Granted. It’s not scientific. But by looking at BNET users’ top search terms, you can pretty much get a feel for what’s hot in the world of management day-by-day.
Today’s top search terms show a marked trend toward organization and structure, with five out of the top ten terms related to organizational issues. Maybe that has to do with the ongoing unpleasantness that we won’t for the moment glorify with the “R” word. But clearly, things are shifting with managers showing a marked interest in developing leaner, more nimble organizations.
The top ten are:
- Motivation – Reminds me of time when an actor asked director Orson Welles, “What’s my motivation for this cross?” Welles answered, “Your paycheck on Friday!” What’s your motivation? Maybe Despair, Inc. has an answer for you.
- Financial Statement Analysis — Take away: Make more money than you spend. A good thing at all times, essential in a downturn.
- Organizational Structure — For the lines, boxes and titles minded.
- Balanced Scorecard — Invented by the guys below. It’s supposed to measure if the small scale activities within a company (like what you do) are aligned with its major objectives. If it your scorecard isn’t balanced, you’re screwed.
- Dr. Robert Kaplan and Dr. David Norton — They invented the thing above.
- Matrix Organization — Usually it’s “matrixed organization” and it has to do with “organizational structure” (see above) or, rather, a lack thereof. In a matrixed organization you either don’t know who you report to, or you report to too many managers.
- External Environment — All the stuff outside your company you need to be aware of, like the competition.
- Banking Operations and Technology — I’ll wait for the movie, thanks.
- Internal Analysis — Navel gazing for quants. Again, seems “R”-related.
- Strategic Organization Design — See items 3, 4, 5 and 6.
