KEY LEADERSHIP FACTORS CRITICAL TO SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
VIABILITY IN VOLATILE OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS:
A CASE STUDY OF ECONET WIRELESS ZIMBABWE LIMITED (1998-2017)
Dublin Core
Title
KEY LEADERSHIP FACTORS CRITICAL TO SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
VIABILITY IN VOLATILE OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS:
A CASE STUDY OF ECONET WIRELESS ZIMBABWE LIMITED (1998-2017)
VIABILITY IN VOLATILE OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS:
A CASE STUDY OF ECONET WIRELESS ZIMBABWE LIMITED (1998-2017)
Creator
DOUGLAS MBOWEN
Description
This study was conducted to appreciate, fully, what leadership factors drive business
viability in volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environments with the
broader focus being on establishing the key leadership themes and factors influencing business
viability in an identified VUCA environment, namely Zimbabwe from 1998-2017. The study
made use of interpretive phenomenology as its paradigm, and was premised on qualitative,
single explorative and interpretive case study design and methodology. Data were generated
by the researcher through interviews, focus group discussions, with participants having been
purposively sampled. The analysis of the data made use of the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen
method as described by Moustakas (1994), which resulted in the emergence of seven central
themes considered as essential ingredients for fostering resilience and viability for businesses
operating in VUCA environments. Based on the findings and discussions thereof, the
researcher then amended the “Attributional resilience model” by Gibson and Tarrant (2010)
and proposed what he has termed the Leadership-Driven Resilience Model (LDRM), which
theoretically proffers possibilities for business leaders to develop coping strategies in response
to difficult business operating environments. Recommendations for future research enquiry,
include the need to look at multiple case studies and be able to undertake comparisons on
viability dynamics across different organisations in VUCA environments. Further
recommendations are also directed towards governments to more effectively respond through
policy so as to ease off pressures as well as threats that VUCA environments thrust upon
businesses and for businesses operating in VUCA environments to consider viability factors
established in the study and then incorporate them into their strategy and operational planning
so as to guarantee survival as they navigate the difficult operating environments.
viability in volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environments with the
broader focus being on establishing the key leadership themes and factors influencing business
viability in an identified VUCA environment, namely Zimbabwe from 1998-2017. The study
made use of interpretive phenomenology as its paradigm, and was premised on qualitative,
single explorative and interpretive case study design and methodology. Data were generated
by the researcher through interviews, focus group discussions, with participants having been
purposively sampled. The analysis of the data made use of the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen
method as described by Moustakas (1994), which resulted in the emergence of seven central
themes considered as essential ingredients for fostering resilience and viability for businesses
operating in VUCA environments. Based on the findings and discussions thereof, the
researcher then amended the “Attributional resilience model” by Gibson and Tarrant (2010)
and proposed what he has termed the Leadership-Driven Resilience Model (LDRM), which
theoretically proffers possibilities for business leaders to develop coping strategies in response
to difficult business operating environments. Recommendations for future research enquiry,
include the need to look at multiple case studies and be able to undertake comparisons on
viability dynamics across different organisations in VUCA environments. Further
recommendations are also directed towards governments to more effectively respond through
policy so as to ease off pressures as well as threats that VUCA environments thrust upon
businesses and for businesses operating in VUCA environments to consider viability factors
established in the study and then incorporate them into their strategy and operational planning
so as to guarantee survival as they navigate the difficult operating environments.
Publisher
ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY
Date
2018
Files
Collection
Citation
DOUGLAS MBOWEN, “KEY LEADERSHIP FACTORS CRITICAL TO SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
VIABILITY IN VOLATILE OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS:
A CASE STUDY OF ECONET WIRELESS ZIMBABWE LIMITED (1998-2017),” ZOU Institutional Repository, accessed July 6, 2025, https://ir.zou.ac.zw/items/show/305.
VIABILITY IN VOLATILE OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS:
A CASE STUDY OF ECONET WIRELESS ZIMBABWE LIMITED (1998-2017),” ZOU Institutional Repository, accessed July 6, 2025, https://ir.zou.ac.zw/items/show/305.
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