Foreword
As a discussion starter for doctoral students, I like to ask, "Who are the six most important and influential people in management thought in the last century?"[1] Their answers often include such scholars and authors as Peter Drucker, C. K. Prahalad, Michael Porter, and Tom Peters—and Ed Lawler!—and business leaders such as Jack Welch, Tom Watson, and Bill Gates. This question is like opening a debate in a sports bar about the best athlete in a given sport or position, so regardless of what names the students give, I like to prod them by suggesting another six people.
In the 1920s and 1930s, organizations were designed and run by efficiency experts who worked to scientifically prove the best ways to manage the physical settings of work. ...
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