A Management Guru from the East

Abstract

Management as a science is the prerogative of North America. Authors, concepts, publishers, journals, institutions, individuals and events are either bona fide North American or tinted with a strong North American tint. The few brave non North American souls who have ventured into this domain whether from Britain, Germany or Japan, were quickly re-minted in order to look and behave North American. They were ushered into the sacred arena of North American management and admitted to the exclusive cult. Creative management thinking, novel management concept formulation and imaginative management implementation that were taking place elsewhere, were either ignored or relegated to the dark corners of the domain. The following article is an attempt at exploring work done by a non-North American management innovator who developed, in the course of a dynamic political career, novel conceptual and operational management frameworks: Dr Mahathir Mohamed, the former , and current, prime minister of Malaysia. Analysis follows Dr Mahathir‟s record and addresses four specific conceptual innovations: the concept of “country-wide vision”, the Mahathir crisis management doctrine, the concept of indigenous enterprise and last but not least, managing oneself The article relies largely on a myriad of records and work done on Prime Minister Mahathir‟s initiatives and decisions. Those are placed within the broad spectrum of management as a science and profession.