Social Capital

Why Hope Matters Now

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT

It’s easy to cultivate a sense of doom at the moment, and there are ample reasons to give up hope. But business leaders should resist the tide of negativity, says a prominent psychologist. That’s because hope serves a bottom-line business purpose.

News Flash: Workplace Socializing Is Productive

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Contrary to their every instinct, managers should actually encourage their workers to chit-chat, to gather around the water cooler -- even to gossip. An MIT researcher reveals why these guilty pleasures are, in fact, good for a company's productivity.

Sharing Knowledge Improves Stryker’s Performance

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Measuring internal customer service is driving positive results in one of the world’s biggest medical equipment companies. This profile of a major division of Stryker -- with 1,800 employees in 21 countries who speak almost two dozen different languages -- reveals how.

The Tenth Element of Great Managing

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Measured by the statement "I have a best friend at work," this element has proven to be incredibly controversial to executives. But those business leaders who think friendships are none of their business don’t understand human nature, according to the authors of 12: The Elements of Great Managing.

China’s Successes and Looming Challenges

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

An expert on Asian economics forecasts the political and economic fate of China, examines how immigration is shaping the U.S. and Japanese economies, and tells what every business student should know.

The Fifth Element of Great Managing

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Why does it matter so much to employees that someone at work cares about them? It's because their need for bonding extends far beyond their homes, churches, and neighborhoods, according to the authors of the New York Times bestseller 12: The Elements of Great Managing.

The Business Case for Instilling Hope

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Psychologist Shane Lopez has many reasons to be optimistic about the bottom-line power of hope. Far from being a mere warm-and-fuzzy attribute, hope can be measured, increased, and deployed. And Dr. Lopez contends that it plays a central role in business as it drives persistence, motivation, goal setting, and innovation.

Hope, Optimism, and Other Business Assets

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Leading management thinker Fred Luthans says that while management science and economics have explored business with excruciating thoroughness, they've overlooked something big -- the human mind. In this interview, Luthans tells how businesses can benefit from developing "psychological capital," how managers can turn common sense into a systematic tool, and why psychological capital is a business advantage most organizations don't even know they have.

The Power of Positive Management (Part 1)

Thu, 11 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Management insights from executives and researchers show you how to foster positive emotions and psychological well-being at work -- and boost employee productivity and engagement.