If you sense that there are underlying concerns in your company about a major new development or problem, how do you bring them to the surface? One solution is to hold an agendaless meeting, at which employees sit in a circle and are invited to speak out about the matters on their mind. Explores...

How does your company ensure the effectiveness of its research and development (R&D)? There is, of course, no easy or foolproof way. US firm Westinghouse believes that assessment by the businesses of R&D’s performance against ambitious, quantifiable and mutually set objectives is crucial. But...

A number of leading US firms have gained substantial benefits from process‐redesign efforts; global best practices are in place and efficiencies have been won. In recent years, process management has been maturing at firms like Corning, Du Pont, the Gartner Group, Hewlett‐Packard, Marion...

Computer‐based training has been around for a while, but available technology has limited its impact. Recently, more powerful personal computers (PCs), laser‐disk storage and better graphics have allowed this tool to support a learning organization. This article explains how.

Your company has a rising young star who is energetic, hardworking and good at his job. You pay him a great salary and provide generous benefits. But still he expresses his intention to leave. You perceive his “disloyalty” to the firm as “typical of his generation”. But could you have...

The automotive industry is fairly traditional when it comes to training. Companies generally hire a vendor who delivers a packaged program. A lot of “off the shelf” and generic training has been painstakingly developed for the industry. It is unusual for automotive firms to go to the...

The giant Dow Chemical Company recently went through a successful exercise in succession planning. Here, Frank Popoff, chairman of the board, shares some thoughts on the appointment of a chief executive, and the development of candidates for management jobs throughout the company.

Some people regard company hotlines as an effective way of cutting organizational waste, fraud and abuse. Others hear “Big Brother” calling. Explores the evidence for each point of view.

“Snouts in the trough” is a common tabloid newspaper reaction to news that yet another company boss has gained an enormous pay increase at a time when the firm has laid off large numbers of employees, imposed ever‐greater workloads on those who remain and given them little or nothing by...

Managers everywhere seek higher productivity for themselves and their organizations. But the path to increased productivity is not always clear. Doing the “wrong” things more effectively can actually harm overall efficiency. A critical‐success‐factors approach can help to refocus...