Best management practices: Cultural challenges in a globalising environment

Monday, 16 March 2015 01:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

An Evening Presentation by Prof. Gunapala Nanayakkara Best means perfection and best practices in management revolve around five fundamental issues in business, which are as follows: - A market match between customer needs and production process - Work people match between work progress and work teams - Customer employee behaviour match between customer behaviour and employee behaviour - Innovation match with future markets between present needs of the business and innovative needs of the future - Transforming tacit to coded between coded knowledge and tacit knowledge

This was highlighted by Prof. Gunapala Nanayakkara, Founder and current Academic Advisor, Graduate School of Management (former Director and Senior Professor of Management Studies, Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka) at an Evening Presentation in the Public Lecture Series – ‘The Way Forward’ conducted by The Management Club – Kalutara, jointly with the Institute of Management of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Foundation on Tuesday, 10 March at the Sri Lanka Foundation. Prof. Nanayakkara who possesses extensive experience in the field of management, has conducted research in international and cross-cultural aspects of management and published 11 books as well as over 60 journal articles and conference papers. He pioneered advanced Management Education in Sri Lanka by setting up the first MBA degree program in the country in 1980. In 1986, he established the Postgraduate Institute of Management and in 2007, established the PIM International Centre in the Emirates, (UAE). Taking Toyota as a model, he elaborated on Problem Solving, People and Partners in relation to Respect – Challenge and Growth – Process (Eliminating Waste) and Philosophy (Long Term Thinking – Cultural and Corporate). Speaking on globalising environment, he explained the global standards of production, globalising standards of values and increasing global interactions. He also spoke in detail of the affects of societal culture and organisational culture and went on to explain the five cultural themes in relation to the current state of management practices in Sri Lanka. He further emphasised on the relevance of culture, their challenges and how culture affects management. In conclusion, Prof. Nanayakkara briefly touched on the Challenges to Good Governance in relation to Development Challenges, Institutional Challenges, Challenges of Representation and Challenges of Values. This impressive presentation which was highly informative and interactive attracted a large number of participants, which was very encouraging. The Public Lecture Series organised by IMSL and TMC in collaboration with the SLF, is a part of their education and knowledge development program, aimed at sharing and developing best practices in management and issues of contemporary and timely interest. This is an ongoing program which is held regularly, with leading personalities from the corporate world, sharing their knowledge and experience. Present at this program was the Project Chairman Errol Smith, Chairman of TMC – Kalutara, Sunil Dharmaratne, President of IMSL, Maj. Gen. Upul Perera, Consultant Academic Affairs of SLF, Samantha Ratnayake, Vice President of IMSL and Project Co-Chairman, Patrick Rodrigo and Senior Lecturer SLF, Dilhan Goonetilleke.