Embodying who we are:leader group prototypicality and leadership effectiveness

Leadership is a process enacted in the context of a shared group membership, and leadership effectiveness is contingent on followers' perceptions of the leader as a group member. Addressing this role of group membership, the social identity theory of leadership puts leader group prototypicality, the extent to which the leader is perceived to embody group identity, center-stage in leadership effectiveness. I review empirical research in leader group prototypicality, concluding there is a robust empirical basis for the key propositions of the social identity theory of leadership. I also identify newer developments that extend and enrich the social identity analysis of leadership, including attention to the roles of uncertainty, leader fairness, leader–follower relationship, leader self-perceived prototypicality, and leadership of creativity and innovation.

Reach improvement of mode division multiplexed systems using fiber splices

This letter proposes the introduction of discrete modal crosstalk (XT) through fiber splices for the improvement of the distance reach (DR) of mode division multiplexed (MDM) transmission systems over few mode fibers (FMFs). The proposed method increases the DR, reducing the time spread of the FMFs' impulse response. The effectiveness of this method is assessed through simulation considering 3 × 136-Gbit/s MDM-coherently-detected polarization-multiplexed quadrature-phase-shift-keying ultralong haul transmission systems employing inherently low differential mode delay (DMD) FMFs or DMD compensated FMFs. A maximum DR increase factor of 1.9 is obtained for the optimum number of splices per span and optimum splice XT level. © 1989-2012 IEEE.