Building organizational capability through a quality assurance program within a business school and encouraging organizational culture change

This study explores organizational capability and culture change through a project developing an assurance of learning program in a business school. In order to compete internationally for high quality faculty, students, strategic partnerships and research collaborations it is essential for Universities to develop and maintain an international focus and a quality produce that predicts excellence in the student experience and graduate outcomes that meet industry needs. Developing, marketing and delivering that quality product requires an organizational strategy to which all members of the organization contribute and adhere. Now, the ability to acquire, share and utilize knowledge has become a critical organizational capability in academia as well as other industries. Traditionally the functional approach to business school structures and disparate nature of the social networks and work contact limit the sharing of knowledge between academics working in different disciplines. In this project a community of practice program was established to include academics in the development of an embedded assurance of learning program affecting more than 5000 undergraduate students and 250 academics from nine different disciplines across four schools. The primary outcome from the fully developed and implemented assurance of learning program was the five year accreditation of the business schools programs by two international accrediting bodies, EQUIS and AACSB. However this study explores a different outcome, namely the change in organizational culture and individual capabilities as academics worked together in teaching and learning teams. This study uses a survey and interviews with academics involved, through a retrospective panel design which contained an experimental group and a control group. Results offer insights into communities of practice as a means of addressing organizational capability and changes in organizational culture. Knowledge management and shared learning can achieve strategic and operational benefits equally within academia as within other industrial enterprises but it comes at a cost. Traditional structures, academics that act like individual contractors and deep divides across research, teaching and service interest served a different master and required fewer resources. Collaborative structures; fewer master categories of discrete knowledge areas; specific strategic goals; greater links between academics and industry; and the means to share learned insights will require a different approach to resourcing both the individual and the team.

Applying social technology to Business Process Lifecycle Management

In recent years social technologies such as wikis, blogs or microblogging have seen an exponential growth in the uptake of their user base making this type of technology one of the most significant networking and knowledge sharing platforms for potentially hundreds of millions of users. However, the adoption of these technologies has been so far mostly for private purposes. First attempts have been made to embed features of social technologies in the corporate IT landscape, and Business Process Management is no exception. This paper aims to consolidate the opportunities for integrating social technologies into the different stages of the business process lifecycle. Thus, it contributes to a conceptualization of this fast growing domain, and can help to categorize academic and corporate development activities.

The impact of software-as-a-service on business models of leading software vendors : experiences from three exploratory case studies

The number of software vendors offering ‘Software-as-a-Service’ has been increasing in recent years. In the Software-as-a-Service model software is operated by the software vendor and delivered to the customer as a service. Existing business models and industry structures are challenged by the changes to the deployment and pricing model compared to traditional software. However, the full implications on the way companies create, deliver and capture value are not yet sufficiently analyzed. Current research is scattered on specific aspects, only a few studies provide a more holistic view of the impact from a business model perspective. For vendors it is, however, crucial to be aware of the potentially far reaching consequences of Software-as-a-Service. Therefore, a literature review and three exploratory case studies of leading software vendors are used to evaluate possible implications of Software-as-a-Service on business models. The results show an impact on all business model building blocks and highlight in particular the often less articulated impact on key activities, customer relationship and key partnerships for leading software vendors and show related challenges, for example, with regard to the integration of development and operations processes. The observed implications demonstrate the disruptive character of the concept and identify future research requirements.

Economic development, enlightenment and creative transformation : creative industries in the New China

This paper examines some of the implications for China of the creative industries agenda as drawn by some recent commentators. The creative industries have been seen by many commentators as essential if China is to move from an imitative low-value economy to an innovative high value one. Some suggest that this trajectory is impossible without a full transition to liberal capitalism and democracy - not just removing censorship but instituting 'enlightenment values'. Others suggest that the development of the creative industries themselves will promote social and political change. The paper suggests that the creative industries takes certain elements of a prior cultural industries concept and links it to a new kind of economic development agenda. Though this agenda presents problems for the Chinese government it does not in itself imply the kind of radical democratic political change with which these commentators associate it. In the form in which the creative industries are presented – as part of an informational economy rather than as a cultural politics – it can be accommodated by a Chinese regime doing ‘business as usual’.

Artful inquiry : an arts-based facilitation approach for individual and organisational learning and development

The research undertaken in these two major doctoral studies investigates the field of artsbased learning, a pedagogical approach to individual and organisational learning and development, my professional creative facilitation practice and development as a researcher. While the studies are stand-alone projects they are intended to build on each other in order to tell the evolving story of my research and professional practice. The first study combines The Role of Arts-based Learning in a Creative Economy; The Need for Artistry in Professional Education the art of knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do and Lines of Inquiry: Making Sense of Research and Professional Practice. The Role of Arts-based Learning in a Creative Economy provides an overview of the field of arts-based learning in business. The study focuses on the relevant literature and interviews with people working in the field. The paper argues that arts-based learning is a valuable addition to organisations for building a culture of creativity and innovation. The Need for Artistry in Professional Education continues that investigation. It explores the way artists approach their work and considers what skills and capabilities from artistic practice can be applied to other professions’ practices. From this research the Sphere of Professional Artistry model is developed and depicts the process of moving toward professional artistry. Lines of Inquiry: making sense of research and professional practice through artful inquiry is a self-reflective study. It explores my method of inquiry as a researcher and as a creative facilitation practitioner using arts-based learning processes to facilitate groups of people for learning, development and change. It discusses how my research and professional practice influence and inspire the other and draws on cased studies. The second major research study Artful Inquiry: Arts-based Learning for Inquiry, Reflection and Action in Professional Practice is a one year practice-led inquiry. It continues the research into arts-based and aesthetic learning experiences and my arts-based facilitation practice. The research is conducted with members of a Women’s Network in a large government service agency. It develops the concept of ‘Artful Inquiry’’ a creative, holistic, and embodied approach for facilitation, inquiry, learning, reflection, and action. Storytelling as Inquiry is used as a methodology for understanding participants’ experiences of being involved in arts-based learning experiences. The study reveals the complex and emergent nature of practice and research. It demonstrates what it can mean to do practice-led research with others, within an organisational context, and to what effect.

Investigating the development of the internal and external service tasks of non-executive directors: the case of the Netherlands (1997-2005)

During the last decade, globalisation and liberalisation of financial markets, changing societal expectations and corporate governance scandals have increased the attention for the fiduciary duties of non-executive directors. In this context, recent corporate governance reform initiatives have emphasised the control task and independence of non-executive directors. However, little attention has been paid to their impact on the external and internal service tasks of non-executive directors. Therefore, this paper investigates how the service tasks of non-executive directors have evolved in the Netherlands. Data on corporate governance at the top-100 listed companies in the Netherlands between 1997 and 2005 show that the emphasis on non-executive directors' external service task has shifted to their internal service task, i.e. from non-executive directors acting as boundary spanners to non-executive directors providing advice and counselling to executive directors. This shift in board responsibilities affects non-executive directors' ability to generate network benefits through board relationships and has implications for non-executive directors' functional requirements.

Individual agency as explanation of alliance development and change : a case study

Alliances, with other inter-organisational forms, have become a strategy of choice and necessity for both the private and public sectors. From initial formation, alliances develop and change in different ways, with research suggesting that many alliances will be terminated without their potential value being realised. Alliance process theorists address this phenomenon, seeking explanations as to why alliances unfold the way they do. However, these explanations have generally focussed on economic and structural determinants: empirically, little is known about how and why the agency of alliance actors shapes the alliance path. Theorists have suggested that current alliance process theory has provided valuable, but partial accounts of alliance development, which could be usefully extended by considering social and individual factors. The purpose of this research therefore was to extend alliance process theory by exploring individual agency as an explanation of alliance events and in doing so, reveal the potential of a multi-frame approach for understanding alliance process. Through an historical study of a single, rich case of alliance process, this thesis provided three explanations for the sequence of alliance events, each informed by a different theoretical perspective. The explanatory contribution of the Individual Agency (IA) perspective was distilled through juxtaposition with the perspectives of Environmental Determinism (ED) and Indeterminacy/Chance (I/C). The research produced a number of findings. First, it provided empirical support for the tentative proposition that the choices and practices of alliance actors are partially explanatory of alliance change and that these practices are particular to the alliance context. Secondly, the study found that examining the case through three theoretical frames provided a more complete explanation. Two propositions were put forward as to how individual agency can be theorised within this three-perspective framework. Finally, the case explained which alliance actors were required to shape alliance decision making in this case and why.

Continuous innovation in SMEs : how design innovation shapes business performance through doing more with less

Firms face the challenge to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive global market, developing strategies to continuously innovate, often having to do more with less. Increasing awareness of the benefits of stimulating continuous innovation in small and medium enterprises has led to the development and implementation of design innovation programs, with many western countries investing in design innovation programs for better firm performance. This paper investigates how firms respond to a design innovation program and engage in continuous innovation, doing more business with a focused less diverse strategy. Early findings from a study of companies engaged in a design innovation program indicate that applying design principles to all aspects of their business has delivered better business performance and better positioning in global markets.

Development of the sustainable building and construction products industry in Australia

This paper draws on a major study the authors conducted for the Australian Government in 2009. It focuses on the diffusion issues surrounding the uptake of sustainable building and construction products in Australia. Innovative sustainable products can minimise the environmental impact during construction, while maximising asset performance, durability and re-use. However, there are significant challenges faced by designers and clients in the selection of appropriate sustainable products in consideration of the integrated design solution, including overall energy efficiency, water conservation, maintenance and durability, low-impact use and consumption. The paper is a review of the current state of sustainable energy and material product innovations in Australia. It examines the system dynamics surrounding these innovations as well as the drivers and obstacles to their diffusion throughout the Australian construction industry. The case product types reviewed comprise: solar energy technology, small wind turbines, advanced concrete technology, and warm-mixed asphalt. The conclusions highlight the important role played by Australian governments in facilitating improved adoption rates. This applies to governments in their various roles, but particularly as clients/owners, regulators, and investors in education, training, research and development. In their role as clients/owners, the paper suggests that government can better facilitate innovation within the construction industry by adjusting specification policies to encourage the uptake of sustainable products. In the role as regulators, findings suggest governments should be encouraging the application of innovative finance options and positive end-user incentives to promote sustainable product uptake. Also, further education for project-based firms and the client/end users about the long-term financial and environmental benefits of innovative sustainable products is required. As more of the economy’s resources are diverted away from business-as-usual and into the use of sustainable products, some project-based firms may face short-term financial pain in re-shaping their businesses. Government policy initiatives can encourage firms make the necessary adjustments to improve innovative sustainable product diffusion throughout the industry.

Development and deployment challenges for low emissions coal technology : the IGCC with CCS case

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a critical part of the global effort to address climate change as CCS has the potential to achieve deep cuts in CO2 emissions to atmosphere from the use of fossil fuels. In this context, pre-combustion capture through Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants with CCS is one of the key pathways to low emissions power generation. There are, however, very significant challenges to the development, commercialization and deployment of IGCC with CCS technologies. This article examines matters of cost, the need for government support to early movers, the attribution of economic value for carbon dioxide and various other regulatory, policy, technical and infrastructural barriers to the development and subsequent deployment of this low emissions coal technology option.

The business of fashion : entrepreneurship and enterprise learning for the new ‘creative’ global marketplace – the Australian case study [Abstract]

While the fashion industry is normally first to recognise trends and embrace creativity, fashion designers are sometimes the last to acknowledge that business acumen and entrepreneurial skills are needed. However, fashion designers and entrepreneurs are now all members of the new ‘creative’ global marketplace with its inherent need to sell globally and be competitive with international brands. For the Australian industry, this tension creates enormous pressures due to Australia’s small population (and market/s), the decreasing textile and manufacturing base, the increase of ‘creative’ micro businesses and with this the increasing number of young Australians wanting to start their own fashion business. This paper highlights the current size of the Australian fashion industry, the trend for small business models, the ‘career portfolio’ entrepreneur and strategies Australian universities are undertaking to address students wishing to enter the business of fashion. It also identifies case studies where enterprise learning pedagogy has been successfully implemented into the business education of an Australian fashion program and concludes with recommendations for an enterprise pedagogy that creates authentic learning, while working with industry and community stakeholders in flexible university formats.

Competitive advantages as a foundation for social advantage: The role of social enterprise in regional development

The belief that regions play a role in determining national economic development and that advantages are found at the local and regional level has been the focus of economic geography and development studies over the last 10 years. However, this issue has historically been dominated by economic perspectives, industrial firms, and public bodies. In recent years the social economy is starting to receive greater attention in creating regional advantage as well as ameliorating regional disadvantage. The social economy includes the impact of the third sector such as social enterprises. This paper proposes that understanding the role and function of social enterprise will enable a more nuanced understanding of the socio-economic aspects of regional development. Drawing upon Oliver’s (1997) framework for sustainable competitive advantage it is argued that this established management framework provides a valuable foundation for examining the organisational resources that social enterprise need to operate effectively, as well as the socio-economic resources they produce for regional communities.

Leadership and the rise of the corporate psychopath: What can business schools do about the ‘snakes inside’?

Purpose: Leadership styles are reviewed and reassessed given recent research that links destructive leadership behaviours exhibited by unscrupulous executives with traits commonly identified as indicators of corporate psychopathy. Method/approach: A review of the literature describing the various theories dealing with the nature of leadership styles and the rise of interest in corporate psychopathy and destructive leadership. Implications: This paper offers a psychological perspective for future research which provides both impetus and additional support for further analysis and exploration of such leadership styles in the business environment. One distinct advantage of this extrapolation is the articulation of insights into aspects of decision making by leaders, providing further insight into the formulation of leadership development programs in organisations and courses in business schools training future leaders.