Encyclopedia of Management Theory

In discussing a management topic, scholars, educators, practitioners, and the media often toss out the name of a theorist (Taylor, Simon, Weber) or make a sideways reference to a particular theory (Bureaucracy, Total Quality Management, Groupthink, etc.) and move on, as if assuming their audience possesses the necessary background to appreciate and integrate the reference. This is often far from the case. Individuals are frequently forced to seek out a hodgepodge of sources varying in quality and presentation to provide an overview of a particular idea. And reference librarians often find it difficult to guide readers to an informed, one-stop resource with just the basics—the "who, what, where, how, when, and why." In response, SAGE Reference plans to publish the two-volume Encyclopedia of Management Theory, available in both print and electronic formats.

This work is designed to serve as a core reference for anyone interested in the essentials of contemporary management theory. Drawing together a team of international scholars, it examines the global landscape of the key theories and the theorists behind them, presenting them in the context needed to understand their strengths and weaknesses to thoughtfully apply them. In addition to interpretations of long-established theories, it also offers essays on cutting-edge research as one might find in a handbook. And, like an unabridged dictionary, it provides concise, to-the-point definitions of key concepts, ideas, schools, and figures.

Features and Benefits:

· Two volumes containing 335-350 signed entries provide users with the most authoritative and thorough reference resources available on management theory, both in terms of breadth and depth of coverage.

· To ease navigation between and among related entries, a Reader's Guide groups entries thematically and each entry is followed by Cross-References.

· In the electronic version, the Reader's Guide combines with the Cross-References and a detailed Index to provide robust search-and-browse capabilities.

· An appendix with a Chronology of Management Theory allows students to easily chart directions and trends in thought and theory from early times to the present.

· Suggestions for Further Reading at the end of each entry guide readers to sources for more detailed research and discussion.