At a time in history when social, economic, and political relationships are both so important to making a success of cross-cultural encounters and so fragile in the larger scheme of human experience, it seems vitally important for persons of good will to stake a claim on the future of mankind. All too often--and with far too much intensity--parochial concerns dominate human experience, and some people who are preoccupied with their own objectives and actions seem opaque to the idea that interaction with others can be productive, profitable, and satisfying. The result is that the social benefits and possibilities for personal and professional enrichment associated with being human are suppressed in favor of anxiety about the problems of social interaction and what is impossible about everyday life. These concepts are in the background of my desire to pursue a degree in strategic management.
The very concept of management implies recognition that human beings are fundamentally social, that they operate in all manner of groups that overlap and converge in countless ways, and that they desire an orderly, secure, and productive way of life. That is the impetus behind civil society in general, and it is embedded into the structure of institutions that help organize that society. A clear-thinking manager is uniquely suited to the task of facilitating and optimizing the social benefits that can accumulate for organizations and the people that make them function. It might seem obvious that this person should be well educated and well trained. But the hard truth is that management problems are highly publicized, an embarrassment to the organizations that are afflicted with them and a testament to how fragile the promise of bringing people together for a common purpose can be. Incompetent management--and worse, management that does not sufficiently appreciate the vagaries of the human factor in virtually all organizational settings--can be ver...