Gary Hamel

Has some interesting points about business innovation and development of corporate culture. But really loses the plot when it delves extensively into how Enron was the company that was setting the tone for the future of the corporate business model. Many of the included Enron stories and quotes are now so outrageous in hindsight, that it's hard to read the book without shaking your head. Even the benefit of hindsight doesn't explain away these failings, as many people quite understandably show more couldn't understand how the Enron model was working at the time, or quite where they found their "moral outrage" at how government meddling in the energy business was detrimental to society at large! show less

In less than a dozen pages he lays out his criticism of the current system, and the values needed to improve it. I am impressed - I didn't need to wade through a bunch of fluff to get to his thesis.

Hamel observes that there is little agreement on which companies are the greatest innovators. He divides innovators up into 5 categories - Rockets (which probably won't be on the list next year), Laureates, Artistes, Cyborgs (Google, Amazon, Apple), and Born-Again Innovators (P&G, IBM, Ford). show more Apples long stream of commanding a price premium gets at least one chapter.

Two companies with very flat structure are profiled, W.L. Gore and Associates is one, another is Morning Star. In both companies, people are motivated to do good work, make good decisions, exercise initiative and be creative. Another company HCL (a company in India) also gets a chapter for Vineet Nayar’s effort to change from a bureaucratic company to one focused on the front line.

The book is divided into 5 sections:

Section 1: Value Matters Now
Section 2: Innovation Matters Now
Section 3: Adaptability Matters Now
Section 4: Passion Matters Now
Section 5: Ideology Matters Now
Followed by Appendix, Notes, Acknowledgments, About the Author and an Index. show less

This book is on of the best I read. Though I sometimes recommend Gary Hamels [b:The Future of Management|1842550|The Future of Management|Gary Hamel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1351663824l/1842550._SY75_.jpg|1842810] first. That book, tells some of the same things but from a perspective that many managers will find more appealing. But if you are in to collaborative work and self-managing teams already this is the best book in that category. Beating show more [b:Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness|20787425|Reinventing Organizations A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness|Frederic Laloux|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1431709097l/20787425._SX50_.jpg|40126556] by some levels.

This books shows why bureaucracy and strong hierarchies are a limitation on how well an organization can succeed. It depicts a few organizations that have gone beyond classical leadership. And finally explains principles that will help you to succeed with a human centric organization. show less

I like this book, almost as much as I like Humanocarcy. This books angle I think makes it more suitable for current leaders who are on the road (or need to be pushed on to it) away from old school management towards the future of management.

Management invocation is the key factor for companies to win, lose or leapfrog the competition.

Get with the times :)