Virtual management during the Covid-19 era: Changes in leadership and management

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the article is to understand the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the management style and the relationship between managers and subordinates.

Research Design & Methods: We used a mixed-method combining a qualitative part based on 20 semi-structured interviews as well as a quantitative part based on a questionnaire intended to confirm the observed trends more precisely. All data were analyzed using the grounded theory method.

Findings: The analysis of the data shows an irreversible evolution towards a more frequent use of home-office. This situation, welcomed very positively by the leaders, requires however to review the way of operating of the managers as well as the interaction between managers and their subordinates.

Implications & Recommendations: We are entering a new phase of management, during which managers will have to create a closer relationship with subordinates, concretely entering the role of manager coach.

Contribution & Value Added: This research provides access to the vision that top managers have of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. Despite many problems, they retain the interest of having accelerated the transition to home-office and remote management while beginning to question the concrete implications of this situation.

Keywords

Management, Covid-19, leadership, virtual teams, change management, home-office, remote management

Author Biography

Vincent Montenero

PhD, professor at the Masaryk Institute of Advanced Study (MIAS) of the Czech Technical University (CTU) where he also holds the position of International Student Counselor. He spent more than 25 years in the corporate sector, holding senior managerial positions in international groups in several countries (France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany). He is also an Associate Researcher at CEFRES (French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences) in Prague and an active member of the Czech-French Chamber of Commerce and the Czech-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CAMIC). His research interest includes intercultural and international management, in general the mode of operation of managers and their teams in an international context.

Cristina Cazorzi

PhD, helding several managerial positions in the corporate sector. Since 2020 she has been working full time as the Operational Manager for EMEA and QUEBEC for an American Big Group. In 2008, she prepared a MASTER’s in Cross cultural management and defended a PHD in Science of Organization and Management. Her main interests include cross culture, change and crisis management. Since 2012, she has been publishing several articles and books on these arguments. Besides her professional and research activities, Cristina is a tutor at NEOMA Business School in France, helping students during their internships in enterprises or during their apprenticeship.

References

1. Adamson, L. (2003). Self-image, Adolescence, And Disability. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57(5), 578-581.
2. Antonakis, J., & House, R. J. (2014). Instrumental Leadership: Measurement and Extension of Transformational–Transactional Leadership Theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(4), 746-771.
3. Arun, K., & Kahraman Gedik, N. (2020). Impact of Asian Cultural Values Upon Leadership Roles and Styles. Science Letter, 2020-09-04, 625.
4. Avolio, B., J., Kahai, S., & Dodge, G. E. (2000). E-leadership: Implications for Theory, Research, And Practice. The Leadership Quarterly, 11(4), 615-668.
5. Avolio, B. J., Griffith, J., Wernsing, T. S., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2010). What Is Authentic Leadership Development? In P. A. Linley, S. Harrington, & N. Garcea (Eds.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology and work (pp. 39-51). Oxford University Press.
6. Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1993). Transformational Leadership and Organizational Culture. Public Administration Quarterly, 17, 112-121.
7. Bailey, N. B. K. D. E., & Kurland, N. B. (1999). The Advantages and Challenges of Working Here, There, Anywhere, And Anytime. Organizational Dynamics, 28(2), 53-68.
8. Bazeley, P. (2008). Mixed Methods in Management Research. In R. Thorpe, & R. Holt (Eds.), The SAGE Dictionary of Qualitative Management Research. (pp.133-136). Sage.
9. Bisbe, J., & Sivabalan, P. (2017). Management Control and Trust in Virtual Settings: A Case Study of a Virtual New Product Development Team. Management Accounting Research, 37, 12-29.
10. Burke, C. S., Stagl, K. C., Klein, C., Goodwin, G. F., Salas, E., & Halpin, S. M. (2006). What Type of Leadership Behaviors Are Functional In Teams? A Meta-Analysis. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(3), 288-307.
11. Calegari, M. F., Sibley, R. E., & Turner, M. E. (2015). A Road Map for Using Kotter’s Organizational Change Model To Build Faculty Engagement In Accreditation. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 19(3), 31-43.
12. Cambridge Dictionary of English(n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2022, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/change-management
13. Caulat, G. (2012). Virtual Leadership. Libri Publishing Limited.
14. Caulat, G., & De Haan, E. R. I. K. (2006). Virtual Peer Consultation: How Virtual Leaders Learn. Organisations & People, 13(4), 24-32.
15. Chandani, A., Mehta, M., Mall, A., & Khokhar, V. (2016). Employee Engagement: A Review Paper on Factors Affecting Employee Engagement. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(15), 1-7.
16. Chaudhry, A. Q., & Javed, H. (2012). Impact of Transactional and Laissez Faire Leadership Style on Motivation. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(7), 258-264.
17. Cherry, K. (2006). Leadership Styles. Retrieved from http://myweb.astate.edu/sbounds/AP/2%20Leadership%20Styles.pdf
18. Dirani, K. M., Abadi, M., Alizadeh, A., Barhate, B., Garza, R. C., Gunasekara, N., & Majzun, Z. (2020). Leadership Competencies and The Essential Role of Human Resource Development In Times Of Crisis: A Response to Covid-19 Pandemic. Human Resource Development International, 23(4), 380-394.
19. Dubinsky, E., Dautermann, J., Leron, U., & Zazkis, R. (1994). On Learning Fundamental Concepts of Group Theory. Educational studies in Mathematics, 27(3), 267-305.
20. Galli, B. J. (2018), Change Management Models: A Comparative Analysis and Concerns. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 46 (3), 124-132.
21. Geary, D.C. (2003). Evolution and Development of Boys’ Social Behavior. Development Review, 23(4), 444-470.
22. Gibson, C. B., & Cohen, S. G. (Eds.) (2003). Virtual Teams That Work: Creating Conditions for Virtual Team Effectiveness. Jossey-Bass.
23. Glaser, B. G. (1978). Theoretical Sensitivity. Sociology Press.
24. Glaser, B. G., & Strauss A. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Sociology Press.
25. Gumusluoglu, L., & Ilsev, A. (2009). Transformational Leadership, Creativity, and Organizational Innovation. Journal of Business Research, 62(4), 461-473.
26. Hambley, L. A., O’Neill, T. A., & Kline, T. J. (2007). Virtual Team Leadership: The Effects of Leadership Style and Communication Medium on Team Interaction Styles and Outcomes. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 103(1), 1-20.
27. Hambley, L. A., O’Neill, T. A., & Kline, T. J. (2007). Virtual Team Leadership: Perspectives from the Field. International Journal of e-Collaboration, 3(1), 40-64.
28. Harris, Z. S. (1970). From Phoneme to Morpheme. In Z.S. Harris, Papers in structural and transformational linguistics (pp. 32-67). Springer.
29. Hiatt, J. M. (2006). ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and our Community. Prosci Learning Center Publications.
30. Howells, J. (1996). Tacit Knowledge. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 8(2), 91-106.
31. Hoerr, T. R. (2008). The Principal Connection: What Is Instructional Leadership. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 84-85.
32. Hussain, S. T., Lei, S., Akram, T., Haider, M. J., Hussain, S. H., & Ali, M. (2018). Kurt Lewin’s Change Model: A Critical Review of the Role of Leadership and Employee Involvement in Organizational Change. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 3(3), 123-127.
33. Hwa, C. L. (2008). The Impact of Principal’s Transformational Democratic Leadership Style on Teachers’ Job Satisfaction and Commitment [Unpublished thesis for the Doctor of Philosophy program]. Universiti Sains (Malaysia).
34. Kahai, S. S., Sosik, J. J., & Avolio, B. J. (1997). Effects of Leadership Style and Problem Structure on Work Group Process and Outcomes In an Electronic Meeting System Environment. Personnel Psychology, 50(1), 121-146.
35. Kanawattanachai, P., & Yoo, Y. (2002). Dynamic Nature of Trust in Virtual Teams. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 11(3-4), 187-213.
36. Kanter, R. M. (2003). Challenge of Organizational Change: How Companies Experience It and Leaders Guide It. Free Press.
37. Karolak, D. W. (1999). Global Software Development: Managing Virtual Teams and Environments. Los Alamitos 9CA0: IEEE Computer society press.
38. Kotter, J.P., Schlesinger, L.A. (2008). Choosing Strategies for Change. Harvard Business Review, 86, 7-8.
39. Kübler-Ross, E. (1969). On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurse, Clergy and Their Own Family. Taylor and Francis.
40. Lewin, K. (1951). Field Theory in Social Change. Harper and Stamp.
41. Lewin, K. (1967). Psychologie dynamique : Les relations humaines.PUF.
42. Liao, C. (2017). Leadership in Virtual Teams: A Multilevel Perspective. Human Resource Management Review, 27(4), 648-659.
43. Malhotra, Y. (2000). Knowledge Management for e-business Performance: Advancing Information Strategy to “Internet Time”. Information Strategy: The Executive’s Journal, 16(4), 5-16
44. Mason, R. (1998). The Economics of Conspicuous Consumption: Theory and Thoughts Since 1700. Edward Elgar Publishing.
45. Masood, S. A., Dani, S. S., Burns, N. D., & Backhouse, C. J. (2006). Transformational Leadership and Organizational Culture: The Situational Strength Perspective. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B. Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 220(6), 941-949.
46. Merriam, S. B. (2004). The Role of Cognitive Development in Mezirow’s Transformational Learning Theory. Adult Education Quarterly, 55(1), 60-68.
47. Morgan, D. L. (1998). Practical Strategies for Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: Applications to Health Research. Qualitative Health Research, 8(3), 362-376.
48. Mumbi, C., & McGill, T. (2008). An Investigation of the Role of Trust in Virtual Project Management Success. International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 5(1), 64-82.
49. Nonaka, L., Takeuchi, H., & Umemoto, K. (1996). A Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation. International Journal of Technology Management, 11(7-8), 833-845.
50. O’Neill, T. A., Hambley, L. A., Greidanus, N. S., MacDonnell, R., & Kline, T. J. (2009). Predicting Teleworker Success: An Exploration of Personality, Motivational, Situational, and Job Characteristics. New Technology, Work and Employment, 24(2), 144-162.
51. Paracha, M. U., Qamar, A., Mirza, A., Hassan, I. U., & Waqas, H. (2012). Impact of Leadership Style (Transformational & Transactional Leadership) on Employee Performance & Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction. Study of Private School (Educator) in Pakistan. Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 12(4), 55-64.
52. Peters, B. K. G. (2009). National and International Developments in Leadership and Management Development. In R. Thorpe, J. Gold (Eds.), Gower Handbook of Management Development (5th ed.) (pp. 26-42). Routlege.
53. Polowczyk J., Zaks O., & Trąpczyński P. (2021). On the Role of Rommunication and Management Engagement for Acquisition Success: A Study of Israeli Startups. International Entrepreneurship Review, 7(4), 7-22. https://doi.org/10.15678/IER.2021.0704.01
54. Ridings, C. M., Gefen, D., & Arinze, B. (2002). Some Antecedents and Effects of Trust in Virtual Communities. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 11(3-4), 271-295.
55. Rosenbaum, D., More, E., Steane, P. (2018) Planned Organizational Change Management: Forward to the Past? An Exploratory Literature Review and Quote. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31 (2), 286-303.
56. Samimi, M., Cortes, A. F., Anderson, M. H., & Herrmann, P. (2020). What Is Strategic Leadership? Developing a Framework for Future Research. The Leadership Quarterly, 101353. Doi: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2019.101353
57. Sarros, J. C., Cooper, B. K., & Santora, J. C. (2008). Building a Climate for Innovation Through Transformational Leadership and Organizational Culture. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 15(2), 145-158.
58. Schmidt, G. B. (2014). Virtual Leadership: An Important Leadership Context. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 7(2), 182-187.
59. Shah, S. A., Razzak, T., Aleem, M. U., & Aziz, A. (2020). Employee Commitment to Service Quality and Leadership Style, a Case of Private Higher Education Institutes of Pakistan. Journal of Talent Development and Excellence, 12(1), 5703-5722.
60. Singh, A. (2013). A Study of Role of McKinsey’s 7S Framework for Achieving Organizational Excellence. Organization Development Journal, 31(3), 39-50.
61. Sisson K., & Marginson P. (2003). European Integration and Industrial Relations: A Case of Convergence and Divergence? Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(4), 671-692.
62. Sosik, J. J., Avolio, B. J., & Kahai, S. S. (1997). Effects of Leadership Style and Anonymity on Group Potency and Effectiveness in a Group Decision Support System Environment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(1), 89.
63. Sosik, J. J., Kahai, S. S., & Avolio, B. J. (1998). Transformational Leadership and Dimensions of Creativity: Motivating Idea Generation in Computer-Mediated Groups. Creativity Research Journal, 11(2), 111-121.
64. Sotomayor, B., Montero, R. S., Llorente, I. M., & Foster, I. (2009). Virtual Infrastructure Management in Private and Hybrid Clouds. IEEE Internet Computing, 13(5), 14-22.
65. Staples, S., & Ratnasingham, P. (1998). Trust: The Panacea of Virtual Management. International Conference on Information Systems in Melbourne, Proceedings, 12. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/301354111.pdf
66. Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. M. (1997). Grounded Theory in Practice. Sage.
67. Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (2003). Issues and Dilemmas in Teaching Research Methods Courses in Social and Behavioural Sciences: US Perspective. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 6(1), 61-77.
68. Taskin L. (2006). Télétravail : Les enjeux de la déspatialisation pour le management humain. Interventions économiques, 34.
69. Yammarino, F. J., & Dubinsky, A. J. (1994). Transformational Leadership Theory: Using Levels of Analysis to Determine Boundary Conditions. Personnel Psychology, 47(4), 787-811.
70. Zbierowski, P., & Gojny-Zbierowska, M. (2022). Talented Enough to Be a Business Leader? An Alternative Approach to Entrepreneurs’ Traits. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 10(1), 175-187. https://doi.org/10.15678/EBER.2022.100112