MBWA
Business & Finance abbreviation · Management & Strategy
| Stands for | Management by walking around |
|---|---|
| Categories | Business & Finance |
MBWA stands for Management by walking around, a management & strategy abbreviation.
Leadership style in which managers leave their desks and visit work areas informally to talk with employees, observe operations and spot problems early. It values listening and visibility over formal reports.
Example: The new plant manager practices MBWA, spending her first hour each shift on the production floor.
Usage notes
Associated with Hewlett-Packard in the 1970s and popularized by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman's 1982 book In Search of Excellence. It resembles the lean practice of "going to the gemba," the place where work happens. Also expanded as "management by wandering around."
Related abbreviations
More management & strategy abbreviations
- KPI – Key performance indicator
- KRA – Key result area
- KRI – Key risk indicator
- KT – Knowledge transfer
- LOB – Line of business
- MBO – Management by objectives
- MECE – Mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive
- MIS – Management information system
- MNC – Multinational corporation
- MoM – Minutes of meeting
- MVP – Minimum viable product
- OEE – Overall equipment effectiveness