This is the fourth of a four part series examining management theories and how they can help us understand our own personal productivity. William Ouchi was born in 1943 and raised in Honolulu.  He earned his Ph.D from the University of Chicago and is currently on faculty at the University of California. Ouchi studied the different work cultures of America and Japan.  In America, he found the "Cowboy" culture, where people are rewarded for their individual efforts and employees are acting out of what is good for themselves in the short term. Americans tend to value people who are mavericks and accomplish stuff even if they work against the "system" to do so.  In America, it is … [Read more...]

This is the third in a four part series examining the relationship between management theories and personal productivity. Douglas McGregor lived from 1906 to 1964 and was a professor at MIT.  Four years before his death, he published his theory on management, which is known as theory X and theory Y. Theory X is that employees are lazy and don't want to work.  Under this theory, managers must create very structured environments in order for work to get done.  They don't trust the employees and often see themselves in competition with them.  This leads to managers who run their business as a dictatorship. Theory Y is a different way for managers to look at their employees.  It … [Read more...]