Jinnikins Jeans has carved out a reputation for itself based on its easy informality of business and product style. But this uniqueness of style is also sometimes the undoing. With respect to HRM practices, especially when it comes to formulating employee compensation programs, the model of ad hoc decision making that had prevailed in the…
Category: Management
Police: Streetcorner Politicians (Summary & Review)
The complex and challenging role of the policeman in society is given a rigorous treatment by author William K. Muir. The book serves multiple purposes at once – it is part sociological research, part collection of interesting anecdotes and part informed commentary. The author excels in meeting each of these three objectives with élan. One…
Construction of the First New York Subway (1904)
The first New York subway is a monumental public works project. Its appeal and achievement may not be apparent for a contemporary reader who takes local trains for granted. But in 1904 when the project was unveiled, it was a pioneering engineering effort with great public utility. At a time when the idea of public…
Toronto SARS Outbreak: Case Study
Critical Response to SARS in Toronto, in Howitt and Leonard, Managing Crises, pp. 75-130 The Toronto SARS crisis serves as an important case study for emergency operations personnel. During the unfolding of the crisis, there were some actions that were laudable actions and some others that were unsatisfactory. Given that 43 people lost their lives…
Qantas Airways: Service firm audit
Qantas Airways has established a reputation for itself in the highly competitive airlines industry. It has also survived the test of time by being a long time player in the Asia-Pacific regional market. Behind this success are valued marketing and service practices. Even a cursory analysis of Qantas’ business processes indicate how the company has…
Accountability in Management – Meaning, Definition, Examples
This concept comprises many alternative meanings and connotations. Although a typical definition would suggest the fundamental notion involved is one of responsibility to someone, or for some action (and both elements could be present simultaneously, of course), there is the added dimension of the need to actually render an account (i.e., of one’s conduct) to…
Absolute Advantage Theory of International Trade: Meaning, Examples and Notes
The argument that countries differ in their ability to produce goods efficiently, and hence one country may have an advantage in the production of a product that is absolute over any other country in producing it is called absolute advantage. Efficiency is defined as producing with a minimum of waste, expense, or unnecessary effort, and…
Employee Absenteeism – Review of Literature – Causes, Costs and Solutions
Absenteeism can be defined as any failure on the part of the employee to report to work when scheduled to do so. This includes absences that occur for any reason, whether involuntary or voluntary. Here, involuntary absenteeism refers to unavoidable illnesses and injuries that prevent an employee from attending to their work obligations. Voluntary absenteeism,…
Finding Employees and Keeping Them: Predicting Loyalty in the Small Business
Summary of article: The article titled ‘Finding Employees and Keeping Them: Predicting Loyalty in the Small Business’ accounts for various factors that determine employee loyalty in small businesses. The authors assert that employees in small businesses are expected to be more versatile and dynamic. This makes hiring the right people a little challenging. In larger…
Management Case Analysis: Netflix
Case Synopsis DVD rental business is coming to the end of its life-cycle. While Netflix made a name for itself by excelling in this domain, the technological landscape and consumer preferences are constantly in a flux. Netflix’ leadership position in streaming video is somewhat secure for the moment. But rapidly changing technology and competition from…