This scholarly paper aims to create a concept for the development of international executives. The purpose of this concept is to empower international leaders to meet the challenges of different nationalities, cultures and resulting business practices. For this purpose, the current state of literature on national and international leadership practice is reviewed, national differences in leadership culture are analyzed and evaluated, and on this basis concrete measures for international leadership development are derived. Then, the essential measures are brought together to form a feasible concept for successful international leadership practice, which is compared with the management experience of a board member of a German S-DAX company.
The development of an international leadership concept is necessary because there is a gap in current research and literature in this field. Although the need for preparation for international leadership tasks is emphasized and some individual measures for leadership training have already been developed, there is no practical, holistic development concept. This will be the result of the authors of this paper.
The research was carried out as follows: First, the essential terms for the paper were defined and placed in an international context by means of the current literature. Afterwards, the secondary literature is analyzed in order to find out and to be able to systematize the essential differences of the world's largest economies. This is followed by an expert interview about dealing with the in-creased need for international leadership, a case study to transform failed to successful international leadership, after which the elaborated measures for international leadership development are presented.
One on of this paper’s main results is that a large part of the countries considered have big differences in their leadership practice due to cultural distinctions. Here, a transferability without adjustments would not be possible.
In this context, our solution concept consists of the following 5 measures for the development of successful international executives. First, we suggest the development of international leadership models. Second, an intercultural 360-degree-feedback should be implemented. Then a global company should introduce international employee surveys. In addition, international leadership assessment centers are needed.
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. The need for an international leadership concept
3. Literature Review
3.1 Definition of leadership in general
3.2 Development and relevance of international leadership
3.3 The role of culture in the international context
4. Methodology based on a secondary analysis
4.1 National leadership differences in the world's largest economies
5. Analysis and findings- Development of an international leadership development concept
5.1 The need for international leadership development illustrated by a failed internationalization example
5.2 Why it is not possible to only transfer successful national leadership to other countries
5.3 Measures Concept for the development of international executives
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This scholarly paper aims to develop a practical, holistic concept for the development of international executives to help them navigate the challenges posed by diverse nationalities, cultures, and business practices in a globalized economy.
- Reviewing the state of literature on national and international leadership practices.
- Analyzing and evaluating cultural differences in leadership across the world's largest economies.
- Examining the failure of Wal-Mart's internationalization in Germany as a case study for cultural misalignment.
- Deriving concrete measures for leadership development, including international leadership models, 360-degree feedback, and assessment centers.
Excerpt from the Book
The need for an international leadership concept
“Give your employees work where they have to make the most of their abilities. Give them all the necessary information. Explain to them clearly what to do. And then - leave them in peace. “ (Hettl, 2013, p. 192). This quote from Robert Waterman shows the growing need for employee empowerment to deliver excellence, both strategic and operational. What Robert Waterman points out with his statement on employee development is becoming increasingly important in the general economic daily routine. Enterprises are more and more confronted with megatrends such as globalization, internationalization and digitization (Kotter, 2010). As a result, companies need to adapt to maintain their own competitiveness (Herger 2016). In particular, the human capital, which forms the core of every company, has accordingly to be prepared and trained for the challenges of these megatrends. Especially the globalization and internationalization cause difficulties which can not be overcome without adaptation measures (Rickard et al., 2009). For companies, this represents a challenge to cope with increasing dynamics in the corporate environment as well as with internal changes. Coordinating and utilizing the increased diversity of employees, managing the clash of different cultures, and managing different cultures and business practices are some of these challenges. The question of a model for international corporate and employee leadership is therefore of central importance nowadays. Without a concept for already international and still expanding companies, the consequences of globalization will inevitably burden competitiveness. Especially as the megatrends cause an increasing diversity of providers, a high complexity in the corporate environment, and thus a reduction in margins. Thus, a concept for the creation of an international leadership culture as well as a strategic plan are indispensable. This paper is therefore dedicated to the creation of such an international leadership concept, to increase the performance of the organization concerned. The research-guiding thesis successful national leadership can be transferred to other countries without any changes and without losing their potential for success is intended to clarify the necessity of such a catalog of measures and is therefore repeatedly included in the derivation of the concept.
Summary of Chapters
1. Abstract: Provides a high-level overview of the paper's intent to create an international leadership development concept based on literature reviews and case study analysis.
2. The need for an international leadership concept: Outlines the impact of megatrends like globalization and digitization on corporate performance and establishes the necessity for tailored leadership strategies.
3. Literature Review: Contrasts leadership definitions by Kotter and Drucker while explaining the influence of culture on corporate governance and international strategy.
4. Methodology based on a secondary analysis: Details the approach of evaluating cultural leadership traits across major global economies including the USA, China, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Germany.
5. Analysis and findings- Development of an international leadership development concept: Utilizes the Wal-Mart case study and an expert interview with a board member to validate the need for specific developmental measures for executives.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes that national leadership styles are not universally transferable and advocates for researched preparation processes to ensure successful international expansion.
Keywords
International leadership, globalization, corporate culture, leadership development, cross-cultural management, human capital, Wal-Mart, leadership styles, cultural differences, strategic management, employee empowerment, intercultural training, organizational change, management competency, global business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on creating a conceptual framework for developing international executives who can effectively manage teams across different national cultures and business environments.
What are the central themes explored in the text?
Key themes include the impact of globalization on HR policies, the role of cultural identity in leadership, the risks of transferring national management styles internationally, and specific organizational measures for executive training.
What is the primary research question?
The research investigates whether successful national leadership can be transferred to other countries without any adjustments and examines the necessity of creating a tailored international leadership development concept.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study relies on a secondary analysis of existing literature on cultural characteristics in major economies, combined with a case study of a failed market entry and an expert interview with a corporate board member.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
It covers theoretical leadership foundations, detailed analyses of leadership cultures in seven global economies, a practical case study of Wal-Mart's expansion into Germany, and five proposed measures for executive development.
How would you describe the key characteristics of this work?
It is a strategic management paper that blends organizational theory with practical, cross-cultural application, emphasizing the necessity of cultural empathy and adaptation for modern multinational companies.
What specific lesson does the Wal-Mart case study teach?
The case study illustrates that insisting on a "one-size-fits-all" approach to international business, without adjusting to the local shopping culture and societal norms, leads to significant economic loss and market withdrawal.
What are the five proposed measures for developing international executives?
The proposed measures include developing specific international leadership models, implementing intercultural 360-degree feedback, conducting international employee surveys, establishing international leadership assessment centers, and providing ongoing intercultural training.
- Quote paper
- Nicolai Müller (Author), 2018, National differences in leadership. Creation of a concept for the development of international executives, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/972487
