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Books > Business & Economics > Business & management > Management & management techniques > Organizational theory & behaviour
With the decline of collective regulation and the mushrooming of
statutory rights in the developed world over the past half-century,
individual workplace disputes are now often resolved by the civil
courts, by labour courts, by administrative bodies or by
arbitration. The nature and operation of these institutions,
however, have been largely ignored in the employment literature and
this book, by focusing on the institutional architecture itself,
fills this gap.
Mary P. Follett (1868-1933) brought new dimensions to the theory and practice of management and was one of America's preeminent thinkers about democracy and social organization. The ideas Follett developed in the early twentieth century continue even today to challenge thinking about business and civic concerns. This book, the first biography of Follett, illuminates the life of this intriguing woman and reveals how she developed her farsighted theories about the organization of human relations. Out of twenty years of civic work in Boston's immigrant neighborhoods, Follett developed ideas about the group basis of democracy and the foundations of social interaction that placed her among leading progressive intellectuals. Later in her career, she delivered influential lectures on business management that form the basis of our contemporary discourse about collaborative leadership, worker empowerment, self-managed teams, conflict resolution, the value of inclusivity and diversity, and corporate social responsibility.
This textbook was inspired by an undergraduate elective course given on virtual organizations and technology. The instructor could not find a suitable text that covered both the organizational and technological aspects including examples based on today's industry. Other books were either too strategic or too technical for an audience of undergraduate business and technology students who were to use the book. But why was that the case? For the same reason that business and IT people in industry tended not to speak the same "language": indeed, the integration of technology into business strategy has been a recent occurrence, and traditional strategy issues have been decided too high in the organizational structure while technology was too detailed in tactical implementation. With the Internet and the advent of e-commerce, m-commerce, and c-commerce (and the other letters of the alphabet soon to follow), business and technology finally started to become closer, and the interest in technology as an enabler for strategic business decision-making evolved into a mainstream concept. How are we defining a virtual organization? Most definitions of the concept of virtual organizations start with stating that it is "a network between organisations or individuals . . . ". The Oxford Concise Dictionary defines 'virtual' as: "that is such/or practical purposes, though not in name or according to a strict definition. " An organization may be thought of as a number of individuals systematically united for some end or work.
STEP is a job analysis-based human resource management system that was specifically developed, over more than two decades of research at the Human Resources Center of The University of Chicago, for higher-level positions in business and industrial organizations. Currently in use by major American corporations, the system is time -and cost-effective since it provides a common base for the coordination of a wide variety of human resource procedures including selection, placement, the identification of training needs, promotion, and succession planning. The system is unique in that it provides, after a single administration, estimates of potential for successful performance and assessments of the level of acquired skill in the functions to be performed, not only in the present (target) position but for all vertically and horizontally linked positions in a job classification matrix that covers the vast majority of higher-level personnel. The first chapter of the book positions the STEP system with respect to current thinking in industrial-organizational psychology, briefly describes the rationale for the two interlocking measurement subsystems on which it is based, provides an empirical definition of potential, and identifies the higher-level population to which it can be applied. Chapter 2 and 3 give a review of job analysis procedures, describe the development of a job analysis instrument for the system, and discuss its applications for human resource management. Chapters 4 and 5 follow the same pattern of review, development, and application for a managerial and professional test battery. Chapter 6 thoroughly explores the systeM's reliability and validity. Chapter 7 provides very practical instructions for a wide array of human resource applications, and Chapter 8 is devoted to one of its applications, the career counseling conference. The final chapter describes how the STEP program will help human resource professionals face the challenges of the coming decades successfully. The book should be of interest to both teaching faculty and knowledgeable practitioners in industrial-organizational psychology.
This is the first of two books in honour of Brian Loasby which simultaneously pay tribute to the contributions he has made to economics and extend the realm of Loasby-inspired economics. The book includes new contributions from an internationally acclaimed group of authors including Israel Kirzner, Peter Swann, Giovanni Dosi, Peter Groenewegen, Richard Langlois and Don Lamberton. Together, they draw on and extend Brian Loasby's work in developing and applying theories of organization and knowledge. The book opens with an introduction to Brian Loasby's career, influences and research. This is followed by an examination of issues raised by the analysis of markets and entrepreneurial behaviour, focusing on Marshallian and Austrian approaches. In the middle of the volume the human action theme is maintained but the focus is shifted onto the dynamics of consumer demand. The final group of chapters apply a history of economic thought perspective to problems of information and knowledge, and aspects of scale and internal organization. Economic Organization and Economic Knowledge will be welcomed by those economists working in the areas of microeconomics particularly markets, innovation, the theory of the firm, consumption, information and knowledge and competition.
"Communication as Organizing "unites multiple reflections on the
role of language under a single rubric: the organizing role of
communication. Stemming from Jim Taylor's earlier work, "The
Emergent Organization: Communication as Its Site and Surface "(LEA,
2000), the volume editors present a communicational answer to the
question, "what is an organization?" through contributions from an
international set of scholars and researchers. The chapter authors
synthesize various lines of research on constituting organizations
through communication, describing their explorations of the
relation between language, human practice, and the constitution of
organizational forms. Each chapter develops a dimension of the
central theme, showing how such concepts as agency, identity,
sensemaking, narrative and account may be put to work in discursive
analysis to develop effective research into organizing processes.
The contributions employ concrete examples to show how the
theoretical concepts can be employed to develop effective research.
"Creativity and Innovation in Organizational Teams" stemmed from a
conference held at the Kellogg School of Management in June 2003
covering creativity and innovation in groups and organizations.
Each chapter of the book is written by an expert and covers
original theory about creative processes in organizations. The
organization of the text reflects a longstanding notion that
creativity in the world of work is a joint outcome of three
interdependent forces--individual thinking, group processes, and
organizational environment.
The book describes and analyses the new environment for innovation, it does this with an emphasis on yet uncharted regions within the field of practice-based innovation, coming up with guidelines for innovation policy measures needed in order to realise this. While it focuses on these policies it also takes into account multi-actor innovation processes, user-driven innovation, "related variety" and many other aspects; aspects such as, just to name a few: communicating creative processes and distributing practice-based innovation; then there is creativity itself, encompassing new fields of knowledge and expertise. The authors go on to describe value networks, showing how to make practice-based innovations, explaining innovation diffusion and absorptive capacity. The book presents new insights as well as the latest research related to the frequently used term "innovation". Definitions are put forward, giving, by way of examples, a detailed description of concepts we draw upon when using these. Innovation as a concept is constantly being subdivided into increasingly finer distinctions, which, in turn, determine the discourse. The book takes a close look at these, further taking into account the challenges as well as the opportunities inherent in developing practice-based innovation procedures and policies of global importance, never losing sight of advancing long-term effectiveness.
We live in a world ruled by standards. From toys and computers to corporate social responsibility, from the drycleaner in Nairobi to the Swedish radiation safety authority - international standards specify almost all aspects of society. This book questions how this is made possible. Standards need support in order to work and Ingrid Gustafsson explores how a control regime built on standards, certifications and accreditations can emerge over time and grow global. The global control regime is nurtured mainly by the questions connected to globalization: how can we trust things from other parts of the world? While resting on buzzwords such as 'trust' and 'confidence', the global control regime leaves us with a faceless bureaucratic system with no name and no one in charge. This has severe consequences for responsibility: if no one is in charge, then no one is to be held accountable for how standards rule the world. This is particularly pertinent because the author shows how states are embedded in standards to a much higher degree than previous research has shown. Offering in depth analysis, this book will be enjoyed by scholars and researchers of organizational theory, global governance and public administration.
Schell and Lanteigne provide a clear, objective, responsible, and readable analysis of the facts of stalking crimes against people in the workplace -- and a practical guide to protecting the organization against them. The authors have taken as their purpose the task of helping to reduce the potential for workplace and personal tragedies. They not only make people aware of the stalking cycle and the stages commonly found in stalking incidents, but they give ways to prevent the cycle from escalating into disaster. Their goal is to help organizations develop policies and strategies to identify and suppress stalking before it's too late. Their book is unique in several ways: it expands on other presentations of the topic; it goes into detail about how stalking victims act and react and why they deny that stalking is happening to them, and it provides clinical insights into the ways stalkers think and behave -- and why. Schell and Lanteigne differentiate sexual harrassment incidents from stalking. Their theme: If there is a stalking problem, it needs to be identified and corrected early. They detail various interventions proposed by experts in forensic psychiatry, law enforcement and security, and human resource management. With numerous case histories of real-life stalking incidents and responses from victims and their organizations' management, the authors make clear what can go wrong with an inappropriate intervention, and what individuals, businesses, and organizations can do to turn a psychologically devastating and potentially life threatening situation around. Their red flag indicators help readers to understand that a stalking crime may be happening to them. The authors also give readers and their supervisors the resources they need to deal with it. The result is an important contribution to the literature on a growing, extremely dangerous crime in today's organizations, and an essential resource for executives and managers who are compelled to cope with it.
5 care reforms. Part II: Price Regulation The second partofthis volume examines the role ofprice regulation in controlling health care costs. It contains three chapters. In chapter seven, I examine the alternatives for regulating pharmaceutical prices. In chapter eight, Jack Hadley examines the impactofvarious forms ofhospital price regulation; while in chapter nine, MarkPaulyexaminestheroleofpriceregulation incontrollingphysician fees. Chapter seven focuses on the issue of regulating pharmaceutical prices. There are two key issues examined in this paper. First, is there a clear need for price regulation, and second, can price regulation work in this industry? In response to the first question, I come to the conclusion that the proponents ofprice regulation have not really proven their case. Although the financial returns in the pharmaceu tical industry have been slightly higher than expected during the 1970s and 1980s, there is not overwhelming evidence of"price gouging" or excessive profits on the part of the industry. In response to the second question, the answer is clearly no. The traditional approaches to price regulation will not have the intended affect of eliminating excess profits from the industry while maintaining the incentives for research and development. First, rate-of-return regulation, the most natural approach, would result in many adverse incentives-includingexcessive investment in research and developmentinorderto inflatetheratebaseused tocalculatedtheallowablereturns."
The Research in Organizational Change and Development series is an
outlet for cutting edge conceptual and empirical scholarly
contributions that have the capacity to shape research and
practice. The field of organizational change and development
continues to evolve rapidly, as the demand for rapid and effective
organizational transformation has increased. It is more important
that ever that scholars address topics such as increasing
intervention effectiveness, managing emotional issues raised during
change, measuring the impact of change, and improving the methods
we use to conduct research on organizational change.
How an organization works is largely a function of what it knows-i.e., the collective knowledge about all aspects of the enterprise, from competitive intelligence to formal systems and policies to the ways in which individuals solve problems and share their expertise. Organizational knowledge is not to be found in manuals and web sites, but in the day-to-day interactions among employees, suppliers, customers, investors, and other stakeholders. How Organizations Remember is based on a 10-month study of a technology firm with locations in three countries (Australia, US, and Ireland); the company has undergone rapid growth and expansion, which have had a profound impact on power structures and organizational culture, and hence, on the ways in which knowledge is created and disseminated. The author discovered that what is remembered is diverse, and of differing value within and across the organization. How knowledge is remembered is equally diverse, and ranges from computer files to cartoons on the wall, from stories to the way objects are placed on a desk. Knowledge is influenced by external influences as well as internal influences; knowledge may become a competitive advantage, but may also contribute to inertia. The book combines theoretical perspectives and empirical findings to generate insights that contribute to both research and practice in organizational learning, innovation, culture, and behavior.
The purpose of Projects as Business Constituents and Guiding Motives is to describe and analyse the roles that projects play in business. The editors, authors and researchers are convinced that projects are of significant importance at virtually every level of society, even though companies are the focus of this book. Projects are not merely conspicuous components of businesses, they in fact signal what businesses are all about. As you will see from some of the contributions to this book, these signals come in different forms and have different effects. Thus the various contributions to this book also mirror a kind of uncertainty as to what this phenomenon that is called project is all about. Rather than trying to define what it really is', the editors have opted for the alternative, namely to let some of the variation be replicated in the different contributions. One important reason for the variations is that each author wants to stress a different aspect of projectisation. The editors illustrate some of the variations as they appear in the minds of researchers and in the minds of those who work with projects every day. They believe that they do greater justice to the field by taking this stance at this stage in the evolution of project management. The book is structured in four sections. The first section includes four chapters elaborating on various aspects of the roles projects play for shareholders, for management, for the global scene, and for the more or less continuous reorganising efforts that characterise most industries at the present time. The second section deals with how projects fit in with traditional business processes and the challenges that face project management as well as the generic business procedures. The third section brings forward some of the most essential matters when it comes to the future of business organisations. Innovation projects have a completely different character compared to traditional projects, and when entire industries go through thorough transformations, attending to project matters will be part of that change. One of the most often-repeated statements in business is that people matter; in the last section that statement is scrutinised in a projectised environment. This volume has a wide international selection of authors. Eight different nationalities are represented. The collection is relevant to academics in business administration, project management and organisation behaviour. It should also appeal to a significant secondary audience: professionals in project management, business strategy and organisation.
This is a state-of-the-science book about organizational justice,
which is the study of people's perception of fairness in
organizations. The volume's contributors, all acknowledged leaders
in this burgeoning field, present new theoretical positions,
clarify existing paradigms, and identify future areas of
application.
In an increasingly superficial and disconnected world, Jungian psychology offers a more soulful alternative. It provides a frame within which we can more easily notice and understand the voice of the unconscious and its implications, allowing us to build deeper relationships and lead more meaningful lives. In this book, Laurence Barrett explores the fundamental principles and structures of Jung's model of the mind and considers ways in which these may be applied and extended to a modern coaching and consulting practice. It offers a deep but accessible insight to Jungian theory, supported by a wealth of source materials and rich examples from the author's own work and experience. A Jungian Approach to Coaching will help experienced coaches to better support individuals, groups, and organizations, in a rediscovery of their humanity and their potential. It will help turn leaders into people.
This monograph is concerned with the determination of the allowed rate ofreturn in rate cases which, in part, determines the rates ofcharge to customers of public utilities. Rate of return determination has been a central topic in utility regulation for a century. Recent changes in the traditionally regulated markets - electricity, gas, and telephone - have shoved discussion of rate of return determination into the background, replacing it by technology changes, competition, downsizing, deregulation, and reg'ulatory incentive systems. These new issues have made the regula tory sector, which had the reputation of being stodgy and uninteresting, an exciting field ofstudy. But rate ofreturn is not dead. It will playa key role in whatever the new structure ofthe regulated sector. Separating generation from transmis sion and distribution will not eliminate the need for rate of return analysis in the electric utility industry. Rather, it may well increase the number of companies for which the rate of return needs to be determined. It will playa fundamental role in the new regulatory environment. Incentive systems in the regulated sector may be the wave of the future but they will use the required rate ofreturn as a benchmark. Rate case will persist. Most rate cases include opposing testimony as to the "fair" rate of return or even the cost ofcapital for a public utility whose rates are at issue."
In introducing this first volume of a series exploring issues in managing complexity, Richardson (Institute for the Study of Coherence and Emergence) contends that no one has yet developed a reliable skill set for learning from the noise of complex systems. In 30 papers, multidisciplinary international contributors analyze complex organizations,
Occupational welfare is a distinctive solution to contemporary
social policy dilemmas. Though it plays a substantial role in many
countries, especially in pension provision, occupational welfare
and its subtle links to the welfare state have been largely
neglected by social scientists. This book, a collaborative effort
by a distinguished group of experts, offers in-depth studies of
occupational welfare in the US and Scandinavia. These chapters are
complemented by discussions of two partially contrasting cases
(Canada and Japan), an introductory overview, and a concluding
comparative analysis.
The Spanish Conference of Industrial Engineering /Ingenieria de Organizacion Industrial (CIO) is an annual meeting promoted by Asociacion para el Desarrollo de la Ingenieria de Organizacion/ Industrial Engineers Association (ADINGOR). The aim of CIO is to establish a forum for the open and free exchange of ideas, opinions and academic experiences about research, technology transfer or successful business experiences in the field of Industrial Engineering. The Scientific Committee is composed by 68 international referees and we foresee the attendance of some 200 people from more than 15 countries and following the rotation of venue and organization between various Spanish universities, the 2011 Conference will be the fifteenth National Conference and the fifth International Conference in Cartagena. During three days the 2011 Conference will include the participation of European and other foreign countries researchers and practitioners that will presenting communications, reproduced in this volume, on a range of topics including: Production and Operations Business Management Supply Chain Management Economic environment Technological and Organizational Innovation and Management and Innovation in Education The Conference on Industrial Engineering (CIO) and its proceedings are an excellent platform for the dissemination of the outputs of the scientific projects developed in the frame of the European, national or regional Research and Development plans.
Creativity, innovation and change are vital to the development and sustainability of all organizations. Yet, questions remain about exactly how novelty comes about, and what dynamic processes are involved in its emergence? Ideas of emergence and process, drawn from a variety of different philosophic traditions, have been the focus of increasing attention in management and organization studies. These issues are brought to bear on novelty and innovation in this volume by examining new organizational and product development processes, whether planned or unplanned. The contributions in this volume offer both theoretical insights and empirical studies on, inter alia, innovation, music technology, haute cuisine, pharmaceuticals and theatre improvisation. In doing so, they throw light on the importance of emergence, improvisation and learning in organizations, and how both practitioners and scholars alike can best understand their own assumptions about process. In addition, the volume includes general essays on process perspectives in organization studies.
This volume unifies central parts of organization and management theory that have thus far been fragmented and unconnected. It integrates prior research on organizational types and transitions, and also spawns a number of incipient theories about organizational transformations. The book develops the framework of a "symbolic economy" in which organizations are viewed as fundamentally concerned with symbol-processing devices. A key notion is "planning cultures" - global mental representations of an organization, or collective frames of mind expressing different levels of strategic capacity. Organizational transitions are seen as movements on a buckled or warped field between seven different planning cultures, motivated by the need to economize on "social energy." This field is shaped by various transforming factors, most notably uncertainty and pressure.
The issue of costing and pricing in the telecommunications industry has been hotly debated for the last twenty years and we are still wrestling over the cost of the local exchange for access by interexchange and competitive local exchange carriers, as well as for universal service funding. With the advent of competition, the historical costing schemes had to change. Federal regulators wanted to ensure that monopoly rates did not subsidize competitive offerings. As a result, various costing methodologies were devised to allocate costs among the dominant carriers' services. The issue of costs can be summarized as two-fold: the quantitative determination of the level of costs and the proper attribution of those costs. Both are fraught with questions. The amount of costs, for instance, can vary from book costs to marginal costs. The attribution of costs can vary from those that are directly attributable to those that are joint and common. Hence, the need for costing theories and models. The industry is constantly in search of theories and models that more accurately reflect the underlying costs of service. It is in this light that the papers have been compiled for The New Investment Theory of Real Options in Telecommunications. Real options theory attempts to consider management's flexibility in valuation analysis and corrects the deficiencies of the traditional discounted present-value and decision tree analyses. This book sets forth an introduction and overview of the subject, and then provides the reader with a primer on real options. The volume highlights the controversies that surround the application of real options in the telecommunications industry; however, the editors haveeffectively separated the issues of application from those of interpretation. |
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