Business Commons^™

Gender Differences In The Impact Of Worklife On Executives’ Psychological Health, Marcus B. Mueller

WCBT Faculty Publications

The Impact of Worklife on Executives’ Psychological Health Purpose: This is the first scientific research studying the impact of worklife factors on executives’ psychological health by gender. The study has a particular focus on the factors of ‘Community’ and ‘Work-life balance’.

Design: Survey data were collected from N=481 senior executives to measure seven worklife factors and psychological health. Standardized regression analysis was performed for each worklife in a regression model predicting psychological health by gender.

Findings: Results showed significant differences between female and male senior executives in the profiles of seven worklife factors in terms of their relationship with …

Centers Of Excellence: Management Within Multinational Corporations, Thomas Coughlan, Gary Bernstein

WCBT Faculty Publications

As organizations expand geographically, and especially when expanding globally, they often find it necessary, or more effective, to develop Centers of Excellence (CoE). If properly structured these centers can reduce cost, improve efficiency, leverage organizational assets, and often improve levels of organizational innovation. This is the next installment in a series of articles started in the first issues of the JMI exploring these very challenging issues (Coughlan & Bernstein, 2015). In this installment the authors will specifically address issues surrounding leadership, integrated governance model, standardization, continuous improvement, business continuity, and managing through hard target metrics. This article assumes that the …

What's In Your Leadership Toolbox?, Barbara M. Tarasovich, Bridget M. Lyons

WCBT Faculty Publications

Senior finance executives play a pivotal role in achieving corporate strategic vision, fostering growth, and enhancing return on invested capital. But their role is becoming more and more complex. In addition to traditional functions, they and their finance teams must now do financial modeling, integrate data analytics, handle strategies for cyber security and complicated risk management, and more. To find out what capabilities must today's financial leaders have to be successful, the authors interviewed CFOs and human resources (HR) executives and identified the key required competencies. They identified six competencies frequently named by finance and HR executives that they believe …

Mcgregor's Theory X/Y And Job Performance: A Multilevel, Multi-Source Analysis, Leanna Lawter, Richard J. Kopelman, David J. Prottas

WCBT Faculty Publications

McGregor's Theory X/Y (1957; 1960/1985; 1966; 1967), one of the most famous theories of motivation and leadership, has had a profound effect on managerial thinking over the past fifty years. Yet the effect of X/Y attitudes on job performance has never been empirically demonstrated. The present research investigates whether X/Y attitudes and X/Y behaviors-examined as two distinct constructs-are related to job performance. Further, the present research uses a multilevel, multi-source design to examine via hierarchical linear modeling the performance effects of McGregor's (1957; 1960/1985; 1966; 1967) theorizing about managerial assumptions (and behaviors) at both individual and workgroup levels. As predicted, …

A Narrative Approach To Delivering Bad News In Organizations: Effective Or Not?, Michael S. Carriger

WCBT Faculty Publications

Purpose: This paper presents empirical evidence for the use of narrative to deliver bad news within an organization, specifically bad news about layoffs. The attempt is to extend previous empirical work, using narrative by senior leadership to convey corporate strategy, to a different leadership challenge and further explicate a model for understanding the effectiveness of narrative as a leadership communication tool. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper presents further original research on the effectiveness of narrative as a leadership tool. And theoretical implications for leaders seeking effective communication tools are explored. Findings: Data presented to substantiate that narrative use, as opposed to a …

Narrative Approach To Corporate Strategy: Empirical Foundations, Michael S. Carriger

WCBT Faculty Publications

Purpose - This paper aims to present theoretical and empirical foundations for the use of a particular type of narrative skillfully deployed by senior leaders in an organization as an effective tool for creating, disseminating and executing corporate strategy. Design/methodology/approach - The paper presents original research on the effectiveness of the use of a "springboard story" as a leadership tool. Findings - Data are presented to substantiate that a "springboard story" presentation of corporate strategy and competitive advantage is more effective at producing a consistent and confident choice of competitive advantage among an audience than a presentation of corporate strategy …

Narrative Vs. Powerpoint: For Leaders, It May Not Be A Matter Of Fact, Michael S. Carriger

WCBT Faculty Publications

This paper aims to argue that narratives, skillfully deployed by senior leaders in an organization, can be a very effective tool for creating, disseminating and executing corporate strategy. The paper presents a model for narrative use by leaders and a practical guide to implementing the model. Preliminary and anecdotal data are presented to substantiation a case for leaders' use of narrative as an alternative means for conveying corporate strategy. Implications for the practical use of narratives by leaders are explored by this paper.

Giving Voice To Values: How To Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right (Book Review), Andra Gumbus

WCBT Faculty Publications

Book review by Andra Gumbus.

Gentile, Mary. Giving Voice to Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right. New Haven: Yale University Press, c2010.

ISBN 9780300161182

Dynamic Leadership: Toolbox For The Value-Based Entrepreneurship, Chun (Grace) Guo, Sinead G. Ruane, Alexandra Galli-Debicella, Phuong Anh Nguyen, Charles C. Manz

WCBT Faculty Publications

Four entrepreneurship models are proposed which lend guidance in the development of a business, from birth to exit, each examining ways to maintain the business founder’s initial vision and to continue to infuse values and ethical decision-making at each stage of development.

How Can Anyone Lead Others Until They Are Ready To Lead Themselves?, Peter A. Maresco

WCBT Faculty Publications

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience on the quality of personal leadership.

What Leaders Can Learn From Athletics: Inconsistencies Between Leadership In Sports And Leadership In Corporations, Peter A. Maresco

WCBT Faculty Publications

The article discusses how the individual performance affect the performance of the rest of the members of the team. The author cites from the perspective of a baseball player or any other team sport where the actions of one affect the actions of the other members. Each player is familiar with the rules, knows exactly what to do when it come to playing their position, and each person on the team is fully aware of the impact their performance will have on the other members of the team. Therefore, business leaders should hire individuals who are already familiar with their …

Leadership And Recruitment: What Leaders Can Learn From Coach Robert Montgomery Knight, Peter A. Maresco

WCBT Faculty Publications

The article discusses the leadership style of coach Robert Knight that can be adapted by business leaders in recruiting and managing their employees. Background information about Knight is presented. It is said that Knight believes that coaching is motivation and leadership and understanding human nature. According to the author, Knight is concerned with creating an environment where helping co-workers work to their fullest is the norm. Some additional insights into the leadership philosophy of Knight are presented.

Just Tell Me The Rules! Or When Did The Rules Change?, Valerie Christian

WCBT Faculty Publications

Anne is an experienced direct marketer. Just promoted to CEO, Anne proves to be naïve in managing The ABC Catalog Company, despite her twenty years of experience with the company. She prefers to set simple, straightforward rules for her direct reports to follow. Her management philosophy has been influenced by advice from her mentor and by her personal experiences working with her direct reports when they were her colleagues. According to Anne “The big picture is for her (and perhaps her newly-appointed and trusted CFO, Jeff) to worry about.” Anne feels that many of her direct reports are incapable or …