Review of Management 6th Edition by James A F Stoner R Edward Freeman: A Comprehensive, Research-Based, and Practical Guide
Management 6th Edition by James A F Stoner R Edward Freeman: A Comprehensive Review
If you are looking for a comprehensive, research-based, and practical guide to management, you might want to check out Management 6th Edition by James A F Stoner R Edward Freeman. This book is one of the most popular and influential textbooks on management, used by thousands of students, instructors, researchers, practitioners, and consultants around the world. In this article, we will review this book in detail, covering its main themes, topics, theories, concepts, applications, examples, ethical issues, globalization, entrepreneurship, cultural diversity, quality, conclusion, and FAQs. By the end of this article, you will have a clear idea of what this book is about, why it is important, and how it can help you become a better manager.
Management 6th Edition By James A F Stoner R Edward Freeman
The General Theme of Dynamic Engagement
One of the most distinctive features of this book is its general theme of dynamic engagement. Dynamic engagement is a broad term that captures the essence of change confronting future managers, and current thinking on what they'll need to succeed. Dynamic engagement means that managers need to be proactive, flexible, innovative, responsive, and adaptable to the changing needs and expectations of their customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, regulators, and society. Dynamic engagement also means that managers need to be aware of the opportunities and threats that arise from the external environment, such as technological advances, demographic shifts, economic fluctuations, political instability, social movements, and environmental issues. Dynamic engagement also means that managers need to be able to balance the competing demands and interests of various stakeholders, such as shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, communities, and governments.
The book presents dynamic engagement as a general theme that runs through all its chapters and sections. The book shows how dynamic engagement applies to different aspects and functions of management, such as planning, organizing, leading, controlling, decision making, communication, motivation, leadership, teamwork, strategy, innovation, ethics, globalization, entrepreneurship, cultural diversity, and quality. The book also provides numerous examples of dynamic engagement in action, featuring real-world organizations that have successfully adapted to change and achieved outstanding results. Some of these organizations include Snapple, The Limited, MTV, Ben & Jerry's, Kinko's, Nike, McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Sega, Johnson & Johnson, Federal Express, Ford, Kmart, L. L. Bean, and many more.
The Solid Theoretical Underpinnings and Research Orientation
Another notable characteristic of this book is its solid theoretical underpinnings and research orientation. The book covers a wide range of theories and concepts that are essential for understanding and practicing management. The book draws from various disciplines and fields of study, such as psychology, sociology, economics, political science, philosophy, history, and mathematics. The book also incorporates the latest research and evidence from academic journals, books, reports, case studies, and surveys. The book uses research and evidence to support its arguments and recommendations, and to challenge conventional wisdom and myths.
Some of the main theories and concepts that the book covers include: - The evolution of management thought from classical to contemporary approaches - The contingency theory of management that suggests that there is no one best way to manage - The systems theory of management that views organizations as open systems that interact with their environment - The stakeholder theory of management that recognizes the multiple groups that have a stake in an organization's performance - The scientific management approach that emphasizes efficiency and productivity through rationalization and standardization - The administrative management approach that focuses on the principles and functions of management - The behavioral management approach that studies human behavior in organizations - The human relations movement that emphasizes the importance of social and psychological factors in motivating employees - The organizational behavior field that analyzes individual and group behavior in organizations - The organizational culture concept that describes the shared values, beliefs, norms, and practices that shape an organization's identity and behavior - The organizational development field that deals with planned change and improvement in organizations - The decision theory field that examines how managers make decisions under uncertainty and risk - The information theory field that explores how managers process and communicate information - The motivation theory field that explains what drives human behavior and performance - The leadership theory field that studies the traits, styles, behaviors, and skills of effective leaders - The power and politics theory field that analyzes how managers use and influence power and politics in organizations - The conflict and negotiation theory field that investigates how managers deal with conflict and negotiation in organizations - The group dynamics theory field that explores how groups form, function, and perform in organizations - The team building theory field that examines how managers create and manage teams in organizations - The communication theory field that describes how managers communicate verbally and nonverbally in organizations - The organizational structure theory field that outlines the different ways of organizing people and resources in organizations - The organizational design theory field that considers the factors that affect the design of organizations - The organizational strategy theory field that defines the goals, plans, and actions of organizations to achieve competitive advantage - The innovation theory field that studies how managers foster creativity and innovation in organizations - The entrepreneurship theory field that investigates how managers identify and exploit opportunities for new ventures The book also cites some of the key sources and references that the book relies on, such as: - Peter Drucker's writings on management as a profession and a social responsibility - Henry Mintzberg's research on managerial roles and activities - Michael Porter's frameworks on competitive strategy and value chain analysis - Tom Peters' insights on excellence and innovation in management The Ethical Issues and Corporate Social Responsibility
Another important theme that the book addresses is ethical issues and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in management. Ethics is the study of moral principles and values that guide human behavior and decision making. CSR is the voluntary commitment of businesses to act in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, beyond their legal obligations. The book argues that ethics and CSR are not only desirable but also essential for managers and organizations in today's world. The book explains that ethics and CSR can enhance organizational performance, reputation, trust, loyalty, innovation, and sustainability. The book also warns that unethical and irresponsible behavior can have serious consequences for managers and organizations, such as legal sanctions, fines, lawsuits, boycotts, scandals, loss of customers, employees, investors, and public support.
The book explores various ethical issues and challenges that managers face in their roles and responsibilities, such as: - How to define and apply ethical standards and codes of conduct in different situations and contexts - How to deal with ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest that arise from competing values and goals - How to handle ethical misconduct and whistleblowing in organizations - How to balance the rights and duties of stakeholders, such as shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, communities, and governments - How to respect human rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations - How to protect the environment and natural resources from harm and depletion - How to contribute to social welfare and development through philanthropy, volunteering, advocacy, and partnerships The book also provides various tools and frameworks that managers can use to improve their ethical awareness and decision making, such as: - The utilitarian approach that evaluates the consequences of actions for the greatest good of the greatest number - The rights approach that respects the inherent rights and dignity of individuals - The justice approach that distributes benefits and burdens fairly and impartially - The virtue approach that cultivates moral character and excellence - The stakeholder approach that identifies and balances the interests of all parties affected by a decision - The corporate social performance model that integrates social responsibility, social responsiveness, and social issues management The book also showcases several examples of ethical leadership and CSR practices from real-world organizations that have demonstrated excellence and innovation in these areas. Some of these organizations include: - Johnson & Johnson's credo that guides its ethical decision making and social responsibility - Starbucks' mission statement that reflects its commitment to social impact and environmental stewardship - Patagonia's efforts to ensure fair labor practices and environmental sustainability in its supply chain - Ben & Jerry's social mission that integrates social justice, environmental protection, and community involvement into its business strategy - Microsoft's philanthropic initiatives that support education, health, and digital inclusion around the world - Nike's code of conduct that sets high standards for ethical behavior and social responsibility for its employees, contractors, and suppliers ...
The Globalization and International Comparisons
Another relevant theme that the book explores is globalization and its impact on management. Globalization is the process of increasing interdependence and integration among countries, regions, markets, and people. Globalization affects management in various ways, such as: - Expanding the scope and scale of business opportunities and challenges across borders - Increasing the diversity and complexity of the external environment and stakeholders - Enhancing the competition and cooperation among firms and industries worldwide - Requiring the adaptation and innovation of management practices and strategies to different contexts and cultures The book examines globalization from different perspectives and dimensions, such as: - The economic dimension that involves the flows of goods, services, capital, labor, and technology across borders - The political dimension that involves the interactions among governments, international organizations, and non-governmental actors on global issues and policies - The cultural dimension that involves the diffusion and exchange of values, beliefs, norms, and practices across societies - The ecological dimension that involves the effects of human activities on the natural environment and resources The book also provides international comparisons of management practices and performance across countries and regions, such as: - The differences and similarities in management styles, systems, structures, functions, and skills among various national cultures - The advantages and disadvantages of various types of international business strategies, such as exporting, licensing, franchising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, foreign direct investment, and multinational corporations - The challenges and opportunities of managing in emerging markets, such as China, India, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and others - The best practices and lessons learned from successful global managers and organizations The book also features several examples of global managers and organizations that have demonstrated excellence and innovation in managing across borders. Some of these examples include: - Coca-Cola's global marketing strategy that adapts to local tastes and preferences - MTV's global expansion strategy that leverages its core competencies and brand identity - KFC's localization strategy that caters to different consumer segments and cultural norms in China - IKEA's global sourcing strategy that balances cost efficiency and social responsibility - Toyota's global production system that achieves high quality and flexibility through standardization and customization - Google's global innovation strategy that fosters creativity and collaboration among its employees ...
The Entrepreneurship and Small Businesses
Another vital theme that the book emphasizes is entrepreneurship and small businesses as a key aspect of management. Entrepreneurship is the process of creating, launching, and growing new ventures that provide value to customers and society. Small businesses are independently owned and operated enterprises that have fewer than 500 employees and are not dominant in their industry. The book argues that entrepreneurship and small businesses are essential for economic and social development, as they: - Generate new jobs, income, wealth, and innovation - Stimulate competition, efficiency, and productivity - Fill market niches and meet customer needs - Contribute to social welfare and community development - Solve social and environmental problems The book examines entrepreneurship and small businesses from different perspectives and dimensions, such as: - The characteristics and skills of successful entrepreneurs and small business owners - The sources and types of entrepreneurial opportunities and ideas - The stages and challenges of the entrepreneurial process - The methods and tools for evaluating and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities - The strategies and resources for planning, financing, launching, managing, and growing new ventures - The legal forms and structures of small businesses - The functions and roles of small business management - The issues and trends affecting small businesses in different industries and markets The book also provides practical applications and examples of entrepreneurship and small businesses from real-world cases and scenarios, such as: - How Steve Jobs founded Apple and revolutionized the personal computer, music, and smartphone industries - How Sara Blakely created Spanx and became the youngest self-made female billionaire in history - How Muhammad Yunus established Grameen Bank and pioneered the concept of microfinance for poverty alleviation - How Howard Schultz transformed Starbucks from a small coffee roaster to a global coffeehouse chain - How Jeff Bezos launched Amazon as an online bookstore and expanded it into an e-commerce giant - How Mark Zuckerberg developed Facebook as a social networking site for college students and turned it into a global phenomenon ...
groups, employee resource groups, diversity councils, and diversity audits - The skills and competencies for managing cultural diversity and inclusion, such as cultural intelligence, cultural sensitivity, cultural awareness, and cross-cultural communication The book also provides practical applications and examples of cultural diversity and inclusion from real-world cases and scenarios, such as: - How IBM leverages its global diversity network to drive innovation and growth - How Marriott fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging for its associates and guests - How PepsiCo embraces diversity and inclusion as a business imperative and a competitive advantage - How Unilever supports diversity and inclusion through its sustainable living plan and its global diversity board - How Netflix cultivates a culture of freedom and responsibility that values diversity and inclusion The Quality and Continuous Improvement
Another essential theme that the book stresses is quality and continuous improvement as a core value of management. Quality refers to the degree to which a product or service meets or exceeds customer expectations and requirements. Continuous improvement refers to the ongoing process of identifying and eliminating waste, reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and enhancing customer value. The book argues that quality and continuous improvement are critical for managers and organizations in today's world, as they: - Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering superior products and services - Improve operational performance and productivity by eliminating defects, errors, and rework - Enhance competitive advantage and profitability by reducing costs, increasing revenues, and maximizing profits - Foster a culture of excellence and learning by encouraging employee involvement, empowerment, and feedback - Achieve organizational goals and objectives by aligning processes, systems, and people with the vision, mission, and strategy The book examines quality and continuous improvement from different perspectives and dimensions, such as: - The dimensions and standards of quality, such as performance, features, reliability, durability, conformance, serviceability, aesthetics, perceived quality, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, customer value, quality assurance, quality control, quality management systems (QMS), ISO 9000 series standards, and total quality management (TQM) - The tools and techniques for measuring and improving quality, such as benchmarking, quality audits, quality circles, quality function deployment (QFD), statistical process control (SPC), six sigma, lean production, kaizen, and 5S - The challenges and barriers to achieving quality and continuous improvement, such as resistance to change, lack of resources, lack of commitment, lack of training, lack of communication, and lack of leadership - The strategies and practices for promoting quality and continuous improvement, such as setting quality goals, establishing quality policies, implementing quality programs, rewarding quality performance, monitoring quality results, and reviewing quality progress - The skills and competencies for managing quality and continuous improvement, such as analytical skills, problem-solving skills, decision-making skills, teamwork skills, and customer service skills The book also provides practical applications and examples of quality and continuous improvement from real-world cases and scenarios, such as: - How Toyota applies the Toyota Production System (TPS) to achieve high levels of quality and efficiency - How Motorola pioneered the six sigma methodology to reduce defects and improve customer satisfaction - How GE implemented the Work-Out program to empower employees to identify and solve problems - How Southwest Airlines uses lean principles to streamline its operations and reduce costs - How Zappos delivers wow service to its customers through its core values Conclusion
In conclusion, Management 6th Edition by James A F Stoner R Edward Freeman is a comprehensive, research-based, and practical guide to management that covers a wide range of topics, theories, concepts, applications, and examples. The book presents a general theme of dynamic engagement that captures the essence of change confronting future managers, and shows how managers can adapt to different situations, contexts, and cultures. The book also addresses several important themes that are relevant for managers in today's world, such as ethical issues, corporate social responsibility, globalization, entrepreneurship, cultural diversity, and quality. The book provides valuable insights, tools, frameworks, and skills for managers to improve their performance, effectiveness, and competitiveness. The book is suitable for students, instructors, re