Where does the modern management style come from, why do we have it and why does every effort to replace it end up with something that becomes more of the same?
Where does the modern management style come from, why do we have it and why does every effort to replace it end up with something that becomes more of the same?
Human resources & personnel management, Industrial management, Management
Since they got started in the 1920's, generations of managers have emerged from the business schools worldwide, slowly taking over organizations both in the public and in the private sector. They are armed with only two objectives: 1) define targets and 2) measure progress. "What gets measured gets done". And the rest of us are so caught up in the same thinking that we cannot even see that alternative ways of leading exist.
This book is about the modern management that makes corporate life dreary and bureaucratic. In a time where we should be enjoying the fruits of centuries of marvelous technological advances and spending more time on the good things in life, our lives are consumed by bureaucracy like never before. Almost nobody likes that, but whose fault is it? Where does the modern management style come from, why do we have it and why does every effort to replace it end up with something that becomes more of the same?
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Iconoclastic, thoughtful, and thought-provoking, "The CFO Philosophy: To a Child with an MBA, the World Looks Like KPIs" is an extraordinary read and one that should be brought to the attention of every corporate executive and MBA student.... ~ Midwest Book Review
I have read The CFO Philosophy with great interest, amusement and a lot of nods in agreement with many of the issues Jacob Henricson address. Issues that I am sure everyone who tried advancing in the hierarchy of a large corporation have encountered. To me the beauty of Henricson's approach is the lack of answers, sometimes merely posing the question is enough, enough to make the reader pause and think of other ways of doing things, rather than with the help of the usual corporate toolbox. As somebody who has invested a lot of hours reading management literature and attending management courses, Henricson's book is a bold way of saying that there is no universal recipe, rather several different recipes. The catch is to know when to use which one. Henricson blends personal experiences with science and literature in a very enjoyable way and it was a true delight to read the book. ~ Andreas Rydbo, CEO AF Gruppen Sverige AB
I strongly recommend this highly provocative and enjoyable book with its well-documented irreverence vis-à-vis “operations management” solutions for all problems. The KPI Disaster is a must-read book for any person young or old willing to understand the world they live-in and the people they work-with. As an experienced person in managing and measuring innovation with all its human uncertainties, I fully agree with (i) Henricson’s dismissal of the myths concerning CFO and HR management actions as true sciences, (ii) the focus he places on the perennially subjective aspects of leadership, (iii) the need to always look at the fundamental assumptions that drive each of us, and (iv) the role of common sense. Alas, while correct and encouraging, Henricson’s conclusions may prove to be a let-down for people trained (brainwashed) to look for simple tools that solve problems mechanically rather than brace themselves for addressing complex problems with a good dose of common sense and real knowledge of the subject matter. ~ Dr. Sorin Cohn
