Management of Mismanagement

Management is a wonderful art as well as science dealing with productive utilisation of resources of all kinds including time. It benefits society when its principles and techniques are applied in all earnestness. When this does not take place as envisaged and to benefit society it becomes mismanagement, which is the antithesis of conservation and efficiency.

The problem today with most organisations particularly those where political factors dominate, is not of management but one of mismanagement. Management is the antithesis of wastage. Its objective is profitable resource utilisation. But in practice the actions of responsible executives smack of irresponsibility resulting in colossal wastage of all resources revealing gross mismanagement. This becomes alarming when its tentacles are widespread. The resulting loss to society is colossal. Due to slow, incorrect, hasty and unscientific decision making, time and benefits are lost. This is true in the case of many projects, which slip the schedule.

An example will highlight the extent of mismanagement and the need for focus on managing mismanagement, which is the key problem. In a developing country a road project is undertaken for implementation. The roads, several kilometres in length, need extensive repairs. Neglect in the past with the passage of time makes the roads almost impassable for any traffic except at snail's pace. The condition of roads becomes deplorably poor and maintenance costs soar high. Years pass by before action is thought of and more months roll by before action is taken. At last tenders are invited and work orders issued after several months of processing.

The absence of a systems approach and the objective of missing the core objective cause dislocation of traffic. This brings up a situation surpassing all theories of anarchy. While planning has been absent, and half hearted where attempted, unwieldy long stretches of roads are taken up for digging, laying and blacktopping. Meanwhile roads are cut open along the sides and across, for laying pipelines for water suppy. Along with this drainage and sewerage works, underground cable laying jobs etc. are on the wings for implementation along the same route. The absence of a plan and allocation of priorities result in a situation where passing vehicles on permitted improvised pathways release tons of dust in summer and muddy water during rains.
Pedestrians find it difficult to breathe while walking. No attempt is made to take up one short stretch of road surface, which could be finished during the night so that the inconvenience to the public and traffic can be minimized. Instead too much work is taken up all over the route with inefficient means of execution so that the agony is prolonged.

The crux of the problem is mismanagement of the project. In this great art, apart from the executive, the legislature and the judiciary also are contributory factors. While the legislature is often unable to give timely legislative support, the judiciary lags behind to initiate and interpret the penal provisions for enforcing on those responsible for dereliction of duty. The usual excuse of inadequacy of financial resources and supply constraints cannot be accepted since they should have been foreseen and tackled before the project was taken up for implementation. Otherwise the status quo would have continued for some more time. The gamut of mismanagement is clearly manifested in this single example.

The result is society loses heavily. Then everyone engages in a blame game. It is just like killing one's parents and then pleading for help on the ground one is orphan. This phenomenon happens in many places in some form or other with more or less intensity. When will this tragic situation end? Is there any remedy? When modern techniques of management are available at our doorsteps why do those responsible learn the art to mismanage? Is the human brain so much cluttered with dust and rust to imbibe the essential principles of management? If this situation continues a time will come when modern management concepts, techniques and tools will have to be towed into the sea for application there.