Concerning Paul Wongs desire for building the
perfect decision-maker through education:
I have taught at university in the USA, China,
Switzerland, and Germany, and in management
education for IBM and Six Continents Hotels &
Resorts. While no great fan of the German system
of higher education (for the most part designed
and administered by government bureaucrats with
no education in curriculum and instruction), most
of its shortcomings are overcome by a tradition
of apprenticeship even for university graduates.
The curriculum, especially in the Fachhochschule
(comparable to an "Institute of Technology" in
the US and New Zealand), emphasises a
technical-skills-based education system
(including 2 semesters of practical experience in
industry in a 4-year programme) rather than a
management-skills-based system, as in the USA.
(Many German CEOs and managers have a Ph.D. in a
"content" area.)
Both systems produce an incomplete, one-sided
graduate. Part of what Paul Wong is looking for
stems from general intelligence, part from an
intimate knowledge of what and how the
organisation produces, markets, and sells its
product or service, and part from an intimate
knowledge of how to effectively manage
production, people, and money. Specialists are
very useful, but not as general managers.
Combining these skills with experience can lead
to an effective decision-maker. As has been
pointed out in earlier postings, managers spend
some 2% of their time making decisions, and 98%
percent of their time attempting to take
advantage of correct decisions or mitigating the
disasters from the other kinds. Intimate
knowledge of the production process seems to be
essential.
We all realise that these skills are impossible
to teach in a 3 or 4 year bachelor program, and
very difficult to teach in 2 or 3 years of
post-graduate study. So it comes back to
curriculum design.
John Orr <
johno@cameron.edu> wrote:
> Paul Nutt's idea that "50% of all top mgmt
> decisions fail" has good
> company.
>
>
> Just before he retired, Peter Drucker said in
> an interview that rank-
> and-file workers <bold>ignore </bold>half the
> dictates of top management.
>
>
> And, he said, it's usually a good thing they
> do.
>
>
> John P. Orr
>
> Cameron University
>
> =====================
>
>
> Date sent:
> <color>0000,0000,8000Sat, 5 Jan
> 2002 09:55:51 -0500</color>
>
> From:
> <color>0000,0000,8000"Roy J.
> Lewicki" <<
lewicki_1@cob.osu.edu></color>
>
> <bold>Subject:
> <color>0000,0000,8000Re: Can we
> teach how to make good judgements in Business
> Schools</bold></color>
>
>
> You ought to read the work of Paul Nutt. Paul
> has several books
> and
>
> numerous articles out on top management
> decision making. His
> claim is
>
> that 50% of all top mgt decisions fail.,
> suggesting that all the work
>
> we do trying to train managers to make better
> decisions may or
> may not
>
> succeed better than chance. For reasons why,
> consult his work.
>
> Methodologies are controversial but it will get
> you going in a
>
> direction.
>
>
> Roy Lewicki
>
>
> <color>7F00,0000,0000>Managers
> and CEOs are paid to make good decisions,
> because one bad
>
> >decision has the potential of ruining the
> buiness.
>
> >
>
> >There are many courses on problem solving and
> decision making
>
> >processes. However, I am talking about making
> good judgements in
>
> >day-to-day interactions and in high dynamic
> and kinetic engagements.
>
> >
>
> >I have witnessed again and again that when
> leaders misread a very
>
> >fluid situaiton, or misjudge the the
> characters involved in the
>
> >engagement, they end up making very bad
> decisions.
>
> >
>
> >Some people believe that good judgements are
> based on intuition and
>
> >creativity -- it is same thing possessed by
> very talented leaders,
>
> >but it cannot be taught. Is there any research
> refuting or supporting
>
> >this view?
>
>
> <nofill>
> John P. Orr, Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor of Management
> School of Business, Rm. 314
> Cameron University
> 2800 West Gore Blvd.
> Lawton, OK 73505
> Phone: 580-581-2367
=====
Prof. Romie F. Littrell, Ph.D.
Department of Managaement
Fh-Aalen University of Applied Sciences
Beethovenstrasse Nr. 1
D-73430 Aalen
Germany
Fax: (49)7361-576-330
__________________________________________________
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