Search

Management of empty containers is an integral task of the global shipping industry. So, the cost involved in transporting empty containers is included in a company's expenditure total, and thus it burdens the overall profit margin. The challenge is to achieve cost-effectiveness in empty container transportation and therefore the industry leaders need to identify the best possible solution under the prevalent circumstances. So far, this industry leadership could not frame the long-term solutions, mostly due to the fragmentation of the industry, lack of coordination and avoidance of long-term thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many people, the term 'corporate leadership' may conjure up images of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and senior management teams, boards of directors and corporate governance arrangements. It might also suggest the existence of a corporate organization. Yet a new enterprise may begin as an idea that eventually finds expression in the form of a startup venture involving one or more founding entrepreneurs, operating on their own at home with the goodwill and support of family and friends and who are looking for customers and sources of income. In time, more leaders may move between established and startup businesses where the priority is to articulate a vision or cause and operate more sustainably in order to reach and engage others, especially younger people. Those who fail to adapt and embrace the requirements for effective 'new leadership' will fall by the wayside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The face of corporate leadership is changing. There are several reasons why organizational leaders today look different from those of several decades ago. Given the changes in country demographics, business conditions, and the business environment globally, it is inevitable that the face of leadership has changed and will continue to change. The face of leadership is changing in all sectors, and faster in some sectors than the others. There will be "blips" along the way as these new faces realize their potential through making significant leadership accomplishments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a democracy, if growth and development are not perceived as sustainable, mutually beneficial to stakeholders, fair and inclusive, businesses and the market itself may face much greater questioning and challenge. The benefits of greater government intervention could be problematic given the skill, experience and other barriers to the effective implementation of public policy. In contrast, innovative, responsible and sustainable responses from business leaders could lead to less intervention, greater reliance upon market mechanisms and closer and more productive public-private collaboration as each better understands and appreciates the contribution of the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaders who take the time to teach, coach, mentor and analyze, can structure strategies and have the right people to get there with productivity and ethics in a world that does not believe in organizations but believes in individualism. Developing people is a stronger way for handling change management, knowledge management and flexibility better than any other organizational initiative. This ability--developing people--is arguably the most relevant competency for surviving in a dynamic business environment. Strategy is at best only a short-term plan these days. The leaders who can structure and believe in the right training, based on real people, real organizations, real sectors and national and international necessities can change strategy and operational goals if they have overcome the challenges of seeing human resources as a barrier rather than an asset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many startups are transitioning to more flexible forms and portfolios of multilocational teams and interconnected work-groups. People network, share insights, raise questions and address issues as they arise. As business startups expand and evolve and people within and across key relationships assume greater responsibility, actively participate in corporate social networks and become more intimately involved in decision making in increasingly open and democratic organizations, leadership requirements will change in terms of the number and type of those involved. Steps may have to be taken to identify, attract, engage and develop appropriate people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many governing bodies formulate stretching goals. Electorates can have raised expectations. Customers are often more demanding. Investors seek high returns. Staff are concerned with their advancement and incomes. Governments expect taxes to be paid. Balanced scorecard reviews often highlight various areas that require improvement. Unless many individuals, teams and organizations can innovate, do things differently and release and utilize potential, such a combination of demands may far exceed available resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the corporate board structure and its impact on the performance of the Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) using a database of 176 IPOs issued during 2007-11. The board structure of IPO firms is evaluated from the viewpoint of board size, maturity, diversity, reputation and leadership, while the performance of IPOs is estimated by measuring underpricing, aftermarket volatility, and subscription rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There would seem to be a disconnection between the kind of leaders a country or organization may need, especially in challenging circumstances--and what they actually get. Most leaders in Egypt are seen as avoiding addressing problems--they are reluctant to interfere until problems become serious. Many saw the former president as an example of this passive approach. This problem does not just occur in government, and is even seen in the private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting women entrepreneurs is essential to stimulate growth since the entrepreneurial potential of women has not yet been fully exploited." This huge untapped entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial potential is waiting for any business, particularly any knowledge-based business, to exploit. It is this sort of make-over that every business will have to undertake if they are to remain viable in the 'new normal.' Since, in many enterprises--especially professional service organizations--the majority of employees going forward are likely to be female, this means a change in leadership style to a more transformational one is going to be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We humans learn from what we do well and being praised for it (Robinson, 2006). To change ingrained habits such as old, more transactional styles of leadership takes many months of being praised for exhibiting new behaviors. Yet, few CEOs get any praise outside the tight circle of their own kind, many of whom share somewhat dysfunctional leadership habits. The praise that is given tends to reinforce those old leadership traits. The result is that there is a powerful disincentive to change, to be different from the leader's peers. The truth is that teaching leadership is not about what is learned from a keynote or in the classroom but rather about a program of praise and recognition when the leader is caught doing the right, human-centered thing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organization not showing compassion, that does not look to what its workers really need in terms of their basic psychological drivers, will never get the support needed for cost containment or any major strategic initiative. Most research shows that between 70% and 90% of all strategic initiatives fail. The failure rate is high not simply because the strategy is wrong, or because there were 'unforeseen circumstances' which derailed it; rather the reasons for this failure are most often an organizational culture which is antagonistic to change, a lack of trust and a leadership style that is not suited, or flexible enough, to allow for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not all organizations need to innovate, though all need the ability to be nimble and to be ready to make significant changes. What is not often realized by CEOs and others is that often what is needed is rapid adoption of innovation--the taking up and applying the ideas of others rather than concentrating on innovation itself. What corporations and firms need to do is to quickly apply innovations, whether their own or other people's. In order to institute any change--whether it is encouraging innovation, rapid adoption or a major strategic change--it is important to get the culture right. Without that, no transformation is possible. With it goes having the right leadership and sufficient trust--colleague of colleague, employee of manager (and vice versa), and in the organization as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definitions of leadership effectiveness in practice may be measured objectively, including people-oriented economic measures, such as income per capita, the reduction of poverty over time, decrease in unemployment, increase in the standard of living, lower levels of inflation and better purchasing power parity. It is also possible to consider countrywide measures such as GDP, GNP, and transportation and logistics statistics. International comparisons include FDI totals, the Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, import and export figures, and the extent of the national debt. The creation of an entrepreneurial culture (or lack of) can be measured by these and other ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every business needs multiple roles to be filled. They are all important. Being good at one does not mean you would necessarily be good at another one, and that is okay. One mistake is in treating people in one role with less dignity and appreciation than people in a different role. Another mistake is leaving a person in a role when it is not the right role for him or her, even if he or she really wants to stay in that role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'New leadership' favors approaches that deliver quickly and are flexible and adaptable. If support is allowed to become out of date, it may be abandoned by people who are forced to look elsewhere for what they need. If the help that is provided remains current and relevant, it is likely to be appreciated and used. If it both engages and helps people to cope and excel, it is more likely that relationships will be mutually beneficial and both individual and corporate aspirations achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business dynamics are fast changing in the face of globalization, offering a plethora of opportunities. The unique nature of engineering projects with their set budgets, time frames coupled with other constraints poses severe challenges in view of the complexities involved. Project failures affect the business prospects of organizations whose core operations involve execution of engineering projects. Project stakeholders have varied interests in the successful implementation of engineering projects. Frequently, the project manager is not equipped adequately to meet the environmental challenges and the expectations of the project stakeholders. The project manager does not have the luxury to select the team of his choice. With team members new to the project environment, the project manager faces additional challenges that are not purely transaction-oriented to address the issues of meeting project milestones. Organizations need strong managers to lead their staff toward accomplishing business goals. In this study, desired dimensions of leadership have been identified to aid the project manager to avoid the pitfalls of project failures and to steer the projects to greater success [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims at some considerations about leadership from the contingency perspective, focuses on the theory of Fiedler, whose basic premise is that group performance is contingent depending on the interaction of leadership styles and situations favorable to the leader. Leadership is an issue that has aroused much interest among people and is probably one of mankind's most ancient concerns. Fiedler uses the distinction between task-oriented leadership style and relationship-oriented leadership style, relating these leadership styles with different types of situation, in order to determine the contingencies that make either style effective. Based on Fiedler's theory, a case study was applied in Cape Verde at the University of Beira Interior (CABOUBI) (association of African students from Cape Verde) to confirm the applicability of the measures advocated by the theory (least preferred coworker). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was developed to identify the leadership styles of the head nurses of 15 Portuguese units of internment where the quality of nursing care was evaluated. The study also analyzed the maturity of each team as well as its relationship with the quality of nursing care. The study was conducted in June 2007 and the respondents were 15 head nurses and 228 nurses. The analysis indicates that 68.75% of the head nurses present a primary leadership style of type S2 (coaching) and the other 25% of type S3 (supporting). It is also shown that 80% of the head nurses reveal a great range of leadership styles, which enable them to use the appropriate style for each situation, thus displaying a potential to be efficient in a variety of situations. With reference to the maturity of the nursing teams, the results indicate that nurses present on an average, maturity of type M3 and M4, with reference to Hersey's and Blanchard's model. This is in disagreement with the leadership styles of the head nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]