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As entrepreneurial top management teams in multidivisional forms are typically treated in pertinent literature as the default organizational solutions for developing dynamic capabilities, the emerging innovative organizational forms tend to be overlooked, even though they could be a viable means of transforming established enterprises. The present case study examines how Haier's microenterprise and platforms influenced the firm's dynamic capabilities development.

The paper presents a qualitative case study of Haier Group Corporation in China.

The findings indicate that Haier employed a loosely coupled relationship between its headquarters and the microenterprises, developed quasi market-based exchange relationships and established peer-to-peer learning opportunities and coordination among its microenterprises. Data analyses further revealed that Haier has adopted three-step routines to capture market opportunities and enhance operational efficiency. This research extends the sensing-seizing-reconfiguration model typically recommended in the existing literature. It also demonstrates that organizational configuration is an important aspect of dynamic innovation. In summary, the study results showcase microdivisionalization as a new way for developing dynamic capabilities to better adapt to the ever-changing market environments.

In summary, our study showcased microdivisionalization as a new way for firms to change the organization structure and business strategies to better adapt to the ever-changing market environments.

This paper aims to present a case for the practical management of corporate reputation, in relation to two groups of concepts: communication, identity, and trust; and communication, identity, and image.

A review of the current knowledge of corporate reputation, personality, identity, and image leads to development of a strategy framework to enhance/protect corporate reputation. A case study involving a corporate logo introduced into a developed market by an emerging multinational corporation (EMNC) is presented.

The paper identifies that credibility and trust are significant elements which must be managed and communicated to maintain the firm's corporate image and reputation.

A conceptual model is presented illustrating a series of internal and external factors affecting communication and trust, which influence the customer and assist in shaping corporate reputation. The case of the EMNC Chinese corporation Haier to introduce its brand into a developed market may enlighten others pursuing this path.

This study aims to construct mechanisms of big data-driven business model innovation from the market, strategic and economic perspectives and core logic of business model innovation.

The authors applied deductive reasoning and case analysis method on manufacturing firms in China to validate the mechanisms.

The authors have developed an integrated framework to deduce the elements of big data-driven business model innovation. The framework comprises three elements: perspectives, business model processes and big data-driven business model innovations. As we apply the framework on to three Chinese companies, it is evident that the mechanisms of business model innovation based on big data is a progressive and dynamic process.

The case sample is relatively small, which is a typical trade-off in qualitative research.

A robust infrastructure that seamlessly integrates internet of things, front-end customer systems and back-end production systems is pivotal for companies. The management has to ensure its organization structure, climate and human resources are well prepared for the transformation.

When provided with a convenient crowdsourcing platform to provide feedback and witness their suggestions being implemented, users are more likely to share insights about their use experience.

Extant studies of big data and business model innovation remain disparate. By adding a new dimension of intellectual and economic resource to the resource-based view, this paper posits an important link between big data and business model innovation. In addition, this study has contributed to the theoretical lens of value by contextualizing the value components of a business model and providing an integrated framework.

The article reports on anti-hierarchical approaches to managing work outside the U.S. and independent of software development as evidenced in presentations at the November Drucker Forum by the French group, Vinci and the Chinese group, Haier.

The article looks at how radical innovations in organization structure, management processes and mindsets are being adopted by companies seeking the rapid-paced, customer-focused continuous innovation needed to survive in today’s dynamic marketplaces. These approaches are spreading throughout many established organizations. For traditionally managed hierarchical organizations, the transformation often involves radical shifts in power, attitudes, values, mindsets, ways of thinking and ways of interacting with stakeholders—customers, employee talent, shareholders and partners.

The Vinci Group is organized with 3,500 business units, so that there are in effect 3,500 entrepreneurs, all intent on developing good ideas. The Haier Groups has transformed its organization into a flat platform with thousands of micro-enterprises. There are no more than eight people in each one.

The Haier platform enables the microenterprises to interact closely and intensively with users, allowing them to participate in the development and production process. The goal is to align Haier’s people and the value they can create for customer users. The need is to unleash people’s potential so as to maximize value to users.

The article reveals that when companies disrupt the traditional “efficiency-based” organizational structure the do so in unique ways. Typical of the homegrown approach to post-bureaucratic organizations, Zhang Ruimin, CEO of Haier, pioneered a management model called “Rendanheyl,” which entails three disruptions: disrupting employees, disrupting organizational structures and disrupting compensation structures.

This paper provides the strategic direction and coordination mechanism selection for the intelligent transformation of manufacturing enterprises.

A theoretical framework is developed through grounded theory and case analysis.

Collaboration value is the building block of the intelligent product ecosystem. The ecosystem is upgraded via a path of product coordination, platform coordination and network coordination.

This paper provides a framework for enterprises to build an intelligent product ecosystem.

The proposed intelligent product ecosystem framework is new to the literature and lays down a fruitful avenue for future research.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of China’s image as a country on consumers’ evaluations of brands. Drawing on the literature pertaining to country images and country-of-origin effect, a research model was developed to evaluate country image, corporate image and brand image.

To test the model and investigate the effects of country, corporate and brand image on brand attitude and purchase intention, a survey was conducted that examined Korean consumers’ attitudes toward well-known Chinese brands.

China’s country image was found to comprise four dimensions: political image, economic image, citizen image and country relationship image. Country image had a direct positive effect on brand attitude, and through brand attitude, country image had an indirect positive effect on purchase intention. Corporate image and brand image had a positive effect on brand attitude and a direct positive effect on purchase intention. In addition, country image had a positive effect on corporate image, while through corporate image, country image had an indirect positive effect on brand image.

These findings not only offer theoretical evidence for research on China’s country image, but also provide empirical evidence to support the “going global” strategies of Chinese enterprises.

As senior executives increasingly explore Agile management in their operations they are discovering that their practices in managing people also require transformation.

The article, with an attached case, explores how some leading companies are radically changing their HR practices to prioritize fostering talent that adds customer value and champion the work experience of their talent. The article explains why transformation will involve, not merely HR process improvements, but a fundamentally different kind of management. It offers a case to illustrate new approaches.

At a time when talent is in such high demand, you must allow—and even encourage—people to have their say if you hope to attract the very best in your field. So, the successful deployment of talent is now largely a matter of creating an environment where the interests, ambitions and innovations of people constantly shape the strategy and future of the company.

Instead of strategy gurus telling talent what to do, now talent needs to play a central role in strategy formulation. Imagine a company divided into some two hundred customer-facing units, each with its own pay scale and work methods, each so talent-driven that employees are given the right to fire their unit leader?

The shift from a strategy-led company to a talent-first company requires fundamental changes in the way CEOs understand the very concept of management—it’s the beginning of a new age.

Agriculture and cultivation firms are facing severe competition in the saturated market. Due to the characteristics of heavy assets, low investment return, long cycle and high price fluctuation, agri-food firms require innovations for capital support. The purpose of this paper is to provide valuable insights on how firms in the food/agricultural industry approach innovations and reinforce their advantages through functional and structural innovations by adopting supply chain finance (SCF).

This research adopts a single-case study methodology to investigate the innovations and mechanisms taking place at H Corp Agriculture Group (H Corp hereafter), a Chinese egg company.

The findings of this paper indicate that SCF could have a great impact on supply chain management through functional and structural innovations throughout the supply chain and solve the capital constraint problems in the agricultural development process, promoting the implementation of the integration strategy as well as innovation in the agricultural industry chain. The research also shows that supply chain structural and functional innovations could promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) and creating shared value (CSV).

The research contributes to the application of SCF mechanisms and the realization of CSV and CSR jointly – both in the literature and in firms’ practices. It also contributes to the extension of structural and functional innovations and vertical integration of the supply chain. However, generalizability and universality are insufficient for a single case study in the specified industry. Data collection and quantitative analysis could be extended for further research.

The study addresses the need for comprehensive research on SCF and its applications. It proposes effective and efficient strategies for agri-food firms applying SCF to overcome industry capital constraints and develop competitiveness. It also provides a balanced and positive circulation between economic value and social value, realizing CSR and CSV.