Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership - Assignment Example Groups and Teams The requirement for this heading stipulates drawing from one’s knowledge of group dynamics and performance, to provide an explanation why this sub-section may be ineffective. The course module focusing on lesson 3: groups and teams distinguish between an effective and ineffective group by indicating that â€Å"effective groups are able to grow through each stage of development, whereas ineffective groups can get stuck in the forming, norming or storming stages† (Lesson 3, 5). From the observation of members composing the sub-section, it can be clearly deduced that these members have not been formed together; meaning, their membership in the sub-section occurs at different points in time. One member, Rhea Nordheimer, the computer programmer, has been with the section for 10 years, while Jasmine Sangrina’s appointment as an RMS clerk is her first posting and relatively new. The supervisor, Pierre Dalicaster, is also an old-timer, having had 30 year s experience in the service. The differences in entry point to the group has been a crucial factor in contributing to diversity in personal and professional goals that ultimately lead to missing tasks and project deadlines. As such, the problems manifested indicate inefficiencies in the performing state, apparently burdened with â€Å"distractions or dysfunctional interpersonal conflict† (Lesson 3, 5) and dysfunctional personal and professional goals. Further the performing factors: composition, size, group norms and cohesiveness define differences in crucial elements that influence the groups’ effectiveness and ability to achieve organizational goals. The composition of the members itself indicate diversity in ages (Dalicaster about to retire, Sangrina newly graduate), status, interests, and personal goals. Concurrently, there is the issue of cohesiveness where it is eminent that members do not want to stay together (as James Cockingham expressed that he would rather be back in this previous regiment) and there is a lack of interest for interaction and interpersonal relationships (Cockingham does not interact with other members of the sub-section; Nordheimer is not a warm or approachable person and openly dislikes Cookster or Cockingham; Sangrina is reluctant to ask for help; and Delicaster not trained for the position). All of these factors validate the sub-section’s ineffectiveness as a group. Decision-making To address the need to select a decision-making approach and to provide an explanation how one could use it to identify possible problems and potential solutions for this sub-section’s ineffectiveness, one proposes the military approach where both rational and behavioral approaches (Lesson 1, 7). The scenario indicates that in the capacity of a Section Head, one has been governing operations of the section in a span of only one month, therefore it would be more viable to use the military approach to use the five-model under rational decision approach, in conjunction with behavioral approach, using the information on observation noted in the scenario. The group decision making process where the sub-section supervisor, Delicaster would meet with the group to discuss group problems and to solicit feedback and participation

The poverty in the world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The poverty in the world - Essay Example The author also notes that the global food crisis affects mostly poor people – who have to spend most or all of their income on food. Using various examples of extreme weather events worldwide, the author argues that political or economic decisions may be related to the food crisis, but their role in the rapid expansion of the crisis can be doubted; rather the weather, as affected by the increased pollution, should be characterized as the main cause of the global food crisis. The views of the author, as briefly presented above, are critically discussed and evaluated using appropriate literature, i.e. academic studies which focus on the global food crisis. 2. Issues discussed in the paper – presentation and analysis In the article under analysis, Krugman aims to present the key causes of the global food crisis. ... However, extreme weather events - recent ones - in specific countries are used in order to prove the relationship between the global financial crisis and the specific events. More specifically, reference is made to the fires in Russia, the flooding in Australia and the dry weather in Brazil. It is noted that extreme weather events are more likely to influence the food prices – compared to the commodity prices, which cannot have an impact, in accordance with Krugman, on the food prices. However, no data or relevant reports are used for supporting the specific view. Instead, the events are mentioned followed by the personal views of the author, without using appropriate literature or findings of research made on the specific issue. The key point of the article is that the global climate change which has led to natural phenomena such as the La Nina, is the key cause of the global food crisis and for this reason the claims that ‘Ben Bernanke has blood on his hands’ (K rugman, p.1 & 3) should be opposed as non-valid. Instead, measures should be taken in order to control the global food crisis that, in accordance with Krugman, is expected to further expand, as a result of the increase of greenhouse gases. 3. Evaluation of the author’s perspective In accordance with the issues discussed above, the global food crisis, as expanded quite rapidly in the international community is quite difficult to be controlled, mostly because it is related to events that cannot be foreseen and they are quite difficult to be confronted. In fact, no matter the technology available, certain of these events, cannot be managed, like in the case of fires in Russia and the flooding in Australia