Mobbing [as updated in Oct 2007]

Mobbing at work is characterised by the systematic psychological abuse or humiliation of a person by an individual or a group, with the aim of damaging his/her reputation, honour, human dignity and integrity, and ultimately driving the victim to quit the job.
Swedish psychologist Heinz Leymann was the first to use the English term ‘mobbing’ to describe hostile behavior by employees in the workplace, a term used in the early 1970s by a Swedish physician to describe hostile behavior observed among schoolchildren. Leymann defines mobbing as ‘hostile and unethical communication, which is directed in a systematic way by one or a few individuals mainly towards one individual who, due to mobbing, is pushed into a helpless and defenceless position, being held there by means of continuing mobbing activities’.
Different words for this hostile behaviour are used in different countries. In most European countries the term mobbing is used. In English-speaking countries, such hostile behaviour at work is called ‘bullying’. Other terms used are moral harassment, victimisation and psychological terror.

From Eurofound.

And now, for something work-related

[T]here is more to CSR than empty phrases and exotic conferences. Serious business gurus such as Michael Porter and the late C.K. Prahalad have lent their support to the movement. Most of the world’s big companies have entire divisions devoted to it. And CSR is evolving. Gone are the days when it was mainly about managing corporate reputations—or “greenwashing”, to its critics. It is now more about business fundamentals, such as how products are designed and how supply chains are managed.

The loudest CSR buzzword these days is “sustainability”. The proportion of managers who say they think that “sustainability” is a key to competitive success has risen from 55% in 2010 to 67% last year, according to an annual survey of 4,000 managers in 113 countries by the MIT Sloan Management Review and the Boston Consulting Group. Companies have been busy creating “chief sustainability officers”, founding “sustainability units” and employing “sustainability consultancies”...

Keep reading Good business; nice beaches on the Economist.

The Short Story of Long Overdue


Some 3 weeks ago, Alex had her birthday - which is the reason this posting exists.
This is just to wish you a very Happy Year ahead - hoping the celebration was and will be as expected.


This is also a reminder - on how thoughts aren't sufficient to communicate intentions, as of 2012. Apologies.


This is the link.