Leadership Theory and Practice via an Account of BPs Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

Moral Accountability Issues at BP Every organization is expected to be morally accountable in all its operations and activities (Caulfield, 2011; Tittle, 2000). Lack of moral accountability can lead to lawsuits and loss of consumer loyalty. Companies should be responsible in all they do.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Theory and Practice via an Account of BP’s Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They should ensure that their activities do not cause harm to the people around or to the ecosystem. It is a legal requirement in most countries that companies should be morally accountable (Bergsteiner, 2012; Fisher, 2012). BP is a company that has been accused of accidents that occur mainly due to lack of accountability. The company deals with petroleum products, which are known to be very harmful to both human beings and the environment in general if not handled responsibly. Fro m the perspective of a rig operator, one of the morality issues that seem to be inherent at BP is the failure to follow the right procedures in making the rig machinery. Secondly, the maintenance of the machinery is not done in the right way. Despite the aging machinery, no one seems to care . For instance, in the year 2004 the company did not pay attention to the concerns raised by its workers regarding safety and environment. Instead, managers opted to save on maintenance costs through a practice referred to as â€Å"run to failure.† The aging equipment was left to continue running with little or no maintenance. This led to spills in the year 2006 of over 200000 gallons. It was the largest spill that ever happened in Alaska’s North Slope.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the year 2006, BP failed to follow the correct procedure in the manufacture of the rig machinery. Before the completion of the machine, there had to be final drawing designs that are called the â€Å"as-built† drawings. These drawings are very important since they ensure that the machinery being made is ready for use and ensures the safety of people. When Kenneth Abbott was hired as the project control leader, he advocated for the completion of â€Å"as- built† documents since they were essential for a standard machinery. The BP engineers strongly opposed this idea and supported the making of this machinery without the forms. It is understood that they did this in order to save on cost. The impact of these issues to the rig operator is that his life is left at risk since the machinery can explode any time. The people around him, as well as the ecology around the area of operation are also exposed to risk. From the perspective of a UK based retiree with a major income stream from BP shares, following shortcuts would be beneficial in that the earnings woul d increase. However, the machinery manufactured is not standard. The machinery is likely to explode at some time. Their major concern is the loss they might incur if the machinery exploded and/or the spill occurred. The default machinery would also lead to poor perception of the company by employees, both current and potential employees. The implication would be high turnover of employees who would fear for their safety. Potential employees would be reluctant to join the company. The retiree shareholders would be concerned since the productivity of the firm relies largely on the employees and their morale.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Theory and Practice via an Account of BP’s Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Leadership issues Leadership is essential for the success of any organization (Northouse, 2010). The issues that have been affecting BP can be associated to poo r leadership of the company. There are a number of leadership issues that are notable in the company. First, the managers of BP harass or intimidate employees so that they do not report the negative things that happen within the company. The employees are concerned about their safety since the equipment is not safe to work with. However, the leaders intimidate them and the problems result in big losses through spills and explosives. Leaders avoid these problems from being reported since they do not want to spend a lot of money on repairs and maintenance costs. This indicates conflicting interests between managers and employees. While employees want the aging equipment well maintained, the managers, on the other hand, do not want to maintain it since they want to reduce costs. The other leadership issue that needs to be addressed is about promotion of managers. Promotion should be done on merit (Gill, 2010). A manager or any other employee should be promoted depending on his or her p erformance. At BP, senior managers are never held accountable for failures. They are, instead, offered promotions despite their poor performance. This is a leadership issue that is likely to affect the organization negatively in the long run. This is a policy that needs to be amended. If managers are promoted without any merit, in the future the company will be headed by managers who do not have the ability to propel it forward. These managers will cause poor performance and probably failure of the organization.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to note that promotion of managers without merit might demotivate employees who have the interest of the organization at heart (Winkler, 2010). Such employees will feel that they are being overlooked despite their efforts. Such employees are likely to leave the organization or their productivity is likely to go down. Leadership theories The practices of managers in BP can be changed if the organization adopts the right leadership theories. The theories or the policies that are applied in the organization today are not effective, or they have insignificant effect if any since the organization seems to be going the wrong way in terms morality issues (Meindl and Schyns, 2005). Global policies today advocate for a clean environment, but BP is not in line with the global policies as the case displays. One of the leadership theories that can be applied in BP management is the contingency theory. Under this theory, the managers of BP would have the responsibility to determi ne the leadership style to be applied in various situations. Situations are bound to change since the world is full of uncertainties. The success of an organization is dependent on a number of variables (Banner and Blasingame, 1988). One of the variables is the leadership style that should be used. For instance, the leaders of the organization ought to have applied the autocratic leadership style in the situation where the machinery had to be designed only after the ‘as- built’ documents had been completed. The leaders should have stood firm and ensure the making of the machinery does not proceed until the documents are completed. The documents ensure that the machinery is of high quality, and that it can be safe for use by anyone. The compromising behaviour of the managers could be as a result of pressure from shareholders who want costs to be reduced so that their earnings can increase. Managers should be bold and not compromise since the machinery could be risky to t he employees and to the environment. Their decision making in such a situation needs to be centralized. The other theory that should be used by the BP managers is the situational theory. This theory is not very much different from the contingency theory. Under situational theory, a leader or a manager should take the best action that can address the situation he or she is faced with. This means that the decisions the leader makes in various situations could be based on various leadership styles, depending on the situation at hand. Some situations need decentralized decision making, while others need centralized decision making (Schyns, 2006). In the former, the leader can apply the democratic leadership style, while in the later the authoritative leadership style is applicable. BP managers are faced with a number of situations that lead to accidents and losses. One of the most notable situations is the Gulf Spill, where gallons of oil spilled off. The spills were as a result of poor maintenance and poor management. BP managers need to be authoritative in such a situation, but they should have the best interest of the organization at heart. The decisions they make should be favourable to the well- being of the organization, as well as its employees and the environs. Decision making is one of the most sensitive activities in an organization (Schyns, 2006). Managers are trusted with decision making since they are knowledgeable and have experience in decision making. Decision making at BP is more sensitive since the company deals with products that could be risky to human beings, as well as the environment. The machineries used in the industry are subject to breakdown and they can cause much damage if they do not function properly. In such situations managers need to apply the best leadership styles to ensure that the machinery is corrected and functioning properly. In replacing those machines that have faced out or are becoming obsolete, democratic leadership sty le could be effective. Leaders could meet with all the stakeholders and decide on the best machine to make or buy. BP senior managers need to adopt the participative theory of leadership. This is the leadership style whereby the input of the rest of the organizational members is put into consideration. All the members of the organization are included in decision making and other activities within the organization. At BP, managers get promotion even if their performance is poor. The employees are always ignored and usually threatened if they raise concerns about their safety and environmental issues. This kills the morale of employees, and their productivity is negatively affected. Participative leadership will always motivate employees. Employees feel they are part of the organization and they report any problem before it occurs (Dion, 2012). This keeps the mangers on alert such that they take the necessary actions before the problem occurs. If participative leadership was applied i n BP by the senior managers, the Gulf Spills could not have occurred. The employees had already raised concerns about their safety and the environment, but the managers chose to ignore the employees and even intimidated them. As a result, the management could not prevent the spills since they failed to pay attention to employees’ concerns. In participative leadership, employees are considered as important people who can make positive contributions in the organization (Mann, 2011). Finally, management theory of leadership could be very influential and effective at BP Company. The theory is also referred to as the transactional theory (Mann, 2011). Its focus is mainly on supervision, as well as on the group’s performance. As it is displayed in the case, there is poor supervision in the activities being conducted. This is displayed in the making of rig machinery. The machinery was made without the completion of ‘as- built’ documents. Proper supervision of a p roject ensures that all the relevant and significant procedures have been followed in the manufacturing process. It ensures that quality products have been produced. Proper supervision was not conducted, thus the machine produced was of poor quality and it ended up with an explosion. Under management theories, reward systems as well as punishments are embraced. This lacks in BP Company. The managers ignore important issues that end up with serious accidents, but they always get away with it (Dion, 2012). The managers are never punished for their negligence. To make the matters worse, the managers who ruin the company are promoted contrary to expectations. This encourages them to go ahead with their dismal actions and performances. There are employees who have always raised concerns about the aging equipment and the threat it poses, yet they are always ignored. Under managerial theory, such employees could be appreciated and rewarded so that in future they would talk of a problem the y perceive in the organization. This would be effective in preventing future accidents in the organization. BP managers should adopt the above named theories since they would be very effective in salvaging the situation that is currently in the organization. List of References Banner, DK Blasingame, JW 1988 ‘Towards a developmental paradigm of leadership’, Leadership Organization Development Journal, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 7 – 16 Bergsteiner, H 2012 Accountability theory meets accountability practice, Emerald, Bingley Caulfield, H 2011 Vital notes for nurses, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ Dion, M 2012 ‘Are ethical theories relevant for ethical leadership? Leadership Organization Development Journal, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 4 – 24 Fisher, K 2012 Moral accountability and international criminal law: Holding agents of atrocity accountable to the world, Routledge, London Gill, R 2010 Theory and practice of leadership, SAGE Publications Ltd, London Mann, S 2011 ‘Leadership: A very short introduction’, Leadership Organization Development Journal, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 529 – 529 Meindl, JR Schyns, B 2005 Implicit leadership theories: Essays and explorations, Information Age Publishers, Greenwich, CT Northouse, PG 2010 Leadership: Theory and practice, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA Schyns, B 2006 ‘The role of implicit leadership theories in the performance appraisals and promotion recommendations of leaders’, Equal Opportunities International, vol. 25 no. 3, pp.188 – 199 Tittle, P 2000 Ethical issues in business: Inquiries, cases, and readings, Broadview Press, Peterborough Winkler, I 2010 Contemporary leadership theories: Enhancing the understanding of the complexity, subjectivity and dynamic of leadership, Physica-Verlag, Berlin This essay on Leadership Theory and Practice via an Account of BP’s Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill was written and submitted by user Jaelynn W. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sample Essay on a Student Invention Such As Cotton Candy

Sample Essay on a Student Invention Such As Cotton CandyIf you're looking for a sample essay on a student invention such as cotton candy then this will help. You should study this topic because it is a great example of how to write an essay on your own work.The main idea behind the sample essay on a student invention such as cotton candy is that the inventor had a real problem that needed to be solved. In this case, the problem was in making cotton candy that looked like real things. This gives you an idea of how this kind of essay can help your own papers and projects.When writing a paper, you are limited to what you can do in writing about something you cannot actually experience. And that's why you need to look at some samples of how other people have written an essay on a student invention.For one thing, you should visit many different places to see how things are done. You want to see how a different writer has written a sample essay on a student invention such as cotton candy. This will help you in figuring out what you're going to do to make yours better.After you visit the samples and look at the way the author is trying to solve the problem, you should then give yourself a week or two to write your essay. Make sure you have time to write it well enough so that it makes sense and is not too long. You want to make sure that you get the important points across so that it's readable.Another thing you want to remember is that when you first read the sample essay on a student invention such as cotton candy you will see that there is a lot of effort being put into writing the essay and this is a very important part of the whole process. Ifthe writer spent a lot of time making sure the essay made sense and wasn't too long, then you will want to make sure that you do the same.Lastly, when you've written your essay, make sure that you take a look at it. You should be able to look at it several times to make sure that it's readable. You want to make sure that the essay is not too long and that it is both readable and easy to understand.Writing an essay on a student invention such as cotton candy is not as difficult as you might think. You can take a look at some samples and learn about how other people have written an essay on a student invention such as cotton candy.

Solution to Bullying Essays

Solution to Bullying Essays Solution to Bullying Essay Solution to Bullying Essay Introduction Bullying is wrong in every way and form and in most cases it occurs in the educational institutions. It may also take many forms which includes sexual, physical, emotional or verbal abuse. It affects the students wellbeing and their ability to concentrate in class as well as their overall performance. The affected victim withdraws from the crowds and they have certain characteristics that make them change their behavior. The bully may also have deeper issues and they may need some form of attention. They may grow to show criminal activities that may affect their life in the long run. For an act in school to fit the bullying standard, it must meet the following criteria. The bully must be violent towards their target and may show depression tendencies and go far too depicting anger and stress (Rigby 67). When the bully has no way through which to get out their negative energy, they may turn suicidal whereas the victim may also do such. It becomes a very special issue to handle. Both t he victim and the offender need attention so that they can deal with the situation. The principal has given the task to find a solution to the problem of bullying which takes place in the school and has been a persistent problem which has attracted the attention of the administration. Thesis statement The study seeks to find solutions for a learning institution that has bullying as one of its major problems. It will also highlight on ways schools can adopt that will reduce the problem of bullying in their schools and in the best scenario, they may find a permanent solution to the issue. Solutions to the Problem of Bullying The first solution lies with the parents as they should ensure that their children have good manners and behave in the right way. At a young age, children may depict some behavior which may prove that they have the violent character in them. The parents of the guardians should take the initial steps that will help curb through controlling their behavior. Those with an aggressive behavior even before joining school should have some form of counseling and attention from the parents as they seek the solutions to the problems facing their children. The parents should be close enough to their children to note any change in behavior. Schools should have programs that work which will help reduce the bullying instances. The programs created in the schools work in a way that it prevents the students who have aggressive behavior from hurting the others (Sampson 100). For instance, they can set out a guidance and counseling session that troubles students can approach and have the counselor address the issues they face. Issues in this case would be internal or external which may require the attention of an adult. Students should also be aware of the bullying activities and characters that qualify as bullying. It means that they should have some form of awareness campaigns that sensitize them on the bullying means. It would encourage them to be in the frontline against the negative behavior which in turn will make them report any case. Awareness gives each student the power to know that they should seek help and avoid manipulations and threats from the bullies. On the other hand, the programs should also accommodate th e offenders who take part in bullying the others. They may have an underlying problem which makes them behave in the way they do. for instance, they may have self-esteem issues of have a problem at home where they face some form of abuse (Feder 28). Bullying the others would be a way through which they let go of the pent up negative energy. Zero tolerance of the bullying activities ensures that every stakeholder in eth school should be in the front line to fight against the negative norm. Another solution that schools can undertake is the intervention by external law makers when the cases are repeated and they have ran out of options. They may opt to take the bullying students in the juvenile courts when they can no longer solve their problems. Improving the school climate will help reduce the instances within which the bullying students undertake their negative behavior. They can also have a suggestion box that students can use to post down those who bully the others. Allowing them to do anonymously will give them the ability to remain in secret whiles the right actions towards reducing the cases taken by the management. In conclusion, the long term solution to the bullying problem lies in the collective effort of the schools and the parents. Each has a role to play in shaping and changing the vice happening in schools. They should work together so that they can find the solutions while at the same time create a conducive environment through which they train the students to behave in the right way. Parents should support the management of the schools if notified that their children have the negative behavior (Rigby 67). One of the major setbacks happens when parents deny that their children could do such activities or defend their actions. Feder, Lynette Ed. Bullying as a public health issue. (2007): 23-78. Rigby, Ken. Bullying in schools: And what to do about it. Aust Council for Ed Research, (2007): 11-88. Sampson, Rana. Bullying in schools. (2009): 100-107.

Burj khalifa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Burj khalifa - Research Paper Example Some of the materials used for assembling the building are aluminum, steel, and concrete. It is appealing to recognize that all the aluminum used in the construction can make about five aircrafts. The total length of steel used is equivalent to 293 times Eiffel Tower’s height. Additionally, total amount of concrete used for its construction can construct a concrete pavement of about 2,065 kilometers (The Knowledge 1). The best means of transport that one can use when going to Burj Khalifa is a plane. This trip may take one week because of the travelling process and many places that one has to visit in the building. There are many hotels where one can stay whenever they are not touring. The best hotel around the place is the Armani hotel. The weather around the skyscraper is hot steamy, and this makes the building glass walls to produce water droplets dues to condensation (The Telegraph 1). The water droplets can be collected into the water tank placed at the car park that cools the plants and other landscape features around the building. About 15,000 liters of water that can fill about twenty Olympic-sized pools is usually collected annually due to condensation. During the cold season, there is usually fog and the building rises above the fog. â€Å"The area experience heavy fog during cold seasons because of the areas’ steamy climate â€Å"(The Telegraph 1). Burj Khalifa is one of the major tourist attractions in Dubai. The place is worth visiting because in the modern history, there is no other building that has raised so much curiosity around the world. At the top of this modern architecture, one can experience engineering wonders. One can have a lucid view of the striking world from the top of this building. In the building, there are multimedia presentations that will enable one know many fascinating things the building and about Dubai in general (Burj Khalifa 1). In

Harry Wong Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Harry Wong Article - Essay Example Harry Wong emphasizes upon the importance of creating a good first impression and therefore stresses on even the minor aspects of the first day, starting from the dress to the delivering of a lecture. According to Harry Wong, it is the teacher’s attitude that determines the level and quality of response received from the students. He states that, ‘Students tend to learn as little or as much as their teachers expect.’ Provided that the teacher has an encouraging and positive attitude, the students too will portray their best. It is therefore important, not to expect too little nor too much from them. However, at the same time, it is in the first class that she can create a proper class environment, laying down certain expectations that will be expected of them. He states that the three most essential things that must be laid down clearly and established in the first week are discipline, procedure and routine, and these must not only show in attitude but also in her lecture and in her style of conducting the class. Harry Wong also stresses upon the necessity of the teacher familiarizing with the students from the very beginning; addressing them by their names and encouraging them to be more open with their ideas rather than to remain shy and hesitant. It is only with the proper attitude of the teacher that the student will be encouraged to open up. Moreover, to ensure maximum student output, the teacher must design her lesson in a manner that will demand the maximum response from the student rather than increased input from the teacher. Multiple activities should be carried out in class that will give the teacher an overall impression of what the student understands from his/her lectures. Moreover, tests should also be frequently taken to ensure higher achievement. One of the most important guidelines laid down by Harry Wong is that the teacher must exercise a self-enhancing behavior rather than a

Rogue Trader Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Rogue Trader - Research Paper Example Moreover because of the high popularity of Leeson, the Bank allowed him to make his own trade settlement, which is highly unauthorized and risky in terms that the risk limit of loss is violated and the bank, has to pay margin money on a continuous basis to make up for the loss involved. Moreover the negligence of the Barings Bank management and huge dependence on Leeson caused the bank a huge loss of $1.7 billion (Krawiec, 23-26; Rogue Trader). The internal control mechanism of the Barings  bank was completely inefficient. It could be viewed by the fact that the Government body of the organization did not set any fixed limit for the position taking like position in intraday, in overnight position. Moreover the salary of the top management official were linked excessively to the speculated profit which promoted the top management official under the guidance of Leeson to take excessive position in derivative trades even risking the loss limits when led to huge losses incurred. Moreover the absence of any formal internal audit system allowed the bank to take unauthorized path of settling the huge loss in the error account (Rogue Trader). Thus there is a complete setback in the ethical standards of the bank, as the bank was more tied to the greed of the top officials putting on a huge risk for the bank as well as for its customers. The risk assessment mechanism of the bank was highly inefficient. The movie Rogue Trader shows that there was no proper outline of the risk assessment mechanism in the Barings  bank. The top officials did not set any limit about the risk tolerance level of the bank. Moreover positions taken by the officials in risky derivative trading under Leeson and drainage of money for making up for the margin calls promoted huge financial losses. Without proper internal audit system in place the reported loss was

Marijuana in the Past and Present :: Free Essays Online

Marijuana in the Past and Present    Marijuana is a mixture of leaves, stems, and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant Cannabis, it may be smoked or eaten for its hallucinogenic and pleasure-giving effects. Marijuana has not been proven to be physically addicting but, psychological dependence can develop.    Many users describe two phases of marijuana intoxication. During the first level the user will experience lightheadedness; next the user will experience peacefulness in the mind. Mood changes are often accompanied by altered perceptions of time. A person will think that hours have gone by, but in reality only minutes have passed. The thinking process usually becomes disrupted by incongruous ideas, images, and memories. Many users report an increase in appetite, heightened sensory awareness, and various hallucinogenic pleasures. The negative side effects include confusion, panic, anxiety attacks, fear, a sense of helplessness, and loss of self-control.    In the United States there were a number of successful efforts, especially in the 1970s, to reduce criminal penalties for possession and use of marijuana, but many of the resulting laws have since been modified or repealed. The smoking of marijuana is so casually taken for granted in much of our culture that many people assume that a marijuana offense these days will rarely lead to a prison term. The fact is that there are more people in prison today for violating marijuana laws than at any other time in the nation's history. Data provided by the Bureau of Prisons and the United States Sentencing Commission suggest that one of every six inmates in the federal prison system has been locked up for a marijuana offense. The number currently being held in state prisons and local jails is more difficult to estimate; an estimated guess would be an additional 20,000 to 30,000. A dozen or more marijuana offenders may now be serving life sentences in federal penitentiaries without hope of paro le. The number of prisoners condemned to die in prison may reach into the hundreds if you include middle-aged inmates with sentences greater than twenty years. Other inmates are serving life terms in state prisons across the country for growing, selling, or even possessing marijuana.    The vigorous enforcement of marijuana laws has resulted in four million arrests since the early 1980s. Due to mandatory-minimum sentences, many of those convicted are receiving stiff prison terms; even as violent criminals are released for lack of space.