The search for top executives is fraught with pitfalls. Understanding them will set the process off on a strong footing and maximize the chances of a sustainable hire. This…
Abstract
The search for top executives is fraught with pitfalls. Understanding them will set the process off on a strong footing and maximize the chances of a sustainable hire. This chapter examines three aspects of the search dynamic: “stakeout,” “trust-building” and the search consultant’s “ambassador role.” We reveal nine important insights. Has digitization made headhunting any easier? We correct common misconceptions and reveal the difficulty of approaching top executives with role propositions, the building of trusted relationships with clients, and the ambassador role of the executive search consultant. We examine the need for empathy and deep discernment in reading candidates. We next go more deeply into the full search process: the selection of the search firm, the search itself, the presentation of the chosen candidate and onboarding. We reveal points of attention for clients and candidates that underpin best practice.
An earlier form of this chapter by the author was published in Dutch in “Bestemming Boardroom: over zoeken en gevonden worden” (Boom, Amsterdam, 2018).
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Misconduct by lawyers in law firms is often attributed to pressures from increasing competition for legal services. Modern firms do face fierce competitive pressures. We can gain…
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Misconduct by lawyers in law firms is often attributed to pressures from increasing competition for legal services. Modern firms do face fierce competitive pressures. We can gain more subtle insights, however, by focusing on the specific markets in which particular firms operate and how forms of influence in law firms interact with common patterns of behavior in organizations. This chapter draws on this approach to analyze the experience of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a national law firm that had to close its doors in 2007 because of tax shelter work that triggered civil lawsuits and government investigations.
What is the problem at the Zatega Division of Matheson Foods? The attention of the managers involved is focused upon the large number of overflow warehouses, the dispute over the…
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What is the problem at the Zatega Division of Matheson Foods? The attention of the managers involved is focused upon the large number of overflow warehouses, the dispute over the use of available plant storage space, and the relatively high levels of both raw materials and finished product inventory levels. Of these concerns, the question of inventory levels appears to be of least concern to the participants, since we are given a number of rationalisations for this “problem”, (expanding markets, preparation of new plant, problems of raw materials quality control). As a consequence of their (conflicting) concerns over these matters, the managers also face the problem of a high level of tension and interpersonal conflict.
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This report discusses technological, market and strategic factors encouraging change in the dynamics of skill formation in large U.S. accounting firms. Changes in recruiting…
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This report discusses technological, market and strategic factors encouraging change in the dynamics of skill formation in large U.S. accounting firms. Changes in recruiting, organizing, training, retaining and promoting are of crucial importance for the future of the accounting industry. When cost cutting and efficiency are insufficient and where new services are the key to competitiveness, the future of the firm rests on the ability to develop a broad base of higher skills. These changes are perhaps also important for understanding skill formation dynamics in other activities with a high “knowledge intensity”.
The term architectural management has been in use since the 1960s and forms an essential part of this journal's title. However, the evolution of the architectural management field…
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The term architectural management has been in use since the 1960s and forms an essential part of this journal's title. However, the evolution of the architectural management field has not been a smooth affair, coming into, out of, and then back into fashion; and concise definitions continue to be illusive. Architectural management is a powerful tool that can be applied to the benefit of the professional service firm and the total building process, yet it continues to receive scant attention in the professional journals, seen as little more than a specialist interest. This paper charts the development of the architectural management field and takes a critical look at the field in relation to current research and its applicability to those who stand to gain the most from architectural management, the professional service firms. The paper concludes that architectural management is a cultural issue.
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Stephen A. Stumpf and Robert A. Longman
With the leading management consultancies all seeking to have “partner” relationships with leading institutions and global organizations, what will distinguish great relationships…
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With the leading management consultancies all seeking to have “partner” relationships with leading institutions and global organizations, what will distinguish great relationships from ones that end in blood‐letting? Theories and best practices abound; collectively they may provide useful guidance for a consultant’s professional development and career success.
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Alec N. Dalton and Andrew M. Daw
Service experiences and waiting lines are often – unfortunately – seen to go hand in hand. This chapter explains why this is the case. Beginning with an exploration of capacity…
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Service experiences and waiting lines are often – unfortunately – seen to go hand in hand. This chapter explains why this is the case. Beginning with an exploration of capacity and operating constraints, discussion then delves into both the mathematical origins and psychological implications of waiting lines. The final section offers hope to managers and guests alike, with a survey of different operations strategies and tactics that can eliminate or abate the need to wait.