From knowing to doing: experience and flexibility make the difference

Purpose – While managers have many opportunities to learn about strategic principles, this article investigates how managers understand and use them. Focusing on principles from the writing of Peter F. Drucker, described by many as “the man who invented management,” the purpose of the study is to test the relationship of organizational flexibility to implementing his principles and also to explore how they are implemented. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conduct an online survey of senior managers about their familiarity with each of five of Drucker's ideas, their agreement with each, and how they are implemented. The respondents also report how management ideas are put into practice in their organization. Findings – As expected, we find that implementation of strategic concepts is likelier given greater organizational flexibility, a willingness to try something new. As Drucker posited, the way an organization is organized and motivated affects whether it will implement profitable strategies. Research limitations/implications – This is a study of 100 executives who responded to an academic inquiry. The authors do not know whether the respondents were affected by the academic focus. Further, since the respondents are employed in a wide variety of industries, the conclusions are necessarily broad and may not reflect any one industry's values. Originality/value – It is well known that enterprises develop cultures that either welcome or repel new ideas. This paper may motivate managers to consider the flexibility of their own organization in reacting to and assimilating “not invented here” possibilities.