Joe Willis Feeling the Heat of Tailand Essay Example

Joe Willis Feeling the Heat of Tailand Essay The three new comers believe that the rest of the group feels skeptical towards them because they might be fired too. As Willis mentions, coming from the internal audit staff, workers fear him more than trust him. Consequently, this has affected communication between him and the workers who kept essential Information for them. In addition, they think that their Inability to work at the office the four first weeks has delayed the moment when they could start building new relationship with the team. From the perspective of the three executives, these are the reasons for their difficulties to manage efficiently. However. He causes they identify as challenging their ability to build trustful relations come from their own cultural script (Thomas, D. C, 2008). It doesnt take into account cultural values and underlying assumptions behind Tall behavior (Thomas. D. C, 2008). If one would have took a Thai perspective, the root causes might have been different. In fact, this explains the diffic ulties they face and the failure of their attempt to solve the problem. 2- Three Tall cultures dimensions can help us understanding the causes for the lack of trustful relationship; feminine/masculine and diffuseness/specific cultural dimension and vertical collectivism. Based on Hypotheses cultural model, Thailand can be defined as a Feminine culture. It Is less competitive, quality of life Is rewarded and conflict and direct confrontation need to be avoid. This means that when Willis confronted its team by mentioning the poor performance of the operation It was perceived as a direct offense to individuals honor. This first bad impression has been exacerbating when they fired Moot and the daughter in law of Devalued. This decision has been perceive as they were unfaithful to the family. This can be explained by the vertical collectivist (Hypotheses,1 981 ,1998) structure of Thailand culture and its diffuseness (Trampers, 1993). The former implies that hierarchy, social status and family networks are priorities. The hierarchical structure and high power distance can be observed In the authoritative political structure of the country. The importance of loyalty toward a group also explains why relations are connected in a diffuse manner. It shouldnt be a surprise that Devalued had strong ties with the political and legal system as well as engaging Is own family in its business activity. We will write a custom essay sample on Joe Willis Feeling the Heat of Tailand specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Joe Willis Feeling the Heat of Tailand specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Joe Willis Feeling the Heat of Tailand specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer From there, we can make the assumption that in a country where gal structure is weak relationship becomes your economic and social safety net. So, toy 2 when Moot was Dulling Defaults snares at a enlarger price, nee was proudly making sure the network would not dissolve and that Devalued would still provide political and legal security to the company. This imply that Devalued, its family and Moot were still perceived by the team members as a part of the Fiasco Motors family and fired them was to be unfaithful to the group; proportioning honesty over loyalty. When Willis found that his lawyers were affiliated to Devalued, it should have been perceived as a gin that he was open to settle the family conflict. He was in fact showing them his importance for the company stability. Non-verbal is how high context communication society works. But now that the network is broken, the three new comers will have to prove to their employees that they can be loyal to the group, by investing in it, and that they can rebuild a communal network. 3- Willis first task is to rebuild a sense of family network that they lost. A good way to do that will be to meet the main employees families. Therefore, he will show his interest to the welfare of the group. However, considering he needs to prove its loyalty, more need to be done. It seems that the new operating system will be strict on corruption, but if it is to be establishing in an effective manner they will need to make some compromise and to show flexibility. Corruption is perceptional, and some of its form can be beneficial to the welfare of a group (Beckman, 2003). Also, compromise seems to be a better solving conflict strategy considering the feminine aspect of the culture. Consequently, they could adjust by employing family members of the employees. The idea of engaging with religious group wasnt bad, but they should invest more in the immunity to reshape a network bridging civil, political and private sphere. Communication wise, he will need to stop confronting directly his employees, and more importantly the will need to have outside meeting discussion. In a hierarchical organization employees dont show their discontent to their boss, they give their opinion informally. By being aware of non-verbal sign and engaging informal discussion he will be able to identify more of their employees needs, and avoid more mistakes because of misconceptions. Also, because Willis is very young, he might lack credibility. To balance his inherent disadvantage he might want to replace Ramsey, who has been appointed as the general manager, for a Thai older executive.

Veterans Adminitration Benefits Backlog

Veterans Adminitration Benefits Backlog Backlog for VA Benefits Higher than Once Thought According to a recent report from the Office of the Inspector General, the case backlog to receive benefits through the Veterans Administration (VA) is worse than originally thought. A detailed article on the results of this new investigation is available here.The VA inspector general has identified tens of thousands of cases for benefits that have been either ignored or omitted by department officials. According to their calculations, they â€Å"significantly understated the number of claims awaiting decisions for over 125 days.†Investigators say the backlog as originally reported covers only 79% of relevant cases. They state others have been mistakenly excluded, misclassified, or only marked overdue after processing. VA officials state they are: â€Å"reviewing how best to supplement or adjust reporting on the rating-related backlog.† They plan to have new training and standards in place by the end of the year.The number of cases taking over 125 days to complete rose to 611,000 in March 2013 before settling to 70,000 in September 2015. The number has held between 70,000 and 100,000 each week for the last three years.At the same time, the total number of applications continued to rise. The inspector general cites another 63,600 overdue cases were omitted for unknown reasons- while 10,000 more were recorded incorrectly.Therefore, this backlog is predicted to grow as the number of applicants increases.  It is unfortunate that veterans who have dutifully served our country and sacrificed so much are forced to wait long periods of time to receive the benefits they need. We Can HelpIf you are disabled and unable to work, call Disability Attorneys of Michigan for a free confidential consultation. We’ll let you know if we can help you get a monthly check and help you determine if any money or assets you receive could impact your eligibility for disability benefits.Disability Attorneys of Michigan works hard every day helping the disabled of Mic higan seek the Social Security Disability and Veterans Disability benefits they need. If you are unable to work due to a physical, mental, or cognitive impairment; call Disability Attorneys of Michigan now for a free consultation at 800-949- 2900.Let Michigan’s experienced disability law firm help you get the benefits you deserve.Disability Attorneys of Michigan, Compassionate Excellence. Michigan Veterans Disability Attorneys, Veteran Administration, Veterans Benefits

Arugmentative essay on which is better the pc or the mac computer

Arugmentative on which is better the pc or the mac computer - Essay Example Both fruit would have supporters lauding the differences in inherent nutritive value, taste, and texture of each. When we compare an Apple Mac to a MS Windows PC, two traditional feasible choices for personal and business computing, though, the subjective should be thrown out of the window and the facts wisely considered. While it is true that Windows has been ‘virally’ (pun intended!) popular, the time has come for certain misconceptions about the Mac to be cleared up and how it will be a very good choice. The inevitable argument against the Mac is that it is more expensive than a Windows PC. While at times true, the fact is it often costs less than or about the same as its Windows counterpart. A Windows PC’s cost does not include multimedia software and hardware that you will need or want. By buying the extras, you pay more than the cost of a Mac which comes bundled with software like iLife. Consider long-term savings: Macs have been proved to be less expensive to run than Windows. The reputable CIO magazine quoted an Enterprise Desktop Alliance survey as finding the total cost of ownership (TCO) with a Mac to be much lower than a Windows PC. â€Å"Macs were cheaper in six of seven computer management categories: troubleshooting, help desk calls, system configuration, user training and supporting infrastructure.† (Kaneshige). Almost half the respondents reported licensing fees were about the same on both these platforms. In 2002, Apple, introduced the OS X, an operating system (OS) based on UNIX. Specialists consider it one of the most advanced, stable and secure OSs available commercially. It is a multimedia sensation thanks to its architecture and graphics. Users find the OS X smart, agile and a delight to use. In comparison Windows OSs have been compared to bulky, lumbering giants plagued by crashes requiring restarts that cost time and money. In Windows if you erroneously shift a folder or a file such as a program file

Explain How Web Design Guidelines are used for developing systems for Essay

Explain How Web Design Guidelines are used for developing systems for the Older Users - Essay Example Second is the use of computers especially internet is growing at an increasing speed. Percentage of posted websites increased in a time period of 3 years, between 93-96 by 6500 fold while US population using internet increased 6 fold in 5 years time (1995-1999) A study by Nielson, J showed Seniors (65+) used internet for e-mail use, for research, news, tracking investments, research medicine and medical conditions, to shop and bank online, and read about hobbies. They can also benefit from online study courses. But the problem here is, this generation of elderly people spent most of their time when computers did not exist. So they face accessibility problems either due to lack of education or poor income. Another factor is aging factor which brings physical, mental and cognitive impairment. Study in 1999, by US department of Commerce showed the digital divide between information rich group (Whites, Asians/Pacific Islanders, those with higher incomes, more educated and dual parental h ouse holds) and information poor group (younger, those with lower income and education levels, certain minorities, those in rural areas and central cities) is also increasing.2AARP study income and education are more important in determining universal accessibility than age. Any step taken to tackle this will help elderly people also.Shneiderman advocates three steps for attaining universal usability-'providing for technology variety, user diversity, and gaps in knowledge' which also accommodates the elderly problems. Elderly are fixed income groups requiring support for older hardware and software. Their predisposition to physical and cognitive impairment bringsforth another innovative issue in interface designs to meet their diverse needs. Finally having not been exposed to computers in schools or on the job, the elderly are likely to be novice users who need more guidance and training. So the computer designers should be sensitive to the need for backward compatibility with older versions. Online services should design for lower bandwidth connections. Software designers should use adaptive interface with training wheels and extensive online help for novice users. 'Thus user interface designers face one of the challenging tasks because of the need to support a broad range of user diversity'. Browne,H 2000.As a result a number of guidelines are sprouting and often same guideline apply to many different demographics .For elderly, guidelines relating to visually impaired , motor skills and working memory should be taken care of. WWW Consortium's web access initiative provides a set of guidelines for web pages designers to accommodate the elderly. Provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content Don't rely on colour alone [give redundant cues] Provide context and orientation information Provide clear navigation mechanisms Ensure the documents are clear and simple. Microsoft addresses in the' Seniors and Technology" web page issues related to adults with visual and motor impairment, and low bandwidth connect

Geo-Political and Economic Organization of Asean Essay Example for Free

Geo-Political and Economic Organization of Asean Essay The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress, and cultural development among its members, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully. ASEAN has emphasized regional cooperation in the â€Å"three pillars†, which are security, sociocultural integration, and economic integration. The regional grouping has made the most progress in economic integration by creating an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. AEC envisages the following key characteristics: (a) a single market and production base, (b) a highly competitive economic region, (c) a region of equitable economic development, and (d) a region fully integrated into the global economy. The implementation of AEC is able to boost economic returns of countries in ASEAN due to cooperative and collaborative as a group could have generated a larger overall pool of benefits to be distributed among than countries than each will ultimately achieve by working on its own. But nevertheless in my opinion, Thailand will be of great concerns to many businesses in the region when AEC is established. Thailand possess in an advantageous geographical position which is located at the strategic center position in ASEAN, foreign companies be obliged to set up a solid foundation for the base material storage and product distribution to export their products to the countries in ASEAN if they are intend to establish market in ASEAN. Other than that, open economy policy of Thailand is closely integrated in the AEC blueprint. Thus it can be seen, Thailand’s markets will be benefit most among the countries in ASEAN when it come into effect in 2015. According to a news report on Thailand newspaper World Journal, also known as Chinese Daily News, a sense of urgency is palpable in enterprises all type and in virtually every industry in Thailand since AEC will be organize soon. A number of listed companies adjusting corporate business strategies and formulating an aggressiveness marketing program are being stepped up without cease in order to meet the new challenges and opportunities that will be  occur after two or three years. Managing director of TICON (Ticon Industrial Connection Public Company Limited), Mr. Virapan Pulges indicated that TICON had already the corporate strategies to cope with the regional economic integration by 2015, focus on the greatly increasing future demand of distribution center and warehouses facilities in Thailand. The Chief Executive Officer of CMO (Creative Management Organization), Sermkhun Kunawong revealed that convention and exhibition industries will be enormously benefit from the establish of AEC because the convention and exhibition industries in Thailand are occupied leading level among ASEAN countries. CMO planned to gain further insight into related convention and exhibition industries regulation of other countries in Asian in order to seek business opportunities and establish close contact with logistic industries in Asian countries. Chairman of the board of DRT (Diamond Roofing Tiles Public Company Limited), Prakit Prathipasen mentioned that his company always maintains their products export to Vietnam and Cambodia, but they will expand their export markets to Malaysia and Indonesia from now on, they planned to set up a warehousing distribution center at Changwat Surat Thani, Thailand to aiming at above markets. The presidents of MFEC (MFEC Public Company Limited), Siriwat Vongjarukorn stated that Information and Technology industries will benefit from establish of AEC. The implementation of open and liberal investment policies and actively encourage inward investment will extremely intensify markets competitive in ASEAN. Company must pay close attention in adjusting corporate strategies, increasing competitive advantages and implement performance evaluation on a more concrete form, herein attract the investment that is in favor of the Information and Technology industries. His company has long been prepared for the establishment of AEC through service integration with various companies to increase competitive advantages and the advantage of fully satisfies known customers’ demand. The new report above let us know about that how the leaders of companies in Thailand deal with the change. Four of them accept the inevitability of change and recognize changes as potential of sources of energy and self-renewal, they develop effective management skills that help organization move towards something better. They shared a common vision of  responsibilities and economy opportunities for their companies and countries, an idolized goal has been created by them to seize the opportunities for expand their markets and try to maximized their benefits from the establishment of AEC. That is every appearance that we can almost certain they possess Charismatic Leadership- they have a vision, they are willing to take personal risks to achieve that vision, they are sensitive to follower needs, and they exhibit behavior that are out of the ordinary. The Key characteristics of charismatic leadership that they possess are: 1. Vision and articulation- They has the clear visions that proposes a future better than the status quo and is able to clarify the importance of the vision in terms that are understandable to others. They planned and implementing the new corporate strategies to meet the establishment of AEC by 2015 and they has a good idea how the strategies can benefit their companies and countries. 2. Personal risk- They willing to take on high personal risk, incur high costs, and engage in self-sacrifice to achieve the vision. According to their narrations, their new corporate strategies involve high costs to build large infrastructure facilities within or outside their country for large scale productions, they has to take on the responsibilities and possibilities of failure at their own risk. 3. Sensitivity to follower needs- They are perceptive of others’ abilities and responsive to their needs and feelings. Due to their company involve in large scale capitals and productions, they must appoint some qualified person to important positions. 4. Unconventional behavior- They engage in behaviors that are perceived as novel and counter to norms. They being as successful leaders will never assumed that if they could just keep things running on a steady without changing and vision, their companies would be successful. AEC is an international collaboration project among ASEAN countries, good workers or followers will be an essential part if the companies endeavor to obtain benefits and advantages from the project. Followers of charismatic leaders have higher task performance, task performance, and adjustment to the leader and to the group than did followers who worked under groups led by noncharismatic leaders. There are four-step process shows that how do  charismatic leaders influence followers. 1. Articulate a vision- It begins by the leader articulating an appealing vision. A vision is a long-term strategy for how to attain a goal or goals. The vision provides a sense of continuity for followers by linking the present with a better future for the organization. The leaders share their vision with followers about the steps to attain goals in future through AEC by 2015. 2. Create a vision statement- A vision is incomplete unless it has an accompanying vision statement. A vision statement is a formal articulation of an organization’s vision or mission. Charismatic leader may use vision statement to imprint on followers an overarching goal and purpose. Once a vision and vision statement are established, the leader then communicates high performance expectations and expresses confidence that followers can attain them. This enhances follower self-esteem and self-confidence. Leaders create framework for all their strategic planning that will apply to entity companies to meet the goals. 3. Create a new set of values- The leader conveys a new set of values and through words and actions by his or her behavior, set an example to followers to imitate. Charismatic leaders were more effective because their employees personally identified with the leaders. Finally, the charismatic leader engages in emotion-inducing and often unconventional behavior to demonstrate courage and convictions about the vision. There is an emotional contagion in charismatic leadership whereby followers â€Å"catch† the emotions their leader is conveying. As I have mentioned at above, AEC is an international collaboration project among ASEAN countries, so leaders should create a new values that can apply to ASEAN countries instead of old values that are relate only with a country. 4. Demonstrate the vision- Because the vision is such a critical component of charismatic leadership, we should clarify exactly what we mean by the term, identify specific qualities of an effective vision, and offer some examples. Leaders implement the visions with their followers to achieve the goals. According to the other news report of Thailand newspaper World Journal, Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce held a round table meeting with regard to tourism recently, discussed the opportunities and development  in tourist industry after Thailand join AEC by 2015. The round table meeting invited the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, relevant departments and travel agencies to participate in discussion. Head of Foreign Trade Department indicate that the integration of ASEAN will mainly reflect the effect in investment and mobility of human resource after the establishment of AEC. By that time, Thailand will see further competitive in tourism markets from other ASEAN countries. Therefore, Thailand is critical to maintain and increase its own competitiveness to adapt to the markets and create great development progress. After the discussion in round table meeting, the methods were considered as effectiveness in increasing competitiveness of tourist industries of Thailand included: 1. Unify the standardization of tourism service, adopt international standard progressively to guild and measure. 2. Train employees with systematically, instill professional knowledge to them and also let them learn to master foreign language. 3. Formulate trade standard, avoid price war break out. 4. Establish good relationship with other ASEAN countries. 5. Create stricter law and legislation, crack down on illegal activities related to tourist industries. Moreover, the round table meeting believed that short term and long term plans should be formulate to guide travel agencies solve their problems in order to accelerated development and faces the competitive from ASIAN countries positively. We can address the foregoing changes of Ministry of Commerce, Thailand as an international and goal-oriented activity, we can also described the scenario as planned change. Essentially there are two goals in planned change. First, it seeks to improve the ability of the organization or industry to adapt to changes in its environment. Second, it seeks to change employee behavior. If an organization or industry is to survive, it must respond to changes in its environment. When competitors introduce new products or services, government agencies enact new laws, important sources of supplies go out of business,  or similar environmental changes take place, the organization or industry needs to adapt. Efforts to stimulate innovation, empower employees, and introduce work teams are examples of planned-change activities directed at responding to changes in the environment. Because an organization or industrys success or failure is essentially due to the things that its employees do or fail to do, planned change also is concerned with changing the behavior of individuals and groups within the organization. In the above case, Ministry of commerce improves the competitiveness and abilities of tourist industries in Thailand and train employees to improve their qualities to face the changes brought by AEC, like the increase of competitors are fully consistent with planned change. Change agents are responsible for managing change activities, change agents can be managers or nonmanagers, current employees of an organization, newly hired employees, or outside consultants, but the Ministry of Commerce, travel agencies and employees of tourist industries are the change agents in this case. However, when people are confronted with change, resistance to change appears to be natural and positive state. One of the well-documented findings from studies of individual and organizational behavior is that organizations and their members resist change. One recent study showed that even when employees are shown data that they need to change, they latch onto whatever data they can find that suggests they are alright and dont need to change. Our egos are fragile, and we often see change as threatening. In order to avoid continue walking in the old steps and seclude oneself, seven tactics have been suggested for use by change agents in dealing with resistance to change: 1. Education and Communication- Resistance can be reduced through communicating with employees to help them see the logic of a change. Communication can reduce resistance on two levels. First, it fights the effects of misinformation and poor communication. Second, communication can be helpful in â€Å"selling† the need for change. The changes are most effective if Minister of Commerce communicate its rationale balancing various participants’ interest versus a rationale based on minister or heads of  department’s interest only. 2. Participation- Its difficult for individuals to resist a change decision in which they participated. Prior to making a change, those opposed can be brought into the decision process. Assuming that the participants have the expertise to make a meaningful contribution, their involvement can reduce resistance, obtain commitment, and increase the quality of the change decision. Therefore, Minister of Commerce should invite participations f rom various industries that are related to tourist industries to increase the success rate of changes. 3. Building Support and Commitment- Change agents can offer a range of supportive efforts to reduce resistance. When employees fear and anxiety are high, employee counseling and therapy, new-skills training, or a short paid leave or absence may facilitate adjustment. Research on middle managers has shown that when managers or employees have low emotional commitment to change, they favor the status quo and resist it. So firing up employees can also help them emotionally commit to the change rather than embrace the status quo. Minister of Commerce should fully support all of the participants by effort and money due to they are same sided and share same purposes to benefit their countries and industries. 4. Implementing Changes Fairly- Try as managers might to have employees see change positively, most workers tend to react negatively. Most people simply dont like change. But one way organizations can minimize the negative impact of change, even when employees frame it as a negative, is to makes sure the change is implemented fairly. Procedural fairness becomes especially important when employees perceive an outcome as negative, so when implementing changes, its crucial that organizations bend over backwards to make sure employees see the reason for the change, and perceive that the changes are being implemented consistently and fairly. Technical support and financial support allocate by Minister of Commerce to participants must be absolutely fair and free of discrimination or bias. 5. Manipulation and Cooptation- Manipulation refers to covert influence attempts. Twisting and distorting facts to make them appear more attractive, withholding undesirable information, and creating false rumors to get employees to accept a change are all examples of manipulation. Cooptation, on the other hand, is a form of both manipulation and participation. It seeks to â€Å"buy off† the leaders of a resistance group by giving them a key role in the  change decision. The leaders’ advice is sought, not to seek a better decision, but to get their endorsement. Ministry of Commerce can conceal the fact that will be against by participants in order to cooperative production. This method is not recommended to change agents unless there are left with no choice, because the tactics can backfire if the targets become aware they are being trick or used. 6. Selecting People Who Accept Change- Research suggests that the ability to easily accept and adapt to change is related to personality. It appears that people who adjust best to change are those who are open to experience, take a positive attitude toward change, are willing to take risks, and are flexible in their behavior. Ministry of Commerce should select participants who are positive self-concept and high risk tolerance because they are coped better with change. 7. Coercion- Coercion is the application of direct threats or force on the resisters. The examples of coercion are threats of transfer, loss of promotions, negative performance evaluations, and a poor letter of recommendation. This method can use to be directed against participants who are not follow instructions or rules that made by Ministry of Commerce. No discussion of resistance to change would be complete without a brief mention of the politics of change because change invariably threaten and the status quo, it inherently implies political activity. In the frame of ASEAN Economic Community, enterprises need to the notion of operation and management to get the best of the achievement of free flow system from essential productive factors. Companies should convert to from the operation strategies that confines only to domestic markets transnational operation though establish relationship with business partners in the area of ASEAN. The most important thing is to put the pressure on formulate a new business planning for strives to adapt the changes and committed to the new business opportunities. The establishment of AEC is expected to create bigger markets for products of Thailand, at the same time, companies of Thailand should examine themselves if they are brace to become a member of AEC while speed up with enhance comprehensive strength. Most of the ASEAN countries are not fully prepare to meet AEC, there are still some disadvantages in various directions for Thailand, especially the  political situation of Thailand not showing any specific development route, some corporation are still lack of related knowledge result in not fully prepare of relevant plans. For this purpose, Thailand should make full use of advantages and rational utilization of resources to increase competitiveness to differentiates their superiority with other ASEAN countries for the in coming of establishment of AEC by 2015. References Aseansec.org (2007) ASEANWEB ASEAN Economic Community. [online] Available at: http://www.aseansec.org/18757.htm [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012]. Chinaasean.org (2005) Ministry of Commerce of Thailand Appeal Tourist Industries to Increase Competitiveness. [online] Available at: http://www.chinaasean.org/html/report/1259802-1.htm [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012]. En.wikipedia.org (1967) Association of Southeast Asian Nations Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN#From_CEPT_to_AEC [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012]. ROBBINS, S. and JUDGE, T. (2010) Organizational Behavior. 13th ed. Prentice Hall, p.447-450,654-659. News.sina.com.tw (1996) Thailand Listed Company Adjust Strategies to Meet AEC [online] Available at: http://news.sina.com.tw/article/20120626/7156145.html [Accessed: 1 Oct 2012].

Saving Private Ryan - Captain Miller Displays the Five Types of Power E

Saving Private Ryan - Captain Miller Displays the Five Types of Power Many people in this world have power and influence. Yet, there are few who have the traits needed to be an incredible leader. These people who are positive leaders tend to leave strong impressions in our minds for years or maybe even a lifetime. In choosing a movie with a character that portrayed a strong sense of power and influence, and possessed the traits of a good leader, I remembered a character that left an admirable impression in my mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Saving Private Ryan is a perfect example of a movie with all of the elements of powerful and influential leaders. Specifically, Tom Hanks who plays Captain John Miller is a strong willed individual with a commitment to his country. He leads his troop through battlefields and dangerous predicaments during World War II. It is his knowledge of combating the enemy, which leads him into a precarious situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Captain Miller is assigned the difficult task of finding Private Ryan who is missing along with most of his troop, which was divided after an attack. The reason for the mission is because Private Ryan’s three brothers had just died in the war. Private Ryan is to be sent home immediately. The rest of the events that unfold entail tragedies and accomplishments that lead to Captain Miller’s final command.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looking back at how Captain Miller was a powerful leader throughout the movie is evident in most everything that he does. He was a legitimate Captain with much training in his position as an authoritative figure. With every command that he gives, he exerts his power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to French and Raven (1960), there are five types of power. They are reward, coercive, legitimate, expert, and referent power. It is easy to apply each one of these types of power to Captain Miller and his approach to leadership.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first type of power, reward power, is the potential of an organization or member in a specified role to offer positive incentives for good behavior. In an organization these incentives may include bonuses, vacations, or promotions. The incentives may vary from one member of a role to another. Captain Miller may have exerted reward power by giving his soldiers easier work when they behaved properly. Another way that he may have used this power is by allowing them to take breaks when they should have kept go... ...e stable emotions, and is less defensive. He did not get caught up in what was actually happening too often. Whenever a time like this came about, he stopped to gather himself so that he could be a good leader for the rest of the troop. When a person’s behavior is consistent with expressed values and that person is honest and trustworthy, they are said to have integrity. Captain Miller was completely honest with his men. He was also someone who could be trusted. At one point in the movie, one of the soldiers told the Captain a very personal story about their life. Since he was a good leader, he listened and gave the soldier advice on the subject. One of the most important traits that Captain Miller had was his intellect. He was smarter than the average person was. He came up with brilliant ideas to stop the enemy. His troop listened to him and obeyed him because they knew that he was knowledgeable in what he was talking about. Captain Miller was a powerful and influential leader. He led his men through some of the hardest times of the war. Not only did he display the five types of power, he showed that he had all of the traits necessary to be an extraordinary leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Family is losing its functions Essay

Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere assess the view that, in today’s society the family is losing its functions. As stated in Item 2B, the family fulfils a number of important functions for individuals and for society, such as the socialisation of children and the stabilisation of adult personalities. However, some sociologists suggest that, in today’s society, the family is losing its importance as these functions are being taken over by other institutions; for example, nurseries have an increasingly important role in the socialisation of young children whose parents are working full-time. Functionalists see the family as a particularly important sub-system; they believe that the nuclear family is a key institution as it meets basic needs. Murdock (1949) argues that the family performs four essential functions to meet the needs of society and its members. Firstly, they offer economic support to provide the children with all the fundamental necessities they requir e in life e.g. food, shelter and water. They too give a stable satisfaction of the sex drive with the same partner, making their partner feel more safe and secure, as well as reducing the chances of getting STDs. Another purpose is reproduction of the next generation, without which society could not continue. Further to this, it also provides the child with 2 role models and so, they will feel more safeguarded of having both parents. Lastly, it socialises the young into society’s shared norms and values- without this, society would suffer from negative impacts e.g. feral children. A criticism to Murdock’s study is that it is out-dated, many sociologists argue that society has now changed and these functions can be performed equally well by other institutions, or by non-nuclear family structures. Marxists and Feminists reject his ‘rose-tinted’ consensus view that the family meets the needs of both wider society and all the members of the family. They argue that functionalists don’t review exploitation and conflict within society. Marxists argue that the family maintains class inequality and capitalism and so, the functions of the family are performed purely for the benefit of the capitalist system. They do not see the nuclear family in the same way as functionalists and believe that they ignore the ‘dark side’