Today I have been...

Reading the special issue of Academy of Management Learning and Education 2005, vol 4 no 2, where there are 7 reviews of Henry Mintzberg's criticism and views on (North American) MBA education in his book Managers not MBAs.

Why?

Activity 1.1, B830 Issues and Approaches - part 1, Integrating Practice, Learning and Theory.

So What?

Mintzberg's view is that (at the time of writing) the majority of MBA students were too young to do an MBA course. His view was they should have engaged some management experience first, and in his response to the reviews he asks three questions:-

• Does the MBA class consist of practicing managers? Managers cannot be created in a classroom, trying to do so just creates hubris.
• Do these managers stay on the job while studying? Ripping them out of their jobs to study full-time foregoes the opportunity to develop them in the context of their practice.
• If these managers are on the job, does the program(me) focus on them learning from their own experience? Not just other people's experience, as in cases and theory, but their own experience. The former are fine but limited; the latter is key. And not just at coffee breaks and mealtimes, but centrally, concertedly, in the classroom - for example half its time devoted to managers sharing experiences among themselves, on their agendas.

To date, it has been interesting to try and relate my management studies to my own professional life. The OU MBA is set up in such a way to encourage this, and although some modules are more theory-based than others, the OU "way" is certainly similar to that described above.

The main thing I have noticed is my MBA studies have given me almost a different "lens" to view my work with. The models and frameworks and techniques taught have become part of a toolset, and I certainly feel better able to interact with senior staff within the organisation at their level.

I have also hugely valued the networking that doing this study has enabled. I have met some others who have studied the same qualifications and modules within my workplace and outside it, and have enjoyed working with others from a cross-section of industries at study groups, tutorials and residential schools.

The IMPM approach as described by Mintzberg seems to be trying to address his concerns. The main attraction is the notion of it being practice-based. There is a difference about training someone to talk about good practice and training them to practice good practice.





How will I use it?

I hope the remainder of my study will help develop the three styles of management in me - calculating, heroic and engaging - and particularly engaging.