Assignment – Question:
This task requires you to discuss ethical perspectives and requires you to assume that ethics and leadership are distinct theoretical abstracts or disciplines.
- Critically compare and evaluate the Transnational and Transformation approaches to leading people within organizations.
- Discuss which ethical approaches (Kantian, Ethics of care, Egoism, Virtue, etc.) to leadership, if any, you determine could be aligned to either of the two leadership theories above when it comes to the practical leadership of people within organizations. Explain couple of leadership styles followed by famous leaders (Abraham Lincoln, Marti Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mao Tse Tung, Hitler, Pol Pot, for example).
- Explore under what circumstances this may occur and justify your choice (my choice is transformational leadership style which was the Mahatma Gandhi’s style).
- Provide actual case studies found in texts or Journal articles that illustrate or reflect on the content above.
Rationale
This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:
- be able to describe and discuss deficiencies in ethical leadership in the past and build a more robust concept of what ethical leadership needs to incorporate in the future.
- be able to critically analyse and propose an argument on why ethical norms and values should or should not guide leadership decisions.
- be able to critically evaluate organisational culture and the influence of ethical leadership on this culture.
- be able to evaluate diversity in a changing society and explain the impact corporate policy and culture can have on stakeholders and the environment.
The assignment should have 3200 words with APA Sixth Edition refencing and should follow the below structure.:
- Introduction – (one to two pages) – couple of references in this part.
- Define and compare what is transactional and transformational leadership styles (if transactional leadership is good why? Same with transformational leadership style). Also explore the dark sides of both leadership styles. How can leaders bring cultural changes or influence through their leadership role (give some good and bad examples)? Can a strong organizational culture can be influenced by leaders with ethics. Also, briefly touch upon pseudo leadership too and include a table that shows the ethical approaches for each leadership styles (include at least seven to ten references from text books and recent academic journal articles in this part).
Explore under what circumstances leadership styles can be legal & ethical and illegal & unethical? Also give a table as follows that shows the ethical approaches and leadership styles.
- Critically discuss different types of ethical approaches and explore connections between different ethical approaches to leadership styles. In this part, also explore under what circumstances this may occur and justify your choice. [For example, When can transformational leadership can be right and wrong? Under what circumstances? When can transactional leadership can be right and wrong? Under what circumstances? Cite few examples (Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mao Tse Tung, Adolf Hitler, Pol Polt, etc. – what type of leaders were they (transactional or transformational leader)? what style they followed? Did charismatic leaders used their charisma for good or bad? Were they corrupted? – Cite academic journal articles that analyzed their leadership styles]. Cite academic journal articles such as Harvard Business Review. This part should contain graphs and diagrams. Also provide at least 5 to 7 references in this part.
- Can we practice leadership without ethics? Why? How it is linked to culture especially to Asian cultures? Give some examples. What is organizational culture. Here I would like to talk about the UN’ culture and its leadership styles. Also touch upon the leadership style at the United Nations which is supposed to provide leadership for the world in many fields such as political, legal, economic, social, cultural, developmental areas. Give any critical academic journal references and case studies. If this is difficult, please use Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership style and how his leadership style united a quarrelling and fighting Indians and transformed their behaviours to achieve independence)?
- All in all, there should be at least 15 to 20 references from text books and academic journal articles (These references should be inserted using MS Word Reference, Insert Citation functionality (as shown below).
- Conclusion
Also see below the marking criteria. I want a D and prepare the assignment for a distinction grade (D).
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Marking criteria and standards
| Criteria | FL | PS | CR | D | HD |
| Academic standard (Grammar, structure, adherence to presentation guidelines (5) | Poor written expression, with many spelling/grammar errors. The arguments or ideas being expressed are difficult to clearly understand, or make no sense in terms of the assignment task. Poor structure to the assignment. | Written expression at a basic level, with a number of spelling/grammar mistakes, but ideas/arguments understandable and relatively clear. A good effort has been made to organize the assignment in an organized manner. | A good level of written expression, with few spelling/grammar errors. Solid arguments, well expressed and clearly understandable. A good, logical structure to the work which aids in understanding the arguments, and facilitating the nice flow of the students work. | A high degree of written expression, with very few spelling/grammar errors. Solid arguments, supported by logical reasoning. The flow of the assignment is organized, with one section/argument flowing well into the next. | Outstanding level of written expression. Minimal grammar/spelling errors and arguments clearly articulated in a sophisticated manner, and strongly supported by logical reasoning. Outstanding flow and organization to the students work. |
| Referencing and accuracy of APA (10) | Little to none in-text referencing. No reference list included. APA referencing not attempted, and poor attempts to reference information where necessary (direct quotes, definitions, information about the theory etc) | Basic attempts at referencing in-text, and inclusion of reference list, but with errors. APA referencing needing improvement. Some information not referenced where necessary and only 4 Journal articles are used. | Good inclusion of referencing in text as well as the reference list included, and follows APA guidelines. Some errors, but overall, a good attempt at APA referencing made and 5 Journal articles are included | Referencing in text achieved to a high degree, with few errors. Reference list included at the end that follows APA format almost perfectly. All sources correctly acknowledged where needed. Contains 8 Journal articles | Outstanding referencing, with no need for improvement. Correct APA referencing included in text, with all sources correctly acknowledged where necessary. Reference list included at the end of the assignment that adheres very closely to APA referencing guidelines and contains 10 Journal articles |
| Clear identification of cases selected, and description of relevant issues or impacts regarding Leadership (5) | Case study, moral agent, other persons/parties of interest, and relevant information not clearly included in enough detail to demonstrate understanding of the situation and/or players. | Case, moral agent and situation identified, but not in an organized, informative manner. Enough situational information provided to give a general idea about the situation, but could be better or more clearly expressed. | Case, moral agent and situation identified in an organized, informative manner. A detailed description of the situation that lends itself clearly to being able to identify the ethical dilemma/s inherent in the case/situation. Links made with the ethical issues and the agent selected as the focus. | Case, moral agent and situation identified in a well organized, highly informative manner. A detailed description of the situation that identifies the ethical aspects of the situation to be considered by the student. Links made with the ethical issues and the agent selected as the focus. | Case, moral agent and situation identified in a well organized, highly informative manner. Situation summarized in a highly descriptive, organized manner that clarifies the ethical aspects of the situation the student wishes to focus on throughout their assignment. Clear links made with the ethical issues and the agent selected as the focus. |
| Exploration of alternative leadership styles including but not limited to Charismatic Contingency and Situational Leadership (5) |
No exploration included. | A basic exploration included, with no attempt (or a poor attempt) to explain the meaning in their own understanding | A reasonable exploration included, with some attempt to explain their understanding of CSR and the various leadership styles | A good exploration included, with a solid/strong attempt to explain their understanding of the connection between alternative leadership styles and CSR | A very good exploration included, and explanation of it demonstrates an excellent understanding of how these styles may have a direct impact on CSR but may evolve or morph into a different style. |
| Definition and exploration of of Transformational Leadership (12.5) | No evidence of a structured attempt to apply theory to Leadership. For example, conclusions are reached without students providing any evidence of how they reached, or supported those conclusions. | Evidence of a structured basic attempt to adefine Transformational Leadership in own words | A reasonable definition included, with some attempt to explain their understanding of how moving employees away from self interests transforms not only the company but themselves. | Evidence of a structured or definition included, with a solid/strong attempt to explain their understanding of the connection between transformational leadership and ethical theory and perform their application of the theory in some depth. A good effort made to use this analysis to evidence their conclusions | A sophisticated, structured application of ethical theory to Leadership theory. Many considered points presented, reflecting a real effort by the student to engage in the task, and perform their application of the theory in great depth and detail. A strong argument made by the student to use their reasoning to support their conclusions A very good definition included, and explanation of it demonstrates an excellent understanding of what transformation is being more than a physical element but a psychological one as well. |
| Definition and exploration of of Transactional Leadership (12.5)
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No evidence of a structured attempt to apply theory to Leadership or to define Transactional Leadership. | A basic definition included, with no attempt (or a poor attempt) to explain the meaning in their own understanding | A reasonable definition included, with some attempt to explain their understanding of how routines are essential to this style of leadership. | A good definition included, with a solid/strong attempt to explain their understanding of the connection between transactional leadership and ethical theory | A very good definition included, and explanation of it demonstrates an excellent understanding of what transactional being a physical element and how this may lack a mature psychological expression. A sophisticated, structured application of ethical theory to Leadership theory. Many considered points presented, reflecting a real effort by the student to engage in the task, and perform their application of the theory in great depth and detail. A strong argument made by the student to use their reasoning to support their conclusions |
