Business and Management

If you read the ‘business pages’ of a newspaper or if you listen to the financial news on the television or radio, you will often hear terms such as ‘liability’, ‘balance sheet’ or ‘earnings’. Accounting: A Very Short Introduction provides a guide to understanding and using accounting information. It examines the key concepts and the main types of accounting work, from bookkeeping and financial reporting to auditing and management accounting. It traces the development of accounting over the centuries; examines the building blocks of financial reports, such as assets and liabilities; and looks at how accounting differs between countries and the importance of international standards.Less

Advertising: A Very Short Introduction dispels the myths surrounding the advertising industry. Advertising is a diverse entity, and campaigns work (or fail to work) in a plethora of ways. How does the advertising industry work? What part do all the key players (the advertisers, the media, and the agencies) play? Where does the public sit in the world of advertising? This VSI examines how advertisers determine whether they have been successful, how they know if the money they have spent has been wasted, and what the benefits of advertising are and what the future may hold for the industry.Less

Branding: A Very Short Introduction discusses the rising omnipresence of brands, and analyses how they work their magic. It considers the incredible potency of brands as a commercial, social, and cultural force, and looks at the many different kinds of brands that exist—from products, services, and artistic properties, to companies, charities, sports clubs, and political parties. Defining what we mean by the word ‘brand’, this VSI explores both the positive and negative aspects of brands. Finally, it considers the business of branding, and asks whether the idea of brands and branding is starting to decline, or whether it has a long future ahead.Less

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been defined as ‘the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society’. Is CSR a contradiction in terms? Corporate Social Responsibility: A Very Short Introduction shows that CSR holds much more value than it first appears, and shows how it has come of age in recent years. Illustrating the sorts of CSR investments companies make, the ways in which they practice CSR, and the challenges this brings, it considers how the principles migrated from their US roots to become a global business phenomenon. Exploring the place of CSR in different economic, social, political, and managerial contexts, this VSI considers the many positives that CSR can present.Less

Entrepreneurship: A Very Short Introduction navigates the debates about entrepreneurship, providing a guide to the entrepreneurial process. There has been an explosion of interest in entrepreneurs in the popular media, as well as in business, policy, and education. The actions of entrepreneurs have always been shaped by the external environment and the availability of resources. They can be found in all sorts of organizations and they come from a diversity of backgrounds. Entrepreneurs have a significant impact on modern market economies and there is a certain future for entrepreneurship in our increasingly globalized world. But what do entrepreneurs do? What is entrepreneurship and why is it important? What is distinctive about entrepreneurs? And where do they come from?Less

What is innovation? How is innovation used in business? How can we use it to succeed? Innovation: A Very Short Introduction looks at what innovation is and why it affects us so profoundly. It examines how it occurs, who stimulates it, how it is pursued, its outcomes—both positive and negative—and how it plays an essential role in economic and social development. Considering innovation today, and discussing future disruptive technologies such as AI, which have important implications for work and employment, this VSI considers the extent to which our understanding of innovation has developed over the past century and how it might be used to interpret the global economy.Less

What is leadership? How does it differ from management and command? Are leaders born or bred? Leadership: A Very Short Introduction prompts the reader to rethink their understanding of what leadership is. It examines the way leadership has evolved from its earliest manifestations in ancient societies, highlighting the beginnings of leadership writings through Plato, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli and others, to consider the role of social, economic, and political contexts undermining particular modes of leadership. Exploring the idea that leaders cannot exist without followers, and recognising that we all have diverse experiences and assumptions of leadership, this VSI looks at the practice of management, its history, future, and influence on society.Less

Management: A Very Short Introduction looks at the history of management theory and modern practice, considers management in a social and cultural context, and explores issues of morality and accountability. Tracing the development of management over the last century, it looks not only at what managers do, but also provides an insight into modern management theory. It considers the influences of national and organizational culture, the relationship between power and domination, and management in different cultures. It also looks at approaches to management, accountability of managers, and morality.Less

Organizations are everywhere, but have you ever considered where they came from, what they are today, and what they may become in the future? Organizations: A Very Short Introduction introduces the concept of organizations by presenting definitions and ideas drawn from the a variety of subject areas including the physical sciences, economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, literature, and the visual and performing arts. Drawing on examples from prehistory and everyday life, from the animal kingdom as well as from business, government, and other formal organizations, this VSI provides a lively and thought provoking introduction to the process of organization.Less

What is a project? How is it organized? Projects: A Very Short Introduction looks at how projects have developed since the industrial revolution to create the human-built world in which we live, work, and play. Considering some of our greatest endeavours—such as the Erie Canal, Apollo Moon landing, and Chinese eco-city projects—it identifies how projects are organized and managed to design and produce large and complex systems, cope with fast changing conditions, and deal with the immense uncertainties required to create breakthrough innovations in products and services. It concludes by considering how projects could be organized to address the challenges facing the post-industrial society of the 21st century.Less

Public administration ensures the development and delivery of the essential public services required for sustaining modern civilization. Covering areas from public safety and social welfare to transportation and education, the services provided through the public sector are inextricably part of our daily lives. Public Administration: A Very Short Introduction offers practical insight into the major challenges confronting the public sector in the globalized era. Tackling some of the most hotly debated issues of our time, including the privatization of public services and government surveillance, it takes the reader on a global journey through history to examine the origins, development, and continued evolution of public administration.Less