Peter Drucker on the Profession of Management

by Peter F. Drucker

For nearly half a century, Peter Drucker has inspired and educated managers--and influenced the nature of business with his landmark articles in the Harvard Business Review . Here, gathered together and framed by a thoughtful introduction from the Review's editor Nan Stone, is a priceless collection of his most significant work. One of our leading thinkers on the practice and study of management, Drucker has sought out, identified, and examined the most important issues confronting managers, from corporate strategy to management style to social change. Through his unique lens, this volume gives us the rare opportunity to trace the evolution of the great shifts in our workplaces, and to understand more clearly the role of managers. Infused with a perspective that holds new relevance today, these essays represent Drucker at his direct, wise, and challenging. Peter Drucker on the Profession of Management , sure to be enjoyed, studied, and debated by everyone concerned with management, is a timely offering from one of the most respected and prolific authors to appear in the Harvard Business Review .

Genres: Business, Management, Leadership, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Peter Ferdinand Drucker was a writer, management consultant and university professor. His writing focused on management-related literature. Peter Drucker made famous the term knowledge worker and is thought to have unknowingly ushered in the knowledge economy, which effectively challenges Karl Marx's world-view of the political economy. George Orwell credits Peter Drucker as one of the only writers to predict the German-Soviet Pact of 1939.

The son of a high level civil servant in the Habsburg empire, Drucker was born in the chocolate capital of Austria, in a small village named Kaasgraben (now a suburb of Vienna, part of the 19th district, Döbling). Following the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War I, there were few opportunities for employment in Vienna so after finishing school he went to Germany, first working in banking and then in journalism. While in Germany, he earned a doctorate in International Law. The rise of Nazism forced him to leave Germany in 1933. After spending four years in London, in 1937 he moved permanently to the United States, where he became a university professor as well as a freelance writer and business guru. In 1943 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He taught at New York University as a Professor of Management from 1950 to 1971. From 1971 to his death he was the Clarke Professor of Social Science and Management at Claremont Graduate University.

Reviews

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever noticed that when you learn something you start to see it everywhere? Well, as I read this book, I began taking much more note of the management styles in my company and the companies of acquaintances; in some cases to my chagrin, consternation, and befuddlement. Why, I ask, can't everyone (especially my management!) understand and apply these principles to the betterment of all?

Of course, by asking this I seem to have forgotten that I did not understand those same principles until I read them. SOooo....I suppose I can cut them some slack until I know everything. Besides it will be a good exercise in patience.

This book helped me see more clearly the role of management in this last century, to see where it came from and why, and to get an idea of where we are headed in the future.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a much broader range of thought on the rise of organizations in shaping a new world, and the increasingly important role of managing those organizations - I did not realize that management as we know it now scarcely existed prior to 1850.

[Hussam Tag · Rating 4 out of 5]

بيتر دركر الأب الروحي للإدارة

[Ibtesam Abu Khalaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

صدقوني دائما وأبدا الادارة فن لا يتقنه الا المبدعون.

[Todd Cheng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parts of the passages were completed in 1993 and forecasted conclusions that may emerge in 2010 or 2020. Brilliant. I think he was spot on. Not sure many could forecast out 20-30 years the changes in the work structures.

Mr. Drucker your knack at researching history, looking at the writhing of the current system, and predict a near off future remain far better than a weather guide. Now in the future you expected to emerge - the 3rd management age of information and specialized knowledge worker is here. And it continues to shake up the current hierarchy of management.

A next order of thought is if having known with complete confidence that this future was coming what would a me of 1993 have done? What would the 13 or 14 year old have done? Not much different. Specialize. Try to figure myself out. In 2022 what are similar authors in management and technology predicting as this 3rd order matures? What will 2050 entail. My guess is either much more specialization or a dark age.

Great author. Have read most of his books. Most if not all I would read again.

[Ali Abs · Rating 3 out of 5]

أحد الكتب المفيدة والممتعة في نصفها الاول على الأقل .. كان عصي الفهم في نصفه الأخير وذلك إما بسبب الترجمة أو بسبب تعقيد
الموضوع والغوص في بحر الاقتصاد والادارة

الإدارة تعني بداية إخفاء نقاط الضعف وإظهار القوة ،تطوير الذات ، تحديد أهداف الشركة وجعلها واضحة وبسيطة والعمل على تنفيذها فتنفيذ الأفكار هو أحد أصعب المهام وأكثرها استهلاكا للوقت ، الإدارة ضرورية حتى للمؤسسات الغير ربحية وكل مؤسسة هي مكان يتأثر به المجتمع ويستمد منه أفكاره ، في المستقبل القريب ستغدو مهمة الادارة الأهم هي كيفية اتخاذ القرار حين تغيب الأوامر وكيفية التعامل مع أشخاص لا يتبعون للشركة فيما يخدم أهداف الشركة اخيرا يجب على الشركة ان تنتبه إلى مجاراتها للوقت الحالي ومعطياته ومتغيراته وأن الوصول إلى الهدف يعني المزيد والمزيد من العمل لمخطط جديد وهدف جديد

[Mark Bunch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A basic must re.ad for business students and leaders, management.

[Lucille Maddalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of modern management practices. Opens the door to understand the many levels of relationships for true leadership well before we are ready to explore.

[Mark Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of articles that Drucker wrote over the years for the Harvard Business Review.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got three quarters of the way through it. Interesting to look back on his earlier work to see how it plays out now.

[Lori Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read book by Peter Drucker on management for knowledge workers, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs.

[Eduardo Sánchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entender todo lo que rodea a la profesión del Management es muy sencillo si lees este libro, ofrece un gran entendimiento con palabras y acciones precisas.

[Mitch Dizon-viray · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It is time to give up thinking of jobs or career paths as we once did and think in terms of taking in assignments one after the other."