- Hardcover: 208 pages
- Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd; Second Edition edition (9 Dec 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1847873421
- ISBN-13: 978-1847873422
- Product Dimensions: 20.1 x 13 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,333,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Review
"As a short critical analysis of mainstream organization theory, this book is a well-thought-out response to the conventional teachings of most business schools." (A. Hirsa CHOICE )
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"This book is a useful recapitulation of all the interesting events and developments that the world has witnessed on the trade front since the establishment of the GATT back in 1948 until it was replaced by the WTO. Bhaumik explains highly complex issues in uncluttered non-technical jargon, ensuring that his book is useful for the lay reader and not just for academia." (IIMB Management Review )
--This text refers to the
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Don't read this if you are looking for management recipes or prescriptions. If on the other hand you have found your other MBA textbooks and readers unchallenging, supported by flimsy evidence and littered with bold assertions, far too thick, and unreasonably expensive, read this and then pass it on. It challenges a lot of things and leaves you questioning what you have learnt. If you are still studying, will guarantee a few bonus points on that late essay.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a great book for getting to grips with the key concepts surrounding the study of organizations, without having to plough through hundreds of pages. The ideas are accessible but not simplistic. The author is argumentative and irreverent - you won't be in any doubt about his views - and his book is the perfect antidote to dry textbooks.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A year ago, I awarded this book 3 stars only (for the reasons set out in the lower part of the review). I have now (July 2011)reread it (after a year's interval)and award it the full five. The reason for the change in rating is simply that I now see its contribution going far beyond that of studying organisstions - and more in the field of social criticism. If only it had a different title, it would be a best-seller!!
The book promises much at the start - with iconoclastic attacks on the types of writing about organisations - but left me, at the end, with the impression sociologists generally do and which indeed the author anticipates half way through in a paragraph entitled - Why are you always carping? "You may well be thinking, he says, something along the lines - will nothing ever satisfy you? Older approaches to organisations have been condemned as dehumanising and degrading. Human-relations-type approaches are manipulative. Culture management is brainwashing. Now we have non-hierarchical, personally-focused and trust-based organisations (he attacks Richard Semmler's writing about Semco) and you are still whinging". Quite!
I know you can't say a great deal about the study of organisations in 180 pages - but the book's de-constructivism is a bit repetitive.
And I was shocked to see no references to those whose study of organisations were practically grounded and focussed - eg those associated with the Tavistock Institute such as Emery and Trist; or Revans (action-learning). No mention of Eliott Jacques who was associated with Glacier Metal. Nor of the OD consultant, Roger Harrison, who worked with Charles Handy (also not mentioned) on the idea of organisational cultures (The Gods of Management). Ronnie Lessem was also a fascinating writer. One of Grey's central questions is why writing in this field is so boring - but he has missed so many individuals whose writing IS interesting. Perhaps because the focus of his book is on the study of organisations in business schools (about which he has a separate chapter). He does make the point that the guru figures in these schools are American - and most of the names I;ve mentioned are British! The title therefore is misleading - he should have added that qualification.
And a lot of money and energy is spent on the study of organisations in the public sector - which hardly figures in his book. Granted the models people use for this work draws on the fashions of the private sector - and perhaps it deserves a separate book. But some references would still be appropriate.
ps the book is advertised as having 208 pages - it actually has 187!
The book promises much at the start - with iconoclastic attacks on the types of writing about organisations - but left me, at the end, with the impression sociologists generally do and which indeed the author anticipates half way through in a paragraph entitled - Why are you always carping? "You may well be thinking, he says, something along the lines - will nothing ever satisfy you? Older approaches to organisations have been condemned as dehumanising and degrading. Human-relations-type approaches are manipulative. Culture management is brainwashing. Now we have non-hierarchical, personally-focused and trust-based organisations (he attacks Richard Semmler's writing about Semco) and you are still whinging". Quite!
I know you can't say a great deal about the study of organisations in 180 pages - but the book's de-constructivism is a bit repetitive.
And I was shocked to see no references to those whose study of organisations were practically grounded and focussed - eg those associated with the Tavistock Institute such as Emery and Trist; or Revans (action-learning). No mention of Eliott Jacques who was associated with Glacier Metal. Nor of the OD consultant, Roger Harrison, who worked with Charles Handy (also not mentioned) on the idea of organisational cultures (The Gods of Management). Ronnie Lessem was also a fascinating writer. One of Grey's central questions is why writing in this field is so boring - but he has missed so many individuals whose writing IS interesting. Perhaps because the focus of his book is on the study of organisations in business schools (about which he has a separate chapter). He does make the point that the guru figures in these schools are American - and most of the names I;ve mentioned are British! The title therefore is misleading - he should have added that qualification.
And a lot of money and energy is spent on the study of organisations in the public sector - which hardly figures in his book. Granted the models people use for this work draws on the fashions of the private sector - and perhaps it deserves a separate book. But some references would still be appropriate.
ps the book is advertised as having 208 pages - it actually has 187!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
He doesn't half make it hard for you
I am not going to say too much about the general themes of the book as they have been discussed before, I just wanted to say a few things about the general experience of reading... Read more
Published 17 days ago by Student
Fantastic
Fantastic read. It has certainly cast a new perspective on how I view Organisations and Organisational theory. Read more
Published 4 months ago by JS
Everything is in the title!
Nothing to say ! Everything is in the title ! It explains quickly and simply all the main points for management studies ! It is very general though!
Published 5 months ago by Petros
An excellent insight
I found this a very enjoyable read, not from the viewpoint of a course book, but simply as a well written book. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Gavin Stokes
incredibly interesting book
This is the best and most concise overview of organisations and management by far, and is hugely entertaining whilst being deeply insightful, provocative and enlightening at the... Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by Mrs. S. M. Hornby
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