made up of potentially less motivated [[conscription|conscripts]]. *A belief in the [[values]] the military represents, and fights for. *A belief in, and [[loyalty]] towards the [[nation]] and [[culture]] the military fights on behalf of. *How often the army wins or loses a confrontation with the enemy. *A sense of pride, belonging and inheritance by its members of the traditions and honour of a military unit or corps and a determination to live up to those traditions ===National public morale in war=== Morale in [[war]]fare is also related to the morale of a nation's population. A nation's population is likely to retain high wartime morale when: *The [[objectives]] of a war are clearly understood by the [[public]]. *The objectives of a war are valued by the public. *A public believes the war can be won. *A public believes the war is worth winning. *A public fears the consequences of losing the war. The morale of a [[civilian]] population can also increase or decrease due to exposure to [[propaganda]] from their government or [[opposition]] forces, respectively. [[Psychological warfare]] is a major part of modern warfare. [[Nation states]], politically motivated individuals, [[religious]] [[activists]], and [[secular]] [[pressure groups]] employ psychological warfare to target the minds of citizens in nations and cultures they are opposed to. Since at least the time of [[Carl von Clausewitz]]' ''[[On War]]'', maintenance of morale has been considered one of the fundamental "Principles of War"{{Fact|date=October 2007}}<!--too sweeping, according to whome?-->. Sir [[B. H. Liddell Hart|Basil Liddell Hart]] regarded morale even more fundamentally: :''The aim of a nation in war is to subdue the enemy's will to resist,...''{{Fact|date=October 2007}} [[Sun Tzu]], in his book ''[[The Art of War]]'', also mentions morale of nations, as well as armies. ===Morale in the workplace=== Workplace events play a large part in changing employee morale, such as heavy layoffs, the cancellation of overtime, cancelling benefits programs, and the influence of unions. Other events can also influence workplace morale, such as [[sick building syndrome]], low wages, and employees being mistreated. ====Factors influencing morale within the workplace include:==== *[[Job security]]. *Staff feeling that their contribution is valued by their employer. *Realistic opportunities for [[merit]]-based promotion. *The work '[[culture]]'. *[[Team]] composition. *[[Management]] style. *The perceived [[status]] of the work being done by the organization as a whole. *The perceived [[social]] or [[economic]] [[value]] of the work being done by the organization as a whole. == See also == * [[Psychological warfare]] * [[Information warfare]] * [[Motivation]] ==References== {{Reflist}} [[Category:Psychological warfare]] [[Category:Psychological attitude]] [[ja:士気]] [[no:Kampånd]] [[fi:Taistelutahto]] [[sv:Esprit de corps]]