LEAN is the most widespread management philosophy of our time and is currently present in every industry, yet the concept is still vaguely defined and widely misunderstood.

This is Lean - Resolving the efficiency paradox has been translated from Swedish to English, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Polish, French and Chinese and has sold over 160.000 copies since its launch in 2012. By using clear, concise language and insightful examples, the book has brought greater clarification to the essence of lean and revolutionized top-executives and employees understanding of what lean actually is.

The book also introduces the idea of the efficiency paradox, which claims that organisations' understanding of "true efficiency" is incorrect. It suggests that when organisations focus too much on utilising resources efficiently - the traditional and most common form of efficiency - it tends to lead to an increase in the amount of work there is to do. Consequently, the more organisations try to be efficient (being busy), the more inefficient they will actually become (taking care of non-value adding but necessary work).

This is Lean addresses how to resolve this paradox.

This innovative Handbook explores the complexity of cultural, conceptual and definitional issues surrounding research into organisational culture, outlining the varied frameworks and theories that underpin the field. International contributors present a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methods that can be used in organisational culture measurement. They explore topics of special contemporary interest, such as high performance cultures, corporate entrepreneurship, organisational culture in nonprofits and safety culture, unpacking the textured relationships between leadership style, organisational culture and organisational outcomes. Highlighting key implications for organisational values and ethical climate, the Handbook provides practical guidance on how to move from culture assessment to action and improvement. Offering a critical outline for measurement approaches and tools, this Handbook is crucial reading for researchers and students of organisation studies, particularly those focusing on culture and leadership of organisations. It also provides practical insights for business consultants and senior management teams, proposing methods and frameworks for developing positive organisational cultures to improve the productivity, performance and quality of businesses.

This innovative Handbook explores the complexity of cultural, conceptual and definitional issues surrounding research into organisational culture, outlining the varied frameworks and theories that underpin the field. International contributors present a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methods that can be used in organisational culture measurement. They explore topics of special contemporary interest, such as high performance cultures, corporate entrepreneurship, organisational culture in nonprofits and safety culture, unpacking the textured relationships between leadership style, organisational culture and organisational outcomes. Highlighting key implications for organisational values and ethical climate, the Handbook provides practical guidance on how to move from culture assessment to action and improvement. Offering a critical outline for measurement approaches and tools, this Handbook is crucial reading for researchers and students of organisation studies, particularly those focusing on culture and leadership of organisations. It also provides practical insights for business consultants and senior management teams, proposing methods and frameworks for developing positive organisational cultures to improve the productivity, performance and quality of businesses.

The management of safety in the workplace remains a relevant topic of discussion even after all the years since workplace safety became a priority. This book sees a discussion of the essence of workplace safety, accountability within organisations, health and safety practices and safety control measures. Finally, this book takes a look at safety recognition and reward systems within organisations and how these systems promote safe work practices.

Bullying, harassment and other unacceptable workplace behaviors pose significant problems for organizations. This exploration of the issue notes that factors from within the organization may help determine who and why some individuals become targets and others become bullies. The authors explore different types of behaviors where managers and management, as well as employees, are the problem. Each chapter has anecdotes scattered throughout and contains a 'mini-case,' review questions, 'action' items, and two longer cases, all based on actual events. The authors present a unique framework (V-REEL (R)) to assist individuals and organizations in analyzing the organization's environment in an effort to eradicate the negative behavior forces that contribute to bad behavior. In addition, they have included a glossary of important terms, a bibliography of useful references, a survey that may be used to assess conditions in the organization, and a listing of organizations that provide information or assistance. These various pedagogical tools enable the book to be used by human resource professionals, managers, employees, and academics as individuals or in groups to both avoid and eradicate bullying and harassment at work.

The #1 New York Times Bestseller From the bestselling author and columnist behind The Atlantic's popular "How to Build a Life" series, a guide to transforming the life changes we fear into a source of strength. In the first half of life, ambitious strivers embrace a simple formula for success in work and life: focus single-mindedly, work tirelessly, sacrifice personally, and climb the ladder relentlessly. It works. Until it doesn't. It turns out the second half of life is governed by different rules. In middle age, many strivers begin to find success coming harder and harder, rewards less satisfying, and family relationships withering. In response, they do what strivers always do: they double down on work in an attempt to outrun decline and weakness, and deny the changes that are becoming more and more obvious. The result is often anger, fear, and disappointment at a time in life that they imagined would be full of joy, fulfillment, and pride. It doesn't have to be that way. In From Strength to Strength, happiness expert and bestselling author Arthur C. Brooks reveals a path to beating the "striver's curse." Drawing on science, classical philosophy, theology, and history, he shares counterintuitive strategies for releasing old habits and forming new life practices, showing you how to: - Kick the habits of workaholism, success addiction, and self-objectification - Meditate on death-in order to beat fear and live well - Start a spiritual adventure - Embrace weakness in a way that turns it into strength. Change in your life is inevitable, but suffering is not. From Strength to Strength shows you how to accept the gifts of the second half of life with grace, joy, and ever deepening purpose.

Mission in the world of work has been neglected by the churches within the UK for decades. The Kingdom at Work Project addresses this crippling failure. It sets out a new and comprehensive model of mission for the transformation of the workplace. The model is founded on a radical theology of community and related spirituality which guide and empower an innovative process of discernment and intervention. The last covers individual and collective action, dialogue, the use of symbols, prayer and worship. Mentoring, the role of chaplains and ministers in secular employment, and the responsibilities of the gathered church are key issues covered in depth. This book is the most thorough and imaginative exploration of mission in the world of work to appear for many years.

This comprehensive Handbook explores both traditional and contemporary interpretations of qualitative research in the workplace, examining a variety of foundational and innovative qualitative methodological approaches. Expert international contributors discuss how organisations have undergone substantial changes, prompting novel research agendas, which, in turn, required inventive applications of qualitative methodologies in a range of workplace contexts. The Handbook comprises three parts, which consider the foundational knowledge of qualitative methodologies; innovative additions to these methodologies; and their application in a range of workplace contexts and disciplines, including management, health and education policy. Chapters focus on context and the role of reflexivity as central issues for decision making about appropriate methodologies, highlighting how qualitative research has responded to contemporary developments in workplaces, such as the global dispersal of organisations, flexible work arrangements and changes to stakeholder relationships. Analysing the challenges and opportunities for conducting qualitative research in modern organisations, this Handbook will be critical reading for academics and students of organisation studies and qualitative research methods, particularly those with a focus on business and management.

Promoting a greater understanding of intercultural interactions, this timely and engaging Research Handbook provides an overview of the current state of research on cultural intelligence and analyzes its prospects for the future. Including contributions from key researchers in the field as well as those with a more critical perspective, this comprehensive Research Handbook addresses the conceptual backdrop, the measurement and the antecedents of cultural intelligence. It further examines the outcomes associated with cultural intelligence, offers a higher-level analysis of the concept, and concludes with an evaluation of the future research prospects of cultural intelligence. All in all, the Handbook investigates the heightened importance of intercultural interactions among individuals, groups, organizations, and societies in an increasingly interconnected global community. Covering a wide range of perspectives on cultural intelligence and related constructs, this Research Handbook will be essential reading for students, scholars, and researchers in the areas of employment relations, international business, international and cross-cultural management, occupational psychology, and organizational behavior.

This comprehensive Handbook explores both traditional and contemporary interpretations of qualitative research in the workplace, examining a variety of foundational and innovative qualitative methodological approaches. Expert international contributors discuss how organisations have undergone substantial changes, prompting novel research agendas, which, in turn, required inventive applications of qualitative methodologies in a range of workplace contexts. The Handbook comprises three parts, which consider the foundational knowledge of qualitative methodologies; innovative additions to these methodologies; and their application in a range of workplace contexts and disciplines, including management, health and education policy. Chapters focus on context and the role of reflexivity as central issues for decision making about appropriate methodologies, highlighting how qualitative research has responded to contemporary developments in workplaces, such as the global dispersal of organisations, flexible work arrangements and changes to stakeholder relationships. Analysing the challenges and opportunities for conducting qualitative research in modern organisations, this Handbook will be critical reading for academics and students of organisation studies and qualitative research methods, particularly those with a focus on business and management.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this timely Handbook builds upon research and practice to discuss and assess what is currently known about virtual work and its evolution, given the increasing numbers of those working virtually.

Taking a holistic approach to the subject, the expert contributors review the critical areas of virtual work split into five thematic parts. Firstly technology, the foundation of virtual work, is thoroughly discussed focussing on new forms of technology and the use of AI. Working practices of both the individual and virtual teams are then fully reviewed alongside the organisation, context and emerging systems that support virtual work in practice. Forward-thinking, this Handbook, looks at the future direction and where we go from here towards the next decade of virtual work.

Managers and practitioners who are moving towards virtual or hybrid working or continuing to work remotely will find this an excellent resource for ongoing and future guidance. Scholars and researchers interested in this expanding subject will find this illuminating and informative.

This is an ambitious and engaging book. It lays the foundations for a methodology that bridges entrepreneurship researchers?' need to provide explanations and practitioners?' need to make their local world comprehensible --? by calling the researcher to also practise as an entrepreneur. Disclosing Entrepreneurship as Practice outlines and demonstrates this '?enactive?' approach and its outcomes in terms of a proposed practice theory of entrepreneurship. Presenting entrepreneurship as a sense-making, stabilising force in a liquid and ambiguous world, accordingly addressed as ?'entrepreneuring?', Bengt Johannisson argues that the duality of shrewdness and prudence provides the appropriate knowledge needed to practice entrepreneurship. By generalising entrepreneurship as creative organizing in multiple arenas beyond just the market, and conceptualising entrepreneurship as practice, this book presents a compelling rationale for considering entrepreneuring as ?'routinized improvisation?' dealing with situations as they arise. Reflective and thoughtful, this book will be of interest to researchers in the field of entrepreneurship concerned with theoretical and methodological matters, as well as those engaged with qualitative methodology in the social sciences.

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.

This informative Field Guide to Intercultural Research is specifically designed to be used in the field, guiding the reader away from pitfalls and towards best practice. It shares valuable fieldwork challenges and experiences, as well as insights into key methodological debates and practical recommendations relevant to both new and seasoned researchers. Offering an international outlook and featuring insights from across four continents, this invaluable guide introduces new methods and approaches to data analysis, tackling various research phases, including perspectives from quantitative researchers. It focuses on the role of culture and the intercultural challenges that fieldworkers encounter, enticing readers into further conversations concerning the role of fieldwork in producing new knowledge. Expert contributors illustrate the benefits of field research in intercultural research not only to academic literature, but also to organisational policies and the societies within which we work and live. Including insights from the fields of ethnography and social anthropology, this cutting edge guide is crucial reading for all students and researchers of business and management studies as well as organisational development hoping to begin their foray into fieldwork, as well as experienced scholars looking for new approaches to field research. It will also benefit management professionals and consultants in need of an expanded knowledge-base for coFnducting action research or other interventions in organisations.

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) have become features of organizations as a result of both legal and societal advances as well as neoliberal economic reasoning and considerations. While current research approaches frequently fall short of addressing the challenges faced in EDI research, this benchmark Handbook brings coverage of research methods in EDI up to date, and advances the development of research in the field. Bringing together well-known academics and researchers, this Handbook is a distillation of current and novel research in the field of EDI. Chapters present groundbreaking new research and methodological perspectives on international, regional and national issues, from equal opportunities and gender mainstreaming to managing diversity in legal, political and socio-economic contexts. Alongside this, the authors discuss new analytic directions to advance empirical EDI research. This Handbook will help to shape the present and future EDI discourse. The book is an invaluable addition to the current literature, particularly for students of EDI and researchers working in the fields of human resource management, strategic management and organization, and culture and change management as well as entrepreneurship and marketing. Contributors include: D. Atewologun, C. Baron, I. Bleijenbergh, E.H. Buttner, H.A. Downs, H. Eberherr, D. Foley, K.M. Hannum, E. Henry, J. Hofbauer, R. Hofmann, E.L. Holloway, C.A. Houkamau, M. Janssens, D. Jones, A. Klarsfeld, K. Kreissl, M. Lansu, J. Louvrier, K. Lowe, R. Mahalingam, A.J. Mills, J.H. Mills, S. Mooney, E. Ng, B. Poggio, N. Rumens, I. Ryan, B. Sauer, H.L. Schwartz, C.G. Sibley, A. Striedinger, P. van Arensbergen, I. Wasserman, J. Wergin, P. Zanoni

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. This insightful Research Agenda considers the current state of research into workplace stress and wellbeing and maps an innovative programme for future investigation that can advance understanding of the interrelationships between work and wellbeing. Bringing together international contributors to outline the field, the book examines the various costs and impacts of workplace stress on employers and employees. Chapters address key features of the workplace that influence employee wellbeing, including technology use, leadership, work-family relationships and aggression, as well as the unique contemporary effects of Covid-19 on wellbeing. Identifying both substantive and methodological questions that remain unanswered, the book considers the benefits of intervention strategies that are designed to enhance individual wellbeing in the workplace. Offering a unique picture of the field, this timely book is crucial reading for researchers and graduate students focused on work and wellbeing who are looking for new and innovative avenues for research. Managers and other practitioners will also benefit from its practical insights into the challenges posed by workplace stress and the potential strategies for managing stress.

This innovative and thought-provoking Research Handbook explores the theoretical debate surrounding work-life balance, and provides a reflection on the opportunity to adopt multilevel research approaches and perspectives, along gender and temporal axes. The Research Handbook is an international overview of current research on work-life balance, considered in macro, meso and micro perspectives. Offering both theoretical reflections and empirical research examples illustrating the multiple strategies through which the different articulations that characterize the work-life intersection can be analysed, this Research Handbook includes analyses of gendered labour, generational assets and technological changes. Contributors provide translation and actualization of specific research practices and methodological choices, focused on different national contexts. The empirical analysis ranges from comparative research based on quantitative methods, to qualitative approaches centered on longitudinal, discursive and narrative perspectives, and mixed-method studies. Further contributions adopt innovative research methods based on the use of digital and visual technologies. This Research Handbook will be an inspiring read for both undergraduate and postgraduate sociology and social policy students. The book is also addressed to researchers, consultants and policy makers interested in work-life balance issues.

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.