This book sheds light on 'hidden' aspects of management theory by questioning its moral foundations: ethical and moral principles tend to become over time, deeply embedded, if not buried, in the intellectual and disciplinary subfields of management, particularly when the latter vie for scientific status. In the process, they often become invisible or indecipherable both to those who advance and diffuse knowledge as well as to those who receive, interpret and apply it. The contributors to this book explore in various subfields of management thought a number of important moral and ethical issues. What is the definition of 'good behaviour' - and hence of 'bad behaviour' - implicit behind the theories we use and produce? Can we find, historically, a trace of moral and ethical dilemmas and debates in those intellectual subfields that tend to posture today as morally neutral? What is the conception of human nature and social reality embedded in modern management thought and theories? How do those implicit and hidden cognitive schemes influence the development of research and knowledge in those various subfields? How do they prevent certain issues from emerging? How do they shape debates, practices and beliefs - leaving little room to approach the world differently and to depart from mainstream perspectives? This unique treatment of the moral foundations of knowledge management will provide a stimulating read for academics, students and professionals focusing on business and management, business administration, sociology, organizational behaviour and moral philosophy.

The contemporary context of unemployment and its political ramifications have made working time a highly topical and sensitive issue, not merely in the EU, but also in other areas of the global labor market. This illuminating book reviews the traditional doctrines concerning working time that are influencing political and intellectual attitudes. The authors illustrate how tools of microeconomic analysis must be modified to explain better the terms of contemporary labor contracts. They introduce powerful concepts such as a generalized production function, cost structure, compensating wage and trade union negotiation, to highlight the scope for political intervention on working time. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of legal time reductions as an employment policy. Taking into consideration new research and renewed political debate, this is an exhaustive text grounded in historical perspective and contemporary facts. By focusing on working time as a central issue of modern societies, this important book will be an invaluable text for scholars as well as decision-makers in the areas of industrial and labor economics.

This book sheds light on 'hidden' aspects of management theory by questioning its moral foundations: ethical and moral principles tend to become over time, deeply embedded, if not buried, in the intellectual and disciplinary subfields of management, particularly when the latter vie for scientific status. In the process, they often become invisible or indecipherable both to those who advance and diffuse knowledge as well as to those who receive, interpret and apply it. The contributors to this book explore in various subfields of management thought a number of important moral and ethical issues. What is the definition of 'good behaviour' - and hence of 'bad behaviour' - implicit behind the theories we use and produce? Can we find, historically, a trace of moral and ethical dilemmas and debates in those intellectual subfields that tend to posture today as morally neutral? What is the conception of human nature and social reality embedded in modern management thought and theories? How do those implicit and hidden cognitive schemes influence the development of research and knowledge in those various subfields? How do they prevent certain issues from emerging? How do they shape debates, practices and beliefs - leaving little room to approach the world differently and to depart from mainstream perspectives? This unique treatment of the moral foundations of knowledge management will provide a stimulating read for academics, students and professionals focusing on business and management, business administration, sociology, organizational behaviour and moral philosophy.