Comments on: Must read: The Halo Effect http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/ A year-round Davos of the mind, written since 1999 by Lance Knobel Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:38:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Davos Newbies » Blog Archive » Untangling cause and effect http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-256046 Davos Newbies » Blog Archive » Untangling cause and effect Thu, 22 May 2008 20:09:48 +0000 http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/#comment-256046 [...] of the most useful books I read last year was The Halo Effect, which debunks many of the management fads and mantras that pass as holy writ in many companies. [...] [...] of the most useful books I read last year was The Halo Effect, which debunks many of the management fads and mantras that pass as holy writ in many companies. [...]

]]> By: Davos Newbies » Blog Archive » Felix Salmon asks… http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-98839 Davos Newbies » Blog Archive » Felix Salmon asks… Fri, 13 Jul 2007 22:56:55 +0000 http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/#comment-98839 [...] But on to the serious question. One thing that is welcome about the study is that it appears to avoid the halo effect. The researchers didn’t ask managers vague or leading questions that provide junk data: the halo effect asserts that people in successful companies generally provide positive answers and people in trailing companies negative ones. The questions in this survey are harder to manipulate. Take the questions regarding the introduction of modern manufacturing techniques: a) Can you describe the production process for me? b) What kinds of lean (modern) manufacturing processes have you introduced? Can you give me specific examples? c) How do you manage inventory levels? What is done to balance the line? [...] [...] But on to the serious question. One thing that is welcome about the study is that it appears to avoid the halo effect. The researchers didn’t ask managers vague or leading questions that provide junk data: the halo effect asserts that people in successful companies generally provide positive answers and people in trailing companies negative ones. The questions in this survey are harder to manipulate. Take the questions regarding the introduction of modern manufacturing techniques: a) Can you describe the production process for me? b) What kinds of lean (modern) manufacturing processes have you introduced? Can you give me specific examples? c) How do you manage inventory levels? What is done to balance the line? [...]

]]> By: Lance Knobel http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-77233 Lance Knobel Sat, 02 Jun 2007 19:45:14 +0000 http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/#comment-77233 No, he doesn't think it's all useless. He cites a number of carefully conducted studies that show, for example, that companies that adopted some specific best practices in a number of areas outperformed others by around 10 per cent. That's statistically significant, but it doesn't create a bestseller. His problem is with stories posing as science. He does have three notable CEOs that he discusses at the end of the book -- Robert Rubin, Andy Grove and Guerrino de Luca (Logitech). But he doesn't construct a theory around them. He admires their humility in the face of uncertainty, and their willingness to admit that some of what they do is gambling. No, he doesn’t think it’s all useless. He cites a number of carefully conducted studies that show, for example, that companies that adopted some specific best practices in a number of areas outperformed others by around 10 per cent. That’s statistically significant, but it doesn’t create a bestseller.

His problem is with stories posing as science. He does have three notable CEOs that he discusses at the end of the book — Robert Rubin, Andy Grove and Guerrino de Luca (Logitech). But he doesn’t construct a theory around them. He admires their humility in the face of uncertainty, and their willingness to admit that some of what they do is gambling.

]]> By: Felix http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-77228 Felix Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:51:15 +0000 http://www.davosnewbies.com/2007/06/01/must-read-the-halo-effect/#comment-77228 So help me out here. Let's say that I believe all Management Theory is bullshit. What do I learn from this book? Just that I'm right? Does Rosenzweig just demolish others, or does he have a Management Theory of his own? Does he believe (a) that some managers are better than others; that (b) it is possible to identify those managers; and that (c) it is possible to generalize about what makes those managers good? So help me out here. Let’s say that I believe all Management Theory is bullshit. What do I learn from this book? Just that I’m right? Does Rosenzweig just demolish others, or does he have a Management Theory of his own? Does he believe (a) that some managers are better than others; that (b) it is possible to identify those managers; and that (c) it is possible to generalize about what makes those managers good?

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