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Management - the art of getting things done through people - Mary Parker Follett
- Organization Theory
- Behavior Theory
- Management Science/Operations Research
Successive phases have failed to replace their predecessors. There is still active research within each paradigm. These schools tend to build upon, compliment and coexist with one another. Fayol, Weber and Robb represent the Organization Theory school. Skinner and Pavlov are well-known proponents of Behavior Theory. Operations Research was heavily promoted and developed during World War II.
Situational Management and Systems Theory are relatively recent attempts to synthesize these three schools of thought.
Situational or contingency management suggests that the correct theoretical framework to apply depends on the specifics of a given situation. The situational management approach has intuitive appeal and is a valuable approach for some lower- and middle-managers. But the ability to recognize situations and apply the appropriate paradigm depend on experience and memorization of normative rules or principles. Examples of this approach range from Deming's 14 principles for managers to Oncken's monkey metaphor.
Systems theory attempts to model an organization as a control system and assess the impact of management activity throughout the organization, not just within the manager's span of control. A significant benefit of systems theory of management is that it can draw on the systems engineering field for concepts and models (open vs. closed systems, input/output flows, feedback, automation, synergy, chaos). The systems approach suffers from the complexity and the enormous information requirements of realistic models.
Closed Loop Feedback
- Proportional-control action is related to magnitude of output deviation
- Integral-control action is related to sum(output deviation*time)
- Derivative-control action is related to the rate d(output deviation)/d(time)
Disadvantage: system has to deviate before control action is taken
Open Loop Feed Forward
Disadvantage: system isn't monitored to see that control actions were correct
Closed Loop, Feed Forward
Control System Characteristics:
- Continuous vs. Discreet Control Levels
- Control Action Frequency
- Automatic vs. Manual Control
Control Systems in technology organizations include:
- Regulatory/Legislative Control
- Project Control
- Configuration Control
- Inventory Control
- Safety/Hazard Control
- Sequence Control
- Quality Control
- Calibration Control
- Maintenance Control
- Credit Control
- Staffing and Benefit Control
- Customer Satisfaction Control
- Facilities Control
- Legal Control
- Social Control
- Financial Control
Viewed as an closed-loop, feed forward control system, technology organizations are fundamentally unstable due to
- stakeholder conflicts of interest
- "Disharmony" dynamics
- inconsistency between group and individual goals
- competition
- entropy
For long term viability, organizations need control systems that are adaptive.
It is typical to consider three domains of organizational analysis, planning and control
Stakeholders
- Owners
- Customers
- Employees
- Suppliers
- Competitors
- Governments
- Local Community
- Society
Legal forms for organizations and their characteristics include:
| Sole Proprietorship | Partnership | Corporation | Cooperative |
| Creation and Form of Ownership |
One person |
Two or more people with articles of copartnership |
Two or more people (<35 for “S” corp) with state charter, articles of incorporation |
Two or more people with state charter, articles of incorporation |
| Capital Accumulation |
Assets and credit of individual |
Assets and credit of partners |
Sale of stocks and bonds ("S" corp: shareholder loans) |
Sale of stocks and bonds |
| Profit sharing |
To individual |
To partners per agreement |
Stockholders (dividends) and in some cases employees |
Stockholders (dividends) and in some cases employees |
| Authority |
Individual |
Partners |
Stockholders elect Board of Directors, Board selects Officers, Officers hire employees |
Stockholders elect Board of Directors, Board selects Officers, Officers hire employees |
| Continuity |
Individual |
Partners |
Usually perpetual if publicly and widely held (exception: “S” corp) |
Usually perpetual if publicly and widely held |
| Liability |
Individual has unlimited liability |
General partners have unlimited liability |
Stockholder liability limited to amount of investment |
Stockholder liability limited to amount of investment |
| Legal Restrictions |
No special restrictions |
No special restrictions |
Several special federal and state restrictions (varies by state) |
Several special federal and state restrictions (varies by state) |
| Taxation |
Once on individual’s tax return |
Once on each partner’s tax return |
Once on corporation’s tax return and again on owners’ tax returns (exception: “S” corp) |
Once on stockholders’ tax returns |
Other forms of unincorporated organization include association, joint venture and syndicate.
Effective planning:
- is a process
- is systematic
- is iterative
- is continuous
- involves the entire organization
- reflects the current state
- reflects the desired state
- translates strategies, opportunities and objectives into tactics
and actions
- produces one or more artifacts (plans)
- identifies decisions to be made
- reflects the organization structure
- identifies set points around which the organization is controlled
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Organizational Planning and Control Process
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Planning
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Controlling
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Establishing targets and standards
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Measuring actual performance
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Corrective Action/Feedback
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Comparing actual performance with targets
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Planning process controls:
- responsibility and authority for planning
- horizon and increments
- assumptions (premises and constraints)
- plan document hierarchy.
Steps in planning process include:
- explicit statement of assumptions
- goal setting
- forecasting
- identification of alternate strategies
- evaluation criteria identification
- constraint identification
- implementation
- assessment.
Although planning is usually depicted as a top-down, serial process,
several planning elements may occur concurrently and some bottom-up
input is solicited.
Assessment is the process of characterizing the current
state of the organization in terms of financial performance, leadership
style, process adherence, community service and other key organizational
dimensions. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and
the ISO 9000 certification are examples of standard assessment instruments.
The planning process typically produces several types of planning
documents. Management by Objectives (MBOs) is a process for cascading
from strategic plans to operational plans to employee plans and
evaluations.
Strategic plans help identify and communicate the mission
of the organization. There is usually at least one strategic
plan in each planning document hierarchy. They deal with a fairly
broad groups of organizational stakeholders including employees,
customers, shareholders and the community. Goals may be only
nominally defined.
Operational Plans tell more specifically how to accomplish
the goals set forth broadly in the strategic plan. There are
typically several operational plans in the planning document hierarchy.
Operational plans should be checked for consistency and completeness
with the strategic plan that spawned them. Goals become more
observable and measurable. There are two main types of operational
plans: single-use plans and standing plans.
Single-use plans are suited to situations that aren't likely
to be repeated often, like the acquisition or divestiture of a
new business or a move to a new facility. Single-use plans usually
include time-phased milestones, specific assignment of responsibilities,
and a project budget.
Standing plans are suited to on-going operations and processes.
The Human Resources process of justifying and hiring new employees
or contamination control protocols in a clean room are examples
of ongoing operations. Standing plans usually include policies,
procedures and recurring expense budgets.
Informal teams often substitute group goals for formal planning. Group
goals are most effective when:
Goals are meaningful, challenging, relevant, realistic, attainable, operationally defined and adaptable to changing needs
Group activities satisfy both group goals and individual goals
Resources exist to accomplish tasks
Realistic schedule to accomplish goals
Cooperation and coordination exist between team members; conflict is manageable
Technology companies are much more investment driven. The Technology
S-Curve is a theoretical model used frequently in technology
investment planning.

One manifestation of the s-curve, is the
"technology portfolio" framework for strategic planning:
- Base technologies - these are areas that the organization
must master to stay competitive, but competence beyond mastery
holds no real competitive advantage.
- Key technologies - these are areas where competitive advantages
lie; the organization should strive to not only master, but to
be "world class" in these technologies.
- Pacing technologies - these are areas that will help assure
the organization's future competitiveness.
In diversified organizations (those with more than one product
line or serving more than one market), there is typically internal
competition for limited organizational resources. In this situation,
the s-curve can manifest as the "business portfolio matrix".

NIST has developed Technology Balance Sheet as a comprehensive
portfolio-style approach.
Planning is concerned with predictions of what potential customers
want, what competitors will develop, what suppliers will make
available, what inflation and interest rates will be, etc. Forecasting is
therefore an important planning element. Forecasting
is typically classified as either qualitative or quantitative.
Qualitative forecasting is appropriate when numerical models and
data are unavailable or inappropriate. Examples of qualitative
methods include jury of executive opinion, expert opinion and
customer opinion. Methods for determining opinion include Delphi
panels, Nominal Group Technique, brainstorming, surveys and content analysis.
Quantitative forecasting techniques include least squares regression,
time series, and dynamic systems analysis. Least squares regression
models have the general vector form:

where the values for the regression coefficients are:

Examples of least squares modeling are illustrated in the text.
Moving average and exponential smoothing
are forms of time series. They are also called autoregressive
models because the values of the dependent variable in previous
time periods are explanatory variables for he current forecast. Another
form of time series analysis applies harmonic methods. Harmonic
methods use Fourier analysis to create a model of the form:

omega and theta are chosen to form an orthogonal basis for modeling
coefficients a(i).
Dynamic analysis includes rates of independent and dependent variables
among the explanatory variables and are generally formulated as
non-linear, partial differential or difference equations. Such expressions
are typically difficult to resolve with direct mathematical analysis
and are explored via computer simulation.
Organizational and Personal Ethics
Ethical Domains
Community Service
Confidentiality and Non-disclosure
Conflict of Interest
Contractual Conformance
Employment Policies
Environment
Harassment
Health and Safety
Honesty
Intellectual Property
Intervention
Professionalism
Workforce Diversity
Factors Effecting Ethical Decision Making
Individual
Task
Other Individuals
Other Groups
Legal Environment
Operational Models for Ethical Decision Making
Higher Principles
Greatest Good
Rigid Rules
Situational Ethics
Internationalization
Reasons for Internationalization
- Capital Efficiency
- Tariff Avoidance
- Product Delivery Cycle Time
- Raw Material Sources
- Transportation Costs
- Labor Costs
- Regulatory Environment
Phases of Internationalization
| Phase I | Phase II | Phase III | Phase IV |
| Nature of Contact | Indirect / Passive | Direct / Active | Direct / Active | Direct / Active |
| Locus of Operations | Domestic | Domestic | Domestic and International | Domestic and International |
| Company Orientation | Domestic | Domestic | Primarily Domestic | Multinational |
| International Activity Type | Trade | Trade | Trade / Assistance / Direct Investment | Trade / Assistance / Direct Investment |
| Organizational Structure | Domestic | International Department | International Division | Global Structure |
Benefits of Internationalization
| Host Country | Home Country |
| Capital Infusion | New Raw Material Sources |
| Improved Balance of Payments | New Product Markets |
| Job Creation | Labor Market access |
| Goods availability improved | Diversification of Revenue Sources |
Challenges of Internationalization
Home country Balance of Payments
Home country loss of jobs
Home country loss of technology competency
Cost of Distributed Operations
Language Differences
Cultural Differences
Legal Differences
Time Zones
Instruments of Internationalization
World Bank
International Monetary Fund
Trade Agreements
GATT
NAFTA
United Nations
Most Favored Nation Status
Grants
International Trade Integration and Trade Barriers
Tariff
Free Trade Zone
Customs Union
Economic Union
Market and Workforce Diversity
Factors increasing Market and Workforce Diversity
- Internationalization
- Birth Rate Trends
- Immigration Rate Trends
- Longevity and Medical Trends
- Increase in two income families
- Increase in single parent/"non-traditional" families
Relationship between Diversity and Group Productivity
| Diversity Type |
| TASK TYPE | Personal | Demographic | Skills |
| Production | no relationship to performance | task ergonomics may favor a demographic group | beneficial to performance |
| Intellective | no relationship to performance | mixed-sex groups improve performance | beneficial to performance |
| Creative | beneficial if interdependence is high | beneficial if interdependence is high | beneficial to performance |
Diversity tends to reduce cohesion and increase conflict.
Departmentalization Models
- Customer
- Functional
- Process
- Product
- Region
- Hybrid
- Hybrid-Matrix
Organizational Roles
- Line
- Staff
- Service
| Centralization Benefits | Decentralization Benefits |
| Decision makers in close proximity | More opportunities to develop individuals |
| Leverage scarce experienced managers | Decisions closer to the source of need |
| Economies of Scale | Increases initiative |
| Reduce Duplication | Increases satisfaction |
Span of Control
- Relationship to organization levels
- Factors influencing effective spans
- Staff turnover
- Information Technology
- Nature of job
- Clarity
- Simplicity
- Task Turnover
- Training
Authority - the right to adjudicate, control, command, or determine. Authority is defined formally in job descriptions, organization charts, organizational memos and press releases. Organizational sources of authority include:
Accountability - subject to the obligation to justify something or complete a task; Accountability is defined formally in job descriptions, employee development plans and appraisals.
- Direct - individual's actions
- Inherited - actions of subordinates
Delegation - to commit to another as agent. Advantages of delegation include:
- Manage more things with same personal resources
- Decisions closer to the problem source
- Increase pride and ownership in decision
- Development of subordinates
- Use individual skills to best advantage
Degrees of Delegation
1. Take action -- no further contact needed
2. Take action -- report what you did
3. Investigate problem -- report your recommendation, take action unless told otherwise
4. Investigate problem -- report your recommendation, wait for approval to take action
5. Investigate problem -- report all facts
Factors that impact the effectiveness of delegation include:
- Sufficiency of Delegation (accountability/authority gap)
- Completeness of Delegation
- Match between Situation and Degree of Delegation
Power - capability of doing or accomplishing something.
System I
- Legitimate (authority)
- Reward
- Coercive
System II
- Expert
- Referent
- Access
- Coalition
The combination of System I and II power can enhance the effectiveness
of an authority figure. If the manager relies solely on authority,
supervised individuals may undermine that authority with System II power.
Other factors that may undermine authority include:
- Individual Coping Mechanisms
- Matrix Management Organizations
- Flat Organizations/Self-Directed Work Environments
Leadership
It is only during the last half century that it has been broadly
accepted that leadership was not strictly a character trait, but
could be learned. Since then, industries have emerged to help
organizations identify and cultivate leaders. There are several
varying-length lists of leadership traits. Training to increase
these traits has been developed and assessment instruments to
measure trait levels have been calibrated. Assessment tools help
individuals determine their strengths and pursue those leadership
opportunities most closely matched.
Leadership skills include:
- Power
- Appraisal
- Planning
- Control
- Motivation
- Delegation
Additional skills for technical organization
Some lists are even more exhaustive. The multi-attribute nature
of leadership suggests that the need and intensity for different
traits is contingent, or depends, on the current situation.
One class of situational models is maturity or life-cycle
models. In these models, a decrease in the need for invasive
skills like planning, control and motivation occurs naturally
as the managed task becomes ingrained. This coincides with an
increased need for supportive skills like advocacy and coaching
as delegation becomes more complete and ownership, if not responsibility,
for the task transitions. The degrees of delegation concept
can be applied as a dynamic life-cycle model.
Motivation
Individual Motivation
Content models are concerned with what factors are motivating.
Some prominent content theorists include:
- Taylor - Scientific Management 1911
- Maslow - Hierarchy of Needs 1943
- Physiological
- Safety
- Acceptance
- Esteem
- Actualization
- McGregor - Theory X and Theory Y 1957
- Herzberg - Hierarchical Two Factor Theory 1968; the survey results included in the presentation of Herzberg's theory identified the following factors within the two factor classes:
| Satisfaction Factors | Dissatisfaction Factors |
| achievement | company policy and administration |
| recognition | relationship with supervisor |
| work content | relationship with peers |
| responsibility | relationship with subordinates |
| advancement | work conditions |
| growth | status |
| security |
| money |
Process models are concerned with how to control motivation. Popular process
models include:
- Reinforcement theory
- Equity theory-reinforcement and rewards should be "fair"
- Expectancy theory-motivation is influenced by:
- expectation whether action will achieve desired outcome
- expectation whether credit/reward for action will be proportional to outcome
Principles of Reinforcement theory include:
- Focus on behaviors, not results
- Antecedent -> Behavior -> Consequence (ABC) Chain
- Consequences modify behavior frequency and intensity
- Type, contiguity and risk of consequences are critical factors.
ABC Chain
- Antecedent - clear definition of who, what, where, when, why
and how of target behavior
- Behavior - Measurable, Observable, Reliable
- Consequence - can serve secondary function of antecedent for
repeat of behavior
There are four consequence types used to either increase or decrease
behavior frequency and intensity:
- Increase Behavior - Positive Reinforcement (R+), Negative Reinforcement (R-)
- Decrease Behavior - Punishment(P+), Extinction (P-).
Consequence Critical Factors:
- Type - Positive or Negative, variable or fixed ratio
- Contiguity - Immediate or Future, variable or fixed interval
- Risk - Certain or Uncertain.
Reinforcement Theory rules of thumb:
- R- and P- are most natural and frequently occurring behavior consequences
- Naturally occurring consequences of many positive behaviors are NICs and PFUs
- R+ is the most effective way to develop and maintain high levels of motivation
- Immediate R+ is the more effective than delayed R+
- R+ should have more social value than tangible value
- At least 4 R+ for every R-
- Avoid "dead-man rules"
- R+ is in the eyes of the beholder
Group Motivation
Factors thought to influence social group motivation include:
- attention
- self presentation
- self awareness
Conflicting goals and "Disharmony" dynamics in Technology Organizations
| R & D | Manufacturing | Marketing |
| Finance | Control Cost vs. R&D Expansion | Control Cost vs. Capital Investment | Control Cost vs. Marketing Expense |
| R & D | | Creativity vs. Standards | Time to Market vs. Product Validation |
| Manufacturing | | | Short Notice vs. Long Production Run |
- Income/Benefits
- Stability
- Authority
- Work Location
- Working Hours
- Travel
- Interpersonal Relationships
- Contribution to Society
Career Charting
- Personality assessment
- Skills assessment
- Generalization and Specialization
- Coop/Apprenticeship
- Industry type
- Career type
- Business size
- Job and Benefits Negotiation
- Career stages
- Location
Career Success Tools
Communication
| Relationship |
Verbal |
Written/Visual |
Listening and Non-verbal Communication |
| Boss |
Formal and Informal | Budgets, MBOs, memos, trip reports; Computer or professionally produced | Active Listening |
| Subordinates |
Primarily Informal | Memos, notes, procedures, appraisals; Hand, computer and professionally produced | Active Listening |
| Customers |
Primarily Formal; Informal in Customer Service | Brochures, Proposals, Manuals, Service Bulletins, Newsletters, Invoices; Computer or professionally produced | Active Listening |
| Vendors |
Primarily Formal; Informal in Procurement | RFP, Purchase Order; Computer or professionally produced | Active Listening |
Personal Productivity
Time Management
Effectiveness
Goal setting
Problem definition
Risk assessment
Information quality
Alertness
Business cycles
Fear
Burned bridges
Lost causes
Reinforcement
Learning
Efficiency
Clean Desk
Colocation
Delegation
Communication
Meetings
Interruptions
Crisis response
Procrastination
Computers
word processing/publishing
presentation graphics
spreadsheet
project management
scheduling
financial
inventory
programming
database/query
computer-aided development
higher order languages
Continuing Education and Professional Activity
On-the-job
Journals
Degree-oriented education
Non-degree education and training
Registration
Certification
Personal Financial Planning
1. Prepare Budget/Statement of Net Worth
Budget:
Income
Wages
Interest _________
Total Income
Expenses
House Payments
Food
Energy
Transportation
Clothes
Entertainment
Consumer Loans
Retirement Savings
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Property Insurance
Mortgage Insurance
Taxes
Savings Goal #1
Savings Goal #2
Savings Goal #3 _________
Total Savings
Discretionary Income
Net Worth:
Assets
Cash/Checking
Home
Auto
Investments/Savings
Valuables
Property _________
Total Assets
Liabilities
Mortgage
Consumer Debt #1
Consumer Debt #2
Consumer Debt #3 _________
Total Liabilities
Net Worth
Ready Cash Reserve
Financial Management Strategies:
It is usually easier to increase discretionary income by reducing expenses than by increasing income. Acquire investments and value-holding assets while reducing debt and other liabilities to increase net worth. Investments should be diversified to minimize risk. Ready cash reserve should equal 3-6 months of your expenses. Establish and increase lines of credit to provide additional flexibility in case of emergencies. Avoid credit and the associated interest expense except for emergencies.
Tax Reduction Strategies:
Very few tax reduction strategies are left to individuals these days. One of the more popular is the mortgage interest deduction. If you have a large amount of consumer debt (credit cards, cars, etc.) you can effectively deduct the interest payments by refinancing your mortgage and paying off the consumer debt immediately.
Income on municipal bonds is often tax deferred. Growth stock investments, that pay low dividends but offer the potential for large capital gains, are are effectively tax-deferred investments if held until you are in a lower tax bracket.
2. Insurance
Medical - Most rapidly growing expense category for most families
Property - Includes fire, theft, mortgage
Disability - A disability can disrupt an otherwise prudent and successful financial plan. The damage of extended disability can be greater than that of a premature death, since you experience both lost income and increased expenses. It is important that every sound financial plan include a method of providing adequate income in the event of disability.
Life - In the event of a premature death, the key concern is providing the survivor(s) with sufficient income to cover expenses. Death benefits should also allow for the heirs to continue pursuing appropriate savings accumulation goals.
3. Personal Goals
Additional discretionary income can be used to pursue additional goals. Selection of the right savings goals is a key to budget planning. Goals should reflect a mix of medium- and long- term objectives. Examples include savings for hobbies, travel, home improvement, college, and care of a parent. Use engineering economic analysis to determine savings required to fund these goals.
4. Retirement
Use engineering economic analysis to determine savings required to fund retirement. Keogh and 401K programs offered through work can allow interest income to be deferred until retirement, when you are assumed to be in a lower tax bracket. If you're self-employed, you may qualify to invest in individual retirement accounts (IRAs) that have tax deferred interest.
5. Estate Planning
Estate laws vary from state to state and over time. Therefore, it is best for you to have a notarized will on file to assure that your wishes are carried out. Estate settlement costs typically consist of funeral expenses, administrative expenses, federal estate taxes and state death taxes.
Additional References
- Babcock, D.L. Managing Engineering and Technology, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 1996.
- Bell, C.G., "Understanding the Technology Balance Sheet - A Key to Leadership," CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1991.
- Bolles, R.N., What Color is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job Hunters and Career Changers, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, 1977.
- Box, G.E.P., Jenkins, G.M., Time Series Analysis: forecasting and control, Holden-Day, San Francisco, 1976.
- Byrd, R.E., A Guide to Personal Risk Taking, American Management Association, New York, 1974.
- Cleland, I.C., Kocaoglu, D.F., Engineering Management, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1981.
- Costley, D.L., Todd, R., Human Relations in Organizations,
2nd ed. West, St. Paul, 1983.
- Daniels, A.C., Rosen, T.A., Performance Management: Improving Quality and Productivity through Positive Reinforcement, Performance Management Publications, Tucker, 1986.
- Davis, B.L., Hellervik, L.W., Sheard, J.L. (eds), Successful
Manager's Handbook, Personnel Decisions, Minneapolis, 1986.
- Deming, W.E., "Improvement of Quality and Productivity through Action by Management," National Productivity Review 1, Winter 1981-1982.
- Dhillon, B.S., Engineering Management: Concepts, Procedures
and Models, Technomic, Lancaster, 1987.
- Forrester, J.W., "Designing Social and Managerial Systems," CDTL Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1991.
- Glos, R.E., Stead, R.D., Lowry, J.R., Business: Its Nature and
Environment, 8th ed., South-Western, Cincinnati, 1976.
- Gordon, T., Leader Effectiveness Training, Putnam, New York, 1977.
- Groover, M.P., Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Aided Manufacturing, Technomic, Lancaster, 1987.
- Johnson, D.W., Johnson, F.P., Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, Bacon, Boston, 1994.
- Lakein, A., How to get Control of your Time and your Life, Signet, New York, 1973.
- McCay, J.T., The Management of Time, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1959.
- Oncken, W., Managing Management Time, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1984.
- Pickle, H.B., Abrahamson, R.,L,. Small Business Management,
Wiley, Santa Barbara, 1976.
- Powers, D.L., Boundary Value Problems, 2nd ed., Academic Press, New York, 1979.
- Rosenau, M.D., Innovation: Managing the Development of Profitable New Products, Lifetime Learning, 1989.
- Scott, W.R., Organizations: Rational, Natural, and Open
Systems, 2nd ed., Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1987.
- Stoner, J.A.F., Freeman, R.E., Management, 4th ed.,
Prentice Hall, 1989.
- Webber, R.A., Management: basic elements of managing organizations,
Irwin , 1979.
- Wren, D.A., The Evolution of Management Thought, 2nd ed., Wiley , 1979.
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