رویکردی نوظهور در مدیریت از راه دور Remote Management: The Newly Emerging Style of Management

Abstract: This study attempts to introduce up-to-date thoughts on management discipline and profession incorporating concepts, views, and tools of public and business literature in the light of current realities of electronic era. It adopts open systems, futurist, and interdisciplinary and logically practical perspective on management. The study presented a concise analysis of the historical dialectic on traditional and somewhat ongoing discussions on public/business interrelationships. It has suggested the so-called (Remote Management) as an emerging futurist model of management in the context of digital era. Remote management incorporates current realities including globalization, democratization, privatization, high-tech and knowledge centered world into the discipline and profession of management. Basic features of remote management include diffused organizational structures, performance-focus, remote space locations, remote control systems, and professional codes of ethics, technology-centered work systems, and huge capital investment in technology and human resources. Practical experience and evidence showed gradual movement towards remote management applications in the form of e-family mechanisms (e-government, e-commerce, etc.). The study recommended a comprehensive restructuring of management thought and practices on the basis of strategic planning and thinking and environment analysis. Key words: Distance workplace, electronic management, remote management, virtual teams INTRODUCTION This study probes the dialectic nature of public/business administration relationships. It attempts to close the traditional gap between the two fields of knowledge and professions. Universal drastic socioeconomic, political, administrative, technological, and knowledge and information transformations dictate new vision of management in both public and private sectors. This new vision of management represents an intellectual challenge for academicians and professionals in public as well as business administration. Managerial thought and practice has witnessed great transformations in the last decades. The pace of transformation has been drastically accelerated by the dawn of the new millennium. It was deeply activated by major societal and universal philosophical and structural changes including globalization, democratization, privatization, and knowledge and technology revolution. These developments have raised questions related to the identity of public and business administration in the context of new millennium. Academicians and policy makers in both public and private sectors participate in ongoing and heated discussions on the subject matter. These discussions take various forms including research, studies, seminars, conferences, and formal meetings. The end-goal of these discussions is to reach solid and practical understanding of the identity of the field and profession of management in both public and private sectors. That is, to reconstruct these fields of knowledge and draw their professional lines and interrelationships in the light of new realities dictated by the above mentioned changes. Staples et al. (2006) shown clear trends towards increased virtual work and greater reliance on technology. They indicated the need for further research to learn more about virtual organizations. They also recognized the research difficulties regarding galloping technological change and serious challenges associated with it. New organizational structures, specifically virtual structure, are challenging traditional management thinking (Staples et al., 2006). Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between traditional business and public administration and remote management style. A clear gap exists between business and public administration in the traditional management philosophy and applications. Such gap is supposed to be closed in the emerging new style of management (Remote Management). The gap is closed by new management philosophy and applications stimulated by new digital era. Importance of the study: The importance of this study stems from its attempt to contribute to efforts related to reconstruction of the field and profession of management in the light of new realities forced by ongoing universal transformations. It tries to reconceptualize management thought and practice and redesign the shape and identity of management in both public and private sectors as complementary functional systems. This study is futurist in nature since it suggests the so-called (Remote Management) as a model of future management in both sectors. This model will hopefully close the traditional gap between public and business administration. The suggested model shall make the government organizations act like a professional business and shall make the business firms operate socially responsible. Major objectives of this study: Major objectives of this study are: C Pointing out new realities posed by universal transformations affecting the field and profession of management in both public and private sectors. C Drawing the shape and identity of management (Public & Business) and highlighting basic features of management in the new millennium. C Proposing some recommendations for academicians and policy makers related to the enhancement of the field and profession of management. METHODOLOGY The notion of this study came to my interest in the last few years. It was motivated by new changes and challenges in the digital society. The study is an attempt to incorporate theories and applications of management into new forms of service delivery. The study employs descriptive-analytical approach to achieve its objectives. It relies on up-to-date references found mainly on the Internet in order to cover the most recent developments on the subject matter. The focus of the study covers concise and brief review of literature in the context of environmental analysis. Special attention will be given to new realities induced by universal transformations including globalization, democratization, privatization and technological innovation and their reflections on management thought, structure and behavior. Conclusions and proposals contributing to adapting and redesigning the field and profession of management are to be given at the end of the study. LITERATURE REVIEW It is neither the objective of this study nor practically possible to provide full and extensive reviews of the history of management thought or practices. Yet it will include brief coverage of major and most related studies on the subject matter. Roots of modern management thought and practice might be traced as more than one century ago. The focus of this study will be on the most recent developments in management (Public & private) emphasizing its future identity as an academic field and applied profession. Following is a brief review of major relevant studies: Thompson and Ingraham (1996) showed the necessity for public administration to make structural adaptations in the light of changing environment. These adaptations include restructuring of the public sector role and objectives, institutions, legislation’s, work systems and climate, and means of evaluations and control. Jin and Qian (1998) has suggested the application of the principle of Public Private Partnership (PPP) as a way of improving effectiveness and efficiency of the public sector as well as enhancing accountability and responsibility in organizations. PPP has witnessed, according to the study, great progress in rural China. Jin and Qian (1998) study is in line with Ramamurti (2000) which suggested a multi-level privatization model for increasing public sector efficiency through strategic restructuring in order to fit new realities. Hood (1991) and Frederickson (1996) study shared views on public sector reforms by which the traditional Asian J. Bus. Manage., 4(1): 86-94, 2012 88 bureaucratic image of public administration should be changed and replaced by new image based on more effective, responsive, accountable and transparent administration. Various studies on E-government (Deloitte, 2000; Dean, 2000; Teeter, 2000; West, 2000) presented the concept of e-government and practical evidence and experience with regards to applications of e-government especially in the United States of America and United Kingdom. These studies have shown the significance, feasibility, and problems of e-government. They agreed that the EG is an appropriate response to universal transformations those related to technological innovations and globalization. Nevertheless, e-government is still emerging and facing many difficulties and requires longrange strategic planning in order to succeed, according to these studies. Klay (1999) showed the importance of environmental analysis in designing academic programs in public administration and management. Environment analysis should include transformations in the field and the professional future of graduates and institutional framework of academic programs. The study emphasized continuous strategic thinking and planning of academic programs based on vision and future opportunities and constraints. It also called for incorporation of graduate’s qualities with globalization and technological innovations. Hughes and O’Neill study (2000) indicated new practical style of public management applied in Australian State of Victoria that is similar to a business-like management style. This new style included professional management standards, result oriented controls, increased competition and flexibility in hiring and motivations.