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1 – 10 of over 33000Research on communication in organisations has enabled us to develop a body of knowledge about recognising and overcoming barriers to effective communication. In contrast to the…
Abstract
Research on communication in organisations has enabled us to develop a body of knowledge about recognising and overcoming barriers to effective communication. In contrast to the tenet in the communication literature that communication barriers require minimisation, the leadership literature provides a basis for a re‐conceptualisation of the “problems” into opportunities. This article offers a theoretical synthesis of the communication and leadership literatures to extend our knowledge of improving communication in organisations.
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CEOs and quality practitioners are concerned about quality. Explores the reasons for this concern and examines what needs to be done. Presents and discusses the barriers to…
Abstract
CEOs and quality practitioners are concerned about quality. Explores the reasons for this concern and examines what needs to be done. Presents and discusses the barriers to quality and quality priorities based upon the results of three questionnaire and interview surveys. Reveals that quality is but one of a number of changes that are occurring within large organizations. Quality begins in the boardroom, and the competence of directors and effectiveness of boards should not be assumed. The management of change requires top‐management commitment, and the articulation and communication of a clear vision and strategy. The focus of quality is shifting to attitudes, values, approaches and perspective, and the creation of quality networks embracing customers, suppliers and business partners.
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Sooksan Kantabutra and Molraudee Saratun
The purpose of this paper is to investigate vision‐based leadership effects on follower satisfaction in a Thai state enterprise.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate vision‐based leadership effects on follower satisfaction in a Thai state enterprise.
Design/methodology/approach
Extending previous research, the present study examines relationships between vision realization factors and employee satisfaction. Derived from the literature, these vision realization factors are vision communication, motivation, and empowerment of employees. In total, five directional hypotheses are developed and tested accordingly through a series of regression analyses.
Findings
Findings indicate that vision communication, motivation, and empowerment of employees are directly predictive of enhanced employee satisfaction at the Thai state enterprise.
Practical implications
To enhance employee satisfaction, supervisors of all levels at the Thai state enterprise should focus on frequently communicating their vision to their direct subordinates, particularly through written and technology‐mediated channels. The supervisors should also delegate work to their subordinates, provide resources and support services to them, and encourage them to make more decisions regarding daily operations. The supervisors should additionally act as a role model for their subordinates, build subordinates' self‐confidence, create challenges for them, and reward subordinates who act consistently with their vision.
Originality/value
Although leaders are widely exhorted to espouse vision and vision‐based leadership was empirically endorsed in the Thai culture, vision‐based leadership and its effects have been little investigated in the Thai state enterprise sector. This paper contributes to this area.
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Thomas K. Maran, Urs Baldegger and Kilian Klösel
Leading with vision while granting employees autonomy is one effective organizational response to the demands of a dynamic external environment. The former is thought to align…
Abstract
Purpose
Leading with vision while granting employees autonomy is one effective organizational response to the demands of a dynamic external environment. The former is thought to align followers' behavior by providing guidance, the latter to increase variance in their behavior by relinquishing control; both exert beneficial but distinct effects on organizational performance. What has remained uncharted heretofore is how these leader behaviors shape their followers' cognition and, subsequently, yield improvements in performance. The authors argue that a leader's vision communication transforms followers' cognitive representation of their work. This not only enables them to specify their goals in alignment with the vision (goal clarity) but also to locate the meaning of their work within the bigger picture of the vision (construal level). By contrast, perceived autonomy in terms of power-sharing might directly affect followers' work engagement more narrowly.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors tested the model on a sample of 408 employees from eleven enterprises of a holding company. In the survey, employees reported perceived vision communication and autonomy provided by their leader. Furthermore, the authors assessed the employees' goal attainment. To capture how employees represent their daily work activities, the authors measured their construal level and their goal clarity.
Findings
The results show that both perceived vision communication and granted autonomy improve employees' goal achievement. Moreover, two processes mediate the relationship between vision communication and goal achievement in followers: first, specifying goals in terms of clarity; second, composing a higher-level mental construal of their work. In contrast, no mediation of empowering leader behaviors was found.
Originality/value
Better goal achievement through visionary leadership is therefore achieved through cognitive alignment of followers, while leader-granted autonomy acts as a motivational tool directly on performance.
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Sooksan Kantabutra and Parisa Rungruang
This paper aims to examine relationships between vision realization factors (vision communication, motivation and empowerment of employees), employee satisfaction, and affective…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine relationships between vision realization factors (vision communication, motivation and empowerment of employees), employee satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment in a state‐owned energy provider in Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
Subjects are drawn randomly from employees working at the Thai state‐owned energy provider who completed a questionnaire made up of valid and reliable instruments that measure each of the variables studied. Hypotheses are tested through a series of regression analyses.
Findings
Findings indicate that vision communication, motivation and empowerment of employees, and follower affective organizational commitment are three direct predictors of enhanced employee satisfaction. Empowerment of employees and employee satisfaction are two direct predictors of employee affective organizational commitment. These findings indicate a reciprocal relationship between employee satisfaction and affective organizational commitment, with a stronger effect from employee satisfaction on affective organizational commitment than the reverse.
Research limitations/implications
How supervisors empower and motivate their subordinates in the Thai state‐owned energy provider still needs a further investigation. The relationship between employee satisfaction and affective organizational commitment needs to be re‐examined by future research, using a different research design and statistical technique.
Practical implications
Leaders at all levels of the state‐owned energy provider should frequently communicate their vision to, motivate and empower their subordinates to enhance subordinate satisfaction and affective commitment.
Originality/value
The body of knowledge about vision‐based leadership in an Asian state‐owned energy provider is scanty. The present study contributes to this area.
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BIRGITTA OLSSON, MAJVOR KARLSSON and ELLEN SHARMA
There are several ways to implement and work with the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The company Ericsson Data AB was one of the pioneers in employing the BSC in Sweden. As early…
Abstract
There are several ways to implement and work with the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The company Ericsson Data AB was one of the pioneers in employing the BSC in Sweden. As early adopters, they were interested in obtaining an evaluation performed by external researchers. We were fortunate to have that opportunity. During the autumn of 1998, Majvor Karlsson and Ellen Sharma had full access to the developmental department dealing with the implementation of BSC at the company. The present article is based on interviews with managers and developers with the aim to determine how the BSC was implemented and how it functions in the day‐to‐day life of the company. The BSC model introduced in Ericsson was given the name Cockpit. As one might expect, implementing BSC requires a great deal of time and energy. We found that it resembles the process in other organisational changes as well. In our research, we found that there were many aspects of the implementation of BSC with which we could interpret and explain our observations with the help of theories of organisational change. Our findings led us to formulate a theory concerning the implementation process of the BSC. It was a relief to discover that we could use a method that allowed us to listen and learn from the persons involved in the implementation process at Ericsson Data.
Mark Hackett and Peter Spurgeon
The role of the chief executive in a transformed organisation is an extremely challenging one. The development of vision, building a commitment to it and communicating it…
Abstract
The role of the chief executive in a transformed organisation is an extremely challenging one. The development of vision, building a commitment to it and communicating it constantly are key skills for a chief executive. However, the need to build and empower the stakeholders within and outside the organisation to support the changes required to deliver the vision requires leaders who can connect with a wide range of people and build alliances and partnerships to secure organisational success. A passion for understanding human intervention and behaviour is needed to encourage, cajole and drive teams and individuals to own and commit to change and a new direction. This requires leaders who have imagination and creativity ‐ who seek connections and thread them together to create order out of incoherence. These skills are not taught in schools or textbooks, but are probably innate. They are what separate leaders from the rest. These skills need to be developed. A movement towards encouraging experimentation, career transfers and more individuality is needed if capable leaders of the future are to appear.
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This paper aims to identify the impact of vision on leadership and organizational success. Identify the questions you need to answer before you move your organization forward…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the impact of vision on leadership and organizational success. Identify the questions you need to answer before you move your organization forward, explore the six key elements to effectively communicate your vision, review the conditions that can derail your organization. This paper is informed by Resource Associates Corporation and is modeled from a leadership seminar provided to member associates. Additionally, the paper is influenced by the book Fail Safe Leadership authored by Linda Martin and Dr David G. Mutchler.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper examines the aspects of leadership, vision and organizational success. It discusses why creating a powerful vision is not enough, and how to get everyone focused on the right results. The paper offers a simple exercise that can transform your organization.
Findings
The three most common mistakes organizations make: failure to clearly articulate a vision, failure to communicate the vision effectively, and the misalignment of goals and actions. This paper offers questions, analysis and activities to help the reader discover key strategies for overcoming the barriers to success, and achieving the vision of their organization.
Research limitations/implications
The sources quoted are from the book Fail Safe Leadership authored by Linda Martin and Dr David G. Mutchler.
Practical implications
The paper details key aspects of vision and organizational leadership.
Originality/value
This paper gives a fresh perspective to the importance of vision, leadership and improving performance. It is of value to senior HR professionals and executive teams in companies concerned about aligning vision with action and achieving more effective organizational results.
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Karolin Köhler and Ansgar Zerfass
The purpose of this paper is to address an important but seldom explored field of study: the communication of corporate strategies to external and internal stakeholders. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address an important but seldom explored field of study: the communication of corporate strategies to external and internal stakeholders. The relevance of the topic can be tracked both in communication studies and in management research, but empirical insights are rare. The paper addresses this research gap by asking: How do listed companies in key industrial markets communicate publicly about their corporate strategy?
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive content analysis of corporate websites was conducted for a sample of the 20 largest listed companies in the UK, the USA and Germany (n=60). The subsequent benchmark analysis has identified best practices and highlighted them in detail.
Findings
The study revealed significant differences between companies and countries in the sample for most of the dimensions. Cross-country comparisons confirm these differences statistically: German companies score significantly higher in the benchmark than British or US companies.
Practical implications
This paper outlines quality criteria for professional strategy communication, helping practitioners to improve their activities and contribute to organizational goals.
Originality/value
The study offers a holistic approach to strategy communication by providing an interdisciplinary theoretical foundation as well as insights into corporate practice, with the aim of laying the ground for further research and discussion in both academia and practice.
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Anil Kumar, Michelle Salmona, Robert Berry and Sara Grummert
Digital transformation (DT) harnessing the potential of emerging technology creates opportunities and challenges for organizations worldwide. Senior executives view DT as a key…
Abstract
Purpose
Digital transformation (DT) harnessing the potential of emerging technology creates opportunities and challenges for organizations worldwide. Senior executives view DT as a key initiative for future competitiveness, a view shared by academic researchers. What may challenge the organization is that the vision may be present while preparedness may be lacking. Organizational preparedness depends on managers and employees charged with implementing DT and their perceptions on preparedness are often not aligned with senior executives.
Design/methodology/approach
In this research, the authors explore the perceptions of managers and employees on DT preparedness in an organization by gathering data from 579 participants. This study uses an innovative approach to qualitative data analysis using interactive topic modeling.
Findings
Findings in this qualitative study provide valuable insights on the perceptions of these individuals and helps understand (a) how they view DT preparedness and (b) may behave in this context. In general DT is well understood, however managers are not keen to change work processes to take advantage of the new digital tools and there appears that generational gap is a barrier to successful DT.
Originality/value
Senior executives play a central role communicating the DT vision necessary to inspire managers and employees. As organizations continue to invest large sums of money to explore value creation for customers and stakeholders by leveraging digital technologies, the information systems (IS) discipline can take the lead by asking the question, what can be done to improve the understanding of DT implementation in an organization?
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