Managing the Unknowable: Strategic Boundaries Between Order and Chaos in Organizations (Jossey-Bass Management) [Hardcover]

Ralph D. Stacey (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1555424635 | ISBN-13: 978-1555424633 | Publication Date: September 8, 1992 | Edition: 1

It's What You Don't Know That Counts

Discover the important roles chance and uncertainty play in successful strategic planning. In this ingenious work, author Ralph D. Stacey shows managers how their companies can benefit from the unexpected developments that impact their business and how they can prepare to creatively leverage the opportunities such developments present. He explains how an appreciation of conflict and team dialogue can help managers discover and build on the innate energy of their organizations. And he illustrates his theories with real-world examples from Sony, Kodak, Federal Express and other noted market innovators.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Shows managers how successful strategic planning is based on understanding and directing the complex, often chaotic daily interactions that take place within companies. Explains how an appreciation of the roles of control, conflict, and team dialogue can help managers discover and build on the innate energy of their organizations and urges managers to find a new respect for the positive power of instability and chaos.Discover the important role chance can play in successful strategic planning. In this ingeneous work, author Ralph D. Stacey shows managers how powerful planning is based on understanding and directing the complex, often chaotic, daily interactions that take place in business. He explains how an appreciation of the rols of control, conflict, and team dialogue can help managers discover and build on the innate energy of their organizations. And he illustreates his theories with real-world examples from Soney, Kodak, Federal Express and other noted market innovators.

From the Back Cover

This creative approach to successful strategic planning is based on understanding and directing the complex, often chaotic daily interactions that take place within companies. Ralph Stacey explains how an appreciation of the roles of control, conflict, and team dialogue can help managers discover and build on the innate energy of their organizations and urges managers to find a new respect for the positive power of instability and chaos.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (September 8, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555424635
• ISBN-13: 978-1555424633
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #999,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most organizations don't know they do this already, April 17, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (San Francisco, Ca.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Managing the Unknowable: Strategic Boundaries Between Order and Chaos in Organizations (Jossey-Bass Management) (Hardcover)

Very thought provoking and only after several weeks of 'mulling' over what I had read did I realize that the global corporation for which I work (along with many others I know)actually does achieve its competitive edge through these instances of creative bounded chaos--they just don't know it yet. Our striving to creative a 'long term strategic vision' is of itself an attempt to explain that which we do not know, cannot control or explain on a balance sheet. Self-awareness being the first step to self-actualization for the individual--the same would apply to my organization successfully navigating its' current transformation. Listening to the words of Stacey would assist enormously in this process.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, foundational integration of chaos & biz strategy, March 24, 1998

By 

Michael McElwee (Minneapolis/St. Paul) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Managing the Unknowable: Strategic Boundaries Between Order and Chaos in Organizations (Jossey-Bass Management) (Hardcover)

This book is a highly insightful integration of chaos theory with strategic management, a "must have" for anyone interested in "new science" practically applied in organizations. Stacey's description of an organization as a complex web of relationships in a state of bounded instability is brilliant. Strongly recommended for any manager seeking to avoid portrayal in "Dilbert" - and EVERY executive.