In 1996, having completed a two-year research study, longtime Economist journalists and editors John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge published The Witch Doctors, an explosive critique of management theory and its legions of evangelists and followers. The book became a bestseller, widely praised by reviewers and devoured by readers confused by the buzzwords and concepts the management “industry” creates. At the time, ideas about “reengineering,” “the search for excellence,” “quality,” and “chaos” both energized and haunted the world of business, just as “the long tail,” “black swans,” “the tipping point,” “the war for talent,” and “corporate responsibility” do today. For decades, since the rise of MBA programs on campuses across the country, the field of management has operated in a dubious space. Many of its framers clamor for respect within the academy while making millions of dollars pedaling ideas, some brilliant and some nonsensical, in speeches, consulting arrangements, and books. Although The Witch Doctors was a damning critique (“a scalpel job,” according to the Wall Street Journal), it also argued that much of management theory is valuable—making companies more effi-cient and productive, improving organizational life for workers, and providing sound ways for companies to innovate while defending more entrenched plans. Building upon all that made the original such a phenomenal success, this fully revised and updated edition, Masters of Management, takes into account the rise of the Internet, the growing power of emerging markets, the Great Recession of 2008, and the more recent developments in management theory. The result is an indispensable volume for any manager.

The belief that everything is changing led to the disasters of the dotcom era. This book reminds us that some fundamental rules do still apply by taking readers through 20 imperatives derived from the wisdom of great leaders and management theorists including Peter Drucker, Henry Fayol, Andrew Grove and bankers and financiers such as Thomas Gresham and Warren Buffet. This entertaining run down of the fundamental laws, rules and principles business professionals should break at their peril is complemented by case studies that document the consequences of ignoring these key laws. Management from the Masters is a book to be read and re-read to reinforce the fundamental rules of business for all successful managers.

A Five Books Best Economics Book of the Year A Politico Great Weekend Read “Absolutely compelling.” —Diane Coyle “The evolution of modern management is usually associated with good old-fashioned intelligence and ingenuity...But capitalism is not just about the free market; it was also built on the backs of slaves.” —Forbes The story of modern management generally looks to the factories of England and New England for its genesis. But after scouring through old accounting books, Caitlin Rosenthal discovered that Southern planter-capitalists practiced an early form of scientific management. They took meticulous notes, carefully recording daily profits and productivity, and subjected their slaves to experiments and incentive strategies comprised of rewards and brutal punishment. Challenging the traditional depiction of slavery as a barrier to innovation, Accounting for Slavery shows how elite planters turned their power over enslaved people into a productivity advantage. The result is a groundbreaking investigation of business practices in Southern and West Indian plantations and an essential contribution to our understanding of slavery’s relationship with capitalism. “Slavery in the United States was a business. A morally reprehensible—and very profitable business...Rosenthal argues that slaveholders...were using advanced management and accounting techniques long before their northern counterparts. Techniques that are still used by businesses today.” —Marketplace “Rosenthal pored over hundreds of account books from U.S. and West Indian plantations...She found that their owners employed advanced accounting and management tools, including depreciation and standardized efficiency metrics.” —Harvard Business Review

This guide provides a detailed overview of the top MBA programs with sure-fire strategies for getting into the school of one's choice. The book tells what business schools are looking for in their students and shows how applicants can improve their chances with grades, GMAT scores, and work experience.

Packed with practical information and offering a solid foundation in HRM theory, Human Resource Management for MBA and Business Masters covers all the topics MBA students need to know in a concise, accessible way. One of the only texts available for HR non-specialist students doing a Masters or MBA, it looks at the changing world of the line manager and HR professional with regard to key topics such as HRM and strategy, employee resourcing, human resource development, employee relations and performance management. Annotated further reading for each chapter and questions for each case study help cement knowledge and understanding. Now aimed at a wider readership of management Masters students, this fully updated 3rd edition of Human Resource Management for MBA and Business Masters features a greater international and contemporary focus, fresh case studies, coverage of the impact of new forms of employment and technology on HR, and updated online supporting resources. With diagrams and models throughout, it covers topics such as CSR, organizational culture and change, performance management and talent management, the criticisms of HRM levelled by the Critical Management School and different HRM challenges as they relate to each chapter. Online supporting resources for tutors include an instructor's manual, videos, multiple-choice questions and additional case studies; additional resources for students include multiple-choice questions and additional case studies.

This short course in quality assembles over 30 proven TQM strategies, 75 ideas to jumpstart and maintain a TQM campaign, new TQM tools that add value to products and services, plus a dozen managerial techniques to enhance productivity. You'll discover all the information you need to avoid roadblocks when beginning a TQM program as well as information you can use to expand your current TQM efforts for maximum profitability.

Ship Management: Theory and Practice unpacks the complexity of this crucial maritime activity by spelling out its key elements and the connections and linkages between them. Opening with an introduction and an overview of the special characteristics of ship management, the text then focuses on different strands of management. It offers dedicated chapters on strategic management, commercial management, operations management, technical management, human resource management and compliance management, weaving in numerous international examples throughout. The final chapter looks to the future, exploring the challenges facing ship management and the impact of digitalisation. Ship Management: Theory and Practice is a valuable resource for upper-level students of shipping management and maritime operations and can also serve as a one-stop reference for researchers and industry practitioners.