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Running head: MANAGEMENT THEORY REFLECTION

Management Theory Reflection

Abdulallah Baslom

Introduction to Management

RMIT University:

Date:
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MANAGEMENT THEORY REFLECTION

Table of Contents
Executive Summary................................................................................................................3
1.Introduction..........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Background..............................................................................................................3
2.Discussion............................................................................................................................4
2.1 Issues and Problems....................................................................................................6
2.2 Solutions......................................................................................................................7
3.Conclusion & Recommendations.........................................................................................8
Reference List.........................................................................................................................9
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Executive Summary
There is a need to formulate proper and applicable management and leadership

theories that offer managers tested insights into how to properly manage various aspects of

production. This paper is a reflection of in-class learning and research on the cycle of

management practice and leadership theory. It is a consideration of two research cases in

the learning modules with respect to individual research on the relation between

management practice in contemporary contexts and leadership theory.

1.Introduction
This reflection on management theory will delve into the case study covered in my e

portfolio to obtain further insights on the limitations of academic work on leadership in

corporations. In this case, I will be writing on the challenges corporate leadership faces

when implementing the total quality management theory of leadership. To undertake this

task, I will first seek to create the context under which this study took place. I will also

highlight my learnings in the micro-credentials undertakings and give a brief overview of

how I designed my LinkedIn profile.

1.1 Background

In business practice, theory and practice are inextricably linked. Theory feeds practice

and practice provides feedback to theory (Khristal et al., 2017). Management, best practices

are often situational. Every manager has a method that works for them depending on

various factors. Theories are made out of research that attempt to explain why certain

practices work and how they should be modified for other situations so that they can keep
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working. It is thus important to understand the theory behind any practice adapted in

management to ensure desired results.

The management theory under consideration is the total quality management theory.

For an intuitive understanding of the theory, a comprehensive definition of total quality

management is necessary. TQM is a client-centric company-based actions to improve

business process systems like manufacturing, scheduling employee training, and supply

chain management Bowen (2010). Total quality management is a continuous process of

designing business processes and spreading responsibility so that a company’s product

and/or service meets or exceeds market expectations. It follows that Total Quality

Management Theory is the set of methodologies derived from academic inquisitions Aziz,

Sumantoro and Maria (2019, p. 33). This reflection will focus on the findings of a research

expedition from Monash University that examined sustainability in institutional transition

and the oft ignored role of human input (or lack thereof) in implementing the TQM

management theory.

2.Discussion
Theory eliminates much of the guesswork and error from management practice. It is

therefore easier or more certain to know why a particular action or set of actions, either

worked or did not work when management follows theory. In turn practice loops back to

feed theory so that existing theory can be updated to reflect changes in application. There

are however certain situations that theory fails. Such occurrences offer important areas of

study and consideration. In the Monash case study, theory failed to inform results on the

ground on the two matters of Metalfab and SteelCo.

implement elements of the Total Quality Management Theories at both Metalfab and

SteelCo. First, middle management which was central to implementation was either

ambivalent or outrightly resisted the efforts and recommendations. Secondly, employee

participation did not bring out the desired outcomes for both employees and management.

There was much misunderstanding on the terms and engagement and what certain

processes like participation meant for either group Edwards and Sohal (2003, p. 554).

Lastly the training programs that were advocated by the total quality management theories

did not function as was expected. The common denominator in all of these challenges is the

human element. The theory does not fully account for the input of labour, it focuses a lot on

systems and structures.

The uniqueness of such situations are easier to intuitively discuss having

achieved micro-credentials on emotional intelligence. Business and politics is about people.

In essence business and politics is about managing one’s emotions and those of others

Zineldine 2017, (p. 19-20). For this there is a need to understand emotional intelligence. As

a student, there is a need to be aware of a myriad of issues in management in preparation

for a career of managing not just other people, but one’s self too. To be successful in this

endeavor, any student who goes through this course must at least be versed with the

concepts of emotional intelligence. This knowledge will create an awareness of one’s self

and foster the ability to handle varied situations in management. For this reason, I chose to

pursue this area of knowledge and expertise.

With qualifications on emotional Intelligence, I will be able to understand how this

matter affects me and others. In addition, leadership and management theories are all based
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on the first principles of emotions because they are studies on dealings with human beings

– the labor aspect of production. A proper understanding of emotional intelligence will help

me create an intuitive understanding of leadership theories.

It is on the same basis that I chose to populate my Linked profile. Having learned the

principles of emotional intelligence, I saw the prudence of connecting with individuals who

exhibited high emotional intelligence. Through them I could form an online environment

that fine-tuned my knowledge and affected my own emotional intelligence too. The posts

that I have liked piqued my interest because they offered unique insights about my

interests, that I had not previously considered. In some of these posts I get to learn from

industry experts who have first-hand experience on the matters that they post about. I find

their perspective to be particular, authentic and fresh as compared to class-based theories

that are general and may miss out on the nuances of modern business practice.

2.1 Issues and Problems

are too many areas and unique situations that warrant an academic consideration Anderson

et al. (2017, p. 244). Because of the fact, it is impossible to formulate a general theory for a

particular course of action. It is even impossible to write a set of theories to address the

many eccentricities of management practice across industries and, more so, individual

businesses. In this respect it often very important for management to fully understand the

underlying principles behind any published management practice. In so doing managers

will be able to properly adapt published practices for their own unique circumstances.

A second challenge is the growing trend where there are a lot of leadership theory

publications coming out of research institutions and business schools, but a significant
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portion do not deliver real value to practitioners in the field. Research papers and

dissertation in leadership and management theory lack information that could be directly

acted upon to improve leadership and management in businesses.

It is becoming more evident that most management and leadership research is not

relevant to management practice Keith et al. (2017, p. 2). Researchers in institutions have

become victims of an academically rigorous environment and a shifting focus towards peer

reviews rather than offering actionable solutions to industry challenges. There has been a

steady but growing shift in the field of management research from the applied to more

theory intensive research. Lesser research output can be used either instrumentally or in a

conceptual framework.

2.2 Solutions
On the matter of dwindling actionable leadership and management outcomes, I have

found out that one of the main contributors to the status quo is the academically stringent

process of editorial review in publishing journals. The conditions inform the research topics

researchers are willing to pursue and the manner in which they write and present their

findings. Journal editors should not be beholden to reviewers because many reviewers have

proven to be unhelpful in guiding authors to effectively communicate their research.

Instead, the use of jargon is encouraged so as to produce erudite and complex papers.

Publications should instead focus on meeting the needs of practicing managers and best

practice learners. Such a move will divert demand away from the need for citations from

other academics and peer removal, and back to the essence of management research.

A rising demand for actionable research will in turn fix the first challenge of too

many unique management scenarios. Each research student will have more than enough
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areas of management practice to look into and hence more situations will be covered in

management publications.

3.Conclusion & Recommendations

reforms sort after in both companies caused failure in both processes. I would recommend

that any such reforms should consider the values, attitudes and the motivations of labour

with as much emphasis that is placed on teams, structures and systems. Whenever a

company seeks to implement wide ranging reforms, it is critical that they involve all

stakeholders in the system. It is crucial to do this if some of the stakeholders will be

important to the implementation or even marginally involved/tasked with implementing the

desired reforms. Unlike other factors of production, labor is unique in that it can react in

unpredictable ways to certain administrative actions. To ensure that management theories

that touch on labor will work it is best practice to ensure transparency in the process and

clearly communicate the company goals.

Reference List
1. Anderson et al., 2017. What works for you may not work for (Gen) me: Limitation

of present leadership theories for the modern generation. The Leadership Quarterly,

Vol. 28, No. 1. Pp. 245-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2016.08.001

2. Aziz A.R.Z., Sumantoro I. B., & Maria D., 2019. Total quality management of

micro, small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) , and the impact to organizational

culture and performance: emerging country case. Polish Journal of Management

Studies, Vol. 19, No. 1. Pp. 32-35.

http://yadda.icm.edu.pl/yadda/element/bwmeta1.element.-baztech-1a9703f4-c147-

4174-a881-09e27839bcad

3. Keith et al., 2020. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

to Produce Actionable Findings : A Rapid-cycle Evaluation Appraoch to Improving

Implementation. Implementationscience.biomedcentral. https://implementation-

science.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13012-017-0550-7

4. Bowen R., 2010. Learn the theories of total quality management. Brighthubpm

https://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/72443-theories-in-total-quality-

management-tqm/

5. Edwards R., & Amrik S. S., Aug 2003. The human side of introducing total quality

managemt : two case studies from Australia. International Journal of Manpower,

vol. 24 no. 5, pp. 551-567. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437720310491080

6. Zineldin M., 2017. Transformational leadership behavior, emotions and outcomes:

health psychology perspective in the workplace. Journal of Workplace Behavioral

Health, Vol. 32, No. 1. Pp 14-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/15555240.2016.1273782