TNAG-0177-FCO40-213-Proposed-Polytechnic-1969 — Page 13

-

REPORT BY JOHN MARSH, CBE, D.Sc. DIRECTOR GENERAL

OF THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT ON HIS 5-DAY VISIT TO HONG KONG AS A MEMBER OF T.E.T.C.C.

27TH OCTOBER/1ST NOVEMBER 1969.

CENTRAL PURPOSE OF VISIT

To meet the Folytechnic Planning Committee and other associated parties and have general discussions in Hong Kong on the importance of Management and Business Studies at University level and in the proposed Polytechnic. This Report is brief and supplements the notes prepared by Mr. S.F. Bailey, Secretary to the Polytechnic Planning Committee, after my visit.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

(1)

(2)

(3)

I was impressed by the vitality of Hong Kong and its economic performance. There is every evidence that industry and commerce are aware of the growing need for originality in technological and marketing design in Hong Kong's products and services. In fact Hong Kong is aware that its industrial and commercial future cannot rest on yesterday's results.

Although Hong Kong has many Chinese and European companies built primarily by entrepreneurial drive, there is a widespread recognition that this drive in future must be supported by a local adaptation of professionalism in the art and science of Menagement.

There is evidence of the "generation gap" between older and younger Managers and considerable evidence that many young ambitious men believe that they can get their best management training abroad. Although a small number may always need to go abroad, there should be adequate facility locally at University and Polytechnic level for such training supplemented by the infusion of international expertise by several different means.

The two Universities are, of course, very different and it seems to me that the Chinese University of Hong Kong is well- poised to develop Management and Business Studies at the under- graduate and certain post-graduate levels.

-1 -