Management Theory & Practice Qs: #1 • Have you encountered situations that you would describe as examples of Ghoshal's allegation that "bad management theories are destroying good management practices?" By contrast, can you recall situations where management theories have assisted managers in making good decisions? • Roxburgh identifies some 'hidden flaws in strategy." Give examples from your own experience. Have you encountered strategic flaws that do not fit into the categories that Roxburgh identifies? Middle Managers as Innovators Qs: #2 • Does Rosabeth Moss Kanter's article resonate in your experience? How? • Do you feel empowered and able to innovate in the organization in which you work? To what extent? • What limits your ability to innovate? As a manager, how do you empower your subordinates to be innovators? Does your organization support these efforts? Risk Management Qs: #3 What risks does your organization face with respect to your areas of responsibility? How do you and your organization assess and mitigate these risks? Quality Control Qs: #4 • What distinguishes quality initiatives like ISO 9000 and the Baldridge National Quality Program from Total Quality Management (TQM) and similar managerial commitments? • There is some evidence that in the years immediately following Baldridge or ISO certification/accreditation, performance standards and attention to quality actually decline to levels below the build up to accreditation review. What might explain this result? How can managers guard against this kind of 'relapse'? • If you have been employed in an organization that has gone through the Baldridge or ISO process, share your experiences. What challenges did you face? Was the payoff to the organization worth the effort?