Reviews (10)

"Where did all the good ones go?"
Find a Parade, Jump in Front, Declare Yourself Grand Marshall
The "research" that the authors quote is their own but their "findings" are nothing more than information that has been reported ad nauseum in journal articles and news stories over the past several years.The book could have been condensed drastically without losing any of the points.Thelast 25% of the book is a "discussion guide" that may be more valuable than the guts of the book.
Thought provoking book.
Good analysis of the problem and some suggestions for solutions.Employers are going to have to use older workers or go without in the near term.Raises some real questions about the importance of "guest workers" to the continued success of our economy.The labor has to come from somewhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Labor    6. Labor Force    7. Labor supply    8. Management - General    9. Manpower planning    10. Personnel And Human Resources Management    11. Personnel management    12. United States    13. Labour economics    14. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (9)

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY STERN'S MANAGEMENT REVIEW.!
After the transactional work of HR has been automated, centralized, eliminated, or outsourced, what is left, and of greatest value, forms the core of this book. In brief, the book is about creating a business-oriented HR function. The book's springboard is a range of future-focused questions such as:
Buy this book
These guys are amazing.Puts HR in its proper perspective of adding company value.Wonderful.

The full text on bringing HR up to date
This book is ideal for the high-level HR executive who wants to redevelop or transform an HR department into a forward-thinking, strategic part of the parent company. While all HR professionals should read it for the knowledge it offers, creating a value proposition for HR is not simple, as authors Dave Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank would be the first to acknowledge. Even the most innovative, progressive HR professionals would find this extensive menu of changes hard to activate independently. Creating an HR value proposition is an intense, all encompassing reform that requires support and direction from the top down. While HR professionals at any level can see the relevance, wisdom and potential of this new blueprint, a CEO and an HR department head would have to march together to carry out the book's mission: implementing an HR transformation totally aligned with corporate strategy. We recommend this tremendous resource to any HR manager or adviser; the higher you are on the HR totem pole, the more you need to read it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Personnel And Human Resources Management    6. Personnel departments    7. Personnel management    8. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (22)

A Wealth of Ideas
If you're in HR and need to establish measures for the value you add, this book contains a huge array of options for measurement.As a resource for "brainstorming" it's unparalleled.
We All need it
This book should be read by all HR Professionals.
This book is rapidly becoming an industry best practice framework
It has always been difficult to capture the impact of Human Resources on the company's performance.Unfortunately, most of the measures in use currently do not capture the HR contributions to a company's success.The authors argue that anew approach is necessary.One that captures the vital role that HR plays along with providing real measures that can show what contributions HR is making to the company's success.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Evaluation    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Human capital    7. Industrial management    8. Organizational effectiveness    9. Business strategy    10. Personnel & human resources management    11. Human Resources   

Reviews (23)

A way to earn consistently higher profits
The Loyalty Effect is an analysis of the effects of loyalty.The author, Frederick F. Reichheld, takes a rigorous looks at a variety of successful companies and finds that those "that earned superior levels of customer loyalty and retention also earned consistently higher profits" and sustainable levels of growth.
Learn how to foster loyalty in customers and within your organization
These days it would be easy to believe that loyalty didn't matter anymore.Customers are going to shop around, employees are going to hunt for new jobs before they get downsized, and investors will be fickle about holding onto stock if its price moves even an inch.Loyalty, says a whole cadre of business gurus, is out of date and irrelevant.Not so, says author Frederick Reichheld, a director of Bain & Company.Companies like Leo Burnet and A.G. Edwards consistently pay the highest salaries, offer high value to customers at competitive prices, have the highest employee retention rates, and have the highest profitability rates.Loyal customers, employees and investors fuel a sustained cycle of growth at these companies.If you want to foster loyalty in your customers, employees and investors, Reichheld has the following advice:
Excellent book.
Is a very good approach of how a company shall work in order to achieve loyalty from its customers and all the positive effects that derive from it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer satisfaction    5. Corporate & Business History - Strategies    6. Customer relations    7. Entrepreneurship    8. General    9. Job satisfaction    10. Labor productivity    11. Loyalty    12. Strategic Planning    13. Business strategy    14. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (19)

Outlining a future for HR
Author Dave Ulrich reflects an awareness that many professionals keenly feel: in these highly competitive times, they must either evolve or stagnate. His book tells human resource (HR) leaders how to assume more vital, strategic roles within their organizations. He makes a convincing argument that successful companies must elevate HR to the role of a strategic partner, to enable it to implement programs that support an organization's goals. Whether reading any book can put you in the forefront of hands-on transformation remains to be seen, but this volume certainly offers plenty of real-world case studies to back up its premise that HR professionals must step into a new, vital strategic role. Each company and each HR department is so different, however, that it may be challenging to apply some of these broad themes to specific situations. That said, the themes themselves ring true, although the book is now more of a classic than the innovative think piece it was when new. We recommend it especially to HR professionals as a comprehensive look at why you must conquer so much territory to keep your organization competitive.
Building a competitive organization with Ulrich
Ulrich has marked a new theory on human resources management system. According to him, company's HR manager has strategic position and more than just "a head of employee division". HR manager, said Ulrich, at least has four key positions in building a competitive organization: as (1) strategic partner, (2) administrative expert, (3) change agent, and (4) human resource champion. Ket's learn more strategic steps with this Number One Management Guru!

Read if you are a businessman - shape up your HR department
HR Champions was the first mainstream book that looked at HR as more than just an administrative department. Regrettably, in the eight years since it's publication, few companies have truly taken heed. Many HR "professionals" (sic) quote Ulrich's work but few practice it.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Human Resources & Personnel Management    4. Organization Development    5. Organizational change    6. Personnel And Human Resources Management    7. Personnel management    8. Personnel & human resources management   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (4)

Set-up-to-fail behavioral anti-pattern is more frequent than one can think...
I find this book extremely interesting and definitely worth of reading. It sheds lights on the well known situation when trying to help a person a manager can actually make things even worse.
Common Wisdom: Insidious & Pernicious
This work deftly weaves those seemingly abstract and academic studies Psychology 101 students have been reading about for 40 years into the fabric of everyday work experience.The authors are able to put the subtle pattern into high resolution, which at first appears shocking, then depressing, and finally, hopeful. Good Analysis But Bad Prescription
Being one authored by INSEAD experts, I bought the book with high expectations, believing that FINALLY the truth can be out!!! I read the first few chapters of the book so religiously (almost treating it like my Bible), taking down key points that are so wonderfully said about the self-fulfilling prophecy that many managers have set themselves up to, i.e. to fail. What's disappointing as I come to the middle portion of the book is that authors suggestion on how managers can avoid the SUTF syndrome by taking the first step (not to mention swallowing all their ego and pride) and start initiating a de-SUTF relationship with his/her subordinate even if it means this person might eventually have a chance of not improving at all (due to job mis-fit)??? I returned the book and bought and digested "First Break All Rules" instead. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Problem employees    7. Supervision of employees    8. Organizational theory & behaviour    9. Personnel & human resources management   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (13)

The War For Talent Is About to Begin In Earnest
The War for Talent is a great book for the leaders of an organization to read.Why?They are the ones who can affect the culture of the organization.Most workers, even A Players, do not have the power to drive cultural change. A worthwhile read
Easy reading, entertaining, interesting and informative. Light on details but a very good general overview of the topic. Good theory but doesn't work in the real world.
This book is a good theory and in an ideal world it would all work out that way: the highly talented and highly skilled would get the promotions, good jobs, and plum assisgnments. But unfortunately, more often than not, the pie isn't divided so nicely. There are often other reasons, not work/talent related, that a person gets a promotion or a job. The classic example is the boss' son getting handed a top job in a company, which still happens today. Also how do you fit Affirmative Action into the equation? AA is not based upon talents, only gender & race. Personally I wish more management would read this book and use the basic idea but it probably won't happen. Companies keep talking about "needing good talent" but they don't walk the walk. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Employee motivation    5. Employee retention    6. Entrepreneurship    7. Executive ability    8. Human Resources & Personnel Management    9. Leadership    10. Personnel management    11. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (11)

Written by a manger for managers
I was able to go cover to cover in about 5 minutes.If you manage people that use their brains to do their work and you have no idea how to understand, manage and motivate them then this book might help you out a bit.I found it to be off-topic for me as I was hoping that it was going to be written for the people who Think for a Living rather than their managers.

Insights on knowing your knowledge workers
This is a fine, occasionally frustrating book. It is frustrating for the same reason that it is so badly needed: business is just starting to figure out what it means to compete in a knowledge-based economy. Knowledge work is tremendously important, but only partially understood. This volume, which mixes practical advice with worksite studies, is a good stepping stone toward comprehending knowledge work and the people who accomplish it. Author Thomas H. Davenport is honest enough to admit what isn't known, however he delivers what is known clearly. He explains various organizational schema that are applicable, but not rigid. He provides examples, sharing personal and organizational stories that illustrate both success and failure in knowledge work. We warmly recommend this book to knowledge workers, those who manage knowledge workers and business leaders who are planning for the future.

Identifies four major categories of knowledge workers & provides a format for matching each category with management strategies
Knowledge workers are innovators and often driving forces of a company's product line and services: they are IT specialists and planners and you rely on them in your business: but are they delivering as much as they can? Knowledge management expert Thomas Davenport argues many companies don't maximize their productivity because they apply rigid management formulas to their workforce. His Thinking For A Living: How To Get Better Performance And Results From Knowledge Workers identifies four major categories of knowledge workers and provides a format for matching each category with management strategies which encourage optimum performance. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Intellectual capital    6. Knowledge management    7. Knowledge workers    8. Management - General    9. Advice on careers & achieving success    10. Business & Management   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Career/Job    3. Diversity in the workplace    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Personnel management    7. Personnel & human resources management    8. Human Resouces/Diversity   

Editorial Review

When new-car developers at Ford Motor Company wanted to learnwhy the original Taurus design team was so successful, no one could tellthem. No one remembered or had recorded what made that effort sospecial; the knowledge gained in the Taurus project was lost forever.Indeed, the most valuable asset in any company is probably also itsmost elusive and difficult to manage: knowledge. Authors Thomas H.Davenport and Laurence Prusak assert that learning how to identify,manage, and foster knowledge is vital for companies who hope to compete in today's fast-moving globaleconomy.Read more

Reviews (26)

Good Primer, Short on Technology and Case Studies
Thomas Davenport is a well know expert on the subject of Knowledge Management. His book, Working Knowledge, is a quick read excellent for passing time on an airplane or subway. Yet, it is a bit light on specific implementations of KM. In particular, it would have been nice to illustrate a case study or two. Given that his employer is Accenture, I would have expected a little more on the lifecycle of a KM implementation in a large corporation, even if it was at a high level.
A Classic on KM
This is an outstanding book written by two well-respected practitioners. Davenport is the Director of the Accenture Institute for Strategic Change; Prusak is the Executive Director of the IBM Institute for Knowledge Management.
If you need only one book on KM, this is it.
I feel the content in Chapter 3-5 is very helpful to a new reader in the field of KM. Although the authors said that these chapters (knowledge generation, codification, transfer) contain key activities in KM process, they might not always take place in sequence in reality. I think it is better to put them together under a chapter title of "Knowledge Management Strategy" so that the framework of choices in KM would be more clear. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Information Management    6. Management - General    7. Organizational Behavior In Business    8. Management decision making    9. Personnel & human resources management    10. Knowledge Management   

Reviews (7)

The value of being a people-centered organization
In a McKinsey & Company's study, "The War for Talent," McKinsey found that of 200 executives interviewed 58 responded that values and culture were absolutely essential in their decision to join, stay with, or leave an organization.The authors believe that by establishing the right value system and culture, companies can make all their employees perform as if they were in the top 10% of their field.The authors further state that companies must find new ways to tap the knowledge, experience, energy, and talents of employees. Very Interesting
Only on Chapter 5.Reading about the excellent practices of these companies makes me want to strive for the best for my employees, also!

The "Value" of this book is certainly "Hidden" from me......
This book is merely a compilation of case studies.There are few -- if any -- check lists, tables, charts, bullet points, or step-by-step methodologies to help you implement the concepts within your own company or organization.In fact, THERE ARE ONLY 21 PAGES not dedicated exclusively to either a case study and/or an analysis of the various case studies presented within the book.Save your money and purchase "The HR Scorecard", "The Talent Solution", or "Aligning Pay and Results" instead.Very disappointing... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Case studies    5. Economics - General    6. Human Resources & Personnel Management    7. Human capital    8. Industrial management    9. Management - General    10. Personnel And Human Resources Management    11. United States    12. Business strategy    13. Personnel & human resources management    14. Management    15. Human Resources   

Reviews (7)

How to increase the ROI of human "capital"
It is more important now than ever before to measure human performance accurately and consistently, especially given the rapidly increasing use of outsourcing which requires effective supervision of those to whom important tasks are entrusted. Although this book was written primarily for HR executives, I think it can also be of substantial interest and value to other senior-level executives as they are challenged to determine organizational priorities and then to formulate strategies by which to achieve specific objectives. I agree with countless others that is it difficult (if not impossible) to manage what cannot be measured. I am also convinced that appropriate metrics must be selected, and, that primary importance must be placed on measurement of those initiatives on which success (however defined) depends. The authors of this book provide a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective program by which workforce success can be monitored and measured. A must read for every HR and Business Leader.
Workforce Scorecard is an awesome addition to the Strategy collection focussed on HR.
Helpful for my conceptual way of doing
I have a rather intu�tive, conceptual way of thinking , working and talking. This book helped me to translate my ideas andfeelings about wrong and right into a very clear approuch. It will surely help me doing my job as a consultant ! In our bussiness we're already much into BSC en HR-SC. This WF-SC was the missing link for me, when I am helping organisations and leaders to be succesfull in the execution of their strategy.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Performance Appraisal    6. Performance standards    7. Personnel And Human Resources Management    8. Personnel management    9. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (6)

Performance Management: How to Have "The Best of Both Worlds"
Be Good, or Be Gone
Forced ranking is a loaded topic. Any system that suggests that a company should fire the bottom 10% of its workforce will raise eyebrows. But author Dick Grote, a performance management expert, makes a thorough case for the harsh rigors of forced ranking. By tapping his personal experiences and utilizing input from industry leaders, Grote assembles a thoughtful and convincing presentation. At the same time, he addresses problems and obstacles inherent in forced ranking. We recommend this book as must reading for the leaders of any company that is considering a forced ranking system. It will also prove valuable to human resource professionals and those who just want to know what all the hubbub is about. Indeed, you might say this book scores in the top 10%, so the author can breathe a sigh of relief - for now.

A positive view of a controversial system...
If you want to start an emotional and heated discussion at work, just mention the term "forced ranking" when it comes to employee reviews.There'll be no lack of opinions.Having lived through the "rank and yank" system of Enron, I thought it would be good to get a positive view of the process from an expert.The book Forced Ranking: Making Performance Management Work by Dick Grote does an excellent job presenting the way the system is supposed to work.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Employee Training And Development    5. Employees    6. Human Resources & Personnel Management    7. Performance Appraisal    8. Performance standards    9. Rating of    10. Management & management techniques   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Leadership    6. Management - General    7. Mentoring in business    8. Business & Management   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Management - General    6. Performance Appraisal    7. Performance standards    8. Personnel management    9. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (1)

Some dated contextual material but rock-solid core concepts

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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business planning    4. Business/Economics    5. Electronic commerce    6. Entrepreneurship    7. Executive Management    8. Human Resources & Personnel Management    9. Information Management    10. Internet    11. Management    12. Strategic planning    13. Business strategy   

Reviews (3)

Very disappointing.
I regularly read great articles from the subscription program of HBR and rely on its contents for great insight into today's business environment.
Readable papers on broad topics in management
Whether you're just entering people management or have been doing it for years, this book grabs a selection of readable papers on a variety of topics from compensation to handling 'poor performers' to more effective (but non-manipulative!) means of persuasion.
HBR Managing People
Definitely one of the better books in the series.Discussion of common corporate issues.Provides good solutions.I've read 4 in the series and like this one the most. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Commodities    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Human Resources & Personnel Management    7. Management - General    8. Personnel And Human Resources Management    9. Personnel management    10. Personnel & human resources management   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Employee motivation    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Motivational    7. Personnel & human resources management