Education Is Very Important Essay Example for Free

Education Is Very Important Essay It helps us gain knowledge, information and interpret things correctly. Education teaches us how to lead our lives by mingling in the society and turning out to be good citizens. It makes us capable of interpreting rightly the things perceived. Education teaches us right behavior and makes us civilized people. It forms as a support system to excel in life, to continuously learn and build confidence, to reason everything till every question meets its answer. The conversion of information to knowledge is possible because of education and we also gain intelligence. Higher education influences the economic development of a nation as per the economists. A person is always judged by good manners he/she has. Education is important as it teaches us to differentiate between good and bad manners and choose the right behavior that cultivates good manners. Good manners are important for kids to develop at a very young age. Kids must learn to be polite, learn telephone etiquette, socialize with other kids and develop values. All this can be taught at home as well as school. Teaching your children good manners creates a foundation for them that will follow them through life. Education is important because it equips us with all that is needed to make our dreams come true. When we opt for higher education or masters, we need to choose the specialization field of our interest and talents. Most leading courses allow you to study all areas for the first year and to choose a specialization in your second year when you have more exposure and knowledge about these fields. The technical and analytical skills can be well explored in the area of ones interest.

Defining leadership as a process and property

Defining leadership as a process and property In defining leadership Jago (1982, p.315) states leadership is both a process and a property. The process involves influencing group members to undertake activities that will lead to the accomplishment of the group objective, while the property refers to the set of characteristics believed to be held by those with influence. Leadership theory began by focusing on traits but has since followed a varied course in the search for conclusive evidence on the factors that affect leadership. In this report we will focus on the dyadic process of leadership, looking at the leader as an individual (Lussier Achua, 2009) and will assume that leadership effectiveness will only be understood by looking at the influence of the leader on their followers. We will concentrate on three major theories trait, behavioural or style and situational. Trait Lussier Achua (2009, p. 16) proposes that leadership trait theories attempt to explain distinctive characteristics accounting for leadership effectiveness. Traits were initially thought to be innate or heritable qualities of the individual(Zaccaro,J.S,2007)   This perspective shifted to include all the other enduring qualities that distinguished leaders from Non-leaders. (Kiripatrick and Locke,1991 as cited in Zaccaro,J.S.,2007) There is strong evidence to prove that traits contribute significantly towards leader effectiveness, leader emergence, and leader advancement.()The following are some of the traits which each of us believed lacked in us following group discussion: Decisiveness Barlet Decisiveness is often identified as a key trait in leadership (Ghiselli, 1971 as cited in Lussier, 2008). It involves the ability to logically analyze a situation and make a decision in a timely manner. A leaders decisiveness also provides clarity and direction and gives others confidence in that leader. Readiness to make decisions was identified as a key personality trait that predicted a managerial advancement (Howard Bray, 1983 as cited in Hogan, Curphy and Hogan, 1994). Barlet has identified decisiveness as a weakness, especially in high stress situations where a quick and effective decision was required. After discussing with the group and analysing situations where Barlet lacked that ability to make the decision, it has been identified a number of steps to improve decisiveness. One was to have a procedure where a situation could be analysed and decision made quickly. Its also important to trust yourself and not be afraid of making the wrong decision. Motivation Saran Motivation is a key element of any type of leadership, whether the leader is informal, bureaucratic or and expert it is vital for the individual to be motivated. Three types of motivation stand out with regards to leadership. The first is the goals to which human behaviour is directed, the seconded involves how these goals are selected and pursued and the last involves the process of influencing others. (Huczynski and Buchanan, 1991) After discussion of these three factors with regard to Sarans ability to lead, we found some serious flaws in his motivation. The clearest point that emerged from the discussion was that to lead one must be able to achieve the targets of the task, build and develop the team and have concern for the individuals in the team. (Pettinger, 2007)   It was found that Saran had a clear and genuine concern for the individuals he was responsible for. The problems arose when trying to achieve the task. This problem was there because the goals to which his behaviour was directed did not compliment the task. The priority that Saran gave was based on his own goals, what motivates him to do the task in hand was not what necessarily what motivated Saran. This ultimately led to the problem becoming more and more difficult, and in many cases a serious trade off between time and quality had to be made.   This task has lead Saran to look at the basic attitudes towards goals, by changing this we beli eve he will be able to look at the prioritisation of tasks in a whole new light, completely transforming his ability qto   leaded. Self-confidence Jenny Research on leadership traits has consistently shown that self-confidence is considered to be an important characteristic (Hollenbeck Hall, 2004). McCormick (2001, p.) describes self-confidence as the following: Self-confidence refers to peoples self-judgement of their capabilities and skills, or their perceived competence to deal successfully with the demands of a variety of situations.   Up to now Jenny has persistently shown a lack of self-confidence when undertaking tasks and leading others. She feels particularly uncomfortable when she has to make a decision for a group as she usually has doubts about whether or not it is the correct decision. The group suggested that by increasing her task understanding, by breaking it into specific components, and knowledge Jenny could become more confident as she would have evidence to support her decision making. Hollenbeck and Hall (2004) suggests that self-confidence is built up by a process of taking a small risk and making progress to wards achieving a certain goal. Success in this will lead to increased confidence in your abilities. therefore Jenny would need to begin to take small risks also. Initiative Sandy Initiative has been defined as a leading action or a commencing movement, often associated with the first action of a matter. Effective leaders take initiative. This involves being proactive and making decisions that lead to change instead of just reacting to events or waiting for others to take action (Kirkpatrick and Locke, 1991). In most situations, Sandy has been finding it difficult to demonstrate initiative because she has high agreeableness, and very often prefer to listen to other members suggestions. She lacks self-assurance that she is uncertain about her own opinion, and therefore finds other peoples opinion more favourable. Research on leadership and personality has stated the importance of initiative and persistence in relation to effective leadership, and so by having other qualities such as conscientious and tenacity which are related to the above traits may help (Judge et.al., 2002). Sandy felt she do not have experiences in taking initiative because she felt she is n ot knowledgeable and informative enough. Our group agreed that Sandy should believe in herself and try to improve by gaining more knowledge, and do not have fear to speak up and be arrogant in a good way. Dominance Athmika Dominance was amongst one of the important traits associated with leadership and leader perception (Mann, 1959, as cited in Lord, De Vader and Alliger, 1986). Smith and Foti (1998) have listed several studies that show that dominance has positive correlations with leadership perceptions and people that score high in dominance tend to find themselves in a leadership position. Anderson and Kilduff (2009) found that people who are deemed as being highly dominant in relation to traits were likely to be categorized by other group members as more competent than they actually are. Athmika has always been a team player and values team opinions over hers. From her personal experiences and while discussing with the team, she realised dominance was a trait she lacked the most. To be more dominant, she should have faith in her ideas and be able to influence her group with her ideas. She can do this by reading extensively about the task which would guide her to make   informed decisions. Also, she should voice her opinion out strongly which would make her feel more in control of the situation. Behavioral Leadership theory progressed from researching traits to looking at the impact of behaviour style. Two main types emerged from the research body; task and relationship behaviours. Task behaviours facilitate goal accomplishment (Northouse, 2004) and relationship behaviours focus on how comfortable subordinates feel in a situation (Northouse, 2004). Communication Barlet Communication is essentially the ability to transmit a message from one person to the other, whether this is information, an idea, a feeling or an emotion (Pardey, 2007). Pardey (2007) also identifies communication as one of five critical skills for all leaders and according to Bass (1990, cited by Bligh and Hess, 2007) as communications distinguishes leaders who are successful and effective from those who are not. An effective leader is one who has a deep understanding of others and has the ability to establish a shared vision and motivate those around them (Parker and Stone, 2003). Effective communication is instrumental for all those things to occur and frequently it is the solution to many difficulties faced by an organization (Ashman and Lawler, 2008). So far Barlet has not been particularly effective in communicating his ideas clearly, and this in some cases has undermined the quality and depth of his work. After discussing this with the team members, it was identified that ora l communication and presentation skills specifically were his weaknesses and it was suggested that thorough knowledge of the subject being discussed as well as practice would help in getting the message through and eventually improve communication. Improving tolerance Saran Tolerance is described in many sources as a prerequisite to leadership, not having it places a cloud over ones judgment and leads to inefficient use of resources. Drucker 1993 believed to achieve results, one has to use all the available strengths the strengths of the associates A lack of tolerant behaviour comes from two elements, ones own ego and personal aspirations, as well as the personality and views held. This as an issue as not being able to get the full use of the people being lead is a poor form of leadership. After discussion it was found that this behaviour became more dangerous when leading people who are described as total miss-fits and poor fits by the eligibility versus suitability quadrant. Trusting others ideas Jenny Jenny sees herself as task focused. When working on projects she has difficulty trusting others to deliver top quality work. She finds herself carefully double checking other team members work and this can make the team members feel degraded. According to Blake Moutons Managerial Grid ® she would have an Authority-Compliance style. This makes her concern for results high but her concern for people is at the lower end of the spectrum. Based on this Managerial Grid one way that Jennys behaviour could be altered would be to engage in more people focused activities. She could become more concerned in the interests, needs and problems of her followers (Doyle Smith, 2001). The group suggested that one way to also improve this was match the task at hand to the abilities of each group member, meaning that Jennys trust in them would be increased by her knowledge that they were skilled in that task. Another suggestion was to attempt to communicate more clearly to the group members the task requirements and thus reduce ambiguity. Finally Yukl, Gordon and Taber (2002) suggest that increasing time spent monitoring may make leaders more effective. Giving instructions Sandy As leadership is about gaining power to influence others through communication (Northouse, 2010), it is essential that a leader should be able to give instructions. Lussier and Achua believes that in any supervisory role, such as how well a manager give instructions will directly affect their leadership ability of leading and motivating employees in accomplishing the task (Lussier and Achua, 2003). Sandy finds it difficult to state her objective in a precise and clear manner, due to the lack of confidence and partly because she is not able to use her voice effectively to catch the attention. Therefore, her message becomes difficult to transmit and deliver to other people. Moreover, Sandy described herself as the democratic decision-making leadership style, that she allows people to make their own decisions and only state her opinion in the final stage of the discussion (Lewins leadership style). Therefore, she often fails to give instructions as a leader and become more of a facilita tor when reaching consensus in the group. In order to improve, she should develop a relationship with her group and become more empathic in their needs, as well as checking the receivers understanding to ensure they know what objectives they have to attain. And also make sure these tasks are achievable and have it done by a certain amount of time. Sandy should use her influence power and be more persuasive as an authority to follow up at these situations (Lussier and Achua, 2003). Time Management Athmika Schuler (1979, p. 854, as cited by Macan, 1994) asserted that time management means less stress for individuals, which means more efficient, satisfied, healthy employees, which in turn means more effective organizations. Athmika has always faced problems with proper time allocation of her work. She tends to procrastinate her work until the impending deadline. This leads to unnecessary stress and has also impeded her performance significantly. On discussion with the group, the group suggested that Athmika has to be more task-oriented and should organize her work as described under initiating structure in the Ohio state studies (Stogdill, 1974, as cited in Northouse, 2004). She should prioritize her work by preparing time audits. She also can improve her time management skills by setting realistic and attainable goals. Situational Leadership Fielder (1967) stated that there is no ideal leader, and that both relationship-oriented and task-oriented leaders can be effective if their leadership style fits the situation. Fielders Contingency Theory is one theory where the effectiveness of a leaders behaviour is determined by the situation he or she confronts. Fiedler stated that it was much easier for individuals to find a situation that matched their leadership style than to change their style to fit the situation (Stroh, Northcraft and Neale, 2002). In contrast to this, the Situational Leadership Model suggests that leaders should adopt their style. Hersey and Blanchard (1993, as cited in Fernandez and Vecchio, 1997) stated that leaders are most effective when they employ a leadership style which is most appropriate to the situation they face and to the followers readiness and maturity to complete the task. Path-Goal theory is another model which states that an effective leader is able to clarify the path to various goals o f interest and provide the opportunity/path for the follower to achieve such goals. This then should promote job satisfaction, leader acceptance and high effort (Stroh, Northcraft and Neale, 2002). Delegating situations Barlet Delegating is one of the four leadership styles characterized by Hersey and Blanchard (1977 as cited in Graeff, 1997). It involves the leader passing tasks or responsibilities to an individual or group while the leader is still involved in monitoring the progress. So far, Barlet has not been particularly effective in these situations, and this has often delayed progress and limited performance as he. This has mainly been due to his lack of trust in the team members ability to do a certain task, but also due to his indecisiveness. Hersey (1985) stated that a good leader develops the competence and commitment of their people so theyre self-motivated rather than dependent on others for direction and guidance and in this case, the leaders high expectations causes high performance by the followers. Therefore trusting your people and showing confidence in them by passing responsibility and allowing them to complete a task will get the best out of your team and it is a situation where Barle t needs to improve. While playing vLeader, Barlets natural style was very directing, speaking most of the time and controlling the conversation and kept scenario length very short. In scenario one, Barlet did most of the work in every idea and did not let Olie participate or speak much. While in this case it worked, in many other situations the leader has to focus on the overall objective and delegation becomes more important. This was clearly demonstrated in the Wolfgang Keller case study (Gabarro, 1997 (part of module readings)) where Keller realised that being able to delegate operations was important in allowing him to progress further in the organisation. Supporing situations Sara Supporting situations require a low directive and highly supportive behaviour. (Northouse, 2004)   Ã‚  The S3 square in the four leadership styles is a situation where the task receives more focus than the people.   Being able to act with this leadership quality would allow a leader to flourish in a situation where low motivation   and a some level of skills were present. This situation is becoming more prevalent as Druckers knowledge worker theory become more common place in the work place. Saran finds that when leading a team he does not always actively acknowledge another team members input, this will lead to individuals feeling that they have not been appreciated. After discussion it was decided that Saran should be more empathetic and less task orientated. He could achieve this by   dedicating more time to handing out instructions for the task. Setting goals could also play a part with regular progress reviews forcing a more supportive role. Another strategy could also b e to change his leadership style to a less authoritarian one. Unstructured situations Jenny A situation where Jenny felt she was weak in terms of leadership was one with little structure or direction on how to complete it. Typically in these situations Jenny finds herself being hesitant to direct the group in case she is not undertaking the correct procedure to get a positive end result. Fiedlers Contingency Theory (1964, as cited in Northouse, 2004, p. 109) looks at the impact of a unstructured situation in terms of leadership. Fiedlers Contingency Theory attempts to match the leaders style to the situation as a means of attaining effective leadership. Fiedlers model is based on the leader being task or relationship focused. Situational variables are also taken into account and these are characterised by looking at three factors: leader member relations, task structure and position power (Northouse, 2004). This theory does not however offer an explanation of what can be changed if the leader style cannot be matched to the situation. The group came up with several ways in w hich Jenny could improve in this situation. These included focusing on the goal of the task and try to use the other team members to contribute ideas about how to develop a plan to reach it. Jago (1982) also mentions that in such situations one should try to alter the situational variables by training although the usefulness of such training is not unequivocal. Stressful Situation Sandy Sandy often feels difficult in dealing with stressful situations, especially in demanding situations that focused specifically the performance of her work in a social environment setting. There are conventional views of leaders being a crucial and significant impact on their performance in organizations, that they are constrained with respect to different performance outcomes (Thomas, 1988). The Cognitive resource theory also proposed that stress has been a key factor and had a great impact in determining how intelligence can affect performance (Fielder 1987). And therefore in most stressful situations, since intelligence become less important but higher performance is required; Sandy experienced difficulty in using her knowledge to solve problems and these expectations has created an uncomfortable and undesirable feeling in which Sandy felt challenging in accomplishing the tasks. Situational Leadership theory by Blanchard (1985) discussed that different leadership style has to be ap plied appropriately to a given situation, depending on the competence and commitments of the subordinates (Northouse, 2004). So Sandy should try to include both directive (task-orientated) behaviours and supportive (relationship-orientated) behaviours, and focuses on goal achievement, and also be supportive and meet the needs of the subordinates (Northouse, 2004). To improve, Sandy should try to anticipate and plan ahead, establish objectives and goals at an early stage, and to prepare herself for the unexpected. She also needs to reflect on her performance, learn from the failure experiences and make necessary changes. Directing unfamiliar situations Athmika Athmika finds herself handicapped when faced with new, unfamiliar, or critical situations when the team faces a challenge where she is required to take on a directive leadership style. Directive leadership is defined as providing the members with a framework for decision making and action in alignment with the leaders vision (Fiedler, 1989, 1995; Sagie, 1997; Stogdill, 1974, as cited by Somech 2006, p. 135). Being directive requires the leader to communicate their knowledge and expertise to the group and also telling them how to complete the work (Murphy, Blyth Fielder, 1992). In order to lead in such situations, the group suggested that Athmika should have a good working knowledge of the task and a clear vision on how to achieve it. Athmika should play an active role in problem solving and decision making in order to be more directive (Bass, 1981, as cited in Murphy, Blyth Fielder, 1992). Conclusion Hackman and Wageman (2007) believe that despite the reams of research that have been conducted on leadership the field still remains notably unformed. Building on this Zaccaro (2007) states that within the trait theory of leadership a general consensus has also yet to emerge from the research regarding the role of leader traits, the degree of their influence and how they influence leadership, and the part they play in leadership situations. However leadership is still seen as being an important construct to undertake research on as well as being important as a social phenomenon (Hackman Wageman, 2007). Avolio has proposed the idea that new research are required to acknowledge how leaders have learnt from their past experiences, particularly how they respond and cope in difficult situations. Failure and error has provided opportunities for learning than success, and these experiences will generate data to affect ones assumptions and actions for improvements next time (Hackman Wageman, 2007). However, such decisions are not easy because it require an individual to overcome ones own reasoning, mental model, behaviour routines and may provoke anxiety (Hackman Wageman, 2007). One may argue that if we have already developed a leadership style, it will be rather fixed and consistent that will be difficult to change, others may argue that leadership styles should be changed according to situations in order to be more effective. Fielders contingency theory (1964) has introduced the idea that leadership effectiveness is depending on the suitability of the leader assign to a particular cont ext. As a result, different leadership styles will be matched to different situations; and therefore our group believe that there are still room for improvement for our traits and behaviours to match with a specific situation.

Shell Is A Multinational Company Commerce Essay

Shell Is A Multinational Company Commerce Essay Shell is a multinational company dealing with oil and gas. The Headquarters of the company is in Hague, one of the cities of Netherlands. It has a registered office in London, and by 2011, the company was second largest company in relation to revenue growth, and profitability. In the oil and gas sector, the company is second to ExxonMobil in terms of operations and its capital base (Bruijn et al, 2002). The company is grouped among the six most influential oil companies in the world. The other five are Chevron, Exxon Mobil, B.P, Conoco Philips and Total S.A. The company operates in all areas of oil and gas industry, these areas include exploration of oil and gas, supplies and distribution, marketing, production, refinery, petrochemical development and power generation (McIntosh, 2001). The company is also concerned about environmental conservation, and it has invested heavily on the production, and distribution of renewable energy (Carroll, 1999). It supports initiatives of developing and distribution bio-fuel energy, wind and solar power, and hydrogen energy. Shell has branches in 100 countries, and operates an approximate number of 44000 service stations. The company producing more than 3 million barrels of oil per day, and this makes it second to Exxon Mobil. Due to its massive size, and huge capital base, the company is an important player in the international system. It has the capability of influencing world leaders to enact policies that will encourage capitalism, and liberalization of their economies (Carroll, 1999). Due to its size, and the complex business activities the company engages in, the company operates under four main divisions. These are projects and technology, upstream international, upstream Americas, and downstream (Bruijn et al, 2002). The role of upstream international is to manage business operations of shell that are outside the American continent. The division is responsible for identifying new oil and gas fields. It refines crude oil, liquefies it and transports the gas. The division creates the necessary infrastructure required to supply and deliver the oil products of the company to the target market. The division operates through geographic locations, and each location has its own CEO. In some instances, the upstream international unit collaborates with all its geographic units to deliver a service considered essential and important (Bruijn et al, 2002). This only applies when the geographic unit of the company does not have the necessary skills to deliver the service. The Projects and Technology department is responsible for developing new and technological innovative systems, for purposes of improving the efficiency of the organization. The Unit concerns itself with the distribution of the organizations major projects, and it is not restricted to regions (Carroll, 1999). It supplements the technological innovations of Upstream and Downstream divisions of Shell, and it is responsible for providing leadership and advice on the areas of environmental conservation, health, safety, and procurements and contracting. The downstream division is responsible for the production, manufacture, marketing, and distribution of the products and services of Shell Company. The unit refines, distributes and transports crude oil products (Green, 1985). The upstream America is responsible for the business activities of the organization in North and South America. In this region, the organization looks for new sources of oil, and gas. It also creates an infrastructure that has the capability of efficiently transporting the products of the company to its target markets (Jordan, 2001). The division is responsible for extracting bitumen from oil sand. It converts them to crude oil, and thereafter refines them to produce energy. The main objective of the company is to search for oil and gas, and thereafter produce the product, manufacture ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, and deliver the product to the market. The company also explores for gas, refines it, and transports the product to its target market. The company also produces chemical products, and an example is the shell lubricant used to service the spare parts of motor vehicles (Carroll, 1999). To effectively sale petroleum, the company operates more than 44000 thousand petrol stations all over the world. The company operates oil refineries, and their objectives are to convert crude oil to finer oil particles that can be used. The company produces renewable energies. And it does this by developing solar panels that have the capability of transforming sunlight into electric energy (Bruijn et al, 2002). The company has operations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, and therefore there target market is anybody using automobiles in the countries of their operation. Shell Company has various innovative challenges, and opportunities. The chairman of Royal Dutch Mr. Jorma Olila states that the success of the organization is because of its innovation in technology, market research, customer relations and production. The company invests heavily in research and development, for purposes of developing products that will stimulate the market, and give them an edge over its competitors. The management of Shell realizes that business organizations are under pressure to innovate (Carroll, 1999). This is because of the recession happening in Europe and America, the growth of the Chinese and other developing economies, an increase in the population of the world, advanced technological developments, and changing trends at the international business environment. On this note, shell identifies three opportunities on which it needs to develop innovative ideas. These are, investing heavily in research and development, initiating measures to quickly commercialize their ideas, and looking for ways of effectively working with external partners (Bruijn et al, 2002). The growth of the Chinese economy and of other developing countries presents a challenge to the objectives of Shell Company. This is due to the fact the market conditions in this countries call for low cost products. These markets also insist on the different lines of production. This is a challenge to shell because it will require the organization to revamp its business strategy, so that they can penetrate through these markets. However these markets present a lot of opportunity in relation to energy requirements, which is an essential element for the growth of an economy (Jonker, 2007). It therefore calls for an innovative mind, to penetrate through these markets, and shell has done exactly that. Shell recognizes China as an important market, and center for research and development. To penetrate the market, shell involves the various universities, and institutions of higher learning, in researching on the various energy products that is sufficient for the Chinese market. An example is the relationship between the company, and Qingdao institute of Bioenergy, and Bioprocess technology. The two are working together to develop biofuel energy for the Chinese economy. Advances in technology, and new gas and oil finds which are difficult to extract presents the company with an opportunity to innovate, at the same time it is a challenge. For instance the company projects an increase on the demand of energy products, by the year 2050. To satisfy these demands, the company must adopt an innovative culture, and develop machineries that have the capability of extracting oil and gas from these sources (Bruijn et al, 2002). For instance, the company has identified sites that contain gas in impermeable geological formations. These gas deposits are found in United States of America, and to extract them, it requires it requires innovative drilling techniques and extraction methods. On this note, the company looks for other sources of gas and oil, so that they may extract them, and distribute the products to the market. On this note, the company projects to find new energy sources in China and Australia, and unlock them for purposes of developing energy products (Jordan, 2001). The company does not only involve innovation in the extraction of oil and gas. Technological innovations are also depicted on the products of the company. The company has among its staff talented engineers and scientists whose role is to create and develop petrochemical products, and their related energy products. There other role is to advice the business organization on the impact of various technological innovations. They device strategies that will help the company overcame its technological problems, giving it an edge over its main competitors. Through the hardwork of these engineers, the company developed products such as, Shell Rimula, an heavy duty diesel engine oil (Jonker, 2007). The lubricant has the capability of withstanding unfavorable temperature from the outer space, while performing its function. On this note, it is the culture of the organization, for its engineers to develop products whose main aim is to satisfy the needs of the customers. The company identifies the need of the energy efficiency, the need of minimizing lubrication costs and the various legislations that govern carbon emission as the driving force of their lubricants innovations (Carroll, 1999). On this note, the company invests heavily on lubrication research, and it uses an approximate amount of $ 1.3 billion annually. The company involves its own customers in the research and testing of the lubricants. This makes the company to develop products that are needed in the market, increasing its revenue and profitability. The company does not only focus on technology, but also on business strategies. For instance Shell Company managed to acquire Arrow energy, an Australian energy company. The deal was worth 3.2 billion dollars, and the objective of this venture was to supply liquefied gas to the Asian markets (Jonker, 2007). These innovative tendencies by the company are meant to improve their business activities, and to develop new technologies that will help in opening up new markets for the company (Jordan, 2001). These innovations have an adverse effect on the organization, in relation to the perspective of change. The company advocates for innovation, and a change in my management might try to influence new cultures within the organization (Marcel et al, 2006). They might face resistance in the process of changing the culture of the organization. In case the new management might want to continue with the policy, it will take time before they are oriented with the innovative practices of the company. A change in the management will create inconsistencies, in the innovative tendencies of the company. A company that responds best to a change in management is one which is prepared for such a change (Jonker, 2007). It is better to psychological prepare employees for a change in the management, and establish structures that will mitigate against inconsistencies that might arise from such changes. Inconsistencies will arise if the new management shows some signs and symptoms of inconsistencies to the culture, value and norms of the organization. However, if the new management promotes the values, culture and beliefs of the company, then the employees will continue to develop new ideas that will propel the company to growth. The following are the organizational cultural barrier of innovation at Royal Dutch Shell (Bruijn et al, 2002). The four divisions of the company are independent of one another. They only work together in special circumstances. This is a barrier to innovative practices in the organization, because the divisions of the company have to coordinate together, to identify the various needs of their customers. Another cultural barrier to technology is the bureaucratic channels of decision making. Before any important decision is made, the board of directors has to approve it. They may either reject or approve the idea. Even though the company encourages ideas on its business strategy, its main focus is on technology, and it invests heavily on technology, at the expense of other divisions of the company, such as marketing, distribution and transportation. Despite these barriers to innovation, there are cultural values in the organization that encourages innovation. These values are (Carroll, 1999), The desire to satisfy the customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s needs. The desire to improve profitability and growth of the company. The desire to capture new markets, and exploration sites. It is possible to address the mentioned barriers to innovation at Shell Company. One of the ways of addressing the problem is to integrate the four divisions of the company, by creating a communication liaison office. The responsibility of this office is to share information on the performance and operations of the four units to various heads of the units under consideration. This will enable the organizations to develop ideas that are convenient, and applicable to the four divisions under consideration. Another method is to increase the number of days that the board of directors should sit, and deliberate on the ideas on offer. This will result to a quicker implementation of an idea, therefore increasing the efficiency of the organization. The company should also invest on other areas of its operations, such as marketing, transport, and distribution. By doing this, the company will not only use technology to develop products, but it will also ensure that the products are effectively distributed, and sold to the market.

The Perspective And The Purpose Of History :: Expository Essays Research Papers

The Perspective And The Purpose Of History History is a story told over time. It is a way of recreating the past so it can be studied in the present and re-interpreted for future generations. Since humans are the sole beneficiaries of history, it is important for us to know what the purpose of history is and how historians include their own perspective concerning historical events. The purpose and perspective of history is vital in order for individuals to realise how it would be almost impossible for us to live out our lives effectively if we had no knowledge of the past. Also, in order to gain a sound knowledge of the past, we have to understand the political, social and cultural aspects of the times we are studying. In What is History, Alan Bullock believes that history is an attempt to explain the sequence and connections of events. He believes that "History is to explain why...it is not to explain why they had to follow, but why they did in fact follow." It is believed by Bullock that history is taken apart and is put together by an historian, so that it may yield new evidence, that will teach us a lesson from the past in order to become more aware of the future. This connective account helps us "get inside the skin of this man or group of men." Russel B. Nye also shares similarities with McPhee in History, Meaning and Method, saying that "History is a response to the eternal desire of human beings to know about themselves." Nye believes that history is concerned with societies and the individuals who live in these societies. He emphasises the importance of people, their individual choices, the values they hold and the angles of vision by which they have looked at themselves and the world. It is important to look at history if one is to understand how and why men and women have acted together in society. Nye also shares the same view as Bullock in suggesting that "History has the special obligation to recall, reassess and re-interpret the past, bringing it to bear on the present and translating it into a form each new generation can use." Nye believes that history is a social science which requires hypotheses and observations. If we are to make proper use of history, historians have to arrange it in a way that makes it easy for us to identify the facts.

LBJs Great Society Essay -- Lyndon B. Johnson LBJ American Politics

When Lyndon B. Johnson succeeded the presidency after John F. Kennedy's assassination he spoke of his vision of a Great Society in America. This Great Society included "an end to poverty and racial injustice," and also was intended to turn America into a place where kids can enhance their mind, broaden their talents, and people could restore their connection with the environment. In order to reach his goal, LBJ enacted numerous proposals involving taxes, civil rights, poverty, and much more. For the most part Johnson did an excellent job on delivering his promises, but international affairs threatened the Great Society and although LBJ won the presidency in a landslide victory in 1964, by 1966 he and the Supreme Court began to face serious criticism. The one of the first passed in 1964 was the Tax Reduction Act which cut by about $10 billion the taxes mainly paid by conglomerates and well-to-do. Another major characteristic of the Great Society was civil rights. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act barred discrimination in public places, any federally aided program, and most employment. ...

Impact of Media

Media plays a significant role in our society in the present scenario. It is all around us, from the shows we watch on television, the music we listen to on the radio, to the books and magazines we read each day. Television, more than any of the other Medias, achieves myriad different goals.We live in a fascinating world and an even more fascinating society. In this day and age, life without technology feels utterly impossible and life without the media is simply unimaginable. Media provides us with entertainment, information and comfort.The media influences people in different ways, some positive and some negative. It is important to realize although media can have a positive effect on society too much exposure to television, computers, or magazines can lead to unhealthy effects. The media gives people a way to connect with one another through news updates or even social networking. Most everyone wakes up in the morning grabs the newspaper, computer, or flips on the television to ed ucate themselves on the worldly happenings of that day. Research has revealed that media is responsible for influencing a major part of our daily life. Media contribute to a transformation in the cultural and social values of the masses. Media can bring about a change in the attitudes and beliefs of the common man. Media has a direct impact over the lifestyle of society.†POSTIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACT ON MEDIAAn individual developmental level is a critical factor in determining whether the medium will have positive or negative effects.Research conclusion are given by the physician†¢Physicians can change and improve children’s television viewing habits. †¢Canadian children watch excessive amounts of television. †¢There is a relationship between watching violent television programming and an increase in violent behaviour by children. †¢Excessive television watching contributes to the increased incidence of obesity. †¢Excessive television watching may have a deleterious effect on learning and academic performance. †¢Television is an effective way of advertising products of various ages.The media like television, radio and the Internet increase an overall  awareness of the masses. They enhance the general knowledge by providing us with information from all over the world. News broadcast through different media helps us know about the day-to-day events in the world. News, tele-films and documentaries revolving around social issues increase a social awareness in children and develop their concern towards society.Media serve as the best means for a speedy spread of news about important incidents or events. The news that has happened in the remotest corner of the world can reach us within minutes.Movies and television programs often show characters using drugs and alcohol and engaging in violent behaviors. At a developmental stage when teens seek greater freedom and independence, the glorification of drugs, alcohol, risky sexu al and violent behaviors in the media make it challenging for teens to make responsible behavioral choices.CONCLUSIONMass media has become an integral part of our lives and can not be separated from our life. Particularly for the urban people, the need for information is more important than ever. Our values and way of life in the society in this information era are strongly influenced by the mass media like newspapers, TV, radio, video, and the internet. The full range of unfiltered media is now available to most of us by using a parabola and satellite transmission. We can buy many kinds of videos freely. Access to the internet is easy and inexpensive almost everywhere.We can find many kinds of information using the internet technology. Media is the most powerful tool of communication. It helps promoting the right things on right time. It gives a real exposure to the mass audience about what is right or wrong. Even though media is linked with spreading fake news like a fire, but on the safe side, it helps a lot to inform us about the realities as well. There is a positive and negative side in every activity. Depends upon the individual, the media have both the sides to use in right and wrong way.

Best Teacher

1. If my memory serves my correct, â€Å"The Best Teacher† I remember is my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Hawthorne. She taught at Stamford Middle School in Stamford, CT. Mrs. Hawthorne was tough, patient, caring, and didn’t mind going that extra mile for any of her students education. Whether it was staying afterschool, coming to your house for parent-teacher conferences, or even buying school materials for students that couldn’t afford them. Mrs. Hawthorne, to me, was the definition of a GREAT teacher. 2. I think when I teach my philosophy of education will be more of a behaviorist. Behaviorist puts emphasis on accountability, believes in practice, practices reinenforcement, and having objectives. All of these characteristics are what I think are important in helping a student learning and successed. This is also the philosophy I think most of my past good teachers followed. 3. My â€Å"life-changing† moment that involved my education was when I first met this Bronx native Geoffrey Canada. He came to our 8th grade class to talk to us, Ive never knew of Mr. Canada before that day. His speech was so heart-felt, almost like President Obama speeches. He talked about stereotypes, the importance of studying and practice, never giving up, and never settling for just getting by. Mr. Canada was a social activist, author, educator, and now is CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone. Harlem Children’s Zone is a group of charter schools in Harlem that focuses on combating effects of poverty and improving child/parent education. Mr. Canada has showed me that you can come from anywhere and succeed, but when you succeed you she help others strive to succeed.