To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin, and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation, with profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States Barack Obama’s Acceptance Speech (August 28, 2008)

‘The race to the Whitehouse: Some theoretical perspectives on the art of Obama’s victory’Miles Weaver,Lecturer in Strategic Management,Leicester Business School

Office hours:Monday 4PM – 5PMWednesday 12PM – 1PM

Session learning Outcomes

Discuss how management and strategy theory can be linked to practise using a real world example

Demonstrate how this can be discussed in class

Draw some lessons on the DMU student learning experience

Activity

What factors could explain Obama’s victory in the US elections?

“Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America”

Write some key words on the post-it for discussion

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer”

– Barack Obama Victory Speech (2008)

Management and strategy theory- can help us understand and analyse the discussion question

Management is the activity of getting things done with the aid of people and other resources (Boddy, 2008) Organising

Organisational structure Managing people Managing information

technology Managing change and

innovation

Leading Influence and power (e.g.

leadership) Motivation Communication Team working

This world is but a canvas for our imaginations

- Henry David Thoreau

Management and strategy theory- can help us understand and analyse the discussion question

Management is the activity of getting things done with the aid of people and other resources (Boddy, 2008)

Planning Decision-making Strategic management▪ Organisational mission, goals

and strategies▪ External analysis of

opportunities and threats▪ Internal analysis of strengths

and weaknesses▪ Strategy formulation▪ Strategy implementation▪ Evaluation of results

Controlling Performance

measurement and control

Financial and budgetary control

Managing operations and quality

“It is not the strongest of the species

that survive, nor the most intelligent,

but the most responsive to change.”

- Darwin

Motivation? As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided

than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

– Barack Obama Victory Speech (2008)Comparison of the Maslow and Alderfer categories of needs (cited in Boddy, 2008)

Motivation? Yes we can! The road ahead will be long.

Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America

– Barack Obama Victory Speech (2008)

Comparison of the Maslow and Alderfer categories of needs (cited in Boddy, 2008)

Leadership, power and Influence?Tactics to influence othersKipnis et al. (1980) and Yukl (1990, 1992) identify 9 tactics people use when influencing subordinates, bosses, colleagues:Rational persuasion: logical argumentsInspirational appeal: appeals to aspiration – creates enthusiasmConsultation: seeks his/her participationIngratiation: seeks to get him/her in a good moodExchange: offers an exchange of favoursPersonal appeal: appeals to feelings of loyalty & friendshipCoalition: seeks the aid of others to persuadeLegitimating: presents it as consistent with org. policiesPressure: uses demands, threats, reminders

Understanding the competition?We say:“Know yourself and know yourenemy.You will be safe in every battle.You may know yourself but not know the enemy.You will then lose one battle forevery one you win.You may not know yourself or

the enemy.You will then lose every battle.”

- Sun Tzu (403–221 BC)

“Strategy is the creation of a unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities… The essence of strategic positioning is to choose activities that are different from rivals.”

- Porter (1996)

We understand theory so we can apply, analyse and evaluate practise in different environments and settings

Professional Socialisation:… and why not also learn by doing?

Summary

Discussed some theoretical perspectives to understand some of the factors that may help explain Obama’s victory Using some representative

management and strategy theory, but we could go on …

Attempted to show how learning can be an engaging, enabling and fulfilling process

Show an example of what you could expect on a degree at Leicester Business School E.g. lectures and tutorials,

independent learning, group work

Further reading“He who learns but does not think

is lost” -

Chinese Proverb

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”

- Mahatma Gandhi

Miles Weaver, Lecturer in Strategic Management.mweaver@dmu.ac.uk