Ordinary Magic Essay

The story, Ordinary Magic, was written by Malcolm Bosse is about a boy who was born and bred in India. Jeffrey also recognized as â€Å"Ganesh† faced a lot of difficulties at a very young age. These difficulties that forced him to be mature included his father’s loss of life, his way of adjusting and bonding with the American culture and when his ancestor home was going to be demolished. Jeffrey’s maturity develop when his father, Mr. Moore, died and he was obliged to manage and handle everything, including paying for his deceased father’s funeral. Since his father’s death, the village people were starting to act towards him as a foreigner and not as one of them. They even told Jeffrey to pay as soon as possible for the house rental and for the funeral. All these happening changed Jeffrey’s life. He learned to be independent and that forced him to learn to be responsible. It shows that Jeffrey was forced to be mature at a very young age due to all his unfortunate happenings. Overtime, Jeffrey’s maturity enhanced when he had to move to America alone to meet his aunt and his way of fitting into to a new environment. Jeffrey did not want to go to America before but he knew he has the responsibility of fulfilling his promise to his father that he will go to America. The children in his new school was making fun of a mantra that Jeffrey taught to one of the girl in the school before, but Jeffrey did not mind it at all. He understood that those kids just did not understand how sacred the mantra was. This means that Jeffrey was mature enough to understand why the kids did not show respect to the sacred mantra and that he was mature enough to take responsibility of keeping his promise to his father. Jeffrey became more mature when he found out that their ancestor’s home was going to get demolished. He had to do everything he could in order to save it. He managed to form the Satyagraha and took full responsibility upon each individual that has decided to join the Satyagraha with him. Jeffrey fought the government through the Satyagraha where all of the members went on a hunger strike until the government have heard their plea. Jeffrey was mature because he learned to stand up for his beliefs and he stood up against the government. Overall, Jeffrey’s adulthood resulted from all of his unfortunate happenings that occurred to his life. Whether those forced him to be mature or not, he certainly was developing maturity throughout the whole story. In the end, Jeffrey’s circumstances that forced him to grow into a maturity person has helped him blend and mix in an Indian culture and an American culture that made him fit in.

How Will Ethical Issues Affect Leadership in a Business

Contemporary and Pervasive Issues â€Å"How will ethical issues affect leadership in a business? † Word Count: 5671 In this essay I am going to discuss how ethical issues can affect leadership in a business. In order to answer this question the essay will start by giving a brief introduction into the two topics; leadership and business ethics. I will then aim to successfully link them by considering the argument of whether leaders should concern themselves with ethical issues or whether making as much money as possible should be their main consideration. Leadership has many different meanings and there have been numerous different classification systems used to define the dimensions of leadership. Infact as Stogdill (1974) pointed out, â€Å"there are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are people who have tried to define it. † One popular definition used for this subject is that â€Å"leadership may be considered as the process (act) of influencing the activities of an organized group in its efforts toward goal setting and goal achievement†(Stogdill, 1974). This definition suggests that it is not a characteristic but is an event that takes place between a leader and his or her followers and that there are three aspects to leadership. Firstly, it involves influence in that leaders induce their followers to behave in a certain way. The second aspect is that leadership occurs in a group context and finally that leadership includes attention to goals, which a leader must direct their followers to achieve. Over the years there have been many studies and theories formed on leadership. The first, which dominated until the late 1940’s, was the Trait Approach, which focused on leaders and not followers. It assumed that leaders had certain traits, such as intelligence and integrity and that they are born and not made. However, this approach failed to take situations into account and recent research has proven that traits alone cannot account for effectiveness. Following this was the style approach, which focuses on what leaders do and how they act towards subordinates rather than characteristics. This era defines leadership styles as either Autocratic, democratic or laissez faire. However, this approach fails to find which of these leadership styles is most effective in every situation. Following this was the situational and contingency theories, which assume that different situations demand different types of leadership. However it assumes that people can learn to become effective leaders and does not adequately explain the link between styles and situation. The Situational theory ‘relates four leadership styles; Directing, Coaching, Supporting and delegating to followers readiness for them† (Gill, 2006:48). However, the model assumes both flexibility of style and the ability to diagnose the situation and the style that is needed. In 1980’s the New Leadership approach was introduced, which compromises visionary, charismatic and transformational leadership theories. â€Å"Transformational leadership occurs when leaders raise peoples motivation to act and create a sense of higher purpose† (Gill, 2006:36). Similarly and published around the same time was the theory of Charismatic leadership, who act in unique ways that have specific charismatic effects on their followers. This stage provides a broader view of leadership that augments other models and places a strong emphasis on leaders needs, values and morals. However, â€Å"due to the wide range that it covers it lacks conceptual clarity and it is difficult to define the parameters of transformational leadership† (Northouse, 2004:185). Finally, in the late 1990’s Post-charismatic and Post-transformational theories emerged, which focuses on leadership as a community and both leaders and followers working together. Leadership is a process that is similar to management in many ways and many of the functions of management are included in the definition of leadership. This was argued by Yukl (1989), who said â€Å"when managers are involved in influencing a group to meet its goals, they are involved in leadership. When leaders are involved in planning, organizing, staffing and controlling, they re involved in management. Both processes involve influencing a group of individuals toward a goal attainment. † Both management and leadership involve influence, working with people, meeting goals and many other similar functions. However, there is a distinct difference between leadership and management and the main functions of the two are quite dissimilar. It was argued by Kotter (1990) that the â€Å"function of management is to provide order and consistency to organizations, whereas the primary function of leadership is to produce change and movement. † Whilst managers plan and budget, a leader creates a vision and sets strategies, instead of controlling and problem solving a leader motivates and inspires his followers. In addition to this, Bennis and Nanus (1985) made the distinction very clear, â€Å"managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right things. † Although it argued that the two are very different it is for this reason that both are needed for an organization to be a success. Without management outcomes can be meaningless or misdirected and without leadership the outcome can be stifling and bureaucratic. This was the opinion of Warner Burke (1986:68), who said that â€Å"For clarity of goals and direction, managers need leaders. For indispensable help in reaching goals, leaders need managers. † A further question that is often raised on the topic of leadership is whether leaders are born or made? Whilst some would argue that â€Å"It is not a matter of whether leaders are born or made. † They are born and made† (Conger 2004), it is a topic that has caused great debate. Many would argue that leadership is innate (inborn) and that the character, style and competence needed to be a leader is infact genetic and it cannot be developed. However, others have argued that leadership is not down to genetics alone but that it can infact be developed over a period of time through environment and experiences. This is the opinion argued by Winston (Winston 2003), who says that â€Å"we are not merely the product of our genes: environment has a huge impact but in a mysterious way. † A further aspect to this question is whether leadership can be taught. There are many opinions on this matter but the â€Å"tendency is towards agreeing that, while little if anything can be taught, it can be learnt through development, growth and practise† (Gill, 2006:272). A business operates according to the vision and values of its leader. A leader has many roles within an organization, which can be key to its long-term success. The first of these is to provide an overall direction by â€Å"defining and communicating a meaningful and attractive vision of the future and a mission through which the organization will pursue it† (Gill, 2006:96). This direction which may stem a long way into the future will need to consider competitors, changes in tastes and current standing in the market. In relation to this it is a leader's responsibility to create a strong and positive organizational culture with its followers having shared vision and values, which can result in an effective organization. A further role of a leader is to â€Å"develop, get commitment to and ensure the successful implementation of strategies† (Gill, 2006:176). This is one of the most important roles for a leader and involves them planning where they want to be in the future and how they are going to get there, for example by acquisitions or moving into new geographical markets. Another role of a leader in business is to empower employees to be able to do what needs to be done. In order to do this a leader must give them the knowledge, skills, authority and freedom to manage themselves and be accountable for their behavior. If a leader successfully empowers his employs it can lead to both job satisfaction and enhanced organizational performance in many ways. Similarly it is an important role of a leader to influence, motivate and inspire employees to reach the companies goals. One of the key factors that will determines whether it is achieved or falters will be the ability of the leader in these three areas. Finally if an organization is to continue to prosper, people development must be high on a leader's agenda, by identifying the most talented people coming through and making sure that they are developed for major roles in the future. Ensuring that there is a continued stream of talent developed is a key factor in sustainable progress and achievement. An effective leader has the ability to successfully carry out all of these roles. The second topic that this essay involves is business ethics, which has been described by some as ‘a passing fashion which will come and go and can therefore be safely ignored or dismissed† (Vallance, 1995: 4) However, business scandals of the late 1980’s such as Guiness and Blue Arrow and the results of these have made businesses aware of the importance of their reputation and the need to think seriously about ethical issues. There have been numerous definitions of ethics, which involves systemizing, defending and recommending concepts of right and wrong behaviour and includes principles and values of what is fair or unfair and proper or improper. It has been argued that â€Å"there is only one ethics, one set of rules of morality, one code that of individual behaviour in which the same rules apply to everyone alike† (Drucker 2007). A popular definitions is that â€Å"Ethics deals with values, with good and bad with right and wrong, we cannot avoid involvement in ethics, for what we do-and what we don’t do- is always a possible subject of ethical evaluation† (Singer, 1993: v). There are various theories and approaches to ethics and ethical decision-making but the two major view points that appear are consequentailism and non-consequentialism. Consequentialism is where â€Å"ethical decisions are based primarily on calculating the good in terms of consequences† (Preston, 2007: 36). The most widely accepted form of this is Utilitarianism, which was introduced by Jeremy Bentham in the late 19th century. This theory emphasises happiness or utility as a desirable goal for human choice or action and argues that moral rules should seek to secure â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number of people† (Preston, 2007: 36). However, there have been some objections to this theory and the question as to how happiness and utility can be measured. It also works against the interests of â€Å"minorities and groups that do not measure up to the criteria of usefulness and can justify the violation of human rights† (Preston, 2007: 36). An example of this is the exclusion of a disabled child from a school as they are disruptive. This would be justified on utilitarian grounds as to leave such a disruptive child in the class would not be beneficial to the majority of students. The second of these points that occurs in ethical theory is non-consequential. This â€Å"enjoins us to do the right thing, simply because it is the right thing, intrinsically† (Preston, 2007: 40). The most influential figure promoting this view was Immanuel Kant. He argued that as â€Å"individuals we intuitively know what is right or wrong, through the categorical imperatives, which are: Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or that of another, always as an end and never as a means only †¢ Act only on the maxim through which you can at the same time will that it be a universal law. †¢ Act only so that the will through its maxims could regard itself at the same time as universally law giving – refer ence† (Preston 2007:41) This Kantian theory has been very influential, especially concerning the debate of rights and justice due to the importance that it places on every individual and because it is not open to persuasion by pragmatic considerations. However, there have been some criticisms to Kants approach as he places too much reliance on human rationality. Furthermore, it does not provide an answer to the problem of how to decide between two conflicting duties and how to obey different bur equally absolute rules. For example, ‘do not break promises’ and ‘do not kill’ are absolute rules, however it is possible for a situation to occur where these rules conflict and that by not breaking a promise, someone is killed. The focus of this essay is on Business ethics in particular. Though the theories that have been mentioned are relevant, they are â€Å"concerned primarily with personal ethics and do not address directly the kind of ethical problems that arise within a business context† (Vallance, 1995:4). Within an organisation, ethics is seen as everyone’s business and can be complex and have more than one meaning. Firstly, it is the application of general ethical rules to business behaviour and secondly, it can be the rules of business by which business activities are judged. Business Ethics can be defined as â€Å"coming to know what is right or wrong in the workplace and doing what is right – this is in regards to effects of products/services and in relationship with stakeholders’’ (McNamara, 2006:7) and can cover a wide range of aspects from quality and treatment of employees to pricing. When it comes to business having an ethical responsibility, many would argue that this is not the case. Indeed Milton Friedman (Friedman, 1970) said â€Å"only people can have responsibilities. A corporation is an artificial person and in this sense may have artificial responsibilities, but â€Å"business† as a whole cannot be said to have responsibilities, even in this vague sense†. With this in mind, it would also be argued that it is of little importance for leaders to consider ethical issues when making decisions. Infact, leaders who have ethical consciences have been described as â€Å"unwitting puppets of the intellectual forces that have been undermining the basis of a free society these past decades† (Friedman, 1970). This argument is that a business and therefore its leaders have one purpose, and that is to make as much profit as possible, with everything else being secondary. Freidman said, â€Å"He (the executive) is an employee of the owners of the business. He has direct responsibility to his employers. That responsibility is to conduct the business in accordance with their desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom† (Friedman, 1970). He believed that this was the case for all businesses with the only exceptions being schools and hospitals where a leader's objective would be the rendering of services. One of the beliefs of this argument is that â€Å"ethical responsibility as preached and practised by many marks an acceptance and endorsement of views and demands mostly presented by anti business groups that are hostile to the market economy and are far from representing the general view of the average consumer† (Andersen, 2004: 22). In addition to this fact a further problem is that in order for a leader to have an ethical conscience it usually comes at some cost to the business and therefore is not in the interest of the owners of the organization. An example of this is that a leader would refrain from increasing the price of the product in order to contribute to the social objective of preventing inflation, even though a price increase would benefit both the corporation and its owners. A similar example is that ay leaders use great amounts of money and resources to reduce pollution beyond the amount that is required by law in order to meet its responsibility to the environment and gain a reputation as being an environmentally friendly company. This was a measure taken by Satellite broadcaster BSkyB who have been carbon neutral since May 2006 through a combination of using renewable energy and offsetting its remaining emissions, but at a cost to the company. In each of these examples and in the case of other et hical activities a great amount of money is either spent or compromised. Many would argue that by doing this a leader is spending other people’s money for a general social interest, which could be viewed as extremely unethical. For example, carrying out an ethical activity that would have a high cost, such as reducing emission would reduce profits and therefore stockholder would see a reduce in their returns on investments. In addition to this if a leaders ethical actions raise the price to customers, he is spending the customers' money and if the cost of the leader's actions have to result in lowering the wages of some employees, he is spending their money. In these cases it would be fair to say that not only would it be having a detrimental effect on the company profits but would also have a negative and unethical effect on both internal and external stakeholders, who may desert the company for a competitor that less scrupulous in exercising their social responsibilities. In addition to this it means that a leader in effect becomes a public employee even though he remains in reality an employee of a private company. There is a further problem with leaders deciding that a company is to become more ethically aware as it involves great change in the way a company practices, its values and its organizational culture. Many of these actions that need to be taken to implement an ethical practice can incur increased costs that may not be recouped through increased sales and have no guarantee of returns. Furthermore, some decisions and choices made with an ethical conscience can result in short term negative impacts such as a decrease in sales, revenue and profit, increased cost for employee welfare and a decrease in stock prices. Moreover, â€Å"the vast majority of companies are still failing to get their message across† (The Guardian, 2004). With these costs in mind, especially in the current economic climate, the importance of a leader implementing an ethical culture to a business could be questioned. In addition to this leading a business ethically may involve â€Å"compromising short term wins for the sake of a more long term view† (Andersen, 2004: 22). This is not beneficial for a leader who is responsible for immediate results, particularly if the short-term wins that are compromised due to ethical issues risk financial loss or even immediate failure. This may mean that a leader may have to accept higher prices on goods, parts and manufacturing in order to remain ethical. An example of this is that Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket was using an Indian sweatshop to produce its clothes, which was paying its workers just 16p an hour. This supplier was changed in order for the company to appear more ethical and inturn cost Tesco money. This can be particularly hard in a market where there is a large amount of competition at both a national and international level. In order to compete a company needs to be able to offer the lowest price possible to its consumers but in order to keep its ethical stance a company can not compromise on its quality of suppliers and raw materials and therefore sees increased costs. Another consideration is that â€Å"when the corporation grows beyond the direct influence of its leader, we must reckon with the ethical consequence of size and geographical deployment. The control and employment of all policies, but especially that established for corporate ethics, becomes difficult† (Andrews, 1989: 7). This demonstrates that as long as an organisation remains small enough to be directly influenced by the chief executives leadership, certain results, such as ethical approach can be traced to his determination that they occur. However, as the â€Å"organisation grows and becomes decentralised with worldwide operations the power and influence that the Chief Executive has is reinterpreted and diffused† (Andrews, 1989: 260). As a result leaders of have to be appointed in each location and these persons may not share the determination and beliefs of their chief executive on ethical matters. As a result it is hard to standardise a whole company's ethical approach. In relation to this cultural differences and different business practices around the world can present challenges for businesses that are trying to be ethical. Having considered the above argument there are some flaws to Friedman’s approach. He suggests that a leader should concentrate on profit alone as long as it is within the law. However, the law does not define what is morally right and what is legal may be unethical. Many people would argue that this is an important point as ‘good business ethics promotes good business. This was the findings of some well-known authorities such as Baumhart, Brener and Molander, who believed that only those businesses that conduct activities on ethical grounds can develop on a long-term basis. This is also the stakeholder view that businesses will not make money if they do not take heed of their stakeholders; CSR is looking after your stake holders and is good business practice. This is the reason why it is important that leaders are not merely concerned with profit but also with promoting an ethical practise. Firstly, â€Å"leaders who follow the principles of ethics in the conduct of business, motivates others also to follow the same principles† (Paliwal, 2006: 10). This can improve both employees and the organizations motivation and morale, which was discussed earlier as one of the main roles of a leader. This is because conducting business in an ethical manner can produce a feeling of ‘doing things right’ and this can â€Å"become an almost tangible positive ambience within the organisation and can create a culture with a sense of community and belonging for employees,† (Andersen, 2004: 7). The result of this is increased loyalty and productivity, which can result in an improved in competitive advantage. An example of a company that treats its employees well and is benefited in return is John Lewis. All 69,000 employees of the company have a share in it and despite seeing pre tax profits fall by 26% this year they still paid their employees bonuses worth 13% of their salaries. In addition to this if a leader and a company demonstrates that it is unwilling to compromise its ethical values then they are regarded as trustworthy by both customers and their employees and this can promote productivity, innovation, employee development and increase employee attraction, which are again some of the main roles of a leader. This is vital to leaders as a study by Covey discovered that â€Å"the average corporation loses half its employees within four years, and the cost of recruiting, training and getting new ones up to speed can be detrimental to an organisation. (Andersen, 2004: 9). Also it is the â€Å"leaders of a company that are responsible for its conduct and it is their actions that determine the company's ethical standards† (Andrews, 1989: 72). If a leader's strategy is to define and communicate ethical position then it can act as a competitive advantage as it is an effective way of ensuring customer loyalty and also the company’s ability to at tract new customers. Customers are now more discerning and better educated than ever and want a product that not only serves its purpose but also is produced by an environmentally responsible company. If a consumer understands and sees tangible evidence that they are contributing to something beyond the profits a company and its owner, it is a strong motivator for both their custom and their loyalty. An example of a leader who understood the importance of an ethical company and an ethical product was Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. The company was one of the first to prohibit the use of ingredients tested on animals, promote fair trade and also channelled a share of the cost of the product back to the original producer of the raw material. By doing this she created a unique selling point as an ethical company and therefore a company that consumers are proud to buy from. Furthermore, if an organisation is known to be ethical it gives the impression to the customer that they too will be fairly treated as â€Å"when ethical conduct is displayed it puts some kind of trust and confidence in relationship† (Paliwal, 2006: 9). An example of this is that prices reflect the real value of what is being bought. As previously mention, being ethical can also help to attract new customer, who will hopefully become loyal in time. This is because customers are exposed to so many marketing campaigns that they are wary of which they should trust. However, if a leader has successfully managed to position an organisation with having ethical values and integrity then customers uncertainty is reduced, they are more trusting of the company and less afraid of purchasing its products, which meets leaders objectives. This was proved in a survey conducted in New York in 1995, which indicated, â€Å"when quality, service and price are equal, 90% claimed that the best reputation for social responsibility would determine their decision to buy. † (Andersen, 2004: 12). Therefore an ethical company should see an increase in sales, which is always part of a leader's strategy. A further factor for leaders to consider is that studies have shown a â€Å"positive link between being ethical and improved financial performance (Maignan, 1987)†, which is ultimately the main aim of an organisation. Ethics in business can be related to quality of management, quality of products, innovativeness and good responsibility towards the community, all of which lead to admiration, good will and a good reputation for the company. An example of leaders who saw the importance of a good ethical reputation are Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry's, who set up the sustainable Caring Dairy initiative to helps farmers and also took measures to reduce energy use. According to Ferrell, Maignan and Loe â€Å"companies that are perceived positively in the market place perform better than others. † (Andersen, 2004: 13). Although this statement and other studies could be questioned as to what extent admiration is due to ethics, it can be said that an ethical approach to business is what contributes to a positive perception and reputation and can therefore be linked with financial improvements. A further example of this is that IAG (Insurance Australia Group Ltd), who work with neighborhoods to improve their facilities and reduce crime. This not only gives them a good reputation as a company that cares about the environment but also benefits them in a second way as it reduces insurance claims and therefore reduces their payouts and equally benefits both the community and the company. Finally, leaders need to consider being a company with ethical values because investor’s and shareholders are now using a company’s ethical stance as criteria to evaluate investments and stocks. An example of this is the â€Å"specifically designed sub index of the London Stock Exchange, the FTSE4Good (FTSE – Financial Times Stock Exchange). † (Andersen, 2004: 19). To be included in this index, constituents must be screened according to the criteria of the FTSE4Good, which covers environmental sustainability, social issues and stakeholder relations and human rights. Therefore having a favourable ethical profile can attract investors and not having one can deter them. In addition to this, for the government ethical standards of a business are now a key factor in the procurement of grants and influence. Having looked at these benefits, a leader also needs to consider the strength of being ethical by looking at the dangers and probable penalties of unethical business behaviour. As a society we have access to a wide variety of information on organisations. As a result, there are constantly court cases against companies for unethical behaviour, for example in 2007 cruise company Carnival was being sued over several cases of mistreatment of workers and the covering up of environmental damage. Settling these claims can cost billions of pounds, can lead to bankruptcy and the damage to reputation can be irreparable. A further example of this is that if a customer is treated unfairly then this bad reputation will be passed on by word of mouth. In relation to this a further factor that leaders need to consider when creating a business strategy is that unethical behaviour in manufacturing can lead to bad reputation. An example of this is the recent case with Primark, who were discovered to be using suppliers in Southern India who were using child labour. Although they claimed that they were unaware of this situation it still created a great deal of bad publicity for the company. Negative publicity can equate to decreased competitive advantage, increased costs as companies have to increase public relations and advertising. It can also have effects on sales, profits, morale and the day to day running of the business. In addition to this a bad reputation cannot be easily changed and it consumers suspicion of a company’s intentions and future actions. In relation to this â€Å"journalists writing about companies tend to fall victim of the so called Halo effect† (Andersen, 2004: 19), which means that a company that has a bad reputation tend to be seen negatively whatever they do. As the media have the power to make or break companies it is essential that leaders ensure that they are ethical and that there reputations remain intact. In this sense ethical behavior can be seen as a form of insurance against regulatory acts. An example of a company that have taken this on board is Mark’s and Spencer, who have recently launched a new Per Una lingerie range that is â€Å"carbon neutral† and is produced in an eco-factory as they become more successful in listening to what their customers want. A final problem to leaders of having an unethical approach is that there are always pressure groups and special interest group such as Greenpeace waiting to launch global campaigns against companies that act unethically, which can affect both the organisation and its chances of survival. An example of this is that in 2003 the Barclay twins, who were the two new leaders of Littlewoods mail order and clothing store, withdrew the companies membership of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), which was put in place to stop companies from using child or forced labor. This not only resulted in the sacking employees but was also provoked large volumes of criticism for charities, unions and government ministers all of which impacted on the company's reputation. This increased government interest can also lead to regulations that create rigid trade and less freedom. Having looked at the two topics: leadership and business ethics in some detail, it is clear to see that there is an important link between the two. A business operates according to the visions and values of its leader and whilst some may see business ethics as a fad leaders need to be aware that there is a high demand for ethical behaviour in our society today. It is fair to say that the objective of most companies, as Friedman said is to earn as much money as possible. Therefore, as a leader, that person is an employee of the owners of the business and so has a primary responsibility to them to conduct the business in line with their wishes. In addition to this there is a strong argument as to why a leader should not consider ethical issues as a vital part of their job. Many people share the skepticisms of Milton Friedman and Adam Smith's about the benefits that can be expected from â€Å"those who affected to trade for the public good. † This is a fact that has been discussed in the essay and the implementing a practicing ethical business can cost a company, for example, spending money on reducing pollution costs and choosing more expensive but ethical suppliers. In Friedman’s book Capitalism and Freedom, he sums up this argument by saying that â€Å"there is one and only one ethical responsibility of business–to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud† (Friedman, 1970). However, the other side of this argument is that in order for organization to survive in a competitive and changing environment, leaders must develop strong ethical standards and successfully implement them throughout the company. By trading in an ethical manner a leader will see a wide variety of benefits and effects on business practices, such as increasing sales, retaining employees, reducing litigation and in some cases increasing a company's profit. In addition to this, another â€Å"testament to its viability is that despite being describes as a passing phase, business ethics which emerged in the 1970’s has constantly gained more and more awareness and support, making it one of the longest surviving management fads† (Andersen, 2004: 24). Having considered this fact and all of the benefits, it is a hard for a leader to argue against the merits of an ethical approach to business. Overall, I believe that in order to remain competitive and to insure the survival of a business an organization must respect and regard their social and ethical responsibility as well as maintaining profitability as a central goal. It is fair to say that good ethics is good business since nowadays it can be directly linked to the company's success. Moreover, good ethics is good business because business partners, suppliers and customers expect and presevere business relationships that are upright and responsible. This is a factor that is going to become increasingly more important as consumers become more aware of ethical issues and the need for them to be considered, e. g. the increase in consumer awareness of carbon footprint. Therefore an ethical reputation will be important to the success of a company and it is a leader's job to ensure that ethics is part of a companies strategy and is successfully implemented. References †¢ K. R. 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Bowie, 2004, Ethical Theory and Business, 7th ed . , London, Pearson, p. 51. †¢ M. Paliwal, 2006, Business Ethics; New Age International Ltd, pg 7, 9, 10 †¢ McNamara, 2006: quoted in M. Paliwal, 2006, Business Ethics; New Age International Ltd, pg 7 †¢ T. Donaldson, Ethics in Business: A New Look: quoted in M Paliwal, 2006, Business Ethics; New Age International Ltd, pg 9 †¢ Yukl, G. A (1989), Leadership in organisations, (2nd ed), Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall: quoted in P. G Northouse, 2004, Leadership Theory and Practice, SAGE Publications Ltd, pg 10 †¢ B. Andersen, ASQ Mission, Bringing Business Ethics to Life: Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility, Pg 7, 9, 12, 13, 19, 22,24 †¢ Maignin, 1987: quoted in B. Andersen, ASQ Mission, Bringing Business Ethics to Life: Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility, Pg 13 †¢ www. FTSE4Good. com http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2004/nov/02/ethicalbusiness. money, â€Å"Companies ethical reports branded ineffective†, Tuesday 2nd November 2004, Oliver Balch †¢ http://www. cityam. com/index. php? news=16306, â€Å"Tesco in sweatshop scandal. † 26/6/08 †¢ http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2008/jun/24/primark. retail, â€Å"Is this the end for Primark†, The Guardian, Tuesday 24th June 2008, Leo Hickman †¢ http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2003/feb/01/ethicalshopping. globalisationâ€Å"Littlewood’s drops ethical trading code†, The Guardian, Saturday 1st February 2003, Simon Bowers and Julia Finch http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2007/sep/02/5, â€Å"Named and shames, cities ethical dunces†, The Observer, Sunday 2nd September 2007, Heather Stewart and Zoe Wood †¢ http://www. guardian. co. uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/25/ethicalfashion, â€Å"Can fashion play fair? †, The Guardian, Friday 25th July 2008, Leo Hickman Bibliography †¢ K. R. Andrews, 1989, Ethics in Practice: Managing the Moral Corporation, Harvard Business School Publishing Division †¢ Simon Blackburn, 2001, Ethics: a very short introduction, Oxford press Inc New York †¢ R Gill, 2006, Theory and practice of Leadership, SAGE Publications Ltd P. G Northouse, 2004, Leadership Theory and Prac tice, SAGE Publications Ltd, †¢ Conger, J. A (2004) Developing leadership capability: What’s inside the black box. Academy of management executive, 18 (3) †¢ E. Vallance, 1995, Business Ethics at Work, Cambridge university Press †¢ M Paliwal, 2006, Business Ethics; New Age International Ltd †¢ P. Singer, 1993, A Companion to Ethics, Blackwell †¢ B. Andersen, 2004, Bringing Business Ethics to Life: Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility, ASQ Mission †¢ J. Gallos, 2008, Business Leadership, Jossey –Bass, A Wiley Imprint K Grint, 2005, Leadership: Limits and Possibilities, Palgrave Macmillan †¢ R. 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Factors behind Economic Growth in Hong Kong and Singapore Essay

There are many similarities between Hong Kong and Singapore. Both countries enjoy high economic growth rates for the past three decades, they are known as â€Å"East Asian Tigers† because they made a transition from poverty to Newly Industrialized Economies (NIE’s) in a very short period of time. Both Hong Kong and Singapore were British colonies with both legal and administrative systems of their former colonial powers. They are the busiest ports in the world in terms of throughputs. They have climbed the industrial ladder and are now important international financial centers because of their reliance on trade since 1960’s (Kim. t al 1994). In addition both cities are densely populated since land is scarce and land together with property prices is very high. These two cities are known for being fee traders with few restrictions on trade and capital flows which many a times are Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Hong Kong the state owns all the land whereas in Singapore the state owns four fifths of the total land. Consequently both cities capture economic rent primarily by nationalizing land and leasing it out. While the state owns much of the land in Singapore and the sole landowner in Hong Kong, the inefficiencies that could result from state ownership are taken care of through the creation of markets for state, land and property leases. Meanwhile the public leasehold system where the state is the major role player in land use, planning and resource allocation works very well in both cities since the public sector institutions of both are efficient and non-corrupt. These institutions in both countries benefit from adequate checks and balances, merit-based recruitment and pay scales which are high enough to reduce the temptation to corruption. In conclusion, there economies are widely believed to be the most economical free in the world are these economic freedom emanates from the governments â€Å"hands-off policy† which allows for flexibility and renovation of any given industry in a very short time. Both countries also have very little available land and very few natural resources therefore importing most of their food and raw materials equally most of their exports consists of re-exports which are products made outside their territories.

Meg Whitman and Ebay Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Meg Whitman and Ebay - Case Study Example Her take on the customer is enticing. Any business is composed of customers, without whom; their absence will cause the downfall of the business. Diligence and dedication is necessary for a leader, who wants to realize her dreams. A leader should be a role model, Meg, was an all round leader who played roles in every sector of the company. Policies play a crucial role in maintaining a company. They should however, be reviewed frequently to suit the market. Among her strategies to attain this success, include the launch of eBay initial public offer that ensured hiring of efficient professionals, the ability to understand new, appropriate, and relevant business models. Adoption of a sufficient business policy to protect customers through; the launch of a comprehensive security and trust program, implementing the software to aid in fraud identification, and offering of free insurance on items whose cost is above two hundred U.S dollars. This case study of Whiteman dem onstrates the essence of embracing appropriate technology in order to build a powerful electronic commerce system like eBay. This can only be achieved and sustained through creating an appropriate loyal and passionate customer base. Importantly, the incorporation of strategic decision making is necessary if not vital for expanding a

Global Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Global Health - Essay Example Crichton’s sentiments are echoed in the works of Santer and his Co-authors while the human activities play a role in the changing global meteorological structure, it is not entirely to blame for the weather patterns. Writing for the IPCC in their 1996 paper, Santer and his Co-authors said that the temperature change being experienced in the atmosphere is ‘partially due to human activity’. In the movie, Day After Tomorrow, the climatologist, Jack Hall, predicts a reoccurrence of the ice age. In the prediction, the time of the ice age is estimated to occur in the next 100-1000 years. However, this can only accelerated if the human activities that pollute the environment are not put on hold. This implies the conviction in Jack Hall of the significant contribution of human activities to global warming and global meteorological change. With approximately 90% of human time spent indoors, the importance of quality outdoor air has been underestimated. Such negligence is due to the ignorance of the amount of pollutants one is exposed to whenever they get into polluted outdoors. Nitrogen dioxide and ground level ozone are some of the pollutants that are freely available in the heavily polluted outdoors. The fact that many people tend to prefer performing their activities indoor is understandable given the ease in controlling the quality of indoor air. The factors such as home cleanliness, plant and pest presence, and home chemicals are within the control of the homeowners. However, performing activities such as exercising indoors does not help one with avoiding these pollutants. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) primary standards are essential in establishing an ambient air quality. The Clean Air Act is one of the regulations applied by the EPA to ensure clean outdoor air. These standards are important in determining the pollution levels that are considered acceptable for the outdoor air. Despite the availability of these standards and its best

Dance Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dance Paper - Essay Example ce also occurs in various forms like the jazz walk, the toe rise, the pirouettes, the ball change, the pivot step, and the contraction, which is characterized by a contracted torso, a back curved outward and the pelvis pulled forward. Jazz dance occurs in repetitive forms characterized by syncopated rhythm, or an interruption of the regular dance rhythm, which is characteristic of the rebellious character and distinct identity of jazz dance (Feliksdal, 2004). Overall, the elements of jazz dance help to create a type of dance that is full of energy and at the same time revealing the themes of surprise and rebellion through its syncopated rhythm. On the other hand, ice dancing, is made up of the long, short, continuous and tranverse axes. The continuous axis is the most important as this is the â€Å"imaginary line running around the ice surface that serves as the basis for the dance pattern,† and which are joined at each end by a semi-circle (General Terminology, 2012). This is the strict path of the ice dance. The forms are creative but formally and gracefully executed. These include the lifts where the man will hold the lady high and in a creative manner. There are also spins, where the couple or the lady rotates at least three revolutions and changes feet positions. Moreover, there are twizzles, where the ice dancers turn at least four revolutions while moving across the ice (Farris, 2012). These forms then repeat in several patterns. Original steppings as well as positions and timings may be set but the dancing couple may modify the spins, lifts and twizzles, and may modify the starting positions or location of t he dance relative to the axis (General Terminology, 2012). Overall, the elements of the ice dance help each other create a dance of numerous creative and graceful moves but with strict discipline. When it comes to the general characteristic of the dance, modern dance usually focuses on the â€Å"natural and spontaneous or uninhibited,† which means that

Tax Researh memo (Corporate Formation and Basis Calculation) Research Paper

Tax Researh memo (Corporate Formation and Basis Calculation) - Research Paper Example Fred Horn decides to contribute equipment that has a basis of $100,000 and an FMV of $80,000. Sam Yang will provide his legal services to Acme, Inc., which has an FMV of $20,000, and Wade Kent will use his know-how to develop software that will mass-produce the road runner trap. This software development is worth $75,000 and in addition, Wade Kent will contribute cash worth $100,000. The four shareholders will receive a share of stock as follows: Barry – 140, Fred –150, Sam – 40, and Wade – 350. Each share costs $500. Issue: It was the decision of the four shareholders to come together to form Acme, Inc. However, since each has a personal contribution to the formation of Acme, Inc., there are tax implications involved. Therefore, the issue is that the four shareholders would like to know what tax implications of the formation of Acme, Inc. are to them considering the analysis of their realized and recognized gains/losses. Another issue is the tax implicati on of the transaction to Acme, Inc., including the basis of the assets the shareholders will include in their books. Authorities: District of Columbia v. Universal Computers Assocs. Code Section 351 Code Section 83 Conclusion: Software is classified as a property. However, the classification of software as a property should specify that software is an intangible property. Know-how being non-discardable is also classified as a property, and more specifically as an intangible property for that matter. Any gain or loss recognized by any shareholder will be guided by the satisfaction of the conditions of the Code Section 351. Wade will not have any loss or gain recognized since there is a transfer of property. A cash or property contribution in return for long-term debt, such as bond, does not qualify for Section 351 treatment. Therefore, Wade’s cash contribution is not considered under the Code Section 351 as he receives 175,000 of stock in return. Analysis: Barry will contribut e a land and a building in return of stock shares. The land has a basis of $60,000 and an FMV of $80,000. Acme, Inc. will also assume a mortgage of $90,000 on the land. The amount realized will include $170,000 from the stock shares ($500 per stock share x 340 stock shares). Therefore, Barry will realize a gain of $20,000 of cash, $170,000 from stock and the $90,000 mortgage. The asset-by-asset analysis would be: the total amount of the FMV of the assets transferred would be $200,000 + 80,000 + 90,000, which gives $370,000. From this, the land portion is $200,000 and the building portion is $170,000, which translates to 54% for the land and 46% for the building out of 100% that represents $370,000 (total amount of the assets transferred by Barry). When portioned according to the percentages, the total FMV of the stock received would be $170,000 (Building of $91,800 + Land of $78,200). The total cash realized would be $20,000, which would come from both the building and the land, wit h the building contributing $10,800 and the land contributing $9,200. He would recognize a total of $10,800 from the land and $92,000 from the building. Therefore, his would recognize a total of $102,800 from his transfers. He would, however, receive a basis of $60,000 in stock (60,000 + 90,000 – 20,000 + 20,000 – 90,000 = 60,000). He will also have gains realized as follows: from the

NBA relates to Popular Culture of America Essay

NBA relates to Popular Culture of America - Essay Example Besides, the numerous advantages the NBA offers explain why American people embrace the sport and recognize it as part of their popular culture. The National Basketball Association has been around since the 19th century and has undergone different transformations since its creation: â€Å"Dr. James A. Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891† (Staffo). However, the leagues have met various hardships throughout the years since their implementation. The road was difficult and filled with various challenges as people learn their way through, improve and expand the leagues. This critic informs: â€Å"Until the recent surge in popularity of the NBA, professional basketball leagues had led tenuous existences. Professional basketball leagues began as early as 1898 only seven years after the invention of the game, but often professional barnstorming teams were more successful† (Nelson). This painful learning process leads to the successful industry we know today. Throug hout these years, the organization has known different names, increased the number of teams and even changed the configuration of the leagues. Many of the names of the teams were different from what we know today, and of course some were more successful than others. This statement indicates: â€Å"The literature on the history of professional basketball is extremely sparse prior to the emergence of the NBA in 1950. What has been written acknowledges the superiority of the Celtics, but generally recycles the same stories regarding them† (Nelson). This lack of interest reflects the level of the organization during that time, which did not have much popularity. In addition, the differences between the old teams and the current ones are considerably remarkable in almost all aspects. They may even be confusing if we know that the current Celtics are in Boston while the old team was in New York. This significant detail may be hard to understand for those not aware of the NBA histor y. However, regardless of its location, the team seems to have always been successful. This assertion reveals: â€Å"Probably the most famous and, arguably, the most successful was the Original Celtics of New York, a team inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1959† (Nelson). Besides, professional basketball has not always been prominent; it was actually a game for the lower class, especially African Americans. These ethnic groups’ inability to afford college compels them to become professionals with the hope to earn money and improve their living conditions. According to this author: â€Å"College basketball was the game of the middle and upper classes, while professional basketball, only recently removed from the settlement houses of ethnic neighborhoods, was the game of the lower class and the "ethnic" middle class† (Nelson). This difference between college basketball and the NBA totally conflicts with what we know today because professional basketball ha s become more proficiently and successful. This recent success of the NBA comes with much popularity because many people embrace the sport and make it their own. This popularity explains why NBA has become part of American popular culture because numerous people buy expensive tickets to attend games or subscribe to cable TV to follow their favorite teams.

Analyze the ways in which at least three supporting characters Essay

Analyze the ways in which at least three supporting characters contribute to the readers understanding and assessment of the cha - Essay Example Jay Gatsby - Analytical Elaboration Perhaps, the most important character of â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, for the purpose of aptly analyzing and understanding Jay Gatsby, is that of Daisy Buchanan. As a matter of fact, for all people reading this novel, it would be almost impossible to form the right opinion about Jay Gatsby without relating him to Daisy. When Jay Gatsby is viewed by separating him from all other chief characters of the novel, one would conclude that he is an out and out materialistic man with hardly any morals. But this contention is far from the truth. There are several positive facets of the central character, and which can be best understood only when they are viewed in relation to Daisy Buchanan. Before Gatsby leaves for participating in the Second World, Daisy gives him a commitment that she would await his return. But later, she broke her word and married Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man. This particular action of Daisy was in no way less than a devastating expe rience for Gatsby, who then decided to amass lot of wealth solely for the purpose of making sure that Daisy returns to him. In these materialistic pursuits, Gatsby indeed deviated from the accepted ethical norms. Had she (Daisy) chosen to sincerely wait for the return of Gatsby from the War, he would have been an entirely different man.

Decision Making Evaluation Paper Essay Example for Free

Decision Making Evaluation Paper Essay Re-organization and Layoff: Decision Making Evaluation Paper Management has many changes they adjust to daily. Some of the changes come from firing and lay-off employees. When these changes do take place they can change how the organization develops. Management will have to be able to handle change and still keep the organization developing in a positive direction. According to â€Å"Work Systems† (20150, â€Å"Selecting and implementing significant change is one of the most challenging undertakings that face an organization† (2015). It is vital to an organization to have properly trained management to handle these issues Recommendation from two creative solutions identified from week 4 Why the solution would help the middle income customer (credible sources) for support Business decision should make based on solution When an organization is considering layoffs the first thing they should do is decide whether the layoffs are necessary and can they do it legally. Then consider other resources for example, hiring freeze or no pay raises and promotions. They can also reduce authorized overtime, pay cuts, teleworking, and other cost cutting. Making sure you have solid legal grounds and have a legitimate business reason. Some other steps organizations can take are reviewing actual policies and past practices, check written personnel policies, check employment contracts, and review collective bargaining agreements. You can also consider offering severance or other termination benefits. By implementing some of these alternatives fewer works will question if a layoff is truly necessary. References Guerin, L. (n.d.). Making Layoff Decisions | Nolo.com. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/making-layoff-decisions-29949.html Work Systems. (2015). Retrieved from httttp://worksystems.com/services/organizational_change.html

The motivation theories used by management

The motivation theories used by management This chapter provides a brief outline of motivation, types of motivation, major motivation theories and leadership theories on increasing employee motivation. Lastly this chapter identifies the impact of employee motivation on the productivity of the company. 2.2 Motivation The level of performance of employees relies not only on their actual skills but also on the level of motivation each person exhibits (Burney et al., 2007). Motivation is an inner drive or an external inducement to behave in some particular way, typically a way that will lead to rewards (Dessler,1978). Over-achieving, talented employees are the driving force of all firms so it is essential that organizations strive to motivate and hold on to the best employees (Harrington, 2003). The success of any business depends largely on the motivation of the employees.  Every person has their own set of motivations and personal incentives to work hard or not as the case may be. Some are motivated by recognition while others are motivated by cash incentives. Motivation can be internal or external. Deadlines are an example of external motivation. The fear of losing a contract or of not finishing a job you started is an example of internal motivation. Both internal and external motivation can be equally powerful. Financial Motivation is money, incentives, bonus, commission, fame and recognition which are External and Monetary benefits or Non-Financial Motivators like pride, sense of achievement, responsibility, belief, challenge and interesting job, Respect which are Internal. Perhaps the most significant impact of increased employee motivation is that of increased productivity. This is a central aim when adopting an incentive program. If you can increase employee motivation, productivity will follow and with that the inevitable increased bottom line. Table 1 Four most powerful types of motivation Type of Motivation Description Intrinsic motivation Satisfaction in the work itself (pleasure, stimulation, learning etc) Extrinsic motivation Rewards for doing the work (money, promotion, perks etc) Personal motivation Individual values (a love of knowledge, power, security, self-expression etc) Interpersonal motivation The influence of other people (competition, collaboration, commitments etc) Human beings are multifaceted creatures, and we are typically motivated by a mixture of all four elements. This diagram can help make sense of this complexity The types of motivation combine to produce four key areas to focus on when trying to motivate people. For example, prior to taking a work, employee will most likely to have a minimum anticipation in terms of pay and opportunities for career progress (personal rewards). You will also want to be certain that it offers you an opportunity to use your skills, learn and stretch yourself in pursuit of a meaningful challenge (personal satisfaction). Probability are you will also want to be given due recognition for your involvement (public recognition). And given how long you are going to spend in the group of your co-workers, you will probably want them to be interesting and enjoyable company (social interaction). Combining different forms of motivation will have the biggest impact on performance. Taking a more balanced approach to motivation will also help you develop better relationships with everyone on your team. How to Motivate People During a Recession Deci and Ryan (2000) conducted and replicated an experiment that showed the negative impact of monetary rewards on intrinsic motivation and performance. A group of college students were asked to work on an interesting puzzle. Some were paid and some were not paid for the work. The students that were not being paid worked longer on the puzzle and found it more interesting than the students being paid. When the study was brought into a workplace setting, employees felt that their behavior was being controlled in a dehumanizing and alienating manner by the rewards. It was discovered that rewards would seriously decrease an employees motivation to ever perform the task being rewarded, or one similar to it, any time in the future. Another observation of the study was that employees would expect a reward every time the task was to be completed if the reward was offered at one time. Employees would require the reward in order to perform the job and would probably expect the reward to increase in amount. If the rewards were not increased or if they were taken away they actually served as negative reinforcement. 2.2 Major Theories of Motivation Motivation is not only in a single direction i.e. downwards. In the present scenario, where the workforce is more informed, more aware, more educated and goal oriented, the role of motivation has left the boundaries of the hierarchy of management. The Fig below shows the major theories of motivation that can be applied in the working environment as well on the employees to see the impact of motivation on the organization as a whole. Fig shows Major theories of Motivation 2.2.1 Need Approaches Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Fig Shows Maslows Hierarchy of Needs If motivation is driven by the existence of unsatisfied needs, then it is worthwhile for a manager to understand which needs are the more important for individual employees. http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/maslow/ By applying Maslows theory of motivation, modern leaders and managers find way of employee motivation for the purpose of employee and workforce management. The basis of Maslows theory of motivation is that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and that certain lower needs need to be satisfied before higher needs can be addressed. As per the teachings of Abraham Maslow, there are general needs (physiological, safety, love, and esteem) which have to be fulfilled before a person is able to act unselfishly. These needs were dubbed deficiency needs. While a person is motivated to fulfill these basal desires, they continue to move toward growth, and eventually self-actualization. http://www.abraham-maslow.com/m_motivation/Hierarchy_of_Needs.asp As a result, for adequate workplace  motivation, it is important that  leadership understands which needs are active for individual employee motivation. In this regard, Abraham Maslows model indicates that basic, low-level needs such as physiological requirements and safety must be satisfied before higher-level needs such as self-fulfillment are pursued. As depicted in this hierarchical diagram, sometimes called Maslows Needs Pyramid or Maslows Needs Triangle, when a need is satisfied it no longer motivates and the next higher need takes its place. http://www.abraham-maslow.com/m_motivation/Hierarchy_of_Needs.asp Table 2 shows Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Needs Example Biological and Physiological needs Air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc Safety needs Protection from elements, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc. Belongingness and Love needs Work group, family, affection, relationships, etc. Esteem needs Self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility, etc Self-Actualization needs Realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences. Source: http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm Alderfers ERG Theory Fig: Clayton Alderfers ERG Theory Needs Source:http://www.envisionsoftware.com/es_img/Alderfer_ERG_Theory.gif If the ERG theory holds, then unlike with Maslows theory, managers must recognize that an employee has multiple needs to satisfy simultaneously. Furthermore, if growth opportunities are not provided to employees, they may regress to relatedness needs. If the manager is able to recognize this situation, then steps can be taken to concentrate on relatedness needs until the subordinate is able to pursue growth again. http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/erg/ Herzbergs Two Factor Theory Fig: Hygiene and Motivation Factors Source:http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/figures/1472-6920-9-49-1.jpg The psychologist Fredrick Herzberg asked the questions from employees in the year 1950s and 60s for understanding employee satisfaction. He set out to determine the effect of attitude on motivation, by asking people to describe the circumstances where they felt really good, and really bad, about their jobs. What he found was that people who felt good about their jobs gave very different responses from the people who felt bad. Herzbergs findings revealed that certain characteristics of a job are consistently related to job satisfaction, while different factors are associated with job dissatisfaction shown in Fig? The conclusion he drew is that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are not opposites. The opposite of Satisfaction is No Satisfaction. The opposite of Dissatisfaction is No Dissatisfaction To apply Herzbergs theory, managers need to adopt a two stage process to motivate people. Firstly, managers need eliminate the dissatisfactions the employees are experiencing and, secondly, managers need to help them find satisfaction. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_74.htm McClellands Learned Needs Theory One of McClellands most well known theories is that human motivation is dominated by three needs. McClellands theory, sometimes referred to as the three need theory or as the learned needs theory, categorizes the needs as follows; The need for achievement The need for power The need for affiliation The importance of each of these needs will vary from one person to another. If the manager can determine the importance of each of these needs to an individual, it will help the managers to decide how to influence that individual. McClelland asserted that a persons needs are influenced by their cultural background and life experiences. He also asserted that the majority of these needs can be classified as the needs for affiliation, achievement or power. A persons motivation and effectiveness can be increased through an environment, which provides them with their ideal mix of each of the three needs. http://www.learnmanagement2.com/DavidMcClelland.htm 2.2.2 Cognitive Approach Expectancy Theory The expectancy theory says that individuals have different sets of goals and can be motivated if they have certain expectation. Individuals choose behaviors based on the outcomes they expect and the values they ascribe to those expected outcomes (Borders 2004). Vrooms Expectancy theory is based upon the following three variables which he calls Valence, Expectancy and Instrumentality valances (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006). Valence refers to the value an individual personally places on the reward or upon the expected outcome of a situation. The Valence is high if the reward available is of interest to us. When you have a higher valence you tend to have higher motivation (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006). Expectancy is the belief that your efforts will result in attainment of the desired performance. This belief is generally based on an individuals past experience, self confidence. Expectancy would be zero if an individual felt it were impossible to achieve a given performance level (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006). Instrumentality is the belief that the success of the situation is linked to the expected outcome of the situation, e.g. its gone really well, so Id expect praise. It is also the belief that if one meets the performance expectations, he or she will receive a greater reward. This reward may come in the form of a pay increase, promotion, recognition or sense of accomplishment. (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Riston Scott-Ladd 2006) Equity Theory/ Social Comparison Theory Source: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm According to Equity theory the employees perceive what they get from a job situation (outcomes) in relation to what they put into it (inputs) and then compare their inputs-outcomes ratio with the inputs-outcomes ratios of relevant others (Shown in Fig). If an employee perceives her ratio to be equal to those of relevant others, a state of equity exists. In other words, she perceives that her situation is fair-that justice prevails. However, if the ratio is unequal, inequity exists and she views herself as under rewarded or over rewarded. Source: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm Goal Setting Theory of Motivation Goal-setting theory focuses on identifying the types of goals that are most effective in producing high levels of motivation and performance and explaining why goals have these effects. Goal-setting theory is found within the field of organizational behavior; however, it can be applied to any general area where goals may be achieved. http://www.ehow.com/about_5382265_goalsetting-theory-motivation.html Source: http://faculty.washington.edu/janegf/goalsetting.html In order to direct ourselves we set ourselves goals that are: Clear (not vague) and understandable, so we know what to do and what not to do. Challenging, so we will be stimulated and not be bored. Achievable, so we are unlikely to fail. If other people set us goals without our involvement, then we are much less likely to be motivated to work hard at it than if we feel we have set or directed the goal ourselves.http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/goals.htm 2.2.3 REINFORCEMENT THEORY Reinforcement theory of motivation overlooks the internal state of individual, i.e., the inner feelings and drives of individuals are ignored by Skinner. This theory focuses totally on what happens to an individual when he takes some action. External environment of the organization must be designed effectively and positively so as to motivate the employee. This theory is a strong tool for analyzing controlling mechanism for individuals behaviour. http://www.managementstudyguide.com/reinforcement-theory-motivation.htm Table 3: Reinforcement schedule Apply Withhold Reward positive reinforcement (raise above baseline) negative reinforcement (raise up to baseline) Stressor punishment (bring down below baseline) extinction (stay at baseline) Source: http://motivationcentre.blogspot.com/2006/03/reinforcement-theory.html Table 4 Types of Reinforcement Types of Reinforcement Description Positive reinforcement This implies giving a positive response when an individual shows positive and required behavior. Ex. You make a sale, you get a commission. You do a good job; you get a bonus a promotion. Negative reinforcement This implies rewarding an employee by removing negative / undesirable consequences. Both positive and negative reinforcement can be used for increasing desirable / required behaviour. Extinction It implies absence of reinforcements. In other words, extinction implies lowering the probability of undesired behaviour by removing reward for that kind of behaviour. For instance if an employee no longer receives praise and admiration for his good work, he may feel that his behaviour is generating no fruitful consequence. Extinction may unintentionally lower desirable behaviour Punishment It implies removing positive consequences so as to lower the probability of repeating undesirable behaviour in future. In other words, punishment means applying undesirable consequence for showing undesirable behaviour. For instance Suspending an employee for breaking the organizational rules. Source: http://www.managementstudyguide.com/reinforcement-theory-motivation.htm 2.3 Leadership Style Influencing Motivation Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people (Kurt Lewin,1939). Leadership Style influences the level of motivation of employees. Different Leaders have different style for managing the employees working under them. Fig explains the style of leadership influencing the motivation of employees. Fig: Leadership Style Vs motivation Source: http://www.motivation-tools.com/workplace/leadership_styles.htm

Personality Interests And Career Suitability

Personality Interests And Career Suitability The purpose of this report is to examine my suitability for the career I wish to pursue as well as look at other areas that maybe more suited to my personality and interests. I will highlight my suitability to the career in which I have chosen through self-awareness and career exercises. I will be analysing these findings and determining my suitability for my chosen career as well as the implications that I may face. I will then review potential career opportunities of interest to me and why I have chosen this particular career as well as reviewing the selection procedure that I would have to go through in order to join the Metropolitan police service. Finally, I will produce an action plan for the next 5 years based on my career and life goals and the steps I would need to take in order to achieve my goals. Throughout this report I will be referring to material that I have used that can be located at the end of this report in the appendixes. A Future on the Front Line Initial Reflections In my Career Planning Preparation Questionnaire  [1]  (See Appendix I), I outlined occupations that I was considering. After further thought into this, I have decided that my main goal is to join the Metropolitan Police Service, although I will be conducting research into Mi5 as a back up option if I was not successful in joining the Police service. The report was very accurate in that it stated that I was a very confident person and knew what interests me and what sort of career I would like to pursue which I believe will be evident throughout this report. In the comments section at the end of each section I set my self tasks to complete, I have done all of these I purchased the book stated, this proved useful when completing assignment one in for which I got a very good grade. I have completed the Prospects Planner  [2]  (Appendix V) and this will be referred to throughout. I have also conducted extensive research into the Metropolitan Police service and Mi5. Self- Awareness Analysis and Reflection Following the Type Dynamics Indicator  [3]   In order to understand the type of person I am and what sort of job my personality would be best suited to and that implications that may arise I conducted the Type Dynamics Indicator Exercise (Appendix II) After answering a number of questions, the indicator suggested that I preferred the style of co-ordinator. This is one of the most organised and responsible of the types. A more detailed analysis can be found in the appendix. When I read the report and compared it to how I view myself and how this would fit into the police force, I found it to be very useful and insightful. Throughout my career I have always preferred an ordered and disciplined work environment, hands on roles rather than office based work, and I loathe work which is unstructured or wastes time. My preferred style also explains why creative writing and performing arts have never interested me, as this is not typical of a co-ordinator. I enjoy taking responsibility in teams, which is evident throughout my academic and voluntary roles. I was form representative throughout secondary school, college and university. I was also chair of Basildon Youth council for 3 years. According to the report, the above elements are very typical of a co-ordinator. I can be a very tough leader. I am very organised and ensure everyone has a task and a deadline by which to complete it by. I will also put equal if not more work into the task as well and respect those who do too. Many co-ordinators are found in the police force. This is because they are organised, traditional, loyal and efficient and the job gives them a role where duty, courage and a sense of responsibility are the foundations and together with purpose, direction and delivery. I think my preferred style is very suited to a career in the Police force. Although areas I may wish to improve are flexibility, allowing people to do things in their own way and being more appreciative to other peoples feelings. My Strengths and Weaknesses I used the activity How Well Do You Know Yourself  [4]  to help me highlight my strengths and weaknesses. I had to select five words that described me, including at least one weakness, I asked two of my house mates whom I have lived with for 2 years to do the same. The results are outlined below. How I see myself: Outgoing Moody Driven Reliable Authoritative How others see me: Aggressive Outgoing Confident Driven Authoritative It appears that I see myself very similar to how others see me. Both my friends and I also stated that I was driven which hopefully will stand out when I go for through the selection process and promotions. One of my weaknesses that I put down was that I can be moody, this was not picked up on by my friends by they did state that I can be aggressive. This may prove a problem when in the police force and so I should try to be less aggressive and abrupt when dealing with people as this may aggravate situations, instead I will be more authoritative as this will also resolve situations. Because I have been involved in voluntary work from a young age this is also one of my major strengths as not only do the police view those who have undertaken voluntary work very highly I have also worked in a wide range of different teams with different police and developed numerous skills such as communication, presenting, leadership, teamwork, delegation and compromising. The work I have also undertaken with the police with add to my strengths further as I have a more in depth knowledge of the workings of the police that not a lot of other candidates will. Analysis of Career Interests To assist me to identify my career interests I used the John Holland Career Interest Inventory  [5]  . My Results stated that my code was ESI. A description of the different aspects is below. Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising Conventional People who have athletic or mechanical ability, prefer to work with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals, or to be outdoors. People who like to observe,learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate or solve problems. People who have artistic, innovating or intuitional abilities and like to work in unstructured situations using their imagination and creativity. People who like to work with people to enlighten, inform, help, train, or cure them, or are skilled with words. People who like to work with people, influencing, persuading, performing, leading or managing for organizational goals or economic gain. People who like to work with data, have clerical or numerical ability, carry out tasks in detail or follow through on others instructions 6 My most popular interest area was enterprising. A more detailed analysis of this on the same website, said that I am self confident, assertive, ambitious, popular and extroverted  [7]  which are similar qualities to those highlighted in my strengths and weakness section. It also stated that I enjoy heading meetings, evidence of which is my 3 years as chair of Basildon Youth Council and achieving awards, something that of course I always enjoy. Occupations that matched my code included, computer operators, paramedic and stoke brooking, although none of these careers has ever interested me. A police officer matches the Holland code of SER. I matched the social and enterprising aspect but lacked in the realistic aspect as in the description it stated that the interests include working with machinery, plants, and tools which is something that does not appeal to me. I still believe my interests match closely with that of a Police officer and that my interests will still be fulfilled. Analysis of Career motivators and Drivers I completed an exercise  [8]  developed by Dave Francis in order to highlight my career drivers (Appendix III). The two highest scoring elements were material rewards and power/influence. I was not surprised by the power/influence element as I enjoy taking on responsibility and believe I perform better in teams that I am leading. I was surprised by the material rewards element. I have never considered myself a material person, but that maybe because I have never been in a strong financial position as I am from a low-income background. My need for a better life where I do not have to worry about money maybe what is driving me to succeed and may be why I have chosen to take a degree in order to be able to apply for the high development scheme within the police force to aid my promotion prospects. I maybe further motivate to gain promotion because power and influence drives me to succeed. I dont think I would be happy in a career which does not allow me to develop or where there is no opportunity for promotion. Prospects Planner Results I completed a personal profile on the prospectus website  [9]  (Appendix IV). In the skills area I matched 100% in three areas, counselling, social and guidance services, human resources and employment and legal services. I believe this is a good match to me as I have been involved in a lot of youth and community engagement work through my voluntary roles and I enjoyed this very much. I also undertook a 4-week work placement while I was at school with McCormacks Criminal Defence Solicitors that I enjoyed too. I was surprised that I scored so highly on human resources as this is an area I have never considered or interested me before. My highest scoring on my interests and motivations was again counselling at 71% and teaching at 69%. I was surprised that I scored highly on teaching as this is another area that has never interested me. My combined profile matched most highly with counselling with legal services very close behind. Both of these have interested me throughout my life and I would consider a career in these areas if I were unsuccessful in my original career plans or wanted a change of career later in life. Appendix V demonstrates how well my combined profile matches the job of a police officer. My overall match was good however; there are some areas that I scored ok or poorly in. After looking at the report the areas in which I have said I would like to avoid or be a minor part of my job are those that I would not mind incorporating into my career. They are things I am competent at so I do not think they will prevent me from enjoying or performing my role as a police officer My Career and Life Goals Pass my driving test Have a degree with a 2.1 or first class classification Successfully gain employment with the metropolitan police service Gain promotion Career opportunities Although a large part of this report will be based on the Police force I have also conducted research into Mi5 as I will need a back up option if I were not successful in joining the police. Mi5 Graduate Positions Graduate positions within Mi5 are advertised on their website (http://www.mi5careers.gov.uk) a specification of a job that would appeal to me is attached to this report  [10]  (Appendix VI). Before you apply for the job you are invited to complete a short test  [11]  of scenarios with possible responses which you have to select in order to test your suitability to the role. I conducted this exercise and a copy of my results can be found under appendix VII. Eligibility Criteria In order to join you have to be at least 18 years old, you must be a British citizen and one of your parents also has to be. You have to have been resident in Britain for at least 9 out of the last 10 years prior to your application. This does not apply to those who have been serving abroad with HM Forces. You also have to be of good mental and physical health. Depending on the role you apply for you may have to meet other requirements such as degree classification or previous experience. Recruitment Process The recruitment process is quite lengthy and can last up to 6 months. The first step is to get an application form from one of the services external recruitment agencies. If your application meets the required standard you will then be shot listed and the best candidates on the short list will be invited for a competency based interview with the services graduate recruitment team. If successful you will then attend a one day assessment centre where a range of competencies will be tested. Successful completion of this will lead onto another interview this time with the services vetting section. This will last for at least 2 hours and will involve personal questions about your background and lifestyle to ensure you are suitable to having access to sensitive material. Those who pass this element will return for a final interview with the final selection board. If successful the vetting process is then complete and a job offer will be made. Depending on what role you are applying for you may need to do additional assessments such as fitness tests, medical examinations and in the case of the vacancy attached to this report you also have to do a 2 hour driving assessment. Training Once you have been appointed you undertake a week long initial induction course prior to taking up then post and then you will undertake a two-year training programme. Metropolitan Police Service Graduate Positions The recruitment process is open to everybody and is not limited to graduates only. In order to apply for the Metropolitan Police Service you have to complete an application form, in which it asks you to give examples of a number of competences. The only way you can get one is to attend one of the recruitment events that are held throughout the year in various different areas of London, details of the events can be found on their website http://www.met.police.uk/careers/events.html. This is to assess your dedication to the force to which you are applying. Eligibility Criteria In order to join the police you must be a British Citizen, a citizen of the EU or other states in the EEA, or a Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with indefinite leave to remain in the UK. The minimum age is 181/2 but you can apply to join at 18. There are no formal qualifications needed although you will be required to be able to pass the tests. You must also be physically and mentally fit enough to perform the duties of a police officer. Recruitment Process The recruitment process can take in excess of 12 months. If you are successful in the application stage, which 65-75% of people are not due to poorly filled out application forms  [12]  , you will be sent notification of your assessment centre date and information regarding the process. While at the assessment centre, you will be a customer service officer and the scenarios and exercises will be based around a fictitious shopping centre called the Westshire Centre. During the assessment centre, you will undertake two 20 minute written exercises, which could be a report and a letter for example. This will test your problem solving, communication and written skills. The interview is the next part. It generally last 15-20 minutes and you will be asked 4 different questions and you will have to provide examples of things you have done in the past to demonstrate you competency in different areas. You will then go through four interactive role-play stations. At each station you will be given five minutes preparation time at each station in which to study the background information to the role play and make any notes which you can take in with you. When the five minutes are up you will enter a room, interact with a role-play actor, and deal with the situation for five minutes. The last exercise you complete at the assessment centre is the Police Initial Recruitment Test, which consists of two papers; Numeric (12 minutes), and Verbal Logical Reasoning (25 minutes). You will receive results of your assessment centre within 14 days. Each of the competencies tested will be graded between A-D, D being the lowest. If you have passed, you will also be sent details of the next stage of the assessment, which is the fitness tests and medical. Firstly, you will undergo a medical in which your hearing, vision, blood pressure, body fat etc will be tested. Your height and weight will also be taken. If you pass the medical, you can progress to the fitness test. The first stage of the fitness test will measure your upper body strength. There is two parts pushing and pulling, these will both be measured on a Dyno machine. You need pull at 35kg and push at least 34kg to pass. The next test is a bleep test. In this test, you will run between two points 15 meters apart. You will run to one end turn around wait for the beep and run back to the other end before the other beep. As the test, progresses the beeps will get closer and closer together through the levels. You will have to reach at least level 5.4 to pass. Once you have completed this section successfully you will go through the final vetting and reference checks, if this is successful you will then be formally offered employment and fitted for your uniform. Training When you start, you will initially undertake a 5-week module at Hendon Recruit Training School after which you are designated a borough where you will carry out a remaining 26 weeks training as part of the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme.  [13]   Every recruit will undergo a 2-year probationary period before they will become a fully trained constable. High Potential Development Scheme Those who show potential during training will automatically be invited to join the High Potential Development Scheme, you can also apply to join the High Development Potential Scheme after one year with the service, you do not need to have a degree to apply, but you must be able to cope with the academic demands. It is anticipated that there will only be 60 places on the scheme in the Metropolitan Police Force for 2009  [14]  . In order to apply you will have to fill out an application form when they become available, you can find out when they are available from your boroughs HDPS representative. If you are successful the assessment takes place in three stages. Stage one an in-force assessment where candidates will demonstrate the ability to meet the high level eligibility criteria. Forces will be asked to recommend their very best officers. Stage two is a series of ability tests, including tests of your verbal, numerical and non-verbal ability, and a test of your judgement and decision making in a range of managerial scenarios. These tests are designed along the same lines as the selection tests used for the Strategic Command Course, they will ensure that candidates have the ability to deal with the required academic programme. However, dependent on how many people are recommended, these tests may also be used to select the best officers on merit to attend the assessment centre at Stage 3. Stage three is an assessment centre incorporating; written exercises, interactive exercises, an oral briefing exercise and a competency-based interview. Candidates will also take a personality questionnaire. The feedback from the questionnaire will only be used to give all applicants developmental feedback; it is not part of the selection process  [15]  . If you are successful, you will then embark on a two-year development programme leading to a postgraduate diploma related to policing in which you will be assessed throughout the whole process. Workplace support and development is also available. Those who are successful at this stage and still show potential to reach Chief Officer level can go onto the next level where they will undertake further development leading on to a masters. Promotion will be given to those who can show the Chief Officer that they are competent in the next rank and pass the relevant exams; the advantage to this is that they do not have to wait for vacancies to come up and therefore move through the ranks quicker than those who are not on the scheme. Even those who are not on the Scheme can still apply for promotion once they have completed their 2-year probationary period. There are numerous opportunities to specialise further. There are various different departments that you can work in such as the dog section, CID, Scenes of Crime, Intelligence, Terrorist Division, armed response, air support etc. Pay and Benefits During training you will be paid  £28,497 and after completion of training this will rise to  £31,068  [16]  .A more detailed break down of the salary for officers at all different levels can be found as Appendix VIII of this report. You will also have access to a comprehensive pension scheme and free travel within your borough. Why the Police Service? When I was 10 I attended an open day at the local police station. I was amazed at the variety of work they undertook and the job really appealed to me. I started getting involved in volunteer work I became a member of the Basildon Youth Council and this lead on to further opportunities to work closely with the police where I learnt a lot about the force and the job. I continued aiming to become a police officer and decided to study Public Services at college. I wanted a vocational course that enabled me to learn more about the jobs within the police as well as giving me opportunity to work with the police and other organisations. Now I am at University studying the degree of Policing and Criminal Investigation. I chose this I get to study various aspects of the work of the Police in detail as well as learn English law in great depth too. The degree will also assist me when I join the police and apply for the High Development Potential Scheme. A career in the police force appeals to me, as I would like a job that is both challenging and rewarding whilst giving something back to the community and making a different in the lives of those around us. Although it does have some drawbacks. It is a very dangerous career as you are the first response to most violent incidents, some incidents you attend can also be very traumatic. Because of the shift patterns it can leave very little time for a social life and plans which you make may have to be cancelled due to more pressing work. Action Plan I am now going to create an action plan for myself based on my career and life goals previously mentioned. Pass my driving test By the end of summer 2009 I will have passed my driving test. I am going to achieve this by taking a week long crash course in Blackpool, costing around  £1000; this cost will include 40 hours worth of driving, my theory and practical test costs as well. This will assist me when applying for Mi5 and the police service. Have a degree with a 2.1 or first class classification By then end of summer 2010 I hope to have gained my degree with a 2.1 classification or higher. I will achieve this by attending all my lectures and seminars, conducting extra reading and research. Planning assignments in advance and conducting extensive research and reading to enable me to complete my assignments to the best of my ability. I will also be continually revising throughout the year to ensure I am ready for my exams. Successfully gain employment with the Metropolitan Police Service During my last semester at university I will regularly check the metropolitan police website to see where the recruitment events are where I can obtain an application form. After obtaining this I will spend a lot of time filling this out correcting with good examples. If I am successful at this stage I will then conduct practise for the assessment centre by rehearsing interviews studying the information regarding the assessments and build on my fitness. Gain Promotion If I gain employment with the police service I will continually work hard to show my willing and ability to join the High Development Scheme. I will request an application form when they become available and if I am successful in joining the scheme I will work hard to complete the exercises that are required of me and continually show my enthusiasm and capabilities, Conclusion After completing the self-awareness and career tests, I discovered that my personality would be very suited to a job in the police force. In the Type Dynamics Indicator  [17]  , my preferred style was a co-ordinator and one of the better suited occupations to this style is a police officer. My strengths that were highlighted in the how well do you know yourself  [18]  exercise will assist me while I am in the Police force as both my friends and I said I was authoritative. Although being moody and aggressive were my weaknesses I can work on these issues and they shouldnt pose a problem when I join the Police force. Although my career interests inventory did not match exactly with that of a Police Office I still had two elements, social and enterprising, that matches a police office so I still will be a good match for the job and my interests do not differ majorily. My career drivers, material rewards and power and influence, will help motivate me and encourage me to go for promotions and which is why I want to apply for the High Potential Development Scheme in the police force which I discussed earlier in the report. Finally, whilst my prospects planner results did not highlight the police force as being one of the best matches the occupations I did match had elements that were needed in the police force and when I matched my profile with a police officer it proved a good match. Overall, I believe the exercises did not highlight many implications for my career choice. After conducting research into Mi5 and the Metropolitan Police Service I decided that I will defiantly be applying for the Metropolitan Police service as my first choice employer and if I were successful in gaining employment I will be applying to join the High Potential Development scheme as well. Although, if I were not successful I believe Mi5 will also provide me with just as an exciting and challenging career that I would be happy in. In conclusion, I will work towards the targets that I have set myself in this report and hopefully I will be successful in reaching my career aims.