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Many organizations devote considerable time and effort to improving job satisfaction, hoping for improved performance. To the extent that happiness and satisfaction are a result of one′s heredity and past experiences, management clearly has a very limited role in effecting change. To the degree that happiness and satisfaction are a direct result of one′s present work experiences, management has the opportunity for some, albeit small, impact. Suggests that, because of the complexities associated with one′s level of satisfaction, executives and managers take a conservative approach to methods or programmes that promise high job satisfaction and enhanced productivity.

Investigates the relationships between organizational adoption and extent of use of two kinds of programs. Specifically, contends that organizations may vary considerably in QM maturity. Argues that QM maturity organizations will be characterized by perceptions that the culture is different in ways which are supportive of QM, and that the organization is performing at higher levels. Moreover, such organizations will be more likely to have moved toward adopting customer relationship management systems to improve their customer services, and have done so in qualitatively better ways. In turn, such adoptions will lead to perceptions by those in the organizations that their customer relationship systems are, in fact, providing better services. Exploratory research provides support for these ideas.

Investigates the relationships between organizational adoption and extent of use of quality management (QM) programs and customer relationship management systems (CRM) in health‐care and non‐health‐care organizational settings. In referring to QM, recognizes that there has been widespread adoption, across organizations generally, of programs aimed at delivering superior quality to the customer. Focuses on this group of programs when considering QM, and looks at how adoption of QM may impact the CRM programs. Specifically, contends that organizations from the two settings may vary considerably in QM maturity. Begins by considering whether there are differences in the paths which health‐care and non‐health‐care organizations have used in approaching and implementing QM. Finds no differences, however, in this research. Instead, finds that there were systematic changes which appeared to accompany higher‐quality QM implementations in both health‐care and non‐health‐care organizations.

Examines two distinctly different reasons for resistance to total quality management (TQM) in US corporations. One of these is that workers will perceive TQM as controlling rather than empowering: in effect, seeing it as a ploy to get them to work harder for fewer rewards. Alternatively, it may be that TQM is seen as empowering but that all individuals do not want enriched, empowered jobs. Asks whether personality characteristics, and especially equity sensitivity, growth need strength, and willingness to engage in organizational citizenship behavior, are related to each other and whether they will influence individuals’ reactions to job characteristics associated with the quality environment. Findings offer support for the second of the possibilities raised, with results suggesting that resistance is not related to perceptions that jobs under TQM are seen as controlling. Finds evidence that personality characteristics, and especially growth needs strength (GNS) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), are related to preferences for enriched jobs of the type associated with the quality environment.

Quality management (QM) literature has consistently failed to distinguish between managers and line employees when it comes to implementing QM tools and techniques. However, managers and line employees vary considerably on several key individual characteristics. Thus, it is logical to expect that they will react differently to QM implementations. The research reported here shows that managers differ in their equity sensitivity, organizational citizenship behavior, and growth needs strength. Additionally, these differences are shown to impact the way each group perceives QM practices. Findings indicate that managers and line employees perceive that QM practices affect organizational culture and organizational outcomes differently.

Reports an initial study to validate a brief instrument which could be useful as a tool to permit researchers to gain insight into a construct termed QM maturity – the quality of an organization’s adoption of (QM) programs. Notes that investigators have frequently confounded the length of time an organization reports that it has “been on” QM with the quality of its QM adoption. Yet it is entirely possible that an organization that reports that it has had quality programs in place for a considerable period of time may have adopted those programs poorly and superficially. The researchers were aware that a significant research stream was in place and investigating these issues, but were concerned that the available instruments tended to be extremely lengthy, aimed at top management rather than the workforce as a whole, or oriented toward a manufacturing rather than service environment. Reports initial work to validate a brief instrument that is potentially useful at all organizational levels and in both service and manufacturing. Suggests that the findings indicate that the instrument is consistent with an instrument from the existing research stream and that it also shows relationships to worker perceptions of organizational culture, Baldrige criteria, and job enrichment in directions that would be expected in the quality environment.

In this research we report an analysis of comments from managers and executives in healthcare organizations to provide insights into the strategic management needs of healthcare organizations. The comments were obtained as part of a survey that asked upper‐level managers and executives to identify strategic management skill and knowledge needs in healthcare organizations. After completing the survey, the respondents were given the opportunity to comment on any topics of concern to them. A total of 67 comments, many of them extensive and insightful, were obtained. In this paper, we review the literature dealing with educational and developmental needs of healthcare managers. Much of this literature is academic in nature and permits an interesting comparison to the perspective of management and executive practitioners. Emerging from the literature was a concern for environmental turbulence and a recognition that healthcare managers are at risk of falling behind in terms of skill development under such conditions. Respondent comments suggested a recognition of the potential problems. The comments are classified into four major categories: needs and skills in turbulent conditions; program and educational needs; issue clarification; and additional comments. Moreover, the first two categories appeared to break out into a set of six additional themes, which we suggest will be important to those designing programs for executive development in healthcare during turbulent times. While the source of this research is healthcare settings in Canada and the USA, the findings should be applicable to international healthcare organizations that use strategic management concepts and practices.

Recent interest in constituency theory, coupled with the concern of the quality movement for meeting the needs of the internal and external “customers” of organizations leads HR managers to think about their jobs in terms of the stakeholders or constituents who have influence or impact on HR job performance. When the HR job is considered in terms of its any constituents, it becomes apparent that within any organization there are many different interacting groups that HR managers must satisfy, or who have rights or a stake in what HR does. Moreover, each comes with distinct and sometimes conflicting needs. Discusses the importance of HR constituencies and how they can affect the HR function′s ability to operate successfully, and to use theory to suggest how the HR manager can retain effectiveness in a setting characterized by pressures from competing constituencies.

This paper reviews recent discussions in the information technology (IT) and management literatures in order to consider their implications and to make a series of predictions about organizational life in the coming e‐business era.

A wide variety of recent discussions, ranging from comments by political/governmental figures to scholarly reports in the academic literature, are reviewed to consider their implications for the structure and shape of jobs and the job market.

The review provides evidence that developments in IT suggest that significant levels of job loss will occur in routine jobs, coupled with a pronounced movement towards a job market of flexible, fluid groups of highly‐skilled, entrepreneurial, consultant‐like employees.

Should this transition take place, there will be little place in the coming workforce for low‐skilled employees and a significant decrease in the overall size of the workforce. The jobs which remain will be those, which by their very nature, are creative and cannot be automated. Managers, governmental policy makers and the workforce in general will need to consider these implications.

Discussion and debate of the prospects need to begin immediately. This paper represents an effort to begin this process.

Describes a study which represents an initial examination of the relationship between personality factors and sexual and non‐sexual harassment. The traditional approach in the United States to sexual harassment sensitivity has been in terms of social‐sexual behaviours based on gender. Moreover, a review of previous research indicates that the examination of personality factors as imperatives for sexual harassment sensitivity has received little attention. The findings of this research, however, suggest that there are relationships between sexual harassment sensitivity and several personality factors. The findings imply that personality factors may potentially play a significant role in the counselling of sexual harassment aggressors and victims and in the development of programmes to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.