Overview

This subversive little book contains 13 of Russell Ackoff's ""Management f-Laws"". They give you a taste of his ironic take on how organizations really work, not how they think that they work. These epigrams are unspoken laws and unconventional wisdoms of management exposed to full daylight as the management flaws they actually are. Some f-Laws are downright funny; others bemuse; all provoke in one way or another. At worst, they elicit denial or anger. At best, they evince recognition followed by a desire to think profoundly about the inevitability of change. And thus, the need to know how to change. The book will touch a nerve with any manager and offers important lessons for the better running of any organization - as well as being a good read and a delightful present. Dip into it, and on any of its pages you will find something to laugh or argue about but, above all, to take on board. Making us laugh is its most obvious strength. But it is bound to be a lot more than funny, for Russell Ackoff has been around for a long time and, when it comes to organizations, he knows what he is talking about. At the grand age of 87, he is known internationally for his pioneering work on Systems Thinking. He continues to rank highly in the list of the Top 50 Business Brains and is affectionately known to many in the Systems Thinking community as the 'Dean'. Ackoff's work in research, consulting and education has involved hundreds of corporations and many governmental agencies in the US and abroad. He has authored or co-authored 20 books and published over 150 articles. He has taught hundreds of leaders, aspiring managers and Systems Thinkers the meaning of learning.

Full Product Details

9780955008115

Table of Contents

Reviews

The ancient laws of management suck. And in this unique little book, Russ and Sally have a go at assessing them, dismissing them and revealing them for what they are - a hindrance to good business, and something that we can have a good chuckle about. - Dan Germain ~ Head of Creative, innocent drinks This book offers profound thoughts in digestible bites. It is easy to read and entertaining, yet full of wisdom. How much better our organizations would be if managers could really learn these lessons! - Michael C Jackson ~ Professor of Management Systems and Dean of Hull University Business School. Wit and wisdom in small doses on the deep rooted abuse of hierarchical power. It takes a Russ Ackoff to unveil myths and illusions of this kind. - Goran Carstedt ~ Vice chairman, Learning Lab Denmark and Managing Director, the Society of Organizational Learning (SoL-network), Cambridge, Massachussetts, USA. Formerly President, Volvo Cars and President, Ikea Europe

Author Information

Russell L. Ackoff is the Anheuser-Busch Emeritus Professor of Management Science at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He has written numerous books on Systems Management, the most recent of which are ""Beating the System"", ""Re-Designing the Corporation"", ""Ackoff's Best"" and ""Idealized Design"". A founding member of the Institute of Management Sciences, his work in consulting and education has involved more than 350 corporations and 75 government agencies in the United States and beyond. Management grandee, he was ranked 26 in the most recent list of the world's most influential business thinkers. Herbert J. Addison has worked for some 40 years in academic, educational and business book publishing, including for many years at Oxford University Press. He is the author of the business section in the ""New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge"" and is a close friend of Russ Ackoff. Sally Bibb is Director, Group Sales Development for the Economist Group. She is based in London with responsibility for Europe, Asia and North America. She has specialised in organization and executive development for 15 years and has a Masters Degree in Organizational Change. Co-author of the award-winning book ""Trust Matters - For Organisational and Personal Success"", she is series editor for the ""Truths about Business"" series and author of ""The Stone Age Company"", the first title in the series.

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