Integrated thinking, orchestration of the six capitals and value creation

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the integrated thinking of a chief executive officer (CEO) impacts the management’s orchestration of the six capitals to create value in an organization. Design/methodology/approach Following a case study approach, data was gathered on two business organizations in Sri Lanka through interviews, focus group discussions and documentary analyzes. Thematic and cross-case analyzes were used in analyzing the data based on an analytical framework that was developed using systems and resource orchestration theories. Findings The study finds that the integrated thinking perspective of the CEO determines which capitals to embrace in the pursuit of value creation by an organization. A broader perspective on the integrated thinking of the CEO can lead to a sustainable perspective for value creation focusing on integrated corporate responsibility. On the contrary, a constrained perspective of integrated thinking can lead to a business case perspective for value creation that focuses mainly on the key areas of responsibility extended for operational efficiency. These different perspectives result in differences in value creation in organizations over time. Practical implications The capitals embraced in the integrated thinking perspective of a CEO should be translated into objectives, strategies and performance measurement and implemented at every level of the company to create value. This perspective of a CEO can be institutionalized through the adoption of accredited management systems. To foster value creation, managers should use a variety of information technology platforms and internal networks. Originality/value This is one of the first studies that explore how the perception of integrated thinking of the CEO impacts value creation in an organization through a combination of resource orchestration and systems thinking theory lenses.