Workforce Reductions : An Annotated Bibliography

Brings together the prevailing thinking surrounding the issue of workforce reduction to help managers and executives ensure a successful transition to a more robust and effective organization. Articles and books reviewed were found in both practitioner-oriented sources such as magazines and popular books, as well as scholarly journals. Sources were selected for annotation based on their perceived relevance to the body of literature, their unique perspective, and their general interest. Entries are in-depth, with many a page or more in length. Annotations are organized in three sections on the organizational, the organization-individual relationship, and the individual perspectives. Section introductions summarize key themes. Hickok holds a Doctor of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California, and is a consultant to the US Defense Intelligence Agency. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) This report, which is based on a review of practitioner-oriented sources and scholarly journals, uses a three-part framework to organize annotated bibliographies that, together, list a total of 104 sources that provide the following three perspectives on work force reduction issues: organizational, organizational-individual relationship, and individual. Part 1 includes annotations of 42 articles and books that focus on strategy, policy, and/or decision making. Provided in part 2 are annotations of 43 articles and books devoted to the impact of individual- and group-level thoughts, feelings, and behaviors on organizational functioning before, during, and after the downsizing process. Part 3 contains 19 annotations of articles and books that concentrate on the effects of job loss on individuals, including the perceived threat of job loss, with special attention on the ways job loss affects personal well-being and the different ways different individuals cope with job loss. Appended is a list of 101 bibliographic entries referring to articles that have been deemed not directly within the purview of the review but nevertheless valuable resources for further reference. Author and title indexes are included. (MN) 'Organizations continue to restructure themselves to meet the competitive demands of a global economy. Because reductions in the workforce are typically a byproduct of those strategic realignments, and because such reductions seriously affect individuals and the company itself, they must be taken into account if reorganization efforts are to succeed. This publication brings together the prevailing thinking surrounding the issue of workforce reductions to help managers and executives ensure a successful transition to a more robust and effective organization.'