Interestingly, Rosenbluth International puts the human resources function at the center of what it's about, not shunted off to the side with no real power as is the case at many companies. That's a truth particularly applicable given today's tight labor market. While Rosenbluth International is the main focus of this detailed management study, the authors also describe enlightened employee practices at 14 others companies that, along with Rosenbluth International, were cited in the 1992 book The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. These companies include Hallmark Cards, Hewitt Associates, Mary Kay Inc., and Land's End. One criticism of the book is that it is too rah-rah.
Managers also learn from mistakes.
Such questions go largely unanswered. In addition to treating employees well, companies in today's crowded markets have to find ways to break through the clutter of advertisements and information to reach consumers. It's a compendium of practical brand-building ideas from two veterans of direct marketing. The second part of the book provides fuller descriptions of the innovative marketing and service programs these companies employ. The downside of this format is that the second section seems somewhat repetitive after the one-page teasers.