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 presents the foundations of employee engagement, providing a framework for future research to serve as an evidence-based guide to practice. Offering an overview of contemporary engagement theory and research, it addresses important new directions for expanding our current understanding of the meaning, focus, development and outcomes of engagement. Chapters consider the future impact of a constantly changing landscape of work on employee engagement, addressing the growing prevalence of casual and contract forms of labour and the introduction of work automation technology. International contributors explore innovative methods for engagement research, including novel approaches in data gathering, qualitative and quantitative research methods and data analytic techniques that can be applied to answering a variety of different engagement questions. Setting out key research directions for the future of the field, this book will be essential reading for academic scholars and researchers of organizational psychology and organizational behaviour. In addition, researchers in business and industry will find new ways to think about, study, and evaluate the impact of engagement policies and practices.

Donald W. Katzner explores concepts, their properties, and the implications of those properties that underlie many of the current approaches to the economics of firm organization. The book examines these matters in important new ways and in ways that have not been fully considered in the existing literature. Topics covered include authority structures, the social interaction (including supervision) among employees required to fulfill the responsibilities of their jobs, participatory decision making to the extent that it occurs, the impact of time, and certain kinds of complexity and efficiency, all of which are fundamental to analyses of the internal organization of the economic firm. The author provides a clear and extensive presentation of the basic ideas, and examines how they relate to the firm's operation and profitability. He also develops and employs measures of the dimensions of pyramidal authority structures and analyzes the relationship between them. This book should be of interest to graduate students and scholars interested in the economic fundamentals of firm organization. It is relevant for an introductory graduate course in organization theory in economics departments and business schools. It will also appeal to scholars in such fields as sociology and psychology who work in organization theory from the perspective of their own disciplines.

This is a guide to understanding entrepreneurial ecosystems: what they are, why they matter, and to whom they matter. Ben Spigel explores this popular new theory of economic development, locating the intellectual roots of ecosystems, explaining the practices and processes that allow ecosystems to support the creation and growth of innovative entrepreneurial firms. Investigating why some places are able to support innovative, high-growth entrepreneurship while others cannot, this book looks at the characteristics of entrepreneurial places in both developed and developing countries to identify the role of factors such as culture, social networks and economic history. Going beyond just the different combinations of different people and factors of a place, Spigel explores the social and economic processes such as learning and entrepreneurial recycling that power how ecosystems develop and influence high-growth venture creation. Entrepreneurship and economic geography scholars will appreciate the strong theoretical exploration of this new approach to understanding entrepreneurship. It will also be a helpful read for public officials, policy makers, and ecosystems builders looking to delve further into this prominent new concept in local economic development policy.

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.

How and to what extent do decisions affect business performance? Despite years of study by academic researchers and industry practitioners, there still remains a need to draw a clear and established connection between decision making and performance. By closely examining consequential business decisions made by key executives, this book offers a better understanding of business performance and recommendations for improved business practices. Through the use of case studies and interviews with business leaders based on 17 theorized measures of performance, this breakthrough study not only clarifies the impact of decisions on business performance, but also defines and distinguishes decisions that lead to successful and unsuccessful performance. Recommendations are made to optimize decision making for businesses of all sizes and projections about the future of decision making and performance are provided. This book can be used both as a reference source for academic researchers and students seeking further research on the subject, and as a practical guide for leaders and business professionals seeking advancement and better decision making within the industry.

As the importance of corporate social responsibility grows, especially environmental responsibility, it is imperative to acknowledge the impact of the individual on a company's environmental performance. Given that individuals spend much of their day in the workplace, it is crucial to understand both their behaviours and the potential impact they can have on the company's environmental performance and the environment. Bringing together leading academics from various research fields, this Handbook examines the features and challenges within the area of employee pro-environmental behaviour. The Research Handbook on Employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour brings contributions that consolidate existing research in the field as well as adding new insights from organisational psychology, human resource management and social marketing. Drawing on studies from across the methodological spectrum, this Handbook covers a broad range of topics from the antecedents and consequences of employee pro-environmental behaviour to ways in which employers can encourage pro-environmental behaviour. This Handbook will be an invaluable tool for those engaged in research in employee environmental behaviour and sustainability. It will be especially useful for postgraduate students of environmental employee behaviour as well as environmental consultants and practitioners seeking to gain an understanding of employee behaviour. Contributors include: B. Asfar, N. Ashkanasy, W. Binney, M. Bissing-Olson, F. Bowen, P. Bradley, L. Brennan, J. Callewaert, Y.H. Cheung, C. Ciocirlan, M. Davis, S. Dilchert, C. Dutra, P. Endrejat, S. Fudge, B. Gatersleben, D. Gregory-Smith, A. Guntner, R. Hahn, S. Kauffeld, R. Klein, F. Klonek, M. Leach, A. Leung, S. Lockrey, D. Manika, R. Marans, N. Murtagh, T. Norton, D. Ones, F. Ostertag, P. Paille, S. Parker, A. Ruepert, S. Russell, I. Shah, A. Shahjahan, W. Staples, L. Steg, T. Tudor, D. Uzzell, C. Verfuerth, K. Verghese, V. Wells, B. Wiernik, L. Yang, H. Zacher

This comprehensive Handbook sets out the nature and scope of International Human Resource Development (IHRD) to advance our understanding of research and practice in the field. Drawing on expertise from a global team representing some of the field's most distinguished researchers, the Handbook explores a range of contextual, process and people development practice issues impacting IHRD research and practice. Focusing on IHRD as a distinct field of research and practice, the authors offer comprehensive coverage of a number of critical contextual dimensions that shape the IHRD goals that organisations pursue; impact the IHRD systems, policies and practices that are implemented; and influence the types of IHRD research questions that are investigated. The Handbook examines the processes or actions taken by organisations to globalise IHRD practices and discusses important people development practices that come within the scope of IHRD. By bringing together a variety of research strands and engaging in key debates while also acknowledging the emergent, dynamic and constantly evolving nature of the field, the authors of this Handbook have created an invaluable resource for academics, students, professionals and practitioners in IHRD, HRD, HRM, international management, organisational behaviour and leadership. Contributors: M. Alagaraja, H. Alhejji, V. Anderson, A. Ardichvili, E.E. Bennett, A. Bratton, R. Carbery, N. Clarke, N. D'Annuzio Green, T. Garavan, J. Gedro, K. Grant, C. Gubbins, M. Hammond, J. Kim, S. Kim, Y. Lai, A. McCarthy, A. McDonnell, R.R. McWhorter, H. Moon, C.T. Nolan, D. O'Shea, J. Pearson, V. Pereira, O. Pruetipibultham, W.E.A. Ruona, V. Shanahan, M. Sheehan, C. Valentin, J. Winterton

The origins of organizing are conventionally seen as emerging from the historiographical works of Western social scientists in the early 20th century. Here, the authors address a gap in current literature by exploring previously unrecognized or marginalized global origins in both modern and ancient history. This innovative collection of original, research-based work covers a variety of historical epochs and theoretical streams from ancient civilizations to modern movements in philosophy and the social sciences. Among other topics, the chapters evaluate ideas of organizing by Quakers, 16th-century Jesuits and communities in the Roman Empire and ancient China. The authors creatively and insightfully engage with the historiography and philosophy of organizing, presenting alternatives to the dominant Western-focused development of organizational theory and practice. Origins of Organizing is significant in expanding the field of organizational theory to incorporate key examples that move away from mainstream and traditional perspectives. It will serve as a complementary text for graduate students in the fields of organization theory, management history and critical management studies. Contributors include: J. Bento da Silva, C. Bettin, M. Brigham, G. Burrell, P. Case, B. Czarniawska, W. Dai, H. Gaggiotti, I. Iordanou, D. Kavanagh, M. Kostera, P. Krzyworzeka, A.J. Mills, T. Peltonen

As technology continues to be a ubiquitous force that propels businesses to success, it is imperative that updated studies are continuously undertaken to ensure that the most efficient tools and techniques are being utilized. In the current business environment, organizations that can improve their agility and business intelligence are able to become much more resilient and viable competitors in the global economy. Achieving Organizational Agility, Intelligence, and Resilience Through Information Systems is a critical reference book that provides the latest empirical studies, conceptual research, and methodologies that enable organizations to enhance and improve their agility, competitiveness, and sustainability in order to position them for paramount success in today's economy. Covering topics that include knowledge management, human development, and sustainable development, this book is ideal for managers, executives, entrepreneurs, IT specialists and consultants, academicians, researchers, and students.

This concise text introduces an integrated view of all project management-related activities in an organization, called Organizational Project Management (OPM). Practical cases from several organizations, as well as popular theories such as the Resource-Based Theory and Institutional Theory provide for an insightful yet realistic understanding of OPM as an integrative tool for organizations to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. The reader will learn how separate organizational functions, such as project, program and portfolio management and governance integrate in a cohesive manner. The authors describe how different approaches to competing in the marketplace link to strategies, and the ways of selecting the 'best' business opportunities for organizations and integrating them into existing workflows and structures. They develop and describe a model that shows how OPM works within organizations. The book is a valuable resource for top managers, reflective practitioners, academics, and postgraduate students in organization theory.