Re-Creating the Corporation: A Design of Organizations for the 21st Century

by Russell L. Ackoff

Over the last three decades the average life expectancy of a corporation in North America has dipped well below 20 years. In fact, by 1983 a full third of the 1970 Fortune 500 companies had been acquired, merged, or broken apart. In this landmark book, one of the business world's foremost pioneers, Russell L. Ackoff, delivers this indispensable guide for those hoping to beat these odds--and to better navigate the corporate challenges of the next millennium. While most business and management schools continue to teach the functions of a corporation separately--production, marketing, finance, personnel--the reality is that for a corporation to endure each division must work with the others to create an effective system. Re-Creating the Corporation is Ackoff's masterful blueprint for understanding and creating these model corporate systems. In four comprehensive sections--Background, Process, Designs, and Change--Ackoff lays out in clear concise prose the five organizational goals of successful corporate plan effectively, learn and adapt rapidly, democratize, introduce internal market economies, and employ a flexible structure that will minimize the need for future restructuring. And through a deft mix of practical and theoretical examples drawn from a wide range of applications in a wide range of firms, this book ultimately guides executives to the system best suited to meet their organizational goals. Re-Creating the Corporation, which is the culmination of a lifetime of innovative and insightful business thought from one of the business world's premier thinkers, is essential reading for those attempting to navigate the rapidly changing economic environment of the next millennium.

Genres: Business, Management, Nonfiction

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 1999

About the author

Russell Lincoln Ackoff was Anheuser Busch Professor Emeritus of management science at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Professor Ackoff was an American organizational theorist and consultant, and a pioneer in the fields of operations research and management science.

Reviews

[Bruno Figares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some interesting concepts, weird technology discussions

I think as far as understanding transformational leadership, this book points in interesting (and accurate) directions. How much can the ideas be adapted is a different matter, but they are important enough to merit the reading and discussion of the book

[Jurgen Appelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best management book I've read since a long time.

[Jukka Lindström · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book by Ackoff! I was really really close on giving it 5 stars, but it's age is slightly starting to show in a couple places.

[Semiramis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for all managers. Thanks Dr. Khoram -my great professor- for introducing this book. He's been appreciated by Mr. Ackoff for his participation as well.

[Johan Oskarsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great parts about structure. Some obsolete stuff in the end.