These technologies sound like something next generation, from our age of knowledge, but no. Through time, human beings have developed various TG, which have focused their essence on different aspects with the sole purpose of making organizations more productive; I could cite, within the first TG that were expressed with such, Taylorism, Fordism, among others.
Towards the end of the 20th century and the beginning of this one, we find a wide variety of TG; which have become a fundamental support for organizations to be competitive or differentiate themselves in this global market in which we live; then let's see what they are.
What are management technologies - TG?
I start by saying that Technology is applied knowledge and Management is Doing (these are pragmatic definitions); then you could say that the TG are the set of knowledge applied to do a job within an organization, for example when using the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act) or Deming circle, a TG is being applied to carry carry out operations or projects in the organization; This technology is based on methodologically and sequentially carrying out planning, execution, evaluation and improvement actions.
TG become tools, based on practical theoretical knowledge, developed through proven proposals (scientific method; many times trial and error), generating models to carry out work in organizations, seeking to be more productive on a day-to-day basis of its operations.
What are the Management Technologies?
There is a diversity of management technologies, but in the following graph I want to show the twenty-five (25) most used today in the world according to the research carried out by Bain & Company.
Note in the graph that strategic planning is the most used in the analyzed sample, perhaps it is due to its greater development, better understanding or more results obtained over time. Also, keep in mind that whoever uses one technology may be using two or more simultaneously.
What Management Technology should be used?
Having a wide range of TG possibilities, my recommendation is that each organization should carry out its diagnosis (alone or with accompaniment) to define what it needs to be more productive, then inquire about the approach of each TG, continuing to determine what each TG would contribute. TG, then take what suits you best from each one, to finally start building its own management technology
- PTG.
Each of these TG will have its advantages and disadvantages according to where and when they are used; the bottom line is to prepare ourselves both to seize the opportunities and to handle the risks of globalization.
My Closing Reflections…
If we try to replicate a TG as is, we are becoming a "mold company", one more company, a cloned company.
When building the PTG we are being creative, investigating; we are working on R & D + I - Research and Development plus Innovation; something essential to be competitive.
By building the PTG, we are generating the “genome of our organization”, that unique information content footprint of how our company works, its expertise and experience. Let's work on developing genuine companies.
People are unique, people are the ones who make up organizations, organizations are unique; then "Organizations are as unique as each of the people who make it up."
Here I reference a couple of interesting documents on management technologies:
Management tools and trends 2007. Rigby, D., Bilodeau, B. June 2007. Bain & Company. www.bain.com
Management Tools 2007: An Executive's Guide. Rigby, D. June 2007. Bain & Company. www.bain.com
