Conflicts of Leadership

Citation

Hodgson, R.E. (1998), "Conflicts of Leadership", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 309-310. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd.1998.17.4.309.6

The conflict between the operative content of business and staff related concerns, is a major leadership challenge. It is also the focus of Bengt Karlöf’s book which emphasizes practicalities rather than a traditional academic approach. He draws on his experience as an executive in the publishing and steel industries and more latterly, as a director of his own consultancy company, in writing this book.

Karlöf views the study of leadership as complex, multidisciplinary and defying oversimplification. He aims to develop a matrix model based on the “COCE” model and a series of dimensional variables that exemplify the inherent conflicts in leadership. The COCE model is described in detail in the first chapter. In brief, it is an acronym for Customers, Owners, Costs, Employees and represents the needs a leader must satisfy. The following chapters deal with ten important leadership conflicts, as defined by Karlöf. Value versus productivity is the first conflict and is analysed in relation to value theory alongside useful examples, which complement the text.

Operative leadership versus strategic leadership is dealt with surprisingly briefly, given the author’s avowed intention and background. Strategic skills, the concept of synergies, operative skills and vision are all discussed and the chapter is concluded by a series of exercises, as are all the chapters in this book. Unfortunately, where appropriate, model answers are not provided, which detracts from the instructional value of these exercises. This caveat also applies to some questions posed in the text which are essentially rhetorical.

Continual improvement versus breakthrough improvement is the subject of chapter four with a discussion of benchmarking contributing to the bulk of the chapter. Given Karlöf’s previous publications, concepts such as total quality management are dealt with briefly and non‐critically. The dilemma of judgement versus fact‐based decision making is reviewed from a historical perspective, which eschews Hegel’s notion that “peoples and governments never have learned anything from history...” However, the examples given, including the Channel Tunnel débâcle are illuminating, as is the section on refining decisions through time and consensus. Thirteen pages are devoted to organic and stuctural growth and their interrelationship. Karlöf does not perceive these concepts as mutually exclusive and develops his argument through diversification and risk‐spreading (which he views as illusory).

The balance between centralization and decentralization is addressed in chapter seven. The advantages and disadvantages of small and large scale operations are ably discussed, as is diversification. Chapter eight considers the market economy versus the planned economy and endorses the superiority of the market economy as historical fact. The basis of this superiority is presented (free choice) and examples are also given of situations where a planned economy may be a more rational choice. The reformers of the UK’s National Health Service might have benefited from Karlöf’s observations. Space is also given to mock market economies.

Chapter nine is devoted to the conflict between business and capital management. The author believes these terms are often confused, which leads to organizational aims being obscured. Compromises within the framework of venture capital are also identified and partially resolved. Thought versus action is the basis of chapter ten and offers guidance as to the appropriate circumstances for masterly inactivity (i.e. thinking) or activity. This is followed by a chapter examining the required leadership qualities for good and bad times. In the final chapter, misleadingly titled, “Final conflicts and closing reflections”, the author introduces four more conflicts and offers little in the way of reflections or conclusions.

In summary, the author has, within inherent limitations, achieved his goal of simplifying the concept of leadership into a limited number of defined dimensional variables. His paradigm is testable and provides a valuable framework for reflection and analysis. This is typified by the questions at the end of each chapter. The book is nicely structured and will appeal more to the “hands on” practitioner than to the academic. Certainly, there are no detailed references (not even to his own publications!), which leaves the reader potentially without the chance to ratify (or otherwise) certain claims in the text. Finally, buy the book and save yourself the expense of employing Karlöf and Partners.