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Executive education is both a growing and increasingly competitive industry. The traditional business school, once a dominant player in this space, now faces competition from sophisticated and focused consultants and for-profit training specialists offering a variety of face-to-face and on-line instructional vehicles. An abiding question has become ever more prevalent for business schools – are executive education clients getting meaningful, long-term value for their significant investments? Demonstrating value and building capabilities is different for a generic, open enrolment course than for a custom program. This paper proposes a solutions-based approach to the development and implementation of customized executive programs, arguing that the tailored customer focus and the operational rigor of a solutions perspective leads to sustainable and measurable client value both at the individual and corporate level. A case study involving a global high technology company is used to demonstrate the steps required to apply a solutions roadmap. The results show that a solutions approach – carefully and collaboratively undertaken in selected settings – can provide considerable benefits to both client and provider. Further research is proposed to validate and develop the learning points.

PurposeArgues that three basic archetypes – managers, entrepreneurs and leaders – must exist within the “ambidextrous organization” where a balance must be found between managing the present while preparing for the future. Introduces the MEL‐Index, a measurement tool that represents the managerial, entrepreneurial and leadership capabilities of both individuals and institutions.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptual framework suggests that the interactive roles of the MEL archetypes have a profound impact on the innovation profile of the organization. To test this idea in‐depth, case studies with a sample of SME's and large companies in North America and Western Europe was conducted.FindingsAlthough still at an early stage of data collection, initial findings suggest that: it is difficult for strong managers to co‐exist with visionary entrepreneurs without the facilitating role of leaders; there may be a difference in the balance of archetypes needed in private versus, publicly owned companies; the measurement tool was easy to administer and has strong face validity.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this project are not generalizable to the greater population of businesses in Europe and North America due to the convenience nature of the sample. However, as we continue to collect data confidence will grow at the inferences drawn from our case‐based examples.Practical implicationsBy using the results from an MEL project, companies can adjust their balance of capabilities through more targeted recruitment, focused executive development programs and better internal allocation of personnel.Originality/valueVery little applied research has been undertaken to explore the combination of skills required of executives to guide the ambidextrous organization. Exploration of the MEL interface opens an exciting, applied research stream within management studies.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the growing role of customized case studies in executive education programs.Design/methodology/approachA general review is provided, mainly from the authors' experience, on designing and employing custom cases.FindingsIt is shown that the benefits of designing and using custom cases accrue throughout the program development, delivery and follow‐up phases and can have a positive impact not only on course participants, but also on senior management and teaching faculty.Research limitations/implicationsThe role of pedagogical tools in executive education remains a largely under‐researched area. Suggestions are made for future work.Practical implicationsIt is shown how the construction of a case can vary by both content and format to best suit program objectives. Guidelines are also provided for teaching effectiveness.Originality/valueThis appears to be the first, in‐depth assessment of the design and use of case studies in executive education.

In the brutally competitive world of high technology markets the need to manage and stimulate change is ever-present. A critical component for preparing companies to become ‘agile giants’ is customized management development intervention that allows participants to learn and problem solve in environments that match closely their corporate challenges. This article describes the longitudinal relationship established between Infineon Technologies, a German semiconductor manufacturer, and Babson College, a leading executive education provider. A centerpiece of the resultant program – running now for 6 years – is an action-based exercise where participants apply concepts and tools to actionable real-world company projects. Our goal is to create a strong opportunity focus whereby the company can quickly identify and bring to market new product ideas while still undertaking rigorous analytical due diligence. We describe the criteria used in selecting an academic partner, considerations employed in designing the ...

Strategic alliances are proposed as an important way for business schools to face the challenges of a “new world order” that includes intensified competition, changing educational requirements and increasingly global marketplaces. Partnerships between individual business schools, and between business schools and corporations, on a regional, national, and international basis are suggested.

This paper describes a major Change Agent Programme conducted by Siemens Nixdorf (and later Siemens AG). This programme was part of a larger, sophisticated culture change initiative. Details of the programme are provided and the benefits accruing to the company are carefully assessed. It was found that impact should be considered at the levels of (a) the participant, (b) the business unit and (c) the corporation and that evaluation requires a longitudinal perspective. A number of lessons are extracted from the analysis – the requirement for serious senior management commitment, the creation of realistic programme expectations, providing a road map for post-programme implementation, and so on. Finally, recommendations are made for future work on this very important topic.

Creating new wealth lies at the heart of capitalism: traditionally, entrepreneurship is viewed as the primary engine in wealth creation. However, creating new wealth can also be the domain of corporate renewal efforts. In the strategic management area, three currently popular research streams deal with aspects of corporate renewal: corporate entrepreneurship, corporate venturing, and strategic evolution. Each research stream claims to provide a distinct solution to different managerial dilemmas facing corporations. The article argues that these three approaches are closely interrelated. The main linkage point is the notion of opportunity recognition. Managers need to promote corporate-wide entrepreneurial behaviour as a vital input into strategy formulation and implementation. It is in this context that strategic alliances play a key role in firms. Success depends on participating firms co-evolving strategy while paying close attention to the changing business and technological environment in which the firms must operate. Recognition of this interdependence of alliance strategy with changing environmental forces leads to the emergence of entrepreneurial opportunities as a key benefit of alliances. Approaches are suggested that could help senior managers use alliances as a way to stimulate corporate-wide entrepreneurial behaviour and wealth-creating corporate renewal. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A central assumption of a combined cognitive response/cognitive structure model of communication is that cognitive responses mediate message effects on belief, attitude, and behavioral intention elements of cognitive structure. This key proposition was tested in a laboratory experiment in which subjects were exposed to advertisements containing varying information about a new brand. The results suggest that either support or counterarguing partially mediate every effect of the ad content manipulations on all three elements of cognitive structure. However, cognitive responses did not mediate all of the treatment-induced variation in cognitive structure. Alternative explanations for the results and issues and directions for future theoretical development and research are discussed.

Banks have turned to technology in search of a competitive edge in a dynamic and sometimes hostile environment. Unfortunately, technical feasibility rather than market need has motivated them, giving no lasting advantage. An apparently profitable in‐home banking system, using Prestel, is here explored, offering customers of the Nottingham Building Society a full range of facilities. The factors making this a good opportunity for innovation are examined, together with problems that may be encountered. This introduction of the Homelink programme is seen as only the first stage in an entry into a home banking market which will depend on strategy implementation market evolution, competitive response and technological change.

Although much has been written about deception in advertising, no studies have been reported in which a deception and its impact on consumers were demonstrated empirically. The authors present a behavioral definition of deception and illustrate its operationalization in the context of a longitudinal experiment in which the effects of an explicit, deceptive product claim on a variety of cognitive variables were measured both before and after product trial. Issues related to the measurement of deception seriousness are emphasized. The basic approach appears generalizable to nonexperimental studies of real-world deception.

There is increasing evidence that the driving force in the growth of an industrialized society is technological change. The implications of the accompanying low stability, low predictability, and sparse precedent are substantial for business management. Nowhere is this more true than for the field of marketing. Conventional wisdom suggests that marketing should be taking the lead in encouraging functional interaction, especially at the R & D/marketing interface, and ensuring a market-led rather than technology-push philosophy within the company. Market-place reality indicates a different profile with marketing's role often limited only to tactical product support, with little strategic or interface input. This paper outlines the barriers currently present to a stronger marketing contribution and suggests ways in which some of those difficulties can be overcome. It is concluded that marketing personnel must adapt and expand their skills in order to contribute fully to the management of high technology products.

In‐home computerised banking is at the early stage of market development in a number of countries. Despite similarities of in‐home services offered by the banks, market penetration of home banking technology varies by country of adoption. The diffusion of innovation theory is used to help explain the variance in home banking penetration levels in France, the UK and the US.