Digital revolutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Digital revolutions - Essay Example To understand the consumers, organizations have historically employed a market research strategy. This traditional method involves deploying marketing representatives to the ground to identify the consumers’ needs and advise the business on the best approach to addressing these needs. Advancement of technology has however changed the situation. The invention of the internet, mobile phones, and other technological devices have revolutionized marketing. Today, human beings are connected to one another regardless of the distance. This implies that the physical interaction of the marketer and the target audience is no longer necessary. The interaction and market study happens online and through the technological devices. This has changed the global marketing environment. This paper is a research report on the changes in global marketing that have resulted from the digital revolution. The paper addresses these changes from the perspective of technology and globalization. Marketing involves a great deal of communication. Technologies such as the web, mobile phones, social media, and customer relationship management systems greatly affect modern marketing. The marketing representatives of any company or specific product must communicate with the consumers. The communication helps them to learn and identify the consumers’ needs and requirements. Further, this also helps them to identify the challenges that the product may face in the market and hence adjust their strategies accordingly. In the past, communicating with the consumers demanded costly travels and promotions to issue questionnaires or conduct interviews (Glance et al. 2005). However, with the digital revolution communication technology has made it possible to interact and communicate with consumers in a more effective and cost effective way. Marketers are now targeting social media and the

Japanese Food †General Analysis and Comparison to American Food Essay Example for Free

Japanese Food – General Analysis and Comparison to American Food Essay It is generally true that different countries have distinct cultures. The culture of a country is shaped by various factors unique to that country, directly affecting it during its historical development. An example of such factors is geography. The geographic nature and location of a country dictates what resources it may have; a country surrounded by water tends to depend on the aquatic life for food, while a country endowed with vast fields of fertile land tends to feed its citizens through harvested crops. As one can infer, the food source of a country is in a direct relationship with its culture. This concept in turn supports the development of unique variants of food, also defined as its local or traditional food. The United States of America and Japan, in this sense, are two vastly different cultures with diverse food variants. The American continent, although of course surrounded by bodies of water, has a vast land area which it is known for. This prompted the development of the country to be generally agricultural and crop-based. Hence, corn and potatoes are considered as its staple food. Japan, on the other hand, is considerably less in terms of total land area; therefore, the development of its agriculture is quite limited and crop variants held to a minimum. The whole population instead focused its attention on the sea as a limitless source of food. Such basic differences in food also result in additional variance to the details regarding it. Suggested food intake, nutritional claims, health claims are expected to be different to a certain extent between the two. Health issues are expected to vary as well. Hence, the American food culture and the Japanese food culture are expected to be distinctly different with consideration to these aforementioned points of comparison. Methodology In order to begin the analysis of the characteristics of the food from the unfamiliar Japanese culture, a direct sampling of Japanese food is required. Hence, the first major portion of the methodology requires that a restaurant serving authentic Japanese cuisine is to be located within the locality. After choosing one, also keeping in mind that the price range is well within the reach of the researcher’s budget, a sample Japanese dish is to be ordered or bought. If possible, the method as to how the dish is prepared should be properly observed and noted. The characteristics of the dish should also be considered and inspected. Specific details in terms of taste and appearance are to be listed down. If possible, the constituents of the dish or its basic ingredients are also to be identified. After assessing such details regarding a sample dish of Japanese cuisine, a more technical and research oriented approach towards analysis is to be started. The second main segment of the methodology pertains to the technical and research oriented part of the study. Specific details regarding the whole Japanese food culture are to be determined. Further research into the Japanese food culture and its historical development is to be accomplished. Further insights regarding the differences with the American food culture and standards will be provided by searching for the occurrence of a localized food pyramid as well as rules or guidelines for food labeling, health claims, and nutrient content claims. Also, health concerns regarding food in the Japanese culture will also be taken into account. The common health problems, its sources and effects, will be established. Resulting data from the two main sections of the research method gathered through such methods will be properly collated and completely analyzed afterwards. Results Upon locating a restaurant that offers authentic Japanese cuisine, a choice was made to order a highly popular and common Japanese specialty, the sushi. In this case, an unlimited amount of sushi was made available, each variant served in differently colored plates riding on top of a conveyor belt like mechanism. There were so many variants of sushi, making the process of identification more troublesome. Fortunately in this case, each plate was properly labeled. The first variant of sushi sampled is called the nigiri sushi. In physical form, the nigiri sushi mainly consists of hand-shaped rice with a single kind of topping per serving. This variant is however not simply a single kind as there were notable difference in toppings between servings. There were four main types of nigiri sushi served; one type had squid as topping, the second had shrimp, the third had raw fish, and the fourth was egg. Upon immediate sampling, the shrimp, and squid were notably very lightly cooked, if cooked at all. The thin slices of fish served as toppings were obviously uncooked. Also, no additional flavor was added to enhance the flavor of these two toppings. The egg however, was noticeably scrambled and sweetened. The rice below the topping, aside from being shaped, had no detectable additional flavoring. The second variant of sushi sampled was considerably more complex in both structure and appearance. Called as the maki sushi, this variant evidently had more ingredients. There were two main types of maki sushi sampled, futo maki and hoso maki. In both, a thin dried seaweed preparation, known in Japan as the nori, covers the outer area of the flat circular shaped sushi. Another common ingredient noticed for this variant is cucumber, sliced in small portions and apparently used fresh with no additional cooking procedures. Carrots were also noted to be present in both types, having been prepared in the same manner as the cucumbers. The last notable similarity between the two is the use of caviar. The nature and source of the caviar was not determined; the only detail noted regarding it was that it was commonly used as additional toppings or dispersed within the sushi. In terms of differences, the main distinguishing factor between the futo maki and the hoso maki is the inclusion of fish. Of the two, only hoso maki had slices of fresh raw fish, known to be commonly tuna, interspersed within the roll. As an additional note, the sushi variants were dipped in a mixture of Japanese soy sauce and a spicy paste known as wasabi, with the resulting ratio dependent on one’s preferences. After discussing the structure and constituent parts of the sampled dish in detail, findings regarding the taste are placed in focus. It is noticeable that the overall taste of the sushi alone is quite simple and plain, and at the same time pleasant and cool. It draws its appeal from the combined flavor of its parts. Such taste is expected since the parts used are neither seasoned nor flavored in any matter. However, upon the addition of the wasabi and soy sauce concoction, the sushi is given a stronger flavor, mainly a combination of salty and spicy taste. Upon completion of the sampling phase of the study, research was done to determine the historical context of Japanese food. Japan is one of the several island based countries throughout the world which is mainly surrounded by the sea, and along it also contains several bodies of water; hence, even from the early points of Japanese history, food is commonly gathered from aquatic sources (Minnesota State University [MSU], n. d. ). Since fish and other aquatic creatures such as shrimp, crabs, squid, octopus, and urchins, are commonly associated with the Japanese diet, people tend to think that the Japanese consume these exclusively. This however, is not the case in reality. The Japanese also consume various land grown products including well known ones like eggplants and carrots, along with rice which is considered as their staple food (MSU, n. d. ). Another subject of research conducted in the study is concerned with something more current: government issued guidelines and policies regarding the food industry as well as the presence of a food pyramid. Specific points analyzed include food labeling, health claims, nutrient content claims, and of course, the food pyramid. Details regarding food labeling, health claims, and nutrient content claims were not very much analyzed in this case, but rather, the focus was placed upon whether such policies exist. In terms of food labeling, it has been noted that a similar system exists in Japan in comparison to other countries such as America. In fact, there has been a movement by the Japanese government to further increase the scope of the law, making it considerably more stringent in comparison to those of other countries (Gale Group Incorporated [GGI], 2008). As for laws regarding health claims, Japan has a well-defined and extensive policy system, pointing out specific categories for health and nutrient claims and requirements for the application of companies for such claims to be approved for their product (National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods [NCEFF], 2004). Japan currently has a well-adapted food pyramid. Commonly encountered food items in Japan are included as examples; some of these are rice, miso, honey, soy sauce, milk, soy milk, tofu, fish, clams, plums, and kelp (Southeastern Michigan Dietetic Association [SEMDA], 1998). The final aspect looked upon in the research was regarding the usual health problems accompanying the local cuisine. Given the fact that Japanese food preparations often utilize raw to lightly cooked seafood, parasitic organisms is a usual threat (Ransom, n. d. ). Examples of these parasitic organisms are worms which latch on to various areas of a person, usually the gastrointestinal tract, in order to provide themselves vital nutrients. Another problem arising from their preference towards seafood is the possible occurrence of heavy metals in the flesh of sea-based organisms due to global environmental problems (Ransom, n. d. ). Discussion The results point out evident differences and similarities between the American and the Japanese food cultures. First, regarding food preparation and taste, from what was observed with the sushi, Japanese food preparation is simpler in constituent and is also rather simpler in terms of preparation. The focus of the Japanese cooking is to maintain the natural form and flavor of the ingredients while blending well in combination. This is very much unlike the American way of cooking since the focus is usually to use a main ingredient and season or flavor it in a way that after being cooked for a certain amount of time, the food has acquired an enhanced taste. In relation to this, the Japanese cuisine has a preference towards the uncooked and seafood, while American cuisine focuses on cooking techniques and the use of beef, pork, and chicken. These differences mainly arise from the varied historical development of each country. In terms of the more technical side of food and its culture, specifically food labeling, health claims, and nutrient claims, due to the trend of globalization, it is quite understandable that in general, both Japan and America have law pertaining to food labeling, health claims, and nutrient claims. Differences on these are mainly observed when inspecting the specifics. Aside from this, both countries have food pyramids. The difference on this point pertains to the food examples written in the pyramid; the main structure and recommendations remain the same. Lastly, health issues and risks differ for both countries to a certain degree. The Japanese mainly worry about issues regarding contaminants and parasites due to seafood consumption, while the Americans worry about problems such as heart disease and obesity due to the way food is prepared. Conclusion The historical and geographic differences of America and Japan have led to a distinct difference in terms of their local cuisine. Japan focused on seafood as one of the main food sources unlike America. The staple food is also different for both countries, being rice for Japan which is rather uncommon in the United States. Hence, in relation to this, food-related heath concerns also differ for both countries. However, far from what is expected in terms of Japan and America being completely different, current trends in relation to globalization and exports have shown that in the subject of food in general, America and Japan have several points in common. These points mentioned laws and policies pertaining to food labeling as well as health and nutritional claims. Therefore, although different at various points, Japan and America evidently has certain points of close similarities in the general subject of food contrary to what is commonly thought of.

Dangers of the Internet | Essay

Dangers of the Internet | Essay Abstract This essay presents a critical debate on whether the Internet is as dangerous as the physical world. First, the unique dangers posed by the Internet are outlined. This is followed by an examination of some of the major threats to safety that are present in the physical world but not in the virtual world. In the conclusion, the report also looks into how the virtual world might shape in the future. Is the World of Networked Computing as Dangerous as the Physical World? Introduction In cyberspace, no one hears your screams. (Merkow and Breithaupt, 2000) Modern society depends on the technology of networked computing more than ever. Whether it is the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW), or other less well-known networks, people around the world depend on it for multifarious reasons from work and entertainment to essentials of life such as life support in medicine. Networked computing offers easy access, a large degree of anonymity and while this presents us with unique opportunities, it also presents us with unique dangers. In light of the increasing use and even dependence on networked computing, it is pertinent to examine the social, physical and ethical dangers presented by it. This essay critically debates the issue of whether the world of networked computing is as dangerous as the physical world. The Dangers on the Internet Preying by Paedophiles One of the most disturbing crimes on the Internet today is ‘grooming’. Child grooming is an act where a paedophile will befriend a child, or form an intimate relationship in order to lower a child’s sexual inhibitions. Grooming will initiate from chat rooms designed for children and teenagers and sometimes through emails, where an adult will pose as a teenager, but will often move into using instant messaging services so that the paedophile can talk the victim into sending images and even using a webcam. Research conducted by the Cyberspace Research Unit at the University of Central Lancashire states â€Å"another of the frequent topics concerned on-line grooming and in particular, ways in which to avoid detection† (O’Connell, 2003). While this statement gives concern that paedophiles may be able to escape without notice, the report goes on to say, â€Å"Throughout each of the stages there are clear and easily identifiable differences in the pattern s of behaviour of the individuals.† The stages that are talked about here are known as ‘Friendship forming state’ where the paedophile will just spend time getting to know the child, ‘Relationship forming state’ where the paedophile will start to ask questions about things such as school and home life, ‘Risk assessment stage’ where the paedophile will ask the child questions like who else uses the computer, ‘Exclusivity stage’ where the victim is encouraged to trust the paedophile, and ‘Sexual stage’ where the paedophile will ask the child about previous intimate experiences. Bullying and Other Negative Electronic Relationships The virtual world is home to some serious negative and destructive electronic relationships. Cyber bullying, one of the more common ones, is mainly targeted at school pupils in addition to actual physical and verbal bullying. Carnell (2007) points out to evidence that many pupils are being targeted in their own homes, by phone texts, silent calls, on instant messenger, and by abusive websites and forums, some set up with the specific intention of causing humiliation and embarrassment. This shows the severity of cyber bullying in society today. Griffiths, M.D. (1998) offers the following explanation. The Internet is easy to access from home or work. It is becoming quite affordable and has always offered anonymity. For some people it offers an emotional and mental escape from real life, and this is especially true for individuals who are shy or feel trapped in unhappy relationships. It is also true for individuals who work long hours and have little opportunity for social life. Electronic (or internet) relationships started off when chatrooms were introduced and really boomed since the creation of Instant Messaging. A person can enter a chatroom, use an alias, and can talk to other members without revealing their true identity. However, this raises an important question. If you can do all that without revealing your true identity can you really trust the person you are talking to? Can you be certain that they are being honest with you? Some say that it’s not real and therefore they don’t really worry about it, while others suggest that Internet relationships have a way of tapping into deep feelings and it’s easier to get hurt. Katz and Rice (2002, p286) suggest, â€Å"students are meeting and â€Å"dating† on the internet†¦they even have monogamous relationships this way, telling others who might ask that they will not go out with them because they are â€Å"dating† someone.† Various researches suggest that it is more common for young people to meet and date people using the Internet and it is becoming more widely accepted as a social meeting point. This however causes concerns about why people are choosing to use the Internet for this reason. Many people feel more comfortable talking about feelings over instant messaging, and this is especially true of shy people or people that feel trapped in an offline relationship. Addictions The Internet also has the notoriety of helping to create unhealthy addictions. The majority of UK bookmakers now run online websites in which people can make exactly the same bets they would in the betting shop, but from the comfort of their own home. The rate at which the online gambling industry is commercialised today is astronomical. From 2005 to 2006 the sector has become the fifth largest advertiser online, jumping to 2.5 billion from 911 million ads in the last year (Schepp, 2002). And this is without the likes of TV ads, magazine ads, and adverts on the radio. This means that the majority of people in society now see online gambling as more acceptable than in recent years. Besides the increased risk of fraud on the Internet, the online gambling also poses the serious problem of an easier way to get addicted. This is because it is relatively easier to sit in front of a computer and gamble than to walk to the nearest betting shop in the cold winter to make a bet. Gambling is ho wever, just one of the addictions people are vulnerable to online. Mitchell (2000) uses the term Internet addiction to indicate the spectrum of additions that one is susceptible to on the Internet. He states that although there is some disagreement about whether Internet addiction is a real diagnosis, compulsive Internet use has psychological dangers, and reports such behaviour can result in the users having withdrawal symptoms, depression, social phobia, impulse control disorder, attention deficit disorder, etc. Viruses and Hacking In 2000, the number of worldwide email mailboxes was put at 505 million, and this was expected to increase to 1.2 billion in 2005 (Interactive Data Corporation, 2001). Schofield (2001) points out that more than 100 million people use instant messaging (IM) programs on the net, and a growing number among them also use it to transfer files. This number is obviously growing, but this example shows that online communication is becoming a much widely used method of communication. Online communication such as email and instant messaging does not come without problems. Hindocha (2003) states that instant messengers can transfer viruses and other malicious software as they provide the ability to transfer text as well as files. Viruses and malicious software can be transferred to the recipients computer without the knowledge of the user. This makes them very dangerous. As the use of online communications becomes more widespread, it is seen as an opportunity for people to gain access to the fi les on a computer. Hindocha (2003) gives the example of hackers using instant messaging to gain unauthorised access to computers, bypassing desktop and perimeter firewall implementations. This is a real concern for most users, especially as the instant messaging and email client software are trusted software; for a home user, their personal information stored on the computer, such as internet banking security details, identifying information that could be used in identity theft, etc. are the risks. However, online communication software such as these are also often used in businesses also, and in this case, extensive records of financial information are vulnerable. Hindocha (2003) goes on to say about instant messaging systems, â€Å"finding victims doesn’t require scanning unknown IP addresses, but rather simply selecting from an updated directory of buddy lists.† This throws up serious concerns. Theft and Fraud Electronic commerce faces the major threats of theft and fraud. Online theft commonly occurs in the form of identity theft, and less commonly, outright theft, for example by unauthorised access to bank accounts. Camp (2000) points out that while it may seem a big leap to exchange a bill of paper money for machine readable data streams, the value bound to the paper abstraction of wealth is simply a reflection of trust in the method of abstraction that is widely shared and built over centuries. Money on the Internet is simply a different abstraction of wealth, and has similar issues with trust and risk as traditional money, together with the additional dangers posed by the virtual nature of the environment. Because all communication on the Internet is vulnerable to unauthorised access, this means that it is relatively easy to commit fraud. Where legislation is not a deterrent, technology is almost none. Credit card fraud and theft, electronic banking theft, etc. are some of the more co mmon crimes committed online involving money. What Makes It Safer Than The Physical World? Safe from Immediate Physical Harm Perhaps the only upper hand the virtual world has is that its inhabitants are immune to the immediate threat of physical violence; one cannot be randomly mugged online. However, vulnerable people are still susceptible to physical violence and harm, perhaps more to self-harm; there are many websites that promote anorexia, suicide and self-harm, and this can leave a big impact on impressionable minds. Presence of Strong Safeguards The main safeguards on the Internet are policing with the accompanying legislation, and technology itself. There are organisations in place to deal with the abusive websites and forums, appropriate legislation to prevent child pornography, paedophilia, theft, fraud and a variety of other online crime. There is also a vast array of technology that can help keep adults and children safe online, from parental control software that can restrict the websites viewed by children, to anti-virus and cryptography software and firewalls that help prevent hacking and viruses and keep data safe. Conclusion Staying safe online It is commonly accepted that the Internet provides us with opportunities that have been hitherto unavailable. Many sing the praises of this so-called information superhighway; however, it is prudent not to be lulled into a false sense of security by the promising opportunities. People should be made aware of the dangers lurking in the Internet, and be given the education and means to take steps to stay safe online. Just as children are taught not to speak to strangers in the real world, they should be taught not to speak to strangers online as well. Education in schools should include education about how to stay safe online; just as children are taught that eating fruit and vegetables are healthy, they should also be taught that excessive online activities can lead to addiction, with various negative consequences. This is because the virtual world is not very different from the physical world in terms of people waiting to take advantage of the weak and vulnerable, and also with respe ct to dangers such as addiction. The future of the virtual world In many ways, the virtual world is a reflection of the real world. After all, the people who inhabit the real world are the same people that also inhabit the virtual world. It follows therefore, that what people do and want to do in the real world, they would try to do in the virtual world too. Where the physical constraints of the virtual world restrict them, they would try to find ways to get around it. The rapid development of technology also gives rise to new means by which people can do things, beneficial or harmful. The development of virtual reality may mean that one day, people in the virtual world may not be immune to immediate physical harm either. However, the technology by itself is neither good nor bad; it is the way the technology is put to use that creates positive and negative consequences for human beings. In the end, it can be said that virtual world is perhaps just as dangerous as the physical world. References Camp, L. J.(2000) Trust and Risk in Internet Commerce Publication: Cambridge, Mass MIT Press. Carnell, L. (2007) Pupils Internet Safety Online. Bullying Online [online]. Available at: http://www.bullying.co.ukpupils/internet_safety.php (last accessed Aug 2007) Griffiths, M.D. (2002) The Social Impact of Internet Gambling Social Science Computer Review, Vol. 20, No. 3, 312-320 (2002) SAGE Publications Griffiths, M. (1998) Does Internet and computer â€Å"addiction† exist? Some case study evidence International Conference: 25-27 March 1998, Bristol, UK IRISS 98: Conference Papers (Available online at http://www.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/archive/iriss/papers/paper47.htm last accessed Aug 2007) Griffiths, M.D. (2000) Cyber Affairs. Psychology Review, 7, p28. Hindocha, N. (2003) Threats to Instant Messaging. Symantec Security Response, p3. Interactive Data Corporation (2001) Email mailboxes to increase to 1.2 billion worldwide by 2005 CNN.com (Available online at http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/09/19/email.usage.idg/ last accessed Aug 2007) Katz, J.E. and Rice, R.E. (2002) Social Consequences of Internet Use. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. p286. Merkow, M. S. and Breithaupt, J. (2000) The Complete Guide to Internet Security New York AMACOM Books Mitchell, P. (2000) Internet addiction: genuine diagnosis or not? The Lancet,Volume 355,Issue 9204,Pages 632-632 O’Connell, R. (n.d.) A Typology of Child Cyber Sexploitation and Online Grooming Practices. Cyberspace Research Unit UCLAN, p7-9. Schepp, D. (2002) Internet Gambling Hots Up BBC Online (Available online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1834545.stm last accessed Aug 2007) Smith, J. and Machin, A.M. (2004) Youth Culture and New Technologies. New Media Technologies, QUT.

Mt. Ashland Ski Area Expansion Essay -- Environmental Issues

It’s a sunny October afternoon and I’m listening to the breeze gently rustle the tree tops above me. I look down into the creek as I sit here munching on some cashews, and I see trout gliding effortlessly through the crystal-clear water. I revel in how incredibly lush the area is†¦although it’s been a dry summer the ground is still moist, plants are bright and colorful, and wildlife is abound. After I finish my snack and tuck my trash away into my backpack, I continue my hike up this parcel of land that may soon become barren with towers of steel and wire draping the landscape†¦that’s if the Mt. Ashland Association (MAA), a non-profit organization that operates the Mt. Ashland ski area, gets their way. The MAA is looking to start a planned expansion of the area in late 2012. They plan to clear cut 70+ acres of old growth to pave way for more advanced slopes and a sparkly-new lodge. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ski area expansions are the most ecological damaging task that an area can undertake. In a plan revision for the White River National Forest in Colorado, regarding the Copper Mountain Ski Resort expansion, the EPA hammers that point home when they say that â€Å"†¦no other land management prescription on the Forest directly results in more stream-water depletion, wetland impacts, air pollution, permanent vegetation change, or permanent habitat loss†¦ more wetland impacts and stream depletions resulted from ski area expansion and improvement than from all other Forest management activities combined, including many direct and indirect impacts that are permanent (irreversible and irretrievable).† Meanwhile, skier numbers nationally have only increased just two percent since 1978 says, (source). Whic... ...'D' On Environmental Scorecard." Ashland Daily Tidings [Ashland, OR], 26 Nov. 2008, n. pag. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. "Saving the Pacific Fisher." Center for Biological Diversity. Center for Biological Diversity., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. United States. Dept. of Agriculture. Tenmile Recreation Path Environmental Assessment. [Summit County, Colorado.:] U.S. Forest Service, Dillion Ranger District [2011] Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Wright, Bruce. "A Question of Balance." Ashland Resource Center [Ashland, OR], 7 Sept. 2011, n. pag. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.

Managerial Skills Essay

In order for managers to be effective, they must have a clear understanding of whether different skills are important in their managerial role. In addition, managers must have a mutual understanding of the skills and responsibilities necessary for other managers across similar and different organizational levels and functions ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). If these skills and responsibilities are not clearly understood, managers will neither be able to coordinate work effectively, communicate expectations, deliver feedback, nor be prepared for job transitions or other training and career development activities ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). In short, understanding whether certain managerial skills are important to a manager’s job is essential. A number of researchers have investigated the roles, tasks, or activities of managers (e.g. [18] Mintzberg, 1973; [13] Luthans, 1988; [10] Kraut et al. , 1989). However, these studies are over a decade old, some more than two or three decades, and have not specifically examined skills. The world of work has changed since these studies, most notably due to organizational downsizing, technology, and the globalization of the workplace. Skills important to managers in the late 1980s and early 1990s may not be as important today. As times change, researchers should update important findings to determine if those findings are still applicable ([4] Cronbach, 1975), especially when considering that the skills and roles of managers need to be clearly defined and understood to effectively teach, select, develop, and promote these individuals in the workplace. Based on results of a study of more than 14,000 managers over two distinct time periods, this paper will highlight whether the importance of certain managerial skills changed over a 15-year time period, and determine which skills are needed at different organizational levels and across organizational functions from the opinions of managers themselves. Our main research question is, to what extent has the importance of certain managerial skills changed, or remained constant, over time, and whether certain skills are important based on organizational level and function. Studies of managers [18] Mintzberg (1973) provided one of the most influential works on managerial roles. Prior to his research, the roles of managers were understood to be embedded in a rigid functional approach of planning jobs, organizing staff, and leading personnel ([20] Pearson and Chatterjee, 2003). However, Mintzberg observed that managers worked at a much faster pace during which they were required to address a range of issues. The job of the manager required an ability to handle more complex roles than those described by classical management theory. Using a descriptive diary method to observe managers at work, Mintzberg identified ten roles of managerial work, which were divided into three categories: interpersonal roles, informational roles, and decisional roles. Expanding on [18] Mintzberg’s (1973) work, [10] Kraut et al. (1989) investigated the differences between managerial levels in the perception of role importance. They identified seven major factors of management tasks including: managing individual performance; instructing subordinates; planning and allocating resources; coordinating interdependent groups; managing group performance; monitoring the business environment; and representing one’s staff. Their findings also revealed distinct differences in role importance based on the level of the manager. For instance, first-level managers reported that managing individual performance and instructing subordinates were the most important set of activities in their job. However, as managers moved up the management hierarchy to the level of middle manager, the importance of these activities dropped and more focus was placed on tasks related to linking groups. The act of linking groups included planning and resource allocation, managing group performance, and coordinating interdependent groups. Executive managers took an even broader view of their job as evidenced by their high importance ratings related to monitoring the environment including business, economic, and social trends. The only commonality among the different managerial levels was the importance they placed on representing their staff; over 50 per cent of managers at each level rated representing staff of â€Å"utmost† or â€Å"considerable importance.† [13] Luthans’ (1988) research also examined differences between top and middle managers. However the focus was more on the distinction between the activities of an effective manager versus a successful manager. Effective managers were identified by a high level of performance in the unit they are responsible for, whereas successful managers were recognized by their rapid promotions within an organization. The activities that characterize effective managers included spending time on communication and human resource management, which can lead to long-term results. In contrast, successful managers spent more time on networking and aimed for short-term results. In addition to differences between levels, [10] Kraut et al. (1989) also compared managerial activities across the different organizational functions of marketing, manufacturing, and administration. For example, a greater percentage of marketing managers rated monitoring the outside environment more important when compared to other managers. Alternately, fewer marketing managers rated instructing subordinates as important when compared to managers in manufacturing and administration. Managers from all three organizational functions indicated that activities involving coordinating interdependent groups were important. The present study will attempt to expand on similar research such as those previously mentioned. First, this research examines managerial skills, which are much different than managerial roles, activities, or tasks. While past research has determined what roles or activities are important for managers and what tasks managers tend to spend much of their time on, this research attempts to determine what skills are important for managerial jobs. Second, this research will use opinions from practicing managers totaling more than 14,000 from two distinct time periods (1988-1992, and 2004-2006) to capture what skills have been important in the past, and determine whether those skills have changed in importance over time. In addition, this research will examine whether managerial skills are important across different organizational levels and organizational functions in the context of today’s work environment. The changing world of work The aforementioned research regarding the importance of managerial tasks, roles, and activities was conducted in the 1970s and 1980s. There is reason to believe that skills once deemed important for managers may have adjusted in relative importance since much has changed in the world of work since these studies. One can assume that the changes in the world of work may coincide with possible changes in the importance of different managerial skills. Organizations have become flatter and less hierarchical with fewer levels and more responsibilities ([2] Allen et al. , 2001; [16] McKinley et al. , 2000; [17] Miller, 1990). Also, organizational downsizing is commonplace due to the increasing need to reduce costs, to eliminate unnecessary levels of management, and to streamline operations ([5] DeMeuse et al. , 2004). As organizations become less hierarchical, there is reason to believe that the skills managers thought were important in the past may have changed in scope. Organizations also exist in a different environmental context than 15 years ago. Due to improved technology such as e-mail and the internet, changes have occurred in the way managers and co-workers interact. We have seen the emergence of the Internet as a major form of communication and e-commerce as a new source of business. Flexible work patterns and the ability to work in geographically dispersed teams is now a common reality in the workplace ([27] Wallace, 2004). These changes have cultivated the need for better communication, coordination, improved performance, team monitoring, and more interdependence and trust ([22], [21] Salas et al. , 2004, 2005; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004). Teams and organizations are increasingly becoming more global or virtual in nature. As a result, an awareness of different cultures and attention to multiculturalism and globalization is vital for the success of many managers. As organizations become more fast-paced and global, there is also speculation that the importance of different skills managers need may have shifted in scope. [7] Kanter (1989) argued that these rapid changes, spurred by technology and competitive pressures, have made traditional forms of organizing work obsolete. Managers may believe certain skills are important in order to be a partner with and empower employees to address business problems on their own and to work in cross-functional teams, which could be different than the skills believed to be important 15 years ago. Managers must fully understand their roles and responsibilities and become adept at a variety of skills to perform their job effectively ([1] Ahearn et al. , 2004; [6] Halbesleben et al. , 2003; [25] Stockdale and Crosby, 2004; [27] Wallace, 2004; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004). As previously mentioned, understanding the skills of managers is essential to coordinate work effectively, communicate expectations, deliver feedback, and for training and career development ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). It is unknown whether the changes over the past 15 years that have occurred in an organizational and global context have also coincided with possible changes in importance of managerial skills over time. A recent case study reexamined [18] Mintzberg’s (1973) work 30 years after the original research by studying the pattern of behavior among four executives in Sweden ([26] Tengblad, 2006). The findings revealed that modern executives are more oriented towards working with subordinates in group-settings and focus more time on giving information rather than performing administrative duties. However, Tengblad noted significant similarities with Mintzberg’s original study, indicating that claims of the emergence of radically different managerial work may be exaggerated. However, due to the small sample size and lack of empirical data in that study, it is important that further work specifically examine the modern skills of managers with a wide range of managers and ample sample size. In other words, are the skills thought to be important to managers 15 years ago still important to managers in today’s work context? The present research will attempt to answer this question and provide relevant present-day information for managers and those who work with, train and develop them, by re-examining the importance of managerial skills across two distinct time periods and across both organizational level and function in the context of today’s work environment. Method Participants This research used data from two waves of managers engaged in a leadership development program from a leadership development provider in order to compare differences in managerial skills over time. The first wave consisted of 7,389 managers from the USA involved in a leadership development process between 1988 and 1992. The second wave consisted of 7,410 managers from the USA who were involved in a leadership development process between 2004 and 2006. Because of data housing and management issues, demographic data could not be given for the first wave of participants. However, aggregate biographical data from the leadership development provider from the time period of 1988 to 1992 revealed that leadership development participants in general were similar in terms of age, gender, race, education, and job status to those of 2004 to 2006. Demographic data in aggregate could be given for the 7,410 participants of the second wave. The average age of the managers in the second wave was 41.73 years old, 59 per cent were male, 86 per cent were white, 69 per cent worked in the private sector and 77 per cent had a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Managers came from over 60 organizational types (e.g. aerospace and defense, finance, communications, government, education) and over 1,300 companies. In addition, 999 managers (13.5 per cent) were first-level managers (forepersons, crew chiefs, section supervisors), 3,136 (42.3 per cent) were middle-level managers (office managers, professional staff, mid-level administrators), 2,197 (29.6 per cent) were upper-middle managers (department executives, plant managers, senior professional staff), and 1,078 (14.6 per cent) were top or executive level managers (chief executives or operating officers, presidents, vice presidents, directors). Measure Managerial skills . Data determining the importance of managerial skills was collected from SKILLSCOPE ®[1] a 360-degree instrument that assesses job related strengths and weaknesses. The instrument has 98 items that are organized into 15 skill clusters. These clusters represent 15 skills and roles managers need in order to be effective in their job which are part of Mintzberg’s three categories (interpersonal, informational, and decisional) and two other categories (personal resources and effective use of self). The conceptual basis for SKILLSCOPE ® is research which focused on managerial skills, roles and tasks (e.g. [3] Beggs and Doolittle, 1988; [8] Kaplan, 1987; [9] Kotter, 1982; [14] McCall and Kaplan, 1984; [15] McCall et al. , 1979; [18], [19] Mintzberg, 1973, 1990; [23] Sayles, 1979; [24] Stewart, 1976). As part of their leadership development process, managers chose which five of the 15 skill clusters were the most important for their current job. Table I [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] describes each skill cluster. Results A frequency count of the data revealed the skills that are most important for managers in their current job. Result show that both â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† (60.1 per cent of the managers in 1988-1992 and 63 per cent of the managers in 2004-2006) and â€Å"Taking actions, making decisions, following through† (59.7 per cent of the managers in 1988-1992 and 62.9 per cent of the managers in 2004-2006) were the most important skills across all managers. On the other hand, â€Å"Self-management, self-insight, self-development† and â€Å"Openness to influence; flexibility† were the least important for managers in 1988 through 1992 (8.6 per cent and 8.8 per cent respectively as one of the most important skills needed) and managers in 2004 through 2006 (10.9 per cent and 7.2 per cent selected respectively as one of the most important skills needed). Table II [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] shows a comparison between managers from 1988-1992 and managers from 2004-2006. Many of the skills were similar in importance for both waves of managers. However, there were three skill clusters with differences of more than 10 percentage points that should be noted. First, 39.9 per cent of 2004-2006 managers rated â€Å"Relationships† as one of five important skill clusters which was an increase from 29.4 per cent of managers in 1988-1992. Second, 33 per cent of 2004-2006 managers rated â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† as one of five important skill clusters, a decrease from the 45 per cent of managers was from 1988-1992. Finally, 31.7 per cent of managers from 2004-2006 rated â€Å"Time management† as one of five important skill clusters which was an increase from the 19.7 per cent of managers in 1988-1992. The next set of analyses focused only on the 2004-2006 managers. Examining the results as a whole may mask important findings based on managerial levels. Consequently, we analyzed the importance of managerial skills across the four managerial levels for the present study, similar to [10] Kraut et al. (1989). Figure 1 [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] displays the importance rankings for each skill sorted by managerial level. â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† and â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through† were the two most important skills for all managerial levels with the exception of first-level managers. While â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through† ranked as the most important for first-level managers, â€Å"Knowledge of job, business† ranked as second-most important, followed by â€Å"Communicating information, ideas†. On the other hand, â€Å"Openness to influence, flexibility† was the least important to managers at each level, again with the exception of first-level managers who believed â€Å"Risk-taking, innovation† was the least important, followed by â€Å"Openness to influence, flexibility†. In general, the importance rankings were similar across managerial levels, though there are some notable exceptions. First, â€Å"Getting information, making sense of it; problem identification† was less important for top/executive-level managers (48 per cent) than for other managerial levels (each over 55 per cent). Second, as managerial level increased, so did the importance of â€Å"Influencing, leadership, and power†, (from 21 per cent of first-level managers to 45 per cent of top/executive level managers), and of â€Å"Risk-taking, innovation† (from 7 per cent of first-level managers to 22 per cent of top/executive level managers). Last, as managerial level increased, the importance of two managerial skills decreased, namely â€Å"Knowledge of job, business† (from 63 per cent of first-level managers to 45 per cent of top/executive-level managers) and â€Å"Time management† (from 42 per cent of first-level managers to 19 per cent of top/executive-level managers). In addition, viewing the results from all managers in aggregate may also conceal important findings based specifically on job function, as managers in different functions may have different managerial challenges ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). In order to account for this, the present study mirrored the data analysis of the [10] Kraut et al. (1989) study in that the levels of management were equally weighted in each function so that no one managerial level would have statistical influence over the other managerial levels, and managers from marketing (n =282), manufacturing (n =253), and administration (n =489) would be selected. Due to the functional diversity of the sample of the second wave, managers from engineering (n =413), human resources/training (n =345), operations (n =916) and sales (n =518) were also examined. Figure 2 [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] provides the rankings for the skills of managers across job function. It is interesting to note that the pattern of skill importance is similar across functions. For instance, â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† was most important for marketing, human resource, and sales managers, while â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through† was the most important managerial skill for manufacturing, administration, engineering, and operations. In fact, across the seven managerial functions studied, these two managerial skills were among the top three in importance for each managerial function. On the other hand, â€Å"Openness to influence; flexibility† was the least important to managers across all functions except for managers in human resources, who believed â€Å"Energy, drive, and ambition† was the least important. Some managerial skills were rated similarly in importance across managerial functions. For instance, between 22 per cent and 27 per cent of managers across different functions believed â€Å"Coping with pressure, adversity; integrity† was important. Also, between 8 per cent and 13 per cent of managers thought â€Å"Self-management, self-insight, self-development† was an important skill to have. There was variability among the importance of some skills across managerial function. For example, â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† was important for less than 25 per cent of managers in marketing, manufacturing, and sales, but was important for 58 per cent of managers in administration. â€Å"Getting information, making sense of it; problem identification† was less important for sales managers (39 per cent) than it was for engineering managers (65 per cent). Regarding â€Å"Managing conflict; negotiation† it is interesting to note that most managers rated it the same in importance (between 27 per cent and 31 per cent) except managers from marketing, where only 17 per cent of managers thought it was important. Managers in manufacturing (25 per cent) and engineering (26 per cent) ranked â€Å"Relationships† less important than human resources (51 per cent) and sales (52 per cent) managers. â€Å"Selecting, developing, accepting people† was important to some managers in manufacturing and sales (both 35 per cent), but was not as important to marketing managers (12 per cent). Discussion In total, 30 years after [18] Mintzberg’s (1973) original study, [26] Tengblad (2006) found that while some things have changed, managerial work has remained the same, despite changes in the world of work. In a similar fashion, the present research attempted to determine whether the importance of skills managers need in their job have shifted over a 15-year time period. Though many have commented on how the world of work has changed over the past 15 years (e.g. [2] Allen et al. , 2001; [5] DeMeuse et al. , 2004; [7] Kanter, 1989; [16] McKinley et al. , 2000; [17] Miller, 1990; [22], [21] Salas et al. , 2004, 2005; [27] Wallace, 2004; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004), the data of the present research suggests that despite the changes in the work environment, the importance of certain managerial skills is somewhat similar. For instance, what was believed to be important in 1988-1992 (i.e. â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† and â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through†) is still considered important for managers today. In addition, skills that were not thought of as important in 1988-1992 (i.e. â€Å"Self-management, self-insight, self-development† and â€Å"Openness to influence; flexibility†) are still not thought of as important for managers in today’s work context. Despite these apparent similarities, there are some noteworthy differences between what managers thought was important 15 years ago and what managers think is important today. First, â€Å"Relationships† seem to be more important now than for managers 15 years ago. [26] Tengblad (2006) hinted at this with the finding that executives are concentrating more today (than 30 years ago) on working with others in a group setting. The increased importance of this skill cluster coincid ed with the changes in the organizational context that managers today must face. The use of communication technology, such as e-mail, and the existence of geographically dispersed teams require managers to be more deliberate in the effort they devote towards forming and maintaining relationships. The nonverbal cues that aid in face-to-face communication cannot be relied on in virtual relationships. By acknowledging and facing the challenges presented by these new forms of communication, managers can successfully execute their job requirements. In addition, the flattening of organizational hierarchies has forced a higher level of coordination and collaboration between peers. As more and more people work in an environment structured around the work team, the more likely a focus on building relationships will be encouraged. For instance, more time is devoted to interdependence and trust in a team setting ([22], [21] Salas et al. , 2004, 2005; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004), where ultimately, building relationships is necessary. [26] Tengblad (2006) found that executives are indeed focusing less time on administrative duties, and [7] Kanter (1989) also revealed that organizing work was becoming obsolete with changes in the environment. In a similar fashion, the present study found that â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† seems to be less important today than it was 15 years ago. One of the reasons could correspond with the recent trend of the flattening of organizations. Organizations have become more streamlined, and responsibility has become more spread out in the organization. In effect, managers do not have a hierarchical structure to manage. The administrative tasks that were needed in more hierarchical structures 15 years ago are not needed as much in the present work context. The advent of technology has also facilitated many organizational processes that were once paper-based. More and more companies have converted to computer-based processes (i.e. online recruiting and staffing) that have minimized the necessity to focus one’s skill on administrative or organizational duties. â€Å"Time management† appears more important now than it was 15 years ago. The reasons why could coincide with changes in the work context. Technology now enables people from around the world to work in real-time, to contact people instantly, and work more quickly. E-mail has replaced mail and fax. The use of cell phones and electronic devices such as â€Å"blackberries† has also increased. At the same time, employees are focusing on creating balance between their professional lives and their personal lives, attempting to get work out of the way faster. Employees and their managers therefore must focus on time management now more than ever. The differences in importance rankings of managerial skills we observed between managers at different organizational levels confirm previous findings in the literature. [10] Kraut et al. (1989) found that some managerial roles are considered important at each level, but the degree of importance may be contingent on a particular level. In the present study, â€Å"Influencing, leadership, and power† and â€Å"Risk-taking and innovation† showed an increase in importance ranking as managerial level increased. Both of these skills are indicative of senior levels of leadership. As a manager takes on more responsibility, it is critical to the manager’s success that the manager’s focus shifts to meet the new demands of the job. Also important to note, some managerial skills differ in importance depending on managerial function and relevance. For instance, â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† is more important to managers in administration than it is for any of the other functions because administrative ability is inherent in the administrative function. â€Å"Getting information, making sense of it; problem identification† is more important for engineering managers than it is for any of the other functions because working with information and problem identification is particularly relevant for engineers. â€Å"Communicating information and ideas† and â€Å"Risk-taking, innovation† are more important for managers in marketing than any of the other functions because those with a marketing background must be able to communicate and be innovative. Finally, â€Å"Relationships† is more important for managers in sales and HR than any of the other functions because sales and HR functions are dependent on forming and building good relationships. In effect, some skills are important to different managerial functions because of relevance of the specific organizational function. Practical applications Determining what is important for managers at each level and each function is crucial to coordinating work effectively, communicating expectations, and facilitating training and career development activities ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). Relying on past (or outdated) information about the importance of certain managerial skills, roles, tasks, or activities could hinder effective work coordination, communication, and effective training and career development. Hence, â€Å"updating† this type of information may help managers in their work and development, even if it is to simply validate or reinforce previous findings. Imagine the challenges managers face if relevant information about the importance of certain skills in their jobs were not correct or outdated. If information from previous research from the 1970s or 1980s is still used for coordinating work activities and it has not been updated, managers may be concentrating on different or unnecessary skills that are no longer relevant. This could greatly impede their work, their advancement, and ultimately, their success. Moreover, managers may not be taught the appropriate skills for the present-day work environment that is needed to succeed if training and development relies on outdated information. For instance, [11] Lipshitz and Nevo (1992) detailed research of the competencies of effective and ineffective managers whose activities and practices aided the design of training and development programs. Knowing which managerial skills are important for different managerial levels and functions would definitely bring knowledge to improve training and development programs. Because of their rated importance, the data suggests that managerial training and development in today’s world of work may need to keep focus on communication and decision-making, decrease focus on administration and organization ability, and increase focus on enhancing relationships and the concept of time management. In addition, these findings may help those in selection and in succession planning; knowing that certain skills are important at different levels and functions can help determine what type of manager is needed at each level or each function. For instance, time management may be a skill set that is necessary particularly for first-level managers and not top-level executives, and hence, first level managers should have that appropriate skill for the job. Administrative/organizational ability may be important for managers in the administration function, and those in succession planning or selection for managers in that particular function should keep in mind that information, along with relevant information from any job analysis or competency model. Limitations and future directions There are some limitations to this study. First, asking managers to choose five of 15 skill clusters that are important to their current job does not provide the level of detail that could be obtained by evaluating the importance of each cluster using other methodologies. In the present study, a skill cluster is either among a manager’s top five most important or it is not. Therefore, the data does not permit an assessment of how much more important the top five skill clusters were than the ten skill clusters not selected. In addition, the data did not allow us to assess any relative ranking among the top five skills. As a result, it would be useful to assess the importance of clusters, competencies, roles, skills, or abilities using a Likert-type scale in the future. In this manner, researchers could examine to what extent each cluster is important to managers. Also, examining what managers believe are the most important skills for their job may not yield the same findings as asking what their direct reports or supervisors consider important. Future research should investigate what direct reports and supervisors of managers think are important skills for managers to acquire a more global perspective of managerial competencies, similar to those acquired through competency modeling (e.g. [12] Lucia and Lepsinger, 1999). Also, asking similar questions to managers outside the United States would bring more information about the importance of managerial skills across cultures. Combining the quantitative approach of evaluating to what extent a variety of skills are important for managers along with more qualitative methodologies of on-the-job observation and interviewing to assess competencies should create a more comprehensive picture of â€Å"today’s manager†. Finally, any future research should capture the demographic data for the sample across successive waves. Without knowing more about the sample composition for the first wave of data, it is not possible to ascertain whether changes over time are due to differences in organizational structure or function, differences in individual jobs represented by the sample, or differences in workforce composition. Therefore, explanations of changes cited in our findings may be due to structure changes and changes in technology or they may be due to changes in workforce demographics (i.e. aging baby-boomers). The best this research can conclude is that shifts in the importance of certain managerial skills have coincided with changes in the context of the world of work. However, with the present research data set, having a large sample of more than 7,000 managers with similar aggregate demographic data for each time period may tend to lead to more generalizable results than would a sample of a lesser number of participants. The world of work has changed over the past 15 years. Results of this study revealed that managers today feel the need to concentrate more on building relationships and time management skills and focus less on administrative and organizational ability. However, many of the skills managers thought were important to their job in the late 1980s and early 1990s are somewhat similar in importance from the opinions of managers in the first decade of the 2000s, particularly skills concerning communication and decision making. To answer the original research question, much like [26] Tengblad (2006) found, despite noticeable changes in the world of work, while some managerial skills shifted in importance, some managerial skills remain as important today as 15 years ago. The importance of these managerial skills not only coincided with the changes in the work environment, but also are context dependent based on managerial level and function. For instance, though time management has increased in importance over the years, managers at lower levels (i.e. first-level managers) seem to believe time management is more important to their job than those at higher levels (i.e. top- or executive-level managers). In essence, one should take note not only of how the importance of certain skills change over time, but also, that certain skills believed to be important for managers at one particular level or function may be more or less important for managers at other levels or other functions. In the end, knowing this information is essential to effectively teach, select, develop, train, and promote managers in the workplace. Portions of this paper are based on a poster that was presented at the 2007 Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Conference, New York City, New York. Footnote 1. SKILLSCOPE is a registered trademark of the Center for Creative Leadership. References 1. Ahearn, K.K., Ferris, G.R., Hochwarter, W.A., Douglas, C. and Ammeter, A.P. (2004), â€Å"Leader political skill and team performance†, Journal of Management, Vol. 30, pp. 309-27. 2. Allen, T.D., Freeman, D.M., Russell, J.E.A., Reizenstein, R.C. and Rentz, J.O. (2001), â€Å"Survivor reactions to organizational downsizing: does time ease the pain?†, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 74, pp. 145-64. 3. Beggs, J.M. and Doolittle, D.C. (1988), â€Å"Mintzberg revisited: a study of chief executive officers†, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 9 No. 6, pp. 17-21. 4. Cronbach, L.J. (1975), â€Å"Beyond the two disciplines of scientific psychology†, American Psychologist, Vol. 30, pp. 116-27. 5. DeMeuse, K.P., Bergmann, T.J., Vanderheide, P.A. and Roraaf, C.E. (2004), â€Å"New evidence regarding organizational downsizing and a firm’s financial performance: a long-term analysis†, Journal of Managerial Issues, Vol. 16, pp. 155-77. 6. Halbesleben, J.R.B., Novicevic, M.M., Harvey, M.G. and Buckley, M.R. (2003), â€Å"Awareness of temporal complexity in leadership of creativity and innovation: a competency-based model†, The Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 14, pp. 433-54. 7. Kanter, R.M. (1989), â€Å"The new managerial work†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 67, pp. 85-92. 8. Kaplan, R.E. (1987), The Warp and Woof of the General Manager’s Job, Tech. Rep. (27), Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC. 9. Kotter, J.P. (1982), The General Managers, The Free Press, New York, NY. 10. Kraut, A.I., Pedigo, P.R., McKenna, D.D. and Dunnette, M.D. (1989), â€Å"The role of the manager: what’s really important in different management jobs†, Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 3, pp. 286-93. 11. Lipshitz, R. and Nevo, B. (1992), â€Å"Who is a ‘good manager’?†, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 13 No. 6, pp. 3-7. 12. Lucia, A.D. and Lepsinger, R. (1999), The Art and Science of Competency Modeling: Pinpointing Critical Success Factors in Organizations, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, San Francisco, CA. 13. Luthans, F. (1988), â€Å"Successful versus effective real managers†, Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 2, pp. 127-32. 14. McCall, M.W. Jr and Kaplan, R.E. (1984), Whatever It Takes: Decision Makers at Work, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 15. McCall, M.W. Jr, Lombardo, M.M. and Devries, D.L. (1979), The Looking Glass Inc. ® Simulation, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC. 16. McKinley, W., Zhao, J. and Rust, K.G. (2000), â€Å"Sociocognitive interpretation of organizational downsizing†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 25, pp. 227-43. 17. Miller, D.B. (1990), â€Å"Organizational, environmental, and work design strategies that foster competence†, in Willis, S.L. and Dubin, S.S. (Eds), Maintaining Professional Competence: Approaches to Career Enhancement Vitality, and Success throughout a Work Life, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, pp. 233-48. 18. Mintzberg, H. (1973), The Nature of Managerial Work, Harper & Row, New York, NY. 19. Mintzberg, H. (1990), â€Å"The manager’s job: folklore and fact†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 68, pp. 163-76. 20. Pearson, C. and Chatterjee, S. (2003), â€Å"Managerial roles in Asia: an empirical study of Mintzberg’s role formulation in four Asian countries†, Journal of Management Development, Vol. 22, pp. 694-707. 21. Salas, E., Sims, D.E. and Burke, C.S. (2005), â€Å"Is there a ‘Big five’ in teamwork?†, Small Group Research, Vol. 36, pp. 555-99. 22. Salas, E., Kosarzycki, M.P., Tannenbaum, S.I. and Carnegie, D. (2004), â€Å"Principles and advice for understanding and promoting effective teamwork in organizations†, in Burke, R.J. and Cooper, C. (Eds), Leading in Turbulent Times, Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, pp. 95-120. 23. Sayles, L.R. (1979), Leadership: What Effective Managers Really Do†¦ and How They Do It, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 24. Stewart, R. (1976), Contracts in Management, McGraw-Hill, London. 25. Stockdale, M.S. and Crosby, F.J. (2004), The Psychology and Management of Workplace Diversity, Blackwell Publishers, Malden, MA. 26. Tengblad, S. (2006), â€Å"Is there a ‘new managerial work’? A comparison with Henry Mintzberg’s classic study 30 years later†, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 43, pp. 1437-61. 27. Wallace, P. (2004), The Internet in the Workplace: How New Technology Is Transforming Work, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. 28. Zaccaro, S.J., Ardison, S.D. and Orvis, K.A. (2004), â€Å"Leadership in virtual teams†, in Day, D.V. and Zaccaro, S.J. (Eds), Leader Development for Transforming Organizations: Growing Leaders for Tomorrow, Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, pp. 267-92. Appendix Corresponding author William A. Gentry can be contacted at: gentryb@leaders.ccl.org AuthorAffiliation William A. Gentry, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA Lauren S. Harris, University of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Becca A. Baker, JCPenney Co., Plano, Texas, USA Jean Brittain Leslie, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA Illustration Figure 1: Importance rankings for managerial skills (2004-2006) by managerial level Figure 2: Importance rankings for managerial skills (2004-2006) by organizational function Table I: Descriptions of managerial skill clusters Table II: Overall importance rankings for managerial skills (1998-1992 and 2004-2006) Copyright Emerald Group Publishing Limited 2008

Boundaries Issues Essays - Interpersonal Relationships, Free Essays

Boundaries Issues Essays - Interpersonal Relationships, Free Essays Boundaries Issues Will Darden, Susan Scott, Sarah Pherigo, Joan Lesley Laura Rubio BSHS/335 April 6, 2015 Stephanie Chupein Boundaries Issues A caseworker and client should have boundaries. And these boundaries can be crossed by them in different situations. The relationship is not only about counseling, the boundary can occur when the professionals assume two or more roles at the same time with the client. This may involve the counselor assuming more than one professional role (such as instructor and therapists) or blending a professional and a nonprofessional relationship (such as counselor and friend or counselor and business partner (Corey, G., Corey, Schneider, M., Callanan, P. (2011). There are positives and negatives to every situation. Dual relationships are one of these situations that could have a good or bad outcome. It would depend on the people involved and their values and beliefs. Some examples of this would be if you were to have a sexual relationship with a client or even a former client. Also if you were to become close with a client outside of a professional relationship, for example if you were calling the client and going out to the movies with them. When working in the human service profession you must understand the importance of setting boundaries. One of the most important aspects that a counselor should instill into their work ethics is to build a strong, healthy line of communication and trust in themselves and with their clients. This line of trust will determine if you will have a good working relationship with your client, and that will also determine if the sessions will succeed or will have to be terminated. The professional must understand that mixing a personal and professional relationship with the client could end up in a negative outcome. The purpose of the Code of Ethics is to provide professionals, clients, and others involved with guidelines for making ethical choices in their work. There are ways that a professional can protect themselves in these situations, which would be if they feel that they are getting to close to a client they should talk to someone about it, and ask what steps should be taken to help distance yourself from the client. As a professional we must set boundaries for ourselves, that way we can safeguard ourselves from something like this happening to us.