Monday, September 30, 2019

Global Forces and the European Brewing Industry

Penthouse Heinlein seeks to expose not Just its own brand, but the local brands swell, it may be a daunting task because there is a lack of much innovation, especially that it is family controlled with no allowance for outside and new governance. But the brand itself is strong, so it will maintain and/or grow its position. Grossly It is a medium-sized company that has set a niche with products that are new and innovative, and their packaging is striking and different, but they may find it difficult to maintain this position in the market because of the trial and error expense they have created for themselves. N.B. Has the benefit of being the biggest brewer in most countries and continents, so it can afford to test new markets. But with the competitive environment it dwells in, the expense may go well beyond what they can manage, if they fail to market and run their product, brand cooperation. It will be difficult to achieve that because of its size. Scottish & Newcastle Has invested most of its power in an eventual dying market, Europe. The decreasing beer consumption will negate its resources unless it expands it reach overseas to expose its brands.Luckily it is successful and with the European focus it has well attained, it has stability in its position in the market. There also need for them to diversify, instead of having beer on the market. QUESTION 2 (it) Strengths Strong overseas strategy to use locally acquired companies to introduce Heinlein to new markets. The transfer of expertise and technology to local, companies which help economies of scale for both Heinlein and local beers. It is family controlled to help stability and independence for international growth.Weaknesses Its biggest brands are Heinlein and Master. For a big company, it does not diversify very much. It needs to create more brands to help maximize profits in different areas. It is family controlled, which means there is no allowance for ‘new blood' and innovation. Grossly The c ompany is innovative and it has a strong brand, which people rely on, e. G. Its flavored beers and striking green bottles. It has new drinks on the markets and works on new ideas plus, has a trial brewery for testing the market. It Exports many of its drinks which allow more customers.Weaknesses innovation for drinks and cost of production. The new brewery will potentially cost it with failures and trial drinks. Ellen Is a very big company and the merger allowed new ideas and more brands on the market. Wants to transform itself from biggest to best brewer, which means it values consistency and growth. Wants to coordinate all functions internationally. Weaknesses Too many acquisitions mean the cost maintenance is high. The ability to work as one unit for a big company is a difficult task to accomplish.Consistency and synergy may be difficult across continents and countries. Scottish & Newcastle Focusing on Europe as a strategy helps them analyses effectively how to strategies and, he lps unite all acquisitions and run them as one unit. The investments in Baltic Beverages helped them expose their brand to many countries. Closing down inefficient breweries cut down unnecessary costs. Weaknesses Simply focusing on one continent will not expose the products to new markets. Heavily investing in one sector, like the Baltic beverages, has potential consequence for failure cost.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

An Evaluation of Amazon.Com

Many companies which embarked in e-commerce had failed especially during the period of the â€Å"dot. Com bubble†. The failure of these dot-comes were due to the fact that many of these companies do not have a viable business model and they were focus mainly on increasing their market share at the expense of their bottoming. Amazon. Com is one of those companies which had survived and grown to become the world's biggest online store. Several critical success factors have been identified which had played an Important role In Amazon's achievement. These can be summarized under Turban et. L's major SF, of which developing a good technical infrastructure and user friendly web interface, cultivating customer acceptance and Improving the level of trust between buyers and sellers through constant focus to satisfy customers' needs and expectations, understanding the market situation and competition and finding ways to overcome these external threats stands out amongst others as being practiced by Amazon. Amazon's success story can also be attributed to their adopting of Eisenhower and Gull's (2001) second strategy of nurturing and leveraging on unique resources and competencies.There is also an element of the first strategy recommended by Eisenhower and Soul lee to establish a position (build a fortress) and defend it. Amazon has managed to create a global brand name within the e-community, to the extent that whenever anyone wants to purchase any goods through the web, they will seek out Amazon's website without any hesitation. The burst of the dot. Com bubble that started on March 10, 2000 to October 2002 had wiped out $5 trillion in market value of technology companies and caused the failure of many e-commerce companies.Amazon. Com had managed to survive due to the strategies adopted, especially their strategy to nurture and leverage unique resources and competencies as recommended by Eisenhower and Soul. Other critical success factors of Amazon. Com are as li sted by Turban et al (2000), which states that for e-commerce to succeed, companies should provide user-friendly web interface, ensuring customer acceptance and high level of trust between buyers and toys sellers, creating new partners Ana alliance, mass customization.Amazon Ana always placed priority on ensuring customer satisfaction, and due to this are constantly reengineering their processes in marketing, sales and order management, customer service and procurement in order to provide the best value to customers. The fall of internet-based companies during the era of the dot. Com bubble can be attributed to the fact that many of these companies were not guided by proper strategies to succeed in e-commerce. Many do not have viable business models in place but were focused mainly on increasing their market share at the expense of their bottoming (Wisteria's article on â€Å"Dot. Mom bubble†). While Amazon had remained frugal, many of these failed dot-comes had spent lavishl y and used up most of their investor's funds for advertising and promotion purposes. Too much emphasis was placed on increasing stock-valuations and going public, instead of building a sound business that focus on strong customer relations (Gleaners, 2000). When the returns on their investments were low or not attractive enough, the investors started to pull out causing the collapse of these companies. I would like to take the example of Boo. Mom as one of the famous dot. Com failures. Boo. Com was launched in the Autumn of 1999, to sell branded fashion wear online. Within a short span of 18 months, the company had been placed into receivership after spending $188 million of venture capitalists' funds. The fundamental problem was that the company had been too ambitious and embarked on an extremely aggressive growth plan which is not sustainable. The company targeted itself to become a global company and simultaneously launched in multiple European countries.Its founders had relied o n the ready availability of venture capital money to see the company through the first few years of trading until sales caught up with operating expenses. From the 2nd quarter of 2000, such capital ceased to be available after dramatic falls in the NASDAQ and this affected the company very badly Boo. Com failed to follow the most important critical success factors recommended by Turban et. L ii to provide a user-friendly web interface and technical infrastructure. According to Wisped, the boo. Mom website was â€Å"widely criticized as poorly designed for its target audience, going against many usability conventions†. The article went on to elaborate that â€Å"The site relied heavily on JavaScript and Flash technology to display pseudo-AD views of wares as well as Miss Boo, a sales- assistant-style avatar. † Its interface was also very non user friendly, and required the user to answer four or five different questions before revealing that there were no products in st ock in a particular sub-section. The same basic questions then had to be answered again until results were found.During that time, dial up internet connections was the norm and when the web pages take too long to load, or too cumbersome to navigate on the site, visitors will be discouraged from visiting the site. Another critical success Doctor Is tenure must De a level AT trust Detente Dryers Ana sellers. Rejection and return rate of products sold was high. Although delivery for return of goods was free, confidence level of customers became low and affected the sales for the company. Due to the lack of confidence, customer acceptance is badly effected.Severe competition is another factor faced by many BBC companies and affected their chances to survive. Competition for market share is stiff amongst these dot- comes, and they also had to compete with existing brick-and-mortar companies which already had a dedicated and loyal customer base and trusted store names (Duncan, 2000). Thin gs worsened when the brick-and-mortars started going online. Robbing (2001) added that the dot-comes then had to spend more on advertising in order to gain brand recognition and this further strained their financial resources and caused their downfall.From its inception, Amazon. Com had in place various strategies which have helped it survive the dot. Com bust. In many ways, we can relate the strategies adopted by Amazon to the three distinct ways to compete in the marketplace as recommended by Eisenhower & Soul. In fact, Amazon has adopted a good mix of all the three approaches. Its first strategy was to establish a clear vision, ‘e to be the world's most customer-centric company and to establish a place where customers could buy anything.They have managed to build a fortress and positioned itself as the world's biggest online bookstore, and eve now become the world's most popular online store for almost any type of goods. Another strategy was to leverage on available resourc es especially from their technology standpoint. As the company had already incurred high fixed costs to develop the software for their online storefronts, it makes sense to expand into other product categories in order to reach out to a wider market, and share out the costs amongst the various product segments.By offering a bigger variety of products, the company can tap into a bigger market, while spreading out its risks as well as their axed costs amongst a large category of products, in order to generate more profits. In this instance, it has an advantage over specialty stores like Pets. Com, an online pet supplies store. It may not be practical to order products like pet food or other needs and have to wait several days for the goods to arrive, or in the case of Furniture. Com which sells basically furniture items, it does not make sense when the shipping costs may be more than the cost of the item itself.Amazon. Com was also mindful of the critical success factors expounded by Turban et. L by forming powerful alliances with other companies in order to increase their market share. Examples are their collaboration with rival Borders, the introduction of the Amazon's Associates and Affiliates Program, and partnerships with many other companies. I Nell alma to tall inelegance In e-commerce as tenet performance goal (Eisenhower and Soul) was evident from the numerous partnerships and strategic alliances formed with other BBC enterprises.In order to attract customers, the website must be user-friendly and easy to navigate, which Amazon had taken action to ensure. This is another critical success factor commended by Turban et. Al which Amazon had taken heed of, which makes them succeed where Boo. Com had failed. Amazon also offer personalized shopping recommendations, which add value to customers' shopping experience. On the other hand, Boo. Com operated a complicated Web site which relied heavily on JavaScript and Flash, and their web page was very slow to load . This became a distinct disadvantage especially during the time when Internet connection was usually dial-up.For many of the failed companies, the focus was not on creating value for customers but more to establish the company's worth. Amazon on the other hand placed priority on enhancing customer experience and trust which ultimately will translate to customer loyalty and repeat purchases. This strategy has always been in place since its early days and is articulated in their annual reports. According to their tradition, the annual reports will always carry a reprint of their 1997 Letter to Shareholders, in which they had stated their commitment to this mission.As Jeff Bozos stated in their 2008 Annual Report, their pricing objective is to earn customer's trust (Appendix – Message from Jeff Bozos to shareholders of Amazon. Com). Amazon. Mom has already established its dominance in the BBC sector and is now one of the biggest and most popular online store in the world. Their success can be attributed to the fact that they have strong strategies in place. In order to maintain their position as the leader in e-commerce, Amazon must ensure that all these strategies continue to be adopted and further enhanced.Amazon will have to constantly upgrade their website to keep abreast of technology development. Amazon has one of the most easy-to-use e-commerce platform in the world. They are constantly improving on their technology base with the aim to enhance customer experience and meet customers' expectations. They are able to provide personalized recommendations for customers, based on feedback provided by the customers on their likes and dislikes, tracks customer's browsing history and viewing records.They even track a visitor's recently viewed items even though the person was not a member at that point in time, or signed on to the account earlier. That is how customer-centric the company is, and how they make use of technology to enhance customer experience. Another example of the use of technology to meet customer needs is their launch of Kindle 2†³, which is an improved version of Kindle, a wireless reading device that is capable of holding 1,500 books and weighs a mere 10. 2 ounce.Digital books purchased are delivered within 60 seconds, and customers can enjoy their reading anywhere, anytime wilt ten mainly module evolve. Having learnt from the experience of those failed dot-comes which did not possess viable business models unlike Amazon, new players in e-commerce must now ensure that they draw up an effective marketing strategy so that they can attract customers to their site to generate sales. To become successful, companies embarking in the BBC business must reengineering their business process to suit the needs of the changing environment and business rules.While a viable business model is important, its successful implementation can only be possible through process re-engineering that covers various aspects of the value c hain. The fundamental area that needs to be targeted for process reengineering is in Sales and order management. In Amazon's case, customers can track the delivery of their orders, and this creates a sense of trust in the customers when they know the exact location in the shipment of the goods ordered. Amazon has always placed priority and strong values on developing top class customer service so that customers remain loyal to them, as this will generate repeat orders.Customer satisfaction can be achieved when the company is able provide a variety of products and services that meets their expectation. While the company expands its coverage and market reach, it must be able to develop a good distribution channel so that customers can expect to receive their goods in the shortest possible time. This will be possible through leveraging on the network of suppliers, business customers, partners and even their competitors. Amazon. Com has now become an icon of the e-commerce community.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Universal Freckle, or How I Learned to Be White by Dalton (on Assignment

The Universal Freckle, or How I Learned to Be White by Dalton (on e-Reserve) - Assignment Example Certainly, everybody of us enjoys a privilege of one sort or the other in our lives. I, for example, have privileges over my servants, who then have many privileges over those living below in the poverty line. Likewise a woman in an Eastern society is more likely to enjoy privileges over their male counterparts since their men maintain a deeper reverence for the female genre altogether. Thus yes, I have been observing privileges around me all the time. Yes, ‘White Privilege’ is a term used to identify the advantages the white skinned people enjoy over darker one – in other words: Racism. Throughout the article the writer tries to undo the knots that hold racism and ethnicity together; something which has been validated by the UN convention that â€Å"there is no distinction between the terms racial discrimination and ethnic discrimination†. Though the world today is more evolved and mere colors do not define the privileges we enjoy today, but nonetheless the concept of racism has had a huge impact on the social structure of our society. Since every American stands equal today – as guaranteed by the constitution – the concepts of black and white had been pushed to a corner and we hardly find examples of racial discrimination today. The most contradictory products of racial discrimination came in the form of the teachers the writer had at school. At one school an African American teacher dare not cross the line and hit a white child drawing a clear border between the blacks and the non-blacks; while at another a Chinese teacher uses more productive measures and tries her best to blend the class into an equal force. Racial discrimination has always remained a heated debated and a serious problem of our society. Taking into account the writer’s experience with the German woman-shopkeeper, we all should rather pave our way towards unity and stand as one equal force. Divisions and

Friday, September 27, 2019

Introduction to Organisations and Management Essay - 1

Introduction to Organisations and Management - Essay Example This case study is basically analyzing the behavioral approaches of the two different organizations and they are the Watsons Engine Components and H & M Consulting . This case will mainly focus on the competitive analysis of the organizational behavior between these two corporate entities. The organizational culture, behavior, leadership and motivational approaches and the interactive communicational processes will be given importance to prove the competitive analysis between these two organizations. Introduction: Organizational behavior is one of the most important factors in the organizational setting. The behavioral approach of the management towards the employees is the most important aspect of the human resource department. It is basically a practice of proper or suitable human behavior within the organizational setting (Griffin and Moorhead, 2009). The human behavior within the organization depends on many important factors and they are the organizational structure, motivationa l factors, job satisfaction, leadership qualities of the managers, communication processes and many more. In this case two companies; Watsons and H&M consulting follow different paths for the improvement of their organizational cultures. However, the Watsons follow the traditional approaches with the old fashioned organizational management techniques. ... It is basically into manufacturing parts for the cars. And this company requires people who are ready to accept changes. However, the present picture is different. It is a company which is managed by few top level managers. The managing director Gordon Watson is an aged man who rules the company. However, he is going to get retired very soon. The structure of the organization is very traditional and strictly hierarchical in nature. And the formation of the union is an astonishing act in a company of overall headcount of only 200. The centralized decision making process makes many of the lower managers unhappy regarding their recognition and power of controlling the teams. And many of the top level managers are also not happy with their jobs due to the dictating top level managers within the organizations. The organization is having 20 managers for only less than 200 working employees. This structure depicts the decentralization organizational structure where managers can take their o wn decisions. However, the real scenario is different and it is strictly hierarchical centralized organization. H&M Consulting: H&M consulting is a global consulting company which is into global management, development and engineering consulting. It is a very modern organization which has started its journey in 1989 with the great merger within two consulting groups. This organization has great visions towards the future and they follow their mission statement very intently. They are in a constant growth mode. It is practically more than 50 times larger than the Watsons; the H&M is having more than 13000 global employees. They follow the international business module as they are concentrating on the global format of the business. Acquisition and take-over are the technical tools for

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Comoany Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Comoany Report - Research Paper Example Edwin Good who was then a merchant in New York, came to Manhattan to work as an apprentice for Bergdorf. When almost two years passed Goodman had raised enough money to purchase the store from Goodman and moves to a location where it stands today and named the store ‘Bergdorf Goodman’ in 1901. Goodman was the first couturier to introduce ready-to-wear fashion in 1914, which became very popular (The Neiman Marcus, Inc). Gradually Goodman started to purchase the stores nearby and expended its business throughout the street and acquiring the entire block in 1930. Goodman was awarded as the ‘Legion of Honor’ from France and after that he retired as the most accomplished merchant of his time in 1953. Goodman’s son Andrew assumed the position of President and continued to expand its product range (The Neiman Marcus, Inc). The company expanded its business of up to $1 million in beauty salon and bridal services and in the year 1967 the investment of $2.5 million doubled the size of the store. In 1980, Bergdorf Goodman was taken over by Neiman Marcus and Contempo Casuals to form Neiman Marcus Group. The group expanded the business in to a restaurant and a cafà © in which lunch and afternoon tea is served. In 2005, two equity firms acquired Neiman Marcus Group (The Neiman Marcus, Inc). The mission of the Company is to become a premier luxury retailer in providing our customers with unique needs and with superior services. The focus is to serve the affluent customers with distinctive merchandise with a commitment stronger than ever. Our aim remains to maximize the perception of brand exclusivity and alleviate the sales of goods at premium prices (The Neiman Marcus, Inc). Operating earnings for the specialty stores were $272.5 million and the revenues for the August 2009 was $124.3 million. The increase in the operating margin was due to the low net markdowns and higher customer

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The ideal healthcare system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The ideal healthcare system - Essay Example This essay describes the components of an ideal healthcare system. An ideal health care system is one that efficiently serves the needs of the community. It has the ability to provide primary health care information to patients, research and health care services (Holtz, 2008). It is clear that an ideal health care system cannot be established without the contribution of the right people. This has led to the establishment of new roles for a willing community, researchers and nurses (Atlas, 2010). The community will have to take a larger role in establishing an ideal medical care system. Researchers will play an increased role since they are responsible for coming up with health initiatives that are aimed at improving health care provision to all the citizens. Well-trained medical practitioners including doctors and nurses should be included in the establishment of an ideal health care system. An ideal health care system should have improved costs. To begin with, it should be noted that medical care should be available to all citizens. It is therefore important to come up with ways of improving access to health care by cutting down on costs. The surest way of improving costs of health care provision is by encouraging all citizens to apply for medical insurance. This is owing to the fact that medical insurance gradually reduces the medical costs incurred by patients (Holtz, 2008). Additionally, subsidies should be given to individuals who are insured and those who are not insured should be penalized. Medical insurers should come up with friendly insurance policies that ensure inclusion of most members of the population (Atlas, 2010). On the other hand, hospitals should look for investors to fund their operations that in turn will lower the costs of health care provision. Finally, the government should play a greater role in funding the health care provision to promote impr oved health care costs. There are

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Influence of Arabic Vowel signs on the Accuracy and Speed of Essay

The Influence of Arabic Vowel signs on the Accuracy and Speed of Reading - Essay Example be a deep orthography if the script is unvowelized (Abu-Rabia, 2000; Abu-Rabia & Siegel, 2003; Abu-Rabia & Taha, 2006; Mahfoudhi et al., 2011; Mohamed, Elbert, & Landerl, 2011). Skilled readers are used to deducing unviable short vowels; however, beginning readers are presented to vowelized scripts as they are still developing their literacy (Abu-Rabia & Taha, 2006; Hussien, 2014; Mahfoudhi et al., 2011; Taibah & Haynes, 2011). The current study investigated the influence of vowelized and unvowelized types. It is well-known that reading acquisition is a developmental process that requires be teaching and improving throughout school grades in simultaneous, gradual, and continuous way. This process depends on many factors among them the nature of the orthography and teaching methods. Most the art of reading principles and propositions are established from Latin orthographies research, mostly from English studies while little is to known about Semitic orthographies (e.g. Hebrew and Arabic). When comparing the existent reading literature, Hebrew studies outnumber Arabic studies; in fact, the majority of Arabic studies are done in Hebrew country (Israel) by Arab Israeli. In the Israeli educational system, children are introduced with unvowelized scripts in third grade (Sharon,) while in most Arab countries; vowelized scripts are introduced to children in primary schools. Partially vowelized and unvowelized texts are subject to introduce in elementary and secondary school. It is the 7th grad e in Saudi educational system the context of the study. Therefore, the decision of whether to introduce unvowelized textbooks or not and what is the suitable educational stage, is an important issue that needs to be a research-based decision. Therefore, this study will investigate whether Saudi 4th graders are ready for introduction with unvowelized scripts or not by testing their reading ability (accuracy and speed) to a list of unvowelized words which they already exposed to from

Monday, September 23, 2019

Thank you for Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thank you for Smoking - Essay Example The film depicts Mr Nick Naylor’s dilemma in lobbying on behalf of cigarettes as Big Tobacco’s chief spokesperson using cunning tactics and trying to be a positive model for his son aged 12 years at the same time. This film tracks the ups and downs of the Washington lobbyist who is constantly on the hunt for new and inventive ways of rebranding the ‘cancer sticks’ for public consumption and it is set in the period soon after Big Tobacco had started cutting checks for its sick and dying former customers. The film has a well-scripted story line that is easy to follow because events unfold with a lot of easiness and actions of characters are equally justifiable through logical sequences of counteractive action-reaction sequence. The characters narrate the story amid pitches of grim humour that is well enmeshed in the dialogues and the superb delivery of key lines that creates memorable moments in the film. The film also makes a good display in terms of casting of the lead role because Aaron Eckhart is able to deliver by showing both extremes of his usual character types, to turn his ingratiating smile into a leer, and to charm even as he repels. Mr Reitman keeps the character moving so fast that there is very little time for contemplation and just as you are about to start putting a finger on the character and his tar-black heart, he is already flown out of the door.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Newspaper D1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Newspaper D1 - Assignment Example According to Yuan (2010), the Chinese and American employees are employing a range of strategies to address the conflicting dilemmas. The main issues faced are the differing business etiquettes, corporate culture and employment benefits. Some of the problems encountered by the workforce are integrating with the colleagues, compelling the implementation of one’s recommended solution, making decisions by power, dominating among the team members, avoiding discussion of issues, relationship dissolution and third-party process. Moreover, the Americans are willing to confront the conflict rather than the Chinese people who try to avoid them. In order to understand the conflict, it is better to apply the human psychology concept. The idea behind this framework is that each individual has to be understood so that the personal attributes are evident and it will allow the person to utilise his capabilities efficiently in resolving the conflict. Due to globalisation and strengthening of international business avenues, the intercultural business conflicts will have to be minimised so that the desired organisational objectives can be successfully

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Human Sexuality Essay Example for Free

Human Sexuality Essay In a review of research on nonexclusive marital relationships, it was noted that swinging had received considerable attention in the 1970s and reported that an estimated 2 percent of the American population had participated. Most studies of active swingers emphasized overcoming initial anxieties and difficulties coping with strains to maintain the lifestyle successfully, but Denfeld also studied couples who had dropped out of swinging and entered counseling (1974). â€Å"The problems such as jealousy, guilt, emotional attachments, boredom and perceived threats to the marriage were common reasons for dropping out of swinging. Unfortunately, there has been no research on identifying the factors that differentiate couples who are satisfied with swinging form those who are not† (Rouse, 2002). The people we may call swingers are somewhat younger on the average than the mainstreamers, and many of them have brothers and sisters or parents who are mainstreamers. In due course, some of them will become mainstreamers, because it is hard to be a swinger when one gets older. However, some remain swingers longer than others, and many swingers later take another road than the mainstreamer one (Hannerz, 1969). Swingers are usually somewhere between the late teens and the middle thirties in age. This means that many of them have not yet married and started families on their own, so that familial obligations would naturally be less demanding in terms of time, money and emotional investments. But there are many swingers who are married and have children and who even so are not family-oriented. Of course, married men are more able to take part in the swinger life than are married women, as they can leave children and household affairs more readily in the hands of their spouses. However, some women manage to continue as swingers by leaving young children with the grandparents. Also, quite a few marriages are broken as one or both spouses prefer to continue the swinger’s life (Hannerz, 1969). Swingers typically spend relatively little of their free time just sitting around at home alone or with the family. Weekday nights and particularly weekends are often spent going visiting, whether one travels alone or in the company of a few friends. The spontaneous gatherings are not complete without gin, whiskey or beer and the talk involves joking, banter, reminiscences of past shared experiences, and exchanges about the trivia of the day such as football results, forecasts of coming boxing bouts and local grapevine items (Hannerz, 1969). It is true that many women get involved with swinging because their male partner encourages them. They often do it to explore their own bisexual desires. By being exposed to a sexually charged environment, they are encouraged to be more experimental and let go of the cultural conditioning that has made them deny their own desires. This may be why swingers often say that men get women into swinging, but it is the women who keep them in it (Taylor, 2007). Couples who are not in a Swinging Lifestyle will find it unimaginable to allow his or her partner to engage in recreational sex with another person, but for swingers it is considered a highly acceptable form of social recreation. Swinging couples have a strong enough relationship to allow the sexual pleasure of his or her partner, and take satisfaction from that pleasure instead of jealousy and concern. Many couples would benefit from embracing the relationship ideas from the Swinging Lifestyle. Swingers understand that it’s perfectly natural for their partner to be physically attracted to someone else and that it’s ok to share one another sexually without threatening their love for each other. They do not confuse love with lust as many couples do. The Swinging Lifestyle can be a new adventure that can actually bring a couple much closer together (Taylor, 2007). Couples who engage in the Swinging Lifestyle experience that in swinging is less time consuming and emotionally demanding than an affair. Moreover, it offers sexual variety and it is sexually educative. Swinging is honest and democratic, since both partners are involved. It is less dangerous with regard to losing a spouse than infidelity. Swinging, however, is not without its drawbacks. Swinging may result to lack of emotional closeness, which in return may inhibit enjoyment and/or performance. There is also denial of ego satisfaction, since the partner was obtained by being available rather than charm. A worried air may also occur since the spouse’s partner may be sexier and better looking and this may inhibit ability and enjoyment of the sex act. Philosophy involves having an affair only once with each new partner, therefore, there is an ongoing search for new partners can be fatiguing. Moreover, there is subliminal fear that swinging can lead to venereal diseases (Cargan, 2007). For those with an open mind swinging is all about having fun as a couple. Moreover, it’s a way for a couple to expand their horizons by agreeing that sexual encounters outside and inside the relationships are permissible. It is a way for a couple to be a couple while allowing and accepting individual desires and needs. Couples who swing explore their sexuality and fantasies. These couples can break the chains of jealousy and experience a more passionate and fulfilling relationship, as well as connecting on a deeper spiritual level. Swinging can give them the opportunity to grow as a couple, and as individuals (Bellemeade, 2003). References Bancroft, J. (2002). Human Sexuality and Its Problems. Elsevier Science Limited. Bellemeade, K. (2003). Swinging for Beginners. New Tradition Books. Breedlove, W. and J. Breedlove. (1984). Swap Clubs. Los Angeles: Sherbourne. Cargan, L. (2007). Being Single on Noah’s Ark. United Kingdom: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Jesus Christ As The Redeemer And Savior Religion Essay

Jesus Christ As The Redeemer And Savior Religion Essay I believe the doctrine of Salvation focuses on Jesus Christ as the redeemer and savior of the world. God sent Gods Son into the world to seek and save that which was lost (Luke19:10).Scripture is filled with accounts of the revelation of God breaking into human life as a surprising gift and unsettling commission. The word revelation is used in different contexts, some are trivial and others are serious. Revelation has to do with the knowledge of God and ourselves that is surprising and disturbing because it is an event that shakes us to the core. Jesus came to earth fully God and fully human to offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin rejoining us to God who created us. The New Testament scriptures declare Jesus came as God (John 1:1; Hebrews 1:8) and man. Jesus is Lord, but Jesus lived among us as man that we might know that God is tangibly concerned about the totality of our deprived [or depraved?]human existence. Through faith in Jesus Christ humanity now enters into the same relationship with God that Jesus enjoyed prior to, during and after his earthly ministry. As the second person in the Godhead, Jesus Christ offers humanity hope for a restored existence on earth as well as hope for life and death. Jesus death and resurrection represents for all Christians the perfect hope that we are created by an all-loving God who does not desire to destroy creation, but sustain it eternally. We no longer need to fear an eternal death or separation from God. For God so loved the world that God gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). His name shall be called Jesus for He shall save his people. Salvation is the greatest manifestation of Gods power. Creation was a great work of God; it was His breath, God spoke and it was done. But, when it came to our salvation He had to give more than His breath; He gave His blood (Acts 20:28). I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only way to God, and that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead for my justification. I believe salvation is an individual act; we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we believe in our heart and confess our sins. I believe that true salvation simultaneously includes justification, regeneration, and sanctification. I believe that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, which is beyond human comprehension (John 3:1-5), where humankinds old physical nature is born a new spiritual nature for the sake of having the potential to enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5). I believe in the work of regeneration, the Holy Spirit is the initiating force for change and life for the believer. It is the spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63) He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5) I believe that the true outcome or sign of regeneration is manifested in righteous attitude, conduct, and good works,(1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 5:17-21; Philippians 2:12; Colossians 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:4-10). The work of regeneration is spiritual conversion accomplished without delay, and it is accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit, which is prompted through an individuals response by faith to the Word of God or the voice of the Son of God (John 5:24-25). The manifestation of evidence can be accomplished by or while the believer transitions from the initial conversion experience, to becoming more like the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). As soon as we are regenerated the Holy Spirit gives us a changed mind and attitude, a new heart, as well as new spirit. Thus, we are no longer slaves to ungodliness and worldly lust, but we live soberly, walking in the light and in the spirit so that we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh or the old nature. I believe justification is to be distinguished from regeneration in that while regeneration is the change of the sinners nature by the Holy Spirit, justification is the change of the sinners standing by a declarative act of God in which sins are remitted and the sinner is freed from condemnation. Justification is the expression of Gods judicial function. Justification proceeds on the imputing or crediting to the believer by God himself of the perfect righteousness, active and passive, of his representation and surety, Jesus Christ. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:10) Justification is not forgiveness of a man without righteousness, but a declaration that he possesses a righteousness which perfectly and forever satisfies the law, namely, Christ righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21;Romans 4:6-8). Sanctification is the believers spiritual experience, beginning with the renewed birth that occurs at the believers conversion experience, which is sometimes called being born-again. It is during this new birth experience that the instantaneous act of sanctification begins its work. Jesus Christ, even though he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrew 4:15), which makes Jesus the perfect example of someone being able to live free from all moral impurity within the presence of temptation and worldly evil. And Jesus prayed, And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (John 17:19). I believe that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, God chose salvation (offered freely), to those who would believe on his name, whom God graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies, justifies and glorifies, (Romans 8:28-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2). The purpose of Gods grace includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation (John 1:16) and the gift itself, which is the only begotten son of the Father full of grace and truth (John 1:14). I believe that election has a two-fold call, meaning all whom God calls to Godself will respond by faith, and all who come in faith as a response to the whosoever will invitation God will also gladly receive (John 6:37-40, 44; John 1:12; Acts 13:48: James 4:8). The grace of God is considered to be a great doctrinal truth, because according to Ephesians 1:4 it has been Gods plan for man before the creation of this world and it is also considered to be the core of our relationship with God. I believe our election is through His Grace. Election according to the foreknowledge of God, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2) I believe election is Gods gracious purpose for humankind to obtain eternal life. His purpose also includes His good pleasure for the elect to experience regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. It is the glorious demonstration of Gods sovereign goodness, which leaves man no room to boast, but should embrace humility. I believe our salvation is through Gods grace, because of Gods great love for us, he shows mercy by forgiving our transgressions and sins. Instead of the death that we should rightly receive as a reward for our sins we are made alive with Christ. Only Christ can deliver us the penalty of death and restore us to Divine favor and give everlasting life (John 3:16-19; I John 5:10-12).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay --

Classic Books(OUTLINE AND SPEECH) Greeting: Good Morning Sargent Womak, and class; today I will be talking to you guys for the next 5 minutes about Classical Books and how to get started on your own classical book. 1st Paragraph: History, idea of what is a classical book and what makes one up A classical book is considered an exemplary noteworthy book, either through a book award or the reader's personal opinion. The way the words come together to create an interesting story line and excellent reading flow, attribute to the book's exemplary excellence. What makes a "classical" book? Has troubled many author such as Mark Twain, all classical book have one thing in common and it is the pattern in the literature. The story line in most classical book reinterpret events of some sort, and possess the ability to renew the interest of generations of readers not only accomplishing it's creation, but also accomplishing the authors every dream, to have one of their books considered "Classical." The idea of a classical book, is literature that enriches th...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Global Warming Essay -- Environment Climate Change

Global Warming Human kind has entered a brand new relationship with the earth. The constant and increasing pressures we are exerting threaten our planets ability to sustain life itself. Change-in the way we think , and in the way we live-is needed now.Global warming is the most urgent environmental problem the world will face in the next decade and the next century. Few, if any, trends are more important to our future than climate change caused by human activities. Scientist around the world are warning us that global warming poses a major threat to our future quality of life, previously there has been little information on this problem. Right now, the rate of global warming may be 100 times faster than it has ever been. Very soon the earth may become hotter then at any time in human history. In the last decades the problems of atmospheric change have been gravely advanced by pollution resulting from human activities. These environmental changes pose a real threat to the lives of people and wild life.It is vital to all of us that we fully understand the complex relationship between the atmosphere and the earth. The earth is getting warmer. the changes are small, so far, but they are expected to grow and speed up. Within the next 50 to 100 years, the earth will continue to heat up hotter than it has been in the past million years. As oceans warm and glaciers melt, land and cities along coasts may be flooded. Heat and drought may cause forests to die and food crops t...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Essay --

There are several different definitions of macro environment depending on what aspect we are referring. Macro environment could be defined as anything outside of business such as the economy, technology, and the power of natural and artificial. These factors are often uncontrollable. In Macro environment, many factors will affect the decision-making in any organization. To overcome and analyze these factors organization can categories it in to PESTLE model. The macro-environmental or external factors of KFC can be identified by using PESTLE analysis, which stands for economic, technology, legal and political, social - demographics and natural – environmental a) Economic: Economic factors represent the wider economy; it includes economic growth rates, levels of employment and unemployment, costs of raw materials such meat, petrol, energy, herbs, and steel, interest rates and monetary policies, exchange rates and inflation rates. These may also vary from one country to another. Hence, the economic factor depends on all these factors and upon a country as well. Thus, in a way the influences of economic factor are major and could be said as one of the most profound influences upon any industry. Industries, which depend on selling products, which are not a necessity, but rather depending on luxury, would rarely be able to profit b) Technology: What amount to technology is a question that depends upon two key factors firstly the adaptation capacity of an industry and secondly on availability of recent innovation. If we wish to place it in a vast arena, it involves changes in information and mobile technology, changes in internet and e-commerce or even mobile commerce and it include materials development and new methods of manufa... ...Its basic economy principle that corporations would usually have certain target groups, thus any that takes place within this group would in turn affect the corporation significantly. e) Natural- Environment: This factor usually involves availability of natural Resources and procedures or policy with regards to management of waste and etc. While this factor is not a key issue in all form of business, it plays a major function or role when it comes to mass production industries which lie heavily upon availability of raw materials. A prominent example would be uranium mining; if the area of mining has, ceases in availability of such material then the existence of the mining company would be placed to halt. The remnants of multiple tin mining factories could be seen all over Malaysia, which is due to decreased availability of the raw material.

Monday, September 16, 2019

International Monetary Fund Essay

The question â€Å"To what extent has the International Monetary Fund contributed in revamping the Nigerian economy since the 1980’s?† is a question that helps us to evaluate the true impact of international monetary policy.   In order to further understand the meaning of this question, this paper will examine the following subjects – 1) the meaning of the question, 2) the significance of the question for International Relations scholars, 3) how the question relates to other published work in the area, and 4) what methods would be employed to answer the question. First of all, the question is directly focused on economic impacts.   However, the question is not simply a matter of metrics, because the question is directed at procedural changes as well.   The question is focused on the restructuring of the Nigerian economy.   To only use economic metrics would fail to address the consequences restructuring entails.   When the IMF releases money to a country, they stipulate conditions that the country must meet. Therefore, the question is also directed at the matching the directives of the IMF with the implementation within Nigeria.   The question is not asking if the IMF has had a positive or negative impact on Nigeria, so value judgments can be left aside.   However, there are several hidden economic impacts.   Structural changes to the workforce, changes in occupations, and new roles within the economy are all more difficult to measure, but can be considered a result of economic policy.    Therefore, the question means 1) what are the economic stipulations of the IMF from the 1980’s until now, 2) has the Nigerian government met the requirements of the IMF, 3) what restructuring has occurred within the Nigerian economy as a result of the IMF, 4) what economic measures can be attributed to these changes, and 5) what are the indirect economic impacts of the IMF policies. International relations scholars are interested in this question because the answers yield important data on the impacts of policy.   International relations scholars are often consulted on questions of policy.   It is therefore in their best interest to know the impacts of policies made in the past.   In this regard, they are historians.   First of all, it is critically important for International Relations scholars to understand what the IMF has attempted to revamp within the Nigerian economy by tracing the stipulations as they were made. Additionally, the scholar can look at the Nigerian government’s ability to meet the demands of the IMF.   How well were they able to integrate the changes required by the IMF.   Were there consequences that required new policies in the future?   In tracing these policy changes, the scholar can also piece their own picture together of what the IMF did well (what was effective), and what changes needed to be made in direction in order to achieve effectiveness.   They can also have a unique insight into the culture and politics of Nigeria, as well as the internal culture and politics of the IMF. At this point, the International Relations scholar can also know what economic measures are affected by differing types of policies and requirements.   Additionally, they can make recommendations on what types of correlations can be found between initiative and their impact.   Perhaps some of the most valuable information for International Relations scholars, however, is related to the indirect impact of the IMF’s policies. When looking at the restructuring of the Nigerian economy, the International Relations scholar is able to examine the changes within the population, how people moved around, the changes in families, etc.   This type of information allows for a more comprehensive picture of economic change and the effects policy can have on cultural change.   Also, this may highlight the challenges represented by a more powerful entity interacting with a less powerful entity on a global scale. There has been much written about Nigeria since the 1980’s.   There are environmental reports, malnutrition reports, and economic reports.   However, these all approach Nigeria from a different perspective than the direction of this question.   This question seeks to directly explore the impact of IMF policies and economic aid on the revamping of the Nigerian economy.   As such, this question seeks to provide supporting information of the changes in Nigeria.   It seeks to trace change related to IMF policies alone.    It is impossible to completely know what current conditions in Nigeria are caused solely or even primarily by the IMF policies, however by focusing on the IMF, widespread impacts can be evaluated from IMF policies.   It is taking the infusion of money and change of monetary policy as the starting point and looking for the economic aspects affected.   One of the main sources for research on these types of development programs is found with the World Bank.   A particularly useful document is â€Å"The Evolution of Poverty and Welfare in Nigeria, 1982 – 1992.†[1]Using this document and also information from the IMF, the scholar can tie together the policies of the IMF and the effects. In order to study such a complex issues, a rigorous approach will need to be taken.   It is the most difficult to know the indirect impacts of the IMF’s economic policies.   It is undesirable to claim that changes were a result of IMF policy, if in fact, they owed their existence to a governmental or environmental change.   However, the economy is so closely entwined with all aspects of life, the implications of the IMF policies will be seen to have far-reaching consequences. Therefore, we can begin by examining the Nigerian economy and economic statistics in 1980, and comparing them with the present day to get snapshots of the economic health of Nigeria at these two points in time.   These snapshots, however, encompass other economic influences other than the IMF programs.   Then the specific policies of the IMF and their objectives are compared to the resulting economic changes to see if the stated goals have been achieved via metrics. Also involved in this analysis is the ability of the Nigerian government to implement the changes required by the IMF.  Ã‚   This area of analysis is perhaps the easiest, as the initiatives of the IMF are easily available.   However, information on the implementation and the implementation’s challenges may be more difficult to find.   Looking at a timeline of IMF policies, one can also deduce what was effective or not effective.   If a policy was ineffective, then in a later cycle we should find a correction or an abandonment of the program. The internal structure of the government and economy can also be viewed.   The way that money flows and what directions can be measured.   It is important to see structural change since the 1980’s.   The Nigerian government worked with the IMF to develop the National Economic and Empowerment Development Strategy in 2004.[2]   This document reviews previous policy and also lays the groundwork for future work between the IMF and the Nigerian government. This report focuses on structural changes – highlighting the importance of revamping the Nigerian economy. Additionally, looking at the basic economic unit – the household – can show structural changes ass well.   By looking at these structural changes, the real question about revamping the economy can be answered.   Of course, this type of analysis also looks at the indirect effects of economic change.   These are difficult to measure, but by tracing newspaper stories and major events in Nigeria, it may be possible to trace events back to economic policy decisions. Overall, the question of the effectiveness of the IMF’s policies to restructure the Nigerian economy is a very important question with implications for future policy consideration and also a deeper understanding of the past. Now that the world is becoming smaller and national boundaries are being crossed with money and policy, it is more important than ever to understand the impact of economic policy.   Additionally, with the prevalence of capitalism and modernization, the effects of economic policy on third world nations must have a thorough understanding. Reference List International Monetary Fund, The Nigerian Economic Reform Program, IMF, 2005, retrieved 10 January 2007    World Bank, The Evolution of Poverty and Welfare in Nigeria, 1985-92, World Bank, 1997, retrieved 10 November, 2007, < http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/poverty/databank/DocNav/default.cfm> [1] World Bank, The Evolution of Poverty and Welfare in Nigeria, 1985-92, World Bank, 1997, retrieved 10 November, 2007, < http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/poverty/databank/DocNav/default.cfm> [2] International Monetary Fund, The Nigerian Economic Reform Program, IMF, 2005, retrieved 10 January 2007

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Islamic Fundamentalism Essay

20 March 2007 Introduction On September 11, 2001, the United States of America experienced the worst act of terrorism ever perpetrated on American soil, as major targets in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania were the scenes of the massive slaughter of innocent civilians. From the moment that the first act commenced, the rumor mill flew into overdrive, conveniently blaming the terrorism on â€Å"militant Islamic† people, and implying that this movement had suddenly sprung up out of obscurity to strike at the heart of America like a thief in the night. The reality is much more complex, for fundamentalist Islam has a much longer history, and the threat it continues to pose to Western Democracy, even today, had been growing and mutating for generations prior to 9/11. In this paper, the very definition of fundamentalism at its beginning will be presented, as well as the perversion of it that has led to the challenges and threats the West now has come to bear. Roots of Fundamentalism. To begin, one needs to understand two very different and specific terms: followers of Islam and Islamic Fundamentalists, as the two groups are vastly different, yet both claim legitimacy under the same doctrine. In its purest form, Islam is based upon the ancient teachings of the prophet Muhammad, who was said to have been given the Quran, or holy book of Islam, by God himself, with Muhammad as the messenger and deliverer of the Quran and its teachings to the masses (Davidson). If one were to follow the teachings of Islam in a more traditional sense, as Muhammad is said to have received the word from God, they would be peaceful, obedient servants of God, and Muhammad, thereby enriching their lives, raising solid families and leaving the world a better place than what is was when they were born into it. Eventually, however, political turmoil distorted this message and gave rise to a strain of Islam that is known as Fundamentalism or Extremism, depending upon the source of the material. This interpretation of Islam and the Quran takes the inflexible view that those who do not believe in Islam, and follow the Quran, are characterized as â€Å"Infidels†, and the price of their infidelity to Islam is death. Of course, the Christian ideals of the West make America a convenient target of this sort of massive hatred, but this hatred has also been fueled over the years by America’s defense of other enemies of the fundamentalists/extremists such as the people of Turkey and Israel (Mustikhan). Eventually, the rage of these Islamics would erupt against the US on a large scale, beginning in the 1970s. The Islamic Terrorist is Born It is generally agreed that those who are today termed â€Å"Islamic Terrorists† were first given that moniker by the West in 1979, when the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran was seized by terrorists, taking hundreds of American diplomats and their support staffs hostage in a siege that ultimately lasted 444 days, and brought the United States to the brink of war with Iran. The group of Iranians and assorted others who were in essence the foot soldiers who undertook the plot, led by the extremist leader Ayatollah Khomeini, came to be called Islamic Terrorists (Hoveyda). From there, the stereotype of what a terrorist is, and their potential to wreak havoc on innocent people, began to grow in the minds of the world community. Threats to Western Democracy Due to the widespread presence of Islamic Extremists/Militants, the threat to Western Democracy has become very real, and of course has manifested itself in such tragedies as the Iran Hostage Crisis and 9/11. Given the humble beginnings and admirable teachings that are found in the Quran, and were exhibited by Muhammad and carried down by his disciples, it is a wonderment as to exactly how/why Islam eventually spawned a militant faction which goes against the foundations of the faith itself. In a word, the violent offshoot is the byproduct of fanaticism. Fanatics are those members of the Islamic community who have taken the position that any government, or religion (in their mind, they should be one in the same) that does not practice the teachings of the Quran are the equivalent of parasites that must be eradicated for the good of the human race. The defense of this attitude, and the resultant violence which comes out of the attitude, is due to misinterpretation of the Quran, hence making these individuals worthy of the extremist label. Because the Islamic Extremists have convinced themselves that they are doing the will of God, as laid out in their creative interpretation of the Quran, there quite literally is nothing stopping them from continuing to launch attacks against the Western Democracies, as well as other â€Å"infidels† who hold views and practice lifestyles which are contrary to theirs. One particularly chilling reality of the threat against Western Democracy is the fact that Islamic Extremists, while found in large numbers in some nations more commonly than others, really do not have a nation with borders, do not fly an identifiable flag, or wear a uniform that indicates that they are Islamic Extremists, despite what the leadership of the United States may choose to claim in the present day. Rather, the Extremists have the ability to move freely about the globe and do not have a set territory where organized armies can pursue and battle them. This sort of an invisible threat, not centered in a geographic location but highly organized and well financed as well as armed to the hilt, holds the potential to destroy their enemies, such as the Western Democracies, which are somewhat restrained by physical borders and the need to engage in conventional warfare. Because of this, the paradox is clear- how can an enemy be fought if it cannot be readily seen or tracked? Also, the inability to negotiate with Islamic Extremists closes another avenue of resolving differences and stopping the bloodshed. Conclusion- What is the Future Threat? This paper has shown that Fundamental Islam has the means, mindset, and determination to bring Western Democracy to its knees, as well as the point of annihilation. What this will mean for the future is anyone’s guess but one thing is for sure- without some sort of decisive action against Islamic Fundamentalists, many more innocent lives may be lost, and hard lessons may be learned too late and at too high of a price. Works Cited Davidson, Lawrence. Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Hoveyda, Fereydoun. The Broken Crescent: The â€Å"Threat† of Militant Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1998. Marin-Guzman, Roberto. â€Å"Fanaticism: A Major Obstacle in the Muslim Christian Dialogue. the Case of Twentieth Century Islamic Fundamentalism. † Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ) 25. 3 (2003): 63+. Mustikhan, Ahmar. â€Å"The Roots of Islamic Extremism. † World and I July 1999: 74.

Leadership Style

Finding a role model to evaluate his or her style of leadership and identifying ones own characteristics as a leader are he starting point for creating a personal development plan to work toward becoming the type of leader one wishes to be. Mary Kay Ash According to Hulk, transformational leaders, â€Å"seek to raise the consciousness of followers by appealing to ideals and moral values such as liberty, justice, equality, peace, and humanitarianism, not to baser emotions such as fear, greed, jealousy, or hatred† (2013, p. 347). Mary Kay Ash was a transformational leader.During a time period where women were not viewed as equal to men, she started a new business that empowered women. Not only did she build a business for women, she established a charitable foundation to support cancer research and later expanded its purpose to fighting violence against women (celebrating Mary Kay Ash†, n. D. ). It would take a huge amount of courage, confidence, and drive to accomplish th e things she was able to. To have this type of impact on such a large group of people even would provide a person with an enormous sense of accomplishment.Strengths of Self Qualities necessary to be a positive leader that are possessed by the author include respectful, good communicator, resourceful, rewarding, an openness to change, organized, delegated, takes initiative, listens to and responds to feedback as well as provides constructive feedback to others (University of Oregon, 2009). Treating others with respect will lead to them giving respect. Communicating is an essential function of leading. The leader must be able to share the goal and vision as well as provide direction. People also have a need to be heard, so it is important for a leader to listen to others and their ideas.Weaknesses Of Self Qualities that may hold a person from reaching his or her goal of being a transformational leader are being task oriented instead of people oriented. A transformational leader change s the lives of others and this is harder to accomplish if the main focus is the task not the person. A need to control has its strong points as well as its weaknesses. It is important to know when to allow others to take control. Characteristics that are Transformational To become this type of leader would not only transform the lives of others but of the author as a leader herself.Being a motivational leader is a positive starting point in working toward becoming a transformational leader. Knowing one's abilities is important but constantly striving to improve learning to do more and better can inspire others that they can do the same. Seeing an organized leader who thrives under pressure, using planning as a tool to succeed will show others they are capable of overcoming their stress and do better. The most important quality a person needs to become a transformational leader is a belief in and desire to developing others both personally and professional.Development Plan Having a m entor is an excellent way to identify a person's qualities as a leader and develop a plan that will help that person become the leader he or she desires to be. Working toward becoming a transformational leader is an enormous goal. The first step in reaching this goal is identifying the needs of others and how they are motivated. Then setting personal goals that work toward the development into a transformational leader. It is important to begin with smaller goals, such as encouraging coworkers to do more and do better.If they take pride in their work and their job it will reflect in the equines. By setting smaller, reachable goals a person will be encouraged and inspired to continue to work and reach the final goal. Conclusion Being in a position to empower, motivate, and uplift women is only part of what it would take to be a transformational leader. Taking action and taking charge of her life and future is what Mary Kay Ash did, and showed other women they could do it as well. To change a person's leadership style it is necessary to identify that person's characteristics as a leader. Leadership Style Definition of Leadership A leader is someone who can influence others and who has a managerial authority. Leadership is what leaders do. More specifically, it’s the process of influencing a group to achieve goals. Group Leadership Leadership is concerned with control and power in a group. Leadership can be aimed at either maintaining the interpersonal relationships in the group or prodding the group to achieve its task. Kinds of Leadership Groups typically benefit from two kinds of leadership i. e. Instrumental leadership Expressive leadership Instrumental Leadership: This kind of leadership refers to group leadership that focuses on the completion of tasks. Members look to instrumental leadership to make plans, give orders and get things done. Characteristics of instrumental leadership Instrumental leaders usually have formal, secondary relations with other group members. They give orders and rewards and punish members according to their contribution to the group’s efforts. Enjoy more respect from members when successful. Their main goal is completion of task. Expressive Leadership: Expressive leadership is a group leadership that focuses on the group's well being. Example: the democratic style of leadership is an example of expressive leadership. Characteristics of Expressive leadership Expressive leaders take less interest in achieving goals than in promoting the well-being of members, raising group morale and minimizing tensions and conflicts among the group members. Expressive leaders build more personal and primary ties. They show sympathy to their group members. They generally receive more personal affection. Leadership Styles Definition: Leadership styles refer to the various patterns of behavior favored by leaders during the process of directing and influencing workers. Sociologists describe leadership in terms of decision making styles. The three major types of leadership are the following: Authoritarian or autocratic leadership. Democratic or Participative leadership. Laissez-faire leadership. Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. In the past several decades, management experts have undergone a revolution in how they define leadership and what their attitudes are toward it. They have gone from a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach. Somewhere along the line, it was determined that not everything old was bad and not everything new was good. Rather, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. Authoritarian Leadership This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments. This style is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. These studies say that autocratic leaders: Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees. Do not allow for employee input. Autocratic leadership is not all bad. Sometimes it is the most effective style to use. These situations can include: New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow. Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions. A manager’s power is challenged by an employee. Democratic or Participative leadership The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision. Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. Typically the democratic leader: Develops plans to help employees evaluate their own performance. Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted. Recognizes and encourages achievement. Like the other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate. It is most successful when used with highly skilled or experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or resolving individual or group problems. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything — this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit — it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. Laissez-faire leadership Laissez faire is a French word meaning noninterference in the affairs of others. Laissez means to let, allow and faire means to do. The laissez-faire leadership style is also known as the â€Å"hands-off? style. It is one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is an effective style to use when: Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used. Employees are trustworthy and experienced. Varying Leadership Style While the proper leadership style depends on the situation, there are three other factors that also influence which leadership style to use. The manager’s personal background. What personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences does the manager have? What does he or she think will work? The employees being supervised. Employees are individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. The leadership style managers use will vary depending upon the individual employee and what he or she will respond best to. The company. The traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the company will influence how a manager acts. There are a lot of arguments for and against each of the effective leadership styles. For example, the followers of an authoritarian leader are more prone to having low motivation and morale. They may find it difficult to get inspired because the leader is more impersonal, task oriented, demanding, and not considerate of their opinions. However despite this, there are situations where an authoritarian leadership style is the most effective. Such as when time is short, when the leader has all the information and a quick decision is needed. Anything other than an authoritarian leader will result in poorer outcomes. Theories of Leadership People have been interested in leadership since they have started coming together in groups to accomplish goals. However, it wasn’t until the early part of the twentieth century that researchers usually began to study it. These early leadership theories focused on the leader (trait theories) and how the leader interacted with his or her group members (behavioral theories) while subsequent theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill level. While many different leadership theories have emerged, most can be classified as one of eight major types: ‘Great Man’ Theory Early research on leadership was based on the study of people who were already great leaders. These people were often from the aristocracy, as few from lower classes had the opportunity to lead. This contributed to the notion that leadership had something to do with breeding. The idea of the Great Man also strayed into the mythic domain, with notions that in times of need, a Great Man would arise, almost by magic. This was easy to verify, by pointing to people such as Eisenhower and Churchill. The term â€Å"Great Man† was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait theory In searching for measurable leadership traits, researchers have taken two approaches: Comparing the traits of those who have emerged as leaders with the traits who have not and Comparing the traits of effective leaders with those of ineffective leaders. Early research on leadership was based on the psychological focus of the day, which was of people having inherited characteristics or traits. Attention was thus put on discovering these traits, often by studying successful leaders, but with the underlying assumption that if other people could also be found with these traits, then they, too, could also become great leaders. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. But if particular traits are key features of leadership, how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership. Behavioral theory When it became evident that effective leaders did not seem to have a particular set of distinguishing traits, researchers tried to isolate the behavior characteristics of effective leaders. In other words, rather than try to figure out who effective leaders are, researchers tried to determine what effective leaders do i. e. how they delegate tasks, how they communicate with and try to motivate their followers or employees and so on. Behaviors, unlike traits, can be learned, so it is followed that individuals trained in appropriate leadership behaviors would be able to lead more effectively. Participative theory A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. The level of participation may also depend on the type of decision being made. Decisions on how to implement goals may be highly participative, whilst decisions during subordinate performance evaluations are more likely to be taken by the manager. Contingency theory Contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that contends that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers, and aspects of the situation. This theory focuses on the following factors: Task requirement. Peer’s expectations and behavior. Employees’ characteristics, expectations and behavior. Organizational culture and policies. Situational theory One of the major contingency approaches to leadership is Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard’s â€Å"situational leadership model† which holds that the most effective leadership style varies with the â€Å"readiness† of employees. When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into a single preferred style, such as using transactional or transformational ethods. In practice, as they say, things are not that simple. Factors that affect situational decisions include motivation and capability of followers. This, in turn, is affected by factors within the particular situation. The relationship between followers and the leader may be another factor that affects leader behavior as much as it does follower behavior. The leaders' pe rception of the follower and the situation will affect what they do rather than the truth of the situation. The leader's perception of themselves and other factors such as stress and mood will also modify the leaders' behavior. Transformational or Charismatic theory Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. One area of growing interest is the study of individuals who have an exceptional impact on their organizations. These individuals may be called â€Å"charismatic† or â€Å"transformational† leaders. First, many large companies including IBM, GM etc have embarked on organizational â€Å"transformations† programs of extensive changes that must be accomplished in short periods of time. Bass’s theory of transformational leadership Bass defined transformational leadership in terms of how the leader affects followers, who are intended to trust, admire and respect the transformational leader. He identified three ways in which leaders transform followers: Increasing their awareness of task importance and value. Getting them to focus first on team or organizational goals, rather than their own interests. Activating their higher-order needs. Bass has recently noted that authentic transformational leadership is grounded in moral foundations that are based on four components: Idealized influence Inspirational motivation Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration Transactional or Management theory Management theories (also known as â€Å"Transactional theories†) focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of reward and punishment. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are ewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. The early stage of Transactional Leadership is in negotiating the contract whereby the subordinate is given a salary and other benefits, and the company gets authority over the subordinate. When the Transactional Leader allocates work to a subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have th e resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding). Leadership Style Definition of Leadership A leader is someone who can influence others and who has a managerial authority. Leadership is what leaders do. More specifically, it’s the process of influencing a group to achieve goals. Group Leadership Leadership is concerned with control and power in a group. Leadership can be aimed at either maintaining the interpersonal relationships in the group or prodding the group to achieve its task. Kinds of Leadership Groups typically benefit from two kinds of leadership i. e. Instrumental leadership Expressive leadership Instrumental Leadership: This kind of leadership refers to group leadership that focuses on the completion of tasks. Members look to instrumental leadership to make plans, give orders and get things done. Characteristics of instrumental leadership Instrumental leaders usually have formal, secondary relations with other group members. They give orders and rewards and punish members according to their contribution to the group’s efforts. Enjoy more respect from members when successful. Their main goal is completion of task. Expressive Leadership: Expressive leadership is a group leadership that focuses on the group's well being. Example: the democratic style of leadership is an example of expressive leadership. Characteristics of Expressive leadership Expressive leaders take less interest in achieving goals than in promoting the well-being of members, raising group morale and minimizing tensions and conflicts among the group members. Expressive leaders build more personal and primary ties. They show sympathy to their group members. They generally receive more personal affection. Leadership Styles Definition: Leadership styles refer to the various patterns of behavior favored by leaders during the process of directing and influencing workers. Sociologists describe leadership in terms of decision making styles. The three major types of leadership are the following: Authoritarian or autocratic leadership. Democratic or Participative leadership. Laissez-faire leadership. Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. In the past several decades, management experts have undergone a revolution in how they define leadership and what their attitudes are toward it. They have gone from a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach. Somewhere along the line, it was determined that not everything old was bad and not everything new was good. Rather, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. Authoritarian Leadership This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments. This style is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. These studies say that autocratic leaders: Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees. Do not allow for employee input. Autocratic leadership is not all bad. Sometimes it is the most effective style to use. These situations can include: New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow. Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions. A manager’s power is challenged by an employee. Democratic or Participative leadership The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision. Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. Typically the democratic leader: Develops plans to help employees evaluate their own performance. Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted. Recognizes and encourages achievement. Like the other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate. It is most successful when used with highly skilled or experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or resolving individual or group problems. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything — this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit — it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. Laissez-faire leadership Laissez faire is a French word meaning noninterference in the affairs of others. Laissez means to let, allow and faire means to do. The laissez-faire leadership style is also known as the â€Å"hands-off? style. It is one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is an effective style to use when: Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used. Employees are trustworthy and experienced. Varying Leadership Style While the proper leadership style depends on the situation, there are three other factors that also influence which leadership style to use. The manager’s personal background. What personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences does the manager have? What does he or she think will work? The employees being supervised. Employees are individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. The leadership style managers use will vary depending upon the individual employee and what he or she will respond best to. The company. The traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the company will influence how a manager acts. There are a lot of arguments for and against each of the effective leadership styles. For example, the followers of an authoritarian leader are more prone to having low motivation and morale. They may find it difficult to get inspired because the leader is more impersonal, task oriented, demanding, and not considerate of their opinions. However despite this, there are situations where an authoritarian leadership style is the most effective. Such as when time is short, when the leader has all the information and a quick decision is needed. Anything other than an authoritarian leader will result in poorer outcomes. Theories of Leadership People have been interested in leadership since they have started coming together in groups to accomplish goals. However, it wasn’t until the early part of the twentieth century that researchers usually began to study it. These early leadership theories focused on the leader (trait theories) and how the leader interacted with his or her group members (behavioral theories) while subsequent theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill level. While many different leadership theories have emerged, most can be classified as one of eight major types: ‘Great Man’ Theory Early research on leadership was based on the study of people who were already great leaders. These people were often from the aristocracy, as few from lower classes had the opportunity to lead. This contributed to the notion that leadership had something to do with breeding. The idea of the Great Man also strayed into the mythic domain, with notions that in times of need, a Great Man would arise, almost by magic. This was easy to verify, by pointing to people such as Eisenhower and Churchill. The term â€Å"Great Man† was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait theory In searching for measurable leadership traits, researchers have taken two approaches: Comparing the traits of those who have emerged as leaders with the traits who have not and Comparing the traits of effective leaders with those of ineffective leaders. Early research on leadership was based on the psychological focus of the day, which was of people having inherited characteristics or traits. Attention was thus put on discovering these traits, often by studying successful leaders, but with the underlying assumption that if other people could also be found with these traits, then they, too, could also become great leaders. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. But if particular traits are key features of leadership, how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership. Behavioral theory When it became evident that effective leaders did not seem to have a particular set of distinguishing traits, researchers tried to isolate the behavior characteristics of effective leaders. In other words, rather than try to figure out who effective leaders are, researchers tried to determine what effective leaders do i. e. how they delegate tasks, how they communicate with and try to motivate their followers or employees and so on. Behaviors, unlike traits, can be learned, so it is followed that individuals trained in appropriate leadership behaviors would be able to lead more effectively. Participative theory A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. The level of participation may also depend on the type of decision being made. Decisions on how to implement goals may be highly participative, whilst decisions during subordinate performance evaluations are more likely to be taken by the manager. Contingency theory Contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that contends that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers, and aspects of the situation. This theory focuses on the following factors: Task requirement. Peer’s expectations and behavior. Employees’ characteristics, expectations and behavior. Organizational culture and policies. Situational theory One of the major contingency approaches to leadership is Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard’s â€Å"situational leadership model† which holds that the most effective leadership style varies with the â€Å"readiness† of employees. When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into a single preferred style, such as using transactional or transformational ethods. In practice, as they say, things are not that simple. Factors that affect situational decisions include motivation and capability of followers. This, in turn, is affected by factors within the particular situation. The relationship between followers and the leader may be another factor that affects leader behavior as much as it does follower behavior. The leaders' pe rception of the follower and the situation will affect what they do rather than the truth of the situation. The leader's perception of themselves and other factors such as stress and mood will also modify the leaders' behavior. Transformational or Charismatic theory Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. One area of growing interest is the study of individuals who have an exceptional impact on their organizations. These individuals may be called â€Å"charismatic† or â€Å"transformational† leaders. First, many large companies including IBM, GM etc have embarked on organizational â€Å"transformations† programs of extensive changes that must be accomplished in short periods of time. Bass’s theory of transformational leadership Bass defined transformational leadership in terms of how the leader affects followers, who are intended to trust, admire and respect the transformational leader. He identified three ways in which leaders transform followers: Increasing their awareness of task importance and value. Getting them to focus first on team or organizational goals, rather than their own interests. Activating their higher-order needs. Bass has recently noted that authentic transformational leadership is grounded in moral foundations that are based on four components: Idealized influence Inspirational motivation Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration Transactional or Management theory Management theories (also known as â€Å"Transactional theories†) focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of reward and punishment. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are ewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. The early stage of Transactional Leadership is in negotiating the contract whereby the subordinate is given a salary and other benefits, and the company gets authority over the subordinate. When the Transactional Leader allocates work to a subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have th e resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding). Leadership Style Finding a role model to evaluate his or her style of leadership and identifying ones own characteristics as a leader are he starting point for creating a personal development plan to work toward becoming the type of leader one wishes to be. Mary Kay Ash According to Hulk, transformational leaders, â€Å"seek to raise the consciousness of followers by appealing to ideals and moral values such as liberty, justice, equality, peace, and humanitarianism, not to baser emotions such as fear, greed, jealousy, or hatred† (2013, p. 347). Mary Kay Ash was a transformational leader.During a time period where women were not viewed as equal to men, she started a new business that empowered women. Not only did she build a business for women, she established a charitable foundation to support cancer research and later expanded its purpose to fighting violence against women (celebrating Mary Kay Ash†, n. D. ). It would take a huge amount of courage, confidence, and drive to accomplish th e things she was able to. To have this type of impact on such a large group of people even would provide a person with an enormous sense of accomplishment.Strengths of Self Qualities necessary to be a positive leader that are possessed by the author include respectful, good communicator, resourceful, rewarding, an openness to change, organized, delegated, takes initiative, listens to and responds to feedback as well as provides constructive feedback to others (University of Oregon, 2009). Treating others with respect will lead to them giving respect. Communicating is an essential function of leading. The leader must be able to share the goal and vision as well as provide direction. People also have a need to be heard, so it is important for a leader to listen to others and their ideas.Weaknesses Of Self Qualities that may hold a person from reaching his or her goal of being a transformational leader are being task oriented instead of people oriented. A transformational leader change s the lives of others and this is harder to accomplish if the main focus is the task not the person. A need to control has its strong points as well as its weaknesses. It is important to know when to allow others to take control. Characteristics that are Transformational To become this type of leader would not only transform the lives of others but of the author as a leader herself.Being a motivational leader is a positive starting point in working toward becoming a transformational leader. Knowing one's abilities is important but constantly striving to improve learning to do more and better can inspire others that they can do the same. Seeing an organized leader who thrives under pressure, using planning as a tool to succeed will show others they are capable of overcoming their stress and do better. The most important quality a person needs to become a transformational leader is a belief in and desire to developing others both personally and professional.Development Plan Having a m entor is an excellent way to identify a person's qualities as a leader and develop a plan that will help that person become the leader he or she desires to be. Working toward becoming a transformational leader is an enormous goal. The first step in reaching this goal is identifying the needs of others and how they are motivated. Then setting personal goals that work toward the development into a transformational leader. It is important to begin with smaller goals, such as encouraging coworkers to do more and do better.If they take pride in their work and their job it will reflect in the equines. By setting smaller, reachable goals a person will be encouraged and inspired to continue to work and reach the final goal. Conclusion Being in a position to empower, motivate, and uplift women is only part of what it would take to be a transformational leader. Taking action and taking charge of her life and future is what Mary Kay Ash did, and showed other women they could do it as well. To change a person's leadership style it is necessary to identify that person's characteristics as a leader. Leadership Style Definition of Leadership A leader is someone who can influence others and who has a managerial authority. Leadership is what leaders do. More specifically, it’s the process of influencing a group to achieve goals. Group Leadership Leadership is concerned with control and power in a group. Leadership can be aimed at either maintaining the interpersonal relationships in the group or prodding the group to achieve its task. Kinds of Leadership Groups typically benefit from two kinds of leadership i. e. Instrumental leadership Expressive leadership Instrumental Leadership: This kind of leadership refers to group leadership that focuses on the completion of tasks. Members look to instrumental leadership to make plans, give orders and get things done. Characteristics of instrumental leadership Instrumental leaders usually have formal, secondary relations with other group members. They give orders and rewards and punish members according to their contribution to the group’s efforts. Enjoy more respect from members when successful. Their main goal is completion of task. Expressive Leadership: Expressive leadership is a group leadership that focuses on the group's well being. Example: the democratic style of leadership is an example of expressive leadership. Characteristics of Expressive leadership Expressive leaders take less interest in achieving goals than in promoting the well-being of members, raising group morale and minimizing tensions and conflicts among the group members. Expressive leaders build more personal and primary ties. They show sympathy to their group members. They generally receive more personal affection. Leadership Styles Definition: Leadership styles refer to the various patterns of behavior favored by leaders during the process of directing and influencing workers. Sociologists describe leadership in terms of decision making styles. The three major types of leadership are the following: Authoritarian or autocratic leadership. Democratic or Participative leadership. Laissez-faire leadership. Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. In the past several decades, management experts have undergone a revolution in how they define leadership and what their attitudes are toward it. They have gone from a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach. Somewhere along the line, it was determined that not everything old was bad and not everything new was good. Rather, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. Authoritarian Leadership This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments. This style is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use it are when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your employees are well motivated. This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. These studies say that autocratic leaders: Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees. Do not allow for employee input. Autocratic leadership is not all bad. Sometimes it is the most effective style to use. These situations can include: New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow. Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions. A manager’s power is challenged by an employee. Democratic or Participative leadership The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision. Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. Typically the democratic leader: Develops plans to help employees evaluate their own performance. Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted. Recognizes and encourages achievement. Like the other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate. It is most successful when used with highly skilled or experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or resolving individual or group problems. This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything — this is why you employ knowledgeable and skillful employees. Using this style is of mutual benefit — it allows them to become part of the team and allows you to make better decisions. Laissez-faire leadership Laissez faire is a French word meaning noninterference in the affairs of others. Laissez means to let, allow and faire means to do. The laissez-faire leadership style is also known as the â€Å"hands-off? style. It is one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. This is an effective style to use when: Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used. Employees are trustworthy and experienced. Varying Leadership Style While the proper leadership style depends on the situation, there are three other factors that also influence which leadership style to use. The manager’s personal background. What personality, knowledge, values, ethics, and experiences does the manager have? What does he or she think will work? The employees being supervised. Employees are individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. The leadership style managers use will vary depending upon the individual employee and what he or she will respond best to. The company. The traditions, values, philosophy, and concerns of the company will influence how a manager acts. There are a lot of arguments for and against each of the effective leadership styles. For example, the followers of an authoritarian leader are more prone to having low motivation and morale. They may find it difficult to get inspired because the leader is more impersonal, task oriented, demanding, and not considerate of their opinions. However despite this, there are situations where an authoritarian leadership style is the most effective. Such as when time is short, when the leader has all the information and a quick decision is needed. Anything other than an authoritarian leader will result in poorer outcomes. Theories of Leadership People have been interested in leadership since they have started coming together in groups to accomplish goals. However, it wasn’t until the early part of the twentieth century that researchers usually began to study it. These early leadership theories focused on the leader (trait theories) and how the leader interacted with his or her group members (behavioral theories) while subsequent theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill level. While many different leadership theories have emerged, most can be classified as one of eight major types: ‘Great Man’ Theory Early research on leadership was based on the study of people who were already great leaders. These people were often from the aristocracy, as few from lower classes had the opportunity to lead. This contributed to the notion that leadership had something to do with breeding. The idea of the Great Man also strayed into the mythic domain, with notions that in times of need, a Great Man would arise, almost by magic. This was easy to verify, by pointing to people such as Eisenhower and Churchill. The term â€Å"Great Man† was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait theory In searching for measurable leadership traits, researchers have taken two approaches: Comparing the traits of those who have emerged as leaders with the traits who have not and Comparing the traits of effective leaders with those of ineffective leaders. Early research on leadership was based on the psychological focus of the day, which was of people having inherited characteristics or traits. Attention was thus put on discovering these traits, often by studying successful leaders, but with the underlying assumption that if other people could also be found with these traits, then they, too, could also become great leaders. Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders. But if particular traits are key features of leadership, how do we explain people who possess those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the difficulties in using trait theories to explain leadership. Behavioral theory When it became evident that effective leaders did not seem to have a particular set of distinguishing traits, researchers tried to isolate the behavior characteristics of effective leaders. In other words, rather than try to figure out who effective leaders are, researchers tried to determine what effective leaders do i. e. how they delegate tasks, how they communicate with and try to motivate their followers or employees and so on. Behaviors, unlike traits, can be learned, so it is followed that individuals trained in appropriate leadership behaviors would be able to lead more effectively. Participative theory A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. The level of participation may also depend on the type of decision being made. Decisions on how to implement goals may be highly participative, whilst decisions during subordinate performance evaluations are more likely to be taken by the manager. Contingency theory Contingency theories are a class of behavioral theory that contends that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others. Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers, and aspects of the situation. This theory focuses on the following factors: Task requirement. Peer’s expectations and behavior. Employees’ characteristics, expectations and behavior. Organizational culture and policies. Situational theory One of the major contingency approaches to leadership is Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard’s â€Å"situational leadership model† which holds that the most effective leadership style varies with the â€Å"readiness† of employees. When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into a single preferred style, such as using transactional or transformational ethods. In practice, as they say, things are not that simple. Factors that affect situational decisions include motivation and capability of followers. This, in turn, is affected by factors within the particular situation. The relationship between followers and the leader may be another factor that affects leader behavior as much as it does follower behavior. The leaders' pe rception of the follower and the situation will affect what they do rather than the truth of the situation. The leader's perception of themselves and other factors such as stress and mood will also modify the leaders' behavior. Transformational or Charismatic theory Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. One area of growing interest is the study of individuals who have an exceptional impact on their organizations. These individuals may be called â€Å"charismatic† or â€Å"transformational† leaders. First, many large companies including IBM, GM etc have embarked on organizational â€Å"transformations† programs of extensive changes that must be accomplished in short periods of time. Bass’s theory of transformational leadership Bass defined transformational leadership in terms of how the leader affects followers, who are intended to trust, admire and respect the transformational leader. He identified three ways in which leaders transform followers: Increasing their awareness of task importance and value. Getting them to focus first on team or organizational goals, rather than their own interests. Activating their higher-order needs. Bass has recently noted that authentic transformational leadership is grounded in moral foundations that are based on four components: Idealized influence Inspirational motivation Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration Transactional or Management theory Management theories (also known as â€Å"Transactional theories†) focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of reward and punishment. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are ewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. The early stage of Transactional Leadership is in negotiating the contract whereby the subordinate is given a salary and other benefits, and the company gets authority over the subordinate. When the Transactional Leader allocates work to a subordinate, they are considered to be fully responsible for it, whether or not they have th e resources or capability to carry it out. When things go wrong, then the subordinate is considered to be personally at fault, and is punished for their failure (just as they are rewarded for succeeding).