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Sunday, February 15, 2004 |
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Sunday, February 15, 2004 |
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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. |
CREATIVITY in management is the new millennium’s
mantra. The dawn of the knowledge economy has given man the opportunity
to express his creativity in different ways. Scientists devise
innovative products and technologies, and the business community
continually comes up with neoteric marketing practices and management
techniques. When compared with tangible assets and liabilities, the
intangibles are increasingly becoming important factors in determining
the success or failure of organisations. Therefore, "knowledge
workers" are fast becoming major players in generating income and
growth. This book stresses upon the fact that along with nurturing
creativity it has become imperative to manage it.
In the good old days professors used to describe
salesmanship as an optimum mix of science and art. Science because all
sales strategies depended upon market research and related tools; and
art because ultimately it was personal contact and one’s gift of gab
that was instrumental in converting a prospect into a client. Obviously,
things have changed quite a bit since then. Now the entire process of
selling has been bifurcated into sales and marketing. The science part
is now dubbed as sales management.
With the advent of globalisation and liberalisation,
the Indian corporate world is now facing the impact of global
competition in all its intensity. Obviously, only the fittest will
survive the vagaries of the marketplace. With virtual disappearance of
government controls, business houses are realising that there are other
factors that need to be taken into account while functioning in the
changed environment. They have to "come to terms with issues of
world-class management, organisational practices and principles,
culture, gender, child development, diversity and environment."
