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Human resources management—The complete guidebook for design firms
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conducted by non-governmental organizations (NGO), among the main proponents of agroforestry. Owing to more stringent time, money and other constraints these agencies need to be particularly flexible. As a result they frequently modify or hybridize elaborate standard planning exercises, such as the DD process, by reducing them to pragmatic shortcuts of the prototype. This aspect of adaptive management is particularly evident in the rapid appraisal methodology, which, according to the caste studies, is now being applied widely in many projects. Although the case studies do not support the use of patent agroforestry packages, certain generally valid planning needs become apparent. The final cibapter offers a relevant conspectus, emphasizing the four major focal points in agroforestry planning including: ( 1) the effects of planning decisions (evaluation);
AN RES Human Resources Management-The Complete Guidebook for Design Firms. Mark C.
Zweig, Wiley, New York, 1991 9 28 1 pp., US$55, ISBN 0471-63314-7. The management of firms in design and planning disciplines is an especially complex subject. Organizations and agencies interested in management of human resources tend to be larger and often inter-disciplinary. Economics of the industry, whether public or private sector focused, are driven by multiple forces that impact the vision for the firm, as well as the day to day operations and management of human resources. The c allenges in management of design firms in architecture, engineering, planning and various facets of land use are consistent with other service oriented enterprises. My attention has been focused on two special themes addressed by Zweig in his book. First, there are similarities of good human re-
(2) political aspects of planning (institutional issues); (3) technical and environmental issues; (4) the integration of research and development. Anyone interested in agroforestry in the tropics should take time not only to read, but to study this book. Planning for Agroforestry takes this fledgling science beyond its initial preoccupation with myriad agroforestry cysterms and species, i.e. beyond the level of mere resource management, and highlights the shifts in development emphasis which took place in the 1980s such as from centralized to decentralized planning, from specific technologies to comprehensive farming systems, and from crop to land user. HANS G. SCHABEL College of Natural Resources University qf b’isconsin Stevens Poinr, W’I 5448! C’S‘4
source management in progressive firms, whether the principle enterprise is design or another professionally rendered service. Second, designers, engineers and planners, as reflexive problem solvers, operate in environments of continual flux while some forms of professional practice exist in more static or internally controlled contexts. The text is well organized and presents a number of important, if pragmatic, practices and attributes of good human resource management. Clarity in presentation gives special value to the work. Current managers could open this text and find that one or more of their day to day decisions are addressed by Zweig. This points out the concreteness, applicability, and temporality of the work. Larger more diverse firms, and the managers of such, may find the advice already in their repertoire of actions. The manager of the small architecture, engineering, or planning firm, will certainly find the advice useful and well catalogued, if not new. Smaller firms, that promote to man-
230
agement positions internally, place design professionals into management positions with little or no formal training. Management by the “seat of the pants” is pointed out to be a failing of the design professions generally. This makes Zweig’s overview particularly beneficial. The section on leadership in Chapter 5 is important. The idiosyncratic tendencies of many designers and planners, who frequently work independently, are not always compatiblc with the idea of following a leader. The attributes of leadership in the design firm, while applicable to other settings, are especially well tuned to the setting of architecture, engineering and planning practice. Zweig’s experience in the profession is evidenced in this brief but cogent interlude into the importance of leadership. A more in depth analysis of the relationship of leadership to management in the firm setting would have given body to the important phenomenon of co-existence of vision and implementation in the marketplace. As architecture, engineering, and planning firms continue to grow in size and complexity, and as the disciplines increase demands for research, management of research organizations and the human resources necessary to power them will grow in importance. The distinctions that exist professionals, are equal to the extant distinctions between research scientists and practicing professionals who are users of generated knowledge. Special human resources management problems and potentials are present, an6
the address of these will provide the foundation for the next generation of architecture, engineering and planning firms. This is especially true for firms that manage the environment. As public demand for knowledge and accountability for preserving the environment grows, management of human resources in this arena will become increasingly significant. As a guide for managers in architecture, engineering and planning firms the book contains a great deal of salient advice, and is ordered to be easily accessed. As a base from \yrhich to begin research on human resources management, or to understand the body of literature regarding human resources management, the book has deficiencies. It’s strength lies in practical, experience driven, applications of human resources management principles to design firms. Zweig achieved his goal, “... to impart what I have learned in my years of experience dealing with a diverse cross section of design firms about the mystery of how to get the best people, turn them on, and keep them working for us”. In this he has succeeded in providing a broad and useful set of suggestions that make sense in the day to day operation of the design, engineering, and planning firm.
e
Over twenty years ago .E. Pahl, an English sociologist, review Plans” written by that planners tended to over-emphasize the physical aspects of planning problems and pointed out that “the city is essentially a social entity-the product of a particular society at a particular time”. Much of Pahl’s criticism is still relevant and we are in need of investiga-
UN1
GY
Common Places, Community Ideology and Identity in American Culture, David M. Hummon,
State IJniversity
of New York
Press, Albany, NY, 1990,236 pp, tables and figures, index, $49.00, ISBN O-79 14-0275 4.
WALTER V. WENDLER
Department OfArchitecture College of Architecture Texas A & M University College Station, TX 97843 3137 USA
conducted by non-governmental organizations (NGO), among the main proponents of agroforestry. Owing to more stringent time, money and other constraints these agencies need to be particularly flexible. As a result they frequently modify or hybridize elaborate standard planning exercises, such as the DD process, by reducing them to pragmatic shortcuts of the prototype. This aspect of adaptive management is particularly evident in the rapid appraisal methodology, which, according to the caste studies, is now being applied widely in many projects. Although the case studies do not support the use of patent agroforestry packages, certain generally valid planning needs become apparent. The final cibapter offers a relevant conspectus, emphasizing the four major focal points in agroforestry planning including: ( 1) the effects of planning decisions (evaluation);
AN RES Human Resources Management-The Complete Guidebook for Design Firms. Mark C.
Zweig, Wiley, New York, 1991 9 28 1 pp., US$55, ISBN 0471-63314-7. The management of firms in design and planning disciplines is an especially complex subject. Organizations and agencies interested in management of human resources tend to be larger and often inter-disciplinary. Economics of the industry, whether public or private sector focused, are driven by multiple forces that impact the vision for the firm, as well as the day to day operations and management of human resources. The c allenges in management of design firms in architecture, engineering, planning and various facets of land use are consistent with other service oriented enterprises. My attention has been focused on two special themes addressed by Zweig in his book. First, there are similarities of good human re-
(2) political aspects of planning (institutional issues); (3) technical and environmental issues; (4) the integration of research and development. Anyone interested in agroforestry in the tropics should take time not only to read, but to study this book. Planning for Agroforestry takes this fledgling science beyond its initial preoccupation with myriad agroforestry cysterms and species, i.e. beyond the level of mere resource management, and highlights the shifts in development emphasis which took place in the 1980s such as from centralized to decentralized planning, from specific technologies to comprehensive farming systems, and from crop to land user. HANS G. SCHABEL College of Natural Resources University qf b’isconsin Stevens Poinr, W’I 5448! C’S‘4
source management in progressive firms, whether the principle enterprise is design or another professionally rendered service. Second, designers, engineers and planners, as reflexive problem solvers, operate in environments of continual flux while some forms of professional practice exist in more static or internally controlled contexts. The text is well organized and presents a number of important, if pragmatic, practices and attributes of good human resource management. Clarity in presentation gives special value to the work. Current managers could open this text and find that one or more of their day to day decisions are addressed by Zweig. This points out the concreteness, applicability, and temporality of the work. Larger more diverse firms, and the managers of such, may find the advice already in their repertoire of actions. The manager of the small architecture, engineering, or planning firm, will certainly find the advice useful and well catalogued, if not new. Smaller firms, that promote to man-
230
agement positions internally, place design professionals into management positions with little or no formal training. Management by the “seat of the pants” is pointed out to be a failing of the design professions generally. This makes Zweig’s overview particularly beneficial. The section on leadership in Chapter 5 is important. The idiosyncratic tendencies of many designers and planners, who frequently work independently, are not always compatiblc with the idea of following a leader. The attributes of leadership in the design firm, while applicable to other settings, are especially well tuned to the setting of architecture, engineering and planning practice. Zweig’s experience in the profession is evidenced in this brief but cogent interlude into the importance of leadership. A more in depth analysis of the relationship of leadership to management in the firm setting would have given body to the important phenomenon of co-existence of vision and implementation in the marketplace. As architecture, engineering, and planning firms continue to grow in size and complexity, and as the disciplines increase demands for research, management of research organizations and the human resources necessary to power them will grow in importance. The distinctions that exist professionals, are equal to the extant distinctions between research scientists and practicing professionals who are users of generated knowledge. Special human resources management problems and potentials are present, an6
the address of these will provide the foundation for the next generation of architecture, engineering and planning firms. This is especially true for firms that manage the environment. As public demand for knowledge and accountability for preserving the environment grows, management of human resources in this arena will become increasingly significant. As a guide for managers in architecture, engineering and planning firms the book contains a great deal of salient advice, and is ordered to be easily accessed. As a base from \yrhich to begin research on human resources management, or to understand the body of literature regarding human resources management, the book has deficiencies. It’s strength lies in practical, experience driven, applications of human resources management principles to design firms. Zweig achieved his goal, “... to impart what I have learned in my years of experience dealing with a diverse cross section of design firms about the mystery of how to get the best people, turn them on, and keep them working for us”. In this he has succeeded in providing a broad and useful set of suggestions that make sense in the day to day operation of the design, engineering, and planning firm.
e
Over twenty years ago .E. Pahl, an English sociologist, review Plans” written by that planners tended to over-emphasize the physical aspects of planning problems and pointed out that “the city is essentially a social entity-the product of a particular society at a particular time”. Much of Pahl’s criticism is still relevant and we are in need of investiga-
UN1
GY
Common Places, Community Ideology and Identity in American Culture, David M. Hummon,
State IJniversity
of New York
Press, Albany, NY, 1990,236 pp, tables and figures, index, $49.00, ISBN O-79 14-0275 4.
WALTER V. WENDLER
Department OfArchitecture College of Architecture Texas A & M University College Station, TX 97843 3137 USA