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The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management
 
 
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The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management (Paperback)

~ (Author) "That July afternoon in Coleman, Texas (population 5,607), was particularly hot-104 degrees according to the Walgreen's Rexall's thermometer..." (more)
Key Phrases: phrog farms, group tyranny, existential risk, Abilene Paradox, Captain Asoh, Adolph Eichmann (more...)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Harvey's meditations are a joy. They are the most exquisite essays on management that I've read in over a decade. In fact, this is the only book about management that I've really loved." --Warren Bennis, coauthor of Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge and author of Why Leaders Can't Lead

"Jerry Harvey has become a legAnd in his own time with the success of The Abilene Paradox--a principle of group behavior that has application in corporations, government, academia, and family alike. Now he takes aim at a host of other sacred organizational norms and, in succession, dismantles each. You'll smile at his insight and laugh at his wit." --Kenneth H. Blanchard, coauthor of The One-Minute Manager


Product Description

Faulty decision-making can have dire consequences, and when it comes to group decisions, the challenges are even greater. Join Dr. Jerry B. Harvey as he clearly illustrates why no organization wants to find themselves goin' to Abilene.
See how group dynamics can keep individuals from stating their true beliefs for fear of isolation and separation, and how that often leads to mismanaged agreement.
You'll learn to recognize the warning signs of risky group dynamics and improve decision-making processes throughout your organization.

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 160 pages
  • Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (August 23, 1988)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0787902772
  • ISBN-13: 978-0787902773
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #162,091 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Author

Jerry B. Harvey
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Jerry B. Harvey Page
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
That July afternoon in Coleman, Texas (population 5,607), was particularly hot-104 degrees according to the Walgreen's Rexall's thermometer. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
phrog farms, group tyranny, existential risk, negative fantasies, anaclitic depression, action anxiety, inner emigration, conformity pressures, final victims
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Abilene Paradox, Captain Asoh, Adolph Eichmann, White House, Marshal Dillon, Carl Jung, Dodge City, Japan Air Lines, Census Bureau, Peter Vaill, The Management of Agreement
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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Every manager with a conscience should read this book, March 22, 2000
By J. G. Heiser (Sunninghill, Berks) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Brilliant, wise, humane and funny, Harvey's classic book on organizational behavior is entertaining and thought provoking. Many of his explanations about corporate behavior struck a chord with me--I read this one with a pen in hand, jotting down notes about specific experiences that I have had in phrog farms. If you are unhappy at work, maybe it is not your fault--maybe you are stuck in a degrading and unhealthy work environment.

Harvey expects a great deal from leaders in business, politics, and even education, and is not reticent to criticize them for abusing their position of authority. He characterizes contemporary corporate culture as being a virtual conspiracy, assisted by a higher-education system that teaches students not to cooperate, but to actively resist working together. A radical idea that deserves some consideration.

This is almost--but not quite--a spiritual book, and the author even claims the attributes of a preacher. It is a secular take on the theme Edward Welch discusses in "When People are Big and God is Small." The fear of other people has tremendous negative consequences--both personally and organizationally. Like Welch, Harvey's highlights the benefit of overcoming that fear and provides practical advice on how to do it.

Anyone manager with a conscience should read Harvey, just to ensure that they are not perpetuating an unethical system.

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Read" for the Information Technology Professional, August 6, 1999
By John Sagi (jsagi@gwu.edu) (Annapolis, Maryland) - See all my reviews
In this age of silicon and snake oil, Dr Harvey's insights are right on the mark. Committees and boards frantically and often irrationally fund high-risk technology projects that, in years past, would be considered suspect if not insane. Amazingly, organizations can't wait to get on that road. Perhaps the Information Highway has an offramp to Abilene!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This Belongs on the "Must Read" Section of the Mgt Bookshelf, February 26, 1999
By A Customer
A friend of mine recommended that I read this book to better learn about organizational behavior. This was not only a quick, funny read, it was filled with some real "takeaways." I've since shared this book with others in our organization, and we have added phrases like "we're having an Abilene moment" and "ribbet!" to our vocabularies!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars the abilene paradox and other medidations on management
It is an excellent and enlightening book with much food for thought and a precise account of reality in malfunctioning organizations. Read more
Published on May 7, 2007 by Eleni Stavrou-costea

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic and a must read
With humor and "paradox" Professor Jerry Harvey does a great job in stimulating personal reflections about management. Read more
Published on November 3, 2005 by Andrea Pinnola

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking Essays
These "Meditations" provide great thinking into how to be a more effective manager. As "Meditiations", this is not a how to cookbook on management, or checklist. Read more
Published on December 29, 2004 by therosen

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful advice, coming and going
The Abilene Paradox... has been one of my favorite books for many years. Whenever I read it, I find something of value in it for whatever challenges I am facing in my work. Read more
Published on January 25, 2004 by Marcy L. Thompson

5.0 out of 5 stars All Managers should know about Abilene!
The first time I heard about the Abilene Paradox was back in the early 1980's when Jerry Harvey made a video for use by the government in training management. Read more
Published on June 11, 2003 by A Reader

4.0 out of 5 stars Down Home Texas Humour and Wit for Business 101
Business jargon now adopts the euphemism 'abilene paradox' to describe the likeliness of everyone following a familiar and likely path, or 'going with the flow' to appease each... Read more
Published on September 14, 2002 by HarryChrishop-CPC

4.0 out of 5 stars good book
Good stories that will make you think. We've used the stories with clients and it's been useful. The video for abeline paradox is good too.
Published on August 10, 2002 by merrymousies

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful Advice, but have You Read Management by Vice?
This book is chock full of useful advice on organizational behavior at both the personal and business levels. Read more
Published on April 16, 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars A new perspective on business behaviour
MBAs are taught to view business as a world of profit/loss, accounting, and cost control. Occasionally one might hear about humanity in a course, but it's always a secondary... Read more
Published on October 14, 1999 by Daniel LeBoeuf

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best book available on organizational ethics
When I first read The Abilene Paradox, I hadn't read many business/management books--I preferred fiction. Read more
Published on February 2, 1999 by Alex Lubertozzi

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