Inheriting the Future
Observations on the evolving role of middle management within the Australian gaming industry; a paper co-authored by Michael Ferris and Andrew MacDonald.
By Andrew MacDonald, Senior Executive Casino Operations
and Michael Ferris
Adelaide Casino, 1995
Introduction and Terminology | Pit Boss – Caretaker or Policeman | Mental Models | “If It Isn’t Broken – Don’t Fix It” | Pioneers Versus Settlers | The Challenge of Change | Bridging the Gulf between the Theoretical and the Practical | From Personal Realm to Professional Sphere | Means of Selection for Promotion | The Formation of Particular Management Structures | The Impact of Promotion upon Candidates Themselves | The Criteria for Selection | Unified Professional Ethic | Pit Boss Job Description | Code Of Ethics (Noblesse Oblige) | The Company Mission Statement | Empowerment of Staff | Implementing Change | The Human Consequences of Change | Walking Backwards into the Future | Bibliography |
The current management belief system (with all its traces of feudalism, policing the pit or simply acting as caretaker) has stood the test of time. It has provided tight reins of control and a rigid disciplinary regime. There are no obvious signs or signals of breakdown or decay. Why mess around with it now? Put plainly “If it isn’t broken – don’t fix it”.
There are however degrees of brokenness. Often, the system is like a four cylinder car running on two or three cylinders. It doesn’t actually grind to a halt (perhaps it would be better if it did as this would bring problems to a head) but it is extraordinarily wasteful. A great deal of potential is squandered or lost to other industries. We are gradually becoming more and more conscious of this brain drain. We are slowly recognising the need to utilise this spare capacity and achieve greater results by overhauling and fine-tuning our beliefs.
An analogy is the “boiling frog” effect. If a frog is placed in scalding water it will leap out immediately. If however it is placed in water at room temperature and the water is slowly heated, the frog will remain there until it dies. Similarly, if an organisation fails to adapt to critical creeping changes in economic circumstances, then it may eventually perish.
