Background
Ackoff, Russell Lincoln was born on February 12, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Jack and Fannie (Weitz) Ackoff.
(This subversive little book contains 13 of Russell Ackoff...)
This subversive little book contains 13 of Russell Ackoff's "Management f-Laws". They give you a taste of his ironic take on how organizations really work, not how they think that they work. These epigrams are unspoken laws and unconventional wisdoms of management exposed to full daylight as the management flaws they actually are. Some f-Laws are downright funny; others bemuse; all provoke in one way or another. At worst, they elicit denial or anger. At best, they evince recognition followed by a desire to think profoundly about the inevitability of change. And thus, the need to know how to change. The book will touch a nerve with any manager and offers important lessons for the better running of any organization - as well as being a good read and a delightful present. Dip into it, and on any of its pages you will find something to laugh or argue about but, above all, to take on board. Making us laugh is its most obvious strength. But it is bound to be a lot more than funny, for Russell Ackoff has been around for a long time and, when it comes to organizations, he knows what he is talking about. At the grand age of 87, he is known internationally for his pioneering work on Systems Thinking. He continues to rank highly in the list of the Top 50 Business Brains and is affectionately known to many in the Systems Thinking community as the 'Dean'. Ackoff's work in research, consulting and education has involved hundreds of corporations and many governmental agencies in the US and abroad. He has authored or co-authored 20 books and published over 150 articles. He has taught hundreds of leaders, aspiring managers and Systems Thinkers the meaning of learning.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0955008115/?tag=2022091-20
( When was the last time anyone interacted with an organi...)
When was the last time anyone interacted with an organization, a business, a government agency, a school, or a hospital and got a direct and accurate answer to a question or received a desired service without having to weave through a maze of frustrating and infuriating hand-offs? How often do people attempt to speak to a human in these organizations, but the system wouldn't allow it? Beating the System is for anyone who has faced the bureaucratic blank wall. The authors explain how systems are designed, how they function (and, particularly, malfunction), where their weaknesses are, and the incentives that drive them - as well as how to be creative in beating a system. Entertaining and informative stories illustrate how each creative strategy is used, and the authors offer suggestions for how organizations themselves can avoid frustrating those they serve and employ.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1576753301/?tag=2022091-20
( Health care, education, welfare, law—the perceived succ...)
Health care, education, welfare, law—the perceived success or failure of these social institutions is constantly being debated in the public arena. In this book, Ackoff and Rovin join the discussion, using systems theory to develop new approaches to governance, the structure and function of our cities, and civic leadership in general. Each chapter tackles a different, important, and timely issue. The authors develop and present specific solutions, with the intention of starting a national dialogue about the structure and organization of American society. Their redesign, radical in its scope and ambition, draws upon existing technology and social constructs, but provides innovative ways to apply them. As the authors contend, “it is only through creative thought and innovation that our society will be transformed into one that provides a more equitable distribution of wealth, quality of life, and opportunities for development.”
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804747946/?tag=2022091-20
(No dust jacket. Pencil and pen marking on some pages. Bin...)
No dust jacket. Pencil and pen marking on some pages. Binding slightly loose.Hardback, ex-library, with usual stamps and markings, in fair all round condition suitable as a reading copy.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471003336/?tag=2022091-20
( This book provides an innovative foundation for looking...)
This book provides an innovative foundation for looking at human and social behavior u as a system of purposeful (teleological) events. It uses a systems theoretical approach for the study of these phenomena, and illustrates and extends general systems theory. Part One develops the concepts of traditional mechanism from which, successively, the concepts of "function," "choice," "goal-seeking," and "purposefulness" are derived, leading to a quantitative formulation of "personality". Part Two provides an analysis of aspects of purposeful behavior and personality, and Part Three explores the interaction of purposeful systems. Part Four is concerned with the study of social groups and ideal-seeking behavior. Finally, structural concepts underpinning the theoretical system are redefined in technological terms, thus demonstrating the non-vicious circularity and interdependence of all scientific concepts.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0202307980/?tag=2022091-20
(Written by a renowned teacher, consultant and writer, her...)
Written by a renowned teacher, consultant and writer, here are 52 vignettes that deal with topics relating to day-to-day situations that every senior and middle manager will recognize. Provocative, often controversial, the book targets familiar conflicts and fallacies of managerial life. Looks at benefits and drawbacks of advertising, corruption in the corporation, the work environment, information systems, and more.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471848220/?tag=2022091-20
(Here's why thousands of readers in business and managemen...)
Here's why thousands of readers in business and management turn to Russell Ackoff for innovative and effective ideas: "Russell Ackoff has probably influenced more managers than any other living person.. Two of his books, Scientific Method (1962) and Redesigning the Future (1974), are the cornerstones of much of the theory and methods for systematic analysis of problems in management and planning." --APA Journal "Russell Ackoff is undoubtedly one of the great masters of this art." of storytelling as a means of conveying information. --Omega, The International Journal of Management Science The Art of Problem Solving is. "A witty, literate, and most of all convincing reflection.. He shines an often bright light into corners where problems hide, showing the manager how to understand the consequences of his own behavior; identify real, rather than supposed, elements of problems; perceive another's aims; determine what is controllable; and deal with other nettlesome factors." --INC.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471090093/?tag=2022091-20
(Over the last three decades the average life expectancy o...)
Over the last three decades the average life expectancy of a corporation in North America has dipped well below 20 years. In fact, by 1983 a full third of the 1970 Fortune 500 companies had been acquired, merged, or broken apart. In this landmark book, one of the business world's foremost pioneers, Russell L. Ackoff, delivers this indispensable guide for those hoping to beat these odds--and to better navigate the corporate challenges of the next millennium. While most business and management schools continue to teach the functions of a corporation separately--production, marketing, finance, personnel--the reality is that for a corporation to endure each division must work with the others to create an effective system. Re-Creating the Corporation is Ackoff's masterful blueprint for understanding and creating these model corporate systems. In four comprehensive sections--Background, Process, Designs, and Change--Ackoff lays out in clear concise prose the five organizational goals of successful corporate systems: plan effectively, learn and adapt rapidly, democratize, introduce internal market economies, and employ a flexible structure that will minimize the need for future restructuring. And through a deft mix of practical and theoretical examples drawn from a wide range of applications in a wide range of firms, this book ultimately guides executives to the system best suited to meet their organizational goals. Re-Creating the Corporation, which is the culmination of a lifetime of innovative and insightful business thought from one of the business world's premier thinkers, is essential reading for those attempting to navigate the rapidly changing economic environment of the next millennium.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195123875/?tag=2022091-20
(This gem of a book introduces the extraordinary world of ...)
This gem of a book introduces the extraordinary world of Systems Thinking and its "Dean", Russell Ackoff, to curious and enquiring managers, teachers, business people - anyone, anywhere who works in an organisation.Finished just before Professor Ackoff's death late in 2009, Systems Thinking for Curious Managers opens the door to a joined up way of thinking about things that has profoundly influenced thinkers and doers in the fields of business, politics, economics, biology, psychology. Although Systems Thinking was 'invented' early in the 20th century, even Peter Senge's best-selling The Fifth Discipline (Systems Thinking is the fifth discipline) failed to popularise the term. But now, in business and academia, in the public sector and in the search for solutions to the environmental problems we face, Systems Thinking is being talked about everywhere. This timely book presents 40 more of Russ Ackoff's famously witty and incisive f-Laws (or flaws) of business - following on from his 2007 collection Management f-Laws. All those in this collection are new and previously unpublished. Andrew Carey's extended introduction ties these f-Laws into the rest of Ackoff's work and gives the reader new to Systems Thinking a guide to the implications of Systems Thinking for organisations and managers. The Foreword by Jamshid Gharajedaghi is a moving tribute from Ackoff's friend and business partner of many years.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0956263151/?tag=2022091-20
(We all know that American business needs fixing, and ther...)
We all know that American business needs fixing, and there is no shortage of prescriptions: imitate the Japanese, or follow the example of successful firms, or practice right-sizing. But these approaches do not work very well, says Russell Ackoff, because they only attack the problem piecemeal--and it is the entire system of American business that is flawed. In this revolutionary new book by a widely respected business thinker and pioneer in the fields of operations research and systems thinking, Ackoff underscores the urgent need to overhaul the kinds of systems found in America, from our business schools to our boardrooms. And he shows how firms can break out of the mold--and leapfrog the competition in today's volatile economy. To give managers insight into the concept of organizations, Ackoff shows how they have been viewed since the Renaissance: first as machines, later as organisms, and today as social systems. As social systems, companies produce and distribute wealth and raise our standard of living. They are also responsible for facilitating and encouraging the development of the larger systems that contain them and all their stakeholders. The quality of worklife within an organization is key. Work has to be challenging and enjoyable if workers are to give it their full commitment, and Ackoff outlines major ways to achieve this goal. Along the way, Ackoff explodes a number of fashionable business notions. He asserts that firms that try to imitate successful competitors are doomed to play catch-up forever. He attacks the idea of continuous improvement, showing that it has failed to make quantum leaps in quality, and he demonstrates how to re-orient the pursuit of quality. After revealing the weakness in many current practices, Ackoff describes three organizational schemes that will lead to success. In the Circular Organization, a democratic hierarchy, everyone participates directly or indirectly in decisions that affect their work. In the Internal Market Economy, organizations treat their different parts like a collection of firms doing business with each other--which promotes cooperation and eliminates wasteful internal competition. And with the Multidimensional Organization, a company becomes so powerful and flexible that continuous adaptation can happen without reorganization. Ackoff caps off the book with an incisive critique of business schools, describing how they must be transformed to turn out the leaders we need for the competitive American organization of the 21st century. Enabling managers to understand the profound interrelationships in the American economy and to tap into them for success, The Democratic Corporation is a major work by an innovative thinker that is certain to cause ripples throughout the business community.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195087275/?tag=2022091-20
( What's the best way to drive fundamental, transformativ...)
What's the best way to drive fundamental, transformative change within your organization? Envision your ideal solution: then, work backwards to where you are. It's called idealized design, and -- as executives in hundreds of organizations will testify -- it's one of the most powerful techniques you'll ever use. Authored by its legendary creator, Wharton Professor Emeritus Russell Ackoff, and leading practitioner Jason Magidson, Idealized Design covers every facet of this breakthrough methodology. You'll learn the fundamental differences between idealized design and traditional process re-engineering, and understand how idealized design eliminates many conventional obstacles to change. Start-to-finish techniques and examples drawn from hundreds of companies, non-profits, and government organizations will show you how to use idealized design to solve your own crisis of tomorrow...today.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0137071116/?tag=2022091-20
(NUEVECITO, RETRACTILADO ORIGINAL, EXCELENTE, DE MÉXICO CO...)
NUEVECITO, RETRACTILADO ORIGINAL, EXCELENTE, DE MÉXICO CON AMOR MISMO DÍA SI RECIBO SU PEDIDO POR LA MAÑANA EN DÍAS HÁBILES
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9681805704/?tag=2022091-20
(Brand New. In Stock. Will be shipped from US. Excellent C...)
Brand New. In Stock. Will be shipped from US. Excellent Customer Service.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UB6IC0/?tag=2022091-20
(This book provides an innovative foundation for looking a...)
This book provides an innovative foundation for looking at human and social behavior as a system of purposeful (teleological) events. It uses a systems theoretical approach for the study of these phenomena, and illustrates and extends general systems theory. Part One develops the concepts of traditional mechanism from which, successively, the concepts of "function," "choice," "goal-seeking," and ...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EQFEDYO/?tag=2022091-20
(A full collection of more than 80 of Russell Ackoff's man...)
A full collection of more than 80 of Russell Ackoff's management f-laws: the uncomfortable truths about how organizations really work, what's wrong with the way we design and manage businesses, what makes managers tick... and how we can make things work better. Russell Ackoff is one of the world's top business brains. Herbert Addison has worked for years in business book publishing. Sally Bibb is a pioneer of organizational change. Who better to zero in on organizations, take them apart and then suggest ways of putting them back together - but better?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0955008123/?tag=2022091-20
educator social systems designer
Ackoff, Russell Lincoln was born on February 12, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Jack and Fannie (Weitz) Ackoff.
Bachelor of Architecture, University Pennsylvania, 1941. Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy, University Pennsylvania, 1947. Doctor of Science, University Lancaster, 1967.
Doctor of Science (honorary), Washington University, St. Louis, 1993. Doctor of Science (honorary), University Lincolnshire and Humberside, United Kingdom, 1999. Doctor of Science (honorary), Florida International University, 2001.
Doctor of Science (honorary), University Hull, England, 2007. DL (honorary), University New Haven, 1997. Doctor (honorary), Pontificia University Catholic del Peru, Lima, 1999.
Assistant instructor philosophy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1941-1942, 46-47;
Silberberg professor systems science, University of Pennsylvania, 1964-1986;
Anheuser-Busch professor emeritus of management science, University of Pennsylvania, since 1986;
department chairman statistics and operations research, University of Pennsylvania, 1964-1966;
chairman graduate faculty operations research, University of Pennsylvania, 1964-1969;
director Management Science Center, University of Pennsylvania, 1964-1967, 69-70;
chairman social systems science unit, University of Pennsylvania, 1974-1978, 86—;
chairman Busch Center, University of Pennsylvania, 1970-1974, 76-79;
assistant professor philosophy and mathematics, Wayne U., Detroit, 1947-1951;
associate professor, professor operations research, Case Institute Technology, Cleveland, 1951-1964. Chairman INTERACT: The Institute Interactive Management, since 1986. Methodological consultant United States Bureau Census, 1950-1951.
Consultant Eastern Airlines, Emerson Electric Company, General Foods Company, Mobil Oil Corporation, National Academy Sciences, National U. Mexico, Science and Technology Research Council, Turkey, Western Electric Company. Board dirs.Mantual Industrial Development Corporation. August A. Busch Junior visiting professor marketing Washington University, St. Louis, 1989-1995.
Member core faculty Union Institute, Cincinnati,1989-1991.
( When was the last time anyone interacted with an organi...)
(A full collection of more than 80 of Russell Ackoff's man...)
(This gem of a book introduces the extraordinary world of ...)
(Here's why thousands of readers in business and managemen...)
(Written by a renowned teacher, consultant and writer, her...)
(We all know that American business needs fixing, and ther...)
(Russell Ackoff, previously Emeritus Professor of the Whar...)
( What's the best way to drive fundamental, transformativ...)
( Health care, education, welfare, law—the perceived succ...)
( This book provides an innovative foundation for looking...)
(This book provides an innovative foundation for looking a...)
(NUEVECITO, RETRACTILADO ORIGINAL, EXCELENTE, DE MÉXICO CO...)
(Over the last three decades the average life expectancy o...)
(This subversive little book contains 13 of Russell Ackoff...)
(Creating the Corporate Future by Russell L. Ackoff. John ...)
(Book by Ackoff, Russell Lincoln)
(hardcover with dust jacket)
(BOOKS IN SPANISH)
(1 HARDCOVER BOOK)
(No dust jacket. Pencil and pen marking on some pages. Bin...)
(Brand New. In Stock. Will be shipped from US. Excellent C...)
Board directors Tallberg Foundation, Sweden, 1997—2000, Center for Quality Management, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1996—2004. Member United Nations Development Advisory Council, since 1996. Fellow American Statistical Association, Operations Research Society of America (vice president, president 1956-1957), International Academy Management, Institute Management Consultant.
Member International Academy Management, Russian Academy Natural Sciences (foreign member), Institute Management Sciences (vice president 1965), Operational Research Society (United Kingdom) (Silver medal 1971), Society General Systems Research (president 1987-1988), Oprational Research Society India, Peace Research Society, Sigma Xi, Tau Sigma Delta.
Married Alexandra Makar, July 17, 1949 (deceased February 1987). Children: Alan W., Karen B., Karla S. Married Helen Wald, December 20, 1987.