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While there is an abundance of empirically based information on the broad subject of executive leadership and executive leader development, opportunity for further research is driven by complexity of the executive’s world and the related need to function at high levels of learning agility. In fact, learning agility has been identified by Korn/ Ferry (Korn/Ferry, 2011) as the single most important predictor of executive success. This study seeks to explore non-traditional forms of executive leader development based on an integrated theoretical lens, including learning and executive development theories as they relate to learning agility. Executive Coaching is of primary interest as an executive development theory, with a diagnostic element designed to provide insight about development issues, particularly those around leadership pipeline cross points. The Competing Values Framework, as applied here for individual executive growth and development constructs, offers an additional theoretical lens as well as a structure for practical application. Using an engaged scholarship approach through Action Research, this is explored with a focus on executive development options that go beyond traditional leadership training models, and with research, insights analyzed through the CVF assessment and structured interviews. Among the findings are insights which confirm the learning agility construct claims that it is a key predictor to executive success as executives traverse career transitions. More specifically, the insights which proceed from this study also support the reasons that self-discovery learning interventions impact learning agility for senior executives. They include: The Participants in this study demonstrated Learning Agility Development as defined for this research, providing evidence that Learning Agility can be developed Executive Coaching and Related Self-Discovery Constructs contribute more to Learning Agility Executive Development when the executive coach offers a fluid approach which includes significant engagement and mutual dialog as well as inquiry. Learning Agility Development is related to one’s ability to manage Competing Values, especially Competing Values that are unique to the individual. Individual Awareness, its connection to reflexivity, and the movement of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge is a key finding related to senior executive learning agility development. A Systems Approach to Learning Agility Executive Development which includes a systemic framework, a defined process/structure, and individual customization is indicated for senior level executives. The study offers extensions to existing theories as well as a practical theory-and-findings-based executive development methodology.

The focus on sustainability has become more noticeable during recent years. This is especially evident in the Nordics, were Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland tops the sustainability rankings. Moreover, several studies have been conducted surrounding the topic of the sustainability measuring ESG-scores and their relation to financial performance. Simultaneously, researchers have come up with controversial findings regarding the relationship between financial performance and executive compensation. This study aims to find out the relationship between sustainability and senior executive compensation in the Nordics, as well as how they are both connected to financial performance. In order to fulfill this, eight multiple regression models were created on a sample of 101 Nordic companies. The chosen dependent and independent variables comprised various ESG-scores, as well as a ratio of senior executive compensation divided by total revenue. This resulted in 895 different observations during the years 2008 to 2017. This is a quantitative study following the positivist paradigm. Moreover, a deductive approach is taken in regard to how theory is used. Theories used to make conclusions include the stakeholder theory, the shareholder theory, the legitimacy theory, the agency theory and the stewardship theory. The regression models of choice were the OLS model and the OLS robust model, depending whether the models fulfilled the assumption regarding heteroscedasticity. The findings showed no significant relationship between the ESG combined score and the senior executive compensation ratio in the Nordics. However, a significant negative relationship between the compensation and the social and environmental scores could be found. Moreover, the governance-score was the only ESG-score to indicate a positive relationship with senior executive compensation. Conclusions could be made that there is a negative relationship between senior executive compensation and sustainability factors such as emission reduction and employment quality. This finding is in favor for the shareholders, but not the stakeholders. Additionally, there is a positive relationship between senior executive compensation and good governance. This includes factors such as a high score regarding board structure, shareholder rights and CSR strategy. It could also be concluded that good governance has an indirect positive impact on financial performance. Furthermore, the findings question previous arguments that executive compensation is an agency cost, rather than a solution of the agency problem.

Bakgrund/Problem: Rörlig lön har under det senaste kvartalet utgjort en alltmer betydande del av ledande befattningshavares lön i hela västvärlden. I Sverige har rörlig lön även blivit vanligare. Rörlig lön eller ersättning kan till exempel vara bonus, aktie- eller optionsbaserad ersättning. Ett typiskt belöningssystem till chefer består vanligtvis av baslön, förmåner, rörlig lön, långsiktig incitament och en pensionslösning. Sammansättningen av en ledande befattningshavares totala ersättning har ofta diskuterats där bland annat ersättningsnivåerna till chefer bör vara legitima och möta förståelse bland företagets intressenter. Flera företag har infört någon form av belöningssystem men det finns inga optimala belöningssystem utan ett företag måste välja ett belöningssystem som är anpassad för företagets specifika situation. Vid implementering av belöningssystem i företag kan belöningssystemet medföra effekter. Ett väl utformad belöningssystem kan leda till positiva effekter för företaget.Syfte: Syftet med studien är att analysera hur användning av belöningssystem till ledande befattningshavare påverkar AMF, Ericsson, SEB och AB Volvo. Vår avsikt är att få en förståelse om vilka effekter som kan uppstå från att använda belöningssystem till ledande befattningshavare. Vi vill även få en förståelse för hur dessa företag och deras intressenters uppfattning om belöningssystem till ledande befattningshavare är.Metod: Vi har tillämpat en indirekt induktivt ansats där vi har pendlat fram och tillbaka mellan teori och empiri. Vi har främst använt en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi i studien. Litteraturgenomgången består av litteratur och vetenskapliga artiklar som berör belöningar, agentteorin och motivation. Empirin består av tidningsartiklar där våra studerade företags belöningssystem har uppmärksammats i massmedia.Slutsats: Vi har kommit fram till att belöningssystemet huvudsakligen har påverkat de studerade företagen på ett negativ sätt, på grund av att de inte har beaktat vissa faktorer. Vi har identifierat att utformningen av belöningssystem är en utlösande faktor som har påverkat AMF, Ericsson, SEB och AB Volvo. Vi har då funnit att belopp och prestation är utlösande faktorer till hur intressenter, särskilt aktieägare uppfattar programmet. Medan andra intressenter ser företagets moraliska handlingar som central. Dessa företag bör då ta hänsyn till sina intressenter vid utformning av belöningsprogram för de är beroende av sina intressenter på ett eller annat sätt som arbetskraft och kapital. Om inte hänsyn tas kan det leda till att de studerade företagens legitimitet påverkas. Företag använder belöningssystemet som ett konkurrensmedel för att behålla medarbetarna. / Program: Civilekonomprogrammet

The object of the diploma thesis is the comparison of selected educational institute with the competitors operating in the tertiary education field, using the external benchmarking method. The theoretical part presents the basic terms related to the issue, especially strategic management, benchmarking, SWOT analysis, Porter five competitive forces analysis, but also the tertiary education sector. In the practical part there is performed a comparative analysis of six companies operating in the education sector. It concerns the following subjects: Brno Business School, Brno International Business School, Institute for Industrial and Financial Management, Prague International Business School, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, University of Finance and Administration. The survey results are statistically evaluated through the tables and graphs with an accompanying written commentary. The objective of the diploma thesis is the comparison of six companies using external benchmarking method and thus to define the weaknesses of the company which is the subject of the thesis, based on five analyses. Subsequently, to propose recommendations to minimize these weaknesses in order to gain a stronger position in the tertiary education market and higher competitiveness.

The vast quantity of leadership literature discusses factors that may contribute to leader development. However, strategic leaders—defined as those individuals in key positions at the organizational apex—are a subsection of the research that deserves more attention. In particular, what sets these leaders apart or enables them to excel is an area of particular interest and is explored in this dissertation. The purpose of this study was to understand the process of leadership development, specifically through the experience and beliefs of successful senior leaders. The study addressed the following questions: 1. How do strategic leaders for the federal government describe effective leadership? 2. How do they explain the development of effective strategic leadership? 3. How do the described behaviors of strategic leadership compare to the Executive Core Qualifications established for civilian federal government leaders by the Office of Personnel Management? To answer the research questions, the study employed grounded theory as the primary analytic procedure. The subjects interviewed were from areas of the federal government dealing with national security, predominantly Department of Defense. Both military and civilians subjects participated. Data were analyzed qualitatively and a conceptual model of strategic leadership behavior was developed. Finally, implications and suggestions as to how to foster the development of such capacities are offered. The findings show, as did earlier behavioral research, that the two aspects of task and relationship are important to successful leaders. In this case, both functioned predominantly in the leaders' behavior, but under the fabric of their contextual experience built on their own self-efficacy and relations with others. It follows that more attention paid to developing self-mastery and strong relationship skills are in order. Since studies on military leadership vice civilian federal service are more likely, the findings were examined in relation to the established qualifications for senior civilian leaders, revealing a gap. While the qualifications for senior executives are behavior oriented, the research indicates a need for stronger focus on personal development, growth as an individual, and contributions made to the development of others. The relationship aspect of leadership does not receive the proper emphasis. / Ph. D.

Private and public sector organizations have become increasingly interested in promoting diversity. Due to barriers attributed to race and gender, women and minorities often find it hard to break through the glass ceiling. Mentoring is a tool to assist with breaking through the glass ceiling. This interest has led to extensive growth in mentoring research and the design of a more expanded concept, developmental networks. Little empirical research informs our understanding of Black women in developmental networks and their political identities within those networks. This qualitative study, within the framework of grounded theory method and of case study research, examines two research questions: (1) What do Black women federal senior executives value within their developmental networks? (2) How do Black women federal senior executives construct political identity within their developmental networks? Applying the conceptual framework of Black feminist thought and developmental network support theories the study examined the developmental relationships of three Black women senior executives. This research highlights the development of a group of high achievers and the contributions of their self-identified support systems. Data analysis from unstructured person-to-person interviews, a questionnaire, and researcher theoretical memos identified the themes support network, self-definition and self-determination, and ecology of life. The most visible codes were significant friendship, workplace behavior, social network composition, and Black woman. In conclusion, the women valued relationships that produced psychosocial outcomes such as friendship, trust, honesty, direct feedback, and reciprocity. They also valued relationships where they received workplace guidance and career exposure from mentor, friend, sponsor, and ally developers within or outside of the workplace. The women developed networks that provided closeness and consisted of developers from different social arenas. They defined their political identities, roles, coping strategies for life challenges and fostered relationships that recognized the importance of ethnic/racial respect, and understanding personal strength. In addition, the women preferred informal developmental relationships with Black and male developers of different ages. Due to a small sample size, self-reported data and the application of grounded theory method, the findings of this study were interpreted with caution. Provided were recommendations for future research and practice. / Ph. D.

本論文研究美國聯邦政府於一九七八年文官改革法首次為高級行政人員專設的人事制 度－高級行政官員制度(SES) ，希望國人能藉此對該制的由來、結構、理念及運作，有一完整明晰體認，進而期望 我國未來規劃高級行政人力時，能獲得若干啟示。 本論文約十萬言，全文共分七章二十六節： 第一章 緒論：研究動機、目的，基本概念，研究方法、限制。 第二章 人力概況：人力特徵、人力模型、SES 前管理概況，結語。 第三章 建制沿革：SES 先驅，SES 創設，結語。 第四章 結構：職位，管理，誘因，結語。 第五章 執行成果，管理成果，誘因成果，結語。 第六章 檢討修正：學者評論，政府機關報告，修正，結語。 第七章 結論：指出其改革方向正確，尚待努力方向，及我國所可能獲得之啟示。

Student Number : 0106532X - PhD thesis - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / Managerialism and collegiality are employed in this thesis as constructs through which to make sense of the changing nature of management in a South African university. The rise and dominance of the managerialism discourse is examined with respect to organisational change and restructuring. As principally a qualitative research project, a single case study of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is investigated using interviews, documentary analysis and focus group discussions as the main sources of data from 2001 to 2004. The study is exploratory and strives to establish how and why management has changed. It does so by investigating the underpinning changes in the organisational regime and the different levels of management; the role of the Senior Executive Team, the changing nature of the deanship and the head of school position as a consequence of the merger of departments and the creation of a school structure. Although management in higher education is recognised as having existed for as long as the establishments themselves, the thesis is concerned with the changes in power and authority of academic leaders, the struggle with their ‘lived’ tension between academic leadership or collegiality and managerialism and the implications of this for academic practice. The thesis illustrates that changes in management at Wits demonstrate efforts towards an era of post-managerialism, in this specific case best described as ‘contrived collegial managerialism’. The concept of ‘contrived collegial managerialism’ refers to how the domination of managerial practices from above has altered collegial relations from below. This has resulted in the weakening of academic leadership with profound implications for academic work and practice. Only through strengthened academic leadership at the different levels of university management and primarily school and disciplinary levels, can the university survive the indignities of the increasing corporatisation of its strategies, processes and management practices which constrain the opportunities for meaningful engagement and development of intellectual projects. It is only at disciplinary level, through strengthening the position of heads of department as academic leaders, that collegial relations can be developed and pressure towards upward accountability structures counteracted. Without this, the university risks being consumed by corporate practices at the expense of its unique quality and contribution to society, academic and intellectual advancement.

Delegating secondary school headmaster's activities to senior executive of youth home Bc. JARMILA ŽIGOVÁ ABSTRACT This diploma thesis deals with the management of education in the school facility. The main focus is put on the middle management, more precisely on senior executives of secondary schools' youth homes. It studies their role, it defines activities and competencies delegated by secondary school headmasters. The topic of this thesis is based on the fact, that although youth centres are run by school headmasters, activities and order of this education institution is guaranteed by senior executives of youth centres who create important mediators between top management and school establishment staff. The thesis has been made by means of specialized literature and available internet resources. It is based on the applicable legal standards and on the specific laws that modify the area of education and training. In theoretical part the definition of senior executive of youth centre and delegation term is made. Competencies taken over by a senior executive from a headmaster are objects of research part of the thesis. Quantitative research has been carried out by interview survey, content analysis of documents and personal interview. Selected respondents are chief executives of youth centres. It has been...