Epilogue

In this chapter, the editors present a brief summary commentary and reflective overview of the emergent themes, issues, and problematic areas the chapter authors have drawn to readers' attention in this book, and the editors tentatively indicate some potential or possible future directions for research and development of global business. They recognize that there are rapidly changing social mores and culture is a fluid but deep river running through diverse channels in the Lifeworlds and Workworlds of leaders today. They point to the perceived gap in leadership in reference to the uptake and understanding of these digital technologies and suggest that the implications include new ways of thinking as well as new competences for changing ways of working in the networked world of business. Crucially, the editors also reiterate that these are deeply human endeavors, and as such, the complexity of the technology does not negate or overwhelm the interactive dynamic complexity of human relations between leaders and others who inhabit and who view these conjoined worlds through many cultural windows.

Visualisations of Relatonics

This chapter is based on theorising and analysis from an ongoing research and development project exploring the use of visualisations in task-based development, specifically the potential of new types of organisational images that may support understanding about work-integrated learning. Thus, the aim of the chapter is to explore the possibilities of visualising work-integrated competence networks—here referred to as relatonics—and contribute to the understanding of how such visualisations can support efforts of organising change when organisational boundary-crossing cooperation is needed for a significant task. A conclusion is that images representing relatonic can be utilised to identify areas with a developmental need and, in this way, are a resource to make more knowledgeable interventions and enable a relatonic to emerge in certain directions.

Principles of Effective E-Learning

What are the primary principles of effective e-learning and the subsequent impact on leadership in global business as digital technologies mediums continue to emerge within academia and the workplace? Maxwell (2013) defines this principle as “instructional practices and internet capabilities that direct learners toward a specified level of proficiency and competency in the shortest amount of time” (p. 89). Traditional learning measures that require extensive face to face interaction no longer fit Maxwell's description and inhibit audiences that require flexibility in obtaining proficiency on tasks like annual training requirements and sustaining Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for certifications. This chapter introduces the foundation of e-learning parameters, Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM), Instructional Management Systems (IMS), and how these mediums interact with learners in conjunction with its impact on leadership, business outcomes, and organizational value.

Embracing “Bring Your Own Device”

People today have greater access to information than ever previously thought possible, and through the acquisition of knowledge feel, they have more control and certainty in their lives. New usages of IT, the expansion of smart phones and tablets, and the arrival of the Internet generation in the job market now mean that the separation between private life and professional life has become muddled. A challenge for modern organisations is whether to allow employees to use their own devices or attempt to halt this advancing tide. Although there is some disagreement about the drivers and perceived benefits, an increasing number of organisations are beginning to accept the practice of “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD). In view of this emerging trend in the modern workplace, this chapter outlines a number of risk control and mitigation strategies that organisations may consider adopting to address the challenges associated with BYOD that lie ahead.

Data Privacy vs. Data Security

This chapter assumes data is a key asset that, if lost or damaged, severely disrupts business capability and reputation. The chapter has one core purpose, to provide leaders with sufficient understanding of two data management fundamentals, data privacy and data security. Without that understanding, Information Technology (IT) security will always be seen as a cost on, not an investment towards, quality and performance. The chapter reviews the relationship between data privacy and data security. It argues that data security cannot be achieved until data privacy issues have been addressed. Simply put, data privacy is fundamental to any data usage policy and data security to the data access policy. The topic is then discussed in broader terms, in the context of data and information management, covering various themes such as cyber-crime, governance, and innovations in identity management. The chapter's intended outcome is to clarify the relationship between data privacy and security and how this understanding helps reduce data abuse. The link between privacy and security will also demystify the reason for high costs in implementing and maintaining security policies and explain why leaders need to provide stronger IT strategic leadership to ensure IT investment is defined and implemented wisely.

A New Breed of Socio-Cultural Leaders and How They Use CSR in ICT for Development as a Tool of Sustainability

Academic research has been scant with regard to examining the impact of leadership on telecentre sustainability. This chapter evolved from the e-Sri Lanka program funded by the World Bank as a unique South Asian project, which has seen the establishment of a network of 765 Nenasala telecentres, both grass-root non-profit and for-profit enterprises as its main interface with the community. This context provided an interesting avenue in which to examine different leadership models in the digital age. Through comprehensive analysis of archival material, focus group data from Nenasala operators, and interview data from stakeholders in Sri Lanka, the findings reveal that leadership was key to Nenasala telecentre sustainability and success at the telecentre organisation level. The researchers find that one of the models, the special community-based leadership model adopted by Sri Lankan Nenasalas as a Socio-Cultural Leadership (SCL) approach prevalent in Sri Lankan not-for-profit Nenasala telecentres, successfully enhanced sustainability through community focus and demonstrated competitive advantage over their for-profit telecentre counterparts. These findings suggest that a replication of the study in other developing countries could prove to be invaluable.

Emerging Digital Technologies and Women's Leadership in Global Business

Despite progress, women in global business are still widely underrepresented in leadership positions. In their path to become leaders, women have to deal with gender stereotypes and discriminatory practices on a daily basis while they interact and perform their work. As emerging digital technologies become instrumental for interaction and performance of global business, women are required to increasingly contest gender inequalities and enact their leadership roles while using these technologies. This chapter explores to what extent the use of emerging digital technologies can contribute to contest gender inequalities and enact women's leadership in business. It does it by revising the literature on emerging technologies and organisational practices and implications for gender and leadership and presenting the findings of an ethnographic study conducted among women's leaders in a global business. The conclusion brings actionable insights and recommendations for professionals, policy makers, and future research.

The Role of Social Networking in Global Business Environments

This chapter introduces the role of social networking in global business environments, thus explaining the overview of social networking, the significance of social networking, the challenges of social networking in global business environments, the interaction on Social Networking Sites (SNSs), and leadership impacts arising from social networking. Social networking technology can facilitate the improved organizational productivity by enhancing the communication and collaboration of employees, which aids knowledge transfer and consequently makes organizations more effective. Leaders of global businesses should provide training through general education courses and lifelong learning and provide the necessary Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills for all employees to enhance their knowledge to deal with these new technologies in the social media age. Understanding the role of social networking will significantly enhance the organizational performance and achieve business goals in global business environments.

Leadership in the Digital Age

This chapter introduces the scope and focus of the new book. The reader is briefly introduced to the definitions and debates about leadership and management boundaries, differences, and overlapping responsibilities in the digital age. Drawing on both theory and practice, current issues and topics are covered in-depth, providing an introduction and overview of perceptible trends and scenarios relevant to the current post-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) leadership outlook for global business. The editors then provide an outline and overview of the chapters, topics, and themes of each chapter and a coherent rationale for this new book as developing discussions and research from their first book, Dynamic Models of Leadership for Global Business: Enhancing Digitally Connected Environments.

Leadership in the Age of Social Media

This chapter enquires into the “tricky,” and at present somewhat ambiguous, nexus between social media technologies and business leadership by analyzing the roles and influence of social media in shaping leadership processes within the recent “social media uprisings” using the case study of the 2011 Egyptian revolution. It is argued that “social media mobilizations” have inherently taken up the emergent potentialities of social media technologies in redefining the scope of leadership along increasingly constructionist, relational, and solidarity network leadership dimensions, centring on leadership as processes of influence and interaction generation. This represents a decentring of formal leadership structures as informal communication networks are favoured that rely on emergent and organic groupings of actors adept at coming together and dismantling rapidly as required by the movement in autonomous, targeted, and sometimes “one-off,” actions and partnerships. However, rather than relational and solidarity leadership processes becoming “leaderless,” this chapter finds that leaders still matter, albeit in relation to one another and other elements in networks, as multiple actors are capable and able to take on different roles as “leader” at different moments that are less “predictable” and “controllable” from traditional leadership and managerial points of view.