Management Lessons from Game of Thrones: Organization Theory and Strategy in Westeros

by Fiona Moore

This intriguing and absorbing book takes a look at aspects of Westerosi society and politics from an anthropological and organizational studies angle. It shows both how management theory influenced the world-building in the Game of Thrones franchise, and also how students, academics and managers can draw on the series to further enhance their understanding of concepts in human resource management and organization theory.

Based on a detailed knowledge of Game of Thrones but grounded in serious management research, Fiona Moore provides a tour of the organizations, leaders and followers in Westeros, giving insights into the fantasy kingdom as well as important lessons managers can use in their own careers. Providing a brief and enjoyable introduction to management and organization theory, the book then discusses how and why modern management concepts can be seen in Game of Thrones, exploring concepts such as leadership, strategy and human resource management through a unique lens.

Unconventional in its approach, this book will prove a key resource for students and scholars in areas such as business leadership, human resource management and organization studies looking for new and entertaining ways of understanding the theory behind management.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 7, 2022

About the author

Fiona Moore is a writer and academic whose work has appeared in Asimov, Interzone, and Clarkesworld, with reprints in Forever Magazine and two consecutive editions of The Best of British SF; her story “Jolene” was shortlisted for the 2019 BSFA Award for Shorter Fiction, and her first novel Driving Ambition is available from Bundoran Press. She has written and cowritten a number of articles and guidebooks on cult television, including guides to Blake’s Seven, The Prisoner and Battlestar Galactica. She has also written three stage plays and four audio plays, and a blog entitled A Doctor Of Many Things. When not writing, she is a Professor of Business Anthropology at Royal Holloway University.. She lives in Southwest London with a tortoiseshell cat who is bent on world domination.

Reviews

[M.E. Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fun, modern look at the fantastic world of The Game of Thrones, and how it applies to both historical and modern-day management. It draws surprising parallels between these two seemingly (to me, before reading) exceedingly different areas, showing how change, or unchangeability, helps or hinders certain characters' goals and story arcs from a managerial perspective. Sounds dry, maybe--but I promise it's not!

You don't have to be managerial to appreciate this book. If you're simply looking for another way to appreciate Westeros and your favorite characters (from the TV show or the books), then this book is for you! The book shows that Westeros reflects a time similar to our own Industrial Revolution, but without the rise of heavy industry, and supports that in so many ways. This lets the pleasure of reading about this world give real-world insight into today's business world, where it came from, and where it may be going and why.

How do the organizational aspects of the North vs the South shape the conflicts that rock that world, and influence how their inhabitants behave? In other words, did Ned Stark have to die? Read this fascinating book and find out.

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/bsfa-best-non-fiction/

Fiona Moore is a professor of Business Anthropology in her day job, and a fan and critic on the side (at least I think it’s that way round), and this is her elucidation of some of the principles of basic management theory as they are demonstrated in the TV series Game of Thrones, with occasional reference to the books where needed. It’s always useful for someone like me to see some of the principles I find myself engaged with at work applied in fiction, so in a sense the book ticks both a fannish box and a professional box for me. Also mercifully short.

[Courtney Rada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fascinating and creative way to use popular media to teach management. I am a big fan of GoT so this was right up my street. It has a great overview of the plot, characters and regions as well as simplifying management discourse and combining them. A truly innovative way of sparking interest in an audience and peaks interest in creative ways to teach management courses. Highly recommended.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot, not least because I’ve recently taken on a PhD student and it’s probably useful to think about management. This was an interesting, high-level exploration of the field with examples from a show I like: what more could one ask for?

[Fresno Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

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