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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 14 May 2018

Paula Ungureanu, Fabiola Bertolotti and Diego Macri

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role played by turbulent environments in the evolution of hybrid (i.e. multi-party, cross-sector) partnerships for regional…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role played by turbulent environments in the evolution of hybrid (i.e. multi-party, cross-sector) partnerships for regional innovation. Although extant research suggests that organizations decide to participate in such partnerships to cope with their turbulent environments, little is known about how actual perceptions of turbulent environments influence the setup and evolution of a partnership.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative study adopts a longitudinal design to investigate the evolution of a cross-sector regional innovation partnership between ten very different organizations. With the help of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) model proposed by Bennett and Lemoine (2014a), the authors study the relation between partners’ initial perceptions of environmental turbulence and the models adopted for the partnership throughout its lifecycle (emergent, brokering and platform).

Findings

The authors show that partners’ intentions to solve perceived environmental turbulence through collaboration can have the unexpected consequence of triggering perceived turbulence inside the collaboration itself. Specifically, the authors show that perceived partnership VUCA at each stage is a result of partners’ attempts to cope with the perceived VUCA in the previous stage.

Practical implications

The study highlights a set of common traps that both public and private organizations engaged in hybrid partnerships might fall into precisely as they try to lower VUCA threats in their environments.

Originality/value

The work accounts for the relationship between external and internal perceptions of VUCA in hybrid partnerships for regional innovation, and, in particular, provides a better understanding of what happens when organizations choose to enter hybrid partnerships in order to deal with perceived threats in their environments.

Article
Publication date: 2 January 2024

Sateesh V. Shet

The author aims to develop an employee competency framework for a volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) environment and propose learning and development (L&D…

Abstract

Purpose

The author aims to develop an employee competency framework for a volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) environment and propose learning and development (L&D) interventions for organisations and employees to develop competencies for thriving in a VUCA environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework synthesis method was used to determine employee competencies that are essential in a VUCA world.

Findings

The author identified 10 competencies that are essential for employee development in a VUCA world. The author categorised these employee competencies as cognitive (cognitive flexibility, agility mindset and personal ambidexterity), cross-cultural (cross-cultural intelligence and cross-cultural collaboration), analytical (creativity and complex problem solving) and personal effectiveness competencies (personal resilience, continuous learning and adaptive mindset).

Practical implications

The proposed competencies could be used for the personal development of employees and organisations. The VUCA competency framework developed in this study includes behavioural dimensions for each competency, which could be used in self-assessment, recruitment and selection and talent and performance management. Furthermore, the author proposes L&D interventions required for developing these competencies. Overall, this study contributes to human resources (HR) development in the VUCA era by proposing the development of specific individual competencies as necessary conditions for survival and growth.

Originality/value

VUCA competencies empower employees to not only survive but also thrive in an unpredictable and rapidly changing world. By incorporating these competencies in L&D interventions, organisations can help employees develop the necessary competencies to thrive in a VUCA environment, thus contributing to their personal and organisational success.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2017

Ayat Saleh and Richard Watson

The purpose of this paper is to examine how companies can achieve business excellence in a highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Within the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how companies can achieve business excellence in a highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Within the literature about business excellence, there is a lack of understanding of the impact of today’s high VUCA on achieving business excellence. A new business concept, business excellence in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment (BEVUCA), will be illustrated so as to bridge this gap by considering the overall VUCA influence and the influences of each specific term individually.

Design/methodology/approach

The research incorporated a systematic literature review for three knowledge areas, namely: VUCA, business excellence and the management integration of quality and risk. The later knowledge area was reviewed because such diverse management thinking can help to achieve BEVUCA.

Findings

The research provided a definition for a new business concept and the systematic literature review identified 18 critical success factors so as to manage and excel under a high VUCA business environment. Finally a conceptual framework was developed for integrating quality management and risk management thinking so as to achieve BEVUCA.

Originality/value

BEVUCA can be used to close the current gap in the body of literature by providing a link between VUCA and business excellence, and hence advancing the discussion in these areas. Additionally, the BEVUCA conceptual framework can be used as guidance in integrating quality management and risk management to achieve the identified critical success factors.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 29 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 September 2020

Deepika and Jaya Chitranshi

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the leadership competencies of the Z generation (born after 1997) in the VUCA business environment. In today’s scenario, the business…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the leadership competencies of the Z generation (born after 1997) in the VUCA business environment. In today’s scenario, the business works differently than it used to previously. The young workforce wants not just to contribute their energy to the organisation but to their colleagues and themselves too, with the leading global sceneries.

Design/methodology/approach

An unstructured questionnaire was prepared by testing the reliability and validity of the data. Multiples linear regression analyses were used to derive results and to check whether the competencies are dependent on the VUCA skill sets. Entrepreneurial leadership, enabling leadership, operational leadership and architectural leadership are chosen to be the independent variables for this study.

Findings

The findings reveal that the dependability is on all the four factors for the VUCA business environment and hence the need is to practice the same in the organisation.

Research limitations/implications

The test has been done on a sample having 260 respondents. This study reveals data of the workspace environment only and not how Gen Z will behave to the conditions as individuals. Gender-perspective is not taken into account in this study.

Practical implications

The implications can be seen for the organisations’ understanding of how to deal with generation Z and empower them. The organisation-structure and processes that were developed previously will not be limited now just to making the organisations function but also impact self-development for Gen Z, the development that is focussed on work-teams of Gen Z and so the global market eventually.

Originality/value

The originality is in the variables that have been taken for this study. As the world is growing rapidly, the mind-set and the style in which the manager works are changing. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account what leadership style will affect the current business environment.

Book part
Publication date: 8 December 2016

Steven R. Watt, Mitch Javidi and Anthony H. Normore

In an article entitled “Identifying and combating organizational leadership toxicity,” authors Watt, Javidi, and Normore (Watt, Javidi, & Normore, 2015) identified and outlined…

Abstract

In an article entitled “Identifying and combating organizational leadership toxicity,” authors Watt, Javidi, and Normore (Watt, Javidi, & Normore, 2015) identified and outlined techniques for combating leadership toxicity in Law Enforcement. This chapter extends this work by linking Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) to toxic leadership. Crisis happens. Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), (a term) coined at the Army War College in the early 1990s (Mack, O., Kare, A., Kramer, A., & Burgartz, T. (2015), Managing VUCA world. New York, NY. Retrieved from http://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/2015/12/02/capturing-the-moment-counter-vuca-leadership-for-21st-century-policing/#sthash.IKYJInr4.dpuf), is a sobering new reality for leaders and the organizations they serve. In simple terms, VUCA is chaos. It falls on leaders to understand it, prepare for it, and minimize the disruptive and destabilizing effects of it.

Details

The Dark Side of Leadership: Identifying and Overcoming Unethical Practice in Organizations
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-499-0

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 9 August 2022

Junaid Ahmed, Beata Mrugalska and Bülent Akkaya

The world is changing fast and pace of changes that are being observed since start of the twenty-first century have never been observed before. Due to such changes and their…

Abstract

The world is changing fast and pace of changes that are being observed since start of the twenty-first century have never been observed before. Due to such changes and their impact, world is described in terms of Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA). The trend of industry 4.0 is also said to be an another contributing factor into the VUCA environment. The VUCA creates a lot of challenges for organization from the perspective of management and leadership. Both business and leadership agility are needed more than VUCA as the VUCA world is becoming old. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to review the literature and to summarize the understanding with regard to managing VUCA-RR world in an era of Industry 4.0. Since the advent of term VUCA, many researchers have provided theoretical model and framework to guide managers regarding to their action and strategies. But, current research postulates based upon the literature that agile management’s tools and techniques are highly effective in managing the situation of VUCA-RR in the era of Industry 4.0. The research concludes that Industry 4.0 together with VUCA-RR and indecently possess to change management challenges to organizations. The organization can be in better position to manage change management challenges posed by Industry 4.0 by implementing the agile management. The Industry 4.0 will latter compliment to agile management tools and techniques which will make any organization to become a better equipped to face the VUCA-RR world. The research has also concluded that agile management powered by Industry 4.0 enabling technologies presents enormous opportunity in the form of VUCA 2.0 (Vision, Understanding, Courage, Adoptability, Rapidity and Radicality) that can be used to square off the effect of VUCA-RR world.

Details

Agile Management and VUCA-RR: Opportunities and Threats in Industry 4.0 towards Society 5.0
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-326-0

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 20 November 2023

Gözde Mert, Bulent Akkaya and Apostu Simona Andreea

With the rapid development of technology in the era of digitalization, Industry 4.0 has become a reference for R&D studies in various sectors. The rapid development of technology…

Abstract

With the rapid development of technology in the era of digitalization, Industry 4.0 has become a reference for R&D studies in various sectors. The rapid development of technology makes the life of societies and people easier. For this reason, governments tend to develop their technologies and to encourage organizations in this field for this purpose. The concept of Industry 5.0 or Society 5.0 explains the revolution in people's lives with the development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Today, many interrelated factors are rapidly preparing people for a complex and volatile future. This situation is accepted as the “new normal” and is defined as VUCA-RR (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity, Rapidity, Radicality). Variability refers to the increasing pace of change, uncertainty, unpredictability in life. Complexity indicates difficulties in relationships in life, and ambiguity indicates difficulties in understanding the events around us. The advancement and widespread use of digital technologies will enable organizations to develop sustainable strategies by providing them with the opportunity to grow by achieving sustainable competitiveness and profit in the VUCA-RR environment.

Details

Digitalization, Sustainable Development, and Industry 5.0
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-191-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2018

Jari Roy Lee Kaivo-oja and Iris Theresa Lauraeus

Under current market conditions of corporate foresight, turbulence is a key element of the business landscape. Turbulence can be summarised using the trendy managerial acronym  

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Abstract

Purpose

Under current market conditions of corporate foresight, turbulence is a key element of the business landscape. Turbulence can be summarised using the trendy managerial acronym “VUCA”: volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. This paper aims to combine, for the first time, scientific discussion of technological disruption with the VUCA approach. Gartner Hype Cycle is used as a case example of technological turbulence and “vucability”.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors present the key concepts of technological disruption and radical innovation. Both these concepts are highly relevant for modern corporate foresight. Second, the authors discuss the key elements of current technological transformation and summarise it to create a bigger picture. Third, the authors link this discussion to the VUCA approach. Fourth, the authors present the new corporate foresight framework, which is highly relevant for corporations and takes current technological transformation more seriously than previous proposals, which expect more stable business and a technological landscape.

Findings

Key issues in modern VUCA management are agility (response to volatility), information and knowledge management (response to uncertainty), restructuring (response to complexity) and experimentation (response to ambiguity). Useful foresight tools are challenging tools, decision-making tools, aligning tools, learning tools and the ability to combine these management tools in the practices of corporate foresight and management systems. The VUCA approach is a key solution concept to technological disruption.

Practical implications

The authors present the new corporate foresight framework and management tool based on foresight, which help leaders to manage VUCA – especially under the conditions of hyper-competition and technological disruption.

Originality/value

Corporate leaders should reinvent the strategic planning framework and adjust it to the VUCA conditions and simply be more strategic. Traps and typical failures of foresight are adopting it too early, giving up too soon, adapting too late and hanging on too long. In particular, technological transformation with disruptive technologies is changing and challenging many basic assumptions of business management and strategic planning. Our comparative analysis with Gartner Hype Cycle (fast technological changes from 2008 to 2016) verifies this important aspect of technological disruption.

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 9 August 2022

Abstract

Details

Agile Management and VUCA-RR: Opportunities and Threats in Industry 4.0 towards Society 5.0
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-326-0

Book part
Publication date: 14 March 2023

Edward O. Akoto, Eunice V. Akoto and Justice N. Bawole

After several years of political emancipation from colonial rule, it is time for African nations to do the same economically. Our analysis indicates that the current political…

Abstract

After several years of political emancipation from colonial rule, it is time for African nations to do the same economically. Our analysis indicates that the current political leadership environment is VUCA laden and complicated, leading to grand challenges on the continent. Therefore, the old political leadership models are inadequate for addressing the African VUCA and leadership landscape, hence, the inability to achieve the needed economic advancement. We propose a paradigm shift in political leadership for the continent to bring the decades-long desire for economic freedom to fruition by adopting the relevant organizational science and corporate leadership models for political leadership effectiveness in this complex and dynamic environment. We accomplish this by integrating three frameworks to derive nascent management and leadership capabilities relevant to the new African political leadership context and to ensure current and future leadership readiness for this new environment.

Details

African Leadership: Powerful Paradigms for the 21st Century
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-046-8

Keywords

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