Effective Multi-Unit Leadership

Local Leadership in Multi-Site Situations

Chris Edger

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN:
  9781409424321
• eBook ISBN:
  9781317145530
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business General
• Index: Business

There is a growing recognition of the increasing importance of 'local leadership' practice within multi-unit service contexts, given the threat to costly land-based retail infrastructures from smart technologies. Multi-site organizations are economically significant, but currently under-researched and poorly understood. In Effective Multi-Unit Leadership, Chris Edger looks at that key managerial cohort in the retail, hospitality and service sectors operating between the centre and unit - the Multi-Unit Leader (MUL). This district, area or regional manager, is tasked with maximising revenue and profit from a complex and ambiguous positional space, being sandwiched between the centre and unit, facing the MUL paradox: how do they motivate unit managers and team members to provide great service whilst simultaneously fulfilling the Centre's compliance agenda? Based on extensive case study research across a range of multi-unit service organisations, Edger advances an Integrated Model of MUL that elucidates how key activities (sales-led service, systems and standards - 3Ss) are driven through behavioural practices (commitment, control and change - 3Cs) underpinned by MUL personal characteristics (expertise, emotional intelligence and energy - 3Es). Central to this model is the notion of 'portfolio optimisation through social exchange' (POSE) where MULs apply 'local leadership', leveraging their portfolios through the deft application of exchange-based currencies. Replete with case studies, Effective Multi-Unit Leadership will appeal to high potential unit managers; existing multi-unit leaders who want to improve their performance levels; and retail/service directors wishing to train and coach their direct reports; as well as business educators and those with an academic interest in organisational studies.

Index

All index entries shown here correspond to the page numbers within the printed edition only. Within this digital format these page numbers allow for cross referencing only.

Note: page numbers in italics refer to Figures.

accompanied visits 29, 30

acculturation 79–80

acquisitions see M&A

activities of MULs 85, 106

core activities 85–92

Effective MUL Model 32, 33, 35, 265

issues arising from 96–105

planning and organising 94–6

reports and measurement 92–4

adaptability 36, 224–6

added value deviance 36

administration 94–5, 95

affective commitment 111

agencies, external, relationship with 90

agility 39–40

Ahlstrand, B. 165

Albrecht, K. 111–12

Aldi 44, 63

alignment mechanisms 63–4

Amazon 12

amenity 53–4

Andrew, Nick 168–9, 252

appraisal 115

see also performance measurement

aptitude 138

Aram, J.D. 162

Arcadia Group 17

area managers see MULs (Multi-Unit Leaders)

area meetings 133–4

Argos case study 242–3, 262

Arthur, J. 125

Asda 15, 50, 80

attitude 137–8

authenticity 36, 232–4

autocratic leadership 117

autonomy 112, 255, 257

sanctioned 176–9

and unit managers 68

awareness of others 36

back of house see BOH

balanced scorecards 64

see also performance measurement

banks, Icelandic 41

Barratts 16

Batrus Hollweg International 26

Becker, B. 123

Beer Orders, 1991 (UK) 11

behavioural practices (Effective MUL Model) 32, 33, 35, 265

behavioural and style theories of leadership 116–17

Belbin, R.M. 240

benefit cuts 47–8

benefit upselling 36, 197–200, 213

benefits, to consumers...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title page
• Dedication
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• List of Figures
• Abbreviations
• About the Author
• Acknowledgements
• Context of the Multi-Unit Enterprise
• Activities
• Behavioural Practices
• Characteristics
• Bibliography
• Index