Throughout this book the term ‘organisation’ refers to private, public or not-for-profit businesses. All organisations require managers, supervisors and team leaders with the ability to think through and define the vision, specific purpose and objectives of the organisation. They need to plan, coordinate, monitor and control work productively and manage and engage employees in sustainable, motivating processes and tasks to achieve organisational objectives and ongoing customer value.

The focus throughout the book is on management practice and continual improvement to provide customer value. Managers, supervisors, team leaders and employees at all levels need to understand how the processes within an organisation work, to analyse data about the process and to think and draw conclusions about how to improve the process. Proposed improvements to systems and processes must be able to be tested, validated and incorporated into the organisation’s standard operating procedures. Communication with others in similar processes is required so learning happens across the organisation.

Managing change and people is about defining the organisation’s vision and then achieving that vision through the management of self and very importantly the eff orts of teams, groups and other stakeholders. Change is viewed from the perspective of stakeholders and more importantly the customer. They are the end-users or people from whom requirements will be drawn, who will influence the process and ultimately be affected either positively or negatively by the change process.

The text is divided into six parts which reflect the main learning areas in a management program; management principles, management of self, management of people, management of operations, management of organisations and management in the international setting. The variety of features and learning activities throughout each chapter enables students to put their learning into practice in their studies and workplace. The writing style is user-friendly and complemented with practical applications of management principles and concepts that provide value to both students and lecturers.