Praise for Russell Ackoff’s previous book: Creating the Corporate Future &146;Russell Ackoff is a compelling and thoughtful writer…His ability to think in historical terms about the development of work and work organizations and to put in perspective the short-term dilemmas today’s manager must face puts him in a class of explainer populated by the likes of Harry Levinson and Lewis Thomas…. Creating the Corporate Future [is] compelling, challenging and perhaps even a little disturbing." —Training Magazine "Ackoff is best described as a pragmatic philosopher. His latest book on corporate planning is full of practical advice and examples. Yet it takes an extraordinarily broad view of the planning process and sets it in the context of a whole changing concept of the world, which is moving from preoccupation with discrete elements to new methodologies for dealing with interdependent systems." —Choice "What he calls ‘formulating the mess’ involves describing the present business situation, including present obstructions to corporate development, and projecting future performance. He discusses how to formulate goals, objectives and ideals, and offers advice for identifying and acquiring the necessary resources." —Harvard Business Review "…Stimulating thought for the senior executive who is considering—or should be considering—the future of his or her organization." —Industry Week

A guide to forecasting and strategic planning for organizations

Climate- and ESG-competent boards are in high demand by investors and other stakeholders. In fact, climate change and other environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues have become some of the biggest challenges faced by 21st-century board directors. Today's boards must contend with a wide range of stakeholders who can affect the fortunes of a company--customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, politicians, activists, and social-media influencers, among others.This book demonstrates that for long-term profits and sustainability, boards need to not only define the purpose of their company in society but have the insight to ask the right questions of management on complex issues such as climate change, ESG, corruption, cybersecurity, human trafficking, supply-chain resilience, and much more.With insightful contributions from over one hundred world experts, this book provides board members and executives with a practical guide on what is required today to develop thriving, future-fit organizations. The insights shared in this book have one common message: the companies with the best chance of surviving and thriving will be guided by leaders with the foresight, knowledge, and determination to tackle the daunting challenges that confront all of humankind.

Insights from organizations that are navigating the novel challenges of the digital workplace. How can technology and analytics help companies manage people? Why do teams working remotely still need leaders? When should organizations use digital assessment tools for gauging talent and potential? This book from MIT Sloan Management Review answers questions managers are only beginning to ask, presenting insights and stories from organizations navigating the novel challenges of the digital workplace. Experts from business and academia describe what's worked, what's failed, and what they've learned in the new world of work. They look at strategies that organizations use to help managers and employees adapt to the fast-changing digital environment, from the benefits of wool-gathering to the use of anonymous chats; examine digital tools for collaboration, including interactive spreadsheets and analytics that increase transparency; and discuss such “big-picture” trends as expanded notions of value and new frontiers in upskilling. A detailed case study, produced by MIT Sloan Management Review in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, explores how IBM reimagined talent and performance management with the goal of increasing employee engagement. Contributors Steve Berez, Ethan Bernstein, Josh Bersin, Matthew Bidwell, Ryan Bonnici, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Rob Cross, Chris DeBrusk, Federica De Stefano, Thomas H. Davenport, Angela Duckworth, Ken Favaro, Lynda Gratton, Peter Gray, Lindred Greer, John Hagel III, Manish Jhunjhunwala, David Kiron, Frieda Klotz,, David Lazer, Massimo Magni, Likoebe Maruping, Kelly Monahan, Will Poindexter, Reb Rebele, Adam Roseman, Michael Schrage, Jeff Schwartz, Jesse Shore, Brian SolisBarbara Spindel, Anna A. Tavis, Adam Waytz,, David Waller, Maggie Wooll

This practical book highlights the key issues of intellectual property and ownership, genetics, biodiversity and food security. Additionally it covers negotiations in the World Trade Organization, Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Food and Agriculture Organization and various other international bodies.

A practical approach to business transformation Fit for Growth* is a unique approach to business transformation that explicitly connects growth strategy with cost management and organization restructuring. Drawing on 70-plus years of strategy consulting experience and in-depth research, the experts at PwC’s Strategy& lay out a winning framework that helps CEOs and senior executives transform their organizations for sustainable, profitable growth. This approach gives structure to strategy while promoting lasting change. Examples from Strategy&’s hundreds of clients illustrate successful transformation on the ground, and illuminate how senior and middle managers are able to take ownership and even thrive during difficult periods of transition. Throughout the Fit for Growth process, the focus is on maintaining consistent high-value performance while enabling fundamental change. Strategy& has helped major clients around the globe achieve significant and sustained results with its research-backed approach to restructuring and cost reduction. This book provides practical guidance for leveraging that expertise to make the choices that allow companies to: Achieve growth while reducing costs Manage transformation and transition productively Create lasting competitive advantage Deliver reliable, high-value performance Sustainable success is founded on efficiency and high performance. Companies are always looking to do more with less, but their efforts often work against them in the long run. Total business transformation requires total buy-in, and it entails a series of decisions that must not be made lightly. The Fit for Growth approach provides a clear strategy and practical framework for growth-oriented change, with expert guidance on getting it right. *Fit for Growth is a registered service mark of PwC Strategy& Inc. in the United States

Explains the ideas of The Fifth Discipline and critiques the ideas in straightforward terms. Flood establishes crucial developments in this area in the context of the learning organisation, including creativity and organisational change.

This work contains the proceedings of a meeting held by 18 American and Soviet scholars on the state of cybernetics and systems theory in their two countries. American interest focused on the observation of systems, whilst Soviet interest focused on mathematical modelling.

This edition of this handbook updates and expands its review of the research, theory, issues and methodology that constitute the field of educational communications and technology. Organized into seven sectors, it profiles and integrates the following elements of this rapidly changing field.