Alfred Kieser

Communication is nowadays more and more frequently considered an essential parameter in the construction, maintenance and change of organizations. This has resulted in a growing importance of qualitative conceptualizations in organization theory and of perspectives on organizational communication in sociolinguistics. Nevertheless, overlaps in the research between the qualitative branch of organization theory and the sociolinguistic research of businesses have been to date very sparse. Difficulties in tying both academic perspectives together seem to be related to the lack of theoretical assumptions which could bridge the gap between linguistics and organization theory, for example, as far as the construction of macrostructural models out of the analyses of interactive behavior is concerned. This collection develops suggestions on how to set starting points for an interdisciplinary research program.

Managing in Britain and Germany compares British and German managers' behaviour and views of their work, and seeks to explain the differences. Based on a two year comparative study by British and German research teams, the book challenges the universal view of management presented in so many management books, by showing how differently German middle managers think and act. These differences are then unravelled and traced back to their various roots: ranging from the particular (nature of the job, product or organisation) to the general (the society's institutions and values). Written by leading management experts from Britain and Germany, the book provides useful lessons and insights for practising managers and for those studying management everywhere.

Managing in Britain and Germany compares British and German managers' behaviour and views of their work, and seeks to explain the differences. Based on a two year comparative study by British and German research teams, the book challenges the universal view of management presented in so many management books, by showing how differently German middle managers think and act. These differences are then unravelled and traced back to their various roots: ranging from the particular (nature of the job, product or organisation) to the general (the society's institutions and values). Written by leading management experts from Britain and Germany, the book provides useful lessons and insights for practising managers and for those studying management everywhere.