Giving disruption a new face
A recent article in Forbes India looks at the buzz-concept of disruption, and how many companies are caught up in a disrupt-or-die philosophy.
When the idea of disruption was first floated in the early 20th century, it reflected the standard market movements of the day; today’s lightning-fast disruption cycle has completely turned the old concept of “normal” on its ear. But is disruption just a by-product of the modern world?
New international sustainability test module based on Mintzberg book announced
The Sustainability Literacy Test (aka “Sulitest”) is both a non-profit and a method for verifying sustainability know-how across the globe. It is the work of an international cadre of academics and business professionals alike, mandated by the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012.
Jose Carlos Marques Finalist for 2017 AOM SIM Dissertation Award
The dissertation of Desautels PhD alumnus Jose Carlos Marques (PhD'17) was selected as one of the three finalists for the Academy of Management Social Issues in Management Best Dissertation Award 2017.
Microservices are a boon for adaptability-focused firms
Author Ronnie Mitra writes in The New Stack about how businesses are focussing on adaptability like never before, and how that is weighing heavy on tech teams. It looks more and more like the answer lies in microservices.
Coop Director suggests that we trust our teams
In a piece for Cooperateur, La Coop Fédérée Director Colette Lebel asks what would happen if if we just trust our teams instead of depending on our individualism all the time?
A Chinese student and the Desautels Professors who inspired her
In a recent op-ed on sohu.com, Chuqing Zhang describes the four months she spent in Montreal at the Desautels Faculty of Management as an important phase in her development as an academic.
Mintzberg on healthcare management and how to fix it
In his new book, Managing the Myths of Healthcare, Desautels professor Henry Mintzberg decries the current management culture being foisted on society by leadership programs, describing it as “detached, generic, technocratic,” before going on to claim that it can too easily lead to bullying and divisiveness.
Getting the terminology right: Just what is a ‘strategic plan,’ anyway?
In a recent blog post, Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry Executive Director Sid Peimer of South Africa asks just what a “strategic plan” is, pointing out that a strategy and a plan are two different things. Mr. Peimer contends that a strategy is what one needs in order to attain a goal, while a plan is the “how.”
Essay calling for a complete revamp of executive education cites Henry Mintzberg
A recent essay in Chief Learning Officer calls for a massive rethink of how executive education is designed and delivered.
Connectivity is more than a smartphone and online access
A recent article in Graphic Arts makes the point that the word “connectivity” brings to mind images of smartphones and online transactions, but that according to Desautels Professor Henry Mintzberg, net-based communications do a poor job of building real interpersonal relationships.
Karl Moore on introverts, extroverts, and Warren Buffett
Back in January, Karl Moore took a group of Desautels students to meet Warren Buffett at his Omaha offices. Mr. Buffett is known to be an introvert, and his conduct during the visit bore that out; rather than expounding on everything that came up, Mr. Buffett stuck to speaking on subjects he knows well.
Maybe it’s time to second-guess the Harvard MBA and its ilk
In a recent op-ed, Financial Times editor Andrew Hill takes issue with the methodologies of the MBA programs offered by the Harvard Business School and other schools worldwide.
The Desautels professor who is taking on the MBA
Henry Mintzberg is looking beyond the MBA. For years, the Desautels Professor railed against what many in the corporate world see as the ultimate form of business education.
Government is a bad match for Trump’s management style
Donald Trump’s 100-day-old presidency has come up short according to nearly any metric. As the U.S. President has failed to get major legislation passed, or to fill some key government positions, he has taken to governing by executive order. But even those orders haven’t really produced the results he was looking for.
Leadership, management and a false dichotomy
In a letter to Malaysia’s The Star Online, management consultant Dr Ranjit Singh Malhi takes issue with the widely-held distinction between managers and leaders. Though many theorists draw a line between effectiveness (the bailiwick of leaders) and efficiency (a manager’s wheelhouse), Dr.
