Saturday, January 25, 2020

Effectiveness of Different Leadership Styles

Effectiveness of Different Leadership Styles Table of Contents Executive report Introduction Rationale and objectives Background Methodology Analysis of the findings Conclusion Reference Works Cited Appendix Executive report This report is done to compare the effectiveness of different leadership styles in different organizations, explain how organizational theory underpins the practice of management, and evaluate the different approaches to management used by different organizations. The purpose, problems and objectives of the research are outlined in the introduction as well as background information on both businesses. A methodology that explicitly tells how the researcher will go about conducting the research- methods and so on is also included. The research begins here in section two; the findings are analyzed and discussed. The objectives are restated then they are discussed, analyzed and evaluated respectively. A conclusion is also drawn from the whole report mainly giving a reminder of the issues that exist. Harvard style referencing is used to cite where some of the information and knowledge are obtain. Finally, there is an appendix which consists of an organizational chart for CDR. Introduction Rationale and objectives The importance of this research includes: Firstly, to afford the researcher the opportunity to assume major roles in leading a project. Secondly, allowing the researcher to assume management and administrative roles in order to attain knowledge, understanding and the skills of these areas. Third, to prepare and coordinate operational plans, display effective self-development and time management skills to satisfy an organization’s needs The objectives of the research are to: 2.1 Compare the effectiveness of different leadership styles in different organizations 2.2 Explain how organizational theory underpins the practice of management 2.3 Evaluate the different approaches to management used by different organizations Leadership Background Casa de Regalo is a nationwide partnership gift boutique established in 2009. It is located at Barbican Centre. They have ten dedicated and enthusiastic employees. Due to their unique tailor made products and services C.D.R is considered as the organization that satisfies seasonal giving needs. They specialize in a variety of unique merchandise ranging from specialty cards, flowers, toys and personalized printing services to specialty handcrafted gifts, jewelry, body essentials and customized apparel which are imported from your favorite places over the world. They also offer surprise delivery services. Providing exceptional customer service and customized products that are tailor-made to each customers personal style and also giving them the highest quality merchandises at an affordable price is our mission. We are aimed at making profit. KD consulting is a limited liability company established in 2008. It has twelve dedicated experts. We are a mobile company but our main office is located in Montego Bay. Our company provides a variety of services ranging from identify highest-value opportunities to addressing the most critical challenges and transforming enterprises. The trust and confidence in our capabilities that our clients are exposed to, is what differentiates us from other firms as well as our ability to enhance business performance, positively marketing them and ensuring their likelihood of making profit or achieving their goals. CDR is an international organization with the mission of providing expert advice and solutions for clients, therefore assisting small businesses to develop efficient plans for meeting their goals. Our aspiration strives through becoming the best consulting firm there is; providing quality service to all existing and start-up small businesses that seek our guidance. We also aim to be recognized as partner of choice by our clients and being technologically advanced in our fields of expertise while remaining practical and business oriented. Methodology The research is to design a management firm which is hired to assess a small business on behalf of an investor to help the company to explore the links between the organisation structure and culture and how these interact and influence the behaviour of the workforce. In order to assist the company secondary research will be conducted. Secondary data collection is published information that is already available from other sources. The internet will be my main source with its online dictionaries, articles, websites and books. This information collected from the secondary sources is pertinent to the objectives of the research. The researcher also used this type due to the fact that it is Inexpensive, information is easily accessible and immediately available and it will provide essential background to help to clarify or refine the research problem. The information accumulated is credible and is derived from the written work of authoritative individuals such as Jatin Vaid. The research began on February 9th and proceeded to February 26th. Data was collected from several sources from the online sources in order to obtain information related to the United Kingdom (UK) and local business organizations. . Analysis of the findings Compare and contrast different organizational structures and culture The structures There are three main types of structure. Product, matrix and functional Product Division Structure -These are popular among international companies with many products. Products that are similar are grouped under one product heading e.g. Perfumes and Cosmetics, each CEO focusing on a single product segment for its global market. Matrix Division Structure This tries simultaneously to deal with competing pressures for global integration and local responsiveness. Institutes overlaps among functional and divisional forms. It allows individual groups to share responsibility for new operations and enables them to exchange resources and information more Group willingly. Disadvantages includes: not championing their groups’ unique needs, therfore eliminate the multiple knowledge (Vaid, 2012). Functional Structure Specialized jobs are grouped according to traditional business functions. It is suitable for Company with a narrow product line, sharing similar technology. Highly efficient and assist in maximizing economies of scale The cultures Role Culture – focusses on rules, tasks, procedures and job descriptions Power Culture – power exercised by a one person with not much formal rules; Person Culture – the organisation is present for its members to benefit of; Task/Mission Culture – goal based with rewards for achieving mission and goals; 1.2 Explain how the relationship between an organization’s structure and culture can impact on the performance of the business Organizations are set up in specific ways to accomplish different goals, and the structure of an organization can help or hinder its progress toward accomplishing these goals. There are three main types of organizational structure: functional, divisional and matrix structure Culture consists of the shared values of an organization -the beliefs and norms that affect every aspect of work life, from how people greet each other to how major policy decisions are made Types of culture include: power culture, role culture, person culture and task culture. 1.3 Discuss the factors which influence individual behaviour at work The major factors that influence individual behavioral patterns, according to John Ivancevich and Michael Mattson are: demographic factors, ability and skills, perception, attitudes and personality. Demographic factors includes: race, age, sex, socio economic background, education and so on. The importance of studying demographic factors is to assist managers to choose the most fitting candidate for the specific job. Organizations rather persons belonging to a particular socio-economic background- well educated and young. They are believed to perform better than others. Skills and ability: skill according to Cambridge dictionaries is an ability to do an activity or job well especially because you have practiced it. Ability is the mental or physical power or skills needed to do something. Ability and skills highly influence individual behavior and performance. Persons tend to perform better in an organization if his skills and abilities are matched with the job. It is the manager’s job to match these skills and abilities off the employee to the job. Perception: a thought, belief, or opinion, often held by many people and based on appearances is referred to as perception (cambridge-dictionaries, n.d.). The study of perception is integral for managers as they need to provide a work environment that is favorable, so that the employees perceive them in most favorable way. If employees perceive it in a positive way they are more likely to perform better. Attitude: â€Å"An attitude is ‘a relatively enduring organization of beliefs, feelings, and behavioral tendencies towards socially significant objects, groups, events or symbols’ (Hogg, Vaughan 2005, p. 150).† (McLeod, 2009). Attitude is influenced by family, society, culture, organizational factors and peers. Managers in an organization need to create suitable work environments therefore tempting employees to have positive attitudes towards their respective jobs. If employees have positive attitude toward the job they perform better. Personality: the study of individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving (American Psycological Association, n.d.). Factors that influence personality includes: heredity, family, society, culture and situation. Individuals tend to differ in manner while responding to the organizational environment. The most complex aspect of human beings can be regarded as personality. Conclusion Cultural influences and organisational structures can both inform and constrain the strategic development and ultimately the competitiveness of a business in order to maintain competitive advantage and avoid any strategic drift (where organisational factors and culture drive the business rather than the needs of customers and key stakeholders). Their impact should be considered regularly by leaders and senior managers and they should both be critically reviewed. Reference Works Cited cambridge-dictionaries, n.d. Ability. [Online] [Accessed February 2015]. McLeod, S., 2009. Home †º Social Psychology †º Attitudes. [Online] Available at: http://www.simplypsychology.org/attitudes.html [Accessed February 2015]. Vaid, J., 2012. Organization structure in international business. [Online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/jatinmaims/organization-structure-in-international-business [Accessed February 2015]. Appendix Chart showing organizational structure of Casa de Regalo .

Friday, January 17, 2020

Eating Christmas in the Kalahari Essay

In his article â€Å"Eating Christmas in the Kalahari† (1969), Richard Borshay Lee tells of his three years spent living with the !Kung San Bushmen, of some of their customs, of how they celebrated Christmas and of how they dealt with ‘gifts’ or rather his gift to them in particular. Lee explains that the local people thought him a miser because he â€Å"maintained a two-month inventory of canned goods† (p 111) which was in direct contrast to the Bushmen â€Å"who rarely had a day’s supply of food on hand†(p 111), and it appeared he was determined to correct this view. Lee writes that it â€Å"is the Tswana-Herero custom of slaughtering an ox for his Bushmen neighbours as an annual goodwill gesture† (p 111) at Christmas. By purchasing the Christmas ox for the Bushmen’s annual feast himself, Lee hoped that it would be seen as a generous (parting) gesture, a ‘thank you’ for their cooperation – as in Western culture – and perhaps also the catalyst for dispelling their view of him as a miser. Lee appears to want the reader to believe that he was confused about his failure to gain the (expected) appreciation from the Bushmen for his generosity but was instead ridiculed for his choice of ox with sarcastic descriptions such as; â€Å"scrawny† (p 112), â€Å"old wreck†(p 111), â€Å"sack of guts and bones†(p 111), â€Å"old†(p 111), â€Å"thin†(p 111) and â€Å"sick†(p 113). Lee further leads us to believe that his confusion became more profound on Christmas Day when the ox was slaughtered and was found to have a thick layer of fat covering the meat. Although Lee indicates that he felt vindicated in his choice of ox, the derision and sarcasm continued throughout the slaughtering process. Lee writes that he later sought clarification and explanation from several of the local people and was eventually told that the Bushmen’s sarcasm or â€Å"obligatory insults over a kill†(p 114), was their ‘custom’ and was a  mechanism used to prevent hunters from getting an inflated ego and/or seeing themselves as better than anyone else. I have a problem with Lee’s account inasmuch as I find it extremely difficult if not impossible to believe that after spending three years living with and studying the lives, activities and customs of the Bushmen, Lee had never once seen, heard nor heard of this ‘custom’ and I would be loathe to place more than a token amount of faith in the honesty and correctness of this or any other of his writings or observations as a result. That the Bushmen included Lee in their customs and constructed a joke around him at his expense are inclusionary actions that would normally indicate an acceptance into a group and I believe that Lee’s writings were self-serving in that he wanted the reader to believe the Bushmen had thought highly enough of him to include him and treat him as they would one of their own. I also believe that Lee has taken liberties with the translations of a number of conversations with various individuals in order for the reader to have no doubt about what it was that Lee himself wanted to convey. I do not believe that words and terms such as; â€Å"arrogance†(p 114), â€Å"hogging†(p 112), â€Å"nevertheless†(p 114), â€Å"scrawny† (p 112), â€Å"rascal†(p 113), â€Å"braggart†(p 113), â€Å"you have always been square with us† (p 111), â€Å"sack of guts and bones†(p 111), â€Å"old wreck†(p 111), â€Å"I suppose†(p 112), â€Å"feeling as we do†(p 112), â€Å"another one pipes up†(p 113), â€Å"you must respond in kind†(p 114), are part of the native language as Lee would allege in his quotes of conversations with the natives. These quotes are peppered with language that is more attributable to a certain class of native of the UK, not one of the Kalahari. From my reading of Lee’s article, I believe it is nothing more than a poorly veiled attempt to elevate his own importance in the mind of the reader and perhaps even his peers. I feel that Lee has done a huge disservice to not only himself and his own credibility but also to that of the profession of anthropology. What does Lee’s article say about his observational strengths in the field if after three years he fails to note what appears to be a very powerful and meaningful hunting custom? In closing, I admit to agreeing with Lee’s statement â€Å"there are no totally generous acts†(p 114). Every act of gift giving is inextricably attached to an expected or preconceived return or reciprocity either in manner or kind and this may be nothing more than ‘feeling good’. ******************** REFERENCES: Lee, Richard Borshay 1969 â€Å"Eating Christmas in the Kalahari† reprinted in A. Podolefsky and P. Brown (eds.), Applying Cultural Anthropology: an introduction. (1991), Mountainview: Mayfield, pp. 110-114.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

A Comparative Analysis Of On Property Owning Democracy

Frederick Olmos Ceja Professor William R. Lund History of Political Philosophy II May 12, 2015 Final Essay Essay Question # 6 Property Owning Democracy: A Comparative Analysis to Marxian Communism John Rawls is an American political philosopher, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. His work contributed towards a better understanding of justice as fairness and author of the book that bears the same title. In his manuscript, Justice as Fairness, Rawls introduces a new political philosophy known as property owning democracy. When analyzing his work he descries the tenants of this new political theory. In an effort to understand Rawls vision of a property owning democracy, it is crucial to implement a comparative analysis to contrast Rawls vision with that of Marxian communism. Karl Marx was a German political philosopher who believed that he had created a system of government, which he believes would lead a utopia. Karl Marx creation is communism, a political philosophy that is a strictly hypothetical political system in which, governmental affairs, economic policies, and the social realms are combined into what Marx describes as a â€Å"perfect, classless, automatic, governm ent-less system based on common ownership of all economic means of production, and social sameness.† To compare and contrast both political philosophies one must first understand each author’s conceptions of their theories, see their real world applications, and figure out which political philosophy seem toShow MoreRelatedThe Human Race937 Words   |  4 Pagesimportantly the right to free freely?† through a comparative framework developed on the exemplary works of Marx and Tocqueville. Commencing with ‘Democracy in America’, Tocqueville uses this platform to show the differences in democracy and aristocracy or alienation and disalienation. 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Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Metamorphosis Gregor Samsa Character Analysis - 1026 Words

A villain is someone who opposes who opposes the protagonists (Websters). In Franz Kafka’s, Metamorphosis Gregor Samsa’s father’s tendencies and actions enhance the story. As Kafka recounts a story about Gregor who wakes up one morning, not feeling like himself, literally. He wakes up in an entirely different body, no longer does he walk and talk like a man, but rather lives and breathes through the body of a large insect. After all of Gregors, hardships and demonstrated devotion, his father still has the audacity to complain, when his son can no longer work and support the family. Mr. Samsa embodies a villain and this can be seen through his actions and through Kafka’s description of him. Mr. Samsa’s actions enhance the novel, because†¦show more content†¦When his family sees him in his new state there are screams, yells and even violence. 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