Re: Bashing Management books LO115

jpwilso@iastate.edu
Wed, 15 Feb 1995 09:16:19 CST

Thanks for this reply. I think that generalizations like the ones made re
the worthlessness of management books plays a large role in making their
messages into fads. Your comments suggest that a truly needed and important
part of all this stuff on managment theory is a careful examination of how
it can be applied in practice. This requires a careful plan for research
and study. If it doesn't pass the test, then we would know why not, and the
truth will then be on the table. From there we could build better ideas.

LO110:
> Subject: Re: Posting - Management books
>
>
> >Oh yes! Finally some comments on the worthlessnes of so many of the "fad"
> >books of the last few decades, especially the last ten years. Isn't it funny
> >that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
>
> >The few theories of any merit will remain. Unfortunately, the damage of the
>
> What makes Senge's The Fifth Discipline any different? Are you
> prepared to do a study on the real, rather than imagined, effects
> these books have had?
>
> Is it not possible that the proliferation of management books has
> helped American Management remain the leading source of ideas,
> techniques and performance in the World? Hmmmm. Peter's book as
> well as Hammer & Champy were written by a former academics making it
> big in consulting. If you get paid for your advice time and time
> again for years, you can't be totally full of it. The market for
> ideas is not that different than the market for products so that
> differentiation doesn't apply.
>
> Without evidence that the books are damaging then the original
> assertion that many management books are damaging is a fleeting one.
>
> Likely there is a continuum of usefulness with factors such as who
> reads it, are they in a position to change behavior because of it,
> and how much discontent with existing systems caused by reading the
> book, affect the usefulness of a certain book.
>
>
>

---
John P Wilson
jpwilso@iastate.edu