Paradox management delegation: inter and intra-individual variability

While paradox is increasingly presented in organisational literature as a normal, even advisable element, it is still seen as a problem by individuals who are confronted with it on a daily basis. Thus there is a clear gap between researchers' conclusions and real-life situations experienced by practitioners, or maybe a tension between two levels of analysis, organisational and individual levels. We have found that this tension has seldom been studied. In a nutshell, existing literature tends to be divided into two groups. Our research work therefore aims to study the positions of health sector professionals with respect to the paradox management that has been delegated to them, to analyse the extent to which this delegation might alter the pluralistic organisational management of paradoxes. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 of 16 new physician-managers working in a large teaching hospital where the reform was initiated. Our results show that individuals adopt four types of positions when faced with paradox : rejection, detachment, absorption, and transcendence.Paradox ; management ; delegation ; individual variability

When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist

Given the complexity of organizations, individuals nowadays are handling an increasing number of commitments. When these commitments conflict, they can turn into ethical dilemmas. However, little is known about how individuals make ethical decisions in the face of such conflicting commitments. We investigated this issue within the context of executive coaching since coaches often interact with multiple stakeholders as part of their assignments. We conducted 37 semi-structured interviews using the critical incident technique, i.e., by asking executive coaches to share a situation that was ethically challenging for them. Based on our study, we derive the metaphor of funambulism to depict how individuals make decisions in the case of conflicting commitments. By building on the systemic framework, we show that executive coaches manage an equilibrium \u201calong the way\u201d through an emergent system of practices, which involves making adjustments that can maintain or restore their system\u2019s equilibrium (i.e., compatibility between commitments). This contribution alludes to the dynamic and constructed nature of ethics

How to Assess and Increase the Value of a Co-Design Experience: a Synthesis of the Extant Literature

Franke & Piller (2003) stress the success of mass customization (MC) depends upon optimal toolkit design and underscore the importance of the MC co-design experience. However, what do we know about the value of this experience? How do we increase its value? How do we optimize toolkit design? Based upon the academic literature, this paper aims to answer these questions. First, we discuss results of previous studies on the four key variables used to assess how the consumer values self-design: enjoyment, control, pride of authorship and complexity. Second, we analyze the best solutions to increase the value of the co-design experience on these key variables: we explore toolkit functionality and how it can be endowed with features that enhance the MC user's perception of the process. This paper contributes to the body of mass customization theory regarding the value of the co-design experience and emphasizes how to design efficient toolkits.

"Two sides of the same coin"? Coaching and mentoring and the agentic role of context

Our article depicts and interrogates the claims for seeing coaching and mentoring as being distinct from each other, and rather suggests that context is agentic in determining which aspects of these two helping orientations are likely to be used by practitioners. To start with, our article traces the development of coaching and mentoring as two separate discourses. Traditionally, coaching has been associated with a shorter term performance focus, with the coach portrayed as a process‐ rather than a content knowledge−based expert. By contrast, mentoring has a longer‐term holistic focus, where the mentor has direct experience and knowledge in the setting that the mentee is operating in. Then, we discuss some limitations of seeking conceptual distinctiveness in purely theoretical terms, including accentuating differences of practices that cannot easily be disentangled from each other in practice. Therefore, on the basis of a case study, where coaching and mentoring behaviors are used by leaders and managers, we argue that context plays an agentic role and influences which of the helping orientations is used by practitioners. We conclude that, context being multifaceted, it leads to a kaleidoscope of coaching/mentoring behaviors, which supports a practice‐based approach to the debate

L'ambiguïté au cœur de l'efficacité du coaching ?: Une analyse des dynamiques de pouvoir

Et si l'efficacité du coaching était liée à son ambiguïté ? C'est ce qu'explore ce chapitre au travers de l'analyse des dynamiques de pouvoir dans cet accompagnement. Le discours marchand met en lien l'efficacité du coaching avec la médiation qu'il offrirait dans les organisations. Une analyse plus critique met en avant ses fonctions cachées de contrôle. Ces multiples dynamiques de pouvoir traduisent la malléabilité du coaching, source de son ambiguïté, et alors certainement de son efficacité

How to Assess and Increase the Value of a Co-Design Experience: a Synthesis of the Extant Literature

Working paper serie RMT (WPS 11-16) - 9 p.Franke & Piller (2003) stress the success of mass customization (MC) depends upon optimal toolkit design and underscore the importance of the MC co-design experience. However, what do we know about the value of this experience? How do we increase its value? How do we optimize toolkit design? Based upon the academic literature, this paper aims to answer these questions. First, we discuss results of previous studies on the four key variables used to assess how the consumer values self-design: enjoyment, control, pride of authorship and complexity. Second, we analyze the best solutions to increase the value of the co-design experience on these key variables: we explore toolkit functionality and how it can be endowed with features that enhance the MC user's perception of the process. This paper contributes to the body of mass customization theory regarding the value of the co-design experience and emphasizes how to design efficient toolkits

Ethical Issues in Coaching

International audienc

Comprendre les ambiguïtés du coaching : l'apport du fonctionnalisme

International audienceProfessional coaching in the field of management is often considered, both by those who study it and by persons in the field, to be ambiguous, confused, and chaotic. These negatively perceived characteristics underlie what has been said and written for the purpose of clarifying the objectives and postures of coaches, and distinguishing coaching from other follow- up actions such as counseling, mentoring or training. In contrast with these attempts to reduce or even eliminate ambiguities from this activity, this article takes the aforementioned characteristics to be inherent to coaching. Light is shed on them by adopting Merton's functionalism and showing, through a case study, that coaching usually fills several functions -- some obvious, others latent, and still others dysfunctional. In line with this approach, coaching practices are described as a tangle of functions specific to each case. This hypothesis is applied to other managerial practices, such as the management of quality.Le coaching professionnel est fréquemment considéré, tant par ses analystes que par certains acteurs de terrain, comme une pratique ambiguë, confuse, chaotique. Ces caractéristiques sont perçues négativement et donnent lieu à des discours et écrits qui visent à clarifier les objectifs et les postures des coachs, à distinguer le coaching d'autres pratiques d'accompagnement comme le conseil, le mentoring ou encore la formation, etc. À ces tentatives qui visent à réduire, voire à supprimer les ambiguïtés, l'article oppose une autre analyse qui considère ces caractéristiques comme inhérentes au coaching. Il tente de les éclairer en mobilisant le cadre fonctionnaliste de Merton et montre, à partir de l'étude d'un cas, que le coaching remplit généralement plusieurs fonctions : les unes manifestes, les autres latentes, les autres encore constituant des dysfonctions. Suivant cette manière de voir, les pratiques de coaching se caractérisent donc comme un enchevêtrement chaque fois spécifique de fonctions. L'article se termine en étendant cette hypothèse à d'autres pratiques de gestion, telles que le management de la qualité

A Journey Into The Grey: A Student Perspective on Ethics

Modern Ethical Dilemmas Explored - For Students By Students Looking for interactive and meaningful activities to engage your undergraduate students in ethics? This student-authored text offers 25 different ways to explore modern ethical dilemmas. Designed by a group of Menlo College students, these activities reflect their interests and concerns and will probably echo those of your students. Activities are organized into 4 sections: A/Ethics in Sports; B/Ethics in Health; C/Ethics in Business and Society; D/Ethics in Business; E/Ethics in TV Series & Movies. They range from warm-up activities and skits to case studies and surveys, prompting lively class discussions. Topics and questions covered include: The influence of religion on our daily choices; the role of mascots in sports and the use of derogatory names; the cultural influences on prison systems; the study of the popular TV series Breaking Bad; the extension of euthanasia laws to children, etc

Me? A politician! A focus on the power dynamics in the coaching space

International audienceRather than portraying the coaching space as developmental, increasing researchers have described it as a space for conformation, a practice for renewed forms of discipline. Using the critical incident method, this paper explores the nature of the coaching space. Our analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews of coaches confronted to tricky situations highlights the critical issue of the management of power dynamics in a coaching intervention, inviting coaches to embrace the political dimension of their practice