Management: Revised Edition

If you are exploring the idea of applying Complexity or Systems Theory to managing your organization, this book has no peer in its clarity and practical applicability. Joseph A. Maciariello has done a superb job updating Drucker's original 1973 book with a particular emphasis on Systems View of Management. There are many books about Systems, Complexity and Network theories, but this book's special strengths lie in:* Enabling one to clearly visualize "Management as a system of interrelated elements" (Management, Revised edition, pp. xvi-xvii) and* Enabling one to shape and assemble the various management elements into a dynamic whole (organization).A recent paper published by IBM: "The Social Business, Advent of a new age" makes the case that, among other things, systems, networks and complexity have become part of our day-to-day environment:"... remarkable progress has taken place to make the complex systems that people rely on - cities, energy grids, food distribution chains, healthcare networks, banking systems, etc. - smarter. Perhaps most remarkable of all, however, has been the application of this vision to people themselves. Instrumentation, in the form of smartphones, has put unprecedented power literally in people's hands, anywhere they go. The meteoric rise of social networking, which now accounts for 22 percent of people's time spent online, has connected nearly every individual on earth. And the emergence of social analytics means not only are individual people intelligent, but networks of people have become intelligent as well and are able to learn from interactions and associations to deliver recommendations and take action. As the global network of people becomes instrumented, interconnected and intelligent, dramatic shifts are taking place. The ways individuals interact, relationships form, decisions are made, work is accomplished and goods are purchased are fundamentally changing. Consumers now wield unprecedented power over how brands are perceived. Crowdsourcing is changing industry landscapes by leveling the intelligence playing field at an extraordinary rate. In addition, employees are demanding social tools in the workplace - and are actively sidestepping established hierarchies and IT processes to use them. As a result, the world finds itself at a transformative point with regard to how business is done. We believe it is the dawn of a new era - the era of the Social Business."Acting on the above information provided by IBM by gaining understanding of how systems theory can be applied to managing various knowledge networks/organizations is probably advisable for anyone responsible for the future of their own organization. This book provides a fundamental management systems-framework, into which emerging new concepts, such as Social Business, Big Data and others, can be integrated, without losing organizational focus.

The book arrived on the day promised and in the condition described. It is a perfect unmarked copy.

Purchased for class! Delivered in perfectt condition! Great text and value!

I was going to rate this a 5 star, until I read Dan's review, and I have to concur that the writing style can seem void of a strong voice, it can be bland or washed over. And from Dan I now know that it is the revisions from the original which watered this down.That said, if some of the writing was diluted, the ideas are still very powerful, so I give Drucker high marks for his excellent thinking on one essential topic after another.For anyone who has read some of my other book reviews, you'll know that I much prefer Drucker's interpretation of leadership than many others.That said, Drucker offers fundamental, essential insight into:- the purpose of business- strategy- any business that works with knowledge workers.

Learn from the master. This work is a true guide for your professional (and sometimes even personal) life.

Instead of boring theory, it raises principles, questions for audience or managers to think and act upon their cases. It does very good job of educating a manager: knowledge to act.

Our student, William Lewis wrote as follows: This text I can refer to as the Bible of management as it encompasses everything regarding management. The only short fall is that it is boring to read at the beginning. I would not advise any student to start the study beginning with this text. However, it makes a good companion once you have clicked into third gear on the course."

Even though it's been a few years since it's been revised, it's the clearest, most expansive yet understandable book I've read on business and management -- not a how to, but a how to understand book.

Uma característica da sociedade atual é que praticamente todas as funções sociais são realizadas por organizações. Saúde, educação, entretenimento, transporte, finanças, etc. são ofertadas por empresas que não o Estado. Contudo, independente da área de atuação, há uma atividade fundamental presente em todas as organizações: o "management" (prefiro manter o termo em inglês por acreditar que os equivalente em português não conseguem traduzi-lo com plenitude).Drucker é o maior expoente no campo de gestão. É verdade que bebeu muito dos escritos de Chandler, mas soube dar um rumo próprio ao tema. Essa sua obra é uma espécie de síntese de seus ensinamentos. Não espere um livro superficial e cheio de dicas e ferramentas; Drucker trata do âmago do assunto. Como nossa sociedade depende cada vez mais das organizações para funcionar, o management é a atividade fundamental que faz com que as organizações possam realizar sua missão social. E essa missão depende de três pontos: desempenho econômico, tornar o trabalho e trabalhador produtivo e gerenciar os impactos sociais da organização.Drucker era um gênio. Depois de ler seus livros você vai perceber que tudo que se escrever sobre management são ideias vazias e efêmeras.

A classic book on management by the founding father of modern management principle, it strikes to the core about the all aspects of management. If anyone who want to understand the principle, or want to management any thing in life, I think this is the only book he or she needs to study.

Management is usually perceived as business management. And this could be the most underestimated aspect of the discipline. Management is about Human Society and Organizations. Management is a Social Science and hence it is applicable to all aspects of human life and human society. Be it government, University, Hospitals, Education, Business, NGOs.I find myself unlucky to read this book after so many years in life. But I am lucky to come across such seminal work of Peter Drucker. I read many other books of Peter Drucker, and this book is Crux of many different books.To understand and develop any organization, Management has to be the centre.Management have applications in such a vast range of areas and disciplines that one can not even imagine. To give a small example, Peter Drucker was a consultant, and given consultancy to a church in US, which became the largest church by members in the world.Peter Drucker was approached after Korean War to rebuild South Korea.Peter Drucker was invited to China and with his permission, Peter drucker academy was opened in Hong Kong. It is no surprise that one can find many books of Peter Drucker been translated to Chinese language.Now one can see where China is moving and with what momentum and pace.Organization can not exists without Humans.And the best definition of management is given by Drucker, And it is, To make human resources productive. This is the only convincing definition one could have.And there is only one principle of Management, that is Management By Objectives.I will insist to read other books of Peter Drucker to get insight into the discipline.It broaden the horizon of understanding and perception. Management is value based discipline. Without Values, management can not exist.Sometimes, one might feel, this is a common sense which is being just codified in book. Well, you are right.Peter Drucker built a discipline out of Common Sense, And that's why it will remain as most influential and crucial discipline in Human Society and Development.

It is an excellent book to learn the practical management attitude, and gives us something very essential in our work.Try to read!

Peter F. Drucker (November 19th, 1909 in Vienna, Austria – November 11th, 2005 in Claremont, California, USA) published “The Practice of Management” in 1954 and “Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices” in 1973. “Management – Revised Edition” by Peter F. Drucker revised and updated by Joseph A. Maciariello published in 2008 are three books which should be read by every manager and management candidate.These three books together provide the best possible practices and policies by the most competent authority of the 20th century in this discipline. Professor Maciariello is the most competent authority presenting and interpreting Drucker’s oeuvre.In his book “The Effective Executive in Action” published in 2006 Peter Drucker called “Professor Joseph A. Maciariello his friend and colleague who has taught my work for thirty years and knows it much better than I do.”This book is a kind of capstone in Drucker’s oeuvre. Without Professor Maciariello this book would not exist.“Peter F. Drucker was asked in early 1999, ‘What do you consider to be your most important contribution?’ His answer:That I early on – almost sixty years ago – realized that management has become the constitutive organ and function of the Society of Organizations;That management is not ‘Business Management’ – though it first attained attention in business – but the governing organ of all institutions of Modern Society;That I established the study of management as a discipline in its own right; andThat I focused this discipline on People and Power; on Values, Structure, and Constitution; and above all, on responsibilities – that is, focused the Discipline of Management on management as a truly liberal art.Peter F. Drucker, January 18, 1999 – Source: The Drucker Institute Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California 91711”With the help of amazon’s “Look inside” function you find the Contents with 48 chapters and an extract of Peter Drucker’s Legacy provided by Jim Collins who describes Drucker’s “entire approach to ideas, composed of four elements …” (Page XII).In the Introduction to the Revised Edition on page XVII (not accessible via “Look inside”) the reader finds Figure 1 which provides the “Systems View: management as a Whole”.“Each element of figure 1 is described in this book. Unless otherwise indicated, all chapters in this book are adapted from the works of Peter Drucker and are contained in his numerous books and articles. This book draws upon his entire body of knowledge, which is housed at The Drucker Institute.” For details you should visit its website.In the Preface you find the following advice: “I suggest you read one chapter at a time – it is a long book. And then first ask, ‘What do these issues, these challenges, mean for our organization and for me as a knowledge worker, a professional, an executive?’ Once you have thought this through, ask, ‘What action should our organization and I, the individual knowledge worker and/or executive, take to make the challenges of this chapter into opportunities for our organization and me?’”Whatever approach you as a reader will apply when reading, studying or teaching Drucker I suggest you follow his advice in Chapter 45 or in his small book “Managing Oneself” and in Chapter 47 “Revitalizing Oneself – Seven Personal Experiences”. The sooner you start the better; however it is never too late.Don’t miss the Author’s Note by Joseph A. Maciariello, December 2007 …“My work with him on The Daily Drucker provided me the opportunity to ‘look around’ at all of his work. It was a humbling exercise; I was amazed at the breadth and depth of his life’s work. …I am fully convinced that we owe a big THANK YOU to Professor Maciariello for revising and updating Peter Drucker’s book “Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices” published in 1973 (my copy has 839 pages) saving Peter Drucker’s oeuvre for the future as well as for his books about Peter Drucker.I could imagine that without Professor Maciariello’s engagement Drucker’s legacy would not be the same.I have studied all books by and about Peter Drucker. Step by step, it was a fascinating journey over four decades. There was no single book written by Peter Drucker which I considered as less important or even unimportant.This is my last customer review of all books written by Peter Drucker.