Business leaders’ careers are challenging and exciting now. Challenging because of the ever-changing business environment and exciting because of changes come a chance to innovate and learn via experience (Vivek Chachra, 2015). Contemporary change which is caused by the impact of technological, economic and social forces, is now more dramatic (Adcroft et al, 2008). Change can be categorized into “First and Second Order Changes”. First order change is small-scale and supports organizational continuity and order. Second order change is large-scale and fundamentally alters the organization to its core (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2006). Rapidly changing is a large-scale adjustment with enormous risk. For instance, Finley Kumble bankrupted because Kumble operated the organization too fast (Abrahamson, 2000). However, General Electric successfully changed because slowdown is used appropriately (Abrahamson, 2000). This shows changes can be disruptive to organizations (Abrahamson, 2000). Nevertheless, changes can be painless to organizations when dynamic stability is kept by tinkering and kludging (Abrahamson 2000). Dynamic stability can be achieved through intervallic injections at precise intervals. (Abrahamson, 2000).
Owing to changes in business environment, effective management is crucial. Organizations with effective management will value people highly and conduct them well (Pfeffer, J. & J. F. Veiga, 1999). Effective managers will assist anxious employees and stakeholders trust the company by giving adequate communication during changes (Vivek, 2015). They will assist the employees to be successful and find roles that fit them. (McFarlin & Sweeney, 2000). Employee motivation, productivity or business’ reputation may be affected by ineffective management (Businesscasestudies.co.uk., 2010). Successful companies, such as Cisco Systems, Merck and Wal-Mart do have effective management, an established corporate culture and superb employees (Colvin, 1997).
Science is viewed as knowledge about the structure and behaviour of the natural and physical world, based on provable facts and systemized theories (Gao, 2008). Management is a science as it is “a ball of knowledge” which tries to comprehend reasons and ways men work systematically to obtain goals (Gulick, 1965). Furthermore, for a discipline to be characterized as science, it should have different subject matter, the presumption of underlying regularities, and application of the scientific method (Ronald & Shelby, 1978). Management is a science because it has distinct topics, which focus on coordination activity. (Ronald & Shelby, 1978). Besides, other science involving human behaviour observed many regularities, thus the behaviour of coordination will be found. (Ronald & Shelby, 1978). Furthermore, there are scientific principles and rules can be applied to increase productivity or efficiency of organizations (Gao, 2008).
In addition, management is a science since Frederick Taylor came out with the scientific management theory. He formalized the principles of scientific management and developed a set of concepts to increase efficiency. His theory still has impacts in today’s organizations, and Mc Donald’s is no exception. In Mc Donald’s, there are systems that reward employees for attaining goals, scientific education imposed on workers and a uniform method to complete jobs. Other representatives of the scientific school are Churchman’s social systems design and Ackoff’s social systems science (Gao, 2008).
Moreover, management as science comes from the area of systems science (Gao, 2008). Waldrop evolved the complex adaptive system. The management is done independently without guidance from central control (Freedman, 1992). This self-management allows systems to operate by “flexible specialization”. When external environment changes, the structure of the systems will change (Freedman, 1992). Management seems to be a science since artificial intelligence (AI) technology has redefined management recently (Vegard, Amico and Thomas, 2016). Managers have left time-consuming tasks, such as administrative coordination and control tasks to AI (Vegard, Amico, & Thomas, 2016). Management may, in fact, is a science but not the science in most managers’ thought (Freedman, 1992). Management is not a pure science as it deals with unpredictable human elements. Consequently, it is not only a descriptive and experimental science but also a dynamic and normative science (Gulick, 1965).
Art is the imposition of a vision on distinct parts to generate a representation of that vision (Boettinger, 1975). People with visions but no skill are dreamers, people with skills but without visions are only technicians. Both of them are inefficiency and ineffective (Boettinger, 1975). Management can also view as an art because managers are similar to artists. Managers have their own materials, which are human talents. They must know the workers’ talent well to accomplish goals. Management is the art of arts as it is the organizer of talents. (Boettinger, 1975). Management is an art which starts later in life, unlike the other arts and it is impossible to solely learn the art of management (Boettinger, 1975). Managers should learn management from experience and models. Managers should also have the ability to involve in conference dialogue and to present ideas and programs. (Boettinger, 1975). Managers with formal educational qualifications claim that practical working experience is vital in developing management skills (Huong, 2006).
A Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) manager, underscore his thirty-year hands-on experience. His management skills were mainly acquired from his working experience. He knew artists’ emotion and knew their ability when communicating with them. He utilized these soft skills to build good teamwork in his organization (Huong, 2006). Managers may take two attitudes towards their problems: view problems as isolated puzzles to be solved independently or view problems as connected puzzles to be solved by redesigning (Boettinger, 1975). The first approach is management sciences, but management arts adopt the second (Boettinger, 1975). Managers like artists should have skills and vision and the desire to communicate their purpose (Boettinger, 1975). An artist conveys his purpose to his viewers while a manager conveys his purpose to his subordinates (Boettinger, 1975). If realization is faulty, it is a bad management. On the contrary, it is an effective management if realization is congruent with a good vision (Boettinger, 1975).
Management is a science as well as an art. Management as a science because management follows a systematic way by applying scientific methods and principles to search for solutions to the problems. Managers who try to manage without management science have to believe in their intuition or luck at their peril. Although management science is just about knowledge, rules and methods, it does not mean anyone can be a manager by just understanding these pieces of knowledge. This is because management is also an art. Management art is about human skills. A competent manager should know the abilities of his subordinates, the ways to communicate with them and the ways to motivate them. These skills and experiences can be acquired through on-the-job training or practical working.
Unquestionably, managing in practice is an art but the body of knowledge underlying the practice is a science. The science and art of management are not contradictory, but they are complementary.
Reference:
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