Henry Mintzberg: still the zealous skeptic and scold

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an interview between Strategy & Leadership with the veteran observer and outspoken critic of corporate follies, Henry Mintzberg, Professor of Management Studies at McGill University in Montreal, about the state of management and management education.

Design/methodology/approach

The questions are asked by Robert J. Allio, who has been both a senior academic and executive at Fortune 500 companies.

Findings

Professor Mintzberg comments on troubling trends in leadership and managing, the lack of effective management, inappropriate management education, the impossibility of teaching leadership, the process of creating strategy, the current management crisis and the dangers of shareholder value management.

Practical implications

As an alternative approach to leadership education, McGill University has developed the International Masters in Practicing Management (www.impm.org). In this program practicing managers share experiences with their peers.

Originality/value

Mintzberg blasts a variety of targets: “US corporations are seriously sick.”

Citation

Allio, R.J. (2011), "Henry Mintzberg: still the zealous skeptic and scold", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 4-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878571111114419