Change oriented leadership

Yahoo was once a giant in the internet world, experiencing rapid growth and soaring stock prices after being founded in 1994. But currently Yahoo is struggling against fierce competitors such as Google and Facebook. It was clear to their Board of Directors and shareholders that radical change was necessary in order for Yahoo to remain competitive. In 2012 former Google executive Marissa Mayer was named as the new CEO.

Since joining Yahoo, Mayer has not been shy or hesitant about bringing about change. This has included the purchase of over 20 companies, banning teleworking, strict new hiring policies, and clashes with other senior executives and shareholders. The results so far have been mixed, with some observers saying her hard-nosed approach is what is needed for a struggling company like Yahoo and others saying that her style is overbearing and unnecessarily harsh.

First, carefully review the four background readings on change-oriented leadership with close attention to the definitions of transformational, transactional, and charismatic leadership. You need to apply these definitions when writing your paper. Then do some research on Marissa Mayer and her approach to managing change. You will find a lot of articles about her as she is frequently in the news. Here are a few articles to get you started:

Barine, A. & Minja, D. (2012). Chapter 2: Definitions of transformational leadership. Transformational Corporate Leadership. Andrews LTD., Luton, Bedfordshire, GBR, pp. 32-47 [Ebrary]

Rainey, H. (2009). Chapter 11: Leadership, managerial roles, and organizational culture. Understanding and Managing Public Organizations (4th Edition). Jossey-Bass.

Hoboken, NJ, pp. 325-333. [Ebrary – you don’t have to read the whole chapter just the sections on transformational and charismatic leadership]