Critical Concepts in Management and Organization Studies


Book Description

Critical Concepts in Management and Organization Studies provides an accessible introduction to the key themes of critical management studies. An ideal companion for students studying critical management and organizations, it breaks down the complex language, concepts and philosophical underpinnings defining critical management studies.




Key Concepts in Critical Management Studies


Book Description

Ideal as an introduction and as a quick reference, Key Concepts in Critical Management Studies explores the essential concepts used within the field today. Specially edited and written by a range of international experts, key ideas are succinctly explained and illustrated beyond a simple definition. Further reading suggestions and cross-referencing provide the reader with means to develop their knowledge further. With over 50 entries, from Actor Network Theory to Utopianism, readers have instant access and explanation of the most influential concepts in CMS literature. Clear and engaging, this will provide strong support for all courses involving critical management and is a perfect resource for anyone with an interest in this field.




Studying Organization


Book Description

In response to the needs of lecturers, the acclaimed Handbook of Organization Studies has been made available as two major paperback textbooks. In this, the first of a two-volume paperback edition of the landmark Handbook of Organization Studies, editors Stewart Clegg and Cynthia Hardy survey the field of organization studies. Studying Organization is an ideal textbook around which to build courses on organization theory and research methodology. Central to the enterprise has been a concern to reflect and honour the manifest diversity of the field, including recognition of the extent to which the very notion of a single field of organization studies is debated. Part One locates the study of organization by reviewing some of the most significant theoretical paradigms to have shaped our understanding. The second part reflects on the relationships between theory and research in organization studies.




Organizational Management


Book Description

Organizational Management is ideal for readers who need to understand modern organizations. This book enables students to understand the key issues of organizational behaviour and how to take a critical approach when planning, leading and engaging a workforce and its resources. The book provides fresh perspectives on known models and critical theories on leadership, teams, performance management, employee engagement and change. The authors also offer the reader innovative approaches to leading-edge issues such as trust, internet use, generational trends, the use of the arts in organizations and leadership from a systemic perspective. Organizational Management draws on examples from the authors' international work across a range of business and industrial sectors, both public and private, and is supplemented by activities, revision questions, recommend reading and online resources to deepen learning. Rapid technological advances, constantly changing global environments and new kinds of workforce cultures mean that organizations are constantly being challenged. This book equips the reader with the ability to navigate this turbulent environment through both established and novel forms of organizational management. Online supporting resources for this book include summaries, diagrams and case study scenarios to help readers easily understand theories and contextualize experiences in the workplace




The Roots and Uses of Marketing Knowledge


Book Description

Marketing theory is often developed in isolation not collaboration; theoretical perspectives sometimes are ignorant of the diversity of marketing practice. In “The roots and uses of marketing knowledge: a critical inquiry into the theory and practice of marketing”, the author engages with the vital conversation about how marketing knowledge is created, disseminated and consumed, looking beyond the traditional reification of practice in theory and verification of theory in practice. The ontology of this work is anchored in subjective individual meaning; the epistemological stance assumes that this meaning is socially constructed. Consequently, rich empirical data, grounded in the context of experiential evidence, is extracted from a comprehensive range of marketing constituencies: academics, practitioners, managers, consultants, authors, lecturers and students. In its examination of the polarities, hybridity and iterative flow of marketing knowledge creation and consumption, this text posits a cohesive argument for a theory/practice bipartite fusion not dichotomy, adding valuable insights into the textual, contextual and pedagogical representations of marketing knowledge. The history and future of marketing knowledge is examined with the aid of instructive illustrations and insightful first-hand experience. Drawing on extensive qualitative research from a broad range of influential producers and vital consumers, Dr. Smith presents a relevant, exciting marketing knowledge framework which will be a vital resource for academics, students and practitioners.




The Wiggly World of Organization


Book Description

The well-ordered, fully aligned view of organization and management practice, with its unfailingly positive results, bears little relationship to the world that managers and others experience every day. This straight-line, ‘do this and you’ll get that’ idealization is far removed from the wiggly reality. Despite this, the former continues to dominate the ways in which management is spoken about and judged in formal organizational arenas and wider society. This creates unrealistic expectations of what managers (from CEO to the front line) can sensibly achieve independently of the actions of others. Crucially, too, it distorts the ways in which they and others account formally for their actions. And so, the fantasy continues. Against this background, the book offers a radically different way of thinking about, and engaging with, the irreducible complexity of organization and management practice. Using straightforward language throughout, it sets out to help managers and others to become consciously aware of what they already know deep down about how organization works and what they – and everyone else – are actually doing in practice. It then offers a practical approach to everyday practice that takes complexity seriously. Armed with these new insights, readers will be better placed to apply their innate understanding and practical judgement to the demands that they and others face day to day. Whether these arise from their roles as managers, other practitioners, policy makers, regulatory authorities, or participants more generally.




Handbook of Business Communication


Book Description

In spite of the day-to-day relevance of business communication, it remains underrepresented in standard handbooks and textbooks on applied linguistics. The present volume introduces readers to a wide variety of linguistic studies of business communication, ranging from traditional LSP approaches to contemporary discourse-based work, and from the micro-level of lexical choice to macro-level questions of language policy and culture.




Quantum Leadership:Creating Sustainable Value in Health Care


Book Description

Quantum Leadership: Creating Sustainable Value in Health Care, Fifth Edition provides students with a solid overview and understanding of leadership in today’s complex healthcare delivery system. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book is missing some of the images or content found in the physical edition.




Corporate Social Irresponsibility


Book Description

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an increasingly heated topic since the 1980s. This title proposes that the concept of Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSI) offers a better theoretical platform to avoid the vagueness, ambiguity, arbitrariness and mysticism of CSR.




Competence-based Vocational and Professional Education


Book Description

This book presents a comprehensive overview of extant literature on competence-based vocational and professional education since the introduction of the competence concept in the 1950s. To structure the fi eld, the book distinguishes between three approaches to defi ning competence, based on 1.functional behaviourism, 2. integrated occupationalism, and 3. situated professionalism. It also distinguishes between two ways of operationalizing competence: 1. behaviour-oriented generic, and 2. task-oriented specifi c competence. Lastly, it identifi es three kinds of competencies, related to: 1. specific activities, 2. known jobs, and 3. the unknown future. Competence for the unknown future must receive more attention, as our world is rapidly evolving and there are many ‘glocal’ challenges which call for innovation and a profound transformation of policies and practices. Th e book presents a range of diff erent approaches to competence-based education, and demonstrates that competencebased education is a worldwide innovation, which is institutionalized in various ways. It presents the major theories and policies, specifi c components of educational systems, such as recognition, accreditation, modelling and assessment, and developments in discipline-oriented and transversal competence domains. Th e book concludes by synthesizing the diff erent perspectives with the intention to contribute to further improving vocational and professional education policy and practice. Joao Santos, Deputy Head of Unit C5, Vocational Training and Adult Education, Directorate General for Employment, Social Aff airs and Inclusion, European Commission: “This comprehensive work on competence-based education led by Martin Mulder, provides an excellent and timely contribution to the current debate on a New Skills Agenda for Europe, and the challenge of bridging the employment and education and training worlds closer together. Th is book will infl uence our work aimed at improving the relevance of vocational education to support initial and continuing vocational education and training policy and practice aimed at strengthening the key competencies for the 21st century.” Prof. Dr. Reinhold Weiss, Deputy President and Head of the Research, Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), Bonn, Germany: “This book illustrates that the idea and concept of competence is not only a buzzword in educational debates but key to innovative pedagogical thinking as well as educational practice.” Prof. Dr. Johanna Lasonen, College of Education, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA: "Competence-based Vocational and Professional Education is one of the most important multi-disciplinary book in education and training. Th is path-breaking book off ers a timely, rich and global perspective on the fi eld. Th e book is a good resource for practitioners, policymakers and researchers."