ASSESSMENT PRESENTATION

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:28:13 GMT

by Francine Tagoudi Silatsa Mafougang.

TOPIC: IMPACT ANALYSIS ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FRANC ZONE ECONOMIES IN GLOBALIZATION (INTERNATIONAL MARKET) AND DIGITAL ECONOMY

Exploring Ethical Leadership on Organisational Culture:Colombian Travel Agencies

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:42:53 GMT

by Janeth Catherine Mosquera Restrepo.

Background

1. In Colombia's tourism industry, ethical leadership is pivotal for integrating sustainable development goals and fostering ethical approaches to benefit local communities and the environment.

2.Colombia's diverse cultural and geographical landscape presents unique challenges and opportunities for implementing ethical leadership.

3.Colombia promotes ethical leadership by integrating foreign direct investment with sustainable goals, thereby influencing the operational strategies of travel agencies across the country.

Ethical leadership has emerged as a critical factor in shaping organizational culture and influencing sustainable business practices

The varying regional values and practices necessitate a nuanced approach to leadership in tourism, highlighting the importance of adapting ethical leadership practices to local contexts.

Colombia's initiatives, in the tourism sector strategically aligns with sustainable development practices.

Prior Literature and Concepts

1.Brown et al. (2005): This source interprets ethical leadership as demonstrating appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships and promoting conduct that follower does through communication, reinforcement and decision-making.

2.Metwally et al. (2019); Hsieh et al. (2020); Malik, Nawab, and Shafi (2023): These sources highlight how ethical leadership involves moral principles, ethical behaviour, and values that benefit not only the organisation but also society , emphasising the well-being of people and the environment.

3.Sharma, Agrawal, and Khandelwal (2019): According to these authors, ethical leaders are described as integral, honest, and fair, which creates an environment of commitment, satisfaction, and high productivity, thereby ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all employees.

4.Teng, Ma, and Jing (2021); Tomassini and Baggio (2022): These studies focus on how ethical leadership in the tourism industry explicitly supports local communities and environmental sustainability, linking ethical practices with the broader goals of sustainable development.

Key Concepts:

•Ethical Leadership

•Organisational culture

•Sustainability.

Ethical Leadership

Definition: Ethical leadership is defined as how norms are shown to have appropriate behaviour through personal actions and relationships and the promotion of such behaviour to followers through communication, reinforcement, and decision-making.

•Key Attributes: Integrity, fairness, and transparency.

•Impact: Influences employee behaviour, fosters trust and commitment, and enhances job satisfaction and productivity. Ethical leaders serve as role models, setting standards for ethical behaviour within the organization.

Organisational Culture

Definition: Organisational culture usually involves the expected values, beliefs, norms, and practices that guide people's behaviours within an organisation.

•Components: Includes artefacts (visible symbols of culture like dress code and office layout), espoused values (stated values and norms), and basic underlying assumptions (unconscious beliefs).

•Role of Leaders: Leaders play a crucial role in shaping and sustaining organisational culture by embedding ethical values into the corporate ethos influencing decision-making and interpersonal relationships.

Sustainability

Definition: In the context of tourism, sustainability refers to the management of resources to preserve culture, diversity, and life support systems.

•Three Pillars: Environmental, Social, and Economic Sustainability. These include practices that protect the environment, positively contribute to the communities affected by tourism, and make viable long-term economic operations.

•Ethical Leadership's Role: Ethical leadership in tourism enhances sustainability by promoting responsible practices that benefit both the environment and local communities, ensuring that tourism development does not compromise the needs of future generations.

Integration of Concepts in the Study:

The study explores how ethical leadership influences organisational culture and promotes sustainability within Colombian tourism organisations. It investigates the role of ethical leadership in fostering an organisational culture that supports sustainable practices, aligning business strategies with broader social and environmental goals. The concept centres on understanding the dynamics between leadership, culture, and sustainable development, providing insights into how tourism organisations can thrive while contributing positively to society and the environment.

Methodological Choice

Approach: The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, utilising quantitative and qualitative methods to understand ethical leadership and its impact on organisational culture comprehensively.

•Quantitative Methods: Surveys were used to gather data on employees' perceptions of ethical leadership, organisational culture, and sustainability practices from various travel agencies across a region in Colombia.

•Qualitative Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used with selected leaders and employees to delve deeper into individual experiences and perspectives on ethical leadership and organisational practices.

Sample Size and Selection

•Target Group: Employees within travel agency organisations across a specific region in Colombia.

•Sampling Technique: Purposeful sampling.

targets individuals likely to provide rich, relevant, and diverse insights into ethical leadership and organisational culture.

•Sample Size:

16 participants for the survey, and two participated in the interviews.

Ethical Considerations

•Ethical Approval: The study will adhere to ethical standards ensuring that all research practices are sound and ethical.

•Informed Consent: Participants were informed about the study's purpose, the nature of their involvement, and their rights to withdraw at any time without penalty.

•Confidentiality: Measures were taken to ensure that all data collected were kept confidential and secure. Identifiable information was removed from the dataset.

•Transparency and Integrity: The research maintained a high level of transparency and integrity throughout the process, addressing any conflicts of interest and ensuring fair and respectful treatment of all participants.

Preliminary Findings

1.Positive Leadership Commitment:

•A significant portion of employees (31.25% "Often" and 37.50% "Always") perceive their leaders as frequently demonstrating a commitment to ethical practices. This suggests that, generally, leaders are viewed as aligned with the principles of ethical leadership, particularly in their dedication to sustainability within the tourism sector.

The presence of responses in the "Sometimes" (25%) category indicates a perception of inconsistency in leaders' commitment. This could point to potential gaps where leaders' actions do not always match the ethical rhetoric or where some leaders are less engaged with sustainability initiatives than others.

3.Concerns about Commitment:

Although the "Never" category is small (6.25%), it is significant enough to warrant concern. It shows that some employees feel that the leaders do not demonstrate a commitment to sustainable and ethical practices. This could indicate a disconnect between the organisation's stated values and actual practices or might reflect the views of a disengaged minority.

Relation to Overall Study Findings:

Alignment with Ethical Leadership Principles:

•Most positive responses align with the theory that ethical leaders influence organizational culture positively. This agrees with the literature that emphasizes the importance of leader behaviours in shaping perceptions and attitudes towards sustainability.

Influence on Organisational Culture:

•The data indicate the existing organisational culture regarding sustainability. A culture that frequently demonstrates ethical practices is likely to be more cohesive and aligned with sustainability goals, which may contribute to a stronger organisational identity and better performance in the tourism sector.

Focus Areas:

•The variability in responses suggests a need to focus on areas where perceptions of leadership commitment could be stronger. This could involve leadership training, better communication of sustainability initiatives, or more consistent implementation of ethical policies across the organisation.

Implications for Sustainability Practices:

•The chart underscores the importance of leadership commitment in driving sustainable practices within the tourism sector. The overall trend towards positive perceptions supports the idea that ethical leadership will likely promote sustainability within the organisations surveyed, which is essential for long-term success in tourism.

Discussion

1.Ethical Leadership Perception and Organisational Culture:

Research Question: How do leaders in Colombian tourism organisations perceive and implement ethical leadership principles and behaviours?

Literature Context: Sharma, Agrawal, and Khandelwal (2019) stress the necessity for leaders to be integrally ethical, as this perception directly influences organisational culture and employee behaviour.

•Discussion: The positive responses in the bar chart suggest a strong alignment with ethical leadership, as conceptualised by Brown et al. (2005), who highlight the importance of leaders' visible ethical actions. The mixed responses, however, indicate variability in implementing these principles, mirroring the challenges in consistency discussed by Metwally et al. (2019). This reflects a culture that generally values ethical leadership but may need more uniformity in its application.

2.Strategic Integration of Ethical Leadership and Sustainable Practices:

Research Question: What challenges do Colombian tourism organisations face in integrating ethical leadership principles into their cultural norms and practices?

Literature Context: Tomassini and Baggio (2022) emphasise the critical role of leaders in ensuring the environmental and social sustainability of tourism practices, which seems partially recognised and acted upon by leaders in this study.

•Discussion: The presence of "Never" and "Sometimes" responses might indicate a gap between leadership intentions and actions, a point supported by Teng, Ma, and Jing's (2021) observation that ethical leadership in tourism should promote the well-being of society, including environmental concerns. The data suggests that while leaders are often committed, there is room for strategic improvement to overcome the noted implementation challenges.

Recommendations for Future Research:

1.Future research could conduct longitudinal studies to track how perceptions of ethical leadership evolve over time in response to targeted interventions and changing organisational strategies. This would address the variability in ethical leadership implementation and provide insights into the long-term impact of such practices.

2. Practically, organizations might consider developing targeted training programs that focus on ethical decision-making skills for leaders to amplify their influence on organizational culture.

Exploring the essential factors for developing successful personal professional branding among freelancers in Albania

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 23:18:21 GMT

by Suela Tuci.

The global landscape of work has witnessed a significant shift towards freelancing, driven by technological advancements, changing labor dynamics, and a growing preference for flexible employment. Albania, like many other countries, has experienced growth in freelancers across diverse sectors, ranging from accounting to creative services and consulting. In this evolving professional landscape, personal branding has emerged as an innovative approach used by freelancers to gain recognition for their expertise in a particular field or industry.

However, the factors contributing to the development of successful personal professional branding among freelancers in Albania remain relatively unexplored. This research seeks to address this gap by exploring the essential factors influencing personal branding effectiveness among freelancers in Albania. Furthermore, the research aims to investigate the challenges encountered in establishing or maintaining the personal professional brand as a freelancer in Albania, as well as the effective strategies and approaches to overcome these challenges.

Assessment Presentation - Wednesday 11 December 2024

ASSESSMENT PRESENTATION

Exploring Ethical Leadership on Organisational Culture:Colombian Travel Agencies

Exploring the essential factors for developing successful personal professional branding among freelancers in Albania