Applied Research Project Part 4: Bridging global leadership gaps in multinational organizations.
1
2
(Old Topic) Global interdependent organizational leadership
(New Topic) Bridging Global Leadership Gaps in Multinational Organizations.
Department of Global Leadership Indiana Institute of Technology
David E. Popoola
Applied Research Project Part 3 - Mind-Map
Dr. Tina Abrefa-Gyan
November 14, 2021
GLOBAL INTERDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
An image of your mind map
Using differentiation and integration
Using global leadership models
Global leadership
Understanding various cultures
Conflict management
The term "global leadership" refers to a person's ability to lead people from diverse areas of the world, it also speaks about a leadership style with worlds view. They need a wide range of stakeholders and colleagues from across the country to get things done. Leadership in a global context is complicated by factors such as time zones, cultural differences, and the use of technology to communicate (Kovalenko, & Kovalenko, 2019). It's important for global leaders to know when it makes sense to be global and when it makes more sense to stay local. For this, they require not only a wide range of leadership styles, but also the perseverance and authenticity to stand for something. Leaders who want to succeed in a global business environment need to develop the right mindset and skill set.
A summary of what knowledge is missing
In an increasingly globalized world, global leaders are confronted with unprecedented challenges. What is lacking is the ability to understand the various cultures that leaders interact with. Even when leaders are working in leadership teams, these differences can be difficult to manage. Managing the conflict between adhering to the company's global norms and meeting the needs of employees in different countries and regions is also another very big concern.
Anyone who is responsible for integrating the work of people or teams spread across multiple countries is a global leader, not just the CEO of a multinational corporation. In order to be as responsive as possible to the local environment, multinational corporations operating in multiple countries have traditionally focused on the issues of differentiation and integration: how do we differentiate our strategy and how do we coordinate or integrate our activities across these countries to maximize synergy?
Some of the world's most successful multinational corporations have developed strategies that incorporate both differentiation and integration. In defining leadership priorities, these two dimensions are no longer as useful as they once were. "Variety and connectivity" are the most accurate ways to define global leadership today.
A summary of what knowledge I plan to focus on and why
The knowledge that I want to focus on is developing global leadership models. It appears many organizations and their leaders are struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of globalization because of a lack of training in the various communities across the world (Mendenhall, et al., 2017). When it comes to employee training, many companies spend more time and money on new technology and software than they do on developing management and leadership skills for their employees. When it comes to competing, succeeding, and growing an organization in today's global marketplace, visionary leaders are often overlooked. Because global business was previously viewed as a sideline for some large corporations, it could be a contributing factor.
In order for an organization to be competitive, “it must understand how to structure a model for global leadership that takes into account the importance of culture, global strategy, and the development of leadership competencies” (Mendenhall, et al., 2017). Training leaders in international leadership competencies using an international model of a global leadership is only possible if in the organization there are individuals who have the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities of doing so. Having trained individuals in the organization may be necessary to instill these competencies because of a lack of confidence among employees toward trainers and the program itself.
Globally applicable leadership models that are distinct from those that only work within a specific organization are equally important to developing models that work for an entire organization. Organizations of all sizes can use this global leadership framework as a starting point for tailoring their own model to suit individual requirements and integrating their business into global markets while still accomplishing their own specific objectives. Culture also has an important role to play in the leadership model and practice in a global context, so a separate component is needed (Baumer, & Karduss, 2017). Understanding and implementing different culturally pertinent headship behaviors and skills can be learned by addressing the leadership's cultural element.
Leaders who have the ability and knowledge to cross cultural and organizational boundaries are essential to the growth of an organization. Leading in today's world requires a model of global leadership that allows leaders to respond to their own cultural needs and concerns. Behavior-based leadership skills and cultural competences are combined to create this global leadership capability.
References
Baumer, S., & Karduss, A. (2017). Measuring and Disseminating Organizational Leadership Through Impact. Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement, 4(1), 24.
Kovalenko, B., & Kovalenko, E. (2019). Approaches to Organizational Leadership in the Digital Age. In 5th International Conference on Social, Economic, and Academic Leadership.
Mendenhall, M. E., Weber, T. J., Arnardottir, A. A., & Oddou, G. R. (2017). Developing global leadership competencies: A process model. In Advances in global leadership. Emerald Publishing Limited.