417 Posts found for Source: Ivey Business Journal

Most boards should pay more attention to marketing governance to accomplish two main benefits for the company: shareholder value enhancement and the effective management of those emerging and future risks which marketing might affect. This article discusses the linkage of marketing to shareholder value and risk, and notes important areas for boards of directors to consider if they are to achieve clearer insight and better … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Ian Gordon | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Corporate Governance, Marketing / Sales

There are a number of open questions about the COO role and its place in company leadership. This article sheds some light on two of the most fundamental of these open questions: What does it take for a COO to succeed, and what is it that makes a great COO candidate?

Content: Article | Authors: Nathan Bennett, Stephen A. Miles | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Management, Operations

What is the question we always ask about the successful? We want to know what they’re like – what kind of personalities they have, or how intelligent they are, or what kind of lifestyles they have, or what special talents they might have been born with. And we assume that it is those personal qualities that explain how that individual reached the top … I … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Author: Malcolm Gladwell | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Achievement, Organizational Behavior, Personality / Behavior, Success / Failure

The difference between a great career and a bad one is a couple of things every so often you elect to say or not say or do or not do.

Content: Quotation | Author: John McCallum | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Career

Research has shown that poor communication regarding changes in organizations actually results from good intentions (DiFonzo and Bordia, 1998). That is, managers are often silent about changes only because they do not want to mislead employees by giving out (incomplete) information that may be subject to change. In other words, because we know change is stressful, we tend to avoid saying anything that might increase … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Authors: Deborah Compeau, Phoebe Tsai | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Change Management, Communication, Organizational Behavior

People do not buy products but meanings. People use things for profound emotional, psychological, and socio-cultural reasons as well as utilitarian ones. Analysts have shown that every product and service in consumer as well as industrial markets has a meaning. Firms should therefore look beyond features, functions, and performance, and understand the real meanings users give to things.

Content: Quotation | Author: Roberto Verganti | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Marketing / Sales

Due diligence cannot always be perfect. However, from a legal perspective, the point is to make a good faith effort to conduct due diligence, within the limits of time and funding, and in consideration of what matters most—the long-term financial health of the surviving company and its stakeholders. This author has written a comprehensive primer on the subject.

Editor’s Note: Very US-centric but still of general … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Alexandra Reed Lajoux | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Mergers & Acquisitions

In recent years, many companies have been focusing on achieving productivity gains in their internal operations. Most have improved internal processes, reduced overheads and eliminated redundant activities. With TQM, Six Sigma and other related methodologies, they have improved the quality of their products and services and rid their operations of profit-reducing mistakes. Many companies have introduced Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and other productivity-improving forms … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Darrell Kent | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Operations

Add the dictum, “Know the terrain” to “Know your customer” and you’ve got the two most important principles that a manager needs to follow to compete successfully. At first, and perhaps even later on, the playing field may not be level, but managers who consider the observations of this Ivey Business Journal regular contributor will surely be able to compete with any player, under any … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: John McCallum | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Competitive Intelligence, Management, Strategy

In my experience with global mergers, creating stable working environments and certainty about the immediate future is critical to re-establishing commitment. Looking at the increasing M&A activity in the private and public sectors, and thinking about the possibilities for the future, leads me to conclude that at no time in the history of management has the role of the line manager been so critical to … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Christopher Bones | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Mergers & Acquisitions

Not all talent pipelines are created equal, nor do all talent pipelines operate effectively. There are cracks, blockages and breaks that prevent the right talent from rising to the top and reaching their own – and the organization’s — potential. This Ivey professor describes the architecture that allows an organization to build and maintain a talent-rich pipeline and to become a talent magnet.

Content: Article | Author: Jeffrey Gandz | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Human Resources

Many companies have a significant opportunity to improve their top- and bottom-line growth by improving their processes and execution on pricing. As these authors point out, senior management teams must summon the analytical skills and courage to confront their reluctance about changing prices and align their pricing more closely with the value of their products or services.

Content: Article | Authors: Graeme K. Deans, Satoshi Watanabe | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Pricing

Relying on formulas and the tried and true is not an unreasonable approach for a leader to solving a problem. But solving many of today’s complex problems — and ultimately, outflanking the competition — requires creative leadership. Specifically, today’s leaders need to develop a new set of competencies that include paying attention, personalizing, imaging, serious play, collaborative inquiry, and crafting.

Content: Article | Authors: Charles J. Palus, David Magellan Horth | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Leadership

Because an infocracy is based on power created by access to widely available information, it demands a different type of leadership than a bureaucracy.

Content: Article | Author: James G. Clawson | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Knowledge Management, Leadership, Management, Organizational Behavior

Most leaders don’t realize that mindset and behavior are the twin drivers of change.

Content: Article | Author: Vijay Sathe | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Change Management, Leadership, Organizational Behavior

Organizations that want to capitalize on their competitive position or improve their performance must consider the best way to take full advantage of the potential inherent in their people. These authors describe the Four Pillar Model™, which provides an innovative, well-grounded process for measuring and managing worker performance and involvement.

Content: Article | Authors: Liane Davey, Nancy Gore, Owen Parker | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Human Resources, Management, Organizational Behavior

“If at first you don’t succeed, give up,” is the road less traveled for leaders who continue to spend money on an acquisition they made – even though the acquisition is clearly not working out. But why, as this author asks, don’t we actually strive to create an organizational climate that makes admitting and learning from mistakes as valued as persistence and perseverance? Below, he … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Michael A. Roberto | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Management, Organizational Behavior

Like perhaps other terms that have become staples of the management vocabulary, the word “sustainability” has come to mean several different things. But, as this author says and describes, sustainability means only one thing. The true and legitimate sustainable organization is only the one that strives for and achieves 360-organizational sustainability. Readers will learn how to build this rare, but highly desirable type of organization. … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Mark Hollingworth | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Management, Organizational Behavior

Paul Beamish is Professor of International Business at the Richard Ivey School of Business and the Founding Director of the School’s Asian Management Institute. He is the author or co-author of numerous books and journal articles and more than 100 case studies. His latest book is Joint Venturing. In the book, Professor Beamish, who has consulted on numerous international joint ventures, discusses the opportunities that … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Paul W. Beamish | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: International

Imagine that you are trying to understand someone’s job function. You walk up to them as they’re standing next to a fax machine and ask them to tell you “what” they are doing. They are likely to look at you a bit surprised and say “I am sending a fax.” You might ask some follow-up questions about whether sending a fax is a necessary step … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Author: Ric Merrifield | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subject: Work