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The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles of one’s original family and current family in influencing his or her entering entrepreneurial endeavors. Specifically, individuals’ original family is also crucial for entrepreneurship, which has been neglected by prior studies to a large extent. Moreover, the authors argue that a good marital relationship between two parents within the original family could facilitate an entrepreneurial spirit by providing better family support, whereas a good relationship with one’s life partner or spouse within their current family could also increase the likelihood of entrepreneurial activities through reducing work stress.

The authors use two archival data sets: National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 and 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Adult Population Survey to test whether a harmonious relationship between two parents or with life partner/spouse could encourage individuals to become an entrepreneur and whether family support and work conflict mediate such a relationship.

This study found that parents’ relationship in one’s adolescence provides individuals with more support, which leads to more entrepreneurial endeavors, whereas the conflicts between two parents will reduce their likelihood of initiating entrepreneurial activities. Besides, a good relationship with one’s life partner/spouse can release his/her work stress, which is also important for entrepreneurship development.

Different from the extant related research that focuses more on on-site predictors of entrepreneurship, the current study proposes factors from other life domains, including those in one’s adolescence, that can also influence and change individuals’ choice of entrepreneurial activities throughout their entire life. Harmonious family relationships (i.e. fewer family conflicts) are important for one to start a business, and family conflicts can reduce the likelihood of choosing entrepreneurship as the main occupation.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

What makes a good leader? The text books are full of examples such as Jack Welch or Steve Jobs as major figures in business who have led major corporations effectively with certain styles. Their high profile and media images have meant that their characters have endlessly been dissected, whether it be by themselves as in Welch’s example or by others as it has been with Jobs. However, the more these characters are analyzed, the clearer it seems that rather than being able to identify any meaningful traits, all one is able to do is remark on how unusual they were as leaders.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Provides chief executives with 21 tools for success in the turbulent global business environment.

Illustrates the main points with the examples of such successful international leaders as Jack Welch, Steve Jobs, A. G. Lafley, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, Jeff Bezos, Herb Kelleher and Tony Hsieh.

Emphasizes the importance of valuing people, adapting to change, encouraging innovation and training for the future.

Demonstrates how to overcome leadership challenges, including those from the increasing scope and pace of change and the growing internationalism of business.

Argues that successful chief executives are able to get the best out of their people and understand their customers, no matter what their background.

Helps leaders to overcome volatility, complexity and ambiguity and even turn them to their advantage.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

What makes a great leader? This particular conundrum has been sparking debate since Hannibal took his team of elephants over the Alps, and yet while many people have their views on the matter, few could point at any evidence as such. Instead, we will all no doubt think of leaders who exemplified the kind of characteristics we are thinking of – Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Jack Welch – and state their personalities as some kind of evidence. However, the more you point out one-offs as exemplars, the more any argument is undermined.

This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Managing the supply chain with a leveraged service delivery unit creates quantifiable strategic value.

Describes the aims, reasons for development, key features, and uniqueness of an online benchmarking and performance improvement resource. The paper begins by describing the historical context within which the Web site has been developed. It describes the growth in the use of business excellence, benchmarking and performance measurement, and how these improvement approaches are related to each other. The Web site’s uniqueness stems from how information within the resource is categorised by the Malcolm Baldrige Model and the European Business Excellence Model, the collection and linking of thousands of snippets of information from case studies and articles relating to best practices and benchmarking studies, the provision of a comprehensive list of performance measures and improvement techniques, and the way that the site has been designed based on the concept of benchmarking. An explanation of how the resource might be used to support an organisation’s benchmarking process is provided. The paper concludes by presenting the positive feedback obtained from an industry review of the Web site’s key features. The Web site aims to be launched by October 2001.

A decade ago, a few major corporations independently started asking the same questions: Since nearly all their staff functions addressed the same fundamental business unit needs, why perform the work individually for each unit? And if staff work done by one organizational entity addressed multiple needs, why perform it in an unbundled manner?

The purpose of this paper is to embrace change effectively to achieve organizational development.

The paper outlines the case studies on two turnaround leaders – Alan Mulally and Lou Gerstner. It explains various aspects of organizational change and development. It unveils a blueprint to embrace change effectively.

It underscores that the only thing constant in the current global business environment is change and competition. It enlightens that change requires a new mindset, tool set and skill set. The only successful leaders are the ones who accept and mould themselves as per the changing times and technologies.

The methodologies adopted by turnaround leaders can be applied to any type of organizational change, in any industry and any size of organization.

The social implications of this research suggests that turnaround leaders can do much better by communicating clearly to overcome resistance to lead change effectively.

It differentiates between change and growth. It justifies the need to effect change swiftly in the present dynamic business environment. It concludes that change is inevitable to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness.

The purpose of this research paper is to explore soft leadership to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness.

The paper elaborates with 11 Cs that constitute soft leadership – character, charisma, conscience, conviction, courage, communication, compassion, commitment, consistency, consideration and contribution. It differentiates between hard and soft leadership.

It concludes that exploring soft leadership helps greatly for the leaders to satisfy all stakeholders to achieve organizational excellence and effectiveness.

It unfolds that soft leadership can work for any company and country regardless of its size or budget.

The social implications of this research suggests that stakeholders of both profits and nonprofits must reap the rewards of soft leadership.

It emphasizes that soft leadership creates a resourceful environment to enhance employee engagement to achieve organizational productivity and performance.