Showing papers in "Journal of Management Development in 1982"
TL;DR: The first reference to what has since become known as action learning was by Revans in October 1945; it was in a report upon the future of the British coalmining industry issued by the Mining Association of Great Britain this paper.
Abstract: The first reference to what has since become known as action learning was by Revans in October 1945; it was in a report upon the future of the British coalmining industry issued by the Mining Association of Great Britain. He recommended setting up a staff college for the industry, at which the field managers would be encouraged to learn with and from each other using the group review to find solutions to their immediate problems — about which something needed to be done whether the staff college had been set up or not. The report specifically said that the college ought not to have any permanent corps of experts and lecturers, although there was no objection to them being invited in for particular missions, after it was clear what those missions were supposed to be seeking.
400 citations
TL;DR: The context of management development is now recognised, not only by the adventurers, but also by those who now have adopted early adventures as conventional wisdom as mentioned in this paper, as being that: "Early adventure is conventional wisdom".
Abstract: I want to start with some statements about the context for management development which I expect to be relatively uncontentious, before I move on to the proposition which will contain the core of what I want to say. Such statements would not have been made years ago, but it seems to me that the context of management development is now recognised, not only by the adventurers of management development but by those who now have adopted early adventures as conventional wisdom, as being that:
12 citations
TL;DR: The development of greater numbers of more competent managers, and their successful management of human resources, has been made urgently necessary for business, industry and government by technological, economic, social and world wide change.
Abstract: The development of greater numbers of more competent managers, and their successful management of human resources, has been made urgently necessary for business, industry and government by technological, economic, social and world‐wide change.
10 citations
TL;DR: The central concern of as discussed by the authors is managers in the middle who are hierarchically suppressed by new systems from above and squeezed by new technologies from below, and they represent one of the most disillusioned groups in work organisations.
Abstract: The central concern of this paper is managers in the middle who are hierarchically suppressed by new systems from above and squeezed by new technologies from below. They represent one of the most disillusioned groups in work organisations. Mid‐career crises, redundancies and exhortations to perform better make their plight worse. One answer has been management development. My thesis here is that very little development actually occurs as strategies and structures work against it and the realities of learning are ignored. If we hope to address this middle management problem we should return to the basics of the learning process.
9 citations
TL;DR: In this article, it is shown that vast amounts of money are spent on management development, including formal courses, whether they be in educational organisations or within companies, but also the job related efforts that continue from day-to-day.
Abstract: Vast amounts of money are spent on management development. This includes not only formal courses, whether they be in educational organisations or within companies, but also the job related efforts that continue from day‐to‐day. If we add to that the support systems such as the salaries of management development specialists, their secretaries, the office facilities and then take into account the resources in terms of space and educational technology, the sum involved per year is colossal. There is a continuing expansion of management development activities with the pressure of managers to keep us up to date in their respective fields and industries which become increasingly professionalised and complex.
7 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors pointed out that individuals are seldom good at everything; their effectiveness is often dependent on the people they are working with; and they usually have a lot more to contribute than their particular profession or expertise may suggest.
Abstract: “Team skills management” grew out of research into management selection methods. Applied research in industry, ranging from creativity in food processing to trainability in systems analysis, led us to some obvious truths: individuals are seldom good at everything; their effectiveness is often dependent on the people they are working with; and they usually have a lot more to contribute than their particular profession or expertise may suggest.
5 citations
TL;DR: This natural tendency towards a teamwork approach was reinforced in 1974 by the reorganisation of the management structure of the National Health Service, when formal recognition was given to the need for a multidisciplinary consensus team approach to health service management.
Abstract: The increasing complexity of knowledge and skills relating to health and disease, together with the development of a variety of professions and disciplines contributing to health care, has encouraged the development of multidisciplinary teams in the health care field. This natural tendency towards a teamwork approach was reinforced in 1974 by the reorganisation of the management structure of the National Health Service, when formal recognition was given to the need for a multidisciplinary consensus team approach to health service management.
3 citations
TL;DR: The importance of effective management in the development of profitable enterprises and a sound economy is recognised, as is also the contribution that management education can make in helping to develop more effective managers as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: There is a crisis facing management education today. The importance of effective management in the development of profitable enterprises and a sound economy is recognised, as is also the contribution that management education can make in helping to develop more effective managers. However, the current economic situation in many countries, particularly the UK, has brought about drastic cuts in the financial support available for management education.
3 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a manager in attempting to remedy some performance problem needs to be able to identify the probable causes of the problem and the relevant actions required for its solution, followed by appropriate remedial actions.
Abstract: Influencing the work behaviour of subordinates is an essential part of a manager's job. It requires skill, and can be seen as a basic leadership activity. However, appropriate influence depends on more than interacting skilfully with subordinates. As Schein states, to deal with the complexities of human behaviour, “the successful manager must be a good diagnostician and must value a spirit of enquiry”. That is, a manager in attempting to remedy some performance problem needs to be able to identify the probable causes of the problem and the relevant actions required for its solution. In order to achieve successful solutions, valid causes of the problem behaviour need to be found, followed by appropriate remedial actions. This requires an understanding of the range of factors which can influence work behaviour.
3 citations
TL;DR: The fable of the blind man's perception of the shape of an elephant can be traced back to the early 20th century, when the field of management development had at least as many different perceptions of its shape.
Abstract: We are all familiar with the fable of the blind man's perception of the shape of an elephant. Management development, in its short 20 year history, has had at least as many different perceptions of its shape. From these different perceptions have emerged very different programmes, activities, structures, roles, practices and even many professions.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the need for support in the self development process and suggest that support groups of learning communities go some way towards meeting this need, but they do not discuss how to support groups in this process.
Abstract: This article consists of four parts. The first part describes some of the forces in management and society in general which are supporting the move towards self‐developmental approaches to education and training. The second part suggests that managerial competencies and skills generally come about not through formal training but as a result of self developmental processes. Following this is a brief description of management self development — what it is and what it means in practice. The final section of the paper discusses the need for support in the self development process and suggests that support groups of learning communities go some way towards meeting this need.
TL;DR: A crisis looms, problem rolls in on top of problem, “if I do this then this, then that, then … but what if?” as discussed by the authors, and there seems to be too much to think of, all at the same time.
Abstract: A crisis looms, problem rolls in on top of problem, “if I do this then this, then that, then … but what if?”. At this point we often cast around for outside help, if only there was someone to “bounce ideas off” and talk through the problem. There seems to be too much to think of, all at the same time. Yet in reaching for the phone to call a friend, advisor, operational researcher, systems analyst or whoever, have we overlooked someone?
TL;DR: In this article, a simulation approach to research management subcultures and management behaviour is proposed, and the use of the simulation approach for changing management behaviour and subculture is discussed.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to suggest the existence and nature of management culture. In particular, attention needs to be given to management subcultures. The norms, beliefs and values of these subcultures have consequences for management behaviour, individuals, for the organisation as a whole, and for the ways in which managers become socialised. A simulation approach to researching management subcultures and management behaviour is proposed. The use of the simulation approach for changing management behaviour and subcultures is discussed.
TL;DR: The managers of management education programs are not, it seems, given to pessimism as discussed by the authors, however, they do not seem to see this as a problem; management education programmes presumably seek to produce "good managers" by teaching "management", and if one does not know what either is, it is difficult even to start to devise an educational plan, let alone to assess whether that plan is effective or not.
Abstract: Management is what managers do, and managers do a multitude of different things, at a number of different levels and in a variety of different ways. It is not surprising, therefore, that there is no general consensus as to a definition of management, and that there exists no precise concept of what constitutes a good manager. A pessimist might see this as a problem; management education programmes presumably seek to produce “good managers” by teaching “management”, and if one does not know what either is, it is difficult even to start to devise an educational plan, let alone to assess whether that plan is effective or not. The managers of management education programmes are not, it seems, given to pessimism. In general terms, at least, it is possible to identify the areas in which a manager requires competence. In turn it is possible to specify the skills that are necessary, and the appropriate levels of competence, in those areas.
TL;DR: In a lecture given in 1981 by Professor Lyman Porter examining the successful and unsuccessful promotion bids by management executives, he stated that: as mentioned in this paper stated that the success and failure of promotion bids were correlated.
Abstract: In a lecture given in 1981 by Professor Lyman Porter examining the successful and unsuccessful promotion bids by management executives, he stated that:
TL;DR: A range of management development methods that tutors, trainers or lecturers can use in their work with managers can be found in this paper, including curriculum materials, organisational forms, media applications, teaching devices, learning principles, resources and task variables.
Abstract: This article describes a range of management development methods that tutors, trainers or lecturers can use in their work with managers. In this context the term method is used very loosely to refer to a wide range of very different techniques and approaches. It has been argued that there are no discernible limits to the meaning of the word method in the educational literature. This being so, the article will include descriptions of curriculum materials, organisational forms, media applications, teaching devices, learning principles, resources and task variables. What I believe all of these have in common, is that they can be used by staff who have a responsibility for developing managers, either inside or outside of their organisation.
TL;DR: Preparation For Change as discussed by the authors is a business which distributes solid fuel, oil, lubricants and allied products, with a board of directors consisting of two men, a practising accountant who acts part-time as a board member and a stockbroker who owns the rest.
Abstract: Preparation For Change. The Company I am the managing director of a business which distributes solid fuel, oil, lubricants and allied products. I own nearly half the shares, whilst my brother, a practising accountant who acts part time as our chairman, owns the rest.
TL;DR: A major finding of a symposium held in Abu Dhabi in 1979 by the Stanford Research Institute was that the major challenge in the Gulf States in the 1980s would be a lack of managerial talent.
Abstract: A major finding of a symposium held in Abu Dhabi in 1979 by the Stanford Research Institute was that the major challenge in the Gulf States in the 1980s would be a lack of managerial talent. This factor is now exercising the thoughts of many commercial, industrial and financial enterprises and organisations in the region both in the public and private sectors. Facing the joint needs of rapidly expanding organisation, the demands of maintaining growth in a stagnant economic environment, and a far reaching programme of localisation of jobs, the pressures placed on managers in the region are intense. It is a situation in which western countries, with their longer history of management expertise, are finding severe problems: these are magnified for the newly developing Arab manager, who also has to contend with his problems in a glare of publicity where every action is subject to intensive analysis.
TL;DR: The world is rapidly becoming one, but the people in it are becoming increasingly, and vociferously, individual. Between idiosyncratic individuals and One World there must be mediators, if all is not to slip into chaos as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The world is rapidly becoming one, but the people in it are becoming increasingly, and vociferously, individual. Between idiosyncratic individuals and One World there must be mediators, if all is not to slip into chaos. There are many would‐be mediators, but in the world of work there are none to compare with managers. Managers, in growing numbers and varieties, must somehow hold the balance.
TL;DR: The authors discusses recent research that gives new insights on these two problem areas, reinforcing the use of some teaching strategies, whilst suggesting changes to others, and reinforces negative attitudes towards the subject matter and poor mathematical ability of lecturers on numeracy courses.
Abstract: Managers need to be numerate as well as literate. Courses aimed at increasing numeracy often gain very mixed receptions from participants; dissatisfaction being a common reaction. Negative attitudes towards the subject matter and poor mathematical ability are two major problems faced by lecturers on such courses. This article discusses recent research that gives new insights on these two problem areas. These insights reinforce the use of some teaching strategies, whilst suggesting changes to others.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the nature of this mixed ability, seek to identify the challenges it presents in course design and thereafter explore possible approaches that might be adopted to minimise the harmful effects and optimise the learning to be gained from the mixed ability.
Abstract: A common experience of tutors of post graduate management courses is the wide range of backgrounds, attributes, qualifications, experience and competence of course members. In this article the authors explore the nature of this mixed ability, seek to identify the challenges it presents in course design and thereafter explore possible approaches that might be adopted to minimise the harmful effects and optimise the learning to be gained from the mixed ability, post graduate programme. For the purpose of this paper, mixed ability is not used in the narrow sense of cleverness or mental faculty, but rather to encompass the individual's capacity to learn from and contribute to the learning programme.