Management and myths : challenging business fads, fallacies and fashions

Accidents at work --
Acquiring people skills --
Addicted to consultants/ consultant dependency --
Barnum in business --
Behalfers --
The bullying boss --
Business books and Stalinist Realism --
Cash rich, time poor --
Conference stress --
Continuous assessment --
Control freak --
Delivering bad news.

"This books of short essays takes a critical look at modern management fads and fashions and shows that many do not stand up to scrutiny. It is believed for example that coaching is successful. What is the evidence for this? Selection procedures at interviews result in the right candidate being selected. Again what is the evidence? The author explains that many trends in management are short-lived and based upon flimsy evidence, yet they enjoy a period of support. Some eccentric, guru-inspired ideas are examined and evaluted. It is the faddishness, not the reasonableness, of management that is the real target of the author's humorous gripes and snipes. His book is an important tool for managers who want to understand the substance and rigour, or lack of it, associated with modern management ideas and concepts."--Jacket.