The paper aims to investigate the relation of narcissism to leadership in business contexts and presents its impact on specific organizational variables, which are crucial for the…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate the relation of narcissism to leadership in business contexts and presents its impact on specific organizational variables, which are crucial for the pursuit of excellence. Narcissism constitutes a personality trait which is considered responsible for both positive and negative behavioral outcomes that impact decisions and actions.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach, by which this paper is structured, is theoretical and has been based on a literature review regarding narcissism (and more specifically, narcissistic leadership) in business contexts.
Findings
Narcissism can have positive (mainly in the short term) and/or deleterious effects both for the individual and the organization. The self-proclaimed excellence of narcissists results from a combination of their beliefs about their extreme intelligence, abilities and leadership and their high motives for reassuring their supremacy. However, the behavior of narcissistic leaders impacts various organizational parameters which are preconditions for organizational excellence.
Research limitations/implications
The study at hand can be used as an input for further research on the effects of narcissism on quality performance variables.
Practical implications
The behavior of narcissists (and its positive and/or negative consequences) should be evaluated in relation to any specific organizational context and circumstances.
Originality/value
The study examines narcissistic leadership and attempts to examine its implications for factors that are crucial for the achievement of organizational excellence.
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The evolution of management underlines the importance of the human, systemic, technological and contingency element and their interaction along with an amplified awareness of…
Abstract
Purpose
The evolution of management underlines the importance of the human, systemic, technological and contingency element and their interaction along with an amplified awareness of organizations for achieving excellence. This paper aims to discuss whether the fusion of digital, biological and physical world leads to a new excellence perspective and to investigate the potential value of informative neuroscientific findings for setting the foundations for smart services.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a literature review regarding the advances of neurosciences and its implications for business. Their usefulness and potential contribution for the provision of smart services are investigated.
Findings
The fusion of technological evolution and biological sciences may potentially give birth to a new excellence conceptualization complemented by genetic data whose consequences are hard to predict. Neurosciences offer insights for various human behavior areas that can be used by business practitioners, to refine their thinking and management style and build brain-friendly organizational contexts. The combination of using neuroscientific evidence and technology in service systems sets the foundations for an “intelligent” provision of services in a quality context.
Originality/value
The paper investigates the conceptual development of excellence within the receding context of the “smart era” and the potential contribution of neurosciences for the provision of smart services with reference to quality pioneers’ theories and ideas.
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Jens Jörn Dahlgaard and Loukas N. Anninos
This study aims to reflect on quality, sustainability and resilience as emerging organisational priorities within total quality management (TQM) and organisational excellence.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to reflect on quality, sustainability and resilience as emerging organisational priorities within total quality management (TQM) and organisational excellence.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a conceptual approach based on reflection and theoretical studies on the philosophical foundations of quality, excellence, resilience and sustainability as cornerstones for organisational excellence. Bearing in mind that sustainable excellence rests upon a combination of systemic and soft issues that define organisational ability for resilience and sustainability, there is a need to analyse and reflect on short business cases from world-leading companies and further reflect on the fundamental principles, which have helped such companies to survive, grow and sustain. This study includes such a business case – the LEGO case. In addition, a Japanese case has been included. Japanese training material on human motivation developed in the 1980s exemplifies how company managers were trained, at that time, to understand and practice human motivation, excellence principles and tools.
Findings
Organisational excellence constitutes an evolving concept as the world becomes more chaotic and interconnected with multiple disruptive shocks. Organisational excellence challenges the inflexibilities of Newtonian mindsets, recognising the paramount importance of interactions and further underlining the significance of invisible elements such as human potentiality, motivation and values that formulate the principles of organisational excellence.
Originality/value
The paper investigates the notions of quality, resilience and sustainability and their relation to motivation and organisational excellence within the framework of business management and TQM. A world-leading company – LEGO – will be used to exemplify the theoretical findings together with the Japanese Motivation Training Programme case.
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Loukas N. Anninos, Alexandra Paraskevi Chytiri and Leonidas Chytiris
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the level of narcissism and its individual traits in students who study business, in the particular context of a regional…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the level of narcissism and its individual traits in students who study business, in the particular context of a regional country such as Greece; and, second, to test how several demographic variables are related to narcissism levels.
Design/methodology/approach
The study consists of a theoretical part on narcissism in business education and an empirical part that was based on a survey conducted with the use of a questionnaire. The analysis includes hypothesis testing and basic statistical tests.
Findings
Findings suggest that sex, study levels, years of business experience and (personal/family) income do impact specific narcissistic dimensions, which may be a cause for concern both for employers and higher education providers.
Research limitations/implications
The study was conducted in a regional country, the participants were students of public higher education institutions only and the questionnaire was self-reported, which could lead to likely social desirability effects.
Practical implications
The investigation of narcissism in the Greek business education might be of interest to business education providers (for providing curriculum that help future managers/leaders to deploy the positive characteristics of narcissism and avoid or not to develop the negative ones) and to future employers to apply more effective human resource practices, i.e. selection, training, rewarding.
Originality/value
The study at hand aimed to investigate the presence of narcissism and its individual (narcissistic) behavioral dimensions in students studying business in Greece.
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Loukas N. Anninos and Leonidas Chytiris
The aim of this paper is to contradict past and present perceptions of excellence in business education, and to present excellence as a primary element for future business…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to contradict past and present perceptions of excellence in business education, and to present excellence as a primary element for future business education in an era of new challenges for global management.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach, by which this paper is structured, is theoretical and has been based on literature regarding excellence in business education and philosophical works.
Findings
The findings of the paper support the view that current business education results in a partial conception or misconception of management with immediate consequences in managerial decision making and business activity. Business education should be seen as an odyssey towards personal (balanced spiritual and technocratic) advancement that can pave the way for noble management behaviour.
Practical implications
The paper brings out an alternative perspective on business education by considering economics and management as part of a unified context. The attainment of excellence in business activity signifies necessary changes in the foundations of business education, so that future managers have a wider and diversified knowledge repository that will allow them to act in a harmonious way.
Originality/value
The paper offers an alternative way of viewing excellence in business education combining knowledge on management and philosophy which perhaps needs to be taken into consideration by business schools worldwide in order to build a mentality of excellence in business behaviour.
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Loukas N. Anninos and Leonidas S. Chytiris
The purpose of this paper is to: analyze the meaning of sustainability and its relation to excellence, in an era of management transformation, integration and evolution; to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to: analyze the meaning of sustainability and its relation to excellence, in an era of management transformation, integration and evolution; to present the global challenges for sustainable management of the future; and to examine how sustainability should be approached by business schools.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach of this paper is theoretical and has been based on scholarly literature regarding sustainability and its integration in business education, for which critical issues are presented.
Findings
The findings of the paper suggest that sustainability and excellence are two interrelated concepts (under certain conditions). The post crisis management vision includes the refinement of management practice through the integration of specific factors in business strategy, which allows sustainable corporate growth. Hence, the role of business education becomes crucial. While a steady progress regarding the incorporation of the sustainability concept in business education is being made, further improvements can be achieved. Business education should be considered as an odyssey towards personal advancement that will allow systemic, multidisciplinary and innovative business thinking for sustainable management and excellence.
Practical implications
The paper suggests some critical issues for business education, so that future managers have a wider and diversified knowledge repository that will allow them to practise management in ways which are scientifically and ethically correct.
Originality/value
The paper presents the relation of sustainability to excellence and emphasizes certain future sustainable management challenges. In addition, it gives an overview of how sustainability in business education should be approached.
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The paper aims to present and interpret excellence through the parchments of the ancient Hellenic philosophy and the different schools of management thought and its application in…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to present and interpret excellence through the parchments of the ancient Hellenic philosophy and the different schools of management thought and its application in the university context.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach taken in the paper is theoretical and is based on the writings of ancient Hellenes philosophers and management researchers, a semasiologic analysis of the term “excellence” in Hellenic and its content in the university context and a comparison with the basic principles of total quality management (TQM).
Findings
The findings of the paper support the view that the ancient Hellenes philosophers had a substantial contribution in the development of excellence and TQM fundamental concepts, as proved by their writings 2,400 years ago. It is worth mentioning that the term aristeia (excellence, in Hellenic) hides in it, as appears from the analysis of the word, the idea of good in an exemplary way and the factors that constitute the teachings of TQM.
Practical implications
The paper brings out the essence of excellence and proves that deep understanding of the concept of excellence leads to a virtuous personal life which leads in good citizenship in the wider social context that result in a constantly improving and transformative academic or professional life.
Originality/value
The paper presents the meaning of excellence through the combination of knowledge from the ancient Hellenic philosophy, management, Hellenic language and TQM.