Beyond Certainty: The Changing Worlds of Organizations [Hardcover]

Charles Handy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1996

From the bestselling author of "The Age of Unreason" and "The Age of Paradox" comes an exhilarating collection of 35 timeless essays, including Handy's change-making articles from the "Harvard Business Review" and "Director" magazine. One of the foremost social philosophers of our times shares his reflections on a changing world, a world in which we can be certain only of uncertainty. To plan for the future in such an environment, says Charles Handy, we must learn to think differently. "Beyond Certainty" is a book to dip into, enjoy, and share with colleagues and friends.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this collection of essays, the British management consultant, social philosopher, and author of The Age of Unreason (LJ 11/15/90), The Age of Paradox (McGraw-Hill, 1994), and Gods of Management (Oxford Univ., 1995) brings together 35 short pieces that reflect his musings on the changing and uncertain world of the future. Handy, who is one of the most graceful and articulate writers on the business scene, discusses some of his favorite themes. These include his belief that federalism will be the organizational structure of the future and that individuals will ultimately have a portfolio of jobs rather than a single career or profession, and the importance of allowing greater freedom for the individual employee. This work is an excellent introduction to this important business and social commentator and is highly recommended for all major collections.?Robert L. Logsdon, Indiana State Univ. Lib., Indianapolis
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Handy is perhaps the leading management thinker in Great Britain today, and he can be compared to Peter Drucker. Handy's Age of Unreason (1989) and Age of Paradox (1994) have found such wide U.S. readership that Gods of Management, his first book, was reissued late last year so it could be introduced over here. Now comes this collection of 35 essays; 31 of these short, thoughtful pieces are new to the U.S., having appeared in the British management journal Director. Handy's constant theme is uncertainty as he considers the nature and culture of work, the paradox of economic growth, the challenge of education, and the role of organizations. David Rouse

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 221 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Business Press (February 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875846718
• ISBN-13: 978-0875846712
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,615,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Envisioning Leadership Quality for A Changing World, July 14, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Beyond Certainty: The Changing Worlds of Organizations (Hardcover)

The certainty of the 1980's was gone and confusion reigned, in business, in government, and in all parts of the world. Even science started to examine Chaos, Creativity, and Complexity. Organizations must outgrow the ideas with which they grew up with. Everything would not be a given and the world became a void to be filled.

Drawing the parallel between today's world with the Renaissance, Handy warned of the paradoxical nature of organizations. Freedom of choice for all demands civic responsibilities. Global competition consolidated management structures. Efficient organizations implied the diminishing of jobs. Higher demands imposed on the remaining staff left no time for families or friends. Women were edged out of the business because of their diverse obligations.

He compared the use of the media and information technologies with the printing press in the Renaissance. The media created opportunities for many and yet became a great threat for all. He reminded organization leaders to restore the "cultivation" mandate of Adam Smith as a balance to wealth-making. He called for community building rather than property generation as corporate goals.

The future workers, whom he coined "portfolio people," would not work for jobs. In contrast, they would develop sets of skill and service and find customers for them. Self-learning and self-management abilities would be the asset to survive the new business world.

Handy's book is timely and insightful on the ever changing world that affects business organizations. Beyond Certainty contains many seed ideas of his earlier books The Age of Unreason, The Age of Paradox and Understanding Organizations. Charles Handy's thoughts represent the finest of business writings by the Western world.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good lord, what a muddled thinker, August 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Beyond Certainty: The Changing Worlds of Organizations (Paperback)

I'm sorry, I tried to read the whole book, but I just couldn't get through more than half of it. I read a lot of books, maybe 2-3 per week and in my whole life there are less than 10 books I was unable to finish.

Why did I find this book so hard to read? It wasn't because it was dense. It wasn't because it was radical. It wasn't even because it was boring. It was because it said nothing. It is full of platitudes, like "there are always unintended consequences to rational policies." Well, my gosh, how earthshattering. And the author has an annoying habit of using news factoids (in its original definition--i.e., untrue statements that people think are true because they appeared in a newspaper once) as evidence for his meandering pseudophilosophical discourse. Net: there is nothing in this book you didn't already know.

I don't know if I'm being overly harsh, because a lot of people read him and like him. I have tried really hard to figure it out, and I can't. This book reminds me somewhat of "Lives of a Cell" which is another book I couldn't figure out. All I could think while reading either of these books is "is it just me or isn't everything the author is saying blindingly obvious, except he's just saying things in a very muddled way?"

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A One of A Kind Treasure Chest of the Future!, October 15, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Certainty: The Changing Worlds of Organizations (Hardcover)

I keep going back to re-read sections of this book after having purchased it 2 years ago ... even the sections I once disagreed with are coming true in my own life with prophetic clarity. I wish Mr. Handy would rewrite this book once a year so I could keep up with his new insights. For me this book was better than the Age of Unreason. Throw away every other management fab gibberish book ... this one's the real thing. I've leant it to freinds who also agree this is an exceptionally unusual book.