Imaginization: New Mindsets for Seeing, Organizing, and Managing

by Gareth Morgan

`Shows that management is as much art form as science, providing many useful ways to tap the most important resource for brainpower′ - Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Professor, Harvard Business School, author of The Change Masters Gareth Morgan′s worldwide reputation in the fields of management and organization studies is based on his innovative method of using simple, everyday metaphors to create new ways of managing. Following his immensely successful Images of Organization, in which he develops metaphors to explain the dynamics of organization, Imaginization goes one step further by developing metaphors that speak directly to people about how to get things done on the job.

Genres: Management

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Dustin Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginization is a bit more of a free-flowing, real-life version of Morgan's Images of Organization (although with different images provided). Like Images, it runs out of steam after a while, and can be put aside once you sense it has reached that point.

[John Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a consultant this was a great read - helping to creatively encounter teams and organizations outside the dry, drab and disinfected way corporations are run.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I'm a little weird in that I like books to "feel" a certain way. This one just didn't have that element. The pages were chalky, the cover stiff...you just couldn't get comfortable with this book.

That being said, Morgan dives right into the concept of metaphor. While his metaphors can extend understanding to the masses, the book borders on being a little corny. When reading this for class, I found it interesting that many of my classmates seemed to reject the metaphors because those metaphors didn't fit neatly with their organization. These are very intelligent people, mind you. I think the main message of this book is that one needs to view the organization through the lens of the metaphor as opposed to the metaphor through the lens of the organization.

This book is meant to stimulate thought, not necessarily provide a "one through ten" how-to series. Certainly worth reading, but approach it with an open mind.

[Samir Dhond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always felt good reading Gareth's books. Imaginization is such a good title for this book. I mean, it truly shows us new ways of looking at organizations. For Human Resource professionals like me, such books are vitamins. it has given me new ideas of looking adn organizations and I have used some of them in my current assignment.

[Crazcarl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Use metaphors as a way to see things from a different perspective. This book goes through many real-world techniques for doing thing and offers a pretty clear picture of how this technique might work for you and your organization. Very good.