Leadership in a Globalizing World

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Chapter | Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice | 2010

Leadership in a Globalizing World

Abstract

In this chapter, world-renowned business expert, author, and Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter asks the question, "Is leadership different in a globalizing world--one of broadening horizons and burgeoning sources of ideas and supplies--than in other contexts?" The answer is a resounding yes. Kanter identifies three aspects of globalization--increased uncertainty, complexity, and diversity--that fundamentally reshape the work leaders must perform. Based on field observations of leaders in large global firms, she finds that these forces shape the context of three distinctive tasks leaders face as they guide their organizations and influence the constituencies that surround them: 1) institutional work to deal with uncertainty, 2) integrative work to deal with complexity, and 3) identity work to deal with diversity. With compelling examples of global leadership within international companies such as IBM, Cemex, Procter & Gamble, and Paris-based advertising and communications giant Publicis Groupe, Kanter builds a strong case for making these organizations and their leaders the focus of further research and study.

Keywords: Risk and Uncertainty; Globalized Firms and Management; Leadership; Research; Complexity; Diversity;

Format: Print

Citation:

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. "Leadership in a Globalizing World." Chap. 20 in Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice, edited by Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana. Harvard Business Press, 2010.

Chinese appliance company Haier's 2016 acquisition of iconic GE Appliances ushered in strategic and structural changes to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship at the U.S. company, and to help it grow. Haier, which had a model designed to bring the company closer to users of its products, wanted GEA to adopt a version of the model that suited the U.S. market, U.S. consumers, and GEA's employees. This case describes GEA's efforts to do that as a member of the Haier Group. Teaching Note for HBS No. 319-044.

Chinese appliance company Haier's 2016 acquisition of iconic GE Appliances (GEA) ushered in strategic and structural changes to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship at the U.S. company and to help it grow. Haier, which had a model designed to bring the company closer to users of its products, wanted GEA to adopt a version of the model that suited the U.S. market, U.S. consumers, and GEA's employees. This case describes GEA's efforts to do that as a member of the Haier Group.

This teaching note assists in the classroom instruction of the HBS No. 318-089, “City Year at 30: Toward Long-Term Impact.” It offers to instructors a case summary and analysis, along with student preparation questions and a guide for classroom discussion of the case. The teaching note helps explain teaching objectives of the case, including lessons on how to manage the growth and evolution of not-for-profit social enterprises and how to pursue even bigger societal change.

Faculty & Research

Leadership in a Globalizing World

Abstract

Citation:

About the Author

More from the Author