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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine senior leadership behaviors across samples of Chinese, Indian, and Western chief executive officers (CEOs). Design/methodology/approach – In this exploratory study, 101 CEOs from three different business contexts were interviewed to understand the leadership demands of widely different business and cultural contexts and the competencies associated with effective performance. The specific situations addressed by leaders were identified. Findings – The authors found some common characteristics of outstanding CEOs across contexts, such as results orientation/achievement drive and forward thinking. There are also distinctive competencies manifested in the three cultures. While Indian CEOs are more likely to display consideration of the welfare of their nation in business decisions, Chinese CEOs uniquely influence for mutual benefit as well as criticizing themselves. Western CEOs, use interpersonal understanding and talent management. Research limitations/implications – Although the competencies observed are linked to performance by comparisons within each group of outstanding leaders, the authors were unable to obtain contrast groups of more typical leaders in India or China. The Western group was less rigorously defined, perhaps accounting for the less focused nature of their competencies and situations. This study nevertheless suggests that the cultural context is an important variable in leadership. Practical implications – Leaders may use the paper's insights to suggest how they might expand their own repertoires, either in their own context or in dealing with organizations from other cultures. Originality/value – This study contributes to the understanding of cross-cultural management by identifying competencies that are unique to particular business contexts, as well as some that are common to the role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have focused on the biomechanical responses of submerged, rosette-forming macrophytes to wave action, water depth, or their co-occurrence in naturally eutrophic systems. The plant architecture, root anchorage strength-related traits, leaf morphology, and biomechanics of Vallisneria natans inhabiting a range of water depths were examined along three transects (T1, T2, and T3) in a eutrophic lake, Lake Erhai, in Yunnan Province, China. These transects were exposed to weak wave action and hyper-eutrophication (T1), moderate wave action and eutrophication (T2), or strong wave action and eutrophication (T3). The results showed that V. natans was mainly distributed at intermediate depths, with the widest colonization depth in T1. The values of plant architecture, root anchorage strength-related traits, leaf morphology, and biomechanics were generally highest in T3 and smallest in T2. Along the depth gradient, these values were generally highest at 3.5, 2.5, and 2.5 m for the plants growing in T1, T2, and T3, respectively. These findings suggest that V. natans adopts a "tolerance" strategy to cope with the effects of strong wave action in eutrophic habitats and an "avoidance" strategy when exposed to moderate wave action in eutrophic areas. Since the absence of an avoidance strategy increases the resistance to low-light stress at the expense of increased drag forces, there is a limit to the wave action that V. natans can withstand. This study indicates that biomechanics could be important when determining the distribution pattern of V. natans in Lake Erhai.

As an endemic species of freshwater gastropods in China, Bellamya quadrata plays an important role in ecosystem service provision and commercial importance. However, the species is overharvested and its natural habitats are under severe threat due to fragmentation and loss. To estimate the genetic diversity and population structure of B. quadrata, 285 individuals from eight lake populations across middle and lower Yangtze River were sampled. Seven microsatellite loci were genotyped. Our results showed that (i) the genetic diversity of B. quadrata was high in most of the studied populations, yet effective population sizes appear to be rather small in some populations; (ii) low levels of genetic differentiation exists among populations but gene flow was generally high; (iii) no clear geographic or genetic structure was observed in the studied region, implying mechanisms (zoochoric dispersal and anthropogenic translocations) that enhance dispersal and gene flow have promoted population connectivity. However, the comparatively high genetic diversity of B. quadrata could be attributed to a lag phase, suggesting that the genetic diversity of this species may be lost in the future and the priorities for conservation of B. quadrata are necessary.