The timing cannot have been coincidental. The second series of the acclaimed comedy series The Office had been on BBC 2 for barely a week when trade secretary Patricia Hewitt announced that US business guru Michael Porter had been commissioned to undertake research into the effectiveness of UK managers.
‘Leading UK managers would agree with the growing body of evidence that suggests we could benefit from sharpening up our management skills so that we can reach our full potential,’ said Hewitt.
She had clearly been watching The Office and was intent on aping David Brent’s famed motivational techniques. With US corporates hit by scandal after scandal in recent months you could be forgiven for thinking that choosing a US business guru to lead a government review of UK management practices is at best insensitive and at worst ill-advised.
The public’s feelings on the government ‘slavishly’ following the US’s every lead – whether it’s over industry regulation or a war on Iraq – are mixed to say the least.
The numbers you crunch tell a story. Your expertis...
22yEmbracing user-friendly AP systems can turn the tide, streamlining workflows, enhancing compliance, and opening doors to early payment discounts. Read...
View articleOrganisations can enhance their financial operations' efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness by adopting platforms that offer them self-service cust...
View articleIn a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...
View resourceDiscover how AP dashboards can transform your business by enhancing efficiency and accuracy in tracking key metrics, as revealed by the latest insight...
View articleThe ICAEW confirms new vice president, with senior heads appointed at KPMG and EY. Within the mid market, a flurry of end of year partner appointments...
View articleThe ICAEW confirms new vice president, with senior heads appointed at KPMG and EY. Within the mid market, a flurry of end of year partner appointments...
View articleThis follows an investigation into undisclosed personal loans and issues with an acquisition. Despite challenges, the company aims to achieve £1bn in ...
View articleThe ICAEW confirms new vice president, with senior heads appointed at KPMG and EY. Within the mid market, a flurry of end of year partner appointments...
View articleThere is optimism that the IPO market will rebound in the second half of 2024, driven by pent-up demand and potential improvements in economic conditi...
View articleThe ICAEW confirms new vice president, with senior heads appointed at KPMG and EY. Within the mid market, a flurry of end of year partner appointments...
View articleKPMG confirms reappointment of it's UK chair, while EY announces Janet Truncale as the next EY global chair and CEO Read More...
View articleThe ICAEW has announced the appointment of its forthcoming chief executive Read More...
View article