Public relations practitioners are often called upon to help chart their organization's strategic development, thus functioning as managerial decision makers linking the organization to its larger environment. This book is about understanding organizations, especially the role played by organizational decision making in the development and implementation of public relations programs and activities. It emphasizes the ways in which an organization's culture and decision making processes ultimately influence the success or failure of their public relations efforts.
The research, case studies, and author's interpretations and suggestions explore the often confusing netherworld of organizational mindsets -- particularly as those world views affect the organization's relations with clients and other stakeholders. Understanding organizational politics is the way to understanding how and why decisions are made by the organization's dominant coalition. The primary goal of this text is to enhance our understanding of the ways in which organizations "work" -- the political process that accompanies organizational decision making.
As an instrumental participant in the organizational political process, the public relations practitioner must posess knowledge and understanding of the organization's political process in order to succeed within that organization. Given the need for public relations practitioners to form coalitions, negotiate consensus, and advocate organizational interests, the political system metaphor is most approriate for understanding the relationship between organizational power and organizational public relations. This book, then, "steps back" from a focus solely on the design of public relations programs, and instead examines how the impetus for those programs emerges within the organization as a result of organizational politics in action.
Its special features include:
* practitioner responses at the end of each chapter providing commentary on the usefulness of the ideas presented;
* sidebars from popular sources illustrating theories;
* new case studies;
* merging of management and organizational theory and research with communication theory and research;
* a focus on external stakeholders from both an advocacy and a collaborative frame resulting in the creation of a "collaborative advocacy" framework for external communication; and
* an extended examination of ethical considerations pertaining to organizational decision making and communication.

These articles describe ideas about contextual performance, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and similar patterns of behavior that have been developed by scholars working from very different research traditions. It seems that the different research traditions are converging on the same notion--that besides formal job requirements, other patterns of behavior are also critical for organizational effectiveness and survival. These other patterns of behavior have been relatively ignored until recently, but now scholars are trying to define them, determine exactly why and how they are important for organizations, and identify their antecedents. The results of these research efforts-- described by articles in this issue--will help to make it possible to develop new conceptual and practical tools for managing these important behaviors and in that way promote human performance and organizational effectiveness.

Today, managers, politicians, educators, and healthcare providers are highly skilled technicians who navigate modern systems. However, followers seek more than know-how; they desire moral leadership. Even leaders equipped with skills must make difficult ethical choices. This book connects philosophy to leadership by examining three representative texts from the history of philosophy: Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. The leadership ideas contained in each one of these philosopher's works were not only pioneering for their age but continue to be relevant today because they provide insight into the enduring questions of leadership. The book demonstrates the timeliness of the classical works by applying these philosophical approaches to historical and contemporary cases. This book is ideal for readers who are acquainted with philosophy and those who are uninitiated. The connections made between philosophy, leadership literature, and real-life leaders enable readers to appreciate how deeper reflection into the themes of leadership might merit scholarly attention and bear witness to the close union between the philosophy of leadership and the real world.

Rapidly developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems hold tremendous potential to change various domains and exert considerable influence on societies and organizations alike. More than merely a technical discipline, AI requires interaction between various professions. Based on the results of fundamental literature and empirical research, this book addresses the management's awareness of the ethical and moral aspects of AI. It seeks to fill a literature gap and offer the management guidance on tackling Trustworthy AI Implementation (TAII) while also considering ethical dependencies within the company. The TAII Framework introduced here pursues a holistic approach to identifying systemic ethical relationships within the company ecosystem and considers corporate values, business models, and common goods aspects like the Sustainable Development Goals and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Further, it provides guidance on the implementation of AI ethics in organisations without requiring a deeper background in philosophy and considers the social impacts outside of the software and data engineering setting. Depending on the respective legal context or area of application, the TAII Framework can be adapted and used with a range of regulations and ethical principles. This book can serve as a case study or self-review for c-level managers and students who are interested in this field. It also offers valuable guidelines and perspectives for policymakers looking to pursue an ethical approach to AI.

Traditional management structures, systems, and tools, intended to make the first factories of the industrial age efficient, are now obsolete. Applying them to knowledge-work has exactly the opposite effect, causing all kinds of breakdowns. This book explains why knowledge workers have to manage themselves and tells them how to do it.

Interdependence is a basic characteristic of organizations, yet it is only recently that managers, professionals, and employees have begun to appreciate that organizational success depends upon teamwork. This book provides managers, professionals, and employees with a concise and powerful understanding of productive teamwork in organizations.

The 21st century calls for a methodology that efficiently and effectively addresses organizational issues. That is why author Phillip C. Reinke created DMADD (Define/Measure/Analyze/ Develop/Deliver). This methodology is capable of taking your organization from simply surviving to thriving. "Visionary and expert, Reinke champions DMADD(c). The New Brass Ring is always slightly ahead of your brain...you haven't quite internalized one revolutionary advancement before others come along. Such innovative insight, fortified by the principles of leading transformational giants, reinforces Reinke's place aside the likes of Deming." --Rick Shults, Executive Director, Process Improvement - Certified Master Blackbelt "Years ago, Phil differentiated himself, with his ability to consistently deliver creative results and meet challenges. I could see DMADD's beginnings before he formally named it. The 21st century is the place for DMADD and The New Brass Ring is its introduction." -- Robert Malanga - Chief Operating Officer, LightGen, LLC "The economy and market demands a change in the way we need to address issues and face challenges. It is ripe for a new idea. The New Brass Ring quenches my thirst for what I know will make a huge difference in organizational performance. I want more and I know where to get it!" -- Mike Borrone, Founder and President enVision Staffing Solutions, Inc. Philip C. Reinke is founder of The Continuous Improvement Institute (Cii) His career in organizational improvement has spanned the likes of HJ Heinz, GE, CSX, First Data, Western Union and Kaplan Higher Education. Find out more at www.philreinke.com.

Based on extensive interdisciplinary research and the author's over 30 years of experience in the field, this book provides best practice skills for auditors and investigators in any type of investigation and adapts them to ensure they are relevant to a corporate environment where the powers available to police are absent. In addition to providing technical skills and practical advice on investigative interviewing, former police investigator Kevin Sweeney explains how to analyze information to assist in the investigation and to identify emerging trends to provide opportunities to prevent problems before they occur. Readers will come to understand legal concepts such as the chain of evidence, the psychological factors involved in questioning, and the sociological factors that can help to build a macro understanding of the organization and the event in question. This book will become an essential resource for professionals involved in auditing or investigation work of any type in the corporate or public sectors, in contexts including human resources, employee relation investigations, auditing, or where criminal activity is suspected.

Over recent years, many companies have developed an awareness of the importance of an active, rather than passive, approach to wellbeing at work. Whilst the value of this approach is widely accepted, turning theory into effective practice is still a challenge for many companies. The Routledge Companion to Wellbeing at Work is a comprehensive reference volume addressing every aspect of the topic. Split into five parts, it explores different models of wellbeing; personal qualities contributing to wellbeing; job insecurity and organizational wellbeing; workplace supports for wellbeing; and initiatives to enhance wellbeing. The international team of contributors provide a solid foundation to research and practice, including contemporary topics such as architecture, coaching, and fitness in the workplace. Edited by two of the world's leading scholars on the subject, this text is a valuable tool for researchers, students, and practitioners in HRM and organizational psychology.

Is team-based management best for your business? Will it help your organization meet the challenges of the twenty-first century to cut production costs, increase quality and service, and compete in the global economy? his practical, immensely informative book will help you make that decision. Teams tells you: When to use teams and when not to use them. What conditions must exist for teams to be successful. Which teams are appropriate for a particular situation. How to develop teams to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Global interest in technology-based growth politics is growing as technology becomes an increasingly important factor in economic competitiveness. In spite of increased efforts in many nations to develop more effective industry strategies, most of these endeavors have been ad hoc exercises rather than derived from a consistent framework. Technology Infrastructure and Competitive Position provides that missing framework. It begins by providing an overview of technology-based competition and the relevant issues. A conceptual model is developed that emphasizes the roles and impacts of the supporting infrastructure. Finally, the book addresses the interaction of corporate and governmental roles for providing technology infrastructure, some funding issues and mechanisms for cooperative planning and implementation.

The first in the readers' series called Resources for the Knowledge-Based Economy, Knowledge Management and Organizational Design is a unique compilation of articles and book excerpts that describe how the management of an organization shapes the levels of knowledge transfer, innovation and learning. The collection draws on fifty years of management thinking and presents key issues facing knowledge-intensive organizations. The selections are concise, clearly written and present a rich framework of examples drawn from real management experience. Arranged thematically, the chapters discuss decision-making, organization structure, innovation, strategic alliances, managing knowledge workers and power relations. Represented in this volume are the ideas of influential academics including the late economist Frederick Hayek and French sociologist Michael Crozier, as well as world-renowned management thinkers such as Harvard Business School Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Charles Handy.

Turbulence is not new to the business world. In fact, the turbulence is increasing and managers are seeing teams spinning their wheels. But now there is a book that addresses these realities-Problem Solving for Results. Management systems are in a state of crisis and operations are more complex. The old top-down operations mode no longer suffices. Today's businesses demand speed and increased accuracy, forcing everyone to re-evaluate chains of command and tear down the walls between functions. Amid the responsibilities of traditional management lies problem solving. The push is toward moving decision-making authority down the ladder to all levels. Managers are no longer equipped to or capable of making the number and variety of necessary decisions in a vacuum. The current mode is to have employees deal directly with workplace issues and take corrective action without complaint and without management involvement. Coping with this reality and preparation for these improvements in workplace problem solving requires interest and motivation. Problem Solving for Results can facilitate this by demystifying and simplifying the process. This book bridges philosophy and theory and puts together a practical integration of all the tools necessary to get results from your investment of time, energy, and money.

Ever wondered what motivation is, and why organizations do not and cannot - until now - measure it? James Sale tackles the question of what motivation is, why we need it and what happens when we don't have it. He defines and measures motivation from an individual, team and, most critically, organizational or workplace point of view and he introduces the reader to the core concepts of how it relates to fundamental issues such as performance and productivity, and its role in a number of key management functions: team building, performance appraisal, leadership development, engagement and change management. Motivation is a core aspect of all people development initiatives and programmes - if we wish them to succeed. Based on over ten years of research into motivation and performance, James created Motivational Maps, the first and only accurate diagnostic tool that describes, measures, monitors and maximizes motivation and performance through an easy, simple to use, online questionnaire that takes only 10 minutes to complete, and which readers have access to. Mapping Motivation, therefore, is the definitive book on motivation, its language and metrics, written by its creator are full of knowledge, insight and practical tips; this will appeal to leaders, managers, HR specialists, trainers, coaches, consultants and visionaries around the world, who wish to engage with people development and productivity in a new, dynamic way.

Grounded in research: Based on a vast original data set that provides richness in understanding pragmatic ways of managing actual and near-miss incidents, guaranteeing both validity and applicability Pragmatic: Grounded in the reality and practice of managers and conveyed in a practical manner with a consistent view to implementation Contemporary: Taps into the current interest in holistic systems that are responsive to change rather than rigid, deterministic frameworks Reflective: Includes ample sections that drive self-reflection, driven not by what managers "should" do, but by what they could and would do.

The book covers Oriental management theories as well as their applications; research on positivism; long-term focus; exclusive interviews and accumulating first-hand data, etc. It also addresses the following topics: Chinese family businesses that have survived for more than one hundred years(e.g. INFINITUS, Beijing TRT); Chinese enterprises and firms that follow the oriental management culture serve as the dynamic engines to the 2nd largest economic entity in the world (e.g., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Mengniu Dairy Gr., Hainan Airlines and so on); Eastern and western managerial cultures that have been growing within Chinese businesses(e.g., Hainan Airlines, INFINITUS); Varied schools such as Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, legalism, Military Strategists, Mohist School remain vital but at the same time Chinese businesses and firms welcome and extract the essence of western managerial civilization rather than reject it, etc. These areas will be of particular interest to readers, and the purpose of the book is not only to acquaint the reader with China by providing information about Chinese businesses and firms, but also to provide a royal road to doing business with China as well as allowing them to learn about Chinese managerial wisdom.

This Handbook is a very timely contribution to organization and business studies. Most calls for longitudinal research are made in sections of published work that deal with limitations of the study or suggestions for further research. This book places longitudinal research methods at center stage. With its practical, hands-on approach it guides us how to design a longitudinal study in and around organizations - whether qualitative or quantitative - and how to implement it. I warmly recommend this Handbook to ambitious senior and junior researchers. It makes the commonly presented excuses for not undertaking longitudinal research completely redundant.' - Rebecca Piekkari, Aalto University, School of Business in Helsinki, Finland'This is a very timely book that fills an important gap in the field of research methods. So far very little attention has been paid to longitudinal research methods, while the usefulness of this type of research has often been discussed in many papers and conferences. Insights provided by scholars who have been doing this type of research provide useful guidelines for anyone interested in research methods from senior scholars to young researchers and PhD candidates. This volume will serve as an excellent complement to the existing range of books on research methods.' - Pervez Ghauri, King's College London, UK This innovative Handbook demonstrates that there is no single best approach to conducting longitudinal studies. At their best, longitudinal research designs yield rich, contextualized, multilevel and deep understanding of the studied phenomenon. The lack of resources in terms of time, funding and people can pose a serious challenge to conducting longitudinal research. This book tackles many of these challenges and discusses the role of longitudinal research programmes in overcoming such obstacles. This book shows how longitudinal research methods enable the understanding of dynamics, mechanisms, causalities and interrelationships of organizational and business concepts in context and in relation to time. It discusses the richness and versatility of longitudinal research and offers, to students and experienced scholars alike, numerous viewpoints, reflections and personal accounts about conducting longitudinal research, from planning and fieldwork to reporting and managing of research projects. Contributors: L. Aarikka-Stenroos, E.A. Alfoldi, P. Dawson, P. Eriksson, A. Halinen, M.E. Hassett, R. Hoy, T.D. Little, T. Mainela, C. Mari, O. Meglio, M.-J. Oesterle, E. Paavilainen-Mantymaki, Y. Ploudre, M. Rhemtulla, H.N. Richta, M.A. Sartor, J.P. Selig, T.W. Taris, Z. Vincze, C. Welch

Organizations in modern business settings invest significant time and resources into training employees. By implementing new techniques and methods, business training programs can be optimized and contribute to overall competitive advantage. Training Initiatives and Strategies for the Modern Workforce is a comprehensive reference source for emerging perspectives on bringing evaluation training theory into practice, modifying practices based on the experiences of others, and applying new tools to improve trainings and evaluations. Featuring innovative coverage across relevant topics, such as business metrics, return on investment, and transfer of learning, this book is ideally designed for professionals, business educators, graduate students, practitioners and researchers actively involved in business environments.

This volume offers a holistic, empirically grounded examination of the factors which influence educational leaders' ethical judgments in their day-to-day work in schools. Drawing on a range of quantitative studies, the text utilizes organizational psychology to explore multiple ethical paradigms. It considers social aspects including ethnicity, gender, hegemony-minority relations, and leadership styles which influence and drive ethical judgment patterns employed by educators and principals. The book ultimately demonstrates the Ethical Perspectives Instrument (EPI) as an effective tool for the assessment of various ethical viewpoints and their interactions, suitable for application to diverse cultures and socio-educational circumstances. An important study of the leaders' ethics and preparation in handling marginalized populations, this book will be valuable for academics, researchers, and graduate students working in the fields of educational leadership, organizational psychology, and the sociology of education.

This book trailblazes co-evolution approaches which have been prototyped and tried out by the authors, with global academic and practitioner backgrounds. It was devised to help humanity, people, perceived as complex adaptive systems, to self-organize, co-create, and manage complexity, by showcasing with own example, as individuals and open networks. The book bundles main components needed for facilitation in complexity, while each chapter covers conceptual solutions for specific complexity strategies, tactics, operations - projects. These solutions serve as blueprints and roadmaps, providing approaches for practitioners and researchers alike. The main features incorporated in all the approaches are transcending silos and organizational hierarchies toward a borderless collaboration between diverse stakeholders with dynamic roles and accountabilities regarding purposes, missions and solutions. The book includes suggestions for strategic, tactical and operational managerial and governance approaches for disruptive, short-term, innovative, open, large-scale engagements where rapid onboarding, situational awareness, innovation and innovation in context, and action are expected while fast facilitation, dynamic reconfiguration, and self-organization are required. It also describes how long-term sustained co-creative action needs to be facilitated, to adapt to external and internal complexity dynamics while initiating positive change. This book showcases how co-creation and co-dreaming emerge with co-evolution. Chapters 1, 2, and 11 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book is a timely guide on what constitutes effective leadership in Africa. It explores how today's leaders in Africa perceive their role, the challenges they experience, and how they operate effectively as leaders. In the era of globalization, there is an increasing need to offer guidance on how leaders can adjust their leadership style to suit situational contexts. Drawing on case study and survey data, this book illustrates to scholars and leaders worldwide the vision of leadership that is emerging in Africa. It will contribute to the development of a new community of global leaders, integrating cutting-edge knowledge on leadership development in Africa.

This book investigates whether and why social structure influences cooperative organizational strategic decision making in an international relations context. It looks in particular at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Organizational Behavior provides the information you want, when you want it. Reflecting the most recent research and events within the field of OB, the 19th Edition continues its hallmark focus on clear writing, cutting-edge content, and intuitive pedagogy. There's a reason why Robbins's textbooks have educated millions of students and have been translated into 20 languages: because of a commitment to provide engaging, cutting-edge material that helps you understand and connect with this important field of study. This print textbook is available for students to rent for their classes. The Pearson print rental program provides students with affordable access to learning materials, so they come to class ready to succeed.

Mergers, acquisitions, and alliances continue to be almost an everyday feature of the contemporary business scene, yet at least half prove to be unsuccessful. The authors show the contribution that psychology can make to our understanding of the merger phenomena - how it affects organizational performance, and how it affects the managers and employees involved. Mergers, Acquisitions and Strategic Alliances is intended as a guide to successful organizational marriage. Great emphasis is placed on the issue of cultural compatibility as it concerns partner selection, integration practices and venture outcomes. The book also focuses on cross-national mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. With the increasing economic activity within the European Union and between the unions of other countries, there is a need to know more about the corporate and national cultures in these strategic alliances. The authors have drawn upon an extensive body of research based on recent cases in a wide cross section of industries across Europe.The book is unique in showing the actual effect mergers and acquisitions have on people, and consequently on the performance of the 'new' organization. It will be particularly relevant for decision makers - those who are involved in planning and implementing a large organizational change, and those responsible for ensuring successful integration afterwards. It would also be extremely useful for postgraduate management students, personnel executives and management consultants.

From cathedrals to cubicles, people go to great lengths and expense to design their living and working environments. They want their spaces to be places where they enjoy being, reflecting who they are and what they care about. The resultant environments in turn become loud, albeit unvocal, leaders for people occupying those corresponding spaces. The design and use of work and living spaces typifies and thematizes expectations for the group. Essentially, the architecture of rooms, buildings and cities creates cultures by conveying explicit and implicit messages. This is evident when people approach and walk into St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, the Jewish Museum in Berlin, or the Rothko Chapel in Houston, to name some examples. While leaders oftentimes lack the resources to have their spaces mirror the greatest architectural achievements of the world, they are in a position to use the art and science of architecture, at whatever scale is available, to their advantage. The creative and intentional use of space and place advances and promotes cherished values and enhances organizational effectiveness. This book explores the essence of good architecture and establishes relevant connections for leaders and managers to strategically design and use the organizational workplace and space to support their mission and purpose, and create aesthetically meaningful work environments. It equips leaders to be culturally astute on what defines good architecture and to incorporate principles of beauty in their leadership practices accordingly and will be of interest to researchers, academics, professionals, and students in the fields of leadership, organizational studies, and architecture theory and practice.