We often see people making observations about teams. Like in the industry, educational institutes also need teams to design, develop and deliver courses. Here is one comment from an Administrator supervising a team of faculty in an educational set up that had to adopt the virtual mode of learning during the pandemic in March 2020:
"I do not have competence to comment on the issues relating to the SCM course content, but I have no hesitation in observing that the group, comprising of Prof U, Prof. V, Prof. W and Prof. Z is possibly the most promising academic group I have seen, in this school: quiet, competent and committed.The Chinese say : Feel the stones, while crossing the river. In this new academic virtual journey that we are all part of, I am sure, the Quartet would do everything to ferry the students to a new, and promising destination."
[Note: A somewhat positive comment/perception regarding the team where the members were facing an enquiry on teaching-learning matters]
Recalling my own experience with the curriculum design of Operations & Supply Chain Management courses in various Institutions of the state and one open University of the country, here are my remarks and response to the above comments/observations.
Proactive supply chains leverage on "informating" to improve supply chain performances on a continual basis. Teams in educational setups are no different when it comes to the development of learner centric curriculum. In line with my earlier views on "subject matter experts", one also does not need to be an expert to understand that a "chain is as strong as the weakest link". A supply chain is similar. Hence, it is a basic precept to be kept in mind while handling SCM related challenges. Without developing the weakest link it will be foolish to expect world class standards. In one board meeting on curriculum design, concerns were raised regarding "plagiarism and the poor quality of work" that was presented before the external subject matter experts (by the above internal team). Proper information sharing within the internal team may have averted this embarrassing situation. Such unhealthy practices need to be nipped in the bud - otherwise they become a habit and then keep on weakening the chain. One needs to keep in mind how to overcome such weaknesses by continually introspecting and improving so as to strengthen the team. A Japanese proverb: "Karma and shadows follow one everywhere".
As the convenor of the board meetings, the Administrator also had a crucial role in getting the syllabus ready as per the desired quality standards. Even though a document titled "[Copyright Violations] A Suggestion for the Detailed Course Guidelines for proposed structural changes in course curriculum" was made available, the suggestions were not adopted and the embarrassing situation could not be avoided. The suggestions are valid even now. It is worth recalling Dr. Deming's quote: "Learning is not compulsory. It's voluntary. Improvement is not compulsory. It's voluntary. But to survive, we must learn."
I have been a strong advocate of the virtual world complementing the real world and my journey had started as a part of the Project Pilgrim (that followed on the heels of Project Athena of MIT) during the late 80s aimed at improving operating system transparency in a distributed computing environment as was quite common in Universities. The supply chain becomes even stronger when the virtual chain complements the physical chain. Now if the virtual chain is not in sync with the physical chain (or vice-versa) then there is bound to be some form of disruption. Currently, the world is going through a crisis and there is an urgent need to slow down till these are in sync.
Now my remarks on the Chinese proverb and perceptions. While the Deng Xiaoping quote is valid for cautious reforms, one must be careful when it comes to team formation. Teams being solo, duo, trio, quartet etc. is as much a matter of perception as are the human traits such as "quiet, competent and committed". Sometimes this perception makes us feel that it is a quartet when in fact it is a trio or a duo or even a solo doing the hard work - thus resulting in a dysfunctional that fails to add value on a continual basis.
Here is another Japanese Proverb: "If one can Do, You can Do. If no one can Do, You must Do." .....And sadly the Indian version: "If one can Do, Let him Do. If no one can Do, What can I Do?" [Source: Google Search]
The reality, however, is different from perception; at times it is a stone where we often stumble while crossing the river. Anyway, such experiences have given me opportunities to develop my own views regarding the areas and groups in most educational setups: it appears there are more silos within the areas or groups now than it was at anytime during my long association with Academics since 1986 (1992 and then in 2005) and such silos are unhealthy for the educational institutions where we develop manpower for all types of supply chains around us.
A more responsive stance is required on all the teaching-learning related concerns that I have raised in the past. Recently, my concerns are also mostly linked with the need to go slow when the world is going through a crisis.
I hope stakeholders of the educational enterprise will be able to create this space for each individual entity so that they can participate constructively in building a learning community where the mind is without fear and the head is held high.
