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Tools and Theories: Directions for a Troubled Discipline

  • 1.  Tools and Theories: Directions for a Troubled Discipline

    Posted 02-22-2009 09:39
    I think Romie Littrell makes an extremely important point about tools and theories. Nice, succinct post, Romie.

    --
    Regards,

    Fred Nickols
    Managing Partner
    Distance Consulting, LLC
    nickols@att.net
    www.nickols.us

    "Assistance at A Distance"

    -------------- Original message ----------------------
    From: Romie Littrell <littrellaom@YAHOO.CO.NZ>
    >
    > Let me expand, I was in the public library and my computer time ran out.
    >
    > Business managers and executives do not use theories. They use tools. See
    > http://www.bain.com/management_tools/home.asp
    > It is our responsibility as management educators and developers to develop
    > useful theories and use the theories to build better tools. The vast majority of
    > managers and executives are not going to read theoretical articles. To succeed
    > we must provide usable tools that produce useful results in most business
    > environments, or in specific business environments, that we clearly specify.
    >
    >
    >
    > Do not accustom yourself to use big words for little matters.
    > -Samuel Johnson
    > Romie F. Littrell, BA, MBA,PhD, FIAIR, An fánaí fiáin
    > AUT Business School N.Z., romie.littrell@aut.ac.nz
    > http://www.romielittrellpubs.homestead.com/
    > http://www.crossculturalcentre.homestead.com/
    > Facilitator, Leadership & Management in Sub-Sahara Africa Conferences
    > Contents copyright Romie F. Littrell
    >
    > --- On Wed, 18/2/09, Jerrold Strong <JStrong@ACTRANSIT.ORG> wrote:
    >
    > From: Jerrold Strong <JStrong@ACTRANSIT.ORG>
    > Subject: Re: Directions for a Troubled Discipline
    > To: MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    > Date: Wednesday, 18 February, 2009, 6:42 AM
    >
    >
    >
    > Executives are under tremendous pressure in America to show growth and profit
    > every 12 weeks. Short term thinking.  System pressures from shareholder greed,
    > stock prices, government oversight, debt, and many other things I can't think of
    > off the top of my head, severely limits corporate governance's willingness to
    > make good strategic decisions.  To blame it on any one thing is simplistic and
    > wrong headed.
    >  
    > Real leadership seems absent in most corporate board rooms.  Small business
    > suffers from this as well.  Short term thinking, no clear mission or vision.
    >  
    > Jerry
    >  
    > Jerrold Strong, M.A.
    > Adjunct Faculty Organizational Leadership
    > Chapman University
    >  
    > "Everyone gets the experience; some get the lesson."
    >                                                      T.S. Elliot
    >  
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > From: Management Education and Development Discussion
    > [mailto:MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Joel Harmon
    > Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 8:38 AM
    > To: MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    > Subject: Re: Directions for a Troubled Discipline
    >
    >
    >
    > I'm not sure that the problem is a lack of understanding of strategic
    > management.  It seems more about executive greed overpowering what strategic
    > analysis indicates is in the best mid to long-term interests of the firm (or of
    > society, which gets put way down the list of strategic criteria).
    >  
    >
    > Joel Harmon, Ph.D.
    > Professor of Management
    > Executive Director & Director of Research
    > Institute for Sustainable Enterprise
    > Fairleigh Dickinson University
    > Madison, NJ 07940
    > US Cell: 732-672-2834
    > Fax: 973-443-8792
    >
    >  
    >  
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