Unpacking the relationship between leadership and organizational adaptability
Date Issued
2011
Date
2011
Author(s)
Seah, Melody
Abstract
Adaptability is a key competency for organizational success in today’s highly complex and competitive business environment. Yet despite this, little is known about the role of CEOs in building and developing their firms’ adaptive capabilities. Using a case study approach, this dissertation explores how two Chinese founder-CEOs facilitated their firms’ ongoing adaptation to changing business requirements. Here, organizational adaptability refers to a firm''s ability to respond and adapt smoothly to a challenging and constantly evolving business environment. Empirical data from both firms were respectively and separately examined using two theoretical lenses: the indigenous as well as the co-evolutionary lens perspective. Specifically, this dissertation applied the co-evolutionary theory to explain the evolving effects of Francis Chen’s leadership on his firm’s adaptive capabilities (Chen is the CEO cum owner of Franz Collection Incorporated); and used the indigenous theory to examine how socio-cultural norms and expectations affected the actions, behaviors and strategic initiatives of Donald Weng, CEO of Savecom (Taiwan’s leading VOIP services provider). Case findings indicate that leaders can enhance organizational adaptability by flexing their styles to changing business requirements and by establishing an organizational climate that is conducive to change. Study findings also highlight the need for CEOs to learn and develop strategies that would enable them to overcome cultural barriers (i.e. personalism and particularism) to change.
Subjects
Leadership
organizational adaptability
Type
thesis
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