If you study organizational behavior—and trust us, the folks at The Journal of Organizational Behavior do that as well as anyone—then you know the value of a good chief executive. In a 2008 study, the New Jersey-based academic journal spelled out the connection between CEO values, organizational culture and business outcomes.
What the researchers found is that business cultures can generally be classified into one of three categories: Innovative, bureaucratic and supportive. Each structure had its positive qualities, and each carried inherent risks. Not surprisingly, and regardless of the cultural classification at work, the personal value systems of executives involved in the study shaped their ability to modify an organization’s culture. That, in turn, helped achieve organizational goals.
With that in mind, Ingram’s turned to chief executives, past and present, from some of this region’s most successful and influential companies or organizations for this installment of “How-To”. On the following pages, you’ll read about the thought processes that have framed such business challenges as managing during uncertain times, converting a company to employee ownership, breaking out of the small-business framework to become a regional force, and more.
In percentage terms, few businesses have revenues measured in the billions, or metrics that place them among the industry leaders in their respective sectors. But big-picture thinking can apply to even the smallest of companies, and it is our hope that the insights you’re about to tap into can be applied to your own situation.
Our thanks go out to each of these executives who took the time to openly share their perspectives with our readers.
How To
Take Small Business to the Next Level
Prepare for the Move to Employee Ownership
