Friday, October 18, 2019
Corruption happened in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Corruption happened in China - Essay Example He said the government spent 3 billion to build the government building but because the people worked in the construction sector were venal, the accurate amount of money spent on the construction was just about 3 million. "The quality of the building was worrying", he said. Corruption had already affected too many people. In my town, a number of people who were in government and in charge of the city were venal, and many things which were their responsibility could not go on towards normal procedures. They would work for you only if you give them money. Also they would work for you no matter the things you asked them were legal or not. Many people are breaking the law everyday yet they think it is a normal practice. In my opinion, in order to stop this situation, we have to make the people in government aware of this situation and let them solve this problem, because as ordinary citizens we can barely do anything about it. I think we can gather a group of people to put out a protest. This protest needs to be carried out in a very silent way so that the mileage is good and the result discernable. I hope the people who went through the consequence of corruption could do whatever they can to stop this menace. This shall essentially set the basis for doing things the right way within China and bring an end to the immoral practices which are being compromised upon in this day and
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Urban Polution In the 14th century Research Paper
Urban Polution In the 14th century - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that the rising concerns about pollution in America and Britain are not a new issue. By the 14th century, many European city dwellers had started showing their displeasure at the rising level of pollution in their towns. In the 1970s for example, many urban dwellers raised their voices in protest about the rising level of air pollution in their cities. à At this time, it was perceived that the main cause of the pollution was the motor vehicle. Fumes from the motor vehicles chocked people as they passed through traffic. This essay discusses that one thing that the American urban dwellers living in the 1970s forgot is that the autoââ¬â¢s main predecessor, the horse, was earlier perceived to be a worse option in respect of urban pollution. Many scholars decried the pollution that was in urban centers and in fact demanded that horses be banished from American cities. One authority noted that the horse was a taxing economic burden to humans and an affront to hygiene. à At this time, it was widely agreed that the ââ¬Å"horseless carriageâ⬠be adopted as a solution to the pollution problem. The researcher states that in the 14th century, in Europe, the horse had been identified as a major cause of pollution. Based on Statistics, it was established by sanitary experts that a horse produces between 15 and 30 pounds of dung every day.Ã
Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1
Literature Review - Essay Example These in most cases are caused by different need, or ideologies that we experience when we are brought together. Absence of negotiation can worsen the differences hence unstable relationships between societal members. This paper presents a thoughtful literature review of the importance of negotiation skills with reference to various scholarly articles and books. ElShenawy views negotiation as an important managerial skill which the success of the global environment relies on. Additionally, most interactions need the aspect of negotiation. This makes skilful negotiators are perceived as useful assets that are capable of increasing the financial performance, maintain good customer relations and ensure workerââ¬â¢s satisfaction (ElShenawy, 2010). Arguably, skills are very essential in the growth of any organization as it promotes understanding and inter-relationship among individuals in the organization. Today, most organizations are interested in employing individuals that are well equipped with appropriate skills like listening skills, and negotiation skills. According to Taylor, Mesmer-Magnus and Burns individualsââ¬â¢ ability to effectively negotiate with others like their coworkers, superiors and their juniors hence effective global workforce (Taylor, Mesmer-Magnus, & Burns, 2008). ... Ideally, skills in negotiations involve the ability to be persuasive and assertive and not confront other parties. These skills promote the effectiveness in negotiation process. Generally, communication skills are very essential in our daily activities and relationships. The only way to solve a dispute is exert the key negotiation skills in the process. However, negotiation is in most cases influenced by the power of the two parties, how they are able to influence others matters. According to Ahn, Sutherland and Bednarek, how the parties influence each other enhances the willingness to reach an agreement (Ahn, Sutherland & Bednarek, 2010). This simply means that the agreement reached to solve the differences between two parties is ideally based on the level of influence that the parties involved have towards each other as well as the case presented, and the third parties present. Briefly, steps followed while negotiating include preparation, discussion, and clarification of goals, wi n-win outcome, agreement, and implementation of the course of action. Equally, all parties involved have to participate in the negotiation process. The venue to discuss the problem, time limit, and presence of all facts of the situation need to be clarified in order to avoid further conflict and wastage of time. Then, parties involved are given opportunity to air out their views of the situation. Here, they are encouraged to listen, question and ensure clarification of ideas as each side given equal chance to present their cases. Thereafter, the two partiesââ¬â¢ goals, interests and viewpoints need to be clarified to found a common ground. Followed by negotiation for a win-win outcome where both parties feel that their views have been taken into LITERATURE REVIEW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1 LITERATURE REVIEW - Essay Example The study subjects were categorized by sex and age after which their demographic data was taken. cyanobacteria isolates were cultured in sterile inorganic media. The research was conducted using skin patch technique in which the nurses prepared subjectsââ¬â¢ backs using acetone and the patches applied (Ian, Ivan, Penelope, Philip, & Glen, 2006, p. 2). The patches contained aqueous suspensions of cyanobacteria which were applied for 48 hours. Dermatological assessments were carried out after 48 and 96 hours of application. The subjects were advised to keep their backs clean and not to participate in any vigorous activity that might interfere with the patches. The hypothesis that was evaluated in this research was to assess the potential of cyanobacteria to cause skin hypersensitivity reactions. The literature review mainly covered two variables: cyanobacteria and skin patch technique. These are the most important variables since they form the core of the research hypothesis. The li terature review starts by describing what cyanobacteria are and associated public health risks. Skin rashes have been reported as a result of exposure to cyanobacteria. Usually, these rashes are very pruritic and itchy (Ian, Ivan, Penelope, Philip, & Glen, 2006, p. 2). In order to understand the hypothesis, conditions that favor growth of these algae and their health effects have to be known. This literature review was therefore, very relevant to the hypothesis. The author also gives information on the reports arising from exposure of cyanobactreia especially in recreational situations. The fact that few of these reports have been reported for domestic water supplies is also reviewed. From the literature it can be seen that skin patch testing has been in used as a procedure for testing effects of cyanobacteria since 1900s (Ian, Ivan, Penelope, Philip, & Glen, 2006, p. 2). It is also indicated that 20-24 percent of volunteers reacted to cyanobactreia in a study by Pilotto et al (Ian, Ivan, Penelope, Philip, & Glen, 2006, p. 2). Therefore, the use of skin patching to assess the effects of cyanobacteria has been used successfully in several studies. This means that the same procedure can be used in this research and give good results. The literature review used in this study fully supported the research hypothesis. In the literature review the author points out that reports of skin rashes as a result of cyanobactreia have been reported. Most of these cases are as a result of recreational exposure. Very few cases have been reported as a result of poor water treatment facilities hence their presence in water supplies (Ian, Ivan, Penelope, Philip, & Glen, 2006, p. 2). There is a gap in information concerning cyanobacteria in water supplies. The literature review was somehow biased. This is because the researcher only covered two aspects (cyanobacteria and Skin patch testing) in the literature review. It could be more interesting if the author could incorporate hyper sensitivity in the literature review. Important information to be included would include types of hypersensitivity caused by cyanobacteria and long term effects of these hypersensitivity. Nevertheless, the review on cyanobacteria and skin patch testing presented in the paper gave a good background information about the field of study. Therefore literature review can be used to form a good base for a research. The literature review mainly concentrated on primary information sources. This
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Urban Polution In the 14th century Research Paper
Urban Polution In the 14th century - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that the rising concerns about pollution in America and Britain are not a new issue. By the 14th century, many European city dwellers had started showing their displeasure at the rising level of pollution in their towns. In the 1970s for example, many urban dwellers raised their voices in protest about the rising level of air pollution in their cities. à At this time, it was perceived that the main cause of the pollution was the motor vehicle. Fumes from the motor vehicles chocked people as they passed through traffic. This essay discusses that one thing that the American urban dwellers living in the 1970s forgot is that the autoââ¬â¢s main predecessor, the horse, was earlier perceived to be a worse option in respect of urban pollution. Many scholars decried the pollution that was in urban centers and in fact demanded that horses be banished from American cities. One authority noted that the horse was a taxing economic burden to humans and an affront to hygiene. à At this time, it was widely agreed that the ââ¬Å"horseless carriageâ⬠be adopted as a solution to the pollution problem. The researcher states that in the 14th century, in Europe, the horse had been identified as a major cause of pollution. Based on Statistics, it was established by sanitary experts that a horse produces between 15 and 30 pounds of dung every day.Ã
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Weekly Journal #5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Weekly Journal #5 - Essay Example o focus on individuals and inner desires or feelings that shape behaviors as Cognitive Behavioral Theory remain to concentrate on how human cognitions affect their behaviors. Another key point learnt from the weeks reading is that Psychoanalysis constitutes the theory used by first family therapists. As demonstrated by Nichols (2013), many other theories and approaches to family therapy followed or developed from Psychoanalysis. From the perspectives of an experienced counselor, the frameworks of Psychoanalysis and Cognitive Behavioral Theory are not much apart. This means that it is easier to merge and manipulate the two techniques subsequently in treating a family. As explained by Nichols (2013), Psychoanalysis theory concerns with self-psychology and object relations theory to detail how people relate to each other, underlying expectations in every relationship and how fulfillment or failure affects emotions and behaviors of individuals. Simply interpreted, Psychoanalysis investigates how human relationships affect their self-understanding and emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Theory on the other hand generally emphasizes the need for attitudinal change to maintain change in behavior (Nichols, 2013). Again, this technique seems to center on emotions and inner desires of individuals as elements to regulate to cause positive and functional behaviors that maintain family dynamics. From the understanding, a cou nselor can just combine and merge the two techniques in treating a family. This will help to focus on individuals and families at relevant times as suites therapistââ¬â¢s strategies and goals. One of the insights that this week readings have elicited is that Psychoanalytic Theory and Cognitive Behavioral Theory share significant attributes with Experiential and Strategic Theories of family therapy. this is insight is due to fact that when deeply analyzed, the focus of the theories end at understanding emotions and inner desires of individuals, and their effects
The Role of Internet in Marketing Essay Example for Free
The Role of Internet in Marketing Essay In this task I will be discussing a very important subject of todayââ¬â¢s world of business which is internet marketing. To start off my task, I am going to give a general idea of history of the internet, general functions it can perform and how the internet has generally changed the society in many different ways and aspects. The history of establishing the internet originally goes back to 1950s and thatââ¬â¢s when it first came on the scene, no one ever thought of the possibility that this project of internet would go quite far with the time. Nowadays, thereââ¬â¢s no one that doesnââ¬â¢t depend on internet/computer usage. Weââ¬â¢d clearly see that most of the important daily processes and work are most likely to be done through the use of the internet; there would be no such big popularity for computers in our todayââ¬â¢s society if it wasnââ¬â¢t for the internet. The 1970s was the period when networks were interlinked, 1982 is the date when worldwide network was established and 1995 can be pointed at as the year when internet was widely commercialised. The internet functions in many different areas and itââ¬â¢s always useful and helpful to everyone in order to accomplish their different needs. For example, internet services such as E-mail provides a great mean of communication, not only between businesses (B2B) but also its very useful between businesses and customers (B2C) as well and customers to customersââ¬â¢ (C2C) communications too. The Internet is also considered to be the most common, advantageous and fastest source of gathering information, for instance the services that the internet presents such as the World Wide Web (WWW) holds tremendous amount of information, much of which is easily accessible and available 24 hours per day. Also, another use of internetââ¬â¢s wide services is that you can process payments through it very easily and smoothly; there are so many advantages of online payments/transactions which the internetââ¬â¢s service provides. Some of these advantages include businesses earning more by enabling customers globally to make their own purchases at any time of day or night, which basically means that an online store-front is open for shoppers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Also, online banking services provided by a lot of banks is considered to be hugely cost effective, thatââ¬â¢s because banks donââ¬â¢t need to have too many personnel or clerical staff around to help getting the banking transactions done. Example of B2B: the internet is very useful in B2B operations generally, for instance a company like HM are cooperated with the Royal Mail for the purpose of delivering the goods to customers and that requires HM to be in consistent interaction with the Royal Mail. The internet has made it a lot easier for HM to interact with the Royal Mail and track the items they sent and the orders they receive from their different warehouses across several countries. Example of C2C: there are many examples for how easy the internet has made it for C2C operations and interaction, the example for this would be the service that Facebook and other communication websites provide like Twitter and that service is basically the accessibility to all people to communicate and interact so this interaction can involve customers messaging each others to enquire about products and goods. Now Iââ¬â¢m going to relate the marketing mix to internet marketing and how it developed into the extended marketing mix. This will be done by taking each element of the marketing mix, describing how the internet has affected them. Extended Marketing Mix: This marketing mix is a tool which marketers use to describe their marketing strategy. It is constructed of the original 4Pââ¬â¢s and it expands the number of manageable variables from the four in the original marketing mix model to seven. Product: there are some products/services that wouldnââ¬â¢t exist without the internet, for instance the service that Skype and Yahoo Messenger provides which includes the ability to make free computer-to-computer calls and the utter cheap calls from computer to phones and mobile phones globally. These services/products are obviously not tangible which means that theyââ¬â¢re nonphysical sort of services unlike services such as personal training for instance. Place (non physical boundaries): The internet in itself is considered to be the biggest non-tangible place for communication where most people from all over the world get the chance to communicate and interact. This is widely and commonly used by individuals through websites such as Facebook, Twitter etc. also virtual tours that are web-based accessible gives better experience of getting to discover places that users would generally be unable to interact with, this can be done through Google Earth, Google Maps for instance. Price: Disintermediation is a term that basically defines trading directly without needing any sort of mediation. This word is used to describe many internet-based businesses such as eBay and Amazon, these businesses offer products directly to customers online rather than going through traditional retail channels. By doing so, companies and businesses can sell their products a lot cheaper and faster as well because the goods would be directly delivered to customers without no involvement from the middlemen. It is believed that the internet will transform the way products are bought and sold, and disintermediation is the motivating force behind this revolution. Promotion: Promotion is basically the method by which businesses communicate with customers. By promoting, customers get to make a decision to purchase a product or service. This can be done through the use of internet by nearly most of the online-based companies such as eBay and Amazon, this is called e-mail promotion, eBay and Amazon in particular can reach and target their customer needs and send them matching offers to what theyââ¬â¢re interested in through their online marketplace which helps both companies to reach new customers and promote and advertise very widely. This also gives the ability for businesses to spot what their customersââ¬â¢ different needs are and by doing so they can offer them specific products matching their specific needs. Cookies are very helpful on promoting for businesses as well; cookies are basically bits of information associated with the accounts of online market customersââ¬â¢ and shoppers such as on eBay and Amazon, they are normally saved on customersââ¬â¢ computers to make their online shopping experience quicker and easier. Cookies are used by eBay for instance to recognise customers when they sign in to their website for the purpose of remembering their preferences , and by doing so, eBay and Amazon are able to send their customers the offers theyââ¬â¢re most likely to be looking to and the products and goods theyââ¬â¢re interested in. People: Itââ¬â¢s very vital and crucial for any business to have the right people/staff in order to provide sufficient service to the customers. For example, the admin team behind FAQs, forums with other customers. I would say that itââ¬â¢s impossible to close a sales deal without the interaction with customers. Also, the business blogs which are a corporate tool for communicating with customers are very helpful in terms of sharing knowledge and expertise with all the customers. These blogs basically aims at sweeping the business community in a smart way of sharing information about the business online, theyââ¬â¢re really an example of an excellent method to share a companyââ¬â¢s expertise, build additional web traffic, and connect with potential customers. Itââ¬â¢s fundamental for any online-based business to anticipate and understand their customer needs thatââ¬â¢s why understanding customersââ¬â¢ profiles in terms of their demographic, psychographic, economic and usage-based segmentation is vital to businesses; in order to achieve that, marketers must get serious about matching their site strategies to the needs of their target customer market segments. Process: Using the internet to do shopping, online banking, and other different types of practices and operations made it a lot easier for businesses as well as different types of people. In our modern world, the internet has grown its popularity and become one of the important methods in linking between businesses and customers as well. One role of internet in business is also the ecommerce websites and online payment solutions that allow people to shop online from the comfort of their homes. Also, another thing the internet has also provided is online banking which has made it a lot easier for people involved in banking activities to manage their accounts, pay bills, and manage their bank accounts generally. Physical Evidence: In terms of Physical Evidence, the internet has provided lots of services that allow the users of it to have access to different types of media resources by which they can gain knowledge about a specific product/service. For example, if someone is thinking of buying a new mobile, they can have access to lots of video reviews of it online in different websites and places. Also the internet has made price comparison service very profitable, thatââ¬â¢s because the number of online shopper is increasing daily and the internet has made it at ease for them to compare prices between different online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay etc.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Good And Effective Leadership Manifestation
Good And Effective Leadership Manifestation INTRODUCTION Leadership is exhibited in almost all stages of life. Everybody in one stage of his or her life has been faced with situations where leadership skills had to be demonstrated. Right from individual families and homes to organisations, institutions and governmental bodies, leadership skills are very much demonstrated. Irrespective of whether one possesses substantial leadership traits or not, there is an inherent need to succeed in a given task. Good leadership is not based on just leading people but it also comes along with different responsibilities and based on how its handled, justifies one as being either a good leader or a bad leader. Effective leadership skills can never be practiced without followers; they are the people who are led to either a success or failure in a particular project. Attitudes of followers are greatly subjected to leadership traits displayed by the leaders and this is backed by the statement made by Hackman and Johnson (2004) that followers prosper under ef fective leaders and suffers under ineffective leaders. (Hackman Johnson, 2000) 2.0. CASE STUDY 1 2.1. Case Summary Joey was previously involved in aviation and believes that, his narration is in a similar fashion to what course aims to achieve by better equipping us for the life of engineers in our chosen industries. Evidence of this has been during the 10th week of course when we discussed CRM (Crew Resource Management). Even though he was not personally involved in this scenario, he believes its an excellent situation to analyse. His case is a classic example of how leadership/teamwork manifestation by the pilots, cabin crew and air traffic controllers and use of teamwork to execute a safe outcome for all concerned when a US Airbus A320 in flight had issues with both of its engines in January last year. As the routine flight was climbing out of the New York area, one by one a flock of birds flew into the path of the aircraft and stopped both the jet engines on the aircraft. The captain (the leader of the aircraft) calmly analysed the situation and he knew that he only had a short time to take a concrete decision. The initial decision taken by the leader was to go back to the airport they came from to try and land there with no engines at all, upon a conversation with his co-pilot (subordinate) it was decided that this would be a very unlikely outcome for success. A further discussion with his other worker gave the suggestion of the possibility of landing in a sighted river close to their spot. 2.2 Leadership manifestation The leadership skill in this situation was demonstrated considering the amount of pressure that the crews were under when the crisis started. On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 took off from New Yorks LaGuardia airport for Charlotte, North Carolina. Shortly after takeoff, the plane went through a flock of geese at 3,000 feet and both engines were knocked out. Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger later said that he felt an adrenaline rush right to his core. As his heart rate increased, he forced himself to ignore the physical symptoms and face the situation. (Cross, 2009) This situation was well handled by the crew following these 6 steps that they received during training to try and resolve a crisis. Step 1: The best defense is a good offence (Cross, 2009): Establish training exercises for the possible crisis, US airways had done this with the crew and so they would have been well prepared for the crisis. The commanding pilot was also a very knowledgeable person on crisis management and knew how to formulate a backup plan in stressful situations as evidence by this statement from him in a post accident interview; One way of looking at this might be that, for 42 years, Ive been making small regular deposits in this bank of experience: education and training, said US Airways Capt. Chesley Sully Sullenberger. And on January 15, the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal. (Couric K 2009) Step 2: Tell me now (Cross, 2009): Communicate to known company a protocol that is what the cockpit crew did when they had the failure. Even though the emergency happened at a low altitude they still had to rigidly follow companys procedures to try and evaluation the aircraft systems and the situation itself Step 3: Rally the team (Cross, 2009): Communicate with the other team members on both the best and worst possible outcomes for the situation. The US air 1549 flight crew discussed all possible alternatives in the approach they would take to try and solve the problem Step 4: Isolate and contain the problem (Cross, 2009): Once the crew identified their plan of attack, they isolated the problem by using the best known knowledge at the time and went through checklists to try and remedy the situation and start the engines so they might be able to get out of the situation. US Airways also focused on the ABCs Assess what the situation is and/or threats are, Balance available barriers using policies, procedures and flows, checklists, automation, external resources, human factors, and knowledge of aircraft handling, Communicate effectively and understand callouts, and Standard operating procedures. (Sullenberger C, 2009) Step 5: Fix it (Cross, 2009): After the accident, the industry and airlines are trying to remedy the situation of bird strikes for the future and also better crew training for water ditching Step 6: Train all team members (Cross, 2009): Remedial action after the accident and the subsequent findings have suggested better precautions and training to try and prevent an occurrence like this happening again. Comparing of the learnt theories to the case study 1 The theories learnt in this course are very relevant to this accident. High risk industries have been littered with tragedies from poor management systems in the past. A good starter for this is the review of CRM from lecture 10 in our course it states that; CRM is a system to achieve safe and efficient flight operations by optimizing the use of all available resources such as equipments, procedures and people. CRM training focuses on mastering knowledge, skills and attitudes related to communications, situational awareness, problem solving, decision making, and teamwork (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010). The paragraphs below outline how the CRM was successfully implemented in the accident; 2.3.1 Leadership: The captain of the aircraft displayed great composure and guidance during the crisis, he used his previous training to avoid the situation from becoming worse. A classic example of great leadership manifestation was when the aircraft was on the water, he checked inside the aircraft to see if there were any stranded people left on the aircraft after every one had left before he left the aircraft. He also directed the rescue crews to approach and rescue people on the wings first before the people on the life rafts. The third positive leadership trait displayed by the co-pilot was when he went back into the sinking aircraft and located more life jackets for the passengers who had none. 2.3.2 Interpersonal communication: This can be broken down further for this section to include; Communication errors, barriers, cultural influences, listening, coordination (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010). The above mentioned traits were performed to a high standard in each area this in my opinion was the reason why the outcome of the flight was so successful. 2.3.3 Decision-making: This area of the accident can be further examined with the following factors; Risk assessment, risk management techniques, loss of judgement, deviations (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010) The aircraft crew did an excellent job in these areas, for example in the risk of assessment the crew were thinking about what was going to be the least risk, landing in the river or the airport they came from? Which ties into risk management they have made a decision so now they must manage the risk of this decision with the appropriate tools to make the outcome successful. Lessons learnt from the course We have learnt that the crew in what could be described as an almost hopeless situation pulled off a miracle to save the crippled aircraft. Kellys Followership Model in CRM mentioned in the slides makes reference to the Exemplary Followers: Assertive and not afraid to challenge; essential to safe efficient ops (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010), these are the techniques employed by the crew on the aircraft at all times to ensure a successful outcome to the situation. We have also learnt that a calm head and excellent teamwork are essential to solving any impending crisis. It was an integral part of this scenario. We didnt have time to consult all the written guidance, we didnt have time to complete the appropriate checklist, so Jeff Skiles and I had to work almost intuitively in a very close-knit fashion, without having a chance to verbalize every decision, every part of the situation. By observing each others actions and hearing our transmissions and our reports to others, we were a ble to quickly be on the same page, know what needed to be done and begin to do it. (Sullenberger C, 2009) The captain of the aircraft exhibited the big 5 important factors under the personality traits of leadership. The above qualities exhibited by the leader and complimented by the crews superb CRM was the major factor for the successful outcome. Lets further break these points down into a more detailed analysis of the situation; 2.4.1 Neuroticism (emotional stability): The captain of the flight had no time to channel his energies into anxiety; he said he had to mentally control his emotions so he could use his thoughts to fly the plane instead 2.4.2 Extraversion (sociability): Sullenberger used his teamwork skills to communicate the problem with his co-pilot as to what the best action would be to ensure a safe outcome for the flight 2.4.3 Openness to experience (creative, curious): Sullenbergers past history as a aviation accident consultant, a glider pilot and a instructor in human dynamics in aviation all helped him to make the right decision needed for a safe outcome. 2.3.4 Agreeableness (trusting nurturing): This was demonstrated by the fact he let his co-pilot run through the engine relight checklist so he could try and attempt to restore engine power, so in the worst case he would be able to fly the aircraft back to the airport on one engine if they got it restarted. 2.3.5 Conscientiousness (organised dependable): He demonstrated this due to his past employment as a instructor pilot in US airways, which consisted of duties such as testing pilots skills in the simulator and in the aircraft. He was also widely recognised by his peers as an excellent pilot and faithful servant of the aviation industry. Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile. (Ljubo V. and Sutherland, 2010) The successful outcome was achieved by the actions of many. Lives were saved due to the experience of a well trained crew (Sullenberger C, 2009). The above two quotes sum up perfectly the Captain and crew of US air flight 1549 in a nutshell. Improvements to Case Study 1 based on learnt theories In light of the accident on the Hudson River, the industry has learnt that they must keep up to date with aircrew training and cabin crew training and the training must be based on one of the most impressive training improvements, Recommendations for new engine certification procedures, emergency checklists, aircraft equipage and pilot training (Croft J 2010). From a leadership point of view the US Government regulator for aviation (FAA) and Airbus, were each criticized for not mandating ditching training in the flight simulator, tougher engine bird strike certification, proper pilot checklists. From a cabin crew point of view deficiencies existed in briefing of passengers and also lack of standardization of equipment in the US airways fleet (some aircraft had life rafts some did not) at the time FAA did not mandate use of life raft on non overwater flights. Apart from the Government leadership issues one of the positives from a leadership point of view was that, the captain turned on the mini jet engine so he could maintain control over the aircraft in the final minutes of the flight. However the negatives of the leadership where he failed to press the ditching button to close the valves so water would not flood the aircraft (but this is a limitation of the human mind in reaction to a rare and stressful situation). Another finding is the fact that, the industry was ill prepared to know how to ditch in water. From a communication and leadership point of view, the question asks What should be done differently as a result of this learning. In my research and opinion from this accident backed up with our theory from the course, they perform a magnificent job of handling the situation from a classic leadership and communication text book point of view and could in the future be a excellent case to study for future generations of leaders in the World. 3.0. CASE STUDY 2 3.1. Case summary: The second case study is of Awais Safder who led his team to complete a task in limited time by convincing the labor force to work over time during winter. This was very crucial for the reputation of the company he worked for since the client requested the project be built on a tighter time schedule. In order successfully meet the target; he placed leadership responsibilities on his sub-ordinates. They did not have to complete it for themselves but for the sake of company. Saving of time was of course saving of money. He did not just finish it on limited time but also saved on cost. Leaders are people who can create significant change in both followers and organisation which they are associated. (Iain Hay,2010) In a project, whoever is the leader must possess a number of characteristics to guarantee progress. To handle such pressure at an early stage of his career was mentally challenging. He was the sole structural site engineer on the building site. He did not only show inspirational skills in propelling the labor force to achieve this task, but also exhibited excellent leadership. 3.2. Leadership Manifestation The leadership manifested in this case was transformational leadership. The leadership traits Awais adopted in that case was focusing on being analytical, devoted, diligent, interactive and sincere, factors that a successful leader must adapt to if he anticipates progressive results. Sometimes however, depending upon the diversity of situations, there may be trade-on and trade-off characteristics in the need for each of the traits. He exhibited sound emotional stability in dealing with problems contemplatively towards the outcome of the project. Leadership skills perceived in solving the problems occurred during the execution of the task. He considered all ideas in addition to further improve his relationship with the followers and having sufficient skill to persuade followers even in case of disagreement. He made them realise that they had to complete this task for the sake of their companys reputation. He listened to their issues, noted their problems and promised them extra remune ration for their extended hours on the site. He also invited supervisors and foremen with whom he initially discussed the procedure of executing the activities and idea of extended hours at work for them. He then discussed the whole situation with Project Manager and explained to him how he was going to complete each activity and assured him of prompt progress on the project. He assured him that if these extra hours of construction were agreed upon, he would negotiate with the steel fixers to help boost moral on the construction site. 3.3. Comparing the learnt theories to the case study The under listed paragraphs gives a vivid illustration on how Awais leadership approaches were analyzed based on the theories learnt in class 3.3.1. Transformational Approach: Standing on the statement made by Hackman and Johnsons, The new leader is one who commits people to action, who converts followers into leaders, and who may convert leaders into agents of change (Hackman Johnson, 2009). His leadership skills was highly portrayed on how he encouraged his followers on the construction site to become leaders is a typical examples. A further example of this can be viewed from the following notes on transformational leadership. The transformational leadership characteristics from his case of study are as follows. 3.3.1.1. Creative: He exhibited creativity at different levels of the task. Since he was the sole engineer at the construction site, he had to come up with different alternatives to execute the given task at a specified time with the steel fixers especially during the winter when at night the temperature fell to -4à ° C. 3.3.1.2. Interactive: He took into account the fact that manpower plays a vital role in the progress of any task. In order to achieve the required goals from them, he was very concerned about their personal issues. He used to go on construction site, watched steel fixers, appreciated their hard work, stayed with them and made some jokes to make their working environment friendlier. Whenever I told them how the company had always taken care of them and provided them with many facilities in the past, they always gave a strong and positive response. To them, it was a give and take affair that is, once their basic needs are attended to, they on their part will do their best in achieving the companys goal. This is also a classic example of how McGregors theory Y is put into play. 3.3.1.3. Visionary: He was issued with the task of completing the project in 13 days. However, he was required by the client to complete it in seven days. He knew this requirement would stretch his time management skills but he employed excellent delegation skills to make sure the project would be completed on time and almost 30% below budget cost. An example of this is a quote from Hackman and Johnson that A vision is a concise statement or description of the direction in which an individual, group, or organisation is headed (Hackman Johnson, 2009). 3.3.1.4. Empowering: During this process he felt it was necessary to give his subordinates the feeling of being on equal footing as himself. He thought that if he treated his workers on the same level as himself he would get a great return from the worker, they will be more motivated and the company would get a great return from the workers. This was evident by the fact that the project was finished in seven days instead of the proposed 13 days. The comment by Hackman and Johnson enforces this great display of leadership, that is, Transformational Leaders know how to give power away and how to make others feel powerful (Hackman Johnson, 2009). 3.3.1.5. Passionate: He worked long hours for the completion of the task allocated to him and to excel his followers too. He believed that his display of immense love and passion towards his work was essential to serve as a motivational factor for his subordinates. This contributed a lot since it encouraged all the followers to put in a similar amount of passion or even more to achieve the set goals. He made funny jokes with his subordinates gave him the chance to get along with them. This in turn increased work production on site because he made his sub-ordinates felt valued. The statement below links him well with the passion component of transformational leadership. Transformational Leaders love their jobs have a great deal of affection for their fellow-workers. (Hackman Johnson, 2009) 3.4. Lessons learnt from the course The lesson learnt from the course further equipped him with better tools to manage a situation like this in a more comprehensive approach in the future. Looking at the course we can use many outstanding theories to better equip us for greater management skills in the future. A further examination of the strategies to his scenario on the construction site are done using Wallas four steps for creative problem solving 3.4.1 Preparation: In his scenario, he acknowledged the problem and tried to weight up the problems with the possible solutions. The best solution he came up with was able to satisfy both the management and employees. 3.4.2 Incubation: After reviewing the situation, his team sat down and deliberated on other alternative solutions to the problem at hand. 3.4.3 Illumination: After the two meeting with his followers, he made it a point to personally deliberate on the issue and the proposed solutions to see the possibly of coming up with a whole different approach based on his knowledge and expertise in that particular issue. 3.4.4 Verification: He would go back to the original people he had a meeting with and discuss again the problems and solutions of the construction site and then finalise with his team on the best solution they should opt for. 3.5. Improvements to Case Study 2 based on learnt theories From the study of this course, we realised that his leadership at the time was sufficient but he could personally improve on it now based on the theories hes learnt from the course. The productive engineer should possess abilities skillful enough to express, recognize problems and understand cultures and atmosphere. Leadership attributes can be further developed by more knowledge and experience. Based on the theories, characteristics of a good engineering leader must comprise of intuitiveness, inspiration, effective communication, individual prosperity and contemplation to function in multi cultural and multi disciplinary teamwork. By following these traits, we can portray our organisation as one with essential technical particulars and leadership dexterities. Even though the target of the project was met, they virtually worked under pressure which will results in the followers strength and capabilities being over stretched and in turn affected productivity. Working under pressure in that adverse weather conditions did not really portray good leadership concern and care for subordinates. Increasing the human resources so that work will be completed in due time with more hands would be a better option than to unnecessarily pressurise the workers with loads of remunerations. Casual workers can thus be hired if the companys resources were not enough to permanent employees. 4.0. CASE STUDY 3 4.1. Case Summary The third case is a task of sensitising all employees of a mine to acquire ISO 14001 EMS Certification. ISO 14001 Environmental Management System is the outcome of a successful assessment of a company by an independent third party to ensure that working operations are carried out in an environmentally friendly manner such that there is a minimum impact on the environment. The ISO 14001 certification for AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mines Environmental Management System was carried out as evidence to stakeholders of the companys compliance with the national and international environmental management standards. In this regard, the management of the mine had an essential role to play in developing organisational awareness creation, sensitisation and education by explaining the concepts ISO 14001 to the entire staff and demonstrating their commitments to it before an internal audit by a independent external certification body takes place. The project was a collaborative effort by the entire staff of the mine, but the responsibility of training, awareness creation and sensitisation section of the project was duly handled over to Matilda to adequately manage all resources and logistics to ensure that all employees on the mine are satisfactorily sensitised on the concepts and procedures involved in the certification process. The attainment of the certification to a large extend depended on the understanding of the employees on the concepts of ISO 14001. It was a delicate task involving a whole complex situation considering the capacity of employees and size of the mine with a workforce of over seven thousand employees. It was a great input into her career and her leadership potentials. 4.2. Leadership Manifestation Leading the team on this project was a very bold step in her career as an environmental officer and the challenges faced toughened her for greater works ahead in her life. She manifested a good leadership skill by not ruling her team, but co-ordinating with them to embark on the project. She encouraged her subordinates to make concrete decisions and sorted their opinions on how the sensitisation program was to be run in their respective departments. She decided to train her immediate followers on how to properly organise their department. She believed in the fact that, training them will increase their competence level and make them more responsible. She agreed with the philosophy of John D. Rockefeller quoted in Hackman and Johnson, 2000 as Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people (Hackman Johnson, 2000). The training needs of the followers were based on their level of experience and responsibilities. All training materials, methods and means of evaluation took into account their abilities, literacy, nature of risk associated with their operations and their individual responsibilities. After having decided on the best methods of sensitisation with her followers, she deduced some objectives to get them started and to keep them in the right framework. These were to maintain ISO14001 EMSs Standard in the training Program, to develop better employee education and training on the importance of ISO 14001, Improve communication with stakeholders/interested parties and to verify the conformance of the training efforts to regulatory or organisational requirements A great Leadership skill was manifested in solving the problems faced during the execution of the projects. Her ability to adapt to immediate corrective actions in solving them and getting the task completed made her very competent. Her display of good emotional stability in addressing the issues and taking into consideration the different characters and levels of intelligence contributed immensely to the success of the project. Coming down to the social levels of the followers and making them comfortable despite their social standings was a factor that took all inferiority out of the followers and eliminated all barriers to her position as a the youngest female leader. The challenge of working out of office hours to duly complete the task within the set time before the internal audit added so much to her credibility as a leader since she was perceived as a leader who leads by example and was very passionate with her duties. 4.3 Comparing the learnt theories to case study 3 A critical analysis of the case study based on the theories leant reflects the leadership skills manifested in Matildas case as a combination of most of the leadership approaches. An illustration on how her approaches was analysed based on the theories are discussed below 4.3.1 Trait Approach 4.3.1.1. Interpersonal Factors She was not limited by her gender or age but maintained a good composure and displayed extreme confidence in leading followers who were much older than her with some having higher academic attainments and work experiences than she had. 4.3.1.2. Cognitive Factors Her approaches to handling the challenges and solving problems associated with the project displayed her level of intelligence in her field of study and career. She tactfully handled the issues with due consideration to the followers view points and not unnecessarily discriminating. This attribute was greatly admired by her followers. 4.3.1.3. Personality: Neuroticism (Emotional Stability) Preparation of the training materials with due considerations to the competence and intelligence levels of the followers by eliminating all inferiorities and superiorities was a great way of displaying emotional stability which was a key factor in the program. Extraversion (Sociability): Her socialising approaches with the followers in meeting at clubs or restaurants after office hours, discussing other family and personal life issues broke every tension and gave the followers the edge of contributing their entire quota without feeling intimidated. Openness to experience (Creativity): The different sensitising training materials and approaches such as the use of videos, seminars, gift vouchers, floats, debates and awards of certificates of competence etcà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ was a very creative approach which helped to adequately send the message across without necessarily bombarding them with endless boring literature. Agreeableness (Trusting): She trusted her followers as being competent enough to lead their respective departments and this was based on the fact that they were adequately trained in all the systems and procedures involved and equally up to the task. Conscientiousness (Organised): The outlined objective established by the leader to keep them in the right framework and to ensure their program followed a guided path displayed her skills as being a well organised leader. Project charters were also used to evaluate the progress of the program. 4.3.2. Situational Approach: The situational approach was duly adopted by Matilda considering the fact that contextual intelligence was very much implemented. The impact of past environmental practices were considered leading to the adaptation of current trends in making concrete commitments to the future trends. The situational approach also recognised and adapted two factors under the Fiedlers contingency model. That is the task structure and team relationship (Hackman Johnson, 2000). The task structure in her case was based on the fact that, all the sensitisation program was subjected to specific procedures, agreed upon outcomes and a comprehensive evaluation of the processes and outcomes. The interpersonal relationship among the team can be classified as a good one as there was harmony in the decision making process and the avoidance of all personal issues that had the potential of marring the established relationship. 4.3.3. Transformational Approach: The leaders interactive nature of communicating with the followers on every detail that needed to be done and on the progress is a proper demonstration of the transformational leadership approach. The act of empowering the followers by adequately training them to become highly competent and encouraging them to participate and be involve in the decision making was an approach that greatly paid off in the project. With due consideration of the workforce of over 7000 people to be sensitised, there was no way of accomplishing the goal if followers were not trained to take up the responsibilities of sensitising the workers and contractors in their respective departments Lessons learnt from the course This course clarifies the fact that every leaders competence and skills are greatly based on the attitude of the followers and the outcome of the specific task being handled. Irrespective of the fact that most people are of the opinions that great leaders are born, this case of leadership skill is a proper demonstration of the fact that leaders are made and not born. This is supported with the statement made by Vince Lombardi in Hackman and Johnson, (2000) that, Leaders are made, not born. They a
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