The development of global mindset – An analysis in a global company
Punkari, Hanna (2013)
Kuvaus
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Tiivistelmä
Global leaders are individuals who work across the cultural boundaries in global context. The playground is ambiguous and people are more interdependent than before. Global organizations and culturally divergent individuals make global leader´s work more complex. Global mindset is a mental capability which is argued to be crucial when dealing with complexity. As there is a shortage of talented global leaders globally, this reflects also to the organizations locally. When business is hectic and organizations are in constant change, role transitions may be remarkable and they can realize fast. Typically these individuals promote from expert to leader role, or from domestic to global level.
This study has two objectives: The purpose is to identify what influences the development of global mindset at individual level. In particular, what are the most effective ways, how global mindset can be developed. Another interest is to explore in what respects leadership intransitivity present challenges in the development of global mindset and global leaders. The theoretical framework of this study lies on a model of Global Mindset Inventory, which structures individual´s capability into intellectual, psychological and social capitals and further into nine competencies related. Another interest is to present the basic principles of leadership intransitivity which is most often associated to organizations with low hierarchy (so called born globals).
In this qualitative interview study, totally ten global leaders were interviewed. The interview data was rich and it enabled reasonable analysing by telling stories and giving meanings as a basis to the qualitative study. Based on empirical findings, there seemed to be two main influential attributes affecting global mindset development of an individual: mental (personality) and experimental (the level of competence). Related to these, there were concrete development methods like learning on the job, coaching, job rotation, observing and self-study on a top. Also third central attribute “organizational support” emerged, which means actions like motivating, delegating, sharing as well as giving new roles and responsibilities for capable individuals. Leadership intransitivity existed in some respects; there occurred challenges to move from technical to leader role.
This study has two objectives: The purpose is to identify what influences the development of global mindset at individual level. In particular, what are the most effective ways, how global mindset can be developed. Another interest is to explore in what respects leadership intransitivity present challenges in the development of global mindset and global leaders. The theoretical framework of this study lies on a model of Global Mindset Inventory, which structures individual´s capability into intellectual, psychological and social capitals and further into nine competencies related. Another interest is to present the basic principles of leadership intransitivity which is most often associated to organizations with low hierarchy (so called born globals).
In this qualitative interview study, totally ten global leaders were interviewed. The interview data was rich and it enabled reasonable analysing by telling stories and giving meanings as a basis to the qualitative study. Based on empirical findings, there seemed to be two main influential attributes affecting global mindset development of an individual: mental (personality) and experimental (the level of competence). Related to these, there were concrete development methods like learning on the job, coaching, job rotation, observing and self-study on a top. Also third central attribute “organizational support” emerged, which means actions like motivating, delegating, sharing as well as giving new roles and responsibilities for capable individuals. Leadership intransitivity existed in some respects; there occurred challenges to move from technical to leader role.