Nada K. Kakabadse

REVIEWING THE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT LITERATURE: TOWARDS A TAXONOMY

Academic and practitioner interpretations of knowledge management are captured through a comprehensive taxonomy of knowledge models. How knowledge is absorbed raises the question as to whether focus should be placed on knowledge transfer or knowledge management. It is concluded that the contextual demands for knowledge application dictate which pathway to pursue.

Trends in Outsourcing:: Contrasting USA and Europe

An international survey of outsourcing contrasts current practice between US and European companies. US companies are identified as pursuing more value adding sourcing strategies while European companies are more focused on gaining economies of scale through outsourcing. Despite the commodity orientation of outsourcing, both European and US companies consider outsourcing as critical to their organizational strategy. For both US and European companies the most preferred relationship between service purchaser and service provider is that of a single provider who has an industry focused, proven track record. Overall, US and European companies report higher than expected levels of satisfaction with outsourcing.

Critical review – Outsourcing: a paradigm shift

Outsourcing of services has been receiving increasing attention in management literature and praxis. It is considered that greatest attention has been given to the enhanced efficiency of transaction costs through outsourcing. In contrast, this paper explores what is being outsourced, the drivers for outsourcing and the IT commodification influence on outsourcing. Particular attention is given to examining supplier‐client relationships and the consequently new emerging outsourcing arrangements and organisational forms. The benefits and costs of outsourcing and client satisfaction are discussed as well as outsourcing in the public sector. The paper highlights that a fundamental paradigm shift is underway from strictly provider/supplier relationships to an emerging array of partner based relationships comparable with the Japanese kieretsu relationship model. The paper concludes by identifying areas for further research for increasing understanding of the paradigm shift that is highlighted.

Corporate social responsibility and stakeholder approach: a conceptual review

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the notion of a stakeholder approach are pivotal concepts when examining the role of business in society, but their relationship has been studied and much debated for decades. Academic research on the social or societal responsibilities of business organisations and the public interest in social and environmental issues incumbent upon businesses have changed since the 1950s. This article provides an overview of the existing research on CSR over the past 50 years and identifies key characteristics defining the concept of CSR. It also examines the challenges and implications of the stakeholder approach as highlighted by previous research, often in relation to research on CSR.

Reinventing the Democratic Governance Project through Information Technology? A Growing Agenda for Debate

Postindustrial societies have arrived at a moment of immense democratic and entrepreneurial opportunities that has been made possible by information technology. At the same time, however, these opportunities pose potential threats if they are not debated and planned for in consensually–legitimate ways. This article examines the current problems of representative democracy and the impact of information technology on the current and future quality of democratic governance. Four generic models of “electronic democracy” that are made possible by interactive information Technologies—electronic bureaucracy, information management, populist, and civil society—are analyzed in terms of their applicability and impact. Information technology’s impact on the roles, responsibilities, and accountability of citizens, elected representatives, the media, and corporations is also examined. This article proposes strategies for reinventing democratic governance, including recognizing community values, accommodating critical debate, and providing access for citizen participation in policy analysis.

Chairman and chief executive officer (CEO): that sacred and secret relationship

Purpose – To examine an under‐researched area, namely the dynamics of chairman‐CEO interrelationship and its effect on the enterprise.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative methodology has been adopted through in‐depth interviews with chairmen, CEOs and non‐executive directors on the nature of chairman‐CEO interactions and their effects.Findings – Four critical themes form the basis of this paper, chairmans role and contribution, nature of chairman‐CEO relationship, impact of the chairman‐CEO relationship on board effectiveness and the attributes of an effective chairman.Practical implications – Enhances understanding of the determining influence of the chairman‐CEO dyad on board and organisational performance and also on the influence of formative context on this dyadic interaction.Originality/value – One of the few studies that has explored through in‐depth interviews the chairman‐CEO relationship.

Sourcing: new face to economies of scale and the emergence of new organizational forms

This paper provides an overview of the thinking behind strategic sourcing and highlights an emerging trend development, namely the centralization of shared services. In so doing, a model highlighting the likely future developments of sourcing is proposed, emphasizing why sourcing should be viewed from a strategic perspective. The paper invokes conceptual knowledge, practical case studies and research in its pursuit to shed light on the increasingly complex and sophisticated forms of sourcing to be found in todays organizations. It draws on both management theory concepts in understanding new organizational forms, exemplified by ‘sourced service consortia’ organizations and economic analysis in understanding contracting, markets and the nature of corporations. The benefits and costs of outsourcing are also explored, as well as the conditions for effective new sourcing arrangements. In the concluding section, a scenario for the future of outsourcing is presented. Copyright

Servant leadership in the People's Republic of China: a case study of the public sector

Purpose – This paper seeks to explore whether the Western concept of servant leadership holds the same meaning in the public sector of the cross‐cultural context of China and to identify whether there is an alternative term in the Chinese language that closely relates to the concept of servant leadershipDesign/methodology/approach – An inductive approach is adopted based on critical incident technique, using an open‐ended survey to collect the data.Findings – It was found that the concept of servant leadership holds parallel meaning in China to that of the West and that the Chinese concept of servant leadership can be described precisely as public servant leadership in the public sector and servant leadership in the non‐public sector. When asked to characterize Chinese servant leadership in the public sector, the study respondents consider six types of servant leadership similar to the West but also three types of Chinese extended servant leadership.Originality/value – The paper is a first attempt to exam...

Chairman of the board: demographics effects on role pursuit

Purpose – This paper aims to undertake a study of national configurational demographics in order to determine the spread of understanding of the chairmans role, performance and contribution.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative methodology, exploratory in nature through in‐depth interviews and workshop discussion involving 103 UK, US and Australian participants, was undertaken.Findings – The role of chairman is considered as having a distinct effect on board dynamics, role and contribution and the monitoring and support of management. Nine demographic factors are identified as affecting the manner in which the role of chairman is exercised in the UK, USA and Australia.Research limitations/implications – The findings of this qualitative exploratory study need to be integrated into a quantitative empirical survey in order to ascertain the validity of the results to date.Practical implications – The two key conclusions highlight the requirement for governance due diligence, examining the financial and c...

A dynamic theory of leadership development

Purpose – This paper aims to offer a dynamic theory of leadership development.Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines selected leadership literature through the lens of theory building‐blocks. It identifies the role of the ideal goal in leadership and its importance in developing the psychological aspect of leadership.Findings – The paper posits that leadership is a developmental process, which is based on the type of choice a leader makes. While choice implies that two good options are always available from which to select, one should make choices in accordance with the leaders worldview, looking for affiliation (i.e. the Theta worldview), or looking for achievement (i.e. the Lambda worldview). Consequently, leaders need to recognise that the choices they make for organisational activities have to fit their own worldview. Pursuing the fit between ones worldview and planned organisational activities ensures that leaders continuously improve their ethical behaviour. The paper concludes with the ...