Government and Media in Cuba Essay Example for Free

Government and Media in Cuba Essay In between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean lies the island of Cuba. It is a small island with a total land area of 110,860 square km, yet it is so powerful enough to catch the attention of United States and to strengthen its security measures. The country was first ruled by the Spanish government and its history was marked by revolutions and uprising. Finally, in 1902, through the intervention of the US government, Cuba achieved its independence from the Spanish rule. However, the proclamation of independence did not end the uprising and rebellious activities because the country was not freed from leadership of corruption and military-rule. The real independence, as recognized and celebrated by Cubans, was achieved when Fidel Castro took office. Fidel Castro was the leader of rebel army that has been fighting the corrupt government and established a communist form of government. At present, Cuba is under the rule of Castro and the state remains to be a communist government having three branches namely; the chief of state, legislative and judiciary. General Raul Castro currently holds the chief of state which is comprised of Council of State and Council of Ministers (â€Å"The World Factbook†). On the economic aspect, the embargo that has been imposed upon the country has not yet been lifted. Currently, Venezuela is the main partner of the country and the main source of its petroleum needs. The living standard also remained low as a result of the embargo and discontinuance of foreign aids from several countries (â€Å"The World Factbook†). However, it has agricultural, trading, industrial and manufacturing enterprises where it sources out its economic and financial needs. As of July of the present year, the country is occupied by an estimate of 11,451,652 people having different racial descent including Africans, Spanish, Westerns and Asians (â€Å"The World Factbook†). Despite changes that have been introduced in the country, there are still issues that have been bothering the nation and even its citizens. Through its communist form of government, many activities were hardly exercised by the citizens because of government suppression. The most suppressed and monitored activity is the expression of ones thoughts and ideas. The right to express ones self is being curtailed by the government especially when it contains ideas that are against the government. The role of media is to protect the government as it is founded only to voice out words that the government desires to hear. In contrary to the role played by media in many countries, the Cuban media does not serve as the voice and protector of the people from the government but as an ally of the state. The treatment of the media people is also despicable in the eyes of the international community and of the journalists themselves. Hence, this paper will present the relationship of the media and government as well as the role it plays in the country. Concomitant to that is the life of journalists under the communist government of Cuba. Role of Media Media has been recognized as indispensable tool in communication. Mass media, as defined, is â€Å"the technological means of sending information, ideas, opinion, etc. through the mass communication device to a diverse audience† (â€Å"Impact of Media on Culture†). Various means used by mass media in transmitting information effectively and swiftly includes television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and internet. Notably, internet has been the most preferred and ideal means of mass media because of its ability of reaching a wider audience and is laxly monitored. In addition, internet is most preferred because it does not require profession to enable any individual to express his or her ideas. Among other nations, mass media is recognized as the fourth department of the government because of the role it plays in the political and social aspect. The mass media usually fills in the gap between the government and the people. It voices out the sentiments or thoughts of the people to the government while it also brings to the people the sentiments and plans of the government for the country. In some instances, mass media becomes a watchdog against government abuses and activities that are definitely out of reason. Furthermore, mass media has continually become the source of information about things, persons, places, and events, among others. Due to the indispensable role of mass media in the society, it need to be free and not controlled by any person or agency nor can be regulated by the government. Instead, it should be free in order to properly carry out its objective. Apart from that, it should not be controlled to ensure its impartiality and neutral role. Historical Background of Media in Cuba The epoch of mass media in Cuba can be traced back during the Spanish regime. The history also of the country’s press has undergone five periods (Browning). The Colonial period which stated from 1723 to 1868 is recognized as the first period. During that period, the first newspaper entitled Gazeta de la Habana was released in 1782 and become the nation’s publication (Browning). In 1790, the newspaper was followed by the very first magazine entitled Papel Periodico de la Habana (Browning). Both were regulated by the Spanish government but enjoyed less restriction because of the French Revolution affecting the government power of Spain over Cuba. The second period began in 1869 when Independence was first craved for and ended in 1902. The period is also called the Independence Revolution (Browning). During that period, press was given full freedom purposely to win the support of the reformists. Eventually periodicals containing ideas about reform began to evolve which includes El Cubano Libre, Estrella Solitaria, El Mambi, and El Boletin de la Guerra (Browning). Notably, during the second period, more revolutionaries were inspired to fight for their independence through the influence of Jose Marti who writes in several newspapers such as Patria, La Nacion, and New York Sun (Browning). The second period was marked by independent exercise of expression through publications that is direct, immediate and constant (Browning). The third period started when called the Republican period which started from 1902 and ended in 1930. The third period was ruled under the dictatorship of Gerardo Machado (Browning). During his era, freedom of expression was enjoyed by journalists. Newspapers, publications and other dailies thrived in the city of Cuba, Havana. This period was also marked by prosperity because political parties sponsored lots of publications and added to the benefit of the country’s economy. However, the exercise of the freedom was shaken by the plan of Machado to assimilate and provide government subsidies in exchange for support in 1928 (Browning). The following years was marked by economic downturn and political unrest that further led to the end of freedom enjoyed by the Cuban journalists. The fourth period started after Machado was overthrown in 1930 until 1959 (Browning). For 29 years, Batista ruled the nation. During the reign of Batista, the freedom of expression was experiencing threat of extinction. Though, technological innovations in journalism were introduced in the country. Among these includes increased commercial sophistication and steam-powered printing presses (Browning). However, at the latter part of Batista’s reign, the freedom of expression has finally faded because the government took control of the press. The fifth period started when Batista was overthrown by the communist group led by Castro in 1959 and continues at the present era (Browning). Since the beginning of Castro era, the freedom of expression was already curtailed. Eventually, the press and media were finally controlled by the government and journalists were not given freedom to voice out their thoughts against the government. The government’s strict control over media started in 1930. No independent journalists were freed to release publications which have the effect of criticizing the government. During that period, journalists tried to oppose the move of the government but to no avail. Finally, in 1990’s through the introduction of Internet, independent journalists have found new medium to castigate the government’s control of information (Browning). However, the media, private and public, are still under the control of the government. Information dissemination is still suffering strict regulation. Independent journalists also continue to struggle and risk their lives for an independent journalism. It can be observed that since the evolution of media, the government already held control of it. The changes in phases under several governments have made media limited and restricted. Some of the actions that the government had done in curtailing free press and flow of information were censorship and closure of newspapers (Browning). Until now, the freedom of information remains evasive and independence of journalists is still obscure to be enjoyed. Current Status of Media in Cuba In Art. 53 of the 1976 Cuban constitution, freedom of press and expression have been explicitly stated. However, such freedom is subjected to limitations as contained in Art. 62 Art. 5, further, contains that all communication should be controlled by the Communist Party for the benefit of the country (Browning). As an effect, information was regulated and controlled by the government. Journalists were also restrained from publicizing without the knowledge of the state. Apart from that, journalists were arbitrarily imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression. Mass media in Cuba is definitely not free. In the field of print media, the nation maintains three newspapers which are fully regulated by the government. These nation’s newspapers are Granma, Juventud Rebelde and Trabajadores (Browning). Granma is the official publication of the Communist Party which was founded in 1965 (Browning). Juventud Rebelde usually contains the same youth-oriented stories covered in Granma but in simplified and summarized manner. The Trabajadores, on the other hand, is more politically inclined publication as it contains Marxist principles (Browning). Notably, Granma’s circulation has widened in some other parts of the world through the power of internet. The website is called Digital Granma Internacional (Browning). It is also noteworthy that during the recognition of the press, the Union de Periodistas de Cuba (Union of Cuban Journalists) was founded in July 15, 1963 (Browning). It is a nongovernment organization which engages the membership of professional journalists in order to work in distinguished media in the country. However, such organization has already been controlled by the government and its constitution also dictates that editorial line of journalists must follow that of government. On this era of technological innovations, independent journalists found internet as a means of voicing out their cries and redress against the Cuban government. However, the control of the government in curtailing unwanted information has also reached the World Wide Web and several independent journalists have been imprisoned for such exercise of expression. It is noteworthy that 21 journalists have been recorded to have been imprisoned after a closed-door trial (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008†). Among the journalists that suffered the harshness of the state is Yoani Sanchez, 33-year old blogger (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008†). Sanchez, at first, found freedom through her blog called Generation Y which contained observations about hurricane devastation, politically motivated arrest, and food shortages (â€Å"Attacks on the Press in 2008†). Her blog has been read abroad but has also been made known by the government. Thereafter, her passport was confiscated and was not allowed to leave the country. Today, state authorities has started to regulate internet cafes to track down individuals with the purpose of publishing dissent against the government through internet. Another independent journalist that has experienced the government’s cruelty is Victor Rolando Arroyo (â€Å"Cuban Journalist in Second Week of Hunger Strike†). Arroyo, who writes in Union de Periodistas y Escritores de Cuba, was arrested during the fight for independence press in March 2003 (â€Å"Cuban Journalist in Second Week of Hunger Strike†). He caught the world’s attention when he took hunger strike for almost two weeks because of the maltreatment and indecent treatment of prisoners like him.

Leadership and the current leadership approaches

Leadership and the current leadership approaches The literature review will start by a brief definition of leadership and current leadership approach. It also specifies the concept of modern management which will be discussed with directive towards the modern management approach and capabilities. The relationship between the leader and follower will be explained. In additional to that changed nature and perception changed from the modern face of the businesses will be explained. Current leadership, modern management approach and the current practices of businesses in todays market place are defined and the literature will explore how current leadership and modern management are inter-related or overlap; considering the global concept or face of todays businesses. 2.1.1 Leadership: As a Definition In last 60 years, scholars gave 65 different definitions regarding the dimensions of leadership (Fleishman and others., 1991) and also difficult to understand as it depends in which it is classified and perceived. According to Buchanan and Huczynski, (2007), Leadership is symbolized as power, authority and influence. Moreover, the organizations of current business concentrate mainly on the building of team, formation of the networks, and to plan knowledge to achieve a common goal. In the competitive business world leadership seems to be diminishing due to the usage of power and authority when taken in to consideration. In the present trend leader is considered as an individual with the goals and ability to lead the bottom hierarchy to reach the goals of an organization. Another definition given by Northouse (2007) defines leadership as Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. Bass (1990, pp. 11-20) also defined the term leadership as, a process where the leader is at the centre of group change and activity and embodies the will of the group. During the period several scholars gave various theories of leadership and author will explore more about the theory widely accepted and most relevant leadership theories which are adopted by modern business practices. Management and leadership have some common characteristics; leadership has been defined as a process of influence leading to the achievement of desired purposes. Whereas management involves, the efficient and effective maintenance of an organizations current activities, and the implementation of policies (Bush and Glover, 2003), which differentiates it from leadership. The theories of leadership suggest that an effective leader has a great influence on the team and the organizational goals as the behavior of the leader influences the behavior of an individual. Burns (1978) proposed two forms of leadership in particular which compromises transactional and transformational. Transactional leadership focuses on the real motives or goals of the organization, be it political or managerial and concerned about the overall organizational development (Burns., J.M, 1979, pp.11). The transactional leaders and followers exchange of needs and services are to accomplish independence objectives (Ser giovanni, 1991). In transformational leadership, a leader engages with others and creates a connection that surges the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower (Northouse, 2007, p. 176). The transformational leadership theory relates to the intellectual stimulation and charisma of the individual leaders (Bass, 1985). The transformational leaders have the ability to create support for their vision by empowering others to take responsibility and powerfully project it. According to Bennis (1993), transformational leaders penetrate the soul of others and affect their awareness to strive for greater ends. Thus, it is challenging to create a leadership talent pool. Leadership activities can be demarcated, defined or outlined and learning opportunities created. Still certain qualities are specific and needs to be selected into the talent pool and needs development at personal level than professional or technical. There is a growing recognition that there is a need to acknowledge the importance of leadership feature for organizations competitive edge (Gibbons, 1999). It is essential for betterment of the current practices and also for transformation of the organization for the future. This learning is sustained or exists in the organizational processes and systems and not just in individual minds of its members and the leadership that solely relies on the heroic efforts might not be sufficient when changes are required in large systems (James., K, CEML, June 2000). 2.1.3 Current leadership approach According to Perren., L (CEML, 2002), over the recent year there have been seen significant changes in what is required of good leaders. Those organizations will undoubtedly face serious problems in an ever more uncertain future, whose leaders do not respond to these required new ways of working. The Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership (CEML) reveal significant shortages in leadership skills such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Creating a sense of vision in a fast changing environment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Motivating people and leading them through change à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Being innovative in products and services and ways of working. The best practice case studies highlighted the following six elements of inspirational leadership. They genuinely care about their people, involve everybody, show lots of appreciation, ensure work is fun, show real trust and listen a lot (cited in: Perren., L, CEML, 2002). The table 2.1 reflects that the followers desire in the leaders; views of both exceptional leaders and best practice case studies findings (DTI, December 2003). From the viewpoint of leaders From the viewpoint of followers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Strong communication storytelling and listening à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Genuine shared vision à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Passion for learning and intense curiosity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Having fun and very energized à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Real confidence and trust in their teams à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Focus on developing people à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Strong self-belief, coupled with humanity and humility à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Respect for employees and customers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Committed to giving something back and to making a significant difference à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Commitment to developing people à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Clarity of vision and ability to share it with their people à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Dogged determination and often relentless à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Passion for and pride in what they do à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Clear standards of ethics and integrity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Very strong focus on priorities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Not afraid to show some vulnerability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Willingness to take risks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Regular use of reflective periods à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Almost universal dislike of jargon Table 2.1: Most prevalent leadership characteristics: Source: DTI, December (2003) The top six ranked attributes of a leader include; Enabler, Team builder, Social adaptability, Enthusiastic learner, Reflective and Self-belief. The other attributes include; Visionary, Legacy Builder, Single Mindedness, Opportunity Awareness, Enthuse, Developer, Values Champion, Consistent, People Champion, Customer Champion, Self-reliance, Proactive and Knowing what works. Three quarters of followers want their leaders to create and demonstrate trust, vision and respect. Particularly the middle and junior managers are dissatisfied with the remoteness of the top management (DTI, December 2003). To understand the relationship between the leader and follower in an organization, it is must that to understand the word follower. In this research follower refers to those who report to a leader in an organization and follow their viewpoint for achieving the goals for their organization. It is an interesting topic to read and find out how leaders and followers are associated to each other in the leadership process which can be a relationship between superiors and subordinates. Leaders need followers, and followers need leaders (Burns et al, 1978, cited in: Northouse, 2007, pp.3). The whole responsibility and burden is on the shoulder of the leader even though there is a strong relationship between leader and follower. Leader is responsible to motivate the subordinates and achieve the organizations goals. According to Buchko., A.A, (2007) indicates that research suggests that the values of a leader are of significant importance while they are also inherited by the subordinates and t he leaders who exhibit a well built value-based behavior of management which tends to inculcate the similar behaviors in their subordinates. The values refer to the similar design and the belief among the people which bind them together in an organization and the common values inherited in an organization which are named as the core or of the inherent values and how they are exhibited has a unique influence on the execution of the firm is represented in diagram 2.1 (cited in: Buchko., A.A, 2007). Consequently it can be said that the strong leadership qualifications and potential have a great impact on value-based management and the total firm execution. Figure 2.1: The relationship of organization values to performance Performance Market share Products Services Business Processes: Marketing Operations Finance Investment Logistics Service Administration Etc. VALUES People: Behaviors Decisions Creativity Source: Buchko., A.A, (2007), pp. 38 Research suggests that the efficient leaders are those people on the basis of which the followers respond to the leaders who tell them that their work is their first priority. To maintain the followers in motivated path and get them involved in era of change, it is critical that the leaders must create a culture in the organization which stimulates the fun at work apart from execution (DTI, December 2003). One of the research on the soft approach of qualifications of leader (Crosbie, R., 2005) indicated the following 8 unique qualifications of leaders: collaboration/ teamwork; communication skills; initiative; leadership ability; people development/coaching; personal effectiveness/personal mastery; planning and organizing, and; presentation skills Leader must also be able to develop collective self confidence, give voice to all people, and view leadership as learning. The idea of leadership just being about having a vision, aligning and selling it to people is a bankrupt idea (James., K, CEML, June 2000). This is supported by Edge (2007, pp. 039), suggesting that in todays business organizations the work of leading and managing potentially involves multiple leaders including individuals who have not had any formally designated leadership and management positions and does not just include the CEO or leadership teams. 2.2.0 Endeavour to relate management and leadership skills, capability and abilities In this research modern management has to be defined to link between management and leadership attributes. In modern times management and leadership are inter-linked, therefore it is must to have knowledge about management and leadership skills, capability and abilities and both are required in modern managers and leaders. So, it is important to examine and investigate the existing literature on these attributes. 2.2.1 Modern management approach In modern era of management, the directors should have a complete understanding of leadership because it is one of the independent activities important to influence one of the four functions basic managerial functions apart from planning, organizing and controlling. Leadership was considered qualification for a success of organization and along with the rise in technology and the international business, leadership is given more preference. In todays business world manager requires more skills apart from management skills (Certo, 2003). Weekes, S (2007), supported and also suggested to apply the significant changes so that individuals at all the levels have a capability to make decisions and become future leaders. To achieve the organizations success the executive has to understand the difference between managing and leading and also combining them when needed. Weekes recognizes that the combination should show a calculated focus on the process of organization (management) with the tr ue concern for the workers (leadership) (The Edge, 2007, pg. 026). 2.2.2 Defining management skills Decision making is one of the prime factors in management includes capacity to explore and identify opportunities to make use of resources efficiently. The principal elements included in management and leadership practices include managing people, process, structure, strategy and innovation. Critics also argue that managers need to have shift management capabilities from risk averse, hierarchical approach towards the approach that is more people oriented. It is also associated attributes such as inspiring, developing talent and performance management by providing clarity (IES, 2006). Other skills like organizational skills and technical knowledge which are also defined in literature (Tamkin, P., and Denvir, A, 2006) are depicted in table 2.2: Table: 2.2 Skills needed by todays managers Creativity and the management of change: Robert Chia (1996) strongly argues the need for managers to develop entrepreneurial imagination. Innate factors: According to Mabey and Thomson (2000); the most important factors in making an effective manager are experience, personality and inherent ability. Beech (2003) also strongly supports this. Soft skills: Mabey and Thomson (2000) suggest that the skills most needed in this century are the softer skills leadership, team working, people management and customer focus. Generic Skills: According to the Council for Administration management skills are considered as a specific category of generic skills. They support that the management skills are no longer constrained to Managerial occupations. Customer Relations: Chartered Management Institute concluded in the survey that customer relations are rated as the most important determinants for organizational future success by the managers. The need to manage change: According to Winterton et al., (2000) new management development activities are required for need to manage change. Leadership and strategic thinking: According to Kettley Strebler (1997) senior managers need to think strategically, analyze information, solve problems and make decisions. Source: (Tamkin, P., and Denvir, A, 2006) 2.2.3 Management and leadership capabilities The core areas of capabilities development in management and leadership by the modern professionals, who are responsible to both their staff and people who rely on them for services, has been shown in Table 2.3: The author argues that the below mentioned skills and capabilities required in managers cannot be achieved unless a communication channel with followers is developed by a manager. The key skill of communication is to link all these areas and the ability to engage people is the area of critical success regardless of the area of endeavor (CEML, April 2002). Also, there is an increasing complexity in todays businesses and poses multiple challenges which requires both management and leadership skills (ibid). Table 2.3 Capabilities required in managers Leading Strategic Direction: This includes capability to match the external threats and opportunities with internal strengths and weaknesses. Also, includes potential to act as catalyst for strategic decision making, quality and innovation. Managing Client/Customer Relations: This suggests a clear understanding of who the customers or clients are and what they want? About their environment and what will make them happy and satisfied with the services. So, it includes delivering a quality service, relationship building and ability to measure effectiveness and satisfaction. Managing and Leading People: It includes elements such as developing shared values and inspiring shared vision. Supporting and developing teams and individuals and optimizing diversity and talent. It includes the performance management capability of effective delegation such as, setting clear objectives, reviewing achievements, giving feedback and recognition. Making it Happen: It includes operational planning, resource management, project management, operational planning and continuous process improvement. Source: CEML (April, 2002) 2.2.4 Management and Leadership Abilities In competitive world of business managers has to face multiple challenges which require both management and leadership skills. In large organizations, there are many pressures on managers to perform and to be accountable for multiple stakeholders. For efficient running of an organization executive has to motive, inspire and also guide their vision fits with both the interests of other stakeholders and the reality of the changing world. The management competence and leadership abilities previously were limited to needs such as abilities to inspire, motivate and enable people to do things differently to achieve newer levels of performance and customer satisfaction which in turn resulted in lacking of managers and leaders for the modern organization. Figure 2.2 (For detailed figure refer appendix C) depicts the Management and Leadership Abilities Framework, which clearly highlights the crucial combination of people abilities, task abilities and thinking abilities that lead to excellence in management and leadership in an organization (CEML Final Report, 2002). Figure 2.2: Management and Leadership Abilities Framework Source: CEML Final Report (2002), pp. 11 Thinking abilities are represented by thinking strategically. Task abilities include the abilities to manage information, manage resources and manage activities and quality. People abilities include the abilities to manage relationships, manage self, manage and lead people and lead direction and culture (Perren, L. and Burgoyne, 2002). Management and leadership are the key factors for the success of an organization and complement each other (Darling et al., 2007) and can be seen as two overlapping functions. The fundamental differences between management and leadership are: Managers administer; leaders innovate. Managers maintain; leaders develop. Managers control; leaders inspire. Managers are short-term oriented; leaders long-term. Managers ask how and when; leaders ask what and why. Managers typically imitate; leaders originate. Managers accept the status quo; leaders challenge it. Managers do things right; leaders do the right things (Darling., J.R and Nurmi., R.W, 2009, pp. 206). In spite of the fundamental differences as quoted above which reflect on the differences in types of personality; it does not specify which one is better than the other because the two sets of functionalities are necessary for the good execution of an organization. In the order with the expertise in the two paradigms that an individual must develop, learn and consolidate the attributes which were not inherited in basic personality (darling., J.R and Nurmi., R.W, 2009). 2.2.5 Benefits of leadership and management skills in managers A good leadership and the management are the primary basis for delivering services, quality of execution, investment and productivity obtained in the public and private sectors. The principal elements included in management development considers: existence of education and qualification, formal and informal training, job based learning or experience personal factors or motivation and engagement (Tamkin., P and Denvir., A, 2006). A better execution of organization due to the good management would carry out to: Managers with better skills who can be associated with greater innovation, performance, business growth and also higher survival levels of business. Managers with better skills to implement better management practices, i.e. good quality processes, RD activity and people management. This would be associated with better performance. Recognition of higher level of skills by labor markets would lead to better managers receiving higher salaries, being promoted more and less likely to face unemployment (ibid). The executives also show the capacity to adapt to change constantly and to fast mobile environment of businesses and in this manner they carry their people with them by the process of the change. Several benefits include (EFQM, 2003): Clarity of purpose and direction within the organization. A clear identity for, and within the organization. A shared set of values and ethics. Consistent and role model behaviors throughout the organization. A committed, motivated and effective workforce. Confidence in, and within the organization even in turbulent and changing times In the present literature review it is obvious that a true mixture of skills, capability and ability is the need for the hour of the modern directors to be good leaders. So at this stage it will be interesting to study the nature of the modern business. 2.4.0 Comparative quality and performance of UK management The IES (Tamkin et al., 2006) explored the quality of UK management both within UK as well as the non-UK multinationals. The negative aspect was that the UK managers are risk reluctant and unwilling to treat the poor execution or conflict and are overly hierarchical. Positive side they were sensitive and entrepreneurial. It was seen that one-third of managers and half of the juniors managers evaluated the quality of leadership; particularly inspiration as poor in their organizations with development of leadership given a low suitability by employers. Research suggests that employee view about their manager reflects on their attitudes towards work and the fact results of businesses. According to Rucci et al. ,1998; Barber et al. ,19992 ; Purcell et al. 2003; there is a growing importance of managers role in motivating staff (cited in: DTI, 2003). It was noted that UK companies are less strategic and less forwards focused. The established companies always seek for empowering, energetic and people focused managers. On the other hand it is seen that the problem is with the lack of vision and strategic direction in the organizations rather than the possibilities of management in UK and consequently it is question of leadership rather than direct management (Tamkin., P, Mabey., C and Beech., D, April 2006). It has been argued by Darling., J.R and Nurmi., R.W (2009) which until recently it was thought that top level management should only work on the strategies and leadership was considered as part of skills in the middle-managers and the supervisors. They propose that it is now clearer that to successfully delegate and apply the strategy; not only the middle-managers and supervisors but also top management are necessary to explain leadership skills since they discover the strategy and constitute the essence of its existence. Thus, it is accepted, is carried out and well understood that planning and implementing a strategy are not two separate enterprises and they tend to over-lap organizationally (ibid). Survey of followers at various levels of management functioning in the large variety of organizations in UK confirms that the todays labour is sophisticated, informed and diverse than before and so people are still looking for an organizational leadership which is different and better. Research suggests that the organizations did not evolve effectively to satisfy the needs of todays high performance workplace. Existence of an excessive command, control and bureaucracy behaviors in UK organizations which result in inhibition rather than improvement of the organizational performance (DTI, December 2003). With the issues of management and leadership; it is discussed that UK companies are less advanced in context to creating a progressive structure for the development of management and also in linking HR practices to the business strategies. The organizational culture becomes less flexible while companies are becoming more established and developed further. One requires it for them to ev oke their drive and dynamism (Tamkin., P, Mabey., C and Beech., D, April 2006). So, it can be suggested that there is an urgent need to develop the management and leadership skills in the organizations in order to meet the demands of current business environment. 2.4.1 Management and Leadership development (MLD) and its context in an organization An effective and competing business response is to create new business structures (Tamkin et al., 2006) and the essential key with this is to discover how to do; which again places more requirements on managers. Porter and Ketels (2003) proposed that to succeed with the strategies of company towards higher level of innovation, goods and services; change in point of view is must. It is also essential for the managers and leaders to distinguish between the task leadership and the process leadership (Rees., W.D and Porter., C, 2008). They stated that if task is too complicated and the leaders become too much implied with task and neglects leadership process; it can have poor consequence in group performance. In order to achieve this distinctive quality of a leader; the individual needs to gain some experience. Consequently, in an organization the managers cannot begin their careers at senior levels undertaking strategic responsibilities; with the difference of the directors for which th e route is much of clairifiant with the role and the sets by convention definite of responsibilities. But even for managers at the entry point is as specialist and then they progress in their career undertaking managerial responsibilities later (Rees., W.D and Porter., C, 2008). So it is understood that the excellence of an organization depends on the leaders who have the uniformity in their execution and vision. The leaders at various levels in such organizations combine and they motivate and inspired their employees as well in the organization towards the model behavior by excellence, performance and role model behavior (EFQM, 2003). As also indicated by Darling., J.R and Fischer., A.K (1998) that at a multinational firm the management team is mainly enhanced by each individuals interactive style which can together affect the collective achievements and individual accomplishments. The EFQM model as shown in figure 2.5 (cited in: Augustus, E.O et al, 2005), highlights the other crucial aspect of leadership such as; people management, policy and strategy, performance management that includes people, customer and social results (Armstrong, 2006, pp.124) other than a process to achieve results. Fig. 2.5 The premise undermining strategic quality management, TQM and EFQM Excellence Model Source: Augustus, E.O et al, (2005) and EFQM, (2003) Effective leadership management teams are integration of four styles of behavior known as; Relater, Analyzer, Director and Socializer in each individual. Thus, leadership skills and capabilities are essential in every management workforce than just one or few individual who head the company (Darling., J.R and Fischer., A.K, 1998). Although management and leadership are now considered on current basis of similar structures and even to a large level as interchangeable but at same point of time Darling, J.R and Nurmi., R.W, (2009) argue that these two organizational roles are distinguishing responsibilities. They propose that management positions includes responsibilities that come with the particular position in an organization and managers must essentially have managerial competencies such as lawyers, doctors, artists etc. leadership refers to the personal skills and abilities such as vision, communication and influential aspects of their capabilities. Despite these differences; Darli ng., J.R and Nurmi., R.W, (2009) support the fact that combination of these two roles is beneficial and valuable (Collins and Porras, 2002) for the success and development of a firm. On the other hand Svensson., G and Wood., G (2005) argue that even though it is favorable to have effective leadership in management that characterizes higher degree of skillfulness but in minor or major level the coincidence of timely precision at the right place, right time rather than skillful leadership; is responsible for the success of an organization. It was also supported by Rees., W.D and Porter., C, (2008) suggested that the effective leadership and management engage a commitment to set appropriate skills that match with situations. Understanding the requirements of leadership in a particular circumstance can help people adapt to the changing situation, but not necessarily it could be in a significantly different situation where the ability of people to adapt may be restricted. Therefore, they suggest that however some skills can be developed but it is unlikely to develop the skills which are consistent with the basic personalities of people aspiring to be leaders. At the s ame time, the generic qualities which are associated with leadership and also abundant to expect all these qualities in one individual are quite unrealistic. With all these issues the individual must have specific expertise which further adds on to the problem (ibid.). Borgelt., K and Falk., I (2007) suggests that the effective leadership is based on the collective leadership intervention and not on attributes in a single leader to achieve organizational goals. Falk (2003) supports this by stating that the attributes or qualities of an individual leader are necessary but for an effective leadership it is not sufficient. So Borgelt., K and Falk., I (2007) suggest that effective leadership occurs through a more strategic approach towards management and leadership as shown in figure 2.6 that includes four stages namely; trigger stage, initiating stage, developmental stage and lastly management and sustainability stage. Figure 2.6: The design of effective leadership interventions Source: Borgelt., K and Falk., I (2007, pp. 126) Cook, P (2006) argues that, for the management and leadership development (MLD) the employers responsibility becomes increasingly crucial factor and many organizations are now taking responsibility for developing the necessary leadership skill needed in their managers more proactively. Author suggests that to gain a true value of MLD, each organization performance index in harmony with the needs of that firm. According to which the company can analyze various factors such as; what needs improvement? How to evaluate the improvements been made? Therefore, following these principles to enhance or incorporate the MLD; can be a valuable investment for the organization. 2.5.0 Summary In the literature the author has delve into the most relevant leadership theory of 21st century which is flip-flop approach of leadership. The general leadership means of arriving with key leadership skills as noticed by the followers and by different scholars has been deliberated. The essential business leadership and management abilities have been investigated. The passages of modern businesses have been investigated t

Ignorance Is the Lock, Knowledge Is the Master Key Essay -- Law

Throughout childhood to adulthood, one may oftentimes hear the quote â€Å"knowledge is power†. It is a quote usually drilled into the heads of elementary to college-aged kids in order to encourage his or her pursuit of an education. As much as privileged students roll his or her eyes at the utterance of this quote, it is hard to deny the weight of truth in this quote when examining the history of many countries. This is especially true during times of oppressive rule. Freedom of press, information, and lines of communication are usually the main thing to be restricted when there is a hunger for complete control over a group of people. The shadow of ignorance is used to blind the oppressed and keep/hide them in the dark from any potential aid. In 1989, student demonstrations broke out in Beijing, China in Tiananmen Square. Since the 1970s, China was going through economic reforms under Deng Xiaoping, China’s leader. As time went on complaints were being made over inflation, low job opportunities, and suspected corruption in the national party. The Communist governments of Eastern Europe were failing, causing unrest and lost of faith amongst the Chinese citizens. The breaking point was â€Å"the death of reformist CCP general secretary Hu Yaobang† on April 15th of 1989 (Online). Students congregated in the square to mourn Yaobang’s death. According to the Berkshire Encyclopedia of China the government-run press fabricated what truly going on and attempted to taint the image of the protesters: The party mouthpiece, People’s Daily, published an editorial on 26 April accusing a â€Å"handful of plotters† of creating â€Å"turmoil† with the object of overthrowing the regime. The next day, 200,000 students from over forty universities marched to the squ... ...ite the wicked mistreatment of the slave. Despite being unhappy with their situation, the slaves could not effectively rebel because they did not have enough knowledge and information to do so. Knowledge truly is a power that can be used to help you or used against you. It can help you be in control or be controlled. For this reason, freedom of press and speech are constantly being fought for in many civil wars. Without knowledge, a person is subjected to the control of a person with greater knowledge. Works Cited James, C.L.R. The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Overture and the San Domingo Revolution. 2nd ed. Revised. New York: Vintage, 1989. "Tiananmen Square." Berkshire Encyclopedia of China: Modern and Historic Views of the World's Newest and Oldest Global Power. Great Barrington: Berkshire Publishing Group, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 10 May 2012.

Modern Economic Growth Essay -- Economics, Technological Progress

Theoretical model of modern economic growth shows that long-term economic growth and raise the level of per capita income depends on technological progress. This is because of without technological progress and with the increase of capital per capita, marginal returns of capital would diminish and output per capita growth would eventually stagnate (Solow, 1956; Swan, 1956). Studies have shown that â€Å"experience, skills and knowledge in the long-term economic growth is playing an increasingly important role† (World Bank, 1999). Despite how technological progress work on economic growth, and how there are different views on the role of in the end, but I am afraid no one would deny that technical progress in the important role of economic development. In this sense, for a country to achieve long-term economic growth, we must continue to promote technological progress. However, economic growth theory is analyzed in general, and usually under the assumption that in the closed ec onomy, and technological progress in a country not normally have taken place in various departments at the same time, and now the economy are often increasingly open economy. In this way, the technological progress in different economic impact on a country may be quite different. In addition, we assume that technological progress is Hicks neutral, is to an industry in itself, but technological progress also reflects the establishment of new industries and development. The new industries and technology-intensive industries generally older than the high, the use of less labor. Even the old industries, the general trend of technological progress is labor-saving. However, despite the long-term economic growth, technological progress is very important, and even if we... ... technological progress (the actual cost of the actual producer prices drop or increase) caused. (Note: Of course, if technological progress is the price of the product after the fall, FG Theorem is not established, so it does not necessarily affect the distribution of income, such as SS as shown in Theorem. However, a small country in the open cases, product prices given by the international market, so the assumption that commodity prices remain unchanged or valid, FG theorems generally be valid.) Obviously, if technical progress can not be changed after the factor prices, the production of the two departments, the capital / labor ratio would not change, then the imbalance in supply and demand factors will occur. If this imbalance can not be adjusted by the factor market, some elements will be in short supply, while the other elements will be unemployed or idle.

Starstruck :: essays research papers fc

The novel â€Å"Starstruck† is written by Kathy Hopkins, and is 216 pages in length. The publisher is Harper Collins Publishing and the date of publication was not listed in the novel. Cathy Hopkins started writing novels in 1987, and she wrote a number of 16 books that year. In the year 2000 she started to write teen novels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My novel â€Å"Starstruck† is about a girl named Lia, dealing with her hectic everyday life. In this book Lia get’s asked out by Squidge (one of her friends) and she says yes. Finally they are boyfriend and girlfriend. Cat and Becca (other friends) are very happy for their friends and everything is going great. Then everything changes because the town finds out that the will be a host city for a movie being made about teenage life. Savannah, the teenage star of the movie adopts Squidge as her personal runner. Will he be able to keep Savannah happy without breaking his promise to Lia?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lia is a tall slender young woman whom all the boy’s are crazy for. She has long blonde hair, blue eyes, and has the perfect complexion. Lia is honest because â€Å" she had never told a lie in her life, say’s Becca†. She is also very determined because she never gives up and fights for what she believes in. â€Å" I just do think that it is fair that we should have to go to school while the movie is being shoot Mr. Jenks, it is a very exciting event probably the most exciting this city has seen for years.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Savannah is on of the minor characters of this story. She is a beautiful teenage girl who is a super star. There is not much more about Savannah except that she is snobby and thinks that she can get whatever she wants whenever she wants. â€Å"†¦..go get me a drink Squidge, I’m thirsty, and do it now before I fire you!†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Squidge is another one of the minor characters of my novel. He is an aspiring film director who is very confident. He can be shy at times when situations become overwhelming. â€Å" now if everybody does not co-operate this movie won’t be made so Squidge STOP moving the camera and get back to work!†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of the story the setting is at Lia’s house, but as the story progresses the setting changes. For the rest of the story the setting is at the main high school in Cornwall.

Alcoholism 11

Alcoholism Alcoholism is one of the biggest medical problems in the Western world. Alcohol has been around since biblical times. The problem continues to grow every year and has a negative impact on society. Nearly every town and city has restaurants that serve alcohol, and has stores where it can be purchased. For these reasons, the nature of alcoholism needs to be exposed. The problems that arise from this disease need to be shown. The purpose of this paper is to talk about the problem, the cause and effects, and the treatment process. Alcoholism is the habitual or compulsive consumption of alcoholic liquor to excess according to Webster’s New World Dictionary. An alcoholic has no control over drinking and continues to use alcohol even though adverse consequences occur (Hurley 71). Alcohol affects the alcoholic’s family and work, they ignore responsibilities and assignments. In nineteen fifty six alcoholism was recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association. Fishman 28) When the National Council for Education on Alcoholism (now known as the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency) was formed, their first and most prominent principle was, â€Å"Alcoholism is a disease† (Nicolaus 136). The disease has serious consequences on the drinker and society as well. Even though there is much concern about drugs, next to tobacco, alcohol is the most widely used drug in the United States (Hurley 71). Alcohol impaired drivers caused thirty two percent of traffic related fatalities in two thousand eight (â€Å"Alcohol Impaired Driving†). In 1996 nearly thirty six percent of incarcerated criminals were under the influence of alcohol when committing their crime (â€Å"Alcohol and Crime†). Indeed, alcoholism has become a public concern, since it had begun to influence society as well. There are two types of alcoholism, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency. An example of alcohol abuse is random binge drinking. A person is alcohol dependent when that person can’t stop drinking without withdrawal symptoms. â€Å"There is no known cause of alcoholism. † (Van Voorhees) Alcoholism is described as a drug addiction. There are several factors that play in its development. They are divided into two main groups, psychological and social. Psychological factors include anxiety relief, conflict in relationships, depression and low self-esteem. Some examples of social factors are the ease of getting alcohol, peer pressure, social acceptance of alcohol use, and a stressful lifestyle. (Van Voorhees) There are other factors that lead to excessive drinking. â€Å"Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes or how they work is not known. (Van Voorhees) Studies have shown that family history is a factor as well. People whose parents abused alcohol have a higher risk of alcoholism. It is a given that alcoholism leads to physical and mental problems. But how does excessive consumption of alcohol affect the daily life of alcoholics? What are the effects of alcoholism in everyday life? The organ most sensitive to alcohol is the brain. The cerebrum is affected first. It is in control of sensation, perception, speech, and judgment. The cerebellum is the second part of the brain affected. The cerebellum is responsible for coordination and balance. A person under the influence of alcohol will have slurred speech, loss of balance and uncoordinated movements. The excessive alcohol user is usually unable to judge accurately what he or she can or cannot do. Drinking alcohol increases confidence and diminishes abilities. This misplaced confidence often leads people to judge themselves competent to perform tasks that are beyond their abilities. (Fishman 37-41) An alcoholic’s job and family are also affected by alcoholism. In couples it affects communication, which in turn, increases conflict levels. It has also been proven that domestic violence increases in alcoholic families. Alcohol use affects parenting. Family life can become chaotic and have poor quality environment. The children are exposed to the parent’s increased conflict (â€Å"Alcohol and the Family†). An alcoholic’s attendance to work is affected by drinking. They are chronically late and their productivity is decreased. The effects of alcohol in everyday life can be further explained through specific examples. In terms of finances, an alcoholic would be irresponsible. The bills would not be paid on time, prompting the collection agencies to take action. An alcoholic would not be stable enough to manage his or her own money; thus, incapacity for money management is an effect of alcoholism in everyday life. In terms of employment or schooling, an alcoholic is most likely to be tardy. However, the person can altogether skip school or work to drink. Even socializing with friends is affected by alcoholism. An alcoholic usually does not like it when other people offer their opinion about his or her drinking habits. He or she is irritated by comments and critiques of their drinking. As a result, the alcoholic would soon drink in secrecy. Another effect of alcoholism in everyday life is the lapses in memory and interest. Due to the aforementioned effect on the brain, it follows that even memory is not spared from the dangers of alcohol. Alcoholics usually suffer from â€Å"blackouts† (Fishman 40). These are instances when they could not remember appointments and the like. Moreover, the activities that the person used to enjoy would cease to be enjoyable, due to the effect of alcoholism (Fishman 42). These are some of the examples of how alcoholism affects everyday life. Alcoholism is a treatable disease. There are treatments available for this condition, and several medications have made it possible for alcoholics to fully recover. In the treatment of alcoholism, there are several steps to take into account: intervention, detoxification and rehabilitation (Fishman 60). The first step is intervention. It takes someone else to point out the problem for them to realize that they need to get help. The most familiar approach in intervention is the confrontation between alcoholics and the concerned party. It was only recently when studies have shown that intervention would be more effective if it was done with â€Å"compassion and empathy† (Medline). The next step is detoxification. The objective of this step is to stop the drinking of alcoholic beverages. This phase in the treatment is tough for the alcoholic, as the intake of alcohol will suddenly be stopped. That is why detoxification usually takes place in an inpatient set-up, in which the environment is â€Å"controlled and supervised† (Van Voorhees). During the process, every medication is cautiously measured to hinder withdrawal from taking place. The moment the symptoms of withdrawal are absent, the giving of medications would be gradually stopped. The duration of detoxification usually lasts from four to seven days. These days, there is a kind of detoxification that is in the outpatient set-up, but still under the guidance of a physician. While in detoxification treatment, it is important that the patient has a balanced diet, as well as vitamin supplements. This is because there are complications that happen with alcohol withdrawal, and the patient must be as healthy as possible (Fishman 83-84). If the detoxification process stops people from consuming alcohol, the rehabilitation process guides people to fully recover by staying away from alcohol (Van Voorhees). This fourth step in the treatment is more comprehensive, as it prepares the patient for complete recovery in the long run. Not only does rehabilitation stop people from drinking, it allows them to create a network of support to encourage their continuous road to recovery. Rehabilitation programs usually involve â€Å"counseling, psychological support, therapy, education and skills training† (Fishman 85-88). There are two kinds of rehabilitation programs: the short-term and the long-term programs (Fishman 89). The former requires less than a month, while the latter could range from a month to a year or longer. There is also the outpatient counseling option, which is suitable for those who have just finished an inpatient treatment. Aside from this, there are the support groups dedicated to the endeavor of recovery of alcoholics. Examples of which include SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety, and Alcoholics Anonymous (Van Voorhees). There are three recognized medications in treating alcoholism. The first one is Disulfiram. The medicine works by disrupting the metabolism of alcohol, causing a metabolite that would make the person sick if he drinks even a small amount of alcohol about two weeks after taking the medicine. The second drug is Acamprosate. It is believed that this drug helps people to abstain from alcohol; it also decreases the symptoms that come with abstinence (â€Å"Alcoholism†). The third drug is Naltrexone, which works on the brain to decrease alcohol cravings (Barbour 145-146). It is crucial that people are made aware of the causes, effects and treatments of alcoholism. This awareness would help prevent the problem of alcoholism. People should be reminded that alcoholism is not just the problem of an individual but also of society. Works Cited Alcohol and the Family. Aug 2004. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Web. 15 Dec 2009. . Barbour, Scott. Alcohol. San Diego: Greenhaven Pr, 1998. 145-146. Print. Fishman, Ross. Alcohol and alcoholism. New York, NY: Chelsea House Pub, 1986. Print Hurley, Jennifer. Addiction. San Diego: Greenhaven Pr, 2000. Print. â€Å"MayoClinic. com. † Alcoholism. 08 May 2008. Mayo foundation for Medical Education and Research. Web. 15 Dec 2009 . National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Alcohol-Impaired Driving. , 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. Neufeldt, Victoria, and David Guralnik. Webster. 3rd college. New York, NY: Webster, 1989. Print. Nicolaus, Martin. Empowering Your Sober Self. 1st. San Francisco, CA: Jossy-Bass, 2009. Print. United States Department of Justice. Alcohol and Crime. , 2008. Web. 28 Nov 2009. Van Voorhees, Benjamin. â€Å"MedlinePlus. † Alcoholism. 15 Jan 2009. Web. 15 Dec 2009. .

Effectiveness Of Leadership At Mcdonalds Management Essay Essay

I had the opportunity of working at a McDonald’s chain of restaurants after completion of my undergraduate studies. I was able to observe the role played by members of a team, their team work and leadership of the Manager of the restaurant. I would like to analyse the leadership styles practiced, evaluate the effectiveness of leadership at McDonald’s restaurant and make recommendations indicating how leadership and team work can go hand in hand to improve the performance of the organisation. The first McDonald’s opened its doors to customers in the UK in 1974. Currently, over 2. 5 million people in the UK place their trust in McDonald, expecting that the multinational would provide them with food of a high standard, quick service and value for money. Models and theories that will be discussed in the later portions of this essay are Adair’s Leadership Model and Maslow’s theory of hierarchy which will be applied to McDonald’s. Leadership styles such as autocratic, democratic and persuasive are also discussed to find out which of the three is the ideal model for McDonald’s. A team is a collection of individuals who are interdependent in their tasks, who share responsibility for outcomes, who see themselves and who are seen by others as an intact social entity embedded in one or more larger social systems (for example, business unit or the corporation), and who manage their relationships across organisational boundaries (Susan Cohen and Diane Bailey, 1997). A team is defined as a small number of people, with a set of performance goals, who have a commitment to a common purpose and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Katzenbach & Smith 1993). There are several factors that influence the success of a team. Team members must have the required skills and attitudes and must create an ambience in which everyone can work with devotion. There should be transparency within the team which is possible if there is effective system of communication between all members. All members of the team must have set responsibilities and must be aware of what is expected from them. In this way all members of the team will be accountable. All members must have harmonising skills and must coordinate among themselves to eliminate any uncertainties or reservations. Members of a team must genuinely appreciate the efforts of fellow members. An effective leader is one who does the right things. Leaders can effectively develop and lead teams if they have the ability to create and communicate a vision what the organization should be. They should have the ability to communicate with and gain the support of all team members. They should have the perseverance to head in the desired direction under bad conditions and create the suitable culture to obtain the needed results. Levine, R. (2000) is of the opinion that leaders need to focus on moving people and organisations forward by increasing the competency of staff and the co-operation of teams in order to improve the organisation. Leadership is related to motivation, interpersonal behaviour and the process of communication. Leadership is important in attempting to reduce employee dissatisfaction (Crow M. 995). The responsibilities of the Restaurant Manager or the team leader at McDonald’s are to set targets, plan budgets, maintain and control stock, recruit, train and motivate a team, create and drive marketing campaigns and build and foster customer relations. Leaders ate McDonald’s restaurants do not lay down any fixed rules on how quickly individuals of a team can progress. Opportunities are given to team members to become managers if they perform well. For this to happen, the crew member must contribute to the success of the team. The management style adopted by team leaders at McDonald’s is to create outlets which are fun places to work. This is called â€Å"team-building†. Leaders at McDonald’s foster accountability and understand the social responsibility culture and incorporate these activities into their businesses. In fact the team leaders have all the characteristics that were used by Stogdill (1950) to define leadership. The characteristic include: traits, behaviour, influence, interaction patterns, role relationships and occupation of an administrative position; articulating visions (e. g.  Bill Gates), embodying values and creating environment for the things that can be accomplished; entities that perform one or more acts of leading; the ability to affect human behaviour so as to accomplish a mission and Influencing a group of people to move towards its goal setting or goal achievement. (Stogdill, 1950) The McDonalds Model is that of Adair’s Model which is called action-centred leadership. This is a constructive model according to which the leader inspires others by their own enthusiasm, commitment and the ability to communicate enthusiasm to people (Adair, 1993). Teams were developed by team leaders so that a common task could be accomplished. Adair (1993) identifies three different approaches to leadership which can be called leadership functions (1) accomplishing the task, (2) maintaining the team and (3) meeting the individual needs of the team members. Adair believes that leaders are not born but emerge from situations. The leader who emerges can adopt any ‘style of leadership’ that warrants the situation. According to Adair a leader is one who has certain innate characteristics which are required to perform his/her role. A leader according to him must have personality and character. Adair quotes Harold Macmillian, â€Å"that a man who trusts nobody is apt to be the kind of man that nobody trusts†. His leader must have integrity, a wholeness and a moral sense. According to Adair, the three functions of meeting the demands of the task, maintaining the team and meeting the needs of individual team members must be kept in balance and none of them should be neglected. The team leader areas of responsibility must include qualities and competencies such as (a) to behave with the highest level of authenticity and integrity by building a trusting relationship with all team members; (b) to be committed fully to the development of the team; (c) to be open and communicate, but must practice good listening skills; (d) be willing to share perceptions, assumptions and views openly with team members; and (e) to allow team members to work independently but in a self-organised manner. Team leaders must take time required to do the work and support team’s efforts and also reflect on its actions. They must maintain and practice accountability and at the same time have a good working relationship with the team members. They should always be ready to monitor and evaluate how the team functions. They should clearly state the purpose of work without being ambiguous or complex. They must try to experiment and share experiences without blame. They should also provide coaching and mentoring support to the team (Barry Stevenson, 2004). The organizational structure of McDonald’s Corporation is centralised but that of its retail outlets is different. In McDonald’s outlets the employees work as a team to ensure that customers’ requirements are taken care of in a short period of time. Besides the manager the rest are all attendants who take orders and deliver as fast as they can. There is division of labour among members of the organisation, and the co-ordination of their activities are directed towards the goals and objectives of the organisation. Structure is the pattern of relationships among positions in the organisation and among members of the organisation. Structure makes possible the application of the process of management and creates a framework of order and command through which the activities of the organisation can be planned, organised, directed and controlled. Structure defines tasks and responsibilities, work roles and relationships, and channels of communication (Mullins and Laurie. J, 2008). At McDonald’s the span of control of the manager is narrow. The span of control refers to the number of subordinates working under the supervisor. So if there are five subordinates working under the supervisor or manager, the span of control is five. If the span of control is narrow there are certain advantages (Jenkins and Tessa, 2000). One of the merits is that there is tight control over subordinates and the manager is able to closely supervise the daily operations resulting in better co-ordination. Managers have time to think and plan and they are not burdened with too many problems. A narrow span of control reduces delegation and managers are able to do more work. On the contrary, a flat organisation implies a wide span of control. Theorists are of the opinion that tall organisation structures are inefficient, despite the advantage of a narrow span of control (Robbins, Stephen P, 2007). One can learn to use leadership approaches to develop high-performing teams and individuals at McDonalds. Team leaders were aware of the importance of team building and used suitable tools and techniques to help teams reach their full potential. McDonalds Crew Members are responsible for customer service, food preparation and cleanliness and hygiene. Crew members will be asked to work in any of these areas depending on the individual’s preferences. I worked as a Customer Service Crew member and my job entailed taking orders and delivering meals to customers at the counter. I learnt to be courteous and polite as I was responsible for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. The responsibility of the Food Preparation Crew Members was to prepare and cook McDonald’s menu. The teams are self managed and all team or crew member works with team spirit. There is a sense of respect for each other. However it can be said that most crew members do not understand the organisation strategy as they do not have access to this information. The communication between crew members is informal which enables every individual to maintain good harmony within retail outlets. The crew members at McDonald’s are committed because their needs are met by the team leadership. The leadership has developed an ideal and committed team which can be easily motivated. A committed and motivated team is always successful. Larson and LaFasto (1989) studied to understand the characteristics of successful teams and found that all the highly effective teams always had the characteristics such as a clear, elevating goal, a result-driven structure, competent team members, unified commitment, a collaborative climate, standards of excellence external support and recognition as well as principled leadership (Larson and LaFasto, 1989). From this finding it is evident that effective teamwork has a strong relationship with motivation. According to Maslow’s theory the hierarchy of human needs are classified into five levels. This theory advocates that the higher level needs of an individual will become motivating factors only when the lower level ones are satisfied. The five levels starting from the lowest hierarchy to the highest level, are: Physiological – At McDonald’s the motivating factors of the crew members are salary, over time, daily lunch/meal and transportation facilities. Safety – The next important factor is safety which includes elements such as job security, medical insurance and sick leave. Social – There is very good interaction among crew members and customers. This has resulted in excellent teamwork. Self-esteem – Crew members are motivated as the team leader/manager has full confidence in their abilities. They have reputation because of the McDonald’s brand equity. They are recognised and appreciated by fellow colleagues, subordinates, and supervisors. Self-actualization – The crew member reach their full potential when all his needs are taken care off (Maslow, 1987). The disadvantage that I observed was that subordinates are unable to make any decision. They have to always obey and listen to the orders of the manager. However the crew members (team members) had flexible schedules. There were team members from various parts of the world working together. They had different backgrounds and different interests and all worked together to make an ideal work force. In fact there was diversity. I would like to now give a detailed account of my observations on leadership styles and its impact on teamwork in McDonald’s restaurants. The leadership style practised in McDonald’s restaurants is autocratic and therefore crew members are not involved in any decision making. It is also a fact that suggestions from crew members are not welcomed as most of them are new. Crew members are young and work in these restaurants during summer vacations and therefore cannot offer ideas to the leader. Crew members are young and therefore motivated if they are paid wages on time and given extra benefits such as lunch and transportation. This motivates the crew to work in spite of the autocratic leadership. Autocratic style of leadership doesn’t fulfil the self esteem requirements reflected in Maslow’s hierarchy. However at McDonald’s crew members get self respect and also respect each other. McDonald’s will not adopt another style of leadership as the management fears that a persuasive or democratic style will not deliver the goods, viz. , delivering quality food on time to its customers. I would like to compare persuasive and democratic styles of leadership with that of autocratic leadership before arriving at a conclusion: which one of the three styles will ideally suit McDonald’s and at the same time have an impact on team work. Persuasion is one of the requisites of all leaders by which act they can move people toward a new situation. Persuasion does not include rational arguments. A leader can use persuasion as a tactic to gain the support of diverse groups of people using basic human emotions. It is normal that persuasive strategies may provoke team members and some of them may oppose ideas or suggestions. The democratic leadership style or participative style encourages employees to be a part of the decision making allowing more participation of teams in the decision making process.