The Effective Manager

An up-to-date compendium of key articles, this reader should be a useful introduction to management and organizational behaviour. It brings together pieces written on the art and science of management, deliberately counterposing them to highlight alternative perspectives. The focus of the book is on the ideas and theories which a manager can use to become more effective. Six sections explore important aspects of the manager’s job: management, leadership and conflict; motivation and stress at work; organizational culture; decision-making and teams; staff development; and diversity in organizations. In each section the reader should find articles which reflect major ideas or debates within the area, including those that challenge traditional views and ways of doing things. Does money motivate? Are teams useful? Does organizational culture exist? What role does sexuality play in the workplace? These are some of the questions asked. Throughout, the book underlines the need for managers to take into account the different contexts of time and culture in which they act.
This book should be a useful resource for both students and professionals in general management, organizational behaviour, work psychology and human resource management.

Author Biography

Jon Billsberry is a Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour and a member of the Centre for Human Resource and Change Management at the Open University Business School.