Major Leadership Theories in Management

Leadership is an integral part of management and plays a vital role in managerial operations. Leadership provides direction, guidance, and confidence to the employees and helps in the attainment of goals in much easier way. In business and industrial organizations, managers play the role of leader and acquire leadership of subordinates, their efforts towards the achievement of organizational goals and activate the individuals of an organization to make them work. Leadership influences behavior of the individuals. It has an ability to attract others and potential to make them follow the instructions. Individuals can be induced to contribute their optimum towards the attainment of organizational goals through effective leadership. Leadership acquires dominance and the followers accept the directives and control of a leader. Leadership provides direction and vision for future to an organization. A number of theories and approaches to study leadership have been developed. There are broadly three leadership theories Continue reading

Basic Investment Objectives

Investing is a wide spread practice and many have made their fortunes in the process. The starting point in this process is to determine the characteristics of the various investments and then matching them with the individuals need and preferences. All personal investing is designed in order to achieve certain objectives. These objectives may be tangible such as buying a car, house etc. and intangible objectives such as social status, security etc. similarly; these objectives may be classified as financial or personal objectives. Financial objectives are safety, profitability, and liquidity. Personal or individual objectives may be related to personal characteristics of individuals such as family commitments, status, dependents, educational requirements, income, consumption and provision for retirement etc. The basic objectives of investment can be classified on the basis of the investors approach as follows: Short term high priority objectives: Investors have a high priority towards achieving certain objectives in a Continue reading

Performance Management – Definition, Principles, Features and Scope

Definition of  Performance Management Performance management is a way of systematically managing people for innovation, goal focus, productivity and satisfaction. It is a goal congruent win- win strategy. Its main objective is to ensure success to all managees i.e., all task teams who believe in its process, its approach and implementation with sincerity and commitment. The managees success is reflected in organizations’ bottom line in terms of achieving its planned goals.  Performance management is an endless spiral, which links several processes such as performance planning, managing performance throughout the year, taking stock of managees performance and potential. Also it includes recognizing and rewarding success at the end of the year.  Performance management links these processes in such a way that an individual managees performance is always oriented towards achieving organizational goals.  Performance management creates positive goal oriented task motivation and aims at reducing intra-organizational conflict. It is realized that organizations Continue reading

Difference Between Debentures and Bonds

DEBENTURES A debenture represents the smallest unit of public lending to a company.   Like shares, they are represented in the form of a certificate.   The common face value for a debenture in India is Rs.100, and they are always issued at par.   Unlike an ordinary shareholder, a debenture holder assumes very little risk on his investment.   Unlike the uncertain stream of dividends, which a shareholder receives, a debenture holder receives a fixed stream of interest.   Payment of such interest is a legal obligation on the part of the company.   Further, in general, a debenture is required to be secured against the assets of the company.   Thus, a debenture is also a form of a secured loan.   Secured debenture implies that should a company default in its obligations towards debenture holders in the repayment of their interest and principal, in law, the charged Continue reading

Factors Affecting Organizational Performance

In this uncertain economic and social climate there are many factors that affect the organizational performance. The most essential factors affecting organizational performance are Leadership, Motivation, Organisational Culture and Knowledge Management. 1. Leadership Leadership is the prime factor affecting the success or failure of organisations. It is the process in which one individual exerts influence over others. Leadership is a process that enables a person to influence others to achieve a goal and directs an organisation to become rational and consistent. In organisations where there is faith in the leaders, employees will look towards the leaders for almost everything. During drastic change in times, employees will perceive leadership as supportive, concerned and committed to their welfare, while at the same time recognizing that tough decisions need to be made. True leadership states that leadership skills can be mastered by people who wish to become leaders. The two very important components Continue reading

Organizational Politics – Political Behavior in Organizations

Power and politics are inextricably interwoven with the fabric of an organization’s life. In any organization, at any given moment, a number of people are seeking to gain and use power to achieve their own ends. This pursuit of power is political behavior. Organizational politics refers to the activities carried out by people to acquire, enhance and use power and other resources to obtain their preferred outcomes in a situation where there is uncertainly or disagreement. One great organizational scholar, Tushman defined politics, ‘as the structure and process of the use of authority and power to affect definition of goals, directions and the other major parameters of the organization. Decisions are not made in rational or formal way but rather through compromise accommodation and bargaining.’ Techniques  of  Organizational Politics The most commonly used techniques of political behavior in organizations are: One technique of political behavior is to control the dissemination Continue reading