Leadership malpractice: exposing the reality underpinning unleaderly behaviour

Background A mounting body of research literature is highlighting the prevalence of serious malpractice by persons in leadership positions. Arguably, too many of those appointed to a leadership position believe that they have the right to act in any way that they choose. They believe that the title of ‘leader’ affords them the licence to act with little regard for others. But just because a person has been appointed to a leadership position, this does not automatically make them a leader. Nor does it imply that everything they do is leadership. Thus, the impetus for this article is the acknowledgement that it's time to clearly distinguish what truly constitutes leadership from that which is its antithesis – leadership malpractice. Not to do so only allows serious leadership malpractice to become normalised as acceptable leadership activity. Research Aim Therefore, the aim of this article is to first use research literature to describe the growing concern about the prevalence of malpractice by persons in leadership positions and then to illustrate how such malpractice can be naturally eradicated when leadership is seen, fundamentally, as a relational phenomenon. The purpose of this article is thus to provide a new theoretical perspective of leadership, one that will help to distinguish between that which is and is not leadership. Findings A close inspection of the extremely damaging and injurious outcomes produced by leadership malpractice shows that these mirror those caused by persons with extremely harmful psychosocial disorders. Despite any short-term gains, the research shows that leadership malpractice can ultimately cause serious and enduring poisonous effects on the individuals, families, organizations, communities, and even entire societies they lead. Furthermore, rules, regulations and policies have proven powerless. Seemingly, one cannot mandate true leadership; its manifestation must be inherent within our leadership theory. Practical implications In response, this article first explores the foundational values, principles and norms underpinning true leadership practice and then presents a new way to understand leadership from a transrelational perspective which naturally eradicates malpractice by those in leadership positions. Social implications Given that worldwide research has demonstrated how leadership malpractice causes seriously toxic personal, organisational and social outcomes, this article seeks to provide a theoretical rather than a technical or practical way of redressing this untenable situation. By inference, when leadership is practiced properly, when it is based upon apporpriate foundational values and principles, then malpractice is ended and workplaces become safe, gratifying and productive. Originality This article makes a significant contribution to the expanding area of research that is exploring the benefits to be gained by theorising leadership as a relational phenomenon.

The Link Between Sustainability Reporting and the Core Characteristics of Sustainable Human Resource Management

Background The concept of sustainable human resource management is becoming a core subject of sustainability reports. Current discussions in the literature focus on how to integrate human resource management (HRM) with sustainability issues and emphasise the concept of “sustainable human resource management” rather than “sustainability and human resource management.” This focus requires a more comprehensive company perspective through the lens of company goals, people, processes and the strategic orientation dimensions of an HRM–sustainability relationship. Within this perspective, new approaches are needed to concentrate on sustainable HRM issues. Research aims The aim of this study is to analyse the contents of the sustainability reports in terms of sustainable HR characteristics and HR orientation dimensions. The content analysis design is based on an integrated approach of the classification of sustainable HR characteristics through HR orientation dimensions. The sustainability reports of seven financial institutions from the Borsa Istanbul Sustainability Index (BIST) are analysed for the year 2019 in order to determine to which degree sustainable HR is actively involved in the sustainability reports. Methodology In this study, an in-depth content analysis is performed on corporate sustainability reports of selected companies in order to form the link between HR orientation and sustainability. This content analysis stands on the integration of two different approaches drawn from the literature (Ehnert, 2014; Ulrich, 1997). Findings The results revealed that there are significant differences between the people-oriented scores and process-oriented scores in private banks, while the scores are more balanced in public banks. Additionally, findings support the shift in the public sector from the traditional bureaucratic model to a new management approach that transfers private sector management techniques to the public sector.

Corporate governance in state-owned enterprises. A systematic literature review: an international perspective

Background The state sector continues to play a significant role in the development of the global economy. Proper corporate governance is crucial to ensure the positive contribution of state-owned enterprises to the efficiency of the economy and its competitiveness. Despite the increasing importance of state-owned enterprises for the development of global gross domestic product and the quality of public services provided, research on corporate governance in state-owned enterprises is not widely represented in the world literature. Research aims This article provides a bibliographic analysis of the existing scientific work on corporate governance in state-owned enterprises. The aim of the analysis is to systematise the scientific output in this field, to demonstrate the scale of interest in this subject among researchers, and to indicate the predominant directions of research, taking into account their geographical origin. Methodology This study uses a systematic literature review. Findings The results of the research show that the existing scientific work in this field is insignificant in relation to the number of state-owned enterprises operating worldwide and their importance for the development of the global economy. Research by dominant research groups from the point of view of geography has shown that there is a clear variation in the dominant direction of research on corporate governance in state-owned enterprises, which is an indication of the different interests of researchers in different geographic areas. Analysing the factors underlying the differentiation just described could provide an incentive for further empirical research in this area.

Global mindset: a systematic review of the concept

Background Global mindset (GM) is a relatively new concept slowly gaining the attention of researchers, and it has been heavily influenced by globalisation throughout the years. A better understanding of the term can support companies’ growth in international settings and help develop a more effective, skilled workforce. Due to the multiplicity of approaches across the literature, there is a call to systematise available knowledge on GM regarding its antecedents, outcomes, and definitions. Research aims The aims of this systematic literature review are to present GM and summarise the available knowledge. This article not only reviews available GM definitions but also addresses its antecedents and outcomes. Methodology GM literature was gathered via multiple databases (e.g., ERIC, PsycArticles, PsycINFO, Google Scholar). Two phases of review were incorporated in the process. The first one focused on including peer-reviewed texts and selecting those qualifying for further analyses. The second stage was a content analysis. Two independent judges classified text into specific categories describing the antecedents and outcomes of GM. Findings Systematic literature review has shown a multiplicity of GM definitions (n = 18), antecedents (n = 179), and outcomes (n = 52) of GM. As a result, a new GM definition emerged from merging the most common features of the existing ones. This, in turn, reflects a great need to keep on developing our knowledge on the subject and creating clear, applicable structures of the GM concept.

Home education as an alternative form of education in Poland: Management perspective

Purpose There is more and more literature dealing with home education, but this area still seems to be insufficiently explored. The aim of the article is to describe the processes and contexts of home education from the management perspective. Design/methodology/approach Initial recognition of the research subject through a literature review. A synthesising research approach was adopted, integrating the results of literature research and on this basis determining the directions of development of home education in Poland from specific perspectives. Findings One of the more interesting conclusions is the direction of changes in the law on home education: clear though slow changes towards liberalisation. Management of the educational process by parents is characterised by freedom, which translates into a variety of management styles, but two tendencies can be distinguished: conservative and liberal. Taking into account the historical aspect, the characteristic feature of home education today is its egalitarianism, not elitism. Originality/value The history of Polish education is quite complicated. Poland's enslavement by foreign countries resulted in many years of limiting education, including its various forms. Home education as an alternative to elementary schools was reactivated after 1989 and is still in statu nascendi. The article presents in a synthetic way the evolution of home education in Poland, thus outlining the trends in the development of home education from the perspective of management.

Decomposition of factors of changes in profitability of non-financial service enterprises in Poland

Background The development of the service sector in the global economy is an increasingly recognised fact. The growing importance of services in shaping Gross Value Added has been observed for several decades, and its relatively higher level is typical for developed economies. The Polish economy is clearly in line with the growing importance of the service sector in the economy. It can probably be concluded that in Poland we are dealing with an economy based on services, as shown by individual analyses and statistical data. Because of this situation, the emphasis in the research was not on the service economy, but on non-financial enterprises that provide market services. The key research problem concerns the factors determining changes in the profitability level of this group of enterprises in Poland. Statistical data from Statistics Poland for the period 2008–2020 was used for the research. Research aims The principal aim of the research is to identify how various factors influence changes in profitability in non-financial enterprises in the market services sector in Poland. The research is aimed at identifying the differences in influence of these factors in individual sections of market services sectors and in individual voivodeships in relation to the entire Polish economy. Method The research used the ROE decomposition method, which was justified by mathematical aspects. ROE decomposition was performed in two ways. The first is the decomposition of ROE changes over time, and the second is the decomposition of the differences in this indicator. Relative differences in individual sections of services and in individual voivodeships of Poland were analysed here. The substantive basis for the decomposition of the ROE indicator was the changed DuPont model based on 5 factors. The method used allowed for the study of relative changes in three decision areas. These are decisions at the level of operational management, financial management, and decisions involving tax optimisation. Findings The research formed the basis of three main conclusions. Changes in the ROE over time are determined in part by the operational and financial management decisions. The relative differences between the service sections and the entire sector of market services in Poland result from the unique quality and effectiveness of broadly understood operational and financial management. The differences in individual voivodeships regarding the entire service sector in Poland depend primarily on different methods of operational management.

A study on the implementation approaches of University Incubation Centres to reinforce entrepreneurship - taking the example of Singapore

Purpose This study deals with missions, significant policies, operational approaches, and training programs learned from Singapore's experiences, thus contributing to a more profound knowledge of entrepreneurship in order to establish suggestions and boost the implementation of entrepreneurship and incubator business, particularly in universities in Indonesia. This study purposes to understand in-depth the practical implementation approaches of university incubation centres to facilitate entrepreneurship in Singapore. Insights were obtaining following a literature review approach. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected from a variety of sources, including government documents, university reports, global related entrepreneurship research websites (GEI, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor [GEM], 2019), and related journals (e.g., Entrepreneurship, Incubators, and University Incubators). Findings Synthetically, incubation centres possess the following primary missions: (1) they integrate professionals in various fields to promote industry partnerships and engagement; (2) they provide training to new entrepreneurs for achievement enhancement, mainly to help them acquire missing business knowledge; (3) they encourage start-ups to engage with one another in the culture of incubators, to enlist more people to join in supporting and expanding the society; (4) they commercialise intellectual properties and promote the commercialisation of inventions and innovations for the future market; (5) they bridge academic professors with industry entrepreneurs for technology upgrades and business transformation. To summarise, University Incubation Centres in Indonesia should strive to emulate the best practices of some Singaporean universities and do everything possible to help their tenants accelerate their entrepreneurial processes. In order to be competitive, an incubator must extend its network and partner with successful industries, funding agencies, industries, and universities.

Budget behaviour and cultural contingencies: case study in a Tunisian company

Background Budgetary participation has a positive impact on a variety of emotional and behavioural responses. However, the review of empirical studies conducted in Tunisia reveals a low participation rate among operating managers in the budget control systems of their companies. Research aims The purpose of this study is to understand, from a contingency perspective, the practices of budgetary participation in Tunisian companies. It aims to explore forms of budgetary participation practised by Tunisian companies and examine to what extent Tunisian cultural variables explain these budgetary behaviours. Methodology A qualitative methodology based on a single case study was used. The data collected were the subject of a thematic content analysis. Findings The results show that the Tunisian companies have serious difficulties engaging in budgetary participation. Several factors hinder the implementation and operation of this budgetary practice. The primary factors include personality variables that, although interact with cultural values rooted in Tunisian society, create a psychological inconsistency between the ideal environment for the development and success of a participative approach and the environment of the Tunisian company.

In Search of Outcomes of a Psychological Contract in Public Organisation

Background Sustainable development of employees is based primarily on practices oriented towards caring for the relationship between the employer and employee. In this approach, the employee's and the employer's perception of mutual obligations, the employee's belief in the conditions for the exchange of mutual experiences with the employer, and mutual obligations resulting from establishing an employer-employee relationship become important factors and elements of the sustainable development strategy of employees. A growing number of soundscape studies involve a psychological contract literature. However, outcomes have not yet been thoroughly reviewed. The need for a study with this purpose is proven by the fact that academic literature lacks a systematic review of this topic, despite the ascending trend in the number of published articles in the field. Therefore, this study aims at identifying the main outcomes of a psychological contract in public organisations. Research aims The purpose of this literature review was to identify the main effects of psychological contracting in public organisations. We also aimed to collect fragmented academic knowledge produced by pertinent studies. Methodology This article adopts the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach to conduct the systematic literature review. The final sample of 41 empirical and conceptual studies were scientifically screened and synthesised. Findings This study establishes that a psychological contract is a complex phenomenon influencing individual, group, and organisational outcomes directly. The application of a systematic literature review demonstrates the importance of a psychological contract for public organisations. The review suggests an agenda for further research and identifies practical implications for public organisations.

Financial Resource Mobilisation Strategies and Sustainability of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs): Evidence from Nigeria

Background The challenge facing NGOs in most developing countries is the need to emerge as valuable forces that affect development in order to improve the living conditions of the people in several communities. Funding is necessary for the survival and development of these NGOs. Research aims: This study, therefore, sought to find out the efect of financial resource mobilisation strategies on the sustainability of NGOs in Nigeria, with particular reference to the Minna metropolis. Research aims The purposive sampling technique was used to select 118 staf from 50 NGOs as a sample size for the study. Three alternative hypotheses were raised to be tested at P<.05 and a structured questionnaire was adopted for data collection. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation, and the Ordinary Least Square method of estimation. Methodology The result revealed the existence of a statistically significant and positive relationship between private contributions and the sustainability of NGOs, a positive but insignificant relationship between commercial activities and sustainability of NGOs, and an inverse relationship between government funding and sustainability of NGOs. Findings The study established that private contributions affect the sustainability of NGOs to a very large extent; government funding does not improve the sustainability of NGOs, and commercial activities do not have a significant impact on the sustainability of NGOs. Consequently, the study recommended that management and staf of NGOs should create more awareness about their operations in order to attract better contributions from private individuals and organisations.