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The purpose of the article was to identify the core dimensions of strategic thinking and create a measure that provides a comprehensive operationalization of the construct.

The construct validity of the measure was assessed in two studies using four samples with a total of 985 participants. The measure was created using a multi-step process that included item development and content validation, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and discriminant validity, criterion validity and test-retest validity.

The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) supported the existence of the three dimensions of strategic thinking (visionary, synthetic and creative thinking) as conceptually proposed. The measure was reduced to nine items. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the three dimensions and revealed acceptable factor loadings and model fit. Convergent, discriminant and criterion validity were established, and the measure demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability.

An individual's ability to think strategically is vital for making strategic decisions and relevant to upper echelon theory and strategic management. The definition and core dimensions of strategic thinking are unclear in the literature, creating confusion. This study added to the literature by defining the core dimensions of strategic thinking and developing the strategic thinking assessment (STA) to measure the construct.

This paper seeks to present new insights into strategic thinking, proposing a model of strategic thinking competency.

To find new knowledge, the research applies the Straussian grounded theory research method using multiple sources and techniques of data inquiry: in‐depth interviews, observations, literature review, and related published documents. The sample cases are business leaders of leading high growth companies in their respective markets, representing eleven different industries in Thailand.

Among many new knowledge, the study found seven characteristics of strategic thinking that impacts strategy formulation, strategic actions, and business performance: conceptual thinking ability, visionary thinking, analytical thinking ability, synthesizing ability, objectivity, creativity, and learning ability. This set of abilities and skilled are termed “strategic thinking competency”.

In‐depth interview data inquiry method has potential bias towards positive information. Although the study covers many industries, the small number of sample cases limits degree of generalization. A constraint of qualitative research method in interpretation of the results is reduced by comparing empirical results to the literature.

The “strategic thinking competency” model offers a framework for developing strategic thinking of business leaders and managers which contributes to better strategy and better business performance. Human resource developers may apply the model for designing training programs to develop better strategic thinkers.

Better strategic thinking could help improving efficiency and effectiveness of business and general management.

The study introduces a model of “Strategic Thinking Competency” with seven characteristics, proposing a new way of defining strategic thinking.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the competency models used by organizations to assess the strategic thinking ability of their leaders, managers, and other employees.

A basic interpretive study was conducted with human resource executives across a broad range of large organizations. Participants were interviewed, and competency models in use were shared, reviewed, and discussed. The model development process was also explored in depth. Findings were verified via member checks and triangulation.

Models in use either identify strategic thinking as a stand-alone competency, or embed it under three different areas. Most cover one or more executive levels, stating varying expectations for strategic thinking by job title or level, or differentiating strategic thinking performance levels. The models include descriptions of strategic thinking behaviors that cross seven categories of strategy development, implementation, and organizational alignment.

The study provides indications of potential generalizations that should be considered with more organizations across sectors.

The findings provide practitioners with format and content examples to enhance the assessment of strategic thinking in existing competency models, as well as process considerations for model development/revision. The findings also identify how competency model components are used across the spectrum of talent management activities.

The study fills a gap in the literature by providing empirically based identification of the strategic thinking behaviors organizations consider essential competencies and how they are assessed. In so doing, the study provides a glimpse of how strategic thinking is used in practice and across a range of strategic management activities. In addition, the study links strategic thinking to the competency development literature, illustrating details of competency model development for strategic thinking, and identifying opportunities for related theory development in both domains.

Recently, researchers have highlighted the limited attention that has been devoted to managerial capabilities as micro-foundational elements of absorptive capacity. Strategic thinking is one such managerial capability that guides managers during the development of organizational capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the influence of managerial strategic thinking on the development of absorptive capacity.

Data were collected using a sample of 324 senior-level and mid-level managers from the software industry. PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Study results indicate that managerial strategic thinking is positively related to absorptive capacity, as well as to each of its four components – acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation.

The current study adopts a micro-foundations perspective and delves into the development and orchestration of organizational capabilities. This study is the first to empirically investigate the relationship between managerial strategic thinking and absorptive capacity. Prior literature on absorptive capacity has focused on its influence on phenomena that are downstream to absorptive capacity, e.g. innovation, new product development and firm performance. The research offers new insights into the relationship between absorptive capacity and managerial strategic thinking, a hitherto unexplored upstream phenomenon. Scholars have theorized that managerial strategic thinking plays a pivotal role in managerial decisions, making it a critical factor in developing the absorptive capacity of an organization. The authors believe that the empirical evidence of the theorized relationship offers valuable insights that will aid scholarly research on organizational capabilities.

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of network leadership in meeting the requirements for regional development networks imposed by the network society.

A new framework of three different archetypes of regional development networks was devised. The characteristics of the different networks and the requirements they set for network leadership were assessed as a case study in the Lahti Region, Finland. A special panel of experts of three highly experienced network leaders was organized as part of the present study. Their task was to assess the differences concerning network leadership in different regional development networks. The session was conducted in the (niin sanottu means it was not an inspiration) Inspiration Center in the Lahti Region. Inspiration Center is a platform for brainstorming and stimulation, designed especially to arrive at ideas and form opinions through teamwork. The method used was a half‐structured group discussion, planned especially for the purpose of the present study. The method was used to form a convergent expert assessment among the participants.

The essential differences of the types of regional development networks make it insufficient to talk about network leadership as a general concept. It is important to identify and understand the differences in network leadership required by the different archetypes of regional development networks.

The paper combines leadership, network leadership, and regional development in a novel way.

The purpose of this study is to describe primary health-care managers’ perceptions of management competencies at different management levels in digital health services using the management competency assessment program as a framework.

A secondary analysis study involving 21 semi-structured individual interviews was conducted among Finnish primary health-care managers at different management levels (frontline, middle and senior). The deductive framework method was used to analyze the data.

Similarities and differences were found in management competencies between different levels of management. Competencies related to the use of digitalization were highlighted by managers at all management levels. Managers at all management levels were involved in developing digital solutions and supporting employees in using digital solutions in their work. Frontline and middle managers emphasized more issues related to day-to-day management and communication with employees, whereas senior managers highlighted the management of large entities.

In the secondary analysis, data were used for purposes other than originally intended. Therefore, the data are subject to limitations of the methodology applied and should be transferred to other contexts with caution.

Identifying the management competencies needed to manage digital health services is important to target managers’ training according to needs in the future.

The results could be used to develop the management of digital health services, as well as improve digital health services and their deployment.

Previous literature mostly examined managers’ informatics competencies and paid little attention to other management competencies. This study discusses more broadly the management competencies that digital health services require from managers at different levels of management.

This paper aims to introduce a new retention model suitable for academic setting that is based on the interaction between creativity, emotional intelligence and learner autonomy.

This paper uses quantitative research methods, especially survey, to justify the hypotheses testing and the components of new retention model. Based on the proposed model, three hypotheses have developed and tested using Smart Partial Least Square (SPLS) method. This paper also uses the qualitative data including documents, archival records and website analysis.

The findings denote that creativity, emotional intelligence and learner autonomy positively affect students' retention. The findings also indicate that there is a strong relationship between emotional intelligence and learner autonomy. It assumes that the study indicators might lead to students' retention and that autonomous learners persevere toward academic goals.

The paper concludes with discussion of limitations of the study, suggestions for future research, and how administrators of nontraditional programs can benefit from this study. This study has important implications for higher education decision makers and university leaders alike.

The proposed students' retention model symbolizes the interplay between the cognitive and affective domains of creativity and emotional intelligence, which can contribute to learner autonomy intentions, changes in persistence and formulation of new beliefs in higher education.

This paper aims to explore the relationship between introspection and key competencies for sustainable consumption (KCSCs). It investigates whether mindfulness training can cultivate the ability to introspect and stimulate the development of KCSCs.

Two independent studies were analyzed. Data were retrieved from interviews with participants of a consumer-focused mindfulness training (Study 1, 11 participants), as well as from diaries of students attending a university seminar with mindfulness training (Study 2, 13 students), and made subject to qualitative content analysis.

Both studies show a clear intersection between both constructs and suggest that mindfulness training can contribute to the development of KCSCs and learners’ ability to introspect. The studies also demonstrated that introspection is not equally related to all competencies and that KCSCs must not be reduced to introspection.

Both KCSCs and introspection are complex and latent constructs and hence challenging to observe. The research understands itself as a first exploratory approach for empirically investigating this complex relation.

While increasing (self-)reflectivity is at the core of competence-based education, a systematic engagement with the practice of introspection as a means to enhancing reflectivity is surprisingly lacking. Mindfulness training could be a promising way to cultivate introspective abilities and thus facilitate learning processes that are conducive to competence development.

Describes the background behind the development of a new leadership self‐assessment instrument, the dynamic leader inventory and how the authors were able to confirm much current thinking on “visionary” leadership. They found leadership situations were enormously variable – what was appropriate behaviour in terms of visionary leadership varied from one situation to another, particularly with respect to the leader’s influence over others and influence over change. This led to the development of a new model of leadership, the “dynamic” leader which builds on, but goes beyond, the “visionary” model. This development is explained and a framework is outlined, identifying four types of leadership situations. Findings have clear implications for thinking about leadership and for the practice of leadership development.