Literature Review

Introduction

Four articles are reviewed in this paper. These articles are; Challenge of Knowledge Worker by Peter Drucker, How to Thrive in Turbulent Markets by Sull, What is strategy by Porter and Are Managers Obsolete by Hout. As such, this review starts by providing an in-depth overview of these articles, the featured issues and main points. Secondly, it provides a minimum of three aspects that the articles feature. It also includes an in-depth critique. Finally, the review poses a question to the reader. Anybody can answer the question after reading the articles.

Drucker, P. (1999). Knowledge Worker Productivity: the biggest challenge. California

Management Review, 79-94.

The focus of this article is mainly on knowledge, productivity and work. The first part of this article focuses on a manual worker’s productivity concept. The second part focuses on principles that enhance productivity of manual workers. This article depends on the ideas that other scholars such as Tailor, Edward Deming, David Ricardo and Marx advanced to achieve this goal. The principles of Tailor state that there are three steps of enhancing productivity of manual workers. These include focusing on constituent emotions of the task and then recording them. The other steps include recording physical effort as well as the time required to perform a task.

Additionally, this article gives an insight on the knowledge, productivity and worker’s concept. To do this, the article employs six factors. One factor aims at defining the task. Additionally, the focus of this article is turned on the knowledge worker concept which is a capital asset. To elaborate this concept, this article dwells on Ford Motor Company’s case. In addition, the article offers insights into the workers’ group called the technologists. It uses surgeons as an example. Lastly, the focus of this article is shifted to the process that makes knowledge. This includes a system as well as the implication that it has on corporate management or governance.

I liked several concepts from this article. These are the manual worker’s productivity principles, continuous teaching and learning, the capital asset or knowledge worker. The reason why I liked the manual workers’ productivity principles is that they address the issue of remunerating staffs on the basis of their outputs instead of their input. As such, this is a good concept because it educates managers about proper remunerations for their staffs. Additionally, I liked a concept that talks about work enrichment, job rotation and work enlargement as the main ingredients that reduce workers fatigue. The argument is good because it teaches managers the essence of work enrichment, job rotation and work enlargement in regards to worker’s productivity.

I also liked the continuous teaching and learning concept due to various reasons. My belief is that this is a good concept because workers enhance skills through teaching and learning. This improves productivity. Therefore, this educates managers. The knowledge worker concept is also a good one. The concept holds that for a knowledge worker to remain productive, they must be seen as a capital asset. This is something noble because it reduces the turnover rate of workers. Hence, profitability and productivity are enhanced. Therefore, the concept is informative for managers.

Nevertheless, despite the article having positives, it has several negative issues as well. Such issues relate to workers payment on the basis of output rather than input. This can be a misleading argument because it relies on the type of work. For instance, this concept might not be applicable for skilled workers who include policy makers. This is because their output might be impossible to evaluate. As such, this concept might be applied to the unskilled workers only who are involved in manual work. As such, the essay question on the basis of this discussion is; ‘How can the productivity of workers be enhanced by organizations?’

 Hout, T. (1999). Are Managers Review. Harvard Business Review, 161-168.

Insight on the fall and rise of companies and the role played by managers is provided by this article. To do this, the article contends that the way managers run companies determine their success level. Nevertheless, this article continues to argue that destiny forces of a company do not have any relationship with the management. As such, the article employs creative destruction and complexity theories in elaborating on the way companies work. In addition to this, this article focuses on the traditional strategies that are used to run firms as well as the new firms and challenges that they face.

I liked several concepts in this article. These include the role played by leaders in the operations of companies, their challenges and emergent strategies. As such, I liked managers’ role concept because it educates them on the roles that they play in the operations of the company on daily basis.

I also liked the emergent strategies concept. This is because the concept is very important. Adopting the emergent strategies can enhance the success of companies. Therefore, these strategies are worth adopting for various companies. For instance, the belief of Sherman and Schultz is that emergent strategies are the most appropriate remedies for the challenges that modern companies are facing. This is because there are instances where managers do not have the necessary market analysis knowledge. Additionally, the challenges that modern companies are facing have been demonstrated by this concept. Among the challenges that the article demonstrates include lacking preparedness in some companies and unwillingness to change by managers.

Nevertheless, despite this, the argument that there is no role played by managers in determining a company’s success the way outside forces do did not impress me. This is a misleading argument because there is a vital role that is played by managers in overseeing the activities of a company on daily basis. Thus, they play a role in determining some aspects of the success of a company. Additionally, this article failed to exhaustively address challenges that emergent strategies face. From the above analysis, the possible essay question is; ‘Is there a role that is played by managers in a company’s success?’

Porter, M. (2008). Why America Needs an Economic Strategy. Business week, 39-42.

This article starts with a focus on the issues that must be addressed by the incoming president of the US in order to maintain the competitiveness of the country. Additionally, the focus of this article shifts on the reasons for the prosperity of the US. Among the reasons given include the reality that the best institutions for higher learning are found in the US as well as the commitment of the US to enhancing competition and free markets. Additionally, the focus of the article shifts on the reasons why investors are leaving the US. Among the stated reasons include the increasing taxes and business operation costs. The article goes ahead to propose strategic measures that must be adopted by the US in order to enhance competitiveness.

I liked several concepts including the one on the success of America. For instance, this article contends that the success of American is due to various reasons. These are a set of competitive strengths that the country enjoys, an unparalleled environment and the innovation, technology and science that it feeds the entrepreneurship with. This is a good concept because it informs the underdeveloped countries.

Additionally, I liked a part of the article that explains the causes of the economic downturn that the US is currently facing. For instance, the argument of this article is that foreign trade and investments are important for the success of the US. However, the US lost them. The part is very educative since it can be used by other countries in proposing solutions to their economies.

I also liked a concept in the article that explains the reasons why investors are leaving the US. For instance, the article argues that hiking prices has made the US lose international trade. This has also been caused by increased business operations’ costs. This is an informative concept that provides in-depth information on various reasons why investors are running away from the US. As such, on the basis of these facts, an obvious question is ‘What should the US do so that it can regain economic success.’

Sull, D. (2009). How to Thrive in Turbulent Markets. Harvard Business Review, 78-88.

The focus of this article is on the challenges that businesses are facing currently as well as the possible solutions. To do this, the article uses analogy of boxers in a ring. The article uses a fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. In solving challenges, this article contends that businesses have to remain agile and depend on the absorption power to endure the current shifts in the market. The article focuses on categories of agility as well as how to be agile. It also focuses on the means of building absorption.

There are several concepts that I liked in this article including the analogy of boxers on business challenges as well as the possible solutions. This analogy is impressive because it clarifies the challenges that businesses are facing and possible solutions.

I also liked the agility concept. For instance, this article explains the notion of floating the way a butterfly does but stinging the way a bee does. This notion explains how the operations of businesses should be carried out. This article contends that portfolio, strategic and operational agilities should be adopted by businesses for the set goals to be realized. On agility issue, I was impressed by the used examples which are practical.

In addition, I liked the absorption concept since it provides a unique view on the way market challenges can be addressed by modern businesses. For instance, the article contends that absorption should be inevitable for modern business. The focus of managers ought to be on making appropriate decisions.

Nevertheless, I was not impressed by the choice of the boxers’ analogy due to the given emphasis. The reader may confuse this article and focus on boxing instead of the challenges being faced by businesses. As such, on the basis of this analysis, the possible question is, ‘How will businesses survive in the current turbulent markets?’

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 References

Drucker, P. (1999). Knowledge Worker Productivity: the biggest challenge. California

Management Review, 79-94.

Hout, T. (1999). Are Managers Review. Harvard Business Review, 161-168.

Porter, M. (2008). Why America Needs an Economic Strategy. Business Week, 39-42.

Sull, D. (2009). How to Thrive in Turbulent Markets. Harvard Business Review, 78-88.