Power Bases in Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Power Bases in Leadership - Research Paper Example The paper tells that contemporary complex organizations require proper leveraging of power in order to achieve organizational goals and objectives. As Bal et al. argue, power is the ability to influence others, which leaders use to enhance the performance levels of their followers and to ensure their superiors and peers arrive at the best decisions. The traditional view of power in an organization revolves around the control that individuals at the tip of organizational hierarchy have. However, leaders of different levels within an organization have access to power, whose effective harnessing is key to organizational performance. The importance of power in the organizational setting justifies studies into it and its influences. The very first argument for the importance of power in an organization stems from the historical role of work groups in human history. People have formed groups to execute tasks and accomplish given goals, which forms the basis of an organization. However, the success of such groups is to a considerable extent dependent on the interrelationship of the individuals making the team. This relationship in an organization entails the dynamics between the leader, the followers and the environment created for the group. A wrong miscarriage of power as depicted by a toxic triangle consisting of destructive leaders with susceptible followers in abuse-conducive environments is a recipe for organizational failure. (Padila, Hogan and Kaiser 176). For instance, the leadership within an organization may develop the habit of exploiting the workforce through the power vested in them. Poor pay, overworking and overt and covert forms of vertical violence among other actions from the leadership are manifestations of such abuse of power (Van Vugt, Hogan and Kaiser 178). The motivation, commitment and thus performance of the employees may wane under such circumstances and thus inhibit productivity. In case the productivity remains high, the increased informed consumerism of today’s market may lead to the products of the firm being shunned when it is deemed that they abuse their employees (Crane et al. 287). Thus, how an organization manages its power within the hierarchy determines the direction and success of the organization. Sources of Organizational Power: The important role of power within an organization leads to the need to establish the bases of power; the different types of power and how they are obtained. There are five general bases of power within an organization; legitimate/positional, reward, coercive, expert and personal power (Kinicki and Williams 138). The discussion will focus on each source of power, critically analyzing how such power can be leveraged for the benefit of the organization, pitfalls and recommendations on how to maximize this power successfully. Legitimate/Positional Power: Positional power arises when a leader occupies a legitimate position of authority. The power is positional in that it reside s in the office held; leaders get this power through being appointed to fill the position (Bal et al. 7). The organization specifies the powers held by the individual in that position and how such an individual can direct the subordinates. The legitimacy of positional power arises from the formal nature of the position. Examples of positions that have power in the organization include managers and chief executive officers. Individuals in such positions hold different levels of power, increasing as people move up in the hierarchy (9). For instance, junior level managers may have the power to recommend a promotion or punishment, while the CEO may offer the last word on the matter. Like any other form of power, the

Becoming a Business Accountant Essay Example for Free

Becoming a Business Accountant Essay Business Accountant help to ensure that the country’s firms are run efficiently, its taxes are paid on time and its public records stay accurate. Accountants offer a wide variety of business and accounting services. Some of these services are: public, management and government accounting. Their main tasks are preparing, analyzing, and verifying financial documents in order to provide information to clients. Many accountants are required to have a lot of skill and knowledge. Most accountant work in an office, however those that are self-employed may be able to do part of their work at home. Accountants who are employed by public accounting firms and government agencies sometime have to travel often to perform audit at branches of their firm, clients’ places of business, or government facilities. Usually accountants work about a 40-hour week, but most work longer especially if they are self-employed and have many clients. Most accountant position requires at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. Beginning accounting positions in the Federal Government requires 4 years of college including 24 semester hour in accounting or an equal amount of education and experience. Also practical knowledge of computers and their applications in accounting is a good thing to have for job seekers in accounting field. People who want a career in accounting should have a skill in mathematics and be able to analyze, compare, and interpret facts and figures quickly. They must be able to communicate the results of their work to clients.

What To Write :: essays research papers

What to Write?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do you recall the last 500-word essay you had to write? Or perhaps the last 500- word essay you had to read? As a teacher, Paul Roberts spent a large portion of his time reading 500-word essays. Paul Roberts found these compositions were uninspired, and done in the last possible minute. Paul Roberts wrote three books to aid you in becoming better writer. â€Å"How to Say Nothing in 500 Words† comes from Roberts’ best-known book, Understanding English. â€Å"How to Say Nothing in 500 Words† aids you by suggesting what not to say. This exert from Understanding English has 10 mistakes, and possible ways to avoid these mistakes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first three sections deal with making your paper interesting. These three sections include: â€Å"Nothing About Something,† â€Å"Avoid the Obvious Content,† and â€Å"Take the Less Usual Side.† In the First section, â€Å"Nothing About Something,† Roberts goes through the steps a normal student would take in writing a 500-word essay on college football. You may begin shortly after they receive your assignment. Often times you may start well. But after about one paragraph, you run out of things to say. Therefore, you put it off, which causes you to run out of time. Then you find yourself writing your paper at the last possible moment, which makes it dull. Writing your paper at the last possible moment also fills it with unnecessary information, and oversized margins. After reading through these steps many people realize that this is exactly what they do. Robert tells you this paper would, more like than not, earn you a â€Å"D.â₠¬    Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next two sections, â€Å"Avoid the Obvious Content† and â€Å"Take the Less Usual Side,† deal with making your paper more interesting. To avoid obvious content do not use the first things that come to mind. The reason for this is because whatever comes to your mind first is what comes to everyone else’s mind, making it obvious. Once you have decided what not to use, make another list of subjects or reasons. From this list pick the most unusual aspect. Roberts says not only will this be the easiest to write about, but it will also be more interesting. Roberts also advices, â€Å"it is good manners to avoid personality.† By avoiding personality Roberts means don’t write what you think your instructor wants to hear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The remaining seven sections deal with word choices. These categories include: â€Å"Slip out of Abstraction,† â€Å"Get Rid of Obvious Padding,† â€Å"Call a Fool a Fool,† â€Å"Beware of Pat Expression,† â€Å"Colorful Words,† â€Å"Colored Words,† and â€Å"Colorless Words.

Oedipus Research Paper Essay

Aristotle has long been recognized for his contributions to many areas of society, from math and science to literature. It is claimed that Aristotle was racist, sexist and homophobic and that these views colored the way he saw the world (Engle, 2008). From some of these views, the tragic hero emerges. There are several key components to a Oedipushaving a tragic hero. The first is that the main character (protagonist) must be of noble birth or a member of a royal family. In addition to being of noble lineage, the protagonist must suffer from a fatal or tragic flaw. This flaw is not necessary a morale flaw, but rather a flaw that occurs as a consequence of one’s choices or actions. A tragic hero will evolve the feelings of pity or fear and cause the reader and audience to identify with the main character. And, finally, the audience or reader must experience â€Å"Catharsis†. Catharsis is a feeling of relieve that the main character had his come-uppance and was brought down. It is not a feeling of depression or sadness over the fate of the nobleman. Kennedy (pages 856-858). To elaborate, the nobleman must be of high estate that gives him a place of dignity. The fall from this dignity makes the event seem more of a calamity in that it involves more than just the main character. A fall that affects an entire nation or people is often the result of a nobleman’s fall. The main character is certainly no superman; he is fallible and has a weakness of character that leads to his end. Kennedy (pages 856-858) According to Aristotle, the ideal tragic hero is defined as: â€Å"There remains then the man who occupies the mean between saintliness and depravity. He is not extra-ordinary in virtue and righteousness and yet does not fall into bad fortune because of evil and wickedness but because of some hamartia of a kind found in men of high reputation and good fortune such as Oedipus and Thyestes and famous men of similar families. † Adade-Yeboah, et al (2012). The next part of a tragic hero’s role is that of recognition or discovery. This part includes the revelation of some prior unknown fact or element to bring to light the true identity of the main character. The revelation may be due to the actions of the main character or due to those of a minor character. They may already be known by the reader or the audience, thus making some of the choices the character makes almost painfully ignorant. Often times, once the revelation has been made, it leads to a reversal. A reversal is simply an action that has the opposite effect from the one intended. This reversal may be due in part to the tragic or fatal flaw of the protagonist. Kennedy (pages 856-858) Finally, there is the fear and pity that is aroused in the audience and / or reader. Even though most may feel like the main character deserved the end results, there is still a sense of pity or sorrow that they must suffer and hurt so much. Now that we have looked at the common requirements for a tragic hero, we will look at King Oedipus as the tragic hero. King Oedipus was worshiped by the people of Thebes. They saw him as wise and came to him to seek help and counsel when their city was suffering. He has freed them from the tyranny of the Sphinx and they were forever grateful. He even recognized his own greatness by referring to himself as the one who was called great by all men and calling the people of the city children. Oedipus (Prologue, Line 8) Through birth and adoption both, Oedipus was a nobleman. He has been left out in the wilderness by his other due to a prophecy that his father would die by the son’s hand. He was then adopted by King Polybus of Corinth. Thus, he fulfilled the first requirement of the tragic hero – being of noble birth or royal bloodlines. The next aspect of a tragic hero is one with a fatal or tragic flaw. Oedipus wanted to seek the truth regarding the murder of King Laius, believing that the truth would purge the city of the horrible curse that it was under. We see the king as one of high moral integrity, but subject to the normal frailties of the human being (Adade-Yeboah, et al (2012). He is portrayed as being somewhat short tempered and often rash due to his desire to do the right thing. This perhaps is his tragic flaw – in his zeal to find the murdered, he makes rash statements about shunning the individual guilty of the murder, regardless of his standing in society (Oedipus). This brings us to the next aspect of the tragic hero – the revelation. Through seeking the advice of a prophet, it is revealed to King Oedipus that he is the murderer â€Å"You are the murdered of the king whose murderer you seek. Oedipus Initially, the king does believe that this is the case, but as he examines the evidence, it becomes clear that he is the guilty one. This revelation leads to the reversal in the king’s life. In one moment, he realizes that his wife is his mother, that his children are his brothers and sisters and that all is lost for him. Then enter pity for the king. Not only does Oedipus find out that he is adopted, he also discovered that he killed his father, and had married his mother. He was truly sorrowful for the shame and anguish that the people of his city would suffer â€Å"I grieve for you, my children. Believe me, I know all that you desire of me, all that you suffer; and while you suffer, none suffers more than I. † Oedipus We feel even more pity for him when his wife and mother hangs herself and he puts his own eyes out â€Å"He was called my king, but now whose tale is more miserable? † Oedipus As Oedipus loses his throne, his thoughts are of those around him who he has hurt – the people of Thebes and his children (who are also his brothers and sisters). He leaves them in the care of their uncle Creon. Before leaving them, he tells them how sorry he is â€Å"For the unhappiness that must be yours: And for the bitter life that you must lead. † Oedipus In conclusion, Oedipus has all of the criteria for a tragic hero. He is a nobleman, through choices and actions experienced a fall from greatness and his throne and aroused the pity of the reader and audience. Aristotle speaks of a tragic hero’s Harmatia or his tragic flaw being not one of moral roots, but rather one that is displayed through the choices and actions of the character. It is quite apparent that had Oedipus not killed his father, then the other events of marrying his mother, fathering his brothers and sisters, losing his site and his throne would not have come about. Although there is tragedy throughout this drama, one must applaud the nobleness and courage that Oedipus demonstrated by accepting responsibility for his actions and accepting the same consequences as he had previously deemed needed to purge the land of the curse. As a result of the fall of the king, the audience and reader is left with a feeling of relieve (catharsis) that the king gets what he deserves for killing his father. Although there is pity for all the heartache he has to endure, there is a sense of poetic justice that just because the â€Å"hero† was of noble birth, he was not spared punishment. References Adade-Yeboah, A. , Ahenkora, K. , & Amankwah, A. S. (2012). The tragic hero of the classical period. English Language and Literature Studies, 2(3), 10-17. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/1045567248? accountid=12085 Engle, Eric (2008). Aristotle, Law and Justice: The Tragic Hero, Page 1. Kennedy, X. J. , & Gioia, D. (2010). Critical Casebook – Sophocles. Literature- An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama & Writing (pp. 856-858). New York: Pearson.

Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies Essay

Carrefour Company Introduction                   The modern business world has changed and organizations have embraced new technologies for them to achieve effectiveness, efficiency and competitiveness. One of the most important technology for business prosperity is Information Technology commonly known as IT. Information is an important and integral part of any organization that determines whether a firm will make sound decisions or not. Carrefour Company is one of the well-known worldwide companies that has embraced Information technology in its business processes and this has played a majorin earning a competitive edge. Carrefour IT and Business Processes                   The company runs convenience stores, supermarkets, cash and carry supplies, hyper-cash store and hypermarkets. Carrefour also engages in non-food and food e-commerce websites and it functions as multi-location, multi-channel, and multi-location trader with its initial origin in Europe. Its products range from electronics, leisure, ornamental products, clothing items and non- food products(Koller, 2011). Carrefour contacts a large amount of its business on an online platform using its portals, ooshop.fr and Carrefour.fr. This calls for a good understanding of Information Technology for the firm to succeed and earn competitive advantage in the industry. Carrefour Company integrates Information Technology in its various business processes. Some of the ways are in communication, inventory management, data management, management information systems, security, business culture, research capacity and customer relationship management.                   Being a multi-factor company, Carrefour requires a well-structured communication channel to enable transactions and business communication to happen smoothly. The company has adapted new information technology by setting up a wide variety of communication platforms to reach the maximum number of clients and potential customers globally. Examples of the platforms used include the official company’s website, email support systems for both clients and employees, phone directories and social network accounts.                   Inventory management at Carrefour has also boosted their performance due to advanced information technology. The inventory systems gather all the information of each items stored and keep track of the quality and quantities. This enables the company to minimize on inventory costs such as carrying costs and also minimize wastages especially for the food products with low shelf life.                   Information technology has also improved data management practices at the company. Employees do not to keep large file of documents, they save everything through data systems. The systems are also able to record information which is important for business decisions and this automated systems also reduce malpractices among the employees.                   Customers are the most important stakeholders to any business organization and, therefore, the need to maintain a good relationship with them. Carrefour has achieved this aspect through customer management systems (CRM) which enhances communication with the clients. The company is able to respond immediately to customers’ concerns and the information is stored for future reference if the same client makes another call. This improves customer experience and increased customer loyalty to Carrefour products. Technologies Used at Carrefour Company                   Carrefour Company mainly employs four technologies to manage its information. These systems are Transaction Process Systems (TPS), Management Information Systems (MIS), Enterprise Information Systems, and Decision Support Systems (DSS). Transaction Process Systems monitors and records all the transactions in the organization. The system mainly is responsible for recovery of data during system failures, stabilize the data, and it also integrates and connects other systems.                   MIS on the hand, does systematic study and analysis of available data to enhance decision-making. Carrefour joint forces with a company called PeopleSoft which is in charge of their global operations by offering platforms such as Customer Relations Management(Farrel, 2013). Management Information Systems enable the company to heighten their operations by frequently updating processes, procedures, and stored data.                   DSS is a unique technology that promotes sound decision-making processes at different levels of the company’s hierarchy. Its main advantage is the ability to break down large volume of data and evaluate them for decision-making. The system retrieves the ideal information from the stored volumes of data and it can work both as an online or a batch process.                   EIS is important information tool mainly for the management of Carrefour Company. It makes summaries of the transactions and turns raw data into information which is applied internally. The management team at Carrefour use EIS to get summarized information from complex graphs and in the process speed up decision-making process(Koller, 2011). Company’s Success with IT adaption                   90% of the company’s success is attributed to its use and early adoption of Information Technology into its business activities. The technology has improved customer relations, business process, employee relations, and product development. These are the main activities of any organization and therefore making Information Technology a major player to the success Carrefour Company is enjoying today.                   Information Technology has helped Carrefour to minimize most of the cost associated with conducting business. It has enabled the organization reduce on the space required to store information through the use of computers. It has also enhance inventory management and reduced wastages and carrying costs(Koller, 2011). Due to customer relation systems, the company is able to make more tailor products and services according to the clients’ tastes and preferences. This has led more product differentiation. References Farrel, J. (2013). The Economics of Information Technology: An Introduction (Raffaele Mattioli Lectures). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Koller, T. (2011). Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies (Carrefour Case). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Source document

The Approximate Size of My Tumor Essay Example

The Approximate Size of My Tumor Essay Example The Approximate Size of My Tumor Essay The Approximate Size of My Tumor Essay TITLE OF ESSAY: An Analysis of the author’s use of reflection in â€Å"The Approximate Size of my Tumor† In the short story â€Å"The Approximate Size of my Tumor†, the author uses reflection to give the reader a greater insight into the relationship between Jimmy Many Horses and his wife, Norma. Showing that there are two sides to humor: Jimmy’s viewpoint that humor is used as a copy mechanism and Norma’s viewpoint that there is a time and place for humor and for being serious. Jimmy Many Horses retells the history of his relationship with his wife Norma, from their initial meeting at the Powwow Tavern through their marriage including grappling with alcohol addiction and Jimmy’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. After learning of Jimmy’s diagnosis of terminal cancer Norma leaves reacting to Jimmy’s constant use of humor, even in the face of death which angers Norma. The author uses reflection to give us insight on how Norma and Jimmy met, explaining that humor is a part of Jimmy’s character. Jimmy’s recollection of their relationship includes a classic Indian pickup line, â€Å"Listen†¦if I stole 1,000 horses, I’d give you 501 of them. † Jimmy’s cavalier humor about his diagnosis enrages Norma to the point she leaves him to go on the powwow circuit, ultimately ending up in Arlee, Montana, with a â€Å"second kind of cousin† before returning to be with Jimmy in his last days, citing â€Å"making fry bread and helping people die are two things Indians are good at. While in the hospital on his death bed, Jimmy continues to use humor as a coping mechanism. â€Å"Humor was an antiseptic that cleaned the deepest of personal wounds. † Even Jimmy’s description of his tumors is described as the approximate size and shape of a baseball-with faint stitch marks on it. The story tells how one person may use differing copying mechanisms to cope with their feelings, for Jimmy Many Horses, he uses humor which enables him in the beginning to deny the reality of his terminal diagnosis, resulting in his wife becoming so angered by him not taking this seriously that she leaves as another form of coping and requiring Jimmy to face that there is a time and place where humor is appropriate and when it isn’t. Humor destroys one part of Jimmy’s life while it aids him in coping with another.

Free Essays on Slave Treatment

The Treatment of the Slaves The Europeans did not care how they treated Africans on the ships. The conditions on the ships were horrible; I do not know how the Africans survive the trip across the Atlantic. The food the Europeans fed the Africans was disgusting. Being chained together side by side the Europeans abused their own Humanity the way they treated the slaves. They believe that Africa was a savage land, that Africans had never known any reasonable social order of their own. That African slave deserved no better than they got. In centuries a total of fifteen million men, women and children of African blood were delivered into transatlantic slavery, under conditions so hideous that another nine million are estimated to have died during the crossing. In the worst ships, in which the slave-holds were not property aired. The slaves were not properly fed and exercised, in which the crews were bestial and drunken. 'Nowhere in the annals of history has a people experienced such a long and traumatic ordeal as Africans during the Atlantic slave trade. Over the nearly four centuries of the slave - which continued until the end of the Civil War - millions of African men, women, and children were savagely torn from their homeland, herded onto ships, and dispersed all over the so-called New World. Although there is no way to compute exactly how many people perished, it has been estimated that between thirty and sixty million Africans were subjected to this horrendous triangular trade system and that only one third-if that-of those people survived...' The triangular trade system was so named because the ships embarked from European ports, stopped in Africa to gather the captives, after which they set out for the New World to deliver their human cargo, and then returned to the port of origin. The Middle Passage was that leg of the slave triangle that brought the human cargo from West Africa to North America, South Ameri... Free Essays on Slave Treatment Free Essays on Slave Treatment The Treatment of the Slaves The Europeans did not care how they treated Africans on the ships. The conditions on the ships were horrible; I do not know how the Africans survive the trip across the Atlantic. The food the Europeans fed the Africans was disgusting. Being chained together side by side the Europeans abused their own Humanity the way they treated the slaves. They believe that Africa was a savage land, that Africans had never known any reasonable social order of their own. That African slave deserved no better than they got. In centuries a total of fifteen million men, women and children of African blood were delivered into transatlantic slavery, under conditions so hideous that another nine million are estimated to have died during the crossing. In the worst ships, in which the slave-holds were not property aired. The slaves were not properly fed and exercised, in which the crews were bestial and drunken. 'Nowhere in the annals of history has a people experienced such a long and traumatic ordeal as Africans during the Atlantic slave trade. Over the nearly four centuries of the slave - which continued until the end of the Civil War - millions of African men, women, and children were savagely torn from their homeland, herded onto ships, and dispersed all over the so-called New World. Although there is no way to compute exactly how many people perished, it has been estimated that between thirty and sixty million Africans were subjected to this horrendous triangular trade system and that only one third-if that-of those people survived...' The triangular trade system was so named because the ships embarked from European ports, stopped in Africa to gather the captives, after which they set out for the New World to deliver their human cargo, and then returned to the port of origin. The Middle Passage was that leg of the slave triangle that brought the human cargo from West Africa to North America, South Ameri...