This is a book for managers who know that their organisations are stuck in a mindset that thrives on fashionable business theories that are no more than folk wisdom, and whose so-called strategies that are little more than banal wish lists.It puts forward the notion that the application of uncommon sense - thinking or acting differently from other organisations in a way that makes unusual sense - is the secret to competitive success. For those who want to succeed and stand out from...

Functional stupidity can be catastrophic. It can cause organisational collapse, financial meltdown and technical disaster. And there are countless, more everyday examples of organisations accepting the dubious, the absurd and the downright idiotic, from unsustainable management fads to the cult of leadership or an over-reliance on brand and image. And yet a dose of stupidity can be useful and produce good, short-term results: it can nurture harmony, encourage people to get on with the job ...

Strategic Thinking: A Step-by-Step Approach to Strategy and Leadership, now in its third edition, takes you step by step through sound strategic thinking by setting out the questions to ask. In the process of answering these questions and thinking through the important issues that they raise, you will learn how to formulate strategies and write clear and concise strategic plans.With new online material to support each step and help strengthen your ability ...

Given the urgency and immediacy of so many business problems and challenges, a solid grounding in the history and evolution of business thinking will help managers separate fad from fact and apply the cumulative wisdom of the writers whose ideas have demonstrated profound and lasting impact. From Sun Tzu's timeless Art of War to the inventors of modern management in the 1920s-'40s to the books that have the captured the New Economy Zeitgeist, The Best Business Books Ever ...

Modern culture’s worship of “how-to” pragmatism has turned us into instruments of efficiency and commerce—but we’re doing more and more about things that mean less and less. We constantly ask “how? and still struggle to find purpose and act on what matters. Instead of acting on what we know to be of importance, we wait for bosses to change, we seek the latest fad, we invest in one more degree. Asking how keeps us safe—instead of being led by our hearts into uncharted territory, we keep our...

Studies have shown that coming up with strategies and executing them with success requires specific strategic competencies. It is no longer just about the big idea. Moving beyond a broad, fuzzy picture, however, requires strategic thinking and understanding the management matrix. This guidebook can help you identify critical functions of strategy, such as the alignment of operations, the continual improvement and innovation of systems design, and the allocation of effective recourses; lear...

Anyone who has spent time in an organization knows that dysfunctional behavior abounds. Conflict is frequently avoided or pushed underground rather than dealt with openly. At the same time the same arguments often burst out again and again almost verbatim. Turf battles continue for extended periods without resolution. People nod their heads in agreement in meetings and then rush out of the room to voice complaints to sympathetic ears in private. Worst of all when people areasked if things ...

Creating Intelligent Teams is a different way to initiate, manage and lead effective and positive change in teams and organisations. For any organisation looking to nurture and develop talent from amongst its own employees, the book offers an accessible, yet highly informative, information resource on:•how to recognise the influences on, and dynamics of, individuals and teams•how to enhance team performance•how effective leaders can boost productivity and build intelligent tea...

In this classic text, Peter Drucker studies how modern-day managers, whether in business or public service, can perform effectively. He takes an international view, exploring management problems in Great Britain, Western Europe, Japan, and Latin America, and suggests how these problems can be tackled. The interactions between manager, the institution and the social and cultural environment are penetratingly examined, and the book is enhanced by telling examples from a wide spectrum of expe...

Ntsikie is a management consultant whose area of focus is strategy development, facilitation and implementation using various management practices, techniques and tools. She has experience working with public, private and NGO sectors, including facilitation with Boards of Directors. She is an avid practitioner of business excellence models and has proven track record applying her skills.

The world of management is in crisis - the old remedies no longer work and organizations are failing at an increasing rate. Although many talk of 'joined up thinking', few offer practical guidance on how to achieve this in organizations. The Fractal Organization sets down the practical implications of a well tested systemic approach to building organizations that are capable of surviving and flourishing in these turbulent times."An excellent read…Many orga...