- Email: [email protected]
Review Briefs
Review Briefs Review Briefs are not detailed, critical reviews; they are mainly brief notes and descriptions of books received for review to enlighten the reader on their general intention and approach. In this way more books can be described to readers than is possible by publishing only critical reviews. The descriptive information should enable interest to be raised beyond that induced by just listing the titles. Of course, a critical review can be far more informative about a book than is attempted with Review Briefs and, accordingly, offers to review any books appearing in Review Briefs are invited. A Book Review should critically examine the contents of a publication as an assessment of whether its stated intentions have been met and whether the way it achieves these intentions is attractive to the reader. It is expected that each review will be 1,000–1,500 words long and will be fully attributed. The reviewer keeps the book but LRP makes no payment. Alternatively, either a single ‘milestone’ publication or several books on a single topic may be worthy of a wider perspective essay review. This would be expected to comprise an article of 3,000–4,000 words, and would have an introduction written by the Review Editor. The usual article contribution payments would apply to the author of such a review. Any readers interested in reviewing a specific book from Review Briefs (or other relevant books) should write to the Review Editor, preferably giving some intimation of why you think your review would be of interest to readers. Book Reviews should be supplied in hard copy and in electronic form on disk. See Notes for Contributors on the inside back cover. Professor Bruce Lloyd, Book Review Editor, South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
Broad introductions to the whole subject of strategy Developing Strategies for Change, John DARWIN, Phil JOHNSON and John MCAULEY Financial Times/ Prentice Hall (2002), 350 pp., £30.99. Review of the core debates in strategy and change. Thorough academic text, although that academic thoroughness could get in the way of understanding the core issues.
Handbook of Strategic Management, Edited by Michael A. HITT, R. EDWARDS FREEMAN and Jeffrey S. HARRISON Blackwell Business (2001), 716 pp., £65.00. A major reference book of 25 articles structured into five sections: Origins and Process, Theoretical Foundations, Strategy Types, Human Factors, and Teaching Methods. Shows how much the field has evolved during the last twenty years. Surprising that leading and knowledge management do not have a higher priority.
Textbooks covering the whole subject of strategy Strategic Management: A Multi-perspective Approach, Mark JENKINS and Veronique AMBROSINI Palgrave (2002), 271 pp., £24.99. Thirteen chapters organized around three core themes: The Environment, The Firm and The Individual. Useful for strategy courses.
doi:10.1016/S0024-6301(02)00171-1
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
117
Analytical methods, tools and approaches Creating Value: Successful Business Strategies, Shiv S. MATHUR and Alfred KENYON
compensation systems, performance management systems and the ADDIE model for the implementation of training programmes.
Butterworth-Heinemann (2001), 383 pp., £21.99. Second edition of one of the most innovative books on strategy to appear in recent years. More managerial and less theoretical, it emphasizes the case for treating future offerings as the central concern of strategy. The first edition was a well-deserved winner of the MCA prize for the best management book.
Creating Value: Winners in the New Business Environment, Edited by Michael A. HITT, Raphael AMIT, Charles E. LUCIER and Robert D. NIXON
Streamlining: Using new Technologies and the Internet to Transform Performance, Michael de KARE-SILVER
Innovating at the Edge: How Organizations Evolve and Embed Innovation Capability, Tim JONES
Palgrave (2002), 232 pp., £19.99. Provides insights into how to use new technology tools, especially the Internet, but also wireless, and their growing applications, to produce step changes in performance. A readable tour that shows what can be achieved. Recent experience shows people need all the help they can get and this is a good place to start.
Implementing Organizational Interventions: Steps, Processes, and Best Practices, Jerry W. HEDGE and Elaine D. PULAKOS Jossey-Bass (2002), 321 pp., £34.95. Eleven articles that focus on the implementation of organizational interventions. Offers information on how to intervene in the merger and acquisition process to ensure financial and strategic objectives, as well as exploring design issues and reviewing the critical factors associated with IT project success. Also looks at
118
Blackwell Publishing (2002), 269 pp., £29.99. Twelve articles that explain how to identify and exploit new venture /entrepreneurial opportunities. Very practical subject, but this material is aimed more at the academic market.
Butterworth-Heinemann (2002), 350 pp., £21.99. How do you develop the business capabilities that drive innovation? The author argues that successful companies must always operate at the leading edge of the development of innovation practice. Important issues well presented, but the role of values in the whole process should not be underestimated. Organized into three parts: Evolution of innovation capability, Innovating at the edge, and, Focus and integration. One dimension of innovation is explored in The Creative Force in Education, Business and Beyond: An Urgent Message, Berenice BLEEDORN, Galde Press (1998), 229 pp., $19.95.
On Target: How to Conduct Effective Business Reviews, Michele L. BECHTELL Berrett-Koehler (2002), 166 pp., $29.95. Exposes the most common causes of failed business
objectives and shows how these can be successfully achieved through the regular use of structured business reviews. Outlines a valuable process that should encourage critical thinking, evaluation and corrective action as a basis for improving organizational performance. The author concludes in the final paragraph: “In the end, rapid strategy implementation is not magic, mystery or miracle. It is method! And it can be learned, just like exemplary leadership”. But it is not just “what you do”, it is also “the way that you do it” that matters. The critical values agenda in leadership might be learned but they are not easily taught!
Performance Measurement and Management Control: A Compendium of Research, Edited by Marc J. EPSTEIN and Jean-Francois MANZONI JAI (2002), 379 pp., $86.00. Sixteen articles, organized around five themes: A New Direction in Management Control and Performance Evaluation, Management Control in Large Organizations, Balanced Scorecard and Performance Measurement, Performance Measurement and Reporting, and, Drivers of Performance, Risk and Financial Analysis.
International Mergers and Acquisitions: A Reader, Edited by Peter J. BUCKLEY and Pervez N. GHAURI Thomson Learning (2002), 438 pp., £26.99. Twenty-two chapters of readings around five themes: Growth by M&A, Motives and Targets, Strategic Planning, Tactics and Valuation, Merger Processes, and Managerial and Social Consequences of Mergers,
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
together with a Summary and Conclusion. Invaluable for MBA and other courses concerned with M&A’s. Additional insights, particularly in the area of the impact of culture and how to bridge the differences, is Successful mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances: How to bridge corporate cultures, Charles GANCEL, Irene RODGERS and Marc RAYNAUD, McGraw-Hill (2002), 228 pp., £26.99. Based on the development of a diagnostic model entitled The Culture Bridging Fundamentals (CBF). Both books useful for practicing managers who still appear to have much to learn - if the continuing list of expensive mistakes is any guide! Another study that covers this area is A Handbook of International Mergers and Acquisitions, Edited by Gerhard PICOT, Palgrave (2002), 423 pp., £55.00. Twelve articles that address the detailed issues in M&A organized around three themes: Planning, Implementation and Integration. Potentially useful in improving the success rate of these highrisk transactions.
People and Profits: The Search for a Link Between a Company’s Social and Financial Performance, Joshua Daniel MARGOLIS and James Patrick WALSH Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (2001), 153 pp., £15.95. Detailed accounts of 95 studies that have reviewed the subject. The majority of results (53%) point to a positive relationship between corporate social performance (as an independent variable) and financial performance. Important issues but they are not easy to research.
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
Measuring Risks and Protecting Profits, Witold Jerzy HENISZ
that this book needs to be widely read.
Edward Elgar (2002), 208 pp., £45.00. Measures political risk by examining the structure of a nation’s political institutions and the preferences of those involved. Also provides a critical analysis of the effectiveness of one common political risk mitigation strategy, partnering with a local firm. But presentation not aimed at the managerial market. One increasing important area of risk (considered as “options for value creation”) is discussed in A Thousand Shades of GREEN: Sustainable Strategies for Competitive Advantage, Pieter WINSEMIUS and Ulrich GUNTRAM, Earthscan Publications (2002), 269 pp., £20.00. Argues that business leaders need a clear understanding of the key corporate environmental challenges, together with the insight and vision to meet them. Draws on the authors’ consultancy experience with a wide range of companies.
Redefining Financial Services: The New Renaissance in Value Propositions, Joseph A. DIVANNA
The New Corporate Cultures: Revitalizing the Workplace after Downsizing, Mergers, and Reengineering, Terrence E. DEAL and Allan A. KENNEDY
Jossey-Bass (2002), 268 pp., £19.50. Focuses on ‘Breaking the Rules of Natural Leadership’ and includes ‘Leaders are Heroic’, ‘Leaders Favour Results over Values’, ‘Leaders are Practical and Present Oriented’, ‘Leaders are Powerful’ and ‘Leaders Do Not Fail’. Instead the authors argue for “unnatural acts” such as: Refuse to be a prisoner of experience, Expose your vulnerablities, Create teams that create discomfort, Trust others before they earn it, and Coach and teach rather than lead and inspire. A book that deserves to be widely read. Another readable approach to the leadership journey is The
Perseus Publishing (2000, paper), 312 pp., $25.00. Authors of the influential ‘Corporate Cultures’ reunite to assess the impact of the last two decades of management trends. Also offers useful new insights for achieving a more effective corporate renewal process. The fact that the gap between expectations and reality in this critical area shows no sign of narrowing reinforces the case
Palgrave (2002), 264 pp., £25.00. Explores the changes that are producing a redefinition of the role and nature of financial intermediaries. What are the changes; where are they occurring; how are they likely to influence structures - and why? Usefully organized into five sections: Introduction to Value Propositions, The Future of Banking Services, Global Viewpoints, The Future of Payment Systems, and, eMarketplaces: The New Frontier for Services.
Leadership, change and implementation Unnatural Leadership: Going Against Intuition and Experience to Develop Ten New Leadership Instincts, David L. DOTLICH and Peter C. CAIRO
119
Naked Leader: the true paths to success are finally revealed, David TAYLOR, Capstone (2002), 238 pp., £12.99. A personalized revelation of specific actions for both predicting and shaping the future. Perhaps basic, but it is too often the case that is where we all need to start.
Team Leadership: A Guide to Success with Team Management Systems, Charles J. MARGERISON Thomson Learning (2002), 198 pp., £14.99. Provides a practical guide to team leadership based on the principles of the Team Management Wheel. Useful for team leaders, training managers and consultants. Essential reading for all concerned with these vital issues. Reflects the wisdom and experience of a leading thinker on the subject.
Private Business Public Battleground: The Case for 21st Stakeholder Companies, John EGAN and Des WILSON Palgrave (2002), 198 pp., £19.99. Discusses the value of the stakeholder approach and shows how it can help companies operating at the private/public interface. Partly based on the authors’ experiences at BAA, where one was the Chief Executive and the other Director of Corporate and Public Affairs. A sound, readable, survey of the issues that, unfortunately, still need to be more widely recognized.
The Leader’s Edge: Six Creative Competencies for Navigating Complex Challenges, Charles J. PALUS and David M. HORTH Jossey Bass/ Wiley (2002), 277 pp., £22.50. Identifies six key competencies that are needed in addition to
120
traditional leadership skills: Paying attention, Personalizing, Imaging, Serious play, Collaborative inquiry and Crafting. Each area is then discussed in detail within a chapter - with a final chapter of case studies and four relevant appendices. Worth reading.
Leading with Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit, Lee G. BOLMAN and Terrence E. DEAL Jossey-Bass (2001), 258 pp., £17.50. At the heart of this book is a contemporary parable, which tells the story of Steve, a dispirited leader in search of something more meaningful in his life than an obsession with the bottom line … When the first edition appeared in 1995 it received wide acclaim. This volume includes much new material and it should appeal to a wide readership - hopefully before it is too late! Another book that has changed lives and needs to be widely read is The Power of NOW: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eeckhart TOLLE, New World Library (1999), 191 pp., $21.95. Focuses on the need to reconcile Being with Doing. Simple but profound. A different perspective is taken in New Directions in Management Development, W. HIRSH and A. CARTER, The Institute for Employment Studies (2002), 54 pp., £12.50. This research shows there is still a need to set clear objectives and operating unit priorities for management development. Overall a solid review of the ‘head’ issues but, perhaps, insufficient attention is given to heart/soul/values issues? Successful management/ leadership does not depend on technical factors; it is a deeply human activity.
Platform Leadership: How Intel, Microsoft, and Cisco Drive Industry Innovation, Annabelle GAWER and Michael A. CUSUMANO Harvard Business School Press (2002), 305 pp., $29.95. A firm must innovate internally to succeed - yet its success may critically depend on corresponding innovations by external firms. Hence the concept of ‘platform leaders’ companies that provide the technological foundation on which other products, services and systems are built. This study reveals how the interdependence of Intel, Microsoft and Cisco, plus others such as Palm, NTT and DoCO have orchestrated industry innovations to support their own product development. Essential reading, particularly for those innovating at the radical edge of new technology.
Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading, Ronald A. HEIFETZ and Marty LINSKY Harvard Business School Press (2002), 252 pp., $27.50. Argues that opportunities to lead arise for us all every day. People focused and addresses aspects of leadership often neglected, such as how to manage your personal vulnerabilities, and “how to anchor yourself and sustain your spirit through tough times”. Rightly maintains that “Exercising leadership is an expression of your aliveness”.
The Theory and Practice of Change Management, John HAYES Palgrave (2002), 216 pp., £28.99. Examines the key theoretical perspectives on organizational change. Useful as a textbook for
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
programmes exploring change & its management. But surprising the role of values was not given a greater priority. An alternative approach to the subject is explored in The Chemistry of Change: Problems, Phases and Strategy, Francois DUPUY, Palgrave (2002), 156 pp., £45.00. Uses practical examples to illustrate successful change management within the context of current theories of organizational change. But again more explicit discussion of values would have helped. More academic than managerial in its approach.
The End of Management and the Rise of Organizational Democracy, Kenneth CLOKE and Joan GOLDSMITH Jossey-Bass (2002), 310 pp., £20.50. Explores a radical view of the organization of the future and in the process, redefines what we mean by leadership for the 21st century. Argues that collaboration, self-management and organizational democracy fundamentally alter not only the way we work, but also the nature of the work itself. Full of practical suggestions for fashioning a value-based organization. Also provides ideas for creating innovative, selfmanaging, high-performance teams, as well as identifying the self-correcting systems required to keep democratic organizations on course. A book that should be widely read by management at all levels.
Global strategic management The Arab World Facing the Challenge of the New Millennium, Henry T. AZZAM I.B. Tauris (2002), 210 pp., £39.50.
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
A fascinating tour that examines the problems and prospects of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, particularly within the context of economic performance, internal and external imbalances, fiscal and monetary policy and growth prospects. Ultimately economic progress depends on social and political stability so a pity these issues did not get greater attention.
Dragon Multinational: A New Model for Global Growth, John A. MATHEWS Oxford University Press (2002), 258 pp., £33.99. Describes the globalization of a number of multinationals from ‘peripheral’ countries - including Acer, the IT company originating from Taiwan, the Hotel Leong, a hotel group from Singapore, Ispat International in steel, Cemex from Mexico in cement, and, Li and Fung from Hong Kong in contract manufacturing. These companies have been able to utilize strategies of international linkage and leverage to accelerate their global coverage. The success of these companies indicates that the global business civilization being created in the 21st century is likely to be pluralistic and diverse. Interesting, and important, messages presented with academic thoroughness, which may prevent it from reaching the wider, managerial, market.
The Ecology of the New Economy: Sustainable Transformation of Global Information, Communications and Electronics Industries, Editors Jacob PARK and Nigel ROOME Greenleaf Publishing (2002), 284 pp., £40.00. Eighteen articles organized around three themes: Sustainability challenges and implications of a global information economy, E-Business strategies for a sustainable world and, Old-economy concerns in a new-economy world. For serious students of the subject.
The Earthscan Reader on NGO Management, Edited by Michael EDWARDS and Alan FOWLER Earthscan Publications (2002), 464 pp., £18.95. Thirty articles on a wide variety of important themes. Full of interesting material but a pity there is not more focused on the needs of the managerial (user) market.
The European Corporation: Strategy, Structure, and Social Science, Richard WHITTINGTON and Michael MAYER Oxford University Press (2002, paper), 271 pp., £19.99. In essence, an academic study that explores the empirical evidence to support the Chandler model.
Governance for a New Century: Japanese Challenges American Experience, Edited by Thomas E. MANN and Sasaki TAKESHI Japan Center for International Exchange (2002), 133 pp., $23.00 Eleven articles (five scholars and practitioners from both Japan
121
and America) that explore the some of the core issues that have arisen in both Japan and US during the 1990’s. Produced by JCIE (www.jcie.or.jp) who aim to strengthen global intellectual networks among research institutions and researchers in an attempt to improve the quality of our response to the rapidly changing agenda of today’s world. Specialist global information is contained in World Investment Directories, Volume VII Asia and the Pacific, UNCTAD (2000), Part 1 (1-332 pp.) and Part 2, (333-638 pp.), npq.
Strategic Human Resource Management, including values/ethics issues The Committed Enterprise: How to Make Vision and Values Work, Hugh DAVIDSON Butterworth-Heinemann (2002), 335 pp., £19.99. A useful guide to help organizations explore attitudes and behaviours. Based on 136 interviews with key individuals (43% non-profit) undertaken by the author. Full of sound, readable, advice.
The Inner Game of Work: Overcoming Mental Obstacles for Maximum Performance, W. Timothy GALLWEY Texere (2002) 229 pp., £9.99. Shows how overcoming ‘inner obstacles’ such as fear of failure or self-doubt can change your outlook on work, hopefully, transforming it to a new and positive experience. Essential reading that will provide endless food-for-thought. Helps define a personal ‘learning organization’ landscape. Surprising the values
122
agenda was not given a higher priority.
High Performers: How the Best Companies find and keep them, Leon MARTEL Jossey-Bass (2002), 267 pp., £23.95. A useful review of the human resource practices that contribute to a successful working environment. Final chapter on ‘General Principles & Key Themes’ identified: ‘Practices Should Be Aligned with Strategies’; ‘Culture Is Critical’; ‘Paying Attention to the Competition Is Vital’; ‘Face-toFace Relations Are Necessary’; ‘Listening Is the Most Important Part of Communicating’; ‘Engaging Employees Is Essential’; ‘Investing in Employees Is Required’; ‘Evaluating Practices Is the Way to Learn How They Are Working’; and ‘Commitment Begets Commitment’. Sound ideas, well presented and too often forgotten. Could be read in conjunction with Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: getting Good People to Stay, Beverly KAYE and Sharon JORDAN-EVANS, Berrett-Koehler (2002, second edition), 270 pp., $17.95. An essential guide for all managers who not only struggle to keep their best people, but also struggle to keep their employees engaged, motivated, and producing at their top potential.
Pursuit of Destiny: A History of Prediction, Paul HALPERN Perseus Publishing (2000), 250 pp., $25.00. Provides a scientist’s eye to key questions of time and fate, tracing the history of forecasting from its roots in ancient mysticism to its development as modern science. Uses complexity, chaos theory, quantum theory and reliability to explore the latest methods of scientific, social and technological forecasting.
Readable review of important issues. Another perspective on history is provided by Wisdom from the Ancients: Enduring business lessons from Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and the illustrious leaders of ancient Greece and Rome, Thomas J. FIGUEIRA, T. Corey BRENNAN and Rachel HALL STERNBERG, Perseus Publishing (2001), 241 pp., $20.00. Provides a collection of historical excerpts and quotations from the great minds in history that are timelessly relevant to today’s managers. Compiled by a team of classical historians. Plenty of timeless insights but pity not a joint exercise with practicing managers, which might have helped make the material more user friendly.
Emotions in the Workplace: Understanding the Structure and Role of Emotions in Organizational Behaviour, Edited by Robert G. LORD, Richard J. KLIMOSKI and Ruth KANFER Jossey-Bass (2002), 516 pp., £37.50. Fourteen articles organized around four themes: Conceptual Foundations and Measurement; Individual and Multiperson Regulatory Processes; Applications to Applied Problems; and Integration and Future Research. Attempts to summarize psychological theory about the role of emotions in the workplace. The word ‘emotion’ was mentioned nine times in the paper titles - and had dozens of references in the index. But the word ‘values’ does not merit a mention in either. Important issues, unfortunately more focused on the academic rather than practitioner market, are explored in Power and Influence in the Boardroom: The role of the personnel/HR director, James KELLY and John
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
GENNARD, Routledge (2001), 200 pp., £60.00. At the other extreme is New British Philosophy: The Interviews, Edited by Julian BAGGINI and Jeremy STANGROOM, Routledge (2002), 303 pp., £9.99. Sixteen articles/interviews with a wide range of British philosophers. Serious holiday reading for strategists - academic or practitioner. Perhaps not just holiday reading, especially for those concerned with the broader issues of knowledge management.
Creating the Healthy Organization: Well-being, Diversity & Ethics at Work, Sue NEWELL Thomson Learning (2002), 254 pp., £16.99. General exploration of the impact of work organizations on individual employees, groups and the wider community. Useful introduction but might have been helpful to end each chapter with questions for discussion if it is to be used extensively in a learning context. Another argument in favour of diversity is contained in The Inclusion Breakthrough: Unleashing the Real Power of Diversity, Frederick A. MILLRERT and Judith H. KATZ, BerrettKoehler (2002), 218 pp., $24.95. Essential reading for organizations who want to make diversity work more effectively. One remarkable journey to personal (and organizational?) health is shown in The Power of Kabbalah, Yehuda BERG, Jodere Group Inc (2001), 251 pp., $17.95. Shows how to look at, and navigate, through life in a new and more fulfilling way. But the realities of much work experience are exposed in WhiteCollar Sweatshop: The Deterioration of Work and Its
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
Rewards in Corporate America, Jill ANDRESKY FRASER, W. W. Norton (2002), 278 pp., £18.95. Reveals that for the past 15 years corporations have been squeezing their clerical and professional staff ‘until the pips squeak’. Particularly sobering reading in the context of recent scandals at the top of too many corporations.
Trust: Forms, Foundations, Functions, Failures and Figures, Bart NOOTEBOOM Edward Elgar (2002), 231 pp., £55.00. Explores a number of questions around the role and nature of trust. Important issues, but not aimed at the managerial market. Also surprising to find no discussion of the link between ‘trust’ and ‘a perceived sense of fairness’?
Ethics as Social Science: The Moral Philosophy of Social Cooperation, Leland B. YEAGER Edward Elgar (2002), 352 pp., £69.95. Investigates the reasons an individual may have for helping to uphold the values of a society, rather than seeking a free ride on the moral behaviour of others. Also reviews the criticisms of utilitarianism, as well as the alternative grounds for ethics. Unfortunately the overall presentation reflects a very specialist market.
Future studies and related issues The Monochrome Society, Amitai ETZIONI Princeton University Press (2001), 309 pp., £19.95. Argues that, while America might seem like a fractured mosaic on
the surface, underneath the country is far more socially monochromatic and united than most observers have claimed. The key to the good society is one that nurtures virtues and that is vitally dependent on developing a sense of community, rather than from the state. This is a book that should be widely read, by an author who, among other things, is the editor of the e-letter ‘The Responsive Community’.
The Precautionary Principle in the 20th Century: Late Lessons from Early Warnings, Edited by Poul HARREMOES, David GEE, Malcolm MACGARVIN, Andy STIRLING, Jane KEYS, Brian WYNNE and Sofia GUEDES VAZ Earthscan (2002), 268 pp., £17.95. Presents fourteen detailed accounts of occupational, public and environmental hazards, such as asbestos, PCBs, the damage to the ozone layer, the collapse of fish stocks, radiation and ‘mad cow’ disease. Asks four crucial questions in each case: When was the first credible scientific ‘early warning’ of potential harm? When and what were the main actions or inactions on risk reduction taken by regulatory authorities and others? What were the resulting costs and benefits of the actions or inactions, including their distribution between groups and across time? What lessons can be drawn that may help future decision-making? Vitally important issues but pity they were not more closely integrated with strategic thinking. None of the words ‘risk’, ‘strategy’ or ‘scenarios’ merited a mention in the index.
123
The Hidden Connections: A Science for Sustainable Living, Fritjof CAPRA HarperCollinsPublishers (2002), 272 pp., £20.00. Attempts to develop a unified, systemic understanding that integrates the biological, cognitive and social dimensions of life and demonstrates how life at all levels is inextricably interlinked by complex networks - whether it is electronic networks of global capitalism or the growing awareness of ecological networks. Makes a strong case that values and beliefs are concerned with long-term sustainability, rather than shortterm economic value.
Our Life in Tomorrow: Creating the Future, William C. JOHNSON and Annmae J. JOHNSON Galde Press, Inc (2001), 275 pp., $16.95. Offers a readable view of many of the coming possibilities in technology, the environment, health and medicine, education and family life. Also provides practical steps that can help us reflect on the best way forward. Essential reading for anyone concerned with the future which should be us all.
Knowledge Management and Information Technology Strategies for e-business Success, Edited by Erik BRYNJOLFASSON and Glen L. URBAN Jossey-Bass (2001), 334 pp., £14.50. Twelve articles from Sloan Management Review 2000/1, that provide a basic road map of the fundamental principles and tools
124
executives need to be successful in the second generation of ebusiness. Organized into four sections: Strategy; Marketing; Community and Technology. Essential reading for anyone concerned with this rapidly changing, high risk, areas.
Managing Knowledge Work, Sue NEWALL, Maxine ROBERTSON, Harry SCARBROUGH & Jacky SWAN Palgrave (2002), 207 pp., £24.99. Considers the technical aspects of knowledge management, as well as the significance of knowledge as a commodity in the workforce. Aimed at finalyear undergraduates & MBA students. More academic than managerial, and no discussion of the nature and role of wisdom.
Knowledge Management Systems: Theory and Practice, Edited by Stuart BARNES Thomson Learning (2002), 252 pp., £24.00. Fourteen chapters (articles) organized into two parts: Experiences in knowledge management systems practice and Designing enterprise knowledge management systems. Provides a guide to the area of knowledge management and covers practical cases, sharing structures and the principles of effective implementation. Pity no discussion of the role of wisdom.
Knowledge and its Limits, Timothy WILLIAMSON Oxford University Press (2000), 340 pp., £25.00. Presents a systematic concept of knowledge as a fundamental mental state sensitive to the knower’s environment, through the extensive use of logic and mathematics. Only for the specialist.
Ruling the root: Internet governance and the taming of cyberspace, Milton l. MUELLER MIT Press (2002), 327pp., £22.50. Uses a theoretical framework of institutional economics to analyze the global policy and governance problems created by the assignment of Internet domain names and addresses. ‘The root’ is the top of the domain name hierarchy and the Internet address space. Explains how control of the ‘root’ is being leveraged to control the Internet itself in a variety of critical areas.
E-Business: Principles & Practice, Jennifer ROWLEY Palgrave (2002), 266 pp., £24.99. Introductory overview of the key concepts in e-business. Useful for the growing number of courses & modules in e-commerce/ e-business at undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
Entrepreneurship and Small Business What went Wrong at ENRON: Everyone’s Guide to the Largest Bankruptcy in U.S. History, Peter C. FUSARO and Ross M. MILLER Wiley (2002), 240 pp., £11.50. The fall of Enron, the Houstonbased energy giant, led to the largest bankruptcy declaration by a corporation in the history of the US. Essential reading for both corporate executives and those who invest in them. Also relevant How Companies LIE: Why ENRON is just the top of the Iceberg, A. Larry ELLIOT and Richard J. SCHROTH, Nicholas Brealey (2002), 192 pp., £12.99. Particularly useful appendix of websites. At the other extreme is Boo hoo: $135 million, 18
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
months… a dom.com story from concept to catastrophe, Ernst MALMSTEN, Erik PORTANGER and Charles DRAZIN, Arrow (2002), 406 pp., £7.99. The fascinating story of the rise and fall of a company by the co-founder/CEO. Essential reading for all aspiring entrepreneurs. You wouldn’t believe them if they were fiction!
Public Sector New Public Management: Current Trends and Future Prospects, Edited by Kate MCLAUGHIN, Stephen P. OSBORNE and Ewan FERLIE Routledge (2002), 355 pp., £24.99. Twenty articles that review a number of key trends and developments both in the UK and in a number of other parts of the world. Pity no readable distillation of key ideas and issues for the practicing managers under pressure who are operating at the front end of all these issues. Also surprising not greater emphasis on performance measurement issues.
Education! Education! Education! Managerial Ethics and the Law of Unintended Consequences, Edited by Stephen PRICKETT and Patricia ERSKINE-HILL Imprint Academic (2002), 204 pp., £14.95. Twelve articles, organized into two parts: The Mismanagement of Universities and Testing to Destruction: The New School Environment, plus an ‘Afterword’ on ‘Managerial Ethics and the Corruption of the Future’. Other publications particularly relevant for those in the University sector include Universities: The Recovery of an Idea, Gordon GRAHAM,
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
Imprint Academic (2002), 126 pp., £8.95. And, The New Idea of a University, Duke MASKELL and Ian ROBINSON, Imprint Academic (2002), 198 pp., £12.95.
Strategic Management for Voluntary Nonprofit Organizations, Roger COURTNEY Routledge (2002), 324 pp., £20.99. Provides insights into the theory and practice of strategic management for voluntary nonprofit organizations. Also includes a collection of nine case studies. Useful for both practitioners and students in the voluntary sector.
The Principles and Practice of Educational Management, Edited by Tony BUSH and Les BELL Paul Chapman Publishing (2002), 332 pp., £19.99. Nineteen articles by leading authorities that provide a review of relevant theory and explain the implications of research in the field. Essential reading for all those involved in (the growing?) educational management industry.
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, John J. MEARSHEIMER W. W. Norton & Company (2001), 555 pp., £22.00. Argues that international politics is ‘an inherently nasty business.’ Also maintains that regardless of ideology or internal politics, States all seek to manipulate the distribution of power - and the author believes that real power is largely a function of wealth and population. An academic study that could have benefited from a greater strategic perspective in the analysis.
Other useful information A number of publications aimed mainly at specialist markets include: Learning from Research: Getting more from your data, Judith BELL and Clive OPIE, Open University Press (2002), 261 pp., £50.00 (hard), £14.99 (soft): essential reading for any serious researcher. The Economics of Conserving Wildlife and Natural Areas, Clem TISDELL, Edward Elgar (2002), 320 pp., £59.95: twenty four articles, some previously published and others specially written, which apply general economic principles to the conservation of wildlife and natural areas, as well as outlining consequential policy issues. Controlling Global Warming: Perspectives from Economics, Game Theory and Public Choice, Edited by Christoph BOHRINGER, Michael FINUS and Carsten VOGT, Edward Elgar (2002), 305 pp., £59.95: six lengthy, academic, articles plus a conclusion. Science, Agriculture and Research: A Compromised Participation? William BUHLER, Stephen MORSE, Eddie ARTHUR, Susannah BOLTON, and Judy MANN, Earthscan (2002), 176 pp., £50.00 (hard), £17.95 (soft). Health and Safety Games for Trainers, Graham ROBERTS-PHELPS, Gower (1999), 226 pp., £49.50. Tracks and Frames: The Economy of Symbolic Forms in Organizations, Kaj SKOLDBERG, Pergamon (2002), 215 pp., $73.50. Economics as Religion from Samuelson to Chicago and Beyond, Robert H. NELSON, The Pennsylvania State University Press (2001), 378 pp., $35.00. Managing Emergent Phenomena: Nonlinear Dynamics in Work Organizations, Stephen J. GUASTELLO, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (2002), 391 pp., £78.50.
125
Broad introductions to the whole subject of strategy Developing Strategies for Change, John DARWIN, Phil JOHNSON and John MCAULEY Financial Times/ Prentice Hall (2002), 350 pp., £30.99. Review of the core debates in strategy and change. Thorough academic text, although that academic thoroughness could get in the way of understanding the core issues.
Handbook of Strategic Management, Edited by Michael A. HITT, R. EDWARDS FREEMAN and Jeffrey S. HARRISON Blackwell Business (2001), 716 pp., £65.00. A major reference book of 25 articles structured into five sections: Origins and Process, Theoretical Foundations, Strategy Types, Human Factors, and Teaching Methods. Shows how much the field has evolved during the last twenty years. Surprising that leading and knowledge management do not have a higher priority.
Textbooks covering the whole subject of strategy Strategic Management: A Multi-perspective Approach, Mark JENKINS and Veronique AMBROSINI Palgrave (2002), 271 pp., £24.99. Thirteen chapters organized around three core themes: The Environment, The Firm and The Individual. Useful for strategy courses.
doi:10.1016/S0024-6301(02)00171-1
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
117
Analytical methods, tools and approaches Creating Value: Successful Business Strategies, Shiv S. MATHUR and Alfred KENYON
compensation systems, performance management systems and the ADDIE model for the implementation of training programmes.
Butterworth-Heinemann (2001), 383 pp., £21.99. Second edition of one of the most innovative books on strategy to appear in recent years. More managerial and less theoretical, it emphasizes the case for treating future offerings as the central concern of strategy. The first edition was a well-deserved winner of the MCA prize for the best management book.
Creating Value: Winners in the New Business Environment, Edited by Michael A. HITT, Raphael AMIT, Charles E. LUCIER and Robert D. NIXON
Streamlining: Using new Technologies and the Internet to Transform Performance, Michael de KARE-SILVER
Innovating at the Edge: How Organizations Evolve and Embed Innovation Capability, Tim JONES
Palgrave (2002), 232 pp., £19.99. Provides insights into how to use new technology tools, especially the Internet, but also wireless, and their growing applications, to produce step changes in performance. A readable tour that shows what can be achieved. Recent experience shows people need all the help they can get and this is a good place to start.
Implementing Organizational Interventions: Steps, Processes, and Best Practices, Jerry W. HEDGE and Elaine D. PULAKOS Jossey-Bass (2002), 321 pp., £34.95. Eleven articles that focus on the implementation of organizational interventions. Offers information on how to intervene in the merger and acquisition process to ensure financial and strategic objectives, as well as exploring design issues and reviewing the critical factors associated with IT project success. Also looks at
118
Blackwell Publishing (2002), 269 pp., £29.99. Twelve articles that explain how to identify and exploit new venture /entrepreneurial opportunities. Very practical subject, but this material is aimed more at the academic market.
Butterworth-Heinemann (2002), 350 pp., £21.99. How do you develop the business capabilities that drive innovation? The author argues that successful companies must always operate at the leading edge of the development of innovation practice. Important issues well presented, but the role of values in the whole process should not be underestimated. Organized into three parts: Evolution of innovation capability, Innovating at the edge, and, Focus and integration. One dimension of innovation is explored in The Creative Force in Education, Business and Beyond: An Urgent Message, Berenice BLEEDORN, Galde Press (1998), 229 pp., $19.95.
On Target: How to Conduct Effective Business Reviews, Michele L. BECHTELL Berrett-Koehler (2002), 166 pp., $29.95. Exposes the most common causes of failed business
objectives and shows how these can be successfully achieved through the regular use of structured business reviews. Outlines a valuable process that should encourage critical thinking, evaluation and corrective action as a basis for improving organizational performance. The author concludes in the final paragraph: “In the end, rapid strategy implementation is not magic, mystery or miracle. It is method! And it can be learned, just like exemplary leadership”. But it is not just “what you do”, it is also “the way that you do it” that matters. The critical values agenda in leadership might be learned but they are not easily taught!
Performance Measurement and Management Control: A Compendium of Research, Edited by Marc J. EPSTEIN and Jean-Francois MANZONI JAI (2002), 379 pp., $86.00. Sixteen articles, organized around five themes: A New Direction in Management Control and Performance Evaluation, Management Control in Large Organizations, Balanced Scorecard and Performance Measurement, Performance Measurement and Reporting, and, Drivers of Performance, Risk and Financial Analysis.
International Mergers and Acquisitions: A Reader, Edited by Peter J. BUCKLEY and Pervez N. GHAURI Thomson Learning (2002), 438 pp., £26.99. Twenty-two chapters of readings around five themes: Growth by M&A, Motives and Targets, Strategic Planning, Tactics and Valuation, Merger Processes, and Managerial and Social Consequences of Mergers,
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
together with a Summary and Conclusion. Invaluable for MBA and other courses concerned with M&A’s. Additional insights, particularly in the area of the impact of culture and how to bridge the differences, is Successful mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances: How to bridge corporate cultures, Charles GANCEL, Irene RODGERS and Marc RAYNAUD, McGraw-Hill (2002), 228 pp., £26.99. Based on the development of a diagnostic model entitled The Culture Bridging Fundamentals (CBF). Both books useful for practicing managers who still appear to have much to learn - if the continuing list of expensive mistakes is any guide! Another study that covers this area is A Handbook of International Mergers and Acquisitions, Edited by Gerhard PICOT, Palgrave (2002), 423 pp., £55.00. Twelve articles that address the detailed issues in M&A organized around three themes: Planning, Implementation and Integration. Potentially useful in improving the success rate of these highrisk transactions.
People and Profits: The Search for a Link Between a Company’s Social and Financial Performance, Joshua Daniel MARGOLIS and James Patrick WALSH Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (2001), 153 pp., £15.95. Detailed accounts of 95 studies that have reviewed the subject. The majority of results (53%) point to a positive relationship between corporate social performance (as an independent variable) and financial performance. Important issues but they are not easy to research.
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
Measuring Risks and Protecting Profits, Witold Jerzy HENISZ
that this book needs to be widely read.
Edward Elgar (2002), 208 pp., £45.00. Measures political risk by examining the structure of a nation’s political institutions and the preferences of those involved. Also provides a critical analysis of the effectiveness of one common political risk mitigation strategy, partnering with a local firm. But presentation not aimed at the managerial market. One increasing important area of risk (considered as “options for value creation”) is discussed in A Thousand Shades of GREEN: Sustainable Strategies for Competitive Advantage, Pieter WINSEMIUS and Ulrich GUNTRAM, Earthscan Publications (2002), 269 pp., £20.00. Argues that business leaders need a clear understanding of the key corporate environmental challenges, together with the insight and vision to meet them. Draws on the authors’ consultancy experience with a wide range of companies.
Redefining Financial Services: The New Renaissance in Value Propositions, Joseph A. DIVANNA
The New Corporate Cultures: Revitalizing the Workplace after Downsizing, Mergers, and Reengineering, Terrence E. DEAL and Allan A. KENNEDY
Jossey-Bass (2002), 268 pp., £19.50. Focuses on ‘Breaking the Rules of Natural Leadership’ and includes ‘Leaders are Heroic’, ‘Leaders Favour Results over Values’, ‘Leaders are Practical and Present Oriented’, ‘Leaders are Powerful’ and ‘Leaders Do Not Fail’. Instead the authors argue for “unnatural acts” such as: Refuse to be a prisoner of experience, Expose your vulnerablities, Create teams that create discomfort, Trust others before they earn it, and Coach and teach rather than lead and inspire. A book that deserves to be widely read. Another readable approach to the leadership journey is The
Perseus Publishing (2000, paper), 312 pp., $25.00. Authors of the influential ‘Corporate Cultures’ reunite to assess the impact of the last two decades of management trends. Also offers useful new insights for achieving a more effective corporate renewal process. The fact that the gap between expectations and reality in this critical area shows no sign of narrowing reinforces the case
Palgrave (2002), 264 pp., £25.00. Explores the changes that are producing a redefinition of the role and nature of financial intermediaries. What are the changes; where are they occurring; how are they likely to influence structures - and why? Usefully organized into five sections: Introduction to Value Propositions, The Future of Banking Services, Global Viewpoints, The Future of Payment Systems, and, eMarketplaces: The New Frontier for Services.
Leadership, change and implementation Unnatural Leadership: Going Against Intuition and Experience to Develop Ten New Leadership Instincts, David L. DOTLICH and Peter C. CAIRO
119
Naked Leader: the true paths to success are finally revealed, David TAYLOR, Capstone (2002), 238 pp., £12.99. A personalized revelation of specific actions for both predicting and shaping the future. Perhaps basic, but it is too often the case that is where we all need to start.
Team Leadership: A Guide to Success with Team Management Systems, Charles J. MARGERISON Thomson Learning (2002), 198 pp., £14.99. Provides a practical guide to team leadership based on the principles of the Team Management Wheel. Useful for team leaders, training managers and consultants. Essential reading for all concerned with these vital issues. Reflects the wisdom and experience of a leading thinker on the subject.
Private Business Public Battleground: The Case for 21st Stakeholder Companies, John EGAN and Des WILSON Palgrave (2002), 198 pp., £19.99. Discusses the value of the stakeholder approach and shows how it can help companies operating at the private/public interface. Partly based on the authors’ experiences at BAA, where one was the Chief Executive and the other Director of Corporate and Public Affairs. A sound, readable, survey of the issues that, unfortunately, still need to be more widely recognized.
The Leader’s Edge: Six Creative Competencies for Navigating Complex Challenges, Charles J. PALUS and David M. HORTH Jossey Bass/ Wiley (2002), 277 pp., £22.50. Identifies six key competencies that are needed in addition to
120
traditional leadership skills: Paying attention, Personalizing, Imaging, Serious play, Collaborative inquiry and Crafting. Each area is then discussed in detail within a chapter - with a final chapter of case studies and four relevant appendices. Worth reading.
Leading with Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit, Lee G. BOLMAN and Terrence E. DEAL Jossey-Bass (2001), 258 pp., £17.50. At the heart of this book is a contemporary parable, which tells the story of Steve, a dispirited leader in search of something more meaningful in his life than an obsession with the bottom line … When the first edition appeared in 1995 it received wide acclaim. This volume includes much new material and it should appeal to a wide readership - hopefully before it is too late! Another book that has changed lives and needs to be widely read is The Power of NOW: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eeckhart TOLLE, New World Library (1999), 191 pp., $21.95. Focuses on the need to reconcile Being with Doing. Simple but profound. A different perspective is taken in New Directions in Management Development, W. HIRSH and A. CARTER, The Institute for Employment Studies (2002), 54 pp., £12.50. This research shows there is still a need to set clear objectives and operating unit priorities for management development. Overall a solid review of the ‘head’ issues but, perhaps, insufficient attention is given to heart/soul/values issues? Successful management/ leadership does not depend on technical factors; it is a deeply human activity.
Platform Leadership: How Intel, Microsoft, and Cisco Drive Industry Innovation, Annabelle GAWER and Michael A. CUSUMANO Harvard Business School Press (2002), 305 pp., $29.95. A firm must innovate internally to succeed - yet its success may critically depend on corresponding innovations by external firms. Hence the concept of ‘platform leaders’ companies that provide the technological foundation on which other products, services and systems are built. This study reveals how the interdependence of Intel, Microsoft and Cisco, plus others such as Palm, NTT and DoCO have orchestrated industry innovations to support their own product development. Essential reading, particularly for those innovating at the radical edge of new technology.
Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading, Ronald A. HEIFETZ and Marty LINSKY Harvard Business School Press (2002), 252 pp., $27.50. Argues that opportunities to lead arise for us all every day. People focused and addresses aspects of leadership often neglected, such as how to manage your personal vulnerabilities, and “how to anchor yourself and sustain your spirit through tough times”. Rightly maintains that “Exercising leadership is an expression of your aliveness”.
The Theory and Practice of Change Management, John HAYES Palgrave (2002), 216 pp., £28.99. Examines the key theoretical perspectives on organizational change. Useful as a textbook for
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
programmes exploring change & its management. But surprising the role of values was not given a greater priority. An alternative approach to the subject is explored in The Chemistry of Change: Problems, Phases and Strategy, Francois DUPUY, Palgrave (2002), 156 pp., £45.00. Uses practical examples to illustrate successful change management within the context of current theories of organizational change. But again more explicit discussion of values would have helped. More academic than managerial in its approach.
The End of Management and the Rise of Organizational Democracy, Kenneth CLOKE and Joan GOLDSMITH Jossey-Bass (2002), 310 pp., £20.50. Explores a radical view of the organization of the future and in the process, redefines what we mean by leadership for the 21st century. Argues that collaboration, self-management and organizational democracy fundamentally alter not only the way we work, but also the nature of the work itself. Full of practical suggestions for fashioning a value-based organization. Also provides ideas for creating innovative, selfmanaging, high-performance teams, as well as identifying the self-correcting systems required to keep democratic organizations on course. A book that should be widely read by management at all levels.
Global strategic management The Arab World Facing the Challenge of the New Millennium, Henry T. AZZAM I.B. Tauris (2002), 210 pp., £39.50.
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
A fascinating tour that examines the problems and prospects of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, particularly within the context of economic performance, internal and external imbalances, fiscal and monetary policy and growth prospects. Ultimately economic progress depends on social and political stability so a pity these issues did not get greater attention.
Dragon Multinational: A New Model for Global Growth, John A. MATHEWS Oxford University Press (2002), 258 pp., £33.99. Describes the globalization of a number of multinationals from ‘peripheral’ countries - including Acer, the IT company originating from Taiwan, the Hotel Leong, a hotel group from Singapore, Ispat International in steel, Cemex from Mexico in cement, and, Li and Fung from Hong Kong in contract manufacturing. These companies have been able to utilize strategies of international linkage and leverage to accelerate their global coverage. The success of these companies indicates that the global business civilization being created in the 21st century is likely to be pluralistic and diverse. Interesting, and important, messages presented with academic thoroughness, which may prevent it from reaching the wider, managerial, market.
The Ecology of the New Economy: Sustainable Transformation of Global Information, Communications and Electronics Industries, Editors Jacob PARK and Nigel ROOME Greenleaf Publishing (2002), 284 pp., £40.00. Eighteen articles organized around three themes: Sustainability challenges and implications of a global information economy, E-Business strategies for a sustainable world and, Old-economy concerns in a new-economy world. For serious students of the subject.
The Earthscan Reader on NGO Management, Edited by Michael EDWARDS and Alan FOWLER Earthscan Publications (2002), 464 pp., £18.95. Thirty articles on a wide variety of important themes. Full of interesting material but a pity there is not more focused on the needs of the managerial (user) market.
The European Corporation: Strategy, Structure, and Social Science, Richard WHITTINGTON and Michael MAYER Oxford University Press (2002, paper), 271 pp., £19.99. In essence, an academic study that explores the empirical evidence to support the Chandler model.
Governance for a New Century: Japanese Challenges American Experience, Edited by Thomas E. MANN and Sasaki TAKESHI Japan Center for International Exchange (2002), 133 pp., $23.00 Eleven articles (five scholars and practitioners from both Japan
121
and America) that explore the some of the core issues that have arisen in both Japan and US during the 1990’s. Produced by JCIE (www.jcie.or.jp) who aim to strengthen global intellectual networks among research institutions and researchers in an attempt to improve the quality of our response to the rapidly changing agenda of today’s world. Specialist global information is contained in World Investment Directories, Volume VII Asia and the Pacific, UNCTAD (2000), Part 1 (1-332 pp.) and Part 2, (333-638 pp.), npq.
Strategic Human Resource Management, including values/ethics issues The Committed Enterprise: How to Make Vision and Values Work, Hugh DAVIDSON Butterworth-Heinemann (2002), 335 pp., £19.99. A useful guide to help organizations explore attitudes and behaviours. Based on 136 interviews with key individuals (43% non-profit) undertaken by the author. Full of sound, readable, advice.
The Inner Game of Work: Overcoming Mental Obstacles for Maximum Performance, W. Timothy GALLWEY Texere (2002) 229 pp., £9.99. Shows how overcoming ‘inner obstacles’ such as fear of failure or self-doubt can change your outlook on work, hopefully, transforming it to a new and positive experience. Essential reading that will provide endless food-for-thought. Helps define a personal ‘learning organization’ landscape. Surprising the values
122
agenda was not given a higher priority.
High Performers: How the Best Companies find and keep them, Leon MARTEL Jossey-Bass (2002), 267 pp., £23.95. A useful review of the human resource practices that contribute to a successful working environment. Final chapter on ‘General Principles & Key Themes’ identified: ‘Practices Should Be Aligned with Strategies’; ‘Culture Is Critical’; ‘Paying Attention to the Competition Is Vital’; ‘Face-toFace Relations Are Necessary’; ‘Listening Is the Most Important Part of Communicating’; ‘Engaging Employees Is Essential’; ‘Investing in Employees Is Required’; ‘Evaluating Practices Is the Way to Learn How They Are Working’; and ‘Commitment Begets Commitment’. Sound ideas, well presented and too often forgotten. Could be read in conjunction with Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: getting Good People to Stay, Beverly KAYE and Sharon JORDAN-EVANS, Berrett-Koehler (2002, second edition), 270 pp., $17.95. An essential guide for all managers who not only struggle to keep their best people, but also struggle to keep their employees engaged, motivated, and producing at their top potential.
Pursuit of Destiny: A History of Prediction, Paul HALPERN Perseus Publishing (2000), 250 pp., $25.00. Provides a scientist’s eye to key questions of time and fate, tracing the history of forecasting from its roots in ancient mysticism to its development as modern science. Uses complexity, chaos theory, quantum theory and reliability to explore the latest methods of scientific, social and technological forecasting.
Readable review of important issues. Another perspective on history is provided by Wisdom from the Ancients: Enduring business lessons from Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and the illustrious leaders of ancient Greece and Rome, Thomas J. FIGUEIRA, T. Corey BRENNAN and Rachel HALL STERNBERG, Perseus Publishing (2001), 241 pp., $20.00. Provides a collection of historical excerpts and quotations from the great minds in history that are timelessly relevant to today’s managers. Compiled by a team of classical historians. Plenty of timeless insights but pity not a joint exercise with practicing managers, which might have helped make the material more user friendly.
Emotions in the Workplace: Understanding the Structure and Role of Emotions in Organizational Behaviour, Edited by Robert G. LORD, Richard J. KLIMOSKI and Ruth KANFER Jossey-Bass (2002), 516 pp., £37.50. Fourteen articles organized around four themes: Conceptual Foundations and Measurement; Individual and Multiperson Regulatory Processes; Applications to Applied Problems; and Integration and Future Research. Attempts to summarize psychological theory about the role of emotions in the workplace. The word ‘emotion’ was mentioned nine times in the paper titles - and had dozens of references in the index. But the word ‘values’ does not merit a mention in either. Important issues, unfortunately more focused on the academic rather than practitioner market, are explored in Power and Influence in the Boardroom: The role of the personnel/HR director, James KELLY and John
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
GENNARD, Routledge (2001), 200 pp., £60.00. At the other extreme is New British Philosophy: The Interviews, Edited by Julian BAGGINI and Jeremy STANGROOM, Routledge (2002), 303 pp., £9.99. Sixteen articles/interviews with a wide range of British philosophers. Serious holiday reading for strategists - academic or practitioner. Perhaps not just holiday reading, especially for those concerned with the broader issues of knowledge management.
Creating the Healthy Organization: Well-being, Diversity & Ethics at Work, Sue NEWELL Thomson Learning (2002), 254 pp., £16.99. General exploration of the impact of work organizations on individual employees, groups and the wider community. Useful introduction but might have been helpful to end each chapter with questions for discussion if it is to be used extensively in a learning context. Another argument in favour of diversity is contained in The Inclusion Breakthrough: Unleashing the Real Power of Diversity, Frederick A. MILLRERT and Judith H. KATZ, BerrettKoehler (2002), 218 pp., $24.95. Essential reading for organizations who want to make diversity work more effectively. One remarkable journey to personal (and organizational?) health is shown in The Power of Kabbalah, Yehuda BERG, Jodere Group Inc (2001), 251 pp., $17.95. Shows how to look at, and navigate, through life in a new and more fulfilling way. But the realities of much work experience are exposed in WhiteCollar Sweatshop: The Deterioration of Work and Its
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
Rewards in Corporate America, Jill ANDRESKY FRASER, W. W. Norton (2002), 278 pp., £18.95. Reveals that for the past 15 years corporations have been squeezing their clerical and professional staff ‘until the pips squeak’. Particularly sobering reading in the context of recent scandals at the top of too many corporations.
Trust: Forms, Foundations, Functions, Failures and Figures, Bart NOOTEBOOM Edward Elgar (2002), 231 pp., £55.00. Explores a number of questions around the role and nature of trust. Important issues, but not aimed at the managerial market. Also surprising to find no discussion of the link between ‘trust’ and ‘a perceived sense of fairness’?
Ethics as Social Science: The Moral Philosophy of Social Cooperation, Leland B. YEAGER Edward Elgar (2002), 352 pp., £69.95. Investigates the reasons an individual may have for helping to uphold the values of a society, rather than seeking a free ride on the moral behaviour of others. Also reviews the criticisms of utilitarianism, as well as the alternative grounds for ethics. Unfortunately the overall presentation reflects a very specialist market.
Future studies and related issues The Monochrome Society, Amitai ETZIONI Princeton University Press (2001), 309 pp., £19.95. Argues that, while America might seem like a fractured mosaic on
the surface, underneath the country is far more socially monochromatic and united than most observers have claimed. The key to the good society is one that nurtures virtues and that is vitally dependent on developing a sense of community, rather than from the state. This is a book that should be widely read, by an author who, among other things, is the editor of the e-letter ‘The Responsive Community’.
The Precautionary Principle in the 20th Century: Late Lessons from Early Warnings, Edited by Poul HARREMOES, David GEE, Malcolm MACGARVIN, Andy STIRLING, Jane KEYS, Brian WYNNE and Sofia GUEDES VAZ Earthscan (2002), 268 pp., £17.95. Presents fourteen detailed accounts of occupational, public and environmental hazards, such as asbestos, PCBs, the damage to the ozone layer, the collapse of fish stocks, radiation and ‘mad cow’ disease. Asks four crucial questions in each case: When was the first credible scientific ‘early warning’ of potential harm? When and what were the main actions or inactions on risk reduction taken by regulatory authorities and others? What were the resulting costs and benefits of the actions or inactions, including their distribution between groups and across time? What lessons can be drawn that may help future decision-making? Vitally important issues but pity they were not more closely integrated with strategic thinking. None of the words ‘risk’, ‘strategy’ or ‘scenarios’ merited a mention in the index.
123
The Hidden Connections: A Science for Sustainable Living, Fritjof CAPRA HarperCollinsPublishers (2002), 272 pp., £20.00. Attempts to develop a unified, systemic understanding that integrates the biological, cognitive and social dimensions of life and demonstrates how life at all levels is inextricably interlinked by complex networks - whether it is electronic networks of global capitalism or the growing awareness of ecological networks. Makes a strong case that values and beliefs are concerned with long-term sustainability, rather than shortterm economic value.
Our Life in Tomorrow: Creating the Future, William C. JOHNSON and Annmae J. JOHNSON Galde Press, Inc (2001), 275 pp., $16.95. Offers a readable view of many of the coming possibilities in technology, the environment, health and medicine, education and family life. Also provides practical steps that can help us reflect on the best way forward. Essential reading for anyone concerned with the future which should be us all.
Knowledge Management and Information Technology Strategies for e-business Success, Edited by Erik BRYNJOLFASSON and Glen L. URBAN Jossey-Bass (2001), 334 pp., £14.50. Twelve articles from Sloan Management Review 2000/1, that provide a basic road map of the fundamental principles and tools
124
executives need to be successful in the second generation of ebusiness. Organized into four sections: Strategy; Marketing; Community and Technology. Essential reading for anyone concerned with this rapidly changing, high risk, areas.
Managing Knowledge Work, Sue NEWALL, Maxine ROBERTSON, Harry SCARBROUGH & Jacky SWAN Palgrave (2002), 207 pp., £24.99. Considers the technical aspects of knowledge management, as well as the significance of knowledge as a commodity in the workforce. Aimed at finalyear undergraduates & MBA students. More academic than managerial, and no discussion of the nature and role of wisdom.
Knowledge Management Systems: Theory and Practice, Edited by Stuart BARNES Thomson Learning (2002), 252 pp., £24.00. Fourteen chapters (articles) organized into two parts: Experiences in knowledge management systems practice and Designing enterprise knowledge management systems. Provides a guide to the area of knowledge management and covers practical cases, sharing structures and the principles of effective implementation. Pity no discussion of the role of wisdom.
Knowledge and its Limits, Timothy WILLIAMSON Oxford University Press (2000), 340 pp., £25.00. Presents a systematic concept of knowledge as a fundamental mental state sensitive to the knower’s environment, through the extensive use of logic and mathematics. Only for the specialist.
Ruling the root: Internet governance and the taming of cyberspace, Milton l. MUELLER MIT Press (2002), 327pp., £22.50. Uses a theoretical framework of institutional economics to analyze the global policy and governance problems created by the assignment of Internet domain names and addresses. ‘The root’ is the top of the domain name hierarchy and the Internet address space. Explains how control of the ‘root’ is being leveraged to control the Internet itself in a variety of critical areas.
E-Business: Principles & Practice, Jennifer ROWLEY Palgrave (2002), 266 pp., £24.99. Introductory overview of the key concepts in e-business. Useful for the growing number of courses & modules in e-commerce/ e-business at undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
Entrepreneurship and Small Business What went Wrong at ENRON: Everyone’s Guide to the Largest Bankruptcy in U.S. History, Peter C. FUSARO and Ross M. MILLER Wiley (2002), 240 pp., £11.50. The fall of Enron, the Houstonbased energy giant, led to the largest bankruptcy declaration by a corporation in the history of the US. Essential reading for both corporate executives and those who invest in them. Also relevant How Companies LIE: Why ENRON is just the top of the Iceberg, A. Larry ELLIOT and Richard J. SCHROTH, Nicholas Brealey (2002), 192 pp., £12.99. Particularly useful appendix of websites. At the other extreme is Boo hoo: $135 million, 18
Book Reviews and Review Briefs
months… a dom.com story from concept to catastrophe, Ernst MALMSTEN, Erik PORTANGER and Charles DRAZIN, Arrow (2002), 406 pp., £7.99. The fascinating story of the rise and fall of a company by the co-founder/CEO. Essential reading for all aspiring entrepreneurs. You wouldn’t believe them if they were fiction!
Public Sector New Public Management: Current Trends and Future Prospects, Edited by Kate MCLAUGHIN, Stephen P. OSBORNE and Ewan FERLIE Routledge (2002), 355 pp., £24.99. Twenty articles that review a number of key trends and developments both in the UK and in a number of other parts of the world. Pity no readable distillation of key ideas and issues for the practicing managers under pressure who are operating at the front end of all these issues. Also surprising not greater emphasis on performance measurement issues.
Education! Education! Education! Managerial Ethics and the Law of Unintended Consequences, Edited by Stephen PRICKETT and Patricia ERSKINE-HILL Imprint Academic (2002), 204 pp., £14.95. Twelve articles, organized into two parts: The Mismanagement of Universities and Testing to Destruction: The New School Environment, plus an ‘Afterword’ on ‘Managerial Ethics and the Corruption of the Future’. Other publications particularly relevant for those in the University sector include Universities: The Recovery of an Idea, Gordon GRAHAM,
Long Range Planning, vol 36
2003
Imprint Academic (2002), 126 pp., £8.95. And, The New Idea of a University, Duke MASKELL and Ian ROBINSON, Imprint Academic (2002), 198 pp., £12.95.
Strategic Management for Voluntary Nonprofit Organizations, Roger COURTNEY Routledge (2002), 324 pp., £20.99. Provides insights into the theory and practice of strategic management for voluntary nonprofit organizations. Also includes a collection of nine case studies. Useful for both practitioners and students in the voluntary sector.
The Principles and Practice of Educational Management, Edited by Tony BUSH and Les BELL Paul Chapman Publishing (2002), 332 pp., £19.99. Nineteen articles by leading authorities that provide a review of relevant theory and explain the implications of research in the field. Essential reading for all those involved in (the growing?) educational management industry.
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, John J. MEARSHEIMER W. W. Norton & Company (2001), 555 pp., £22.00. Argues that international politics is ‘an inherently nasty business.’ Also maintains that regardless of ideology or internal politics, States all seek to manipulate the distribution of power - and the author believes that real power is largely a function of wealth and population. An academic study that could have benefited from a greater strategic perspective in the analysis.
Other useful information A number of publications aimed mainly at specialist markets include: Learning from Research: Getting more from your data, Judith BELL and Clive OPIE, Open University Press (2002), 261 pp., £50.00 (hard), £14.99 (soft): essential reading for any serious researcher. The Economics of Conserving Wildlife and Natural Areas, Clem TISDELL, Edward Elgar (2002), 320 pp., £59.95: twenty four articles, some previously published and others specially written, which apply general economic principles to the conservation of wildlife and natural areas, as well as outlining consequential policy issues. Controlling Global Warming: Perspectives from Economics, Game Theory and Public Choice, Edited by Christoph BOHRINGER, Michael FINUS and Carsten VOGT, Edward Elgar (2002), 305 pp., £59.95: six lengthy, academic, articles plus a conclusion. Science, Agriculture and Research: A Compromised Participation? William BUHLER, Stephen MORSE, Eddie ARTHUR, Susannah BOLTON, and Judy MANN, Earthscan (2002), 176 pp., £50.00 (hard), £17.95 (soft). Health and Safety Games for Trainers, Graham ROBERTS-PHELPS, Gower (1999), 226 pp., £49.50. Tracks and Frames: The Economy of Symbolic Forms in Organizations, Kaj SKOLDBERG, Pergamon (2002), 215 pp., $73.50. Economics as Religion from Samuelson to Chicago and Beyond, Robert H. NELSON, The Pennsylvania State University Press (2001), 378 pp., $35.00. Managing Emergent Phenomena: Nonlinear Dynamics in Work Organizations, Stephen J. GUASTELLO, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (2002), 391 pp., £78.50.
125