Monday, January 27, 2020

Overview of Leadership Styles

Overview of Leadership Styles Leadership Styles Democratic Leadership: In this approach the leader asks the group to become part of the decision making. The leader still has full control of the group and still has the final decision but decisions and input from the team is encouraged. This allows the leader to draw upon how good they are and their experience of a team in order to get the best results for everyone. This also helps them develop skills within the team.. This style of leadership isnt used very much within the public services, this is because the democratic leadership style takes time to discuss everything and public services may not always have the time to do this. Bureaucratic Leadership: The bureaucratic style of leadership is a style of leadership that focuses on rules and procedures to manage teams and projects. It is a style that is spread-out among some departments or people and there is a strict set of rules. This is a classic style of leadership and is used quite a lot in organizations that dont encourage invention of new things and change by leaders who may be insecure and uncertain in what their role may be. People that want to use this style of leadership are often familiar with the many policies and guidelines. This approach to leadership is commonly used in statutory and non-statutory services. Situations where the bureaucratic leadership style may be useful for example where in a job is something commonly done and doesnt change over a long period of time or either that a job needs/demands a definite set of safety rules or working guidelines in order to obey the law. Transactional: When group perform well, they receive a reward. When they perform poorly, they will be punished in some way. The transactional style of leadership is pretty straight forward but it uses rewards and punishments to motivate the team. This style of leadership is very similar to the autocratic style but it is not as extreme. Leaders of both the transactional and autocratic are very similar, they are direct and dominant and spend a great amount of time telling others what is expected from the team as a whole. There are many advantages and disadvantages of this style of leadership, for example some of the advantages are: the leaders monitors the work and each and every one individual performance, rewards, there is also a clear chain of command, not only these there are many other advantages. Unfortunately there are some disadvantages in this style of leadership: team members may not get job satisfaction but of the reward/punishment routine, it assumes that people are only motivated because of money and not because of the reason why they actually want to do it. Laissez-faire Leadership: The Laissez-faire approach of leadership can also be called the hands off, free reign and the delegate approach. This style differs from the other styles. The leader exercises very little and lets the members of the group to establish their own roles and responsibilities. The members of the group are given a very little direction but a lot of freedom and power. The power that they are given should be used to create goals, make decisions and resolve problems that should affect them. If all the members are highly motivated that the laissez-faire approach is the most effective leadership, experienced and well trained. It is very important that the leader can have full trust in the members of the team. An example of this style of leadership in the public services is if there was a murder investigation and someone gets sent to the scene of the crime, they know what they are there to do and they can then be left there to do it without any supervision needed. People Orientated Leadership: People Orientated is slightly similar but a bit different to the task-orientated leadership. Within this style of leadership, this style focuses on participation of all the team members, clear communication, supporting and developing the individual in order to improve their skills. The members of the team are very competent in their role and inspire other people by unlocking their own potential. They allocate others roles based on others strengths and individual skills. This style of leadership is participative and encourages good teamwork, loyalty and creativity. The key to this style of leadership is very good people power. People can be very successful if they use all the following: knowledge, skills, abilities, life experience and talents of all the individuals and of the group. Task Orientated Leadership: In this style of leadership its all about getting the job done. Its all about the key of the task rather than about everyone else in the team. Their main focus is just to get the task done weather it instructed or destructed. They will define the work and the roles that they are given and put structures of the task into place, plan and also organise the whole of the task. This style can have many difficulties such as difficulties of the lack of motivating and the retaining the team as a whole. Task orientated style of leadership is slightly different to people orientated, as an example, a police inspector organising crowd control at a football match may use a task-centred approach, but back at the police station when dealing with junior police officers, she might employ a people-centred approach. Transformational Leadership: The transformational style of leadership focuses on the teams performance as a whole; it encourages everyone to think of the group as a whole and rather not just themselves. It is all about moving forward as a team and not just several individuals in one group. Transformational leaders aim to make their team members better people by encouraging their self-awareness. They want team individuals to overcome self interest and focus on the goals and purposes that are shared as a team. Transformational leaders spend a lot of time communicating with the team to gain support through their enthusiasm. The transformational leadership style can have many advantages and disadvantages. To start of with there are a couple of advantages, for example, they have beliefs in others and themselves, they spend time coaching and supporting their team, people will follow their leader because of their energy, passion, commitment and enthusiasm for the team and finally, they care about their team a lot and work hard to motivate them, if they do this then this reduces stress levels and increases the well-being of the team. Not only are their advantages to this style of leadership, there are also disadvantages, in fact, there are more disadvantages then advantages to this style of leadership. Some of these disadvantages include, Leaders can only see the big picture but not all the details, leaders always believe that their vision is right when sometimes it isnt, large amounts of a lot of enthusiasm can tire the team out and last but not least, if the team is not convinced with everyone else they ma y not share the same vision as what everyone else has. Authoritarian Leadership: Authoritarian/Autocratic leadership is where someone tells you what they want done and how they want it accomplished without be able to get any advice from other people. It is good to use this style of leadership when you are either all well motivated, you know all the information to complete the task or you are short on time. This style of leadership is only used on rare occasions. If you have the time and want to gain more commitment and motivation then you should use a different style of leadership. This style of leadership is used in some public services in the UK. The main of example of the use of this style of leadership is used in the army. For example, if you were fighting in the war and you were told to get down then you would have to get down, otherwise you may get shot. This style is used in most regiments of the army. Not only the army, this leadership is used in many other public services this is because most of the time you are told what to do and where to go.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Essay --

For years on end, the U.S government has been in a large amount of debt. By understanding what our budget deficit looks like, you will be amazed to see how much money we spend each year. The government budget is a legal document that forecasts the government expenditures and revenues for a specific period of time (3). A budget period is usually one fiscal year and our data shows that we have been in a deficit for far too long which means that our government is spending a lot more money than we actually have. According to usgovernmentspending.com, the U.S spent 6.1 trillion dollars during this year of 2013 (1). With 20% to health care, 18% to pensions, 15% to education, 13% to defense, 9% to welfare, and the other 25% on everything else goes to show how much money we need to spend in order to keep this country running strong (1). Many people have their own views and opinions on what we should do in order to get out of the hole that we have created over the years. A reliable source by the name of Nancy Pelosi who is a House Speaker stated, "The best way to reduce the deficit is to grow our economy; the best way to grow our economy is to act on the priorities in the president's budget. President Obama's budget will transform our economy and create jobs by cutting taxes for 95 percent of Americans, making healthcare more affordable and accessible, creating a new, clean energy economy, and modernizing our schools to prepare our workforce for global competition (2).† I personally agree with most of these ideas stated above because growing the economy and fixing the problems we have now will lower the deficit in the long run. Starting off by making healthcare more accessible to everyone will allow Americans to feel more stable and secure... ...eed to enforce a tax on greenhouse gases. As we all know, these harmful gases are being fueled into the air every second of everyday. This would bring in money for government funding and make people realize that the government isn’t free. We also need to create other sources of energy production. This would lower prices for gas, make machinery operations less expensive, protect the environment and lower expenses on imports of fuel from other countries. With more energy reserves being established in the U.S. will also bring in a lot more jobs. Another option is to decrease foreign aid and military spending by a certain percentage. This would save our country billions of dollars. As you can see, there are many different routes we can take to decrease the budget deficit. We must all work together and figure out a way to diminish any extra spending that is not needed.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel Decision-Making Model Essay

My family recently purchased a Toyota Prius.   This is a magnificent car which has a positive effect on the environment.   The Toyota Prius runs on both petrol and electricity thus saving both money and the rapidly decreasing ozone layer.   My family has always been environmental conscious and this was an important decision considering the current state of the environment and global warming.   Not only was there much research put into this purchase but there are also incentives in places such as Westminster City where Eco-cars receive FREE parking permits (â€Å"Free Parking†).   Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel have been working together for many years to determine the consumer decision making process.    Together they have created many models and completed much research to support their theories of consumer behavior.   Using the Blackwell, Miniard and Engel decision-making model I will show how my family came to the decision of the purchase.   There are many steps that one goes through before making an important decision such as a purchase of a new car. Reviewing these steps in sequence and having an inside look of the though that went into each step will help establish the process of consumer behavior. Beginning with stimuli, we will review the exposure, attention, comprehension, and retention stage that occurred to cause the thought of this purchase to hold steadfast in the memory, then moving on to need recognition, environmental influences, individual differences influencing the purchase decision, we will see what cause the purchase to became complete, and what happens thereafter with satisfaction/dissatisfaction and divestment stages of the consumer process. Stimuli: Product Exposure What better stimuli for a new product are available to the consumer than media exposure?   There has been a lot media exposure to global warming and the effects green house gases on having on the ozone layer.   There have also been many celebrities choosing to go green and help save the world.   Stars Penelope Cruz and Leonardo DiCaprio hosted a Pre-Oscar green party to show their support of electric cars.   They, along with several other celebrities, opted to drive themselves to the Oscars in their new electric cars. The point was clear; everyone needs to take steps to prevent global warming (and you should hurry up and jump on the band wagon celebrities are giving up limo rides!).   The Pre-Oscar green party is was a genius idea as the Oscars are huge and people from all over the world partake in the nights events.   The   marketing behind such an event draws attention to the eco friendly cause and covers all of the beginning stages of the Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel decision making model; exposure, attention, comprehension, acceptance, and retention. Of course these five characteristics contribute to memory and that is where the consumer behavior process begins.   My parents had already decided that it was time to purchase a new car. Need recognition was already determined.   But at this point they were just beginning to take a look around.   The genius of the marketing ploy/awareness campaign for Eco-friendly cars stayed with my parents as they began to make some decisions about their new car purchase and once again reinforced to memory the importance of eco-friendly vehicles. Social Influences Eco-friendly cars are a hot topic and many friends of my parent’s had also started to think about or start purchasing green cars over the last year.   Now with the price of petrol constantly on the rise how could you not consider it?   The influences of friends have always helped my family move along and make a final decision.   In this case all of my parents’ friends were considering taking a step towards a cleaner environment or at least taking a step to stay trendy and up to date with the current issues concerning the world.   Of course this is a tough cause to turn your back on as many people are adamant and taking firm stand to lower the rate fossil fuel is burned. Research With this heavy exposure to both the cause and the solution my family chose to reevaluate the current car situation and see if it was time for an upgrade which would be the need recognition stage of the model.   After a quick internet search on the status of the ozone and the effect of fossil fuels on the greenhouse gases my father discovered; the effects of global warming are being felt worldwide.   â€Å"Global warming and the melting of polar ice cover is predicted to raise ocean levels worldwide, directly impacting on island nations who plead most strongly for restraint of fossil fuel consumption by industrialized nations† (Mayer). Some alternative fuel methods have been tried and found to be very successful.   â€Å"Another strategy for reducing fossil fuel emissions from vehicles is to shift to alternate fueled vehicles. Various choices include electric, natural gas, methane, and fuel cell vehicles† (Mayer). He decided it was time to step in and help the cause.   During the pre purchase evaluation my father decided it was time to upgrade the vehicle and began an internet search to find out everything he could about the Toyota Prius, and other green cars including the Volkswagen Touran, the Peugeot 407, and the Honda Accord.   He learned everything possible about each car including the gas mileage, cost, efficiency.   He read consumer reports, company reports, and online reviews and eventually evaluated the positives and negatives of each car. Personality, Values, Lifestyle Choices permit Consumer Buying My parent’s liberal nature permitted personality, values, and lifestyle choices to properly fall into place with the purchase. For years my organic food was the only thing available in my house and my parents have supported many environmental causes.   After the Oscars my father’s motivation to purchase a green car increase ten hold and he begun his thorough investigation.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The individual differences of the cars and manufactures had much to do with my family’s purchase of the Prius. The internet provided all the consumer resources my parent’s needed to come to a narrowed the decision down to either the Toyota Prius or the Volkswagen Touran. The next step was for my parents to go and see both cars.   They met with salespeople; test drove each car, learned how much fuel each car consumed per kilometer, and investigated the electric components of the car.   Although comparable in design, boot space, and kilometers to the liter, my parents both choose the Prius and after much research were happy to take it home. Consumer Satisfaction My parents are very happy with this vehicle at home.   Consumer consumption is a concept that can be defined as â€Å"a mean’s of producing one’s self and self-image† (Arnould & Price, 2000, p. 141).   The image my parent’s are trying to produce is one of a trendy and environmentally aware people.   The Toyota Prius definitely portrays this image.   In terms of satisfaction this may be the best purchase my parents have every made.   They are more than happy to show it off and tell all of the perks and special features to anyone who cares to listen.   In retrospect if Toyota ever needs spokes person for the Prius they should definitely consider my parents. Divestment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At this time divestment is not a concept that is considered with this purchase.   The social value alone has causes an investment in the environment which is never a lost cause.   Friends and neighbors are impressed and this is important to my parents. Conclusion My parents played out each step of the decision making process in almost the exact layout of the model provided by Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel. Beginning with stimuli, we will review the exposure, attention, comprehension, and retention stage that occurred to cause the thought of this purchase to hold steadfast in the memory, then moving on to need recognition, environmental influences, individual differences influencing the purchase decision, we will see what cause the purchase to became complete, and what happens thereafter with satisfaction/dissatisfaction and divestment stages of the consumer process.   Overall this has been an interesting investigation into the thought process behind such a purchase for our family.   Consumers as a whole have a difficult time choosing environmental friendly products â€Å"Until (recently), industrialization had enjoyed an extraordinary and almost continuous success–except for occasional wars. Technological development and its products were widely accepted. Standards of living, prosperity, and welfare were and are closely tied to the successes of industrial society. Energy, particularly in the form of fossil fuels, has been and continues to be essential to an advanced, industrial society. The enterprises and authorities involved in energy production and supply–and the decision making and planning relating to them–enjoyed respect and support. They had well established legitimacy. An ample supply of energy was seen as crucial for industrial development and for providing important ingredients to everyday comforts and welfare. Since the â€Å"golden age of energy† came to an end (around 1970), there have occurred significant changes in our consciousness, in our policies, and to some extent in our practices. In part, this is reflected in the results of energy research. In response to the energy problem, policymakers and planners have tried–and continue to try–a variety of strategies: Attempts to reduce energy consumption, save energy, and increase energy efficiency† (Monnier et al., 1986, p. 54). These are issues that need to be clear in every consumers thought process.   I applaud the thoughtful efforts of celebrities, manufacturers, countries, and individual states that support the cause and try to encourage consumers to be conscious about their buying decisions.   It is important to consider the consequences of all of our actions and this includes our action when we purchase a new product. References Arnould, E. J., & Price, L. L. (2000). 8 Authenticating Acts and Authoritative Performances. In The Why of Consumption: Contemporary Perspectives on Consumer Motives, Goals and Desires, Ratneshwar, S., Mick, D. G., & Huffman, C. (Eds.) (pp. 140-163). London: Routledge. Donnelley, Astrakhan. â€Å"Natural Responsibilities: Philosophy, Biology, and Ethics in Ernst Mayr and Hans Jonas.† The Hastings Center Report 32.4 (2002): 36+. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . Johansen, Bruce E. The Global Warming Desk Reference. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . Lackner, Klaus S., and Jeffrey D. Sachs. â€Å"A Robust Strategy for Sustainable Energy.† Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2005): 215+. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . Lee, J., & Geistfeld, L. V. (1998). Enhancing Consumer Choice: Are We Making Appropriate Recommendations?. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 32(2), 227+. Retrieved March 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001394368 Mayer, Donald O. â€Å"Corporate Governance in the Cause of Peace: An Environmental Perspective.† Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law 35.2 (2002): 585+. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . â€Å"Free Parking Permits for Eco-Cars.† BBC News 15 Mar. 2007. 21 Mar. 2007 .   

Friday, January 3, 2020

Explore the Ways That Writers Use Contrast Within a...

William Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† and Michele Roberts’ â€Å"Your Shoes† both explore similar themes of contrast, particularly within characters to create interest for the reader or audience. Shakespeare’s play was written in the late 1500s, a time of strict gender and age roles where society was largely focussed on social class that was impacted highly on by religion. This in turn led to constant discrimination to those who were not in the highest social class. Despite â€Å"Your Shoes† being a much more modern piece, it still has plenty of similarities to â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† because of similar gender and age roles that have not – in relation to social class and religious discrimination – changed a lot within modern Britain.†¦show more content†¦Roberts’ protagonist is also a very conflicting and contrasting character. The structure in ‘Your Shoes’ plays a huge par t in conveying this, as well as the language. The short is written in 1st person from the point of view of the mother, with a basic structure composed of alternating positive and negative paragraphs to reflect upon her contrasting state of mind. Within the paragraphs the mother reminisces about the good times with her daughter and portrays her as almost perfect â€Å"You’re so innocent†¦You’re too trusting, too kind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However her thoughts quickly shift to almost resenting her daughter â€Å"I don’t think you have a clue how we feel.† particularly when she talks about her mother and that â€Å"She spoiled you. She loved you more than she loved me. It isn’t fair.† This pattern of contrasting paragraphs continues throughout the short until line 163 where the paragraph lengths are dramatically cut, the sentences gradually become shorter and frequently jump between points. By line 183 the sentences are consistently short and the ‘paragraphs’ become so random they almost have no relation to each other. Roberts uses this technique effectively to represent the contrast within the Mother to interest the reader. Similarly to Shakespeare, Roberts uses rhetorical questions particularly in the 7th paragraph to convey the continuous amount of pain the mother is going through with the loss and worry of her daughter. She does this by using 5 continuousShow MoreRelatedEssay about Alfred Hitchcocks Rear Window and the Crime Fiction Genre2515 Words   |  11 Pagestraditional character constraints of the Crime Fiction Genre, by introducing a new type of lead detective figure. The ideal detective figure encompassed traits of superiority, intelligence, wit and a keen sense for observation. The lead detective figure is a sophisticated character that is not bound to the constrictions and limitations of the Law and the exploration of this figure through the use of visual aid and techniques, provides contrast and variation on the common themes within the genre. 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