Generating Competitive Advantages for the Polytechnic Universities in Mexico

This chapter proposes an analytical framework to understand the trade-offs of a firm dedicated to educational services for creating and sustaining a superior performance respect to its competitors. The proposed approach focuses on polytechnic universities as the firm understudy. Based on a statistical data from Mexican government, the five forces of Porter methodology is applied to found the clients, suppliers, new entrants, substitutes, and rivalry of the Polytechnic University of Puebla (PUP). In this scenario, the existing strengths are detected and the target of the firm to get a sustainable competitive advantage is defined. Finally, the strategies to break the barriers are proposed. The authors argue that by using those strategies the wedge between willing to pay of the clients and the opportunity costs of the suppliers can be improved. Additionally, they argue that the positioning (consolidation and reputation) of the PUP is achieved by applying the proposed strategies.

Contemporary Change Management and Leadership in Local and International Businesses

Organizational change is to transfer the organization from its current position to the desired future state. This process involves the differentiation of the activities, processes, structure, and targets of the organization. It is significant for an organization to decide where it is supposed to be in the future and to comprehend how to get to that new status-quo. Increasing globalization, fast technological changes, necessity of a well-trained labor force, changing social and demographic structures have intensified the competition and organizational change has become inevitable. The elements of an effective change process are openness to change, willingness of the personnel, flexibility, adjustment capacity of the business, optimism, and effective planning of change. The change process affects the organizations at structural, managerial, and individual basis as a result of the success of the change process.

Management Practices at Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs)

This chapter explores management practices at work integration social enterprises (WISEs) in Croatia. WISEs are conceptualized as social mission-oriented organizations whose: 1) (financial) self-sustainability depends on success in conducting continuous commercial activities and 2) social mission is to (better) integrate vulnerable groups into the labor market (e.g., disabled people). The final sample included 23 organizations. The data was collected through in-depth interviews. The interviewees were selected purposively and included one highly ranked executive (director, owner, CEO, etc.) per each organization. The analysis revealed the following fields of management practices as the most significant: generation of business ideas, unique selling points, employee autonomy and decision-making process, division of labor, relationship with the “parent organization,” sources of funding, human resource configuration, staff development activities, and networking.

Understanding University Choice Decisions of Turkish Students

This chapter is designed to provide insights as to how different elements of university characteristics, campus visit, information sources, and students' personal characteristics influence their university behaviors directly and indirectly through their effects on university-related attitudes. Proposed relationships are tested with data collected from 421 respondents through structured questionnaires. This study enriches the university choice literature by investigating the effects of various university choice factors on both attitudinal and behavioral responses. As expected, it is found that while controlling other factors there is a positive relationship between students' attitudes toward university and preference for a university. Results provide evidence that some factors have a significant effect only on students' attitudinal responses, while some have a significant effect on behavioral responses. Unexpectedly, campus visit does not act as a moderator in the relationship between university perceptions and attitude toward university.

Change and Change Management in Organizations

The aim of this chapter is to make it easier to understand the concept of change and offer some suggestions on how the change should be managed. In this direction, change, change management, and its importance have been dealt with, and a conceptual framework has been established through examples. Then, the types of change are discussed by explaining what environmental factors bring about the change. The process of managing change is reviewed; the resistance to change and the sources that reveal this resistance are examined, as well as how to overcome the resistance. Finally, the role of the leader in change management and creating change culture has been discussed.

The Impact of Technological, Governance, and Political Capabilities on Firms' Performances Under Economic Turbulence

Although there have been various studies exploring the effects of capabilities on firms' performances, it is not clear whether particular capabilities would create more competitive advantage for firms under recessionary periods compared to expansionary periods. The main focus in this chapter is to examine the impacts of technological, governance, and political capabilities on firms' performances under recessionary and expansionary periods. The aim of this chapter is to explore these effects by drawing upon resource-based theory, transaction cost theory, and resource dependence theory.

Theoretical Perspective on Contemporary Leadership Styles

Leaders can influence the behavior of their followers through the use of different leadership styles. Therefore, the leadership style is viewed as a key determinant of organizational effectiveness. In recent years, leadership trends are changing rapidly, and paradigm shifts in leadership are occurring all over the world. There has especially been a significant expansion of research on contemporary leadership styles. This chapter reviews the most popular and influential leadership styles currently used and present a comprehensive view of two leadership approaches. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate the theoretical perspective of the transformational and relational leadership styles among contemporary leadership approaches. It is expected that research results will be a source for both educational and business contexts.

Importance of Women Employment in Economy

Women, who make up half of the world's population, are one of the key elements for social progress and development. However, women's participation in economic life, the level of utilization from social and economic development, unfortunately, is not directly proportional to the population. In a global sense, women live profound inequalities in many ways such as the economy, education, health, and social, which in turn significantly affects global development in a negative way. Women taking part in economic life ensures participation of them in the workforce at the ideal level and increases employment which is one of the main requirements of sustainable growth and development and is also the key to achieving a sustainable and balanced structure of growth and development. The low level of female employment at international standards leads to structural, economic, and social negativity in many aspects for a country. In this chapter, Turkey's case is discussed by investigating the place and the importance of women in the economy.

Critical Success Factors for Strategic Management of ITF R&D Projects Commercialization

Hong Kong's logistics and supply chain industry is facing challenges in this dynamic business environment. To increase the competitive advantage of the company, research and development (R&D) technology is a good tool for the company survive and create the core advantage in the company. This chapter reviews the existing Hong Kong logistics and supply chain trends, evolution of innovation, and evaluates the factors of new technology adoption. This research identifies the critical issue influencing R&D product commercializes to the market. The in-depth interview with the typical industry experts will be conducted to understand their deep-seated worry concerns and considerations for adopting the ITF R&D deliverables in the firm.

Service Learning

The chapter highlights the endogenous strengths that humans have of exposing society to sustainable change. At birth, humans bring with them a triptych code including, the social, emotional and spiritual, that needs to be further developed. Those non-cognitive skills that schooling should instill are possible via service learning education. Through education, individual citizens are enthused with harmonious cognitive and non-cognitive skills which are positive, inclusive, humane, in harmony with life and circumstances. In the current complex and uncertain economy, this education model is directed at social responsibility, social innovation, citizenship, personal and social commitment. Being holistic, multi-focused and dynamic, it brings together learning, service and the economy. This learning- teaching model aligns with an intellectual and humanized society; entails two simultaneous objectives, pedagogical and community collaboration; focuses on real circumstances, deals with community-identified needs, solidarity, cooperation, harmony and commitment.