Anne H. Reilly

Agency Theory and Variable Pay Compensation Strategies

This study used a sample of middle-level managers to investigate the effects of organization-level agency-theory-based variables on the proportion of variable compensation that managers receive. Le...

Managing Intercultural Teams: the Eorganization Exercise:

In todays global environment, intercultural teams may become the most effective teams in an organization when their diversity is managed as an asset. However, because of miscommunication and conflict, intercultural teams often become dysfunctional. This experiential group exercise demonstrates how cultural dimensions such as individualism and collectivism affect the performance of intercultural teams—in particular, globally dispersed virtual teams. Five cultural dimensions are applied in a hypothetical project team working in the fictional eOrganization. Using either group or role-play format, participants analyze the situation and propose solutions for this dysfunctional project team. Participants are encouraged to apply their personal experiences with intercultural teams, and the authors provide a set of best practices to supplement their recommendations.

The technology of effective crisis management: More than the daily routine

Abstract This multi-method field study explored the technology of effective crisis management. Using data generated from interviews, surveys, and archives, 65 categories of crisis management technologies were examined. The results showed that the technology of effective crisis management involves both human and technical elements, and it appears to require a different set of technology from managing an organization under routine conditions. In addition, perceived crisis management capacity and financial performance were not related in this sample of organizations.

Riding out Corporate Turbulence

How do dramatic organization changes impact on the managers and employees who must see them through?

Friday night at the plant : A small-scale application of an on-site case study

This article describes the experiences of one MBA class that experimented with combining classroom lecture and discussion with an on-site case study at a business organization. The project provides an example of the positives and negatives of using an on-site case study to involve students in a real-world experience. Advantages and disadvantages are presented from three perspectives: the students, the instructor, and the CEO of the firm studied by the class. The article also provides a set of recommendations for other classes and companies considering similar small-scale experiences. It concludes with a discussion of the merits of applying the on-site case study approach on a smaller scale.

Understanding Resistance to Change: The Jefferson Company Exercise

To successfully implement an organizational change effort, the counterforces to the change must be managed effectively. This four-character role-play exercise, which is based on a real-life situation, is designed to show how both employee and management resistance to change can hinder the implementation of a change effort. The Jefferson Company is an old-line printing company with new partners that needs to change its technology, its equipment, and its operating procedures. The company is also confronting a challenging competitive situation, a precarious debt position, and an existing union contract. This role-play exercise can also be used to illustrate group dynamics and power issues.

Using Reflective Practice to Support Management Student Learning: Three Brief Assignments.

Reflective practice supports critical thinking and assessment skills through analyzing one’s own life experiences, and the role of reflection in learning has been long recognized. However, drawbacks of many reflective practice assignments are their broad scope and lengthy written requirements. I propose that the reflection process is robust enough to support management student learning through short written tasks as well. Three examples of brief reflective assignments are presented suitable for management educators teaching undergraduate, graduate, or non-credit learners: (1) writing an organizational story, (2) a reflection about learning from adversity, and (3) a goal-oriented personal change. Learning outcomes and student responses have been positive, and the assignments have also been an insightful teaching experience for the instructor.

External Communication About Sustainability: Corporate Social Responsibility Reports and Social Media Activity

ABSTRACT External communication about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability activities may vary significantly across firms. Communication channel, content, and frequency may reflect a company’s resource allocation priorities, its culture, and its leadership in the sustainability domain. This empirical research compares n = 11 global consumer apparel companies, with brands ranging from Adidas to Prada to Wrangler, in terms of their communication about CSR and sustainability in both formal outlets (annual CSR reports), informal channels (Twitter and Facebook social media), and voluntary participation in external rankings (the Global Reporting Initiative). In addition, the sample is divided into “High-Ranked” and “Low-Ranked” subsamples, using Newsweek’s Greenest Companies 2014 rankings, to examine if companies ranked highly by Newsweek communicate more often and display higher levels of engagement in sustainability reporting, compared to low-ranked firms. Results provide support for our research propositions. We conclude with recommendations for companies seeking to strengthen their CSR external communication.

Beyond ‘Innocents Abroad’: Reflecting on Sustainability Issues During International Study Trips

With ecosystems and populations in many regions threatened by rapid development, sustainability is a critical component for businesses in mature markets and emerging economies alike. The International Association of Jesuit Business Schools notes that global sustainability involves a broad set of interconnected issues ranging from environmental preservation to social justice to desirable production and consumption patterns. Jesuit business schools are uniquely positioned to address sustainability issues with their focus on teaching managerial content in tandem with corporate social responsibility. Further, the Ignatian Pedagogy Paradigm of experience, reflection, and action would suggest that business students may benefit from reflective observation in support of learning about sustainability. In this paper, we examine the international study trip as an opportunity for students to learn about sustainability, with results suggesting that student understanding about the broad sustainability domain may be enhanced through the study abroad experience. We discuss how two classes of primarily American MBA students traveling to emerging markets (one class to Santiago, Chile and one class to Johannesburg, South Africa) were able to connect local business practices with economic and social as well as environmental sustainability issues, enhancing both student engagement and learning outcomes. Further, these students’ sustainability experiences while in an unfamiliar environment provided the opportunity to apply the potentially transformative experience, reflection, and action components of the Ignatian Pedagogy Paradigm. Compared to similar graduate business students enrolled in regular classes, we argue that these students discerned deeper connections with the economic, social, and environmental issues of sustainability.