Thoughts in Management and Cultures- Part 1

The United States is home for some of the best management schools in the world, many countries around the world have tried to implement American style management with limited success.

Management encompasses the study of many disciplines from history to behavioral science. A group culture plays an important part of what style of management would suit them best. I find it difficult, at this moment in time, to see the benefits of having a certain type of management style that would fit various cultures. In the Arab world, where I am working at the moment, the owner or the president of the company is usually the ultimate decision maker.

I am a firm believer in change management; management style must change regularly in order for companies to remain competitive. But the culture in this part of the world is not entirely supportive for change, you may hear officials talk about the need for change, but they actual steps taken are little.

Change management can not take place if the whole supporting infrastructure is not in place. I am at the end of a nine months course in corporate innovation and entrepreneurship, this course is taught here in Qatar at Carnegie Mellon campus. The main focus of this course is to bring the culture of innovations and entrepreneurship to Qatar, although the idea behind the course is excellent, many students voiced concerns over how the local culture doesn’t support change, which is the main ingredient of any innovative idea.