PurposeThe article discusses employee disengagement, a phenomenon where employees are at work but are minimizing their work contribution.Design/methodology/approachExamples of disengagement are discussed as well as possible causes. This is a call for further research in order to examine whether employee disengagement is rampant in our organizations, and on the increase while being largely ignored by managers, or whether it is a myth and should be of little concern to anyone.FindingsThe phenomenon of employee disengagement appears to be correlated with conditions where there is a lack of psychological identification and psychological meaningfulness. Disengagement also appears to be maximized under conditions of poor leadership and when levels of trust between managers and subordinates are low. Evidence suggests that there are large discrepancies in the methods and the scales used to measure employee engagement and disengagement.Practical implicationsThere is much conflicting and anecdotal evidence that employee disengagement is increasing. Disengagement may result from numerous causes and conditions. Once the catalysts for disengagement are understood, managers can be better equipped to deal with falling employee commitment and energy levels, thus gaining greater traction on the global business landscape.Originality/valueThis paper argues that the phenomenon of employee disengagement is increasing but that the methods for its identification are inadequate. Finally, the authors argue that the majority of managers seem unwilling or unable to halt the rising tide of employee disengagement.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to expand upon existing theories of entrepreneurial cognitions. It constructs an information-processing framework of entrepreneurship (I-P e ) that holistically maps out the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition process. This framework demonstrates how various entrepreneurial needs and attitudes, as well as entrepreneurial motivators, impact on the diagnosis and assessment of informational cues. It describes how opportunity-related information is processed by entrepreneurs in order to reach a decision of acceptance or rejection of potential business opportunities. Design/methodology/approach -The paper commences with a case study of New Zealand's winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Bill Day and his company Seaworks, a marine contracting firm. The case content is based on personal interviews by the authors as well as secondary data. The case describes how Seaworks achieved its current level of success. A number of Bill Day's uniquely entrepreneurial behaviours are then mapped into a cognitive framework describing influential elements of the entrepreneurial decision processes. This framework is derived from interdisciplinary research encompassing the study of entrepreneurship, psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Findings -Entrepreneurs have a heightened ability and awareness for recognising and audaciously exploiting business opportunities. They persistently and continually seek opportunity-laden information in order to satisfy internal motivators such as need for achievement and the fulfilment of competitive urges. The case study describes an entrepreneurial mind that is attracted and stimulated by elements of excitement and fun. This entrepreneur is driven by business challenges that match and stretch his skills, knowledge, and abilities. Business related informational cues are sought and processed to calculate profit potential, the level of risk, and the cost of enactment. Final calculations are filtered. Benefits and potentially positive outcomes are amplified in the calculation process, while potential complications are regarded as challenges to be overcome rather than obstacles to be avoided. Practical implications -The I-P e framework derived from this research clearly demonstrates uniquely entrepreneurial decision processes. It advances our understanding of entrepreneurial cognitions and entrepreneurial decision behaviours, which has applications for the teaching of business skills as well as increasing our understanding of the phenomenon that has been termed "entrepreneurship". Originality/value -This paper is based on an original case study written by the authors and integrates cognitive theory within the context of entrepreneurial behaviour in order to explain why entrepreneurs are so successful at recognising and exploiting opportunities.

PurposeOrganisations sometimes select and promote the wrong individuals for managerial positions. These individuals may be incompetent, they may be manipulators and bullies. They are not the best people for the job and yet not only are they selected for positions of authority and responsibility, they are sometimes promoted repeatedly until their kind populate the highest levels of the organisational hierarchy. The purpose of this paper is to address this phenomenon by attempting to explain why it occurs and why organisational members tolerate such destructive practices. It concludes by proposing a cultural strategy to protect the organisation and its stakeholders from the ambitious machinations of the organisational sociopath.Design/methodology/approachThe authors develop an explanatory framework by attempting to combine elements of the theory of memetics with structuration theory. Memetic theory helps to analyse culture and communication of beliefs, ideas, and thoughts. Structuration theory can be used to identify motives and drives. A combination of these theoretical approaches can be used to identify the motives of organisational sociopaths. Such a tool is also useful for exploring the high level of organisation tolerance for sociopathic managers.FindingsOrganisational tolerance and acceptance for sociopathic managerial behaviour appears to be a consequence of cultural and structural complexity. While this has been known for some time, few authors have posited an adequate range of explanations and solutions to protect stakeholders and prevent the sociopath from exploiting organisational weaknesses. Reduction of cultural and structural complexity may provide a partial solution. Transparency, communication of strong ethical values, promotion based on performance, directed cooperation, and rewards that reinforce high performing and acceptable behaviour are all necessary to protect against individuals with sociopathic tendencies.Originality/valueThe authors provide a new cultural diagnostic tool by combining elements of memetic theory with elements of structuration theory. The subsequent framework can be used to protect organisations from becoming the unwitting victims of sociopaths seeking to realise and fulfil their needs and ambitions through a managerial career path.

The burgeoning literature about the knowledge economy has marginalised its most important dimension – people. The development of human capital and its role in the competitive advantage of business is discussed in relation to the changed nature of the employment relationship. In particular Drucker's concerns about the threat to business of attenuated relationships between workers and their organisations are examined. Contextual factors such as the dynamic nature of labour markets, the centrality of profit making and the definitional difficulties inherent in the new and old economy dichotomy are acknowledged. A transitional model of human capital in the new economy is suggested as a way of modernising traditional thinking. An analysis of the capabilities required by new economy workers leads to a discussion of the corresponding competencies necessary for managers. The paper concludes that changed employment relationships do not spell death to people development. Rather it makes managing talent different and more challenging.

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