Centre for Strategy and Performance

Management Tools

We define tools as ways to carry out a particular (improvement) task. It has a clear role and narrow focus. Thus, it often could be used on its own. Examples of management tools are Force Field Diagram, Pareto Analysis, Process Diagram etc. Whereas,techniques are programmes or procedures which comprise a set of tools. Thus, techniques have wider application than tools and may need more skill and knowledge to apply them effectively. For example, SMED is a tool for reducing setup time on machine, and it is also part of the tools used in TQM or JIT techniques. Other management techniques are Value Analysis, Hoshin Kanri, Statistical Process Control etc.

In CSP, efforts have been put in to develop effective, research-based tools and techniques for strategy-making and performance measurement system design. Chief among them is TAPS (Tool for Action Plan Selection) and Developing Decision Support Tools projects. We also have produced a catalogue which provides brief introduction to the management tools and techniques.

The results of many of these projects are now in the public domain and being exploited commercially.

Following are some of the useful resources to learn more about management tools and techniques information and research:

1. www.bain.com (for information on latest survey on management tools and techniques)
2. Euske, K.J. & Player, R.S. (1996) ‘Leveraging Management Improvement Techniques’, Sloan Management Review, pp.69-79.
3. Dale, B. and Mcquater, R. (1998) ‘Managing Business Improvement and Quality: Implementing Key Tools and Techniques’, Oxford: Blackwell Publisher.
4. Superfactory (www.superfactory.com)

by Dr. Kim Hua Tan, University of Cambridge <kht23eng.cam.ac.uk>