Question Answers - Assignment Example

Author’s Name: Institution: Grade Course: Instructor’s Name: Date: Case Study Questions Qn 1. Leadership and responsibility are two distinct features in the corporate world. It is a fact that leaders can be bestowed with authority or accountability with responsibility acting like an evasive factor. Leadership is acquired through one's responsible character though it is an art and a choice made by human beings. In this aspect, responsibility is simply an attitude while one's mindset determines his/her leadership skills. Leaders assume the responsibility of leading because of their response to certain issues. Thus, they do not assume this role due to the authority they possess nor accountability. Therefore, the relationship of leadership and responsibility rests squarely on one’s responsibility and not his/her authority. In the case, Durai’s leadership skills are evident right from his years at the University. In the late 1960s, he acted as a volunteer while still a student and played a role of Vice-President of the then University of Singapore students’ union. His ambitious attitude enabled him take the role of a leader hence acting as an appointed member of Pasir Panyang Community Centre Management Committee. As a CEO, Durai’s has had a remarkable record as a leader. He brought transformations at NKF from a small foundation into the largest dialysis centre in Singapore. Under Durai’s leadership tenure, NKF witnessed revenue growth from $17 million to $116 million. This is a significant achievement for Durai’s responsible leadership skills at NKF. Though Durai portrayed responsible leadership skills, he eventually strayed at some point. His accusations are irresponsible actions that involve corruption charges, which saw him, serve a sentence of three months in jail. Corruption is intolerable thus all leaders must refrain from the vice and, ensure that implementation of strict policies against corruption is enforced. Qn 2. To start, Durai’s actions at NKFare unacceptable concerning the company’s policies. Durai’s salary allocation is hefty and is, therefore, a burden to community members who assist in the development of the Community Centre. As a volunteer, Durai is not supposed to receive such an amount and all bonuses should be minimized or done away with. He faces accusations of fitting his office bathroom with Gold taps and other materials that are exorbitant. In the revelations, Durai is also not ready to disclose his salary despite repeated requests from the defense counsel. He excuses himself and suggests that his salary disclosure rests upon him, as it is somehow a personal matter and that the board has sole rights to determine the fate of his salary increase or decrease. In such a case, Durai portrays lack of irresponsibility thus, lacks transparency in his actions. His justifications are unexpected in that he is not realistic with the carelessness he chooses to spend the charity organization’s monies. When asked on the issue concerning flying first class, he reiterates that the decision to fly first class lies with the board members. As a responsible leader, Durai should at least sympathize with the patient and decline the board’s decision. This shows that his justification regarding the issue is unacceptable. He also tries to justify before the court that he topped up the amount in case the decision to fly first class came by thus this was only if the first-class tickets did not exceed Singapore Airlines Business class rates. These justifications by Durai are questionable, as a responsible leader should consider the majority who are patients at NKF. Qn 3. Durai managed to command respect from his staff members despite his engagement in unorthodox organizational practices. This reflection emanates from the courts revelations. The staff members at NKF offered Durai a standing ovation during leadership role. Durai encouraged staff members to take care of patients in proper ways despite the progress of his case at the court. With the progress of the case at the court, Durai’s staff members showed continuity and attended to patients by considering the patients’ health status (Teo, 2005). His Deputy Director of communications also praised Durai lamenting that Durai had never taken time off or gone on a compassionate leave since 1992 thus; working relentlessly to ensure the patients received proper care. One of the managers and some patients at the NKF patient’s advancement department undergoing dialysis exclaimed that Durai deserved his pay due to his integrity and the charitable spirit he had assumed by giving needy patient gift hampers in the New Year. New employees also said that they had a feeling of closeness and connection with Durai because he personally assumed the role of training them personally, therefore, creating a friendly environment through social responsibility. It is evident that though Durai’s unorthodox practices were doubtful he was willing to take up any sort of responsibility within NKF. His responsible acts were obviously the reason that made the board come to any approval of his prodigious salary and benefit perks. It is indeed an honor to award someone such as Durai remuneration worth his dedication towards the NKF patients. Tough Durai might have done contrary to NKF policies; he treated everyone with respect despite their position. This was enough to win the support of staff members, who were keenly following proceedings at the court and in the event, Durai got their favor regardless of his unorthodox actions. Qn 4. NKF is a charity organization intended to assist persons who are unable to cater for needs pertaining to Kidney diseases. In light of this, Durais actions are indeed criminal in view of profit making organizations. Profit making organizations also known as corporations are economic and cultural facts in the society. In this case, Durai’s expectations at NKF considering it was a corporate organization would be to act on behalf of the corporation thus take on the corporation’s identity. This means that, as a profit-making organization, NKF’s expectations would be the development of methods and culture that would guide employee’s thoughts and actions thus shield them from any acts of malfeasance. His actions would count towards the loss the organization incurs though the organization itself would be held accountable for culture and the conduct it promotes. Durai’s expectations were to consider the patient's health first before anything else came up. He would only be awarded some significant remuneration relating to the kind of job he was doing. For profit-making organization, his actions would result to massive losses, and if donors cut their relations, the organization would collapse. Working in the UAE calls for individuals to portray immense responsibility in their leadership. Therefore, Though Durai’s revelation of his exorbitance, he qualifies to work for any profit organization in the UAE. His leadership skills are formidable and, he shows this through his urge to undertake responsibility. In the UAE, determination and hard work determine a company’s future. Durai’s intentions were not to swindle money from the company because the board at NKF did the allocation of all monies. However, Durai could still not consider such spending because he had knowledge that the funds intended to cater for the needs of kidney patients. Qn 5. Corporate governance at NKF is somehow edging towards a good direction. The only unpleasant thing at NKF is the misuse of funds intended to cater for the needs of Kidney patients. This acts by the board at NKF is unethical thus makes donors and sponsors lose trust in the organization. Durai’s considerations at NKF should be the accountability of funds collected from donors, which in turn creates and develops strong relationships between the organization and the donor community. Through this relationship, donors are able to support Kidney patients through increasing donor funds or provide the facility upgrade its equipment. The lessons learnt from this case exhibit the use of responsible leadership in organizations. These portrays positive attitude to the public thus making them gain trust in their leaders. As we have seen, leadership and responsibility are two different ideas that closely work together in order to come up with coherent results. Indeed few leaders follow the right channels to acquire leadership. These leaders actually lack responsible actions and in turn end up destroying an original, superb result. In cases such as that of Durai, it is inevitable to correct the board in every wrong undertaking, which clearly reflects one’s role as a powerful leader through responsible actions. This counts in terms of sourcing for excellent leadership in the UAE. Works Cited J. Teo. “Staff gives T.T. Durai standing ovation.” The Straits Times, July 14, 2005, accessed March 2, 2009, from Factiva database. Read More