Showing papers in "Journal of Management History in 1999"

A historical perspective on fad adoption and abandonment

Abstract: While management is considered relatively immature compared to other social sciences, for over half the lifespan of the discipline, the field has been bombarded with “fads”. For the purposes of this manuscript, fads are defined as “managerial interventions which appear to be innovative, rational, and functional and are aimed at encouraging better organizational performance”. This definition draws on and integrates a number of theorists’ conceptualizations of fads. Notably, however, there is some point at which a fad sufficiently demonstrates its effectiveness in numerous and diverse settings to warrant an evolution from fad status to something which implies more permanence. This issue is addressed in a theoretical model which traces the process of fad adoption using historical bibliometric data. The model offers propositions concerning the precursors, moderators, and outcomes of adoption.

Total quality management and the Deming approach to quality management

Abstract: This article discusses the total quality management (TQM) movement and then elaborates about W. Edwards Deming’s experiences and views. Finally, there is a comparison of total quality management and the Deming approach to quality management. The TQM movement was attractive to many organizations during the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s. To succeed, total quality management had many long‐term require‐ments. One of these was that top management must have a passion for the subject. Without this sustained passion top management’s attention and energy towards TQM would be diverted to other pressing needs. While Deming insisted that there was no “instant pudding”, many consultants in establishing themselves with a client suggested short‐term gains. Because of this search for short‐term gains, process improvement and reductions in cycle time became very popular and in some cases a final objective. Unfortunately, after they ran their short‐term course, many efforts collapsed and TQM was often declared a failure.

Where do management fashions come from, and how long do they stay?

Abstract: Recent management history has seen a surge in the number of ideas that supposedly represent the cutting edge of management progress. This paper investigates the emergence of several of these management fashions. It examines the dissemination of fashions and the type of journals and areas from which particular fashions emerge. A bibliometric analysis is described that involved the following fashions: bench‐marking; pay for performance; quality circles; peer review; and MBO. The results of the analysis support hypotheses that fashions emerge in the popular press before academic literature and that some fashions emerge from sub‐fields before appearing throughout management publications.

Be rational! But what does it mean?

Abstract: An ancient, and most influential, concept in management thought is the idea of rationality. Criticism with regard to a rational approach to management seems to focus on the importance of value issues. It is argued in this article that from a historical‐philosophical perspective values and rationality are not simply each other’s opposites, but closely related. The article sketches the conceptual development of the idea of rationality in philosophical thinking. The adopted focus is to consider the major changes in the meaning of the idea of rationality, and the kind of criticism the idea has encountered. Schematically, the article approaches the conceptual development of a current‐day comprehension of “rationality” by using four episodes: ancient thinking towards wise leadership; the Greek idea of logos; the nineteenth century modernist belief in positivism; and the twentieth century “postmodernist” debate which culminates in Habermas’ “communicative” rationality. An assessment of the meaning of rationality in management thought is undertaken by an initial appraisal of the roots of management thought prior to the emergence of rationality as an idea. This illustrates the often neglected normative basis of management thought, and stresses the importance of managerial “values”. It enables a perspective on the ancient Greek development of meaning for logos, which is the classical precursor for modern day rationality. By appraising the development of rationality as a particular conceptual type, rather than a specific philosophical idea, the non‐normative approach adopted in modernist management writings emerges as being a severely constrained concept. From a philosophical perspective, a reduction of rationality to some kind of “goal‐oriented” action is inadequate. This is because rationality and valuation have traditionally been, and remain, closely linked. As such, the three Es of goal‐rationality (economy, efficiency, and effectiveness) acquire a counterpart that refers to value‐rationality ‐ ethics.

Strategic management spin‐offs of the Deming approach

Abstract: Many scholars have documented the importance of Deming’s legacy in the development of what is now commonly known as total quality management (TQM). Less often considered, however, is how Deming’s teachings have influenced other approaches to management. This article examines how Deming’s work has influenced the field of strategic management. It describes the history of strategic and quality management and highlights specific areas where Deming’s contributions have influenced and strengthened strategic management. It concludes with some comments about how Deming’s approach can be used to help organizations achieve both quality and strategic advantage.

The contributions of Chester Barnard to strategic management theory

Abstract: Chester Barnard’s The Functions of the Executive (1938) represents a book of historical significance to the study of management. Using the fundamental principles that Barnard outlines, an application of these principles is made to the area of strategic management. The analysis focuses specifically on two main areas: the movement from a static to a dynamic model and the role of the environment. Highlights the importance of returning to the work of early writers and their contribution to the future development of management disciplines.

The rationality issue in land‐use planning

Abstract: There is a strong tradition among land‐use planners to conceive of their task as one of inserting rationality into public decision making. The idea of the rational selection of ends as well as means makes land‐use planners reluctant to take goals as given even if they insist on a difference between planning and politics. A retrospective outline shows how three prominent planning theorists handle the controversial question of rational ends. By applying Habermas’ communicative rationality and the bounded/unbounded distinction, the range of rationality concepts becomes sufficiently wide to serve as a basis for classifying most popular planning modes. With multiple forms of rationality, some new problems arise. How are we, for instance, to rationally choose among forms of rationality in a given situation, and how can the various forms be applied simultaneously?

Rationality and implementation analysis

Abstract: This paper examines the prospects of developing rational policy processes. The approach taken is to examine two components of policy processes. First, the paper analyses the way in which rationality has been applied to three different models, or modes of public administration: Weberian bureaucracy; market or rational actor political behaviour; and managerialism. The analysis suggests that “rational” approaches to public administration are inherently value‐laden, emphasising norms such as institutional integrity, representation or efficiency. Second, analysis is undertaken of policy implementation which is one phase of the policy process. The paper examines “top‐down”, “bottom‐up”, institutional and statutory‐coherence approaches to policy implementation. Contrasts amongst these competing models of policy implementation reinforce previous findings that there appears to be little prospect of achieving policy rationality because of the inability of the current approaches to policy analysis to enable reconciliation of fundamental normative assumptions underpinning the approaches. The current methods utilised by policy analysts do not appear to be able to provide either the tools or the structures required to achieve instrumental rationality in policy sciences.

Rationality revisited: An alternative perspective on reason in management and planning

Abstract: This paper is concerned with enlarging the traditional view of rationality that has dominated management and planning in modern times. The inquiry begins by re‐examining Weber’s discussion of rationality as interpreted by contemporary analysts. Weber saw rationality as multi‐faceted and included notions of a social rationality involving more than simple instrumental or “practical” rationality. Habermas’ ideas concerning communicative action are then introduced as the basis for parsing out Weber’s differing conceptions of rationality based on the dual underlying motivations of pursuing social agreement along with technical or instrumental goals. In dialectical fashion, the paper introduces the concept of adaptive rationality involving a synthetic form of reason that mediates between substantive, or social, rationality and instrumental, or technical, rationality. This adaptive form of reason is seen as the heart of management and planning and requires a combined technical, political and moral imagination in the service of creating new forms of social practice and marshaling both the collective will and resources for their fulfillment. Thus, the paper argues for a wider conception of rationality that explicitly acknowledges social norms and the distribution of power and concludes with the hope of a renewed focus of research for a richer understanding of rational action.

The managerial principles behind guild craftsmanship

Abstract: The craft guilds of old are prototypes for the legend of European craftsmanship. This paper discusses three managerial principles used by the guilds: regulation, standards of accomplishment, and apprenticeship. The rationale behind, and the implementation of, each principle is outlined with reference to historical sources on guild operations. A consistent weakness of guild administration on these principles has been a bias toward self‐interested conservatism. As science and technology progressed, society has responded by abandoning guild administration in favor of independent professional organizations. The paper concludes by noting that, while independent professionalism is progressive, it also minimizes the benefits that guilds obtained from experience‐based knowledge.

Japan’s post‐war economic success: Deming, quality, and contextual realities

Abstract: It is difficult to unravel the thread of W. Edwards Deming’s impact on the post‐war industrial recovery of Japan and its transformation from a manufacturer of shabby copies of Western goods to a pre‐eminent producer of high‐quality goods. His name is woven, however, into the fabric of Japanese industrial history. Deming helped launch a campaign for institutionalizing “quality control” within the Japanese manufacturing sector, which adopted a number of the terms and concepts he advocated. In fact, his pedagogical approach dovetailed perfectly with, and helped to provide a philosophical basis for, the infusion of quality as an intrinsic part of the production process. Most importantly, Deming was conveying these concepts on the eve of the “electronics revolution”, where unparalleled precision, cleanliness, and consistency of product were essential metrics determining success or failure. However, the true extent of Deming’s influence may never be known as it was caught up in the complex dynamics that characterized Japan’s industrial resurgence from the late 1940s through the 1980s.

Fayol’s Principles and the Rule of St Benedict: is there anything new under the sun?

Abstract: The Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century, provided guidance for running monasteries. Fourteen hundred years later, Henri Fayol developed his Principles of Management. Although from different times, Benedict’s Rule foreshadowed Fayol’s Principles and showed that the basics of management go back to antiquity.

Management history gurus of the 1990s: Their lives, their contributions

Abstract: This paper discusses the lives and contributions of five key members of the Management History Division: Arthur G. Bedeian; Alfred A. Bolton; James C. Worthy (now deceased); Charles D. Wrege; and Daniel A. Wren. Each has proved himself a teacher and intellectual leader in matters of fundamental concern to management history.

W. Edwards Deming’s mentor and others who made a significant impact on his views during the 1920s and 1930s

Abstract: W. Edwards Deming, famous for his work with the Japanese following the Second World War, had a unique set of theories and approaches that were clearly his own. While much has been written about his experience and views, this article will focus on those individuals who made a significant impact on the formation of his views during the 1920s and 1930s and what he gained from each of them. Walter A. Shewhart was clearly the individual who had the most profound influence on Deming’s views and subsequent approaches to quality. But more than an influence, Shewhart was Deming’s mentor. Others who influenced Deming during this period include: Clarence Irving Lewis, Sir Ronald A. Fisher, and Jerzy Neyman. Those who wish to understand Deming’s theories can gain from studying Deming’s experience and views. In addition, a more detailed understanding of Deming can be gained by also studying the work and theories of those who influenced him.

What we do not know about management history

Abstract: Management history contains many unsolved mysteries. In this paper four categories of mysteries are discussed, along with methodologies that have proved useful in solving such mysteries. Examples of the successful use of the outlined methodologies are also presented with illustrations of the results achieved.

From rationality to reasonableness in environmental administration: Moving beyond proverbs

Abstract: The administrative state is situated in a physical and ecological context that requires a conceptualisation of rationality broader than the instrumental rationality that characterizes most administrative theorising. Various scholars have contributed to clarifying some aspects of the needed broader conceptualisation, particularly with respect to focuses (system, substance, procedure) and form (social, legal, political, and ecological). But unlike the classical Aristotelian conception of rationality, the goal‐blindness of contemporary rationality still distinguishes it from reasonableness. Rawls and Habermas suggest the recoupling of reasonableness and rationality through political discourse and pursuit of social action that requires reasoning about ends as well as means. The opportunities for deliberative democracy and for furthering environmental justice provided by environmental impact assessment illustrate how rationality, justice, and ecological sustainability can be integrated by breaking down distinctions between decision‐making processes and the substance of decisions. Administration can thus move beyond proverbs to proceed on the realization that the only ecologically rational organization is a broadly reasonable one.

Social policy: school finance

Abstract: For well over three decades, the concepts of equity and efficiency have been used by policy analysts and elected officials to frame the debate about the formulation and evaluation of public policies and programs. In this paper we use these ideas to organize an historical analysis of policies and research strategies in K‐12 education finance from the 1960s through the 1990s. In each decade we stress the dominant themes, major events, and research strategies regarding equity and efficiency, knowing that themes and research strategies span many decades but are sometimes in the foreground and other times in the background. We conclude with an assessment of how these two concepts can be compatible and how current policies are increasingly “win‐win” ones that are proposed to make progress on both goals.

The role of management history in the management curriculum: 1997

Abstract: This paper reports the results of a Management History Division survey within the Academy of Management which investigated the current status and future direction of management history teaching in the management curriculum and the role and direction of the Management History Division in general. Comparisons were made to a similar 1989 survey. While management history as a separate course remains elusive, management history continues to be taught in other mainstream management courses. The role of the Management History Division is seen as critical in encouraging others to teach management history. Significant accomplishments have been made in this area since the earlier survey including an expanded Executive Committee, a revised newsletter, new awards for service in the field, and the initiation of the Journal of Management History as an outlet for publication in the field.

William Edwards Deming: the man

Abstract: W. Edwards Deming was revered as a technical genius in the areas of mathematics, statistics, and statistical variation. Though largely known for his professional achievements, the core of Deming was his quality of character. He was raised by his parents under austere conditions in the heartland of the USA. The values ingrained in him by his parents included spiritual beliefs, a love of learning, devotion to family, commit‐ment to friends, and a strong work ethic. With an intense loyalty and love for his wife and children, he balanced his life so that family remained a priority. An accomplished writer of music, a grammarian, and a person with spiritual interests, Deming was much more than a public figure recognized as an icon of the “quality” movement.

Political policy: president and parliament in Zambia

Abstract: In October 1991, Zambia experienced its first competitive elections in 23 years. These elections for both the presidency and the National Assembly were expected to mark the end of one‐party rule and the beginning of a new regime of multi‐party politics. In the aftermath of the elections, some also expressed the hope or expectation that the transition starting to take place in Zambia would inspire a movement elsewhere in sub‐Saharan Africa away from authoritarian regimes or regimes effectively immune from electoral accountability. In fact, even some Zambians drew hopeful comparisons between what was occurring in Lusaka and the democratic transformations that had begun several years earlier in Central and Eastern Europe.

The rise and fall and rise of Japan’s stable shareholders

Abstract: A historical analysis of the industrial groupings distinctive to Japan demonstrates the existence of persistent cohorts of stable friendly shareholders within group company equity holdings. Over the years, these shareholders have performed various useful tasks for group companies especially with regard to ameliorating the effects of external threats to company governance or group coherence. A number of lessons for management are derived from this analysis.

The history of Herman Miller, Inc. and the nature of emergence: “Emergent all the way down”

Abstract: This study examines the nature of emergent, self‐organizing systems in the context of the history of Herman Miller, Inc. This history informs our understanding of emergent systems on two levels: how the dynamic of emergent self‐organization informs our sense of the past; and how it informs our understanding of an emergent, self‐organizing future. This article also recounts a critical period in the development history of Herman Miller, Inc.

“Make haste slowly”: Augustus Caesar transforms the Roman world

Abstract: The Roman Empire illustrates how change occurs in complex social systems. An analysis of: the effects of transformational leadership and transactional leadership styles in complex social systems; and the relationship between leadership style and the social context is conducted. Julius Caesar is shown to have failed to create a new method of governing Rome. Augustus Caesar, however, created the basis for the Roman Empire. Their careers show that change which is incremental and does not violate the core culture of a system is more likely to transform a social system than more radical, transformational methods.

A historical analysis of the international business perspectives of Mexican industrial groups

Abstract: Based on an analysis of Mexican industrial history, the objective of this study was to identify the historical events and factors which shaped the international business perspectives and management strategies of Mexican industrial groups (MIGs). To this end, the evolution of MIGs is traced over the course of 170 years and through three distinct phases of Mexican political and economic history: pre‐industrial era (1821‐1940); industrial boom (1940‐1970); and economic crisis and reform (1970‐1990). The subsequent analysis indicates a combination of historical factors resulting in two conditions ‐ domestic orientation and dependent development ‐ which caused MIGs to focus almost exclusively on the Mexican market and to shun international markets and competition.

Labor, capital and the Church: a call for action

Abstract: The Catholic Church has provided an evolving framework, for well over a century, to deal with economic issues. This article examines the past century of Catholic social teaching on the economic order, with particular emphasis on the papal social encyclicals. Focuses on three key aspects of the Church’s social teachings: economic systems, private property and labor. Suggests key areas for further research.

Economic policy: trash as a commodity

Abstract: Over the past 25 years, trash, and facilities for the disposal of trash, have been transformed from public “problems” and resources to property. The social process of transformation has been prompted by increased environmental concerns and increasing volumes of trash which, in turn, prompted the development of regional public disposal facilities and large international trash corporations which dominate this multi‐billion dollar industry. This social and economic transformation has been accompanied by change in legal forms that ratify the economic transformations, as suggested by Balbus and Pashukanis, while also creating conflicts and contradictions, as suggested by Chambliss, which are currently the focus of attention in the United States Congress. This paper traces the social and economic transformation which has occurred and analyzes the legal process of ratifying this transformation, primarily in Federal appellate courts, and the current activity in Congress.

Ethics: a pencil case

Abstract: In the economic aftermath of the Second World War, the people of the Asian Pacific Rim, having been traumatized by that war, were both intimidated by a US presence and thereafter threatened by a Communist takeover. Starting in Japan and extending through the nations of the Five Tigers of South‐East Asia, the “quality movement” gained an unstoppable momentum. This “quality movement” tsunami swept over the USA, propelled by the power of NBC’s nationally televised broadcast, If Japan Can, Why Can’t We? Americans were chagrined to learn that one of their own, Dr W. Edwards Deming, was riding the crest of the wave. The Protestant work ethics and Taylor’s model of efficiency were both swept aside by the power of this wave. However, in Asian industrial parks producing six sigma quality, the ethical underpinning of the people generating the wave was a desire to emulate an ethical mastery which they believed was exhibited by the USA. How was this belief generated? It was generated by US movies, not by the story line, but by what was depicted in the scene. Largely this depiction was enhanced by the Americans who opened their in‐country electronic production plants. Whether attributed to Deming or not, his philosophy dominated the manner and method of how these plants operated. Deming’s “quality movement” deeply and profoundly affected the lives of all who came in contact with what is now believed by many to be a moral and ethical philosophy of work.

Changing forms of workplace representation: the United States Steel Corporation, 1933‐1937

Abstract: Since the National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act of 1935, American labor law has prohibited certain forms of workplace organization in nonunion firms. Congress routinely considers legislation to overturn that prohibition and allow employers more flexibility in creating workplace teams. Systems of employee representation were a prominent feature in American firms after World War I, and in the early 1930s, employers used them extensively as a union substitution technique. At United States Steel, ironically, employee representation provided the means for unionization of the firm. The company’s experience offers insight in the contemporary debate.

International policy: the Cuban missile crisis

Abstract: In this study I revisit the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, in order to gain additional perspective on the relationship between organizational decision making and crisis outcomes This exercise is an historical “counterfactual” or “what if” excursion, using recently declassified documents and simulated exchange calculations, from which I hope to draw three principal benefits First, the study may shed some additional light on why Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was willing to take such a dangerous gamble Second, our counterfactual crisis suggests that the risk of inadvertent war, so much written about in connection with Cuba, 1962, was less important than the risk of a deliberate, but miscalculated, escalation Third, the balance of command and control vulnerability might have mattered more to crisis‐ridden US leaders than the balance of strategic nuclear forces If so, it helps to explain the apparent reluctance of US leaders to employ highly coercive forms of nuclear brinkmanship

Editor’s introduction and situating the appraisal of rationality

Abstract: As well as explaining the basis for, and linking the thematic structure of the contributions to, the Journal of Management History ‐ Special Issue on the topic of rationality, the article appraises the philosophical trichotomisation (or three‐part division) of epistemology. Recognising that rationality is primarily a philosophical concept, but also an esteemed and iconic indicator for good reasoning, the discussion of the trichotomised epistemology is undertaken to illustrate that rationality is conceptually understood in three different forms. From the observation that rationality has to be conceived as trimorphic, the commentary then illustrates the substantive limitations for each form.