Management Basics: Textbooks for Economics and Management Series in Higher Education

Author: Gu Zhimin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-02-01
Features: The 21st century is the era of the knowledge economy. The rapid development of information and network technology has accelerated the frequency of socio-economic changes and intensified competition under market economy conditions. The essence of economic competition lies in the competition for talent. In the face of rapidly changing socio-economic and political environments, China urgently needs a large number of economic management talents who possess broad foundational knowledge, understand market economy principles, are familiar with its operational rules, master management skills, and have innovative awareness and pioneering spirit. Since the birth of management theory, it has been widely recognized that talent can not only grow through various social practices but also be nurtured through systematic training and targeted education. Therefore, designing a set of economic management textbooks that reflects the characteristics of the socio-economic and political changes of the new century while being accessible to students with diverse backgrounds has become an urgent task for higher education institutions. Against this backdrop, we have compiled this series of economic management textbooks. The purpose of this series is to attempt to reflect the dynamic changes, new concepts, and principles in related disciplines of economic management through basic and clear theoretical frameworks, enabling students to grasp fundamental theories and general operational skills more easily. This series focuses on describing the basic concepts and operational skills of business management, marketing, investment, finance, and financial management in a clear, accurate, and lively manner, supplemented by relevant case studies. It aims to cultivate students' practical analytical abilities by integrating theory and practical application. This textbook is suitable for use by college or adult education students at the junior and senior levels.
A book is a spiritual product, and naturally, it should be a product of spiritual exploration. Human spiritual exploration is always driven and supported by certain intrinsic pursuits. The tangible book presented before the reader is merely an external manifestation of these intrinsic pursuits. It is undeniable that the degree of freedom in pursuing intrinsic goals varies when writing different types of books. Let alone literary and artistic works, even academic works that construct theoretical systems and paradigms, authors have considerable scope to expand their thoughts. In contrast, textbooks like Fundamentals of Management are subject to more and stricter constraints. While textbooks can also allow authors to roam freely in their thoughts, the forces constraining their objects of discourse are stronger. Based on an understanding of these characteristics, this book has made efforts to achieve the "Three Appropriatenesses."
First is appropriateness in quantity, meaning the chapter structure and page length should align with the teaching time allocated by universities for this course, leaving room for instructors to elaborate and students to expand their knowledge through self-study. Second is appropriateness in fit, meaning it should suit the characteristics of management studies and students. Third is adaptability, meaning it should adapt to the contemporary development trends of management as a discipline.
From the perspective of a textbook, its length is always limited. To capture nearly limitless content within a limited space, the authors must make choices and omissions. The approach of this book in handling this relationship is to strive for both systematic completeness and contemporary relevance, aiming to reflect the systematic nature of management theory while showcasing the latest developments in the discipline. The intent behind the "Three Appropriatenesses" is essentially to ensure that the textbook aligns as closely as possible with teaching characteristics and disciplinary characteristics.