The Mind’s Eye and the Practice of Management: Envisioning the Ambiguous

Abstract

Theory and practice indicate that managers experience considerable difficulty and exhibit limited rationality as they attempt to grasp, process, and understand the often ambiguous requirements of managerial tasks. Argues the efficacy of mental imagery and visualization as a means to overcome such human limitation. Notes the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of mental imagery and applies them to the “episodic performance situations” inherent in the reality of management practice. Imagery techniques allow managers to create and manipulate actively a much more information‐rich and thorough projection of the once ambiguous, abstract management scenario. Discusses some example uses of mental imagery in the steps of the strategic planning model, in decision‐making applications, and in organizational communication. Provides some guidelines for developing effective mental imagery scripts and outlines important considerations for their use in organizations.

Citation

Bennett, R.H., Wheatley, W.J., Maddox, E.N. and Anthony, W.P. (1994), "The Mind’s Eye and the Practice of Management: Envisioning the Ambiguous", Management Decision, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 21-29. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251749410054783