Dear Americ Book Review - 1556 Words

Kersasp Cawasji Hist 1302- 5021 Professor Blake Ellis Aug 10, 2014 Dear America – Book Review ‘Dear America’ is a rather sober look at the war fought in Vietnam from the point of view of the soldiers fighting in it. The book is a collection of 200 letters penned by the soldiers and their families during the war. It is through the simplicity of the writers’ language and the honesty in their words that makes Dear America a history book and not a war novel. Through these readings, the myths of the glories of war are promptly dispelled to make way for the harsh truths that accompany it. War is known to take the humanity out of many a soldier but all that is left of it shines through the pages of their candid, homebound letters. In one such†¦show more content†¦The rain drips on them until they sleep from exhaustion. However, day after day, they tread through this misery willingly as they know it is their job (60). A lot can be learned from letters as these about the conditions that soldiers faced during the Vietnam Wa r. They grudgingly yet persistently trudged on knowing that war is a â€Å"constant factor in this world and it has been since the beginning of time†. Keeping this in mind kept them fighting for month and months to come. All the while these brave soldiers wrote to their loved one seeking the emotional support that was so easily lost, fighting their silent, hidden enemies. However, in another letter from Bruce McInnes, the delicate side of these soldiers are exposed. In this letter Bruce tells his mother about the astonishingly â€Å"unimprovable conditions† that the Vietnamese live in. He tells her that the elders of the society are tired of the war and having endured the hardships associated with it, are convinced that there is no other way of life. But, the young are eager to learn and have hope for a peaceful future. He goes on to say how these children slept on the plain floor and got hardly anything to eat. Bruce tells her mother about a time visited an orphanage run by just eight nuns in Vietnam. 1200 children belonged to the orphanage and it was astonishing to imagine how a few nuns could oversee such a large effort. However, the biggest tragedy was that these children hadn’t brought their misfortune

Taino and Kalinago - 1557 Words

Excerpt from the book Crossroads of Empire: The European-Caribbean Connection, 1492-1992, by Alan Gregor Cobely; pgs 23-30 TAINO AND KALINAGO RESISTANCE TO EUROPEANS According to recent archaeological evidence, the Kalinago were the last migrant group to settle in the Caribbean prior to the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. The Columbus mission found three native groups, of different derivation and cultural attainments, but all of whom entered the Caribbean from the region of South America known as the Guianas. These were the Ciboney, the Taino (Arawaks) and the Kalinago. The Ciboney had arrived about 300 B.C., followed by the Taino, their ethnic relatives, about 500 years later and who by 650 A.D. had migrated northwards through the†¦show more content†¦As the labor supply on Espanola declines, attention turned to the southern islands which from St. Croix, neighbouring Puerto Rico, to the Guianas were inhabited by the Kalinagos. Spanish royal edicts dated November 7, 1508 and July 3, 1512, authorised settlers to capture and enslave Kalinagos on the island of Los Barbudos (Barbados), Dominica, Matinino (Martinique), Santa Lucia, San Vinc ente, La Asuncion (Grenada), and Tavaco (Tobago), because of their resistance to Christians. By the end of the sixteenth century, however, the Spanish had decided, having accepted as fact the absense of gold in the Lesser Antilles, and the inevitability of considerable fatalities at the hands of Kalinago warriors, that it was wiser to adopt a hands off policy while concentrating their efforts in the Greater Antilles. As a result, the Greater and Lesser Antilles became politically separated at this time by what Troy Floyd described as a poison arrow curtain. The English and French initiating their colonizing missions during the early seventeenth century, therefore, had a clear choice. They could either confront the Spanish north of the poison arrow curtain or Kalinago forces south of it. Either way, they expected to encounter considerable organized aremed resistance. They chose the latter, partly because of the perception thatShow MoreRelatedComparison: The Tainos, Mayans, and Kalinagos2048 Words   |  9 PagesCentral and South America, Evolving distinct physical and cultural characteristics. Three distinct groups developed societies in parts of the Caribbean and in Central and South Americas. The Tainos were located in Jamaica. Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico and some parts of the Bahamas and Trinidad. The Kalinagos in Grenada, Tobago, St Vincent, St Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico ,Hispaniola and Trinidad . The Mayans were located in Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. These societies were organized primarilyRead MoreCaribbean History Sample Questions769 Words   |  4 Pageslived in the Caribbean before the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. (2 marks) ANSWER Tainos (Arawaks) and Kalinagos Caribs (b) Give two examples of the way of life before 1492 of any one of the groups named at (a) above (6 marks) ANSWER (Group Tainos) The cacique was the head of the Tainos society. The cacique was a hereditary title which passed down from father to son. Generally speaking, the Tainos practised monogamy. However, the cacique was allowed to practise polygamy (this was toRead MorePast Paper1602 Words   |  7 Pagesquestions that follow. The Taino (Arawak) and Kalinago (Caribs) were similar in many ways, but different in others. For example, their technology was quite similar, but their political organization was to some extent different. Their technology was not as advanced as that of the Maya. a) Explain why Mayan technology is considered more advanced than the technology of the Arawaks and Caribs. (4 marks) b) Outline the ways in which the technology of Taino and Kalinago were similar. (9 marks) c)Read MoreAmerindian Legacies in the Caribbean Essay833 Words   |  4 Pages† Discuss. The Amerindians have left a legacy that forms part of the Caribbean Civilization. The Amerindians were two groups of people having completely different personalities. One group was the Arawaks or Taino which occupied the Greater Antilles and the other was the Caribs or Kalinago which occupied the Lesser Antilles. The Arawaks were a very peaceful group of people; slim and short, but firmly built. The Caribs on the other hand were very aggressive people and were taller and had a biggerRead MoreAccess the Effects of the Spanish Settlement in Hispaniola on the Tainos During the 15th to 16th Century.2441 Words   |  10 Pagesas the Pearl of the Caribbean. Just like in the other colonies, the Tainos thought that the Spaniards were gods and welcomed them into their villages. Columbus believed that Hispaniola had gold and forced the Tainos to work in the mines. Columbus also made the Tainos pay the Spanish a tribute to satisfy both the Crown’s and the settler’s greed for gold , and to obtain food for his settlement. It was easy to take control of the Tainos as they assumed that if they pleased the ‘gods’ that they would beRead MoreEssay on genocide and revolution central themes in the caribbean1169 Words   |  5 Pagesas we know it began with the migration of the aboriginals/ pre-ceramic peoples from Mongolia Asia through Siberia over the Bering Strait and down into North, Central and South America and later the Caribbean. These peoples consisted of the Tainos, Kalinagos, Ciboneys and others. The next major historical contact was that of the Europeans who came to the Caribbean region in their quest for God, Gold and Glory. Upon contact these Europeans (the Spanish), enslaved the Amerindians in their search forRead MoreCaribbean History: THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF INDENTURESHIP ON THE BRITISH CARIBBEAN BETWEEN THE PERIOD OF 1838 AND 19211629 Words   |  7 Pagespositive and negatives of this subject matter. The first set of indentured laborers was poor whites, convicts and farmers, who were brought from Britain and France and were forced to sign the contracts. European enslavers who did not have Tainos and Kalinagos used white indentured laborers (Beckles Hilary McD., 2004) (Advantages and Disadvantages of Indentured Labour in the Caribbean, 2013). This research will focus on the British Caribbean indentures and planters and the positive and negative effectsRead MoreCritically Examine the Effects of the Spanish Colonization on the Indigenous Population in Trinidad.2573 Words   |  11 Pagesspices popularized by famous travelogue of Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta and the persistent Prester John, led him to the island of Trinidad (Williams 5). Upon Columbus’ arrival to the West Indies, he met two Amerindian tribes. These were the Kalinagos (Caribs) and the Tainos (Arawak). The Arawak tribe greeted Columbus and his Spanish comrades with gifts and food while the Carib tribe retreated in land and observed the intentions of the Europeans. These behaviors can be seen in picture one on this page, which

Leading Organization and Change Strategic Leadership

Question: Discuss about the Leading Organization and Change for Strategic Leadership. Answer: Introduction In the growing complexities of the human resource management issues, the strong link between change management and strategic leadership is essential to provide an appropriate organizational direction toward growth. The strategic leadership and change management will provide a framework for the achievement of the organizational goals and objectives(Aitken and Higgs2010). This report will develop a broad understanding of the main topic Leading organization and Change by emphasizing the linkage or alignment among strategic leadership, change management, organizational direction, and management skills to support the organizational strategy. This assessment will describe about how change management and leadership styles can be applied to the organization in different situations and impact of these leadership styles on organizational strategic decision-making will also be evaluated. The leadership strategy will be developed by using appropriate theories and methods of leadership and change management to provide an appropriate future direction(Adair 2013). This assessment will also review the current change management and leadership strategy in order to develop the skills that may be required to face future challenges. Along with this, a future plan will be prepared to develop leadership skills in order to deal with the future challenges and potential problems. On the basis of above findings, the references will be made related to the relevant change management and leadership theories. Organizational background of Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Corporation is a USA-based Multinational Computer Technology Outsourcing Companyhaving the main headquarters In Redmond, Washington, US. It is a leading software development company in the world that was originally established by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1975. Microsoft has been enjoying the high market share and huge revenues for the last couple of decades in the global industry. Microsoft Corporation has its own product development, manufacturing, and licensing units to sell the computer software applications and windows programs to the global users. Microsoft has high brand recognition and customer loyalty by offering the Computer technological applications of the value-added and high performanceto the users (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson2008). The company believes in empoweringeveryone and every business organization on the planet to achieve more. The product lines of Microsoft include Windows versions (Window 95, Window 98, Window Vista, Window XP, Window 7, Window 8, and Window 10), MS office (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power point, MS Access), and MS DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System).It also offers mobile phones, windows phones, surface tablets, Skype, Xbox, visual Games, and server applications. It provides the services includingBing, MSN, Skype, MSDN, Xbox, OneDrive, and TechNet. Satya Narayana Nadella is the present CEO of Microsoft Corporation, who was appointed on 4 Feb, 2014. Microsoft has employed app. 120,000 employees worldwide at different business divisions (Johensen 2012). Main Body Evaluation of adaptability of Change Management and Leadership styles and impact of these styles on strategic decision making Different types of change management and leadership styles are adapted to different situations within the organization of Microsoft which are following discussed as: Participative or Democratic style- This leadership style could be effective for the leader to take an appropriate decision by allowing the participation of the employees in the decision-making process of the company. In this style, the leader follows two-way communication processin order to provide freedom to the employees to share their views and ideas with the leader. This leadership style is adapted in the situations when decisions are taken collectively with the corporation of the subordinates or staff members. Each employee has equal opportunity to participate in the decision-making process and liberty to keep their views and opinions(Longo and Cristofoli 2008). The views, opinions and suggestions of the employees or participant are considered as inputs for the final decision making. Autocratic or Authoritative leadership style- This leadership style is adapted to a situation where the leader takes decisions unilaterally and independently without involving the participation of the employees for the companys decisions. The opinions and views of the employees or subordinates are not considered for the decision-making process. This leadership style works best in the situation when the leader directs the employees for executing the tasks or projects assigned to them. The leader doesnt get the advice of the followers for the companys meetings or decisions. In this style of leadership, the leader directs and motivates the followers or employees by providing persuasion and feedback on their performance(Luis 2010). This leadership style is adapted to the situations when the leader takes decisions in the critical situations or emergencies without involving others in the decisions. Delegative or Laissez-faire leadership style- This style of leadership is adapted to the situations where the leader gives freedom for the followers or subordinates to make the decisions ownselves without intervening their activities and decisions. The leader provides the necessary resources for the followers or subordinates and gives them an opportunity to take decisions with little guidance. Bureaucratic style: This leadership style is adapted to the situations when leaders are skilled, educated, and experienced. The leader takes decision with own judicious after assessing the organizational situations or risk factors. The leader takes decision for the interest of the organization by using the available sources in the given conditions. Charismatic style: This style of leadership is adapted to the situations where the leadertakes decision after observing the current organizational situations and estimating the risk factors. In this leadership style, the leader encourages the followers or subordinates to give their best performance for the achievement of the organizational goals and objectives(Lussier and Achua 2012). This leadership style works best in the positive work environment where the leader motivates the subordinates or followers to work hard and strive to succeed in the goals-accomplishment. For the organization of Microsoft, the participative or democratic leadership style will be most suitable which has been currently using in the organization of Microsoft because this leadership style will help Satya Nadella in taking decisions effectively by allowing the participation and involvement of the followers or subordinates in the decision-making process of the company. This leadership style will be effective for Nadella to get the opinions, views, and responses of the employees while taking the final decisions(Wheelen2012). The change management and leadership styles affect the organizational decision-making to the great extent because these styles influence the mindsets of the leader to make effective decisions. In the participative or democratic leadership style, the views, opinions, and recommendations of the employees are considered by allowing them to participate in the companys meetings and decision making process. This leadership style is effective to take accurate and right decisions because the decisions are taken collectively by getting advice from the followers or subordinates(Thompson and Martin2010). In the autocratic leadership style, the decisions are taken individually by the leader without involving the participants in the decision-making process. Sometimes, such types of leaders take decisions in the emergencies that reduce the effectiveness and efficiency of the decisions. The bureaucratic leadership style affects the strategic decisions because the decisions are taken after assessing the contingent situations and risk factor. The leaders are well educated, knowledgeable, and trained who take effective decisions for the interests of the organization. In the free rein or laissez-Fair leadership style, the decisions are taken by the followers or subordinate themselves without much intervention of the leader (Stringham 2012). The employees have authorities and liberty to take decisions in their own way. So, different leadership and management styles affect the organizational decisions. Development of leadership strategy by using selected theories and methods of change management and leadership An effective leadership strategy is required for moving the organization toward the achievement of future goals and objectives by linking the leadership strategy to the extensive changes. It will be good from the perspective of the organizational growth to create a leadership strategy for the development of an effective leader. The leader can provide the organization of Microsoft an appropriate direction toward growth through performing his duties, responsibilities, and authorities in an effective manner. The leadership strategy and management knowledge are affected by the use of the change management and leadership theories. By using the management and leadership theories, the impact of the situational factors (competition level, high job stress, job structure, diversified workforce, and changing environmental conditions) on the leadership behavior and strategyis identified (Smillie and Hailey 2001). The theories of leadership and change management include Great Man theory, Transfor mational theory, Trait theory, Transactional theory, Situational theory, Leadership-Member Exchange theory, Contingency and charismatic leadership theory that significantly affect the leadership and change management strategy. For the organization of Microsoft, the leadership theories including contingency or situational theory, transformation theory, and behavioral theory can be used. Transformational theory- This theory will assist in developing an effective leadership strategy by encouraging the leaders for the attainment of the long term goals, objectives, strategies and vision. This theory will be supportive to transform the leader in order to bring innovation and creativity for enhancing the performances and productivity of the workforces by influencing the behaviors and attitudesof the individuals (Olson and Simerson2015). By using this theory, the leader can share the job skills, knowledge and experiences with the organizational members in order to attain the organizational goals and objectives effectively. Situational or contingency theory- This theory will be effective for the development of the future leadership strategy. This theory will influence the behavior of the leaders to take effective decisions according to organizational situations(Finkelstein, Hambrick and Cannella 2009). This theory assumes that the leadership behavior should be contingent based on situations for influencing the motivational level and commitment of the employees for accomplishing their tasks effectively. After observing the situations, the leaders should make change in the change management and leadership strategy. Behavioral theory- This theory affects the behaviors, attitudes, perceptions and values of the leader which in turn influences the leadership strategy for encouraging the employees for the achievement of organizational goals and objectives (Napoleon and Abell 2008). This theory is effective to win the loyalty and confidence of the team members by allowing their participation in the decision-making. On the basis of above findings and assumptions from the theories of leadership and change management, an effective leadership strategy will be developed to support the organizations future direction by linking the strategy with the attainment of the future goals, vision, and objectives. The leadership strategy will assist to lead the workforce effectively by managing the performances of the individuals for the accomplishment of the tasks or projects assigned to them as per their skills, roles, and knowledge. Microsoft is one of the leading computer software development companies in the world which is known for high market presence and corporate global identity. It has employed around 120,000 employees to handle the overall business operations of Microsoft. SatyaNarayanaNadella is the CEO or leader of Microsoft. Microsoft Corporation has been facing complex problems and potential challenges for the last few years due to ineffective leadership strategies and policies in Microsoft. It has been difficult for the leader to manage the external business operations of Microsoft while working at different environmental conditions. After the acquisition of Nokia by Microsoft in 2014, the challenges and responsibilities for Nadella have been increased. So, it has become necessary to develop a leadership strategy to prepare the leader for the potential challenges and future responsibilities (Riggio and Tan2013). For developing aneffective leadership strategy, the current leadership strategy is revie wed in order to identify the strong and weak points of the leadership. After assessing the current leadership strategy, the current leadership skills and abilities are compared with the future leadership skills and abilities that will assist in identifying the skills gap for the development of the future leadership strategy. Creation of Leadership Strategy The leadership strategy of Microsoft will include the leadership skills, managerial abilities, specialization of fields, commitment, unique traits, and managerial competence that will be required for performing the leadership role, tasks, and responsibilities effectively. The leadership strategy will also include the commitment and orientation of the leader toward the organizational vision, mission, future goals, objectives, strategies, and vision statement. The leadership strategy will also contain the roles, duties, authorities and responsibilities ofeach employee that will be determined by the leader. The leadership strategy will also include the self-leadership before committing to lead others. It will also include the risk assessment and management, future tasks or projects, potential challenges, and required experience and knowledge(Samson and Bevington 2012). The leadership strategy of Microsoft will also include the participation of the team members or subordinates in the tea m meetings. The leadership strategy will also contain the development of the professionalism, trust, belief, respect required for determining the future direction of the organization. This strategy will include the changes required for the leader after assessing the organizational requirements and contingent situations. Methods to review the current leadership and change Management within the organization For reviewing the current organizational leadership and change management of Microsoft Company, several methods such as SWOT analysis, self-assessment, Life Mission Statement, and Qualification gap and Performance analysis can be used. The Self-Assessment is a method that can be used to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the leadership of Satya Nadella through assessment of the current skills and future skills required for the dealing with the complex problems and future challenges. Creating a life mission statement through a life mission statement worksheet will provide the leader future insights by encouraging the leader to lead and guide the organizational members for the achievement of long-term goals and objectives(Finkelstein, Hambrick, and Cannella 2009). This method will define the future leadership skills and change management requirements by assessing the current management strategy and leadership in the organization of Microsoft. The qualification gap and performance analysis is a method that can be used to assess the current leadership skills, managerial abilities, and change management strategy of Microsoft.This method will help in analyzing a gap between the current leadership skills and change management strategy and future leadership and change management requirements. This tool will help in comparing the leadership performance and strategic change management level of the current year with the previous years of leadership performance and change management strategy(Flevy2014). SWOT analysis is an important tool to review the current leadership and change management strategy of Microsoft by identifying the strength and weakness of the current leadership of Nadella and further leadership and change management opportunities and threats for the leader in the future. From the SWOT analysis, it is identified that listening, writing, managerial, andcoordination skills are the strengths of the leadership of Microsoft. This method also shows that the leader also has weaknesses, such as motivation skills, communication or representation skills and decision making inability. As per SWOT analysis, the opportunities include time-management skills, problem solving skills,creative thinking and innovative ideas that will be required for dealing with the complex problems and potential future challenges (Fullan2011). According to SWOT analysis, the threats include diversified and inexperienced workforce, cultural diversity and management challenges, growing competition leve l, changing customers needs and growing market demands, different environmental conditions, fast changing technology, growing demand of the corporate social responsibility and ethical behavior are several issues that create potential risks for the leaderof Microsoft. After reviewing the current organizational leadership and change managementof Microsoft by using the appropriate methods, it is identified that the current leadership skills, managerial qualities,and change management strategy of Microsoft are below the expectation level and requiremore efforts to prepare the leader for the future goals and potential challenges. The leader of Microsoft is required to develop extra leadership skills that may be required for dealing with the complex future problems and potential challenges becauseit will be effective to lead the workforce effectively by managing their performances for the future tasks or projects and potential challenges facing while working at different environmental conditions(Jung 2011). The development of extra leadership skills and managerial competencies will also assist the leader to attain the organizational vision, mission, long-term goals and objectives and targets within determined timelines and estimated budget. It will also be effective for Microsoft toorganize long-term training sessions and coaching and development programs for developing the future leadership developmentthat may be required for dealing with the future situations or challenges. Along with this, the job rotation, mentoring, use of case studies and learning programs, group discussions, and e-studies will be effective for developing the future leadership and management. For ex- for the introduction of the new services, such as smartphones, windows phones, tablets, and Xbox (new products which were introduced by Microsoft after the acquisition of Nokia), the new advertising strategy, marketing plans and objectives will be required for the success of these new products(Kavanagh and Ashkanasy2006). Identifying the new customer segments, determination of competition level, creation of new market plan and strategy, and growth prospects will be future challenges for the Leader of Microsoft while dealing with the new product line. Plan to develop the leadership skills to deal with potential situations or challenges At Microsoft, it is essential to for the leader to create a plan for the development of the leadership skills and managerial qualities in order to manage the performances of the employees. In order to develop the leadership skills, such as managerial skills, motivation skills, time management skills, and decision-making skills, the development methods, such as training, coaching, mentoring, e-learning studies (e-books, magazines, journals, and articles), case studies, meetings and seminars, group discussions, and promotional events will be used.The coaching programs and mentoring will assist to develop the leadership abilities. The training and skills development methods will assist to enhance the leadership qualities and managerial competencies of the leaders(Anderson and Anderson 2010). Job rotation is an effective tool that can be used to enhance the leadership skills and managerial qualities of the leader. The leader will be appointed in different geographical regions periodically that will assist to prepare them to face the complex situations and further challenges and to take effective decisions in these situations. Along with this, the case studieswill assist in improving themanagerial qualities, leadership skills, technical knowledge, and decision making ability of the leader. The group discussions will be effective to improve the communication skills, negotiation skills, and decision making skills of the leader. The use of E-learning, such as e-study of the books, blogs, articles, journals, and essays and the leadership histories of the former successful leaderswill be effective to enhance the leadership skills and managerial qualities of the leader(DuBrin 2012).The following table will emphasize the development of the leadership skills through the use of the suitable development methods. Types of Leadership skills Objectivity Time period for development/ improvement Development methods Development of communication or representative skills To communicate with organizational members and stakeholders effectively To correspond the organizational members and external stakeholders through emails, social media, Skype or videoconferencing 2 months Joining training classes, seminars, meetings or presentation ceremonies Participating in group discussions Reading books, magazines, articles, newspapers, or e-studies Development of time-management skills To execute and accomplish the assigned tasks or projectsin the determined timelines 2 months Through training, case studies, group discussions, and reviewing the implemented projects By reading books, magazines and essays on time management books Development of motivational skills To motivate the subordinates and organizational members effectively To encourage the team members for the goals achievement To enhance employee morale and job satisfaction 2 months Through training, coaching, and group discussions Reading e-books, essays, articles or magazines on motivation theories Improvement in problem-solving skills To solve the inter-organizational conflicts and complex problems To prepare them for the future challenges Tofind the best possible solution to the organizational problems 1 month By reading problem-solving books, articles, essays, magazines and journals Through joining meetings, seminars, training or group discussions Improvement in decision-making skills To take decisions effectively in the typical situations or unfavorable conditions 1 Month By attending seminars, meetings and group discussions By reading e-books, articles or essays, magazines, books, and case studies Improvement in negotiation skills To negotiate the organizational members and external stakeholders effectively 1 month By attending training, seminars, meetings, group discussions, and learning programs The above personal development plan will be effective for the leader of Microsoft in developing the leadership skills and managerial competencies required for performing the role of an effective leader in managing the performances of the employees. It will provide a platform for the leader to lead, direct and supervise the project team or staff members effectively. The PDP will also assist the leader to win the confidence, credibility and loyalty of the team members by enhancing the leadership skills and managerial abilities. The use of development methods will be effective for SatyaNadellato prepare himself for the future challenges and complicated situations. The development methods will be useful for the leader in taking right decisions in the critical situations. These methods will enhance the leadership skills, managerial qualities, and professional competencies of the leader to manage the workforce in an effective manner (Eikenberry 2011). These methods will be useful to develop several leadership qualities, such as change management, risk-taking ability and awareness, customer handling, creativity and innovation, depth understanding, strategic vision, and team working abilities. The use of the development methods will be effective to develop the motivation skills, communication skills, time-management skills, and decision-making skills as well as improvement in the problem solving skills, creative thinking skills, negotiation skills, and managerial skills of the leader. For ex-the self-assessment method will the useful in providing an assessment of the current leadership skills and managerial abilities by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the leader. Another method, like- job rotation will be useful to prepare the leader for working in different environment conditions by developing the leadership skills and professional competence of the leader(Cliff and Johan2010). The training and skills development programs will be useful to enhance the leadership skills and managerial qualities of the leader. The learning methods, such as case studies and group discussions will be useful to enhance theself-knowledge, depth understanding, and creative thinkingof the leader. Conclusion Recommendations From the above discussion, it can be concluded that change management and leadership are essential to direct the organization toward growth through the development of an effective leadership strategy by using the leadership theories and change management methods. The leader of Microsoft should use different leadership theories in different situations for managing the performances of the employees toward the achievement of the long-term business goals, objectives, and targets of the organization. The change management models and leadership theories will help the leader in designing an effective business strategy as per organizational requirements and changing business environmental trends. It could be effective for the firm to use suitable methods and techniques to review the current leadership and change management so that the necessary changes could be made for preparing the leader to take effective decisions in the complicated situations. The planning was made for developing the fu ture leadership skills in order to deal with the future complex problems and potential changes. References Adair, J. (2013) Develop Your Leadership Skills. UK: Kogan Page Publishers. Aitken, P., and Higgs, M. (2010) Developing Change Leaders: The Principles and Practices of Change Leadership Development. UK: Routledge. Anderson, D., and Anderson, A. L. (2010) Beyond Change Management: How to Achieve Breakthrough Results through Conscious Change Leadership. USA: John Wiley and Sons. Cliff, R. and Johan, R. (2010) Leadership: Personal Development and Career Success. 3rd ed. USA: Cengage Learning. DuBrin, A. (2012) Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills. USA: Cengage Learning. Eikenberry, K. (2011) Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time. USA: John Wiley Sons. Finkelstein, S., Hambrick, C. D., and Cannella, A. A. (2009) Strategic Leadership: Theory and Research on Executives, Top Management Teams, and Boards. New York: Oxford University Press. Flevy, L. (2014) Sustaining Creativity and Innovation in Organizations: A Tool Kit. USA: Trafford Publishing. Fullan, M. (2011) Change Leader: Learning to Do What Matters Most. USA: John Wiley Sons. Hitt, M., Ireland, D., and Hoskisson, R. (2008) Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, Cases. USA:Cengage Learning. Johensen, R. (2012) Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World. California: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Jung, C. (2011) The Importance of Change Management in Organisations: A strategic analysis of the Daimler-Chrysler merger. London: Grin Verlag. Kavanagh, M. H., and Ashkanasy, N. M. (2006) The impact of leadership and change management strategy on organizational culture and individual acceptance of change during a merger. British Journal of Management, 17(S1), pp. S81-S103. Longo, F. and Cristofoli, D. (2008) Strategic Change Management in the Public Sector: An EFMD European Case Book. USA: John Wiley Sons. Luis, V. R. (2010) Management skills and leadership techniques. Spain: Ideaspropias Editorial S.L. Lussier, R. and Achua, C. (2012) Leadership: Theory, Application, Skill Development. USA: Cengage Learning. Napoleon, A. J., and Abell, B. S. (2008) Moving Up to Management: Leadership and Management Skills for New Supervisors.Medford: SandraAbell Publication. Olson, K. A., and Simerson, K. B. (2015) Leading with Strategic Thinking: Four Ways Effective Leaders Gain Insight, Drive Change, and Get Results. USA: John Wiley Sons. Riggio, E. R., and Tan, J. S. (2013) Leader Interpersonal and Influence Skills: The Soft Skills of Leadership. UK: Routledge Publisher. Samson, D. and Bevington, T. (2012) Implementing Strategic Change: Managing Processes and Interfaces to Develop a Highly Productive Organization. UK: Kogan Page Publishers. Smillie, I. and Hailey, M. J. (2001) Managing for Change: Leadership, Strategy, and Management in Asian NGOs. USA: Earthscan. Stringham, S. (2012)Strategic Leadership and Strategic Management: Leading and Managing Change on the Edge of Chaos. New York: I Publishers. Thompson, L. J., and Martin, F. (2010) Strategic Management: Awareness Change. USA: Cenegage Learning EMEA. Wheelen, L. T. (2012) Study Guide for Concepts in Strategic Management and Business Policy,textbook by Thomas L Wheelen: Business, Management. UK: Cram 101 Textbook Reviews.

Marketing of Packaged Drinking Water Essay Example

Marketing of Packaged Drinking Water Essay Water is the fountain of all life. Even a toddler knows that it is a commodity with utmost importance. Nearly 60% of our body weight comprises of water.Water can also be the cause to a great deal of misery specially in India where contaminated water continues to bring down millions with diseases like diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, jaundice and gastro-enteritis. Getting pure drinking water in cities and towns has now become a luxury. At most homes people are forced to either boil water to make it appropriate for drinking or they have to install water purifiers. While travelling or eating at restaurants buying packaged drinking water has become a necessity. This need has seen an explosion of companies marketing â€Å"safe drinking water† in bottles across the country.THE PACKAGED DRINKING WATER INDUSTRY- AN OVERVIEW India is the tenth largest bottled water consumer in the world. The present scenario shows that it is one of the fastest growing industrial sectors. There are nearly 200 brands, 80% of which are local. Most of the small scale producers sell non-branded products and serve small markets. Despite the large number of small sellers, the industry is dominated by big players like Bisleri, Aquafina, Mc Dowells, Parle Bailley and so on. PLANT REVIEW: There are two working units of the factory.One at Dahisar and the other is at Kurla. The unit at Dahisar is the larger of the two units. It has a huge processing and manufaturing plant. The one at Kurla also does the same work of manufacturing and processing but is relatively smaller. For the purpose of accounting, both these units are considered as one factory but they both have individual licenses. The factory is one that produces packaged drinking water and according to the Bureau of Indian Standards, such a factory must necessarily have a micro-biologist and a chemist.Both the plants thus have a microbiologist and a chemist who perform timely tests on sample water in order to maintain the quality and BIS standards with regard to the chemical composition and purity of the water. MANUFACTURING PROCESS: MARKET SEGMENTATION: The packaged drinking water market is segmented according to the type of consumers who generally are: * Foreign tourists * Domestic tourists * Corporate houses * Health conscious people * Restaurants and clubs etc The packaged drinking water market is also segmented on the basis of pack sizes. * 1 litre bottles * 500 ml bottles * 300 ml bottles * 20 litre jars * 200 ml cups etcSWOT ANALYSIS OF THE INDIAN PACKAGED DRINKING WATER INDUSTRY: STRENGHTS: * The industry is gaining momentum at a rapid rate. * The market is huge and untapped * Awareness among the people with regard to pure and safe drinking water * Available in convenient pack sizes 300 ml, 500 ml, 1000ml and 2000 ml for bulk requirements WEAKNESSES: * Too many players entering the market * Any local seller can start manufacturing easily * Lack of demand in the rural area * Not very economical * Quality can be tampered with easily * Lack of brand loyalty due to entrance of MNC brands like evian etc * Lack of advertising to build brand preferenceOPPORTUNITIES: * Sustained market growth increase in the coming years * Growth in literacy rate can increase consumption of packaged drinking water due the health amp; safety reasons * Huge population and untapped market * Unreliable municipal water quality THREATS: * Too many players can dilute the market and also the profit margin. * Fluctuation in sales due to seasonality * Water filters and cold drink industry are a great threat to the water industry MARKET STRUCTURE: The water industry has over hundreds of brands operating in the market. However, the major players in the industry are Bisleri, Mc Dowells and Aquafina.Thus we can conclude that the packaged drinking manufacturing industry forms an oligopoly market structure. THREAT OF COMPETITORS: There are 100s of brands operating under this industry. However, the 2 main competitors for Mc D owells packaged drinking water are Bisleri and Aquafina. Bisleri serves more to the retail sector but Mc. Dowells and Aquafina cater both to retail as well as corporate markets. Thus, the major competition of this brand is more largely with Aquafina since they have the same target market and it faces very little competition from Bisleri since the target market for the two brands are different.Also the industry faces some amount of competition from even the small local brands which are non-branded and can afford to sell their brand at a cheaper rate than Mc. Dowells. DEMAND AND SUPPLY Mc Dowells has a distributor model as well as direct chain model of selling its product. ,ie they sell through distributors like wholesalers and retailers to the ultimate consumers and also sell through direct chains to the ultimate consumer who generally big corporate houses. Mc Dowells Packaged Drinking Water has variations in its demand pattern according to the seasonal conditions.The demand for pack aged drinking water is more is more in the summer season as compared to the winter or monsoon season. Thus summers are considered to be the peak season to mark a larger portion of the profits and sales. Also, during festivals and the marriage season, the product books high profits and sales. The demand for 20 liters jars comes more from corporate houses rather than the retail marker whereas the 1 litre and 500ml bottles cater mainly to the retail markets. Cups caters to the market at a larger extent during festivals and marriages. CLIENT LIST:CLIENT LIST: RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS: * Mc Dowells should spend more on sales promotions to reinforce its brand image in the market * Campaign stalls to beat local players and to create awareness * They can tie up with large commercial complex, hotels and airlines industries as they are an emerging sector * Proper distribution channels should be maintained so that the brand reaches to all * They can target the youth segment by promoting the brand in various college festivals and seminars * New and attractive packaging can be launched to attract ustomers * Investing in research and development can be of vital importance in the coming years * Product differentiation should be made so as to increase consumption for Mc Dowells