Leadership Theories Essay Example Essay Example

Leadership Theories Essay Example Paper Leadership Theories Essay Introduction Introduction Numerous studies have been conducted on leadership styles and theories, leading to an abundance of information on the topic. This paper will identify leadership styles and theories that the author has experienced in the maintenance field. Given the leadership styles identified, the author has identified one leadership theory that has influenced their leadership style for an ongoing project that they are currently working on. The study of leadership has identified many different styles exhibited by leaders. Leaders may be of predominantly a single style or may demonstrate the use of different styles depending on the environment that they find themselves in. Goleman (2000) has identified six styles which have been summarised below, however the descriptions of each style may be known by other titles according to different authors. Coercive – ‘Do as I tell you’. Demands that people follow the instructions given to them and leaves no room for their input o r initiative. Rules from the top down. Can make people feel devalued and so resentful that they feel no compulsion to help the leader or business. It can however be used in times of crisis, during a turnaround and to deal with problematic employees, however it should ceased to be used when then issue is dealt with. Authoritative – ‘Come with me’. Authoritative leaders build a vision and inspire people to achieve the vision. Establishes a clear vision and encourages everyone to achieve the vision with true enthusiasm. They motivate people by demonstrating to them how their work fits into the larger vision of the organisation, and generally offers people the freedom to develop their own methods to achieve the stated vision. Leadership Theories Essay Body Paragraphs Affiliative – ‘People come first’. The Affiliative leader has a caring, nurturing approach building strong emotional bonds with people to develop fierce loyalty among people. They provide the freedom for people to choose the most effective way to do their work. Affiliative leaders offer positive feedback to personnel providing a sense of recognition and reward for work well done which in turn generates motivation and a sense of belonging among personnel. Democratic – ‘What do you think? ’. By listening to other people’s ideas and getting their buy-in, the democratic leader seeks consensus among personnel in how the work is to be done to achieve their goals and in setting the goals. This leadership method can create high morale and flexibility within a workforce due to personnel having a say in what is happening. Leaders can use this method to put off decision making or gain input from personnel to make decisions, however there is a risk that if a consensus cannot be reached on issues, many meetings may soon start to occur where decisions are not made, and more meetings are required. It is also a style not recommended when personnel are not competent or well enough informed to be able to make sound decisions. Pacesetting – ‘Do as I do, now’. The pace setting leader sets extremely high performance standards and then exemplifies them himself, expecting the others around him to do the same. If used inappropriately, it will negatively affect the work climate by the pacesetter overwhelming employees with their demands for excellence by making them feel as though they cannot be trusted to do their work. Initiative, flexibility and responsibility among personnel will also diminish. This approach however may work well with a group of like minded, competent personnel who have a set goal or project to complete. Coaching – ‘Try this’. By helping personnel to identify their strengths and weaknesses, the coaching leader helps to determine long term development goals and formulate an action plan to attain those goals. Coaching leaders are prepared to assign challenging tasks to personnel and accept the risk of short term failure if it furthers long term learning. Paradoxically, coaching primarily focuses on personal development rather than the immediate work related tasks, however coaching reinforces many factors that drive work climate – constant dialogue, constant and constructive feedback, clear expectations, responsibility, flexibility and commitment all of which have a positive effect on business performance. Although Goleman (2000, p. 87) identifies 6 individual leadership styles, he also goes on to state: Leaders who have mastered four or more – especially the authoritative, democratic, affiliative, and coaching styles – have the very best climate and performance. And the most effective leaders switch flexibility among the leadership styles as needed. Other leadership styles and theories include: Charismatic – According to Fatt (2000), â€Å"the charismatic leader is a visionary, specifically, having a vision of extraordinary goals and the ability to motivate those around him or her to achieve that vision†. The charismatic leader is able to express the vision, both in terms of communicating the vision and through their personal behaviour to realise the vision, explain the vision to others capturing both benefits to the business and the individual, extend the vision throughout the organisation and expand the vision in different ways and circumstances addressing whatever is required to achieve the vision. Charisma is often conferred by followers onto the leader, creating loyalty to the leader. The climate created by the leader is liable to change when the charismatic leader is removed or the situation changes and the need for a charismatic leader is no longer there. Situational Leadership Theory (SLT) â₠¬â€œ SLT suggests that leaders demonstrate a combination of both task and relationship orientated behaviours in various ratios when dealing with their subordinates depending on the maturity (ability and willingness) of the subordinate to able to complete the task. Blank et al (1990) suggest â€Å"subordinate â€Å"maturity† as the key situational characteristic that is said to moderate the relationship between leader behaviour (task and relationship) and leader effectiveness (Hersey Blanchard, 1969, 1982)†. It can be said then that as a workers maturity grows, their relationship with their leader will also change in terms of the leader demonstrating more relationship based behaviour and less task orientated behaviours. Path Goal Theory (PGT) – â€Å"The theory states that the main goal of the leader is to help subordinates attain the subordinates’ goals effectively, and to provide them with the necessary direction and support to achieve their own goals as well as those of the company. † Silverthorne (2001). In trying to achieve this, the leader needs to be adept in adopting directive, supportive, participative and achievement-orientated behaviours where necessary in order to assist the worker in achieving their goals. The leadership behaviour required will be decided by the nature of the task and the needs of the workers who have been set the task. Transactional – Transactional leadership involves the setting of tasks or goals and the provision of recognition or rewards for achieving the desired results. Bass et al. (2003), further this by stating â€Å"Exhibiting transactional leadership meant that followers agreed with, accepted, or complied with the leader in exchange for praise, rewards and resources or the avoidance of disciplinary action†. This includes a behaviour known as active management by exception whereas the leader specifies the standards for compliance, what will be deemed as non-conformance, and often details consequences of non-conformance. Transformational – â€Å"Transformational leadership refers to a leadership style in which leaders possess charisma and provide intellectual stimulation, individualised consideration and inspirational motivation to followers† Beugre et al. (2006). By clearly defining the organisations goals and objectives to workers, the transformational leader then inspires and motivates workers to achieve, beyond the task – reward behaviours exhibited by transactional leaders, the goals and objectives of the organisation. Transformational leadership is an effective style when an organisation needs to encompass change as transformational leaders identify new ways of working, seek opportunities and effective resolutions to problems rather than efficient solutions. Leadership styles can be many and varied or a leader can sometimes exhibit a dominant style. Generally throughout the research the author has conducted, the more styles a leader is competent in, the more likely they are to achieve the results they are after. The leadership style adopted by a leader in a given situation can have a large affect on the work climate and consequently, aid or inhibit them from achieving their objectives and goals. References Bass, B, Avolio, B, Jung, D, Berson, Y 2003, ‘Predicting unit performance by assessing transformational and transactional leadership’, Journal of Applied Psycology, vol. 88, no. 2, pp. 207-218 Beugre, C, Acar, W, Braun, W 2006, ‘Transformational leadership in organisations: an environment-induced model’, International Journal of Manpower, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 52-62 Blank, W, Weitzel, J, Green, S 1990, ‘A test of situational leadership theory’, Personnel Psychology, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 579-597 Fatt, J 2000, ‘Charismatic leadership’, Equal Opportunities International, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. 24-28 Goleman, D 2000, ‘Leadership that gets results’, Harvard Business Review, March-April, pp. 78-90 Sagie, A, Koslowsky, M 1994, ‘Organisational attitudes and behaviours as a function of participation in strategic and tactical change decisions: an application of path-goal theory’, Journal of Organisational Behaviour, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 37-47 Silverthorne, C 2001, ‘A test of the path-goal leadership theory in Taiwan’, Leadership Organisational Development Journal, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 151-158 We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Theories Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Theories Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Theories Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Emily dickinson 4

Emily dickinson 4 "Best Things dwell out of Sight"(#998) describes one of America's greatest poets. She dwelled out of sight for most of her life and her poems, with the exception of seven published anonymously, remained out of sight until well after her death. Many literary scholars have attempted a biography on this mysterious woman and poet and yet none are conclusive. Dickinson remains an enigma even today but biographical speculation allows us to analyze some of her poetry even though we may be completely inaccurate about what we presuppose.There are some facts about Emily Elizabeth Dickinson that we know for certain. She was born on December 10, 1830 and is recognized as one of America's greatest poets. She had an older brother, William Austin Dickinson, born on April 16, 1829, and a younger sister, Lavinia Norcross Dickinson, born on February 28, 1833. She was raised in Amherst, Massachusetts, which was a small and tradition-bound town in the nineteenth century.Angie DickinsonEmily's father, Ed ward Dickinson, was a grand figure in Amherst. In his letters, he comes across as a remarkably ambitious man-"a typical success-oriented, work-oriented citizen of expansionist America," in Richard Sewall's characterization. Educated at Amherst College and Yale, he soon became the leading lawyer in town. For thirty-seven years he was the treasurer of the college that his father helped establish in 1821. Besides this, Edward had accomplished much success in his life but biographers of Emily's life believe that he paid for his public success through his emotional destitution. Emily's father was a rigorous Calvinist and dominated the Dickinson family. His concept of life was rigid religious observance and obedience to God's law as stated in the Bible. He prompted his children to read the Bible and attend church every Sunday. People who knew the Dickinsons referred to Edward as...

Structural Fires and Structural Failures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Structural Fires and Structural Failures - Essay Example Efforts started in 1980 to keep track of fires and take measures to reduce structural failures and after three decades, the damages in casualties as well as property reduced by almost fifty percent. Structures were classified into different types to better access the parameters and predict the time the fire takes to consume the structure. This classification also gives firefighters better assessment to fight or counter fires. The speed by which fires spread throughout the structure depends on three major factors; oxygen source, fuel and the heat source. Oxygen is necessary for burning and air is the primary source, the interior of the structure provides fuel source for burning and different components burn with different speeds, and finally; some elements of the structure contribute towards the heat source which raises the air temperature to a point where everything bursts into flame and it is known as flashover. Structural fires reaching flash point are almost impossible to control and often lead to structural failure. Structure Types Structural fires are classified as per type of structures, depending on their external and internal composition of construction materials. Since every material burns with a different rate and in turn produces heat as well as smoke. Heat released contributes towards raising temperature of local air, which results in flash over. Every structure has different set of materials and that is why each structure takes different time to reach flash over. The structures are classified into five types with ascending rates of burning. Type I consists of structures with steel and concrete used to provide structural strength, making it the most resistant to fires. Type II uses steel to reinforce the structure of the roof, which provides additional support for the structure and in particular delays roof collapse. Type III is ordinary structures with exterior and interior made of brick and mortar, which are non-combustible. The interior may also have laminated or fire retardant wooden floors. Type IV is heavy timber structures which rely on timber to reinforce the structure, however, the exterior walls are made from bricks. Type V are wooden structures with wood used to form the basic frame of the structure, as well as, exterior and interior (Dunn, 2013). In simple, structures with steel and concrete, that is Type I and II, are the most resistant to fire as they are capable of handling heat generated for longer durations, whereas, structures with wood, either interior or exterior are destroyed at a faster rate, which includes Type IV and V. Occupancy Types Occupancy type involves type of activity the structure is designed for and therefore, classified accordingly for fire hazards. Structural fires are a result of human actions and the type of occupancy dictate regulations for a specific structure. Some of the groups among this classification include Assembly, Business, Education and Factories. These groups are subdivided de pending on type of activities carried out within the structure. In general, fire hazard increase with increase in the number of occupants within the structure as well as the scope of activity. Factories are more susceptible to fires than any other group, because, they involve manufacturing and storage. The materials involved are much more hazardous and chances of fires are much

The Value of Pair and Group Work for Second Language Learning Essay

The Value of Pair and Group Work for Second Language Learning - Essay Example But some teachers are not yet ready to change and accept change. Besides, they are unconvinced about the value of using pair and group work in the classroom environment. From another angle of view, the mindset of student community towards pedagogical innovation deeply influences its effectiveness in the classroom environment. This view has been supported in the work of Hinkel (2005, P. 141). The value of pair and group work in the classroom environment is that it helps learners gets enough opportunity to practice the language. For instance, pair and group work help the learners to have enough time for oral practice. Besides, less confident learners get exposure to put newly acquired language skills into practice. Pair and group work in classroom environment leads to less dependence on a teacher, helping and learning enhances language acquisition. Pair and group work change the traditional role of the individual teacher in the classroom environment. Group work is helpful for the learners to share their ideas with their peers. In addition, learning experience in classroom environment under the supervision of teacher enhances the learning process. Dividing the class into different groups consist of gifted, fast learners, average students and below average students is helpful for the student community to develop their language skills. Besides, pair and group work helps the teacher to provide individual attention to each and every student. Grouping the students by considering their ability or language proficiency is not democratic but it leads to the failure of classroom instruction on and tasks formulated by the teacher. This view has been supported in the work of Genesee (1994, p.186). The traditional mode of classroom instruction based on the teacher is not democratic. In this situation, the teacher is lecturing and the students are mere listeners.

Reflection essay Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection essay - Case Study Example In many instances, organizations are not able to cater to the social responsibilities because of the huge pressure in corporate sector by the shareholders (Mickels, 2009). By registering as a Benefit corporation, an organization can project them as a business which also has the aim of developing a better society, such as the Good Capital LLC mentioned in the case, where investment is also carried out to provide solutions to some of the challenging problems faced by the society. Therefore, the biggest advantage is that both the society as well as the organization benefits. It also provides encouragement to a generation of entrepreneur who can share benefits with the society, without having to fear about the lawsuits or lack of support from the shareholders (Reiser, 2012). However, there are certain disadvantages also; where by Benefit corporates can get sued by if it fails to take the steps for the benefit of the society as per the state laws (Reiser, 2012). If the status of Benefit corporations is given to organizations, it is mandated that they take solid steps towards the social cause they are committed to (Reiser, 2012). Additionally, it also has a high risk of abuse as powerful leaders may use it to mask their follies (Katz and Page, 2010). Hence, it is appropriate only for those businesses that are fully committed to both social causes as well as to their shareholders. The issue of abuse also leads to the question of ethics in Benefit corporations. As the potential of misusing is high, because the losses can be easily masked out as investment for fulfilling the social causes, it is necessary to have rigorous testing standards so that organizations cannot take undue advantage in the pretext of being a Benefit organization (Reiser, 2012). In addition, an organization should give equal priority to its organizational mission as well as the social cause undertaken, so that it can commit fully to

Importance Of Internet In E Commerce

Importance Of Internet In E Commerce Chapter 1 It is difficult to define tourism. Tourism is not an industry that is grouped into a single heading within the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) (Bardgett, 2000). The definition of tourism mostly come from the purchaser, tourist, not the product itself (Bargett, 2000). Thereupon, World Tourism Organization (WTO) (1993) had defined tourism consists of activities of persons travelling to and staying places outside their usual environment for not more than one continually one year for leisure, or business purposes. In Malaysia, tourism industry has been recognizes as second largest foreign exchange earning sector (Mohd Hanafiah Mohd Harun, 2010). According to United Nations World Trade Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer (2009), in 2008, tourist arrivals in Malaysia are substantially higher than its neighbors. The table below (Table 1.1) provides a good picture on comparison of number of visitors among Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. On the other hand, as the society has driven into Internet Era, tourism is extensively transformed by the by e-commerce phenomenon (Lee Letho, 2012). Hensdill (1998) described the web as a perfect medium for selling travel. While, with the popularization of computers through the Internet, travel product suppliers such as airlines, car rental companies, and hotels have grasped the opportunity to change their traditional distribution methods by launching their products directly on the Internet (Kasavana, 1997; Montgomery, 1999; Morrison, Taylor, Morrison Morrison 1999). Similarly, travel information is also available on the Internet from regional and national tourism boards in a large amount (Weeks Crouch, 1999). Nowadays, Internet has now become a promotional and advertising tool (Countryman, 1999). According to Martin (2004), the Internet suits the marketing principles for travel and tourism because it: (a) allows travel suppliers to set up a direct link with customers; (b) gets rid of the unfair barriers for customers and suppliers; (c) relieve equal competition; and (d) decreases price discrimination opportunities. Consequently, the Internet not only serves to deliver information (Walle, 1996) but also act as a public relations tool (Connolly, Sigala, 2001). Hence, it is important for travel agents to know which factors can affect travelers intention to use travel website. By knowing this, travel agents not only can formulate the marketing strategies but also can design a website which the features are different from the competitors in order to gain competitive advantages. Problem Statement Due to the rapid growing of tourism industry in Malaysia and the importance of internet in e-commerce, many of the travel agencies have created their own website. The rivalry among the travel website itself has increase rapidly. Hence, to be an outstanding website among the others, and to gain the competitive advantage, the travel agency need to know which factor has the most significant influence the user to use travel website. The result is not necessary only for strategic marketing formulation, but also for the design of the web site features that are superior from competitors (Aziz et al., 2010). The main problem that influences the users to adopt the websites will be the multi stage process for the travel decision making process (Aziz et al., 2010). The consumers need to look careful each step before until final steps to successful purchases the travel packages. For instance, users may need to login the membership before to process to purchase the package. This continue with the double confirm before the purchased package is correct. Until the payment step, users also need to check the all information is correct and submit to pay. Besides that, the security, privacy and trust concerns are other minor problems that influence the users to adopt the websites. The informations quality, security, privacy, trust and the companys reputation have strongly influence on online consumers trust in the websites (Kim, Ferrin, Raghav Rao, 2007) According to the past study of Aziz et al. (2010), social influence is the superiority in encouraging people to use travel websites. While, in the study of Ahmad and Juhdi (2008), they found out that internet self-efficacy had affected Malaysian travelers to use travel website. In the study of Chen (2006), trustworthy has a significant influence in an online travel websites. There have been various studies conducted in different country such as, a study on web site quality for online travel agency in United States (Park, Gretzel, Sirakaya-Turk, 2007); the factor affecting consumers attitude towards online reservation by Vathianathan and Roy (2009) in India; and examine e-travel site, an empirical study in Taiwan (Lin, 2010). Yet, only a few studies have been carried out in Malaysia. In the study of Aziz et al. (2010), the influence of predictors on travel website, the study is only conducted in Klang Valley, which is just a portion of Malaysia. The result cannot represent as a whole. While, in the study of Ahmad and Juhdi (2008), the number of respondents is small and mainly specific in e-group subscribers who were basically active users of internet. Thus, the generalization of the findings is questionable. Research Questions and Objectives Research Questions General Objectives To identify and examine factors that affect Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website. General Question What are the factors that affect Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website? Specific Objectives To examine the relationship between Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website. To examine the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU) and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website. To examine the relationship between social influences and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website. To examine the relationship between self efficacy and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website. To examine the relationship between travel motivation and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website. Specific Questions Is there any relationship between Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website? Is there any relationship between perceived usefulness (PU) and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website? Is there any relationship between social influences and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website? Is there any relationship between self efficacy and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website? Is there any relationship between travel motivation and Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website? Source: Developed for the research Significance of the Study Generally, the acceptance of the internet among users is normally examined with technology acceptance model (TAM) (Aziz et al. 2010). However, the two variable of TAM (Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness) are still insufficient to test on the factors affecting Malaysian travelers intention to use travel website. Therefore, the proposed model of this study is an extension of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as theoretical foundation. The model will be adding other variables such as, social influence, self efficacy and travel motivation to test on the dependent variable. Travel agency would be among the first to benefit from the study. The finding of this study may help the travel agency to understand several affected factors that influence Malaysian travelers to use travel website. It is important to understand the consumers acceptance of the online concept and the product and services provided are more suitable to be selling online. Hence, travel agency will have more relevant information or idea when creating the website. Besides, its also helping those agencies that have an intention to invest in online store, so, they have a better idea of the trends in the market and thus they can increase their portion of the market place. Last but not least, travel agency can save more cost and time. For instance, small tourism enterprises wont be facing any risk in spending on costly web-based solutions and time with the help of this study by providing them useful information about the preference of the internet users. 1.5 Chapter Layout 1.5.1 Chapter One: Research Overview This research report comprises a total of five chapters. In chapter one, researcher furnish an overview of the study and describing the research situation. It has covered background of this study, a brief introduction of our research, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, hypothesis of the study and significance of the study. 1.5.2 Chapter Two: Literature Review In chapter two, it includes the review of the literature, review of relevant theoretical models. Furthermore, it also consists of proposed theoretical framework and the hypotheses development. 1.5.3 Chapter Three: Methodology For chapter three, it is an overview of the studys research methodology. This chapter includes our research design, data collection methods, sampling design, research instrument, measurement construction, data processing, as well as data analysis. 1.5.4 Chapter Four: Data Analysis In chapter four, it presents the research results and the analysis of the results which are relevant to the research questions and hypotheses. This chapter includes descriptive analysis, scale measurement and inferential analyses. 1.5.5 Chapter Five: Discussion, Conclusion and Implications In chapter five, it is the summarizing chapter that discusses the overall findings followed by the conclusion. Thus, this chapter finds out the implication and limitation of the study. Finally, this chapter outlines the recommendations for future researches.

Chitosan and Weight Loss :: Health Diet Essays

Chitosan and Weight Loss Just What They Want To Hear Everyone enjoys a good fatty meal from McDonald's, KFC, or any other fast food restaurant from time to time. Or maybe just a bag of chips, a candy bar, or an ice cream cone. All of these are food items which people consume on a regular basis and are full of fat. For years, the public has worried about the intake of fat from items such as these and has almost obsessed over weight, figures, and fat. With all the hype about liquid diets, diet pills, diet programs, etc. who wouldn't jump at the idea of an all natural solution. The makers of this product has certainly done their share of work to create an image truly appealing to any and all that dream of losing that extra fat. This probable solution is called chitosan and is simply a fat inhibitor which appears to work miracles for those in search of a safe way to lose that body fat. The information surrounding this product is extremely impressive and appears to justify a revolutionary new discovery. However, is this truly wh at it is dressed up to be or is it yet another gimmick? Chitosan: Where did it come from? Regardless of chitosan's miraculous overview, it is a very simple substance which has been around for ages. It is taken from chitin, a polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans. It is processed by removing the shells from shellfish such as shrimp, lobster, and crabs. The shells are then ground into a pulverous powder. This powder is then deacetylated, or basically stripped of specific chemical groups which allows the compound to thus actively "soak up fats." Or so this is what the producers claim. It has been used in the past in the process of detoxifying water. It was simply spread over the surface of water, where it would immediately absorb any toxic substances such as greases, oils, or dangerous heavy metals. The process is so complete that a scum forms over the surface of water and is then easily removed. For this reason, chitosan is extremely popular all over the world in water purification plants. The present form of chitosan has just been introduced recently as a