Organisation Analysis and Design Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organisation Analysis and Design - Case Study Example ALCAN Management made significant improvements in terms of teamwork, employee involvement and development of cooperative relations with trade unions. However, it is clear from a claim made by a maintenance engineer that they were â€Å"treated like shit† that ALCAN was treating people as â€Å"means† as â€Å"categories of status and function rather than as individuals†. This behavior had the consequence of destroying the meaning of work itself, failing to recognize and utilize properly the organization’s most valuable resource. Organizations, and ALCAN was no exception, have paid dearly for these attitudes in the various forms of worker resistance, absenteeism and complacency. 1.1 Organizational Structure Because Machine Bureaucracies are structures ridden with conflict, control systems are required to contain it. The magnified divisions of labor, horizontal and vertical, the strong departmental differentiation, the rigid distinction between line and staff, the motivational problems arising from the routine work of the operating core permeated the structure with conflict. The machine bureaucracy is typically found in the mature organization, large enough to have the volume of operating work needed for repetition and standardization and old enough to have been able to settle on the standards it wishes to use (Mintzberg, 1997;p120).

Linkedin Essay Example for Free

Linkedin Essay What is the LinkedIn website, what service(s) does it provide? (3 marks) It’s a serious business social networking website. It provide resume-posting by more than 100 million professionals and corporate types. 2. What was LinkedIn’s Net profit Margin in 2010? (1 mark) $243-million revenue, profit: $15. 4-million 3. Why are their concerns about the future potential growth in the number of LinkedIn user? 3) -The company acknowledges that the number of its registered members is higher than the number of actual members because â€Å"some members have multiple registrations, other members have died or become incapacitated, and others may have registered under fictitious names† -LinkedIn stated that â€Å"we do not have a reliable system to accurately identify the number of actual members† more of the users use Facebook more often than LinkedIn, if they don’t raise the frequency to increase the times to visit their site, then it might become a problem in terms of profits and stock price. . What is the major driver of their expected -220 times profit-per-share price of $32-$35? (2) -from 2009 to 2010, revenue increased by 102 % and income increased by 487 %. -The audience that already spans much of corporate North America. 5. Who generate most of the site’s revenue? Why do they use the LinkedIn website? (3) -LinkedIn brings in most of its money from corporations that use LinkedIn as a recruiting or marketing tool. which companies can use the user profiles to identify both active and passive job candidate, are cheaper than traditional recruiting firms. 6. Approximately how much capital is LinkedIn trying to raise? What will it be used for? (3) -IPO valuation of $3-billion -â€Å"invest heavily† in product development -â€Å"aggressively expand† its field sales staff 7. Would you invest in LinkedIn shares? Why or why not? (3) -probably no, lthough It’s a unique concept compare to other s ocial net working website, however, all these facts stating that the company isn’t doing very well in the article. The risks in raising their number of users, major competition like Facebook and Google. Down side benefit for new investors, that will have minimal voice in the company’s governance, since they plan to maintain a dual-class voting structure, and forecasted a net loss for 2011 of unspecified size. All these facts show that maybe it’s not the right time to invest in the company yet.

Creation and Innovation in Entrepreneurial Venture

Creation and Innovation in Entrepreneurial Venture Introduction In relation to the Inspiring Futures project, entrepreneurship is about creative or innovative thinking and taking appropriate action that can enhance such innovative thoughts. However, prior to taking such an action, there is a need for a plan to ensure that an entrepreneurial idea transforms, for instance, into a viable and successful project or business ventures (Watson, 2013). In this sense, an effective and efficient implementation of a project or business venture entails the consideration of a number of factors. Among such factors, are, for example, acquiring necessary skills needed for the project or business venture and developing an understanding of the key stakeholders in the project (Ives, 2005). Additional factors that may need consideration in the successful implementation of the Inspiring Futures Project include the need to work with a good management team (Cleland Gareis, 2006). To this end, this essay focuses on project management and teamwork and how learning from t hese two topics has been used in the Inspiring Futures Project that I did. Project and stakeholder management In any given project, there is a need for the project managers to establish a proper plan that can lead to the successful completion of the project. In this regard, some of the success factors that project managers need to embrace include: effective communication processes, emphasis the projects mission, develop schedules and plans, setting objectives, ensuring stakeholder satisfaction and ensuring they have support from the top management respectively (Davis, 2014). On the same note, in any given project, stakeholder management is critical for successful completion. In this sense, it is important for the project manager to focus on engaging the right people to ensure the project is not hampered as a result of conflicting interests between the management and key stakeholders of the project (Muller Turner, 2007). On another note, when undertaking a given project, it is important for the project manager to possess certain skills necessary to achieve success with the project at hand (Kerzner, 2004). Such skills may involve, for example, communication, leadership, team management, negotiation, personal organisation and risk management respectively (Mir Pinnington, 2014). Leadership, on the other hand, is a necessity to ensure project managers are better placed to not only lead other workers at the project site, but also manage them in an effective and efficient manner (Turner Muller, 2005). With regard to team management, it is important for project managers to focus their attention on promoting teamwork as a strategy to ensure operations at the project site are not hampered (David, 2005). As such, it is important for the project managers to develop a working environment where teamwork is emphasised rather than individualism that may derail the completion of various projects on time (Aaltonen Kujala, 2016). As observed by Aaltonen and Kujala ( 2016), traditional project management denotes a focus on project requirements that are identified in the initial stage of the project. Subsequently, these requirements are then divided into manageable tasks. At this point the project managers are expected to develop a detailed plan for each task as a strategy to ensure the project goals are achieved in an efficient manner and risks related to the project kept lower. However, this view of project transformation has contributed to project failures in different sectors. As such, Aaltonen and Kujala (2016) reiterate the need to shift to agile project management techniques where project requirements are expected to emerge and drive the project rather than using the project plan, which in most cases may lead to pre-misunderstood outcomes. To this end, value needs to be achieved by project end rather than a focus on defining them at the beginning of the project. Teamwork, managing people and the working environment In order for entrepreneurs to succeed in their business ventures, they need to work with an effective and efficient management team. In essence, some of the benefits associated with teamwork include enhancing creativity and learning. When people work together, they share a wide range of ideas that often contributes to the best alternative action. Further, teamwork also helps employees to improve and blend their talents in a complementary manner. Teamwork also contributes to workers trusting one another, which in turn, contributes to a collaborative process between the top management and subordinates respectively (Kerzner, 2013). Further, teamwork contributes to the development of conflict resolution skills, which are necessary to ensure the progress of a business venture or project not deterred as a result of conflicts. Through an emphasis on teamwork, employees often develop a sense of ownership because the top management recognises their contributions. Teamwork further contributes to healthy risk taking as it encourages members to think beyond in terms of exploring ideas and implementing them with the hope that they can contribute to positive results with the intended goals of the business or project at hand (Meredith Mantel, 2012). On another note, compared to starting a business as a sole entrepreneur, a start-up that involves partnership more than often is better placed to succeed in the marketplace. This is because; they are likely to share their skills and resources to survive in the marketplace. Conversely, a solo entrepreneur may face numerous challenges trying to survive in todays competitive and constantly changing marketplace. According to Ives (2005), a focus on teamwork theory can play a role in developing an efficient and effective team to achieve the intended goals of the project. In this regard, it is important for the project managers to be conversant with the stages of group development. On the other end of the spectrum, teamwork can encourage groupthink, which may lead to half-baked decisions due to greater emphasis on a collaborative process within the group. In this sense, while entrepreneurs shift their focus on teamwork, there is still a need to ensure that individual views are not overlook ed as a way to strengthen group cohesion (Park, 1990). With regard to managing people, there are various leadership styles that entrepreneurs can embrace to not only enhance employee involvement but also achieve success with their intended goals (Eskerod, Hueamann Savage, 2015). For instance, a leadership style considered to reinforce teamwork is transformational leadership. This leadership style denotes the leader working with his or her followers to achieve the intended goals of the business. The working environment, on the other hand, needs to be conducive in terms of encouraging employee involvement rather than demoralise employees, who may in turn, exhibit poor performance, and in extreme cases, leave for better opportunities elsewhere (Maak Pless, 2006). Using the learning in the Inspiring Futures Project I did The Inspiring Futures Project I did involved how to improve social media platforms for Clever Students Lets. Implementing a project is a challenging process, and understanding the skills necessary to achieve a successful project completion is important. As such, the learning from the topic of project and stakeholder management played a role in ensuring that needs assessment is conducted prior to deciding on the best alternative for improving the social media platforms for Clever Students Lets. In order to understand the presenting needs related to the use of social media platforms for Clever Students Lets we used questionnaires to obtain primary data from participants. Conversely, we obtained secondary data from related literature on how to improve social media platforms for a service such as Clever Students Lets. As a result, the needs assessment we conducted relied on both primary and secondary data that ensured we selected the most suitable alternative to improve the social media platforms for Clever Students Lets (Aaltonen Kujala, 2016). The learning on managing people, on the other hand, and with regard to the Futures Project assisted in the sense that we were better placed to learn about effective leadership and its importance in completing the successful completion of the project (Turner Muller, 2005). Factors we considered, and informed by the learning from the topic of managing people involved understanding our strengths and weaknesses to ensure the decisions we made regarding the project involved a collaborative process. Some of the skills we embraced included, for instance, accommodating the views of each member in terms of deciding on the most suitable course of action to improve social media platforms for Clever Students Lets (Project Management Institute, 2013). Further, through an understanding of the skills associated with the planning and implementation of a given project derived from the two topics, the group and I were better placed to consider all the success factors that would ensure the Clever Stud ents Lets become a success. Some of the success factors that we considered for the Inspiring Futures Project included: proper planning and teamwork, effective management of the presenting risks, and successful project completion (Matta Ashkenas, 2003). With regard to the best improvement for the social media platforms used by Clever Students Lets, an emphasis on teamwork as informed from the learning was necessary to brainstorm the most suitable action to take. Such a focus contributed to the collaborative decision to settle on snapshot account as ideal for Clever Students Lets. The process involved weighing a number of options by relying of the contribution of each member in the group on the benefits and risks of the available course of action that would improve the social media platforms for Clever Student Lets. Conversely, in ensuring that the project succeeded, the group also focused attention on embracing effective leadership with participants involved in the project. For instance, to encourage the active participation from group members we emphasised a hands on approach where we worked closely with each other to ensure the project becomes a success in terms of improving the social media platforms used by Clever Students Lets (Northouse, 2004). Further, in order to create a positive work environment, the group deliberated on trusting one another, set achievable goals for the project, carried out regular meetings and shared information and knowledge respectively (Whetten Cameron, 2011). Conclusion The success of an entrepreneurial venture entails focus on creative or innovation thoughts to ensure the initiatives or plans that entrepreneurs introduce in the marketplace become a success. In essence, implementing such creative thoughts is largely dependent on a number of factors that have an influence on the business or project progress. For example, effective and efficient management of a project depends largely on the skills and experience of the project manager. In this sense, the skills and experience of the project manager often influences the success factors they embrace for various projects. References Aaltonen, K., Kujala, J., 2016. Towards an improved understanding of project stakeholder landscapes. Journal of Project Management, 34(8), p. 1537-1552. Cleland, D.,ÂÂ   Gareis, R. ,2006. Global project management handbook (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Print. David, F., 2005. Strategic management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Publishing. Davis, K., 2014. Different stakeholder groups and their perceptions of project success. International Journal of Project Management, 32, p.189-201. Eskerod, P., Huemann, M., Savage, G., 2015.Project stakeholder management: Past and Present. Project Management Journal, 46(6), p. 6-14. Ives, M., 2005. Identifying the contextual elements of project management within organizations and their impact on project success. Project Management Journal, 36(1), p. 37-50. Kerzner, H., 2004. Advanced project management: Best practices on implementation. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Kerzner, H.,2013. Project Management: A Systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (11th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Maak, T. Pless, N.M., 2006. Responsible leadership: A relational approach. In Maak, T. Pless, N.M. (Eds.), Responsible leadership. New York, NY: Routledge. Matta, N. F., Ashkenas, R. N.,2003. Why good projects fail anyway. Harvard Business Review, 81(9), p.109-114. Meredith, J. R., Mantel, S. J., 2012. Project management: A managerial approach (8th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Mir, F.A., Pinnington, A.H., 2014. Exploring the value of project management: Linking Project Management Performance and Project Success, International Journal of Project Management, 32, p. 202-217. Muller, R., Turner, R., 2007.The influence of project managers on project success criteria and project success by type of project. European Management Journal, 25 (4), p. 298-309. Muller, R., Turner, R., 2010.Leadership competency profiles of successful project managers. International Journal Project Management, 28, p. 437-448. Northouse, P. G. ,2004. Leadership: Theory and practice (3rd edn.). London, UK: Sage Publications. Park, W., 1990.A review of research on groupthink. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 3, p. 229-245. Project Management Institute, 2013. A Guide to the project management body of knowledge(5th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. Turner, J.R., Muller, R., 2005.The project managers leadership style as a success factor on projects: A review.Project Management Journal, 36 (2), p.49-61. Watson, T.J., 2013.Entrepreneurship in action: Bringing together the individual, organizational and institutional dimensions of entrepreneurial action. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 25(5), p. 404-422. Whetten, D. A. Cameron, K. S., 2011. Developing management skills. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall/Pearson.

Benvenuto Cellini and the Creation of Perseus :: essays papers

Benvenuto Cellini and the Creation of Perseus My name is Bernardino Mannellini. I am now working on my own trying to succeed as a sculptor here in Rome. I have found the job extremely difficult, but it was expected after my apprenticeship with the great sculptor, Benvenuto Cellini. He was not the most famous but was equally deserving as such great sculptors as Michel Agnolo Buonarroti. This is why I write to you today. Cellini produced one of the most beautiful works of this time in his masterpiece of Perseus. It was a remarkable feat whose story cannot go untold (Huntley 251). Cellini and I had arrived in Florence from France for a short while. Although he was very successful in France under the encouragement of Majesty King Francis, Cellini wanted very much to revisit his birthplace of Florence. He quickly became known to the Duke and did a few works for him. First, the colossal bronze bust of his Excellency; secondly, a restoration of the Ganymede in marble which cost a great deal of difficulty; and thirdly, the Medusa head cast in bronze. Succeeding well with Medusa, Cellini wanted to start on a cast of Perseus holding the head of Medusa (Cellini 410). Cellini made the wax model which came out beautifully, but I was questionable to whether it would come out in bronze as did the Medusa. Apparently the Duke agreed with me when Cellini went to speak to him of the project he was working on. His Excellency was struck by the beauty of the wax model but questioned how it would succeed in bronze with Perseus grasping the head of Medusa so high. The statue would stand ten and a half feet tall if completed with Perseus’s hand holding the head of Medusa high in front of him. It was clear why his Excellency was concerned for how Cellini would complete the bronze statue. I was standing aside from Cellini as he tried to assure the Duke that the statue would succeed. Cellini pleaded â€Å"My lord, I know how very little confidence you have in me; and I believe the reason of this is that your most illustrious Excellency lends too ready an ear to my calumniators, or else indeed that you do not understand my art.

Pindar :: essays research papers fc

Classical Mythology PINDAR A PERFECT POET Pindar was born at Cynoscephalae, near Thebes, the member of a noble family. He lived from about 518 B.C. to approximately 438 B.C. Pindar is considered by many to be the greatest lyric poet of ancient Greece. He began writing at a very young age and soon his poetry was popular throughout Greece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He traveled widely but spent much of his time in Athens and in Sicily at the home of Hieron. This may account for his being enamored with the Olympic games, which he often wrote about. Hiero bred horses and offered his steeds to the athletes to enter in the chariot races. Pindar’s poems often paid tribute to the winner of various events but with out a doubt the chariot races were given his highest praise. Greek society savored these odes for their rich poetic language and imagery, moral ideas, and vivid portrayals of sacred myths.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poems were not so much an account of the sporting events but what transpired afterward. The storyline or narrative myth was always connected to the winner and ensuing celebration. Each poem meant to be sung with dancing or even a procession for the victor, usually upon the athlete’s return to his home city. Being a deeply religious man with high moral standards, Pindar’s main characters normally displayed the same attributes. Pindar was also famous for being the first Greek writer to speak of the immortality of the soul and judgement by the gods after death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pindar is given credit for inventing the Pindaric ode. An ode built of three stanzas - strophe, antistrophe, and epode repeated in series. These stately intricate poems set the standard. They are often referred to as perfect in form and beautiful in language. Of all his poems 45 odes have survived. These make up one of the greatest collections of odes by a Greek author during this time. The forty-five victory odes represent and celebrate triumphs at the four great Panhellenic festivals. The Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian games. Three of the Olympian Odes celebrated the victories of Pindar’s close friend and confidant Hieron. The Nemean and Isthmian Odes concentrate more on wealthy clients and tyrants of the time who perhaps sponsored the athletes. The Pythian Odes were written for the Aeginians; the last of which was dedicated to an Aeginian wrestler, Aristomenes. What makes this poem so noteworthy is the fact it ended with a not e of sadness. Pindar :: essays research papers fc Classical Mythology PINDAR A PERFECT POET Pindar was born at Cynoscephalae, near Thebes, the member of a noble family. He lived from about 518 B.C. to approximately 438 B.C. Pindar is considered by many to be the greatest lyric poet of ancient Greece. He began writing at a very young age and soon his poetry was popular throughout Greece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He traveled widely but spent much of his time in Athens and in Sicily at the home of Hieron. This may account for his being enamored with the Olympic games, which he often wrote about. Hiero bred horses and offered his steeds to the athletes to enter in the chariot races. Pindar’s poems often paid tribute to the winner of various events but with out a doubt the chariot races were given his highest praise. Greek society savored these odes for their rich poetic language and imagery, moral ideas, and vivid portrayals of sacred myths.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poems were not so much an account of the sporting events but what transpired afterward. The storyline or narrative myth was always connected to the winner and ensuing celebration. Each poem meant to be sung with dancing or even a procession for the victor, usually upon the athlete’s return to his home city. Being a deeply religious man with high moral standards, Pindar’s main characters normally displayed the same attributes. Pindar was also famous for being the first Greek writer to speak of the immortality of the soul and judgement by the gods after death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pindar is given credit for inventing the Pindaric ode. An ode built of three stanzas - strophe, antistrophe, and epode repeated in series. These stately intricate poems set the standard. They are often referred to as perfect in form and beautiful in language. Of all his poems 45 odes have survived. These make up one of the greatest collections of odes by a Greek author during this time. The forty-five victory odes represent and celebrate triumphs at the four great Panhellenic festivals. The Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian games. Three of the Olympian Odes celebrated the victories of Pindar’s close friend and confidant Hieron. The Nemean and Isthmian Odes concentrate more on wealthy clients and tyrants of the time who perhaps sponsored the athletes. The Pythian Odes were written for the Aeginians; the last of which was dedicated to an Aeginian wrestler, Aristomenes. What makes this poem so noteworthy is the fact it ended with a not e of sadness.

Leadership of Richard Branson Essay

Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group has been a household name in the United Kingdom for over twenty years. He is well respected in the business world. He is the founder of the Virgin Group, which is known for many different things such as cell phones, record labels, airlines and many more. â€Å"Branson is also known for his unique character and leadership styles, one who is not afraid to take risks, and believes that people are the foundation to his company’s success. If I were to first characterize his leadership style I would say he is definitely a democratic leader. He truly feels that getting other peoples input and listening to what people have to say are a core value to him. He carries a notebook in his pocket all the time just in case he hears something interesting from people that he interacts with on any level. Whether it be an employee, friend, business partner or complete stranger, for him he knows that good ideas can come from anywhere and anytime (Leade rship Styles, 2006).† According to Psychologist Kurt Lewin, democratic leaders make the final decisions, but they include team members in the decision-making process. They encourage creativity, and people are often highly engaged in projects and decisions. As a result, team members tend to have high job satisfaction and high productivity. This is not always an effective style to use, though, when you need to make a quick decision. The business dictionary website corresponds in its meaning of a democratic leadership style stating that the style involves a team where all persons are included in the decision-making process as well as the procedural course of action. According to an article in Entrepreneur, there is almost nothing Richard Branson won’t do to promote his company. As eccentric as this plights may be, they have made Virgin one of the best-known and most popular brand names in the world. The article goes on to explain how his strange business and managerial strategies have created a $5 billion empire. Richard Branson has also been referred to as a visionary leader. The visionary leadership style is described as â€Å"a big-picture thinker who sets clear standards and inspires with a sense of shared mission, the visionary leader can be overbearing (Blustein, 2013).† When asked about his  leadership style, Richard Branson says he makes sure he is surrounded by team builders who can make sure that the needs of individual employees do not get lost in the pursuit of a grand vision. He also says to think twice before showing the smart people who work for you how much smarter you are (Blustein, 2013).† Emotional Intelligence is defined as â€Å"skill in perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions and feelings, awareness of one’s own emotions and moods and those of others, especially in managing people, an awareness of and ability to manage emotions and create motivation (Dictionary.com, 2014).† Richard Branson is an example of emotional intelligence in practice. In 2003, the commercial successes in the highly competitive and volatile Australian Aviation Industry, with the launch of Virgin Blue’s corporate existence, the company has achieved 30% market share of the Australian domestic air travel market and is due to fl oat on the Australian stock exchange at a capitalization of billions. Branson’s leadership capability characterized by emotional intelligence, has been evident through his ability to relate to motivate and unify staff from this industry at a time when many airline employees were disillusioned and skeptical in a third airline’s ability to successfully operate in the Australian market (Carlson, Voola,& West, 2004).† This shows how the unique aspects of Richard Branson’s leadership style mesh successfully with the particular attributes of the multifaceted organization that is Virgin. Richard Branson is known to motivate employees by encouraging all employees to apply for jobs at other Virgin companies that they find interesting. In recent years, a few Virgin companies have provoked as a result; we often refer to them as our â€Å"shot in the arm† companies. They show customers and employees what our business stands for, and often inspire our teams at other businesses to try new challenges. Another way Branson keeps employees engaged is by inviting them to take part in company events, like the Virgin Mobile Live Free fest, a free music festival held every year to raise money (through donations) for homeless young people. Along with giving employees a chance to give something back to the community, the festival allows an opportunity to say thank you to customers and staff by providing them with the chance to enjoy themselves for free. The sense of fun unites the businesses reminds employees of what the company stands for. In some ways it’s easier for a large organization like Virgin to embark on such projects,  but with a little inventiveness and resourceful thinking, other business owners might come up with shot-in-the-arm schemes of their own (Entrepreneur, 2012). Maintaining a focused and motivated staff can be a difficult task for employers to master, especially during harsh economic times and with stretched resources. Branson recently held a series of talks for employees, where they were encouraged to engage and debate different subjects. The exercises were held on a tropical island in the Caribbean. Every company does not have the luxury of taking their employees off to a tropical island, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to get minds focused and engaged. If one is trying to grow a diverse, creative team, it is not necessary to take employees to the Caribbean to keep them learning. Branson has suggested inviting guest speakers to the office. â€Å"Go to events focusing on topics that are not strictly related to your industry and bring some of your employees along. He advises, one of the best ways to learn is by taking team members out of their comfort zone and embracing new ideas, results will yield. Focusing on a topic ou t of the norm can bring renewed vigor to everyday activities (Preston, 2013). My assessment of Richard Branson’s ability to articulate and communicate his vision for his company to employees and other stakeholders in the traditional sense of writing a mission statement, he has failed. However, I believe that actions speak louder than words, and with that said, Richard Branson has done an outstanding job in showing his mission statement. In an interview with Entrepreneur Branson says, â€Å"Many business management experts would argue that a mission statement should be your company’s cornerstone, inspiring and informing your employees in the years ahead. I can’t agree. The Virgin Group does have a mission statement — one that is brief and to the point. In general, there is too much importance being placed on such statements, but it is interesting to see how they reflect common missteps in business, for example Enron. Before the giant energy company went bankrupt in 2001, ruining the lives of tens of thousands of employees and investors, its vision and values statement was â€Å"Respect, integrity, communication and excellence.† While some mission statements consist of one vague statement, others are too long, which may reflect management’s lack of understanding of what a company really does. Branson goes on to say that if Virgin had to put their mission statement on a coat of arms, it would probably say something  like, â€Å"Ipsum sine timore, consector,† which very loosely translated from the Latin means, â€Å"Screw it, let’s do it (Entrepreneur, 2013)!† There are four steps to evaluate whether Richard Branson’s leadership style is a good fit for me as a manager: Determine my leadership style Assess the organization’s culture Define my expectations in a leader Learn about Richard Branson’s leadership style and whether or not it meshes. Asking the following questions about the organizational culture can help clarify what type of work environment the organization offers: Work style: How does our work done? Collaboratively? Independently? A combination? How are decisions made? Consensus-driven? Authoritatively? How is communication? Verbally or in written form? Directly or indirectly? Voicemail, email, or in person? What are meetings like? Serious? Lighthearted? Tightly or loosely structured? Professional opportunities and advancement: What types of people tend to do well here? Individual contributors? Team players? People who are proactive or more responsive? How is the structure? Hierarchical or flat? Centralized or decentralized authority? Clear reporting structures or matrix? How people who do well rewarded? What happens when people don’t perform well? I conclude that I would be successful working under this type of leader. William George, a Professor of Management Practice, Henry B. Arthur Fellow of Ethics, at Harvard Business School says the most successful leaders will not necessarily be those with the highest IQ. He says they will need to be intelligent, cultured, and emotionally intelligent. â€Å"According to George, additional characteristics of a successful global leader include: An intellectual understanding of the global business context. The capacity to simultaneously develop a global and local perspective. Being able to overcome the dominant thinking at headquarters. A knack for cross-boundary partnering. A self-awareness and self-assurance when it comes to one’s values and sense of purpose The ability to develop networks that are internal and external to the organization. George goes on to say, â€Å"Ultimately, a global organization is measured by how well the diversity of its leadership reflects the diversity of its customer base and well that leadership can leverage the skills of teams working around the world (Hanna, 2012).† In my opinion, Richard Branson fits the bill as a global leader. â€Å"Sir Richard Branson is among the latest crop of billionaires who have promised to donate at least half their fortune to charity. The Virgin Group founder, who is worth more than $4bn, has added his name to the Giving Pledge campaign set up by U.S. investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. In their pledge letter, Sir Richard and his wife Joan said they wanted to use cash from the company to create ‘a healthy, equitable and peaceful world for future gener ations to enjoy (Tomlinson, 2013).† My prediction is Richard Branson will be an even bigger success than he is now. He has pledged to give away half his Virgin fortune to make a difference in the world. It takes a real leader to make such a sacrifice for others. References (2006, 05). Leadership Styles: Richard Branson. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 05, 2006, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Leadership-Styles-Richard-Branson-88459.htmlBlustein, A. (2013). What kind of leader are you?. Inc, 35(8), 58-59. Carlson, J. Ranjui, V. & West, A. (2004). Emotional intelligence and competitive advantage: examining the relationship from a resource-based view. Retrieved September 6, 2014 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsc.664/abstract Hanna, J. (2012). Developing the global leader. Working knowledge the thinking that leads. Harvard Business School. Retrieved September 6, 2014 from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6967.html Kets de Vries, M.R. (1998). Charisma in action: the transformational abilities of Virgin’s Richard Branson and ABB’s Percy Barnevik. Organizational Dynamics, 26(3), 7-21 Tomlinson, S. (2013). Stuff does not bring happiness’: Sir Richard Branson pledges to give away half his Virgin fortune to make a difference in the world. Retrieved September 6, 2014 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2281792/Sir-Richard-Branson-pledges-a way-half-Virgin-fortune-make-difference-world.html#ixzz3CmVyTGEc

Cold Case Investigation

Abstract Cold case investigation is a growing concern due to increased numbers of unsolved cases and pop culture appeal. This paper will walk you through what a cold case investigation is, how one begins, and factors such as the use of volunteers can effect the outcome of a cold case investigation. Each year the number of unsolved cases in the U. S. goes up, but with limiting funding and lack of manning something has to be done to keep the numbers down. A dedicated cold case unit is the best answer to this problem. Cold Case InvestigationApproximately one-third of all homicides in the United States are not cleared within the first year of being committed. These cases are dubbed cold cases after active investigation has been terminated for any of several reasons. If investigators lose the trail or cannot come up with enough evidence, witnesses, or a suspect the case may be closed. More important or high publicity cases may become a priority and with lack of a trail a case is closed. T hese cases can be placed on a back burner until time and manning is available to conduct a more thorough investigation and continue where previous investigation left off.The low clearance rate has also been attributed to the number of experienced detectives, changes in resources, deterioration of quality of investigation, and escalation of other related crimes. The means of conducting a cold case investigation vary greatly from that of an ongoing investigation and may even be conducted by people not employed by the original agency handling the case. Resurrecting a Cold Case Investigation After a case has been dubbed a cold case, it may take several months to even years before it is re-opened for investigation.Some times the original investigator may feel a desire to re-open the case or new evidence or witnesses may come to light offering up a direction for investigators to follow. Other times it requires others not involved in the initial investigation to take initiative to gather c losure for victims or other reasons. If the primary investigator in the initial case is not involved in the cold case investigation, the current investigators need to be brought up to speed on the background and prior evidence or facts of the case.Investigators may then contact any prior witnesses and re-entertain questions previously asked or expand on the subject. Some witnesses may provide further information. If there were no witnesses or suspects, current technology that was not available during the initial investigation could provide evidence not previously available such as DNA. Personnel previously interviewed may also be feeling guilt by the time a cold case is re-opened and need an opportunity to vent or even confess their guilt.If little or no further information is found for investigators to go off of the case may become frustrating and be given up on again. Re-opening a cold case also creates some turmoil such as opening old wounds with the victims of these crimes due t o the suspect not being caught initially, and because the victims are forced to relive the past. Cold Case Investigation Units Cold case investigation investigations units have been formed to combat the growing trend of unsolved cases. They usually consist of one or more dedicated homicide investigators with the sole purpose of solving the cases.The structure and management of these units are not clearly defined at this time and there is little evidence to prove that they are effective at reducing the numbers of unsolved cases. Cold case units have gained popular appeal in the last couple of years through various television shows related to that of solving cold cases. There are two perspectives as to why certain cases remain unsolved. The first is based on conflict theory and behavior of law theory. This theory shows that the police’s discretion leads to differences in investigative effort and shows bias.The biggest thing to note on this theory is that a case will have more t ime and effort put into it if the victim is from a more favorable social position. The second theory is the opposite. It states that everyone receives maximum effort regardless of victim characteristics and cases remain unsolved due to a lack of situational characteristics such as evidence, witnesses, and use of a weapon that can be found and fingerprinted. (Napolean, 2009, pg n/a) The cold case unit concept was created by the Miami police department in the 80’s to handle approximately 1,400 unsolved cases.This unit had much success and cold case investigation units became popular nationwide. To date there are still some concerns on how a cold case unit should operate, but prioritizing cases is the biggest concern. As a standard the highest priority cases are those, which the victim or a second victim has been identified, the death was ruled a homicide, suspects were previously named by forensic means, an arrest warrant was previously issued, significant physical evidence can be further processed, or new leads have arisen where critical witnesses are willing to cooperate.Cold cases are generally broken into three categories, high, moderate or low. By any means, a staffed and supported cold case investigation unit is more advantageous than a temporary unit. Volunteers are Essential Cold case investigation is an extremely labor intensive process. There has been a growing desire for cold cases to be solved due to its pop culture appeal. Many police departments are feeling the pressure to get their unsolved case numbers down, but due to the economy and budgets on a downward trend staffing and resources are at a premium.Agencies are now turning to a more non-traditional alternative to fill staff voids left by budget cuts. Volunteers can play an essential role in the assistance to detectives who solve cold cases. Retired detectives provide an allure to some agencies. These retirees do not require additional training because they were previously employed in th e same line of business. They are also most likely to enjoy doing the work because they retired doing it. A great attractor for retirees is that they benefit from getting a chance to do what they love without being forced into the long hours that comes along with it.Other volunteers can come from just about anywhere as long as they have a willingness and drive to solve the cases. Ex-law enforcement and civilians are vital. Having a mixed background of volunteers provides a variety of experience to draw from and a fresh set of eyes on the cases. Investigators that previously worked on the cases may feel refreshed having another opinion on the work they did and find something that was previously missed. Often times investigators are drawn into the way they were instructed to solve a case and miss alternative approaches to problem solving.Volunteers can provide this alternate because they may not have any training in solving cases. Even if volunteers do not work specifically on solving the case, there are other just as important opportunities. Law enforcement comes with a lot of paperwork and filing. Volunteers are perfect for this because by them doing the paperwork aspect of the investigation it frees up the time of the actual detectives to do the foot pounding. References Leonard, G. J. , Gerard, F. D. , & Camille, D. B. (2005) Resurrecting cold case serial homicide investigations.FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 74(8), 1-7. Retrieved from https://search. proquest. com/docview/204129494? accountid=8289 Napolean, C. R. (2009) Cold case investigation units. TELEMASP Bulletin, 16(1), 1-10. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/198013843? accountid=8289 Regensburger, D. (2011). Law enforcement volunteers: An essential tool in the investigation of cold case homicides. Sheriff, 63(3), 22-24. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/869520529? accountid=8289