Imaginization (Trade) [Paperback]

Gareth Morgan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1997

"Imaginization" is a way of thinking and organizing. It is a key managerial skill that will help you understand and develop your own creative potential, and find innovative solutions to difficult problems. It answers the call for more creative forms of organization and management and shows how we can find new roles in a changing, uncertain world. Imaginization teaches by example, providing dozens of concrete illustrations and real-world case studies on how the approach can be put into practice. It shows how to develop new insights for your role as a manager, how to create more flexible and innovative forms of organization, and how to develop your own creative toolbox for meeting the challenges that lie ahead, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Any manager who really wants to break out of a rut and inject some energy into a unit ought to read this. -- The Journal of Academic Leadership

Every corporate executive who truly wishes to understand why the world has changed and how to manage more effectively in it should read Gareth's book. It is 'must reading. -- Ian I. Mitroff, Harold Quinton Distinguished Professor of Business Policy, and Director, USC Center for Crisis Management

Imaginization is a book full of important and imaginative ideas. Practicing executives and managers should find it especially thought provoking. -- Chris Argyris, Professor, Harvard University, Graduate School of Business Administration

Imaginization shows that management is as much art form as science, providing many useful ways to tap the most important resource for competitiveness: brainpower. -- Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Professor, Harvard Business School and author of The Change Masters

About the Author

Gareth Morgan is well known for his creative contributions to management. He is the author of seven books, including Images of Organization, Creative Organization Theory, Imaginization and Riding the Waves of Change. He acts as consultant and seminar leader to numerous organizations throughout Europe and North America, and is Distinguished Research Professor at York University in Toronto. He has sat on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management, and Organization Studies; and is a Life Fellow of the International Academy of Management. Born in Wales, he now lives in Toronto with his wife, Karen and their children Evan and Heather. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 347 pages
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576750264
• ISBN-13: 978-1576750261
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #870,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So much fun, you won't realize how much you're learning, August 12, 1997

By 

J. Katzman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Imaginization (Trade) (Paperback)

Innovation and creativity are big buzzwords in management these days. Every second executive has a new paradigm or a new way of thinking, many of which aren't really new and may not be relevant to the situation on the ground. Many books are written on these subjects, mostly long on concepts but short on real tools.

I loved this book because Gareth never falls into that trap. His approach is always created from the situation on the ground, not as manna from above. Indeed, one of his best insights is the way he neatly explodes the word "supervision" into its component parts, showing the assumption of management as people with "super vision" who can see the future. Think about the realities behind that one word, and watch many of your assumptions about managing start to change.

As you might expect, Imaginization has several chapters which use real consulting experiences to illustrate the ideas presented. It's very effective at illustrating the ideas, conveying both the approach in action, and giving people the tools to actually start putting innovation and creativity to work in their workplace. It's also a very enjoyable read, as fun as its name implies.

Gareth Morgan's course was the most useful and well-spent time in my entire MBA at the Schulich School of Business. I was so impressed that I offered to create a free web site for him so that he could share his ideas more widely. If you want get a solid feel for Gareth's ideas and approach before buying the books, give it a visit! (I made sure we put lots of interesting content there, so even if you have read the book there will be new stuff for you to see):

http://www.imaginiz.com/

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So much fun, you won't realize how much you're learning., June 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Imaginization: New Mindsets for Seeing, Organizing, and Managing (Paperback)

Innovation and creativity are big buzzwords in management these days. Every second guru has a new paradigm or a new way of thinking, many of which aren't really new and may not be relevant to the situation on the ground. Many books are written on these subjects, mostly long on concepts but short on real tools.

I loved this book because Gareth never falls into that trap. His approach is always created from the situation on the ground, not as manna from above. Indeed, one of his best insights is the way he neatly explodes the word "supervision" into its component parts, showing the assumption of management as people with "super vision" who can see the future. Think about the realities behind that one word, and watch many of your assumptions about managing start to change.

As you might expect, Imaginization has several chapters which use real consulting experiences to illustrate the ideas presented. It's very effective at illustrating the ideas, conveying both the approach in action, and giving people the tools to actually start putting innovation and creativity to work in their workplace. It's also a very enjoyable read, as fun as its name implies.

Gareth Morgan's course was the most useful and well-spent time in my entire MBA at the Schulich School of Business. END

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great fun and scholarly too!, November 20, 2000

By 

Marc "Fundraisingcoach.com" (Waterville, ME, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Imaginization (Trade) (Paperback)

Morgan's book is a delight to read. I couldn't wait to go out and try some of the techniques myself! While extremely readable, Morgan includes a couple of appendices that give the extensive scholarship behind his work.