"How Business Schools Often Focus on Outdated Expertise"
Outdated Business School Textbooks: A Missed Opportunity for Management Innovation
chandni
In an ever-changing world, where humanity is experiencing a fundamental transformation in how we live, work, and interact, the need for new definitions of management has become paramount. However, the intellectual power of business schools seems to be misdirected, as they continue to teach mostly 20th-century management principles, perpetuating outdated paradigms.
A key driver behind this closed-mindedness is the prevalent use of standard textbooks in business schools. Two such examples are "Business Basics" by William Pride, Robert. Hughes, and Jack Kapoor, and "Business Basics: A Changing World" by OC Ferrell, Geoffrey A. Hirt, and Linda Ferrell. While these books touch upon trendy topics like ethics, diversity, and the role of employees in society, they take a considerable number of pages before delving into the essence of management.
The textbooks present management as a process, devoid of any consideration for thoughts, attitudes, or values. Rather, it is seen as a set of top-down tools and structures, with managers in control and employees as mere resources to achieve organizational goals. The focus remains internal, with little regard for creating value for customers or other stakeholders. The historical context of management, including the contributions of influential thinkers like Peter Drucker, goes unmentioned.
Furthermore, these books pay scant attention to innovation and entrepreneurship, relegating them to a minor role in the management landscape. The true potential of these vital aspects is overlooked, hindering the development of forward-thinking management practices.
In contrast, successful modern-day firms such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla thrive by emphasizing customer value creation, a concept scarcely addressed in the textbooks.
Overall, business schools miss a significant opportunity to lead the way into a new era of management, trapped in the confines of outdated teachings. Embracing innovation, acknowledging historical wisdom, and prioritizing customer value are essential steps to propel management education into the future.
