Thinking About Management

by Theodore Levitt

In twenty-seven innovative briefings, Levitt discusses management theory and practice and emphasizes the importance of such skills as listening and learning.

"Knowledge is peculiar. It has the special quality of enriching those who receive it without impoverishing or diminishing those who give it away. But the most precious of all knowledge can be neither taught nor passed on...the most important thing is the general manager knows and does involve that kind of knowledge--inherent, authentic, and resistant to teachability but not to learnability."—from Chapter 3, "Management and Knowledge"

Genres: Business, Leadership, Management

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 1990

Reviews

[Mark Polino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pre-internet book on management that came highly recommended and I found that I really enjoyed it. Leavitt's tackles a lack of focus long before the internet stole what focus was left. I found his comments that managment often doesn't overtly decide but often meanders into a decision fits exactly with what I see in many clients. The book is short, the writting is a bit formal, more like Drucker than Tom Peters and it was nice to read a management book with nary a mention of Apple or Google even though the thoughts are still relevant.