Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta

Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta Chapter 1 Introduction Leadership skills are the focus of this study and therefore the author will be, in this chapter introduce leadership and the concept of the leader versus the manager as a primary source. In this section the author will define the meaning of leadership enabling one to understand better the next stages of this study. Furthermore one can find the objective of this study and the organisation studied. The structure section will define the construction of the complimenting chapters. 1.1 Objective The scope of this organisational case study is to compare and contrast the leadership skills theory and the selected organisations leadership and provided the concept of leadership versus management in order to understand better leadership skills which are defined later on in this study. Leadership skills will be reviewed by means of secondary research. Subsequently the leadership skills within the organisation will be studied by means of a primary research methodology. This will enable the author to reach the main objective which aim is to highlight the theory of leadership skills and present findings of the selected organisations current leadership practices. One will eventually benefit from the authors recommendations and conclusions based on the out come of the data analysis. 1.2 The Organisation The selected organisation for this study was HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited. HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited was set up in 1995 and is a fully owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank Malta Plc, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. Over the years, HSBC Life has developed into one of the leading life assurance product providers on the island with its full and diversified product range, including group and individual term assurance products, mortgage protection policies, etc. This study research thus moves towards assessing all the concepts of leadership styles, skills, coaching, team building. The organisation is in the direction of the Managing Director. 1.3 Structure The structure of this study will be based on 5 chapters. The introduction, chapter 1, has highlighted leadership and the concept of leadership versus management, the objective and the organisation under investigation. Chapter 2 will follow with a literature review of leadership skills from previous studies whilst chapter 3 will cover the research methodology. Chapter 4 will present the findings and finally chapter 5 will cover the authors views and recommendations. Chapter 2 2.0 Leadership Leadership can be defined as: The ability to persuade others willingly to behave differently. The function of team leaders is to achieve the task set for them with the help of the group (Michael Armstrong 2003: 259). Another definition of leadership is: The task of a great leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been Leaders must invoke an alchemy of great vision. Those leaders who do not are ultimately judged failures, even though they may be popular at the moment (Henry Kissinger). Clawson (2006) explains that leadership consists of three components: the ability to influence others; the willingness to influence others; and the exercise of influence in a way that others respond voluntarily. Thus, while leadership included the use of power, not all uses of power are leadership. The highlight of leadership within an organisation is an emphasis on the importance of a strong human relation and the importance of creating rewarding high-performance teams of motivated and empowered employees. Human understanding and sensitivity are absolutely critical for leadership success. Leadership also consists of identifying proven talent within an organisation and optimising on this talented human resource by developing, retaining and partnering smartly together. Leadership has been perceived to be a primary key to successful strategy implementation. One of the key factors in implementing a strategy is building consensus. A consensus built by motivating, persuading people and by shaping culture and values within an organisation to support the new strategy (Ashby and Miles, 2002). Taking IBM as an example CEO Sam Palmisano has embarked on a leadership mission to get people within the organisation to focus on strategy formulation and implementation. He embarked on a mission to persuade people to focus on the on-demand vision and communicating clear directions. With this positive attitude and employee empowerment he made employees feel motivated and challenged to follow new strategic goals. In this changing world of globalisation, organisations are constantly facing changes within their set ups and therefore leadership plays an important role. Three important aspects of leadership would be people, influence and goals. In order to influence, the relationship between the leader and the follower must not be passive but assertive (Draft, 2006). Within an organisation, leadership directly impacts the effectiveness of costs, revenue generation, service, satisfaction, earnings, market value, share price, social capital, motivation, engagement, and sustainability. In this view one can identify the importance of vision within leadership. In order to move a group successfully towards its goal the leader must communicate the vision or visions with his or her followers. For effectiveness, a vision should appear to be simple, appear desirable enough to energise followers and should describe the organisations future position, which must be credible and preferable to the present state. The leader must communicate these visions adequately to ensure the followers feel as if the vision has been created by themselves (Renesch, 1994). Nonetheless one would need to understand that although leadership focuses on people, influence and goals it cannot be easily defined in such a generic context. However according to Scott (2007) a leader needs to understand that the follower may value a leader differently. Some may prefer a task oriented leader where others may prefer a people oriented leader. In this view the leader must identify the followers needs and how they construe effective leadership. One can see that self awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and one ought to communicate the vision and help the followers fit into that vision. Effective leaders need to change their approach according to the situation, as with one follower, a leader may need to be directive while with others, a leader may need to coach. 2.1 The History of Leadership Leadership, and the study of it, has roots in the beginning of civilisation. Egyptian rulers, Greek heroes and biblical patriarchs all have one thing in common leadership. There are numerous definitions and theories of leadership; however, there are enough similarities in the definitions to conclude that leadership is an effort of influence and the power to induce compliance (Wren, 1995). Our work, our environment, the motivation to work, leaders, leadership, leadership style, and a countless of other work-related variables have been studied for almost two centuries. The organisational focus of the leader has evolved over this same period. Early organisations with authoritarian leaders who believed employees were basically lazy transitioned into way to make work environments more conducive to increased productivity rates. Today, organisations are transforming into places where people are empowered, encouraged, and supported in their personal and professional growth throughout their careers. As the focus of leaders has changed over time, it has influenced and shaped the development and progression of leadership theory. 2.1.2 Early Leader Studies The Industrial Revolution shifted Americas economy from an agriculture base to an industrial one and, thereby, ushered in a change how leaders would treat their followers. The Industrial Revolution created a paradigm shift to a new theory of leadership in which common people gained power by virtue of their skills (Clawson, 1999). New technology, however, was accompanied and reinforced by mechanisation of human thought and action, thus creating hierarchical bureaucracies (Morgan, 1997). One major contributor to this era of management and leadership theory was Max Weber, a German sociologist who observed the parallels between the mechanisation of industry and the proliferation of bureaucratic forms of organisation (Morgan, 1997, p. 17). He noted that the bureaucratic form routinized the process of administration in the same manner that the machine routinized production. 2.1.3 Classical Management Theory and Scientific Management Webers concerns about bureaucracy, however, did not affect theorists who set the stage for what is now known as classical management theory and scientific management. Classical theorists focused on the design of the total organisation while scientific managers focused on the systematic management of individual jobs. In contrast to Weber, classical theorists such as Henri Fayol and F. W. Mooney, staunch advocates of bureaucratisation, devoted their energies identifying methods through which this kind of organisational structure could be achieved (Bass, 1990; Morgan, 1997). Collectively, these theorists set the basis for many modern management techniques, such as management by objectives. Scientific management, an approach heralded by Frederick Taylor, was technological in nature (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996). Taylor fused the perspective of an engineer into management with a strong emphasis on control, ruthless efficiency, quantification, predictability, and de-skilled jobs. He initiated time-and-motion studies to analyse work tasks to improve worker productivity in an attempt to achieve the highest level of efficiency possible. Consequently, he has been accused of viewing people as instruments or machines to be manipulated by leaders. The function of the leader under scientific management theory was to establish and enforce performance criteria to meet organisational goals; therefore, the focus of a leader was on the needs of the organisation and not on the individual worker. Although the classical and scientific approaches were different, the goals were similar organisations are rational systems and must operate in the most efficient manner possible to achieve the highest level of productivity (Morgan, 1997). Both theories relied on the machine metaphor with a heavy emphasis on mechanisation of jobs, which undermined the human aspect of the organisation and failed to recognise organisations as complex organisms. Although mechanistic organisations proved productive, there were limits to hierarchical bureaucracy. Emerging theorists encouraged leaders to recognise that humans were not machines and could not be treated as such. A post bureaucratic shift in the mid-1940s moved toward everyone taking responsibility for the organisations success or failure (Heckscher Donnellon, 1994). Researchers began to examine the relationship between leader behaviour and follower satisfaction level and organisational productivity and profitability. 2.1.4 Hawthorne, Maslow, and Herzberg Environment and Worker Needs Much organisational research during this era focused on overcoming the perceived shortcomings of the classical and scientific schools of management. Elton Mayos Hawthorne Studies focused on the work situation and its effect on leaders and followers, indicating that the reactions of human beings influence their work activities as much as the formal design and structure of the organisation. Early on leaders could focus their attention on the environment factors of the organisations. The early theories and studies provided researchers with tangible and measurable performance outcomes that were directly transferable to profitability and spreadsheet bottom-lines. A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs posited that once a workers physiological, security, and social (intrinsic) needs were met, productivity would only be possible of the employees ego and self-actualising (extrinsic) needs were also met. Leader focus became redirected toward worker needs. Herzbergs Dual Factor Theory, the evolution of intrinsic and extrinsic needs, furthered Maslows work stating the employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could, and should, be met simultaneously. Herzbergs (1966) Motivation-Hygiene theory furthered the work of Maslow by providing insights into the goals and incentives that tend to satisfy a workers needs. Herzberg concluded that people have two categories of needs, which he termed hygiene (environmental factors such as working conditions, company policies, etc.) and motivators (factors involving the job itself). According to Herzberg, an employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could and should be addressed simultaneously. 2.1.5 The Shift to Behavioural Factors Leader focus had moved to understanding the relationship between a leaders actions and the followers satisfaction and productivity. Theorists began to consider behavioural concepts in their analysis of organisational leadership. For example, Chester Barnard was instrumental in including behavioural components (Bass, 1990). Barnards work emphasised the ways in which executives might develop their organisations into cooperative social systems by focusing on the integration of work efforts through communication of goals and attention to worker motivation (Hatch, 1997). Barnard, for example, identified an effective organisational leader as one who determined objectives, manipulated means, initiated action, and stimulated coordinated effort (Bass, 1990, p. 31). Barnard (1938), whose work focused on the functions of the executive, was instrumental in including behavioural components in his analysis of organisational leadership, which claimed that leadership involves accomplishing goals wit h and through people. The theorists of this age argued that in addition to finding the best technological methods to improve output, it would behove management to address human affairs as well. It was claimed that the real power centres within an organisation were the interpersonal relationships that developed among working groups (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996, p.100). A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Additionally, when this happens they are more likely to increase their productivity which in turn impacts the organisations bottom line. According to McGregor (1960), the traditional organisation with its centralised decision making, hierarchical pyramid, and external control of work is based on certain assumptions about human nature and human motivation. He dubbed these assumptions Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X assumes that most people prefer to be directed, are not interested in assuming responsibility, and want safety above all else. Accompanying the Theory X philosophy is the belief that people are motivated by money, fringe benefits, and threat of punishment. Managers who espouse Theory X assumptions attempt to structure, control, and closely supervise employees. Although McGregor himself questioned whether Theory X was as accurate view of human nature, the assumptions persisted for a long time in leadership theory circles because it explained à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"some, though not all, of human behaviour within organisations (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Drawing heavily from Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs, McGregor ultimately concluded that Theory X assumptions about human nature, when universally applied, are often inaccurate and that management approaches that develop from these assumptions may fail to motivate individuals to strive toward organisational goals (Hersey, Blanchard, Johnson, 1996). McGregor (1960) believed that management needed practices based on a more accurate understanding of human nature and motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals are not, by nature, lazy and unreliable. People can be self-directed and creative at work if properly motivated (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Therefore, an essential task of management is to unleash this potential. Consequently, the goal of effective leadership was evolving and moving away from the earlier concepts of the classical and scientific management theories that treated workers as machines. Leaders were now challenged to actively involve followers in achieving organisational goals. McGregor (1960), whose work was closely linked to that of the behavioural theorists, is a reflection of that era, providing a foundation for the future emergence of the transformational leadership. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y assumed that employees and leaders had progressed beyond Taylors productivity models that employees could find ways to satisfy their needs within the organisations structure. McGregor assumed employees far more complex that the trait and behavioural theories of leadership assumed and that their complexity and the leaders response to that complexity would affect how and whether the leader and followers worked in tandem to reach mutual organisational goals. McGregor proposed a replacement of direction and control of employees with humanistic motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals did not inherently dislike work and, and that under certain conditions, work could actually be a source of great satisfaction. Theory Y assumed individuals would exercise self-direction and self-control, accepting and seeking responsibility (Pugh Hickson, 1993). The essential concept McGregor and other behaviourists proposed was that organisations are interacting groups and that leaders are a part of these groups. The leaders interaction and relationship with the employee must be a supportive relationship so all members of the organisation feel the organisations objectives and their achievement, are of personal importance to them (Pugh Hickson, 1993). 2.1.6 Situational/Contingency Theory The Circumstantial Focus Unprecedented social change in the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s shifted societal focus from increasing economic wealth to ensuring social rights and equality. Along with this social change, technology was again preparing to jolt American businesses. The advent of the computer age was shifting employee requirements from brawn to brains. Leadership became an intricate process of multilateral brokerage where leaders were forced to focus on constituencies within and without the organisation to survive (Vanourek, 1995). The internal and external environments of organisations were changing. The transference of power from those doing the work to those possessing knowledge about how to organise work more closely levelled the playing field for leaders and followers. Society acknowledged that traditional methods of leadership were no longer effective. McCollum (1995) implied that companies in the information age were unsuccessfully trying to conduct their business using obsolete industrial age leadership theories. Change was the only thing of which everyone could be sure, a factor requiring leadership research and society to consider contingency/situational approaches to leadership if businesses were to remain successful and profitable in an ever-changing and increasingly complicated environment (Contee-Borders, 2003). Heysey and Blanchard (1996) proposed a contingency/situational theory advocating a leaders use of differing leadership behaviours dependent upon two interrelated maturity factors: (a) job maturity relevant task and technical knowledge and skills, and (b) psychological maturity the subordinates level of self-confidence and self-respect (Yukl, 1998). An employee who has a high level of job and psychological maturity requires little supervision; while an employee who has a low level of job and psychological maturity requires hand-on attention. Fielders contingency theory is viewed as the opposite of Hersey and Blanchards theory, maintaining that leaders are less flexible in their ability to change their behaviour based on followers maturity (the basic concept of Hersey and Blanchards theory) (Hughes, Ginnett, Curphy, 1993). Fielders contingency theory posited that leader effectiveness is determined by not the leaders ability to adapt to the situation, but by the ability to choose the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"right leader for the situation (though this theory does not identify who would be responsible for making this choice). Some leaders are simply better for specific situation than others and the situation determines the identified leaders success, though leaders would need to be capable of understanding when they were not right for the situation and remove themselves a task of humility. 2.2 Leadership Styles From a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. The most familiar model is the leadership scale devised by Tannenbaum and Schmidt. In this model, the leader is advised to choose a leadership style that it appropriate for the particular situation. These styles or behaviours, can be placed along continuum ranging from boss-centred at one-end of the scale to subordinate-centred at the other end, as illustrated in Figure 1.1 Inevitably, the opposite poles of this continuum have been labelled Authoritarian (or task-centred), and Democratic (or people-centred) and the inference has been drawn that a concern forgetting the job done is at the opposite end of the scale of the people involved. Tannenbaum and Schmidts article is not as shallow as that, but, like it or not, the impression is left that the two concerns are somehow incompatible. Other commentators advised that authoritarian leadership styles would be most effective in situations that were favourable to the leader and democratic styles would better suit situations that were unfavourable to the leader. Favourable in this context means that the leader has high formal authority, relations between the leader and the staff are good, and the task is highly structured. This further reinforces the assumption that democratic styles are for the leaders to fall back on when things are not going entirely their way; they would not want to be democratic if it could be avoided. The Democratic styles should be the preferred option, falling back on authoritarian styles only when circumstances require it. For example, when the fire alarm sounds tell everyone to leave the building; do not hold a decision about the best course of action. Or, when something bad can not be avoided, accept your responsibility as a manager and give instructions clearly and assertively. Otherwise, the benefits of the bringing several brains to bear on an issue, and the commitment that democratic approaches tend to foster, usually outweigh the inevitable untidiness of getting everyone involved in decision-making . Interestingly, research into animal social groups has found that decisions arrived at communally or democratically are usually more beneficial for the group and its individual members than despotic decision-making, and tend to be less extreme. Whether lessons drawn from the observation of animal behaviour can usefully be applied directly to human groups depends on how much corroborating evidence there is. 2.3 Leadership versus Management Creech (1995) defines the manager versus the leader. She explains how a manager is typically well-educated and would generally possess very high conceptual skills. Managers are mostly focused on the latest management literature. Furthermore managers are very aware of the system, rules and procedures both documented and undocumented. They tend to be very productive oriented rather than people oriented persons and this style proves that they are usually inaccessible or have very little time to listed to the people they manage. This also results form their heavy busy schedules. In addition managers face highly intensive stresses and become very intolerant of any mistakes. They rarely motivate their people to take significant risks to improve operationally or personally and in moments of crisis they can easily consider to re-establish who is in charge, believing that they will achieve the expected performances and organisational goals. Nonetheless, they are very conscious of what others think about them and expect to be liked, despite being aware that this is rather impossible, due to the conflicting roles between management and workers. Furthermore managers ask subordinates for participative input, but rarely encourage real dissent with their own views (Creech, 1995). In contrast, leaders are very people oriented and although they are conscious of what people think of them they are generally less concerned. However, leaders feel themselves as helpers to the organisation as opposed being in command. They are inventive and imaginative movers and participate in achievement of goals. Arguably, leaders have a more positive style to achieving goals and during time of financial or operational turbulences they focus on asking team members for help in strategies and innovation in order to regain competitive advantage. Opposed to this, managers would consider downsizing and cost cutting (Creech, 1995). One can that this is visionary and leaders do communicate widely with simple clear cut visions and goals. They intend to simplify communication to ensure the message gets through without ridiculing anyone in the event of misunderstandings. Additionally they are tolerant of mistakes during the process of development and goal achievement and they are fond of acknowledging their mistakes and do not fear to take whatever measures are required to rectify them (Creech, 1995). Bennis and Goldsmith (1997) define the difference between manager and leader using the following paired contrasts: The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager maintains; the leader develops. The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it. The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people. The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon. The manager imitates; the leader originates. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. The manager is the classis good soldier; the leader is his or her own person (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997, p.9). Chapter 3 Literature Review For the purpose of this literature review it has been classified as follows: Human Relation Skills including follower leader relation, and conflict management and counselling as intrapersonal skills. Intrapersonal Skills includes self confidence, stress management, and time management whilst Organisational Skills include leadership styles and motivation and finally Creativity Skills. Human Relation Skills and Intrapersonal Skills follow the same paths and are the abilities how one interacts with others. However Intrapersonal Skills is ones own personal development whilst Organisational Skills is the skill to have a conceptual focus. Finally, Creativity Skills are the having of new ideas. The author introduced these skills in the above sequence as she believes that without having human relation skills one cannot help ones personal development and cannot encourage motivation or creativity. Needless to say, that without motivation one would find difficulties creating new ideas. 3.1 Human Relations and Intrapersonal Skills 3.1.2 Follower Leader Relation In order for a leader to achieve effectiveness through human relations, Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt (2001) shared four important insights and beliefs about the nature of their relationships with their followers: Firstly, they explain how positively effective it is, to gradually and gently direct the follower towards the established goals rather than throwing them into heavy burdens to accomplish corporate purposes. When a mutual agreement of mutual interest is established leaders would smartly lay down the red carpet to the follower and will satisfy the goals of both parties. Rigid commands from the hierarchy within an organisation normally lead to unsatisfactory results and frustration (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001) Secondly, it is in the leaders interest to strongly understand their followers, by recognising their needs, what motivates them , their various stages of personal development, and their goals. This is seen through a flow of communication and observations. The leaders challenge in such scenario would be to reach satisfactory levels of both the follower and the organisation. During such a process of identifying the followers needs the leader must show sensitivity, ingenuity and judgement when putting together corporate and personal objectives through communication. The leader should address those areas identified to be low in self confidence and capability by the follower in order to achieve maximum results (Isaac, Zerb and Pitt, 2001) Thirdly, leaders have to establish motivating conditions not only to motivate the follower but to encourage self motivation. One of the motives encouraging the self motivation process would be organisational rewards however this makes the leaders responsibility intense, as he/she would need to determine the various intrinsic or extrinsic rewards to followers. Intrinsic motivational states are beyond leaders control however they can possibly enhance such feelings and emotions by: Spending time with the follower and enhancing, rather than undermining, self-confidence. Increasing follower knowledge, skills and abilities through exposure to various educational and training programs, as well as experiences. These activities enhance both follower capability and self-confidence. Establishing realistic, meaningful and attainable goals with the follower to both parties. Creating a climate of mutual respect. Showing appreciation when the follower meets or exceeds expectations, or addressing problematic issues regarding the followers performance by focusing upon the work rather than the individual. (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001, p.212) The fourth and final insight relates to the importance of honesty and consistent behaviour showed to the followers. Leaders can loose credibility through promises that are rather difficult to fulfil at a later stage, and will also be exposed to deducting the followers motivation. On the other hand consistency generates a clear path to the followers especially in matters such as fairness, expectations and personal cose of conduct. In addition, leader must reduce distinctions of status that might cause some followers to feel degraded and not regarded (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001). Relationship closeness, is the extent to which an employee has a sharing, open, familiar relation with management. Thus, relationship closeness is a broad concept that encompasses several specific constructs like interaction, open communication, and informal relations between employees and management(Mcknight, Ahmad and Schroederet, 2001, p.466). As one can see from the above four insights of human relations skills incorporates a strong degree of interpersonal skills and as Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta Leadership Skills Theory at HSBC Life Assurance Malta Chapter 1 Introduction Leadership skills are the focus of this study and therefore the author will be, in this chapter introduce leadership and the concept of the leader versus the manager as a primary source. In this section the author will define the meaning of leadership enabling one to understand better the next stages of this study. Furthermore one can find the objective of this study and the organisation studied. The structure section will define the construction of the complimenting chapters. 1.1 Objective The scope of this organisational case study is to compare and contrast the leadership skills theory and the selected organisations leadership and provided the concept of leadership versus management in order to understand better leadership skills which are defined later on in this study. Leadership skills will be reviewed by means of secondary research. Subsequently the leadership skills within the organisation will be studied by means of a primary research methodology. This will enable the author to reach the main objective which aim is to highlight the theory of leadership skills and present findings of the selected organisations current leadership practices. One will eventually benefit from the authors recommendations and conclusions based on the out come of the data analysis. 1.2 The Organisation The selected organisation for this study was HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited. HSBC Life Assurance Malta Limited was set up in 1995 and is a fully owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank Malta Plc, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. Over the years, HSBC Life has developed into one of the leading life assurance product providers on the island with its full and diversified product range, including group and individual term assurance products, mortgage protection policies, etc. This study research thus moves towards assessing all the concepts of leadership styles, skills, coaching, team building. The organisation is in the direction of the Managing Director. 1.3 Structure The structure of this study will be based on 5 chapters. The introduction, chapter 1, has highlighted leadership and the concept of leadership versus management, the objective and the organisation under investigation. Chapter 2 will follow with a literature review of leadership skills from previous studies whilst chapter 3 will cover the research methodology. Chapter 4 will present the findings and finally chapter 5 will cover the authors views and recommendations. Chapter 2 2.0 Leadership Leadership can be defined as: The ability to persuade others willingly to behave differently. The function of team leaders is to achieve the task set for them with the help of the group (Michael Armstrong 2003: 259). Another definition of leadership is: The task of a great leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been Leaders must invoke an alchemy of great vision. Those leaders who do not are ultimately judged failures, even though they may be popular at the moment (Henry Kissinger). Clawson (2006) explains that leadership consists of three components: the ability to influence others; the willingness to influence others; and the exercise of influence in a way that others respond voluntarily. Thus, while leadership included the use of power, not all uses of power are leadership. The highlight of leadership within an organisation is an emphasis on the importance of a strong human relation and the importance of creating rewarding high-performance teams of motivated and empowered employees. Human understanding and sensitivity are absolutely critical for leadership success. Leadership also consists of identifying proven talent within an organisation and optimising on this talented human resource by developing, retaining and partnering smartly together. Leadership has been perceived to be a primary key to successful strategy implementation. One of the key factors in implementing a strategy is building consensus. A consensus built by motivating, persuading people and by shaping culture and values within an organisation to support the new strategy (Ashby and Miles, 2002). Taking IBM as an example CEO Sam Palmisano has embarked on a leadership mission to get people within the organisation to focus on strategy formulation and implementation. He embarked on a mission to persuade people to focus on the on-demand vision and communicating clear directions. With this positive attitude and employee empowerment he made employees feel motivated and challenged to follow new strategic goals. In this changing world of globalisation, organisations are constantly facing changes within their set ups and therefore leadership plays an important role. Three important aspects of leadership would be people, influence and goals. In order to influence, the relationship between the leader and the follower must not be passive but assertive (Draft, 2006). Within an organisation, leadership directly impacts the effectiveness of costs, revenue generation, service, satisfaction, earnings, market value, share price, social capital, motivation, engagement, and sustainability. In this view one can identify the importance of vision within leadership. In order to move a group successfully towards its goal the leader must communicate the vision or visions with his or her followers. For effectiveness, a vision should appear to be simple, appear desirable enough to energise followers and should describe the organisations future position, which must be credible and preferable to the present state. The leader must communicate these visions adequately to ensure the followers feel as if the vision has been created by themselves (Renesch, 1994). Nonetheless one would need to understand that although leadership focuses on people, influence and goals it cannot be easily defined in such a generic context. However according to Scott (2007) a leader needs to understand that the follower may value a leader differently. Some may prefer a task oriented leader where others may prefer a people oriented leader. In this view the leader must identify the followers needs and how they construe effective leadership. One can see that self awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and one ought to communicate the vision and help the followers fit into that vision. Effective leaders need to change their approach according to the situation, as with one follower, a leader may need to be directive while with others, a leader may need to coach. 2.1 The History of Leadership Leadership, and the study of it, has roots in the beginning of civilisation. Egyptian rulers, Greek heroes and biblical patriarchs all have one thing in common leadership. There are numerous definitions and theories of leadership; however, there are enough similarities in the definitions to conclude that leadership is an effort of influence and the power to induce compliance (Wren, 1995). Our work, our environment, the motivation to work, leaders, leadership, leadership style, and a countless of other work-related variables have been studied for almost two centuries. The organisational focus of the leader has evolved over this same period. Early organisations with authoritarian leaders who believed employees were basically lazy transitioned into way to make work environments more conducive to increased productivity rates. Today, organisations are transforming into places where people are empowered, encouraged, and supported in their personal and professional growth throughout their careers. As the focus of leaders has changed over time, it has influenced and shaped the development and progression of leadership theory. 2.1.2 Early Leader Studies The Industrial Revolution shifted Americas economy from an agriculture base to an industrial one and, thereby, ushered in a change how leaders would treat their followers. The Industrial Revolution created a paradigm shift to a new theory of leadership in which common people gained power by virtue of their skills (Clawson, 1999). New technology, however, was accompanied and reinforced by mechanisation of human thought and action, thus creating hierarchical bureaucracies (Morgan, 1997). One major contributor to this era of management and leadership theory was Max Weber, a German sociologist who observed the parallels between the mechanisation of industry and the proliferation of bureaucratic forms of organisation (Morgan, 1997, p. 17). He noted that the bureaucratic form routinized the process of administration in the same manner that the machine routinized production. 2.1.3 Classical Management Theory and Scientific Management Webers concerns about bureaucracy, however, did not affect theorists who set the stage for what is now known as classical management theory and scientific management. Classical theorists focused on the design of the total organisation while scientific managers focused on the systematic management of individual jobs. In contrast to Weber, classical theorists such as Henri Fayol and F. W. Mooney, staunch advocates of bureaucratisation, devoted their energies identifying methods through which this kind of organisational structure could be achieved (Bass, 1990; Morgan, 1997). Collectively, these theorists set the basis for many modern management techniques, such as management by objectives. Scientific management, an approach heralded by Frederick Taylor, was technological in nature (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996). Taylor fused the perspective of an engineer into management with a strong emphasis on control, ruthless efficiency, quantification, predictability, and de-skilled jobs. He initiated time-and-motion studies to analyse work tasks to improve worker productivity in an attempt to achieve the highest level of efficiency possible. Consequently, he has been accused of viewing people as instruments or machines to be manipulated by leaders. The function of the leader under scientific management theory was to establish and enforce performance criteria to meet organisational goals; therefore, the focus of a leader was on the needs of the organisation and not on the individual worker. Although the classical and scientific approaches were different, the goals were similar organisations are rational systems and must operate in the most efficient manner possible to achieve the highest level of productivity (Morgan, 1997). Both theories relied on the machine metaphor with a heavy emphasis on mechanisation of jobs, which undermined the human aspect of the organisation and failed to recognise organisations as complex organisms. Although mechanistic organisations proved productive, there were limits to hierarchical bureaucracy. Emerging theorists encouraged leaders to recognise that humans were not machines and could not be treated as such. A post bureaucratic shift in the mid-1940s moved toward everyone taking responsibility for the organisations success or failure (Heckscher Donnellon, 1994). Researchers began to examine the relationship between leader behaviour and follower satisfaction level and organisational productivity and profitability. 2.1.4 Hawthorne, Maslow, and Herzberg Environment and Worker Needs Much organisational research during this era focused on overcoming the perceived shortcomings of the classical and scientific schools of management. Elton Mayos Hawthorne Studies focused on the work situation and its effect on leaders and followers, indicating that the reactions of human beings influence their work activities as much as the formal design and structure of the organisation. Early on leaders could focus their attention on the environment factors of the organisations. The early theories and studies provided researchers with tangible and measurable performance outcomes that were directly transferable to profitability and spreadsheet bottom-lines. A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs posited that once a workers physiological, security, and social (intrinsic) needs were met, productivity would only be possible of the employees ego and self-actualising (extrinsic) needs were also met. Leader focus became redirected toward worker needs. Herzbergs Dual Factor Theory, the evolution of intrinsic and extrinsic needs, furthered Maslows work stating the employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could, and should, be met simultaneously. Herzbergs (1966) Motivation-Hygiene theory furthered the work of Maslow by providing insights into the goals and incentives that tend to satisfy a workers needs. Herzberg concluded that people have two categories of needs, which he termed hygiene (environmental factors such as working conditions, company policies, etc.) and motivators (factors involving the job itself). According to Herzberg, an employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs could and should be addressed simultaneously. 2.1.5 The Shift to Behavioural Factors Leader focus had moved to understanding the relationship between a leaders actions and the followers satisfaction and productivity. Theorists began to consider behavioural concepts in their analysis of organisational leadership. For example, Chester Barnard was instrumental in including behavioural components (Bass, 1990). Barnards work emphasised the ways in which executives might develop their organisations into cooperative social systems by focusing on the integration of work efforts through communication of goals and attention to worker motivation (Hatch, 1997). Barnard, for example, identified an effective organisational leader as one who determined objectives, manipulated means, initiated action, and stimulated coordinated effort (Bass, 1990, p. 31). Barnard (1938), whose work focused on the functions of the executive, was instrumental in including behavioural components in his analysis of organisational leadership, which claimed that leadership involves accomplishing goals wit h and through people. The theorists of this age argued that in addition to finding the best technological methods to improve output, it would behove management to address human affairs as well. It was claimed that the real power centres within an organisation were the interpersonal relationships that developed among working groups (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 1996, p.100). A new theory of organisations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied. Additionally, when this happens they are more likely to increase their productivity which in turn impacts the organisations bottom line. According to McGregor (1960), the traditional organisation with its centralised decision making, hierarchical pyramid, and external control of work is based on certain assumptions about human nature and human motivation. He dubbed these assumptions Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X assumes that most people prefer to be directed, are not interested in assuming responsibility, and want safety above all else. Accompanying the Theory X philosophy is the belief that people are motivated by money, fringe benefits, and threat of punishment. Managers who espouse Theory X assumptions attempt to structure, control, and closely supervise employees. Although McGregor himself questioned whether Theory X was as accurate view of human nature, the assumptions persisted for a long time in leadership theory circles because it explained à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"some, though not all, of human behaviour within organisations (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Drawing heavily from Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs, McGregor ultimately concluded that Theory X assumptions about human nature, when universally applied, are often inaccurate and that management approaches that develop from these assumptions may fail to motivate individuals to strive toward organisational goals (Hersey, Blanchard, Johnson, 1996). McGregor (1960) believed that management needed practices based on a more accurate understanding of human nature and motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals are not, by nature, lazy and unreliable. People can be self-directed and creative at work if properly motivated (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Therefore, an essential task of management is to unleash this potential. Consequently, the goal of effective leadership was evolving and moving away from the earlier concepts of the classical and scientific management theories that treated workers as machines. Leaders were now challenged to actively involve followers in achieving organisational goals. McGregor (1960), whose work was closely linked to that of the behavioural theorists, is a reflection of that era, providing a foundation for the future emergence of the transformational leadership. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y assumed that employees and leaders had progressed beyond Taylors productivity models that employees could find ways to satisfy their needs within the organisations structure. McGregor assumed employees far more complex that the trait and behavioural theories of leadership assumed and that their complexity and the leaders response to that complexity would affect how and whether the leader and followers worked in tandem to reach mutual organisational goals. McGregor proposed a replacement of direction and control of employees with humanistic motivation. The resulting concept, Theory Y, proposed that individuals did not inherently dislike work and, and that under certain conditions, work could actually be a source of great satisfaction. Theory Y assumed individuals would exercise self-direction and self-control, accepting and seeking responsibility (Pugh Hickson, 1993). The essential concept McGregor and other behaviourists proposed was that organisations are interacting groups and that leaders are a part of these groups. The leaders interaction and relationship with the employee must be a supportive relationship so all members of the organisation feel the organisations objectives and their achievement, are of personal importance to them (Pugh Hickson, 1993). 2.1.6 Situational/Contingency Theory The Circumstantial Focus Unprecedented social change in the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s shifted societal focus from increasing economic wealth to ensuring social rights and equality. Along with this social change, technology was again preparing to jolt American businesses. The advent of the computer age was shifting employee requirements from brawn to brains. Leadership became an intricate process of multilateral brokerage where leaders were forced to focus on constituencies within and without the organisation to survive (Vanourek, 1995). The internal and external environments of organisations were changing. The transference of power from those doing the work to those possessing knowledge about how to organise work more closely levelled the playing field for leaders and followers. Society acknowledged that traditional methods of leadership were no longer effective. McCollum (1995) implied that companies in the information age were unsuccessfully trying to conduct their business using obsolete industrial age leadership theories. Change was the only thing of which everyone could be sure, a factor requiring leadership research and society to consider contingency/situational approaches to leadership if businesses were to remain successful and profitable in an ever-changing and increasingly complicated environment (Contee-Borders, 2003). Heysey and Blanchard (1996) proposed a contingency/situational theory advocating a leaders use of differing leadership behaviours dependent upon two interrelated maturity factors: (a) job maturity relevant task and technical knowledge and skills, and (b) psychological maturity the subordinates level of self-confidence and self-respect (Yukl, 1998). An employee who has a high level of job and psychological maturity requires little supervision; while an employee who has a low level of job and psychological maturity requires hand-on attention. Fielders contingency theory is viewed as the opposite of Hersey and Blanchards theory, maintaining that leaders are less flexible in their ability to change their behaviour based on followers maturity (the basic concept of Hersey and Blanchards theory) (Hughes, Ginnett, Curphy, 1993). Fielders contingency theory posited that leader effectiveness is determined by not the leaders ability to adapt to the situation, but by the ability to choose the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"right leader for the situation (though this theory does not identify who would be responsible for making this choice). Some leaders are simply better for specific situation than others and the situation determines the identified leaders success, though leaders would need to be capable of understanding when they were not right for the situation and remove themselves a task of humility. 2.2 Leadership Styles From a very classical autocratic approach to a very creative, participative approach, different styles were needed for different situations and each leader needed to know when to exhibit a particular approach. The most familiar model is the leadership scale devised by Tannenbaum and Schmidt. In this model, the leader is advised to choose a leadership style that it appropriate for the particular situation. These styles or behaviours, can be placed along continuum ranging from boss-centred at one-end of the scale to subordinate-centred at the other end, as illustrated in Figure 1.1 Inevitably, the opposite poles of this continuum have been labelled Authoritarian (or task-centred), and Democratic (or people-centred) and the inference has been drawn that a concern forgetting the job done is at the opposite end of the scale of the people involved. Tannenbaum and Schmidts article is not as shallow as that, but, like it or not, the impression is left that the two concerns are somehow incompatible. Other commentators advised that authoritarian leadership styles would be most effective in situations that were favourable to the leader and democratic styles would better suit situations that were unfavourable to the leader. Favourable in this context means that the leader has high formal authority, relations between the leader and the staff are good, and the task is highly structured. This further reinforces the assumption that democratic styles are for the leaders to fall back on when things are not going entirely their way; they would not want to be democratic if it could be avoided. The Democratic styles should be the preferred option, falling back on authoritarian styles only when circumstances require it. For example, when the fire alarm sounds tell everyone to leave the building; do not hold a decision about the best course of action. Or, when something bad can not be avoided, accept your responsibility as a manager and give instructions clearly and assertively. Otherwise, the benefits of the bringing several brains to bear on an issue, and the commitment that democratic approaches tend to foster, usually outweigh the inevitable untidiness of getting everyone involved in decision-making . Interestingly, research into animal social groups has found that decisions arrived at communally or democratically are usually more beneficial for the group and its individual members than despotic decision-making, and tend to be less extreme. Whether lessons drawn from the observation of animal behaviour can usefully be applied directly to human groups depends on how much corroborating evidence there is. 2.3 Leadership versus Management Creech (1995) defines the manager versus the leader. She explains how a manager is typically well-educated and would generally possess very high conceptual skills. Managers are mostly focused on the latest management literature. Furthermore managers are very aware of the system, rules and procedures both documented and undocumented. They tend to be very productive oriented rather than people oriented persons and this style proves that they are usually inaccessible or have very little time to listed to the people they manage. This also results form their heavy busy schedules. In addition managers face highly intensive stresses and become very intolerant of any mistakes. They rarely motivate their people to take significant risks to improve operationally or personally and in moments of crisis they can easily consider to re-establish who is in charge, believing that they will achieve the expected performances and organisational goals. Nonetheless, they are very conscious of what others think about them and expect to be liked, despite being aware that this is rather impossible, due to the conflicting roles between management and workers. Furthermore managers ask subordinates for participative input, but rarely encourage real dissent with their own views (Creech, 1995). In contrast, leaders are very people oriented and although they are conscious of what people think of them they are generally less concerned. However, leaders feel themselves as helpers to the organisation as opposed being in command. They are inventive and imaginative movers and participate in achievement of goals. Arguably, leaders have a more positive style to achieving goals and during time of financial or operational turbulences they focus on asking team members for help in strategies and innovation in order to regain competitive advantage. Opposed to this, managers would consider downsizing and cost cutting (Creech, 1995). One can that this is visionary and leaders do communicate widely with simple clear cut visions and goals. They intend to simplify communication to ensure the message gets through without ridiculing anyone in the event of misunderstandings. Additionally they are tolerant of mistakes during the process of development and goal achievement and they are fond of acknowledging their mistakes and do not fear to take whatever measures are required to rectify them (Creech, 1995). Bennis and Goldsmith (1997) define the difference between manager and leader using the following paired contrasts: The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager maintains; the leader develops. The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it. The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people. The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon. The manager imitates; the leader originates. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. The manager is the classis good soldier; the leader is his or her own person (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997, p.9). Chapter 3 Literature Review For the purpose of this literature review it has been classified as follows: Human Relation Skills including follower leader relation, and conflict management and counselling as intrapersonal skills. Intrapersonal Skills includes self confidence, stress management, and time management whilst Organisational Skills include leadership styles and motivation and finally Creativity Skills. Human Relation Skills and Intrapersonal Skills follow the same paths and are the abilities how one interacts with others. However Intrapersonal Skills is ones own personal development whilst Organisational Skills is the skill to have a conceptual focus. Finally, Creativity Skills are the having of new ideas. The author introduced these skills in the above sequence as she believes that without having human relation skills one cannot help ones personal development and cannot encourage motivation or creativity. Needless to say, that without motivation one would find difficulties creating new ideas. 3.1 Human Relations and Intrapersonal Skills 3.1.2 Follower Leader Relation In order for a leader to achieve effectiveness through human relations, Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt (2001) shared four important insights and beliefs about the nature of their relationships with their followers: Firstly, they explain how positively effective it is, to gradually and gently direct the follower towards the established goals rather than throwing them into heavy burdens to accomplish corporate purposes. When a mutual agreement of mutual interest is established leaders would smartly lay down the red carpet to the follower and will satisfy the goals of both parties. Rigid commands from the hierarchy within an organisation normally lead to unsatisfactory results and frustration (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001) Secondly, it is in the leaders interest to strongly understand their followers, by recognising their needs, what motivates them , their various stages of personal development, and their goals. This is seen through a flow of communication and observations. The leaders challenge in such scenario would be to reach satisfactory levels of both the follower and the organisation. During such a process of identifying the followers needs the leader must show sensitivity, ingenuity and judgement when putting together corporate and personal objectives through communication. The leader should address those areas identified to be low in self confidence and capability by the follower in order to achieve maximum results (Isaac, Zerb and Pitt, 2001) Thirdly, leaders have to establish motivating conditions not only to motivate the follower but to encourage self motivation. One of the motives encouraging the self motivation process would be organisational rewards however this makes the leaders responsibility intense, as he/she would need to determine the various intrinsic or extrinsic rewards to followers. Intrinsic motivational states are beyond leaders control however they can possibly enhance such feelings and emotions by: Spending time with the follower and enhancing, rather than undermining, self-confidence. Increasing follower knowledge, skills and abilities through exposure to various educational and training programs, as well as experiences. These activities enhance both follower capability and self-confidence. Establishing realistic, meaningful and attainable goals with the follower to both parties. Creating a climate of mutual respect. Showing appreciation when the follower meets or exceeds expectations, or addressing problematic issues regarding the followers performance by focusing upon the work rather than the individual. (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001, p.212) The fourth and final insight relates to the importance of honesty and consistent behaviour showed to the followers. Leaders can loose credibility through promises that are rather difficult to fulfil at a later stage, and will also be exposed to deducting the followers motivation. On the other hand consistency generates a clear path to the followers especially in matters such as fairness, expectations and personal cose of conduct. In addition, leader must reduce distinctions of status that might cause some followers to feel degraded and not regarded (Isaac, Zerbe and Pitt, 2001). Relationship closeness, is the extent to which an employee has a sharing, open, familiar relation with management. Thus, relationship closeness is a broad concept that encompasses several specific constructs like interaction, open communication, and informal relations between employees and management(Mcknight, Ahmad and Schroederet, 2001, p.466). As one can see from the above four insights of human relations skills incorporates a strong degree of interpersonal skills and as

Napa Valley Winery Inc

Quintal realized that the quantity of red table wine produced is closely associated to the sales. Ms. Quintal reviewed her past sales in order to predict future sales based on the amount of wine produced in 2008. The issue Quintal faced was the seasonality of wine sales; December being its peak time in sales. After careful consideration, Quintal determined that although her previous forecasting method had worked from an operational standpoint, however, there was still room to improve its accuracy.Quintal has to determine what the forecasting profits will be for the next 16 months (Septet's to DCE 2009) prior to the conclusion of any business deals with Transcontinental. The software that was used in order to predict the future sales was Stools. Stools provided me with four different methods (Moving Averages, Simple, Halt's & Winters' exponential smoothing) of forecasting to identify the most accurate prediction possible. With a Means Absolute Percentage Error (MAPS) of 3. 72% the Hal t's exponential smoothing method was determined to be the best method of predicting monthly wine sales for the next sixteen months (Figure 2).Background/Additional Research on Nap Valley Wineries The Nap valley is known for its stylish and exquisite wine blends. The highly acclaimed Paradox Winery was founded in 1994 and its current wine maker is David Marches'. Paradox is the only winery that is truly devoted to wine blends in the Nap Valley. Paradox has four different estates that produce grapes with distinct attributes that reflect the variations in soil, terrain, micrometer, and exposure. This vineyard has created a blend of zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, along with smaller amounts of Merlot and Petite Sarah to create the first Paradox vintage.One of Paradox's quality wines is the 2006 Postmark Monitor Ledge Vineyard Red Wine. This lend of Zinfandel paired with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot originates solely from our Monitor Ledge Vineyard which is known for producing concentrat ed and structured wines. This wine highlights red cherry and rose petal aromas, with notes of blueberry, blackberry, smoky cedar and cola. The flavors of the red fruit and warm blackberry with a dash of cinnamon spice. Analyzing the Problem The data used was gathered from previous sales from Jan. 2000 through Gauge. 2008.This data will be used in forecasting sixteen month time period starting with Septet. 2008 and all of 2009 wine sales. The forecasting tool used was Stools, which eloped in determining the total wine sales for the next sixteen months. The question that will be addressed: What is Northern Nap Valley Winners projected sales for the upcoming sixteen months? To better answer this question there are four different methods of forecasting (Figure 5 Moving Averages, Figure 4 Simple, Figurer Halt's & Figure 3 Winters' Exponential Smoothing) that will be used, of those four one will give the best prediction based on the past data.Forecasting methods where done dissocialized. The Mean Absolute Percentage Error is important when forecasting data. The closer the MAPS is to zero the more accurate the forecast. This will be the catalyst in determining the accuracy of the forecasts. Runs test (Null Hypothesis of Randomness) Prior to doing any forecasting it is important to determine whether or not the data is random or nonrandom. The software used to conduct the Runs Test for Randomness was Stool's. This test was used in order to determine if there were too many or too few runs in a series of data.Figure 5: Moving Averages I I Forecasting Constant I Forecast I Span 13 Mean Abs Err 1683. 03 631. 59 I I Moving Averages 1460. 00 1480. 16 I Root Mean Sq Err 14. 12% By using Stools a graph was formulated to show the fluctuation of sales from Jan 2000 through DCE. 2009. The moving average in this case for the next sixteen months produced a MAPS of 4. 12%. A MAPS of is considered to be very good so 4. 12% has limited forecasting errors and would be considered an exc ellent forecast. Although, the MAPS for the moving average was considerably accurate, the Halt's method produced a MAPS of 3. 2% which indicative of a more accurate forecast. The difference between the Moving Averages method and the Halt's method is the MAPS of . 4%, which makes the Moving Average less accurate than the Halt's Exponential Smoothing Method. Conclusion and Recommendation It is apparent that wine sales fluctuate monthly which could be based upon changes in the economy, climate, or preference. Annual forecasting is not conducive to wine sales since wine fluctuates on a monthly basis. An example of wine lactating would be in August sales are low but, in sales are at its peak.Ms. Quintal should forecast future sales on a monthly basis in order to maintain a more accurate account sales activity. It is recommended that Ms. Quintal utilize Stools as a means of automating her forecasting task and maintaining continuity of records. According to the sixteen month forecast the a mount of wine produced is closely related to the amount of wine sold. Reference Nap valley wineries. (2011, November 16). Retrieved from http:// www. Banqueters. Com/nap_valley_wineries. HTML (2011, November 16). Retrieved from http://www. Wisped. Org/

Concession and Refutation

Conceding and refuting are important language functions in English. Here are a few short definitions: Concede: Admit that another person is right about something. Refute: Prove that someone else is wrong about something. Often, speakers of English will concede a point, only to refute a larger issue:   Its true that working can be tedious. However, without a job, you wont be able to pay the bills.While you might say that the weather has been really bad this winter, its important to remember that we needed lots of snow in the mountains.I agree with you that we need to improve our sales figures. On the other hand, I dont feel we should change our overall strategy at this time.   Its common to concede and refute at work when discussing strategy or brainstorming. Conceding and refuting are also very common in all types of debates  including political and social issues. When trying to make your point, its a good idea to first frame the argument. Next, concede a point if applicable. Finally, refute a larger issue.   Framingthe Issue Begin by introducing a general belief that you would like to refute. You can use general statements, or speak about specific people that you would like to refute. Here are some formulas to help you frame the issue: Person or institution to be refuted   feel / think / believe / insist / that opinion to be refuted Some people feel that there is not enough charity in the world.Peter insists that we haven’t invested enough in research and development.ï » ¿The board of directors believes that students should take more standardized tests. Making the Concession: Use the concession to show that you have understood the gist of your opponent’s argument. Using this form, you will show that while a specific point is true, the overall understanding is incorrect. You can begin with an independent clause using subordinators that show opposition: While it’s true / sensible / evident / likely that specific benefit of argument, While it’s evident that our competition has outspent us on, ...While it’s sensible to measure students’ aptitudes, ... Although / Even though / Though  its true that opinion,   Although its true that our strategy hasnt worked to date, ...Even though it’s true that the country is currently struggling economically, ... An alternate form is to first concede by stating that you agree or can see the advantage of something in a single sentence. Use  concession verbs  such as: I concede that / I agree that / I admit that   Refuting the Point Now it’s time to make your point. If youve used a subordinator (while, although, etc.), use your best argument to finish the sentence: it’s also true / sensible / evident that refutationit’s more important / essential / vital that refutationthe bigger issue / point is that refutationwe must remember / take into consideration / conclude that refutation †¦ it’s also evident that financial resources will always be limited.†¦ the bigger point is that we do not have the resources to spend.†¦ we must remember that standardized testing such as the TOEFL leads to rote learning.   If youve made a concession in a single sentence, use a linking word or phrase  such as  however, nevertheless, on the contrary, or  above all  to state your refutation: However, we currently do not have that capability.Nevertheless, weve succeeded in attracting more customers to our stores.Above all, the peoples will needs to be respected. Making Your Point Once you’ve refuted a point, continue to provide evidence to  further back up your point of view.   It is clear / essential / of utmost importance that (opinion)I feel / believe / think that (opinion) I believe that charity can lead to dependence.I think that we need to focus more on our successful products rather than develop new, untested merchandise.It is clear that students are not expanding their minds through rote learning for tests.   Complete Refutations Let’s take a look a few concessions and refutations  in their completed form: Students feel that homework is an unnecessary strain on their  limited time. While its true that some teachers assign too much homework, we must remember the wisdom in the saying  practice makes perfect. It is essential that information we learn is repeated to fully become useful knowledge.   Some people insist that profit is the only viable motivation for a corporation. I concede that a  company must profit to stay in business. However, the larger issue is that employee satisfaction leads to improved interactions with clients. It is clear that employees who feel they are compensated fairly will consistently give their best.   More English Functions Conceding and refuting are known as language functions. In other words, language which is used to achieve a specific purpose. You can learn more about a wide variety of language functions and how to use them in everyday English.

Essay On Helen Keller - 1214 Words

Helen Keller House and Museum at Ivy Green When I heard about this assignment I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I heard about a special lady who was born in Tuscumbia Alabama. The special lady I was referring too was Helen Keller, I didn’t really know much about her except for the fact that she was blind and deaf. I have also heard about the play and the movie â€Å"Miracle Worker† that was based off of her life. Little did I know I was in for a treat, learning about this magnificent woman’s life and the influence she had on the deaf community. Helen Keller’s early life started in Tuscumbia Alabama where she was born and raised. Helen home was located on 600 acres of land which was massive compared to what we have now. Her home was†¦show more content†¦During this time period when children contracted this disease most children died, but fortunately Helen survived. She did not come out of this unharmed she became blind and deaf. As a result Helen became a lot more of a problem child. Instead of sitting and eating with the rest of the family she would walk around the table and take food off of each of their plates. Also if Helen didn’t receive what she wanted she would throw temper tantrums until she got her way. Once during one of her outburst she began to beat her hands so hard on the hardwood floor that her hands began to bleed. Helen later said during her time as a child she felt as if she was trapped in her own mind. Her parents had to do something, so they hired a teacher whose name was Anne Sullivan who was educated and graduated from the Perkins Institute at the age of twenty. This would be Anne’s first job helping to educate Helen. Mr. Keller offered her thirty-five dollars a month to move from Boston to their home in Alabama to with Helen. For the first few weeks Anne just observed Helen during her everyday activities, but one day Helen decided to take a piece of sausage from Anne’ s plate just as times before, but Anne slapped her hand and putting her hand to her face and moving it from side to side saying â€Å"No†! This was a new concept to Helen because no one had ever told her no before. Because of this HelenShow MoreRelated Helen Keller Essay1682 Words   |  7 PagesHelen Keller Imagine a life without being able to see or hear and not knowing how to communicate with anyone around you. That world of darkness is what Helen Keller lived in for six years. Helen Keller has been an inspiration to people ever since she turned six. From 1886-1960, she proved herself to be a creative and inspiring woman of America. She was a writer and lecturer who fought for the rights of disadvantaged people all over the world. Most importantly, she overcame her two mostRead MoreHelen Keller Essay1053 Words   |  5 PagesHelen Keller is has changed the hearing, the deaf, and the blind culture. She inspired so many people to push beyond their limits and showed that, even the girl everyone called ‘dumb’ can be more than that. Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama in a small town on the Ivy Green Estate. On July 27th 1880, she was a perfectly normal baby, she could hear, and see. Until she was 19 months old she became very sick with a terrible she lost her hearing and her sight. She was called a ‘wild child’ becauseRead MoreHelen Keller Essay850 Words   |  4 Pagesfulfill her needs. This was exactly the way Helen Keller lived part of her childhood. If we think about Erik W. and Uncle Jim, they were only blind, whereas Helen Keller was deaf and blind. Living with two disabilities, going against society and reaching up to great heights, I believe Helen Keller faced the greatest obstacles. 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Helen Keller is a heroRead MoreHelen Keller Study Journal Essays812 Words   |  4 Pagesmake readers believe in her ability to help Helen Keller? 4. Answer: I felt that he made her very proper and would not give up, Annie has experiences such as getting hit in the face with a doll and losing a tooth. She has many more painful and touching experiences that make her strong. I believe he makes all the readers experience what Annie did to get Helen to listen to her and that’s what makes us believe in her abilities to help Helen Keller. Read MoreAnne Sullivan: The Teacher of Helen Keller Essay543 Words   |  3 Pagesgetting to finally experience life the way she wanted to. Eventhough she was excited, she still ahd some fears of the future as well. Thats when fate stepped in, with Captain Keller at its side. Captain Keller wrote to the Perkins Institution school board, asking to recommend a teacher for his young daughter, Helen Keller. Helen had been deaf and Blind since she was 19 months old. 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(Others such as Franklin Roosevelt were equally well-known, but Keller is remembered primarily for her accomplishments which are disability-related.) Those of us who have grown up in the last half of this century have only known Keller as a figure of veneration. We know her primarily through popularized versions of her life such as the

How Gender Role Impacts on Identity Essay - 930 Words

When contemplating the topic of gender role and its impact on identity one cannot help but realise that these gender roles have a huge part to play on a person’s identity. As gender is a combination of male and female it gives way for a number of characteristics to accompany each sex making them different from each other. This has an important position to play on identity which Kath Woodward stated in her book â€Å"Questioning Identity: Gender, Class, Nation† where she said â€Å"Without difference there would not be such thing as identity†. (Woodward, 2000, pp.51) Unfortunately, however, with these differences there are inequalities. In this essay I would like to elaborate on this further by looking at the meaning of gender and how it impacts†¦show more content†¦Gender can be described as â€Å"the social attributes associated with being a woman or a man in a particular society† (Woodward, 2000, pp.47) A person’s gender is then determine d by their sex which is â€Å"a biological classification†. (Woodward, 2000, pp.47) As gender is a social attribute the identities of people of different genders vary from society to society. For example, in many religions, women do not have place in the rituals of the religion as it is simply only for men to do. (Chryssides and Geaves, 2013, pp.331) As religions were formed in certain cultures this shows a clear divide caused by gender roles based on the cultural origin of the religion but also shows that this has an impact on the identities of the male and female members of the religion. This being that the males feel they have more authority over the females of the religion. A lot of inequality among the sexes is simply based on stereotypes. Stereotypes can be explained as â€Å"one-sided and exaggerated images of men and women which are deployed repeatedly in everyday life†. (Scott and Marshal, 2009, pp. 279) A great example of stereotypical sexist views is portray ed in the humours video of the character Ali G who interviewed a lady about her views on feminism. In this video he seems to be making fun of some sexist notions such as the idea of people being uncomfortable about flying in a plane piloted by a femaleShow MoreRelatedThere Comes A Time In Life Where We Finally Reach A Point1683 Words   |  7 Pagesfor each gender that they are expecting. A feminine floral pink baby shower for a girl or a blue, masculine one for a boy. As much as we want to say that things are better now and the roles seem to be more open, it is still very present that people, especially parents, tend to want their kids to take on a certain personality or interests that correlates to how they see gender roles and where their gender attitude lies because that is the way society taught up to think. The term gender and sex tendRead MoreSocio Cultural influences on sexuality809 Words   |  4 Pagessexuality is the culture or society that person is from and their expectations of sexual behavior. Gender identity, their roles, and stereotypes associated with a person’s gender also play a part. Finally the psychological impacts of these expectations and how commercial sex influences expectations and perceptions of sexuality should be explored. Gender Identity and Gender Roles Gender identity is â€Å"one’s subjective sense of being a man (or boy) or a woman (or girl). 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Many people are going to want to the choice to identify with what they are comfortable with due to the factRead MoreEffect Of Gender And Gender Representation On Media1735 Words   |  7 PagesThe effec t of gender and gender representation in media has been widely researched in various academic disciplines, including anthropology and communication studies. Similar gender role expectations are not just restricted to Western culture either. A study on gender representation in East Asian advertising by Michael Prieler is a demonstration of the influence of gendered communication. The research examines the male and female representation in the advertising of East Asian countries like HongRead MoreAnalysis Of Alison Lester s 2009-2010 Book Series1312 Words   |  6 Pagesinvestigate if representations continue to construct and naturalise ‘traditionally acceptable models of gender’ in contemporary Australian children’s literature. Research background: Since the 1970s, there has been a significant increasing in academic interest surrounding gender in children’s literature. Peter Hunt (2009) argues literature has gained academic focus as society comes to recognise how it can shape it â€Å"in fundamental and long-lasting ways† (15-16). This is particularly true of children’sRead MoreBrainwashing Youth : How Advertising Influences Children On Gender Images1496 Words   |  6 Pages Brainwashing Youth: How Advertising Influences Children on Gender Images For advertising companies, the topic of advertising to children is one that is very controversial and could lead to a lot of debate on whether it is even ethical to do so. None the less advertisements continue to be aired and targeted towards a particularly vulnerable group: children. At a young age it is a critical time for children. They are not only developing their mental and physical capabilities, but they are also developingRead MoreThe Issue Of Gender Roles883 Words   |  4 Pagespretty, the parents implement and adopt unintentionally the gender roles imposed by society, and this is generally done really early in one’s lifetime. Gender roles are referred to as norms, which â€Å"dictates what types of behavior are generally considered acceptable, appropriate or desirable for a person based on their actual or perceived sex.† The term gender role is referred to society’s concept of how men and women are expected to act and how they should behave. Since the beginning of time, girls haveRead MoreGender Roles Of Early Childhood Development932 Words   |  4 PagesGender Roles in Early Childhood Development In a society filled with gender stereotypes, children often adopt gender roles as they move from childhood to adolescence because of the many factors that influence their views to the point they will deny certain roles because it does not fit the gender bias. During the early years, boys and girls will usually be drawn towards gender specific activities. Playing house for example, they little boy will imitate going to work, while the little girl will imitate

Yawning Anthropology and Healthy Functional Person Free Essays

Ryan Casey Anthropology in the News Contagious Yawning Contagious yawning is something you can’t control. Infants after 11 weeks after birth start yawning and study’s say that around the age of four, children start to develop â€Å"contagious yawning†. Doctors use this to see if the child has a disorder such as autism. We will write a custom essay sample on Yawning: Anthropology and Healthy Functional Person or any similar topic only for you Order Now What the doctors would do is see if the child response to someone else’s yawn. If the child does respond then they would know if the child’s brain is functioning right. This is a good way for doctors of even parents to pick up if there kid has something wrong. The contagious yawning theory would be part of the social and cultural subfield of anthropology. Contagious yawning would represent social anthropology because it shows the way in which the body works and how it response to certain moves and actions that other people makes. Also, it would prove to be in the cultural subfield because it shows a pattern in the human body. Humans are not the only species that yawn. Study’s shown that all vertebrates yawn such as snakes and lizards. But only humans, chimpanzees and sometimes dogs had shown that they respond to other people yawning, known as contagious yawning. People have been yawning for as long as humans have been around. This shows that yawing and contagious yawning is in the human culture, and a sign of social bonding. Contagious yawning would be more proven in human biology because it is a reaction of the body when the brain recognize someone else yawn, it sets off a trigger in your brain that makes someone looking at someone yawning also yawn. Anthropology provides vital knowledge and information in this case of contagious yawning. This is shown in the story when they mention how the body develops overtime and when young infants at an early age of four show signs of contagious yawning. Also, it tells us how some primates and all vertebrates also devolve the theory contagious yawning. Contagious yawning is a shown is something that a healthy functional person cannot control. It is shown in the social and cultural subfields of anthropology and shows facts to support human culture, human biology and human history. Anthropology provides facts and knowledge about contagious yawning. How to cite Yawning: Anthropology and Healthy Functional Person, Papers

Logistics Management for Inter Modal Transport- MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theLogistics Management for Inter Modal Freight Transport. Answer: Introduction The aim of this study is to understand the concept of Inter modal Freight Transport in Australia. There will be discussion on the logistic management of the company. It is the fact that the logistics management plays a vital role in the management of the company and delivery of the products and goods to the customers. The growth and development of any business organization is partially dependent on the supply chain and logistics management of the company. If any organization wants to bring improvement in their company related to the logistics management then they have to bring innovation and bring changes in the same by applying the Inter modal Freight Transport that will be discussed in this study (Stock, Boyer, and Harmon, 2010). It is one by the managers of the company who are in charge of transportation of goods and produce from one place to another. The present research will focus on the importance of logistics management in the business organization and analyze that how a company can resolve its problems related to the same by applying effective modal and approaches to the same. It directly affects the performance of the company and productivity of the supply chain management a company whose supply chain management and logistics is strong can enjoy competitive advantage by making the products and goods available in the market required by the customers (Selviaridis, and Spring, 2007). It also help in the reduction of cost, provide best services to the customers, time saving, valuable data and information, manage the delivery of performance, provide best services, balance saving, keep the performance at high level, and help in attracting the customers. The company on which the research will be done is Maritime container services that are a servicing company of the containers, shipping and transport in Australia. Intermodal Freight Transport The intermodal freight transport is related to the transport of freight that is goods, or produce for the commercial gain by using varies types of modes of transportation like train, rail, track, ship, etc. Without the handling of the freight when the mode changes. This is a method that helps in reduction of security, damage, loss and allows the transportation of the freight very fast (Rubio, Chamorro, and Miranda, 2008). The key benefit of these types of transport is that it removes and reduces the cost of road trucking for the intercontinental use. It also reduces the time for the transportation of the goods and produces. It is very convenient, cheap and time saving methods of transporting goods from one place to another. This type of transportation was initiated in the 18th century using the railway lines in which the containers of goods and products of coal, oil, and other things were transported form one place to another using this freight transport. The containers are transport ed from one place to another are also known as intermodal container as they have been defined by ISO (Miles, and Snow, 2007). They are the main equipment of this Inter modal Freight Transport. There are various types of containers like container gantry crane, straddle carriers, grappler lift, reach stackers, side lifters, forklift trucks, flatbed trucks, and many other depending on the needs, mode and material that are required to be transport (Carter, and Rogers, 2008). There are different types of transportation modes used in Inter modal Freight Transport Container ships Railways Trucks Barges Land bridges Planes Pipelines An Overview of the Company Maritime Container Service The company Maritime container service that is a servicing company including the transportation of containers, shipping of goods and produces and transport in Sydney, Australia. The company is one of the oldest independent organizations that deals in intermodal terminal and shipping of goods and service. It also provides container storage facility. The mission and vision of the company is to provide commitment to the customers and satisfaction to the same (Stock, Boyer, and Harmon, 2010). They promise that they will continue provide high quality of services that are cost effective related to the freight and container storage. The company is dealing with this business for over last 41 years. The company continuously strives to work with the big industries, stakeholders and government so that they can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the logistics supply chain in Australia (Wagner, and Bode, 2008). The commitment given by this company to the industry is that they want to pr ovide cost effective solutions related to the logistics management by providing services and products of premium quality at their intermodal terminal located in Sydney. The capacity of the company is 18,500 TEUs container handling storage which is so high as compared to other companies present in the industry (Fawcett, Magnan, and McCarter, 2008). The company also has license for the goods that are dangerous to handle. The company has the caliber to easily meet the needs and requirements of the customers. The Problems Faced by the Company with the Current Logistics Network in Sydney There are various problems faced by the company with the current logistics network in Sydney as there are various competitors present in the same city. The competition leads to various types of challenges to the company due to which the company has to change and adopt new policies in the business organization (Attaran, and Attaran, 2007). It is the fact that competition in not as compared to the other industries but still the company is trying to curb the competition by bringing innovation and framing such strategies that can help the company to solve the same. The company Maritime container service contends with the dips in the rates of the freight, slow growth and development in the economic growth, new regulations passed by the government, overcapacity, undue orders, etc. the development of the company also increase the challenges related to the exports, imports, port operations and freight carriers. The top mind concern for this company is is related to the new international mandate that require containers shipped using ocean carriers so that the company has diverse ways to perform the operations (Green, elbst, Meacham, and Bhadauria, 2012). The company is facing problems related to the investment and finance in the city of Sydney due to which they are unable to explain the business to an international level. They want to manage the expected outcomes related to the megaships, competitions and expansion of the business operations. Major Problems There are five major problems faced by Maritime container service as it is one of the diverse topic that are Ever Changing the needs of the Customers Now the era has changed where the needs and wants of the customers van be judged or remain the same (Leinbach, 2007). The solution related to logistics and the involvement of technology in the logistics and supply chain management of the cm On time Delivery It is the big challenge to the company who are dealing is transport business. the situation with Maritime container service is that they have de work from past 10 months which they are unable to cover up as the containers and vessels take at least 2 weeks to arrive from the local locations and it take months to return from the international locations (Zhang, Song, and Huang, 2009). The average time for the pickup from the terminal is 15 days.thi sis just one example for some locations. Due to this the company and its orders remain in pending and provide challenges to keep the delivery of the products and goods at time (Bauer, Bekta?, and Crainic, 2010). The customers have become more interconnected that will increase the problem for the companies. Infrastructure Infrastructure is the biggest problems faced by these companies as they need proper systematic infrastructure (Tummala, and Schoenherr, 2011). The major problems in infrastructure in the developing countries are related to the handling of containers, placement of containers, etc. Recommendations and Resolution of the Problems Five Technical Problems Faced by Maritime Container Service and their Solution They are unable to get the US port for the megaships so the company has to tie up with one company that can help them for the same (Crainic, Gendreau, and Potvin, 2009). They can also ask for the government support as the development in the country will lead to the benefits for their business organisation also. The company wants to comply with the new SOLAS weight certification mandate so they have to start research for the same and find relevant data through which they can apply for this kind of certification (Sanchez Rodrigues, Stantchev, Potter, Naim, and Whiteing, 2008). If the compilation is not easy then they have to find ways so that SOLAS weight certification become possible. The company is prioritizing the freight investment. It is very relevant for the company as freight is the major concern for the business organization further investments will lead o expansion in the business as well as the supply that is pending form last 10 months will become possible in the future (Konings, 2008). In this way, the company will combat with two problems that are overdue supply and expansion of the business. The company is also trying to negotiate the disputes taking place between the labor and with the company by providing them opportunity to speak for their rights (Stahlbock, and Vo, 2008). There are various issues between the workforces as they are diversified. This is the major concern for the company as conflict leads to major loss in the company. The company is finding effective ways so that solution can be found. The solution should be performance and it must have solved the problems related to the workforce conflict and strikes form the labor. The company is also contending with the consolidation with the industry. But it can be done only with the help of the government. In such parts, there is a need to goveremen support (Perego, Perotti, and Mangiaracina, 2011). This is due to the fact that government can help in providing all the relevant resources and other facilities in the company. Solution of the Problems if the Government Involved in the Problems There are various areas where there is a need of the government support special the business organisation that are dealing in export business, and multinational organization. This is due to the fact that the government support will help in providing the resources that are very much required to expand the business on an international level. The logistics management in Australia is managed by the supply chain and logistics association of austral (SCLAA) (De Jong, Vierth, Tavasszy, and Ben-Akiva, 2013). The supply chain and logistics association of austral (SCLAA) is one of the largest associations for the supply chain and logistics management. It can help the company to drive the competitive advantage. The companies are allowed to become the members of such association so that they can be aware about the coming policies related to the supply and logistics management in Australia. They provide various types of program like certified professional logistician (CPL) under which the companies can better understand the process of logistics management. In this way, this association can help the company Maritime container service in solving their problems. This association also has Energy efficiency program information that provides online opportunity and identification tool so that the company can receive funding from the Australian government and department of industry and science. Conclusion The conclusion on the present study is that the logistics management is used to enhance the performance of the organization. It shows that growth and development is taking place in the company as it has a strong supply chain and logistics management. The company Maritime container service is one of the old companies dealing in the intermodal freight transport but still facing lots of issues and challenges in the same. The report has also putted some light on the solution to the problems that are faced by the company. The whole process is related to the company Maritime container service after all, we can conclude that the company is required to adopt various changes and will have to gone through the changes related to the logistics management. The present research has centralized the significance of logistics management in the business organization like Maritime container service. The stud has also investigated that how a company that deals in logistics management can resolve its problems related to the same by applying effective modal like Inter modal Freight Transport to the entire logistics management of the company as it directly create an impact on the performance of the company and its productivity of the supply chain management. it is well said that a company whose supply chain management and logistics is strong can enjoy competitive advantage by making the products and goods available in the market required by the customers (Selviaridis, and Spring, 2007). References Attaran, M. and Attaran, S., 2007. Collaborative supply chain management: the most promising practice for building efficient and sustainable supply chains.Business Process Management Journal,13(3), pp.390-404. Bauer, J., Bekta?, T. and Crainic, T.G., 2010. 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Tummala, R. and Schoenherr, T., 2011. Assessing and managing risks using the supply chain risk management process (SCRMP).Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,16(6), pp.474-483. Wagner, S.M. and Bode, C., 2008. An empirical examination of supply chain performance along several dimensions of risk.Journal of business logistics,29(1), pp.307-325. Zhang, X., Song, H. and Huang, G.Q., 2009. Tourism supply chain management: A new research agenda.Tourism management,30(3), pp.345-358.