The Witch Doctors: Making Sense of the Management Gurus

by John Micklethwait, Adrian Wooldridge

The Witch Doctors is a one-stop guide to management theories, fads, and the gurus who promote them that will spark controversy, debate, and a dialogue for change. Funny, entertaining and outspoken, this is a book no American worker can afford to miss.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Business, Management, Nonfiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 1996

About the author

Richard John Micklethwait CBE (born 11 August 1962) is editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News, a position he has held since February 2015. A British journalist, he was previously the editor-in-chief of The Economist from 2006 to 2015.

Micklethwait was born in 1962, in London, and was educated at Ampleforth College (an independent school) and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied history. He worked for Chase Manhattan Bank for two years and joined The Economist in 1987. Prior to becoming editor-in-chief, he was United States editor of the publication and ran the New York Bureau for two years. Before that, he edited the Business Section of the newspaper for four years. His other roles have included setting up an office in Los Angeles for The Economist, where he worked from 1990 to 1993. He has covered business and politics from the United States, Latin America, Continental Europe, Southern Africa and most of Asia.

Appointed as editor-in-chief on 23 March 2006, the first issue of The Economist published under his editorship was released on 7 April 2006. He was named Editors' Editor by the British Society of Magazine Editors in 2010. Micklethwait has frequently appeared on CNN, ABC News, BBC, C-SPAN, PBS and NPR.

In 2015 he was appointed as a Trustee of the British Museum. He was also a delegate, along with two colleagues, at the 2010 Bilderberg Conference held in Spain. This group consists of an assembly of notable politicians, industrialists and financiers who meet annually to discuss issues on a non-disclosure basis.

Micklethwait was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to journalism and economics.

Reviews

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet again Mickelthwaite and Wooldridge have managed successfully to make sense of a growing and confusing trend in American society that has broader societal implications as other countries converge to the American way of doing things.

In The Right Nation, M&W retrace the historical underpinnings that constitute the current form of the "right-wing" party in America. Using factual and anecdotal evidence, they argue that the US is ultimately a "right" nation, and thus it is only natural that the Republican party, which embraces the dogmas of the "right", will continue its march toward dominance in the struggle between America's two main political parties.

In The Witch Doctors, M&W retrace the history of management theory beginning with Peter Drucker. Ultimately, the authors conclude that management theory, spread by self-proclaimed management "gurus", has been more helpful than not, both in the private and public sectors. Yet, three critical complaints lay exposed: (1) management theory is not a unified theory, and therefore necessarily has contradictions -- which presents a problem for a manager who tries to apply all of management theory to their jobs; (2) management theory's insensitivity to language -- in other words, management books are poorly written; (3) management theory's insensitivity to the wider effects of its ideas.

[Daniel Pineau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing exposure of the vast world of charlatans and snake charmers otherwise known as business consultants. This book is an envigor stung exposé of the "big ideas" consultants that have either conned C-level types into "turning the ship around" using their one-of-a-kind navigational prowess. Micklethwait and Wooldridge confirm the sham that many of these types present when they come to help clean-up!

[Nahum Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fun!

A gallery of characters, ideas, problems and trends in management theory with a particular focus on the pop thinkers (the gurus)


The tone is studious with a recurring undercurrent of gentle irony.
Quite often, I found myself smiling at witty but gentle burns the writers have interlaced the book with.

Some of the chapters do feel a bit dated, and I feel the chapters on globalization haven't aged as well.

However, when looking at the entire book from the perspective of a "history of ideas", the value of seeing the big changes as they were happening, seeing the ideas before they were fully tested, seeing the world before the big gears of change started turning, is fascinating.

Also I took a few ideas from the text:
1. its always about people
2. the discussion of why people turn to the gurus
3. double loop learning vs single loop learning
4. business is not only, or even chiefly about cost management. at the end of the day, the purpose of a business is the product or service or particular value they are creating; money is a side effect, and incentive to keep pursuing that direction
5. the importance of the organization as a knowledge organization

[Richard Schwindt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean really, have you read many management writers? Going back to Taylorism they are the gurus of short term trends. Still, they have evolved over time and provided guidance to the innovative. The problem with management gurus is that they are often taken far too literally and seriously. They are bright people but put their ideas in the hands of public service managers and disaster ensues. Micklethwait and Woolridge, perhaps because of the birthright of complicated names do a terrific job of bringing the gurus down to earth. They have humour and irony. I particularly liked their breakdown on Peter Drucker, the guru of gurus. My personal copy is plastered with yellow stickies - the ultimate accolade. If you are a manager read this book. It makes a helpful companion to your copy of "First Break all the Rules". Then fortify yourself with a stiff drink before seeing how your organization puts its personal spin on defiling their thoughts. They and this book will be gone in a hundred years and so will we but for the moment you can take solace that higher thoughts on management are floating around in print and ether.

[JC · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
This is a snapshot in time book. Management theory and fads in the 90s. The reference to Authur Anderson being a great place to work in 2005 did make me laugh. The causalisation of labour started earlier then we think.

Would I recommend? Only for it's historical value.
Would I reread? No.

[Jim Serger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors did an outstanding job at looking into some of the greatest minds of business gurus-- each chapter was a look into what works, what does not work. But, the theme of the book is why are gurus sought after, what makes them a need in business and society as a whole-- I really enjoyed this book, although some info is outdated, it still is applicable to today's corporations both private and public as well as Government agencies.

[Mirek Jasinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book almost 20 years ago and was impressed. Two decades later, the book is still valid even though it does not contain new fads and fashions. Today, the core message remains more apt than ever.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dated, but really good.

[Pankaj Pandey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clashing views as compared to the existing market beliefs. Difficult to relate to the current scenario... Anyways a good read. Thank you Vinod Madhavan Sir for recommending me this book.