Economics and Scarcity free essay sample

A discussion on economic nexus and the way in which it has created scarcity. The following paper examines the affect of economic agent behavior on scarcity. It defines market fundamentalism and economic agent behavior. The writer also examines what the best outcome is for society and for the consumer. This paper looks at whether the consumers best interest is satisfied by the market. All the above are discussed with reference to the economic theory of self-interest, opportunistic behavior, and the economic person. The development of agent theory in economics is based on assumptions and its impetus that the interests of owners and managers of publicly held corporations may diverge (Wright 295). Sometimes the wishes of stockholders are distorted in favor of the managers of the businesses. The reasoning behind this is that the national economy might suffer if the managers of the firm appeared to be economically predisposed, selfish, and opportunistic. We will write a custom essay sample on Economics and Scarcity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Our contention is that agency theorys assumptions of self-serving individuals who are primarily economically oriented and predisposed to opportunism, when applied to a firm, it may be incompatible with that firms achievement of competitive advantage (Wright 295). Thus, they do not supply the best interests of the stockholders.

Essay Prompts

Essay PromptsThe essay prompt is one of the most essential parts of an essay. In order to write a successful essay it is necessary to be familiar with the format, content and style of this particular essay prompt.There are several important aspects of the essay prompt that need to be understood before submitting the assignment. The essay prompt consists of a wide variety of instructions, some of which include writing a paragraph break, using a comma and using a period to delimit paragraphs. Moreover, one of the other forms of essay prompts include categories such as: persuasive essay prompt, essay prompt for research papers, essay prompt for examinations etc.However, when using the order form of this particular essay prompt, it is essential to keep in mind that the order in which you write the text is crucial. It is crucial to place the topic first in the order form. After this, there is a space of about one to three sentences to place in the supporting details. This leads to one of the most important considerations when using the order form of the essay prompt.One of the most important aspects that is included in the order form is using of commas. As a matter of fact, there are a number of cases where the use of a comma can be crucial. When the same essay prompt uses a sequence of sentences, the use of a comma will assist the reader to understand that the sentences are linked by a single thought. In addition, there are some essay prompts that use quotation marks.Therefore, it is essential to use the order form of this particular essay prompt in order to make sure that the sequence of the sentences is clear. When using the order form of the essay prompt, the use of quotation marks can be crucial. If one uses quotation marks, it is important to note that these quotation marks help the reader to understand that you are quoting.The use of direct quotation is another critical aspect of the essay prompt. There are a number of instances when the use of direct quotati on helps to emphasize the importance of the ideas and facts. There are many instances where the use of direct quotation helps to demonstrate the relevance of the concept. In addition, if a student chooses to use quotation marks, he/she needs to be careful not to include the period at the end of the word in the quotation.There are also a number of other important aspects that need to be understood before submitting the assignment. Most of the essay prompts have a standard format where there is a single sentence to close the paragraph. In addition, the assignment that provides the writer with the option to write in the first person or the third person.The essay prompt that requires one to write in the first person tells the reader about the author's perception of himself/herself in the current situation. The third person is used in the assignment when the writer writes from his/her perspective. Thus, it is important to remember that all of these are critical components of the essay pr ompt.

Aborigine-Invading Settler Relationship in Rabbit-Proof Fence

Aborigine-Invading Settler Relationship in Rabbit-Proof Fence Free Online Research Papers Philip Noyce’s film Rabbit-Proof Fence is a film about three Aboriginal girls named Molly Craig, Daisy Kadabil and Gracie Fields and it explores the lives of these girls coinciding with the Australian western society during the Stolen Generation period. The police of the white Australians captured the girls due to their mixed-blood status; half white, half Aboriginal. They were taken from their parents and were put into a settlement with other mixed bloods known as â€Å"half-castes†. The film also tells of their escape from the Moore River Settlement and their return to their families, except for Gracie. The film is based on a book entitled Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence which is inspired by true events and is written by Doris Pilkington Garimara, the daughter of the protagonist Molly (â€Å"Rabbit-Proof Fence†). The film attempts to untangle many issues of Australian history. It explores the issues such as the relationship between the Aborigines and the invading-settlers, explains the reason why half-caste Aboriginals were taken from their families and what happened once they are captured. The ‘Stolen Generation’ consists of children of Australian Aboriginal descent who suffer the destruction of identity, family life and culture because they were removed from their families by the Australian and State government agencies under the Aborigines Act (â€Å"Bring them home†). It is documented that the removals occurred in the period between approximately 1869 and 1970s (Marten 229, Australian Museum 1-6, Read 1-34). This was caused because, by the mid-nineteenth century, white settlers had begun their encroachment of native Aboriginal lands, resulting in inevitable mixing of white and Aboriginal blood. The children of this union were known as â€Å"half-caste† and their growing presence is seen as a threat to civilized society by the Australian authorities (Stratton 70). Motives for the removal of the children from their families are heavily debated and include fears of miscegenation, child protection and a desire to attain white racial purity (Bates 243). In order to achieve the aforementioned motives, cultural imperialism and subjugation of the Aborigine will be discussed. First and foremost is cultural imperialism. British colonial rule relied on the perception that non-white people and non-Western cultures as inferior and needed the ‘advanced civilization’ offered by Western culture. The colonizers found it beneficial for children to adapt to Western society as they believed that the indigenous people lived ‘unhappy lives’ and the thought of them conforming to the ‘western lifestyle to be ideal’ (Klages 147-152, Stratton 70). Britain extended its national rule to countries and areas all over the world from the late seventeenth century to the middle of the twentieth century (â€Å"Colonialism†). The British formed British colonies and in most cases took over the administration of the government in order for British laws and customs to rule the people who lived half a world away from Britain itself. British colonial rule meant teaching the indigenous people about the superiority of Western practices through the setting up systems of police, courts and legislatures following British laws (Klages 147-152). It is also done by sending missionaries to convert natives to Christianity, establishing churches, setting up schools to teach British customs, and the English language to children and adults in order to make them more like British citizens. The Australian government itself stems from British colonial rule and thus followed the aforementioned things. When Molly, Daisy and Gracie were taken from their parents by the police, they were transported to Moore River Settlement, more than a thousand miles away from their families. When they are at the settlement, they were forced to speak English, abandon their traditional beliefs and culture, taught to adopt to western society and were brought up to believe in Christianity as apposed to their own belief (Rabbit-Proof Fence). The Moore River Settlement disconnected the children with their families and this prevented the children from finding their families or returning back to their homes. Children at the Moore River Settlement were also taught to believe that their past (traditions and origins) to be an ‘evil thing’ and persuaded them through the use of force to never revisit their original way of life and continue on living in western society. This is done in order to ‘protect the child’ by making them conform to western lifestyle. According to Mr. A.O. Neville, who is the Chief Protector of Aborigines, the half-caste children should be removed from their families for the fear of miscegenation. He states that there will be a ‘racial classification dilemma’ as the half-caste child could â€Å"allow a creation of an unwanted third race† and there will be a dispute on whether or not â€Å"the colors be encouraged to go back to the blacks† or â€Å"advance to the white status and be absorbed in the white population†. He further adds that half-caste children can be bred into ‘white people’ through after three generations of marriages with white people starting from the half-blood grandmother, leading to the quadroon daughter and the octoroon grandson as after â€Å"the third generation, no trace of origin is apparent†¦continuing infiltration of white blood†¦finally stamps out the black color†. This clearly shows the desire to attain white racial purity in which the Aboriginal is finally bred out. Second is subjugation of the Aborigine. The film the Rabbit-Proof Fence shows subjugation of the Aborigine through power and law. This can be seen through the use of characters, symbols and settings developed throughout the movie. The most powerful character is Mr. A.O. Neville, chief protector and legal guardian of every Aboriginal in Western Australia in the 1930s. He represents authority as throughout the entire movie, he is portrayed as having perfectly combed and waxed hair and is always seen in a suit which is in immaculate condition. This is combined with his power to control every Aborigine in the state: â€Å"Every Aborigine in this state comes under my control†, he said. He displays his authority by signing an order for the institutionalization of Molly, Daisy and Gracie and by his formal pattern of speech; â€Å"I’m authorizing their removal. They’re to be taken to Moore River as soon as possible†. Molly Craig’s character, on the other hand, shows the contrast to power and law. Molly’s hair is free and her clothing is simple to portray her carefree lifestyle without official rules. Molly’s speech is also informal and mostly made up of simple sentences; â€Å"Where your country? How far does rabbit fence go to?† When these two characters clash, we see the effects of power and law on the powerless Aborigine. From these two examples, it is clearly seen that the whites held the power to dominate the Aborigines because they held authority through law. Even when an aborigine acquires some power and law, as depicted in the character of Moodoo, he is still not powerful enough to go against the white oppressors. He can neither get himself or his daughter to totally abandon the Moore River Settlement. In addition, he also has to suffer with a lost of identity as he is not entirely accepted by the white or aboriginal communities because of his role as a tracker. Symbolism is another way to represent power and law. Mr. Neville’s stationary especially his pen and rubber stamp are powerful objects. They are the most powerful tool because they are used to authorize the removal of the three half-caste girls. It is also a tool to grant permission to marry, visit children and buy new shoes. The three aboriginal children were forced to fight the forces of the whites with their own set of powers without the help from the law. They have the power of culture, taught to them by their mother, Maude. They had learned native survival skills as part of their aboriginal education. Without their knowledge of tracking, hunting and survival in the bush, they would never have made it back to their home. These abilities were essential throughout their journey. This fundamental power of culture was an indigenous strength that allowed survival in a harsh land. It was also a strength that could be used in combat against their white oppressors. Settings are also used to represent power and law. There are two main settings are social setting and physical setting. The social setting consists of patriarch society versus matriarch society. The white oppressors controlled the society that they oppressed by following a ‘patriarch rule’. The individuals with the most power in society are men while women played a subordinate role. Men road horses, drove cars and enforced laws. Women became housewives, secretaries and servants. The Aborigines, on the contrary, controlled their society by following a ‘matriarch rule’. Women became the head of their family and the breadwinner. Men only became an insemination tool. It is also interesting to note that when these two types of social settings clash with one another, the physical power of the patriarchs together with their control of the law overpowers the matriarchs; Constable Riggs forcefully takes the three aboriginal girls from their mothers and grandmother while justifying his actions by saying â€Å"I’ve got the papers, Maude, there’s nothing you can do†. The physical setting too shows the portrayal of power and law. Molly’s home is where modern living and laws are not reinforced. Molly enjoys a free and happy lifestyle because of this. Warm colors found in can be seen through the lush vegetation and large landscape of her home to represent this. Alternatively, Mr. Neville’s office is the home of laws. His office is linear and the objects in the office are placed in an orderly fashion which reflects Mr. Neville’s way of life and the issue of power and law. Besides power and law, the role of education as well plays a role in subjugating the Aborigines. Most children at Moore River Settlement receive basic training to be domestic servants and farm laborers. Only fair-skinned children from the settlement will receive ‘higher education’ from Sister Kate because â€Å"they more clever than us, they can go to proper school†, according to Nina. This results in the children to be taken advantage off from the whites when they return to the society as they will become servants to them. A clear example is Mavis. She graduated from Moore River Settlement and she becomes the servant to a white couple and a sex slave to the couple’s husband. This proves that education is not a tool for social advancement but a regulatory tool for oppression. As a conclusion, the central idea that flows throughout the film is a lack of understanding in the colonizer-colonized relationship. As white colonists gradually occupied the lands of the indigenous people, the latter’s traditional nomadic way of life is seriously eroded. Derisively seen as a ‘stone-age’ race, the aborigines came to rely on handouts as the structure of their society collapsed. Since the settlers were superior in force, the indigenous people were thought of as lesser beings and they felt no remorse for mistreating, controlling and deciding how the indigenous people were supposed to live (Stratton 70, â€Å"Colonialism†). The acts of the Australian government as portrayed in the film can be equated to genocide. To say that the Australian’s western society was right for doing such an immoral offence towards a once prosperous and content civilization is foolish. Their policy was definitely aimed at ‘breeding out’ the Aborigi nality. Many Aboriginal people from the ‘stolen generation’ are psychologically damaged and continue to suffer the effects of destruction of their identity, family and culture. The ‘white’ powers despite their authority have been unable to bring a complete makeover to aboriginal Australia. The young girls made it home, but their victory did not close the education settlement that housed the ‘stolen generation’ of aboriginal children. Years later, as we learn from the film, Molly is once again abducted by the authorities. She retrod her steps while carrying her youngest child to return to her homeland. Her elder daughter was too heavy to carry and she never saw her again. This shows that neither set of forces has ultimately been successful; the white powers of cultural imperialism versus the aboriginal powers of cultural preservation. The struggle between the two powers still continues up till today. Australian Museum. Indigenous Australia: Family. 2004. 23 January 2009 Bates, Daisy. The Passing of the Aborigines: A Lifetime spent among the Natives of Australia. 1983. Project Gutenberg of Australia. 23 January 2009. Bring them home. 23 January 2009 â€Å"Colonialism†. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. 2009. Encyclopaedia Britannica . 23 January 2009. Klages, M. Literary Theory: A Guide for the Perplexed. Great Britain: Continuum. 2006. Marten, J.A. Children and war. New York: NYU Press 2002. Rabit-Proof Fence. Dir. Philip Noyce. Perf. Evelyn Sampi, Laura Monaghan, Tianna Sansbury, Kenneth Branagh, David Gulpilil, Garry McDonald. Miramax 2002. DVD. Read, Peter. The Stolen Generations: The Removal of Aboriginal children in New South Wales 1883 to 1969. 1981. Department of Aboriginal Affairs (New South Wales government). 23 January 2009 Stratton, David. â€Å"Rabbit-Proof Fence (Motion Picture)† Film Television Literature Index 25 Feb. 2002: 70- . EBSCOhost. West Virginia University Library, Morgantown, WV. 23 January 2009. Research Papers on Aborigine-Invading Settler Relationship in Rabbit-Proof FenceWhere Wild and West MeetUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresBringing Democracy to Africa19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCapital PunishmentQuebec and CanadaAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay

Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality

Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality The concept of leadership is as old as mankind. A number of theories and conceptual models that explain this concept have been put forward by psychologists among other organisational experts. The theories have been classified into eight broader schools of thought.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They include: the trait approach to leadership, the behavioral theories, the contingency or situational school, leaders and followers, dispersed leadership, participative theories, relationship theories, and management theories (Bolden, Gosling, Marturano, Dennison, 2003). These schools of thought emerged in the course of the twentieth century. Most of the early theorists were interested in the qualities that made leaders unique compared with their followers. On the other hand, latter theorists have considered various variables like situation and level of skills in understanding leadership. This essay discusses the transformational theory of leadership which is under the leaders and followers relationship. Key terms used in the theory shall be explained, major components presented, as well as a description of how the theory works. The strengths and weaknesses of the theory will also be offered. Furthermore, the essay will present a selected organisational behaviour and show how it links to the transformational theory, for instance the influence of leadership on the identified observational behavior or vice versa. Transformational Leadership Theory Transformational theory of leadership is mainly concerned with understanding and explaining the relationships between the leaders and their followers. The theory argues that leaders seek to motivate, encourage, and be a source of inspiration to others by assisting them realise the significance and the higher value of the task presented to them (Covey, 2002). While other theori es focus on the leader as a unique figure, transformational leadership theory is interested in exploring the significance of the relationship between the leader and the follower. The roles of a leader and the one being led are interrelated. Transformational leaders place high priority on the success of their followers in general as well as individual excellence. Thus he or she is supposed to be a team leader.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The concept of transforming leadership was first suggested by James MacGregor Burns in1978. He defines transforming leadership as a relationship of mutual motivation and promotion where followers can assume leadership roles while leaders become agents of moral principles. Burns suggested further that this kind of leadership occurs when leaders and followers interact and in the process uplift one another to advanced levels of mot ivation and moral values. In proposing this theory, Burns was inspired by the humanistic psychology movement and he suggested that a transforming leader has the capacity to change, alter, and raise the motives, values, and objectives of meaningful transformation among those being led (Covey, 2002). According to Burns, transformational leadership is different from other styles because of the roles expected of a leader and the follower. The other leadership styles consider a leader as a dominant figure who is always in front as others follow. Transformational leaders are empowered with a special ability to change the leaders as well as the followers by the use of principles that makes them have mutual adherence to modal values and end-values (Tichy Devanna, 2006). The concept of transforming leadership as advanced by Burns was later developed by Bernard Bass into that of transformational leadership. Bass proposed that in this style, the leader’s ultimate aim is to transform th e followers (Bass Avolio, 1994). This conception draws a difference between Bass’ and Burn’s idea of leadership. Bass views the interaction between the leader and the followers as being one-way while Burns’ thinks that both the leader and the one being led have mutual influence and hence a two-way interaction (Bolden et al., 2003). However, Bass includes a new dimension of social change to the style. This perspective is lacking in Burns’ conception of transforming leadership.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Bass, transformational leaders have the ability to enlarge the portfolio of needs for his or her followers, change a follower’s self-interest, enhance the confidence levels of the followers, raise the level of expectations of those being led, and to set very high standards of value- expectation of the leader for his or her followers. A transformational leader, as put forward by Bass, should encourage and facilitate behavioural change and inspire others to achieve higher levels of personal potentialities equivalent of Maslow’s self-actualisation (Bass Avolio, 1994). Other prominent contributors to this theory of leadership are Tichy and Devanna who added to the ideas of Burns and Bass. They have jointly written a book entitled Transformational Leadership which is targeted at both organisational and work contexts. They argue that transformational leadership is not due to charisma but it is behavioural in nature which implies that it can be learned (Tichy Devanna, 2006). A transformational leader, therefore, is viewed under this theory as a role model with which the followers admire and would want to identify with. For a long time, the most common model of leadership has been that of a ‘bottom line’ approach. However, transformational leaders hip adopts the ‘top line’ perspective. Some characteristics of transformational leadership as outlined by Covey (2002) include: Builds on an innate desire by man for meaning in life Focuses on promoting moral and ethical values Rises above daily affairs Is geared towards the attainment of long-term goals without violating accepted human values and principles Concerned mostly with missions and laying of strategies to achieve them Aim at helping people release their full human potential by identifying and cultivating people’s talents Evaluates and re-evaluates job opportunities with an aim of making them challenging and purposeful Focuses on internal organisational structures and systems in order to reinforce desired values and goals The main goal of transformational leadership, according to Bolden et al. (2003), is to literally ‘transform’ people as well as organisations by changing their mind and heart; enlarging vision, insight, and level of under standing; ensuring clarity of purposes; making behavior to be in tandem with held beliefs, principles, or values; and facilitating permanent changes that are self-perpetuating, and with own dynamic momentum. Transformational leaders are associated with unique behaviours that distinguish them from other leadership styles. In their book ‘Transformational Leadership Styles and Behaviors,’ Bass and Avolio identify some of the behaviors exhibited by transformational leaders (1994). The first style is the idealised behaviour which emphasises on living one’s ideals.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is characterised by an individual talking about the deep-held values and beliefs and tendency to have a strong sense of purpose in life. People with this style are very concerned with the moral and ethical consequences of their decisions and actions and are always enthusiastic in exploring new possibilities of doing things. Such leaders also like talking about the essence of building trust among each other. The second behaviour is the desire of the leader to inspire others. This is usually achieved by being optimistic about the future even if in the midst of trouble, talking confidently about the achievement of set goals, assuring the followers that the goals will be attained, and providing a vivid image of the future and the most essential things to be done. A transformational leader is also known to take a strong stand even on controversial issues. Thirdly, those using this style of leadership are usually intellectually stimulating. They offer a critique of every assumption to evaluate their appropriateness and explore various alternatives when solving problems facing their organisation by viewing the problem from different angles. Such leaders are also known to discourage followers from using conventional approaches while addressing traditional problems by encouraging them to question those assumptions that have not been subjected to critical questioning. The fourth characteristic of transformational leaders is that of embracing individualised consideration. They prefer spending time and resources teaching and developing others and treat each one of them as an individual as opposed to as a group. These leaders are keen on understanding individual concerns of the followers and helping them capitalise on their strengths. The fifth behaviour associated with transformational leadership is that of idealised attributes where the leader instill a sense of pride in the followers and often prioritises the concerns of the group. They always strive to be role model s by dedicate themselves to the service of others. This theory of leadership has both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, the theory is quite optimistic and envisions a future of possibilities, can transform people’s mindsets to see new chances, help in ensuring that the organisation remains true to its mission and vision, enhances uniqueness of an organisation, does not encourage master-servant relationship in the organisation, and helps in bringing up an inspired workforce that will strive to achieve the organisation’s goals. However, the theory may be criticised for being overambitious and setting unrealistic goals, advocates for the bigger picture which may result in missing out important details, and relying on motivation and inspiration alone as suggested by the theory may obscure one from truth and reality. Organisational Behaviour Organisational Behavior (OB) refers to the study of individual as well as group dynamics in a given organisation, an d the nature of the organisations under consideration (Nelson Quick, 2007). It has been acknowledged that when people interact in organisations, a number of factors influence the interaction process. Despite the diversity in the work place in terms of people’s backgrounds and cultural values, they are expected to work in harmony for maximum output. This topic has seen a growing interest in the study of organisational behavior. Personality and Organisation The behaviour of an individual is determined by his or her personality which incorporates a person’s qualities, unique skills and expertise together with such traits as grooming and general attitude (Nelson Quick, 2007). All these combine to form a specific consistent behavioural pattern of a person in specified contexts. Personality is a reflection of how one’s feelings, thoughts, cognitions and overt behaviour have been ordered. It has been established that certain u patterns are not physically observable u nless they are tested. Any given organisation is greatly influenced by the personality of individuals in it. A number of methods have been developed to measure people’s personality. They include Personality Inventories, Projective Tests, and Assessment Centre (Nelson Quick, 2007). Personality Inventory is a commonly used method and involves answering a set of questions which are designed to elicit a specific dimension of personality. The respondents are expected to indicate the extent to which they either agree or disagree with a given statement. Projective Test, on the other hand, is a bit sophisticated method of testing personality. In this approach, it is assumed that the prevalent fantasies, feelings, aspirations and expectations are measurable and cab be used to test personality. Ten pictures which are symmetrically dived into two are presented to a person undergoing the test and the individual is expected to indicate what he or she perceives in the pictures. The third method, Assessment Center, is made up of several methods used to test employees’ personalities. It includes various tasks associated with the organisation. The results are then classified into behavioural patterns that may be used to determine personality like sensitivity to others, personal ambitions, independence, and so on. The main objective of strategies used in organsational behavior is to help employees perform at their best and hence facilitate the achievement of organisational goals. It has been established that the performance of an individual depends largely on the competencies and will-power. However, motivation of employees plays a crucial role in the attainment of set goals. Managers, therefore, ought to understand each employee and how best to motivate them. Motivation is a skill that should be employed by every manager. Some of the strategies include the provision of opportunities for growth and recognition in the work place, allowing the employee to exercise some degree of freedom on the work schedule, empowering workers in their area of specialisation, among other approaches. A highly motivated employee has optimum output and vice versa. Personality and Transformational Leadership Theory This essay has discussed the Transformational Leadership Theory in terms of its components, how it works, as well as some of the strengths and weaknesses. The relationship between personality and organisation has also been explored. There is a strong relationship between transformational leadership theory and the topic of personality in organisational behaviour. It has been noted that the theory argues that leaders always seek to motivate, encourage, and be a source of inspiration to others by assisting them realise the significance and the higher value of the task presented to them. This theory, therefore, advocates for the development of personality of an individual. This is in support of the idea that personality of an employee has significant influ ence on the general performance of the organisation. In organisational behavior, there is need to understand how individuals are motivated and how their interaction affect the running of the organisation. This also calls for an investigation of how managers or organisational leaders interact with their employees or followers. Here, transformational leadership theory may be helpful since its principles are at the core of leader-follower relationship and the role of each party. Both topics advocate for the need for motivation in bringing out the best in individuals. For a leader who uses the transformational style, he or she must fully understand the personality of his or her followers and hence the need to be conversant with this topic under organisational behavior. It can be concluded that there is a strong link between transformational leadership theory and personality in organisations. The focus of the two is on understanding individual persons and their characteristics. Motivatio n forms the basis of these two areas of interest. Although personality may be used to define an individual as he or she is, there is a possibility of influencing it through proper motivation and inspiration. References Bass, B. M. Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through  transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Bolden, R., Gosling, J., Marturano, A. Dennison, P. (2003). A Review of  Leadership Theory and Competency Frameworks. Center for Leadership Studies: University of Exeter Covey, S. (2002). Principle-Centered Leadership (3rd ed). Simon and Schuster Nelson, D. L. Quick, J. C. (2007). Understanding organizational behavior (3rd ed). Cengage Learning Tichy, N. Devanna, M. (2006). Transformational leadership (4th ed.). New York: Wiley

Develop a strategic human ressources plan for a winery Coursework

Develop a strategic human ressources plan for a winery - Coursework Example Specialized departments should be created to cater to specific functional areas. Mabel Creek can also expand its business by developing capability to produce, bottle and market its own white wine. Reaching out to the wholesale market will not only make the business more competitive but can also bring more business and strengthen brand name. Employees especially the general manager seems to be overworked. Working seven days a week and being involved in each and every aspect of the winemaking process is not helping the business at all. The GM needs to focus on managerial issues and business expansion. Specialized departments such as the HR and marketing department needs to be created to manage functional activities smoothly and efficiently. Lack of a specified hierarchy or chain of command can cause confusion as to whom to report to and what to do in a specific situation. The business is understaffed which means that an untended problem due to lack of specialized work areas could lead to a catastrophic malfunction of the entire process. After conduction of a formal Training Need Assessment by an expert the employees should be provided with adequate training. The GM should be trained in areas of strategic and business management, business expansion and change management. The organization should be formally given a formal structure and should have departments like marketing, administration, HR, manufacturing, sales, accounting and finance, inventory and equipment, and a wine and fruit department. Human resource forecasts should be conducted to predict the number of seasonal works needed. These forecasts should be used to hire seasonal workers by the HR department. Furthermore succession planning and training need analysis are imperative to develop current employees for challenges of the future. The employees need to have specific areas of specialization where they should be trained to perform a specific job according to a job

Anti-war comparing essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anti-war comparing - Essay Example â€Å"In the novels Vonnegut published leading up to Slaughterhouse Five, which also included such works as Mother Night, Cats Cradle and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, themes emerged that would find their full flowering with Slaughterhouse Five.† (Boomhower). It is important to understand that Vonnegut’s most famous work has been Slaughterhouse Five is which fictionally recreates his experience in Dresden. â€Å"Even though Slaughterhouse Five was Vonnegut’s only novel to re-create his experience in Dresden, a strong anti-war theme can be found in his earlier literature as well. A fine example of one of his works that fits this description is Mother Night.† (Kurt Vonneguts Mother Night). The theme of war and the expressed dislike for it can be evidently found in both the novels. However, it is obvious that the anti-war concern of the novelist becomes more focused and complete in the Slaughterhouse-Five which is the result of more improved thought than Moth er Night. It is through the working of the paradoxical concepts of war and love that the novelist expresses his preference for anti-war concerns in Slaughterhouse-Five. The foremost theme of the novel is war and its contrast with love, beauty, humanity, innocence etc and the novelist expresses his love for anti-war concerns. â€Å"Slaughterhouse-Five, like Vonneguts previous books, manages to tell us that war is bad for us and that it would be better for us to love one another. To find the war’s contrast with love is quite difficult†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Vit). The concern for anti-war has been evident in Mother Night though not completely rounded as in this novel. Slaughterhouse-Five is a novel clearly suggesting the author’s interest in anti-war campaigns and the autobiographical nature, the characterization, and the themes and structure of the novel confirms this claim. â€Å"Kurt Vonnegut was inspired by war to write Slaughterhouse-Five, which is a unique book referred to

Evaluating Internal Controls Essay Example for Free

Evaluating Internal Controls Essay An organization’s internal controls are comprised of five components, which include: the control environment, risk assessment, control activities, monitoring, and information and communication. The five components of internal control are considered to be criteria for evaluating an organization’s financial reporting controls and the bases for auditors’ assessment of control risk as it relates to an organization’s financial statements (Lowers, et. al., 2007). â€Å"Thus, auditors must consider the five components in terms of (1) understanding a client’s financial reporting controls and documenting that understanding, (2) preliminarily assessing the control risk, and (3) testing the controls, reassessing control risk, and using that assessment to plan the remainder of the audit work† (Lowers, et. al., 2007, p. 161). Phase I – Understanding Throughout the course of Phase I an audit team will work to obtain a clear understanding of a company’s internal control environment and management’s risk assessment. The audit team will review the flow of transactions through the company’s accounting system, and the design of some client control  procedures (Lowers, et.al., 2007). In this step the audit team will perform their assessments in a top-down risk-based manner that first examines company-level controls (CLCs) and then controls of significant business units within the company (Lowers, et.al., 2007). Controls within the control environment and companywide programs include: †¢ Management’s risk assessment †¢ Centralized processing and controls including shared service environments †¢ Period-end financial reporting process †¢ Controls to monitor results of operations †¢ Controls to monitor other controls †¢ Board-approved policies that address significant business control and risk management practices (Lowers, et. al., 2007, p. 161). Once the audit team has completed their examination of CLCs the audit team will then document their understanding through the use of narrative descriptions or flowcharts. The audit team will then use one of those tools to design a preliminary program of substantive procedures for auditing assertions related to the company’s account balances, which is conducted in Phase II (Lowers, et. al., 2007). Phase II – Assessment After the audit team has completed Phase I the audit team will move into Phase II or the preliminary assessment of the company’s control risks. Throughout the course of Phase II the audit team will analyze the control strengths and weaknesses of the company. A company’s strengths are considered as specific features of good general and application controls while its weaknesses are considered as a lack of controls in particular areas (Lowers, et. al., 2007). The audit team’s findings and preliminary conclusions should then be written up and documented in audit files known as the bridge workpapers. In Phase II the audit team will seek to answer the following questions through its assessment. Can control risk be low or less than maximum? Is reduction of the control risk assessment cost-effective? Once the audit team arrives at the answers of those questions it will then specify the controls to be tested and the degree of compliance required. â€Å"The distinction between the understanding and documenting phase and the preliminary control risk assessment phase is useful for understanding the  audit work. However, most auditors in practice do the two together, not as separate and distinct audit tasks† (Lowers, et. al., 2007). Phase III – Testing In the third and final phase the audit team will then perform tests of controls of the specified controls and reassess control risk. During the testing phase the audit team will seek to answer the question of how the actual degree of company compliance compares with the required degree of compliance with the company’s control policies and procedures. The audit team will then document the basis for assessing the company’s control risks, which are less than 100% or assess the company’s high or maximum control risk and design an audit program for the company with more effective substantive procedures. The audit team will then perform a test on the planned or revised substantive procedures. Conclusion An effective evaluation of a company’s internal controls will provide the company with a reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of its objectives in the following three categories: reliability of financial reporting; effectiveness and efficiency of its operations; and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. References Lowers, T.J., Ramsay, R.J., Sinason, D. H., Strawser, J.R. (2007). Internal Control and Evaluation. Auditing and Assurance Services. 2nd ed. The McGraw-Hill Companies. New York City, NY.