Giving power to employees: the soft approach to high productivity

Article Abstract:

Empowerment is increasingly becoming an important method of maintaining an edge in employee productivity, service and product quality. Technological innovations have reduced the need for mechanical jobs, thereby freeing employees for more creative, knowledge-based tasks. Empowerment meansgiving the staff involved in such tasks the authority to decide and implement projects as a team, based on the rationale that they know their jobs best. Being reponsible for successful production decisions and results makes employees more creative and motivated. A successful empowerment program entails management's commitment to its goals and trust in their subordinates' abilities, good communication between managers and employees, a corporate team structure, and profound changes in the role and status of employees.

Cover Story, Participatory management

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Executive search bounces back

Article Abstract:

Jean-Pierre Houdiniere, president of Houdiniere International, a Paris-based executive search firm, has reacted to the downturn in the use of executive search services by industrial organizations and manufacturing concerns by increasing involvement in financial services and high-technology areas. The company has been able to compensate for the loss of business from some of its traditional areas by tapping into agrochemicals, banking, and high-tech industries, including data processing and information systems managers. The change in direction among European executive search firms and the boom in demand for their services to find qualified electronic data processing managers is described.

United States, Services, France, Appointments, resignations and dismissals, Employee recruitment, Executives, Executive search firms, Employment services, Houdiniere, Jean-Pierre

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Age and executive competence: when is a manager too old?

Article Abstract:

Simulation data and empirical research confirm that younger managers aged 28 to 35 tend to be more impulsive and less able to think strategically than their 45-to-55 year-old middle aged or 65-to-75 year-old colleagues. Younger and middle-aged managers rate about the same overall, but older managers do not rate as well. The older managers are more concerned with plans than with actions, understanding only isolated aspects instead of a whole problem. New information is misinterpreted or ignored. Strategic planning is poor. Only in obvious emergencies do older managers respond promptly.

Employment, Testing, Demographic aspects, Surveys, Employee performance appraisals, Executive ability, Performance appraisals, Ability, Influence of age on, Middle managers

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