Fast-Track Management and Organizational Behavior

Fasttrack Management and Organizational Behavior by James S. Sagner, PhD Published by Fasttrack Textbooks Why do we need another book on management and organizational behavior? There are many good texts on these topics that are available for classroom use, but an instructor must explain and update most of the content. Here are eight reasons that Fasttrack Management and Organizational Behavior is different from other textbooks. 1. The author. Nearly all books that deal with management are written by academics. The few exceptions deal with the mechanics of personnel management such as hiring practices or how to create a successful management-by-objectives program. While Dr. Sagner does teach MBA students, much of his career was as a bank vice-president (at the First National Bank of Chicago, now JPMorgan Chase). What managers do each day varies significantly from what most textbooks say they do. 2. The writing. Much of what you'll find in other books is padding. In some texts you'll find endless discussions, numerous references to practices in companies so obscure that no one has ever heard of them, detours into topics not specifically related to management and organization behavior, and other material that adds words but not much real content. Students today are busy and do not have the time or the focus to wade throughout 150,000 words. This book (and others planned for this series) is about 75,000 comprised mostly one, two or three syllable words, roughly half of the usual length. 3. The timeliness of coverage. This book addresses current topics (Obamacare, the effect of the recession on management, global differences in management style, the increasing relevance of control in managing organizations, disappearing human resources departments, contingent workers, interpersonal dynamics and managing in a time of change). Some of these issues did not even exist until recently, and many are not mentioned in other management texts. 4. The integration of cases with the text. The ten cases written to be used in conjunction with this text address such varied management concerns as change management, controlling, decision-making, directing, group dynamics, individual motivation, leadership, individual decision-making, personnel/human resources and planning. Instructors will have access to suggested solutions through our website. In addition, some short cases are included within the text material. 5. The breath of business coverage. Management does not occur in a vacuum. The work of the manager touches every business discipline, and to ignore these relationships is simply not realistic. As appropriate, reference is made to accounting, finance, marketing, law and manufacturing, all of which affect the success or failure of the organization. 6. The use of "helps" to support the student. Every chapter begins with a lead-in of major topics to be covered. Within the chapter, icons tell the reader whether the content level is basic or advanced, and the chapters end with important issues that should be addressed to bring modern management and organizational behavior concepts to an organization as well as review and discussion questions. 7. Instructor support. Our website provides access to useful teaching aids: test banks of multiple choice and short essay questions and answers, PowerPoint slides for each chapter, teaching ideas for the classroom and illustrative syllabi. Sample PowerPoints and teaching ideas can be accessed through the website sub-menus. In addition, Fasttrack Textbooks will respond to any requests for additional material, for clarification or for other support. 8. A standardized series of business texts. Over the next few years, texts will be prepared in exactly the same style for accounting, finance, international business and other important "core" courses. This will make learning easier for many students, particularly for those for whom English is not the native language.