CMMU Sustainable Leadership Research at Siam Cement Group Published in World's Leading Strategy Journal

A research report by Associate Professor Dr. Sooksan Kantabutra and Professor Gayle C. Avery of Sydney's Macquarie Graduate School of Management, has just been published by Journal of Business Strategy, one of the world's leading business strategy journals. The article is entitled "Sustainable Leadership at Siam Cement Group".

The study examined the question of whether sustainable leadership principles, also known as Rhineland leadership, can apply to a listed business in an emerging economy. Avery’s (2005) Sustainable Leadership Grid provided the framework for analysis of Siam Cement Group (SCG), one of the world's most sustainable enterprises. A multi-method case study used semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders, observations, and internal and external documentation. The Rhineland principles were grouped into six categories for analysis: long-term perspective, investing in people, organizational culture, innovation, social and environmental responsibility, and behaving ethically.

Overall, data showed moderate to strong evidence for 18 of the 19 grid practices at SCG, the exception being the CEO serving as speaker of the top team rather than being a heroic leader. Moderate evidence was found for consensual and devolved decision making and self-governing teams. All 16 other elements were strongly evident. Therefore, corporate leaders are advised to evaluate their current practices with a view to adopting more sustainable versions. The Sustainable Leadership Grid provides a useful checklist for this purpose.  Please click here for full report.

Indexed by Scopus, the Journal of Business Strategy has a distinctly practical bent and is geared toward senior and middle managers in organizations and industries throughout the world. It was established more than 25 years ago and contains articles from the world's leading academics, including Michael E. Porter and Philip Kotler. According to the journal, its key audiences are middle or senior managers, global or regional executives, college professors, consultants to business and business school students around the globe.

Publication of this report confirms CMMU's status as a leading business school in Asia.