Norbert Bol

JANUARY 10, 2016

Based on a literature review of 114 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles it shows that sustainability is an important topic for managers but they just rarely consider it in strategic management. Many companies therefore still lack a strategic approach to integrating corporate sustainability into strategy. In my opinion the starting point in the integration of corporate sustainability in strategic management is manager attitude and behaviour.

Strategic Management 45

Strategic Management Management Examples Groups 45

Focused Momentum

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

Creating a winning strategic plan is awesome. Strategic ManagementYou feel great, your team is motivated, and you see renewed passion and commitment to shared success.

Leadership 54

Leadership Tips Strategic Management Management 54

Norbert Bol

JUNE 26, 2016

Leadership can be found at any level of an organization. This means that you don’t have to be a manager to be a leader. Diverse teams are more successful and innovative than homogeneous teams, as diverse team are better at managing opportunities and threats to create more success in a sustainable way. Responsible Leadership. Shared leadership and commonality: A policy-capturing study. The Leadership Quarterly , 27 (2), 200-217.

Leadership 53

Leadership Policies Team Building Study 53

Focused Momentum

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

Creating a winning strategic plan is awesome. Strategic ManagementYou feel great, your team is motivated, and you see renewed passion and commitment to shared success.

Leadership 40

Leadership Tips Strategic Management Management 40

Norbert Bol

JULY 10, 2016

After my last blog about shared leadership I received many votes and many positive reactions. Especially about leadership that can be found everywhere at any level in an organization. Most of the readers agree that leadership is not just a function where you sit, but is more about what you do and how you do it. To achieve this, organizations need leadership which can be found everywhere in the organization. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management , 40 , 15-28.

Leadership 47

Leadership Competition Innovation Processes Examples 47

Focused Momentum

JANUARY 15, 2019

Implementation of a new strategic direction typically starts strong when the energy unleashed from the fun of strategic thinking is fresh. Later, once the transactional aspect of operations takes over everyone’s mindshare, it is harder to keep this energy alive, and thus the momentum on strategic goals can wane. One factor in lagging strategic focus is that leaders slide back to their comfort zone forgetting that they too must evolve. Strategic Management

Leadership 46

Leadership Strategic Thinking Strategic Management Management 46

Focused Momentum

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Strategic ManagementAt times, we all must make tough choices in the present to prepare for long-term success. All too often we delay acting to change the status quo possibly hoping the issue it will resolve itself. When we take this “let’s just wait and see” course, we don’t protect anything, and we can put something very valuable at risk.

Course 50

Course Leadership Change Strategic Management 50

Focused Momentum

JUNE 5, 2019

A measure of strategic management capabilities is how well a leadership team can balance responding to market conditions and staying focused on achieving objectives set out in a long-range strategic plan. Testing of this balancing act starts in the early months of implementing a new strategic direction as operational teams start digging into new objectives. Strategic Management

Leadership 54

Leadership Marketing Strategic Management Management 54

Focused Momentum

MAY 29, 2019

While it is true that one of the benefits of investing the time to define a clear strategic direction is that it helps in decision-making, it is also true that it does not make decisions. That is the job of leadership. Strategic Management

Leadership 54

Leadership Strategic Management Management 54

Focused Momentum

APRIL 17, 2019

A mission statement can inspire and fulfill a unique role in your strategic management toolkit , but they often play a boring role in the organizations that have them. I confess, I too tend to overlook the mission statement when developing strategy with leadership teams, but it is NOT because I don't understand their strategic importance. It is because when given the chance, groups tend to want to spend our precious strategic thinking time wordsmithing.

Strategic Thinking 53

Strategic Thinking Groups Tools Leadership 53

Norbert Bol

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership Learning Strategy SustainabilityOn our way to becoming a green economy, we need products and services that have a positive impact on the environment and society. Companies are researching, developing and testing many environmental product and service innovations. Clausen et al. 2019) show that there is not a lack of these innovations, but there is a too low percentage of these innovations that are successful. .

Marketing 53

Marketing Industry Study Culture 53

Norbert Bol

JULY 23, 2016

In this Strategy Blog I would like to share with you the blogs of CEO’s that I follow because they also discuss strategic management issues. CEO Blog – Time Leadership by Jim Estill CEO of Canrock Capital. If you have additions to this list of CEO’s who blog about strategic management issues please let me know. Strategic Management Communication Leadership Marketing Social Media Strategy

Strategy 46

Strategy Strategy Resources Company 46

Norbert Bol

OCTOBER 25, 2015

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership StrategyBoosting creativity and innovation. When we want to boost creativity and innovation in an organization, there is not only a need for creative people but there is also the need for an organization supporting an innovative culture (see also the blog: Innovation is built on the desire for success ). A recent study towards the personal factors of creativity and innovation (da Costa et al.,

Creativity 67

Creativity Creative Process Analysis Study 67

Norbert Bol

JULY 21, 2015

Strategic Management CSR Leadership SustainabilityReporting on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability has grown exponentially. The quality of the reporting has also improved, including historical information and forward-looking statements. A recent study by Aiezza (2015 in press) shows that there is still a strong bias towards optimistic trends when it comes to reporting on sustainability issues.

Report 65

Report Analysis Study Trends 65

Norbert Bol

MARCH 14, 2015

The scientific journal Organizational Dynamics is preparing a special issue about “The leadership imperative for sustainability and corporate social responsibility” In other words what is the responsibility for sustainability of business leaders? Strategic Management CSR Leadership Sustainability

Competition 73

Competition Meeting Resources System 73

Norbert Bol

OCTOBER 4, 2015

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership StrategyTo create innovations it is probably true that our desire for success should be greater than our fear of failure. At the same time we should have the abilty not be afraid to fail but instead have the ability to learn from our mistakes. Many innovations are the fruitful result of trial and error. Error or failure are part of the process.

Culture 62

Culture System Project Learning 62

Norbert Bol

MARCH 29, 2015

Companies have used their sustainability strategy to maximize strategic value by focussing more on the real customer needs and reduce costs. Strategic Management Innovation Leadership Strategy SustainabilityThe april (2015) special edition of the scientific journal of Long Range Planning is called “ Doing more with less?

Strategy 59

Strategy Strategy Company Strategic Management 59

Norbert Bol

SEPTEMBER 27, 2015

Strategy & Leadership , 43 (5), 24-31. Strategic Management Innovation Leadership SustainabilityIn the recent blog Innovation through collaboration some important conditions were presented how people with different expertise can work together to develop innovative ideas, such as being open to innovative work, respecting others and willing to learn. It is also important to understand how to create such an environment.

Creativity 59

Creativity Collaboration Idea Generation Study 59

Norbert Bol

JANUARY 22, 2017

Although there were many topics discussed at the World Economic Forum that relate to the topics that are used in Strategy Blogs, I would like to share two interesting discussions about innovation, which are: Maintaining innovation and the Strategic Update: The Future of Innovation. Additional to what was discussed at the World Economic Forum is in my opinion that innovation and collaboration need to be balanced with management control systems and risk management.

Industry 51

Industry System Meeting Project 51

Norbert Bol

JUNE 19, 2016

Strategic Management Collaboration Innovation Leadership Learning OrganizationLast week I wrote about how we can learn to innovate by learning from haute cuisine chefs. Besides learning from models I think it is also important (1) to asses who we are and (2) to make a good assessment of the organization where the innovation should take place.

Change 54

Change Strategic Management Learning Collaboration 54

Norbert Bol

JUNE 5, 2016

Strategic Management Collaboration Innovation Leadership StrategyLast week I wrote about knowledge sharing in project teams. This week I would like to discuss the importance of knowledge sharing for learning, creativity and innovation. Although there are many theories of knowledge sharing behavior (Razak et. al, 2016), in my opinion the most important aspect of knowledge sharing is that the right circumstances are created to learn, to co-create or to innovate.

Learning 41

Learning Project Creativity Culture 41

Norbert Bol

JANUARY 17, 2016

For ethical business leaders and managers it is important to guide the company in the right direction by fostering an innovative-sustainability-based attitude. Research shows in this respect that ethical leadership is positively related to creativity and innovation. Companies with an innovative culture have a stronger relationship between ethical leadership and creatitivity. The Leadership Quarterly , 27 (1), 1-13.

Study 45

Study Culture Competition Groups 45

Norbert Bol

MAY 29, 2016

Strategic Management Collaboration Communication Innovation Leadership StrategyModern knowledge-based organizations face continuous challenges to remain competitive. These challenges today are driven by globalization, the possibilities of the internet and the increasing need for more sustainable products and services. These developments are creating a complexity of interdependent information flows which can be opportunities and/or threats to the organization.

Knowledge Base 51

Knowledge Base Project Agile Trends 51

Norbert Bol

NOVEMBER 8, 2015

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership StrategyIn the December edition of Research Policy there is an interesting article by Tavassoli & Karlsson (2015) about the persistence of innovation.

Policies 51

Policies Product Innovation Innovation Processes Competition 51

Norbert Bol

FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Successful implementation factors that need to be well aligned with the sustainability strategy are: organizational structure, organizational culture, leadership, management control and employee motivation and qualifications. In my opinion these dialogues about sustainability with all these different stakeholders are great to manage expectations, risks and opportunities (innovations). Strategic Management CSR Innovation Leadership Sustainability

Strategy 47

Strategy Strategy Engagement Report 47

Norbert Bol

JANUARY 2, 2017

International Journal of Information Management , 37 (1), 1441-1448. Strategic Management CSR Innovation Leadership Social Media Strategy SustainabilityDear readers, Best wishes for you in the new year 2017! Last year the number of rearders of Strategy Blogs increased enourmously to 22,634 followers today. The three blogs that were read most last year, were: 1) Knowledge sharing in project teams is important to go beyond your limitations.

Collaboration 42

Collaboration Project Strategic Management Strategy 42

Norbert Bol

JULY 31, 2016

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership Learning Marketing StrategyLast week McKinsey published an interesting list of books that CEOs read during the summer holdiday season. For the readers of Strategy Blogs I have made a selection of the 2016 non fiction books from the list McKinsey published as they are related to the themes of Strategy Blogs. I have put the selected titles in my favourite order.

Company 43

Company Technology Strategic Management Learning 43

Norbert Bol

JANUARY 1, 2017

International Journal of Information Management , 37 (1), 1441-1448. Strategic Management CSR Innovation Leadership Social Media Strategy SustainabilityDear readers, Best wishes for you in the new year 2017! Last year the number of rearders of Strategy Blogs increased enourmously to 22,634 followers today. The three blogs that were read most last year, were: 1) Knowledge sharing in project teams is important to go beyond your limitations.

Collaboration 41

Collaboration Project Strategic Management Strategy 41

Norbert Bol

MAY 16, 2016

The International Journal of Information Management will publish in the August 2016 edition an article (Hau & Kang, 2016) that reveals more insight in the role that lead users have in these online user-communities. International Journal of Information Management , 36 (4), 520-530. Strategic Management Collaboration Innovation Leadership StrategyUser communities in product and service innovations have been identified as important sources of innovations.

Trends 47

Trends Marketing Open Innovation Company 47

Norbert Bol

FEBRUARY 21, 2015

For that reason it is necessary to have a strategic social media plan before a crisis hits and try to avoid a crisis by engaging early when problems arise. Managing social media crises with your customers: The good, the bad, and the ugly. The real-time power of Twitter: Crisis management and leadership in an age of social media. Situational crisis communication and interactivity: Usage and effectiveness of Facebook for crisis management by Fortune 500 companies.

Engagement 52

Engagement Company Strategic Management Strategy 52

Norbert Bol

MAY 22, 2016

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership Marketing StrategyIn 1962 Everett Rogers introduced the theory of the Diffusion of Innovation. This theory explains how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread. Innovation and new ideas do not get adopted by the fact that it is a good idea. This is dependent on the innovation itself, communication channels, time, and the social system.

Resources 46

Resources System Technology Strategic Management 46

Norbert Bol

MARCH 28, 2016

Industrial Marketing Management. Strategic Management Innovation Leadership SustainabilityLast week I wrote in my Strategy Blog ‘ Creating more value in services ‘, that more value can be created in services when ecosystem services are included. To achieve more value in the context of responsible long term investments or sustainability driven innovations, it means that more diverse knowledge is necessary.

Industry 45

Industry Culture Examples Marketing 45

Norbert Bol

JANUARY 24, 2016

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership Strategy SustainabilityInnovation is important in the entrepreneurial strategy processes to increase organizational performance. Innovation speed is essential to this performance as well, because when we define a new product or service there is a need to make it available to custumers fast to achieve first-mover advantages. In the February 2016 edition of the Journal of Business Research, Shan et al.

Competition 45

Competition Entrepreneurship Resources Learning 45

Norbert Bol

APRIL 10, 2016

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership Strategy SustainabilityThrough history, the engine of human progress and prosperity has been, and is, the mating of ideas. Matt Ridley – When Ideas Have Sex. Idea crowdsourcing is the act when a company outsources the generation of new ideas (e.g. new product development) by an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call.

Crowdsourcing 43

Crowdsourcing Policies Ideation Product Development 43

Norbert Bol

APRIL 3, 2016

Strategic Management Innovation Leadership Strategy SustainabilityAt the moment our economies are in the transition to become more greener economies because we need to reduce environmental damage. To make this change we can, as consumers, contribute by buying more green products and services. As workers (whether it is in agriculture, industry, services or administration) we can contribute by making active choices to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment.

Policies 41

Policies Training Industry Change 41

Norbert Bol

MARCH 6, 2016

Managing the increasing number of stakeholders, is of course a challenge for companies. Strategic Management Communication Innovation Leadership Social Media SustainabilityLast week I wrote in StrategyBlogs that bridging the gap between strategy formulation and strategy implementation is possible through a true dialogue with your stakeholders.

Groups 42

Groups Engagement Course Company 42

Norbert Bol

APRIL 17, 2016

To answer this question, I will use the upcoming article in June 2016 in the International Journal of Information Management about information management for innovation networks. Information management for innovation networks—an empirical study on the “who, what and how” in networked innovation. International Journal of Information Management , 36 (3), 348-359. Gary Hamel: Open source is one of the greatest management innovations of the 21st century.

Video 43

Video Study Innovation Processes Resources 43

Norbert Bol

FEBRUARY 21, 2016

Most managers do not resist this pressure as 78% of the managers would reject an NPV (net present value)-positive project if it would lower quarterly earnings, and 80 percent would focus on this short-term metric at the expense of building long-term shareholder value. The way the dimensions of success are ordered above, do increase in uncertainty for management. The Challenge of Introducing Sustainability into Project Management Function: Multiple-Case Studies.

Meeting 42

Meeting Case Study Project Study 42

Norbert Bol

JANUARY 31, 2016

Strategic Management Strategy Sustainability Innovation LeadershipLast week in Strategy Blogs we discussed the topic of innovation speed and how this positively relates to organizational performance. In addition to the characteristics mentioned last week that increase innovation speed, it is important to mention decisiveness as a characteristic as well. Decisiveness can be described as the ability to decide with speed and clarity. Theory.

Policies 42

Policies Competition Change How To 42

Norbert Bol

MARCH 20, 2016

What is behind the leadership shift in sustainable development from politicians to CEOs? Strategic Management Innovation Services Strategy SustainabilityIn our service economy we create value together. Integrating ecosystem services can create more value. Services differ from products when it comes to value creation. Unique to services is that value is always co-created between the service provider and the customer.

Competition 42

Competition Industry Leadership Culture 42

Innovation 360

OCTOBER 10, 2017

Background: I am an innovation management expert, in the financial sector modelling financial products/services suitable for all level income groups. I drive to organise with exceptional follow through abilities and a comprehensive grounding in strategic management to become a leader in Bank/Non-Bank financial sector as well as any organization service and product innovation. Areas of Expertise: Strategic Management. Based in Accra, Ghana.

Strategic Management 40

Strategic Management Meeting Innovation Management Management 40

Innovation 360

OCTOBER 9, 2017

Background: I am an innovation management expert, in the financial sector modelling financial products/services suitable for all level income groups. I drive to organise with exceptional follow through abilities and a comprehensive grounding in strategic management to become a leader in Bank/Non-Bank financial sector as well as any organization service and product innovation. Areas of Expertise: Strategic Management. Based in Accra, Ghana.

Strategic Management 40

Strategic Management Meeting Innovation Management Management 40

Norbert Bol

JUNE 18, 2017

Strategic Management Collaboration Innovation Leadership Sustainability SustainnovateWhen are we truly sustainable? That is an inspiring question. As human beings we all aspire a healthy, happy and prosperous life for ourselves and for the next generations. However in our daily lives we all have different interpretations on how to deal with People, Planet and Prosperity when we make decisions as a consumer, an employee or a (business) leader.

Design 46

Design Examples How To Change 46