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In the wake of President Clinton's admitted dalliance with a White House intern, some may wonder whether it is wildly inappropriate--or merely a necessary sign of our times--to be openly discussing romantic relationships between coworkers. That is, however, exactly what lawyer and Harvard M.B.A. Dennis M. Powers does in The Office Romance: Playing with Fire Without Getting Burned. Arguing that the workplace is one of today's most common locales for romantic liaisons, Powers offers smitten colleagues a series of suggestions for building such personal relationships without destroying the professional ones that are inevitably intertwined. He bolsters his recommendations with dozens of first-person examples drawn from anonymous and composite sources and shows that when handled appropriately, these associations need not harm the businesses involved. Powers then fully explains the written (and unwritten) rules that govern such workplace conduct, carefully differentiating between consensual behavior and harassment. He even includes sample guidelines for developing a workable and productive "office romance policy" that follows his prointeractive philosophy. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Book Description

It seems that over the past few years these words didn't mean very much. From Enron to WorldCom, corporate America was rocked with scandal after scandal. Employees lost their savings and jobs, investors lost their shirts, and the public lost their confidence in big business -- the foundation of this nation's well-being.

In his new book, The Transparent Leader, Herb Baum, CEO of the Dial Corporation, brings us back to the basics of transparency and good corporate behavior. In his folksy, down-to-earth style, Baum reminds us of the way things used to be, and he teaches corporate executives how to be transparent leaders and in turn create transparent companies. Using examples from his experience at Dial, Campbell Soup Company, and Quaker State, Baum shows readers:

• The Power of Transparency -- the crucial components of a transparent organization, including the qualities of transparent leaders and employees and how they can benefit your company


• The Pillars of Transparency -- integrity, honesty, quality corporate governance, and effective communication


• How to execute transparency in the organization through real-life examples.

By applying these ideas to your own work life, you will become an open and transparent leader, setting an example for the employees in your organization to follow. The transparent leader is the cornerstone of a transparent and in turn successful company.

In this day and age, the only way to succeed in the business world is to stick to the rules of transparency. And if you don't, bad business practices will eventually return to haunt you and your organization.

Book Description

In his previous bestsellers, Who Will Tell the People and Secrets of the Temple, William Greider laid bare the inner workings of American politics and the Federal Reserve, revealing how they often work against the interests of the majority of us. In The Soul of Capitalism, Greider examines how the greatest wealth-creation engine in the history of the world is failing most of us, why it must be changed, and how specifically it can be transformed.

Brilliantly perceptive and sweeping in its ambition, The Soul of Capitalism is also hard-headed and practical, as Greider, one of our most eloquent populist spokesmen, assures us we are not powerless. He illustrates how American capitalism can be aligned more faithfully and obediently with what people want and need in their lives, with what American society needs for a healthy, balanced, and humane future. He proves that it is within our power to reinvent capitalism to make it work for us.

The Soul of Capitalism -- solid, pragmatic, visionary, optimistic -- addresses the nation's most urgent needs. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Challenging ideas for changing Wall Street's DNA
"The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy," is filled with challenging ideas for changing Wall Street's DNA. Author William Greider carefully reviews the historical nature of capitalism and offers sound advice on how to improve the integrity of the financial system in the United States. To this end, Greider demonstrates how deceit and manipulation of information by financial firms has triggered a public outrage. And he provides a convincing argument that unless the bottom line includes humanity in its bookkeeping...capitalism will eventually destroy society.

For the most part serious tier-one traders of equities, bonds, commodities and forex markets will ignore the contents of this book. They are on the cutting edge of establishing value and have no technical or fundamental instrument to quantify humanity in the daily battle of market pricing. However, senior management, bankers and administrators would be wise to examine this text. They are in a position to promote change. And only they can end the callous indifference and greed that dominates Wall Street.

Greider does his homework. He introduces the thoughts of several social gospelers and philophers to punctuate many important points. At the top of the list of culprits is how senior corporate executives have no true social responsibilities other than to make money for shareholders. On the contrary, the heroes of nurturing solid corporate social values are union managed pension funds who advocate wholesome investments.

On a less than positive note...Greider's "agitating inquiry" tends to get a little carried away with his criticism of certain segments of the financial system. For instance, his allegations of fuedalism and master/servants labor systems in today's capitalist society are weak and will be discounted by objective economists. Nevertheless, this is an important book that explores how downsizing, restructuring and outsourcing reduce human dignity, equity and self-worth for many Americans.

Bert Ruiz

brilliant discourse
I'm sure many players in the marketplace are not ready to embrace what Greider is reporting, essentially the call in many quarters for a new economic paradigm that takes into account such off-the-book realities as environmental and technological sustainability and corporate accountability.

But it should be required reading. As he shows, the tide is turning, consciousness is building, and there are certainly a growing number of constituencies, from private and institutional investors, business owners, academics, and government officials, who recognize the need for deep rooted change and revisionist thinking when it comes to the basic precepts of capitalism, a 19th century system that no longer reflects the complexities of today's marketplace. Instead, this maze of antiquidated legal and financial rules continues to create winners and losers, though the victims are certainly becoming the greater,from the environment itself to employees, union workers, investors and retirees to the generations of the future. And the winner's circle keeps narrowing to those few in the academic legal and economic community who expouse shareholder primacy, that a corporation exists to serve its shareholders and shareholders well, and then within those confines, the very few in the ensuing debacles of this past bull market, who actually profited from the internet bubble, not to mention those scamming executives from the likes of World Com and Enron, who managed to escape with their stock options entact before all the cookies crumbled.

Bravo, William Greider, who marches on as both a keen observer and visionary who points out that people certainly aren't going to change, but the system had better do a better job in reflecting the reality of greed and imbalance that is taking a toll globally. This book is a decade ahead of its time and could help build a better future if many take it seriously. A reviewer for The Washington Post dubbed Greider an "optimist" because of his viewpoint that large scale change wasn't only possible, but was forthcoming. But true label is "realist" because the ground swell for many of the issues he tackles has already begun. Not that you'll read about it in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal or hear about it from the usual business talking heads on cable, where contributors aren't brainy or reflective enough to grasp the big picture, if not willingly blinded to it. But Greider offers up what's taking place and why, and the historical context that our marketplace is operating in, in effortless and eloquent prose. And what he's written is an accurate protrayal of change, not just some positive thinking of the possibilities. Within many academic circles, both here and abroad, mulitnationals, stock exchanges, investment funds and business concerns, both profit and non-profit, the pressures egging on the evolution of the capitalist system are already embraced and understood.

I suggest reading Greider's book to not only understand what's at stake, but as way to align your future investment portfolio, employment possiblities, even political beliefs, because the factions he reports on in this book will have increasing power in coming years to change the status-quo to benefit our society at large.

Worth a skeptical look
William Greider is a gifted critic of the downside of capitalism, although his proposed changes are somewhat wanting. To his credit he attempts to be realistic in both his analysis and his suggested alternatives although he has excessive confidence in the efficacy of the state to rectify wrongs.

Greider actually has little confidence in the national government to make the changes he deems necessary, however, this lack of faith owes to what he sees as the unwillingness of leaders rather than the inability of government to reorder the economy by fiat. If inertia could be overcome, Greider would have the government be the employer of last resort and a co-owner of many businesses where it would exercise its wisdom to re-order priorities of the modern corporation. This already happens elsewhere (i.e. Europe and Japan) and the results are decidedly mixed.

Greider has an almost patriotic fervor for American innovation but much of what he advocates would tend to stifle the same innovation he lauds. His faith in the virtues of unions tends to ignore their side-effects: arcane work rules and excessive protection for unproductive employees, neither of which are a net benefit.

For all his critiques of American corporations and government he saves his fiercest vitriol for the profession of economics. While he is familiar with the theories of neoclassical economics, one wonders if he only views them as clever propoganda. Its hard to see how Joseph Schumpeter's "creative destruction" could occur in William Greider's ideal economy.

While his criticism sometimes is over the top, he touches on real concerns, particularly in the area of environmental degradation. Contrary to his accusations, neoclassical economics does recognize this as a problem, but they don't offer much in the way of solutions. At least this aspect of his book offers useful, if not fully viable, ideas for change.

The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy
In this brilliantly written volume, best-selling author and journalist Greider admirably articulates the conflict arising from the US's emergence as the greatest wealth-producing engine in history and the widespread discontent it has generated among workers. His analysis of US capitalism is well documented and always challenging, although readers may disagree with some of his theses, e.g., that workers in capitalist societies occupy a position much like that under feudalism; this denies the current relative freedom of movement by labor within and between countries. Indeed, Greider makes much of capitalism's treatment of human labor as a lifeless input to production, no different from machinery or raw materials, with monetary rewards determined at the employer's discretion (disregarding the reality that comparative productivity of workers usually sets wages.) The dehumanization of labor under capitalism and remedies to end it comprise the bulk of Greider's analysis. He eschews reliance on government to provide a soul to capitalism because, in the long run, special interests appear to prevail. Greider's solution to providing human dignity, social justice, and self-worth to employees is by transforming them into owners of their own labor. An eloquent, populist endeavor, of value to students and practitioners of public policy.

JUNK LAW
An intelligent citizen knows that DAS KAPITAL - which Karl Marx denounced - was actually the CORPORATION - which holds humanity in chains. Marx expected a violent revolution would outlaw the corporation (capitalism) and restore mankind's liberty. But Marx had doubts - democratic government might be seduced and make a mess of socialism.

Contemporary Otto Bismarck was far wiser. He knew Marx was right, but Bismarck outlawed socialism and attempted to pre-empt revolution by "liberal" reforms - revolution from above. Otto wanted to be a benevolent despot. The grumpy Kaiser fired Bismarck, just in time for the bloodbath of World War I etc.

The corporation gathered strength. In 1886 the US transferred all the rights and protections of citizens to corporations in PLESSY v. FERGUSON. From that moment every member of Congress became the willing servant of corporations. Don't waste your time writing your Senator or Congressperson. Kindly Alan Cranston, as nice a Senator as ever orated, gave his soul to protect Lincoln S&L (Charles Keating et al) from doing time for stealing the savings of pathetic widows who thought Cranson was supposed to represent THEM !

Ivan Boesky won the hearts and minds of Berkely MBA's by encouraging soulless GREED. Pity the California taxapayesr who still pay lavishly for that swill..

Greider rambles on about corporations becoming moral - preserving the environment by not setting one worker against another . As in Dicken's tear-jerker CHRISTMAS CAROL. Seeing the error of our ways. ... Read more

Book Description

Pava calls for a new kind of organization built on a more accurate definition of what the organization is. He argues that organizations can and should satisfy not only basic human needs, but also the highest human aspirations as well. He helps us recognize that since business plays a central role in our culture, we must understand that ethics is bound up in that role inextricably, and we need to think about ethics systematically if we hope to achieve organizational change. Ultimately ethics is about creating and sustaining meaningful work environments without sacrificing legitimate concerns for the bottom line; it is not about following a set of onerous, nit-picking rules. This book is an engaging contribution to the literature on management, business and society, and the theory and practice of ethics. ... Read more

Book Description

The subject of ethics in criminal justice has become more important over the last decade as increasing concern about the accountability of law enforcement and public authorities has prompted ethical questions regarding the actions of those who exercise power over citizens. Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice provides an overview of the expected standards of behavior and ethical issues that confront those in the various fields of criminal justice.

This book takes a sociological approach to criminal justice ethics by emphasizing the social and historical aspects of ethical inquiry. Author Cyndi Banks presents a unique discussion of ethical issues by exploring moral dilemmas faced by professionals in the criminal justice system before examining the major theoretical foundations of ethics. This distinct organization of Criminal Justice Ethics allows readers to understand real-life ethical issues before grappling with philosophical approaches to the resolution of those issues.

Key Features

Criminal Justice Ethics is an up-to-date, comprehensive textbook for undergraduate and graduate students studying ethics in criminal justice. The book is also relevant for many ethics courses in philosophy, sociology, and law and society.

To read a sample chapter from Criminal Justice Ethics click on "Additional Materials" in the left column under "About This Book" or simply click here .

Book Description

This book addresses ethical issues and principles in human services professions including social work, counseling, psychology, and marriage and family therapy. All of these professions must be sensitive to ethical standards and dilemmas, particularly given the increase in litigation surrounding ethical issues. This book leads the reader through a personal journey of discovery, assessment, and clarification of values and ethics. The focus is to help the reader assimilate ethical principles, thus becoming an ethical practitioner. The book reflects the ethical codes of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the American Psychological Association (APA), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).Sound pedagogy includes learning objectives, cases, and guided exercises, all intended to raise the reader's self-awareness of issues of values, ethics, and professional standards. For professionals in social work, counseling, psychology, or marriage and family therapy. ... Read more

Book Description

By promising same-day delivery and delighting customers, "thinking big" Mack turned an ordinary business into an all-American success story.At the same time, he earned a reputation as a consummate promoter, a civic contributor, and a devoted philanthropist.

Mack's many accomplishments enable him to provide a powerful message, including seven principles for business owners, managers, and employees at every level.Always Think Big provides Mack's tips, pointers, and principles that anyone can use to improve his or her approach to customer service, marketing, and managing. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

No that great
Mac is just another rich jerk with an inflated ego. He got rich by employing young pushy kids who won't leave you alone until you buy something or leave. If you decide to buy, his sales rats try to push you to not buy with cash, but instead apply for credit (with super high interest)from Gallery. This just lines Mac's pockets even thicker. What's the big secret? There's not one. He does sell quality furniture, but it's not cheap like his ads claim. His motto is "Gallery Furniture Really Will Save You Money! I save myself money and a major headache by not shopping there anymore.

By the way, Mac lost millions on bad investment deals like the Sam Houston Race Park. Then cried about it like a little girl.
He's a sore loser in my opinion.

For those who would think big in their own businesses
A Texas entrepreneur who produced the most productive singlesite retail furniture store in America, Jim McIngvale is justifably known as 'Mattress Mack'. By promising - and delivering - extraordinary service and thinking big about the future, McIngvale built his empire. Always Think Big incorporates the basics of his approach for those who would think big in their own businesses.

A "must-read" for investors and successful entrepreneurs
"Always Think Big--How Mattress Mack's Uncompromising Attitude Built the Biggest Single Retail Store in America" provides a fascinating, well-written account of Mattress Mack's rise from penniless salesman to multi-millionaire businessman and philanthropist.Mack's combination of attitude, perseverance, and successful marketing techniques have made him a legend in Houston, but "His "Treat Everyone Like a Movie Star" techniques are valuable in any location or arena:small businesses, large corporations, schools, government, charitable organizations. ... Read more

Book Description

In-depth fraud coverage of computer crimes such as pyramid schemes make this crime library of internet crimes the cyber crime location for the schemes and scams that con artists perpetrate.

White collar crimes such as prime bank fraud, pyramid scams, internet fraud, phone scams, chain letters, modeling agency and Nigerian scams, computer fraud as well as telemarketing fraud are fully explained.

This crime report on organized crime topics include credit card fraud, check kiting, tax fraud, money laundering, mail fraud, counterfeit money orders, check fraud and other who's who true crimes of persuasion.

Reviews (4)

Better Safe Than Sorry!
Reading Les Henderson's Crimes of Persuasion is much like observing a series of 40-foot long steel containers being dropped from a dockside ocean freighter onto a flat-bed truck.The impact, over and over again is huge, as the trailer bounces and flexes, as its tires resist the extra weight of each drop.With each page you keep saying to yourself, "That's how they do it!""That's how they organize!""That's the come-on!""So, that's the hook!"We learn all about the players in the game too:the "Fronter," the "Qualifier," the"No-Saler," the "Takeover" Man.We learn all about the mechanics of the games themselves--"clean sheeting," "blind pools," much more. ##### Sometimes it takes simple minds to understand complicated situations.Thank goodness. Because con games are usually very complex--thoroughly thought out, prepared, and worked by brilliant people--we "Marks" (simpletons--the victims), in this case have a chance.#####With the aid of this book you are prepared for just about anything the con man might throw at you.It's beautifuly Contents-ed and Indexed.Want to know about sweepstakes scams?Right there. Just look it up.How about telemarketing frauds, home equity, elder abuse, home repair, identity theft, internet shenanigans, etc.On and on.On and on.On and on.It's all right here.You only have to look it up.It's a great defensive tool for everyone, in this day and age of get-rich-quick, follow the bouncing ball, smoke and mirrors trickery. #####What's the underlying premise of con games?Gain your confidence. Pure and simple.Here's just one example:You get a call from a smooth-talking stock "Expert," who is pitching you because he knows you are an investor.He tells you to watch ABC co. stock; it's going up. A week later, after the stock of ABC co. has gone up, as he said it would, he calls you back and confides that the stock of XYZ co. is going down; keep tabs.When the stock drops, exactly as he said it would, you now have a level of confidence in him when he calls the third time.Right?That's the point.You are now "set-up," vulnerable to whatever kind of investment he may now say is desirable.How did he do it?How did he knowABC was going up and XYZ was going down?Easy.He started out with a list of 200 names from the phone book.He was right on 100 of them.He then called that 100 and was right again on 50.You were in that list of 50.Presto! #####In all, this book is about the most encylopedic tome for consumer protection I've seen, covering the whole gauntlet of cons, scams, and frauds like the proverbial "blanket."The next time you are in Ceasar's Palace, note the small warning sign by the door, "Gambling can be addictive; if you think you have a gambling problem, call the number below to contact Gamblers Anonymous."Similarly, if you think you might have a Susceptibility-to-Con-Games problem, ownership of this book, Crimes of Persuasion:Schemes, Scams, Frauds is your "Gamblers Anonymous".

Poor language makes this book uninteresting to read
The author certainly knows a lot about the subject, however he fails to make the book readable. Run-away sentences filled with precise numbers, most probably taken out of the sky, results in totally unreadable text. The book reminded me of a really boring free newspaper, except the editor never learned to use a spell checker.
Apart from really poor language skills, some "facts" are really doubtful. For example, on page 9, Les Henderson writes that "... it is impossible to recover anything to compensate their victims because most of their money has gone to purchase recreational drugs...". I have hard time to believe that criminals smart enough to come up with a working fraud scheme cannot come up with a better use of the money then drugs. Then again, what do I know...
I also absolutely hated the way particular facts are mixed and equated with generalizations, such as the bulleted list on pages 33-34, which includes vitamins, promotional items and ... "small trinkets of minimal value compared to the payments made".
In any case, I would not recommend to buy this book unless you are studying this particular subject and have no other sources of information on it.

Very informative book
I have read Mr. Henderson's book and found it to be very informative. My elderly mother was scammed and I wish I had read the book prior to the event to help warn her of the signs that she could have been made aware of. This book would make a great gift to anyone who you would like to inform. I have done a lot of research on the "art of scamming" since this event has taken place, and this book is very good in explaining the different types of scams and how they work. I may add that I am one of those people who never dreamed that "this" could happen in my family......sad to say, it happens more than we even know.

Crimes of Persuasion A Must Read
I recently purchased a copy of "Crimes of Persusion" by Les Henderson. This book is an excellent, comprehensive collection of fraudulant schemes contrived by clever con artists. Having been conned myself by a now defunct housing corporation,General Development, this book had particular appeal.The short, easy to read sections with catchy titles highlight hundreds of scams. Whether it be pyramid schemes, poetry contests, cruiseline specials etc..., I think readers will be surprised at how many times they, themselves, have actually been deceived. I know I was. Also, I discovered a cruise line scam that a close friend of mine had just fallen victim to. The author's description of the actual scam was almost verbatim to the phone call she had received.To avoid becoming an innocent victim of some smooth-talking con artist, make "Crimes of Persusion" a must read for 2001. ... Read more

Book Description

Academic professionals are expected to restrain self-interest, promote the ideals of public service, and maintain high standards of performance, while society grants the profession autonomy to regulate itself through peer review. Hamilton conveys the need for ethical leadership from within the peer collegium--leadership that will foster a culture of high aspiration and peer review. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Worth the price
I like the approach of the authors. The text introduces economic concepts without loading you down on vocabulary. It also confronts liberal or left-leaning evangical thought that favors socialist intervention to redistribute wealth.

If you are working on buildings a biblical worldview, this book is a great way to start learning about economics.

... I highly recommend this to supplement your reading.

Balanced perspective
I just finished this book and it was my first exposure to Dr. Gills. It is an easy read and presents a good argument for the morality of capitalism. I especially appreciated Dr. Gills' characterisation of the American economy as interventionist...as opposed to capitalistic.

Worth the read! ... Read more

Book Description

"This is an important work, especially in these times when administrative ethics are getting more attention. It is readable and timely."
--The Journal of Academic Librarianship

Since its original publication, The Responsible Administrator has become the standard resource for public administrators seeking to systematically confront and address ethical issues and incorporate them into their decision-making and management choices. In administrative ethics courses, according to the Working Group on Ethics Education of the American Society for Public Administration, the single most commonly used book is Terry Cooper's The Responsible Administrator.

In this thoroughly revised and updated fourth edition, Cooper expands on and uncovers many current issues relevant to administrative ethics. He presents a design approach to administrative ethics, emphasizing the connection between decision making and actual practice within an organization. Cooper offers new insight on postmodernism, explaining how the problems organizations now face have been intensified by postmodern conditions, and describes the relationship between ethics and the emerging principal-agent theory.The new edition also features a large number of up-to-date case studies and examples.

The theoretical framework presented in this powerful resource is clearly grounded in practice.Featured techniques help managers consider all the factors involved in a decision, ensuring that they balance professional, personal, and organizational values. The case studies and examples in this edition illustrate the techniques that work and those that don't.

The Responsible Administrator helps both experienced and novice public managers become effective decision makers, providing them with a solid understanding of the role and importance of ethics in public service-and the framework to incorporate ethical and values-based decision making in day-to-day management.

... Read more

Reviews (3)

The most thought-provoking nap I've ever taken
To countereffect the wordiness of the author, I'll keep this brief. This is a thought-provoking read, and as an administrator I will take much of this book to heart. In many respects it will be life- or at least job-altering. For that, I am very pleased.

The painful part was actually getting through the book. It is very dryly written, with pretentious language and lacking clear outline. Truly painful.

I found the first couple chapters agonizing. Then the author hit his stride and offered a lot of valuable insight. I wish it had been written in plain english rather than all the superfluous fluff. We already know you're smart: now tell us what you are trying to say.

good for the book-case
I wouldn't have read it if I didn't have too, but since I did, it was pretty good. As an administrator, I will keep this on my book-case..Ha ha.

Wanted: Administrators Who Can Juggle Responsibly
Terry L. Cooper's The Responsible Administrator will someday (if not already) be listed by successful and respected public administration practitioners as one of the books that had the most influence on their careers. Those who list it as such will probably have a well-worn copy on their library shelf because it is not a piece that is read through once - even very carefully, word for word - with the reader then declaring, "Now I see how it should be done." Rather, it is a book that increases in utility as one's experience in decision-making and working through administrative ethical dilemmas increases. For this reason, its greatest impact will be on practitioners, as opposed to students and academics. Nevertheless, although it is certainly realistic about, and empathetic with the day-to-day decision-making and ethical conflicts faced by public administrators, it is nonetheless theoretically thorough and academically thoughtful.

Cooper is obviously a scholar of the philosophical and moral issues surrounding public administration and decision making. In addition to his own thoughtful analysis and theory, he provides a comprehensive and thorough review of literature relating to each item of discussion, as well as on-point case studies that amplify the ethical complexities and difficulties challenging today's administrators. Fortunately for practitioners, he is not content to conclude his treatise with conceptual, theoretical and philosophical analysis of ethical problems, but suggests a design approach for dealing with both the short-term decision-making situations and the long-term organizational, political, legal, cultural, policy and procedural issues faced by administrators as they attempt to make balanced and ethical decisions.

The manner in which Cooper presents his case studies allows the reader to interact and find conceptual application. Each one is "based on reality and fictionalized only slightly to protect those who wrote them" (p. xxi), and is very illustrative and thought provoking regarding the ethical problems being discussed. However, they are always left unresolved. Cooper says, "To indicate an outcome [in each case] would diminish the experience of dilemma they are calculated to evoke" (p. xxi). This emphasizes the ultimate purpose of The Responsible Administrator which "is to illuminate the ethical situation of the public administrator and cultivate imaginative reflection about it - not to prescribe a particular set of public service values" (p. xxi). Although the volume leaves no doubt in the reader's mind that its author has strong opinions and a well-established belief structure, it makes no attempt to proselytize the reader with a substantive system of moral values or standards for public administrators.

The premise of The Responsible Administrator is that public administrators, in fulfilling their administrative responsibilities, are faced with complex and ambiguous ethical issues which force them to juggle multiple compelling factors: the facts of each situation; their own personal values and beliefs; and external obligations and institutional norms. Through the process of resolving these issues in specific and concrete situations, administrators define administrative responsibility and develop an operational ethic for themselves. Over time, "this working ethic becomes the substance of one's professional character" (p. 6).

The book focuses on providing a method whereby a design system can be developed and utilized by administrators to formulate their responsibility in dealing with conflict, tension, uncertainty and risk. "A basic assumption of this book is that the more we consciously address and systematically process the ethical dimensions of decision making when we confront significant issues, the more responsible we become in our work as administrators. It is then that we are able to account for our conduct to superiors, the press, the courts, and the public" (p. 17). The decision-making model Cooper proposes consists of four initial steps: "defining the ethical problem, describing the context, identifying the range of alternative courses of action, and projecting the probable consequences of each" (p. 245). He then prescribes stepping beyond this initial linear exercise to the "nonlinear process of searching for a fit among several considerations: moral rules, ethical principles, anticipatory self-appraisal, and a rehearsal of defenses" (p. 245). Thus, the model is a pragmatic leveling of the rational and behavioral playing fields of responsible decision making.

One chapter in The Responsible Administrator is dedicated to understanding the administrative role as it relates to the social and cultural context in which it functions. Therein he poses the question of how one sorts out "the priority of obligations between those of being a citizen in a democratic society and those associated with being a public administrator" (p. 37). This is a theme explored in even greater detail in The Spirit of Public Administration (1997), wherein H. George Frederickson concludes that the public administrator must act as a "representative citizen." Cooper suggests that the theories of Weber and Wilson regarding the separation of politics from administration are no longer viable in a postmodern society. Today, public administrators play a substantive political role and need to acknowledge their high degree of accountability to the citizenry, while at the same time being a member of the citizenry. An ethical struggle can develop, therefore, leading to confusion for the public administrator when carrying out the orders of superiors and being loyal to the organization is in conflict with his or her duty to uphold the public interest.

The Responsible Administrator is not a book that will provide much satisfaction to public servants who are looking for the answer to the question, "Why should I be moral?" But for administrators in public service who are looking for a guide to assist them in developing an operation ethic - an "ethical identity" (p. 7) - Cooper delivers. Those who commit to and adopt his design methodology should do so only if they are prepared for an ongoing and maturational process. Cooper is not proposing a read-it-once and master-it-forever theory. Rather, he is calling for public administrators to commence a life-long journey of cultivating intuitive decision-making skills, resulting in responsibility and accountability to superiors, subordinates, the law, the public and themselves. ... Read more

Book Description

In the aftermath of scandals such as those at Enron and WorldCom, there is a growing suspicion of the corporate world. For this reason it is more important than ever for firms to maintain a good reputation. In Building Reputational Capital, Kevin T. Jackson offers a practical guide to taking the high road--the only path that leads to lasting success.Based on extensive research and real-world experience, Building Reputational Capital reveals basic principles of integrity and fairness with which firms can build an enduring reputation. More than image, a firm's reputation is a form of capital often neglected in the boardroom and overlooked in conventional analyses of financial statements. Speaking directly to the work experience of real people in practical business settings, Jackson couples each principle with straightforward actions that drive management systems, and he provides tested strategies--from downsizing techniques to e-commerce tips--that cultivate the hidden power of a good reputation. He outlines the advantages of a superior reputation (simply put, people want to work for, invest in, and do business with a company or person with integrity), describes the vital role the firm's leader must play, offers ways to build and protect your reputation on the Internet (from defusing Internet rumors to creating an online community), and shows how to rescue your reputation once disaster hits. Perhaps most important, he shows how to strike the right balance of virtues like authenticity, honesty, responsibility, and stewardship of the environment, employees, and the economy.Highlighted with real-life success stories--from giants like Hewlett-Packard to small firms like Thanksgiving Coffee Company (which invests part of its revenues in the Central American villages in which its beans are grown), Building Reputational Capitaloffers a simple but effective guide for executives, managers, entrepreneurs, legal professionals, and corporate consultants. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Why Corporate Ethics Pays
This is a great accomplishment that speaks right to sophisticated business audiences interested in winning while still following their conscience. Author Kevin Jackson demonstrates how taking the moral high road is the most certain way for firms to gain lasting financial success. As he says, "companies that operate ethically, that safeguard and cultivate their reputations, gain a competitive edge over rivals that don't." In this scrupulously researched (its even got stock charts to show effects of ethical/unethical conduct on share prices), interesting, and logically organized book, Jackson offers a practical guide for executives, managers, entrepreneurs, lawyers and consultants. There couldn't be a better time for a book like this to be hitting the press!

Integrity Impacts the Bottom Line
This book develops the astute and timely premise that ethical conduct in business is at root a solid economic investment. While money spent following the law might not lead to any special payoffs other than avoiding fines and other sanctions, when a company moves beyond compliance it is making a long-term investment in its reputational capital. Author Kevin Jackson convincingly shows how the notion that you need to be brutal to make it in the business world is a huge myth. And clinging to that myth can ruin a firm's reputation and hurt its bottom line in the process. The powerful message of Jackson's book rings out loud and clear: a reputation for integrity and fair play is the most overlooked intangible asset that a company owns. I think that every businessperson would benefit from a careful study of this book. The author shows how wrongheaded it is for companies to focus on the short-term only, trying to please shareholders with the stock price games that have become all-too-familiar and even scandalous. Jackson gives a clear, sophisticated, and highly insightful guide to help firms maximize principles of moral responsibility -- including respecting human rights, being environmentally friendly, and socially conscious -- to build an enduring and authentic reputation. One of the really interesting ideas set out in the book is that building a strong ethical reputation doesn't have to be a budget-busting enterprise. Corporate leaders can make themselves accessible, treat people with dignity and respect, be compassionate without having to spend a dime. Other good strategies Jackson sets out include: conducting reputation audits, creating mission statements, treating critics (sometimes even activists) as advisors by listening to their point of view, and fostering loyalty from employees and suppliers, which eventually will find its way to customers. The book is inspirational and refreshing, taking both a broad, philosophical perspective while also showing a high degree of sophistication in detailed matters of contemporary business and finance. In making his case for the impact of corporate character on economic assets, he covers ground from Enron, WorldCom and the mutual fund debacle to human rights issues in the Third World. ... Read more

Book Description

Forget Democrat vs. Republican or capitalist vs. socialist. Like the models used in business or law school, these 300 primary and follow-up questions focus on commerce and politics as a way to probe the more important conflict between ideals and reality--and sound your own morals. 106,000 copies in print. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Book to Test Your Ethics and Values
I have the screen saver version of this book, which is integrated with the original The Book of Questions for Windows computers. The graphics and sound effects are great and I get lots of people in the office asking me about it. It's a real head turner that engages people in conversation. ... Read more

Book Description

Recent business scandals point to a disturbing breakdown of values in corporate America. This book responds to the crisis by examining the responsibilities of "gatekeepers" -- corporate directors, regulators, auditors, lawyers, investment bankers, and business journalists -- who stand between corporate misconduct and the public. The essays, by prominent scholars and practitioners, argue that market pressures have made gatekeepers too focused on financial self-interest and too heedless of the public good to live up to society's legitimate expectations. A key part of the book is a set of recommendations for enhancing gatekeeper professionalism. These range from specific steps for improving boards of directors to a call for the investment banking community to establish a uniform code of conduct and articulate its obligations to the investing public.

This book grew out of the Corporate Responsibility Project undertaken by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The contributors come from institutions ranging from Wall Street and the nation's leading law and business schools to the AFL-CIO; they include such prominent figures as John S. Reed of the New York Stock Exchange, investment banker Felix Rohatyn, corporate lawyer Martin Lipton, and media commentator and professor of journalism Geneva Overholser. ... Read more

Book Description

A collection of 36 original and reprinted contemporary cases that focus on ethical and social issues surrounding business. Readers will be made aware of situations that require moral reflection, judgment, and decision-making, thus revealing the complexities that surround moral choices and the formation of public policy.Arguments included address employees and the workplace, customers, clients, and consultants, stakeholder interests and government interests, competitive markets, and problems of justice.For business professionals and others interested in business ethics and policies.q ... Read more

Book Description

"A strong point in this book is its opening extensive review of creativity in organizations and professions. . . including helpful tabulations of articles that identify the motives, expectations, emotions, means, and opportunities that lead to creative acts. . . . it can provide valuable insights and encouragement to scholars and practitioners who are concerned with developing and tapping creativity in organizations. . . . Management professors and graduate students will find the book helpful. . . ." --G. David Hughes in Journal of Product Innovation Management "This book definitely will be appropriate for class use in any setting focused on creativity in organizations. Presumably, these would be specialized upper-division, MBA, or Ph.D. electives. If you are interested in the topic of creativity in organizations, this is the book you must read. It is on the frontiers, and it provides a beacon for future scholarly progress on this topic because of its emphasis on how the organizational setting affects the creative process in the world of work." --Lyman Porter, University of California, Irvine "The book is itself a creative approach to creativity. The editors have attracted a talented and well-respected group of academic contributors. The message that we should abandon the romantic but flawed notion that creativity is principally the product of extraordinary individual acts is delivered forcefully, as is the companion notion that organizational contexts are the real seedbeds of creative behavior." --John R. Kimberly, Henry Bower Professor, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania "This is one of the better collections of information about creativity because it is data based, and it provides a useful comparison and contrast of conceptual and practical aspects. By clearly describing the benefits and problems associated with the topics, Creative Action in Organizations obviously practices what it preaches. I would recommend that it be used as a textbook for a graduate-level business course, particularly for an MBA program. In addition, I also recommend that it be used as a text reference for industrial 'training & development' programs targeted at teaching employees how to develop new businesses, improve existing processes, or become better leaders (viz., corporate leadership development programs)." --Tom Wojcik, Manager, Office of Innovation, Hoechst Celanese Corporation Between the trade deficit, mergers, and the recession, the topic of creativity in organizations has become one of increasing importance. How does a company retool or refine its product with foreign and, often, less costly competition? How does human resources find creative solutions to budgeting, product development, marketing, and training? With pithy and engaging chapters from leading researchers and figures in business, government, and academia, Creative Action in Organizations explores the factors that are critical to the development and promotion of creativity to develop a revised view that is grounded in experience. This volume begins with a literature review (written as a mystery to be solved), followed by essays from researchers (Part II) and practitioners (Part III).Using the chapters as "data," the editors conclude with a content-analysis that presents a look at the most significant themes and offers a framework for conceptualizing creativity in organizations. This profound and fascinating volume is essential for students, professionals, and researchers in management and organization studies, public administration, public policy, evaluation, and psychology, as well as libraries in the above areas. ... Read more

Book Description

WorldCom. Enron. Tyco. Shocking accusations of dishonesty and silent complicity have dominated headlines recently, and cost the American economy trillions of dollars. Clearly, dishonesty doesn't pay.

Drawing from these stories, as well as from more positive ones, Absolute Honesty shows how to establish and maintain a culture where honest communication is the norm, and employees can speak openly without fear of retribution. The book illustrates the impact that truthfulness and accountability can have on organizations, attacking the sort of passivity that allows little lies to grow into giant disasters.

Structured around the Six Laws of Absolute Honesty, this insightful book goes beyond simply extolling the virtues of ethics to provide a template managers can use to maintain an environment of healthy debate. It also contains a toolbox of techniques anyone can apply to improve his or her ability to confront and resolve difficult issues.

Companies can reap huge benefits from cultivating an atmosphere of trust. Absolute Honesty is an important, timely book that provides readers with the tools and strategies to establish a culture in which communication thrives and results speak for themselves. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Insightful!
This handy guide endeavors to reduce the complex challenge of ethical leadership - with which great minds have struggled for thousands of years - to six simple and absolute rules of honesty. The authors, Larry Johnson and Bob Phillips, clearly explain each rule of absolute honesty they have derived and provide many illustrative anecdotes and examples drawn from daily life. There is a fascinating, moving story of one co-author's unforgettable experience as a high school track star, and another account about a couple whose marriage ended in divorce after the wife insisted on acting dishonestly. Perhaps the authors believed that this volume would move even the greatest crooks to resolute and unswerving honesty. Alas, that is beyond their scope. However We find that ordinary businesspeople seeking general guidelines might find useful counsel here. Hey, at least it's a start.

Absolute Honesty
I enjoyed reading this book because anyone can relate to it. There are always "real" stories in each chapter which is an excellent way to describe what the writers are trying to emphasis. "Absolute Honesty" is also a wonderful book for women. Many times women find themselves in situations where they want to be honest, but are extremely uncomfortable or fear they won't be listened to. "Absolute Honesty" has great ideas on how to approach people allowing them to be sincere without the fear.

Read this book. Spread the message to others.
Recent corporate scandals have shaken confidence in leadership and the ethical underpinnings of the business world. Without significant change, we risk increasing problems in the years ahead. It's time for leaders to step forth, declare a commitment to ethical performance, and set the example.

"Absolute Honesty" tells it like it is, and like it must be. Johnson and Phillips, management consultants who have been inside and seen how things work, have produced a powerful tool. This easy-to-read book emphasizes that no one argues against corporate integrity, but some executives need support on HOW to apply the principles. Readers of "Absolute Honesty" will learn how to build the right kind of cultural infrastructure.

The authors argue that too many companies adhere to what they call "the Kumbaya Syndrome---embrace all decisions, no matter how stupid or unethical; smile and sing the company campfire song." It's too easy to just go along, and confronting or fighting superiors or The System is frowned upon.

The alternative is to apply their Six Laws of Absolute Honesty: Tell the Truth, Tackle the Problems, Disagree and Commit, Welcome the Truth, Reward the Messenger, and Build a Platform of Integrity. A chapter on each of the laws explains what needs to be done, with effective supporting material including advice, anecdotes, and a style that makes the whole process comfortable and acceptable.

The book is organized into three parts. The first part, The Challenge, includes chapters on The Naked Truth and A Culture of Absolute Honesty. These 52 pages set the stage nicely for the rest of the book. Part 2 presents the Six Laws, with engaging detail. Part 3 is aptly entitled "Where Do We Go from Here?" The final two chapters discuss building an ethical infrastructure and Key Points to Help Your Implementation Efforts. Lots of good, practical advice here. The book concludes with Notes and a good index.

You'll find this book to be a disarmingly fast read. There's a personal sort of feeling that draws the reader into the subject and keeps the flow moving. This book is one you'll keep in your office-for reference and to send a message to all who enter.

Not For the Faint of Heart
Absolute Honesty is not a book for the faint of heart. It takes courage to bring integrity to work. It takes commitment to long term, sustainable success to build a corporate culture founded on honesty. If you value this kind of courage and commitment, this is the book for you. It is practical, with loads of examples of what it takes to be honest at work, the obstacles that prevent us from being honest, and tips for overcoming these obstacles. These stories and examples come from genuine organization experience - no irrelevant academic theories here. The Six Laws of Absolute Honesty are a clear and compelling distillation of a complex bundle of information, and the last chapter on implementation is solid and helpful (and too often missing from corporate culture books).

And - especially rare in books of this genre - it is very well written. Practically a page turner!

Following a year in which Time magazine's "persons" of the year were whistle blowers who risked their careers and reputations to tell the truth, this is a timely and important book. Strongly recommended for everyone who cares about ethics in the workplace.

A Road Map for Organizational Culture
Finally a book that takes the black magic out of organizational development. Beautifully written. Easy to read. A must for HR professionals and executives who are trying to create an organization capable of thriving in turbulent times. Absolute Honesty pulls together the various concepts and processes needed to define and drive an enabling business culture. It then provides a road map for discovering the cultural attributes need in a given business, communicating the expected attitudes and behaviors, and ultimately walking the talk. ... Read more

Book Description

Management Ethics: Integrity at Work redefines what it means for a manager to function with integrity in the private and public sectorsùdomestically and globally. It integrates the latest theoretical work in both descriptive and normative ethics, and incorporates legal, communication, quality, and organizational theories into a conceptual framework that improves managerial judgment in the handling of moral complexity at work. The authors use their organizational ethics consulting and academic research experience to provide practical assessment and decision-making tools that convert ethics theories into sound action steps. The book examines three key dimensions of management integrityùjudgment, process, and developmental dimensionsùand applies them to individual chapters devoted to the subprocesses of ethical planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The authors focus their theories and tools on 28 ethics minicases related to each management function in seven allied management application clusters: accounting, auditing management; finance, investment management; marketing, advertising management; business management, business law, human resource management; technology, quality operations, organizational behavior management; public, nonprofit, health care management; and international, environmental, public policy management. Management Ethics: Integrity at Work builds management integrity by linking and enhancing both ethics and management competence in responsible planning, organizing, leading, and controlling for use by professionals and students in the private and public sectorsùdomestically and globally. ... Read more

Book Description

This book looks at ethics in educational administration from a practical perspective—viewing significant ethical issues in building and central office administration—and organizes the content to address the requirements of ISLLC Standard Five. The presentation begins with a treatment of personal ethical development, moves to the practice of educational leadership, continues with the issues of pluralism, and concludes with an ethical orientation self-assessment instrument.Writings of major philosophers and important ethical public documents are used as touchstones upon which ethical analysis is developed, while case studies offer readers the opportunity to see how theory is put into practice. Some of the selected readings include contributions from Jean-Paul Sartre, Immanuel Kant, Aristotle, Jürgen Habermas, John Stuart Mill, Edith Stein, Simone de Beauvoir, and John Rawls.For professionals in human resource administration and other management level positions. ... Read more