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Managing in a Time of Great Change
'It is not so very difficult to predict the future. It is only pointless...what is always far more important are fundamental changes that happened though no one predicted them or could possible have predicted them.' (quote taken from this book)
It is these unpredictable and irreversible changes from the past, and their effect on the role of the executive which Peter Drucker examines in his latest book.
The management of change is a subject which has been, undoubtedly, the principal preoccupation of management thinkers in the 1990s. Peter Drucker, the guru's guru, brings together a group of his own original essays and interviews on this vitally important topic. As ever, he provides invaluable food for thought for all executives and students of business and management.
It is these unpredictable and irreversible changes from the past, and their effect on the role of the executive which Peter Drucker examines in his latest book.
The management of change is a subject which has been, undoubtedly, the principal preoccupation of management thinkers in the 1990s. Peter Drucker, the guru's guru, brings together a group of his own original essays and interviews on this vitally important topic. As ever, he provides invaluable food for thought for all executives and students of business and management.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Peter F. Drucker
624 books2,043 followersPeter Ferdinand Drucker was a writer, management consultant and university professor. His writing focused on management-related literature. Peter Drucker made famous the term knowledge worker and is thought to have unknowingly ushered in the knowledge economy, which effectively challenges Karl Marx's world-view of the political economy. George Orwell credits Peter Drucker as one of the only writers to predict the German-Soviet Pact of 1939.
The son of a high level civil servant in the Habsburg empire, Drucker was born in the chocolate capital of Austria, in a small village named Kaasgraben (now a suburb of Vienna, part of the 19th district, Döbling). Following the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War I, there were few opportunities for employment in Vienna so after finishing school he went to Germany, first working in banking and then in journalism. While in Germany, he earned a doctorate in International Law. The rise of Nazism forced him to leave Germany in 1933. After spending four years in London, in 1937 he moved permanently to the United States, where he became a university professor as well as a freelance writer and business guru. In 1943 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He taught at New York University as a Professor of Management from 1950 to 1971. From 1971 to his death he was the Clarke Professor of Social Science and Management at Claremont Graduate University.
The son of a high level civil servant in the Habsburg empire, Drucker was born in the chocolate capital of Austria, in a small village named Kaasgraben (now a suburb of Vienna, part of the 19th district, Döbling). Following the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War I, there were few opportunities for employment in Vienna so after finishing school he went to Germany, first working in banking and then in journalism. While in Germany, he earned a doctorate in International Law. The rise of Nazism forced him to leave Germany in 1933. After spending four years in London, in 1937 he moved permanently to the United States, where he became a university professor as well as a freelance writer and business guru. In 1943 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He taught at New York University as a Professor of Management from 1950 to 1971. From 1971 to his death he was the Clarke Professor of Social Science and Management at Claremont Graduate University.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 8, 2010
This book seems like a calculated attempt to trade off Drucker's posthumous fame. Many of the articles feel dated, much like books of economic advice before the crash. One article still had power to charm and instruct: 6 rules for presidents. 1. Ask what needs to be done. 2. Concentrate, don't splinter yourself. 3. Don't ever bet on a sure thing. 4. Don't micromanage. 5. Presidents don't have friends. 6. Once you're elected, stop campaigning. Interesting! President Obama take note.
January 12, 2013
Sometimes I like Drucker, sometimes I don't. This one brought some good old-fashioned down-to-earth solid advice for dealing with a changing environment and managing organizations through it. I hadn't heard quite so much of his management principles applied to the political arena before, so that was an enjoyable new wrinkle. The book draws from older articles written in the 1990's, so it may seem a bit dated, but good management principles are durable enough to be generally applicable over time.
August 18, 2023
This book meant a lot to me. Although the first thing I must write here is that I only read about half. Then I skipped around for the rest of the audiobook.
Also, this will not be the normal review that Peter F. Drucker deserves, given that most readers of his book are not pretty darned ignorant about the financial side of running a business. And world economics. And even the basics of economics as a field.
Guilty as Acknowledged
Much as I love to learn, and I do know some things, admittedly I haven't learned a whole lot about many other subjects. So I read this book on management and making money... with an eye to introducing myself to the field. It would have been inappropriate for me to seek mastery of the material, nor even full comprension.
Instead I listened and learned as if I were studying a new language. With a new language, how would I begin? I'd start by listening to the sounds of that language, getting them into my ear and my heart. That is, I'd begin like a total beginner.
In the case of Drucker's book, how could I do otherwise? Utter beginner's learning still counts, not just intermediate learning or leading-edge advanced learning.
Our 2023 Is a Time of Great Change... Beyond 1995, and Many Years Before
Chapters excerpted from previous publications by Drucker were developed long before the current era. For me, that wasn't a problem. Though that might make much of this book pretty dated to folks who have come to this book with a solid-and-current knowledge base.
How did I learn, then? Just as, if I were studying Hindi (as I once did), I'd be busy falling in love with the letters, not today's current newspaper headlines.
When in my 50's, I did study some Hindi. I fell in love with letters of the alphabet like:
* Dha
* Gha
* Bha
All that had far more impact on me than you might guess, unless you too were also a long-time student of languages and their impact on consciousness. (Witness the service I provide called Name Alignment®, which includes describing to my client the Vibrational Signature of a new Name of Power.)
Back to this book by Peter F. Drucker...
My Takeaways from this Book about Managing?
* Regarding family-owned businesses: It fascinated me, comparing the Chinese family-group model versus other ways that family-owned businesses can accept -- or reject -- leadership from outside the company.
* Why it's vital to stay abreast of changes that impact your business. Even if most executives haven't yet noticed those changes, and would prefer to never acknowledge them.
* How common it is for companies to work together now, rather than jealously guarding their independence and their turf.
* What a competitive advantage it gave Wal-Mart, cutting out warehousing and stocking merchandise right in the stores themselves, allowing for direct sales of that merchandise. Thereby, saving one-third of the company's costs.
* Most impressive to me was Drucker's insistence on asking questions about what is currently needed, given great change. Again and again, his example inspired me.
FIVE STARS and thanks for opening up this educational area to me: a rank beginner.
Also, this will not be the normal review that Peter F. Drucker deserves, given that most readers of his book are not pretty darned ignorant about the financial side of running a business. And world economics. And even the basics of economics as a field.
Guilty as Acknowledged
Much as I love to learn, and I do know some things, admittedly I haven't learned a whole lot about many other subjects. So I read this book on management and making money... with an eye to introducing myself to the field. It would have been inappropriate for me to seek mastery of the material, nor even full comprension.
Instead I listened and learned as if I were studying a new language. With a new language, how would I begin? I'd start by listening to the sounds of that language, getting them into my ear and my heart. That is, I'd begin like a total beginner.
In the case of Drucker's book, how could I do otherwise? Utter beginner's learning still counts, not just intermediate learning or leading-edge advanced learning.
Our 2023 Is a Time of Great Change... Beyond 1995, and Many Years Before
Chapters excerpted from previous publications by Drucker were developed long before the current era. For me, that wasn't a problem. Though that might make much of this book pretty dated to folks who have come to this book with a solid-and-current knowledge base.
How did I learn, then? Just as, if I were studying Hindi (as I once did), I'd be busy falling in love with the letters, not today's current newspaper headlines.
When in my 50's, I did study some Hindi. I fell in love with letters of the alphabet like:
* Dha
* Gha
* Bha
All that had far more impact on me than you might guess, unless you too were also a long-time student of languages and their impact on consciousness. (Witness the service I provide called Name Alignment®, which includes describing to my client the Vibrational Signature of a new Name of Power.)
Back to this book by Peter F. Drucker...
My Takeaways from this Book about Managing?
* Regarding family-owned businesses: It fascinated me, comparing the Chinese family-group model versus other ways that family-owned businesses can accept -- or reject -- leadership from outside the company.
* Why it's vital to stay abreast of changes that impact your business. Even if most executives haven't yet noticed those changes, and would prefer to never acknowledge them.
* How common it is for companies to work together now, rather than jealously guarding their independence and their turf.
* What a competitive advantage it gave Wal-Mart, cutting out warehousing and stocking merchandise right in the stores themselves, allowing for direct sales of that merchandise. Thereby, saving one-third of the company's costs.
* Most impressive to me was Drucker's insistence on asking questions about what is currently needed, given great change. Again and again, his example inspired me.
FIVE STARS and thanks for opening up this educational area to me: a rank beginner.
August 15, 2026
first half of the book was really interesting. i liked the idea of a knowledge economy and how knowledge is now a commodity in organizations to continuously compete and knowledge should be used for continuous innovation. also interesting to read how some of drucker’s predictions have come true about how corporations are shrinking and no longer need intense bureaucracies and hierarchies but are now more flat and equal in terms of skills rather than status or authority. also his prediction about how the energy sector will be cheaper and more affordable given new developments in society with cars charged with EV batteries. i lost momentum when he started talking about the welfare state and it could have been developed a bit more in terms of policy away from dependency to competence, i also didnt agree with what he said about some parts of how “the middle class supports the poor” in a welfare state and i think these were too generalized. i also didnt agree much about how he views the west and their concept of a free economy and trade have enabled prosperity in places like Southeast Asia without considering how colonialism have prevented prosperity. i think this may have been insightful in a different time, but perspectives on the global economy have shifted in part thanks to his theories of management but overall a 3/5, it might still be useful to the old guard managers who want to learn how to train a new generation of knowledge workers.
July 18, 2021
This was not what I was expecting (principles on managing through a single organization's changes), but instead had a very global and political focus. Lots of classic Drucker calling a spade a spade and pointing out ineffectiveness.
A key takeaway was that knowledge work is most valuable both when it's highly specialized and when performed as a team (e.g. brain surgeon plus operating room staff).
A key takeaway was that knowledge work is most valuable both when it's highly specialized and when performed as a team (e.g. brain surgeon plus operating room staff).
January 11, 2023
Antes del año 2.000 predijo escenarios que se verían claramente alrededor del año 2.020.
July 5, 2013
Opens your eyes to business history, and overall a great book to help you understand how we should be thinking through our management processes in today's environment. More true today than when it was written.
July 16, 2016
It is just incredible that this book was written such a long time ago and that it is so on target even today. Very Drucker!
In my list of the best business books to read: http://albertoalopez.blogspot.com/201...
In my list of the best business books to read: http://albertoalopez.blogspot.com/201...
March 30, 2013
A must-read book by Peter Drucker on management for knowledge workers, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews