The Millennium Manager

Chapter one examines the contributions made by a number of writers whose concept of quality within manufacturing, the service industries and possibly life in general, has made a major impact on the way we think and act today. The messages covered in this chapter is analysed to see if there is sufficient agreement in the various writings to provide managers with, comprehensive and coherent models for the implementation of TQM.

Chapter two looks at changes within an organisation and critically analyse the implementation of strategies in the organisation in relation to issues of Change Management. This chapter attempts to anticipate some of the changes and suggests ways in which the organisation might plan and accommodate them. The proposals put forward, justify some debate, as the central theme running through this chapter is that of constant change.

Chapter three is about Management Decision-Making and is a case study of organisation change and conflict. This chapter looks at two strategic decisions by the organisation. On inspection it was found that these organisational changes were carried out without communication or consultation with staff or their respective trade unions. It will show how this “Scientific Management Style”, which ignore human needs and behaviour and unsuitable for such organisation has caused both interdepartmental and interpersonal conflict. I discussed how conflict may be recognised and strategies to overcome or reduce the conflict and so bring about organisational effectiveness. I also discussed some causes of interpersonal conflict and how effective negotiation may be used to solve these conflicts.

Chapter four is about Management Decision-Making and looks at creativity and successful innovation within an organisation. This chapter discusses the characteristic behaviour of decision makers in such an organisation and outline the key variables that would, in my view, have to exist in order for a creative organisation to prosper. I discuss how creative organisations may seek out and recruit new members who they feel are especially creative. Creative organisations must develop an action plan for the introduction of new ideas, new services, new products etc. If highly creative individuals occupy strategic positions within an organisation, it is possible for them to influence the style adopted throughout the organisation and develop a highly creative organisation.

Chapter five is about Management Decision-Making. Organisations must seek the best possible match between environmental conditions, organisational structure, and culture in order to improve their decision-making capacity. Decision-Making is seen as the response of an organisation to its environment. An understanding of the processes for decision-making cannot be achieved without paying attention to the issues of organisation culture. It is important when analysing the strategic position of an organisation, to assess how this culture influences decision-making in the organisation and the strategies being pursued. This chapter argues that a useful analysis of culture can be achieved by examining the culture web of factors within an organisation, which preserves and sustain commonly held beliefs. The structure of an organisation is an important part of the culture web and therefore influences how individuals and groups perceive the organisation’s decisions, so the design and management of the organisational structure is crucial to the successful implementation of decisions.

Chapter six is about Managing Change in a Public Organisation. This chapter looks at one organisation and examines the implications for the processes of strategy implementation of the “Post-Modern Condition”, and the related issues of complexity. Certainly, organisations are changing, that is an essential element in the process of organisations. In this chapter, I tend to agree with the assertion that the period of Modernity, if we wish to call it that, is still dominant. Terms such as capitalism, industrialism, financial regulations, accountability and budgetary control are still appropriate, and I do not see how we can do without the legacy of the division of labour, bureaucracy and political economy. They are not beyond question but seem to provide a framework for thinking about organisations that has not yet been transcended. There seems to be no reason, apart from academic fashion, to introduce the term “Post-Modernism”, because it appears to have little or no empirical foundation and provides no convincing theoretical reason for adopting a periodisation of organisational form.