Search results

Downsizing is a process to make a company more efficient and costeffective by eliminating nonvalue‐added work processes and people. Unfortunately, it has become a common business practice in today’s firms in order to stay competitive and strong. The practice, however, can be disastrous if the company does not treat the human aspect of the process. During and after downsizing the workforce may suffer from what is known as the “survivor syndrome”. This article addresses the work overload felt by employees in the aftermath of a downsizing. Afirm’s effective management of downsizing is intricately related to the possible strategies of alleviating work overload and addressing employees’ concerns. This relationship is especially important between the organisation and the employees during and after the change. The success or failure of downsizing relies on the remaining workforce.

Discusses the broad range of topics to develop models of proficient leadership practices by the Center for Creative Leadership. Outlines the training programmes, instruments, and publications designed to improve the effectiveness of managers and leaders. Integrates the research and application results in dynamic perspectives on leadership and development issues.

Reports that the fundamental problem with corporate restructuring as it is practised today ‐ as an ongoing strategy even in profitable times, rather than as an emergency move ‐ is that it is based on a flawed vision of what makes people and organizations work well. Excessive downsizing experiences create a new psycho‐social problem: the “survivor syndrome”. Examines survivor syndrome, identifies its causes and suggests remedies that lead to rebuilding employee commitment to the new organization.

In transitioning to the 21st Century, the proces of planetisation is leading to the development of a world culture. With the landing of humans on the Moon in 1969, astronauts provided us with stunning pictures of our Earth as seen from outer space. The view challenges us to revise our images of our species — who are we as a human family? Space communication satellites and remote sensing technologies help us to appreciate our planet's resources, as well as its environmental and ecological problems. All this contributes, along with advances in telecommunications and mass transportation, to the breaking down of national borders and cultures and to the emergence of a global, information‐oriented culture. While this happens at the macro level, counterforces are at work that are evident in global tribalism and regression locally to “ethnic cleansing” of people who are different. Despite the latter negative trends, humanity's main‐stream is beginning to appreciate that our common survival and satisfaction of our universal needs and concerns are linked to other species and systems, so we should, as far as feasible protect our world and all its inhabitants. In contemplating the evolution and future of humans, the scientist/philosopher, Tielard de Chardin, described planetisation as a convergence of phenomenon such as, increased consciousness and homogenisation — people are beginning to realise their interdependence on each other, as well as upon all life in our universe.

A five‐year review of the literature on the management practice of downsizing and its related costs published between 1994 and 1998 is used to analyze the positive and negative outcomes attributable to downsizing. The article examines downsizing to assess its impact on both the individual employee (the human element) and on the organization (the business factor). It is recognized that some degree of downsizing was inevitable over the last 20 years due to technological advances, business process reengineering, and a trend of cost‐cutting brought on by economic downturn and a globalization of the economy. Nevertheless, poor implementation of downsizing strategies by unprepared and unskilled managers, working in a vacuum of political leadership, made the experience worse than it needed to be. It was concluded that, although there can be many positive outcomes to a downsizing project, in the end the negative outcomes outweigh the positive.

The purpose of this research is to examine how increased work overload of layoff survivors relates to their work‐life balance and job and life satisfaction.

Survey methodology was used to collect data from 510 layoff survivors in a high tech company. Regression analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test the hypotheses.

The study found that layoff survivors experience higher levels of workload which impact overall role overload that negatively affects work‐life balance. Findings suggest that high workloads experienced by layoff survivors contribute to reduced job and life satisfaction through reduced work‐life balance as a mediating mechanism.

The data used in this paper is cross‐sectional and conducted within a single organization. Also, most of the data is obtained from self report survey data and subject to common method bias. As such, longitudinal studies are recommended for future research.

This study makes a contribution by joining two distinct research streams – the job loss literature with research on work‐family issues. Findings suggest that high workloads experienced by layoff survivors contribute to reduced job and life satisfaction with work‐life balance acting as a mediator. Future research should determine whether these findings generalize to diverse layoff survivors in distinct industries, and assess whether these phenomena change over time.

After slicing and dicing their way to the '90s, American corporations are finding that job‐cutting is really a double‐edged sword.

This paper examines the process of corporate downsizing and its implications for communicating employee lay‐offs. In an effort to please one set of stakeholders (investors, creditors, shareholders, analysts and others), management may be faced with difficult and unpleasant communication choices as they confront another set of stakeholders (employees, customers, community members and elected officials). The objective in each case is to restructure the organisation, control costs and return to profitability without alienating or traumatising the very people who helped create wealth and productivity for the organisation. This paper reviews current practice, an extended case example, and provides ten specific suggestions for planning and communicating employee lay‐offs.

The traditional public library met the needs of its patrons by circulating books, holding story hours, and providing readers' advisory and reference services. Today, public libraries circulate art work and garden tools, provide disco dancing and college courses, and (in New York State) help their users find jobs through library‐based Job Information Centers.

In December 1991, General Motors Corp. announced that it would lay off 74,000 employees. The same month, The New York Times reported that Xerox Corp., Eastman Kodak Co., IBM Corp., and General Motors, among other organizations, expect many 1991 layoffs to be permanent. Some feel that's because this latest US recession is not a cyclical downturn but an overdue adjustment indicative of a relocation of the world economy.