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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/00251740210437734. When citing the article, please cite: Mitchell Langbert, Hersh Friedman, (2002), “Continuous improvement in the history of human resource management”, Management Decision, Vol. 40 Iss: 8, pp. 782 - 787.

Human resource management’s challenge is to improve the balance among three competing quality targets: equity, flexibility and alignment. Management of these targets has improved through four historical periods: the pre‐industrial, paternalist, bureaucratic and high performance. There always have been tradeoffs among the three quality targets, but the balance among them has improved through history.

Individuals interested in leadership can learn much from the Nesi’im (presidents) that headed the Sanhedrin. These leaders faced incredible adversity: Hellenists, Sadducees, Greeks, Romans, the destruction of the Temple, religious persecution, and exile. Yet, they still managed to keep the Jewish people together. The article claims that these individuals were transformational leaders. This paper examines the literature of transformational leadership, and the various characteristics, philosophies, sayings, and behavior of the leaders of the Sanhedrin. The philosophies and values of Nesi’im such as Hillel and Gamliel, recorded in the Talmud and Midrash, did what large armies could not have accomplished: destroy the pagan values of the Greeks and Romans. This paper describes how these philosophies might serve as a paradigm or touchstone for the successful leader of today.

This case study aims to illustrate the interaction of organizational culture, human resource (HR) policy and firm performance. It contrasts the cultures of two science‐driven organizations – the Navy's nuclear submarine force and Merck, the large pharmaceutical firm – and traces the reaction of one individual to two organizations – the United States nuclear navy and Merck & Co., a large pharmaceutical firm.

This paper is a case study based on field interviews and secondary sources.

The task‐oriented culture of the submarine fleet is compared to Merck's relations and team‐oriented corporate environment. Management skills such as flexibility, power and influence, interpersonal communication, self‐awareness and goal setting can influence career outcomes. Managerial skills are important in all settings, but a given style's efficacy is contingent upon organizational context. Adaptability is important, as is personal mission. Thus, the case examines how organizational culture, HR policies and leadership interact with an individual's career outcomes and organizational performance as well.

Because this is a case study it is not generalizable. However, the issues depicted in the case have been recognized in the managerial skills literature. The case study serves to illustrate and deepen managerial skills concepts.

This case study has illustrative value as well as hypothesis and theory‐building value, but is not generalizable.

There is relatively little research on the specifics of how to apply managerial skills in a corporate setting. Hence, the case covers important, sensitive material of practical and theoretical value.

This paper aims to contrast the cultures of two organizations – the US Navy's nuclear‐submarine force and large pharmaceutical firm Merck – through the experiences of former naval officer turned pharmaceutical salesman, Howard Roark.

The paper starts and finishes with Howard Roark's appraisal. It considers the history of Merck, and Admiral Rickover and the nuclear navy, and explains Roark's employment history.

The paper shows how Roark's challenges in adjusting to Merck were interpersonal and political, and how leadership skills need to be adapted according to the environment.

The paper gives an insight into managerial skills, human resource strategy and organizational behavior.

The paper illustrates the importance of being able to adapt to different organizational cultures.

Despite the emphasis on contemporary historical case studies in groupthink research, Janis believed that examining decision‐making processes recorded in antiquity was also relevant. However, neither Janis nor other groupthink researchers have adequately explored the model among decision‐making bodies described in earlier history. The current paper aims to begin to fill this gap by analyzing the judicial and legislative body of ancient Israel, known as the “Sanhedrin,” in the context of Janis's groupthink model.

The authors focus on classic Jewish rabbinic sources such as the Mishna, Talmud, and writings of Maimonides, exploring the functioning of the Sanhedrin, the authoritative body of ancient Israel, in the context of Irving Janis's groupthink model.

The authors highlight the insightful ways the Sanhedrin's members may have avoided groupthink and the symptoms of defective decision‐making that have plagued other groups.

The authors' analysis enables them to further understand the rationale behind many of the Sanhedrin's unique regulations, granting insight into an important and authoritative ancient group.

This analysis of the Sanhedrin's procedures also highlights multiple practical ways that Janis's ideas and prescriptions may be implemented by juries, modern day managers, and organizational bodies.

The authors are the first to explore the functioning of the Sanhedrin in the context of the groupthink model, highlighting the insightful ways its members may have avoided the symptoms of defective decision‐making that have plagued other groups. Their approach should be of interest to researchers and theorists in both the fields of management and history. Importantly, they include practical application relevant to the science of modern organizational behavior.