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ADVANCED MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
VOLUME 61
NUMBER 1 WINTER 1996
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Creative Thinking and Sexual Harassment
Ever since the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made sexual
harassment illegal, businesses have coped with a rising tide of charges and court cases.
One approach managers might consider to head off unproductive and costly complications is
creative thinking. This strategy includes brainstorming sessions in which employees and
supervisors (together or separately) discuss aspects of the problem. Before embarking on
this course, however, a cost-benefit analysis is prudent.
Paul S. Greenlaw and John P. Kohl
Crisis Management in the Midst of Labor Strife:
Preparing for the Worst
Crisis management is closely identified with natural
disasters and product liability, but the average business is more likely to need these
skills to deal with labor problems. Having an approved contingency plan in place before
being confronted with difficult strikes or other trouble should greatly improve a
company's chance of minimizing business and public relations damage.
William "Rick" Crandall and Michael L. Menefee
Development of Human Resources: A Portfolio Strategy
Some may dislike the idea that employees, like a portfolio
of stocks, should be managed for optimum gain. Nevertheless, employees represent capital,
indeed, they are often a company's largest investment. By systematically training,
nurturing, reviewing, and culling its human resources, a company has a better chance of
realizing significant returns on this valuable asset.
Shepherd O. Shonhiwa and Harold L. Gilmore
Managing Absenteeism for Greater Productivity
Absenteeism is costly--every manager knows that. The problem
is dealing with it in a way that is fair without being "soft." A literature
survey suggests that establishing a policy starts with setting the number of permissible
absences and then issuing and explaining a written policy to all employees. Next, set
guidelines for enforcement and make sure supervisors set a good example.
Mona Buschak, Christa Craven, and Robert Ledman
Mission Statements Revisited
No less a management guru than Peter Drucker believes that a
well crafted, plausible mission statement can make a difference to a company's chance of
success. Few companies can fail to benefit from focusing and defining their efforts. After
creating a statement, management needs to communicate it throughout the firm, implement
it, and review it periodically for relevance.
Romnald A. Stone
Ancient Chinese Advice for Modern Business Strategists
U.S. business leaders might do well to examine a work that
has been influential in the dynamic business communities of the Far East; Sun Tzu's
masterpiece, The Art of War, written some 2,500 years ago. On subjects such as avoiding
competition, uses of deception and information to gain advantage, overcoming stronger
competitors, and leadership qualities, Master Sun has powerful advice.
Charles A. Rarick
Viewpoints
The Ethics of Performance Appraisal
Larry L. Axline
Book Review
Psychology for Leaders: Using Motivation Conflict,
and Power to Manage More Effectively, by Dean Tjosvold, Mary M. Tjosvold, Milo C.
Pierce
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