The drip footwear brand: managing a successful start-up launch and rapid expansion during Covid-19 pandemic

Learning outcomes Students will be able to: describe the entrepreneurial traits required for successful business venturing; evaluate the entrepreneurial risks associated with a rapid business expansion in the early start-up phase of an entrepreneurial venture, especially in crisis; select and defend appropriate management systems that will contribute to the sustainability of a business post the crisis and rapid expansion; and evaluate the online social media optimisation strategies. Case overview/synopsis In July 2019, Lekau Sehoana launched branded sneakers called Drip. It took Lekau six weeks to sell the first 600 pairs of shoes from his car boot, not having applied any robust marketing strategies. During the interactions with customers, it became clear that there was a demand for a new South African sneakers brand. In December of the same year, he manufactured and within a few days, sold 1,200 sneakers. This rapid achievement was enough confirmation for Lekau that there was a need for locally manufactured and branded shoes. Based on this success, Lekau started to consider the launch of his own business. However, during the process of the formal launch, the world was suddenly experiencing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the planning stage regarding the mode of operation and the full business launch, in March 2020, South Africa was placed into the Covid-19 Alert Level 5 lockdown, complicating the decision-making process even further. Despite the extremely severe lockdown regulations that lasted more than a year, in May 2021, Lekau had already managed to open 11 stores in reputable malls and sold hundred thousands of his sneakers. This instant success, putting pressure on the manufacturing ability, distribution and costing structure, led to Lekau becoming concerned about having grown and still growing too fast too soon during a pandemic. His concern was what would happen when the country would move back to normal, without the constraints caused by the lockdown, would he be able to sustain the growth and how would he achieve this, and how would he be able to manage the fast-growing venture? Complexity academic level Entrepreneurship, Innovation, General Management and Marketing courses at the Postgraduate Diploma and Masters level. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CCS 3: Entrepreneurship.

The “case to theory transformation method” for initiating is theory: the process and an illustration using is integration following mergers and acquisitions

PurposeThis to show how critical success factors (CSFs) from practitioner-oriented research can be tested and used to generate new theory.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses an extended example regarding the integration of IT departments following organizational mergers and acquisitions to illustrate in proof of concept that such practitioner-oriented research can generate new substantive theory and be used to begin a cycle of representation-testing leading to enhancing domain knowledge. The method used consists of the identification of an exemplary practitioner-oriented research article, restatement of CSFs into testable propositions, gathering data through interviews with phenomenon participants, analyzing and interpreting data relative to these CSFs, then presenting the results pertaining to these CSFs and observations from examining them holistically.FindingsNo CSFs were affirmed in all cases, neither were they rejected in all cases. The pattern of answers reveals a significant difference between factors representing general management best practices and technical practices. The higher frequency among management factors shows a relative universality to these items, whereas the technical issues are noted less frequently as they each apply to smaller subsets of all post mergers and acquisitions integrations but remain critical when they do apply. This set of responses suggests that the frequency of responses does not indicate the importance of any given factor across settings.Research limitations/implicationsThis study suggests (1) CSFs, while generally helpful, can also be misleading when applied such that, where of potential importance, they can be brought into a theorizing mode for refinement and extraction of additional knowledge; (2) that CSFs can be sorted into those tending toward general management principles that apply most frequently in contrast to those of critical importance but applicable across fewer situations; and (3) that as a proof of concept the case to theory transformation method can work to introduce heuristic knowledge into a process-initiating theorizing, raising prospects for subsequent continued improvement.Practical implicationsAssuming robust reporting of CSFs in well-conducted cases, this study knows that at least in one setting these factors were important in achieving particular results. However, this study does not know, without subsequent testing and theorizing, whether the factor applies across circumstances and whether it requires particular handling (e.g. timing may be critical but relies on varied conditions to indicate when actions need be taken). By theorizing based upon CSFs for important IS phenomena, the authors create a bridge between knowledge as used in practice and the scientific tools for increasing its value over time.Originality/valueAlthough the authors know of case and multiple case studies surfacing best practices in post mergers and acquisitions integrations, they know of no broad studies across numerous organizations; they also know of no studies demonstrating the relationship of management and technical CSFs in an IS phenomenon. Further, although there are other techniques advocated for theory initiation and building, the authors know of none that transforms heuristic or anecdotal knowledge for subsequent theorizing and continual improvement at a more detailed level than mid-range theory.

Agricultural Information Systems (AGRIS) as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa

The absence of well-developed agricultural information systems (AGRIS) has continued to hinder agricultural development in Africa. Efforts designed to modernize agriculture through AGRIS by the public and private sectors have been hindered by administrative bottlenecks, weak political will from governments, display of ineptitude by farmers/associations, and institutional corruption. In view of the foregoing, this chapter discusses AGRIS as a catalyst for SDGs in Africa. An effective AGRIS will strengthen decisions on the general management of the agricultural sector. Deploying the AGRIS for the management of agriculture will boost food production, increase the GDPs and directly strengthen the actualization of SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 10, SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG 14, SDG 15, SDG 17, and indirectly impact other SDGs. Ultimately, this chapter suggests leveraging AGRIS for mitigating all the identified challenges to agricultural development in the continent.

Metacognitive processes and qualities as determinants of general management styles

The article presents theoretical and empirical materials that reveal the specifics of the main parameters of the metacognitive sphere of personality as determinants of general management styles. It is shown that one of the most constructive means of such disclosure is to identify the relationship between management styles as one of the central constructs of management psychology, on the one hand, and the main metacognitive parameters (procedural, strategic and other characteristics), on the other. The regularities of the influence of metacognitive factors on the main general management styles are established. It is shown that they are characterized by different values of the indexes of integration (coherence), differentiation (divergence) and the index of general organization of the metacognitive sphere. The provisions are formulated according to which general management styles have a structural, rather than analytical determination in relation to those metacognitive factors on the basis of which they are formed.

Management Culture Metaphysics: Chaos, Order, Harmony

Introduction. Modern science, based on the abstract-logical method of cognition, is not able to comprehend the deep meaning of management culture in the organization processes of nature and society. A manager who uses a purely scientific approach will see only a part of the management object and not all its integrity and completeness. Purpose and methods. The purpose of the article is a metaphysical analysis of chaos, order, and harmony as fundamental concepts of general management culture, which will create a reliable tool for penetrating the depths of things and give not secondary interpretations, but to understand the essence of management culture yesterday, today and in the future. The methodological basis of the study is the metaphysical and dialectical principles of cognition, systemic and culturological approaches to the study of organizational phenomena and processes, as well as the fundamental provisions of the theory and history of culture. Results. The main approaches to the representation of chaos, order, and harmony in the mythopoetic picture of the world are considered. The most significant features of understanding chaos, order, and harmony in the philosophy of culture of the East are determined. The specifics of chaos, order, and harmony reflection in the philosophy of Western culture are revealed. A metaphysical synthesis of philosophical and scientific approaches to understanding chaos, order, and harmony in the context of management culture is carried out, and its deep essence is revealed. Conclusions. For the first time, a metaphysical analysis of chaos, order, and harmony in the organizational and cultural aspect was conducted, which allowed to penetrate the environment of transcendent management culture and to comprehend its deep meaning. The significance of the study is manifested in the addition of science to new theoretical provisions on the management culture metaphysics, as well as the possibility of using them in the training process of organizations’ managers.

NEUROPSYCHIATRIC ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS

Anti-bacterial are agents that inhibit bacterial growth or kills bacteria and are a sub-type of antimicrobials. These are drugs used to treat infections, but they sometimes pose a threat of adverse events. Some of these adverse events are neuropsychiatric, which are generally hard to diagnose and is often paid less attention. They account for about 30% of total Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) caused by drugs in patients without mental abnormalities. The spectrum ranges from episodes of seizure to acute psychosis. The article emphasizes the frequency of such adverse events and means to raise awareness among medical practitioners regarding the same. The various neuropsychiatric adverse effects and the agents responsible have been reviewed, along with their possible mechanisms and general management. The information for writing this review was selected by searching for keywords such as Neurotoxicity, GABA, Psychosis, Naranjo scale, and Antibiomania in databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, etc. After searching the articles in the above-mentioned databases, the articles were screened concerning their importance with our work and according to their title and abstract. Additional articles were discovered by checking the references in the current study's citations. Using this method, the various neuropsychiatric adverse effects of Antibacterial agents were summarized in this review.

Selection and Empowerment

This chapter addresses the selection and empowerment event in balanced leadership; that is, when a team member or a subteam is selected and subsequently authorized to temporarily lead the project. The chapter introduces selection and empowerment concepts, first from a general management and then from a project management literature perspective. Then the chapter drills down to the selection and empowerment practices found in projects. The assessment of these practices leads to five dimensions that make up the empowerment event, which manifests itself in four different empowerment types. Each type is described in terms of the profile of its empowerment dimensions. Together, the empowerment types form a career development framework for future leaders.

Ambidextrous Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence in Policing: A Conceptual Framework

This conceptual paper contributes to the literature by showing the need to understand artificialintelligence (AI) in policing outside the task-dependent environment of today. We examine AI in policing by outlining its potential opportunities and challenges in exploration for today’s policing tasks and beyond. Based on these findings, we reflect upon Holmqvist’s prior theorisation of the dynamics of organizational ambidexterity (i.e., exploitation and exploration). The paper offers future research avenues for public administration and general management researchers interested in AI.