Management fad: Difference between revisions
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A '''management fad''' is a derisive term use to characterize a change in philosophy or operations that sweeps through businesses and institutions, and then disappears when enthusiasm for it wanes. According to critics, a management fad is often launched by business [[academia|academic]]s or [[management consulting|management consultants]], and adopted by [[management|manager]]s |
A '''management fad''' is a derisive term use to characterize a change in philosophy or operations that sweeps through businesses and institutions, and then disappears when enthusiasm for it wanes. According to critics, a management fad is often launched by business [[academia|academic]]s or [[management consulting|management consultants]], and adopted by [[management|manager]]s. |
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The appraisal that a management theory or practice is a "management fad" is subjective. There is |
The appraisal that a management theory or practice is a "management fad" is subjective. There is not always a clear consensus on the distinction between a management fad, and longer lasting management practices. |
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Critics charge that although changes in the usual way of doing business may persist as the result of one of these, the central characteristics of a management fad is the short term pursuit of change by [[management]] via one off, special activities such as workshops, off-site meetings etc. followed by a gradual disappearance of the change as both management and staff lose interest, with a return to business as usual. |
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==Examples== |
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The following management practices and theories have been classified by some as management fads: [[management by objectives]], the [[W. Edwards Deming|Deming]] system, [[Total Quality Management|total quality management]], the [[customer service]] revolution, [[reengineering]], and [[knowledge management]]. Critics charge that although changes in the usual way of doing business may persist as the result of one of these, the central characteristics of a management fad are formal introduction of the change by [[management]] via memorandums, workshops, and the formation of committees, the enthusiastic or cynical adoption of the changes by staff, and the gradual disappearance of the change as both management and staff lose interest, with a return to business as usual. Though a new approach such as the Deming system may be valid and useful, if the name under which that method was introduced vanishes from organizational communication and from business and management magazines and journals, then it may be assumed to have been a management fad. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 17:44, 9 January 2007
A management fad is a derisive term use to characterize a change in philosophy or operations that sweeps through businesses and institutions, and then disappears when enthusiasm for it wanes. According to critics, a management fad is often launched by business academics or management consultants, and adopted by managers.
The appraisal that a management theory or practice is a "management fad" is subjective. There is not always a clear consensus on the distinction between a management fad, and longer lasting management practices.
Critics charge that although changes in the usual way of doing business may persist as the result of one of these, the central characteristics of a management fad is the short term pursuit of change by management via one off, special activities such as workshops, off-site meetings etc. followed by a gradual disappearance of the change as both management and staff lose interest, with a return to business as usual.
References
Crainer, Stuart, and Des Dearlove, “Whatever Happened to Yesterday's Bright Ideas?,” Across the Board, Vol. 43, No. 3, May/June 2006, pp. 34-40.
Malone, Michael S., “A Way Too Short History of Fads,” Forbes, Vol. 159, No. 7, April 7, 1997 (ASAP supplement).
Paul, Annie Murphy, “I Feel Your Pain,” Forbes, Vol. 174, No. 13, Dec. 27, 2004.
Strang, David; Macy, Michael W.,"In Search of Excellence: Fads, Success Stories, and Adaptive Emulation." American Journal of Sociology, Jul2001, Vol. 107 Issue 1
Wilson, T.D. (2002) "The nonsense of 'knowledge management'" Information Research, 8(1), paper no. 144. [Available at http://InformationR.net/ir/8-1/paper144.html]
D Collins. "The branding of management knowledge: rethinking management ‘fads’," Journal of Organizational Change Management, 2003.
D. Collins. "The fad motif in management scholarship," Employee Relations, Feb. 2001.