Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Case study - Essay Example The Town Council decided to create an Advisory Board to guide and promote the activities of SACC because of the huge gathering of public there. Two Town Councilors, the vice Chancellor of the local University, the CEO of the large electronics company, a representative of SACC’s Bank, 2 local media celebrities, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce and two representatives from the theatre were the council members. Along with growth, problems also started to creep in as the local residents started to complain about the activities that Bernard introduced as they suspected that Bernard had raised the profile of the town through new activities and the interests of the local community had been ignored. As an Employer, the centre had grown significantly and now it employs 60 full-time and 120 part-time employees as well using the university students as temporary employees when special events are held. Moreover, the centre struggled to find a replacement for the retiring Bernard. Former Director of a large Cultural and Performing Arts Centre in Chicago, Calvin Spacey became the Artistic and Managing Director of SACC later. This report explains the change management and leadership policies Calvin should adopt in order to steer SACC out of trouble. â€Å"Change management is a systematic approach to dealing with change, both from the perspective of an organization and on the individual level†(Change management, 2010). SACC is growing rapidly and a new leader has already taken charge. Under such circumstances, changes should be happened in SACC both from individual and organizational level. The essence of any Change Management Policy is ‘effective and efficient communication. Internal and external communication is necessary for an organization to send the messages to the employees and the community and also to receive messages from the community and

I-HRM & Performance Management and Strategic Management Assignment

I-HRM & Performance Management and Strategic Management - Assignment Example However its importance becomes multi fold in global scenario due to the variable and dynamic nature of market. Success in IHRMs is akin to success of overall operational activity undertaken. Introduction: Organizations are a collection of different individuals and different processes that are grouped together into one unit in form of larger entity. Each of these has a clear role defined and responsibility assigned to them. Without the clear definition of the roles, the processes cannot excel. A special domain is in place that ensures that all these personnel are adjusted according to the requirement, and according to their skill and abilities. This is covered in the domain of Human Resource management. Assigning the right kind of role to the right kind of person in the right manner. The scope of HRM is quite a broad one and it entails almost all the activities of the personnel involved (Ristow, et al. 2009). No organization can survive without the presence of apt Human resource manag ement. Human resource management may exist in various forms. It can be of local level and/ or international level. The International human resource management is applicable in cases when the organization performs its activities and provides its services off shore and across the border. Like the domestic human resource management, IHRM is subject to the compliance of structures like performance management and strategic management. While each society has its own characteristic ways and patterns, and as a result of this, the individuals go about different functions in a different manner, it becomes imperative to adjust and accommodate these individuals and these functions according to their inspirations and in result yield the best deal out of the scenario and situation. They dynamic nature of I-HRM: Human resource management in the international context is the most dynamic concept since these trends vary from society to society, and country to country. While the basic concepts of huma n resource management remain the same, which are based on the basic principles of ensuring that the right kind of person is employed and inducted in the right place, yet in global context, the culture, the overall aptitude, the global patterns, the governmental factors and considerations also must be taken into account (Haris, et al. 2003). In the global scenario, the IHRM aims at creating a correlation between the nature of work and nature of people. Since a totally different culture and society is involved thereby variations are bound and adjustments ought to be made in accordance. The need: The need for human resource management in international scenario becomes more important than ever because different aptitudes, difference surroundings, and different variables are involved. In domestic domains, the natures and aptitudes can be easily comprehended, but in international scenario, the trends and patterns are totally different based on different set of values, cultural norms, folk ways, in such cases, understanding the human resource functions is an indispensible concept and it serves as the backbone towards the organizational success. Mishandling and it could lead to the overall failure of the organizational venture undertaken on international shores (MacCourt 2003). Literature Review: The early 19th century and middle 20th century has seen massive change in the manner in which businesses were being conducted earlier (Shuman & Twombly 2001 19). The global trends have prevailed since then with every individual and every organization in touch with

Differences between the Articles of confederation and the new Research Paper

Differences between the Articles of confederation and the new constitution - Research Paper Example The articles created a feeble national government incapable levying taxes and regulating trade hence the quest for the new constitution that improved the stature of the government by increasing its powers (Wendel 768). The removal of the articles of confederation was due to their immense powers over the national government. The articles lacked a court system to impose the levying plus collection of taxes. The congress was incapable of making laws and therefore levying of taxes was difficult. In addition, the articles did not provide an atmosphere for enhancing trade regulation between the existing states and other countries (Young 1572). The articles could only allow only a vote per state and too many powers to states. It also performed the functions of appointing the delegates for every state, which was undesirable. It was difficult to impose changes to the articles of confederation because there were undesirable procedures. All the states had to make amicable decisions to enhance t he changes. Having all the thirteen states in agreement over changes that would affect the government was not an easy task. Nine out of thirteen states had to approve any motion put forward to enhance amendment of the articles. Another weakness evident in the articles was the lack of a specific army to guard the nation. Each state stood separately with own affairs (Wendel 760). Every state developed policies for their own governance, not even the passage of treaties was a responsibility of the central government. Since very state created their own money, there was a possibility of lack of acceptance to their currency by other states. This created an unfavorable environment for the states to participate in trade and improve their micro economies. The unicameral legislature present in the articles provided an atmosphere that there was no power separation hence the national government remained weak (Young 1570). The operation of the post offices was a responsibility of the states and n ot the central government. The articles of confederation developed immense powers to the states. In the articles there were sections supporting assertion of wars plus coining and borrowing of finances. The central government was incapable of making the states to abide by the laws. Despite the national government’s efforts to make a nationwide currency, the currency was valueless due to existing currencies from the states (Wirkner 13). The lack of effective common currency led to weak trade plus commerce that retarded the general economy of the United States. Vulnerability to attack by other countries plus pirates was evident due to the lack of a central army and army to safe gourd the entire populace. The articles were prevalent because of the fear instilled to the colonies by the colonial government. The authorities from the states with the fear instilled by the powers of the colonial government centrality of governance feared the same (Jensen 10). The articles thus provided sovereign states in terms of decision-making and freedom. The articles were an important law of the land before promulgation of the new constitution, which made a through way for changes in the government operations. The executive wanted the elimination of the articles to create room for most operations for the central government. For years, there was deprivation in the ability of the

I-HRM & Performance Management and Strategic Management Assignment

I-HRM & Performance Management and Strategic Management - Assignment Example However its importance becomes multi fold in global scenario due to the variable and dynamic nature of market. Success in IHRMs is akin to success of overall operational activity undertaken. Introduction: Organizations are a collection of different individuals and different processes that are grouped together into one unit in form of larger entity. Each of these has a clear role defined and responsibility assigned to them. Without the clear definition of the roles, the processes cannot excel. A special domain is in place that ensures that all these personnel are adjusted according to the requirement, and according to their skill and abilities. This is covered in the domain of Human Resource management. Assigning the right kind of role to the right kind of person in the right manner. The scope of HRM is quite a broad one and it entails almost all the activities of the personnel involved (Ristow, et al. 2009). No organization can survive without the presence of apt Human resource manag ement. Human resource management may exist in various forms. It can be of local level and/ or international level. The International human resource management is applicable in cases when the organization performs its activities and provides its services off shore and across the border. Like the domestic human resource management, IHRM is subject to the compliance of structures like performance management and strategic management. While each society has its own characteristic ways and patterns, and as a result of this, the individuals go about different functions in a different manner, it becomes imperative to adjust and accommodate these individuals and these functions according to their inspirations and in result yield the best deal out of the scenario and situation. They dynamic nature of I-HRM: Human resource management in the international context is the most dynamic concept since these trends vary from society to society, and country to country. While the basic concepts of huma n resource management remain the same, which are based on the basic principles of ensuring that the right kind of person is employed and inducted in the right place, yet in global context, the culture, the overall aptitude, the global patterns, the governmental factors and considerations also must be taken into account (Haris, et al. 2003). In the global scenario, the IHRM aims at creating a correlation between the nature of work and nature of people. Since a totally different culture and society is involved thereby variations are bound and adjustments ought to be made in accordance. The need: The need for human resource management in international scenario becomes more important than ever because different aptitudes, difference surroundings, and different variables are involved. In domestic domains, the natures and aptitudes can be easily comprehended, but in international scenario, the trends and patterns are totally different based on different set of values, cultural norms, folk ways, in such cases, understanding the human resource functions is an indispensible concept and it serves as the backbone towards the organizational success. Mishandling and it could lead to the overall failure of the organizational venture undertaken on international shores (MacCourt 2003). Literature Review: The early 19th century and middle 20th century has seen massive change in the manner in which businesses were being conducted earlier (Shuman & Twombly 2001 19). The global trends have prevailed since then with every individual and every organization in touch with

Ethical Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethical Dilemma - Essay Example In order to carry out ethical teaching in class, the teachers might face ethical dilemmas often. Ethical dilemma is known to be the complex situation in which one might get when he has a mental conflict between moral essentials in which it is known that the choice of one may result in disobeying the other. They are also known as moral dilemmas and in these cases, societal and personal ethical guidelines may not provide any satisfactory outcome (Garber, 2008). Ethical dilemmas and moral situations can often arise in situations where one person can not take a moral decision and is bound to take a decision that does not fit in the ethical boundaries in one way or the other. Such situations may have many similarities and are at many times considered to be analogous (Carr, 1999). An experience I had that shows the similarities between the ethical dilemma and a moral situation is during my internship when I observed a situation in class where the teacher was in an ethical dilemma. The situ ation can be called as a moral situation and an ethical dilemma, as in both the cases, the teacher was bound to take a decision that did not fit into the moral principles and the professional ethics of education. In the situation, James was a classroom teacher of the ninth grade. His homework policy was that the homework would be given to take home on Friday and the students must bring it back and submit it on the following Thursday. He continuously emphasizes that it is the students’ choice to do it or not, but in case the homework is not completed and handed in on Friday, they will have to serve detention during one period of recess. Raoul was an excellent student in his class who always finished his work on time and correctly. He was a sensitive and dedicated student who strived hard to please the teacher. One Wednesday, Raoul gets sick and out of school, moreover the following day which was a Thursday, he forgot to bring his homework to class. This was the first time Raou l did not have his homework. James was sure that he had done his work and forgot to bring it. Raoul could get a day’s extension for being sick. And James also knew that the thought of serving detention was devastating for Raoul. However, James had to decide whether to follow the rule and have Raoul serve the detention, or make an exception based on the fact that Raoul has been sick and his routine is disrupted. This situation can very well be executed as a moral situation as well as an ethical dilemma. James is the teacher and he holds the responsibility in class to follow the professional ethics of education in which the teacher is supposed to apply the same rules for every student and avoid favoritism. On the other hand the professional ethics state that the teacher should understand each student and contribute in the best way possible towards his learning and his encouragement. James gets in ethical dilemma as he knows that taking a decision in regard of one ethical standa rd will violate the other. If James gives Raoul detention, he will discourage him and led his morale down, and if he gives him an excuse it will violate the professional ethics that he has set for his classroom (Robinson, 2005). In the similar way, the situation can also be called as a moral situation in which the teacher is bound by the moral principles of class and he is in moral dilemma. James is a teacher of ninth grade, who are teenage students and understand the situations of the class very well. If James gives an exception to Raoul, it will violate the moral conduct of the class in which the teacher owes a moral responsibility towards every child equally. Since Raoul has disobeyed the moral conduct of the class, James should give him the same punishment that all the students get,

Outsourcing Product Distribution the Right Way Essay Example for Free

Outsourcing Product Distribution the Right Way Essay Chain online magazine Aug. 2, 2000 For Internet companies that cannot afford to buy and store their inventory or hire an internal logistics staff, outsourcing the product distribution function can be either a smart business decision or a disaster. Success or failure in distribution depends on how carefully and continuously you manage this function to make sure your distribution partners are doing the job that is expected. When distribution is not a core competency for your company and you do not have the resources to make it one, outsourcing the function can help your company grow by allowing you to focus on your mission-critical activities. There are two types of outsourcing that are common among start-ups traditional distribution and drop ship fulfillment (DSF). Traditional distribution outsourcing involves hiring a third party to store and distribute your products through its national or international distribution network; this party provides the staff, warehouses, distribution center and transportation fleet. The second type of outsourcing, DSF, has grown in parallel with B2C retailing over the Internet. With DSF, a start-up company sells a product, charges the customer, generates a purchase order, and sends the PO to the manufacturer or supplier, who then fulfills the order by shipping the product directly to the customer. Since the start-up never possessed the product, the company does not incur any of the costs associated with storing or purchase the product. Many Internet start-ups have adopted this streamlined business model. Unfortunately, companies need to be careful when choosing an outsourcing partner. Outsourcing is not a panacea if your third-party distributors procedures and performance are not carefully monitored, you risk permanently alienating the customers you have worked so hard to attract. The key to a successful outsourcing relationship includes understanding the process, specifying objectives, establishing internal procedures for evaluating performance against objectives, and deploying systems that help to manage the function effectively. Watching Costs and Service If the manufacturer or distributor, which may be the same company, fulfills the customers order correctly, everyone is happy. However, in most cases, there are problems in one or more of these key areas: Â · Customer service Another company may be distributing your products, but ultimately you are responsible for the customer relationship. True, your company does not have direct control over the distribution process, but the customer only cares about receiving the product not who sent it or how it got there. If something goes wrong, you are responsible and must do what is necessary to correct the situation. Shipping costs Most manufacturers are setup to ship truckloads or pallets of products, not multiple orders of a single product. There are also manufacturers that require you to purchase more products you need, others set ridiculously high prices for the service, and some simply will not ship the orders. In some cases, start-ups are kitting a number of products, not because it adds value for the customer, but because it pushes the dollar value of their order above a threshold where the manufacturer will agree to DSF the products. Profitability Shipping costs directly affect your bottom line. Many start-ups are passing along the manufacturers shipping costs to their customers, raising the price of their products and putting themselves at a disadvantage in a competitive market. If the start-up does not pass along the entire cost, the shipping expense cuts into the profitability of every transaction. Getting Automated Help Successfully managing a third-party distributor requires establishing internal monitoring processes and requiring that specific employees are responsible for this function. These employees should also be responsible for developing and deploying computer systems to help automate the management function. Here are five critical requirements for your outsourcing relationship with your distributor: Â · Establish measurable standards for distributor performance. Â · Conduct periodic performance reviews. Â · Visit distributor sites to check security procedures (only if the start-up owns the inventory). Â · Monitor customer feedback and satisfaction levels. Â · As sales volume grows, periodically revisit the decision to outsource the distribution function. The right computer system can improve your ability to manage the distribution function in three areas: Â · Communication To allow you to automate communication with your suppliers and manufacturers, you must establish a back-end system. This means that you should not rely just on basic email, generated by an employee, to track orders. For example, you send the supplier an email to check on a backlogged product, someone then emails you back with a response, and finally you re-key the information into your system imagine a handful of employees checking 500 products. To be more efficient, you need a system that will scale this function as your volume expands and will use automated email, fax, Web portals and/or EDI to communicate order information. Â · Visibility You must know if a product is available before it is sold, and you cannot know this until you view your suppliers inventory to find out how much product you have been allocated and what is available. To do this, you need an application that provides you with visibility into your suppliers inventory tracking system. Track and Trace Customers want to know the status of their order: When was it shipped, where is it now, and when will I get it? If you want to retain customers, you need to be sure your computer system helps you manage returns, exchanges and refunds efficiently. A consulting organization that specializes in distribution and transportation can help you setup effective internal processes and, if necessary, build and deploy the computer systems you need to manage an outsourced distribution function for maximum benefit. Part of a consultants value can be in the area of knowledge transfer, educating your organization on how the distribution and transportation function works at the macro level and helping you set realistic expectations. In the final analysis, outsourcing the distribution function can make perfect sense for your small company but only if you remember not to outsource the responsibility of keeping your customers happy.

Interactive Behaviour at Work

Interactive Behaviour at Work Cheniere Energy was founded in 1983 and is a world leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) company. Through its subsidiaries the company engages in the development, construction, ownership, and operation of onshore LNG receiving terminals and natural gas pipelines in the Gulf Coast of the United States. It also engages in oil and natural gas exploration and development activities. Cheniere Energy is based in Houston, Texas with offices in Johnson Bayou, Louisiana, and London called Cheniere International UK Branch. The London office consists of six people who are responsible for sourcing and trading LNG cargoes for Cheniere as well as managing the day to day operations and activities of the office. Purpose of the report The purpose of this report is to examine work issues at Cheniere International UK Branch resulting from office harassment and specifically the conflict between an office assistant and the operations manager. It focuses on the interactive behaviour themes relating to communication, work relationships and leadership. Definition of Interactive Behaviour at work The term interactive behaviour at work refers to the reciprocal communication conduct of two or more persons. It covers both their overt behaviour and the factors and processes underlying it. It also extends to the use of communication for purposes such as self-presentation, co-operation, influencing others, working in groups and leadership. (Guirdham, 2002) Definition of the themes Communication According to Guirdham (2002) communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Interpersonal communication at work may be face-to-face or indirect, formal or informal, and transmitted verbally or non-verbally. Communication is affected by language, communicator style, the differences between one- and two-way communication, power and status, culture, gender and disability. These effects on communication give rise to barriers, which can be analyzed as intrinsic, individual level and inter-group. To be high in quality, communication must overcome these barriers. Work relationship Interdependence and social orientations, roles, norms and conformity as well as co-operative, competitive and conflict behaviour are all concepts that help us to understand and be more effective in work relationships. Other important aspects related to the issues discussed cover conflict resolution, cultural differences, coping with prejudice, discrimination and harassment. (Guirdham, 2002) Harassment is defined as: conduct which is unreasonable, unwelcome and offensive, and which creates an intimidating, hostile or humiliating working environment. (Mullins, 2005) Harassment is a potential cause of stress. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines stress as: The adverse reaction people have to excess pressure. It is not disease. But if stress is intense and goes on for some time, it can lead to a mental and physical ill health. Leadership Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of the organisation of which they are members (Guirdham, 2002) There is a close relationship between leadership and management, especially in work organisation, and an increasing tendency to see them as synonymous. However, arguably there are differences between the two and it does not follow that every leader is a manager. Leadership might be viewed in more general terms, with emphasis on interpersonal behaviour in a broader context. According to Mullins (2005) due to its complex nature there are many alternative ways of analysing leadership. Leadership may be examined in terms of qualities or traits approach, in terms of the functional or group approach, as a behavioural category, in terms of styles of leadership, through the situational approach and contingency models, and in terms of distinction between transactional and transforma tional leadership. Problem identification The issue discussed in this report involves the deteriorating relationship between a manager and an assistant (myself) in a small office environment. In addition the report looks at the behaviour of a director of the company involved to whom the employees were directly responsible to. Matters discussed include the identification of key points of conflict between the two persons involved, the style of management, the reaction of fellow employees, the interaction with the director involved and steps taken to resolve the issue. Background and causes of problems I joined the Cheniere International UK Branch in 2008 as an office assistant. Working at their London office in Mayfair where there were three other employees at my level, two were English and one was an American. I was the only one having English as a second language. The operations manager was a mature English lady with a very strong personality and an accretive attitude. I noticed that I was being asked to do considerably more work than the other assistants and that the manager was querying my efforts every day. At first I thought this was because I was new to the job and that it was a way of measuring my capabilities and ability to cope with the stresses of the work. It became clear however that this was much more of a particular attitude toward me as compared to the other employees. Maybe write something about working in a multi-cultural environment or possibly highlight that there was predominance of white Anglo-Saxon employees and as such no exposure to different cultures or ethnic diversity. Inter-cultural problems arise when members of an in-group perceive members of an out-group as inferior. This can promote in-group favouritism, increased tendency to stereotype members of out-groups and negative attitudes to actual or perceived cultural differences. It can result in exclusion of members of out-groups, negative evaluations and harassment. In a small office environment it would be unusual for someone in a position of authority to feel threatened by a single junior employee. It is difficult to give any clear instances of harassment, as such, as this was a subtle but constant undermining of my position on a daily basis. This was apparent in her constant criticism of my work and references to my Polish background and English not being my native language. I made a point of asking the other assistants to check my work and they always said it was fine and that was just her way and not to worry. One occurrence that began to give me an insight to her behaviour was when she asked me, in front of all the other assistants, why I did not work as a nanny or cleaner as all other Polish girls did. This indicated to me that there was the possibility that her actions were not actually based upon my performance but upon a much deeper prejudice and possible stereotyping of Polish people (either collectively or by gender). In a strange way this was a relief as until then my confidence had been undermined and I felt under stress at work. It seemed nothing I ever did was right, I was often depressed, both at work and at home and it was difficult to understand why she picked on me and what was causing the problem. It also made it difficult for me to try to see how I could resolve the problem. Being aware of the personality clash between us I was trying to understand what caused her hostile behaviour and I blamed myself that it was I who caused the conflict, but on the other hand I knew I normally never have any major problems engaging with people, being an easygoing and friendly person. The Thoms-Kilmann Conflict Mode Questionnaire can be useful in explaining my stance in the conflict. Scoring 9 in avoiding and 9 in accommodating styles shows that I am not an assertive person, do not wish to hurt peoples feelings, obey orders and I am generally a selfless type of person. (See Appendix x for a copy of the Thoms-Kilmann Conflict Mode Questionnaire you took.) It was very difficult to please and satisfy her probably because she developed irrational beliefs and prejudiced views about me. If being from Poland meant to her that I should be a nanny or cleaner she maybe believed that people of other races or backgrounds are in some way inferior and therefore deserve to be treated as second class. According to Tehrani (1996) the lack of self awareness in harassers increases their fears and prejudice. Harassers never feel strong enough to test their views objectively, preferring to live in an irrational world, where they need to continually support their prejudiced views with biased evidence. To explain even deeper her behavior I would say she portrayed the actions of a stigmatizer. Freidson (1983) stated that in Erving Goffmans theory of social stigma a stigma is an attribute, behaviour, or reputation which is socially discrediting in a particular way: it causes an individual to be mentally classified by others in an undesirable, rejected stereotype rather than in an accepted, normal one. In this managers eyes I was different; she may not want to accept me because of my nationality, my different accent, my origin. Goffman divides the individuals relation to a stigma into three categories: the stigmatized are those who bear the stigma; the normals are those who do not bear the stigma; and the wise are those among the normals who are accepted by the stigmatized as wise to their condition. I then represent a stigmatized person, the manager is normal and rest of our team can be seen as wise. Strategic Implications of the problem My case can be seen as a micro problem because it describes a situation in a small office and only a few people are involved in the conflict. I am the only person who was harmed and it could be argued that it is difficult to show macro implications from this issue. However, I would like to stress that harassment at the workplace occurs very often and causes a lot of problems. According to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) harassment in the workplace costs employers in the UK more than  £2bn per year in sick pay, staff turnover and lower productivity. 19 million working days are lost each year as a direct result of workplace harassment. 1 in 4 people report that they have experienced harassment in the last 5 years. 70% of HR professionals have witnessed or have been aware of harassment in their organisation. Organisations that fail to address the problem of unacceptable behaviour at workplace pay a heavy cost in terms of loss of staff, reduced innovation, mor ale and sickness absence. This is in addition to the cost of litigation and bad public relations (Tehrani, 1996). My issue did not affect the organisation in a significant way, except high staff retention within 1 year two office assistants left the company because of Janes difficult character. As mentioned before 25% of the population suffer from harassment. By describing my personal experience I raise an issue that affects a lot of people and something that organizations have to deal with. Harassment is related with work relationship one of the main themes which are described in this paper. According to Tehrani (1996) harassment has a number of common elements; it involves a hurtful behaviour, this behaviour is repeated over a period of time and the person being harassed finds it difficult to defend themselves. People being harassed will also have difficulty in being rational in their thinking, believing the acts or views of a harasser are the views of everyone else. When I was working for Cheniere I was felling sad, negative and worthless. In addition my feelings were heightened with outbursts of anger, crying, loneliness and hurt. Lack of pleasure in almost everything that I was doing was significant and difficult to cope with. Being humiliated resulted in the lack of self confidence to assert myself and challenge the unacceptable behaviour of operations manager. It needs to be added that harassment is linked with stress. Guirdham (2002) stated: Some of the major effects of stress include sleep trouble, tiredness, being unable to cope well in conflict situations, wanting to be left alone, smoking, drinking and eating too much, being unable to influence or persuade people and finding it difficult to get up in the mornings. I recall that I was often very tired, could not sleep, and did not want to see my friends or family. Some people were asking me why I let her be abusive and rude towards me. The answer is because she had power over me. As I mentioned I held the lowest position in the office and I was supposed to listen to everyone and doing whatever they needed at work. Among French and Ravens (1959) power sources there is one which can be implemented in this situation coercive power. (Podsakoff and Schriesheim, 1985) Threats and punishment are common tools of coercion. I was often given undesirable tasks by Jane. There is one in particular where she spilled tea on her desk and asked me to clean it. My example demonstrates that this source of power can often lead to problems and in many circumstances it involves abuse. Coercive power can cause unhealthy behaviour and dissatisfaction in the workplace. (mindtools.com) From my above evaluation it can be stated that the operations manager was definitely my significant other at that time. She had very strong influence on my self-esteem and my behaviour. Many organisations and their managers and executives are guilty of ignoring, tolerating or sustaining conflicts and harassment (Guirdham, 2002). This statement confirms the behaviour of my director who was trying to explain me that I should accept the fact that Jane is generally a difficult person and therefore should not take it personally what she says and how she behaves. Lack of leadership qualities can be seen in my bosss attitude. A large portion of the existing literature on leadership focuses only on the positive traits of leaders. However, the so-called dark side of leadership, or negative personal traits of leaders, has received relatively less attention. Also, in practice, leadership is mostly evaluated in terms of the positive traits and strengths of leaders, even though certain organizational factors and followers characteristics significantly contribute to the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of leaders (Toor and Ogunlana, 2009). The director was not an effective leader . A leader  who lacks character or integrity will not be seen as a competent one. Even though he was intelligent, affable, persuasive, or savvy, he was also prone to rationalizing unethical behaviour. Office harassment is a very unethical issue and should be resolved by a companys leader, but it was not in my case. Moreover leaders not attuned to the needs of the employees are not effective either. Successful leaders focus on workers satisfaction and loyalty. They should find ways to consistently engage them and incorporate them into companys policies and make sure they know and obey their code of conduct. If they ignore, mistreat, or otherwise do not value their employees, they will not be valued for competences. Furthermore good leaders should communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, environments of course employees. My boss was aware that Janes behavior was harmful but did not react and did not want to be involved in the conflict. This observation can lead to a s tatement that the director represented a laissez faire leadership style. According to Flynn (2009) this type of a leader describes passive leaders who are reluctant to influence subordinates or give direction. They generally refrain from participating in group or individual decision making and to a large extent, abdicate their leadership role. Subordinates are given considerable freedom of action and, therefore, seem likely to maximize their power and influence. Although laissez- faire leadership can be very successful in some environments where followers are responsible for self-monitoring, problem solving in my case it was not what I needed. I was looking for a mediator in my conflict with Jane, someone who can direct and take steps to resolve the problem. From Blake Mouton Managerial Grid perspective, it could be argued that the director represented Impoverished Leadership which is known for creating a work environment that is not satisfying and not motivating. The result is a pl ace of disorganization, dissatisfaction and disharmony. (Rollinson, 2005) My boss had low concern for employee satisfaction because knowing I was depressed and was in a conflict he was not concerned about it. A major danger of stereotyping is that it can block out accurate perception of an individual and lead to potential situation of prejudice or discrimination. This in consequence can build communication barriers. Janes tendency to ascribe negative characteristics to me on the basis of a general categorisation was a simplified process of her perception. Her stereotyping process based on my nationality and education had a significant implication to the atmosphere in our office and my wellbeing. Her prejudice caused communication problem between us. According to Erven (2008) stereotyping is a barrier to communication when it causes people to act as if they already know the message that is coming from the sender or worse, as if no message is necessary because everybody already knows. People stereotype genders, races, religions, and cultures. They combine them to say things but often incorrectly creating assumptions. Stereotypes develop from reality. Poles steal British jobs became a stereotype because a lot of Poles are poor and had to learn how to survive and came here to look for a job but they do not deserve to be stereotyped. It might be true that most of Polish women work as nannies or cleaners but, it does not identify me, my needs, and my weaknesses. So if Jane used the stereotypical view of Polish women towards me, she missed who I actually am, as an individual. I wanted to communicate, talk to her and did not want to be lost in the stereotypical concept. People are complex and need to be understood as individuals, not stereotypes. Uniqueness is what gets lost in the stereotypes and lack of proper communication. People should listen, understand, consider the whole person, and that requires rejecting the preconceived assumptions, based on the stereotypes t hat are created and used. Communication is at the heart of many interpersonal problems faced by employers. Understanding the communication process and then working at improvement provide a recipe for becoming more effective communicators. Knowing the common barriers to communication is the first step to minimizing their impact. Stereotyping is a barrier to proper communication, it cannot just disrupt communication, it can destroy it. The significance of non-verbal communication and body language need to be evaluated in this report as in my case it was more important than verbal communication. According to Mullins (2005) non-verbal communication includes inferences drawn from posture, gesture, touch, invasion of personal space, extent of eye contact, tone of voice or facial expression. Very often the operations manger was using proper language and if was not obvious for others to see the conflict between us and her antipathy. Her tone of voice and facial expression were sending messages that I was not accepted and were unwelcomed. Mullins (2005) adds also that in our face-to face communication with other people the messages about our feelings and attitudes come only 7 per cent from the words we use, 38 per cent from our voice and 55 per cent from body language, including facial expression. Significantly, when body language such as gestures and tone of voice conflicts with the words, greater emphasis is likely to be placed on the non-verbal message. He also suggests that when verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict (like in my case regarding communication with the operations manager) accepted wisdom is that the non-verbal signals should be the ones to rely on, and that what is not said is frequently louder than what is said, revealing attitudes and feelings in a way words cannot express. Alternative options for resolving problem Leave the job or stay. People have bad days at work. But if that bad day is every day, it might be time to consider leaving the job. Some causes of job dissatisfaction are impossible to alter, and in this case employees may well be better off making an exit. Leaving the job is usually a very difficult decision and can often cause mixed emotions: joy because of moving on to something better, sadness at losing people we enjoyed work with, relief we dont have to cope with the problem and conflicts anymore. Uncertainty about the future and new job has usually a big impact on peoples decisions. I was also concerned about my future. Staying with Cheniere was an alternative, but I was concerned how I can change the atmosphere and Janes behaviour. Talking to her or to my boss were the options to make my work conditions better. Alternatively I could stay with the company and try to accept the environment and ambiance, and try to reduce sensitivity to hostility or displays of prejudice. Mullins (2005) evaluated difficult people: Perhaps our reluctance to identify, and then directly address, conflict within organisations is based upon the widely held belief that conflict is inevitable, negative and unmanageable. There is a tendency to see conflict as a result one persons personality. Conflict may be inevitable, but how dramatically situations could be changed if we could also view it as positive and manageable. What if we think of these situations as raising questions of difference? What if we were to make a shift away from blaming individuals and their personalities, recognizing instead that it is through normal hum an interaction that outward expressions of difference are produced? Unfortunately coping with difficult people is not one of my strong points. Another option was to beat her at her own game. Act like her, be unsympathetic, telling colleagues how unfair she is. This option would be very difficult because she held higher position and therefore had power and because I respect people it wound be something against my values and beliefs. Choice of option I was trying to resolve the problem. I talked to the director but was ignored and was told that I should accept the situation as it is and accept Janes behaviour because she is difficult and she is not going to change her attitude. Another advice was that I should be less emotional and try to be mentally stronger. He did not wish to speak to Jane to ask to change her attitude and help her to cope with her hostile behaviour. Tehrani (1996) argue that the role of leader in developing the skills which enable people to communicate in an open and assertive manner is perhaps one of the most effective tools in addressing conflicts. The support of an assertive and caring manager is an important aspect of rehabilitating a harasser. Harassers need support when they are developing the new skills and behaviors in communication which will replace the harassing behaviours. I also talked to Jane but I was told that I read her intentions badly. She was trying to tell me that there was no issue betwe en us and I should not waste her time for such conversations. Rationale for choice Because I had an interesting job, was satisfied with my compensation I did not want to leave thus I was trying to find a resolution. I was not accepted by one of the co-workers but I did not want to be a victim of harassment. I was trying to be a survivor. According to Tehrani (1996) victims of harassment frequently express the view that there is little they can do to prevent the harassment taking place. They have no choice but to put up with what is being done to them. This perception of lack of personal control or power must be changed if the harassee is ever to make sense of what has happened to them. Survivors, on the other hand, are able to begin to make choices and decisions about what they want to do to stop or resolve the harassment. Survivors of harassment take an active part in deciding how they would like things to be handled when resolving their problems. They are keen to take responsibility for making things happen, rather than behaving passively, allowing others, howeve r well meaning, to take over control. One of the main skills survivors of harassment learn is to be assertive in expressing what they want and do not want to happen during the harassment investigation; to be able to say yes or no regardless of the wishes of others. Assertiveness is also one of the most important skills needed to prevent harassees becoming victims of harassment in the future. Finally the survivors of harassment are able to look forward to the future, a future without harassment, while the victims concentrate on the harassment itself, rather than on how they can change things to prevent the harassment occurring again. Although I was trying to help myself, was looking for help from the directors and also arranged a meeting with Jane, nothing changed. Implementation of Option I eventually decided to leave. It took me 2 weeks to find another job. The difference in the working environment was immense. New co-workers were pleasant and friendly. I am glad that I took control over the situation and left the company. I will never fully forget this experience but sometimes we should experience and accept the extremes, because if the contrast is lost, we lose appreciation. Time for Implementation I was working for this company for 5 months before handing in my resignation. Conclusion In recent years there has been an increasing recognition of the harm that could be done to individuals who become the victims of harassment or bullying. Although there have been significant moves to introduce legislation and guidelines that deal with the introduction of organizational policy and procedures on harassment and bullying, the occurrence of harassment is still common in many British organizations. My case in this paper can be perceived as a representation of this problem for many organizations. This is not an easy issue to deal with for mangers, people who cause harassment and most of all for people who suffer from hostile behavior. Background and causes of such conflicts are often implicit and not easy to resolve. Understanding the communication process and communication barriers is important to effectively control the problem. Leadership skills and appropriate use of power can be crucial.