Ackoff's Best: His Classic Writings on Management

by Russell L. Ackoff

Russell Ackoff is a very special management thinker. As an architect, city planner, doctor of philosophy, behavioral scientist, trailblazer in the fields of organizational, operations, and systems theory, bestselling author, distinguished Wharton School professor, and head of his own management education and consulting firm, he qualifies, as do few others in this century, for the title of "Renaissance Man." Fortunately, he makes up for this grievous shortcoming by also being an outrageously funny observer of homo commercium. Now, Ackoff's Best offers you an opportunity to become acquainted with this irreverent genius who, over the past forty years, has done so much to shape our understanding of the modern business organization.

Compiled by the author, Ackoff's Best encapsulates the author's most controversial, influential, and wittiest work to appear since the 1970s. Ackoff's groundbreaking exploration of systems theory and its effect on business provides the backbone of this collection. Also included are his most lasting and thought-provoking writings on an array of topics in business, society, and human behavior that well reflect the sweeping scope of Ackoff's intellect and expertise. From managing teams, maximizing the effectiveness of information systems, and problem solving, to creativity, crime, and the role of the corporation in a democratic society, these writings are a cornucopia of insights, observations, and powerful lessons that will help you maximize your personal development and the effectiveness of your organization.

An excellent introduction for newcomers to Russell Ackoff, and a welcome compendium of Ackoff's pithiest writings for those already familiar with his ideas from such classic works as Creating the Corporate Future and The Art of Problem Solving, Ackoff's Best is required reading for every intelligent businessperson.

"The range, depth, and perspectives of these essays on management illustrate, once again, Russ Ackoff's unique genius."—Warren Bennis, University Professor, University of Southern California, and Co-author, Co-Leaders

"Russ Ackoff uses words that cut through the familiar and open doors in one's brain."—Arie P. de Geus, Author, The Living Company

"Ackoff's Best captures the lucid and compelling explorations of one of the most profound and influential thinkers of our time."—Ray Stata, Chairman of the Board, Analog Devices

"This collection reminds me that I have learned my most valuable lessons from Russ Ackoff."—Vince Barabba, General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Knowledge Development, General Motors Corporation

Genres: Business, Management, Leadership, Nonfiction

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 16, 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

[Jens Comiotto-Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I wasn't overwhelmed by this book at first, since I expected something different, maybe "more acedemic", but this first impression changed fast. Russell L. Ackoff offers a wide variety of stories and perspectives on the topic and in the context of "systemic thinking", from fundamental essays to exemplary ones. Ackoff's thoughts are profound and inspiring, and it still is a mystery to me why his work is not more prominent to many managers and leaders I met (the same can be said of people like Deming or Drucker, of course). The content of this book is often more than 35 years old, but still seems to be ahead of our times.

[Marek · Rating 3 out of 5]

However, the book is written a bit "academically" for a regular reader I found it very inspiring with many insights.
I realized that our performance is highly impacted by the definition of the terms we use. To understand the systems thinking is a breakthrough in my work as a Coach for organizational transformation. I just wonder how come I did not come across Russell Ackoff earlier :)

A few highlights:
"A bureaucracy is an organization whose principal objective is to keep people busy doing nothing."
"An organization, however, is a system whose major deficiencies arise from the ways its parts interact, not from their actions taken separately."
"Intelligence is the ability to increase efficiency; wisdom is the ability to increase effectiveness."
"Culture is to society what personality is to the individual."
"The principal responsibility of managers is to create an environment and conditions under which their subordinates can do their jobs as effectively as their capabilities allow. It is not to supervise them. That is, the principal responsibility of a manager is to manage over and up, not down, to manage the interactions of their units with the rest of the organization and its environment, not to manage the actions of their subordinates. If subordinates require supervision beyond an initial break-in period, they should be replaced by persons who do not require it."

[Ivan Chernov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Отличная книга по системному мышлению. Представляет из себя подборку выдержке из работ Ackoff в разных научных статьях.

Главная мысль в том, что на рубеже 60х-70х произошла вторая научная революция под названием эра систем. В ней фокус отдают синтезу и эмерджентным свойствам систем как целого вместо анализа и раскладывания на кусочки.

Смена такого подхода позволяет широко взглянуть на организацию социальных систем как целенаправленных систем по достижению идеала. А дальше через этот подход обсудить текущее положение в корпорациях. политике и науке.

[Ron Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ackoff is simply the most accessible proponent of systems thinking. One of the great minds of our times writes about perhaps the most important issue - management and policy.

[Ariadna73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a very strong season with Ackoff, but I think I am over him already.