On the Job Training

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 519.

Are you good at accounting, economics and financial matters?

Reading One: On the Job Training

Introducing the Topic

A. Discuss these questions with your group-mates. Then read the dialogue.

Do you think knowledge of these subjects is very important for a manager? Why?

The ultimate test of management is performance.

Peter F. Drucker

Peter took a full-time course at the London Business School and has sufficient knowledge of accounting, economics and financial matters. Now he is on the job training with an American corporation where he studies marketing and management techniques because he is eager to gain first-hand experience. He is talking with Mr. Jackson, a manager of the corporation.

Peter: As far as I know, your corporation is well-established in the market and your position is strong. How did you start your business?

Mr. Jackson: I was young, enthusiastic and had a good educational background. I was thrilled at the idea of running my own business. In a word, I started my business from scratch. Although our corporation is a profit-making one, a few years ago there was serious ground for concern as I was faced with a number of pressing problems.

Peter: And what was done to make the corporation profitable?

Mr. Jackson: It was evident that a good development programme was to be worked out to make the corporation flexible, dynamic and fully coordinated.

Peter: You spend all your working time with the corporation. What is most important for a true manager?

Mr. Jackson: I'm convinced that an efficient manager always puts new ideas to life and he is oriented on high standards that allow maintaining good reputation. That's why I appreciate such qualities as great knowledge, good expertise and truly original thinking.

Peter: Briefly speaking, what are the advantages of a result-oriented organization?

Mr. Jackson: First, sound and fast decision-making. Second, more top-management time for long-range planning and less need to be involved in day-to-day operations as in management the key thing is not to issue instructions but to get results.

Peter: I can see that your corporation is really mobile and you are not afraid of changes in the market.

Mr. Jackson: We indeed have the ability to manage change rather than be managed by it.