Changing perspectives

Purpose – Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints 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 – Old habits sometimes die hard. But being locked in the past often proves restrictive or even damaging. Any refusal to embrace new and different ways of thinking is a formidable barrier to success in most contexts. Given today's increasingly global marketplace, such sentiments have never been more applicable to business organizations. For long enough, the view prevailed of a world made up of separate entities each on its own predestined journey. Any reaction between these entities was entirely due to cause-and-effect occurring in a linear fashion. This long-held perspective was inspired by the works of distinguished philosophers like Descartes and Newton. One of the most persistent effects of this approach is the belief that various cultures exist in isolation from each other. Ignorance thus ensures that difference is met with suspicion or even disdain. It also bears much responsibility for the assumed political and cultural supremacy which has long prevailed in western civilization. Practical implications – 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.