Brilliant mistake! Essays on incidents of management mistakes and <IT>mea culpa</IT>

Mark Palmer; Geoff Simmons; Ronan de Kervenoael

doi:10.1108/09590551011032072

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International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management

ISSN: 0959-0552

Online from: 1973

Subject Area: Industry and Public Sector Management

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Brilliant mistake! Essays on incidents of management mistakes and mea culpa

Document Information:
Title:	Brilliant mistake! Essays on incidents of management mistakes and mea culpa
Author(s):	Mark Palmer, (Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK), Geoff Simmons, (University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, UK), Ronan de Kervenoael, (Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK)
Citation:	Mark Palmer, Geoff Simmons, Ronan de Kervenoael, (2010) "Brilliant mistake! Essays on incidents of management mistakes and mea culpa", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 38 Iss: 4, pp.234 - 257
Keywords:	Business failure, Curricula, Human failure, Managers, Retailing, United Kingdom
Article type:	Research paper
DOI:	10.1108/09590551011032072 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Acknowledgements:	The authors gratefully acknowledge the reviewers' comments on an early draft of this paper. The authors also acknowledge the assistance of a British Academy Grant (SG-52497) on corporate resistance and contestedness.
Abstract:	Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine students' perceptions of managerial mistakes and why (and why not) managers admit mistakes. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a reflective account of how students' perceive management mistakes and deal with admitting “mea culpa” – “I am to blame”. Findings – The findings show a range of attitudes: they highlight the intermingling pressures associated with the cultural environment and mistakes; they identify media characteristics and its influences on mistakes and mea culpa; they highlight ceremonial processes and tasks that shape and influence the declaration of mea culpa; and they identify how the psychology and sociology of mistakes confronts and affects students. Taken together, the study highlights the varying degrees of wariness that is carried forward by the students from vicariously learning about management mistakes. Originality/value – This paper links up with recent discussions on retail failure and retail pedagogy. It is hoped that this paper will encourage more academics to address, and engage with, management mistakes creatively in their teaching.