>> MIM Speaks
ON COURSE TO DRIVE THE NEW ECONOMY
FEBRUARY 8, 2001 -
BUSINESS TIMES
By AZHARI-KARIM
THIRTY-FIVE years ago, six or seven people got together one
fine day in 1966 to set up the Malaysian Institute of
Management (MIM).
Looking back at those early years, certainly the pioneering
years for the Institute, many of them felt that there were too
many things to do and so little time to do it.
The country was just beginning the miracle decades of
impressive economic growth.
The Institute somehow had to keep up with the momentum of
national development.
There were no models to work on. A society was thought to have
served the needs then.
But this was of course only initially.
Ten years later, MIM became a Company Limited By Guarantee.
This allowed it more room to operate.
It had assumed a more national character by then.
Of the pioneering years, MIM must recognise the role of the
leading lights from the Government, university and business
that have made significant contributions to the earlier
successes of the Institute.
The famous five included Tun Raja Mohar bin Raja Badiozaman,
Sam Abishegam, Syed Adam AlJafri, Dr Tarcisius Chin and Ali
Thambirajah.
In particular, the presence of three Cabinet Ministers
representing Commerce and Industry, Education and Labour at
the Institutes inaugural meeting on January 29 1966,
underlined the Government's total commitment to enhance the
level of professionalism among the country's managers.
The first 10 years of the Institute witnessed the following:
in 1967 it started its office in Bangkok Bank Building in
Kua,1a Lumpur; the first Tunku Abdul Rahman Lecture was held
in 1970; and in 1973, it finalised the First Development Plan.
In fact, it was observed that during the first nine years, the
Institute's membership increased fourfold and its
revenues-eightfold. The number of activities grew from three
programmes in 1966 to sixty-three in 1974.
The next two decades of the Institute's growth could be termed
as the developmental years.
What were some of the highlights?
Media articles referred to MIM's role as a nation-builder, in
making leaders out of managers and as a change-agent through
its management education programmes.
In association with various foreign universities, MIM was able
to offer a choice of six MBA courses.
It employed some 500 course-leaders from different backgrounds
whose aim was to impart their hands-on experience on
management to the students.
The Diploma in Management Programme for instance, was
developed for Malaysians using material based on local case
studies.
MIM also conducted in-house training programmes for companies
and offered skills training through its public programmes.
Two events pushed the Institute into the limelight. It moved
into its own premises at 227 Jalan Ampang in 1994.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, unveiled a
new logo.
The new identity thus bestowed created opportunities for
education, training and research.
The Institute's performance and stature during these years
could be measured from the recognition that it had gained both
at home and abroad.
Twice the Institute played host to the, meeting of the World
Council of Management and did - the country proud once again,
when it hosted the 8th Asian Association of Management
Organisations Regional Management Conference in 1983.
The various programmes on the philosophy, techniques and
skills of management, established itself as the centre for
knowledge and information on the art and practice of
management in the country.
By the 35th year, it was able to respond to the national need
of having a steady pool of trained manpower ready to
contribute to the economic development of the country.
Today, the Institute is poised to drive the New Economy.
It is doing so in three ways.
Firstly, providing a forum for the management community to
have constructive dialogues on issues relating to the
enhancement of the highest standards of management practice.
One such issue is the relationship between technology and
human values in the workplace.
Secondly, upgrading its IT infrastructure so that it could
offer several new services in the electronic mode to members
now numbering nearly 10,000.
Finally it completed plans for a programme for managers to
obtain certification for their competencies as well as
embarked on consultancy services for small and medium-sized
companies.
To succeed in all of the above, MIM has recently begun a
series of in-depth review of its founding philosophy, mission,
strategies and business plans.
It still aims to be the authoritative voice of management for
the country.
Its products and services must continue to maintain the
quality and innovation that the Institute has always been
known for.
A critical success factor must be how fast the Institute can
respond to the demands of the market.
It makes, good sense for the Institute not to pander to every
whim and fancy of the market.
The so-called cradle to grave attitude can no longer apply in
today's working environment.
To survive, it needs to adopt drastic changes in its
organisation, human resources and products.
An integrated approach that combines excellence in leadership,
teamwork and product design can deliver the expected results.
Based on the discussions that were held, it seemed a new
branding is in the works for MIM.
Its main features are market relevancy, quality products and
services, and responding to national needs.
Several of its products and services including membership
services, education and training programmes and even the
management will undergo changes to reflect the new
positioning.
The ultimate objective is to put the Malaysian Institute of
Management ahead of the pack in the e-community and to let it
be the leader, enabler, and facilitator of knowledge
management in the country and the region.
How is MIM going to do this? Below are some suggestions.
If we consider leadership as the most important thing in this
whole exercise, then we would have to start thinking about the
kind of qualities that people in top management or the
operational and support teams must possess.
There are four areas that we must take heed of: how is
information processed, how, do people interact with others in
the organisation, how do they deal with conflicts and from
where do people get their motivation?
Having answered these questions, the following will separate
the leaders from the followers: leaders will need to have a
clear picture of the future first, then proceed with the
planning and strategising.
Managers will have to do more selling, strategising and
speaking. They cannot be content by merely remaining in their
offices.
Their outlook has to encompass all the needs of the
stakeholders and the global business environment. As to the
shape of the organisation or the management, we need to bear
in mind that to succeed in the new economy, the structure must
be fluid, mobile, and constantly changing, depending on what
the project is, who the customer is, and who we have to work
with at a particular time.
Technology has really brought down the walls that once
separated our lives from our work, leisure, learning and other
human activities.
The dilemma is to be able to tell when to stop working and
when to start living.
How we manage people, markets and expectations of our
customers paramount to the managements role.
All these elements will be brought together via the
technologies that are around today - work can be carried out
anywhere: office, car, home etc.
Groups of people or teams will comprise of the nuclear
workforce that will handle work from now on.
Once the project is completed, new teams will be formed to
work on yet another project.
Finally, creativity and innovation must characterise the
Institute's offering of programmes and activities.
Its main purpose in conducting various management-related
courses is to enhance the overall leadership and change
management effectiveness of Malaysian managers.
The programmes, services and activities must be marketed to
meet the needs of the customers, able to manage the brand and
prop up its corporate image.
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