4 December 2019. In very general terms management is a simple concept with a simple definition: the process of organizing and controlling things or people. But as Steve Jobs taught us, simple can be harder than complex… and it takes a tremendous amount of work to keep things simple.

Management means so many different things to varied groups and stakeholders that sometimes it is a hard concept to fully grasp and understand. Does good management prioritize finance, human resources or leadership? If good management is preparing for the future, what is management that excels at taking care of the present? Is one more valuable than the other?

This edition of HSG Focus deals with taking the general concept of management diving deeper into the theme that touches the academic lives of most HSG students and faculty.

In a video interview, Peter Murmann gives his definition of the term and how he sees management as accomplishing tasks through collaboration. Günter Müller-Stewens und Yvette Sánchez delve into how the international humanitarian aid organization the Red Cross is under constant pressure to adapt and Roman Capaul discusses how the future of business management can and should be taught.

Henry Mintzberg, widely known as an international management guru, controversially states in his interview that to recognize the practice (or value) of management you don’t really need the word and you don’t need schools that focus on it. After this reading, it will be interesting to know if this view holds up.