Creating Productive Organizations: Developing Your Work Force

The author's overall goal is to encourage readers to use assessment tools and methods described and illustrated in Creating Productive Organizations to encourage readers to: (1) Develop their personal and professional vision and mission statements; (2) Use a representation work activities model to evaluate their overall competencies based on experience, learning, accumulated skills, abilities, and knowledge; and (3) Create a "personal equation" or career passport to help them more closely and effectively match their overall expertise or talents with the job they perform. This process helps ensure employability. The interactive, learning-driven materials guide the reader through the basics about organizations, leadership, systems approaches, productivity, and the true nature of work. The reader creates a diagnostic model by rating (using a 7-point scale) each of six work activities they regularly perform along ten major dimensions, like difficulty level, use of standards, motivating potential ... value-added functions. Results of the 6x10 matrix or grid are used to group work activities into: (1) Core, routine, repetitive work;(2) Unique - areas specific to education, training or certification, like engineer ... accounting, C.P.A., etc., and (3) Expanding - work activities related to professional and personal growth and development in area of expertise having high motivating potential,like being creative. Results provide numeric scores that can be used: (1)to compare people doing similar jobs; (2)in initial job placement (3)job enrichment; (4) measure the effects of training; (5) provide jobs with high motivating potential leading to creativity and innovation.Writing is concise, examples, charts, tables, and diagrams decribe and illustrate the content. The detailed summaries and practical applications at the end of each chapter are extremely useful. Overall the book combines theory and real-world events to provide meaningful information about people, the workplace, environment, organization, and technology. It would be useful in graduate M.B.A. programs, in industrial engineering, as a career assessment tool and guide, and independent study resource.

E.Smith sees human resources as key drivers of productivity and suggests practical measurement methods for managers. Practical applications include both service and manufacturing. Great material for internal training.