Healthcare Management: An "art" and a "science"

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Please see the response attached.

1. Management experts often say the management process is both an "art" and a "science." Do you agree with this statement? To what degree is healthcare management an art, a science, both or neither? Provide an example to illustrate your position. In 4-5 paragraphs

It seems reasonable. The essence of successful management is to structure a very well thought-out process to ensure, for example, that the sales/service reps have extreme clarity about what task needs to be accomplished in each and every customer interaction (science) and to ensure that this process will consistently produce the most profitable results. Within this context, creative selling or service delivery (art) will be most effective, as the art and science of the management process blend to maximize a company's bottom line. For example, artful sales/service achievements (art) that bring in the wrong business or fail to secure the best business will actually decrease profits. The prime responsibility of a company's management is to provide its sales/service providers with a systematic, effective process through which they can understand how to succeed (science). The essence of sales rep/service provider effectiveness is to have an extremely clear understanding of what task needs to be accomplished in every account call. This process is the science of account management. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3257/is_n6_v43/ai_7640823

The foundation of management theory has been developed in the academic literature by several management theorists. The management process has been viewed as both an art and a science. For example, Frederick W. Taylor is generally considered the father of "scientific management." Taylor believed that management should use scientific methods to make decisions and to evaluate alternative courses of action rather than simply relying on past experience. Taylor's scientific approach requires that valid, reliable information be obtained as a requisite to decision making and that rigorous controls be maintained to monitor the decision. Because in practice management does not always lend itself to rigorous examination and control, much of the existing conceptual management guidance to solving human relations problems is based on skills developed through experience. When these management skills are practiced successfully, they are more like an art than an exacting science. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3257/is_n6_v43/ai_7640823/print

Let’s look closer at the management process as both an art and a science.

Example: (adapted)

Is account management an art or science? This is a critical question: The answer determines whether the sales/service process can be systematized and subjected to constant improvement. The answer, not surprisingly, is that both aspects are important. But in many companies, the science of account management is neither well understood nor systematically applied. In high-performing companies, on the other hand, the science of account management is the centerpiece of the sales/service process, and within this context, artful selling/services produces the most effective results.

For example, the science of account management has four key elements: (1) profitability management; (2) account relationship selection; (3) product migration paths; and (4) account planning. With these four elements in place, plus aligned sales compensation, the sales process will produce great results. Over the years, I have participated in a number of high-level sales/service management and business unit leadership meetings. A frequent comment is that sales/services would improve dramatically if only the sales/service reps had more contact with the CEOs of their accounts. Often, this leads to a suggestion to hire new reps with high-level account contacts. My reaction is that many managers find it easier to spend money than to improve management processes. But this is a big mistake. In most companies, most sales/service reps are quite capable of outstanding performance if they are managed well and work within a well-structured process. Conversely, high-performing sales/service reps from other companies would lose significant effectiveness if inserted into a company with a poorly structured, poorly managed sales/service process. Artful sales achievements that bring in the wrong business or fail to secure the best business will actually decrease profits. The prime responsibility of a company's management is to provide its sales reps with a systematic, effective process through which they can understand how to succeed. The essence of sales/service rep effectiveness is to have an extremely clear understanding of what task needs to be accomplished in every account call. This process is the science of account management.

Profitability management

The ...