Management in Transport

25th September 1964, Page 145

25th September 1964

Page 145

Page 145, 25th September 1964 — Management in Transport

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BY S. BUCKLEY, ASSOC.INST.T.

ANY manager who does not take his staff with him is heading for disaster." This comment was made by Mr. dames Amos, past president of the Institute of Transport 'hen advising delegates to hasten slowly in the implementation I new policies, however worthy their objectives. The occasion 'as the Institute's conference last week-end at New College, htford, attended by more than 120 delegates and at which Mr. ,mos acted as chairman at short notice in place of the president, Ir. Keith Granville.

The conference was entitled: "Management in Transport" nd the three papers delivered and subsequent discussion xamined the function, development and tools of management. 'he ideal of a continuing readiness to accept change was uestioned if it was change for change's sake only. Referring ) the several changes in national transport policy since 1947-7 nd in which he was involved—Mr. Amos said he did not cornlain of changes of policy as such. But he would have a strong omplaint if policies were so inflexible that they allowed rganizations to run down to a standstill. Nothing succeeded ke success and profitability was a clear and encouraging yardtick for management and staff alike.

A manager must be an innovator who seeks out change in a estless search for improvement and progress, who is no E.,specter of persons or status or creed--least of all his ownnd whose gaze is focused on tomorrow. This concept of tanagement was argued strongly by Mr. D. E. A. Pettit, hairman, S.P.D. Ltd., when presenting the first paper on aturday morning entitled: "The dynamic function of managelent ".

"We are not managers with salaries and privileges as a reward or service or past effort, or to enjoy the exercise of power and /ealth for their own sakes ", declared Mr. Pettit. A life of hallenge and response was the justification of a manager's

xistence. I listorical Approach Adopting all historical approach to the subject, Mr. Pettit rew comparisons from Arnold Town bee's study of history elative to the influences motivating the rise and growth in the .fe cycle. Toynbee postulated the argument that the greater he challenge the greater the stimulus. He enumerated five main ypes of challenge: that of hard and unyielding countries; the hallenge of new ground where old habits have no root; or the hallenge of sudden, unprecedented blows producing unpreceented and unexpected responses. There was also the challenge f constant pressures and of penalization as a consequence of ,eing outside majority traditions.

Though Toynbee's theme was relative to the broad canvas of reat civilizations they were equally relevant to the more limited idustrial perspective under review. For commercial and idustrial organizations to survive and grow in any positive lay they must be under the constant stimulus of severe hallenge which must be recognized without resentment. Such hallenges had to be identified and seen as such if they were to reduce a purposeful reaction. Otherwise it became an insidious ilison which sapped resources and energies.

Relating the challenges specified to the transport industry, if r. Pettit said that transport operated in a tough and barren nvironment, competitive and marginal in its profitability, where ecognition by production and marketing as to the significance f transport's contribution had come reluctantly.

The kaleidoscopic changes in our society, in science and :chnology, of the past 20 years in particular, had provided le challenge of new areas of opportunity where well established techniques became shibboleths overnight. The challenge of unexpected blows such as war and political trends had put transport into the cockpit of change. Thus there was the challenge of the motor car to the railways, the Common Market, motorways, the Channel Tunnel and, in Mr. Pettit's own field, the retail revolution with the decline of the small shop and the challenge of supermarket supply.

There was the continuing pressure of a restless search for combinations of speed, reliability, efficiency and profitability.. Then, as regards the challenge of penalization, there was the constant need to demonstrate the key contribution which transport .managers could make to the success of any commercial or industrial operation. Recognition had come slowly, but the significance of transport had burst on a somewhat surprised world very forcibly of recent years and " the ball is now very much at our feet ".

Managing began with managing oneself. Quoting Petei Drucker, professor of management in New York University. Mr. Pettit said that unless a manager organized. his own time he would not ensure that he had time for the really important things—the priorities—rather than frittering away time or trivial decisions. The real decisions were "innovating decisions ", deciding whether an activity lived or died. prospered or degenerated. focusing on contribution and resulb and not on the work itself.

The Modern Manager's Creed

The creed of the modern manager must involve an unqualified acceptance of change. Management's first concern was for tomorrow. It was an adventurous investment in the future and all levels of management must recognize this if an organization has to have vitality and purpose. Management must be encouraged to regard all its challenges and problems as opportunities rather than unwelcome irritations.

The rat race was the most prevalent business sickness causing suffering all round, Mr. Pettit quoted from a recent publication. Amongst its striptoms was a feeling of insecurity leading to conflicts, excessive paper work, buckpassing, slow decision-making and resignation or dismissal of the wrong people. Managers could help start a rat race by giving no leadership, hiring or rewarding the wrong people, encouraging informers and being inconsistent. Among the steps a manager can take to stop such a rat-race was to lead decisively, hire and reward the right people, communicate efficiently, establish a firm structure of authority and not interfere with it loo often.

Concluding, Mr. Pettit claimed that an organizational structure with a heavy emphasis on de-centralized and delegated responsibilities within a framework of purposeful accountability offered the hest medium in association with sound communication. The personnel and training policy must be based on human values consistent with the application of scientific measurement analysis, appraisal and control.

Following the usual procedure of this Conference of considering the successive papers by discussion groups. Mr. Pettit replied to questions submitted by delegates. It was suggested that change could have an adverse effect on efficiency, and' particularly morale. but in reply Mr. Pettit said that everyone had to recognize that even large investments could be expendable over a relatively short time. There was a need for a continuous progress committee to review capital investment relative to what was earning its keep and what part must be written off. Whilst there was a need to solve present problems these should be delegated as far as possible.