I'm only a couple of chapters into the book. There have been some distractions that have kept me from my usual reading. That said, my first impressions are very favorable. I'm going to enjoy this read.

Chapter one explores Management as social innovation. I particularly enjoyed the following quote:

We have again entered an era of innovation, and it is by no means confined to "high-tech" or to technology generally. In fact, social innovation--as this chapter tries to make clear--may be of greater importance and have a much greater impact than any scientific or technical invention. Furthermore, we now have a "discipline" of entrepreneurship and innovation...... It is clearly a part of management and rests, indeed, on well-known and tested management principles.

Imagine that. Management principles "may be of greater importance and have a much greater impact than any scientific or technical invention." Who'd a thunk it.

We've been filled with Scott Adams and Dilbert for many years. There has been so much fun poked at "stupid" management, that we've lost some perspective. Drucker actually likes management. He believes in management. That is refreshing.

In chapter two Drucker details the three responsibilities of management. They are:

Establishing the specific purpose and mission of the institution, whether business enterprise, hospital or university

Making work productive and the worker effective

Managing social impacts and social responsibilities

In fact, Drucker points out several times in these opening pages that the main responsibility of management is to deal with productivity.

These first two chapters have given my a bunch to think about. Looking back, one of the reasons that I'm so slow with reading this book is that I keep re-reading in an attempt to absorb more of the meaning........
9:34:13 PM    comment []