Summary Chapter 14 Waddell 2e F
Chapter 14
Fads, Fashions and the Future of Management
Overview
The purpose of this chapter is to look at the development and adoption of management ideas from a more practical perspective—in reality, the success of a management ‘solution’ is determined by its popularity among practitioners and its ability to achieve efficient, sustainable results. This chapter delves into the mechanics of this market, and investigates the legitimacy of the ‘solutions’ offered by the suppliers of management ideas. The implications of the ‘market’ for management ideas are perhaps greatest for managers, who have to decide what ‘solution’ is best for their organisation. Finally, the role of both the entrepreneur and the intrapreneur are examined.
Defining ‘management fads’
The last 20 years have seen an explosion in the number of ideas that are purportedly at the forefront of management progress, popularised by top-selling books, business gurus and scholars. The types of solutions which are transient in nature are typically referred to as management fads. The notion of a management fashion has been defined as ‘transitory collective beliefs that certain management techniques are at the forefront of management progress’.
The demand for management fashion
Typically, demand for management fads is driven by managers, seeking rational and ‘cutting edge’ solutions to persistent problems they encounter in their organisation. Abrahamson argues that these managers are driven to accept the solutions espoused by the management ‘fashion-setters’ because managers need to ‘be seen’ to be pursuing rational, ‘state-of-the-art’ management techniques, to pacify organisational stakeholders. The decline of one fad is usually interdependent with the development and increasing popularity of another management fad that replaces it. Ettorre, Gibson and Tesone, and Williams all separately suggest the existence of fashions that can be seen in bell-shaped popularity curves. Inevitably, management
Fads, Fashions and the Future of Management
Overview
The purpose of this chapter is to look at the development and adoption of management ideas from a more practical perspective—in reality, the success of a management ‘solution’ is determined by its popularity among practitioners and its ability to achieve efficient, sustainable results. This chapter delves into the mechanics of this market, and investigates the legitimacy of the ‘solutions’ offered by the suppliers of management ideas. The implications of the ‘market’ for management ideas are perhaps greatest for managers, who have to decide what ‘solution’ is best for their organisation. Finally, the role of both the entrepreneur and the intrapreneur are examined.
Defining ‘management fads’
The last 20 years have seen an explosion in the number of ideas that are purportedly at the forefront of management progress, popularised by top-selling books, business gurus and scholars. The types of solutions which are transient in nature are typically referred to as management fads. The notion of a management fashion has been defined as ‘transitory collective beliefs that certain management techniques are at the forefront of management progress’.
The demand for management fashion
Typically, demand for management fads is driven by managers, seeking rational and ‘cutting edge’ solutions to persistent problems they encounter in their organisation. Abrahamson argues that these managers are driven to accept the solutions espoused by the management ‘fashion-setters’ because managers need to ‘be seen’ to be pursuing rational, ‘state-of-the-art’ management techniques, to pacify organisational stakeholders. The decline of one fad is usually interdependent with the development and increasing popularity of another management fad that replaces it. Ettorre, Gibson and Tesone, and Williams all separately suggest the existence of fashions that can be seen in bell-shaped popularity curves. Inevitably, management