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Sunday, February 15, 2004 |
Creativity in Management
Creativity management seeks to generate a symbiosis between spiritualism and materialism. It endeavors to develop a culture "whereby an individual can feel free to think, act, react, respond and solve problems in new ways. Culture of society in general and organisation in particular should develop open system of generation of ideas." Although all the 12 chapters are thought-provoking, one may like to give special attention to chapter 6 – Process of Creativity; and chapter 11 – Barriers to Creativity.
Selling and Sales Management
This book explains, with cogent illustrations, the salient points of selling and sales management. The first part dwells upon the traditional role of sales in a marketing organisation. In order to provide focus to selling efforts the various classes of buyers – and types of selling – have been analysed. The second part – Sales Technique – tells us how to give the selling process a practical shape, i.e., how to actually sell the product. Sales Environment explores the various channels available for bringing about the numerous types of sales in markets ranging from local to national to international. Sales Management covers recruitment, selection, motivation, training and compensation of various salespersons. Lastly, Sales Control endeavours to explain the various aspects of sales budgeting, sales forecasting and other devices of sales control. Of special interest is the chapter, Internet and Information Technology. In recent years IT has become a sales multiplier. It is now much easier to reach out to the hitherto inaccessible markets with a product. The novel marketing space demands innovative sales techniques, strategies and mindsets. This book is invaluable for marketing professionals and students alike.
Creating Performing Organizations
This book provides different models that strive to integrate commercial aspirations of business houses with management and socio-cultural elements. For example, at the micro level in a knowledge economy, T.P. Wong (chapter 3) discusses how a positive climate management better fulfills basic human needs for personal significance and overall meaning than the traditional models of motivation of workers. Similarly, at the macro level, Mary Keating and Karen Thompson (chapter 12) say that in cross-cultural management research, ‘culture’ acts as an important variable explaining differences in employee behaviours and attitudes, management practices and leadership styles. Since cultures are unique to a society, human resource management models from one culture are not necessarily be successful in other cultures as well. Peppered with relevant case studies, the tome explains various aspects of management from the Indian perspective. Chapters like A Strategic Human Resource Model on Creating Performing Organization; Managing the Performing Workforce in India; Creating Transcultural Performing Organizations: The Role of Inter-firm Social Capital; and Cultural Worldviews and Their Foundations: The Case of Southern Asia, among others, are quite absorbing and enlightening. The book is a must-read for wannabe managers. |