Afsaneh Nahavandi

The Impact of Consulting on Small Business: A Further Examination:

The present study focuses on the impact of consulting on small businesses and identifies the reasons why small businesses do not implement some of the recommendations that they receive from consultants. A mail survey of 126 businesses that had sought assistance from the SBDC at the University of Utah was conducted. Results obtained from 106 respondents (84% response rate) indicate that overall, business manager/owners were highly satisfied with the services they received and that they found them useful. They also reported that the consulting had a positive impact on their business. Appropriateness and lack of consultant expertise were cited as primary reasons for not implementing some of the recommendations. The results are discussed in terms of areas in which the SBDCs could improve the assistance they provide small businesses and future directions for research.

Teaching Leadership to First-Year Students in a Learning Community

This paper discusses a model for teaching leadership to first-year students as part of a learning community. It outlines the purpose and structure of the course and presents ideas for how different disciplines could be combined with leadership in learning communities. Teaching leadership to first-year students as part of a learning community instead of a stand-alone course has two distinct advantages. First, when leadership is taught at the freshman level, the early introduction of the topic allows for the possibility of repetition and reinforcements of the concepts, both of which are essential to learning. Second, by teaching leadership in a learning community, instructors and students are able to apply and integrate the concepts of leadership with other areas, thereby increasing learning and retention.

Successful Mergers through Acculturation

Although the merger mania of the 1980s has somewhat subsided, and the 1990s are likely to see fewer mergers and acquisitions, buying other companies continues to be one of the most popular strategic moves. The many failed mergers and take-overs, and the ensuing turnover of many top executives in the acquired firms (Walsh 1988), have demonstrated that even extensive planning and careful implementation are not a guarantee of the success of such a strategy. As many of the financial models of mergers have proved ineffective in dealing with the actual management of mergers, some researchers are calling for focus on the contextual and decisional aspects of a merger (Hunt 1990; Trautwein 1990). Others are finding that the sociocultural aspects, and processes involved in the merging of two companies that treat them as human and cultural entities, are the key to the success of a merger (Buono and Bowditch 1989; Nahavandi and Malekzadeh 1988; Sales and Mirvis 1984; Shrivastava 1986).

Cultural Mythology and Global Leadership in Iran

Until 1979 Iran, or Persia as it used to be known in the West, had been a monarchy for over 3000 years. The monarchic identity, presence of a central powerful government symbolized by a king and the cultural elements that accompany such traditions are an indelible part of Iranian culture and ideals of leadership. During its long history, the country has been subject to numerous invasions including those of Alexander the Great in 300 BC, and the Arab invasion of the seventh century AD, which brought Islam to Iran. As a result, Iran experienced cultural battles between its imperial and Indo-European roots and the cultures of the invaders. What some would consider the ‘true’ Iranian identity has survived through many conflicts, sometimes going underground, with adjustments and adaptations. Iranian mythology reflected in fairy tales, folklore and literature has survived for thousands of years and continues to be taught in schools and used in popular story telling and art. The courageous, caring, humble and daring leader-hero who rises to save the nation against various supernatural, foreign or domestic evils, while showing unwavering loyalty to country, king and father, kindness to the weak and his enemies, and caring for his followers is an ever present character. This chapter will consider the dominant cultural themes that run through Iranian mythology, shape ideals of leadership in Iran and help understand current leadership.

Iranian Mystical Leadership: Lessons for Contemporary Leaders

Iran, or Persia as it was known in the West until the early part of the twentieth century, was one of the great empires of antiquity with many celebrated leaders and a rich tradition of science, philosophy, and literature. Starting with Zoroastrian teachings dating back 2,500 years ago, through myths presented in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (Book of Kings) in the tenth century, and Saadi’s Golestan (The Rose Garden) in the thirteenth century, the leadership themes have remained the same. They present the ideal of the courageous, caring, humble, and moderate leader-hero who rises to save the nation against various supernatural, foreign, or domestic evils, while showing unwavering loyalty to country, king, and family, kindness to the weak and his enemies, and caring for his followers. These leadership themes, their links to current leadership theory and other ancient philosophies, and their applicability to today’s organizations are explored.

Threshold Concepts and Culture-as-Meta-Context

This article explores the use of threshold concepts and their application to teaching culture. While there is clear recognition of the importance of preparing students to succeed in a global and multicultural world, the way we teach students about the importance and role of culture is often disjointed, narrowly focused, and does not always address key underlying issues that could help them grasp, retain, and apply the concept. After reviewing the literature on threshold concepts, and providing a quick overview of the ways in which culture is usually taught, I propose teaching culture-as-meta-context as an alternative approach that leads students to cross a conceptual threshold that allows them to gain a previously inaccessible perspective and develop the cultural mindset that is key to managing and working across cultures, nationally and globally. I further present some guidelines and ideas for teaching students culture-as-meta-context and a cultural mindset.