Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/61389
"THE DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE HUMAN CONDITION IS UNIVERSAL AND THE CAPACITY TO DO SO IS LATENT IN MOST SYSTEMS." —Positive Organizational Scholarship Scholarship, editors Kim S. Cameron, Jane E. Dutton, and Robert E. Quinn focus on everything that can go right in business. They link their own work to studies done in related fields like positive psy- chology, prosocial and citizenship behavior, and corporate social responsibility. They believe that "the desire to improve the human condition is universal and that the capacity to do so is latent in most systems"—including corporations. Lest the reader think this is just provide safe, friendly environments for employees. In Positive Organizational specific virtues and have such positive outlooks that they can overcome dis- astrous events and another motivational book, the authors support their theories with hard evidence. In the chapter on "Virtuousness and Performance," Cameron cites studies that indicate that "virtuous companies" bounce back more quickly from negative events such as downsizing. Virtuous corporations also benefit by retaining productive, committed employees whose "upward spiral of positive feel- ings" toward their jobs "increase their pride in their organization." Just as everyone wants to be around a happy person, everyone wants to work in a happy workplace. That conclusion is no surprise, but it might require a paradigm shift in thinking for less virtuous managers ferociously intent on the bottom line. (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, $45) from a panel of "experts"—ten recent graduates from top schools. The whole book can be read in a couple of hours, but its thoughtful insights will stick with b-school can- didates long afterward. (St. Martin's Griffin, $17.95) Is your company planning some kind of expansion or upgrade in the near future? Are you considering adding new technology, going pub- lic, making an acquisition, entering a new market, or reorganizing your staff? Any or all of these initiatives could drive your company into "strategic gridlock," in which your goals are in direct conflict with the realities of your company's culture, abilities, and other "organizational realities." In Preventing Strategic Gridlock, Pamela S. Harper outlines Quick Looks Working executives considering applying to business school should do themselves a favor and pick up a copy of Business School Confidential, a thorough and plain-spoken book that takes a close look at the entire business school experience. Early chapters urge potential students to think deeply about why they want to attend business school, and what they should consider when they apply, from a school's official rank- ings to its perceived reputation to its greatest strengths. Chapters cover a whole range of topics: prepping for the GMAT, writ- ing a personal essay, funding the $80,000-plus degree, choosing roommates, working with peer groups, handling interviews with recruiters. Written by Robert H. Miller and Katherine F. Koegler, the book draws much of its hard information the hidden roadblocks that cause new strategies and initiatives to fail: the "one-size-fits-all" mentality that makes managers believe past solu- tions will be successful again; the "management by lobotomy" solu- tion in which personnel and pro- grams are drastically cut; the "act now, think later" strategy that leads executives to move ahead without gathering sufficient information; and a handful of others. Harper gives real-life examples of companies that failed due to strategic gridlock—and a no-nonsense list of ways to break free of those traffic jams. (Cameo Publications, $19.95) The third edition of How to Advertise offers advice and text as elegantly simple as its name. The book by Kenneth Roman and Jane Maas, with expanded new- media commentary from Martin Nisenholtz in this edition, was first published in 1976 and continues to espouse some of the basic tenets of getting a product or company noticed. The book is cleanly written and presents concise chunks of easy-to- absorb information. It's also both smart and fun. In the section on "Brands and Strategies," the authors write: "Don't forget to offer a benefit. Thousands of peo- ple buy quarter- inch drill bits, not because they want quarter-inch drill bits but because they want quarter-inch holes." This no-nonsense guide to advertising makes it clear in the updated version why it's still a classic. (Thomas Dunne Books, $24.95) ■ z BizEd JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2004 55