CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
George Washington Univ., Management Science

0403 -
0403 -    ..
0404 - Summary/Objective
0405 -
040501 - Follow up ref SDS 6 0000.
040502 -
040503 - Received ref DRT 1 0001 responding to my letter, ref DIP 3 0001
040504 - suggesting that GWU sponsor a seminar on communication metrics.
040506 -  ..
040507 - GWU is concerned about the popularity and name recognition of POIMS.
040509 -  ..
040510 - This is treated below by supplying additional information, and is
040511 - submitted via ref DIT 1 0001.  Included evaluation from PG&E, and the
040512 - report by Primavera on the inadequacy of accepted business practices.
040513 -
040514 -      [On 950426 letter from Chip on consideration of course for Com
040515 -      Metrics. ref SDS 8 RU4J
040516 -
040517 -
040519 -  ..
0406 -
0407 -
0408 - GWU Position
0409 -
040901 - Chip says communication metrics is "good stuff" and may have a bright
040902 - future but "knowledgeable" colleagues feel it is too difficult to find
040903 - a viable market for a seminar on this, because POIMS has not been
040904 - reviewed in trade journals, newspapers and magazines. ref DRT 1 0002
040905 -
040906 -
040907 -
040909 -  ..
0410 -
0411 -
0412 - Analysis
0413 -
041301 - Initially, GWU's position is similar to that taken by the AMA at
041302 - ref SDS 1 0799, and at ref SDS 2 0788.
041304 -  ..
041305 - GWU posits in one sense a static environment by limiting course
041306 - offerings to ideas reported in the public media.  Since the public
041307 - media looks to acadamia for new ideas that will empower the nation to
041308 - flourish in the future, some effort should be made by GWU to meet this
041309 - standard.  Edward Deming, a key figure in promulgating TQM, was bitter
041310 - near the end of his life that the American establishment required some
041311 - 40 years to recognize TQM.  This was at a time when America was a
041312 - colossus on the global economic scene.  Now, with competition a
041313 - fundamental fact of life, can America afford to wait another 40 years
041314 - for the media and educators to wait each other out to see who will
041315 - dare sound the alert that a better path has again been found.
041316 - ref SDS 1 8966
041318 -  ..
041319 - Of course it is axiomatic that GWU must offer courses that attract
041320 - attendance.  New solutions are attractive to those frustrated by the
041321 - failure of existing practices to meet the demands of a changing world.
041322 - The report from Joel Koppleman on Primavera's inability to accomplish
041323 - its objectives using management practices carried out by experts,
041324 - ref SDS 7 2355, shows that reliance on popular media is not a good
041325 - criteria for determining what should be taught today.
041327 -  ..
041328 - Primavera is recognized in the media as about the best implementation
041329 - of popular methodologies for managing complex, high risk endeavors.
041330 - Yet it is at best only 10% of the solution, and daily becomes less
041331 - relevant as the Information Highway relentlessly extends its grip on
041332 - the conscious of the modern world.  GWU must offer courses that deal
041333 - with this new world of exploding communications.  The only question is
041334 - how to do it. Offering Communication Metrics enables GWU to lead into
041335 - the future, rather than cling to a past that no longer works.  PG&E's
041336 - finding that POIMS improved management more than any other method
041337 - tried in the past 30 years, ref DRP 1 8444, shows this course can
041338 - foster a wide and lasting appeal, as satisfied attendees spread the
041339 - word. California Supreme Court Justice Stanley Mosk's endorsement of
041340 - the core concept of converting information into knowledge, provides
041341 - credibility in this remarkable solution.
041343 -  ..
041344 - I propose GWU consider communication metrics as part of a course on
041345 - new solutions to meet a changing world.  Since the pace of change is
041346 - accelerating, GWU would be on solid ground in reserving a part of its
041347 - agenda to meeting the challenge of that change.  This means new
041348 - solutions.
041350 -  ..
041351 - Finally, "communication metrics" is not completely foreign to the ear
041352 - of GWU's audience.  "Communication" is the primary focus of management
041353 - courses throughout the world.  TQM has now made the role of "metrics"
041354 - prominent on the landscape of American industry.  Executives, senior
041355 - and middle managers everywhere are more and more aware that to
041356 - improvement requires a means of measurement.  Accordingly, if GWU
041357 - offers the ability to improve communications by applying accepted
041358 - principles of metrics, it might well be flooded by an audience hungry
041359 - for the Rosetta stone to higher earnings.
041361 -  ..
041362 - If GWU feels an entire course on communication metrics is too
041363 - ambitious at this stage, then lets look at how these ideas can be
041364 - incorporated into existing curriculum.  Courses on communications,
041365 - risk management, TQM, project controls, records management, automated
041366 - integration, executive training, time management, et al, provide a
041367 - rich array of opportunities to begin the trek toward the 21st century.
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0414 -