The impact of business strategy on leadership

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Marx

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the proposition that business strategy affects leadership functions, skills, traits, and styles, and to assess the implications of these effects for the practice of both leadership and strategic planning. Design/methodology/approach – This is an empirical study based on over 450 responses to an online survey. Continuous rating scales allowed the use of regression analysis to test the impacts of different strategies on leadership. Findings – The results provide strong empirical evidence that Product (Differentiation vs Low Cost strategies), Best Value, and Blue Ocean strategies have significant effects on leadership. Market strategies (Broad vs Niche strategies) have limited impacts. The greater complexity of Product, Best Value, and Blue Ocean strategies underlie these findings. Research limitations/implications – This study explores the effects of strategy on leadership. Future studies need to explore if these effects are moderated by external, competitive conditions, and if strategy mediates the impacts of leadership on organizational performance. Practical implications – The practical implications of these findings are that leaders must adjust their behavior and leadership styles to effectively implement alternative strategies, and planners must assess their organization’s leadership capabilities when formulating strategy. Originality/value – There have been numerous studies of the impacts of external/internal conditions on leadership, but this is one of the first studies of the critical impacts of strategy on leadership.

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-205
Author(s):  
Thorsten Schwetje ◽  
Christiane Hauser ◽  
Stefan Böschen ◽  
Annette Leßmöllmann

PurposeThe paper reports on a research project exploring the change in the organizational context of communicators and communication units in higher education and research institutions (HERIs), the importance of informal processes within their daily work and the great diversity of expectations communicators have to tackle.Design/methodology/approachBased on a literature review, a mixed-methods study combining expert interviews with 54 German HERI heads of communication units, an online-survey and a document analysis of organizational characteristics was conducted. Findings were validated in four focus groups.FindingsThe study illuminates the impact of organizational and operational structures of HERIs on communicators and their boundary spanning activities. Due to varying expectations of stakeholders, communicators constantly have to switch roles. Members of HERIs' executive boards affect status and working conditions for communicators in the organization.Research limitations/implicationsInterviews with other HERI actors, especially members of the executive board, are proposed to get more thorough insights into the organizational context of HERIs and the mutual expectations of different internal stakeholders.Practical implicationsInsights from the project may help HERI actors to reflect their organizational context and to identify potentially contentious structures or processes.Originality/valueCommunicating science sometimes clashes with complex organizational and operational structures. Despite the “organizational turn” in HERI research, there is a lack of data on the relation between communicators, their communication units and the larger organizational context. The exploratory study addresses this gap.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 7-8

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The role of HRM is increasingly being viewed in strategic as well as functional terms. The impact of SHRM on firm performance is also determined by factors in its internal and external contexts. Balance between these contextual dimensions and input from various actors in the organization can help increase the overall effectiveness of a SHRM system. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2006 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 279-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Gollan

PurposeThis article will outline a number of issues for organizations to consider when pursuing sustainable high performance workplace outcomes through high involvement management (HIM) initiatives and identifies those outcomes, which reinforce corporate profitability and corporate survival, and those that satisfy employee aspirations and needs in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachA model is presented that highlights the major factors, influences and outcomes of human resource sustainability in organizations. The paper then advocates an integrated model of the HIM process, emphasising the influence of organizational culture and the impact of the external environment based on human resources capabilities and sustainable organizational outcomes.FindingsOverall, what can be drawn from the research is that high quality communication and consultation between management and employees at the workplace is essential in achieving HIM and improved organizational performance and sustainable outcomes for organizations and employees.Research limitations/implicationsImportantly, the current evidence suggests that there are a number of necessary conditions when implementing HIM processes and approach: the research suggests management should inform, train and equip shopfloor employees to make decisions at their workplace and share ownership in the process.Practical implicationsThe practical implications are that managers need to reassess the role and level of the HR function, specifically its role in persuading organizations to adopt practices that support a sustainable approach.Originality/valueOnly by acknowledging the importance of employee satisfaction and commitment through the development of integrated employee consultation, organizational change, work and life policies, workplace institutions and comprehensive career development programs, will the organization achieve greater efficiency, and productivity.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giada Mainolfi ◽  
Donata Tania Vergura

PurposeThe study aims to contribute to the knowledge on the role of the fashion bloggers in the product adoption process in both advanced and emerging markets. Specifically, the study investigates the impact of credibility, engagement and homophily on intentions to buy fashion products recommended by the blogger.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical research builds on an online survey with a sample of 402 consumers (189 Italian and 213 Taiwanese). The proposed model was tested through structural equation modeling.FindingsResults showed that homophily and the fashion blogger credibility positively influenced the engagement within the blog. Moreover, perceived similarity with the other blog's followers (homophily) and a higher engagement with the blog both translated in a stronger intention to buy the sponsored products and to spread a positive word-of-mouth about the fashion blogger.Practical implicationsThe study has practical implications since it identifies strategic suggestions for both companies that create partnerships with famous fashion bloggers and bloggers who have turned their diary-style websites into a business.Originality/valueThe study contributes to a better understanding of the influence exerted by blog engagement on intentions to follow blogger's recommendations. The study also examines credibility and homophily as antecedents of engagement, which have not been extensively researched in the past with respect to blogs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 54-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Buell Hirsch

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine and assess the importance of corporate reputation as a tool of business strategy. The topic has been the subject of significant discussion particularly with respect to reputation rankings and metrics. The author wanted to assess the evidence for the importance of reputation to a company’s success and whether there were related activities that might be of equal or greater value. Design/methodology/approach The approach was to review some of the more prominent reputation rankings and metrics and, anecdotally, to assess the impact of negative reputation impacts on market share and revenues. The author also tried to identify other corporate marketing strategies that might be of greater value than a focus on reputation alone. Findings What the author has determined was that there would always be a place for opinion surveys of reputation and the rankings that go with them, as well as certain outcomes-based metrics with a reputation component. However, the author believes that comprehensive influencer engagement programs have the greater potential for a positive impact on a company’s business success while, at the same time, supporting its reputation. Research limitations/implications The findings’ principal limitations are the subjective nature of the review and evaluation which are based on the author’s 30-year career in helping companies manage their reputation. Practical implications The practical implications of the paper are that companies should pursue a balanced reputation strategy, not solely restricted to seeking rankings and awards but equally, if not more, focused on creating the kinds of influencer engagement that are a richer and truer source of long-term reputation. Social implications The author believes that by focusing on the needs and interests of real influencers as opposed to abstract opinion survey panels, companies will do much more concrete work that creates social as well as business value. Originality/value While a great deal has been written about reputation and trust, the author believes that this is the first attempt to connect reputation with influencer engagement as a strategy.


2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-25

PurposeReviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.Design/methodology/approachThis briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.FindingsIn today's service‐based companies, employees are “the center of organizational performance”. For the service‐based firm, where people deliver the service or where they become inseparable from the service, employees feel they are valued because they possess an acute awareness of the impact they have on their company's strategy.Practical implicationsProvides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.Originality/valueThe briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to digest format.


Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Liu ◽  
Mehdi Darbandi

PurposeFundamental literature exists on the employment of diverse information technology (IT) innovations relied on utility computing, a little experimental literature exists on cloud computing adoption by medium enterprises. So, this essay aims to analyze the determinants of the acceptance of cloud computing in medium-sized organizations. It also targets the impact of cloud-depended services on employers' talent management in the analysis areas of research reports, hypotheses and frameworks used by them.Design/methodology/approachCloud computing is a novel and notable development in the network application field with a novel IT viewpoint. The present investigation aims to assist and enrich the scientific argument regarding the phenomenon nominated cloud computing from a managerial perspective. A quantitative study design was utilized to gather and analyze the data. In total, 345 employees from different medium enterprises reported their perspectives via an online survey. Partial least squares was used to evaluate the model of the study. The investigation was performed from April 2020 to November 2020.FindingsAs expected, the empirical analysis results revealed that cloud computing adaption drivers positively and significantly associated with talent management. The results showed that organizational level is the most important factor in the effectiveness of talent management. Further, this study established a cloud strategy that moderates the relationships between cloud computing adaption drivers and talent management. As a general result, organization managers must implement cloud computing to improve organizational performance, reduce costs, enhance organizational innovation and reduce repetitive work. So, international trade facilitates and helps the country's economy.Research limitations/implicationsThere are still some drawbacks of this analysis that require addressing the findings. Initially, the authors gathered a country's data. Second, by considering multiple significant structures from four aspects, they established the study model. Third, utilizing one-time cross-sectional data, the suggested model was evaluated. As a proposal, future researchers could investigate cloud computing adoption drivers' outcomes within other organizations.Originality/valueThis research presents a straightforward and easy model for understanding the cloud's effect on employee talent management. By systematizing the unrelated studies on the subject and organizing those contributions into strong managerial literature paradigms, such an aim has been accomplished.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1987-2006
Author(s):  
Yuk Ling Angie Lee ◽  
Ashish Malik ◽  
Philip J. Rosenberger III ◽  
Piyush Sharma

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the differences in the mediating roles of trust and knowledge sharing (formal vs informal) in the process by which training and incentives influence organizational performance (sales increase and labor productivity). Design/methodology/approach The data from an online survey of Senior Managers from 119 firms in Hong Kong’s clothing industry (HKCI) was analyzed using SmartPLS software. Findings Trust has a stronger mediating impact in the effects of incentives (vs training) on both formal and informal knowledge sharing. Informal (vs formal) knowledge sharing has a stronger mediating impact in the effects of trust on sales increase and labor productivity. Research limitations/implications Future research may consider different dimensions such as knowledge donating and collecting behaviors, as well as motives, such as self-enjoyment, reciprocity or social interaction ties to study knowledge sharing behavior. Practical implications This study shows that incentives are more likely than training to help build a trusting environment in an organization and that informal knowledge sharing has a stronger influence on organizational performance than formal knowledge sharing. Originality/value The study’s distinctive contribution is the under-researched context of HKCI for investigating the mediating effects of trust and formal and informal knowledge sharing between ability and motivational practices on performance.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 20-22

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The cost to the environment that our current way of life is extracting is hard to calculate exactly, but few now deny that it is not unsustainable and potentially fatal. Our awareness of climate change and the impact consumerism has on our lives is becoming a constant concern, particularly in those countries that consume the most resources. While people individually, and at a government level, are concerned and acting with more environmental awareness, some of the most damaging behavior is occurring in consumer-driven private sector. Yet as many businesses continue with the attitude of profit before principle, some are now seeking ways to reduce their impact on the environment, both through their own production processes, as well as through their behavior or their customers. These companies, studied by Bocken (2017), have been able to reduce the consumption of both themselves and their customers, without harming their profits, and improving growth. Through careful business strategy innovation, similar practices should be possible in all sizes of companies and across all types of industry. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 883-893
Author(s):  
John J. Sailors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore a host of issues related to the use of marketing metrics and firm performance in the context of the Middle East. Specifically, it seeks to explore which marketing metrics relate to perceived performance, to understand how frequency of metric reporting impacts perceived performance, to identify the impact that marketing dashboards have on perceived firm performance and to analyze how measurement ability relates to perceived performance. Design/methodology/approach This paper used an online survey administered to marketing managers at firms located in the Middle East. A total of 55 participants provided usable data. Participants provided the frequency at which 71 different marketing metrics are reported by their firms and their assessments of the firm’s performance with respect to sales growth, market share growth, and profitability. In addition, they indicated whether or not a marketing dashboard was used to report these metrics, and if so, how long ago the dashboard had been implemented. They also assessed their firm’s holistic ability to measure and use metrics compared to their competition. Findings As expected, marketers in the Middle East found the marketing metrics examined to vary in their usefulness as judged by their relationship to perceived performance. For those metrics that were perceived to be useful, their utility tended to peak at a moderate level of reporting frequency. These findings also varied by the type of performance considered. The use a marketing metric dashboard did not relate to perceived performance, but the frequency with which the dashboards were reported was found to have a negative linear relationship to perceived performance. Overall, the more capable respondents judged their firms to be with respect to measuring and reporting metrics, the higher their perceived performance. Practical implications This paper offers new insights into the usefulness of a wide variety of marketing metrics to marketers in the Middle East. It also provides guidance on the ideal reporting frequency for those metrics. The findings suggest that marketers in the Middle East should focus on reporting key metrics at an appropriate frequency, regardless of whether or not a dashboard format is used. If a dashboard is used, the results of this paper suggest that care should be taken that it not be reported too frequently. Originality/value This paper contributes to our understanding of how marketing metrics relate to performance. As the first such study undertaken in the context of Middle Eastern marketers, it represents an important replication and extension of previous findings in other contexts.


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