This book is a collection of 500-word essays on a variety of management, leadership, and organizational topics. The essays present management and leadership theory in a clear, concise, and useful manner. Using a variety of examples and references to movies, books, and everyday experiences, readers can quickly gain insight into fundamental and advanced management principles. This volume would benefit students in a variety of management, leadership, and organizational behavior courses as well as working professionals.

Preface

1. Perspectives on Organizations
1.1 Division of Labor
1.2 Hawthorne Studies
1.3 Emphasis on People
1.4.1 Systems: Types
1.4.2 Systems: Balance and Coordination

2. Leadership
2.1 Why Leadership?
2.2.1 Defining Leadership: Leadership and Management
2.2.2 Defining Leadership: Formal and Informal Leaders
2.2.3 Defining Leadership: Authority and Leadership
2.3.1 Leadership Theory: Situational Leadership Theory
2.3.2 Leadership Theory: Idiosyncrasy Credits
2.3.3 Leadership Theory: Bases of Social Power
2.3.4 Leadership Theory: Machiavellianism
2.3.5 Leadership Theory: Response to Authority
2.3.6 Leadership Theory: Citizen Leadership
2.3.7 Leadership Theory: Servant Leadership
2.3.8 Leadership Theory: Leader-Member Exchange
2.4 Managerial Roles
2.5 Importance of Leadership
2.6.1 Leadership Development: Ancient Thoughts
2.6.2 Leadership Development: Education and Training
2.6.3 Leadership Development: Organizational Systems

3. Individuals
3.1 Self Monitoring
3.2 Locus of Control
3.3.1 Attitudes: Influences on Behavior
3.3.2 Attitudes: Theories X and Y
3.4.1 Self Efficacy: Learning
3.4.2 Self Efficacy: Confidence

4. Groups
4.1 Interdependence
4.2 Group Size
4.3 Stages of Group Development
4.4 Social Facilitation
4.5 Conformity
4.6 Culture
4.7.1 Training and Development: Types of Followers
4.7.2 Training and Development: Lost on the Moon
4.7.3 Training and Development: Ropes Courses

5. Motivation
5.1 Content and Process Theories
5.2.1 Operant Conditioning: Effective Reward Systems
5.2.2 Operant Conditioning: Salient Reward
5.2.3 Operant Conditioning: Punishment and Reward
5.3 Goal Setting
5.4 Equity Theory
5.5 Two-Factor Theory
5.6.1 Need Theories: Learned Needs
5.6.2 Need Theories: Achievement Orientation
5.6.3 Need Theories: High-level Needs

6. Appendix
6.1 Original Titles and Dates of Publication in Abilene Reporter-News Newspaper

This book is a collection of practical writings on management and leadership topics. These writings originally appeared in the business section of the local newspaper in Abilene, Texas, U.S.A. Using examples from movies, books, sports, and everyday experiences, they are designed to introduce readers to a variety of organizational topics in a concise, fun, and interesting manner. This volume should be useful to professional and aspiring managers as well as to students of management and business.

Some of the examples mentioned in the writings are specific to an American audience and refer to specific events or times of the year (e.g., sports championships, New Year’s Resolutions, etc.), but were included because of their larger underlying lessons. The original titles and publication dates of the articles appear in the appendix at the end of the book.