Hard Work and Efficient Management = Success? LO28282

From: D_P_Dash%XIMB@nts2.ximb.ac.in
Date: 04/23/02

Replying to LO28260 --

At de Lange <amdelange@gold.up.ac.za> wrote:

> ... he kept on saying "by persevering with hard work and
> efficient management we will solve that problem". This
> happened not only once, but several times.

It seems, the manager is not using the insight of Einstein we discussed
some time back: You cannot solve a problem at the same level of thinking
that created it.

At, in the Seminar, did the manager present any interpretation or analysis
of the current situation of their organisation? Did he isolate 'hard work'
and 'efficient management' as the two important elements missing in their
organisation? Or, was he trying to shift resopnsibility to or even put
blame on his colleagues?

Taking this opportunity to share some thoughts on management: I would like
to put forward the argument that we do not manage anything per se, but we
only manage a model of it. An example is the management of an economy.
Econometric models of the economy are used, in addition to some healthy
intuition, to determine interest rates, tax rates, etc. The intuition
itself arises from one's understanding of the economy, i.e., from one's
mental model of it. Therefore, when things are not working all right, as
in the case of the organisation At visited, then it is time to look into
the model that is being used to manage the organisation.

Further thinking on such models: It appears, such a model may have two
parts: A model of the relevant world and a model for action. The first
will help the manager SEE what is relevant to see. The second will help
the manager DO what is relevant to do. These two parts of the management
model are likely to be quite different. To give some examples: (a) a model
of a television that defines it parts, its functioning, etc., does not
tell use what programmes we should watch; (b) a model of the weather
system tells us if it is likely to rain today, but not what we might do if
it rains (i.e., stay indoors or go out to play).

Will appreciate your thoughts on this.

DP
India 

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D_P_Dash%XIMB@nts2.ximb.ac.in

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