LEADERSHIP JACK MA Founder of Alibaba com GROUP

LEADERSHIP JACK MA (Founder of Alibaba. com) GROUP 4 NABUTTOM SAIKIA AMARDEEP BHARALI NIKUNJ JOSHI CHIRAG MALIK KETUL PATEL DEVENDRA POUDEL

JACK MA (Ma Yun) • Founded China’s yellowpages, widely believed to be China’s first Internet-based company, in 1995. • Founded the Alibaba group in 1999. • Founded the TAOBAO (a consumer-to-consumer retail website) in 2003. • Founded Tmall (a business-to-consumer firm) in 2012. • Retired from his post as CEO of Alibaba group as of May 10, 2013

Jack Ma Traits • Visionary - In 1995, he discovered the Internet and got fascinated and visioned the future of internet with creation of the website “China Pages”. • Charismatic and never gives up - He is not an expert, but he never gave up and always try to utilize his influence to persuade all the employees towards organizational goals. • Hardworking nature and willingness to learn - As a child, for 8 years he used to ride bicycle (a forty-minute biking trip) for a devoting volunteer work as a tour guide to improve English. • Flexibility - He is willing to recognise when things are not working out and change accordingly. His style of management constantly changed and evolved according to the demands of the market and the company.

Jack Ma Traits(contd. ) • Openness - He is a bold leader who takes responsibility if something goes wrong. He said that he “can’t write code and the most he can do is send and receive emails”. • Management by values - He believed that it is value not money that constructs the goal of the organization. • Developing others - He cares for the growth of the whole organization far more than the growth of himself. • Management by Walking Around - He was a leader who lead by example, all employees, media knew him and he never took the back seat for anything in regards to the company. • Insightful and dynamic - He knows when to stop and take stock of the situation. In a surprising move, he stepped down as CEO of the Alibaba group in May 2013.

Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid (Leadership Grid) • Impoverished Management (1, 1) • Task management (9, 1) • Middle-of-the-Road (5, 5) • Country Club (1, 9) • Team Management (9, 9)

Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid (Leadership Grid) TEAM MANAGEMENT • Jack Ma falls under “Team Management” band. Concern for People: • An inspiring leader in his team, making his followers feel belonged. • Passing his position as the CEO of Alibaba to Jonathan Lu. • Motto of Ma and Alibaba is “Customers are always of the first priority”. • Alibaba employees treat him like a combination of father figure, inspirational guru and band leader. • When leaving China. YP, Ma didn’t want his teammate to follow him back to Hangzhou because of uncertainties present.

Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid (Leadership Grid) TEAM MANAGEMENT Concern for Production: • Ma adapted the concept used by E-Bay specifically for China, blending Eastern and Western technologies to withdraw it from China completely. • Created Taobao. com to lure in more customers with more ecommerce services and free service.

Hersey and Blanchard’s theory of leadership

Hersey and Blanchard’s theory of leadership Participating Style: • The supervisor gives out day-to-day tasks and instructions on the processes required to achieve a certain task, but the subordinate has enough control or freedom on how to accomplish the said task. • When creation of Taobao. com, Jack Ma gave his employees the raw idea on what to do and just wanted them to come out with Chinese culture integrated website and the employees had freedom to do it.

Hersey and Blanchard’s theory of leadership Selling Style: • In this leadership behavior, a leader defines and assigns roles and tasks but he or she is more receptive in getting ideas and suggestions from the subordinates. • High directing and supportive behavior. • He provided information and direction to his followers, selling his mission and vision with his team and inspire them to share with his ideas, achieving the goal together, on most of the occasions.

Hersey and Blanchard’s theory of leadership Delegating Style: • the supervisor is involved in the decision making process but the delegation of tasks and processes is fully given to the subordinate. • Jack ma gave a decision to start US operations, which was delegated to Porter Erisman solely, with no influence on the task being done. It was done with demonstration of low directive behavior and low supportive behavior.

Hersey and Blanchard’s theory of leadership Telling Style: • the leader defines the tasks of his subordinates and closely supervises them. • On the initial creation of Alibaba, Jack Ma worked with his 17 subordinates in his small apartment closely monitoring them and giving a collective input to Alibaba.

LMX THEORY • A relationship based approach to leadership that focuses on the two way(dyadic) relationship between leaders and followers. • Leaders form different kinds of relationships with various groups of subordinates. • One group, referred to as ingroup , is favored by the leader. Other subordinates fall into the out-group.

LMX THEORY In-Group Privileges • Preferential treatment from leaders, upper management, etc. • Better, high quality information exchange • Free access to leadership for feedback, guidance etc. • Access to resources. • Better chance to receive higher performance feedback.

LMX THEORY Out-Group Realities • Lack of access to resources, leadership input and fair feedback • Limited trust and information exchange with leadership • Feelings of neglect and loss of team identity • Lower productivity and morale

LMX THEORY Ma’s In-Group Members Simon Xie • One of the first employees at Alibaba • First Chief Financial Officer • Even temper and mutual understanding similar to Jack Ma • Both speak in colorful allegories

LMX THEORY Ma’s In-Group Members Jonathan Lu • One of the first employees at Alibaba • Appointed as CEO in 2013(previously senior Vice President) • Jack Ma and Jonathan Lu think alike (difference in how they express) • Jack Ma realized his potential and ability to perform which led to mutual trust • Has led all of the Company’s Major Business unit like Taobao and a. Libaba. com

LMX THEORY Ma’s In-Group Members Joseph Tsai • One of the first employees at Alibaba • Was known as Jack Ma’s steady counterpart in the organization • Has a Finance and Law Background as well as more international background and helped Jack Ma in taking Alibaba towards a bright future.