Saturday, 22 November 2014

government, economy and society



 THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIVERSITY
BY
MUOGBO MICHAEL IZUCHUKWU
SS/PP/2368
TERM PAPER:
THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIVERSITY

Being a Term Paper submitted to the Department of Philosophy, Seminary of  Saints Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan, in Affiliation with the University of Ibadan, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy (B.A. HONS.).

COURSE
GOVERNMENT, SOCIETY AND ECONOMY

COURSE CODE
SS/SOC/104

LECTURER
DR. R. AYEDE

DATE: JUNE, 2013.

INTRODUCTION
Government is a political organization comprising the individuals and institutions authorized to formulate public policies and conduct affairs of state. Governments are empowered to establish and regulate the interrelationships of the people within their territorial confines, the relations of the people with the community as a whole, and the dealings of the community with other political, environmental and social entities. The role of government is a work of the adaptation of means to an end.

Leadership is the ability to guide, direct or influence people. Groups of people living in bands have no formal leadership, and all people have input in making group decisions. Most decision-making in a government occurs within the governance, the leaders. Occasionally, leaders make important decision regarding how diversity should be managed for the welfare of the society at large. Commonly under the circle of government, most leaders have the same status.
Diversity is an ethnic variety, as well as socio economic and gender variety in a group, society, institution or government. Diversity can be in any form, cultural, economic, social, religious, ethnic, population, linguistic etc. Good management of diversity would lead to actualization of a better civilization status and stand in a society. Good management of diversity by a leader shows that he has the potentials and qualities of a good leader and has left behind assets and legacies and a full exercise of his political power.
One of the obstacles that prevent unity in a society is the failure to accept the differences in others. Unity only comes in a society when pluralism or diversity is well taken care of in the society; the failure to accept the differences in others keeps the society stagnant.
This term paper is concerned with pointing out the role of leadership in the management of diversity, but before I proceed to the task of this paper, I would like to make a conceptual clarification of terms as they relate to this work.

CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?
Leadership in theory signifies the ability of a person or group of persons to persuade others to act by inspiring (Robertson 1985:180) in them confidence in the rightness of one’s purpose, courage in their collective execution and obedience in the threat of resistance (scruton 1982: 260). Leadership essentially emanated from personality characters and qualities of an individual but also should be considered under the social context.
Emphasis is placed on various dimensions of leadership by the definitions, and the emphasis varies with the leadership type. Leadership needs to be positive for it to lead to a better society; leadership drives the society to desirable or undesirable direction, depending on the qualities of such leadership and the influence of the leader(s), whether the leader(s) have a positive or negative influence on the society.

WHO IS A LEADER?
A leader is a person who knows the way, shows the way and has the ability, quality and potential of persuading the people to follow the way. A leader is an agent of social change and directs a group towards definite and defined goals.
             Leaders can be categorized as being heroic, reconciliational, transformational and transactional. Each of the leaders from these categories is characterized by their qualities and the dynamics of their leadership, their leadership strategy. A heroic leader, sets a goal for achievement and draws people to his company in pursuing the goal, a reconciliational leader advocates unity in addressing issues that threatens the unity and integrity of his community or society, transformational and transactional leaders are agents of social changes, they directs and lead the pursuit of a definite achievement. Leadership style also helps in the management of diversity.



QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER
Qualities attributed to objects, actions, and ideas and what is good is thought to be beneficial. Also concerned about leadership is a leadership tendency and quality that will enhance/ facilitate, bring about progress and result to good atmosphere in a leadership tenor by a leader. Such qualities include: courage, confidence, creativity, competence, humility, strong will, integrity, ethics, modesty, management/administration, focus etc.

THE IDEA OF DIVERSITY

One of the obstacles that prevent unity in a society is the failure to accept the differences in others. Unity only comes in a society when pluralism or diversity is well taken care of in the society; the failure to accept the differences in others keeps the society stagnant.
Diversity is all about improvement and efficiency. It capitalizes all the effort and strength of every society. Diversity is most simply defined as understanding, manifesting and valuing the differences in every society as well as the individuals that constitute the society. Diversity is in this context can be defined as a range of many strictly different things especially with regards to politics, government and governance, that is, different varieties of idea, resources, will, laws, regulation, opinions, policies etc.
In the context of politics, leadership and government, diversity is the plurality or difference that exist between peoples of a state in terms of economy, resources, language, religion, gender, ethnicity, age, occupation, status, culture, tradition etc. diversity when not properly manage, turns to be a challenge to leadership.
Diversity does not only imply the above mentioned areas but also the diversity of different individual qualities


MANAGEMENT
Management with regards to diversity is a proper coordination, development and administration of diversity with a positive aims of booming the existence order, peace, security and stability. This involves picking the uniqueness of every group and personal individuals. Management with regard to leadership is a royal commission of maximum proper control and care taking of the different human and material resources of a particular community or society.
In terms of politics and government, it is the proper management of both human and material resources; production and distribution of resources with measures of equality in others to make the society conducive for the citizens, to establish peace, equity and justice, and equally for the sustainability of life and consistent production and equal distribution.
THE AIM AND IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
The problem of diversity should be given a primordial attention in every government because it is a double necessity that diversity should be well managed and utilized positively for the well being of different groups of people and the enhancement of the society at large. Diversity can be developed and shaped in a way that will suit the society.
Essentially, diversity should be well and positively managed for the following reasons: (a) to compensate and correct past and continuing racism/ ethnicity or sexism, (b) to reduce group-based inequalities for realizing a democratic society, (c) to promote social inclusion, (d) to provide the disadvantage and minority group the portion of their national right, (e) to reduce inequality and foster democratic leadership, (f) to broaden the perspective of the society at large.

THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIVERSITY
Building up a society or an organization, requires a diverse resources both material and human resources. To make a good society in the presence of diversity, the leader should avoid choosing people that are like him, he need to pick people with different backgrounds, experiences and cultures so that problems and challenges can be looked at from a broad perspective and opinions will come from broad angles. The proper management of diversity in a given society will eradicate all forms of bias.
The role of leadership in the management of diversity is to put people, places, environment and situations in order and united; establishing integrated relationships and tolerance by reducing or totally removing (if necessity demands) social, economic, religious, ethnic, cultural etc. inequalities that exist among the different groups that constitute the state through the most effective and possible means, in order to curb diversity.
Diversity if not carefully managed may bring about failures in leadership and may end up tearing the society apart. The management of diversity therefore requires the acceptance, understanding and utilization of the different values and essence of different things; this implies dedication, devotion and fairness in the management of a leadership plan.
The role of leadership in the management of diversity should not be taken for granted and should be clearly stated in order to achieve the virtues of being successful, peaceful, united stable. Affirmative actions which involve social inclusion and equality should be formulated and implemented in order to keep the vision and mission of a leadership strategy clear and accomplished respectively.
Diversity is manageable by different groups, associations and organizations of a leadership plan if and only if they can they possess the values, qualities, capability and will to enhance stability, justice and tranquility through objective means. The role of leadership in the management of diversity should be objective, equally effective and legitimate.
There are four modes or strategies in which it may be possible to exercise management over diversity by a leadership tenor in order to protect the society, its positive interests and equally to bring peace, order, stability etc. The strategies correspond with the forms of government involved and they include: democratic, the autocratical, aristocratical and monarchical strategies.
Here I will discuss the role of leadership in managing the different possible problems of diversity facing a government or the governance of a particular place.

·                     THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN MANAGING ECONOMIC DIVERSITY
Economic diversity is the plurality of different means or objectives of enhancing and maximizing the productive power and agencies of a society. This involves a proper management of the different means by which a society’s economic status can be maximized. This also involves the synthesis of the different resources; just as in a pluralistic society, whether the diversity is based on culture, religion or otherwise, the leadership should try and put together the differences that exist between such values, concepts or sectors. Those in stable industries such as autos and electrical appliances should seek to apply their financial and managerial expertise to small- and medium-sized companies in the society.

MEANS BY WHICH LEADERSHIP CAN MANAGE ECONOMIC DIVERSITY
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Affirmative actions are specially formulated policies designed by a government to actively address institutionalized or informal cultural norms and systems that perpetuate group- based disadvantage, and the inequalities historically resulting from them, and to promote an inclusive community, as ideal of democracy.
The economy of a society can be maximized and stabilized if diversity is positively managed, that is under the development and influence of a positively managed diversity. Diversity can be managed through different democratic strategies or simply put different governmental policies like:
·         Quota : this is a policy that states equal number representation of different groups; ethnic, religious etc. in the affairs of government
·         Federal character: this is the form of affirmative action where the basic constituents of the federal government are fairly managed, in terms of production and distribution of resources.
·         Federal contract program: this form states that federal contract program should not be limited to particular areas like the urban centers, but should extend to the other parts of the state for the attainment of maximum development.
·         Equal opportunity: this is the form of affirmative action that considers equal recruitment of citizens from different groups (ethnic, religious, gender etc) into government works. Example of country where it is practiced is Canada.

·                     THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN MANAGING RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
Leadership has a great role to play in the management of religious diversity. Religious diversity is the plurality of different religions and denominations in a particular place, especially when they cause troubles or rather when there is a kind of cold war or unhealthy competitions between them.
            The government is there to direct the affairs of the state and not to entertain religious denominations. Religion is under the state, in other word the state and its government supersedes religion and this gives the leaders a kind of authority in some extents, to decide for religious groups. A leadership tenor is expected to be neutral to all religions. Religious diversities can lead to destabilization of a state but it is still controllable or rather manageable by leadership depending on the strategies of its approach towards that particular problem facing.
            Leadership can handle religious diversity through formulation of policies and strict adherence to it, to guide and control religious activities in the state as well as to mark boundaries for them with regards to the interest of people of the other religion.
The leadership needs to entertain all the religions in the case of religious diversity, that is freedom of religion and there should be frequent inter-religious dialogues. The leadership needs to make sure that there is no course of religious superiority so that there will be understand and acceptance among people of different religions. When a leadership exhibits these things, invariably it is not giving chance or room for religious diversity.

·                     THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN MANAGING ETHNIC/ CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Leadership needs to realize that all the cultures constituting its society are the potentials of their political success. Ethnic diversity is said to be in a place when the place has many different varieties of people under their many different respective ethnic groups and ethnic diversity implies cultural diversity. Leadership can manage ethical diversity by not giving primary attention to any of them, by not making any a subject to the other, by not giving priority to any of them, by not taking any to be superior to others. Leadership should as well make provision for an act that will clearly stipulate the fundamental human rights so that the rights of the disadvantaged and minority groups would not be taken from them.
A leadership tenor should make sure that the different ethnic groups are treated as being equal with others. A leadership manages ethnical diversity by ensuring an equitable distribution of resources among the various ethnic groups. A leadership can also create associations for the actualization of unity among the ethnic groups and should make sure that no ethnic group is left behind when sorting opinions or making decisions about the nation’s welfare so that no ethnic group will fell ignored or cheated, e.g. in Nigeria, for a good management of cultural diversity by the leaders, there should be no domination of the nation’s executive, judiciary and legislative arms of government by people of the same ethnic group; for instance when the vice president, senate president, chief justice and a good number of ministers are from the same ethnic group, then diversity is not well managed. No ethnic group or culture should be taken as not being relevant, or less useful to the society.
The various cultures and ethnic groups should be well represented and this can be well done and effective in a leadership through affirmative actions. A leader should avoid ethnocentrism and cultural bias, initiate and implement cultural relativism, should give essence and meaning to the values and cultural contents of the different ethnic group and should be objective to all of them and subjective to none of them. *


·                     THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN MANAGING LANGUAGE DIVERSITY
Language diversity occurs in a situation where by there are many different languages and dialects in a society. A dialect is a version of a language that differs in pronunciation, grammar, and/or vocabulary. Determining whether the speech of a group of people is a dialect of a language, or has changed enough to be considered a distinct language, is a matter of convention as much as linguistic.
The greatest linguistic diversity is found in regions that sustain large populations, but where geographic features help keep groups of people apart. In the area of greatest linguistic variation, the leadership is able to manage the diversity of language when it is able to introduce an official language, a lingua franca for the state. Example: in Nigeria, we have English as the official language.

CONCLUSION  
The role of leadership in the management of diversity is clearly stated with reference to the different problems of diversity in which it is addressing. Leadership has a great role to play in pluralized societies, which are areas with many problems of diversity. In the exception of will and ability, a strategy is required for a leadership plan to manage a specific problem of diversity be it religious, cultural or otherwise.
Just as in a pluralistic society, whether the diversity is based on culture, religion or otherwise, the leadership should try and put together the differences that exist between such values or qualities so that the economy and resources of the society would be well managed and utilized. It is important that leadership should assemble the differences in all the different groups and individuals of the society and utilize them for the betterment of the society at large.





BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.      D.D. Raphael. Problems of Political Philosophy; second edition. Macmillan Press Ltd, London. 1990.

2.      Boom B.S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook 1: the Cognitive Domain. New York: Addison Wesley Publishing Company.

3.      Nadler, Leonard (1984). The Handbook of Human Resources Development. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

4.      Anthony D’Souza. Leadership. Better Yourself Books, Bandra, Mumbai. 2001.

5.      Rev. Fr. Innocent Jooji. Mending the Cracked Pot. Daily Graphics Nigeria Limited, Ibadan. 2003.

6.      Joseph Omoregbe. Social-Political Philosophy and International Relations. Joja Press Limited, Mary land, Lagos. 2007.

7.      Dr. R. Ayede. Handout on government and governance. Level 100; 2012/2013 academic session.

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