The view on 'a management revolution' presented by Gary Hamel Essay

The view on 'a management revolution' presented by Gary Hamel - Essay Example Proper management is essential if organizations are to run effortlessly and achieve their purposes. It is through management that humankind has grown tremendously over the years. However, the tools of management on which this model is built have been in use since the 19th century, with a few changes if any While organizations remain stagnated on this old management model, the business environment, and the entire world, has fully revolutionized (Chizema & Kim, 109, 2010). Since the business environment continues to change, managing continuity should be imperative to all organizations to develop a connection between the realities of past, present, and future (Kolb, 183, 2003). With markets opening beyond national borders, and business processes becoming faster and more flexible, business organizations have been forced to adapt to a model more suitable for the 21st century (Burgelman & Grove, 965, 2007). However, Gary Hamel (2009) calls for an entire revolutionary change of the current management model. In his article entitled ‘Moon shots for management’, he says, â€Å"The evolution of management has traced a classic S-curve,† and goes on to argue that a new management model must be invented for the new age. New challenges The current management model is vertically structured with precisely defined roles for every level and is guided by set rules and procedures (Pye & Pettigrew, 153, 2005). In the current business environment, effective change is achieved when a firm has an organized pattern of decisions that guide deployment of resources in response to environmental changes (strategy) and a mechanism that turns this strategy into output (organization) (Nadler &Tushman, 204, 1989). Overcoming challenges entail changing the entire organizational culture by setting new goals, visions, missions, values, and strategies (Sisaye, 176, 2000).Even though culture is complicated, differentiated and difficult to control, it should be manipulated to encom pass a deep level of unconscious basic assumptions manifested in shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and creations (Harris and Ogbonna, 32, 2002). In order to overcome these challenges, Hamel postulates that business executives â€Å"must face the fact that â€Å"tomorrow’s business imperatives lay outside the performance envelope of today’s bureaucracy-infused management practices.† . Little is known about the strategy making processes at the top level of companies (Dewally & Peck, 38, 2010). A broader insight into the leadership structure of a company is needed as part of a broader attempt to remodel management (Pye & Pettigrew, 28, 2005). In organizations, governance and decision-making is dependent on bargaining between the board of directors and CEO. This is characterized by covert and overt use of power and influence (Daily, Dalton & Canella 2003). This drive should be towards an open, inclusive, and democratic organizational form (Mintzberg, 43, 1994). Th e top management executives should adopt an inclusive management style (Liedtka, 120, 1998). The Moon Shots In May 2008, Gary outlined 25 critical points that he felt should be adopted by business organizations as a way of reinventing management to better suit the present. Hamel was keen to point out that these moon shots were not exhaustive. From the moon shots, companies first have to redefine their goals. Clear redefinition of goals must encompass building human capital and engendering employee engagement (Davenport & Larding, 259, 2010). With the current management set up, companies are encouraged to adopt management practices that are socially beneficial. Today’s corporate governance structures promote the interests of some groups while oppresses others. In many cases, the senior executives and the shareholders benefit while employees and the local communities suffer (Zerbe, Hartel & Ashkanasy, 149, 2008). This is due to existence of a large gap between leadership and ch ange management. These leaders have a high charismatic