EDITOR’S LETTER Time’s Count Down

Life for the average executive is an unrelenting fight against time. So, each year Management takes look at the performances of few battlers who manage to score blow for personal liberty. In other words, we take look at work/life issues and illustrate what can be done by picking up on pointers from winners at the EEO Trust Work and Life Awards. This year we assigned associate editor Vicki Jayne to focus on how we manage to beat time. It is an increasingly complex issue.
For instance, while the “long hours culture” is under fire in Britain, different picture is emerging just across the Channel in France and Germany. There the 35-hour working week is being blamed for uncompetitive business and stagnating economy – so after years of decline, worker hours are being pushed back up.
Finding balance and beating time into shape to allow the positives that come from working for the greater part of an individual’s week is tricky business. The nature and composition of work has changed so much for so many of us that working too much or too little is complex equation of priorities, health issues, personal satisfaction and economic reality. There are, as our cover story shows, convincing arguments that work is, after all, life – or at least very big chunk of it. But equally, mitigating factors at different times in our life make up the mix between fruitful and forced labour. Surveys show that people want to work, the battle is with the competition from other priorities.
Time management and all its associated issues may get proportionately more coverage in Management in the future. It is key issue in changing world – world that is not so labour intensive but equally wearing for variety of competing reasons. There are lessons to be learned from the individuals and the organisations who feature in this year’s EEO Awards and it is worth reading about them in our cover story starting on page 24.
And on related theme, we canvass corporate philanthropy and how Vodafone in particular, tries to make difference. The argument about whether corporations should, or indeed are even capable of thinking philosophically is contentious one. Turn to page 34 and read the arguments for and against and then discover how one major international enterprise manages it.
This issue of Management is packed with stories. Personal and organisational profiles, ethical viewpoints, how to grow leaders, the changing role of HR, management in the ’70s as part of our 50-year history series, our new problems column: Have You Considered? and lots more. I know you will enjoy it.