Playing Them at Their Own Game: Where Managing in the Real World is about Organizational Power and Politics a Business School Education is very Real-World Relevant

Abstract

This paper reverses interpretation of the relevance debate in management education. Real management practice is seen as characterised by non-relevance to real-world business situations, primacy of selfinterest, consolidation of power with image, and avoidance of responsibility and accountability. Business schools have been producing doctrinaire graduates schooled in non-relevance, who are well suited for such practice. Unwritten rules for real-management maneuvers: consolidating power; influence building; positioning to avoid responsibility; and self-promotion, are described. Hypocrisy may be an effective survival strategy and individuals can defend against self-promoters by playing them at their own game.