Brand Evaluation of Paul Smith Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Brand Evaluation of Paul Smith - Assignment Example brand value, brand position, and brand image. Moreover, to present comprehensive outlook of the brand’s successiveness, the paper has also implied the multidimensional approach of brand evaluation. Subsequently, the discussion of the paper initiated to suggest few strategic measures to eradicate the shortcomings of the brand. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 1.0. Introduction 4 2.0. Brand Evaluation of â€Å"Paul Smith† 5 2.1. Brand Value 6 2.2. Brand Image 7 2.3. Brand Positioning 9 2.4. Multidimensional Evaluation 10 2.4.1. Branding Vision of Paul Smith 12 2.4.2. Organisational Culture 13 2.4.3. Brand Objectives 13 2.4.4. Audit Brand Sphere 14 2.4.5. Brand Essence 14 2.4.6. Internal Implementation 15 2.4.7. Brand Resourcing 15 3.0. Conclusion 16 4.0. Recommendations 17 References 18 1.0. Introduction Evidences reveal that the concept of branding has changed drastically from that of the past. In the present era, brands are perceived to be assets. According to the Oxford American Dictionary, brand can be defined as â€Å"a trade mark, goods of a particular make†¦.† (Clifton & Ahmad, 2009). According to many marketers and analysts, it is also referred as â€Å"a promise of satisfaction† which exists between the manufacturers, sellers, performers, and the consumers and environment at large in an unwritten form. While brand is termed as an intangible property, branding is recognised as a multidimensional process through which a marketer continuously strives to improve its products and/or services to develop the trust relationship with the customers. Thereby, brand emerges to be one of the crucial components of businesses in the highly competitive environment of the 21st century. With all its virtues, a well-developed brand rewards numerous advantages to an organisation. It reinforces a superior reputation of an organisation, assures quality-performance from its end and above all, builds customer loyalty besides their stimulate d confidence on the product and/or services. This in turn facilitates shareholder values rewarding the organisation better growth and strength (Healey, 2008). Realising all these aspects of brands numerous companies have initiated to enhance their brand value, brand image and brand reputation in their targeted markets, e.g. Marks & Spencer, Wal-Mart, Gucci, D & G, and others. On the similar context, Paul Smith can also be recognised as a brand. However, in the modern context, few brands can be identified as successful while few others can be recognised as inefficient and less beneficial to the organisations. With this concern, the paper will intend to discuss the various features of branding initiatives adopted by Paul Smith. The objective of the paper is to critically examine the brand, â€Å"Paul Smith† in order to identify its successiveness in the international market. Perpetually, the paper will aim to document the various branding strategies adopted and benefits gained by the organisation, through an extensive research. 2.0. Brand Evaluation of â€Å"Paul Smith† Paul Smith is recognised as a marketer of fashion wears and accessories to the international customers of the fashion industry. The first initiation was taken by Sir Paul Smith, the owner of the organisation in 1970. However, for the first time he showcased his designs as menswear collection in Paris in the year 1976 with his own name. This initiative made the young marketer famous in the region and also rewarded the recognition

Bio Cement Essay Example for Free

Bio Cement Essay The project aims at attaining high durability of concrete and gaining high strength of cement. We plan to make use of bacterial species which can hydrolyze the enzyme Urease efficiently to produce microbial concrete. Such bacterial are known to produce calcium which is useful in giving strength to cement. We are working in 2 stages. Stage 1: Here we check the effect of bacterial solution on cement mortar and along with that we check the effectiveness of the bacterial solution to fill the cracks in concrete by precipitation of calcium in the cracks. Stage 2: To prepare concrete using the cement and solution (bacterial) in optimum ratio and checking its effectiveness from strength and durability perspective. Till now Stage 1 is partially over: We have made use of this bacterial solution(Emulsion: Bacillus culture+ nutrient broth+ sucrose+ urea+ calcium chloride+ antifungal agent(griseofulvin)to heal the existing cracks in the concrete walls. For achieving high 7 days we have made use of bacterial solution in some fixed proportion with water. The 7 days test was performed on 7/12/11 with 5%, 10%, and 15% of the bacterial solution with respective percentage of water. We have gained a significant percentage increase in the strength of the cubes made with bacterial solution with water versus those made with only water Bacteria at work Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is known to be a natural phenomenon associated with a wide range of bacterial species such as Bacillus spp. provided the right conditions, namely, an alkaline environment rich in Ca2+ ions. Bacterially induced mineralization has recently emerged as a method for protecting and consolidating decayed construct materials. Calcite (CaCO3) is one of the most common and widespread minerals on the earth, constituting 4% by weight of the earth’s crust. Calcite precipitation is a common phenomenon which forms natural rock and exists in environments such as marine water, fresh water, and soils. Microbial calcite precipitation can be induced by organisms involved in the nitrogen cycle, via the hydrolysis of urea by enzyme urease, which results in the production of carbonate ions in the presence of ammonium. Calcium carbonate is readily precipitated under these conditions, in the presence of calcium. Microbial calcite precipitation comprises a series of complex biochemical reactions. During microbial urease activity, 1 mol of urea is hydrolyzed intracellularly to 1 mol of ammonia and 1 mol of carbonate, which spontaneously hydrolyzes to form additional 1 mol of ammonia and carbonic acid. Subsequently, these products equilibrate in water to form bicarbonate, 1 mol of ammonium and hydroxide ions which give rise to a pH increase and ions Ca2+ and CO32- present in the surrounding precipitate as CaCO3. Urea hydrolysis is the most easily controlled of the carbonate generating reactions, with the potential to produce high concentrations of carbonate within a short time. Bacillus spp. was used in this study. The culture was grown in Nutrient broth-urea (NBU) medium containing peptone, sodium chloride, yeast extract, 2% urea and 25mM calcium chloride and incubated at room temperature on shaker condition (130 rpm). Calcium chloride acts as the source of calcium ions and urea as the source of carbonate ions. Observations * There is a rise in the compressive strength of the mortar cubes till 5 % bacterial solution. * The strength is reduced when the proportion of bacterial solution is increased up to 10 % and beyond. * The cubes with 15% bacterial solution shows 8 % decrease in strength. * The 1%, 2%, 3% cubes developed less cracks in comparison to control cubes. * The cubes when observed after testing , the control cubes had more number of empty pores. Conclusion * 3% cubes showed an increase in compressive strength of 36 % in comparison to control cubes. * Reduction in empty pore space.(which prevent the ingress of water and other chemicals ) * Bacteria does not have any physical effect on the cement. * Chemically inert. * Bacterial solution can be prepared on a large scale . * No skilled labour is required. * Its production is economical. References * Microbial activity on the microstructure of bacteria modified mortar by S.Ghosh, M.Biswas, B.D. Chattopadhyay, S.Mandal. * Effect of calcifying bacteria on permeation properties of concrete structures by Dr. Varenyam Achal. * Work on BacillaFilla by New Castle University.

Why Has Reality TV Become Popular?

Why Has Reality TV Become Popular? Reality TV is a phenomenon that has now been the norm for a number of years. What is the reason reality TV has become so popular and what are the negative effects on young audiences? Discuss the differences between reality TV in America and/or other western countries and reality TV in the Middle East. The bug word of my first research question is REALITY PROGRAMS. The trend of reality TV shows in today’s surrounding is increasing and spreading like a fire in forest. Every channel wants a reality TV show once in a year to broadcast to increase and enhance their GRP’S. Why the rates of reality TV shows are touching the skies now days? Obviously, people are getting attracted towards those reality TV shows like a magnet. These reality TV shows are acting like gravity for the channels which attracts the attention of our society’s conversations today. Not only ladies and women in their kitty’s parties are discussing that reality TV programs like before they used to discuss on typical women oriented dramas, about their heavy jewelries and embroided sarees. People from all age groups are watching the every season of reality TV programs. As the demand of these reality TV shows is increasing therefore channels are producing them annually in terms of seasons. And every season smashes the GRP of that channel as compare to previous season (Ramos, R. A., Ferguson, C. J., Frailing, K., Romero-Ramirez, M. , 2013). Now the question arises that why is the reality TV shows gaining importance and popularity so extensively? At first instance people used to hate them but once the train come on to the platform, no one resist catching that train. It means once the show has been broadcasted on TV, no one resist to watch the whole season that reality TV. The answer for the popularity of reality TV shows is that people start relating their own lives to the contestants on reality TV shows. People love to hear and watch the true stories and trues events of every single contestant. People get bored on the scripted items. They want something new, something extravagant, something very much prodigiously attractive for their leisure time. And all these ravishing spending they can earn from reality TV shows (Bhatti, M. A., Hassan, A. A. U. , 2014). Everything which reaches towards the highest sky of fame, people in its surrounding is going to perceive something from them, whether it’s in a good way or a bad way. Similarly it goes for the popularity of reality TV shows. What people do extract from them. Here we will discuss some facts about reality TV impact on our young generation (Gentile, D. A., Bushman, B. J. (2012). , 2012). Physical Attractiveness And Sex Appeal Numerous reality shows portray women idealizing beauty and slimness, giving the impression that a woman’s value is based on her physical appearance, and that popularity is resultant from beauty. Reality cum Competition shows such asAmerica’s Next Top Modeldisseminate this idyllic, as women participate and compete with every of their opponent to gain a worthwhile modeling agreement (Krahe, B., Moller, I., Kirwil, L., Huesmann, L.R., Felber, J., Berger, A., 2011). Acquisitiveness And Extreme Partying Other conjoint values propagated by reality TV include acquisitiveness, and an idealism of a hard-partying and â€Å"superstar† lifestyle without respect for values. BothRich Kids of Beverly HillsandShahs of Sunsetportary the lives of privileged fresh adults living in southern California. They take overgenerous trips, wear fashionable and expensive clothes, spend a lot of money on alcohol-fueled parties, and are seldom seen employed consistent jobs (Ramos, R. A., Ferguson, C. J., Frailing, K., Romero-Ramirez, M. , 2013). Difference between reality TV shows in Western Countries and Middle East countries is not very much unalike. Infect the reality TV show which western countries announces and if it gains popularity to its highest level then most seldom Middle East countries copied them and introduces them in their own country. And again that copied reality TV show also gains importance and popularity at its height. For Example: Western Reality TV Show: The Big Brother Eastern Reality TV show: the Bigg Boss Both of them gains extreme popularity not even in their own countries but also across the globe. REFERENCES: Gentile, D.A., Bushman, B.J. (2012). Reassessing Media Violence Effects Using a Risk and Resilience Approach to Understanding Aggression.Psychology of Popular Media Culture, Vol. 1, No. 3. Krahe, B., Moller, I., Kirwil, L., Huesmann, L.R., Felber, J., Berger, A. (2011). Desensitization to Media Violence: Links With Habitual Media Violence Exposure, Aggressive Cognitions, and Aggressive Behavior.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 100, No. 4. Ramos, R. A., Ferguson, C. J., Frailing, K., Romero-Ramirez, M. (2013). Comfortably numb or just yet another movie? Media violence exposure does not reduce viewer empathy for victims of real violence among primarily Hispanic viewers.Psychology of Popular Media Culture,2(1), 2. Bhatti, M. A., Hassan, A. A. U. (2014). Psychological effects of TV News Violence on youth: A Case Study of the Students of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS),34(1), 295-309. Scarborough, R. C., McCoy, C. A. (2014). Moral reactions to reality TV: Television viewers’ endogenous and exogenous loci of morality.Journal of Consumer Culture, 1469540514521078.

Physics of Caterpillar Tracks :: physics tank tracks

Every time you see one of the CATs clearing the hill at university of the snow, you probably don't see anything amazing about it. However, caterpillar tracks used on it are just ingenious and its invention is comparable to the invention of the wheel. History First vehicles powered by the steam engine started to appear in the early 1800s. Various machines started slowly replace horses. It was especially true for the jobs that required a lot of power. Transportation, of course, was the first and the most beneficial adopter. Goods could be carried across large distances with relative ease. No wonder that farmers were also eager to adopt engines. By that time most of the work was done using horses and basic tools. Problems Steam powered harvesters and tractors were introduced by the end of 19th century. It started to gradually replace horses. However in some regions they created new problems as well. Vehicles proved to be too heavy for soft soils and often stuck and even sunk. Experiments with various sizes of wheels didn't produce good results. Increasing size of wheels just made vehicles heavier and more difficult to operate. Benjamin Holt of Holt Manufacturing figured that using an old trick of pouting planks before the wheel would improve cross-country ability. By doing so, it provides solid plane for better traction and lower pressure on the ground since size of the plank is larger then of the wheel. Basics The main advantage of the track over the wheels is that it can distribute a very large force over a large area. That means that instead of applying all the force on little area where wheels touch the ground, it applies it over the whole area of the track. In physics terms it can be expressed as P = F / A where P is pressure, F is force and A is area. Less force applied to every square meter means that it's harder for the heavy vehicle to sink into the ground. Another benefit of the tracks is that large area of contact allows to have a very good traction with the ground. That is why tracks are used for mission critical jobs, including military use and high cost operations, such as excavations and space rocket movements. Drawbacks Even though caterpillar tracks provide very good cross-country ability, they have its drawbacks. Because of the weight and the construction of tracks speed of the vehicle is limited in comparison to the wheeled machines.

Langston Hughes Poems Analysis Essay

Langston Hughes purpose of these sets of poems was to outline the current condition for African Americans at that time, and also to display his desires and present the ideal conditions for African Americans. Below are several of his poems that has symbology and reflects and demonstrates his desires and ideals. In my opinion, Dream Variations demonstrates Hughes desire for African Americans to be able to enjoy the pleasures of life as white people did. When he says â€Å"to whirl and to dance till the white day is done† he is speaking of being able to be free, dancing and â€Å"flinging your arms† is demonstrative of freedom and an open expression of freedom. Then be able to rest at night and have a sense of peace of mind, knowing that African Americans have the same opportunities that White Americans experienced. In Hughes’s poem Prayer Meeting, he displays a sense of hope and longing for improvement in African Americans lives and wanted African Americans to be free from oppression. â€Å"Glory! Hallelujah! The dawn’s a-comin† demonstrates that freedom from oppression is on the horizon and that African Americans should rejoice. The setting of this poem in religion also demonstrates a sense of hope since religion is often sought after to achieve a sense of hope. In Song of the Revolution, this poem uses the symbology of the American Revolution as another call for freedom from oppression, however this is freedom from the oppression of White America. â€Å"Marching like fire over the world, weaving from the earth its bright red banner† uses fire as a symbol for hope and courage and the use of a red banner as conviction and steadfastness. In the third stanza, which states â€Å"Breaking the bond of the darker races, breaking the chains that have held for years, breaking the barriers dividing the people, smashing the gods of terror and tears† This stanza serves as a call to arms for African Americans. This stanza is less symbolic and cryptic than the others. â€Å"smashing the gods of terror and tears† is the freedom from rulers and the establishment which has wronged and oppressed them. He wants a unity of the races and a freedom and lack of oppression. In Let America Be America Again, hughes is using America’s calling as a beacon of hope to the world to demonstrates his ideal for America to truly be free and not simply as a saying. This is evident in the first stanza, which states â€Å"Let America be America again, Let it be the dream in used to be, let it be the pioneer on the plain, seeking a home where he himself is free. † The parenthesis between the stanzas is what is important, because it displays Hughes’s real opinion of America at that time, which was he doesn’t believe in America, and to him was never a beacon of hope or a land of liberty. He believes that America is tyrannical, oppressive, and discriminatory to him and his people. In the last stanza he also uses divisions of class and other races that are oppressed as reinforcement for his opinions of America. In the third stanza which states, â€Å"O, let my land be a land where Liberty is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, but opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breath. † It’s demonstrating Hughes’s desire for America to really be as it’s envisioned and not simply as it is portrayed (in the eyes of Hughes); equality should be as prevalent and available as air.

Principles of Dimensional Modeling

Dimensional modeling is system of a logical design used by several data warehouse designers for their commercial OLAP products. DM is considered to be the single practicable technique for databases that are intended to support end-user queries in a data warehouse. It is quite dissimilar from entity-relation modeling. Though ER is very functional for the transaction capture and the data administration phases of creating a data warehouse, but it should be shunned for end-user delivery.This paper explains the dimensional modeling and how dimensional modeling technique varies/ contrasts with ER models. Dimensional Modeling technique is a preferred choice in data warehousing. Basically, it is a technique of logical design which presents the data in a standard, intuitive framework that allows for high-performance access. It is intrinsically dimensional, and it sticks on to a discipline that uses the relational model with some significant restrictions.In each DM, there is one table with a m ultiple key, called the fact table, and a set of smaller tables called dimension tables. Each dimension table consists of a single-part primary key that corresponds precisely to one of the components of the multipart key in the fact table. This characteristic of star-like structure is generally called a star join. Due to multipart primary key made up of two or more foreign keys in fact table, it always articulates a many-to-many relationship.The most valuable fact tables include one or more numerical measures that crop up for the permutation of keys that delineate each record. Dimension tables have explanatory textual information. Dimension attributes are used as the source of most of the interesting constraints in data warehouse queries, and they are virtually always the source of the row headers in the SQL answer set. Dimension Attributes are the various columns in a dimension table. In the Location dimension, the attributes can be Location Code, State, Country, Zip code.Normally the Dimension Attributes are used in report labels, and query constraints such as where ‘Country=US'. The dimension attributes also contain one or more hierarchical relationships. One has to decide the subjects before designing a data warehouse. In DM, a model of tables and relations is constituted with the purpose of optimizing decision support query performance in relational databases, relative to a measurement or set of measurements of the outcomes of the business process being modeled.Whereas, conventional E-R models are composed to eradicate redundancy in the data model, to facilitate retrieval of individual records having certain critical identifiers, and therefore, optimize On-line Transaction Processing (OLTP) performance. The grain of the fact table is usually a quantitative measurement of the outcome of the business process being analyzed in a DM. The dimension tables are generally composed of attributes measured on some discrete category scale that describe, qualify , locate, or constrain the fact table quantitative measurements.Ralph Kimball views that the data warehouse should always be modeled using a DM/star schema. Kimball has affirmed that though DM/star schemas have the better performance in comparison to E-R models, their use involves no loss of information, because any E-R model can be signified as a set of DM models without loss of information. In E-R models, normalization through addition of attributive and sub-type entities destroys the clean dimensional structure of star schemas and creates snowflakes, which, in general, slows down browsing performance.But in star schemas, browsing performance is protected by restricting the formal model to associative and fundamental entities, unless certain special conditions exist. The dimensional model has a numerous important data warehouse advantages which the ER model is deficient in. The dimensional model is an expected, standard outline. The wild variability of the structure of ER models m eans that each data warehouse needs custom, handwritten and tuned SQL. It also means that each schema, once it is tuned, is very vulnerable to changes in the user's querying habits, because such schemas are asymmetrical.By contrast, in a dimensional model all dimensions serve as equal entry points to the fact table. Changes in users' querying habits don't change the structure of the SQL or the standard ways of measuring and controlling performance (Ramon Barquin and Herb Edelstein, 1996). It can be concluded that dimensional modeling is the only feasible technique for designing end-user delivery databases. ER modeling beats end-user delivery and should not be used for this intention. ER modeling form the micro relationships among data elements thus it is not a proper business model (Ramon Barquin and Herb Edelstein, 1996).

Assessing your own leadership capability Essay

Understand leadership styles within an organisation 1.1 Review the prevailing leadership styles in the organisation There are a range of leadership styles that can be adopted by organisations in order to try to achieve their goals. Each of these is often suited to certain situations and has drawbacks preventing any one style being the best style of leadership for all situations. Even within organisation different styles of leadership can be identified with this being more prominent in larger organisations with a longer chain of command. One â€Å"study suggests that differences in the leadership styles practised by managers may be blurred in organisations with short chains of command, while it will tend to be pronounced in organisations with long chains of command, other things being equal.† (Oshagbemi T & Gill R, 2004) Within Dacorum Borough Council there are different prevailing leadership styles present at different levels of the organisation. On a corporate level senior management are trying to adopt a transformational style of leadership, which would reflect the changing nature of the organisation. However a trait style of leadership is far more prevalent, with this being of a task orientated nature. This is due to that although ambitious new projects are planned and underway, often work is set in a very formal manner or very inflexible due to the demand of the politicians who have a large influence on how work is undertaken. This is reinforced by the way telling, rather than selling, or preferential gaining true buy-in, has been adopted with very little staff engagement within the senior levels of the organisation. Even since major management changes four years ago when 50% of the senior management team were made redundant the council has still struggled to fully move to the transformational leadership style that it is clearly trying to establish. When the senior management team was reorganised managers were kept who were flexible and could identify and act on opportunities. However given the political constraints I have mentioned above this is often  problematic with the council needing to fulfil often bureaucratic processes. Although much of the work directed from senior management levels is task orientated, once these have been set the middle managers vary across the organisation in their own styles of leadership. The amount these vary is quite dramatic with some areas adopting a laissez-faire approach and others taking a much more autocratic approach to the leadership style that is used. Much of this can be down to personality and the types of work that are being delivered. Tannenbaum & Schmidt looked at the issue of leadership styles within organisation and developed a leadership continuum. The model demonstrates the relationship between the level of freedom that a manager chooses to give to a team and the level of authority used by the manager. (Tannenbaum, Robert and Schmidt, 1973) This model assists leaders and managers in their choice of leadership pattern by making them aware of the forces which are most relevant. At a middle manager level there are different levels of freedoms within the organisation corresponding to the leadership styles that have been adopted and the service area staff work in. Within my service there is less freedom, as the head of service has a very hand on attitude to certain elements of work, often meaning that rather than having full control over a situation that at best this is done via consultation and more frequently direction. There are three sub teams in my area and even between these different approaches are taken as the head of service is a specialist in one of the areas but has very little interest in another which is reflected in the way that they interact with the managers below. This allows some mangers in the team more freedoms and others less so, thus restricting their own abilities to do there jobs. 1.2 Assess the impact of the prevailing leadership styles on the organisation’s values and performance The task orientated leadership that is demonstrated by Dacorum Borough Council effects the values and performance of the organisation, with the two heavily linked together. With Dacorum being a large complex organisation, which needs to fulfil statutory responsibilities to the tax payers, the senior management need to establish a leadership style that then can both do this but also strive to establish the vast changes that are planned for the organisation in the coming months and years. However this is sometimes at odds with the values that Dacorum have recently been promoting of becoming more innovative and transformational, to match the way in which future working and the physical surroundings themselves will be changing. The task orientated approach leads work and key projects being defined at a senior level with often one of the senior managers taking an active role in the project to oversee these. This has led on occasion to middle managers being disillusioned by having little say over decisions they could be involved in and being told what action is required. This approach may have more positive impacts in areas such as finance and benefits, as this approach would be more suited to a more highly regulated service area which would add certainty in the way work is carried out. One of the core values that the council is fostering is that of creating a high performance culture. However, as I have mentioned above, the style of leadership shown by the senior management can be stifling to the middle level managers below them and not motivate them to want to work towards the vision that they have very little influence over. Middle management at Dacorum has adopted democratic and bureaucratic styles within different areas of the council. Input is taken from lower level managers and a selling approach, rather than telling, used when setting goals and targets. This has a better impact on employees with an understanding of what is trying to be achieved and gains some buy in from those expected to deliver the work programme. This approach will harness better results as the performance of staff under a task orientated or autocratic style when not in a time of crisis. (Unknown (2013)) Be able to review effectiveness of own leadership capability and performance in meeting organisational values and goals 2. 1 Assess own ability to apply different leadership styles in a range of situations Different leadership styles are required for different situations as each style has its own benefits and drawbacks. Examples of when different styles would be required can be seen through Tuckmans (1965) model where teams are forming, storming, norming and performing. As a team is forming, this can be a new team or when new employees have joined the team, the employees need to be given clear direction with reliance upon the leader for both guidance and instruction. During this stage it would be appropriate to adopt a more autocratic approach to leadership; this would be shown towards the left hand side of the Tannenbaum & Schmidt model. Once formed the team would then move to the storming stage where individual’s roles are established. This stage requires coaching to help with uncertainties that could exist within the team and the leadership style to start moving towards the right on the Tannenbaum & Schmidt model. After the storming stage the team will enter the norming, this is where the roles and responsibilities are understood and the team encourage each other with the leader gaining respect. At this stage a democratic style of leadership can be adopted where the leader acts to facilitate rather than give firm direction. The final stage, which some teams may never achieve, is the performing stage. During this stage instruction is no longer required as independence is achieved and the team moves towards shared goals. At this stage a laissez faire style can be adopted where each team member knows what they are doing and needs little guidance. FORMINGSTORMINGNORMINGPERFORMING Team Focus Inclusion: â€Å"Why are we here?† Control: â€Å"I want to have my say.†Openness: â€Å"Let’s do it.† Success: â€Å"Wow, we’re great!† Typical Team Behaviors Dependent on leader/facilitator Uneven/tentative participation Quiet defiance Polite conversation Conflict Question leadership, authority, rules Verbal/nonverbal resistance Dysfunctional behaviour Frustration Give/receive feedback Encourage others Active listening Recognize and discuss differences Trust and comfort Task appears to be effortless Interdependence develops Balanced, supportive participation Differences valued and discussed candidly Facilitator Focus To model openness, disclosure, and active listening To help the team recognize group dynamics and address conflict positively To uncover unspoken issues and encourage self-critique To teach the team to self-facilitate Facilitator Behaviors Listen, especially to what is not said. Be attuned to nonverbal cues that signal apprehension. Intervene. Demonstrate disclosure by expressing your feelings. Ensure objective, goals, and agenda are clear. Use icebreakers to encourage disclosure. Ask team members to clarify their assignments at close of meeting. Pay particular attention to group dynamics. Be specific when describing behaviours. Encourage team members to discuss their feelings. Encourage team members to discuss their interests versus their positions. Immediately point out non-conformance to ground rules. Encourage self-critique. Encourage the full exploration of ideas. Explore inferences. Plan with the team leader how to share leadership role. Coach the team in facilitator skills. Plan brief sessions for the team to recognize progress. Encourage reinforcing and redirecting feedback. As well as this different styles may be appropriate for other reasons, such as adopting a more autocratic approach in times of crisis to speed up decision making without dissent, such as in times of war. When I first started out as a manager I was managing three members of staff, all of which were new to their roles, with two new to the council. The team at this point was very much in a forming stage where clear direction was  needed from all members of the team and a decisive autocratic style was needed to give stability and assurance to the team. Of the three employees it was clear that each had different strengths and weaknesses as well as goals and ambition within their roles. Naturally I have a tendency towards a theory Y (McGregor, 1960) style of management which offers more coaching rather than taking such an autocratic approach. This situation required this firm approach and it was only was each team member was confortable in their roles and the storming process had finished that I was able to move towards my natural tendencies. It was noted that while all team members joined at approximately the same time some settled and became familiar with their responsibilities and objectives quicker than other team members. This meant I could take different approaches when dealing with different members of the team, as some where still storming while others had a clear grasp on their role and were now performing. Moving forwards the team will be changing as will how we work at the council. While we move through this process a transformational style of leadership will be of most benefit to the team, who are now well formed. Rather than continue to use a situational style, the team understand how their work fits in to the organisation goals and with the wider vision. By fostering the feelings of trust, admiration, loyalty and respect, and because of the qualities of the transformational style of leadership, staff are willing to work harder than originally expected (Bass & Riggio, 2006). This style requires the leader to act as a role model for followers, to inspire them while challenging them to take greater ownership for their work. This will be explored in more detail under section 3.1. 2.2 Assess own ability to communicate the organisation’s values and goals to staff in own area Dacorum Borough Council has both clear values and goals. The goals are set out through the corporate vision as well corporate documents by both senior management and middle managers. The values come through from the vision of the council as well as more formalised values within corporate policy documents, although many values, such as performing a good public service  are not explicit in corporate documents. To communicate these values and goals to staff within my own area I use range of communication tools and methods. The most important thing to establish is the individual needs of each member of staff to make a judgement on which methods will work best to get the messages through that I would like to deliver. With all staff in my area who I manage I hold regular 1-2-1’s and appraisals, This helps me understand what types of communication and interaction suits them best as well as giving a clear opportunity to talk about their objectives and demonstrate how these fit in to the wider goals and then to the vision of the organisation. Commitment to goals & values are built through these meetings, where action plans are linked to the key delivery documents (PID’s) which are focused around delivering the organisation goal, which creates the ‘golden thread’ through all the work we do. Feedback through these 1-2-1’s is an important mechanism as this can reinforce positive behaviours that are in keeping with the corporate values and goals although once again the level of feedback will need to be different for different members of staff depending on how they like to be managed. Another method that I regularly use to help communicate the key goals is through regular team meetings. At these meetings it is also important to recognise that the way one speaks to a group may need to differ from interacting with individuals, as it is important to find the best method that helps communicate the goals and values to the group as just using the same techniques may alienate some members of staff. To reinforce the values it is important to ensure that when the goals are set they are grounded in the values of the organisation. This helps that when setting individual objectives with staff that the link between all of this work is clear and easy to identify and understand. Gaining the buy in from the staff ensures that they will By using the corporate values in the work we set it helps to create a consistency and fairness when dealing with all members of staff so that one approach is adopted. As well as this we also hold annual or bi-annual service events where the key messages and values from the organisation are reinforced, with this giving members f staff to not only give feedback on their objectives but also ion the goals which have set. 2.3 Assess own ability to motivate others and build commitment to the organisation’s values and goals In motivating a team the first aspect is to identify what it is that motivates the individuals. When holding regular 1-2-1’s with staff I would look to establish what motivates them so I can look to develop a framework for how I can create the conditions for them to be motivated. It is important to remember that rather than trying to motivate staff we should be trying to create the conditions where staff will be motivated. Maslow (1943) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fulfil the next one, and so on. This model can be used to assist in the understanding of human behaviour and understanding motivation by listing the key driving forces for individuals. Following this framework it shows how manages nee to create the correct environment for their staff and the staff will then act to motivate themselves. Now the team I manage is settled, with all the members of staff settled in their roles, I am able to identify mechanisms that will help create the conditions to motivate each member of staff. Although each member of staff is an individual it is possible to sometimes group individuals together if they share the same individual motivations, e.g. if two members of the team were both seeking further social needs through work then it may be possible  to use the tools to help achieve a situation to motivate both of these employees. Setting clear goals which jointly created objectives can feed into helps in this process of staff understanding why certain tasks are being carried out and helps to create greater ownership of the work they are doing. The CMI motivating the demotivated checklist offers other examples of how staff can be addressed to increase motivation within the work place. The checklist includes offering help with planning, involve the unmotivated, try to get buy in, and make sure the rules are clear. These examples have been carried through to help identify when these approaches can be used to address individual situations. Be able to adopt an effective leadership style to motivate staff to achieve organisational values and goals 3.1 Justify the most effective leadership style to motivate staff in own area, to achieve the organisation’s values and goals While one needs to ensure in a given situation the leadership style that is chosen be explicit in order to remain consistent and ensure that a clear message is delivered, the leadership style chosen must be correct for the situation and be able to be reviewed as a situation changes. Given the range of leadership styles that have been identified it will be important that the correct style is chosen by a leader in order to get the most out of staff. Theories have evolved from the â€Å"great man† notion of heroic leaders, through trait theories, behaviourist theories, situational leadership, contingency theory and on to transactional and transformational leadership. As I have described in previous questions the team are currently in a state where each member knows their roles and are comfortable in the job they are doing. Dacorum Borough Council will be changing the way we work over the  next two years and this will affect all staff in the council including those who work in my area. This will mean that the leadership style that I take on will need to be able to accommodate these changes and motivate staff to get the best results in a time of change. Given the changing nature of the team and the changes due to take place in the future a contingency-situational theory may be appropriate. These theories were developed to indicate that the style to be used is contingent upon such factors as the situation, the people, the task, the organisation, and other environmental variables. (Boulden & Gosling (2003)) A situational style of leadership, such as through the Hersey-Blanchard model of leadership, allows the developmental levels of a leader’s subordinates to play the greatest role in determining which leadership styles are most appropriate. From here four leadership styles develop: Directing, Coaching, Supporting and Delegating. This approach was used when the team first formed and as the team matured and moved towards performing, on the Tuckman stages of team development, so I could change my style to reduce task behaviour and increase relationship behaviour until the followers reach a moderate level of maturity A more recent approach would have been to use a situational model as described by Tannenbaum & Schmidt. Rather than responding to the maturity of subordinates they view leadership along a continuum from one extreme of autocracy to the other as democracy with subordinate’s participation and involvement increasing as you move along. This approach allows you to change based on the situation you are in and more readily respond to changes in the environment. The theories mentioned previously describe ways in which could be used to successfully manage my team, however the leadership style that has the potential to motivate staff in my area most will through a transformational style of leadership. Employees in my area are now well established and performing well but in the future more will be expected from each of us and I feel that this form of leadership has the most potential to give  subordinates genuine self-esteem and self-actualisation. This style of leadership requires me, as the leader, to take actions to increase employees awareness of what is right and important to raise their motivational maturity and to move them to go beyond their own self-interests for the good of the group and the organisation. Transformational Style Leader Behaviour 1) Idealized Behaviours: living one’s ideals †¢ Talk about their most important values and beliefs †¢ Specify the importance of having a strong sense of purpose †¢ Consider the moral and ethical consequences of decisions †¢ Champion exciting new possibilities †¢ Talk about the importance of trusting each other 2) Inspirational Motivation: inspiring others †¢ Talk optimistically about the future †¢ Talk enthusiastically about what needs to be accomplished †¢ Articulate a compelling vision of the future †¢ Express confidence that goals will be achieved †¢ Provide an exciting image of what is essential to consider †¢ Take a stand on controversial issues 3) Intellectual Stimulation: stimulating others †¢ Re-examine critical assumptions to question whether they are appropriate †¢ Seek differing perspectives when solving problems †¢ Get others to look at problems from many different angles †¢ Suggest new ways of looking at how to complete assignments †¢ Encourage non-traditional thinking to deal with traditional problems †¢ Encourage rethinking those ideas which have never been questioned before 4) Individualized Consideration: coaching and development †¢ Spend time teaching and coaching †¢ Treat others as individuals rather than just as members of the group †¢ Consider individuals as having different needs, abilities, and aspirations from others †¢ Help others to develop their strengths †¢ Listen attentively to others’ concerns †¢ Promote self-development 5) Idealized Attributes: Respect, trust, and faith †¢ In still pride in others for being associated with them †¢ Go beyond their self-interests for the good of the group †¢ Act in ways that build others’ respect †¢ Display a sense of power and competence †¢ Make personal sacrifices for others’ benefit †¢ Reassure others that obstacles will be overcome Transformational Leadership Styles and Behaviours (Bass and Riggio, 2006) This approach allows for the elevation of the needs for employees (from security needs to needs for achievement and self-development) which in turn will allow for greater productivity with well-motivated staff and allow for high performance. 3.2 Implement the most effective leadership style in order to motivate staff in own area to achieve the organisation’s values and goals As there are significant barriers that exist in order to implement a change in leadership style at the senior management level within the organisation this approach will be first adopted within my service to use as a test case for the wider organisation. Based on whether this style of leadership is successful this can then be reported back through the organisation through the various senior management meetings. A first step to adopting this within my service area will be to meet with other managers of people, as this approach will need to be adopted across the service area to become effective. Once the buy-in of front line managers and the middle managers has been secured I will meet with staff to discuss the organisational values and see how these fit with theirs. At these meetings I will also again set a clear direction of where and what we want to achieve and reiterate how their specific objectives are working towards our goals of making Dacorum a better place to live and work. These themes will then also run through team meetings and 1-2-1’s to further reinforce this message. The next step will be to set the example of a positive new direction and embracing the changes that we are about to face both for the team and for the council as a whole. Regular communication of these messages will be made through regular meetings and as the changes draw closer team days to look at how we can take the most out of these future opportunities. Some of my time will be allocated towards both mentoring and coaching of staff to help bring out their strengths and to work on any areas which the staff feel require further development. References: Bass B M & Riggio R E (2006). Transformational Leadership (Second ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Bolden R & Gosling J (2003), A review of Leadership theory and competency frameworks, Centre for leadership studies: University of Exeter. Hersey P & Blanchard K H (1969), Life cycle theory of leadership, Training and Development Journal, 23 (5), pp 26-34 Maslow A H (1943), A Theory of Human Motivation. 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