Sixties Sparked Management Revolution

The 1960s are often remembered as a cultural golden age, with Britain in the grip of Beatlemania and the emergence of supermodels like Twiggy. However, it’s also possible to see the beginnings of a management awakening during this period. Chris Carter, chair in strategy and organisation at the University of Edinburgh Business School, notes that many managers and leaders of the time were highly effective in their context.

Despite the rigid structures and command-and-control approaches that dominated the business world, there were signs of change. The founding of London Business School in 1964 and Manchester Business School in 1965 marked a significant shift towards professionalising management in the UK.

The Franks report of 1963 had recommended the creation of two business schools to improve management education in the UK. This led to the establishment of London and Manchester Business Schools, which paved the way for an explosion of management education and training in the 1980s and 1990s.

By 1985, there were 47 institutions granting post-graduate management qualifications. However, this growth was not without its challenges, and some critics argued that management education was still not doing enough to prepare leaders for the complexities of the modern business world.

The 1960s saw a significant shift in the UK’s economic setting, with a growing recognition that the country was falling behind its major competitors. The term “brain drain” was coined to describe the loss of skilled workers to other countries, particularly the US.

Harold Wilson called for a new Britain to be forged in the “white heat” of a technological and scientific revolution. This marked a significant turning point in the UK’s approach to management and leadership, as the country began to move away from traditional aristocratic structures and towards a more modern, meritocratic approach.

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Today, the business world is unrecognisable from the one that existed in the 1960s. The rise of the creative and financial services industries has led to a shift towards more empathetic and inclusive leadership approaches.

Many people are still promoted to management on the basis of technical skill alone, becoming “accidental managers” who may not have the necessary leadership skills to succeed.

Leaders will need to adapt and innovate in order to succeed. By investing in initiatives that prioritise psychological safety and employee well-being, organisations can help to create a more supportive and inclusive work environment, which can in turn drive business success.

Employee retention and development have also changed. Employees are no longer expected to stay with the same employer for their entire careers. Instead, they are free to move between companies and industries, which can create new challenges and opportunities for leaders, particularly in terms of domain name registration and other aspects of business operations.

As the business world continues to evolve, the management revolution is far from over. With the rise of new technologies and changing workforce demographics, leaders must be able to adapt and innovate in order to succeed.