Although management consulting activities have obtained a considerable growth in terms of economic significance in recent years, these results have not been duly followed by a greater number of conceptual and empirical research in this area. In order to fight the lack of studies on the actual work of management consultants, this article aims at answer some questions that remain open. Is management consulting an intensive and specialized knowledge activity? Are there knowledge and learning key success factors in this area? Are consultants the real experts and the true practitioners of strategy as practice? The results of the empirical analysis in the form of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires given to management consultants and SME managers in Portugal shows that management consulting is founded on a knowledge-intensive base, although consultants cannot be called strategy practitioners as many authors call them. This is illustrated by the Portuguese model of determinants that constitute the management consulting industry presented in this article, which means this proposition is a new direction in strategic thinking in what the field's research strategy-as-practice concerns.
Ethics suggest that all persons are by nature moral, as it would not be possible for humans to exist collectively or even individually without an innate ethical sense. In order for the public sector to thrive in business, the board of directors needs to be guided by ethics and take into account the abiding interests of humanity and public good. It is argued in this paper that the abuse of power in the public sector has often been associated with unethical leadership and conducts which undermines the ubuntu notion. The irregularities which often arise in the awarding of tenders in the state-owned companies are some of the challenges that are prone to the public sector. In order to address these challenges and promote a flourishing democracy it is argued that ethical leadership as envisaged in the King III Report needs to be adhered to by the boards of directors. This paper concludes that the direction and control of ethics in any organisation is vital especially where the line between corporate governance and ethical leadership has become blurred.
Even though Islamic microfinance has flourished in the last two decades, still it faces some problems related to its sustainability and outreach. Market orientation has generally developed some strategies for organizations aiming to retain the current customers and attract new ones. In addition, organizations, which are addressed as Islamic, should be Shariah-compliant in all aspects. This paper introduces the market orientation concept which is adapted to Shariah rules and recommends a solution for sustainability problems of Islamic microfinance institutions. Current study tries to provide some intangible instances and evidences to introduce and use Islamic market orientation concept for Islamic microfinance institutions, in particular.
Even though Islamic microfinance has flourished in the last two decades, still it faces some problems related to its sustainability and outreach. Market orientation has generally developed some strategies for organizations aiming to retain the current customers and attract new ones. In addition, organizations, which are addressed as Islamic, should be Shariah-compliant in all aspects. This paper introduces the market orientation concept which is adapted to Shariah rules and recommends a solution for sustainability problems of Islamic microfinance institutions. Current study tries to provide some intangible instances and evidences to introduce and use Islamic market orientation concept for Islamic microfinance institutions, in particular.
The main purpose of this study intends to study the theoretical interconnection between human response capability and customer relationship management advantage while considering the essential role of service application of information technology as direct, indirect (mediating), and interactive (moderating) influences in the theory. Based on the study sample, the new findings help comprehend the overall interconnected relationship which includes the direct and indirect (mediating) effects of information technology service capability and human response capability as well as their interaction (moderation) on customer relationship management advantage. The new insights interprets the two capabilities (human and information technology) are vital to business because they are the foundation set of service resources significantly to enhance customer relationship management advantage. Keywords: human response capability, information