Bright sides and governance costs of GenAI in business processes: insights from a multi-case study analysis

Organisational diagnosis of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and designing a desirable model for solutions

This study aims to investigate the organisational factors that constrain the effectiveness of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and proposes a reform-oriented institutional model to strengthen implementation capacity, intergovernmental coordination and overall organisational performance while preserving the sovereignty-sensitive principles that underpin its governance framework. This study adopts a multi-stage qualitative design grounded in an open-systems organisational-diagnosis framework. Data were collected through 36 semi-structured elite interviews conducted across nine SCO member states and a cross-national focus group used for member checking and model refinement. Thematic network analysis supported by abductive coding was used to identify organisational vulnerabilities and reform mechanisms. The findings reveal two broad categories of organisational vulnerability. Internal vulnerabilities include consensus-based decision-making, weak implementation and follow-up mechanisms, membership heterogeneity and limited crisis-response capacity. External vulnerabilities include great-power rivalry, Afghanistan-related instability, competing regional initiatives and extra-regional geopolitical pressures. Together, these factors generate a legitimacy–capacity gap in which the SCO possesses substantial symbolic legitimacy but limited executive capacity. To address these challenges, this study proposes a two-pillar reform model combining public diplomacy and trust-building measures with institutional-capacity, compliance-monitoring and crisis-coordination reforms. This study is based on qualitative evidence from expert interviews and a cross-national focus group. Future research could use longitudinal and mixed-method approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed reforms. The findings suggest that stronger implementation-review procedures, compliance-monitoring mechanisms and structured crisis-coordination arrangements can enhance organisational effectiveness without introducing supranational authority. This study contributes to organisational-analysis literature by examining the SCO as an organisation rather than solely as a geopolitical actor and by proposing an open-systems reform framework linking institutional adaptation, implementation capacity and organisational effectiveness.

Power without authority: the cost of being right

This case is based on qualitative insights derived from practitioner experiences, informal interviews and internal-style documents reflecting real-world organizational dynamics in global consulting environments. The narrative has been constructed to capture the complexities of cross-cultural communication, matrixed decision-making and influence without authority. The case incorporates elements synthesized from multiple real-life situations involving global HR leadership, vendor management challenges and escalation processes in multinational firms. While the characters, company name and specific identifiers have been disguised for confidentiality, the case content, including communications and exhibits, is grounded in real practitioner interactions and observed organizational processes and has been systematically synthesized and narratively structured to enhance analytical clarity and pedagogical relevance. To enhance realism, the case integrates representative artifacts such as the escalation email, escalation timelines (Table 1 from the case) and a comparison of intended versus interpreted communication across stakeholders (Table 2 from the case). These artifacts are designed to mirror how information flows, is interpreted and shapes decision-making across regions in global organizations. The case was developed using a theory-informed approach, drawing on established literature in cross-cultural communication, global leadership and organizational behavior to ensure analytical rigor while maintaining practitioner relevance. No primary confidential data is disclosed. All identifying details have been modified, and the case is intended solely for educational purposes to facilitate discussion on leadership effectiveness in complex, global settings. This case examines how tone, timing and structure shape leadership effectiveness in global organizations. Jamie Vaughn, Head of Human Resources for Asia-Pacific at Helios Consulting Group (HCG), is under pressure to meet aggressive hiring goals in Singapore while contending with a failing recruitment vendor, HireLink Partners. Despite several weeks of documented, data-backed escalations highlighting missed hiring targets, candidate drop-offs and project delays, Laura Stein, Global Head of HR Operations in New York, continues to defer action in the name of global governance and process consistency. When delays begin affecting project delivery, Jamie sends a firm, data-driven yet emotionally edged email to global HR leadership, a formal escalation meant to drive accountability. Instead, it sparks tension across regions. Global leaders view the message as insubordination; regional teams see it as justified advocacy. What began as a vendor performance issue, including interview drop-offs and extended hiring timelines, quickly became a deeper conflict over trust, tone and authority. The case culminates with Jamie at a crossroads: whether to escalate again formally, rebuild trust quietly or adapt her influence strategy to operate within the system. The situation highlights the paradox of power without authority, where leaders are accountable for outcomes but constrained by centralized decision-making and cultural interpretation. It also raises broader questions about how communication is interpreted across regions and how leaders can balance urgency with alignment in matrixed, global organizations. This case is appropriate for undergraduate, graduate (MBA, Master’s) and executive programs in the following areas: The case is best positioned after students have been introduced to frameworks such as “Hofstede’s cultural dimensions”, “matrixed organizational design” and “stakeholder mapping.” It encourages discussion on how operational systems are interpreted through cultural lenses, and how leaders like Jamie Vaughn can bridge these divides through adaptive communication and relational influence. This case may be delivered in in-seat, hybrid or online formats. The role-play, stakeholder mapping and discussion activities included in the Teaching Note can be adapted across delivery modalities. At the time of submission, the case had not yet undergone formal classroom testing.

Designing a transition towards circular economy of water: Examining practitioners' understandings in the Netherlands.

This paper examines how new policy concepts are taken up in practice, focusing on the Circular Economy of Water (CEW) in the Netherlands. Drawing on 20 semi-structured interviews with practitioners from different governance levels, regions, and sectors, we analyze how CEW is interpreted, reshaped, and mainstreamed into existing water-governance structures. We identify six lock-ins that constrain CEW's implementation and three mechanisms through which it is mainstreamed. Our findings show that lock-ins and mainstreaming mechanisms are closely interconnected: While CEW adapts to existing systems, it can also reinforce them, at times leading to rebound effects or supporting business-as-usual practices. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dilemmas related to CEW governance, offering insights to enhance sustainable water management practices and transformative changes. We argue that design-oriented approaches can inform how CEW is imagined and implemented, helping to reconsider whether it addresses the causes of unsustainable practices or offers temporary fixes.

Digital Transformation and the Rise of Shadow IT: Implicationsfor Organisational Complexity and Cyber Governance

An integrated conceptual framework is developed that explains how digital transformation drives Shadow IT adoption, links unauthorised technology use to organisational complexity and cyber governance risks, and identifies governance mechanisms that balance innovation, security, and compliance.

Navigating Opportunities and Barriers in Circular Fashion A Governance Case Study of H&M

Lean six sigma as a capability for data governance: an exploratory grounded theory study

The study identifies how SMEs and SME-like environments integrate LSS principles through a lens of critical success factors (CSFs), into DG through a triadic framework comprising: (1) structural role clarity, (2) process control through LSS tools and (3) organizational readiness.