Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Business for Training and Developmental Programs - myassignmenthelp
Questions: 1.Describe how service and manufacturing firms are different when it comes to innovation? 2. What tendencies the manufacturing and services exhibit in exploiting customer ideas for new offerings? 3.What are the alternative ways services formalising the innovative process? 4.Why senior managers in service organisations should participate in the ideation process? 5. Are there any differences between new services and new products in the role of the customers for idea sourcing across sectors? Answers: 1. The major differences between the service and manufacturing firms are the tangibility of the outcomes, i.e., tangible or intangible. The service firms mainly focus on the outcomes such as consultancy, training and developmental programs that are intangible whereas the manufacturing firms include the production of physical products and services that could be felt and touched by the customers to fulfill their needs and requirements. From the innovation perspective, service firms manage innovation through the selection of services that can create effective patterns to formalise the process of innovation. The service innovation could enable the organisation to respond to the changing needs of consumers and develop new delivery methods by improving the communication and information technology system efficiency (Aarikka-Stenroos and Sandberg 2012). The manufacturing firms innovation allows for managing research and development activities for innovating the products and enhancing its qua lities to ensure customer satisfaction. 2. The service firm manages innovation by developing new products and services, gain additional benefits to prevent simulated products development by its competitors and predict future outcomes to ensure continuous improvements all throughout. The manufacturing firms innovate by establishing a good relationship between standardisation and formalisation to improve the structure of organisation. Making decisions is an integral aspect of organisational success, and it is a major innovation procedure for the manufacturing firms as well because it can not only promote a healthy culture but will also result in enhancing the organisational efficacy (Armstrong et al. 2015). 3. Formalization of innovative processes has helped in linking the predicted outcomes with the structure and strategies followed by the organisations. This has facilitated innovative behaviours among the workers and enabled them to become more creative while managing the production of goods and services. The protection of intellectual properties such as copyrights, trademarks, etc. can be done to formalise the innovative processes and generate improvements in the areas of production, delivery, research and development activities. The service firms have made changes in the global economic environment and implemented effective information technology to improve the outsourcing and communication processes too (De Luca and Atuahene-Gima 2013). 4. The involvement of senior managers is essential not only for decision making but also to formulate new ideas and concepts. As the senior managers hold the most authority and power to make the organisation function properly, it is important for them to get involved in the process of ideation and ensure that proper decisions are made by assessing the data and information obtained from the beta testing. The senior managers could guide the employees in the right direction by making them understood about their roles and responsibilities and furthermore train the workers to make them skilled and knowledgeable as well. Their opinions and ideas matter and it could help in improving the research and development activities too (Lusch and Nambisan 2015). 5. Yes, there are differences between services and products related to the idea sourcing across sectors. By obtaining ideas, the customers would be able to know about the new products and how those could satisfy them whereas the new services of the organisations could help in innovating the manufacturing and production processes for delivering the best quality products to the customers. Based on the surveys, data and information were collected, and this had made the customers informed about the innovation procedures along with the corporate structure and performance as well (Aarikka-Stenroos and Sandberg 2012). References Aarikka-Stenroos, L. and Sandberg, B., 2012. From new-product development to commercialization through networks.Journal of Business Research,65(2), pp.198-206. Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M. and Brennan, R., 2015.Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education. De Luca, L.M. and Atuahene-Gima, K., 2013, May. Market knowledge dimensions and cross-functional collaboration: Examining the different routes to product innovation performance. American Marketing Association. Lusch, R.F. and Nambisan, S., 2015. Service innovation: A service-dominant logic perspective.Mis Quarterly,39(1).
Monday, December 2, 2019
The Clothes Make the Man free essay sample
The Grangerford family serves as an allegory meant to show Southern readers both the horror and the futility of hatred and violence. TSIn the Grangerford home, the feud with the Shepherdsons is kept alive by the authority of Colonel Grangerford. As the father of a typically male-dominated Southern family, he sets the moral compass for them. CDHuck tells the reader that ââ¬Å"every day of [the colonelââ¬â¢s] life he put on a clean shirt and a full suit from head to foot made out of linen so white it hurt your eyes to look at it. CMColonel Grangerfordââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"cleanâ⬠shirt projects the idea that he is a person of the highest moral quality, even though he advocates racism, vengeance, violence and ignorance under his own roof. Huck voices the collective opinion of Southern society when he decides that the Colonel ââ¬Å"was a gentleman all overâ⬠(p. 140) based almost entirely on the manââ¬â¢s possessions. We will write a custom essay sample on The Clothes Make the Man or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page CSTwain uses the Colonel to show that white Southerners judge the moral quality of a man by his superficial appearance rather than focusing on his character. TSThe oldest two sons, Bob and Tom Grangerford, symbolize the pattern by which the family ideology is passed from generation to generation. CDBoth are described as ââ¬Å"dressed in white linen from head to foot, like the old gentleman. â⬠(p. 141) CMThe Colonel imprints them with his belief system from the outside in. It is his rules and his understanding of the world that ââ¬Å"dressesâ⬠the ideas of his children. CSJust as the boys try to emulate their fatherââ¬â¢s external appearance, they also adopt his worldview and moral guidelines. TSBuckââ¬â¢s limited moral and academic education is highlighted frequently during Huckââ¬â¢s time with him. CM Buck desperately wants to murder Shephersons, even though he doesnââ¬â¢t know the reasons behind his familyââ¬â¢s feud. What makes the situation sadder is that he seems to respect his enemiesââ¬â¢ courage and unity, two of his familyââ¬â¢s core virtues, and defends them to Huck. CDââ¬Å"There aint a coward amongst them Shepherdsons,â⬠Buck says, ââ¬Å"not a one. â⬠(p. 145) His fatherââ¬â¢s corrupt teaching has left Buck unable to recognize when he is acting immorally. When Buck fails to correctly spell the name ââ¬Å"George Jacksonâ⬠, he also demonstrates his academic shortcomings. CSTwain does this to show that even though Colonel Grangerford has enough money to educate Buck, he shields his son from the classroom to maintain control over what he learns. As a result of his limited education, Buck grows up as an incomplete man. When Huck first sees Buck, he notices that ââ¬Å"he hadnt on anything but a shirt, and he was very frowzy-headed. Buckââ¬â¢s unfinished outfit symbolizes his deficient schooling, and the frowziness of his hair represents his fatherââ¬â¢s negligence in his moral instruction. Huck tells us that when he goes to Buckââ¬â¢s room, ââ¬Å"[Buck] got me a coarse shirt and a roundabout and pants of his. â⬠(p. 131) The rough texture of the shirt is another metaphor for Buckââ¬â¢s stunted mental growth, and its rigid construction reminds us of the stern control that the Colonel, who bought the shirt, exerts over his son. Twain suggests that the Grangerfordsââ¬â¢ demise is directly related to their lack of education, when their inability to foresee the Shepherdsonsââ¬â¢ ambush results in Buckââ¬â¢s death. He shows the reader how the family stunted their intellectual and spiritual growth by focusing their time and energy on hatred, racism and cruelty. Any southerners of the time who shared similar values as the Grangerfords were likely given much to think about when they read this familyââ¬â¢s story and the price they paid for their crooked moral values.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Plastic Surgery and Effect On Society â⬠Essay
Plastic Surgery and Effect On Society ââ¬â Essay Free Online Research Papers Plastic Surgery and Effect On Society Essay In her essay ââ¬Å"Cosmetic surgery: Paying for your beauty,â⬠Debra Gimlin concludes that ââ¬Å"women who undergo plastic surgery help to reproduce some of the worst aspects of the beauty culture, not so much through the act of surgery itself as through their ideological efforts to restore appearance as an indicator of characterâ⬠(Gimlin, 107). I believe that women, who decide upon plastic surgery, have a stronger character than those who stay unhappy with their appearance, although it is obvious to me that women who do get plastic surgery will most likely fight a constant battle with society. Throughout this paper I will be proving my thesis along with discussing what Gimlin means by the above quote. I will compare Gimlinââ¬â¢s essay to Lisa Carverââ¬â¢s article ââ¬Å"Surrender the Pink,â⬠in terms of whether or not the vagina is also an indicator of character, along with discussing the complicating factors that such a comparison between the types of surgery Gimlin discusses and the types Carver discusses. In Gimlinââ¬â¢s essay she points out a group of women who seem to believe that their culture is judging their outer appearances. These women responded to the judgment, with plastic surgery. It was clear that the women interviewed by Gimlin all had plastic surgery to correct a perceived flaw, and not to please anyone else. In the quote used in the before paragraph, Gimlin seems to be critical, not of the women who get plastic surgery, but of our culture that emphasizes what a beautiful person is. I believe what Gimlin means by ââ¬Å"appearance as an indicator of characterâ⬠(107) is that this is what she believes women use to judge themselves. Instead of looking at their values and beliefs, they think that others focus on their appearance above and before their character. She is saying that women who give in to plastic surgery to correct a self perceived abnormality are allowing our society to judge them based on super models on magazine covers or billboards. These women are forgetting that appearance is not an indicator of character, but that their character might be questioned after undergoing plastic surgery. Gimlin states, ââ¬Å"Simply put, if plastic surgery were a successful method for constructing identity, these women would argue that the surgically altered bodyâ⬠¦ rather than body work that has proved unsuccessful at shaping the body or establishing the selfâ⬠¦ serves to symbolize identityâ⬠(Gimlin, 106). This quote is very similar to the above quote. It is easier for w omen to connect their identity to a surgically altered body, than a body, which will not look how they want it to, no matter how much work they put into it. Although in the quote, I am also given the feeling that women who have had plastic surgery still cannot completely connect their identity to their new body. I believe that women need to learn to love themselves on the inside, before they change their outside. If they do not love themselves before the surgery, chances are they will not feel complete after the surgery. Women want to feel that they can identify themselves as being beautiful, and by turning to plastic surgery after much hard work has not paid off, they can feel better about themselves. Carverââ¬â¢s essay focuses exclusively on vaginal cosmetic surgery, and how women feel about their own genitals. ââ¬Å"My vagina is like an emotionâ⬠¦ something other can see and judge, but that I canââ¬â¢t really look at clearlyâ⬠(Carver, 1). I believe that female genitals are a more sensitive subject to most women that other parts of the body. What Carver is saying is that women have insecurities about almost every part of their bodies, but when it comes to their vagina the fears are much bigger. This is because the vagina is not seen everyday, only you get to choose who can look at it and every women wants to feel normal. Since these women do not know what normal is, except from what they have seen in Playboy, many women feel insecure about their genitals. In Gimlinââ¬â¢s essay the women tried to make it clear that they didnââ¬â¢t necessarily feel judged by others about their appearance flaw, but they judged themselves in Carverââ¬â¢s essay it is ma de clear that womenââ¬â¢s genitals are being judged both by themselves and by others. Carver says, ââ¬Å"Do some people go around saying these things about vaginas? (I checked in with my male friend afterwards, and discovered that indeed, terms like ââ¬Ëroast beef sandwichââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëthe hanging gardenââ¬â¢ are used by certain men to describe long lips)â⬠(Carver, 2). I do not believe that the vagina is an indicator of character, just as I do not believe that other body parts are indicators of character, but it is easy to see from the quote above, why women might be insecure about their genitals, when some men make rude comments about them. A personââ¬â¢s character does not come from any body part, it comes from their inner feelings, emotions, and beliefs. Since Carver described her vagina as an emotion, one might argue that it does stand for character. But to me, Carver means that women have definite emotions around their vaginas, and if they look â⠬Å"normalâ⬠in societies standards. In one of Gimlinââ¬â¢s interviews that she documented in her essay, a woman named Ann Marie says that just because she turned to plastic surgery, it does not mean she is a bad and/or vain person. To her, she did not want her personal character to be judged upon her decision to get plastic surgery. In her case she worked hard to keep her body looking young, and when the skin on her face would not tighten, but the rest of her body looked as good as it did thirty years before, she got a facelift. This made her feel better about her outer appearance. When you compare this case to a case of vaginal plastic surgery in Carverââ¬â¢s essay, the women seem to have similar views on what is a good reason to undergo plastic surgery. In and interview Carver had with a woman who had vaginal plastic surgery the woman said, ââ¬Å"I felt droopy and funny looking,â⬠one mother of two told me. ââ¬Å"No one complained, but I was inhibited. Now I feel fabulous! I look like a playboy centerfoldâ⬠(Carver, 2). No matter what kind of plastic surgery is being done, women seem to make it clear, in both readings, that plastic surgery makes them feel better about themselves and that is whatââ¬â¢s important. Gimlin states, ââ¬Å"Second, plastic surgery requires a defense. Much like the women I studied in the aerobic classes, those who underwent plastic surgery are working hard to justify themselvesâ⬠(Gimlin, 107). I believe that women, who make choices in order to feel more comfortable with their appearance, have a stronger inner character and will, than women who stay miserable with their appearances. In both Ann Marieââ¬â¢s case and the mother of twoââ¬â¢s case, these women have gotten rid of their beliefs that they do not look as good as other with plastic surgery, but they both have to defend there solution of plastic surgery. To me, women who feel it necessary to get plastic surgery just cannot win in society. Either they donââ¬â¢t feel their appearance is suitable for their culture, or they have to defend their character when trying to do something about their appearance. There are a couple important factors that can complicate the comparison between the types of surgery Gimlin discusses and the types of surgery Carver discusses. The main and most obvious factor is that the surgeries described by Gimlin, were to improve the appearance of women, but they were surgeries that can be see by any person, any time. The women in Gimlinââ¬â¢s essay care more about how they look, to themselves and others, when they are fully clothed. In Carverââ¬â¢s article, these women had surgery to make a private part of their bodies look better. It is clear that these women are more concerned with how they look to a certain, specific person or a set of people. In each of these readings the women were striving to change something about themselves that they think is abnormal, but the difference is that the surgeries discussed in Gimlinââ¬â¢s essay are more common and noticeable than the surgeries in Carverââ¬â¢s article. Another factor that was mentioned in Carverââ¬â¢s essay, but not Gimlinââ¬â¢s was the topic of power. Carver says, He (Dr. Matlock) shines a bright, hot light between your legs and offers you power over a part of yourself you donââ¬â¢t understand. We could by harnessing his ââ¬Å"laserscopyâ⬠machine, control our vaginas. Thatââ¬â¢s the snake oil heââ¬â¢s offering. In the hour and a half I spent with him, he never mentioned men. It was power he was selling me. (Carver, 6) Carver brings up the issue of having power over what you want your vagina to look like. Gimlin never mentions having power or ââ¬Å"playing God.â⬠In the cases Gimlin describes, the doctor has the right to pick and chose his patients. If he does not think that they should receive the surgery, he can deny them of that. In Carverââ¬â¢s article, each of the doctors she visited attempted to sell her the surgery. She mentioned that when looking at the before and after pictures the before pictures looked fine to her. The last doctor she had seen took the approach above and beyond by selling her the power of having the choice of what her vagina looks like. I believe that this is an oversight on Gimlinââ¬â¢s part because she did not find out how other doctors go about choosing their patients. She also made the doctor that she was working with aware that she was writing an article about him and his patients, therefore he was not going to say that he tries to sell his ââ¬Å"work.â⬠Because Carver went undercover for her article, she ended-up getting the more truthful side of plastic surgery. After careful reading and analyzing both of these articles, I can conclude that for some women plastic surgery is the way to go. Gimlin writes, ââ¬Å"Plastic surgery becomes for them not an act of deception but an attempt to align body with selfâ⬠(Gimlin, 102). There are obviously some pro and cons to plastic surgery, as there are with many other large decisions women make in their lives. But in my opinion, if getting the surgery helps the woman gain confidence without losing her character and beliefs, then more power to her. Research Papers on Plastic Surgery and Effect On Society - EssayThe Fifth HorsemanAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraResearch Process Part OneHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionGenetic Engineering
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Latan and Darleys cognitive model Essays
Latan and Darleys cognitive model Essays Latan and Darleys cognitive model Paper Latan and Darleys cognitive model Paper According to Piliavin, there are two major influences on Bystander intervention, the first is arousal, the response to the need or distress of others; this is the basic motivational construct. This component suggests that the bystander feels discomfort and seeks to reduce this by intervention. This component differs from Latanà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ and Darleys model as it moves away from cognitive processes. The second component, cost-reward, is similar to the decision model as it introduces cognition. In this section the Bystander determines the costs and rewards of intervening or remaining uninvolved. This is similar to stage 3 in the decision model whereby the Bystander decides whether to assume personal responsibility. The idea that the Bystander will choose the response that most rapidly reduces the discomfort produced by arousal is supported by Dovidio et al. 1991. (Gross 2001) Another factor in explaining why bystanders choose not to intervene that can be applied to both theories is the cost of time. This was shown in a content analysis of answers given in response to five written traffic accident scenarios (Bierhoff et al. 1987) (Montada Bierhoff 1991). People who have demanding lives find waiting frustrating, this is why the willingness to sacrifice time for a person in need can be seen as generous (time is money: Bierhoff Klein, 1988) (Gross 2001). The most frequently mentioned motives for helping were; enhancement of self esteem and moral obligation. These motives are clearly demonstrated in Piliavins model within the cost-reward component. One fundamental difference between Piliavin et al.s (1969, 1981) Arousal-Cost-Reward model and Latanà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ and Darleys (1970) Cognitive model is the structure. Latanà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ and Darley focused on a stage-by-stage procedure to determine whether help would be given; this model suggests that bystander intervention would not occur unless all five stages are completed. However, Piliavin et al. focused specifically on two main components to explain bystander behaviour. A similarity between the structures is the cause and effect relationship, in both the cognitive and the arousal-cost-reward model the preceding stages/components affected the outcome and therefore determined whether intervention occurred. One theory that connects both Latanà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ and Darleys Cognitive model and Piliavin et al.s Arousal-Cost-Reward model is Sherifs (1935) Autokinetic Paradigm; a study in which Sherif used this optical illusion to determine participants reactions when asked to say how far the light was moving. Results showed that 100% of participants changed their answers when put in groups with confederates. This, it has been suggested, is similar to the nature of an emergency as both situations involve uncertainty, ambiguity and a lack of structure in terms of a proper basis for judgement or action. Therefore it could be assumed that in both cases the individual will look to others for guidance on how to think and act. This has been shown in Latan and Rodins (1969) experiment (Latan Nida 1981) and also in the case study of Kitty Genovese case (1964) (Gross 2001). Research has found that not only does the influence of others determine Bystander Behaviour; gender is also seen to have an effect on Bystander intervention. In terms of the arousal-cost component of Piliavins model, research has suggested that women help only certain people in certain ways (Eagly Crowley 1986). This could help to explain why some bystanders experience higher levels of arousal than others. The idea of gender could also be applied to Latan and Darleys cognitive model within the final stage in that women may feel more competent in some situations and therefore are more likely to intervene then men. In conclusion, Latanà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ and Darleys (1970) Cognitive model and Piliavin et al.s Arousal-Cost-Reward model have many similarities between them. They both attempt to explain why bystanders intervene in an emergency by using cognitive processes; they also address the possibility of social influences affecting bystander intervention. However a fundamental difference between them is in the cost-reward component of Piliavins model as it raises the issue of personal gains or costs from intervening whereas Latanà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ and Darley only address this briefly within stage three of the decision model. Despite these similar and contrasting ideas both theories have had a huge impact on social psychology and continue to generate research. References: Cardwell, M., Clark, L., Meldrum C. (2001). Psychology for A2 Level. p64. Corsini, R.J. (1999) The Dictionary of Psychology. p133. Eagly, A and Crowley, M. (1986). Gender and Helping Behaviour: A meta analysis review of the social psychology literature. Psychological Bulletin, vol 100, no 3, p284. Gross, R. (2001). Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour (Fourth Edition). pp434-438.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6
Global Warming - Essay Example I tend to conquer with the Global Warming High Priest, Al Gore, that global warming has emerged a moral issue of interest; even if it is always challenging to legislate morality. Every human can in one way or another contribute to global warming; individually or collectively through the use of industries and the industrial products such as fuel. The major issue in the expected kind of morality involves the attainment of the universally accepted moral orders and values to govern the phenomenon of Global Warming. Amicable self-reflection concerning Global Warming, which seems controversial, can help us shift the so regarded - the accepted code of behavior, to a considerably just as well as a fair conclusion which benefits the universal (common) good. The loudest voice concerning morality emerges from people of belief (faith). To achieve a beneficial moral standard, everyone should strive to see an inspired social change concerning Global Warming. Concerning the latest science over Global Warming, it is paramount to focus on the establishment of a balance between the common good and self-interest. Entities such as industries should adopt high morals, especially while disposing of industrial gases which deplete the Ozone layer. They can choose to invest on the further utilization of industrial gases instead of releasing them to the contextual atmosphere. Dilemmas surrounding Global Warming: Industries have to dispose of industrial gases but this has a direct impact on the Ozone layer thus contributing towards global warming.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Strategic Management - Staples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Strategic Management - Staples - Essay Example The companyââ¬â¢s financials of 2010 reveal a disappointing result with only about 1.1% increase and sales accounting to $24.55billions. Stock prices of Staples fell by 7% in 2010. Staples end its financial year in January like most retailers and it was revealed that its quarterly net income for 2011 dropped by 28% and revenues slipped to 3.8%. Further, office supplies tend to represents about 50% of its revenue and business machines represent next 30% while the remaining revenues are derived from office furniture and computers. Going back to its history, Staples was founded in 1985 by Thomas G. Stemberg and Leo Kahn and a year later they opened its first store. The original mission of Staples was to slash the costs, eliminate hassles of running an office and to make it easy for the customers to buy office products. In a way Staples was counted among the top office product companies (Grewal, 2008, p.459). SWOT Analysis Strength: Staples is considered to be the largest office Suppl ies Company Practices world class supply chain activities, extensive network of its retail stores along with strong relationship with its customers Strong marketing exposures leading the company to successfully create and embed into popular culture such as ââ¬Å"Yeah, weââ¬â¢ve got thatâ⬠and many more. ... opportunity which Staples should utilize and apply to its business model in order to stay ahead of its competitors and create a stable market share Strategic acquisitions will help the company in boosting its sales and enhancing its brand value Threats Intense competition from other brands which have created a brand name and image and provides Staples with tough competition Economic slowdown can also be treated as a threat as it might lead to low sales and revenue for the company New entrants into the sector pose a threat for Staples New Vision & Mission The new vision for the company will be to provide its customers with best experience both in offline and online modes of shopping and thus create a benchmark for itself, to help the company grow in the long run with clear, easy to follow, secure payment methods along with quick and fast delivery. This vision would be appropriate in the current situation because Staples is expanding its business into the online sector and deriving a v ision statement which showcases that it is into online retailing, will further enhance the brand value and also put a list of its goals in the statement. The new vision states that the company not only wants to become the best online site, but also offer a list suggesting ways in which they would operate. The current mission statement for Staples will be to work for the betterment of the people and the society and create a global presence. External Assessments Economic forces In general, the demand for office products is highly correlated with measures such as white collar employment, national GDP, spending of small sized businesses. In the sluggish economy, businesses and consumers tend to cut back on spending in order to save money and purchase few suppliers affecting the sale of Staples
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Ceo Fiat & Chrysler Analysis Essay Example for Free
Ceo Fiat Chrysler Analysis Essay Sergio Marchionne is well known for taking over struggling car companies and turning them around. His most recent endeavor was becoming the CEO of Fiat and Chrysler. His business idol, Steve Jobs, who much like himself, took a struggling computer company and turned it into a company that continues to change the way we live and communicate today. It is no surprise that Sergioââ¬â¢s idol is a transformational leader who had similar goals and charisma. Micromanagement One of Sergioââ¬â¢s early efforts was to transform the company from one that made large gas guzzling vehicles to one that made more energy efficient ones. He wanted to work closely with the engineers and managers that made the operational decisions and organizational design issues (DubBrin, 2013). Someone at his level typically makes more of the strategic decisions and relies more upon his management staff to handle the day-to-day operations and direct them as needed. Many managers arenââ¬â¢t able to easily let go of how they used to operate (Ashkenas, 2012). It seems that Sergio is trying to stay connected with the decisions and the people in his new role in a similar many he would have if he was still and manager and not the CEO. It also appears that he is afraid of losing touch with the operations of the organization. Ashkenas says that many in his position feel that they become more isolated in their higher up position so they compensate and satisfy their anxiety by attempting to stay as connected as much as possible (Ashkenas, 2012). When Sergioââ¬â¢s need for more direct contact and interaction unites with his old tendenci es to manage, then he becomes more of a micromanager whether he realizes it or not. Sergio is a very task oriented leader. DuBrin lists out 2 characteristics of a task oriented leader that fit Sergio well. Sergio is good at setting the direction of Fiat and Chrysler new mission to make more fuel efficient cars. He also provides a lot of hands-on guidance and feedback. When Sergio said that he wanted to work closely with the people making the day-to-day decisions, one of his executives was quoted saying ââ¬Å"it shows me that he is going to be very hands-onâ⬠(DuBrin, 2013). His desire to remain in close contact with the operations can help enhance his technical knowledge, which Dubrin says is a very important leadership characteristic, however too much guidance and closely tied decision making is a sign of micromanagement. Concerns with door handle Sergio was very concerned about the door handle that was not water-tight. Some leaders wouldnââ¬â¢t want to waste time and money trying to fix something that could be easily ignored. In the early part of his career, Sergio said that this issue ââ¬Å"would have probably been swept under the carpet,â⬠but not anymore (DuBrin, 2013). Take a minute to think about Sergioââ¬â¢s idol, Steve Jobs. What made his company and his legacy into something that will be talked about and studied for years? It was not only his charisma and vision, but his attention to detail and his unwillingness to compromise until his products reached perfection. Jobs was quoted in a Smithsonian Magazine article saying ââ¬Å"it takes a lot of hard work to make something simple, to truly understand the underlying challenges and come up with elegant solutions,â⬠(Isaacson, 2012). It makes sense that Sergio would be as concerned about the door handle as he was. His idol was someone who wouldnââ¬â¢t stop until perfection was reached and it seemed like he tried to emulate Jobââ¬â¢s management style. This may solidify as discussed above that he is more of a micromanager than he realizes. Looking at all of the history and success that Jobââ¬â¢s brought to Apple, which almost went bankrupt (Shontell, 2011), how could you blame Sergio for being so concerned with Fiatââ¬â¢s and Chryslerââ¬â¢s design? Dual Citizenship As the CEO of 2 companies in 2 different countries, being a dual citizen of both countries has its benefits. By being a citizen of Italy Sergio has a unique opportunity as a businessman. He has better access to financial and investment opportunities in Italy that may benefit both countries which would otherwise be difficult to get for non-citizens. By being a citizen of a European Union country, Sergio is able to work or live anywhere in the European Union which expands his options when it comes to doing business and possibly trying to grow his business (italiandualcitizenship.com, 2013). He can travel between Canada and Italy with ease without having to get a work visa, so if a need arises where he need to quickly travel to either company, he can do so without any issues. As a citizen of each country, Sergio can identify himself with the people of Canada and Italy and be better able to fit in with the culture. Levi talks about a one key thing about teams that relates well with Sergioââ¬â¢s situation, group norms. Group norms help establish the groupââ¬â¢s values, establish a common ground for operating, define appropriate behavior and create a distinct identity (Levi, 2011). Think of each country and business as a team or group. As a member of each group, Sergio would most likely have a better understanding of each countryââ¬â¢s and businesses norms so he could better fit in as part of the team rather than an outsider. He may better be able to motivate his teams differently since theyââ¬â¢re each part of different countries and get more productivity out of them. Conclusion Sergio has a unique opportunity by being the CEO of 2 different companies in 2 different countries. He invests much of himself in both Chrysler and Fiat. He is so concerned with his companyââ¬â¢s day-to-day operations that he may miss out on most effectively managing the strategic initiatives between both companies. He is also concerned with both companyââ¬â¢s products and performance the way his business idol was, Steve Jobs, that he risks being seen by many as a micromanager or micro-CEO which may be counter-productive. As a citizen of both Canada and Italy where both companies are located, Sergio is better able to take advantage of the ease of travel between counties, and has better access to financing and investment opportunities in each country that could benefit both Chrysler and Fiat. His dual citizenship may also give him a better understanding of the social norms in both countries so he can better manage and fit in within each company or team. Sergio has a lot of good qualities that benefit his position as CEO of 2 different companies. While he cares a lot about the product, quality and day-to-day operations, he needs to focus more on the strategic initiatives especially if he plans on integrating business operations between Fiat and Chrysler. He also has the benefit of being a citizen of both Italy and Canada so he can understand and fit in with the norms of each country, but being seen as a micromanager could hinder productivity and respect from his teams. Overall Sergio has great qualities and is positioned well to run both companies. As long as he doesnââ¬â¢t lose sight of the bigger picture, he will probably achieve what he set out to achieve. References DuBrin, A. (2013). Leadership research, findings, practice, and skills. (7th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Levi, D. (2011). Group dynamics for teams. U.S.A: Sage Publications Inc. Ashkenas, R. (2012, 11 19). Why no one admits to micromanaging. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ronashkenas/2012/11/19/why-no-one-admits-to-micro-managing/ Isaacson, W. (2012, September). How Steve Jobs love of simplicity fueled a design revolution . Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/How-Steve-Jobs-Love-of-Simplicity-Fueled-A-Design-Revolution-166251016.html Shontell, A. (2011, January 19). The amazing story of how Steve Jobs took apple from near bankruptcy to billions in 13 years . Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-steve-jobs-took-apple-from-near-bankruptcy-to-billions-in-13-years-2011-1 Italian American Citizenship. (2013). Italian dual citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.italianamericancitizenship.com/Benefits.html http://www.italiandualcitizenship.com/id50.htm
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