What advice can you offer Parker about his approach to empowerment?
A good manager should always realize that every employee is an asset to the Company, in fact, employees, are some of the most important resources that a Company can have (Kurtz and Boone,2010). However, if management fails to realize this and make full utilization of personnel, then they may not be in a position to compete effectively in the global market. There is a greater need for Company management to embrace changes that would improve its competitive advantage; such changes might involve empowering employees through training so that they are better aligned with the vision of the organization. Besides, good employee empowerment nurtures employees and gives the management more time to focus on other broader ways of achieving the organization’s vision (Kurtz and Boone,2010). This is one of the most integral actions that Parker should undertake.
Indeed, “good leaders always delegate and empower others liberally, but they pay attention to details, every day” (Murrell and Meredith,2000), if Mr. Parkers does empower the employees, then at no any time should he take the glory of employees, this may reduce their motivation; it is preciously because the head management can not ultimately assure any firms competitiveness (Kurtz and Boone,2010). In my opinion, empowered employees if given a chance to run the affairs of the organization are also providing the enterprise a chance to grow.
To what extent is Valentine committing a political blunder in telling her boss that he is a yo-yo delegator?
As a junior employee who is always delegated duties by the boss, Valentine is committing a blunder in telling her boss that he is a yo-yo delegator. The kind of blunder Valentine is committing may have negative implications on her position in the company. First, the boss may get a feeling that Valentine is challenging his position as CEO of the company. Consequently, this can result in Mr. Parker developing a negative attitude towards Valentine therefore creating a hostile working environment and a threat to her career.
Again, it may also affect her mobility in the job within the company meaning that Parker as the CEO and the founder of the company will be reluctant to endorse her for any promotion to a higher position, or worse still the boss may consider firing Valentine out of his company to avoid such challenges in the future either from her or any other employee who may develop the same courage to confront him as she has.
What is your evaluation of the corporate social responsibility of a direct mail business, considering that probably over 95 percent of recipients of the mailings throw them away immediately?
The mailing business has grown immensely due to the delivery of flyers and brochures to their customers the company has identified that most of the mails delivered to their clients are thrown away immediately. Therefore the company should come up with ideas that will ensure the community around do not suffer as a result of environmental degradation caused by the throwing of the mails. The company should promote and advocate for environmental justice through establishing a channel of an efficient and fair advertisement system. Sending of advertisement bills and transactional promotion is not enough (Kurtz and Boone, 2010).
The company also needs to come up with a mail-waste recycling center to ensure that they protect the environment and their customers. The company can create employment opportunities for some community members especially those affected for easier collecting and recycling of the mail- papers. This will ensure that the company is giving back to the community through employment opportunities to the youths and other community members. Through such a program, the company can have collection points for the used and wasted mails.
Finally, the company can also decide to initiate a community literacy program that will educate community members on various ways of waste disposal that are friendly to them and their environment too. Through such a program the community will learn better ways of waste recycling and disposal for a better tomorrow.
Conclusion
With today’s technology, there is a greater need for any enterprise to acquire a competent workforce to ensure the standards are high. This status can only be achieved through the proper empowering of employees to create motivation and hence develop independence in tackling issues, making decisions, and gaining confidence in one’s own ability in handling different tasks. Managers as good leaders in an organization should avoid taking credit for what others have achieved by taking over tasks when others have already started, at least they should allow their junior to finish what they started so that they can also gain confidence which a tool for success.
References
Kurtz, D.L. & Boone, L.E. (2010). Contemporary Business. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
Murrell, K. L & Meredith, M.(2000). Empowering Employees. New York: McGraw hill Inc.