Management: Challenges for Tomorrow's Leaders (with InfoTrac 1-Semester) by Pamela S. Lewis
In the Fifth Edition of this nationally acclaimed book, students learn the management skills and competencies that will enable them to meet the challenges they'll experience as leaders in tomorrow's dynamic, rapidly changing business environment. The authors focus on key management principles and how they apply in real business practice, as well as on the skills and competencies students will need as they move into the workplace. In this leadership-focused book, students discover how proactive leaders respond to both the opportunities and challenges of global management, diversity and ethics issues, team-based management, service management, and other developing trends. In emphasizing the competencies and skills needed by contemporary leaders, MANAGEMENT: CHALLENGES FOR TOMORROW'S Leaders translates theory into practice, showing students how to fully develop their skills in teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and adapting to change. The authors further broaden students' understanding by applying the concepts of management to the various functional areas of organizations of all sizes, illustrating that leaders emerge from all areas- production, finance, accounting, sales, and marketing.
The text asks students to look at numerous ethical issues, and asks them to take a stand, thereby encouraging students to role-play and envision themselves as leaders and managers. Further, the topics of social responsibility and ethics are not simply lists of theories, but discuss how to make managerial decisions and conduct strategic planning with these areas in mind.
The book was chosen because of the way it is organized (planning, organizing, leading and controlling). The book support is superior to others. It definitely has lived up to all expectations.
Single most significant reason for selection of the Lewis text is readability for the student. However, most significant reason from the faculty perspective is the section on discussion questions.
I think the approach of totally integrating leadership with the core management functions in the principles course adds a lot of value and makes an improvement to the text. Having also seen the 3rd edition of the text, I might also remark that I think it is one of the most comprehensive texts for a principles course, covering very well some of the key topics, such as organizational structure, which other principles texts often do fairly poorly.
