PAGE 26 | Business Executive | Issue 123
are identified. Together these begin to define sustainability-driven management. They include: the need to move early, even if you don’t have complete information; to be authentic and transparent, both internally and with the external stakeholders, and to work aggressively to integrate sustainability throughout company operations. Improved brand reputation is perceived as one of the biggest benefits of addressing sustainability. The commitment of the cautious adopters to sustainability is increasing at a far faster rate than that of the embracers. The study points out that most companies – whether currently embracers or not – are facing a world where sustainability is becoming a mainstream part of business strategy. Those not already putting sustainability at the heart of their business will need to do so very soon. Contact:
info@mit.edu.
Collaborate to innovate
Ongoing research at Cranfield is looking at significant national debt and consequent pressure on public sector budgets. This is having a major impact on the ability of governments to deliver public services. The question is: how can the availability and quality of public services be maintained at the same time as budgeting costs? Innovation can play a key role, and this
research focuses on a particular form of innovation – new partnerships between the public sector and commercial organisations, or “commercialisation”. The research considers such partnerships and how they can be stimulated, and the barriers that need to be overcome in order to achieve commercialisation. The nature of innovation in the public sector is
often misunderstood. The definition of innovation most frequently used is “the successful exploitation of new ideas”, but more clarity is needed. There are different levels of innovation:
incremental (changes to existing services); radical (creating new services or completely new ways of delivering services), and transformational (innovation which completely changes the way the system works). Most public sector innovation is incremental, for example the improvement of service delivery, or the reduction of costs through outsourcing. Incremental innovation is important, but
more radical innovations are needed to ease the pressure on budgets. Partnerships with the private sector have mainly been based on financial initiatives, but commercialisation will open up new opportunities.
Commercialisation is different. It seeks to
combine the capabilities of public and private partners in a unique way. This will enable the generation of new services (which neither partner could develop alone) in a way that the revenues are shared. The research is looking in detail at how such successful partnerships can come about and the new services that may develop. Contact:
k.goffin@cranfield.ac.uk
Risk of losing top talent
New research shows that employers that neglect concerns about trust in senior leaders, stress in the workplace or job satisfaction, risk losing their top talent. A recent survey by CIPD has found that employees are much more likely to be looking for a new employer if they express low trust in their senior managers, are dissatisfied with their job or are under excessive pressure every day. When organisations are struggling to
compete and survive, organisational culture and values become of little importance. Some employers may also feel that they don’t have to work as hard to keep their people because there are fewer opportunities in the labour market enabling employees to jump ship. However, vacancies always exist for motivated and skilled staff, and employers risk losing their most valued employees – those most able to compete in a
P.S.
An enormous amount of management research is going on around the world in universities, business schools, management organisations and elsewhere. In fact, this rather large industry has developed in a very interesting way. To start off with, a couple of decades or more ago, research came mainly out of Western sources – North America and Europe; famous places like the Harvard Business School and Sloan Management Institute, and names made famous from their research and writings multiplied. Today there are thousands of business schools all working away at their research, be it philosophical, practical, or just hot air – it’s my job to distinguish what is worthwhile and useful for our readers. But there have been other developments in
recent years; increasingly valuable thought has been coming from other areas in the developing world – India, China, and Africa. Research on management is gaining an increasingly important voice from these areas. Putting Western management theories and systems into practice has often been difficult, or even irrelevant, in some non-Western cultures – or
indeed in some Western environments! But the research being published by the “new” breed of non-Western management philosophers has a more pragmatic, practical sense about it. It is very much more concerned with human relationships, how we behave with each other in work situations. Some surprising new points are arising; new
angles from which to approach the vital problems of everyday and workplace interactions; on how to change attitudes, reduce or eliminate conflict, boost productivity and enhance harmony. These ideas are good for all of us and, more to the point, are being followed up and put into practice in surprising places. The West can certainly learn, and is indeed
learning, from the East. During the gradual but inevitable churn of economic power that will occur in the next half-century, we are going to see many changes in the way business is done and managed. The MBAs and doctorates will flow out of the business schools; they will have much to tell us – and even much more to learn.
tough labour market. If employees feel there is a gap between what directors say and do, or that there is a lack of transparency or fairness in terms of how people are recognised and rewarded, they are likely to feel disenchanted. Overall trust in leaders is low across the board, but openness, quality and frequency of communication from the top is critical to trust. The extent to which any consultation is meaningful and happens before decisions are taken also contributes to the level of trust. Contact:
press@cipd.co.uk
Forthcoming In our May edition we are looking forward to an article from our president, Edward de Bono. There will also be contributions on sustainability and women, especially working mothers, in management. A further instalment in our series from ABE examiners, plus a controversial Viewpoint on how management needs to develop, are also included. All our usual features will be there: a bumper book selection and an intriguing Spotlight. We hope to bring you the first analysis of our feedback survey, and of course the winner of our super-prize competition – it could be you! Well worth waiting for.
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