Strategic Management Policy Commons^™

Positive Psychological Capital: Beyond Human And Social Capital, Fred Luthans, Kyle W. Luthans, Brett C. Luthans

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

With the rising recognition of human resources as a competitive advantage in today’s global economy, human capital and, more recently, social capital are being touted in both theory, research, and practice. To date, however, positive psychological capital has been virtually ignored by both business academics and practitioners. “Who I am” is every bit as important as “what I know” and “who I know.” By eschewing a preoccupation with personal shortcomings and dysfunctions and focusing instead on personal strengths and good qualities, today’s leaders and their associates can develop confidence, hope, optimism, and resilience, thereby improving both individual and organizational performance.

Recognition And Development Of Hope For South African Organizational Leaders, Fred Luthans, René Van Wyk, Fred Walumbwa

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

The significant challenges faced by South Africa at present are well known. How to deal with the problems from a political and economic perspective abound, but taking a psychological approach has been neglected. This paper proposes a positive approach to South African organizational leadership based on the psychological capacity of hope. After giving a brief background on the context surrounding South African organizations, the theory, research, and application of hope relevant to organizational leadership in the “Rainbow Nation” are presented and analyzed. Such an overlooked positive approach represented by hopeful organizational leaders seems needed at this juncture of South Africa’s …

Human, Social, And Now Positive Psychological Capital Management: Investing In People For Competitive Advantage, Fred Luthans, Carolyn M. Youssef

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

There is growing evidence that human resources are crucial to organizational success, and may offer the best return on investment for sustainable competitive advantage. Jeffery Pfeffer’s extensive work, summarized in his book The Human Equation, discusses substantially supported but unfortunate findings that only about half of today’s organizations and their managers believe that human resources really do matter. Moreover, only half of those organizations act upon their beliefs beyond paying lip service to this vital resource. Few organizations have adopted high performance work practices, such as 360-degree feedback, pay-for-performance, self-managed teams, employee empowerment, and other human-oriented initiatives. Furthermore, Pfeffer shows …

Unlocking The Mask: A Look At The Process By Which Authentic Leaders Impact Follower Attitudes And Behaviors, Bruce Avolio, William L. Gardner, Fred Walumbwa, Fred Luthans, Douglas R. May

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

The conceptual and empirical links between authentic leadership and follower attitudes, behaviors, and performance outcomes have not been fully developed. Although we have a number of articles developing the theory of authentic leadership and testing propositions that will appear in a forthcoming special issue of The Leadership Quarterly (Vol. 16, Issue 3, 2005), the focus of this article is to provide some of the initial foundation work for the broader theoretical framework of how authentic leaders influence follower attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Here, we draw from positive organizational behavior, trust, hope, emotion, identification, and identity theories to describe the processes …

The Development Of Interfirm Partnering Competence: Platforms For Learning, Learning Activities, And Consequences Of Learning, Jean L. Johnson, Ravipreet S. Sohi

Department of Marketing: Faculty Publications

This study investigated factors within the firm that encourage organizational learning activities. The authors suggest that when the appropriate factors are present, the firm will more likely engage in learning activities integral in the development of interfirm partnering competence. The conditions for building partnering competence are found in the firm's culture and climate in the form of learning intent, receptivity, and transparency. In addition, the authors suggested that learning-related activities would generate some positive influence on specific interfirm relationships (IFRs). The authors tested these ideas on data from a multiindustry mail survey. Results largely conformed to expectations. The platform variables, …

It Competency And Firm Performance: Is Organizational Learning A Missing Link?, Michael J. Tippins, Ravipreet S. Sohi

Department of Marketing: Faculty Publications

Many companies have developed strategies that include investing heavily in information technology (IT) in order to enhance their performance. Yet, this investment pays off for some companies but not others. This study proposes that organization teaming plays a significant role in determining the outcomes of IT. Drawing from resource theory and IT literature, the authors develop the concept of IT competency. Using structural equations modeling with data collected from managers in 271 manufacturing firms, they show that organizational learning plays a significant role in mediating the effects of IT competency on firm performance.

Fisheries Statutory Management Authority Inquiry Background Paper, H. G. Brayford

Fisheries Management Papers

The objective of this paper is to provide factual background to the issues that are likely to be relevant to the Advisory Committee’s considerations and to the interests of stakeholders. It also pulls together relevant reference material and experiences from within WA and from other fisheries jurisdictions in Australia.

Behavioral Management And Task Performance In Organizations: Conceptual Background, Meta-Analysis, And Test Of Alternative Models, Alexander D. Stajkovic, Fred Luthans

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

In this study, we provide the conceptual background, meta-analyze available behavioral management studies (N = 72) in organizational settings, and examine whether combined reinforcement effects on task performance are additive (sum of individual effects), redundant (combined effects are less than the additive effects), or synergistic (combined effects are greater than the sum of the individual effects). We found a significant overall average effect size of (d.) = .47 (16% improvement in performance; 63% probability of success), and a significant within-group heterogeneity of effect sizes. To account for this variation, we conducted a theory-driven moderator analysis, which indicated that money, feedback, …

What Knowledge Managers Really Do: An Empirical And Comparative Analysis, Arben Asllani, Fred Luthans

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

The advent of information technology has generated not only interest in how to acquire, store and ‘‘mine’’ data, but also how to manage knowledge. Yet, there is still considerable confusion and a lack of understanding of what today’s knowledge managers really do. Continuing a stream of previous research on the behavior activities of traditional managers, this study investigated the relative amount of time today’s knowledge managers (N = 307) spend on traditional management functions, communications, human resources and networking. Besides identifying what knowledge managers really do, this study examined what successful knowledge managers do. Comparisons are then made with …

360-Degree Feedback With Systematic Coaching: Empirical Analysis Suggests A Winning Combination, Fred Luthans, Suzanne J. Peterson

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

Wanted: High-performance work practices to gain a competitive advantage. An increasingly common answer to this desperate call is 360-degree programs; unfortunately, they have, at best, mixed reviews when empirically assessed. This study found that a way to improve the effectiveness of 360s may be to combine them with coaching focused on enhanced self-awareness and behavioral management. In a small manufacturer, this feedback-coaching resulted in improved manager and employee satisfaction, commitment, intentions to turnover, and at least indirectly, this firm’s performance. This feedback-coaching may be a winning combination to help in the competitive battles in today’s global economy.

The Balanced Scorecard At Philips Electronics, Andra Gumbus, Bridget M. Lyons

WCBT Faculty Publications

The drive to implement the balanced scorecard at Philips Electronics came from the top down - as a directive from the Board of Management in Europe to all Philips divisions and companies worldwide. The directive went to each of the companies and their quality departments, with the effort in the medical division headed by the Quality Steering Committee that reports to the president of Philips Medical Systems. Philips Electronics has used the balanced scorecard to align company vision, focus employees on how they fit into the big picture, and educate them on what drives the business. An essential aid to …

Miscellaneous Publication 6/2001 - Sheep And Goat Industries Biosecurity Plan, Department Of Agriculture Western Australia, Government Of Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

StockGuard has been initiated to develop a series of biosecurity plans for the animal industries in Western Australia. Through StockGuard, representatives from the animal industries have been working with the Department of Agriculture to identify the major threats to each of the animal industries and to develop action plans detailing how these threats will be managed.

The recent Foot and Mouth outbreak in the United Kingdom is a stark example of the potential for exotic disease to devastate an animal industry. The UK experience, along with the 1999 outbreak of virulent Newcastle disease in poultry in New South Wales have …

Pitney Bowes Calls For New Metrics, Mark Green, Jeanine Garrity, Andra Gumbus, Bridget Lyons

WCBT Faculty Publications

The importance of measuring strategy and action plans is here to stay. That is why savvy companies are using a scorecard. Pitney Bowes Inc. is one company that believes in the balanced scorecard. At PBI the basis is in place with a newly defined mission statement, individual objectives linked to the mission, and metrics designed to measure progress toward achieving those objectives. The company has been successful on several fronts. In fact, the balanced scorecard approach helped PBI to improve a process in its core business and ultimately saved the company millions.

Successful Management By Neville Bain, New Delhi: Macmillan Press, 1995., Maj Gen V Uberoy

IIMB Management Review

No abstract provided.

Turnaround Excellence : Insights From 120 Cases By Pradip N Khandwalla, Response (Sage), 2001., Srinivas Gunta

IIMB Management Review

No abstract provided.

Sampling Concepts, Paul Boyd, Ph.D.

MBA Faculty Conference Papers & Journal Articles

The usefulness of any research is dependent upon how well the group studied represents the group about which decisions are to be made or conclusions drawn. That is, it depends upon how well the sample reflects relevant characteristics of the population. When it is possible to study every member of that group there is no problem, for on these occasions we can easily calculate the exact attribute (parameter) of interest for our population.

For example, if we were interested in determining the average number of gallons of gasoline sold to customers at our service station yesterday, we …

The Need For And Meaning Of Positive Organizational Behavior, Fred Luthans

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

This essay draws from the emerging positive psychology movement and the author’s recent articles on the need for and meaning of a positive approach to organizational behavior. Specifically, the argument is made that at this time, the OB field needs a proactive, positive approach emphasizing strengths, rather than continuing in the downward spiral of negativity trying to fix weaknesses. However, to avoid the surface positivity represented by the non-sustainable best-sellers, the case is made for positive organizational behavior (POB) to take advantage of the OB field’s strength of being theory and research driven. Additional criteria for this version of POB …

Impact Of Transformational Leadership On Follower Development And Performance: A Field Experiment, Taly Dvir, Dov Eden, Bruce Avolio, Boas Shamir

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

In a longitudinal, randomized field experiment, we tested the impact of transformational leadership, enhanced hy training, on follower development and performance. Experimental group leaders received transformational leadership training, and control group leaders, eclectic leadership training. The sample included 54 military leaders, their 90 direct followers, and 724 indirect followers. Results indicated the leaders in the experimental group had a more positive impact on direct followers' development and on indirect followers' performance than did the leaders in the control group.

Network Characteristics And Its Implications : Case Study Of Two Firms In Buyer-Supplier Relationships, Geok Eng Kwee

Student Works (2000-2009)

Cooperative relationships among firms are an area of research of interest to academicians and practitioners alike. Such cooperative relationships have evolved into a new form of business model known as network. This paper attempts to investigate the characteristics of a network and its implications such as benefits and risks from it. In a competitive world where survival depends on the abilities of firms to meet the needs of demanding consumers, an understanding of the dynamics of network is of paramount importance to firms wishing to deliver high value-added products. The study applies a case-study approach and two firms were selected. …

Organisational Diagnostics And Planned Organisational Change : An Application Of An Adapted Version Of Soft System Methodology ; The Case For A Private Healthcare Institution, Patricia Rita Nunis

Student Works (2000-2009)

THE RESEARCH PROJECT

This is an exploratory, qualitative study that utilises an adapted version of Soft Systems Methodology developed by Dr Mohd. Yusof Omar, to conduct an organisational diagnosis and plan interventions for change for a complex organisation. The target of the study was the 15-member senior management team of Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC). Data was collected over a period of 8 months (Jan-Aug 2001), via participant observation using the framework of action research.

THE FINDINGS

It was determined that the organisation exhibited borderline capability to weather anticipated changes in the future, due to the composition of its current …

An Empirical Study Of Relationships Between Business Culture And Organizational Learning Of Malaysian Organizations, Soh Ping Low

Student Works (2000-2009)

In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of lasting competitive advantage is knowledge. Organizations must learn better than their best competitor or their business is doomed to fall behind. Learning has become the key to organizational survival. The main aim of this research is to explore how business culture affects organizational learning of Malaysian organizations. It is also to understand whether different nationalities of Malaysian organizations possess different business culture. Additionally, the research analyzed the effect of organizational learning on the consequences in term of individuals' self-rated competency and satisfaction with development since joining …

Organisational Diagnostics And Planned Organisational Change : A Case On Pharmaceutical Firm, Chee Meng Kok

Student Works (2000-2009)

A case study has been conducted on a pharmaceutical firm based in Malaysia. The framework of this study was constructed based on the adapted version of Checkland's Soft System Methodology (SSM). The organisation that under­studied was being tested on its viability towards a planned change. A set of diagnostics tools was applied to calibrate the organisation's operating system. In the inquiry stage for the real world, the six level organisational diagnostics, self-actuation diagnostic, organisation dissipativeness diagnostic and the actor system diagnostic (Yusef Omar, 2001) was used. The ISO 9001 :2000 standard criteria are used for the system thinking inquiry. Observation …

The Influence Of Firm Dispositions On Interfirm Relationship Formation In Business Markets, Jean L. Johnson, Ravipreet S. Sohi

Department of Marketing: Faculty Publications

The central premise of this paper is that firm level characteristics or behavioral traits, referred to as predispositions, influence how the firm behaves and interacts in its interfirm relationships (EFRs). This augments traditional approaches that focus on the intra-relationship perspective and/or on environmental influences on the relationship. Firm predispositions of strategic intent and relational proclivity are expected to individually, and in combination, increase the extent of connectedness between partners in interfirm relationships. In turn, through connectedness, they affect relationship effectiveness in terms of reciprocity, information exchange, and cooperation. Results indicated that the predispositions increased connectedness, but combinational effects were not …

Off-Shore Borrowing And Guarantees By Banks: Implication For Portfolio Management., C. C. Edordu

Bullion

The subject I have been asked to reflect on is important and somewhat provocative given the potential significance of foreign capital in the development process and the implied doubt the topic raises about the capacity of banks to manage their portfolios on accessing external finance. With regard to financing tenors, it is pertinent to point out that the tenor of liabilities of most banks in Nigeria and Africa is short. The paper has focused on the various discussions about the conditions for good governance, which raises questions about the structure and functioning of the state, its relationship to society and …

Why Can't We Wait (To Spend) And The Law Of Unintended Consequences: Potential Negative Impact On Minority Employees From Well-Intentioned Organizational Compensation Practices, James R. Jones

Marketing and Management Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

In this time of increasing uncertainty about business viability and stability, many organizations are looking to gain control of their "bottom line" by strengthening the link between organizational outcomes and employee rewards. Long gone are the days of steadily and automatically increasing worker salaries as a hoped-for method of expanding productivity. Indeed, there is a school of thought that suggests that automatic pay increases act as a "demotivator" for many individuals. The more common approach currently is to utilize incentives (i.e., additional compensation/rewards given for performance beyond normal expectations) as a way of enhancing employee work motivation, thereby leading to …

Consulting Demons : Inside The Unscrupulotls World Of Global Corporate Consulting By Lewis Pinault, New York, Harper Business, 2000, Price : $26; Rs 940., Rishikesha T Krishnan

IIMB Management Review

This irreverent and perhaps slightly exaggerated account of the world of global consulting has behind it some sharp insights into a highly sought-after industry. Having worked in a range of consulting firms - from the strategy- and idea-driven Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to the more conservative and thorough Coopers & Lybrand (now Price Waterhouse Coopers) -Lewis Pinault has a range of experiences to offer and he does so in an engaging and easy-to-read manner. The book reads like a thriller, but every chapter ends with a section titled ' consulting demonology in which the author distil the learnings from his …

Knowledge Management In Twenty Malaysian Companies, Lai Yee Kong

Student Works (2000-2009)

The world economy has evolved over the last couple of years from a managed economy into an entrepreneurial economy or commonly referred as knowledge-based economy. In the knowledge-based economy, knowledge is becoming the primary production factor comparing to the traditional economies, which focused on labour, land, and capital. Therefore, there is a need to explore its impact to Malaysian's firms. This research deals with knowledge management in the emergence of knowledge economy especially for developing country such as Malaysia. Exploration of Malaysian's managers' perception towards knowledge management process and its awareness will be focused in the entire research study. In …

Director Ownership And Financial Performance Of Listed Companies In Malaysia, Kiew Heong Yap

Student Works (2000-2009)

The ability to align managerial and shareholder Interests via the managerial ownership of equity is an important topic of Inquiry, with the governance issues arising from the separation of ownership from control. The primarily US and UK based literature and findings suggest that management is aligned at low and possibly high levels of ownership but is entrenched (pursuing self interest) at intermediate ownership levels. This paper examines the relationship between the performance of public-listed companies (PLC) and director ownership in Malaysia using accounting and market performance measures. The empirical results of the paper shows that as director ownership in a …

The Future Of Payphones Industry In Malaysia, Kamarul Shah Azman Mohd Hussin

Student Works (2000-2009)

With rapid technological advancement especially in telecommunications sector, today's payphones industry seems irrelevant and facing difficulties to survive in the current business environment. This paper presents an insight into the present and future of payphones industry in Malaysia by considering external environmental impacts and the industry competitiveness effects. Looking into the external environmental impact, it will be seen that payphones industry is in declining stage in term of its market share due to the existence of surrounding threats in the industry. In deeper perspective, this paper discusses on the contributing factors that causes Malaysian payphones market to decline, specifically in …

Survival Strategy Of Sunway Construction Berhad In 1997 Financial Crisis, Kok Leong Chow

Student Works (2000-2009)

Over dependence on the domestic market and government projects and lack of international exposure are the weaknesses of Sunway Construction Berhad, (SWCB), leading to being hit badly by the 1997 financial crisis. The financial crisis has only help to expose such weaknesses . The lack of marketing strategy and over-emphasis on closing of sale (Bidding of tender) do not help to face the challenges of the new business environment, such as trade liberalization ,merger and acquisitions, new entrants and Gatt's and protectionism. To survive well and to maintain growth, it is essential for SWCB to strengthen its competitive advantages and …