Challenge some of the current business orthodoxies.
Every now and again in the history of management ideas there is a great correction. Old ideas that were fit for their time are shown to be outdated. Sometimes they just need updating, but sometimes they need to be thrown out all together. For example, Frederick Taylor is credited with developing scientific management in the late 19th century. Henry Ford used this as a key pillar of his continuous production line, and has been key to productivity increases in labour intensive environments. But it has been largely abandoned for white collar and knowledge workers in the last two decades.
Another more recent example is Jack Welch's famous declaration that "shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world." Alibaba CEO Jack Ma has said that "customers are number one; employees are number two and shareholders are number three." Branson suggests that employees should be first, customers second and then shareholder value will follow. And, of course, Jeff Bizos of Amazon has famously never really cared about shareholders or the Amazon share price at all.
Shareholder value is a focus of the business is therefore a candidate for a "business model or idea that should be burnt".
The panel will each discuss two or three business ideas, models or even books that should be discarded as we head towards 2020.
Speakers- Dr Graeme Codrington, expert on the future world of work and the disruptive forces that are shaping it;
- Professor Nicola Kleyn, dean of GIBS;
- Thebe Ikalafeng, founder of brand and reputation advisory firm, Brand Leadership Group
Dr Ilka Dunne, leadership, culture and young talent for
Rand Merchant Bank;
and
Emmanuel Amaning, MD of wealth management, Caleo Capital.
Additional Info Registration: 17:45
Start: 18:00
Ends: 19:30
A light cocktail dinner will be served after event
Would like to attend, but can't afford to? Email nkawus@gibs.co.za for one of the limited free seats.
Please note that Forums are open to the media and recorded and edited for City Press and GIBS.
