Schulleitungscoaching – Konzeption und Ausbildungsevaluation

Since principals in schools are increasingly turning into managers of educational institutions, coaching approaches have an increasing importance. Accordingly, the Bavarian Ministry for Education and Culture in cooperation with the National Institute for Quality in Schools and Educational Research and the Academy of Teacher Education and Personnel Management has introduced the project ?Coaching – an Instrument to Professionalise School-based Leadership“. The project involves exemplary coachings of school management teams and the training of coaches with a focus on school-related issues at the University of Innsbruck. The training of coaches is based on a special curriculum, which was evaluated using a multi-methods approach. The outcomes show that the coaching model is accepted by coaches and that the training is of high quality     

Soziale Kompetenz – was ist das?

Within modern organizations, the ability to interact socially competent represents one of everybody’s main tasks. This article looks into the concept of “social skills” and deals with the question whether there is a common understanding on the concept of “social skills” in the German speaking area. To that purpose, the landscape of (scientific) literature was studied to find out about differences and similarities in definition, within and between the different disciplines. In a comparative presentation, these similarities and differences are demonstrated in scientific discourse. Finally, considerations for the practical implementation of advising organizations are negotiated.     

Auslandsentsendungen – ein Ansatz zum Einzel- und Paarcoaching

Using different case studies the author concentrates on the analysis of international assignments with regard to executive and couple coaching. It becomes clear that the success of assignments abroad largely depends on the modalities (with vs. without family) and duration of the stay, the expatriates´ cross-cultural competence and the cultural dimensions of the host country. Coaching helps to improve the work-life-balance against the background of an imminent culture shock.     

Coaching und Wissenschaft – Geschichte einer schwierigen Beziehung

The contribution traces the history of coaching and its relationship to science. First-generation pioneers have based the development of their concepts on then current scientific foundations. Pronounced scientifically oriented approaches, such as the Evidence-Based Coaching, however, emerged only after the pioneering phase. In the second practitioners’ generation, following the pioneers the relationship to science is mostly declining. Here, the top 50 in the internet popular training programs differ between the U.S., UK and Germany. The article closes with a discussion of alternative possible developments of coaching in the future third generation and its relationship to science.     

Übungsformen in Coaching-Weiterbildungen – Ergebnisse einer Online-Befragung

Coaching training research has up to now, from an evaluative perspective, mainly considered the participants’ satisfaction and competence development. The present study, however, focuses on the conceptualization of trainings, specifically the practical parts and the exercise forms which are used in coaching trainings. In the course of an online-survey, data from 209 coaching trainers could be obtained.     

Interkulturelles Coaching – eine komplexe,systemische Herausforderung

Intercultural coaching takes place in the highly complex reality of a globalized world. The coachee is an individual acting in the situational context of his assignment and his corporate culture. He has been socialized in his own culture, but is communicating and interacting with people who have been socialized in different cultures. In order to identify and solve problems, all three aspects (person, situation, culture) have to be considered. Some aspects may have more influence than others may, but they combine in a closely interwoven system. The authors outline the theoretical background of intercultural coaching and illustrate the process with case studies.     

Lust an der Macht – Frauen in Organisationen

Storyline and analysis of the film “The Devil Wears Prada” provide vivid scenes to derive reflections on organisational culture in globalised companies and women in chief positions. Women come into conflict with leading the company successfully, the dependence on efficient – female – staff and the image as a woman. The article illustrates, how influences of the company’s products fashion und fashion market have a normative effect, especially on female staff members. Theories of organisational culture, careers of women and findings of gender research are shown in connection with complex strategies of women in their determination to succeed, to self-realization and the pressure to adapt oneself. This involves reflected perspectives to leave clichés of gender and to reinforce organisational and personal potentials.     

Socio-cognitive processes in strategy formation – A conceptual framework

This paper should set the frame for the management focus by introducing the cognitive perspective in management research. The cognitive view has become a considerable perspective in describing and explaining strategic processes and significant advances have been provided especially in the last decade. However, the primary concern of cognitive-oriented strategy process research is still on strategic decision-making and therefore lags behind encompassing conceptional developments in process research. By drawing on the “genesis” approach of Kirsch, this paper develops a framework for explaining the formation of shared strategic orientations from a socio-cognitive perspective, which should broaden the “dominant research design”.     

Global Crisis Management – Current Research and Future Directions

Examples of crises involving multinationals can be found in the media around the world on a regular basis. Despite the importance of this topic, the state of the literature in the area of global crisis management has yet to be explored. Incorporating a commonly used three-stage approach describing crisis management as involving three phases - the pre-crisis phase (prevention and preparation), the crisis phase (response), and the post-crisis phase (learning and revision) - we briefly review the literature in global crisis management. We then introduce three special issue articles. Finally, we suggest future areas for research on the topic of global crisis management.     

Acccounting and Volksgeist – Teritorial Claims on Accounting Regulation

In this paper, it is argued that international diversityin the rules governing corporate accountability is afunction of the desire to preserve local jurisdictionsby maintaining national distinctiveness. Successiveattempts at regulatory harmonisation in Europe havemet considerable resistance, starting with Savignysappeal to the spirit of the people (Volksgeist)and ending with the notion of subsidiarity. In thispaper, territorial claims on regulation are exploredin the context of the rules governing asset revaluation,where there are still almost as many required methodsof accounting in the European Union as there aremember states. The paper rejects the conventionalexplanation that such differences are culture-bound,and instead suggests that the continued existence ofnational rules in accounting reflects the pursuit ofautonomy by individual states and the self-interestof national regulators.     

Coaching im Mittelstand – Wer ist der Mittelstand?

Medium-Sized companies usually have a specific organizational structure and corporate culture. This has implications for Human Resource Management, which is less systematized in medium-sized companies in comparison to larger organizations. What does ?medium-sized business“ mean and who is meant with that? Which typical values form its culture? What are the specific conditions for coaching in medium-sized businesses? Does a coach need special qualifications for this sector? This paper attempts to answer these questions and stays close to the everyday business of medium-sized companies. Concrete Examples will explain specific topics and coaching solutions for medium-sized businesses.     

Prüfungshonorare in Deutschland – Determinanten und Implikationen

The audit fees available since 2005 as a consequence of the Bilanzrechtsreformgesetz (commercial code reform act) show an extremely high supplier concentration on the German audit market of publicly listed companies. This justifies the assumption of audit fees above perfect market equilibrium prices. However, the complete collection and multivariate regression analysis of all relevant audit fee and client data document a 24 % decrease in audit fees in 2005 and an average 15 % decrease in the two subsequent years due to auditor changes. This can be interpreted as an indicator for price competition. In addition, the audit fee data shows that the audit fee decreases are only partially compensated by subsequent increases. As a consequence, there is no evidence for lowballing at present. Further time series are necessary to show if the current trend is sustainable.     

Preis-Promotion-Framing – Ein Überblick zum Stand der Forschung

This article reviews published literature and provides an overview on present empirical evidence about the framing of price promotions. Concerning explicit price reductions (discounts, coupons, rebates), the effects of advertised reference prices and different frames of price discounts (relative versus absolute price discount, objective versus tensile price claims) on consumers’ reactions are discussed. Furthermore, the article examines empirical results on implicit price reductions (volume packs, free extra products) as well as on sale signs and restrictions (e.g. purchase limits, time limits) as popular ways of framing a deal. The key findings point out that framing a price promotion in different ways can affect consumers’ perceptions and evaluations of the deal. Based on the reviewed literature, the concluding section provides managerial implications and an agenda for further research.     

Towards an adapted lean system – a push-pull manufacturing strategy

Abstract

The direct transplantation or imitation of lean production has led to difficulties of applying a number of lean principles and practices. Thus diffusion of one of the main lean principles, just in time production, which refers to producing only “what is really needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed”, seems to be limited. To date, some of the these companies produce more than their customers really need. This method of production enables them not only to amortize the high changeover costs over a large number of products, but also to benefit from commercial opportunities. However these companies are exposed to financial losses related to storage costs and risks of non-sale. To provide decision elements for determining the best production strategy, we have developed a model for calculating the optimal quantity to be produced. Moreover, we suggest using a fuzzy aggregation system to optimise the consideration of the risk of non-sale. This new approach defines the limits to not be exceed by taking into consideration the drawbacks linked to the risks of non-sale.     

Dual Career Couples – eine Konstellation fürs Life-Coaching

The author discusses “Dual Career Couples” (DCC’s) with children and the counselling with them. She analyzes the history of discussion of this issue in the USA and in the German speaking countries and she presents the advantages, the main topics and also the special problems of these couples. It is a matter of the relation of the couple to others on the one hand and between themselves on the other hand. These couples should be supported by the companies of their work as well as by life-coaching. Life-coaching stresses three main issues: how to support the affective relationship, the balance between giving and taking, and how to organize the family management.     

Face-to-Face wird überbewertet – Telefoncoaching aus Klienten- und Beraterperspektive

Claudia Bredt talks to Dr. Andreas Knierim about her experiences with telephone coaching from a client and consultant perspective. Claudia Bredt has been using the medium telephone for several years as a format for supervision and coaching. She combines face-to-face sessions with telephone consulting. At the same time, she has also experienced the good effects of telephone coaching herself as a client.