Dear GameChangers,

During the last fifty years, and increasingly so in recent years, so much of business practice has been influenced by ‘new knowledge’ and ‘new theory’ developed within our business and management schools; this often results in ‘new executive education’ or is touted by consultants as the next ‘big idea’. However, do we as business practitioners really believe that these ‘new theories’ help us to run our businesses better, produce more profits, behave ethically and be more socially responsible, make our people happier, build environmentally sustainable businesses, coexist with our stakeholders, give us more fulfilling business lives, etc, etc.?

Many of my colleagues feel that the continual glut of ‘new theories’, and the ever-increasing mountain of books on business and management, often combine with a lack of connection to the realities of business practice, complexities of organisations, and a changing world. Consequently, some believe that this ‘pretence of business knowledge’ is leading to disillusionment amongst many in the business practitioner community. How do you feel about the ‘pretence of business knowledge’?

Thanks,

Kuldip Reyatt

Dear Kuldip,

The art of improvisation has been with us since the first human saw the first spark fly off the first flint and thought, “Yes and…I’m going to make another spark and this time the game is to make it land on that clump of dry grass…” (more…)