Transformative leadership for fostering creativity, innovation and business excellence

This theme paper raises a series of questions for participants to consider ahead of the Dubai Global Convention 2018 and 28th World Congress on Leadership for Business Excellence and Innovation, the focus of which this year is on transformative leadership for fostering creativity, innovation and business excellence. Questions are posed in the various areas that are on the convention and congress agenda. The meaning of excellence is explored and the relevance of both excellence and innovation from different perspectives and in relation to aspirations, possibilities, situation, context, costs and implications is discussed, Areas of questioning covered include boards and business excellence, boards and innovation, the questioning and justification of innovation, the selection of innovation projects, ensuring relevance, staying ahead of the competition, leadership for uncertain times, visionary leadership, disruptive technologies, partnering with technology, boards as enablers or constraints, productivity and performance tools, stimulating creativity and establishing creative environments, recovering optimism and contextual, productivity, human capital, governance, stakeholder, sustainability, social responsibility and organisational considerations

Creativity, innovation and the board

Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are increasingly important for sustaining relevance and corporate success in the contemporary business environment, and there are steps that directors and boards can take to support them. They are inter-related and all three are required for effective responses. Leaders need to understand the factors that help and hinder them and, in particular, the importance of openness, diversity and creative environments. Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship need to be relevant and affordable for customers. They can also benefit wider society by addressing employment and other challenges

Embedding CSR mandate into corporate strategy

Author examines CSR, social entrepreneurship and responsible business and the role of the board in creating mutually beneficial outcomes. Designed to encourage reflection and thought ahead of the 10th International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate leadership, business innovation and growth

Many of the most pressing challenges that face certain companies and mankind are unlikely to be addressed by incremental improvements to existing activities and excellence in the performance of them. In competitive and dynamic situations and where windows of opportunity may be limited, quick and front-line responses may be required. An existing business model should not be taken for granted. Leaders need to ensure that people focus on what is important and, particularly what is important for customers and prospects. Leaders can focus on removing obstacles to creativity rather than determining individual outcomes. The focus of business leaders should be upon creating a culture of excellence and innovation and/or providing the conditions and performance support for people from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures to exceed where it matters

Corporate leadership and governance for increasing stakeholder involvement and developing stronger connections

Many organisations and their supply chains are networks of relationships, but greater connectivity, additional connections and more intimate relationships can involve costs and risks as well as confer benefits, while inappropriate relationships can be harmful. Aspects of company law and regulation and contemporary corporate leadership and governance codes, priorities and practices favour some stakeholders over others and can hinder rather than help the building of relationships with a wider range of stakeholders. Directors and boards need to consider what changes are needed in priorities, practices and initiatives to accommodate disruptive technologies, new business models and the sharing economy; better understand the perspectives, aspirations and requirements of stakeholders; and involve, engage and motivate them in order to achieve more balanced, relevant, cost-effective and mutually beneficial relationships with them. Consideration is also required of whether such changes and a more socially responsible approach to business might help to establish and/or re-build trust and encourage closer collaboration and more co-creation of value

Business education, professional bodies and supporting communities of practitioners

To what extent are business schools and professional bodies influencing business history and practice, and to a degree determining them, are their staff observing from the sidelines, monitoring developments and trying to make sense of what is going on in the business and market environment around them? Are business schools making history or endeavoring to understand selected aspects of it? Do professional qualifications reflect developments or influence them? Are communities of professionals vibrant workshops or protective closed shops

Environment and climate change – Transitioning to a sustainable economy

Raises questions for directors and boards about issues relating to environment management and sustainability strategies and practices to encourage discussion at the 18th World Congress on Environment Management. Published as: Coulson-Thomas, Colin (2016), Environment and Climate Change – Transitioning to a Sustainable Economy

Effective corporate governance and sustainability: Mandate of the Board

Examines contemporary corporate governance and whether it meets contemporary and changing requirements, is relevant in particular situations and contexts or serves vested interests. Challenges assumptions and the contribution of governance in relation to innovation and sustainability and asks whether evolution or a revolution in corporate governance is required. Written to encourage discussion at the 15th London Global Convention on Corporate Governance and Sustainability

Driving performance excellence through disruptive innovation and visionary leadership

Excellence and innovation are generally regarded as positive but they can mean different things to different people and both need to be relevant and affordable. This theme paper explores a variety of factors, issues and questions relating to excellence, innovation, leadership for excellence and innovation. It considers boardroom leadership and difficult choices, visionary boardroom leadership and factors to balance for responsible innovation, business excellence and the boardroom, driving excellence and innovation through the boardroom and innovation governance and related governance challenges, disruptive innovation in the digital economy, whether corporate governance should be compliance or principled driven, excellence innovation and creating world class organisations, excellence innovation and the family business, excellence innovation and economic growth, some wider implications of excellence and innovation and the relationship between them and challenges and opportunities for directors and boards. The theme paper is designed to encourage thought and challenge some established corporate practices ahead of the Dubai Global Convention 2017 and 27th World Congress on Leadership for Business Excellence and Innovation

CSR to increase engagement and build relationships

The smooth functioning of markets and wider society depends upon expectations and acceptable levels of trust. However, trust in private enterprises and business leaders has fallen in a number of countries. Are companies contributing enough to society in return for the privilege of limited liability? Are they engaging their people and stakeholders and securing their commitment? This article questions whether CSR or a broader approach to responsible business could widen directorial perspectives, increase stakeholder involvement, engagement and motivation, build relationships with stakeholders, ingnite or re-establish passion and commitment, and help to create shared value, It also looks at the justification of CSR, the measuring and reporting of CSR and/or responsible business outcomes, legitimacy and the rise of sources of countervailing power that might limit and check businesses that are not responsible