This book offers a thoroughly researched and accessibly written account of the John Lewis Partnership. It describes what the JLP is, how it works, and what other businesses can learn from it. The US/UK model of the firm, with its emphasis on shareholder value and its openness to the market in the buying and selling of businesses, is prone to a number of problematic consequences for employees, suppliers, and sometimes share-holders. The JLP represents a contrast to this model - one that has implications beyond the small niche of mutually-owned firms. The JLP has lessons for organizations that are unlikely to move towards the Partnership's distinctive shared ownership. This book identifies these lessons. The key questions addressed include: how does the JLP work in practice? What is the link between co-ownership, the JLP employment model, and the performance of the businesses? What is the role of management in the success of John Lewis and Waitrose? Are mutuality, co-ownership and business performance at odds? What is the significance of democracy within the JLP? And probably most significantly: what are the implications, for policy-makers and for economic agents of the JLP? This book is based on detailed knowledge of the JLP and its constituent business gathered by the authors over a fifteen year period. Their conclusion: that the JLP is more complex, even more impressive, and more interesting than its admirers realise.

Despite sweeping changes in organisational theory and practice, most productive activity still takes place within organisations. This volume makes it clear that despite waves of change, organisational theory remains vially relevant to todays student of business. This book introduces the student to classic debates and new perspectives on organisations through a wide ranging but approachable selection of readings. It: considers why organisations matter to employees and customers discusses theories of the organisation as a mode of empowerment and of control Examining these theories in the light of current programmes of organisational change, gives the book a case study element that will be invaluable for teaching and learning

Despite sweeping changes in business practice, this volume demonstrates that organizational theory remains vitally relevant to students of business. This book introduces classic debates and new perspectives through a wide ranging but approachable selection of readings on organizations. Section one discusses what the modern business organization is like and why this matters. The second section explores the historical development of the organization and the closely interrelated development theories to explain organizations. Section three explores the issue of organizational change. The volume includes contributions from Paul Kennedy, C. Wright Mills and Richard Sennett.

Despite sweeping changes in organisational theory and practice, most productive activity still takes place within organisations. This volume makes it clear that despite waves of change, organisational theory remains vially relevant to todays student of business. This book introduces the student to classic debates and new perspectives on organisations through a wide ranging but approachable selection of readings. It:
considers why organisations matter to employees and customers
discusses theories of the organisation as a mode of empowerment and of control
Examining these theories in the light of current programmes of organisational change, gives the book a case study element that will be invaluable for teaching and learning

The diverse topics in this volume bring together developments in the field of organization studies. Although the approaches are by no means undifferentiated the articles share a commitment to a revitalized organizational analysis, an historically based analysis and one which attempts to understand the structure and impact of organizations in terms of the location of these organizations within structure of class and power.

The diverse topics in this volume bring together developments in the field of organization studies. Although the approaches are by no means undifferentiated the articles share a commitment to a revitalized organizational analysis, an historically based analysis and one which attempts to understand the structure and impact of organizations in terms of the location of these organizations within structure of class and power.

Few would disagree with the principle that successful achievement of an organization's overall strategic objectives is bound up with the design and implementation of appropriate human resource strategies (HRS). Yet many questions remain about what is entailed in implementing effective HRS. This volume brings together a range of outstanding contributions which explore not only the advantages but also the complexities of a strategic approach to human resource management. Deliberately broad in scope to reflect the organization-wide ramifications of HRS, combining theoretical analyses alongside case studies of HRS in practice, the book offers a fascinating review of this crucial topic. The book begins by addressing key themes and debates within the field about the nature and role of human resource management. Succeeding sections then focus on three core organizational arenas inevitably implicated in strategic human resource management - organizational structure, culture and personnel strategies. Human Resource Strategies is a Course Reader for the Open University Course B884 Human Resource Strategies.

This book is concerned with the relationship between a man's work and his leisure time, in its broadest sense. At the opposite extreme to the 'instrumental' attitude, where the worker keeps his work and leisure time completely separate, is the close involvement in work and the correspondingly close relationship between working and non-working identities characteristic of 'occupational communities'. This 1974 book attempts to define the concept. After a survey of the theoretical background, Dr. Salaman presents a model of what an occupational community is and the reasons for its existence. The following chapters consist of empirical discussions on some specific examples. There is a detailed comparison between Cambridge railwaymen and architects. Dr Salaman draws the conclusion that occupational communities may be of two sorts - one based on the occupation as a whole, the other on a particular local workplace - and this distinction has considerable implications for the sociology of work.

The Second Edition of this highly successful course reader provides a comprehensive, contemporary and critical review of the key issues in strategic human resource management. The book draws upon the work of some of the most influential and insightful writers on the subject of the strategic management of people in organizations. Through a series of carefully edited articles, students can explore current thinking on topics as diverse as performance, pay, process reengineering, structure, ethics, culture, change and leadership. This volume moves beyond strategic human resource management from the perspective of the policy setter. The book informs but also questions and, while recognising the legitimacy and importance of management perspectives, also captures the experience of workers on the receiving end of strategic initiatives. Students will be encouraged to consider core issues and difficult questions, such as: " How should employees respond to the missionary zeal of their employers? " How can we explain the increasing influence of gangmasters? " What are the effects of management training on the identities of managers? " Has strategic HRM been transformed from a model of commitment to one of exploitation? Strategic Human Resource Management has been designed to meet the needs of course teaching at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is an invaluable text that will help define the complex agenda of human resource management, strategy and organisations for students.

Few would disagree with the principle that successful achievement of an organization's overall strategic objectives is bound up with the design and implementation of appropriate human resource strategies (HRS). Yet many questions remain about what is entailed in implementing effective HRS. This volume brings together a range of outstanding contributions which explore not only the advantages but also the complexities of a strategic approach to human resource management. Deliberately broad in scope to reflect the organization-wide ramifications of HRS, combining theoretical analyses alongside case studies of HRS in practice, the book offers a fascinating review of this crucial topic. The book begins by addressing key themes and debates within the field about the nature and role of human resource management. Succeeding sections then focus on three core organizational arenas inevitably implicated in strategic human resource management - organizational structure, culture and personnel strategies. Human Resource Strategies is a Course Reader for the Open University Course B884 Human Resource Strategies.

Decision making is critical to organizational performance and central to any understanding of organizations. The decisions made by an organization to determine (or justify) actions taken, and reveal how organizations think. Students of business need to understand how decisions are made and what factors impinge on the processes and outputs of decision making.

Decision Making for Business gathers crucial contributions to our understanding of decision making and assembles them to form a coherent and sustained analysis of the key factors that influence the process. The selected articles are stimulating, provocative and analytical, resulting in a critical, comprehensive and innovative analysis of decision making.

The book includes theoretical insights into decision making. It provides empirical examples of decision making and explanations of decision making processes. The volume draws on classical contributions to decision making and more recent developments in the theory of organizational process and structure. Explanations are organized in four categories:

• The anatomy of decision making
• Understanding decision making
• Thinking in organizations
• Societal context of organizational decision making

Decision Making for Business is intended for students taking courses in strategy and decision making, organizational analysis, the sociology of work, at undergraduate and MBA levels, and will also be an excellent resource for masters and postgraduate students. The Reader is in a series of three (alongside Strategy for Business and Policy Issues for Business) which constitutes the main teaching texts of the Open University undergraduate course Business Behavior in a Changing World.