Have you ever wondered why some workgroups are more successful than others in similar situations? Why do some businesses expand, while others that appear to be in equivalent circumstances plateau and contract? Why do some people achieve while others fail? Are there certain behaviours and practices that lead on the one hand to success, growth and development, and on the other hand to frustration, stagnation and decline? Do the top performers know things that others are not aware of? Do they adopt different approaches? In many sectors of the economy competing companies appear to be offering similar products and services, and using the same or equivalent technologies, processes and systems. They recruit similar people, often from the same universities and business schools, employ the services of the same or similar consultants, and they invariably fall for the same management fashions and fads. Yet delve down to the level of particular workgroups such as bid and account teams and some are found to do much better than others, while over time some businesses prosper while others wither. Why is this? What do the leaders of successful companies - or winners - do differently from losers who struggle and fail? The author's continuing research programme has been considering the questions just posed for over 20 years. It examines areas that are critical to competing and winning such as improving performance, managing change, competitive bidding, building customer relationships and creating and exploiting know-how. The purpose of this research is to determine what boards and management teams need to do - and also what they should not do - to lead, innovate, pioneer, discover, compete and win. This book provides an overview of the major findings to date in areas critical to business success. It presents a compendium of concise summaries of research findings into the differing approaches of successful and unsuccessful companies for students, directors, managers and entrepreneurs with ambitions to build successful businesses and realize their full potential. It also shows how a new generation of support tools can be used to enable average performers to emulate the approaches of high achievers. The author's intention is to provide an authoritative, positive, realistic and inspiring 'go for it' book for ambitious directors, managers, business school students, entrepreneurs, and all those who want to achieve both commercial success and the personal fulfillment that comes from competing and winning.

Examining the modern day challenges faced by academics throughout their working lives, this timely book investigates the ways in which academic careers are changing, the reasons for these changes and their potential future impacts. Contributors with experience of work in both traditional and contemporary institutions utilise theoretical and empirical methods to provide international perspectives on the key issues confronting modern day academics. Split across three chronological parts this book guides the reader through the phases of an academic's working life and the unique challenges encountered at each stage. For those entering academia key issues considered relate to career paths and motivations and transitions from industry to academia. During academia chapters study the understanding of external examiners, questions surrounding student supervision, work-life balance, use of technology and the trade off between teaching and research. Upon leaving academia concerns turn to the difficulties of working past retirement age and emeritus roles. Exploring how academics survive and thrive in the modern higher education arena, this analytical book will be a useful tool for new and established academics and policy makers working in higher education as well as for programme leaders in educational management. Contributors include: A. Agarwal, D. Anderton, K.E. Andreasen, M. Antoniadou, W. Chambers, C. Cook, M. Crowder, P. Cureton, E. Epaminonda, M. Gibson-Sweet, J. Haddock-Fraser, J. Jones, A. Karayiannis, H. Kogetsidis, P.D. Ktoridou, S.-J. Lennie, B. Longden, S. Marriott, M. Mouratidou, T. Proctor, A. Rasmussen, C. Rees, S.K. Rehbock, K. Rowlands, P.J. Sandiford, J. Stewart, S. Wells

This timely Handbook addresses the concepts of stress and well-being among workers in various public sector roles and occupations across the globe. Emphasizing the importance of well-being and stress prevention initiatives in ever-changing workplace environments, this Handbook highlights successful organizational initiatives and provides insight into best practice for promoting healthy employees and workplaces. Chapters analyze the new and ongoing challenges public sector organizations face such as: cost cutting, pressures to improve performance, changes in societal and workplace demographics, and increasing levels of stress and strain amongst their employees. This wide-ranging Handbook utilizes empirical research, literature reviews and case studies to draw greater attention to these and other challenges. Containing contributions from leading international experts in their respective fields, the contributors hope that this multidisciplinary Handbook will help to enhance the health and well-being of public sector employees and the sector's performance and contribution to society. The Handbook of Research on Stress and Well-Being in the Public Sector will be of value to researchers and practitioners interested in the public sector and both individual and organizational health and performance. This will also be a key resource for public sector and government professionals responsible for human resource management and work and health.

This Handbook on Diversity and Inclusion Indices critically examines many of the popular and frequently cited indices related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) benchmarking and progress tracking. The goal is to provide a better understanding of the indices' construction, strengths and weaknesses, intended applications, contribution to research and progress towards diversity and equity goals. The editors include detailed reviews of 23 DEI indices including broader, more general measures as well as those that focus on a particular aspect of diversity (e.g., gender, religion). Included are indices that measure diversity, equity, and/or inclusion at organizational, national, and regional levels. The Handbook unpacks this wide range of indices to meet the needs of researchers, public policy makers, and general consumers of information.

Bringing together over fifty leading global experts, this Research Handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview of research findings regarding Human Resource Management (HRM) in the public sector. Original chapters provide useful insights from two different disciplines: public administration and HRM. They illustrate that the public context of organisations matters and discuss research findings detailing how this plays out in practice. Divided into six distinct parts, this Research Handbook covers the key areas of strategic HRM, the HRM cycle, HRM and the outcomes, linking mechanisms in the HRM value chain, as well as HRM and context. Providing crucial information, Part VI examines the main future challenges for HRM in public organisations and provides extensive knowledge across different areas for future research. This engaging Research Handbook will be an excellent resource for scholars in public administration as well as HRM practitioners and scholars with interests in the public contexts and how this affects HRM. It will also provide obligatory reading for advanced students to understand the distinctiveness of HRM in public organisations.

This important book considers the ways in which small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can thrive in the age of big data. To address this central issue from multiple viewpoints, the editors introduce a collection of experiences, insights, and guidelines from a variety of expert researchers, each of whom provides a piece to solve this puzzle. Contributions address the limitations faced by SMEs in their access to data and demonstrate that the key to overcoming this issue is to be aware of these limitations, to work within them, and to use them to think creatively about how to overcome obstacles in new ways. They discuss Artificial Intelligence, revenue blueprinting, GDPR compliance, and other key topics related to the relationships between SMEs and data. Offering ideas to inspire big data-driven success by SMEs making smaller investments, the book argues that there must be a place for "ordinary" data-driven journeys that are available to firms of any size. Stimulating further thought and action, Big Data in Small Business will be of great interest to academics, researchers, and practitioners in areas such as strategic management, organizational and innovation studies, marketing, and sales. The ideas and information in this book will help fill knowledge gaps related to important aspects of capabilities, functions, and transformations of big data that drive business growth.

This title is designed to provide an introduction to research methodology, as well as offer much-needed assistance to students and practitioners in the management sciences, who are often confronted with problems pertaining to the writing and successful completion of a research report, dissertation or thesis. This title is a resource, especially in light of the new emphasis on research in higher education.

This essential Research Handbook examines the state-of-the-art methodologies being applied to the expanding field of intellectual capital (IC) research. It offers an overview of the contemporary issues and methods in the field, providing insight and inspiration for emerging and established academics in their own research. Featuring contributions from a variety of renowned international scholars in the area, the Research Handbook is divided into four parts, outlining the four main methodological routes taken by current IC research. First, chapters discuss content analysis and offer future perspectives for advancing such studies. The book then examines fruitful avenues for IC visualization studies, before critiquing and furthering IC value added and IC efficiency measurement studies. Finally, it analyses and offers novel approaches for studying and intervening with IC and value creation. This Research Handbook will be a vital resource for scholars and students of business and management entering the field of intellectual capital, whether they are established academics with a renewed interest in the subject or just starting their research careers.

This groundbreaking book arrives at a time of growing concern for the future of true scholarship. Morten Huse calls upon the scholarly community to reflect on the recent dramatic changes to academia, calling for coordinated efforts to reorganise the scholarly ecosystem. Offering a holistic view of academia, Huse outlines the institutions, audiences, messages, channels and communities that interact in this ecosystem, introducing a 'sharing philosophy' as the foundation of change. Reflecting on the past and looking to the future, this exciting book demands a communal approach to scholarship that comprises an open, innovative and impact-driven attitude to research that can change the academic game. Incisive and optimistic for the future, this book is crucial reading for PhD students and junior faculty members hoping to find new avenues for impactful and innovative research. Established scholars, as well as leaders of academic institutions, academies and associations concerned with recent structural changes to scholarship will also benefit from Huse's strong critique and alternative pathways.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This concise yet comprehensive introduction aims to outline the core principles of Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), laying them out in an accessible manner with minimum technical detail. The applied nature of the subject is emphasized by showing how each of the principles is applied to an actual public policy intervention, covering transport, education, health and the environment. Robert J. Brent demonstrates how economic efficiency and equity can be combined as social objectives to help determine decisions that can increase satisfaction for all. Covering the fundamental principles, this book presents applications for every concept discussed and lays the foundations for further study in the field. It combines distribution with efficiency as the objectives of public policy, compares the CBA methodology with competing methods of allocating resources that satisfy basic needs, and analyses CBA from the perspective of modern applied welfare economics. The main conclusion is that CBA is the basis for understanding any kind of public policy decision regardless of the field of study, be that government expenditure, taxation or regulation, and irrespective of the tangible or intangible outcome the policy is attempting to influence. Both accessible and erudite, the Advanced Introduction to Cost Benefit Analysis will be essential reading for students of health, education, transportation, public finance, regulation, environmental and development economics, and political science, as well as the general reader interested in understanding how public policy should be implemented. Furthermore, the insightful analysis will appeal to practitioners working in government, public institutions and NGOs.

This forward-thinking Handbook explores cutting-edge research on how employees within firms should be managed in order to increase their wellbeing and performance. Expert contributors explore an emerging stream of research in human resource management (HRM) which suggests that attention should be paid to how line managers implement HR practices and how employees perceive, understand and attribute these HR practices. Chapters consider the implications of employees' and leaders' HR attributions and their performance, HRM system strength, change, talent management and the role of line managers in the HRM process. Providing an overview of the current knowledge in the HR process research, the Handbook also discusses future avenues and directions for the field. Demonstrating the dynamics of how HR practices impact organisational and individual outcomes, this Handbook will be critical reading for scholars and students of human resource management, organisational behaviour and research methods in business and management. It will also be beneficial for HR professionals seeking to understand how they can increase the effectiveness of their HR management.

One of a series of books designed to help students through their coursework. Presents all modern HR functions in a way that makes understanding the logical flow and integration of all HR processes, systems and legislation (in line with the HR unit standards) easy. Includes practical examples to clarify theoretical concepts and possible examination questions. Aimed at first-year students facing tests and final examinations, but also a handy guide for practitioners wanting to brush up on the basics.

Participatory development in South Africa: a development management perspective, follows a holistic, multidisciplinary approach in assessing development management principles and strategies in South Africa. The authors represent a broad teaching, research and management background, which allows them to functionally integrate some of the most important challenges in development management and related practice and policy interventions in this title. The work therefore captures the fundamental basis upon which most development projects and practices are based, namely cooperation, collaboration and public participation.

International talent management has become a critically important topic for scholarly discussion, in policy debates, and among the business community. Despite this, however, research into talent management tends to lack theoretical underpinnings, especially from an international, multidisciplinary and comparative perspective. This Research Handbook fills this gap, bringing together a range of leading researchers, scholars, and thinkers to debate and advance the conceptualization and understanding of this multifaceted subject. With chapters covering key topics within multiple domains of management and organization studies, the Research Handbook of International Talent Management explores the topic in innovative entrepreneurial enterprises to international businesses. It also examines how talent management relates to sustainability and public management, providing in depth coverage of the field for an interdisciplinary approach to what is one of the grand contemporary challenges facing the global economy today. This Research Handbook will be a vital resource for students of human resources management, business studies and public management policy, as well as for researchers with an interest in talent management, international management, and entrepreneurship and innovation.

Judgment and Leadership presents original thinking and addresses age-old concerns regarding the relationship between judgment and leadership. These two concepts are inseparable. Judgment guides every action that a leader takes and underlies every thought, emotion, or justification that leaders form. This volume extends the study of judgment and leadership across disciplinary and conceptual boundaries. For the first time, the most original and influential thinkers on judgment and leadership are brought together in a single volume and they represent a diverse set of disciplines, including critical studies, psychology, political theory, international policy, adult learning theory, management and organizational studies, philosophy, cross-cultural studies, and neuroscience. The result is an engaging look at one of the most important issues facing organizations, politics, and society: leaders and their judgment. The book describes the challenges and opportunities that leaders face when confronted with political, social and business challenges and offers an insightful and comprehensive review of leadership and its role in crisis. The authors explore how a leader's actions and judgments are shaped by their experiences. It is a highly accessible account of how leaders learn and practice judgment and a guide for leaders faced with intense and challenging problems. Scholars studying leadership, judgment, decision-making, critical thinking or problem-solving seeking the latest original thinking on the topic of leadership and judgment as well as educators seeking to develop their students' knowledge about judgment from a multidisciplinary perspective will find this volume an invaluable resource as will leadership trainers, educators, coaches, and human resource professionals seeking to improve and develop leaders.

Over the past 40 years, Tom Stanley and his daughter Sarah Stanley Fallaw have been involved in research examining how self-made, economically successful Americans became that way. Despite the publication of The Millionaire Next Door, The Millionaire Mind, and others, myths about wealth in American still abound. Government officials, journalists, and many American still tend to confuse income with wealth. A new generation of household financial managers are hearing from so-called experts in personal financial management due to the proliferation of the cottage industry of financial blogs, podcasts, and the like. In many cases, these outlets are simply experiences shared without science, case studies without data based on broader populations. Therefore, the authors decided to take another look at millionaires in the United States to examine what changes could be seen 20 years after the original publication of The Millionaire Next Door. In this book the authors highlight how specific decisions, behaviors, and characteristics align with the discipline of wealth building, covering areas such as consumption, budgeting, careers, investing, and financial management in general. They include results from quantitative studies of wealth as well as case studies of individuals who have been successful in building wealth. They discuss general paths to building wealth on your own, focusing specifically on careers and lifestyles associated with each path, and what it takes to be successful in each.

This book discusses technology policy and innovation policy from an international perspective, with a particular emphasis on the policies of the United States and the United Kingdom. The importance of these policy areas, as well as their relationship to one another, is a unifying theme throughout, and this relationship is illustrated through an integrating policy framework. Private sector and public sector investments in R&D are posited to be the relevant target variables for technology policy, and vehicles to provide incentives for making each more effective are discussed along with suggestive information about how effective incentives have actually been. Consideration is given to the unintended consequences of technology policy. Also emphasized is the environment in which technology policy is promulgated and its relationship to a global innovation ecosystem. Innovation policy is a consequence of technology policy, and the innovation policies of various countries are also discussed. Technology and Innovation Policy will benefit academic researchers, senior scientists, innovation and technology policy makers, and graduate students who seek a deeper understanding of the relationship between technology and innovation policies from an international perspective.

This timely Handbook examines performance management research specific to the public sector and its contexts, and provides suggestions for future developments in the field. It demonstrates the need for performance management to be reconceptualized as a core component of business both within and across organizations, and how it must be embedded in both strategic decision-making and as a day-to-day leadership and management practice in order to be effective. Addressing multiple levels of analysis, the Handbook shows how performance management can enable high performance if governance, systems, organization and individual components are aligned. Written by an international team of both academics and practitioners, chapters offer insights into why changes in practice need to occur, how to make such changes possible, and what these changes require from a practical standpoint. The Handbook also highlights current limitations in public sector performance management and suggests new initiatives for performance management frameworks. Scholars of public policy in human resources, administration and management looking for exemplary current research in these fields will find this Handbook invaluable. It will also be of interest to public administration and human resources practitioners looking to develop new practice and create new ways of thinking and behaving in the aftermath of global upheaval.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction provides a cutting edge review of employee engagement, illustrating the theories and key instruments for research that underpin the field and its antecedents and consequences. It translates the science into practice by offering recommendations on how to build an engaged workforce and how to socialize and engage newcomers. Key features include: A state-of-the-art review of the field, including an overview of potential methodologies for measuring employee engagement Informed and insightful discussions of different engagement targets and referents and strategic employee engagement A keen awareness of international variations in employee engagement. This book offers a critical research agenda for researchers in business and management hoping to develop their research in organizational settings. It will also benefit managers and other practitioners in overcoming common problems and developing an engaged workforce.