The Contingency Approach

Research efforts to determine which managerial practices and techniques are appropriate in specific situations. The term contingency refers to the choice of an alternative course of action. Contingency management has become synonymous with situational management. Application of various management tools and techniques must be appropriate for the particular situation, especially applicable in intercultural dealings.

The Contingency View: A Compromise

An open-system perspective is how subsystems combine to interact with outside systems

A practical research orientation is translating research findings into tools and situational refinements for more effective management.

A multivariate approach is many variables collectively account for variations in performance.

Lessons from the Contingency Approach

Approach emphasizes situational appropriateness rather than rigid adherence to universal principles. Practical extension of the systems approach, criticism: Creates the impression that an organization is captive to its environment.

The Era of Management by Best Seller: Proceed with Caution

Management in the Mainstream

Gurus and Best Sellers

—  Peter Drucker—author and first management guru

—  Peters and Waterman’s bestseller In Search of Excellence

What’s Wrong with Management by Best Seller?

Encourages the hurried and haphazard application of generic, one-size-fits-all strategies.

Challenge: Avoid the quick-fix mentality

How to Avoid the Quick-Fix Mentality in Management