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Fostering Organizational Capabilities Through Soft Skills: A Strategic Imperative For A Vuca World

Author

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  • Dora Abidi

    (Ph.D. Student, Graduate School of Economics, Osaka University)

Abstract

During the last decade, the need and importance of soft skills are significantly increasing because of three main reasons. Firstly, the firm fs performance is highly associated to the firm f interaction with its external environment that involves customers and local stakeholders. Secondly, the workplace productivity is highly depending on the quality of relationship and communication among the employees. Thirdly, today fs environment is considered as a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) situation and represents serious challenge. Thus, firms should create people oriented skills such as problem solving and communication. In addition, decisions makers should develop an accurate response when they meet the unexpected. They could be the employees from upper to mid-level position employees. Drawing on these critical conclusions, this study aims at providing empirical evidence on the positive impact of employees f soft skills on firm fs capabilities in terms of innovation performance, firm fs knowledge, explorative and exploitative behavior and strategic flexibility. The survey was conducted with 67 firms based in Tunisia, which is one of the leading emerging countries in the MENA region that has recently faced social and economic changes. Our results concur with the employer survey and explain the reason why employers are increasingly looking for these skills in their employees.

Suggested Citation

  • Dora Abidi, 2018. "Fostering Organizational Capabilities Through Soft Skills: A Strategic Imperative For A Vuca World," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 18-08, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:osk:wpaper:1808
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Soft skills; innovativeness; VUCA; Tunisia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation

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