CONLeader-R2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CONLeader-R2 - Essay Example In this way, the nature of leadership within an organization may contribute significantly to the manner in which the organization functions because the leader influences other members of the group to work towards the achievement of group goals. In the context of examining motivation of employees at an IT firm in Doha, it must be noted that cultural and religious factors play a significant role in influencing motivation of employees and organizational performance. Budhwar and Mellahi (2006:6) have pointed out that Arabic countries are primarily masculine and conform to a hierarchical structure. Hence leadership would need to adopt a contingency approach, such that a productive balance is achieved between the requirements of each task, the team needs, the organisational climate and the situational, contextual pressures. According to this approach, a leader would need to modify his or her approach to adapt to the contextual situation. For example, in a primarily masculine context such as that which exists in the Middle East, leadership by women would not be acceptable. Additionally, male leaders would also need to be sensitive to the cultural and religious needs of their primarily Muslim workforce and must adapt to those need s. According to Peddler et al (1994, cited in Cole, 1997:318), effective managers must possess â€Å"social skills and abilities, â€Å"emotional resilience†, â€Å"continuing sensitivity to events† and â€Å"proactivity, i.e, the inclination to respond purposefully to events†. This corroborates the application of a contingency approach to management wherein a leader in a management position in the Middle East. Since HRM theories have primarily been developed and tested primarily within a Western environment, their applicability in the Middle East may be limited within the Arab environment. The problem that arises when western