Leadership Power - 10259 Words

MCOM200 Management Communication GROUP REPORT 2008 b MCOM231- 08(A) Group Report: Leadership, Power Influence. {draw:frame} Which form of power has the best influence on effective leadership? Word count: 2,746 Executive Summary Leadership, power and influence is a theme within management that is constantly developing overtime. Leaders are continuously developing new and innovative ways to empower their followers in order to get the best out of them. For the purpose of this report, we have decided to look at the assumption that leadership is based on the different types of relationships between people, rather than the skills and abilities of just one person. We know this theory allows for a†¦show more content†¦It has been said that â€Å"today’s leaders must rely on core values to keep the organization centred and balanced† (acting from the centre), perhaps this is why a traditional approach of leaders relying solely on their position to influence followers n o longer stands for much today. Leaders must adopt a strategy that in turn gains the respect of followers by leading through exemplary behaviour and standing for values that are communicated openly and often with others. â€Å"John Gillespie, former CEO and vice president of operations at Innovation Luggage, Secaucus, says the following: â€Å"I found that if I wanted people to follow me, I had to be the first person to take risks and work without a safety net under me†. (Acting from the centre) It is through actions such as this that leaders gain the respect of followers and in turn gain what is known as ‘referent power’. (McShane Travaglione, 2007, p.359). Like many other leaders, Don Makie, vice president of quality assurance, has had to face the following question: â€Å"how can they (leaders) help others in the organization evolve so that they, too, reflect and embody those values?† (Acting from the centre) This ties in with the ideas of referent an d expert power; when followers hold respect for a leader they are more willing to believe in their expertise and ideas, â€Å"leaders empower their followers† (Hackman Johnson, 2009). Makie believes inShow MoreRelatedPower Leadership : Power And Leadership846 Words   |  4 PagesPower and Leadership This week, the author provided various kinds of powers in leadership as a tactics in order to influence their followers. The positions of power include legitimate, reward, coercive, expert and referent power. Having a legitimate power means the leaders are aware of their current position as their manager or supervisor and therefore their employees must follow their leadership. Leaders use reward power to control their followers by providing incentives or rewards such as promotionRead MoreLeadership And Power And Leadership1313 Words   |  6 Pages Leadership and Power (MICROSOFT) Bhaumik Oza BUS-567 Introduction Leadership is the ability of an individual to Lead or guide the other team of individuals, or an entire organization. The leader should have research skills as well as Practical skills and should have high ability of managing and executing the tasks. The qualities of an effective leadership can be use of superior mental energies and motivational powers to make their teams encouraged and determined to perform. According toRead MorePower and Leadership2618 Words   |  11 PagesPower and Leadership The topic that I chose for my semester project is Power and Leadership. The main points within the main subject I am focusing on are Power in Organizations, Sources of Power, The Dark Side of Power, and Empowerment. I will define each, apply them to every day business situations and theoretically analyze the context. The topics that I have chosen will give good insight to what Power and leadership really are and how they are used in are everyday businesses organizations to giveRead MorePower Of Leadership : Reward Power937 Words   |  4 PagesPower: Effectiveness in Leadership. Reward Power can be gained from one s capacity to reward compliance. Reward power is used to support legitimate power. When someone is rewarded or might receive a potential reward such as through recognition, a good job assignment, a pay rise, or additional resources to complete a job, the employee may respond in kind by carrying through with orders, requests and directions, according to Gibson et al. (1991:331). Reward power is a powerful motivator in the workplaceRead MorePower And Leadership Influence On Leadership Essay882 Words   |  4 PagesTutor: Date: Power and Leadership Influence Introduction Leadership has been a topic that has been researched for a long time in many disciplines. Leadership as a personality focuses on the characteristics of an individual that gives them power to act as leaders. There is leadership as an attribution this approach views leadership as phenomenon that causes group of followers to have outcomes.(Wu et al, 2010, 90).Researchers have used the following approaches to study leadership; they are mainlyRead MoreManagement, Power, And Leadership1560 Words   |  7 PagesManagement, power and leadership all in one way or the other add up to the same thing. This is because for each of the terminologies to be effected as require, power is vital. Despite the fact that any individual can possess power and not be in leadership, the reverse is not the case; one cannot be a leader and not possess power (Sarkissian, 2010). In the same way managers and CEOs for organizations need to possess some degree of power, better still authority for them to perform th eir duties effectivelyRead MoreReferent Power in Leadership2276 Words   |  10 PagesReferent Power I. Topic of Inquiry It is important for managers to understand the sources of power and influence as they must rely upon the cooperation of subordinates in order to be successful. Strong managers rely upon more than just authority they also use leadership skills and power to obtain the most productivity from their staff. According to French and Raven (1959) there are five sources of power. Referent power seems to be the most influential and the least affected by change. To quoteRead MoreLeadership As A Position Of Power1545 Words   |  7 PagesLeadership may be defined as a position of power held by an individual in a group, which provides him with an opportunity to exercise interpersonal influence on a group of members for the direction of their efforts toward a common goal. Leadership is also a position of power held by a group or individual (Chand, n.d.). There are several styles of leadership that must be reflected upon before an organizational manager can develop their own style. Models of leadership have been developed to assistRead MoreLeadership As A Position Of Power1325 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership may be defined as a position of power held by an individual in a group, which provides him with an opportunity to exercise interpersonal influence on a group of members for the direction of their efforts toward a common goal. Leadership is also a position of power held by a group or individual (Chand, n.d.). There are several styles of leadership that must be reflected upon before an organizational manager can develop their own style. Models of leadership have been developed to assistRead MoreLeadership and Power Essay1236 Words   |  5 Pagesrole have referent power and expert power played in leadership at Intel? Which Intel CEOs seen to have inclined toward job-countered leader behavior? Toward employee-centered leader behavior? Toward initiation-structure behavior? Toward consideration behavior? Referent power comes from being trusted and respected. It based on identification, imitation, loyalty, or charisma. (Griffin, 549) Expert power comes from one’s experiences, skills or knowledge. (Griffin, 549) Both powers played big role in

Final Project Essay - 7836 Words

SOLUTION-BLESSED BRIEF PASTORAL COUNSELING PROJECT by Amy Tahran L22263350 Presented to John Hobbs, In partial fulfillment of the requirements for PACO 500 Introduction to Pastoral Counseling Liberty Theological Seminary Lynchburg, VA 12 August 2011 ABSTRACT For this project, I am placing myself in a hypothetical context as a staff pastoral counselor at my home church in Valley City, ND, serving a congregation of approximately 200. I have chosen as my overarching goal for life to serve others in the capacity for which the Lord has gifted me and prepared me to counsel and minister to them. 1 Peter 4:9 tells us that, â€Å"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of†¦show more content†¦Pastoral-As leaders of the church, pastors are in a position to offer soul care and counseling to their congregation. Equipped with theological understanding coupled with education and experience in counseling, pastors are uniquely qualified to offer support in the realm of mental health. Counseling-Purposeful conversations between the counselor and the counselee, resulting in clear, realistic expectations of the outcome of the sessions. Confidentiality: Confidentiality is a core ethical requirement regarding information shared between the counselee and the counselor. Counseles can be assured that information shared in sessions will be held to the strictest confidence; however, counselees must be made aware that there are instances where the counselor is required to break confidentiality. Information shared by the counselee regarding actual or threatened harm to self or others must be reported to the proper authorities. Homework: There may be take-home assignments for the counselee to complete between sessions. Homework is a useful tool and may include outside readings, observations, journaling, worksheets, etc. Note-taking: The counselor may take notes during sessions. These notes will remain confidential and most often consist of positive comments or ideas that the counselor wishes to incorporate based on input from the counselee. Termination: The termination process will begin to take place during session 4, at which time the counselee will beShow MoreRelatedTeam and Final Project Essay625 Words   |  3 PagesLecture for an overview of this weeks material and objectives. Video Episodes View the videos in the weekly Video Episodes section. Team Assignments Team Video Analysis Report In preparation for preparing and submitting the teams Final Project, each week you will create your own consultants notes as you observe various CanGo meetings (via the video episodes/cases). For the week 4 Team report you are to list 6 issues facing CanGo that you gleaned from the week 3 and 4 videos. TheyRead MoreEce 313 Week 5 Final Project1497 Words   |  6 Pages313 WEEK 5 FINAL PROJECT To purchase this visit here: http://www.activitymode.com/product/ece-313-week-5-final-project/ Contact us at: SUPPORT@ACTIVITYMODE.COM ECE 313 WEEK 5 FINAL PROJECT The Final Project will illustrate how family-centered programs, theories, and concepts support the early childhood classroom and the child’s family. The family-centered approach asserts that family involvement is important for a young child’s cognitive and social development. The Final Project, which willRead MoreIt221 Final Project2383 Words   |  10 PagesProject Documentation [pic] Project Name: Creating a functional Web Site Student’s Name: Unknown TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 PROJECT DEFINITION 4 2 PROJECT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 3 PROJECT OVERVIEW 5 4 PROJECT SCOPE 5 4.1 Goals and Objectives 5 4.2 Project Deliverables 5 4.3 Deliverables Out of Scope 6 4.4 Project Estimated Costs Duration 6 4.5 Project Gantt Chart 6 5 PROJECT CONDITIONS 8 5.1 Project Assumptions 8 5.2 Project RisksRead MoreMgmt404 Final Project Essay733 Words   |  3 Pages My Sista’s Keeper Open House Helen Harley MGMT 404 Project Management DeVry University Online June 27, 2013 Executive Summary Alcohol and drug abuse is a serious problem in our communities. Many of the victims are homeless and feel helpless. Some have just undergone treatment in a hospital, clinic, or even prison and need to transition from full-time treatment to independent living. We have opened a recovery house to assist female recovering addicts to become productive citizens. It providesRead MoreEssay on Final Project Plan4551 Words   |  19 PagesFinal Project Plan Paper Introduction In the Telecommunications industry, balancing assets and profitability is especially important in the survival of a given company. This is due to the fact that consumers are becoming more knowledgeable and understand the technical aspects much better now than in the past. Customers are always looking for new technological solutions and more bandwidth as their applications are becoming more sophisticated. Small Telecommunications companies, in an attempt toRead MoreFinal: Project Management and Information3042 Words   |  13 PagesDiego Naranjo Mr Hatcher MWF 12-1250 Case Study Final Chapter 1 Business 2.0: Bad Business Decisions Case Study 1 1. Explain why understanding information technology and management information systems can help you achieve business success-or more importantly, help you avoid business disasters-regardless of your major? Understanding Information technology and management information systems are vital for the success or more importantly, help you avoid business disasters because information technologyRead MoreIs535 Final Course Project3657 Words   |  15 Pagesyour e-mail messages, try podcasting, and create a comprehensive FAQ and feedback page. High Level Solution: Buy or Use an existing service: When you use an existing service like EBay and Amazon, you will pay fees to list your products and also a â€Å"Final Value Fee† which is a percentage of the sale price. Buying an existing business is also less risky than starting from scratch. When you buy an existing business, you are at that point taking over an already generation of cash flow and profits. YouRead MoreBscs Final Project Proposal-Template1161 Words   |  5 PagesBSCS FINAL PROJECT PROPOSAL Title of the Project Term of Registration: Fall 2014 Presented by: Registration No: | Name: | L1F01BSCS0001 | ABC XYZ | L1F01BSCS0002 | ABC XYZ | L1F01BSCS0003 | ABC XYZ | Faculty of Information Technology | University of Central Punjab Project Title Write down the brief project topic in four to five words only. However, the topic should not be ambiguous or very general. Project Advisor The Name of your advisor will come here. ParticularsRead MoreProject Management Final Course Paperape1811 Words   |  8 PagesNature’s Peace Community Playground and Picnic Area Project Teresa Dionne MGMT 404 Project Management DeVry University Online February 26, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦... Page 3 Scope Statement †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦ Page 4 Work Breakdown Structure †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.... Page 5 Network Diagram †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.. Page 6 Risk Management Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦. Page 10 Resource Management Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreCase Study The Chunnel Project Final3155 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿Table of Contents 1.  Ã‚  Executive summary 2 2.  Ã‚  Project Appraisal 3 Project initiation 3 Stakeholder and communication management 4 Change/Control Management 5 Risk management 6 Contract 7 Others 7 Works Cited 9 1.  Ã‚  Executive summary The Chunnel Tunnel project was initiated to connect via a tunnel France and England. It was among the biggest privately funded infrastructure projects ever. Fifty kilometres long, the tunnel extended under the English Channel from France to England

Microscare free essay sample

I have always felt that my familyis unique, perhaps a bit odd. There is something outlandishlyspecial and nonconforming that separates my house from therest of the Colonials on the block, as well as most ofAmerica: we do not own a microwave. This happens to be alifestyle choice Ive never resented my family for imposingupon me. However, it baffles most guests. Many a time I havebrought a friend home and been in my kitchen searching therefrigerator for a late-night snack of leftovers. Well findthe chicken casserole and my companion will ask, Wheresthe microwave? as his eyes scan the room for thetechnological terror. Sorry, we dont own one;well have to use the oven, I respond, as I have manytimes. Reactions vary. Some just stare blankly at me, but Ican detect the whirling inside their brains. Others decide Iam joking and proceed to search the kitchen for the hiddendevice. We will write a custom essay sample on Microscare or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It perplexes people that I have a modem but nomicrowave. I view food as an art form. Like any otherartist, I am offended when people butcher my art. Having thequintessential Italian grandmother, I have been spoiled whenit comes to food. I have learned to express myself throughcooking as with acting, guitar playing and writing. Itinvigorates and inspires me. I find satisfaction in knowing Ihave perfected the art of the omelette. The microwave is theultimate threat to this expressive medium. I cant movethrough my life simply heating up the achievements of others!I could not survive, let alone be true to myself, if I neverlet myself be an individual. The ease with which aperson can radiate a TV dinner to the level of barely edibleis terrifying. Is our society so rushed that it is reduced tothis? I believe in using my time efficiently, but I will notcompromise my values to save a couple of minutes. Besides, cooking has given my family a tradition thatbinds us together. Often my brother and I will give my mothera break from her hectic schedule by taking over the kitchenfor an evening. On some occasions our triumphs are gloriousand the family revels in our mastery of the craft. Other timeswe are not quite as successful. But the process is just asimportant as the product. Ive learned to laugh at myself.There is nothing more humorous and touching than serving abone-dry meatloaf, watching them wince with every bite andbeing too polite to reprimand me for ruining their meal. Tastyor not, it brings us together. At times, life withoutthe microwave will become arduous and one of us five childrenwill suggest buying one. However, we have never gone throughwith it, and never will. We refuse to take the easy way out. Arecurrent vision of being force-fed pre-cooked sausageburritos bathed in grease is horrible enough. As with otherpassions, cooking is something I need to put my all into tofeel gratification. Technology has done wonders for ourmodern world. It has expanded the lines of communication farmore than anyone could imagine. The air bag alone has savedmillions of lives. These advances are indispensable. I wouldargue that a microwave is not. We must remain true toourselves and not let nuked lasagna take over the planet.There is nothing like a home-cooked meal!

Total Quality Management and Malaysia Airlines Essay Example

Total Quality Management and Malaysia Airlines Essay VOLUME 4 NUMBER 6 1994 CELEBRATE ANDRECORD Malaysia Airlines Corporate Vision and Service Quality Strategy Abdullah Mat Zaid Malaysia Airlines vision is to become An Airline of Excellence, offering the very best to its passengers in terms of safety, comfort, service and punctuality. This vision was amplified by our chairman in the companys 20th anniversary commemorations in October 1992. The mission has been stated in three main thrusts as follows: (1) To make Malaysia Airlines one of the leading standard bearers for the airline industry in terms of safety, efficiency and quality of service. ) To develop Kuala Lumpur as the preferred gateway into Malaysia and the South-East Asia region. (3) To make Kuala Lumpur a major cargo transhipment area for the Asia-Pacific rim. Among the key initiatives taken to meet our mission for the future are a fleet modernization and network expansion programme, an upgrading of our in-house maintenance and engineering facilities, development of modern in frastructure and computer systems and training and developing of personnel to meet the needs of the future. In addition, top management has refocused its goal on creating a customer-driven and quality-oriented ulture in the launching of the company-wide Destination Service Excellence (DSE) programme in July 1991. (The DSE programme is an extension of Total Quality Management to provide a clear focus on customer requirements at the heart of Duslness processes In Malaysia Alrllnes ana to create a quality service culture through internal communications and human relations management practices which can firmly reflect the importance the company places on good customer service. At the second DSE Convention held by Malaysia Airlines in October last year, which carried the theme Enhancing World Class Quality hrough Competitiveness, our chairman Tan Sri Zain Azraai inspired the employees by reiterating top managements commitment to the vision for Malaysia Airlines to become An Airline of Excellence. We will write a custom essay sample on Total Quality Management and Malaysia Airlines specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Total Quality Management and Malaysia Airlines specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Total Quality Management and Malaysia Airlines specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Tan Sri Zain stressed that in any organization there are four areas within that paradigm of Total Quality which emphasize continuous improvement which need to be addressed: (1) The individual in an organization: it has been said that the key to creating a Total Quality organization is first to create a Total Quality person who uses a true-north compass that is objective. This compass is used to find and ocus on the organizations future direction. 2) Managerial effectiveness: which is basically to nurture a win-win partnership between the individual and the organization, and between the organization and its customers. (3) Organizational productivity: for which quality should be seen to start from the top. The leadership of the organization must be intimately involved to see that the quality paradigm is planted into the minds and hearts of all staff. (4) The non-human side of the organization: in terms of equipment, facilities, processes and systems; these also contribute to the custom ers impression about the type of uality to expect of the company. In the concluding part of his address, Tan Sri Zain said that the DSE programme is a philosophy, a paradigm of continuous improvement which is not the programme of the company but the philosophy and value of everyone in the company. He summed up: It has been said that Quality will give an lnOlvlOual or organlzatlon a long-term competltlve advantage. And if it is in the character of the individual and in the culture of the organization, it cannot be duplicated by anyone. Our managing director, Dato Kamaruddin Ahmad also offered some pertinent directions to he participants at the convention with his statement of the challenges facing the company and the service quality strategy which has been developed. The Malaysia Airlines service quality strategy which he articulated is briefly as follows. The first step Malaysia Airlines took in developing a service strategy was the embarkation Managing Service Quality, Vol. 4 No. , 1994, pp. 11-15 MCB university press, 0960-4529 11 MANAGING SERVIC E QUALITY on a company-wide thrust towards service excellence, when the DSE programme took off in July 1991 to position the airline as An Airline of Excellence in the Asia-Pacific region. This strategy has lately been reinforced by a comprehensive review of the companys business processes so as to align the people and systems components of the business process with the customer-driven strategy. The service quality strategy addresses two main thrusts. (1) To reinforce the Total Quality philosophy in the Malaysia Airlines service culture through the springboard of TQM. The philosophy embraces the concept of quality in everything we do, including decision-making, work processes, work environment, teamwork and so on. (2) To improve customers perceived quality of Malaysia Airlines. This covers both the technical and functional aspects of our service offerings. tlquette ana nanollng customer complalnts Employees have also passed through the Quality Improvement Team (QIT) training programmes under the DSE project, and employees have taken the initiative to form cross-functional action teams to identify specific problems in quality or service in their working environment and to propose solutions to management. These action teams help to promote a quality culture in the company by inculcating cross-functional improvement processes which make quality customer service an ngoing agenda in the company. We believe that the more that service quality is discussed within the company, the greater the understanding will be of what it means in the dayto-day working environment of the employees and the better the company will be in achieving it. We are still a long way from saying that the DSE quality customer service approach has been completely integrated into the company, but what we are clearly seeing is a significant transformation of the corporate culture that is becoming more customer driven and quality oriented. Reinforcing the Corporate Culture to Foster Change Communicating Externally with Customers While setting the right corporate culture is crucial to achieving good service quality through internal communication processes to motivate employees and to ensure that the companys aspirations are well understood by everyone, we have also to communicate externally to ensure that customers understand what the company is offering in terms of service, to manage their expectations and to persuade them to buy our service. This external communication process forms an important part of managing the evidence by providing tangible clues to help customers, as well as employees, form the ight mental picture of the intangible service offered by Malaysia Airlines. An example is in advertisements which feature employees to show to customers the importance of service through people, but advertising is only one of the ways in which external communications can help to Improve tne customers perception 0T quall Conscious efforts are being made to reinforce the customer-driven focus and quality-orientation conveyed in top managements vision for excellence to all employees. The DSE programme forms the main vehicle for company-wide definition and understanding of the shared values hrough top-down communication as exemplified in the management speeches at DSE conventions, as well as bottom-up communication of departmental missions and quality improvement projects to the DSE Council chaired by the managing director from time to time. Values are also shared through other internal communications processes such as the in-house newsletter (Berita MAS), by way of reports on the progress of service initiatives and to publicize the achievements of employees who have provided excellent service to customers. The in-house newsletter also features a column called From the MDs Desk which serves as a regular reminder to all employees on examples regarding the right way to satisfy customers and to provide top-quality service. External speakers have also been invited from top-quality organizations such as IBM and Shell to share their experiences on service quality with our employees at Saturday Encounters held from time to time. To help employees understand better what is expected of them in terms of serving customers, training programmes have been conducted for employees at all levels to educate them on what quality customer service is at Malaysia Airlines nd on basic service standards such as telephone Malaysia Airlines Advertisements The advertising medium plays a major role in Malaysia Airlines communication strategy but other media are also used such as press releases, the in-flight magazine Wings of Gold, familiarization tours of Malaysia Airlines facilities for travel agents, Journalists and the general public, and so on. Malaysla Alrllnes launcnea two major advertising campaigns in October last year for both the domestic and international markets. 12 enhance the recall value of the commercial as well as to create an airline advertisement that is clearly ifferentiated from others. The 9()-second commercial has received overwhelming praise from both industry sources as well as the public at large since it was launched last September. It is said to be the most ambitious television commercial ever undertaken by an advertiser in Asia, using state-ofthe-art visual effects developed by a company owned by George Lucas and Lucas Film Ltd, which won 12 Oscar awards for block-buster films such as Star Wars and ET and is also responsible for the box-office success Jurassic Park. The Care commercial was aimed at the local Malaysian market reinforcing a promise Malaysia Airlines has always nurtured since the company was incepted in 1971. The Care positioning theme promised the level of caring that goes into every aspect of handling the diverse needs and expectations of our passengers. A woman is seen anguishing over her pet budgerigars that are being carted into cargo, a pregnant woman needs help with her luggage, an old woman is rather bewildered and a child is separated from her parents in the mad rush to catch the flight. As usual, with ease and sincerity, the calm and caring staff from Malaysia Airlines sort and iron out all the problems captured at the moments of truth. Staff involvement is crucial towards underlining the credibility of the advertising message which is why, for the first time, more than 60 staff participated in the first of the series titled Care. In addition to the Care commercial, three other commercials have been developed on the themes of Reunion, Mulu and Special Fares. The Reunion commercial shares happy moments 0T Tamlly reunions among Malayslans. q The Mulu commercial demonstrates the extensive network served by Malaysia Airlines domestically. q The Special Fares features some 40 different choices available for Malaysians to fly around he country on economical value-added fares. The underlying promise conveyed in these commercials is to show that Malaysia Airlines cares, and that the new advertisements are not cosmetic, in line with the companys Destination Service Excellen ce strategy. The main thrust of the international advertising campaign titled Vision was to project the size and stature of Malaysia Airlines in a futuristic sense which reflects a modern, global and futuristic mental picture of the airline in the minds of the target consumers. The futuristic strataport is in the aerodynamic shape of Malaysia Airlines kite logo to symbolize he modernity and expansion of the airline and this vision is used as the springboard to convey a thousand dream flights. The Nision commercial also conveys the message that Malaysia Airlines has made great leaps forward from its previous stature as a relatively young airline, in that it now carries more passengers than any other airline from South-East Asia on some of todays most advanced aircraft, and spans a truly international network of 90 destinations across five continents. Also, to reflect the Malaysian character of the Vision commercial, a large number of Malaysia Airlines in-flight crew and Malaysian actors were nvolved in the lead roles for the advertisement. The computer-generated visual presentation of Malaysia Airlines as a futuristic airline helps to New Uniforms for Front-line Employees By managing the tangibles associated with the service experience, marketers have the opportunity to reinforce other service quality dimensions with a quality look not necessarily by looking expensive or elegant but by paying attention to basics such as cleanliness, orderliness and customer-friendly systems to the extent that such tangible evidence is approprlate to tne target market ana overall service strategy. This means attention to the smallest detail that competitors might consider trivial and unworthy of investment. Yet, it is the visible details that can add up for customers and signal a strong message of caring and competence. Malaysia Airlines experience in presenting a quality look as a component of its service quality strategy extends through many areas in the physical environment of the airline, including the decor of its front-office ticketing counters, its Golden Lounges at the airports, the cabin interior of its aircraft, the uniforms of its cabin crew and other frontline staff, he presentation of in-flight meals, the appearance of our check-in counters, and so on. Besides modernizing the aircraft fleet with the latest new generation 8747-400, A330 and 8737400/500 aircraft, Malaysia Airlines has implemented a new quality appearance for all frontliners since last year by introducing a collection of new uniforms for cabin crew and counter staff designed by Gherardini of Italy. While the timeless sarung kebaya with batik motifs has been retained for female staff, uniforms for the male staff have for the first time in 17 years seen a visible change to a style that is more in vogue. Quality Meals In the many other little things that we do that present a quality look to our passengers, I can draw from the example of the award Malaysia Airlines received from Inflight Research Services of London last year ranking Malaysia Airlines top in First Class service from a survey of 31 international airlines. 13 Malaysia Airlines scored highest in three service dimensions of cabin crew courtesy, meal presentation and quality of meals served. In the area of meal presentation, Malaysia Airlines excelled mainly because of the great attention given to the Tlner eta a 11S 0T tne meal presentatlon, e. . : Presentation of the bar service, with a good selection of internationally known liqueurs, wines and champagnes served by experienced and capable cabin staff. q Branded quality glasses, plates, bowls and cutlery which carried a good and consistent corporate image, presenting a pleasing and exclusive feel to the First-class cabin. In particular, Malaysia Airlines uses cut glass fo r its First-class drink service, and it was revealed that less than 25 per cent of the airlines surveyed offer this extra touch of exclusivity. Presentation of salt, pepper and butter is of a very good standard and appearance unlike everal airlines which make use of plastic cartons for butter and paper sachets for salt and pepper. In the case of the quality of meals served, this pertained mainly to the condition and appearance of the food at the point of service rather than the type of food served on board. Malaysia Airlines was ranked top on quality of meals served in terms of the meals being served in the best condition, that is the food served was fresh and appealing and retained a good flavour and appearance. Kuala Lumpur and London since last October. This is basically a standard tray set-up service which is vailable to those passengers who do not wish to go through the standard full-course supper service for First Class, which is otherwise delivered on a service trolley. The quick meal option is timed especially for flights departing around midnight to cater to those passengers who wish to have a quick supper and go to sleep. This meal service alternative was introduced based on feedback obtained from Malaysia Airlines Esteemed Travellers (MET) who attend special MET luncheons and food-tasting sessions organized by the airline. In view of the favourable response from passengers, this quick meal option was extended to ther flights in our menu change for the summer 1994 season. Prompt Meal servlce Tor en u Class Passengers We have also made improvements to service procedures for those passengers travelling in Golden Club Class. This has resulted in a reduction of the service delivery time by more than 25 per cent to about 1. 5 hours, without affecting the quality of service. Beverage Service on Cart for Economy Class Passengers This is another improvement we have made for the Economy Class passengers which was implemented in the summer 1994 season. Previously, our cabin crew offered Juice and beer s standard choices for after-take-off beverages in the Economy Class while passenger requests for other drinks were entertained separately. The new service for beverages to be delivered on the cart will offer passengers the drink of their choice on the cart without their having to wait for a separate Flexible Menu Policy Continuous improvements are being made to the in-flight menu, in keeping with the new menu policy (started last year) to increase the cycle of change to meet the changing needs and expectations of customers, based on feedback from voyage reports and passengers. This new policy reates better flexibility in customizing to the different tastes and preferences of the passengers by offering a greater variety of meal combinations, a more extensive range of appetizers, and creative food preparations with the aim of being on par with the cuisine served in excellent hotels. The new menus for international flights feature a variety of tastes and flavours of Malay, Chinese, Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisines. The health aspect of travellers has also not been ignored, due attention being given to low-fat content, calorie count and cholesterol levels in the menu preparation. Cabin Crew Proficiency in Foreign