This note highlights the pivotal role of psychological safety in fostering a culture of flexibility and innovation within organizations, especially in a rapidly changing business environment. Drawing from Amy Edmondson’s seminal research, psychological safety is defined as the collective assurance felt by team members that they can openly express ideas, admit mistakes, and propose changes without fear of negative repercussions. The note delineates four critical stages of psychological safety: Inclusion safety, where individuals feel valued and integral; Learner safety, promoting a culture of growth and acceptance of the learning process; Contributor safety, where members feel their inputs are genuinely appreciated; and Challenger safety, encouraging challenges to the status quo. Leadership’s role is central to cultivating psychological safety. Leaders can promote it by framing tasks as learning challenges, acknowledging their own vulnerabilities, and fostering a culture of inquiry. The note also emphasizes the importance of regularly assessing the level of psychological safety through keen observation of team dynamics and the use of surveys. This foundational understanding of psychological safety offers organizations a pathway to enhance performance, innovation, and competitive advantage.
AllSaints: Balancing the heart and head for sustainable results
Summary
While retail company AllSaints had delivered a great performance in 2022 – with revenues of £470 million – it faced multiple challenges. First, keeping stores open was a fundamental strategy for the company to connect to customers and deliver a better employer proposition, but foot traffic had not returned to pre-pandemic levels and stores were not profitable. Second, the customer service department had experienced increased calls due to the digital channel and had requested more staff. However, it experienced a high turnover. Finally, the management team had agreed in mid-2021 to transition the customer service role away from the central team and toward stores but nothing had happened yet, resulting in a heavy customer workload on Black Friday. The case explores how AllSaints CEO Pete Wood examined and worked to resolve these issues.
Reference
IMD-7-2463
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
AllSaints
Industry
Consumer Services, Retail
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
The five types of negotiators: Understanding diverse negotiator styles
Summary
This note, designed for use in sessions and programs on negotiation, explores five distinct negotiator types: competitor, collaborator, strategist, innovator and problem solver. Each type has unique characteristics, strengths and weaknesses that come into play in negotiation scenarios. The competitor is assertive and results-focused, excelling in crises but potentially struggling with long-term relationships. The collaborator seeks win-win outcomes and thrives in complex negotiations. The strategist is analytical and methodical, focusing on long-term outcomes. The innovator is adaptable and creative, finding unique solutions in dynamic environments. The problem solver is practical and efficient, focusing on workable solutions. The note provides detailed profiles of each type, including their approach, assumptions, strengths and weaknesses, and it also makes recommendations for improvement. It offers guidance on identifying these types and suggests strategies for effectively negotiating with each one. A comparative analysis explores how the types differ in primary focus, approach to conflict, and risk tolerance. The framework builds upon previous negotiation models while offering a more comprehensive and actionable categorization. It also discusses cultural considerations in negotiation styles and includes a self-assessment tool to help readers identify their own negotiation style.
Reference
IMD-7-2596
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Sheng Siong Supermarket in Singapore: A unique values-based advantage?
Summary
Founded by Lim Hock Chee in 1985, Sheng Siong has evolved from a humble grocery store into a leading supermarket chain in Singapore, renowned for its cost-effective pricing and commitment to customer satisfaction. Mr Lim’s unique philosophy, which emphasizes self-cultivation, perseverance and positivity, has been instrumental in shaping Sheng Siong’s culture and driving its success. Under his guidance, Sheng Siong has grown to over 74 stores, expanded into China and embraced digital innovation while staying true to its heartland roots. However, with evolving consumer behavior and increasing competition from online platforms, Sheng Siong faces new challenges. Can Mr Lim’s philosophy continue to inspire innovation and guide Sheng Siong toward sustained growth and success in the future?
Reference
IMD-7-2589
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Sheng Siong Group
Industry
Consumer Services, Retail
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
SURFing the TSUNAMI: A framework for assessing and adapting in turbulent times
Summary
This technical note introduces two powerful frameworks for navigating complex, rapidly changing business environments: TSUNAMI and SURF. The TSUNAMI framework provides a comprehensive tool for assessing external challenges across seven dimensions: technological disruption, socio-economic shifts, upheaval potential, network vulnerability, accelerating climate impacts, market transformation, and impact intensity. The SURF framework complements this by focusing on developing adaptive organizational capabilities: strategic thinking, unified ecosystem leadership, resilient organization and flexible tenacity. The note offers detailed explanations of each framework, practical assessment tools and guidance on their application. It serves as a standalone resource for leaders and organizations seeking to enhance their ability to thrive in turbulent times. Additionally, it provides the theoretical foundation for the GreenGro case series (A) and (B) (IMD-7-2627 and IMD-7-2628), which illustrates the practical application of these frameworks in a real-world scenario. Whether used independently or in conjunction with the GreenGro cases, this technical note equips readers with valuable tools for systematic analysis of complex business environments and development of adaptive organizational capabilities. It is designed to be relevant across various industries and applicable to different levels of management education, from advanced undergraduates to executive education participants.
Reference
IMD-7-2629
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
The ‘responsibility paradox’ in era of sharecropper capitalism
Summary
Many new businesses have emerged in recent years with few employees, no roots in the community, and heavily reliant on Big Tech for survival.
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
GreenGro (A): Cultivating a future
Summary
The GreenGro (A) case explores the challenges faced by GreenGro, a mid-sized agricultural technology company, as it navigates a rapidly changing industry landscape. CEO Sarah Chen and her leadership team are confronting issues ranging from technological disruption and shifting customer demographics to climate change impacts and supply chain vulnerabilities. The case provides a rich context for applying the TSUNAMI framework to diagnose multifaceted challenges and the SURF framework to develop critical organizational capabilities. These two frameworks are summarized in a technical note: “Surfing the TSUNAMI: A framework for assessing and adapting in turbulent times” (IMD-7-2629). The case presents students with the opportunity to analyze complex business situations, develop strategic responses and understand the interconnected nature of external challenges and internal adaptive capabilities. A follow-up case, “GreenGro (B): SURFing the TSUNAMI” (IMD-7-2628), is available to showcase how the company applied these frameworks to navigate its challenges. It provides students with insights into the practical application of the TSUNAMI and SURF frameworks in a real-world scenario.
Reference
IMD-7-2627
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
GreenGro (Fictionalized)
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
GreenGro (B): SURFing the TSUNAMI
Summary
The GreenGro (B) case study is a follow-up to GreenGro (A) and details how the company applied the TSUNAMI and SURF frameworks to address its complex challenges. The case illustrates the practical implementation of these frameworks, introduced in the technical note “Surfing the TSUNAMI: A framework for assessing and adapting in turbulent times” (IMD-7-2629). The case details how GreenGro's leadership team systematically analyzed their external environment using the TSUNAMI framework, identifying key challenges in areas such as technological disruption, socio-economic shifts and climate impacts. It then showcases how the company focused on developing its internal adaptive capabilities using the SURF framework, focusing on strategic thinking, unified ecosystem leadership, resilient organization and flexible tenacity. By presenting GreenGro’s strategic responses and the outcomes of its decisions, this case provides students with a real-world example of how organizations can navigate turbulent business environments. It offers insights into the process of translating framework-based analysis into actionable strategies and the challenges of implementing significant organizational changes.
Reference
IMD-7-2628
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
GreenGro (Fictionalized)
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Lead the change: Pushing past roadblocks to drive sustainable business transformation in Europe
Summary
In today’s rapidly changing world, the urgency to maintain focus on sustainability has never been greater. While the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution demands immediate action, new challenges such as geopo...
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
Mixed Copyright
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
What to do with power?
Summary
Power is neither good nor evil; nor is it the ultimate goal. The chief aim is to show leadership, which comes down to how you use your power.
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Why leaders don’t engage in strategic thinking
Summary
Strategic thinking is widely acknowledged as a critical leadership capability, yet many executives struggle to consistently prioritize it.
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications