Problem-solving in management: Peculiarities of the arts

Much of a manager’s job involves problem-solving or decisionmaking. In the scheme of general affairs, human beings, managers as well as managers of managers are the ones who make things happen. In other words, neither the situation being managed (the organisation or group and its environment) nor the interventions and impact of the manager are static. Both organisational processes and managerial processes are constantly changing and shifting in relation to each other over time - be it a positive change or otherwise. Positive changes include growth in the market share, increased technological capability and greater understanding and support of corporate objectives by key employees. There are equally important organisational changes that represent decline. The successful manager is able to direct and support the processes that move the organisation toward strategic success and reverse or minimise the effect of processes of decline. Thus, the manager has to be given adequate training to prepare him for the challenge ahead of him-the challenge of problem-solving or good decisionmaking. It is against this backdrop that this essay attempts to examine the concept of management as a problem-solving phenomenon with particular reference to arts management.