During the last decades two factors had a great influence on organisations: First the development of computers and second the globalisation. With computers the relative importance of information increased rapidly compared with other resources as ownership of land, materials or work. Globalisation might be seen as a consequence of the developments in computer sciences but the changing of political systems with the opening of borders also had a great impact on this progress. [Cle2004, p. 19f] In Europe the globalisation process was intensified by the political changes and the enlargement of the European Union.
As one effect, business relations are getting more and more international. Not only do the big global players act on different markets but they also use smaller markets outside their home country to develop their business. The internationalisation process leads to a greater shipping volume of goods and to more specific transport concepts such as cross-border and just-in-time delivery. Hence, the transport industry is heavily infected by international business relations and the all-embracing supply chains rely on the operativeness of the logistics.
The problems concerning the transportation are not only the longer distances and the smaller time windows but also cultural based reasons. Working with people from different cultural backgrounds might lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. The problems derived from the internationalisation process might not be so dramatic on the workers’ level but more intensive on the leaders’ one as they need to interact with people having another cultural background. Therefore the qualifications of leaders in the logistics industry should include intercultural and international competences.
The question remains whether it is so easy to change from one employer to another with the perspective on the employers’ requirements. Has globalisation affected the qualifications for jobs in a similar manner as it influenced the dealing with information and goods? If the requirements of employers vary between different countries it can be assumed that it will be difficult for employees to meet these requirements abroad and to get an appropriate job there according to the importance of competences mentioned.
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Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Background
- Field of study
- Purpose of the study
- Choosing the topic
- Concept
- Culture, Logistics and Leadership
- Internalisation within a cultural background
- The decision of acting abroad
- Definition of culture as a background for interpersonal relationships
- National variations in relation to Hofstede's dimensions of culture
- Précis
- Logistics
- Historical development of logistics
- Definition
- Logistical disciplines
- Précis
- Leadership
- Definition
- Requirements for leaders
- Distinction to other terms
- Précis
- Special leadership requirements in Germany and Sweden
- Hofstede's cultural dimensions and inferences on German and Swedish leadership behaviour
- The leadership behaviour study by Suutari
- Implications for the research
- Précis
- Summary
- The effect of culture on requirements for leaders
- Requirements for leaders in the transport logistics industry in Germany and Sweden
- Conclusion
- Research model
- Method
- Purpose of research
- Primary data collection
- Research approach
- Contact method
- Sampling plan
- Contact medium: questionnaire
- Hofstede's dimensions
- Kienbaum's categories of competences
- Logistics industry
- Intercultural aspect
- Execution of the survey
- Pretest
- First series
- Second series
- Processing the data
- Removal of irregularities
- Statistical processing
- Evaluating the data
- Limitations of the study
- General limitations
- Objectivity
- Validity
- Internal validity
- Construct validity
- External validity
- Reliability
- Comparison of empiricism and theory
- Part one: Hofstede
- Power distance
- Individualism
- Masculinity
- Uncertainty avoidance
- Part two: Kienbaum
- Knowledge competence
- Organisation competence
- Stress ability competence
- Problem solving competence
- Experience in the logistics industry
- Customer orientation
- Importance of Kienbaum's competences
- Part three: Logistics industry
- Empirical results
- Analysis
- Critical consideration
- Hofstede
- Leaders' competences
- Implications of the special requirements
- Implications for the requirements in a cultural context
- Conclusion
- Summary
- Personal reflection
- Further development
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis aims to investigate the qualifications of leaders in the logistics industry, specifically focusing on Germany and Sweden. It examines whether these qualifications are influenced by the cultural context and the specific industry type (transport logistics). The research explores the differences in leadership requirements between these two countries, analyzing the relationship between culture and leadership within the logistics industry.- Cultural influences on leadership requirements in the logistics industry
- Comparison of leadership styles and expectations in Germany and Sweden
- Analysis of leadership competencies considered essential in the logistics sector
- Exploration of the impact of cultural dimensions on leadership practices
- Assessment of the applicability of theoretical frameworks, such as Hofstede's cultural dimensions, in explaining observed leadership differences
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter provides the background for the thesis, outlining the field of study, the purpose of the research, and the rationale for choosing the topic. It also introduces the concept of the research.
- Culture, Logistics and Leadership: This chapter delves into the concepts of culture, logistics, and leadership, exploring their interconnectedness and defining their importance for the research. It examines Hofstede's cultural dimensions and Suutari's study on leadership behaviour, drawing connections between cultural factors and leadership expectations in Germany and Sweden.
- Method: This chapter details the research methodology, including the purpose of the research, the primary data collection methods, sampling plan, and execution of the survey. It outlines the questionnaire used, incorporating Hofstede's dimensions and Kienbaum's categories of competences, and discusses the processing and evaluation of the data. The chapter also addresses potential limitations of the study.
- Comparison of Empiricism and Theory: This chapter compares the empirical findings with existing theoretical frameworks. It analyzes the results regarding Hofstede's cultural dimensions, focusing on power distance, individualism, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance. Additionally, it examines the importance of Kienbaum's categories of competences, including knowledge competence, organisation competence, stress ability competence, problem solving competence, experience in the logistics industry, customer orientation, and the overall importance of these competences.
- Critical Consideration: This chapter critically examines the findings, focusing on the applicability of Hofstede's cultural dimensions and the implications of the observed differences in leadership competences. It analyzes the specific requirements for leaders in a cultural context.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary keywords and focus topics of this thesis include: leadership, logistics, culture, Germany, Sweden, Hofstede's cultural dimensions, Kienbaum's categories of competences, transport logistics, leadership requirements, cross-cultural management, and intercultural communication. The work explores the influence of culture on leadership in the logistics industry, comparing leadership styles and competences in Germany and Sweden, and analyzing the relevance of theoretical frameworks in explaining observed differences.- Quote paper
- Andreas Mothes (Author), Heiko Ulrich (Author), Daniela Kramer (Author), 2006, Leaders' Qualifications in the Logistics Industry - Are there differences between the requirements for leaders depending on their culture?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/58099
