Why Study Management

(I had written this many years back as part of IIML alumni initiative on developing some content for orientation of new batch at IIML. The article is still valid and relevant. Provides some food for thought for a new management student. Veterans may also find it interesting or perhaps nostalgic ;)

The history of the development of Management discipline is replete with many major debates like – What is management, Is management a science or an art, Can management be taught, Leadership vs. Management, Are managers/leaders born or made etc.

All the proponents of the various diverse views in debates have equally strong points backed by logic and example. And hence most of these debates are often inconclusive. However, what is required from us as disciples and followers of the discipline of management is to take a pragmatic view on these debates, accept the various viewpoints and arrive at an approach which is beneficial to us and provides adequate direction for thought and action.

Here are some of the ‘pragmatic’ expositions on these age old debates: -

What is Management?

There are many definitions of management as a science, art, practice, discipline etc by various authors covering a whole gamut of perspectives on the subject. The concept of management is so large that it is probably not possible to do justice to the concept though a single definition.

 Infact, very often we find that the word management is so general that it is used in very different perspectives:

-          careers/professions (e.g. Hotel Management, Hospitality Management),

-          functional areas (financial management, marketing management, strategic management)

-          groups (Top/Middle/Lower management, Management Vs. Workers)

Without getting more academic about the subject, what we need to understand is that Management is all about defining objectives, defining the methods and tools to achieve those objectives and doing whatever is required to achieve those objectives. (Note that we don’t want to differentiate between objective, goal, target etc. here)

Hence a ‘Management’ role could involve defining/developing the product/service, managing the production or service delivery process, arranging and managing finances, selling/marketing the product or service, managing the people of the organization etc.

 Managers Born vs. Made

Very often one finds people saying that Management is something innate and cannot be taught. Often such comments are heard at the workplace from people who have not attended a management school. And also once in a while from those who have.

While in the past it was believed that Management qualities are innate, it was also realized that one cannot rely on chance per se to guarantee success or a supply of good quality managers. Hence the development of Management education.

Also, the management discipline has gradually developed to include a variety of functional areas with a lot of specialization. This specialized knowledge is not innate and needs to be learned by practice or education.

Why Study Management

As mentioned earlier, while Management is a fairly broad and general term, it includes a variety of disciplines or functional areas, which together go on to comprise what is known as management.

A B-School education gives exposure to the various functional areas or components of management. It is a capsule program designed to cover the basics of all kinds of functional areas. This is not to say that the MBA programs are all inclusive and exhaustive in nature. However, they do tend to cover the more commonly used concepts and practices.

While people can indeed learn whatever is required for a job, ‘on the job’, there are many limitations to that process. First of all, in one particular role, an employee is required to have only a few specific skills. So the employee does not get exposure or practice in other skills. As an employee gets promoted, he suddenly finds that his area of influence has increased and he needs to deal in areas which he has never dealt before. So the person starts performing his new larger role and also starts learning simultaneously through his mistakes or trial and error method. Also, the work life does not provide one with sufficient time to learn new skills or develop new knowledge. Moreover, the training programs organized within the companies are fairly limited in their scope, coverage and value.

In contrast, a B-School graduate while growing through the organizational hierarchy would already have exposure to the new areas the he might be required to handle. Also he can more easily switch roles within the company or across company/industry. In fact, a B-School degree is often a route taken by many to make career shifts across domains/industries.

A B-School graduate will not necessarily be a master of all the subjects. However, thanks to his training, he develops the ability to deal with ambiguity and uncertainty. In case of a new or unknown problem/situation, a B-School graduate is more likely to be aware as to where/how to get the required information or leads.

Another important feature of a B-School program is the group learning through interaction with a diverse set of people with varied educational, professional and cultural backgrounds. This is further enhanced in a residential program. B-Schools provide a very large and exciting platform for networking and developing professional contacts and personal friends.

Also, many B-School programs are designed as a short drill exercise to expose people of the challenges of work life. Hence the rigorous schedules, deadlines, unknown/dynamic groups, simultaneous projects and a tough grading system. Again, this is not to suggest that one who excels in the B-school program will also excel in his work life.

But this kind of drill enables an individual to –

-          to know tough situations which could arise at work so that he/she is not caught off guard

-          learn how to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity

-          develop prioritizing and multitasking abilities

-          learn to work with a diverse set of people with varied temperaments, attitudes and motivations

-          identify ones areas of interest

-          identify ones areas of comfort and areas of improvement

-          develop interpersonal and organizational skills

-          network and build contacts

Effective attitudes for a B-School student:

-          be aware of the system, its offerings and its limitations

-          question regularly your purpose for being a part of the program and refine your goals, expectations and action plans regularly

-          Visualize what you would like to do after ‘x’ no. of years and relate that with your present i.e. what would you like to do/learn right now which you think would help in achieving your vision

-          Always have the big picture in mind (but remember to act locally). This would help in dealing with small disappointments and overcoming the urge to over-compete (indulge in RG J)

-          Get exposure to all kinds of course and functional areas beyond your immediate area of interest/specialization

-          Remember that to be an effective manager you got to become ‘ a jack of all trades and master of few’. Note that a you would need to master more than one area.

-          Try and be a useful member of the system. Contribute and participate actively in the institute activities. You might realize that you learned more outside the class than inside. This would also help develop your organizing skills, soft skills and networking within your batch. Also, this would be a part of the ‘few’ trades that you need to master to be successful.

-          Do not take up a consistent cynical or revolutionary attitude (‘system is bad’ or ‘I will change the system). Remember that no system or organization is perfect. Maintain a positive attitude and approach.