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Managing the Unknowable
It's What You Don't Know That Counts
Discover the important roles chance and uncertainty play insuccessful strategic planning. In this ingenious work, author RalphD. Stacey shows managers how their companies can benefit from theunexpected developments that impact their business and how they canprepare to creatively leverage the opportunities such developmentspresent. He explains how an appreciation of conflict and teamdialogue can help managers discover and build on the innate energyof their organizations. And he illustrates his theories withreal-world examples from Sony, Kodak, Federal Express and othernoted market innovators.
Discover the important roles chance and uncertainty play insuccessful strategic planning. In this ingenious work, author RalphD. Stacey shows managers how their companies can benefit from theunexpected developments that impact their business and how they canprepare to creatively leverage the opportunities such developmentspresent. He explains how an appreciation of conflict and teamdialogue can help managers discover and build on the innate energyof their organizations. And he illustrates his theories withreal-world examples from Sony, Kodak, Federal Express and othernoted market innovators.
- GenresManagement
239 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 31, 2026
It's difficult for me to review this book, since I am still a student of the topics that the author writes about viz. chaos theory and systems thinking.
The writing style seems to be more for academics than someone from the general population. Yet, as I was reading, I found that I could understand the ideas put forth like bounded instability being necessary for innovation and creativity, and the actual real life behaviours that happen in organization and what to do about them. Another interesting point is that if an organization is stable, it may mean that it is soon going to be overwhelmed by competition / market forces. This reminded me of the Sigmoid curve
The corporate examples shared are outdated (this was written in 1992) but relevant because human behaviour has not changed very much.
This book is for HR professionals, organizational leaders, OD consultants and Facilitators.
The writing style seems to be more for academics than someone from the general population. Yet, as I was reading, I found that I could understand the ideas put forth like bounded instability being necessary for innovation and creativity, and the actual real life behaviours that happen in organization and what to do about them. Another interesting point is that if an organization is stable, it may mean that it is soon going to be overwhelmed by competition / market forces. This reminded me of the Sigmoid curve
The corporate examples shared are outdated (this was written in 1992) but relevant because human behaviour has not changed very much.
This book is for HR professionals, organizational leaders, OD consultants and Facilitators.
December 31, 2011
I read this while pursuing my doctorate. I felt the author was dead wrong at first, as he challenged what my BBA and Masters had taught me about missions, visions, strategy, etc. By the end, I felt he was absolutely correct. Not the easiest read if you're new to the subject. Will definitely challenge your views.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews