Coping strategies for organisations
M. S. S. Varadan
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A road map for organisations to successfully navigate their way into the future in the backdrop of the rapidly changing global environment
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THE NEW-AGE EMPOWERING ORGANISATION — Lessons in Excellence: Prem Chadha; Rupa & Co., 7/16, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002. Rs. 500.
The aspirations of the New Age employees are very different from the previous generation. They are better informed than their predecessors, are more talented and also far more ambitious. Thus organisational challenges in harnessing their talents and managing them effectively are a formidable task. This book is an attempt to draw a road map on coping strategies for organisations to successfully navigate their way into the future in the backdrop of the rapidly changing global environment.
Organisational challenges
This huge volume, so assiduously and painstakingly put together by the eminent author, is a valuable collection of thoughts by leading management thinkers around the globe blended nicely with practical insights into real life situations, with a number of case examples.
The variety of sources from which the author has tapped relevant information on many an organisational challenge is amazing.
The thoughtful quotes at the beginning of each chapter are very catchy like the one relating to managing people, "The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work." (Robert Frost) The exhibits in each chapter help to convey the highlights at a quick glance.
The book is divided into five parts, each part constituting three chapters. The first part titled `Befriending unbridled change' deals with the contours of the global environmental change and the emergence of `Human sciences', including the recognition of new breeds of intelligence namely Emotional intelligence (EI) and Spiritual intelligence (SI).
Human resources
An interesting and different treatment of the oft-repeated leadership issue appears with a discussion on the `followership style', which is as important as leadership. Also there is focus on the preferred profile of the employers, drawing from the various recent surveys and studies giving useful practical information.
The second part `Rediscovering management and its principles' is a scholarly discussion on different approaches to the art and science of management by leading thinkers of the era.
The author's formulation of `A to Z' principles combining the old and new, starting with the principles of common thought to the principle of balance including principles of connectedness and principle of measurable relative impact is interesting.
The organisational ethics and the human resource (HR) philosophy and the human resource development (HRD) skills have been deftly woven together.
Empowerment
The third part `Conceptualize HR for talent empowerment', deals with the basic, but perennially eluding problem of motivation of HR for which a rethinking of the basic concepts of what motivates people is needed.
The role of HRD in talent management has been well brought out. The network of operating HRD processes, diagrammatically presented helps to fit in the various processes into a total picture.
The next part addresses the issue of power in organisations, which every manager has to face in reality. Energising human resource through the understanding of needs at various stages of one's career and responding with appropriate HR interventions are brought out. The restructuring of the HR functions with a focus on its effectiveness has been presented here.
The fifth and concluding part is on the empowering organisation, which deals with participatory organisation and enabling leadership.
The last chapter on some trendy systems and approaches is noteworthy in that it helps the reader to keep pace with the most recent developments. Latest shift in emphasis from training to learning and the place that e-learning has come to occupy, could have enriched this chapter.
That the book has been a well-researched effort is brought by the fact that annexures and notes occupy as many as 100 pages providing a wealth of references. It will be a handy volume for academicians as well as practitioners of management.
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