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ADVANCED
MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
SAM JOURNAL VOLUME 61
NUMBER 2 SPRING 1996
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to AMJ Contents
The ABCs of Customer-Centered Performance
Measures
The dawn of the 20th century was also the dawn of cost accounting--a major breakthrough
for managements' performance analysis efforts. Now, however, basic changes in corporate
cost structures undermine the effectiveness of cost accounting as a decision guide. While
cost accounting still plays a useful role, strategic decision-makers should place more
reliance on customer-centered, performance based systems for relevant performance
measures.
David J. Lemak, Walter W. Austin, Joseph C. Montgomery, and Richard Reed
Strategic Flexibility: A New Reality for
World-Class Manufacturing
Once upon a time, corporate structures were hierarchical; the assembly line was
state-of-the-art; and the workforce was expected to do as instructed and no more. Today,
that is a recipe for stagnation and decline. For the flexibility and creativity needed to
compete successfully, management structures need to be relatively flat, employees need to
be skilled, training needs to be continual, and technology must be the latest.
R.S.M.Lau
The Effective Leader as a Link Between Task
and People
Managers are supposed to plan and provide vision for their organizations. But to do this,
they must first accomplish their day-to-day tasks efficiently and effectively. To
synthesize some of the many models for effective leadership, the authors' Leadership Link
Model integrates several existing ones to show how managers can identify and bridge gaps
between people, skills, and required tasks, thus meeting work goals and allowing freedom
for vision.
Randall G. Sleeth and Wallace R. Johnston
In Search of Excellence: Leadership Challenges Facing
Companies in the New South Africa
To a large extent, the task of bringing South Africa's
business sector into fighting trim for today's global marketplace will fall on its
business leaders. Which model should they follow? The Flanagan and Thompson model,
encompassing transactional management, transformational leadership, and situational
sensitivity, is considered appropriate for the South African environment.
Pieter A. Grobler
Scientific Management: 100 Years Old; Poised for the Next
Century
Building on his seminal 1895 study on piece work, Frederick
W. Taylor launched his Principles of Scientific Management into the business world in
1911. While the phrase "scientific management" is seldom if ever used today,
Taylor's principles--from the task concept to training and incentives--are everywhere in
evidence, although they have been modified and shaped to reflect today's environment.
Michael G. Freeman
Managing Technology-Based Strategic Alliances Between Large
and Small Firms
Many firms seek alliances as an efficient and effective
short-cut to an objective, such as developing or marketing a new product. Over 60% of
biotechnology and machine vision firms take part in such alliances. Unfortunately, only
half of these alliances last three years, usually because of mistakes in their formation
or ongoing management. Compatibility and clarity of communications are two essential
ingredients of success.
Gene Slowinski, Gerald Seelig, and Frank Hull
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F.B. "Fess" Green and Victor B. Wayhan
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