Changes and Continuity in Western Europe

During the period of 1492 to 1750, Europe experienced drastic changes during their Age of Discovery. As a result of contact and colonization, Western Europe’s economy, political, social, and military systems changed, but also maintained certain aspects that enabled them to build strong civilizations. Such changes include increased (international) trade routes, more centralized governments such as monarchies, decreased unifying influence of the Catholic Church, and increased interest in military conquest and expansion. In terms of the economy, industrialization and manufacturing drove the economy forward, catalyzing change and developments that would contribute to the economy. Advancements in metallurgy produced an increased demand for skilled blacksmiths and detailed metal work. State sponsored trading companies and colonial ventures were investments that had a lasting influence. The ventures were mainly directed at the Americas, which were rich sources of gold, silver, sugar, and other desired goods. This new international trade opened infinite possibilities for the economy to grow and expand. These ventures also brought American crops back to Europe, such as potatoes, which increased specialized agriculture. However, through these increased changes within the economic system, many aspects remained behind. Most notably was in agriculture, where farmers continued relying on the methods and techniques of the Middle Ages, such as the three-field system. Although there were innovations during the 18th century, they were not enough to noticeably improve the productivity, and many old crops were grown along with new crops, which resulted in a lower production of the old crops. Politically, important changes, mainly the Glorious Revolution, impacted Europe in such a way that there is a lasting impression to this day. The decline in feudal balance resulted in more centralized government states, therefore leading to absolute and parliamentary monarchies. When France, England, and the Netherlands gained power through international trade, Spain lost its dominance while slowly falling behind the new major powers of Western Europe. Parts of the European political systems that remained untouched included the feudal political forms that remained strong, even with introduction of monarchies. Since European states thirsted for expansion of their states, military remained a top priority in funding; therefore, the strong feudal forms remained, although with shifted balance. Furthermore, ordinary people were not highly affected by the political changes, because politics did not concern them; all they had to worry about was paying their taxes as usual, and the general economic life was not altered. In terms of the social system and structure, a main change that altered the social structure was commercialization, which created a new social class, the proletariats, who suffered from poverty. Other notable social changes include the emergence of a European-style family, which emphasized the nuclear family structure, and intensified links between family and individual property, and the decline of influence of the Catholic Church, which cause a separation of peoples’ religious and daily lives. However, women maintained their low statuses as inferiors to men, and have fewer alternatives when Protestants abolished convents. In addition, although the Catholic Church lost its influence, the elite remained powerful and limited cultural movements, mirroring that of the Dark Ages but to a lesser extent because of the Enlightenment. Militarily, the main advancements were evident in the navy, and skills in building stronger, bigger ships capable of sailing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The increased interest in military conquest supported state-sponsored expeditions and ventures. France formed a professional military, and Italy became more militarized, with majority of Western European states improving their navies. Similar to their ancestors, the European states used their dominating armies and navies to expand their boundaries and conquer neighbouring lands. The coastal states gained more territory as a result of having superior naval forces, notably Britain. Throughout the period of 15th to 18th centuries, the changes that occurred, heavily influenced the development of the states into independent, dominating forces with Western Europeans gaining their own unique identity. Although there were more changes than continuities, the aspects that did last through this period aided in the development of others, such as how the feudal political forms aided the emerging monarchies in becoming stronger, lasting till modern day. Europe’s Age of Discovery was a time for drastic and rapid changes, changes for the best, and not necessarily for the worst. Guns, Germs, and Steel. Dir. Jerad Diamond. National Geographic, 2005. DVD. Hoffman, Philip T. â€Å"Prices, the Military Revolution, and Western Europe's Comparative Advantage in Violence. † Economic History Review, Feb2011 Supplement. Vol. 64. 2011. 39. Print. â€Å"Outline. † World Civilizations, AP Edition. Pearson Education, 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. . â€Å"Transformation of the West. † World Civilizations. Pearson Education, 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. .

What Everybody Is Saying About Work Essay Samples Work Ethic Is Wrong and Why

What Everybody Is Saying About Work Essay Samples Work Ethic Is Wrong and Why The Battle Over Work Essay Samples Work Ethic and How to Win It On the opposite side, obtaining a list of good persuasive essay topics is insufficient. Observe that the objective of a persuasive speech is like the purpose for writing an argumentative or persuasive essay. The simplest way to find out the sort of an essay is to realize the writer's point of view. The main portion of a quick essay is known as the body. First and foremost it's essential to be certain that you comprehend the essay question fully and your essay answers each part of the question adequately. It will be simpler that you compose a great persuasive essay if it's a subject in which you have knowledge. Qualities of a great persuasive essay topic The topic needs to be specific. Most academic essay topics usually ask you to select a side in an argument or maybe to defend a specific side against criticism. Usual attitudes appear in nearly every part of the work environments. To begin with, it proves that you care about your work and you have sufficient respect for your employer to appear punctually. The workers who possess very good work ethic should be provided high position and promotion on the job. If you wish to demonstrate a superior work ethic, you're want to give examples. Public high schools have their very own fair share of issues and in the event the student isn't careful, they could wind up in a huge mess. Students have to compose essays based on the teacher's instructions or their preferred style in writing. While trying to understand how to write a persuasive essay step by step, they forget about another critical activity. High school students need to compose essays on a number of topics which at first may appear to have nothing in common. Choosing Good Work Essay Samples Work Ethic When picking a high school essay format, step one is to recognize the kind of essay you want to write. There's no ideal solution on how best to compose an effective essay. For instance, the price of a persuasive essay will differ from a proposal essay. Sample persuasive essays can also offer inspiration on topics to write on in addition to serve as examples about how to compose your essay. Before writing any form of academic paper, it is very important to choose the subject, and the persuasive essay really isn't the exception. It's possible for you to discover narrative essay examples wherever you locate a very good story. Make certain to read your essay and make certain it is logical. In this manner, you are going to be in a position to know for sure what your essay is all about before devising your thesis. Weave in your perspective to turn your essay unique. Of all Of the forms of essay, writing a brief essay may appear to be the easiest. The Key to Successful Work Essay Samples Work Ethic Though, after not performing up to my ability for three decades, my GPA is not able to demonstrate the change that I've undergone since the beginning of the year. The other significant factor in work is character whereby one, is predicted to maintain honesty, self-discipline and prepared to do the work. Such last-minute searching never becomes futile, which causes unfinished essay assignments and ends in a poor grade. Selecting an excellent topic for your essay is among the most significant and frequently tricky parts for many students. You can readily find essay writing services which could write for you a t cheap prices. Personal essays can at times consist of personal information which you would not like to share. Essay writing is normally practiced is schools. Writing a persuasive essay can be complicated because you're not merely presenting the research materials you have gathered but you're trying to influence your readers. It has been around for quite a long time. Reviewing some narrative essay examples will be able to help you to organize your information and help you decide how to compose each paragraph to acquire the best outcomes. Most Noticeable Work Essay Samples Work Ethic You must find the most suitable resources for your essay along with patience when finding the most suitable inspiration to write. Should you need more assistance with editing and revising, there are two or three free tools readily available online. The whole use of the interview is for the manager to determine if you're the very best fit for the job. The major element which creates a persuasive essay in English stand out from the remainder of assignments is the use of reasoning.

Apple And Its Impact On The Company - 1448 Words

Apple Apple has in recent times become a corporation that many businesses look up to due to their large amounts of success. Over time they have amassed one of the largest fortunes that any businesses have ever seen. In fact they have more funds in their account than some countries do. Having about 159 Billion dollars in cash reserves is no small feat but it wasn’t like this from the beginning (Ro). Apple had to work their way up just like any other corporation. The Apple we know today has been very successful at what they do. Apple is a multinational corporation that creates, designs large amounts of software and online services. They are best known however for their consumer products such as iPhones, iPads and MacBook’s. Their devices run their own custom made Operating systems. The aforementioned devices such as iPhones and iPads run iOS and the Laptops run a software called OSX both of which come with various suites of software such as iTunes and iWork. The company was initially founded by 3 individuals who loved technology. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne worked together to create the Apple 1 and showcased it in 1976. The Apple 1 was the first computer that could display text without many of the bulky attachments that the competition needed. A product that is still in use today launched in 1984 and that is the Macintosh or Mac. Some would attribute that this was the begging of Apple’s success. The Macintosh was the first computer with a GUI or Graphical userShow MoreRelatedSwot Analysis : Apple As A Company And Their Products1085 Words   |  5 Pageswill analysis Apple as a company and their products. Apple is among the fastest growing company that has made itself a recognizable consumer name for electronics and gadgets. Investors have always looked forward for investing in Apple due to its strong revenue and high return on investment. Started operating as a traditional computer company, it has continuously come up with new ideas and products. Using the PESTEL analysis identifies the most significant external factors that Apple must include inRead MoreChallenges Of The Business Environment Essay1373 Words   |  6 PagesChallenges in the Business Environment As many know, Apple Inc. is a company, which is located in California, its headquarters, and is a multinational technology company. Apple Inc. designs, sells, and develops computer software, online services, and consumer electronics. Not embracing advancements in technology, unethical business practices and competition are all parts of challenges in the business environment (Lawrence Weber, 2014). Apple’s supplier code of conduct is about making sure thatRead MoreApple Internal and External Factors1681 Words   |  7 PagesExternal and Internal Factors of Apple, Inc. ï ¿ ½ ï ¿ ½ External and Internal Factors of Apple, Inc. A successful company requires a firm foundation. Businesses or corporations need to have a strategy in place to help management in the event there is a problem; they have a solution already planned out. They know how to handle any issues that may arise within the company. Apple Corporation, Inc. is a wonderful example of a company that is built on a firm foundation. When a company is up-to-date on their policiesRead MoreThe Effects Of Carbon Emission On Climate Change1546 Words   |  7 Pagesof green house gases are a result of humans burning fossil fuels from nonrenewable energy, cars, and electricity (LaMeaux, 2014). The effects of carbon emission on climate change are having devastating and many irreversible impacts on the environment. The environmental impacts include, but are not limited to the atmosphere’s temperature increasing, which is causing ice bergs to melt, which is ultimately increasing the average sea level, to the depletion of the ozone layer (P. Nema, S. Nema, RoyRead MoreThe Success Of Apple Inc.1597 Words   |  7 Pageslast decade, Apple Inc. has become one of the utmost successful and wealthiest companies in the world. With the aid of other companies in the field of technology, Apple has achieved strides in the area of innovation that is nearly unparalleled in this modern age. How has the success of this once computer company turned into a multinational technology company, effected its workers, customers, and the social-economy that we live in? Slowly, Apple Inc. has become one of the largest companies in the worldRead MoreWeek Three Individual Paper: Organizational Impact Paper705 Words   |  3 PagesORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT PAPER Week Three Individual Paper: Organizational Impact Paper Name University of Phoenix OI 361: Innovation, Design, and Creativity for a Competitive Advantage Instructor: Date Week Three Individual Paper: Organizational Impact Paper Innovation is what gives businesses the competitive advantage the company will need to be profitable in the market. Innovation impacts the strategy, process, products and services that a company has toRead MoreBenefits Of Moving Production Overseas1507 Words   |  7 Pagesdeveloping countries. At the outset the advantages of moving production overseas may seem obvious, multinational companies can capitalize on the competitive advantage these countries offer in the form of inexpensive labor. However, this cost reduction can come at a high cost as different cultures may not place a high value on the safety and wellbeing of their employees as companies due in developed countries, such as the United States. Responsibility of Supply Chain It is imperative for today’sRead MoreCorporate Ethical And Social Responsibility996 Words   |  4 PagesCorporate Ethical and Social Responsibility – Apple Company Apple Company is one of the largest manufacturers of computers and electronics. â€Å"Apple Company was founded on April 1, 1976, by college dropouts Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who brought forth a new company vision of changing the way people, viewed computers† (Library of Congress, 2008). The ethical and social responsibility of Apple Company should have started with its inception; however, it did not. It was not until years later with theRead MoreApple s Organizational Structure And Culture1302 Words   |  6 PagesOrganizational Structure A companies’ organizational structure dictates how to report priorities and strategies of upper management, and it directly impacts the success or failure of said company. In case of Apple, where are no committees and employees can easily share their opinion and ideas, we believe that the company is a collaborative company. To achieve the company goals, Apple collaborative structure designs to bring the teams together in a long-term relationship. Apple work environment supportsRead MoreApple : A Competitive Market1622 Words   |  7 Pagesthat help determine what companies succeed and fail. Over time different companies grow and develop competitive relationships that encourage refining of their companies in order to stay relevant in a competitive market. Apple is a prime example of a company that is in a competitive market has had many innovations since its creation to help it stand out from other companies in the computer technology industry. Apple is one of the leading computer manufacturing companies and has been known for innovations

Historical Context of Barn Burning Essay - 672 Words

William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† takes a lot of real life cultural values and ways of southern life in the late 1800s. Many of those values and ways are expressed by sharecropping and tenant farming. Sharecropping and tenant farming began during the end of the Civil war all through the great depression. Sharecropping is an agreement between a tenant and a landlord in which a tenant farmer is allowed to work and live on a piece of land for free, but in exchange for living there for free, they give the landlord a share of the crop they grow. Sharecropping was mainly big in the southern states where slavery was once legal. The pay for being a tenant farmer was very low and the living itself was not very desirable. In Faulkner’s†¦show more content†¦These types of arrangements were quite common at this time between sharecroppers and their landlords. The sharecroppers had little to no money, so the landlords would charge them for items, or take an extra percentage of their crops. The setting of this story is very important because it gives you a sense of what life was like back during the late 1800s. â€Å"Barn Burning† takes place in the south after the civil war. After the civil war, the south was in the period of reconstruction. A lot of the south was destroyed from the war, and it affected everyone in the south from their economy, to their personal lives. Many people lived impoverished like the Snopes family. Abner Snopes holds a lot of resentment because he couldn’t be successful in his life. Instead of changing his life and working hard, he resents everything and everyone around him. This attitude eventually leads to his downfall. William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† takes a lot of real life situations and puts them into fiction. He is able to put the life around him in to stories of fiction. Works Cited Channel , History . Sharecropping amp; Forty Acres and a Mule — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. History.com — History Made Every Day — American amp; World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2013. lt;http://www.history.com/topics/sharecroppinggt;. Gardener , Ron . New Georgia Encyclopedia: Sharecropping.Show MoreRelatedThe Truth Is Often A Great Lie1829 Words   |  8 PagesDoctorow tells a story that blurs fact and fiction masterfully, often suspending the readers’ ability to discern historical narrative and fictionalized tales. Ragtime follows the lives of two fictional families in the Progressive Era; their roles in the novel develop in relation to their frequent interactions with real historical figures, in addition to their attendance at historical events. Doctorow uses fictional characters as in order to provide a comprehensive commentary on the social and economicRead MoreSummary Of The Prologue Essay2169 Words   |  9 Pagesthat her children gained education. During the 1850’s, the historical context was that slavery was the main issue that occurred within the United States. In which, there were states that supported slavery and there were states that opposed slavery. Which created problems amongst t he people living in those states to come up with a compromise. Linda was a young girl, born a slave in North Carolina. During this time the historical context was that slaves were nothing but property to the plantationRead MoreSymbolic Meaning of the Land in Gone with the Wind6993 Words   |  28 PagesSymbolic Meaning on the Land in Gone with the Wind Abstract: The study of Gone with the Wind has mainly concerned with such aspects as the historical background of the American Civil War, the relationship between slave owners and slaves, Scarletts remarkable personality, and the conflicts between north and south cultures. Many more people read it as a love story. This thesis aims at analyzing the symbolic meaning of the land in this masterpiece to interpret this novel better. With applicationRead MoreEssay on Dramatic Tension in The Crucible4287 Words   |  18 Pagesmay be seen as a melodrama and the events in the play, sensationalised. It is not a melodrama because it is not overly dramatic; the McCarthy hearings and the witch hunts inject realism in the play. The play deals with historical events and with characters that have a historical context. Through the use of dialogue, stage directions which enable us to envisage the scene on stage and characterisation we can see how dramatic tension is created by Miller. These aspects are to be explored for each actRead Moreevery day use3221 Words   |  13 PagesThe figurine is symbolic of Laura’s own sense of hope and her own fragility. 7) Read between the lines. Often what a character does not say is as important as what he or she does say. Think of Abner Snopes in William Faulkner’s short story â€Å"Barn Burning.† When the court finds Snopes guilty of ruining his boss’ rug, prior knowledge of Abner’s character tells us that his silence upon hearing the verdict actually speaks volumes. We know he will react later...and violently. 8) Is the characterRead MoreSimplifying the Kosovo Conflict through Media Correspondents Essay example6476 Words   |  26 Pages000 Serbians were removed from the land of Kosovo. Then as recently as the late 20th century, Serbians were forced to leave their homes in Kosovo because of their ethnicity. â€Å"More than 160,000 Serbians were forced to flee Kosovo in the 1980s as barn burning, death threats and the raping of Serbian girls became pandemic. Serbian churches and cemeteries continue to be desecrated† (Dorich B5). It is quite obvious that the newspapers chose to only portray the Kosovo crisis as a one-sided war withoutRead MoreIndian English Novel17483 Words   |  70 PagesEnglish novel, a journey which began long back has witnessed a lot of alteration to gain today`s chick contour. More On Indian English Novels (Last Updated on : 9/11/2009) The Indian literary scenario, beginning in the Vedic Ages, times even prior to historical preservation, have been endowed with the best and prime literary geniuses, be it in the oral or the written tradition. During the Vedic Period, as is however acknowledged from Indian ancient history, Hinduism was in its most elevated and supremeRead MoreMandinka Empire21578 Words   |  87 Pagesmade contributions as well. Perhaps the greatest defect is that Pollitzer does not take into account the absence of a Gambian or Pakao Mandinka informant in Turner’s listed group of African informants (more on this below), even though Pollitzer’s historical data suggest that Mandinka slaves were often a first or second priority for slave buyers in Charleston and Georgia. A Mandinka would surely have found more Mandinka words in Turner’s Africanisms, as I show below. Turner was also hampered by theRead MoreDesigning a Customer Driven Statergy23698 Words   |  95 Pagespeople with whom consumers might want to identify, from pro surfer Laird Hamilton and television personality Ellen DeGeneres to screen stars Robert DeNiro and Kate Winslet. Pottery Barn, with its different store formats, sells more than just home furnishings. It sells all that its customers aspire to be. Pottery Barn Kids offers idyllic scenes of the perfect childhood, ââ€"   The American Express â€Å"My life. My card.† campaign provides glimpses into the lifestyles of famous people with whom consumersRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pageswith the Appropriate Precision .............................................................. 88 Being Ambiguous................................................................................................................................. 89 Context and Background Knowledge ........................................................................................... 90 Disambiguation by Machine ...................................................................................................

My Professional Goals Free Essays

My long term professional goal is to be a Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner. Being a caring person especially to the children is a part of my personality. I have always loved children and it burdens me whenever I see children sick. We will write a custom essay sample on My Professional Goals or any similar topic only for you Order Now Sympathizing will not do any good, I have an urge to do something to cure, prevent and ease their ailments so I concluded that being a Nurse would be the best choice. Every time my children got sick I wish that I could respond not just as a parent who support but a parent who cares. An event that really encouraged me to pursue becoming a Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner is when my two-year old daughter got a second degree burn. She was admitted at the Children’s Hospital in Seattle, WA. I saw the nurses taking care of my daughter more than I could. I am neither intimidated nor jealous of the nurse looking after my daughter. What I felt was guilt. I know that I have the passion for taking care of children. I know that I am capable of being a good nurse. After that event, I made up my mind to I will be a Pediatric Nurse. I am pursuing the nursing field so that I can graduate as a Registered Nurse with Bachelors of Science degree. I will work as a staff nurse, but after about a year I want to choose my specialty as a pediatrics nurse. I am also aiming to apply in a graduate school to achieve my ARNP license and to get my masters degree in Nursing with the specialty of pediatrics. Then I plan to work as a Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner for a hospital or clinic. I have a desire to go in rural areas in able to help more children because medical treatments are limited in such areas. I am hoping to be accepted to the nursing school so that I can achieve my first goal towards success. How to cite My Professional Goals, Essay examples

Effective Leadership Skills and Styles †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Effective Leadership Skills and Styles. Answer: Two important leadership styles will be described in the assignment. The first one is the autocratic leadership style. This leadership style is also called the authoritarian leadership style. This style is characterized by the leaders taking an overall control of the decisions and providing little scope to the members of the groups. They make choices based on their own ideas and judgments (De Hoogh et al., 2015). They rarely invite advice, suggestions or feedbacks from the followers. They mainly dictate all the work methods as well as processes. Group members are rarely trusted regarding any decisions or other significant tasks. This type of leaders highly discourages creative thinking and encourages working styles which are highly structured and very rigid. This working condition stresses the workers and makes them feel disrespected and not cared by the company. Some may even become demotivated and tensed, fearful and resentful. Lack of empowerment in decision-making processes results in developing low morale and lack of commitment from the employees . However, they also have certain advantages (Vail, 2014). They bring out positive results when adverse situations arise all of a sudden and urgency rises to take decisions quickly. The second type of leadership skill is the transformational leadership skills. This type of leadership style makes the leaders work in harmony with their followers by setting a clear vision and guiding them through every path and helping them to align with the objectives of the organization (Avolio Yammarino et al., 2013). It is determined as the model of integrity as well as fairness. This type of leadership encourages others not only to work beyond expectations but also invites followers with their suggestions, advices and feedbacks. This help in developing an environment of innovation and creativity. The leaders provide support in innovation and goals (Kark Shamir, 2013). At the same time, they inspire and motivate them to look beyond their individual interest and work towards goals. Building stronger and trust based relationship is yet another attribute of this leadership. Two leaders with different styles: Steve jobs had been an American entrepreneur, industrial designer as well as business magnate who have served the position of the chairman, co founder as well as the CEO of Apple.inc. He was an autocratic ruler and had received tremendous success with his leadership style. A very good example of the transformational leader is Richard Branson. He is the founder of the Virgin Atlantic groups. It is one of the most recognized as well as respected brands that has over 400 companies. Comparison of the leadership style: Steve Jobs was an autocratic ruler. Critics are of the opinion that he had a meticulous eye for every minute detail of the organization. He was extremely demanding form his employees. Many of his co-followers who has worked under him had described him to show manipulative behaviour and had even described his behaviour in meetings to be rude, authoritative as well as obnoxious. Job used to exhibit a domineering presence for which many of his employees used to fear him and his consideration levels were rather low (Heracleous Klaering, 2017). However, his autocratic style helped him for making a quick decision whenever any certain serious conditions arise and he had complete control over the decisions taken for his company. He was very demanding not only towards his employees but also towards himself. Some of the deadlines are so short that it used to become difficult for the employees to achieve. He centralized his authority in such a way that he never used to give chance to his subor dinates in decision making as he had less trust on employees. His conceited and self satisfying attitudes failed to motivate his employees in many severe situations (Keller, 2017). On the other hand, Richard Branson was a very famous transformational leader. He possessed many important characteristics like articulating a vision and also communicating high performance expectations with the subordinates. Not only that, he always tried to set up a positive example for his subordinates and often showed sensitivity to individual followers needs. He had provided lot of encouragement in developing a correct team attitude and provided intellectual stimulation for his employees (Williams, 2017). His high levels of expectations from his employees gave his subordinates the self confidence to persist in the face of setbacks and often resulted in exceptional performance. Unlike the employees of Jobs who used to fear him, the employees of Branson took him as a fun, warm, friendly, risk taking and was competitive but in a positive way. Unlike Jobs who had highly self-satisfying attitudes, Branson treated his employees of all levels as equal and considered them as family and t reated them with respect. Unlike job, he also welcomes feedback and suggestions from his employees which made them feel important and loved in the organization (Lambert, Bassell Friedman, 2017). Reflection: While I was placed as the leader of a team, I experienced a number of events which reflected both my weakness and my strengths as a team leader. I was appreciated by my team members due to my multitasking caliber. I was able to effectively handle a large number of tasks single handedly like guiding the new joiners, completing the report sheet of their performance, assigning tasks to them, training them about minute skill which enhance their working styles, conducting meetings with directors and all efficiently. Another strength that I had was my communication skills. Not only I had the habit of active listening skills but also exhibited effective feedback giving and receiving kills which made the employees comfortable and felt respected by the organization. The weakness I had was my poor social skills. I was not good at relationship development and can never maintain an informal relationship. Moreover, I lacked empathy which made the workers think that I was bossy. Another weakness w as my intercultural communication skills. I did not know how to handle conversations with people from other backgrounds and often made remark or performed activities that hurt them. Moreover, I also lacked the ability to implement creativity and innovation at workplace which made the workplace environment boring and monotonous to the workers and they failed to gather zeal in their activities. All these affected productivity. Personal development plan: Developmental activities rationale obstacle Strategic process Timeframe measure resources I had to develop my social skills which mainly would be focusing on my relationship building skills and practicing empathy in my working styles towards the followers Proper social skills help in development of strong bonds and relationships which make the environment of the workplace less formal. As result, employees work more freely and can share their stress and concern easily (Deming, 2017). They do not feel burdened by work and hence productivity is increased My introvert attitude that I had practiced from my very childhood may make me uncomfortable in trying out social skills to establish good bonds. My nature of the lack of adaptability can also be a barrier I will try to engage myself more in social networking sites which I an easy way of developing bonds. Moreover I can also go through business articles and read life experiences of business stalwarts which may help me in getting tips of bond development. I can also read internet blogs and articles which provide ready ways of developing bonds. It would require five months to eight months The feedback from my employees is the nest evaluation method. The better informally they can open up with me, the higher would be my level of success. When the workplace environment becomes informal, it would automatically be reflected in my employees activities and attitudes. Internet articles, books of stalwarts, meeting with mentors I need to work on my intercultural communication skills. This skill is very necessary if I get chance in working in a global organization in my future days. Improper intercultural communication makes employees of different backgrounds upset as they feel that their cultural preferences and traditions are no respected and cared for (Ruben, 2015). this results in development of negative feeling I have often stereotyped different cultures without my knowledge and therefore overcoming such stereotypes and becoming open minded at once may be difficult. Moreover I also have biasness towards my own culture and therefore these would make it difficult for me to develop my intercultural communication skills I would first start attending workshops which will help me in learning the proper body language and overcome the language barrier while treating with the employees of other backgrounds. Not only that, I have to also go through different internet article to know about the cultural preferences and traditions so that I do not take up nay activities which hurt their emotions. Moreover, I will encourage them to open up about their inhibitions and preferences so that I can directly learn about their expectations. It would require 8 months The feedback from such employees would be the best way of measurement of success in my initiatives. Moreover there are many diagnostic tools as well which I can use to self asses myself. Expenditure on workshops, internet articles. Some diagnostic tools are available for free and some require subscription. I should try to develop my creative skills and innovative ideas which are extremely necessary in preset day organizations Recent researchers are of the opinion that leaders who can initiate creativity and innovation at workplace, can help to handle many strenuous situations effectively ad can solve them such rapidly and easily (Anderson, Pitonick Zhou, 2014). A fresh creative approach can also make the employees overcome their monotonous working style and make them enthusiastic about their tasks. As I am not creative but a leader who works by rule book, it would become difficult for me to change my working style. I may not be able to cope with it primarily but with passing time, I will be able to grasp the ways. Moreover, implementing innovative ideas require risk taking which might be another barrier. I have to develop a creative mind and for that I have to follow books and internet article which would provide me step by step approach in developing creative minds. I would also approach leaders who implement creativity and will learn about their working procedures. Moreover recommendations provided by researchers in their journal articles will also help This will take 5 to 8 months Feedback from employees and success rates of my innovative ideas will help me to measure how much improvement I had made Books, internet articles, journal articles. Meeting with renowned leaders and others. References: Anderson, N., Poto?nik, K., Zhou, J. (2014). Innovation and creativity in organizations: A state-of-the-science review, prospective commentary, and guiding framework.Journal of Management,40(5), 1297-1333. Avolio, B. J., Yammarino, F. J. (Eds.). (2013). Introduction to, and overview of, transformational and charismatic leadership. InTransformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition(pp. xxvii-xxxiii). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. De Hoogh, A. H., Greer, L. L., Den Hartog, D. N. (2015). Diabolical dictators or capable commanders? An investigation of the differential effects of autocratic leadership on team performance.The Leadership Quarterly,26(5), 687-701. Deming, D. J. (2017). The growing importance of social skills in the labor market.The Quarterly Journal of Economics,132(4), 1593-1640. Heracleous, L., Klaering, L. A. (2017). The circle of life: Rhetoric of identification in Steve Jobs' Stanford speech.Journal of Business Research,79, 31-40. Kark, R., Shamir, B. (2013). The dual effect of transformational leadership: Priming relational and collective selves and further effects on followers. InTransformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition(pp. 77-101). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.. Keller, J. (2017). New Opera in Santa Fe: The (R) evolution of Steve Jobs.The Hopkins Review,10(4), 633-636. Lambert, S., Bassell, M., Friedman, H. H. (2017). Leadership in a Knowledge Economy: Building an Innovative Marketing and Branding Organization. Ruben, B. D. (2015). Intercultural communication competence in retrospect: Who would have guessed?.International Journal of Intercultural Relations,48, 22-23. Vail III, K. E. (2014).Experimentally exploring how the awareness of existential freedom influences support for autocratic leadership styles among individuals high and low in neuroticism. University of Missouri-Columbia. Williams, D. (2017). Richard Branson as a Global Magnate. What to learn from him about Business.

Motivation and Leadership free essay sample

This work is submitted as part of the requirements for the MSc in information system and management. The work contained in this assignment is my own, individual and original work and has not been used in whole or in part for any other assessment on this or any other degree. I have read and understand the university rules on plagiarism. This essay discusses the quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower on leadership. In this quote, he defines leadership as the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. Firstly, the meaning of this quote is explained by highlighting two distinct aspects of this statement, which is that leadership is the art of getting people to ‘want to do’ and getting them to ‘actually do’ what the leader wants done. It is inferred from this statement that Eisenhower’s notion is that these two processes, although distinct, are not mutually exclusive. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation and Leadership or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page To provide a further explanation, the essay goes on to conceptualize these processes with their associated distinct leadership-styles and discusses the view point that these two concepts have to work both in combination and complementarily in order for his perspective on leadership to be fully agreed upon. â€Å"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it† (Dwight D. Eisenhower). What does this quote mean? To what extent do you agree or disagree with the quote and why? Over the years, many researchers, writers and leadership theorists have postulated various theories, ideas and perspectives on leadership, most of which are centred on the exertion of influence by a person on others to make them do something or achieve a goal. There is no one universally accepted definition of leadership. However, to name a few, Maxwell (1998) describes leadership as being nothing more (or less) than influence. Yukl (1994) also defined leadership as â€Å"the ability of one person to influence a group of persons toward the achievement of common goals† (p. 14). In the quote by Dwight D. Elsenhower above, leadership is viewed as the process of getting people to want to do as opposed to getting them just to do, which is a clear difference between the process of managing and that of leading (Kouzes amp; Posner, 1987). This statement holds true when the leader is able to properly communicate his vision in such a way that the followers are able to believe and buy into this vision by showing them how they can be served by a common goal. This ability of the leader to inspire his followers and get them to identify with his vision enacts their willingness to do something because they actually want to do it. Leaders do this by first of all being credible. They establish this credibility by their actions by challenging, inspiring, enabling, modelling and encouraging (Kouzes amp; Posner, 1987). When a leader is credible, he is better able to solicit the support and commitment of his followers. They are more willing to provide time, intelligence and energy to support the cause championed by the leader (Kouzes et al, 2010), because they trust and identify with his visions and goals and are confident in his ability to deliver. In essence, for a leader to get people to do things because they actually want to, he must be believable. His level of honesty, drive and passion therefore go a long way in building up this believable character. This quote also highlights the fact that leadership involves ‘delegating’ a task that the leader himself ‘wants done’. Hence, the leader has to take full responsibility for the task carried out by the subordinate and give him credit where appropriate. This is further supported by another quote by D. Eisenhower cited in Puryear Jr. 1991) who says: â€Å"†¦Leadership consists of nothing but taking responsibility for everything that goes wrong and giving your subordinates credit for everything that goes well. † (p. 289). Therefore, the Leader is fully responsible for anything that the subordinate does wrong and the subordinate should be made to understand this. Bearing this in mind, leaders adopt a leadership style to achieve their objectives and get their subordinates to do what they want. Different leadership styles have been discussed in earlier works of literature. Three major leadership-styles identified by psychologists Lewin et al (1939), are the democratic, autocratic and the laissez-faire styles. Active member involvement and group-decision making is encouraged by the democratic style while leaders are more domineering in the autocratic style and ‘hands off’ in the laissez-faire styles respectively. Also, in the framework proposed by Getzels and Guba (1957), the bureaucratic and delegative leadership-styles can be identified. The former being the style in which policies and procedures are prescribed while the latter is exactly the same as in the laissez-faire (passive) leadership style. Goleman (2000) also proposes six leadership-styles, which are, authoritative, democratic, affiliative, coercive, coaching and pacesetting. He explains that every leadership style is made up of some degree of emotional intelligence, which is exhibited through self-management, self-awareness, social awareness and social skill. Moreover, Authors such as Yukl, (1999), Rowold amp; Heinitz, (2007) and Judge amp; Piccolo (2004) have distinguished between two leadership styles; transactional and transformational leadership. These distinct leadership styles were initially introduced by Burns (1978), which was then later modified by Bass in 1985. To buttress the highlighted points and meanings of the quote discussed so far, this essay would be mainly focusing on the transformational and transactional approaches to leadership. Furthermore, how these styles can influence follower motivation would be discussed, as well as the extent to which this quote can be agreed upon. As explained earlier, this quote views leadership as a process of getting people to do what you want because they ‘want to’ and also as a process of getting people to ‘actually do it’. It may be inferred from Eisenhower’s statement that his view is that these two processes although separate, are not mutually exclusive. Hence, the transformational and transactional leadership styles can be characterized by each of these processes respectively, both of which can be combined and used to complement each other. This combination and complementation of these two leadership styles and processes can therefore be aligned with Eisenhower’s notion of leadership. Transformational leadership is one in which the leader elevates the interests of his followers by increasing awareness and acceptance of the group’s purpose and mission and by also allowing the followers to look beyond self-interest but to the collective interest of the group (Bass, 1985). The leader transforms the values and priorities of subordinates, and motivates them to exceed their performance expectations (Yukl, 1994). It is seen as a more participative leadership style in which the subordinates are inspired and influenced positively by their leader and accept, internalize and identify with the leader’s visions (Jung amp; Avolio, 2000). The willingness of subordinates to do what the leader wants done is influenced by their trust and confidence in the leader, coupled with his ability to inspire and motivate the employees to achieve great results by putting in the extra effort (Bass, 1985). Also, the ability of the leader to understand the differences and individuality of the followers, as well as provide support to foster growth and development also helps to increase their commitment and willingness to do what is required (Bass, 1985). The leader here is charismatic and energetic and is able to instill this enthusiasm into his followers, which gets them to actually want to do the job as oppose to just doing as they are told. However, in the transactional style of leadership, the followers simply do as they are told. The leadership is more like a process of exchange or contractual agreement between the leaders and followers (kappen, 2010). The leader meets the immediate needs of his followers as a reward, in exchange for the desired level of performance and negative consequences (punishment) is used to curtail undesired behavior (Jung amp; Avolio, 2000). Unlike in transformational leadership, the leader seems not be really concerned with changing the followers attitudes, beliefs and values neither do the followers feel the need to develop a greater sense of commitment and trust in the leader. The focus is mainly on just getting the job done which is the second aspect of leadership outlined earlier from Eisenhower’s quote. Leadership styles can impact or influence follower motivation to a significant extent. Transactional leadership is of the notion that people are motivated by reward and punishment and when the conditions of the exchange process are agreed upon, the followers primarily do what is required of them by the leadership. However, in transformational leadership, the followers are not only motivated by rewards but also by the processes resulting in these rewards (kappen, 2010). Transformational leadership embodies charismatic leadership where followers can be motivated by inspiration and by increasing their level of emotional involvement. To further expatiate on the influence of leadership styles on motivation, the relationship between transactional and transformational and motivation shall be discussed respectively. As discussed earlier, transactional leadership is an exchange process or contractual agreement between leaders and subordinates, in which the subordinates are externally driven to yield results through rewards and punishment. This external drive can be referred to as extrinsic motivation. Transactional leadership based on contingent reward is positively related to the follower’s motivation (Judge amp; Piccolo 2004). By providing contingent reward systems, leaders can motivate their followers to put in their best efforts to yield the desired results. The task assigned to the follower may generally be of no interest but the provision of an external reward could motivate the person to complete the task (kappen, 2010). These external rewards may be monetary or be in the form of good scores etc. This shows that a leader can still get people to do what he wants done even without them actually wanting to do it, as opposed to what Eisenhower’s suggests. Here leadership is not necessarily the art of getting people to do something you want done because they want to, it is the art of getting people to simply do by providing the appropriate reward agreed upon. Hence the reward or avoidance of punishment is the motivator rather than the leader or the task itself. In the case of transformational leadership, the focus is more internal and on the process as a whole and not just the outcome (Kappen, 2010). Internal or intrinsic motivation can be derived from task features such as autonomy, task significance, feedback, task identity, and so on (Houkes et al, 2001). The transformational leader tries to meet the immediate and future intrinsic needs of his subordinates, which are closely related to Maslow’s higher order needs (Maslow 1943). Hence intrinsic motivation plays a key role in this process and this notion is supported by (Barbuto, 2005) who explains that internal or intrinsic motivation encompasses a persons emotions, fun, trust and feeling of self-worth and these are all driven by internal influences which can be ppropriated by transformational behavior. The leader tries to transform the followers’ goals, beliefs and values to align with his and that of the organization and motivates them by positively building up their sense of self-worth and self-efficacy (Shamir et al, 1993). The ability of the leader to achieve this through his charismatic persona and individualized consideration, helps to increase their willingness to do what the leader wants done and to achieve the desired performance levels or outcome. So, drawing from all the points mentioned above, to what extent can Eisenhower’s quote be agreed upon? By identifying two distinct aspects in his statement, this essay has highlighted Eisenhower’s notion of leadership as being the art of getting people to ‘want to do’ and to ‘actually do’ what the leader wants done. This statement holds true so far as these processes are seen as distinct yet not mutually exclusive. Hence, the two processes have been characterized by the transformational and transactional leadership-styles respectively. The transformational leadership-style is associated with the process of getting people to want to do due to the leader’s ability to inspire trust and confidence in his vision as well as his ability to internally motivate people to put in their best efforts to yield the desired outputs. On the other hand, the transactional leadership-style is associated with getting the work done regardless of whether or not the subordinates actually want to do it provided there is an extrinsic reward agreed upon or the avoidance of punishment. Therefore, as long as these two concepts and their associated leadership-styles can be combined and used to complement each other rather than viewed as just separate, this quote can be agreed upon. This means that leadership should not merely be the art of getting people just to do what you want done but also it should involve the processes involved in inspiring and motivating them to actually want to do it and vice versa. When a leader is able to motivate his followers internally and externally with the appropriate rewards and charismatic approach to transforming their behavior, the leadership would tend to be more successful and well aligned to its aims and this balance therefore agrees with Eisenhower’s perspective of leadership.