It's Broken, Let's Fix It (Hardcover)

by Gerard De Beuckelaer (Author) "We, humanity, have a very real interest in prolonging the life of capitalism to the maximum possible extent..." (more)
Key Phrases: functional worldview, selection machine, control span, United States, Manufacturing Corp, Catholic Church (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
We used to have this saying: "If it ain't broken, don't fix it." It was a powerful piece of wisdom. But then, the re-engineering fashion emerged and that changed everything. This book describes the behavior of the "creature" enterprise as it evolves in an increasingly complex universe. What is this elusive creature really like? Are we able to thoroughly understand its survival and reproduction mechanisms? The book offers a rather merciless analysis of the way things really work. It does so from a human perspective, as we, the people, are at the same time the perpetrators and the victims in the corporate game. The objective is not to indoctrinate or even convince, but to stimulate thought: Let's try to understand things, and then find ways to improve them, without breaking more than we already have.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 282 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (December 18, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540673253
• ISBN-13: 978-3540673255
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,758,116 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating view of the "auto-pilot" of society., March 6, 2004

By A Customer

This book is a very different, lively, and believable analysis of what is going on in corporations and society.

It is also very entertaining, written in a conversational tone with just a tiny hint of occasional European syntax that brings fond memories of long philosophical conversations over coffee. And moderate, looking at the whole picture -- stockholders, executives, middle managers, workers, customers, Wall Street analyts.

However, it does not offer solutions that look realistic -- one of them is better laws, which is quite impossible by the arguments presented in the book! I give it 4.5 stars, really, and if the solutions were workable, it'd be 10.

Folks who love the "Wackadamia" music CD by "Dr. Jane" will love this book.