PROFESSIONAL MANAGER

Reviewed by

K. A. I. Kalyanaratne

Consultant – Publications

Postgraduate Institute of Management

University of Sri Jayewardenepura

By-annual publication of the PIM : Issue No. 18

There are mainly four ways of acquiring knowledge on management, and for that matter on any discipline. They are through Research, Text books, Seminars and Workshops, and Periodic publications (journals / magazines). Each of these has its inherent advantages and limitations. Research works, once published and presented, take a long time either to come as simplified versions or get accommodated in subject-based text books. Text books have time-gaps as they take longer periods to revise and update their contents. Further, most of these updates are dependent on relevant research works, and best practices evolved through trial and error and acceptance. Seminars and workshops, although serve a useful purpose, their infrequent conduct, limited participation and inadequate documentation would, more often, impose limitations on their impact on the relevant segments.

Against this backdrop, periodicals have been accepted as serving the desired sectors better, especially the professionals, who devote more time on their jobs, than perusing /reading research findings, text books and/or attending seminars and workshops. However, the fact remains that these periodicals need to be regular, frequent and focused, if they are to serve a useful purpose. In the context of the discipline of management, such periodicals should not be mere vehicles for carrying conceptual knowledge. Management, being an operational discipline, what matters most is practicality and proven utility of the practices.

Thus, the Professional Manager, the regular management publication of the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), which has served our professional managers for the last twelve (12) years, has now published its latest issue – Issue No. 18, equipped with a rich array of articles that will further enrich their managerial acumen. As usual, its cover page features an alumnus of the PIM, Mr. Ajantha Madurapperuma, who currently holds a strategic position as Chief Bank Examiner at the Central Bank of Oman. The feature article, presented in the form of an interview, under the caption “Passion to Serve Profession and Industry beyond Borders,” spells out his experiences in serving as a professional in an overseas market, away from home. With his indepth experience as a banker-cum-teacher, referring to performance excellence, he professes that: “There is no time to stop or take a break in professional competence development. Regardless of the level of seniority in career, one must spend time learning, unlearning and relearning.”

An article that would, for certain, gain much currency, especially among the powers that be, is the analytical observations on the most critical issue nations are currently confronted with, namely, the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. W.A.Wijewardena, (former Deputy Governor, Central Bank), being a veteran banker and a professional of repute, currently serving as a member of Boards of Studies of many academic and professional institutions, professes in his essay on “Sri Lankan Economy in Post-Covid-19 Era: A Black Sworn Perspective” that “At the global level nations have to cooperate and collaborate with each other rather than seek to win the game, individually. Individual country efforts can take a nation forward to a certain level. But that level is not enough for it to even restore what it had been earlier, let alone making an improvement.” In fact, Dr. Wijewardena’s critique provides an abundance of food for thought for our leaders as to how the country should be re-directed towards a ‘New Economic Model” in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Prof. Ajantha S. Dharmasiri, Director, PIM, provides under the catchy caption “Legendary Wealth of “Well Done”: Treasures of a Transformational Leader” an insightful account of Jack Welch, legendary leader, former chairman and CEO of General Electric. It’s an article that projects the managerial acumen of Jack Welch from many angles, and shows what Sri Lankan business leaders, and administrators, could elicit from Welch’s doings as well as his goods and bads. Through his profound insight, Welch propounded that “I’ve learned that mistakes can be as good a teacher as success”. A most thought-provoking quote of Welch as mentioned in the article is “We want each man and woman in this company to see a connection between what he or she does all day and winning in the marketplace”. This provides much food for thought for all managers, as what we have been insisting on has been to cling to our job-description, sans an iota of an idea as to how our jobs would impact the overall objectives of the organization. A job, to be meaningful, its doer should know not only ‘what and how’ but also a job’s ‘why’ aspect. A job needs to have relevance to the stakeholders. The brevity of the article would, surely, provide an impetus to make it ‘a must to read’.

The Postgraduate Graduate Institute is at a tremendous advantage in publishing the Professional Manager, as most of its article-contributors are those who have taken to teaching, having had much exposure in their spheres of specialty. Dr. Trevor Mendis who writes on “Banks Drowning Under Non-performing Advances : Reasons to Reflect” is in possession of a repertoire of banking experience. Therefore, its contents are first-hand knowledge, coming from a horse’s mouth. Through his profundity he says that “Corporate Governance explains that directors (of a company) should be a set of professionals with business acumen, knowledge and competencies in their given fields.”

The lineup of the rest of the articles is:

Inside-out vs. Outside-in: Doing Business Differently

The inside–out approach is guided by the belief that inner strengths and capabilities of the organization will make the institution prevail, while the outside-in approach is directed by the belief that customer value creation, customer orientation and customer experiences are the keys to a firm’s success.

Contemporary Manufacturing Practices for Sustainable Supply Chain

Stresses the importance of harmonizing best practices with manufacturing strategy, and emphasizes that supply chains need to respond quickly to shifting market needs and competitive dynamics in the environment while keeping their operational costs at a minimum level.

Our Chit-chat: Can Conversations Make a Nation?

The writer says that a meeting degenerating into just verbal exchanges or carried out in a lackluster manner only to suit the nominal agenda is unlikely to result in any rich exchange of ideas, and overall elevation of knowledge.

Creating a Collaborative Culture: Engaging with 5S and Mindfulness

Organizational culture percolates through every layer of the organization, and influences every aspect of the organization. Taking a cue from the PIM, the writer explains how 5S and Mindfulness have helped the Institution create and promote a collaborative culture. A mutually collaborative approach promotes a system-driven, methodical, creative, disciplined and a conscientious set of employees.

Create or Cremate: Insights for Idea Generation

It’s a must for any organization to be creative for long-term sustainability. Discussing the major tools for promoting creativity, the writer discusses the implications for managers, and sheds sufficient light on the ways and means of creating the desired environment for creativity to spring up. He emphasizes that amidst all other approaches, generating high trust is of paramount importance in this context.

Industrial Engineering as a Utility-driven Discipline: Emerging Prospects

This is an article that highlights a lacuna that exists in our curricula, making a special plea for the introduction of Industrial Engineering, as it’s a utility-driven discipline. The writer proposes that the article may be considered more as a precursor towards future recognition, especially considering its hybrid nature and future prospects.

Money is Not an Evil If One Spends it Wisely

Basing on the Buddhist teachings, the writer succinctly compares and defines money and wealth, and concludes that as per the teachings of the Great Sage wealth is temporary and no path to happiness. The article further discusses some Buddhist teachings on how to collect real wealth in order to spend a wealthy life, and the ways of spending that wealth for maintaining a happy lifestyle.

Vision of a Medical Manager: Building High Quality of Care into Health Systems

The writer, being a medical practitioner, he analyses quality based on quality-dimensions as seen in the health sector. He concludes the essay by saying that “despite the resource constraints high quality of care can be embedded into the health system by ensuring sustainable leadership, and creating a conducive culture at every healthcare organization.

The Challenge of Managing the Foreign Debt: Sri Lankan Government’s Response

A very senior faculty member, specializing in Economics and Strategic Management, minutely analyses what ails our economy and the ways in which the country could overcome the current foreign debt issue. In the concluding remarks, he says that “The challenge is formidable for a country which has had weak and indecisive governments, a private sector which is not known either for its innovativeness or for a strong action orientation, and a population that is deeply immersed in ‘an entitlement culture’”.

Whither Sri Lanka? A PESTEEL Perspective

Analyzing the country’s current plight and applying the PESTEEL framework/tool used by marketers to monitor the macro-environmental factors, the writer, a specialist on economy and strategy, concludes her write-up with the following remarks, ‘A lack of accountability and visionary responsibility seem to have created an ambiance of a “live for the day” mentality’.

A GPS Guide for Correct Communication

The writer, a specialist in business communication, applies the GPS acronym as a guide for correct communication. According to the new interpretation of GPS, G stands for Grammar and Gesture; P stands for Pronunciation and Punctuation while S stands for Spelling, Seasoning and Selection. This acronym, in fact, provides a clear basis for learners in practising communication.

A Window of Global Learning Opportunities: A Glimpse of PIM International Management Programmes

This article, deviating from the normal subject-based analyses and interpretations, provides a window as to what the PIM has been doing in the organization and execution of international programmes. The PIM through this endeavour provides a wide choice and opportunities especially for senior members in public sector organizations to see-study-compare-adopt and excel by replacing the inclusive learning-teaching approach /approaches of yesteryear.

AMDISA, PIM & 15th South Asian Management Forum

The Professional Manager also provides presentations made by the PIM Faculty and the Senior Assistant Registrar at the 15th South Asian Forum (SAMF), organized under the aegis of the AMDISA (Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia.

The PIM’s mission in publishing the Professional Manager would seem very close to what Peter F. Drucker said about the importance of identifying and exploiting the changes appropriately by the executives. What Management is, in short, is the wise use of means to accomplish the objectives.

“The most important work of the executives is to identify the changes that have already happened. The important challenge in society, economics, politics, is to exploit the changes that have already occurred and to use them as opportunities.”

Peter F. Drucker, The Age of Discontinuity

All in all, the latest issue of the Professional Manager (Issue 18) brings latest knowledge on an array of useful management inputs that will be handy material for professional managers wishing to elevate themselves and their organizations through improvements in knowledge, skill, habits, and attitudes.