Cases in business policy

Book The expectation is that more books can be described to readers than has proved possible by publishing only critical reviews. The descriptive information should enable interest in the books to be raised beyond that induced by just listing the titles. However, it is recognized that a critical review can be far more informative about a book than is attempted with Review Briefs and, accordingly, offers to review any books are solicited. Having been described in Review Briefs, a 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 require 1000-1500 words and will be fully attributed. The reviewer keeps the book but Long Range Planning makes no payment. As an alternative, it may be apparent that either a single ‘milestone’ class publication or several books on a single topic could constitute a wider perspective Essay Review. This would be expected to comprise an article of some 300@4000 words and would have a written introduction by the Review Editor. The Journal would make its usual article contribution payments to the author of an Essay Review. Readers interested to review any book in Review Briefs should be prepared to offer a copy deadline some 3 months ahead which can be relied on in planning the Journal. As a matter of readership policy, reviewer preference will be given to practising managers, or planners. Your interest should be expressed as a specific request to review a book from Review Briefs, preferably giving some intimation of why you think your review would be of interest to readers, addressed to: BRUCE LLOYD, Book Review London NW6 3QA, U.K.

Editor,

48 Aberdare

times a year. Linked with the European Business Ethics Network. The main theories’of transnational production are discussed in International Production: Trends, Theories, E$ects, GRAZIA IETTO-GILLIES, Polity Press (1992), 242 pp., A39.50. Aimed at the student audience, it illustrates how little macro economics has contributed to understanding what is really going on within the multinational corporations; virtually ignoring managerial works in this area. (Such as The Boarderless World, KENICHI OHMAE, Harper Business (1990), 223 pp., $21.95.) In addition a more useful student text is probably International Buriness Studies: An Overview, PETERJ. BUCKLEY and MICHAEL Z. BROOKE, editors Blackwell (1992), 623 pp., A75.00. Those with a specialist interest in the subject might also try Multinationals in the New Europe and Global Trade, M. W. KLEIN and P. J. J. WELFENS, Editors, SpringerVerlag (1992), 281 pp., DM 120.00. An excellent survey ofthe managerial realities is contained in Managing Across Borders: The Transnational Solution, CHRISTOPHER A. BARLETT, and SUMANTRA GHOSHAL, Century Business (1992), 274 pp., Al2.95; although even here there is no mention of The Boarderlerr

World.

Continuour

Procerr

Winning

Policy,

Twenty-three U.K. based case studies for use on a wide range of courses and designed to complement the Business Policy text by the same authors.

The

1992, $35.00. Three

Volume issues per year.

Flow

Sys-

Combinations: Between

The Large

JANA B.

Coming and

Small

MATHEWS,

Wave

of Entrepreneurial

Companies,

Wiley

(1992),

JAMES W. 278 pp.,

A relevant and readable guide to the difficult interface between corporations and entrepreneurs. Should be read by all those involved in this particularly challenging area. Another study that is critical to the survival and success of individuals within both large and small organizations is The Influential Manager, LEE BRYCE, Piatkus (1991), 217 pp., Al7.50. Its theme is the importance of mastering company politics.

Ultimate

ization, Corporations,

Work

Gardens,

BRIAN KENNY, EDWARD LEA, STUART SANDERSON and GEORGE LUFFMAN, Blackwell Business (1992), Second Edition, 455 pp., A22.50.

Transnational

Simplifring

A practical approach to streamlined work-flow processes based on the implementation of ‘empowering’ natural work teams in three General Electric businesses. Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) is a transportable system that can both profoundly change manufacturing practices, as well as be applied in all areas of a business. A ‘bread and butter’ approach to greater efficiency that could benefit almost all organizations.

BOTKIN and A20.95.

in Business

Improvement:

tems, GEORGE D. ROBSON, Free Press (1991), 181 pp., $35.00.

Partnerships

Cases

133

Reviews

Advantage:

Creating

the High-Involvement

EDWARD E. LAWLER III, Jossey-Bass

Organ-

(1992), 371 pp.,

A20.95. 1, Number

1, February

Useful and important subjects, but it is a pity international agencies (in this case the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations) still appear dominated by academics. The urgent need is for material, such as that covered in this volume, to be aimed at those who are responsible for operations in the front line. Other recent newjournals include: Creativity and Innovation Management, Blackwell Business, Volume 1, Number 1, March 1992, A85.00. Four issues per year. Linked with the newly established European Foundation for Creativity and Innovation. And Business Ethics: A European Review, Volume 1, Number 1, January 1992, A85.00, four

The author argues: ‘We need an alternative to the total quality management approach that builds on many of its key elements but goes beyond it to provide a competitive advantage for organizations in societies that are characterized by diversity, democracy, entrepreneurial behavior, and respect for the individual.’ Worth reading but ‘Ultimate’ is a bit strong; especially when there is no refeience to ‘Learning Organisation’ concepts (see The Fifth Discipline, PETER SENGE, Doubleday (1990)). A very basic introduction to one of the key issues is Empowerment: Building a Committed Workforce, CYNTHIA D. ScoTrandD~~~~s T. JAFFE, Kogan Page (1991), 90 pp., A5.99.