Transformational Leadership Inspire and Motivate

Transformational Leadership Inspire and Motivate Theories Personality Psychology Print Transformational Leadership A Closer Look at the Effects of Transformational Leadership By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on January 19, 2020 More in Theories Personality Psychology Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology In This Article Table of Contents Expand Quick Background Components Effects Link to Well-Being Real-World Applications View All Back To Top Have you ever been in a group where someone took control of the situation by conveying a clear vision of the groups goals, a marked passion for the work, and an ability to make the rest of the group feel recharged and energized? This person just might be what is called a transformational leader. Transformational leadership is a  leadership style that can inspire positive changes in those who follow. Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate. Not only are these leaders concerned and involved in the process; they are also focused on helping every member of the group succeed as well. Verywell / Emily Roberts Quick Background The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns. According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation.?? Through the strength of their vision and personality, transformational leaders are able to inspire followers to change expectations, perceptions, and motivations to work towards common goals. Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burnss original ideas to develop what is today referred to as Bass’s Transformational Leadership Theory. According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect, and admiration from their followers.?? Components Bass also suggested that there were four different components of transformational leadership. Intellectual Stimulation: Transformational leaders not only challenge the status quo; they also encourage creativity among followers. The leader encourages followers to explore new ways of doing things and new opportunities to learn.Individualized Consideration: Transformational leadership also involves offering support and encouragement to individual followers. In order to foster supportive relationships, transformational leaders keep lines of communication open so that followers feel free to share ideas and so that leaders can offer direct recognition of the unique contributions of each follower.Inspirational Motivation: Transformational leaders have a clear vision that they are able to articulate to followers. These leaders are also able to help followers experience the same passion and motivation to fulfill these goals.Idealized Influence: The transformational leader serve as a role model for followers. Because followers trust and respect the leader, they emulate this individual and internalize his or her ideals. So what are some typical signs of a transformational leader? Groups led by this type of leader tend to be both successful and loyal. They give a lot to the team and care deeply about the groups ability to accomplish its goals. Turnover tends to be quite low as transformational leaders are able to inspire a great deal of commitment in their followers. Effects In their classic text, Transformational Leadership, authors Bass and Riggio explained: Transformational leaders...are those who stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization. Researchers have found that this style of leadership can have a positive effect on the group. Research evidence clearly shows that groups led by transformational leaders have higher levels of performance and satisfaction than groups led by other types of leaders, explained psychologist and leadership expert Ronald E. Riggio in an article for Psychology Today.?? The reason, he suggests, is that transformational leaders believe that their followers can do their best, leading members of the group to feel inspired and empowered. What can you do to become a more transformational leader? Leadership experts suggest that having a strong, positive vision of the future plays a critical role. Not only is it important to believe in this vision yourself; youve also got to inspire others to buy into your vision as well. Being genuine, passionate, supportive, and trustworthy are all key characteristics that will help motivate followers to support your goals for the group. Link to Well-Being According to the results of one study, this style of leadership can also have a positive influence on employee well-being.?? The study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine  involved surveying workers at  several different German information and communication technology companies. Researchers asked participants to answers questions about their employers leadership style. A score for transformational leadership was then determined based on qualities such as providing intellectual stimulation, giving positive feedback for good performance, leading by example, and helping employees feel like they were making a contribution toward the goals of the group. The researchers discovered that employees who identified a higher level of transformational leadership in their employers also had higher reported levels of well-being. The effect stayed significant even after researchers controlled for factors that are linked to well-being such as job strain, education, and age. The results of this study suggest that a transformational leadership style, which both conveys a sense of trust and meaningfulness and individually challenges and develops employees, also has a positive effect on employee well-being, the authors summarized. Real-World Applications So what impact could such results have for managers and workers? The studys authors suggest that the results are important and can help companies develop leadership training programs that can be used to teach transformational leadership skills. Acquiring communication skills such as resolving conflicts in the workplace and recognizing the needs of employees are an important part of transformational leadership. Such training programs can be seen as another essential component of workplace health promotion and prevention efforts and therefore should receive wide support, explained the studys authors. A Word From Verywell The transformational style of leadership can be highly effective when used appropriately, but it might not necessarily be the best choice for every situation. In some cases, groups may require a more managerial or autocratic style that involves closer control and greater direction, particularly in situations where group member are unskilled and need a lot of oversight. One way to improve your own leadership skills is to assess your own current leadership style and think about ways in which your strengths can benefit the group you are leading. By evaluating your own skills, you will be better able to play to your strengths and work on improving your areas of weakness.

Perception And Perception Of Perception - 1782 Words

Perception has played an immense role in shaping what it means to be human. Our ability to perceive has given humans the ability to cognate at a higher level than any other animal and has given us the evolutionary advantage needed to progress our species. However, as technology has advanced and caught up to humans in the ability to think, it presses us to think of another dividing line that makes us into humans and leaves technology behind as just robots. This line is our ability to react emotionally to what we perceive. We are able to feel, which is the ability to have an emotional response to the environment we are perceiving. Any robot can now interpret its environment and make adjustments based on what the input was, but while doing this, robots are not able to sense what they are perceiving. In Sherry Turkle’s Selections from Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, she discusses what it takes for a computer to be close enough to be ali ve, and brings up the question of what is missing to make them the same as humans. Oliver Sacks also brings up interesting stories of how people’s experiences can bring them to question what it means to be alive, in his story â€Å"The Mind’s Eye†. Also in Ethan Watters’ â€Å"The Mega-Marketing of Depression in Japan†, he brings up that going through tumultuous emotions associated with things such as suffering, love, and death are what it means to be human. While the ability to perceive is not a uniqueShow MoreRelatedPerception And Perception Of Perception1727 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween people cause many problems which is relevant to a concept called perception. In this essay, the concept of perception will be described through academic definitions and knowledge also with practical examples. The main objective is to provide readers with a better on what perception is, why it is important to the study of Organization Behaviour (OB) and the effec ts and implications of it onto managers’ job. Perception is defined as the process in which perceivers give meaning to the thingsRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception882 Words   |  4 Pages Perception has a few definitions; the most frequently used definition is what we become aware of through our senses. However, perception is not just what our senses tell us, it is our reaction to the feelings we sense. Perception just happens; it is something we cannot control. The mind tells us how we feel before we even realize what is happening. When people say they are good judges of character, they base their decisions on what they initially see. Appearance plays a huge role in howRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception848 Words   |  4 Pagesbackgrounds, and traits of the self. However, before we get to know a person, we use perception to categorize them into a certain role. It often causes us to assume that the other party is superior or inferior to us. We do this more often than not without even realizing we’ve engaged in perception. Perception played a very large part in the first meeting of my best friend, Cinda, and I. In Chapter 4: Interpersonal Perception (Floyd, 2011), there are many examples of the ways in which people instantlyRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception1053 Words   |  5 Pagescaptivates you. Since the very moment that this tree captured your attention, perception has been at work. Perception has allowed for you to interpret this one particular occurrence and, in turn, experience life. The process of perception helps us to experience the world at large. It is our perceptions that make up our conscious experience and make it possible for us to interact with the people and objects that surround us. Perception, in psychological terms, can be defined as the process of organizing,Read MorePerception And Perception Of Perception Essay1959 Words   |  8 PagesPerception serves more than one purpose to the human experience. Wikipedia defines Perception as - the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment. This definition unfortunately describes only one of the services perception provides. I would like to offer instead the definition - Perception is a collection of data filters, some natural but most created by education and experience, which serve to shape and enforce limitsRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception1154 Words   |  5 PagesTo know how perception interacts with the brain to create reality we first have to better understand perception. Perception is the active process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting the information brought to the brain by the senses. Perception is an important part of creating reality because, your reality is determined by your memories, beliefs, culture, life experiences, as well as your senses and perception. Although sensation and perception work together to help create our reality theyRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception Checking942 Words   |  4 PagesPerception Checking Perception checking is a cooperative approach to communication that provides accuracy instead of assuming our first interpretation is correct. It minimizes defensiveness through face saving and requires both nonverbal and verbal elements to match. The benefits of perception checking is to help us have a better understanding of a message, so both persons can mutually relate and to reduce conflict so we don t jump to conclusions. In the perception process reality is constructedRead MorePerception And Perception Of Interpersonal Perception973 Words   |  4 PagesI really enjoyed reading the chapter about interpersonal perception. I didn’t realize until after reading chapter four there were so many different aspects to the interpersonal perception process. It was really interesting figuring out some of these interpersonal perception aspects that apply to my life. The three terms I would like to discuss in this paper are overattributing positively bias and negativity bias. The first concept I would like to address is overattributing. The book defines overRead MoreEssay on The Perception of the Perception953 Words   |  4 PagesThe Perception of the Perception The subjective nature of perception is an inborn characteristic humanity. However, humans found the ability to still classify knowledge under two categories, objective and subjective. Knowledge in the subjective sense, or subjective knowledge for short, is the individual knowledge that each person gains through personal experiences. Artists often try to portray a scene that has an emotional and psychological effect on the viewer, by drawingRead MorePerception And Perception Of Color1360 Words   |  6 PagesPerception of Color What if I told you that my red was different from your red? The first thing you might wonder is how I could possibly know this or you may even want to see evidence to support my claim. However, experts have shown several different ways to convey that we do, in fact, perceive colors differently. Few things have been proven in distinguishing perception, but there are copious amounts of evidence suggesting that we perceive color differently because of our brains, past experiences

Zara and Reiss Comaparison Essay example - 1091 Words

After approaching a Reiss and Zara Store in Oxford circus, speaking to staff and doing some more research on the internet i have come to notice both ZARA and REISS are a growing profitable companies. When looking at REISS THE BRAND: Reiss a retailer of â€Å"own brand† quality fashion menswear and womenswear that established itself in London in 1970. The brand has become reorganized as a progressive, fashion-led retail company. Designing and producing own –label ranges it offers an aspirational look at affordable prices When looking at REISS THE STORE: All the retailing shops of Reiss are in the UK and one been in Ireland. Furthermore, Reiss has 28 wholly owned shops and 4 concessions in house of Fraser. These stores are chosen in price,†¦show more content†¦Money: The investments needed are affordable for REISS according to their financial statement. Portfolio Analysis: the product of Reiss is of high quality and good design combined with the store experience delivered throughout the store environment. Customer Analysis: Men and women aged 18-40 years who are style conscious, like good quality and good design products (clothing), also business people, because one of Reiss’s key activity is providing great suits. Strategic intent reality: †¢ Strategic intent: entering the Dutch market reaching the objective of the increase of international sales. †¢ Strategic reality: the reality is that the strategy is achievable. External Analysis- Opportunities for Reiss when dealing with their environment market that Reiss are aiming. †¢ Fashionable people: more and more people are becoming style conscious and this is a great opportunity for Reiss to attract and grab these potential buyers with Reiss’s affordable and quality products. †¢ Business people: Reiss has a excellent smart wear collection and is extremely popular with its customers. †¢ Wide communication network- a great opt to create brand awareness †¢ Economic crisis- the economic crisis is a great threat, because people are not spending a lot of money. Competitors Competitors are also a threat for Reiss because they have already a big

Media Effects Theory Free Essays

This is a short discourse on the research of the Media Effects Theories, showing how the new theories or current information that is available currently support old theories such as the cultivation theory, spiral of silence theory, and uses-and-gratifications theories among others. This will begin with a brief discussion on Media Effects Theory and proceed to highlight the current developments in this scholarly field and finally show how these theories support different effects models. The developments in media have accelerated at an enormous rate given the recent advances in technology. We will write a custom essay sample on Media Effects Theory or any similar topic only for you Order Now New forms of media such as DVD and the internet have changed the way media is delivered to the audience and also the way it is perceived thus raising the question of whether or not the conventional theories on Media Effect are still viable for the current scenario (Berger 1997). To properly understand this, it is important to first delve into the nature of Media Effects Theories. Media Effects Theory. Media Effects theory can be generally defined as the theory that postulates that any level of exposure to representations or depictions of violence in any of various media cause or have the potential to cause increased aggression or violence in the behavior of the audience (Bryant 2002). Media Effects Theories are developed to provide a better understanding and to gain a deeper insight into the effects that media has had with respect to society and also the role that media plays in influencing social and political change (MacQuail 2000). The recent developments in media however have raised new concerns regarding the perspectives and a proliferation of approaches concerning the Media Effects Theory including its research methodology, communications education, and public policy issues (Berger 1997). Given these criticisms of the theories on media effects, it becomes relevant to examine the existing theories and to examine how an application of the current theories and research may help in addressing this concern. Existing Media Effects Theories This section will briefly discuss a few of the more predominant and influential Media Effects Theories today. The first discussion will be on the Hypodermic Needle Model, which is a theory that the influence of media is so powerful that it can be used to â€Å"inject† messages into the minds of the audience and control them (Baran et al 1995). This model was developed by the Marxist Frankfurt School of intellectuals in the 1930s. The current application of this theory today is criticized by many because the Hypodermic Needle Model was mainly a result of the fear and concern that was generated during the practice of political propaganda and psychological warfare during World War I (Baran et al 1995). The second Media Effect Theory that will be discussed is the Empiricist Tradition which as the term suggests employs an application of the methodologies and principles of the natural sciences to attempt to measure the direct effects on audiences that may be attributed to media exposure (Mass Media Effects: A Study 4). Paul Lazarsfeld, an important researcher who contributed much to the development of empirical conducted a study into voting behavior carried out in the 1940s which to the development of the highly influential Two Step Flow Model of mass communication (Bandura 2001). There have been many criticisms with regard to this theory. While early on it was regarded as influential in this field with the theory of the â€Å"Limited Effects†, there have been studies conducted in Europe that show the exact opposite (MacQuail 2000). The current application of this theory now might be made more credible by improving the methodological diversity which scientists and social theorists have criticized (MacQuail 2000). Another influential Media Effect Theory is the Cultural Effects Approach which basically tries to analyze the social, political and cultural effects (MacQuail 2000). The advocates of this approach fall into two (2) categories, the Marxist Approach and the Literary Criticism Approach (Mass Media Effects: A Study 6). While these two (2) views have gained a strong following among many, the most common criticism is that given the technological advances today, there must be a method by which these theorists are able to provide empirical evidence supporting their assertions (Chomsky et al 2002). The other influential perspective is the Uses and Gratification Approach which allows insight into precisely how the â€Å"new† media differ from the â€Å"old† insofar as audiences utilizes these media (Gauntlett 1998). This focuses primarily on how the audience or people in general use the media to gratify their needs. While this approach is still widely used, the problem of different needs and uses particular to a single individual makes the approach unreliable to some. As MacQuail pointed out, â€Å"it’s very difficult to connect a particular need with a particular type of media content since media use may be considered to supply at one time or another all the benefits named (57)† Now that it has been shown how these approaches have defined and been applied in Media Effects Theories, an examination of the current theories and research prevailing today must be done. Current Theories and Research As previously mentioned, the recent technological advances have altered the way that media is perceived and received by the audience, allowing for arguably greater effect or influence upon the general public. This section will attempt to discuss how the traditional approaches may utilize the current theories and research available to be able to adapt with the ever changing needs and demands of this field of study. The first critical issue to be discussed is the rising influence of postmodernist thought on the approaches to Media Effects Theory (Fisher et al 2004). The main ideas of this theory rely on the fact that the ideas and perceptions of individuals has already been preconditioned by media in a sense that whatever input or meaning that is derived from media is already placed in a predefined context (MacQuail 2000). This school of thought therefore suggests that in analyzing the behavior and effects the fact that media has already preconditioned the minds of the individuals and influenced the â€Å"reception. Miller 2005)† An approach that is closely linked with this development is the New Audience Research, which focuses primarily on the ethnographic studies of audiences while not totally disregarding the â€Å"theory† aspect of the matter (Fisher et al 2004). This approach uses the reception analysis, which has developed from a combination of traditional qualitative resear ch strategies in sociology with some of the ideas of reader response theory in literary criticism (Mass Media Effects: A Study 8). The important aspect of this approach is ability to confront and properly address the issues concerning the origins and influences of meaning that an individual conceptualizes with regard to the media input that he is exposed to. Another important factor to consider is the cultivation theory, which was primarily concerned with concerned with the â€Å"cumulative and overarching impact it (media) has on the way we see the world in which we live (Miller 2005). † This theory has recently been discussed in the research of James Shanahan and Michael Morgan which tackled the issue of the cultivation theory and television. The main idea of this research revealed that television programming cultivates a mainstream world view that reflects and perpetuates the interests of social and political elites and their stakes in maintaining the status quo (Shanahan and Morgan 2000). This type of analysis reveals the relevance of this approach to the Theories on Media Effects because of the fact that this approach considers the context within which the images presented in media with respect to the changing times and culture (Bandura 2001). While this approach may not be necessarily complete and is not without its criticisms, when combined with the Empirical Tradition, a new method which combines the stronger features of the scientific method and the approach of the cultural method may prove to be credible enough to silence its critics. Application of Media Effects Theories In order to arrive at a more concrete understanding of the issue at hand, it is interesting to apply what has been discussed to a current issue. One of these issues is the effect of media on the moral fiber of today’s youth. This will be discussed in brief to provide an accurate detail of just how these media effects theories can be applied to today’s social problems. As a quick glimpse at the recent events that grace the newspaper’s headlines show, there is indeed a growing concern over the violence that happens in schools all over the country (Chomsky et al 2002). The issue is not limited to the increased teenage pregnancies or even drug abuse. It encompasses a whole range of issues such as bullying and perhaps the most frightening, schools shootings (Chomsky et al 2002). With all of these problems plaguing not only the education system but also the entire nation as of late, the question that comes up is whether or not this is actually caused by the violent television shows and movies in the cable TV programming. While there has been no irrefutable data that lends credence to the theory that violent shows in television is the real culprit behind today’s misguided and often violent youth, there can also be no argument against the statement that though violence on television may not be the sole cause, it is one of the contributory causes (Fisher et al 2004). There are a number of media effects theories that solidify the argument that it is violence in media or in television that has led to the deterioration in the moral foundation of today’s youth (Gauntlett 1998). A good example of this would be the â€Å"Hypodermic Needle Model†, which is a theory that the influence of media is so powerful that it can be used to â€Å"inject† messages into the minds of the audience and control them (Gauntlett 1998). While it is not being suggested that television is being used a medium to brainwash today’s youth and turn them into an army of zombies for the media, it is being proposed, however, that the programming and quality of shows on television, such as violent programs, has a profound effect upon the youth (Shanahan and Morgan 2000). The influence, therefore, that television has upon the youth is undeniable. While this influence may have waned in the advent of the internet age and YouTube, it still bears a considerably large amount of influence over the younger children who are not able to access such media devices (Fisher et al 2004). Therein lays the danger; young children with impressionable minds are exposed to violence on television leading to a deterioration in the moral and ethical foundations of today’s generation. Another interesting theory to correlate the cause, violence in television, with the effect, violent behavior of the youth, is the postmodernist thought on the approaches to the Media Effects Theory (Gauntlett 1998). The main ideas of this theory rely on the fact that the ideas and perceptions of individuals has already been preconditioned by media in a sense that whatever input or meaning that is derived from media is already placed in a predefined context (Fisher et al 2004). This school of thought therefore suggests that in analyzing the behavior and effects the fact that media has already preconditioned the minds of the individuals and influenced the reception (Shanahan and Morgan 2000). As such, given the volatile nature of the mind of a child, the input that a child receives from violent programming on the television creates a preconceived notion of what the real world is like. By showing violence on television, a child may think and perceive that such behavior is actually socially acceptable (Fisher et al 2004). Studies have shown that there have been causal links found between aggressive and violent behavior in children and the type of television programs that these children generally watch. This can also be applied to the infamous Columbine shooting wherein the investigators have theorized that the motivation for the shooters may have been influenced by forms of media (Fisher et al 2004). As stated in one of the reports, â€Å"Among the many theories that have surfaced regarding the motivation for this incident the most prevalent one remains the effect that media has on the minds of today’s youth. (Fisher et al 2004) While there are those who theorize that it was the fact that the shooters were isolated from the rest of their classmates thus prompting feelings of helplessness, insecurity and depression, as well as cultivating a strong desire for attention, the attention has been focused on the effect violent video games such as Doom, which the shooters frequently played, and rock m usic such as Rammstein. Every day the world searches for answers for many of the would-be â€Å"avoidable† tragedies such as school shootings, gang wars and juvenile teen violence. The reason for the term â€Å"avoidable† stems from the fact that many consider these as effects of media influences and morally condemnable social behavior (Fisher et al 2004). While media and television, in particular, are not the main causes for these tragedies, it cannot be denied that they have contributed to these problems (Fisher et al 2004). There may not be an easy solution for this but by identifying the causes that have led to this dilemma a big step has been taken to rectify this situation and to prevent more disasters such as this from ever happening again. Conclusion From this discussion, it is apparent that the application of these Media Effects theories is versatile to say the least. There are a number of social phenomena that occur in today’s world that can be partly explained by these theories. Events such as the impact of media on today’s youth, school violence, teen drug abuse and even consumer patterns are all within the ambit of these media effects theories. It is interesting to note, however, that while suitable media effects theories are present in this discussion, the field of media studies is constantly evolving. The introduction and use of new technology that aids in the proliferation and dissemination of media could prove to challenge many of these conventional theories if not alter them. Other future concerns in this area would also have to deal with the present legislative stance on certain forms of media and their content. It remains to be seen in the future just how these events will change the understanding and function of media in present day society. There will always be debate concerning the correct approach to Media Effect. Certain schools of thought will always insist on the application of a more totalitarian perspective that incorporates unquantifiable characteristics or effects while others will insist on an empiricists approach and the application of the principles and information that the natural sciences provide. The key to resolving this issue may very well lie in which school of thought is regarded as authoritative or persuasive enough to convince the other of the credibility and validity of their findings. While this may not seem possible, events in the past have shown that even for brief moments a single school of thought or approach was held in high regard (see Empiricist Tradition). The use of these current theories on the approaches to Media Effects Theories may however be the final factor which determines what school of thought or media model will prevail. The way these current researches have incorporated the key aspects of the technological development in media as well as the way that they have addressed the previous concerns or criticisms regarding the traditional approaches makes them a valuable tool indeed in providing a deeper understanding of human nature and the relationship that it has to media. How to cite Media Effects Theory, Papers

Legalization of Marijuana Paper free essay sample

Do any PEDs or pseudoethics enter into my thinking about this issue? Some of the psuedoethics that enter into thinking about this issue I would have to say would be religious beliefs. It came up it the discussion that the Native Americans smoke marijuana at their spiritual and religious ceremony’s. 9. Implications/Consequences of my conclusion. I truly believe that there wouldn’t be any consequences it the government legalized marijuana. 8. Thought Out Conclusion I personally feel that the America would very much so benefit from the legalization of marijuana. 3. Important Information I need to know to answer these ethical questions. What research needs to be done? Some research that may need to be done before making a decision would probably be research. I think that they should research how marijuana affects the brain and if this is a positive or negative thing. I also believe that they should do tests to see how people operate while under the influence of marijuana. We will write a custom essay sample on Legalization of Marijuana Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 4. What ethical theories concepts can I use to guide my thinking? Which theory is most important one to apply here? In regard to the use of legalization of marijuana I believe that the ethical relativism theory is the most important concept to apply to this matter. These issues are based on what is normal in ones culture and many societies have different beliefs. This is especially true in regard to the usage of marijuana, for example the American Indian culture was well known for smoking â€Å" peace pipes† and in todays society in Holland they actually have cafe style places that people can meet specifically to smoke marijuana, similar to a coffee bar, Many years ago marijuana was actually legal in the United States however as noted in the Ethical Relativism Theory minority beliefs can become the code for society and its institutionalized ethical practices. 2. Who are the Stakeholders? Doctors Cancer victims Anyone with Pain The government 5. How can I re-frame this issue? I can re-frame this issue by looking at this topic at different viewpoints and seeing other options to this. One may think that if marijuana is legalized that it will only be used primarily for recreational use but if they look further into what it can to benefit people that may help change their mind. 6. Main assumptions can I support these assumptions? I assume that if marijuana is legalized it will only benefit the U. S government and human health. The way that it will help the government is that we could tax it like we tax food and other goods and this would help out our economy. Also it would help our human health by benefiting those that have sever pain who don’t want to take medication that they could possibly become addicted to. It will also help cancer victims, people with sever migraines and a lot of other different diseases. 1. Define the issue. What are the specific ethical questions that arise from this issue? The ethical question being asked here is should marijuana be legalized?

International Assignments

International Assignments Introduction International assignments are an integral part of the current state of the world due to globalization. Businesses and companies seek to expand their territory across boundaries and thereby target a larger market share.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on International Assignments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The development of technology has actually made the whole process easy as it is very easy to communicate with subsidiary managers as well as move from one country to the other. International assignments are however not assigned to any employee but are mainly given to managers and executives who demonstrate a high level of competency with regard to the assignment and working in a multi-cultural context. This is a very interesting topic as it gives insight into the process of expatriation, it advantages as well as the challenges faced when one goes on an international assignment. This paper will f ocus on discussing precisely these issues so as to gain a better understanding about international assignments. Discussion The process of international assignment takes place in three distinct stages as indicated in the figure below (Bonache, Brewster, Suutari, 2001): The first stage is the pre-assignment stage and involves selection and preparation. This phase entails the use of four types of variables that are paramount in contributing towards the success/failure of an assignment. They are technical competence on the assignment since the expatriate will be very far away from the mother company thus cannot readily consult peers and superiors. This way, the individual should demonstrate a very high degree of technical competence in relation to the task at hand. The other selection variable is personal traits with a focus on the individual’s ability to effectively relate with his/her peers, superiors, business associates, subordinates and clients. This is a very significant v ariable with regard to working in a multi-cultural context. During the selection process, the expatriates should show their ability to amicable handle environmental variables. The expatriate is required to show a high level of competency in coping with governments, customers, unions and competitors. Despite the fact that the environmental systems in a foreign country may be different from that of the expatriate’s home country, understanding the systems first is very necessary so that the expatriate can operate in accordance with these systems.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In case the expatriate is required to move with his/her family, during the selection process, it will be very necessary to ensure that the expatriate’s family is willing and ready to adjust to the living conditions in the host country. This is especially very complicated when one of the spouses is forced to give up their career so as to accompany their partners in the foreign country (Reiche Harzing, 2009). After thoroughly and carefully selecting the expatriates, they are prepared by engaging them in diverse cross-cultural training programs so that they can gain insight on their own cultural backgrounds, the specific cultural features of the host country, the degree of contact required with the host country, duration of assignment, family situation and communication skills with a special focus on language. This kind of preparation is essential because it enables the expatriates to know what is expected of them hence develop the necessary strategies required to attain effectiveness while in the foreign country (Black, Mendenhall, Oddou, 1991). Culture shock is inevitable with regard to exposure to a foreign country as is the case during international assignments. However, it gives rise to uncertainty and stress which can be dealt with if the expatriat e’s anticipatory adjustment is positive based on cross-cultural training and prior international experience. The expatriate is required to make adjustments based on work, local nationals and living conditions. The spouse is part of the adjustment process and there is need that he/she is equally prepared before arrival in the foreign country. Finally, once the assignment is over and he international assignee is required to go back home, it is important that he/she is prepared for the journey back home. This is attributed to the fact that the assignee may encounter another culture shock that he/she may not be able to cope with hence resulting into negative effects such as job resignation and loss of valuable employees. Effective management of human talent is a very important factor for competitive differentiation in determining the success of organizations. This is because, the human ability is known to invent and develop products and services that are later sold to the public. The workplace, for many decades, has been composed of people and as companies and organizations extend beyond the boundaries, international assignments have become commonplace. Globalization has been at the forefront in promoting the growth of business across cities, states, regions and countries (Stroh, et al., 2009).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on International Assignments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More International assignments entail the deployment of nationals from a given country to a different country, where they live and work for a given period of time depending on the assignment. They take place in three forms: ethnocentric, polycentric and geocentric. The ethnocentric form entails the appointment of parent country nationals to executive posts at the subsidiary companies. Polycentric kind of orientation is where host country nationals are appointed while the geocentric form entails the appointment of the most suitable individual irrespective of their nationality thus accommodates third country nationals (nationals from other countries other than the MNC’s or the subsidiary’s countries). Heenan and Perlmutter (1979) identified a fourth kind of approach, the regiocentric orientation where managers are given transfers to different regions. The mode of appointment is chosen depending on the MNC’s preference and decision. There are various reasons as to why a company may want to send an employee to its subsidiary company in a foreign country. The Edstrà ¶m and Galbraith (1977) typology is used to explain the reason why managers are sent on international assignment based on three motives. To start with, there is the need to fill up positions and this entails the transfer of technical and managerial knowledge. This is very much applicable in developing countries where the qualifications of the desired person are not available. This cannot be ruled out in develo ped countries as well since specific knowledge transfer may be required. This is attributed to the fact that the expatriates are considered to be the key bearers of tacit knowledge. Secondly, the assignment is vital for management development since it enables the manager to gain international experience, which may be required for future use. International assignments based on management development do not take into consideration the availability of qualified host-country nationals. Lastly, international assignments are carried out for the purpose of organization development. This is necessary so as to establish socialization between the expatriates and local managers, as well as develop verbal information network to link the subsidiary companies and the headquarters.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More International assignments serve the purpose of coordination and control with regard to three main elements. Expatriates provide personal/cultural control by replacing or complementing headquarters centralization of decision-making as well as directly surveying the subsidiary companies. Expatriates also exercise control through socialization and creation of informal communication networks. This they do by moving from one subsidiary company to another establishing a certain kind of informal communication network. This they do by assuming the roles of a bumble-bee fly and spiders. This helps the subsidiary companies to function independently by facilitating informal control. On the other hand, there are subsidiaries which are highly dependent on the headquarter company and in such a case the expatriate tends to facilitate direct expatriate control (Reiche Harzing, 2009). Coordination and control of MNCs has been greatly enabled by advances in transportation and communication technolog y. It is because of this technology that companies have been able to expand into other countries and are globalizing at very great rates. However, there arises some misunderstanding with regard to cultural diversity because different people from different cultures, countries and regions perceive things differently. In the way, management styles are different and therefore, a manager may face a great challenge trying to adjust and fit into the culture of the host/foreign country. Failure to act in accordance with the culture in the foreign country may jeopardize achievement of the formulated and set objectives. It is because of the great challenges involved with international assignments that have led to the development of alternative forms of expatriation. To start with, there are inpatriate assignments where managers of subsidiary companies are transferred to the headquarters for a given period of time so that the manager gets to know and understand the operations of the parent com pany thereby, establish informal communication networks (Harvey, Novicevic Speier, 2000). This also enables the subsidiary managers to have a direct link with the corporate culture and plays a key role in exposing parent company managers to the international perception. Short-term assignments are another alternative used to counteract the challenges associated with expatriation. Short-term assignments usually last for a period between 1-12 months and the expatriate in this case does not have to go with his/her family hence avoiding the challenges and disruptions associated with relocating an entire family (Collings, Scullion, Morley, 2007). Short-term assignments are rather ad hoc and tend to be less formal thus are not too involving. They are cost-effective and require less bureaucratic efforts in addition to the fact they can be promptly and flexibly carried out. However, short-term assignments do not allow the expatriates to establish local networks with the local colleagues an d customers. In addition, their marriages are at risk since their roles in their marriages if left pending (Tahvanainen, Worm, Welch, 2005). There are various uncertainties that are associated with international assignments. Expatriates are usually concerned about the status of their compensation and benefits. There are concerns about compensation and benefits retention during stay of the expatriates in the foreign country. In addition, the expatriates are worried that they would not be compensated for the additional expenses they incur and especially in foreign countries where the cost of living is higher. Tax is a very sensitive issue as it forms the largest part of the costs linked to subsidiaries. An international assignment is a very expensive venture for both the organization and the expatriate. While the organization is required to pay tax liabilities on benefits associated with the assignment such as accommodation under tax equalization, an expatriate on the other hand incu rs additional expense when having to relocate with the family. Most companies and individuals continuously believe that international assignments are imperative with regard to escalating the managers’ global competence (Gregersen, Morrison Black, 1998). Since international assignments entail working in a cross-cultural context, it enables managers and selected international assignees to comprehend how to efficiently and effectively function within such a multinational and multicultural business environment. Harris, Brewster Sparrow (2003) have stated that unfortunately, these competencies do not benefit an individual directly since the skills are directed towards enhancing the performance of an organization or company. It is true that international assignments play a key role in enhancing the knowing how of assignees but these skills and knowledge cannot be transferred to their home context. Managers and executives are required, and should possess the abilities to place emp hasis and understand the peculiar needs of local foreign customers, labor pools, government policies, suppliers, and technology to effectively and efficiently formulate and implement strategic plans. In addition, there is need to focus on the general global market trends. Great environment scanning abilities are necessary for the manager to help them pick up the relevant and necessary information. Extensive knowledge and processing ability is necessary if data is to be categorized and interpreted effectively. To second an earlier mentioned statement, international assignments require the international assignees to possess great interpersonal skills that are necessary while integrating and working with the people in the foreign country. International assignees are usually managers, highly recognized executives within an organization or some other highly selected individuals with proficient skills in handling the assignment at hand. It is very important that managers develop the requi red skills in as far as international assignments are concerned because, the world in the 21st century where globalization is inevitable and therefore, managers and individuals who can work with people from different cultures, religions and ethnicities are a necessity (Stroh et al., 2009). International assignments are now considered part of the pedigree required while trying to look for talented individuals within an organization. International assignments are considered important in developing global leaders in the present global society. If growth and prosperity is to be achieved within an organization, then it becomes very difficult to do away with international assignments since business growth entails growing beyond the local boundaries. The Philip Morris Companies for example owes its growth due to its ability to identify and know its global ‘bench-strength’ alongside appreciating its people as strategic weapons. As a manager or leader in a company, one is requir ed to be very adept in handling different kinds of people because having a global business means managing teams made up of people across different cultures. The Philip Morris Companies Inc. spends a great deal of time on international assignments as a typical leadership technique. The Generic Electric (GE) is another company that appreciates international assignments as a means of gaining knowledge and experience that is very vital in the 21st century. This is because the company needs to know how it should compete and satisfy the global-base market hence the manger at GE are required to comprehend the global markets, competitors, consumers and suppliers (Stroh et al., 2009). International assignments are not a means of progressing in relation to one’s career; rather it is a chance for assessing one’s ability in handling challenges as well as extending business. They are a central component of the global management approach of a majority of organizations. The reason fo r this is that once an international assignee has returned home from the international assignment, they are not promoted and face a difficult time trying to adjust with their former state. The main importance of these assignments is to ensure the smooth running of subsidiary business in compliance with the headquarter objectives. International assignments are associated with various benefits like development of global leadership skills. On the other hand, there are some problems revolving around these assignments like heavy costs incurred by an organization, the organizations risks losing valuable employees and there is lack of certainty with regard to career progression and development once the assignment is over (Lazarova Caligiuri, 2004). The international assignee selected for the assignment is faced with great challenges including resistance to set a posting date because of â€Å"family constraints, issues of personal investment into cultural and work adaptation, reverse cult ure shock and applicability of the capabilities gained during and after an IA† (Suutari Brewster, 2004). Management of the global leadership gap is the main focus with regard to international businesses. However, the lack of high quality talent is a huge impediment to successful execution of international assignments. Therefore, there is a great need for an organization to carry out a thorough careful selection process so as to identify the individuals who are most preferred for the assignment. Poor selection is very costly to organizations as it leads to losses (direct and indirect costs). The selection process entails a central focus on prediction of job context rather than job context. Only individuals who have demonstrated a great deal of competency with reference to the assignment at hand are considered for the job. Qualified individuals showing the capability of being able to effectively handle challenges that are prevalent while working with individuals, organizations and groups that have different perceptions and approaches in carrying out duties are selected for expatriation (Caligiuri, Tarique Jacobs, 2009). Hall, Zhu Yan (2001) are of the opinion that international assignments are very crucial in terms of development of leadership skills as they expose managers to surprises hence triggering reflection and exploration, which are very important elements in learning. It is evident as earlier seen through examples that multinational organizations recognize the necessity of international assignments in fostering leadership development. Despite the argument that international assignments do not promise career growth/progression, one cannot assume the fact that expatriates gain a lot of experience and skills since they are able to have a global perspective of the organization’s business and thereby work well with people from various cultural backgrounds (Dickmann Harris, 2005). It is worth noting that not all international assignments offe r valuable developmental experiences to leaders/mangers. This is attributed to the fact that the assignments could be short-term and efficient use of time and resources is called for. As a result, there is dilution of development experiences for the manager. In addition, the learning ability and personality traits of the leaders could also be an impediment to gaining developmental experiences (Dalton Ernst, 2004). International assignments involve more than just one department. If a marketing division of a company intends to venture in an international assignment, then there is need to involve other departments for the expatriate assignment to be successful. When an expatriate is selected, the human resource manager consents the selected person and subsequently holds consultations with other executives to deliberate on the suitability of the selected candidate as the ideal expatriate. The global mobility coordinator (GMC) is then consulted with regard to international relocations a nd it is the global mobility coordinator that defines and structures the assignment in the most attractive offer. The GMC seeks answers to the following (Halverson, 2004): The necessity of the relocation and if it can be executed by a different person in the host country Whether the assignment is temporary or permanent The business objectives of the assignment and where they are SMART Why the selected candidate is the best person to be sent on the expatriate assignment If the company is ready to shoulder the costs that come with an international transfer A relocation company is consulted to give the estimated costs for the relocation. The home and host country need to arrive at a consensus with regard to the assignment. The host country human resource manager should be actively involved in the assignment so that he/she is able to explicitly explain it to the rest of the executive and management team of the company in the host country. The home and host countries should reach a con sensus on (Halverson, 2004): Relocation benefits The start and end date of the assignment The corporate entity that will be responsible for the relocation costs The process through which charge-backs are handled When all the above have been met, there are other factors that need to be addressed (Halverson, 2004): Immigration process with a focus on attainment of work permits and visas Where the expatriate’s payroll will be processed Whether promotion is guaranteed Benefits that will accompany the relocation Payment of taxes The assignment should be in accordance with both the home and host country laws The assignment should be easily tracked in the general ledger Enough money should be allocated for this assignment Changes related to the international assignment should be continuously updated A senior engineer from a certain European electronics company was given an international assignment based in Saudi Arabia for a period of four years. The entire assignment cost appro ximately $ 4million. The senior engineer was able to learn and speak fluent Arabic; he gained new technical skills and expanded his network of friends. However, after the man went back home, he was in constant arguments with his colleagues, superiors and subordinates because he had become so much adjusted to the Arabic’s way of doing things that he had practically forgotten how things ran in the headquarters. To add on to his misery, he waited for close to nine months before he could get a permanent assignment, which granted him lesser authority and power than he had had while in Saudi Arabia. As is the usual trend in most cases upon repatriation, the man resigned from his job and joined a direct competitor, where he ended up maximizing on the knowledge and skills gained from Saudi Arabia to compete against his former employer (Black Gregersen, 1999). This case study clearly shows how international assignments bring about huge set-backs upon the company and repatriate. There fore, it is important that repatriates receive the same kind of preparation they received during transfer to a foreign country. This is because, they have gotten used to the systems and culture in the foreign country that overlap their initially held perceptions and cultural traits. Conclusion International assignments are necessary in today’s current world but, the style in which they are designed and implement is paramount. This is important so that the assignment is successful and when the expatriate eventually returns to his/her home country, he/she will continue living and working just as before. However, in most cases as seen from the case study above, repatriates do not get any preparation upon returning home and as a result are not able to cope with their former situation. International assignments help in managing businesses overseas but in doing so, organizations and companies should factor in all the anticipated challenges and help the international assignees cope with them in the most amicable way possible. References Black, J. S., Gregersen, H. B., 1999. The right way to manage expats. Harvard Business Review, 77 (2), 52-62. Black, J. S., Mendenhall, M., Oddou, G., 1991. Toward a comprehensive model of international adjustment: An integration of multiple theoretical perspectives. Academy of Management Review, 16 (2), 291-317. Bonache, J., Brewster, C., 2001. Knowledge transfer and the management of expatriation. Thunderbird International Business Review, 43 (1), 145-168. Caligiuri, P., Tarique, I., Jacobs, R. 2009. Selection for International Assignments. Human Resource Management Review, 19, 251-262. Collings, D. G., Scullion, H., Morley, M. J., 2007. Changing patterns of global staffing in the multinational enterprise: Challenges to the conventional expatriate assignment and emerging alternatives. Journal of World Business, 42 (2), 198-213. Dalton, M. A., Ernst, C. T., 2004. Developing Leaders for Global Roles. In McCauley, C. D., Van Velsor, E. eds. Handbook of Leadership Development. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Wiley. Dickmann, M., Harris, H. 2005. Developing Career Capital for Global Careers: The Role of International Assignments. Journal of World Business, 40 (4), 399- 408. Edstrà ¶m, A., Galbraith, J. R., 1977. Transfer of managers as a co-ordination and control strategy in multinational organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 22 (2), 248-263. Gregersen, H. B., Morrison, A. J., Black, J. S., 1998. Developing Leaders for the Global Frontier. Sloan Management Review, 40, 21-32. Hall, D. T., Zhu, G., Yan, A., 2001. Developing Global Leaders: To hold on to them, let them go. Advances in Global Leadership, 2, 327-349. Halverson, E., 2004. Who Knew? International Assignments Create Ripples. Plus Post. Web. Harris, H., Brewster, C. Sparrow, P., 2003. International Human Resource Management. London: CIPD. Harvey, M., Novicevic, M. M., Speier, C., 2000. Strategic global human resource management: T he role of inpatriate managers. Human Resource Management Review, 10 (2), 153-175. Heenan, D.A., Perlmutter, H.V., 1979. Multinational organization development. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Lazarova, M., Caligiuri, P., 2004. Repatriation and knowledge management. In Harzing, A.-W., Ruysseveldt, J.V. Eds. International Human Resource Management. London: Sage Publications. Reiche, S., Harzing, A.-W., 2009. International Assignments. London: Sage Publications. Stroh, L. K., et al., 2009. International Assignments: An Integration of Strategy, Research and Practice. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Suutari, V., Brewster, C., 2004. Repatriation: empirical evidence from a longitudinal study on careers and expectations among Finnish expatriates. International Journal of Human Resource Management. 14 (7), 1132-1151. Tahvanainen, M., Worm, V., Welch, D. 2005. Implications of short-term international assignments. European Management Journal, 23 (6), 663-673.

How to Make Tris Buffer Solution for Medical or Lab Use

How to Make Tris Buffer Solution for Medical or Lab Use Buffer solutions are water-based liquids that include both a weak acid and its conjugate base. Because of their chemistry, buffer solutions can keep pH (acidity) at a nearly-constant level even when chemical changes are taking place. Buffer systems occur in nature, but they are also extremely useful in chemistry. Uses for Buffer Solutions In organic systems, natural buffer solutions keep pH at a consistent level, making it possible for biochemical reactions to occur without harming the  organism. When biologists study biological processes, they must maintain the same consistent pH; to do so they used prepared buffer solutions. Buffer solutions were first described  in 1966; many of the same buffers are used today.  Ã‚   To be useful, biological buffers must meet several criteria. Specifically, they should be water soluble but not soluble in organic solvents. They should not be able to pass through cell membranes. In addition, they must be non-toxic, inert, and stable throughout any experiments for which they are used. Buffer solutions occur naturally in blood plasma, which is why blood maintains a consistent pH between 7.35 and 7.45. Buffer solutions are also used in: fermentation processesdying fabricschemical analysiscalibration of pH metersDNA extraction What Is Tris Buffer Solution? Tris is short for  tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane, a chemical compound which is often used in saline because it is isotonic and non-toxic. Because it has a Tris has a pKa of 8.1 and a pH level between 7 and 9, Tris buffer solutions are also commonly used in a range of chemical analyses and procedures including DNA extraction. It is important to know that pH in tris buffer solution does change with the temperature of the solution. Emeldir  / Wikimedia Commons /  CC0 1.0 How to Prepare Tris Buffer It is easy to find commercially available tris buffer solution, but it is possible to make it yourself with the appropriate equipment. Materials: Calculate the amount of each item you need based on the molar concentration of the solution you want and the quantity of buffer you need. tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane  distilled deionized waterHCl Procedure: Start by  determining what concentration (molarity) and volume of Tris buffer you want to make. For example, Tris  buffer solution  used  for  saline  varies from 10 to 100 mM.  Once you have decided what you are making, calculate the number of moles of Tris that are required by multiplying the molar concentration of buffer by the volume of the buffer that is being made.  (moles of Tris mol/L x L)Next, determine how many grams of Tris this is by multiplying the number of moles by the molecular weight of Tris (121.14 g/mol).  Ã‚  grams of Tris (moles) x (121.14 g/mol)Dissolve the Tris into the distilled deionized water, 1/3 to 1/2 of your desired final volume.Mix in HCl (e.g., 1M HCl) until the pH meter gives you the desired pH for your Tris buffer solution.Dilute the buffer with water to reach the desired final volume of solution. Once the solution has been prepared, it can be stored for months in a sterile location at room temperature. Tris buffer solutions long shelf life is possible because the solution does not contain any proteins.