Reductions in force – a Typology

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Author: Franco GANDOLFI

Published in: Vol:9 No.4 / 2008

      A variety of different terms for the concept of reductions in force (RIF) have appeared in the managerial lexicon; including downsizing, job separation, layoffs, re-engineering, and rightsizing. After nearly three decades of corporate restructurings and reorganizations, the contemporary firm continues to engage in RIF regularly. What types of RIF have emerged and been actively adopted by corporations? The purpose of this article is to present a typology and review some of the popular RIF concepts embraced by firms on a global scale since the 1980s. A discussion of restructuring practices seems particularly timely given the high levels of RIF currently occurring in the global finance and mortgage-related industries.

Pages: 88 - 102