Leadership in the Retail Industry

Introduction This paper is based on the topic of leadership in the retail industry. It seeks to explore the topic by looking at the importance of nurturing leadership. It also looks at the leadership approaches which young leaders should adopt for them to successfully lead contemporary organisations in the retail industry.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership in the Retail Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is argued that leaders of the young generation need to adopt a leadership approach which is proactive and sensitive to the changes in the business environment in the retail industry. They also need to blend different leadership approaches because different situations call for different leadership styles or a combination of leadership styles. Challenge of Mobility of Workforce in the Retail Industry Young employees in the retail industry have faced the challenge of mobility for a long time. The reason why the young generation has faced the challenge of climbing the ladder of leadership is that it lacks the experience to lead. Many organisations in the retail industry need experienced leaders due to the volatility of the industry in terms of competition and adoption of new technology in business processes. When young people leave colleges or universities, they usually have the certificates but are not exposed to practical work. They therefore stay for a long time ranging from 10 to 15 years before they gain the necessary experience to work as leaders in organisations.  The current job market is also characterised by high turnover rates. As a result, many young people do not work for one organisation for a long time enough to qualify for promotion to leadership positions. The reason why they hop from an organisation to another is because they usually seek for good employment terms, especially good salaries to cater for the ever rising cost of living.  The other reason wh y young people face the mobility challenge is because many organisations in the retail industry do not invest in initiatives which promote employee retention. Retention refers to the activities done to ensure that once employees are employed, they remain in the same organisation permanently or for a long time. The main reason for retention is that the processes of recruitment and selection of employees are not only tedious but also costly and time consuming.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Retention is usually based on motivation theories such the human relations approach which is characterised by a shift from the scientific to the humanistic approach in the motivation of employees. The approach places more emphasis on the work environment and perceives employees as social beings with social, psychological, and financial needs. It also acknowledges that employees have the po tential of being creative in their work. The approach also values the synergy found in teamwork, the reasoning being that employees are able to come up with group norms and rules which govern their work. The approach also recognises the importance of employees interacting with their managers in a friendly way without fear of victimisation. When employees fear their managers, they tend to work with their bodies but their minds and hearts are usually far away (Fox 2009).  However, many organisations in the retail industry are managed using the scientific approach of management. This approach hinders upward mobility of young employees because the managers do not give the employees an opportunity to be creative and innovative. Instead, the managers view the employees as liabilities and as a result, they do not bother to invest in employee development because they believe that the compensation offered to employees is enough to keep them motivated. The managers and supervisors also trea t employees with contempt and they do not give them an opportunity to micromanage their work. Leadership Approaches to be adopted by Young Leaders Wart and Suino defined leadership as the ability of a person to influence other people to do things which they may not do without the influence (Wart Suino 2012). People with this ability are referred to as leaders and are found in different settings and contexts. In organisational context, leaders are responsible for planning, coordinating, and controlling organisational functions and activities towards attainment of organisational goals and objectives (Sims 2007). In a book titled â€Å"management†, Schermerhorn defined management as the art of getting things done through people (Schermerhorn 2010). Many organisations have policies, procedures, and guidelines that govern the decision making process. Managers must understand how to get people do what they are supposed to do and know what exactly gets done, the results to be achie ved, and how best the results can be achieved in an efficient manner. Leadership forms the basis of success or failure of organisations because nothing can be accomplished with failed leadership and bad management. Employees in organisations need an effective leader to influence and marshal their efforts towards the achievement of a common goal. Being a leader means more than being a team leader.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership in the Retail Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It involves getting things done and doing them well. It is a show of positive attitude and involves various aspects like influencing followers, commitment of individuals to goals, aiding group cohesion, and spearheading change in organisations. Leaders learn and adapt leadership styles which they feel may deal with diverse personalities and evolving situations. Some leaders have a combination of positive traits and attribu tes as their basis of leadership (Wart Suino 2012). Both leadership and management are essential for the success of organisations because they complement each other. Leadership attributes transform managers into leaders and by so doing; the managers discharge their duties in a flexible manner. Such managers also have the ability to create a cohesive organisational culture where employees’ loyalty and motivation are greatly enhanced. Trait Approach of Leadership Trait leadership is best suited for young leaders in the retail industry. In a book titled â€Å"The leadership experience†, Daft explained trait leadership as having to do with leaders acting upon leadership traits which they are born with (Daft 2008). The leadership style does not embrace the idea that leadership can be learned or acquired from experience but rather perceives leadership as a quality which people are born with. Trait leadership style therefore leads to realisation of excellent results because the leaders have leadership qualities at birth and are able to lead even without any formal training (Daft 2008). Trait leadership may inspire employees to become creative because trait oriented leaders are not mechanistic in their leadership but they understand the importance of allowing employees to micromanage their activities at the workplace so as to achieve their targets. When employees are given the permission to micromanage their work, they develop positive attitude towards work which makes them to work hard and attain good results. They are also able to change the rules governing their work and try new ways of doing things. By so doing, they are able to discover new approaches to their work. If for example employees who work as marketing agents are allowed to micromanage their work, they can recommend new types of products which they think are the best for customers (Gill 2011). Under the trait leadership approach, employees are able to focus on the end result and come up w ith their own ways of meeting the set targets and deadlines without failure. Since all organisational activities are undertaken in a timely manner, organisations are able to implement their projects with a high degree of success which leads to increased productivity. At the same time, employees like imitating the trait oriented leaders and as a result, they are ever focused on their role in their organisations which increases efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity (Northouse 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, trait leadership style has the potential of resulting to conflict of ideas in the workplace because trait oriented leaders may sometimes exhibit dictatorial traits which may create conflict due to their failure to consult other leaders or employees when making some important organisational decisions. The tendency of trait oriented leaders to believe that they know it all may sometimes work against them and lead to resistance to organisational change (Pearce Robinson 2011). How Trait, Participative and Contingency Approaches Blend Together Research in the field of leadership has shown that organisations in the retail industry may reap more benefits by blending various styles of leadership. In a book titled â€Å"Exploring leadership: individual, organisational, and societal perspectives†, Bolden, Hawkins Gosling argued that the blending of different leadership styles can lead to effective leadership. For instance, blending trait leadership principles with participat ive leadership may enhance employees’ leadership capabilities. Trait leadership principles when blended with transformational, transactional, and situational leadership styles may improve interpersonal skills of leaders. Furthermore, the styles can be blended to create a highly motivated workforce that can contribute positively towards the achievement of organisational goals (Bolden, Hawkins Gosling 2011). Trait leadership in particular may enable participative oriented leaders to have charisma which enables them to inspire the team members to realise good results. Contingency leadership style may enable participative leaders to change their leadership style depending on the situation and become more efficient and effective. Participative leadership may inspire teamwork because the style is about making everybody in organisations to participate in the process of moving the organisations forward (Bolden, Hawkins Gosling 2011). The participation is not only about the performa nce of duties but also about making decisions which affect the work being done. Since everybody is actively involved in organisational activities, the â€Å"big boss† syndrome is eliminated and replaced with a culture in which all members of organisations feel as part of a big team with a clear mission and vision to achieve. Employees also view each other as members of one family and for this reason; they do not hesitate to share their thoughts, ideas, challenges, and strengths with fellow employees (Bolden, Hawkins Gosling 2011).  The contingency approach may inspire a change of leadership depending on the situation because the style is based on the philosophy that organisations are unique and therefore, there is no general approach to leadership. The approach enables leaders to be flexible in their leadership and as a result, they are able to treat each situation differently which leads to enhanced success of activities undertaken by employees. The ability of the leaders to be flexible in their leadership style means that they are result oriented and not bound by procedures, rules or regulations but are free to change tact with the overall objective of meeting the set targets. Flexibility in leadership leads to increased efficiency and effectiveness making organisations to increase their productivity. Reference List Bolden, R, Hawkins, R Gosling, J 2011, Exploring leadership: individual, organisational, and societal perspectives, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Daft, R.L 2008, The leadership experience, Thomson/South-Western, Mason, OH. Fox, W. M 2009,The management process : an integrated functional approach, Information Age Publishing, Charlotte, N.C. Gill, R 2011, Leadership theory: A critical review, synthesis and redefinition, SAGE Publications Ltd, London. Northouse, P 2010, Leadership: theory and practice, Sage, S.l. Pearce, J Robinson, R. B 2011, Organisational structure. dans: strategic management: formulation, implementation and contro l, McGraw Hill, S.l. Schermerhorn, J 2010, Management, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J. Sims, R 2007, Human resource management : contemporary issues, challenges and opportunities, Information Age Publishers, Greenwich, Conn. Wart, M.V Suino, P 2012, Leadership in public organisations: an introduction, Sharpe, Armonk, N.Y. This essay on Leadership in the Retail Industry was written and submitted by user Ronald Nunez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Greg Sirico Essays - McCulloch V. Maryland, Free Essays, Term Papers

Greg Sirico Essays - McCulloch V. Maryland, Free Essays, Term Papers Greg Sirico Adv American Gov. November 14th ?98 McCulloch v Maryland Can congress incorporate a bank? Can a state tax the national government? These were some of the key issues that brought up in the Supreme Court case of McCullloch v Maryland. James Madison, the judge in this case, rules in favor of the National Government. He proclaimed that it was constitutional to have a national bank, and not appropriate for Maryland to tax the bank. Now we turn the tables toward Maryland. In my reasoning I believe that Maryland can uphold their right to tax the national bank, as well as make claims of the ?necessary and proper clause? being incorrect in it?s meaning. Maryland in my opinion holds very good references and ideas which lead me to believe that the national bank should never have been created, and if so created be able to have been taxed. Both points coming from the Constitution. Maryland as well as every other state in the union, has the power to tax. It is a concurrent power, which enables them (Maryland) to obtain the power to tax. The power to tax is the power to create. Since the national bank itself is in Baltimore, I believe the state, in which it is holds ground, which is Maryland, has some type of property tax upon the national bank. In this point we can see how the state government has some kind of right to tax the national bank. Moving forward, we come across the Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause). It is stated in the Constitution that the government is empowered to imply this clause to issues at hand. The controversy issue is the appropriate definition for this word, necessary. However, necessary in Maryland?s point of view means ?indispensable? and Madison defines it as ?convenient?. Now in this point, it is unjust to provide the national government with such power as this. If it is in fact convenient for the national government, is it convenient for us the people? The answer is no, this gives leverage to Maryland?s argument that necessary should in-fact mean as is. As we can see through my, and the state of Maryland?s view, the national bank should have never been created, and even if such an idea would have been about, it is still reprehensible for taxation. Maryland in my belief was correct in it?s arguments, and points. Now as I conclude, I have shown you my reasons why, and have brought me to my final decision that there really is no equality between the state government and the national government. In seeing this, it is appropriate to believe that the congresses can in-fact do as they PLEASE.

presence - definition and examples of rhetorical presence

presence - definition and examples of rhetorical presence Definition: In rhetoric and argumentation, the choice to emphasize certain facts and ideas over others in order to secure the attention of an audience. The New Rhetoric: A Treatise on Argumentation arguments speaker Through presence, we establish the real, Louise Karon says in Presence in The New Rhetoric. This effect is primarily evoked through techniques of style, delivery, and disposition (Philosophy and Rhetoric, 1976). See also: Audience Analysis and Implied Audience Examples and Illustrations Ekphrasis and Enargia New Rhetoric(s)ProsopopoeiaPersuasion Examples and Observations: Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca write that presence is an essential factor in argumentation and one that is far too much neglected in rationalistic conceptions of reasoning. The presence of a fact or an idea is almost a sensory experience rather than a purely rational one; presence, they write, acts directly on our sensibility.Thus, in argumentation a rhetor seeks to bring his or her audience to the point of seeing the relevant facts, or experiencing the truthfulness of an idea. . . . Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca share Gorgias and the humanists intrigue with rhetorics power to direct thought, particularly rhetoric in the control of a skilled rhetorician. But their confidence in argumentation as a rational foundation of discourse is decidedly stronger than was Gorgias.(James A. Herrick, The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction, 3rd ed. Allyn and Bacon, 2005) Two Aspects of PresenceFor Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca (1969), achieving presence is a rule that guides the process of selection; we choose words, phrases, figurative images, and other discursive strategies to either (a) make something absent present to our audience or (b) increase the presence of something that has already been brought to the audiences attention. An example of the latter sense would be the way in which an orator, in a patriotic Fourth of July oration during the 19th century, would try to increase the presence of the spirit of the founding fathers.These two aspects of presence are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they frequently overlap. An advocate might begin by trying to make something present to an audience and then work to increase the presence of that item (whatever that might be). As Murphy (1994) noted, the idea of presence is a conceptual metaphor; when presence is achieved, what initially was absent almost seems to be in the room with the audience.(James Jasinski, Sourcebook on Rhetoric. Sage, 2001) Presence and Figurative LanguageThe very choice of giving presence to some elements instead of others implies their importance and pertinence to the discussion and acts directly on our sensibility, as illustrated by a Chinese parable: A king sees an ox on its way to sacrifice. He is moved to pity for it and orders that a sheep be used in its place. He confesses he did so because he could see the ox but not the sheep.Perelman and Olbrechts. Rhetorical Citizenship and Public Deliberation, ed. by Christian Kock and Lisa S. Villadsen. Penn State Press, 2012) Presence in Jesse Jacksons 1988 Convention Speech*Tonight in Atlanta, for the first time in this century, we convene in the South; a state where Governors once stood in school house doors; where Julian Bond was denied a seal in the State Legislature because of his conscientious objection to the Vietnam War; a city that, through its five Black Universities, has graduated more black students than any city in the world. Atlanta, now a modern intersection of the new South.Common ground! Thats the challenge of our party tonight. Left wing. Right wing.Progress will not come through boundless liberalism nor static conservatism, but at the critical mass of mutual survivalnot at boundless liberalism nor static conservatism, but at the critical mass of mutual survival. It takes two wings to fly. Whether youre a hawk or a dove, youre just a bird living in the same environment, in the same world.The Bible teaches that when lions and lambs lie down together, none will be afraid and there will be peace in the valley. It sounds impossible. Lions eat lambs. Lambs sensibly flee from lions. Yet even lions and lambs will find common ground. Why? Because neither lions nor lambs can survive nuclear war. If lions and lambs can find common ground, surely we can as wellas civilized people.The only time that we win is when we come together. In 1960, John Kennedy, the late John Kennedy, beat Richard Nixon by only 112,000 votesless than one vote per precinct. He won by the margin of our hope. He brought us together. He reached out. He had the courage to defy his advisers and inquire about Dr. Kings jailing in Albany, Georgia. We won by the margin of our hope, inspired by courageous leadership.In 1964, Lyndon Johnson brought wings togetherthe thesis, the antithesis, and the creative synthesisand together we won.In 1976, Jimmy Carter unified us again, and we won. When do we not come together, we never win.In 1968, the vision and despair in July led to our defeat in November. In 1980, ranc or in the spring and the summer led to Reagan in the fall.When we divide, we cannot win. We must find common ground as the basis for survival and development and change and growth.Today when we debated, differed, deliberated, agreed to agree, agree to disagree, when we had the good judgment to argue a case and then not self-destruct, George Bush was just a little further away from the White House and a little closer to private life.Tonight I salute Governor Michael Dukakis. He has run a well-managed and a dignified campaign. No matter how tired or how tried, he always resisted the temptation to stoop to demagoguery. . . .(Reverend Jesse Jackson, speech at the Democratic National Convention, July 19, 1988)* In the presidential election of November 1988, incumbent Vice President George H.W. Bush (Republican) handily defeated Governor Michael Dukakis (Democrat). The Effects of Presence and the Suppression of Presence[Charles] Kauffman and [Donn] Parson [in Metaphor and Presence in Argument, 1990] make the . . . important point . . . that the suppression of presence can have a persuasive effect. They show that metaphors with and without energeia can be used systematically, on the one hand, to alarm, and on the other, to dampen, public anxieties. For example, using metaphors with energeia, President Reagan speaks of antique Titan missiles that leave the United States naked to attack; he depicts the Soviet Union as an Evil Empire led by monsters. On the other hand, using metaphors without energeia, General Gordon Fornell creates an antipresence designed to sidestep public anxiety in the interest of further weapons procurement. The current Soviet ICBM force of 1,398 missiles, of which over 800 are SS-17, SS-18, and SS-19 ICBMs, represents a dangerous countermilitary asymmetry which must be corrected in the near term (99-100; emphasis mine). The systematic use of such colorless metaphors increases adherence by dampening what might otherwise be legitimate anxieties.(Alan G. Gross and Ray D. Dearin, Chaim Perelman. SUNY Press, 2003)

Child Development Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Child Development Reflection Paper - Essay Example ction accorded to the child determines the child ability to adapt to the social environment and determines the child’s ability to self sustain emotionally. As presented by Mary Ainsworth, a child reacts to strangers in various manners. If the child feels secure, he will interact with the stranger. If he does not feel secure, he will either avoid the stranger or resist any attempt by the stranger to make contact vehemently. Such a child requires close monitoring and encouragement in social matters. Adjusting to situations by an individual is easier when a caregiver satisfied a child emotionally. Neglect of a child’s concerns alternatively results in an adult who lacks the ability to handle occurrences in life. The later will experience suicidal tendencies and antisocial behavior while his counterpart, who had ‘better’ upbringing will be outspoken. The development process through the eight stages depicted by Erik H. Erikson becomes very troubling for this individual due to unresolved childhood conflict. Forming secondary attachments such as finding a spouse forms a platform that is beyond childhood. As John Bowlby indicates, this gives the individual a second chance of developing social skills. However, this becomes difficult for personalities not fulfilled emotionally as child. Child assessment as discussed by Pucketh helps a parent determine the special needs for each child and act appropriately. The caregivers must fully understand the child in order to guide him through challenges. A child will create a connection to the mother depending on how much the parent (caregiver) encourages him. This early relationship should be a two-way relationship. Involving the child in activities that improve the child’s confidence ensures smooth life for the baby later. The concepts discussed present certain challenges to the learner. Many things that people take for granted characterize the human social life. Children sometimes seem annoying. Their cries for

Success and Excellence in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Success and Excellence in Business - Essay Example Among the most basic objectives of any business organization today is to at least achieve unity among its members. This is a very difficult endeavor especially now that diversity is not only recognized, but a reality that pervades every aspect of people’s lives. Latent characteristics such as race, gender, age, geographic, and even value differences make unity difficult, if not entirely remote. The urgency of achieving unity while, at the same time, recognizing diversity, is a challenge that was already recognized in Senge’s analysis of business organizations as being led by the â€Å"new leader†. In his analysis, he showed how they should adapt to the systems thinking model to achieve unity. Focus was given to organizational unity because it is through unity that the organization achieves order, and with order comes efficient and effective operations—both in production and human resource management.The new leader in the contemporary business organization must first recognize the presence of diversity. It is through recognition that the leader can get a better and more holistic â€Å"picture† of the organization’s nature and dynamics. This means that new leaders must ‘see interrelationships, not things, and processes, not snapshots†. This description is expressive of the nature in which managers have always assessed their organizations: objective, segmented, and too much attention to detail. While these aspects are also important in implementing business.... imulating creativeness in the organization's human resource; (4) observing humane and proper business practices; and (5) running the business for the sake of society's development and progress. Among the most basic objectives of any business organization today is to at least achieve unity among its members. This is a very difficult endeavor especially now that diversity is not only recognized, but a reality that pervades every aspect of people's lives. Latent characteristics such as race, gender, age, geographic, and even value differences make unity difficult, if not entirely remote. The urgency of achieving unity while, at the same time, recognizing diversity, is a challenge that was already recognized in Senge's (1990) analysis of business organizations as being led by the "new leader" (manager). In his analysis, he showed how 'new leaders' should adapt to the systems thinking model to achieve unity. Focus was given to organizational unity because it is through unity that the organization achieves order, and with order comes efficient and effective operations-both in production and human resource management. The new leader in the contemporary business organization must first recognize the presence of diversity. It is through recognition that the leader can get a better and more holistic "picture" of the organization's nature and dynamics. This means that new leaders must 'see interrelationships, not things, and processes, not snapshots" (15). This description is expressive of the nature in which managers have always assessed their organizations: objective, segmented, and too much attention to detail. While these aspects are also important in implementing business, particularly in the organization's operations, it is important for managers to have a strong

Political Parties Essay Example for Free

Political Parties Essay Political parties are an essential component within a democratic society. By competing in elections and encouraging citizens with certain different views of society, parties also offer citizens a wide variety of choices in governmental representation, opportunities for political contribution, and chances to form their country’s future. Although political parties play such an influential role on a country, often the concerns of the people fall on deaf ears, breaking down the trust that the public had within the parties. When public assurance in political parties is diminished, the whole democratic system falls victim to it. In all democratic systems, the party system must be deeply and strongly rooted in the make up of society. Political parties are the main framework of any democratic society. They are the means by which the public come together freely to drive for the presidency, express their ideas, and define their ambitions for their civilization. There may be political parties without democracy being apparent, but there can be no democracy without political parties. Parties in many countries, including our own South African parties, may be faulty, but they are also crucial in democratic authority. When political parties function effectively, they succeed in developing a few common ideas between a large group of people, and in doing this, they place pressure on the ruling party. Thus, they help put citizens’ small concerns into a national context. Citizens may be separated over leaders, or policies but political parties can organize these differences by compromising certain things and helping societies to unite. In addition, political parties train and nominate political leaders who will accept a role in ruling society. Through their efforts to control and influence public policy, political parties play an in-between role, connecting the organisations of government to economic, ethnic, cultural, religious and other general groups. They can convey support behind law, improving the public wellbeing, and develop citizens’ interests. Their participation in elections allows citizens to hold them responsible for their policies and actions. In multi-party systems, and based on the countries they represent, political parties often express contradictory views on public plans. These just differences of ideas are not only an important part of the democratic course, but the exchanges they generate can also help to create a better understanding of the issues and possible solutions, possibly leading to new insights. Further, when parties in competition present themselves as an alternative, all parties always try to obtain the best plan in public interest, therefore the winner in the end is society.

College Life :: Dialogue Essays Personal Narratives

College Life College life is going to be good. I have a nice cabin on the lake with a gorgeous view. I am staying with a good friend from back home. My neighbors are awesome. I am away from my parents, and I am on my own. What more could you ask for? "Well, maybe it isn't that great," I thought. "I am two hundred miles from home, and away from all of my friends." "So, aahh, what should we do?" I asked. "I don't know," replied Travis. "I think college life might be harder than I thought," I said. "Don't worry," he said, "you'll make it." "I know I'll make it, but it is hard to meet people," I said. "Not to mention I am away from my family and friends." "Is school hard for you?" he asked. "No, not yet," I said. "I haven't really had to do anything so far." "All I do is take notes and listen to lectures." "I haven't even had a test so far." "Two weeks and you haven't had a test yet?" he asked. "Nope!" I replied. "I haven't even had homework yet." "You suck!" he exclaimed. "Then why are you whining about how hard school is?" "I don't know," I replied. After the conversation, I thought about what he said. I could be over re-acting a little bit. I just got through my first two weeks of classes. "I guess it ain't that bad," I thought. "No homework." "I can handle this." With a new week, came my first real homework assignment. We have to write a two to three page narrative paper on something we know. And in this paper, we have to show specific examples of how we know it. Not to mention a second part of it that I don't understand. "Oh no" This sounds impossible," I thought. "I am lost." "I don't know where to begin." "How am I ever going to get through this?" I walked up to the teacher to ask a question, when I heard him say to another student, "What do you know how to do?" She replied, "I don't know." "Well, do you play sports?" He asked. "Yes." "What sports?" "Taekwondo," She replied. "See, you know that," he said. "Use that for the topic on your homework." "I guess I won't ask him a question anymore," I thought. Thinking the girl knew what to do, I walked out with her, hoping to get a better grasp on the assignment.