Management and a Short History of Chocolate
The history of the multibillion dollar industry of chocolate goes back to 1400 BCE, when
Mayans used the cocoa beans to create an alcoholic beverage. [1]
The use of the chocolate changed through centuries from an alcoholic beverage to currency, to a
medical treatment for coughs, fevers, and other uses.
Today, the list of important manufacturers in chocolate world includes names like: Mars Inc, Nestle SA, Hershey foods corp. [3]
The number and size, the extension on production (fig 1) and the explosion on profit of the
chocolate industry and its organizations, powerfully endorse the undeniable role of the management and its functions.
Fig 1, [4]
Summary of revised forecasts and estimates year 2008/2009
Cocoa year (Oct-Sep) | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | Year-on-year change | |
Revised estimates | Previous forecasts | Revised forecasts | ||
(thousand tones) | (Per cent) | |||
World production | 3 718 | 3 466 | - 7.0% | |
World grindings | 3 743 | 3 515 | - 6.7% | |
Surplus/deficit b/ | - 62 | - 84 | ||
1 - Changes on socially constructed meaning of chocolate, the effect of mangers factor on
these changes .
Social constructed concept generally has to do with countless human choices and exists only
because people agree to accept its existence.
Mayans chose to worship cocoa beans as idol and believed on religion values of cocoa beans.
On 1800 because of radical diversities, Mayans and Aztecs elected to believe on the currency
value of the cocoa beans. Don Cortes organized and executed the plan to establish cocoa
plantation.
In need of medical treatment Mayans, Europeans and Holland focused on the usefulness
of cocoa beans as medicine. European early chemists experimented with chocolate and
Holland doctors recommended it, extending the meaning of chocolate management.[2]
2 - Wedgwood and Cadbury contributed on evolution of management concept
through their innovations.
Using different tools and different methods Wedgwood and Cadbury invested their innovative
input on the changes of management concept. They lived in different centuries, contribute to
different industries, but they had the same purpose: to plan, organize, lead, and control in
order to achieve their goals. What set them apart is the incompatible tools, methods, and point of
views that they used to accomplish their goals and different aims they had in the their lives.
2-1 - Wedgwood, Cadbury and their similarities
With their contrasted but outstanding performances Wedgwood and Cadbury set standards for
other organizations within their industry. Wedgwood and Cadbury also shared
other similarities such as:
ü Both were innovators.
ü Both were business oriented.
ü Both experimented .
ü Both aimed to produce and profit.
ü Both participated on the improvement of management concept
2-2 - Wedgwood, Cadbury and their differences
Wedgwood and Cadbury lived in different time lines, had different social backgrounds, and
utilized different approaches towards the business and management.
Wedgwood
ü Wedgwood utilized mainstream management approach
ü Wedgwood devised a system of rewards and punishments
ü Wedgwood used child and slave labor
ü Wedgwood emphasized on increasing of productivity and profit with no concern
ü to human kind forms of well being
ü Wedgwood used the preacher to legitimize the materialism - individualism view
ü Wedgwood Lobbied the government for transportation infrastructure improvement
Cadbury
ü Cadbury utilized multistream management approach
ü Cadbury perused the poor to give up alcohol
ü Cadbury offered affordable housing for his employees
ü Cadbury was willing to provide medical, dental ,kitchen for his employees
ü Cadbury presented the idea of Education while at work.
ü Cadbury emphasized on increase of productivity and profit with concern to human
kind forms of well being
3-Chocolate industry and its forms of well – being
Throughout centuries chocolate industry experienced different phases. One unique characteristic
of the chocolate industry (especially prior to our century), was the high considerations of its
organizations to the humankind forms of well–being such as:
ü financial well – being
ü physical well – being
ü social well – being
ü intellectual well - being
ü material well - being
ü individual well – being
3-1 Mainstream and it forms of well being
The mainstream management tends to emphasizes on individualism and materialism, while
prioritizing the self interest of the organizations and individuals. Therefore, it should not
come as surprise to us that forms of mainstream well being are:
ü Financial well-being
ü Individual well being
ü Material well-being
3-2 Multistream and it forms of well being
Both forms of management, mainstream and multisteram, aim to increase the productivity and
profitability of the organization. Multistream management organizations differ though from
Mainstream management organizations that have an exceptional concern on how human kind
forms of well–being are effected from their courses of action.
Effectiveness of multistream management comes from balances among forms of well–being
such as:
ü Social well – being
ü Physical well – being
ü Spiritual well – being
ü Intellectual well – being
ü Ecological well - being
ü Aesthetic well –being
As a conclusion, Social, economical, ecological, and legal Environments that surround us,
continuously undergo through changes. Therefore, it is vital for the organizations, mainstream or
multistream, to respond to these changes over the years – otherwise they will risk failing.
The modern management existence and construction depends also on changes of the social and
legal meanings attached to the organizations.
References
[1] - Duke, B. & Neubert, M. J, (2010). Management Current Practices and New Directions.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
[2] - What is the History of Chocolate?. wiseGEEK. Retrieved on September 4, 2009, from
[3] – The chocolate industry. International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved September 5, 2009
[4] - ICCO Press Releases. International Cocoa Organization. Retrieved September 6, 2009