Integrity is very important in leadership traits. In the issues of effective leadership and power, Nye (2009) analyzes, “networks are replaying hierarchies, and successful leaders are using a more integrative and participatory style that places greater emphasis on the soft power of attraction rather than the hard power of command” (p.1). Nowadays, effective leaders set themselves as the center of the networks with soft power skills (e.g., vision, emotional intelligence, passion, open-minded, and communication). Contextual intelligence (e.g., a broad political skill that lets leaders to combine hard and soft power into smart power), Nye (2009) argues, “will be the key leadership skill in assessing systems, sizing up power relations, discerning trends in the face of complexity and uncertainty...” (p.1). In all, successful and modern leadership will put more upon soft power, however, the reward will belong to leaders with the contextual intelligence to manage the mixture of soft and hard power into smart power (Nye, 2009).

Frank

References

Northouse, P. G. (2007).  Leadership theory and practice (4^th edition).    

      Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage.

Nye, J. (2009, February 18). Smart power. Leadership excellence, 26 (2).

      Retrieved May 2, 2009, from EBSCOhost:

  Business source elite database.

       Teamwork and team-building are both very central and critical tasks. As times are changing, leadership must change as well. Today’s organizations need a new generation of leaders (e.g., flexible, meet demand, and deal with change), Fink (2009) examines and suggests the best source of future leaders are employees inside the firm, and there are four significant types of leadership traits that managers should pay attention, such as: Inspirational motivation, intellectual motivation, individual motivation (set team goals and work together), and charismatic motivation (e.g., initiates a impression of urgency or determination and objective). All Fink’s leadership traits emphasize on the issues of motivation. At any rate, Fink (2009) argues “different types of leaders are needed in different areas… There is no [one size fits all] solution, either by functional unit or by leadership style” (p.7). I totally agree. In practice, what inspires or motivates a service division varies from what inspires a marketing team. Leaders not only would like accomplishment and success, but also concentrate inspire, lead, and motivate people.

References

Northouse, P. G. (2007).  Leadership theory and practice (4th edition).    

      Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Fink, S. (2009, March). Born leaders? Leadership excellence, 26 (3). Retrieved


       May 2, 2009, from EBSCOhost:

       Business source elite database.

Classic leadership theory discussion (Traits)

 The characterization of leadership, Northouse (2007) claims, “is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 3). This person not only inspires employees into higher levels of teamwork and collaboration, but also motivates workers to achieve an objective and leads the company in a way that creates it more cohesive and coherent with vision and strategies. He was our former general manager Ken Lee who carries out this process by applying his leadership traits and characteristics of intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity and sociability.

 In term of intelligence, Lee is likely to have higher intelligence (e.g., great verbal skill, perceptual talent, and excellent interpretation and analysis) than other executives in the firm. Whenever we confronted complex issues or problems in production, he often helped and showed us how to solve the matters with steps by steps. He has strong problem-solving and social- judgment abilities. Intelligence has great effect on Lee’s ability and role for effective leadership. He was our best team leader and general manager.

 In the subject of self-confidence, Northouse (2007) analyzes and claims, “is the ability to be certain about one’s competencies and skills” (p.19). In this case, Lee frequently demonstrated strong self-esteem, passion, and great self-assurance with the confidence and conviction that individual can create or make a difference and change. The question: How to be chairman or top leader of an organization? Parry (2009) examines it, and argues, “chairing the board effectively requires leadership through influence rather than command and control. It means getting good information prepared, ensuring all key points are raised and all voices are heard. Leadership is not to dictate answers but to make the team functional” (p.1). It is very true, self-confidence, influence, competency and skill are very important for leadership. At any rate, Lee initially opened two new product lines in our Marketing and Sales division, and set long-term directions and strategies for the organization.

 His third trait is determination. Determination, as Northouse (2007) examines, “is the desire to get the job done and includes characteristics such as initiative, persistence, dominance, and drive” (p.21). Lee was proactive at all times, and was willing to uphold and defend himself. He has the ability to carry on or keep trying and stick with his objectives even in difficult situations. He was a great leader and showed excellent leadership and dominance at times and in cases that his employees require to be guided or directed. In the last recession, he first redesigned the products, cut the cost of production, and then opened up more new market areas. The company kept running well and achieved higher returns than others in the same industry even in the slow economy.

  The fourth leadership trait is integrity. It is “the quality of honesty and trustworthiness. People who adhere to a strong set of principles and take responsibility for their actions are exhibiting integrity” (Northouse, p.20). As an executive and leader of the company with good records, experiences and business ethics, Lee not only inspired confidence or motivated in others (e.g., he was dependable, and could be trusted), and also made employees wanted to achieve high aims or objectives. Lamb and McKee (2004) reported, according to a research by the Hay Group, an international management consultancy, “there were 75 key components of employee satisfaction. They found that trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization” (p.1). Superior integrity of personality and spirit with moral management are very important in leadership attribute.

 Last but not least, the final leadership trait is the sociability. It is “a leader’s inclination to seek out pleasant social relationships. Leaders who show sociability are friendly, outgoing, courteous, tactful, and diplomatic” (Northouse, p.20). In term of sociability, Lee has great interpersonal and communication skills with remarkable relationship with his employees (e.g., concerning for their well-being or needs). He was the best manager from all employees in the company for the last eight years until he retired. Sociability is very significant and essential for leaders.  In all, increasing cost effective and efficient, improving the value of stakeholder (including employees, managers, investors, suppliers, governments, communities, and consumers), and advancing customer services and management excellence are the main goals and objectives of modern management and leadership.

References

Northouse, P. G. (2007).  Leadership theory and practice (4th     


       edition).Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage. 

Lamb and McKee. (2004). The two most important keys to effective 


       leadership. Retrieved April 30, 2009, from

         http://www.nwlink.com/-donclark/leader/leadcon.html

Parry, R. (2009, March). How to be chairman? Retrieved April 30, 2009,


       from ProQuest database.

     It is true, nowadays, it is not easy or simple to develop a good leader, especially in term of high quality and business ethics with organizational and industrial declines. In a study of leaders’ behaviors (data collected from 85 companies) those outcomes in organizational failure and at last direct them to make a downsizing decision, Carmeli and Sheaffer (2009) report and argue, “both leadership risk-aversion and self-centeredness are significantly related to organizational decline. This results in intensified organizational downsizing” (p.1). In this case, major leadership traits of intelligence, innovation, self-confidence, determination, integrity and sociability are very essential and critical, especially in crisis or slow economy. We need leaders to lead us, and not just follow. References.

Carmeli, A., & Sheaffer, Z. (2009, June). How leadership characteristics


       affect organizational decline and downsizing.  Journal of Business


       Ethics, 86 (3).Retrieved May 2, 2009, from

        EBSCOhost: Business source elite database

Northouse, P. G. (2007).  Leadership theory and practice (4th edition).    

      Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Job design is very significant in human resource and operations management. A main origin or foundation of effective job performance and accomplishment is largely coming from well job design.  It is the course by which manager that decides individual job tasks and right. Well designed jobs are very important in workplaces; so that stress can be reduced, motivation can be increased, and job satisfaction and performance can be improve so that firms and their quality of products can effectively compete in the marketplaces. On the other hand, job or employment performance is a complex variable that relies on the interaction or relationship of many causes. A good job design not only would assist managers and companies, but also would help employees to stay alive and carry on in the unstable or disordered market, especially in this slow economy. All in all, well job design would have been changed to make our works and our contributions to the management and organization more effective and efficient. Increasing job performance, motivation, and job satisfaction; enhancing cost effective and the value of its stakeholders, and improving customer service and management excellence are the main goals and objects of job design.  

I agree that Wal-Mart would be a safe investment in the market, for instance, in terms of rankings, it includes: number 2 in Fortune 500; S&P 500; Dow Jones Industrials; Dow Jones Global Titans; and number11 in FT Global 500 (Wal-Mart, 2009). It has about 2,100,000 employees in 2008 worldwide (e.g., about 55% of its stores are in the U.S., and others located in Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, UK, Europe, and South America) with more than 7,870 stores--including 890 discount outlets, 2,970 supercenters, 600 warehouses of Sam's club--the world's biggest retailers (Wal-Mart, 2009). Pan, Lai, Liang, and Leung (2009) analyze and argue that "retailing channels are increasingly being dominated by [power] retailers who are in a position to dictate and ordering schedules to manufacturers and suppliers. A dominant retailer, such as Wal-Mart, has the [power] to decide retail prices of products because there are so many manufacturers who are keen to sell their products through or to such a large and powerful retailer"(p.1). It is very true, there are hundreds and hundreds of shoppers with families line up in the Wal-Mart stores every weekend to shop their less price items even in this slow economy—this is why the company becomes a blue chip in the current stock market. The great strategic management and business policy (e.g.,  less price, quality merchandises, guaranteed satisfaction, a wide selection, friendly, excellent customer services with great shopping experience)--all these aspects make the company as the number one retailer in the U.S. and Canada.

Franki



References

Wal-Mart. (2009). Hoovers. Retrieved April 27, 2009, from


       http://www.hoovers.com

Pan, K., Lai, K., and Liang, S. (2009, August). Two-period pricing and


       ordering policy for the dominant retailer in a two-echelon supply chain


       with demand uncertainty. Omega, 37 (4), 919-929. Retrieved April 27,


       2009, from EBSCO HOST: Business source elite database.

     Ocean Conservancy in the U.S. has bad news. I agree it is not a good sign that its program expenses are nearing the same amount as their revenues. In order to function and manage well, it must get more than it spends, and the organization must increase fund raising, and do more public relations or advertising on public media—even it is one of America’s top 100 charities with over 500,000 volunteers and members (Ocean conservancy, 2009). Compared to other non-profit organizations (e.g., World Vision, or Red Cross), in our area, we seldom hear any news, or get any report from the Ocean Conservancy (especially, there is nothing about it on weekend morning’s non-for-profit organizations’ TV programs). The organization focuses on local or national level, and not much in international issues—however, oceans are connecting and bonding to each others.  In order to get more supports, donors, volunteers, members, and funds, it needs to redesign its organizational structure and communication system.  As we have so many lakes (e.g., Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario) that relating or connecting many major cities (e.g., Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, or New York) in North America, I suggest it should put all together and change the organization name as: "Ocean and Lake Conservancy" and keep protecting water, fish, and environment—this new name and approach may attract more urban school students, volunteers and members that they feel closely and directly their lakes and waters, so that it will get more fund raising and revenues in the coming years. Reference

Ocean Conservancy. (2009). Ocean conservancy financial reports. Retrieved on April 15, 2009, from http://www.oceanconservancy.org

As a customer of Amazon.com in the last three years, I agree that the company has been under-performing based on its spending and rate of development in technology. Their customer services (especially in the issues of goods or books return or order cancellation) are performing very poor and even less well than other small online book stores. For instance, you may have to wait for more than 6 weeks (or up to 12 weeks on an international standard land service shipping times expired), before the company will refund your credit --even the vendors of goods or books in Amazon's marketplace never return your e-mails, or requests of order cancellation from its customer department. Amazon.com protects and cares its dealers and suppliers more than its customers. However, the company provides several international sites, such as Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France, and China. It has thousands and thousands of vendors around the world with all kinds of products for sale. In this slow economy, new entrepreneur and sellers can use Amazon to sell their products (e.g., used textbooks, music or video CDs, etc.) online worldwide with a low monthly fee (e.g., less than $40) and access to millions of potential customers with world class fraud protection (Amazon.com, 2009).  

Amazon.com. (2009). Sell on Amazon. Retrieved on April 15, 2009, from

        http://www.amazon.com

Distribution and supply management are very essential in marketing strategy (e.g., offering at the right time, place, price, and possession utility for the buyers); manager must consider the cost of distribution, and at the same time must also balance customers’ needs, and the needs of the company. As a storefront door and service company, our targets are store owners, retailers, designers, or managers of shopping centers or malls, and general contractors, in this case, the company should consider selective distribution (e.g., offers several major commercial glass companies, designers, or general contractors)  the right to sell our product lines in a defined geographic region (Ferrell & Hartline, 2008). Selective distribution not only improves its overall distributions, but also permits the company to have more direction or power over prices, marketing strategy, and selling approaches. Reference

Ferrell, O., & Hartline, M. (2008). Marketing strategy (4th edition). Mason, OH: Thomson

 South-Western.

SWOT analysis for Machineland Storefronts Co. (Entrepreneurial venture and small business)

 
Strengths

The strengths of the company include: 1) quick respond  (located in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA downtown); lower cost (short distance, less mileages and labor charges);  2) superior product and service quality; 3) committed employees (offers emergency 24/7 services); 4) better marketing skills (nonstop searching new marketplaces with innovative approaches and open concepts); 5) respected service company and number one ranking in the trade with 90 days parts AND labor warranty; and 6) superior management talent with open communication.  All these strengths not only enable the firm to meet customers' needs (quality, speed and responsiveness, low prices, innovation, and convenience), but also improve the value of its stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, investors, and community. In short, all these strengths not only differentiate the firm from its competitors in term of quality of service (quick respond and lower price with the best warranty), but also initiate and build a standard of service in the trade. Service and management excellence are the major objective of the company.

Weaknesses

The weaknesses of the company contain, such as: 1) project planning absent or missing; 2) limited financial resources and credit system (small business with no new investors or capital, and no credit extension to customers); 3) very narrow product line (commercial storefronts and doors only); 4) out-of-date technology (especially in production, tools and office or computer equipments); 5) limited marketing budget or funding; and 6) inadequate spending on R & D. All these weaknesses prevent the firm from meeting some customers' needs, especially those large corporations that want to pay over 45 days or more.  In all, strengths are significant only as they provide and function to meet with customers’ needs (and that strength develops into a kind of capability). Ferrell & Hartline (2008) suggest firms “can then develop marketing strategies that leverage these capabilities in the form of strategies competitive advantages.  At the same time, the manager can develop strategies to overcome the firm’s weaknesses or find way to minimize the negative effects of these weaknesses” (p. 127).  In this case, weakness could cope or get by and may turn into a new chance or opportunity if management really wants or comprehends how to manage it.

Opportunities

Potential external opportunities include: 1) changing or converting of existing products and services for new markets;  2) changing or new distribution approaches (e.g., via Home Depot chain stores); 3) increasing of populations or marketplaces (e.g., bring in more shoppers and more retailers); 4) new technology; 5) economic boom; 6) increasing of market share; and 7) complacent  rival firm. Some of these opportunities related to serving customers' needs, such as the changing distribution systems or new product or service discoveries (Ferrell & Hartline, 2008). 

Threats

The issues of threat include: 1) new competitors join in; 2) sub-trades have little loyalty; 3) economic pressure; 4) price competition; 5) rival firms adopting new marketing plans; 6) increased government rules or by-laws; and 7) larger competitors, or national firms get majority market share.  After recognizing opportunities and threats, management can design and build strategies to gain benefit of opportunities and minimize or overcome and beat the company’s threats.

In short, in order to succeed in business, the company and management should maintain or leverage strengths, and prevent or stop weaknesses, and must increase, optimize or prioritize opportunities, and minimize or avoid threats. Increasing cost effective and efficient, improving the value of stakeholder (including employees, investors, suppliers, and communities), and advancing customer services and management excellence are the goals of strategic management and business policy.

References

City of Toronto (COT). (2009).  Living in Toronto. Retrieved on April 15,   

       2009, from http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_facts/diversity.htm

Ferrell, O., & Hartline, M. (2008). Marketing strategy (4th edition). Mason,

       OH: Thomson South-Western.

Wheelen, T., and Hunger, J. (2008). Concepts in Strategic Management and

 Business Policy (11th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice


Hall.