Informal Network Leadership—Proactive Versus Reactive Strategic Choices

Global managers know that developing networks in a host country can be a tedious endeavor. Whereas developing friendly work relationships locally is often regarded as less problematic, developing informal networks is challenging but important for business success. The function of informal networks becomes relevant for transactions under ambiguity that require trust and commitment between actors.Continue reading “Informal Network Leadership—Proactive Versus Reactive Strategic Choices”

How to turn leader favoritism into something better

How empathy‐based favoritism can help to develop organizational social capital // The question of how to treat subordinates fairly and justly is a central ethical challenge for responsible leaders. Typically, leaders encounter challenges between differentiating their interactions with employees to build a more personal relationship and leveling their interactions with employees in an indiscriminate manner.Continue reading “How to turn leader favoritism into something better”

The use of leader humor in the East and West

When and how to use humor in East Asia and North America // Research on humor generally tends to assume that the use of humor by a leader towards his or her subordinates has positive effects and is widely regarded as an indicator of the leader having likable characteristics. This is likely untrue for otherContinue reading “The use of leader humor in the East and West”

Access denied – When informal networks limit expatriate effectiveness

The inability to integrate into informal networks when doing business abroad can become a risk for the organization // Owing to increased business activities by multinational corporations (MNCs) as well as to the further opening of new and large overseas markets (e.g., China, India, Brazil), the use of the expatriate manager has steadily increased withinContinue reading “Access denied – When informal networks limit expatriate effectiveness”