The Significance of Communication in the Leadership - Essay Example

?Research Proposal By [Presented to] of CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1: Introduction In order to assess and analyse any research topic, a detailed and systematic approach is required. In the context of international business, it can be said that businesses do not have a boundary mainly because of the globalisation helping in mitigating the business challenges in an easy and simple manner. In the context of the international business, there are many factors playing an important and crucial role; one of them is effective leadership. The research will underpin the impact and usefulness of leadership in changing the organisational dynamics along with enhancing the appeal and presence of the organisation in the global world (House, 1996). Leadership plays an important and crucial role in shaping the beliefs and mindsets of employees affecting the overall growth and development of organisations. From the international business perspective, it can be said that the role of leaders become all the significant considering the fact that they have to deal with different people belonging to different cultures. This makes leadership a challenge requiring proper assessment and evaluation (Sternberg, 2002). In last few years, the role of leaders has changed a lot. Leaders are becoming mentors guiding their team and organisation to achieve organisational goals and objectives. At the same time; leaders have to face a number of issues in the form of motivating the team members, balancing between the personal and organisational goals, assessing the impact of internal and external factors, and understanding the business needs in the present as well as in the near future (Miner, 2005). This also clears that leaders need to have an effective and influential communication power in order to deal with various internal and external issues. The research aims to investigate the significance of leadership in the international business scenario by focusing more on the organisational and communication strategy (Montana and Bruce, 2008).The next part of the discussion presents an overview of the research aim and objectives. 1.2: Research Aim The research aims to investigate the significance of communication in the leadership approach in enhancing the organisational value. For this purpose, few research objectives have been designed discussed as follow: 1.3: Research Objectives The research objectives play an important role in making the research more specific and result oriented. The research objectives formulated for the research are as follow: To critically analyse and discuss the role of leaders in changing the organisational value creation process through effective and efficient communication To ascertain the role of leaders in changing the face of organisations in an effective manner To ascertain the association between the leadership role and effective communication in the organisational value creation process To ascertain ways through which the communication strategies can be developed and implemented and thus reflecting a positive organisational growth from leadership point of view 1.4: Research Questions The researcher has further formulated few research questions being discussed as follow: 1. What is the role of communication in the effective leadership? 2. How communication can enhance the overall organisational value in a systematic manner? 3. What is the role of leaders in developing and implementing communication strategies? 4. What benefits can be derived through effective communication? 1.5: Rationale for the Research Topic The rationale for the research topic is based on the fact that leadership plays an important role in shaping the organisational objectives along with aligning the sources and resources in a meaningful and value oriented manner. At the same time, this can only be done through effective and compassionate communication. This states that communication plays an important role in defining the organisational objectives along with helping each other in the value creation process in the long run. When effective leadership and communication skills are integrated in a logical manner; value creation process becomes all the easier. In this regard, communication needs be transparent and leaders need to be passionate in terms of guiding and motivating others to work towards the organsiational goals and objectives. The rationale for the research topic is also based on the fact that leadership is the most discussed subjects in the literature and research and holds great significance in the business environment. The research topic will help in investigating different facets of the leadership along with associating them with effective communication. 1.6: Scope of the Research The scope of the research can be considered as quite moderate considering the fact that majority of the dependency will be on the secondary data and information. In order to assess the significance of leadership and communication from organisational value creation point of view; it is important to assess and investigate the leadership and communication strategies of leaders (Schultz and Schultz, 2010). However, the research will be concentrating more on the secondary research but also including the primary research to an extent. The scope of the research cannot be considered as broad as investigating a vast subject like leadership; there is a need of good amount of primary data to reveal the present situation. Therefore, in the absence of good amount of primary data, the focus will be more on the secondary data making the overall scope of the research a bit moderate in nature. 1.7: Outline of the Research In order to make the research more systematic and logical; the researcher has formed a clinical approach by dividing the entire research into five different chapters. Detailed information over each chapter has been presented as follow: Chapter-1: Introduction The chapter will introduce the research topic along with clearly stating the research aim, objectives, and questions. The chapter also discusses the scope and rationale of the research in a critical manner. Chapter-2: Literature Review The chapter will present a critical analysis of different views and opinions over the concept of leadership. The chapter will be based on the critical assessment of academic books, research papers, and journals based on the concept of leadership and effective communication to underpin the research issue. Chapter-3: Research Methodology The chapter will present an overview of different methodology elements by discussing the usefulness of the research philosophy, research approach, data collection methods, research design, ethical considerations, and limitations of the methodology. Chapter-4: Findings and Analysis The chapter will present an analysis of the findings based on the critical assessment of the primary and secondary data. This will also help in highlighting the key outcomes and results pertaining to the research topic. Chapter-5: Conclusion and Recommendations The chapter will present conclusion and recommendations based on the outcomes derived from the key findings to conclude the research process. 1.8: Summary The chapter presented an overview of the research topic along with discussing the careful selected research aim, objectives, and questions. The rationale and scope of the research has also been discussed in a critical manner highlighting the significance of the research topic in the business environment. The next chapter presents a critical analysis of the literature to underpin the research issue and form the foundation for the subsequent chapters. CHAPTER-2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1: Introduction The chapter presents an overview of the concept and importance of effective leadership and communication in achieving the organisational objectives along with creating value for stakeholders in a significant manner. For this purpose, views and opinions of different researchers and academicians have been discussed in a critical manner. 2.2: Leadership Leadership can be defined as a process where one person influences others in a positive manner to achieve common tasks and objectives. Leadership is an art of motivating others to excel well in the personal and professional sphere along with adding value in a systematic manner (Miner, 2005). Leadership plays an important role in influencing the mindsets and behaviours of others in the organisational environment that later helps in aligning the personal and professional objectives through effective communication. Tittemore (2003) stated that the concept of leadership is very much related to mentoring and guiding people in an effective manner so that organisational objectives can be achieved in a logical and well planned manner. Schultz, et al (2010) believed that there are certain qualities that differentiate leaders from others and effective and compassionate communication is one of them. Good leaders are effective and influential communicators and are often successful in creating a long lasting impression over the mind of others. Tittemore (2003) further added that leaders tend to create examples that are followed by others resulting in better creation of value. Montana, et al (2008) stated that not all leaders can create value as creation of value is dependent on the attributes and behaviour of leaders. Leaders can be autocratic, engaging, democratic, and toxic and based on these attributes; the overall value creation process is analysed and assessed. There level and mode of discussion is also determined by their leadership style that has been discussed in the next section. 2.3: Leadership and Communication Montana, et al (2008) stated that leadership and communication goes hand in hand and effective leaders are influential communicators. Leaders need to communicate ideas and beliefs in a transparent and succinct manner and thus the mode and tone of communication needs to be balanced in order to enhance the value creation process. Value creation process is only possible when employees are aware of their tasks and responsibilities and need to be motivated at every step through proper guidance and mentoring. Hershey, et al (2008) stated that autocratic leaders do not allow effective participation of others in the communication process. This kind of leadership can actually motivate others as decisions are made by only one person. However, this kind of leadership also leads to lack of new and innovative and creative ideas as subordinates are not allowed to offer suggestions and new ideas. Autocratic leaders believe in one way communication where communication can be very clear leading to the fulfillment of tasks and objectives. Vroom, et al (2002) stated that democratic leaders allow others to participate in the communication process that helps in creating new and innovative ideas. At the same time, it creates social equality that is important for the growth and development of the intellect. Democratic leaders tend to favour in-depth communication and everyone is allowed to share their views and opinions. This kind of leadership can be considered as quite effective considering the fact that communication is not restricted. Moreover, effective participation of subordinates helps in brainstorming and generating of new ideas that often help in creating organisational value in the long run. However, Hershey, et al (2008) believed that democratic leadership requires an open organisational environment where people are motivated to share their views and beliefs. In order to pursue this kind of leadership, it is important to create an open business environment leading to interactive communication. Miner (2005) stated that another style of leadership where communication plays a vital role is Laissez-faire in which the leader does not act as a leader rather allow subordinates to design their own polices and methods. This helps them in being more innovative and creative as they are compelled to think all the time regarding their tasks and responsibilities. Moreover, leaders guide and motivate subordinates whenever required through effective and influential communication. Laissez-faire leadership style is ideally suited to an open organisational environment where freedom of speech and expression is allowed. Hershey, et al (2008) stated that another style of leadership is toxic style where leaders abuse the leader-follower association by leaving the group in the worse situation and thus affecting the entire value creation process in a negative manner. Montana, et al (2008) believed that the style of leadership and communication is purely dependent on the beliefs and nature of leaders and cannot be shaped or influenced and thus, leaders need to be assessed on the basis of their quality and content. Tittemore (2003) stated that the quality of communication matters the most as it helps in bridging the communication and beliefs gap along with adding value to the individual personality in a logical manner. Leadership and communication are interrelated and both need to be effective and influential in terms of making the organsiational culture and environment robust and valuable. The critical analysis of the concept of leadership and communication stated that leadership is just a way of fulfilling tasks and responsibilities through the efforts of others by acting as a guide and mentor. On the other hand, without effective communication; the value of leadership cannot be ascertained and determined. Effective communication leads to positive and effective solutions required in the growth and development of organisations. Overall, it can be said that leadership embedded with influential and compassionate communication is quite useful and value oriented in the context of different organisations. The next part of the discussion presents the summary of the chapter. 2.4: Summary The chapter presented an overview of the concept of leadership along with discussing the role of communication in enhancing the appeal of leadership. It was found that effective communication makes effective and influential leaders capable of creating organisational value by guiding and mentoring others in an impactful and positive manner. The next chapter presents an overview of the research methodology elements. CHAPTER-3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1: Introduction The chapter presents an understanding over various elements of the methodology along with justifying the selection and preference for each element. 3.2: Research Philosophy Saunders, et al (2007) stated that research philosophy reveals the beliefs and mindset of researchers. Research philosophy is in the form of positivism and anti-positivism where the positivism philosophy believes that social realities cannot be challenges and analysed. On the other hand, the anti-positivism philosophy believes that social realities can be challenged on the logical grounds and can be underpinned through analysis and observations. The researcher will prefer anti-positivism philosophy based on the analysis and observation to underpin the importance of communication in leadership. Positivism philosophy cannot be used as it offers little scope for challenging the reality through critical and analytical analysis (Denscombe, 2007) 3.3: Research Approach Saunders, et al (2007) stated that the research approach states the systematic approach of dealing with the research issues. Research approach has been categorised into the inductive and deductive approach. The inductive approach forms a specific to general approach while the deductive approach forms a general to specific approach (Bernard, 2002). The inductive approach is driven by the observations and analysis while the deductive approach is driven by the statistical and analytical analysis. Inductive approach requires qualitative assessment of the research issues while the deductive approach is based on the quantitative assessment of the research issues (Maimon, et al, 2006). The researcher will use the inductive research approach based on the analysis of the research issues in a qualitative manner considering the fact that lack of hypotheses will not create a possibility for the deductive approach (Booth, 2008). 3.4: Data Collection Methods Data can be collected in the using primary and secondary research. Primary research can be conducted using surveys, interviews, and observational studies offering current and fresh information while secondary research can be conducted using existing academic books, research papers, online articles, and journals (Saunders, et al, 2007). The researcher will conduct primary research in the form of surveys and interviews to be conducted on few leaders of different organisations while secondary data will be garnered by referring to the academic books, research papers, online articles, and journals to form a critical analysis. 3.5: Research Design Research design is a systematic approach of highlighting the key research information. Research design has been categorised into the qualitative and quantitative designs (Patton, 2005). The qualititative research design is based in the theoretical and illustrative presentation of the key information while the quantitative design is based on presenting the results and outcomes using graphs, charts, and statistical tools (Stringer, 2007). The researcher will use the qualitative research design as interviews and surveys will be decoded in an illustrative manner requiring little use of the statistical tools. Furthermore, thematic analysis will be conducted to identify the key themes and accordingly presenting the key data and information (Yin, 2009). 3.6: Sampling Sampling can be defined as a process of identifying potential research participants from the available population (Saunders, et al, 2007). For this purpose, the snow ball sampling method will be used where few known leaders will be contacted and requested to refer to few more to form a sample size of 10. Convenience sampling method is not preferred as it requires additional expenditure in the form of advertisements while random sampling method is not preferred as it raises questions over the reliability and validity of the data and participants. 3.7: Ethical Considerations Ethics play a crucial role in conducting the research and often define the values and beliefs that are generally acceptable (Blackburn, 2001). The researcher will form an ethical approach by being transparent and ethical in his approach. Data and information will not be falsified and manipulated and research participants’ confidentiality will be safeguarded by not sharing their information with anyone. Consent form and interview invitation letter will also be offered to them to seek their approval to remain ethical. 3.8: Limitations of the Methodology The methodology has been selected in a logical manner offering great support to underpin the research topic. Major limitations can be identified in the form of limited primary data and thus more dependency on the secondary research. Furthermore, the use of the inductive research approach will lead to general results and thus lacking specific outcomes. However, in order to mitigate all these limitations, the researcher will focus more on the available and selected elements of the methodology to seek relevant and appropriate outcomes contributing in the underpinning of the research topic. 3.9: Summary The chapter presented an insight over the selected and preferred elements of the methodology. It was found that the anti-positivism research philosophy suits the inductive research approach and qualitative research design and will be helpful in deriving key conclusions and recommendations. These elements will also help in achieving the proposed aim and objectives of the research in a rationale manner. REFERENCES Bernard, H. R. (2002). Research methods in anthropology: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Walnut Creek, CA: Alta Mira Press Blackburn, S, (2001); Being good: A short introduction to ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press Booth, W.C. et al. (2008). The craft of research. 3rd edition. Chicago: U of Chicago Press. 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