Is There A Science Of Management?

This article challenges the practices of corporate boards that pay a premium to lure CEO's from companies in which they have been successful. Several reasons are given for concluding that they end up overpaying for bad performance at the new company. The interesting point that the article raises, however, is about the "science" of management. It would make sense to pay a premium to attract a CEO from a successful company if there were generic skills in management, like those taught in business schools, that would easily transfer from one company to the next. Its likely that what made a manager successful in one company may not transfer to the next company because management skill may not be the reason for the success in the prior company. Steve Jobs is used an example. His success at Apple had more to do with his passion for the products that Apple produced than his conformity to the traditional practices of management which he often violated.