MIT Sloan Management Review

A company’s ability to execute today’s strategy while developing tomorrow’s arises from the context within which its employees operate.

Often companies” budgeting processes don”t result in capital being invested optimally. The reason may be that strong personalities trump even well-designed systems. The authors profile five archetypes of bad behavior that line managers use to subvert logical decision making in order to grab resources. They also show how to counteract such behavior and instill values that lead to better use of investment capital.

To better manage technology, a generalist must know it well enough and challenge it often enough to truly understand its potential risks and rewards.

Three objectives — improving IS, enhancing business performance, and generating new revenue — that can help a company assess outsourcing.

Management practices have undergone many innovations. Companies have been down-sized, delayered, and hollowed out. Newly trained and empowered employees have implemented many innovative practices including continuous improvement, reengineering, just-in-time manufacturing, and total quality management. Outsourcing and exclusive supply relationships now allow organizations to focus on core activities.M