Management Styles and Decision-Making: Pro-Ecological Strategy Approach

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The paper presents the connection between management style and the decision-making process, and how they can be influenced by ecological factors. The authors have made a good review of the literature, but I think that some improvements are needed.

Starting from the research question, I consider it necessary to develop in the paper the decision-making modalities in a pro-ecological context, which was too little discussed in the paper, I suggest the inclusion of a new paragraph 2.6 on this topic.

Figure 1 - it is necessary to argue on its adaptation from the cited source and the relations between the two parties

Figures 2 and 3 are identical, to be verified

Line 300 - the text cited with italic need to provide the source

Figure 4 can graphically highlight the double meaning, giving up the two variants A and B, and the comments will change by default

Figure 5 - it is necessary to argue why the trend was so represented, what are the influencing factors

Figure 6 - an inversion of the axes is observed compared to figure 5, for a better clarity I recommend the harmonization of the two figures from the point of view of the graphic representation. However, I consider that the features included in Fig. 6 could be better represented graphically in another form.

In conclusion, I recommend formulating a complete answer to the research question mentioned in lines 92-93.

Author Response

Thank you for your effort and valuable comments, we are going to reply to you below point-by-point

We accepted your suggestion and added section 2.6 what made our paper not only more readable but also we have extended decision-making modalities in a pro-ecological context.

We improved the argumentation and description associated with Figure 1.

Thank you for pointing the Fig 2 and 3 as the same. We changed them to proper ones.

line 300 and italic sentence fragment represent the pose of some organizations that do not want to change because they do not have to.

Figure 4 - we improved the figure as you suggested 

Figure 5 - influenced factors added in the text describing the figure.

In Fig. 5 we presented that there is impossible unlimited growth in the dimension of flexibility and freedom (y) and decision making (x). Then we introduced Fig. 6 where we reversed axes (but still the same meaning). In Figure 6 we present a triangle where a breakdown point is visible on the top of this triangle. That was the reason we used separate Figures 5 and 6.

We formulated an elaborated answer for the research question in the conclusion section.

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear authors,

This work can be considered as important in its focus related to management style and decision-making influence on the organization’s culture and its performance also in the pro-ecological dimension. Additionally, it is aligned to the journal aims. Based on literature available a "non-orthodox" approach is proposed together with a decision-making style diagram with the final aim to enlarge and/or modify current possibilities in the field of decision-making, management styles, and pro-ecological strategy.

There are some elements that need to be improved:

Abstract. It can be improved. I suggest including the research question proposed in line 92-93: “Is the management style a basis for decision-making or an effect of the decisions in a pro-ecological context?”

Introduction. The article organization announced in line 109-114 is not really respected. I suggest modifying or deleting it.

Decision-making.

Line n. 173-176 do not use capital letters and delete the word “and”.

Figures n.2 and n. 3. They are well explained in the text but I suggest a better graphics solution.

Discussion and Results.

The number of this section is 3.

Line 412-416 review punctuation.

Concluding remarks. Line 492 “… In Table 1, we used the concept for analyzing ….” Do you refer to Laloux's concept? I suggest explaining or referencing.

General comments. It is written quite clearly but often intricate. I suggest improving the style to make it smoother especially in the introduction and section 2.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for your time and effort to read our paper and provide new quality to our research. After your comments we improved:
Abstract. we included the suggested research question;

Introduction. We improved the description of the article organization, also we shortened this part of the paper;

Decision-making. 
lines corrected after your suggestion;

Figures 2 and 3 are now corrected, there was the same figure twice and now their description is adequate.

Discussion and Results.
All your suggestions accepted and changes implemented to the text.

Concluding remarks.
We referred to Laloux

General comments.
Thank you for your valuable comments we are going to direct our paper to proof-reading when it accepted. We tried to improve both the introduction and second section, to make it easier to read. And on the basis of the other reviewer comments, we introduced 2.6 section, what made ur text more organized and readable.

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

To using the quote "We don't change because we don't have to." from line 266 without references about his source, the authors may eventually paraphrasing the expression, thus avoiding the requirement of a citation.
For figure no.5, the authors do not present definite data to indicate the trend shown, which is why we recommend marking the upward trend by another type of line (eg - - - - - - -) to emphasize only the evolution trend, given by the factors taken as reference. For this reason, figure 6 can also be adapted, by maintaining only the pyramidal representation and giving up the references on the axes of a graph (which are taken from the previous figure, and can still generate confusion, just by reversing the references of graph). Please analyze these arguments, in order to give coherence to the representations used in the paper.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

thank you for your valuable comments and contribution to our paper which improved it again.

Line 266: the italic sentence fragment represents the pose of some organizations that do not want to change because they do not have to. We think that there is no need for citation for an expression in everyday-spoken (non-official) English. That is the reason we put it in the quotation marks.

We improved the description and explained further differences between Figure 5 and 6. We changed the description of the figures as well. 
We accept your suggestion about the line style and now we believe that readers find these figures more clear and understandable, comprehensible and your comment improved them.
Please read lines 398-405 and Figure 5 and 6 titles.

Thank you very much for your time and effort given to improve our paper.