Richard M. Hodgetts

U.S. Multinationals' Compensation Strategies for Local Management: Cross-Cultural Implications

As U.S. businesses expand globally, they should take into account the cross- cultural implications of developing compensation strategies for managers from different countries.

Leadership Techniques in the Project Organization

Project managers, because of their inherent “authority-gap”, have developed a handful of techniques for supplementing their authority. The importance of these techniques will often vary with the do...

Frederick W. Taylor'S 1899 Pig Iron Observations: Examining Fact, Fiction, And Lessons For The New Millennium

Taylors pig iron observations at Bethlehem Iron in 1899 are often cited as an example of how scientific management helped increase industrial efficiency. The current research, relying almost exclu...

U.S. Multinationals' Expatriate Compensation Strategies:

In the first of two articles on the compensation challenges faced by businesses expanding globally, the authors examine the basic components of expatriate compensation and provide examples of some strategies.

The human dimension of online education: cyberstudents speak out

This paper reports on a survey of 129 online students at three different universities as to their perceptions of positive and negative aspects of taking online courses. The major categories of positive responses were in the areas of flexible class time, ability to attend class from anywhere in the word and the online pedagogy. The major negative aspects reported were technical problems, lack of face-to-face interaction, and the perception that online classes seem to require more time and work. The authors conclude that the online instructor is the single most important person in making the students experience a positive or a negative one and suggest that careful training and monitoring of faculty is a necessary early step in taking programs to cyberspace. Faculty performance along with well-oriented students, a help desk available for extended hours, a readily accessible online library system and a good platform for the online program are suggestions offered for maximizing the positive aspects and minimizing the negative.

Management history gurus of the 1990s

This paper discusses the lives and contributions of five key members of the Management History Division: Arthur G. Bedeian; Alfred A. Bolton; James C. Worthy (now deceased); Charles D. Wrege; and Daniel A. Wren. Each has proved himself a teacher and intellectual leader in matters of fundamental concern to management history.

The role of management history in the management curriculum: 1997

This paper reports the results of a Management History Division survey within the Academy of Management which investigated the current status and future direction of management history teaching in the management curriculum and the role and direction of the Management History Division in general. Comparisons were made to a similar 1989 survey. While management history as a separate course remains elusive, management history continues to be taught in other mainstream management courses. The role of the Management History Division is seen as critical in encouraging others to teach management history. Significant accomplishments have been made in this area since the earlier survey including an expanded Executive Committee, a revised newsletter, new awards for service in the field, and the initiation of the Journal of Management History as an outlet for publication in the field.

A conversation with Steve Kerr

Abstract As General Electrics chief learning officer, Steve Kerr has been intimately involved with Jack Welchs efforts to bring a new competitive vitality to GE. Here, Kerr talks about the ideas in his latest book, The Boundarytess Organization (co-authored with Ron Ashkenas, Dave Ulrich, and Todd Jick). That book (and many of the programs underway at GE) is based on the idea that any organization has boundaries—between departments, between levels of management, and between the company and its customers and suppliers. These boundaries block information and frustrate quick responses to market needs. Kerr tells how GEs initiatives help cut through the barriers. For example, GEs famous “workout” programs (group meetings aimed at eliminating low-value work and bureaucracy) have now become a way of life, and workouts with customers and suppliers have created closer, more effective working relationships. The 360-degree appraisal system has been instrumental in cracking the barriers between levels of management. Learning activities at GEs Crotonville leadership education center have spread best practices across division boundaries. The next boundary to cross, says Kerr, is international—the barriers separating operations in the global market.

Communicating with online students: lessons from the front

The authors describe lessons learned from their online teaching experiences with two different delivery systems. One is a system using the World Wide Web, bulletin boards, e-mail and chat rooms for instructions and another is a software package known as Convene. In each case, students pursue their degrees via 100% online courses. The article discusses the planning process necessary to ensure an effective online course as well as lessons learned about actually communicating online, including the correct degree of informality and the importance of continuous feedback. Finally, the results of a case study in online assessment of student attitudes is presented.

Applying the Delphi Technique To Management Gaming

Many types of simulation games and management techniques are now available to business and industry. These games range from general management simulations to industry games to functional area games (marketing, production, finance, etc.). The management techniques include the Delphi technique, envelope forecasting, and scenario writing, which are used to help predict future occurrences. All these games and techniques have one common characteristic : they are designed to help the participant in the deci-