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The purpose of this article is to report on case study research conducted in a German hospital and describe the implications that the “Management by walking about” approach had on healthcare employees. “Management by walking about” is widely seen as one of the favoured procedures for increasing employee commitment and shared understanding as well as supporting high trust work relations.

This case study set out to examine the actual labour processes and the concrete experiences of healthcare employees behind the “Management by walking about” approach in a German hospital. This was achieved by means of a six month field study of day‐to‐day life in the hospital's nursing division.

In this case study, the popular initiative of “Management by walking about” was used as a means of managerial control and, as such, the internal promotion of soaring values and path‐finding visions was met with both scepticism and cynicism.

Pre‐commitment and motivation levels were high among healthcare employees, they were passionate about their healthcare work and they actively engaged in open communication and organisational development. But all this had little to do with “Management by walking about”, and its implications raise questions about its influence on high trust work relations more generally.

The paper concludes that a more critical analysis is necessary to challenge the way in which “Management by walking about” is examined by healthcare management academics and practitioners.

Management by Walking Around, Management Development, Teamwork, Training Examines possible methods which trainers might employ in order to help improve management performance and development. Suggests that management are their own worst enemies owing to the fact that they quite often lose contact with the actual workforce. Recommends various methods of avoiding this including “management by walking around” (MBWA), effective team development, and mixed level teams. Proposes several guidelines for encouraging teamwork suggesting that this is the way forward.

Draws on a large group of research projects on the management use of information systems in the British National Health Service. Argues that information systems are just one part of the system of information by which the manager knows what is going on, and within which he or she constructs problems. Compares the advantages and disadvantages of four ways in which a manager may know about what is going on: information systems, gossip, walking about, and experience and imagination. Considers the effectiveness of these four for problem construction. Suggests that setting information systems in the context of other parts of the manager′s system of information may enable both the designers and the users of such systems to consider more carefully when and how their systems can be of use to senior managers in problem construction ‐ for it is more important for senior managers to be able to construct problems than to solve them.

Management walkabout has appealed to many chief executives as part of their management style. This article discusses some of the seldom‐considered implications of this, and concludes with a recipe for genuinely effective management.

A self‐help guide to achieving success in business. Directed more towards the self‐employed, it is relevant to other managers in organizations. Divided into clear sections on creativity and dealing with change; importance of clear goal setting; developing winning business and marketing strategies; negotiating skills; leadership; financial skills; and time management.

Reports on a survey of how product managers, experiencing increased time pressure, would like to spend their time compared with how they actually spend it. Reviews the changes in the marketing environment currently exerting pressure on the product management system. Explains the implementation of a product management audit. Presents findings from actual audit surveys and shows how one company used an audit to identify and solve problems within its product management organization. Concludes that the product management audit is an excellent tool for producing hard data which may be missed by management by walking around.

This special “Anbar Abstracts” issue of the Leadership & Organization Development Journal is split into four sections covering abstracts under the following headings: Culture, Change and Intervention; Management Styles and Techniques; Leadership and Decision; Communications.

Reassesses the role of the grapevine in employee communications. Argues that it has a role to play in socializing employees to a company, initiating behavioural change, disciplining employees and providing information. Discusses the implementation of the grapevine as a part of the employee communications mix, through management by walking about (MBWA) and electronic communications. Concludes that it can enhance corporate culture and increases allegiance to corporate goals.

The purpose of this paper is to review the importance of various change principles in assisting change in three public sector organizations.

The researchers carried out interviews and used focus groups in assessing the principles and strategies which would be more useful.

The interview and focus group results in three public sector organizations suggest that forming a guiding coalition might be one of the most important principles to observe.

The research data used for illustration are based on case evidence and the anecdotal interpretation of change in three settings. The paper does not claim to offer a scientific conclusion.

The goal is to encourage a discussion on whether or not certain principles or strategies should be more important.

The paper reviews the literature on change and reviews these principles in real experiences. Much of the other literature is conceptual.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the benefits of being visible in stewardship of an organization and the resources invested.

The paper looks at the concepts of management by walking around and Gemba and how visibility can be used to best advantage in a library.

The paper finds that, in a tough economy especially, staff need supervisors to be visible and support changes that might have occurred, and patrons need to know that administrators are paying attention to how resources are used. A purposeful and meaningful effort by managers to be more visible and accessible can result in greater understanding of details, a better sense of loyalty, and higher levels of morale and patron satisfaction.

The paper provides useful information on the importance of visibility within the library working environment.