Major social and political events around the world can often have rippling and lasting effects on businesses. Take the tragic fires and accidents in factories in India and Bangladesh during the spring of 2013 that shook the global apparel and textiles industry; companies like Wal-Mart Stores, The Gap, H&M and many others suddenly found they […]
Read More… from Does Your Organization Need a Chief External Officer?
If you could eavesdrop on your employees’ conversations, what do you think they would be saying about you? Or if you look back over your own career, considering the good and the bad bosses, how would you describe them? ‘Inspirational’, ‘empathic’, ‘open to new ideas’, or ‘controlling’, ‘autocratic’, and ‘micromanaging’? Whatever the answers, there is […]
Read More… from How Seeing Things Employees-Way Builds Performance
Generalist CEOs are CEOs who have worked in different organizational areas, for a number of different firms, in different industries, or even in a conglomerate firm. Former IBM CEO and Chairman Louis Gerstner is a typical example. Before joining IBM, he had been a consultant at McKinsey & Company, had held senior positions at American […]
Read More… from Generalist CEOs Not Specialists Spur Innovation
Academics and practitioners have long known that without tight monitoring, CEOs of large public companies may take actions that are against the interests of their shareholders. The consensus has been that a strong board of directors, independent from management, provides checks and balances for executive power. Academic literature confirms that board independence improves governance — […]
The concept of governance is certainly not new, but in recent years it has been gaining more attention, especially in the business world. ‘Corporate casualties’ are proof that commercial pressures nudge executives towards introducing irresponsible risk into routine business operations. Today, these risks are easily obscured thanks to technological complexity, the large scales on which […]
In recent years, the trust afforded to senior management has eroded significantly, particularly for those executives in finance-related positions. The demise of certain companies sent shockwaves across industries; successful covering up of the actual financial situation a company was in meant regulators, employees and the general public remained unaware till it was too late. Going […]
Read More… from How to Recognize Managements With Something to Hide
What are the causes of organizational misconduct? How does it spread and what consequences does it have? These questions are the focus of research by faculty from the University of California and INSEAD. Considering the wealth of existing literature on this topic, they examine the causes of misconduct and suggest some safeguards. Organizational misconduct is […]
Recent years have seen company stakeholders demand better environmental performance, particularly by businesses in polluting industries. Whether it is consumer pressure for green products, media pressure for a green approach or government pressure to stick to green regulations, leaders must take action. The degree to which they respond – or not – appears to hinge […]
In today’s increasingly competitive and fast-changing global marketplace, businesses must seek to develop more frequent and higher quality innovations. At the same time, customers, employees and other stakeholders are demanding more opportunities to co-create and collaborate with businesses. Stakeholders, who are increasingly informed, connected, networked and empowered, are challenging firms. Customers, for example, are demanding […]
Read More… from Creating Harmony: Harnessing Stakeholders to Boost Innovation
What do we know about the structure of a typical C-Suite? Most corporations are run by one, but the formation of them and the roles that comprise the C-Suite have changed considerably and are continuing to do so. Notably, top management teams have been doubling in size since the mid-1980s. The composition of an organization’s […]
Read More… from How Evolving C-Suite Structures Affect Performance
