This book is a collection of practical writings on business and management topics and is a companion to “Management Briefs: Management and Leadership Theory Made Simple.” These writings originally appeared in the business section of the local newspaper in Abilene, Texas, U.S.A. Using examples from movies, books, sports, and everyday experiences, they are designed to introduce readers to a variety of business topics in a concise, fun, and...

 69 p cntp 21/12/2012 363 2 Download

Tasneem Khan is the General Manager for Calm Seas, a small ocean kayak manufacturing company in western Canada. It is the end of the day in mid-October. Tasneem is wondering where the day went. She has gotten nothing done on the “to-do” list that she had with her when she started her day. And yet, she had been busy from the moment she walked in until now. She shrugs her shoulders and starts to tackle some of the work piled up on her desk....

 78 p cntp 21/12/2012 279 1 Download

So why do computing students need to know anything about law, beyond – just like anyone else – how to keep themselves out of trouble with the police? Well, most students who take a degree in computing (computer science, information systems, “informatics”, or similar) aim to find a computing-related job in a company or a public-sector organization. And that job will not involve just sitting in a back room hacking code. Jobs like that...

 79 p cntp 21/12/2012 319 1 Download

It is a basic assumption of finance theory, taught as fact in Business Schools and advocated at the highest level by vested interests, world-wide (governments, financial institutions, corporate spin doctors, the press, media and financial web-sites) that stock markets represent a profitable long-term investment. Throughout the twentieth century, historical evidence also reveals that over any five to seven year period security prices invariably...

 103 p cntp 21/12/2012 320 1 Download

In a world of geo-political, social and economic uncertainty, strategic financial management is in a process of change, which requires a reassessment of the fundamental assumptions that cut across the traditional boundaries of the subject. Read on and you will not only appreciate the major components of contemporary finance but also find the subject much more accessible for future reference.

 109 p cntp 21/12/2012 287 1 Download

This study guide is designed to provide an overview of the key elements, important historical context and current debates in the field of Quality Management. It aims to give a coherent view of the underlying principles of quality management, and how these relate to practical application in a range of organizations. The tools and techniques which support the principles are not covered in detail in this guide, More information on these can be...

 192 p cntp 21/12/2012 361 4 Download

It was just a few decades ago, in the 1950s, that modern project management was first seen as an individual subject within the area of economic sciences. Centuries back, so-called “projects” were finished successfully, e.g. the building of the aqueducts in Roman times or the construction of the Great Wall in China, but these projects were managed more on an ad-hoc basis mostly using informal techniques and tools.

 117 p cntp 21/12/2012 435 2 Download

The above quotation from Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller expresses some of the reasons why the company has come to serve as a model for many when it comes to the ability to manage and organize a company. The company is based on a number of standards which indicate what it perceives as right and important:

 112 p cntp 21/12/2012 249 2 Download

Operations Management is the activity of managing the resources which produce and deliver goods and services (Slack et al., 2010). Operations can be seen as one of many functions (e.g. marketing, finance, personnel) within the organisation. The operations function can be described as that part of the organisation devoted to the production or delivery of goods and services. This means all organisations undertake operations activities because...

 62 p cntp 21/12/2012 402 2 Download

There has been an increasing amount of talk about “employee stress” over the past decade. Quite what it is and how best to combat it are two aspects which are rather less well-documented. This chapter will try to decide - in a non-medical way - what it may be, how it may be caused, what relevance it has to organisations and their business and how it can best be avoided or treated. Stress is a more subjective topic than most we have so far...

 112 p cntp 21/12/2012 356 1 Download

There are many different types of organisation, none of them necessarily the best or the worst but all geared towards enabling an organisation to achieve its objectives as quickly, easily and inexpensively as possible. Most management writers have offered differing views on which types of organisation can work best in which contexts. All these views are valid but some may not be as appropriate to certain kinds of organisation as others. Issues...

 86 p cntp 21/12/2012 353 1 Download

Information management is vital for today’s businesses. It requires significant investment and supports critical business processes. With the proliferation of the information economy and information systems, effective information management determines success of virtually every business operation. Obtaining business value from vast amount of information collected by businesses is no longer only a technological challenge. The choice of...

 39 p cntp 21/12/2012 364 1 Download