Conjectural View on conjoint impact of Leadership Substitute and Essay

Conjectural View on conjoint impact of Leadership Substitute and Leadership Neutralizer on Performance Outcome - Essay Example Academic Review The research paper was more about examining the indirect and direct impact of leadership substitutes on performance outcomes. Hence, pertinent research question for the paper was, â€Å"how leadership substitutes can influence the performance outcomes?† Michael K. Muchiri and Ray W. Cooksey used research works of various research scholars such as Arnold et al (2005), Lowe and Gardner (2001), Yukl (2010), Dionne et al. (2005), Avolio and Bass (2002) and Parry (2004) to define the leadership behaviour. The researchers’ duo also stressed on the fact that how particular leadership behaviour has relationship with social setting and what leadership strategy can be embodied to improve the performance outcomes of subordinates. In such context, Lowe and Gardner (2001) argued personal characteristics, organisational context and group processes can be served as alternatives for leadership or substitutes which have the capacity to create hierarchical leadership effe cts on subordinates (Muchiri and Cooksey, 2011). Writers of the research paper strongly argued that there cannot be a definite measure or definition of leadership because leadership is dependent on situational and social context. Dionne et al. (2005) argued that situational variables can not only act as substitute but also increase the effectiveness of leader’s behaviour. Muchiri and Cooksey (2011) argued that situational substitute can enhance the leadership ability influence and job performance of subordinates. Although, the research paper focused various aspects leadership substitutes but the researcher did not shed light on leadership neutralisers which can reduce the effectiveness of leadership. Careful analysis of the research works of Burke (2004), McArdle and Reason (2008), Hicks (2002), McNiff and Whitehead (2002) and Klosko (2000) reveal the fact that leadership has direct relationship with organizational dynamics (OD) process and an individual can play situational role to direct the activity of subordinates. Such kind of research findings supports the existence of leadership substitute which can even make leadership unnecessary. On the other hand, leadership neutralisers do not replace leadership but eradicate the influence of leadership. Muchiri and Cooksey (2011) also pointed out that there are leadership enhancer variables such as organizational environment, talented employee pool and employee which can significantly improve the impact of leadership on performance of subordinates. Research scholars such as Burke (2004), McArdle and Reason (2008), Hicks (2002), McNiff and Whitehead (2002) and Klosko (2000) stressed on democratic leadership aspects while other research scholars argued that democratic culture can be treated as leadership neutralisers. The researcher believe that research work of Michael K. Muchiri and Ray W. Cooksey has its own merit but scope of the research paper can be enhanced by considering leadership in general rather t han confining the research transformational leadership and social processes of leadership. The researcher duo used the transformational-transactional leadership theory proposed by research scholars such as Avolio and Yammarino (2002), Avolio and Bass (2004) and Avolio (2005) to develop their theoretical arguments. On the other hand, research works of Parry and Meindl (2002), Parry and Proctor-Thomson (2001) and Bartram and Casimir (2007) were used in

Professional Development in the Early Reading First Essay

Professional Development in the Early Reading First - Essay Example In particular, the teachers in the treatment group gave a specific response to implementing, modifying and extending the PD program. Rochelle and McGee (2011, p. 167) revealed that the treatment group achieved a mean score of 93.8 compared to the control group mean score of 82.3. Further, 67% of students belonging to the treatment group met the Government Performance Reporting Act guidelines of achieving a language rating of at least 85 compared to only 40% for the control group (Dail and McGee, 2011, p. 167). Summarizing the results of their experience as project directors, Dial and McGee (2011, p. 168) concluded that a PD approach in reading is associated with success. Carlisle et al. (2011) compared three models of professional development (PD) in reading among first grades and concluded that supporting teacher through seminars, evaluation, and coaching work best in leading teachers towards effective instructions among first graders. In the process of sharing their results, the au thors pointed out that professional development in reading is the best means of improving teachers’ competence in content areas that result into an improvement of instructions (Carlisle et al., 2011, p. 13). According to the authors, effective professional development in reading is characterized by deep subject matter knowledge as well as knowledge on how students learn content, commitment, course coherence and integration, participation and active learning, and institutional and professional support (Carlisle et al., 2011, p. 214). The authors cited several cases that indicate that reading instructions are successful if a professional development approach is used. For instance, according to the authors, the PD initiative among 17 poverty and low-achieving schools in Washington and Houston as carried by B. Foorman and L. Moats has been considered by the authors as very successful. One important argument forwarded by Carlisle et al. (2011, p. 230) is that PD is successful beca use teachers respond well to the approach. In a commissioned study in 2005-06, one of the research questions which the U.S. Department of Education was to find out the effects of professional development on student reading achievement (NCEERA or National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, 2009, p. 1). The study employed an experimental design in testing the effectiveness of professional development interventions in over 90 schools in six districts involving 270 teachers and 5,500 students (p. 1). The schools were randomly and equally assigned to an institute group, institute plus coaching group, and a control which received the usual professional development implemented in the district (NCEERA, 2009, p. 1). Some of the key findings of the commissioned research are as follows. First, teachers who were randomly assigned to avail professional development form institutes scored significantly higher on teachers’ knowledge compared with those in the control gr oup.