Brilliant mistake! Essays on incidents of management mistakes and mea culpa

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine students’ perceptions of managerial mistakes and why (and why not) managers admit mistakes. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a reflective account of how students’ perceive management mistakes and deal with admitting “mea culpa” – “I am to blame”. Findings – The findings show a range of attitudes: they highlight the intermingling pressures associated with the cultural environment and mistakes; they identify media characteristics and its influences on mistakes and mea culpa; they highlight ceremonial processes and tasks that shape and influence the declaration of mea culpa; and they identify how the psychology and sociology of mistakes confronts and affects students. Taken together, the study highlights the varying degrees of wariness that is carried forward by the students from vicariously learning about management mistakes. Originality/value – This paper links up with recent discussions on retail failure and retail pedagogy. It is hoped that this paper will encourage more academics to address, and engage with, management mistakes creatively in their teaching.

Errores gerenciales en empresas colombianas y multinacionales

Este proyecto busca analizar errores gerenciales de empresas nacionales y multinacionales comparando el comportamiento de sus gerentes ante diferentes escenarios. La realización adecuada de sus funciones promueve la generación de valor de las organizaciones haciéndolas más perdurables y longevas, por tanto la detección, el análisis y la propuesta de acción a partir de esos errores pueden convertirse en herramientas que permitan fortalecer el proceso de toma de decisión. En Colombia existe 1’683.079 empresas clasificadas de la siguiente manera: 1’609.015 microempresas , 62.274 pequeñas empresas , 10.098 medianas empresas y 1.683 grandes empresas y alrededor de 700 multinacionales .

Principales errores de los gerentes colombianos en la administración y dirección de las empresas de hoy

El siguiente trabajo de investigación tiene como propósito la identificación, estudio y análisis de los principales errores de los gerentes colombianos en la administración y dirección de las empresas de hoy, el cual se encuentra dividido en cuatro partes: la primera hace referencia a la conceptualización del tema de investigación a nivel teórico que consiste en la definición que se ha determinado para el significado de error gerencial y dar respuesta a un conjunto de mitos de tipo epistemológicos, es decir, aquellos relacionados con significaciones o nociones que resultan tentativas desde otro punto de vista, pero que en efecto se diferencia del que se ha propuesto originalmente, permitiendo establecer los límites de lo que realmente implica dentro de la investigación. Luego, se realiza una contrastación y análisis teórico de los autores y sus estudios que busquen dar respuesta al problema de investigación enfocado en los principales errores de los gerentes colombianos en la administración y dirección de las organizaciones actuales. En tercera instancia, se muestran los resultados arrojados por la aplicación del instrumento para la detección y análisis de errores gerenciales en las organizaciones o empresas que fueron objeto de estudio con sus respectivos gerentes, de acuerdo con la metodología empleada para dicho caso. Por último, aparece una propuesta de cambio para la corrección de errores gerenciales encontrados y analizados en el contexto gerencial colombiano en pro de la perdurabilidad empresarial.

Identificación de errores cometidos en el proceso de despliegue de la política: caso Megaexpress S.A.S y Merca express LTDA.

La presente investigación evalúo errores gerenciales en Megaexpress S.A.S. y Merca Express Ltda., empresas catalogadas en el grupo de micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas (mipymes) en Bogotá, Colombia; pertenecientes al sector de consumo masivo, la primera en venta al detalle o retail y la segunda en distribución a mayoristas. La investigación partió del interés de los investigadores por conocer sobre la relación entre la academia y el sector real y en cómo la academia ayuda a los gerentes a mejorar sus prácticas en la toma de decisiones al momento de enfrentar la realidad empresarial. El estudio de errores gerenciales inicio en el análisis de teoría administrativa sobre el tema abordado por los diferentes autores que conforman el marco referencial en cuanto a cuáles eran los errores en los que incurrían los gerentes y su solución o mejora. Los investigadores utilizaron la herramienta, matriz de convergencias y divergencias, para dicho análisis y de la que se desprende la encuesta, instrumento de investigación, aplicada a gerentes y jefes con personal a cargo de Megaexpress S.A.S. y Mercaexpress Ltda., con el fin de corroborar en que errores incurrían las empresas y llegar a dar recomendaciones para mejorar sus procesos en la toma de decisiones y así contribuir a la perdurabilidad de las empresas.

Errores gerenciales en que incurren los directivos del sector terciario, subsector comercio en Bogotá. Casos de Philips Colombiana S.A.S, Team Foods Colombia S.A, y Cencosud Colombia S.A

Con el presente trabajo se detectó, se analizó y se consolidó un grupo de errores en la gestión administrativa en el ejercicio de las funciones que les compete desarrollar a algunos de los gerentes o directivos de las organizaciones del sector terceario; en especial se abordó el caso de errores cometidos por los gerentes en las empresas Philips Colombia S.A.S, Team Foods Colombia S.A y Cencosud Colombia S.A de la ciudad de Bogotá y como resultado del estudio se proponen soluciones prácticas y aplicables a los gerentes de estas organizaciónes mediante futuras decisiones que permitan abordar la solución de los errores encontrados y faciliten el mejoramiento de la futura gestión gerencial de las organizaciones objeto de estudio o donde les competa ejercer las funciones administrativas propias de su cargo.

Errores gerenciales en empresas multinacionales del sector farmacéutico en Colombia

La presente investigación brinda una explicación, a partir de una metodología basándose en aportes de la administración, a la longevidad de las empresas nacionales y multinacionales en Colombia, partiendo de un análisis de los errores gerenciales que las llevan a la quiebra o al no cumplimiento de los objetivos organizacionales a partir de analizar en diferentes situaciones el comportamiento de sus gerentes y/o dirigentes. Actualmente en Colombia existen 1’683.079 empresas clasificadas de la siguiente manera: 1’609.015 microempresas, 62.274 pequeñas empresas, 10.098 medianas empresas y 1.683 grandes empresas y alrededor de 700 multinacionales.

Identificacao e mapeamento de areas de desertificacao sob clima umido no Brasil

Environmental management mistakes are now strongly affecting some areas such as the agricultural areas of the southwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The sandy soils in this region are adequate for the beefcattle activity, but ignoring technical reports great incentive was given to the soybean culture. The result was a very fast degradation of the arable layer and several places are considered real small deserts. The objective of this work is the mapping of these areas as well instable areas and gathering all the technical measures which were suggest for the land reclamation. -from English summary

New graduate occupational therapists' perceptions of near-misses and mistakes in the workplace

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of near-misses and mistakes among new graduate occupational therapists from Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ), and their knowledge of current incident reporting systems. Design/methodology/approach - New graduate occupational therapists in Australia and Aotearoa/NZ in their first year of practice (n=228) participated in an online electronic survey that examined five areas of work preparedness. Near-misses and mistakes was one focus area. Findings - The occurrence and disclosure of practice errors among new graduate occupational therapists are similar between Australian and Aotearoa/NZ participants. Rural location, structured supervision and registration status significantly influenced the perceptions and reporting of practice errors. Structured supervision significantly impacted on reporting procedure knowledge. Current registration status was strongly correlated with perceptions that the workplace encouraged event reporting. Research limitations/ implications - Areas for further investigation include investigating the perceptions and knowledge of practice errors within a broader profession and the need to explore definitional aspects and contextual factors of adverse events that occur in allied health settings. Selection bias may be a factor in this study. Practical implications - Findings have implications for university and workplace structures, such as clinical management, supervision, training about practice errors and reporting mechanisms in allied health. Originality/value - Findings may enable the development of better strategies for detecting, managing and preventing practice errors in the allied health professions.

Do health inquiries lead to health system change? What have we learnt from recent health inquiries and will the same mistakes happen again?

Since 2001 there have been numerous Commissions of Inquiry into health system failures across the world. While the Inquiries were established to examine poor patient outcomes, each has identified a range of leadership and management shortcomings that have contributed to a poor standard of patient care. While there is an acknowledgement that different heath systems have different contexts, this paper highlights a number of themes that are common across Inquiries. It will discuss a number of common system failures in Inquiries spanning from 2001 to 2013 and pose questions as to why these types of failures are likely to re-occur, as well as possible learnings for health service management and leadership to address a number of these common themes.

Tenets, Principles, and Criteria for Management: The Basis for Systemic Management

This paper presents nine tenets for management as formulated in the literature in recent decades. These tenets, and the principles behind them, form the foundation for systemic management. All tenets are interrelated and far from mutually exclusive or discrete. When we consider them seriously and simultaneously, these tenets expose serious flaws of conventional resource management and define systemic management. Systemic management requires that we manage inclusively and avoid restricting management to any particular interaction between humans and other elements of nature. The management tenets presented here are considered with particular attention to the interrelationships among both the tenets and principles upon which they are based. The case is made that the tenets are inseparable and should be applied collectively. Combined consideration of the tenets clarifies the role of science, contributes to progress in defining management, and leads to the development of ways we can avoid mistakes of past management. Systemic management emerges as at least one form of management that will consistently account for and apply to the complexities of nature.

Homarid Lobster Hatcheries: Their History and Role in Research, Management, and Aquaculture

This paper provides an historical review of homarid lobster fisheries, the development and usage of lobster hatcheries, and much of the research influenced by hatchery-initiated studies on natural history, physiology, and morphological development of the lobster, Homarus spp. Few commercial lobster hatcheries exist in the world today, yet their potential usage in restocking efforts in various countries is constantly being reexamined, particularly when natural stocks are considered “overfished.” Furthermore, many individual researchers working on homarid lobsters use smallscale hatchery operations to provide the animals necessary for their work as well as animals reared and provided by various governmental agencies interested in specific projects on larvae, postlarvae, or juveniles. Such researchers can benefi t from the information in this review and can avoid many pitfalls previously documented. The development of hatcheries and the experimental studies that were generated from their activities have had a direct impact on much of the research on lobsters. The past work arising from hatchery operations—descriptions of life stages, behavior, physiology, etc.—has generally been confirmed rather than refuted and has stimulated further research important for an understanding of the life history of homarid lobsters. The connections between homarid fisheries and hatchery operations (i.e. culturing of the lobsters), whether small- or large-scale for field and laboratory research, are important to understand so that better tools for fishery management can be developed. This review tries to provide such connections. However, the rearing techniques in use in today’s hatcheries—most of which are relics from the past—are clearly not effi cient enough for large-scale commercial aquaculture of lobsters or even for current restocking efforts practiced by several countries today. If hatcheries are to be used to supplement homarid stocks, to restock areas that were overfished, or to reintroduce species into their historical ranges, there is a clear need to further develop culture techniques. This review should help in assessments of culturing techniques for Homarus spp. and provide a reference source for researchers or governmental agencies wishing to avoid repeating previous mistakes.

Wildlife tracking data management: a new vision

To date, the processing of wildlife location data has relied on a diversity of software and file formats. Data management and the following spatial and statistical analyses were undertaken in multiple steps, involving many time-consuming importing/exporting phases. Recent technological advancements in tracking systems have made large, continuous, high-frequency datasets of wildlife behavioral data available, such as those derived from the global positioning system (GPS) and other animal-attached sensor devices. These data can be further complemented by a wide range of other information about the animals’ environment. Management of these large and diverse datasets for modelling animal behaviour and ecology can prove challenging, slowing down analysis and increasing the probability of mistakes in data handling. We address these issues by critically evaluating the requirements for good management of GPS data for wildlife biology. We highlight that dedicated data management tools and expertise are needed. We explore current research in wildlife data management. We suggest a general direction of development, based on a modular software architecture with a spatial database at its core, where interoperability, data model design and integration with remote-sensing data sources play an important role in successful GPS data handling.

Information integration and management through the design and construction phases of a project life cycle

Information management is a key aspect of successful construction projects. Having inaccurate measurements and conflicting data can lead to costly mistakes, and vague quantities can ruin estimates and schedules. Building information modeling (BIM) augments a 3D model with a wide variety of information, which reduces many sources of error and can detect conflicts before they occur. Because new technology is often more complex, it can be difficult to effectively integrate it with existing business practices. In this paper, we will answer two questions: How can BIM add value to construction projects? and What lessons can be learned from other companies that use BIM or other similar technology? Previous research focused on the technology as if it were simply a tool, observing problems that occurred while integrating new technology into existing practices. Our research instead looks at the flow of information through a company and its network, seeing all the actors as part of an ecosystem. Building upon this idea, we proposed the metaphor of an information supply chain to illustrate how BIM can add value to a construction project. This paper then concludes with two case studies. The first case study illustrates a failure in the flow of information that could have prevented by using BIM. The second case study profiles a leading design firm that has used BIM products for many years and shows the real benefits of using this program.

[Mastitis management in Swiss dairy farms with udder health problems]

The objective of this study was to describe the udder health management in Swiss dairy herds with udder health problems. One hundred dairy herds with a yield-corrected somatic cell count of 200'000 to 300'000 cells/ml during 2010 were selected. Data concerning farm structure, housing system, milking technique, milking procedures, dry-cow and mastitis management were collected during farm visits between September and December 2011. In addition, quarter milk samples were collected for bacteriological culturing from cows with a composite somatic cell count ≥ 150'000 cells/ml. The highest quarter level prevalence was 12.3 % for C. bovis. Eighty-two percent of the pipeline milking machines in tie-stalls and 88 % of the milking parlours fulfilled the criteria for the vacuum drop, and only 74 % of the pipeline milking machines met the criteria of the 10-l-water test. Eighty-five percent of the farms changed their milk liners too late. The correct order of teat preparation before cluster attachment was carried out by 37 % of the farmers only. With these results, Swiss dairy farmers and herd health veterinarians can be directed to common mistakes in mastitis management. The data will be used for future information campaigns to improve udder health in Swiss dairy farms.