Lynn Isabella

Creating strategic alliances which endure

Abstract Despite the documented growth of alliances on a global basis, managers focus too much attention on questions of aliance formation and spend too little effort attempting to understand the process of alliance management. This research reports the results of an in-depth analysis of a number of international alliances. We demonstrate that successful alliances depend on both business and interpersonal relationships, and that the demands of each varies over the alliances life cycle. We also show the central role played by the alliance manager.

Top Management Team Certainty: Environmental Assessments, Teamwork, and Performance Implications:

This research explored the concept of top management team (TMT) certainty, that is, the degree of confidence that the TMT has about its environment assessments and subsequent strategic decisions. Using a banking simulation, this exploratory study suggested that beliefs about the environment and a strong team orientation were critical determinants of TMT certainty, while actual environmental volatility and consensus within the TMT were not. Additionally, the research explored the positive relationship between TMT certainty and organizational performance.

Making Sense of Careers: A Review 1989-1992

The following provides an overview of the field of careers by focusing on research published in the last four years. The information is organized around the major content areas of the field: attraction/selection, socialization, commitment, mentoring, plateaus, voluntary and involuntary separations, work-family conflicts, and demographic impacts. Some general observations and suggestions for future research directions are offered.

Using Existing Teams to Teach about Teams: How an MBA Course in Managing Teams Helps Students and the Program

This article chronicles the unique manner in which a second-year MBA elective course in managing teams has been crafted using existing first-year learning teams as its core. The design and orchestration of this course are detailed, as are the challenges posed, in delivering a course that not only teaches about teams and team dynamics but does so integrating first- and second-year MBA experiences. Recognizing that some features are specific to the MBA context in which this course was designed, this article also offers the underlying generalizable and adaptable features for other teams’ courses.

Alliance leadership: Template for the future

The premise of this chapter is the following: strategic alliances offer the kind of organizational context that encourages a new kind of leadership and the attributes of effective alliance managers today are the foundational characteristics of global leaders of the future. Drawing on extensive field research as well as work with companies, we examine the alliance context and the challenges it offers to managers. We describe those leadership challenges, and detail both the actions and behaviors required of effective alliance managers and the cognitive characteristics that seem to distinguish them from other line managers. We end with some concrete suggestions about grooming alliance managers, albeit leaders of the future.

The Wonderful World of Human Resources at Disney

“What kind of culture does Walt Disney Company (WDC) want to create? This case uses the experiences of a young visitor to one of WDCs resort hotels to set the stage for an analysis of selecting, hiring, training, and retaining and how those practices are governed by the culture of a large American company. The situation provides an opportunity to explore human resource policies, organizational design as well as how all those elements reinforce the culture. The case opens with an interaction between a young Animal Kingdom Lodge guest and an employee (or cast member as the company refers to employees). There were many different ways the exchange could have unfolded yet the experience was magical for the youngster. What made this exchange a memorable experience for this young guest? Would Walt Disney have been surprised?”

The Principles of Economics

Elementary calculus: percentages, rule of three and basic simplifications of quotients (also sums, substractions, multiplications and quotients). Solution of linear equations with one unknown. Solution of two linear equations with two unknowns (by substitution). Plot of linear equations in 2D graphs. Relationship with solutions to two linear equations with two unknowns. Graphic interpretation of the slope of a line. Computing elementary areas (triangles and rectangles).