Developing leaders and managing development
Management development and, in particular, developing leaders is a first priority in the management of international human resources today. Paul Evans identifies two current views and groups of leaders -- those who are 'expertise' oriented and lead by their technical authority, and 'generalists', who lead by management skills. They are distinguished in various ways such as their attitudes towards delegation and sensitivity to matching jobs and personalities. Leadership development is best pursued by encouraging managers to be mobile between functions. Changing careers significantly once or twice leads to a 'layered career development', allowing the development of individuals who are able to balance the skills of professional expertise and generalist leadership.
HOW PROFESSORS OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT VIEW SERVICE OPERATIONS
This study empirically tests assumptions that underlie operations management (OM) scholars' belief that service operations should be managed differently. Respondents were self-classified into manufacturing and service types. There is a significant statistical difference between the views held by each group with regard to statements such as “service Om should be taught as a separate course” and “service operations should be managed differently from manufacturing.” There was general consensus on the service research agenda with the exception of three research areas: time standards, technology, and productivity. The survey also revealed that customer influence has the greatest impact on service Om strategies and decisions.
‘There is no race so wretched that there is not something out there that cares for them’: Multiculturalism, understanding, empathy and prejudice in Discworld
Multiculturalism is at the heart of Mel Gibson’s chapter. Arguing that stories situated in Ankh-Morpork, Discworld’s major capital and the focal point of many Discworld stories, in particular deal with the opportunities, problems and, sometimes, sheer craziness associated with multi- and cross-cultural debates and realities, Gibson draws on European models of multiculturalism. She analyses how, alongside debating the nature of prejudice and oppression, the City Watch stories in particular explore ways in which a multicultural space may work.