Management Today articles from October 2006

Management Today archives from October 2006

Editorial: Shame of African leadership.(Editorial)
October 9, 2006... Before I became a Hammersmith-bound desk-jockey, I used to travel a bit for work in the developing world: India, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Ethiopia, The Gambia, California... On one occasion I spent a fortnight in Papua New Guinea and picked...

Contributors.
October 9, 2006... LORD CRISP Crisp and the NHS went their separate ways in March, when he stepped down as chief exec as news broke of the organisation's financial troubles. Here he reviews Jim Collins' Good to Great and the Social Sector, and is impressed...

Chartered Management Institute: In my opinion.(Barbara Thomas Judge )(United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority)
October 9, 2006... Chartered Management Institute Companion Barbara Thomas Judge considers the challenges of active culture change across business sectors. During my tenure as chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, I have been continually...

The MT Diary: Howard Davies.
October 9, 2006... Quebec takes a liberty; my Hanoi hotpot supper; rocking on with LSE old boy Jagger. For most of the years I worked at McKinsey in the '80s, I shared an office with Michael Patsalos-Fox, a Greek-Australian right-handed opening bat who now...

Brain Food: Ten ways to ... take parental leave.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... 1. Review your company's policy 2. Ask colleagues how they did it 3. Tell your boss at the right time 4. Work flexible hours during the pregnancy 5. Establish your entitlement 6. Take leave in small chunks if you prefer...

Brain Food: It'll never fly the oyster.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... It's a filter-feeding mollusc that feels like a briny bolus of mucus slipping down your throat. Encounter it at the wrong time of year (during the spawning season - any month without an 'r' in its name), and you'll be swallowing an unappetising...

Brain Food: How does he manage? - Maverick Boss.(Ricardo Semler chief executive officer Semco)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... When did you become a manager? When I took over my father's company, Semco, in 1982. I was only 21, and tried to fit the model of the classic businessman overnight. Of course, it didn't work. I was soon terribly stressed, the whole...

Brain Food: Earning curve - Back to nature.
October 9, 2006... Global whale-watching industry, value p.a. pounds 530m WWF-UK, income ('05) pounds 39m The late Steve Irwin, crocodile hunter ('05) pounds 1.6m Administrator, Invertebrate Conservation Trust, p.a. pounds 15k Street fundraiser, Greenpeace,...

Brain Food: Workplace rights - A red card for bullies.(United Kingdom. Protection from Harassment Act 1997)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... The 1997 Protection from Harassment Act (PHA), a law originally targeting stalkers, has been interpreted more broadly by the courts. Following a ruling in July by the House of Lords, it now provides a powerful remedy for employees who are...

Brain Food: Your route to the top - How to get feedback.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Ask for it. Regular, informal feedback is as important as six-monthly reviews. Scheduling regular catch-ups saves the embarrassment of having to ask repeatedly. Express your desire to improve. Even better, specify exactly what flaws you...

Brain Food: History lessons - Make it available ... VHS versus Betamax.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Your product may set the pace, but if it doesn't deliver what people need it's heading for the scrapheap. When Sony unveiled Betamax in 1975, it pioneered a new era of home entertainment. But it was soon killed off by VHS, a technically...

Brain Food: Why business is like ... Lion-taming.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Who is most likely to be teacher's pet? The hopeless and disruptive child who can't remember their times-tables, or the beautiful, popular child, who can recite them backwards, forwards and inside out? No prizes for that one. But with...

Brain Food: Mind your manners - Holding a job interview.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Know what you want. Define the post and the kind of person you need. This will save wasting everyone's time and help you plan decent questions. Don't wing it. Sharp candidates will be put off by a shoddy interview. Proper preparation also...

Brain Food: Slogan Doctor - Easyjet: Come on, let's fly!(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... To consumers, easyJet is known for cheap flights and an unfortunate attachment to the colour orange. In business, it has a reputation for cheap, homegrown and idiosyncratic solutions to common problems. Its slogan is no exception. Whereas...

Brain Food: Are you suffering from face blindness.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Also known as 'prosopagnosia', face blindness means the inability to recognise faces even though your eyesight is perfectly good. We know it all too well from the drinks party circuit, and everyone suffers from it at some point, especially when...

Brain Food: Words-Worth career.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Do you worry about your 'career'? Of course you do. Whether you're just starting out, moving along nicely, contemplating a change or planning to wind down, there's always something to fret about. Ideally, a career ought to be steady,...

Brain Food: We'd love that job - Truffle-hunter.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... What do you do? I'm a farmer and I own my small mixed farm, but for the past 10 years, I've also been hunting truffles during the summer months. That's usually from July to September, but I've also been known to go out looking for them...

Brain Food: Remember this.
October 9, 2006... 'We've got to put a lot of money into changing behaviours' BILL GATES SAID IT 'To work well is to live well' THOMAS AQUINAS SAID IT.

Brain Food: How he made his pile.(Peter de Savary)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Peter de Savary, Property developer. Who is he? The 62-year-old entrepreneur compares himself to Carnegie, but is nicknamed 'Peter Unsavoury' in the City. After a spectacular fall from grace, he's said to be worth pounds 20 million. ...

Brain Food: Helmut Panke - If i had to start again ..(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... I actually started out in nuclear physics. I attended a prep school in the US, following dreams created by watching James Dean movies, of hanging out and dating. I was thinking of pursuing a business degree, but my physics teacher there really...

Brain Food: Stat of the month - Into the ether.(online ad spend)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... dollars 19.7bn Estimated global online ad spend, 2009 That's up from a predicted dollars 11.6 billion this year. Advertisers have clearly overcome the late '90s bubble and are taking the second generation of websites seriously - hence...

Brain Food: Crash course in ... brainstorming.
October 9, 2006... Your business needs some bright ideas. Everyone's got their head down for much of the time and the spark of creativity has turned into a damp squib. Maybe it's time to try a spot of brainstorming. It's not just for neophytes. Far from being...

Brain Food: MT Masterclass.(European Foundation for Quality Management)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... EXCELLENCE What is it? The European Foundation for Quality Management defines excellence as 'outstanding practice in managing the organisation and achieving results'. The EFQM has its own business excellence model (BEM) not unlike the...

Brain Food: Decisions - Bill Jordan, Co-founder of Jordans.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... As a small company, we had to be first in. It was no good going to a supermarket buyer and saying we've got a great copy of an existing product - they'd just tell us to clear off. We had to be in there first. They asked us if we thought there...

Brain Food: Behind the spin.(Labour Party (United Kingdom))
October 9, 2006... THE DILEMMA If the Labour Party were a business, it would have gone to the wall. Its funding crisis began in March when the 'cash for peerages' row erupted. It emerged that New Labour had been 'lent' nearly pounds 14 million by 12 wealthy...

The goblins that stalk us.(labour markets)
October 9, 2006... We worry about losing our jobs when the risk is low, we fear crime even as the figures fall. But the costs of living in a scaredy-cat society are huge. I'm not afraid, insists the young apprentice. 'You will be,' replies the wise mentor,...

Books: Great for public enterprise.(Book review)
October 9, 2006... In his follow-up to Good to Great, Jim Collins offers a template for a high-performing social sector. An admiring Nigel Crisp suggests areas for further exploration... Dear Jim (if I may be so bold): you say that almost as many...

Books: What's on your boss' mind?(The Leader on the Couch)(Book review)
October 9, 2006... You might have thought the answer beyond you, but this book could provide the insight you need into the psychological health of your leader. Stefan Stern reports. The Leader on the Couch Manfred Kets de Vries Jossey-Bass pounds 19.99...

Books: Three of a kind - How to hire with confidence.
October 9, 2006... Teach Yourself Recruitment Edward Peppitt Teach Yourself pounds 9.99 Could be useful Recruiting Excellence Jeff Grout and Sarah Perrin McGraw-Hill pounds 10.99 A very good book for people in bigger organisations looking...

Books: Bringing something original to market.(Book review)
October 9, 2006... Baby food or green grass, it's not just product or money that inspires entrepreneurs, says Emma Barnes, it's how they do it My Big Idea Rachel Bridge Kogan Page pounds 14.99 MT price pounds 13.50 To order, visit...

The MT interview: Joseph Stiglitz.(Interview)
October 9, 2006... Clinton's White House was a comfortable niche for the Nobel prizewinner, but the climate is colder now for an academic in politics. Rage against the IMF's reluctance to engage in open debate has produced two incisive books about globalisation....

Fixing the tube.(London Underground )
October 9, 2006... Long starved of funds, London Underground's infrastructure was decrepit and chaotically managed. The cash is available now, but through PPP, a bizarre contractual set-up. Andrew Saunders gets down and dirty to see if it is delivering...

The scale of confidence.
October 9, 2006... A blast or a whimper? Too much or too little self-belief damages your effectiveness and promotability. How do you pitch it correctly? MT lifecoach Miranda Kennett advises. Confidence is a double-edged sword. We love it as a quality in our...

Spot the liar.
October 9, 2006... Point your mobile phone at your love-object and this kit will tell you whether you are wasting your time. Mendacious colleagues don't sport a long nose, alas. But some of the more ingenious ways of unmasking deceivers should be applied with...

Most admired man.(Mike Brown )
October 9, 2006... As the compiler of MT's annual survey of Britain's Most Admired Companies since 1991, Mike Brown shares unique insights into the condition of UK plc. Dave Waller reports. As we meet outside the Playhouse in his home town, Nottingham, Mike...

Table talk.(Cipriani, restaurant)(Restaurant review)
October 9, 2006... Where Lord March eats... Cipriani, right opposite Claridge's in London, is a fantastic place. An offspring of Harry's Bar, the famous hotel in Venice, it is all very Italian - smart and chic with a very fast, professional service. It's...

On the road.(Reva G-Wiz )(Product/service evaluation)
October 9, 2006... You may look like Postman Pat in the Reva G-Wiz but at least you're saving the planet, aren't you? Now this sounds like a car that can solve problems... pollution, parking, congestion charges - even conscience. The electrically propelled...

Spreadsheet Mayhem.
October 9, 2006... Staff may love them, but an Excel package on every desk means many versions of the corporate truth. The answer is smarter business intelligence, says Ron Condon. This March, the UK's Office of Government Commerce was forced to delay the...

What's your problem?(business studies)
October 9, 2006... Once he finds that work can mean getting paid for doing what he enjoys, he'll be a different person. Q: My eldest child graduated from university this summer with a degree in business studies. He has since moved back home but, as far as I...

First-Class Coach.
October 9, 2006... Get your colleagues to identify positive stories that could be of interest to the outside world. Q: My organisation is doing worthwhile things but our profile is very low. That's mostly because the CEO doesn't seem to want to talk to the...

Contents.
October 9, 2006... Welcome to MT's fleet car supplement, in which we take an up-to-the minute look at the shape of company transport in the cleaner, greener 21st century. It has been stereotyped as a rather grubby 'white van man' world, but, as we discover within...

Me & my car.(company cars)
October 9, 2006... Less a perk than a taxable benefit these days, company wheels remain a vital part of business travel nonetheless. We profile three managers who wouldn't be without theirs. SARAH NEILSON - VOLVO C70 CABRIOLET Enjoyment is a word rarely...

Look after your drivers.
October 9, 2006... A tougher legal climate for company cars imposes a duty of care on both the fleet manager and the employee. How should this be managed? Here's a couple of statistics that will probably worry you. In its 2006 report The Future of Motoring,...

Admiral of the fleet.(Marcus Puddy )
October 9, 2006... Overseeing Lloyds TSB Autolease's 140,000 vehicles, Marcus Puddy has cut costs and blazed new trails in risk management that have raised the status of his profession. Marcus Puddy is head of fleet management at Lloyds TSB Autolease. He...

Take the Green road.
October 9, 2006... For the fleet manager, going green might seem like a complex cost-versus-benefit exercise. But there are positive tweaks to be made, such as curbing fuel consumption. In the tree-lined splendour of suburban south-west London, residents...

MBA & Business Education Guide 2006: MBA: Part-time or full time?(master of business administration)
October 9, 2006... Juggling studies with your career (and life) is a hectic challenge, while a campus place offers real focus but can take you out of the office loop. Which kind of course suits you? For three days each month, Anna Meleshina swaps her office...

MBA & Business Education Guide 2006: A return on your investment.
October 9, 2006... The cost of your MBA can vary widely. Are you better off paying big bucks to a top school or pennies to a remote but solid establishment? We take you through the options... An MBA is just like any other product or service. You pay more for...

MBA & Business Education Guide 2006.(Organization overview)
October 9, 2006... Name of establishment - Warwick Business School Address - The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK Tel - +44 (0)24 7652 4100 Fax - +44 (0)24 7657 4400 E-mail - warwickmba@wbs.ac.uk Website - www.warwickmba.com ...

The sharp end: Hanging on the phone.(Company overview)
October 9, 2006... Are call centres as grim as their reputation suggests? MT's new series about life on the front line starts with a day of fielding queries for National Rail Enquiries. What do we know of life at the coalface, the grimy business of...

Service Excellence Awards 2006.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... We've all experienced individual moments of outstanding service - the shop assistant who was bubbling with enthusiasm, the person at the other end of the telephone who was prepared to go the extra mile to sort out our particular problem. The...

Service Excellence Awards 2006: Overall Winner - And Winner, Manufacturing/Engineering.(Mace Ltd.)
October 9, 2006... MACE LTD The travails afflicting recent high-profile construction projects like Wembley Stadium, the Scottish Parliament and Bath Spa illustrate how building and engineering works can go wrong, resulting in delays, over-spends, acrimony...

Service Excellence Awards 2006: Winner - Business-to-business.(CragRats Ltd)
October 9, 2006... CRAGRATS LTD CragRats Ltd describes itself as 'a learning organisation' - with the emphasis on 'learning' rather than 'teaching' - because everything the company does is about engaging people in two-way communication rather than preaching...

Service Excellence Awards 2006: Winner - Retail & Consumer Services.
October 9, 2006... UNITE GROUP PLC Going to university can be a daunting prospect for many students, not least because it can mean leaving home for the first time. Too often, freshers arrive with nobody to welcome them or show them their new accommodation...

Service Excellence Awards 2006: Winner - Financial Services.(Company overview)
October 9, 2006... BRITANNIA BUILDING SOCIETY Britannia Building Society can add winning the Financial Services category of the 2006 Service Excellence Awards to its 150th anniversary celebrations this year. Founded in 1856 as the Leek and Moorlands...

Service Excellence Awards 2006: Winner - Public Services.(NHS Logistics)
October 9, 2006... NHS LOGISTICS Last year, NHS Logistics delivered pounds 780m of consumable items to the health service, from dressings and syringes to food and stationery. This service is to be outsourced to DHL Exel and renamed 'NHS Supply Chain', with...

Service Excellence Awards 2006: Winner - Small Business Award.(Company overview)
October 9, 2006... FIREBOX.COM Firebox.com is a dot.com-crash survivor. Founded in 1998 in a parental attic, it became profitable in 2001 and latest financial results are expected to show an pounds 8.5m turnover from almost 200,000 active customers. This...

Service Excellence Awards 2006: Winner - Learning Organisation Award.(The One Account )
October 9, 2006... THE ONE ACCOUNT Formerly a joint venture between Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, The One Account is now wholly owned by RBS. Its main product is a current-account mortgage - a combined mortgage and bank account...