Beyond Hype Paperback - 1994

Managers today are being bombarded by business buzzwords and new approaches to management that are meant to make them "innovative", "cutting edge", or "excellent". Countless management gurus and consultants have come up with quick-fix advice intended to propel organizations into an anticipated New Age. Unfortunately, these magic solutions rarely deliver as much as they promise, and the pursuit of a holy grail of management is distracting us from the real job at hand. In Beyond the Hype, the authors, all from the Harvard Business School, look beyond the verbiage plaguing today's manager to discover the timeless aspects of effective managerial practice. Instead of focusing on panaceas for revitalizing companies, the authors concentrate on the very essence of what managers do: mobilize action in organizations. Rather than prescribe yet another managerial quick-fix, they offer a fresh way of thinking - an "action perspective" - that highlights the judgment of the individual manager in confronting the constant challenges of organizational life. Beginning with a discussion of how language serves to shape our perception of managerial reality, the authors move on to discuss the conditions for effective individual action and the role that individual and group identities play in today's workplace. They then weave these three themes into eye-popping reassessments of topics ranging from business strategy to the nature of organizational and societal change. Erudite and engaging, Beyond the Hype invites us to transform the way we think about both traditional managerial concepts and some of our most pressing contemporary concerns. Through it all, however, the ultimate lesson is this: that theresponsibility lies with the individual manager. There are no magic frameworks, no silver bullets. For those willing to accept his responsibility, Beyond the Hype offers a wealth of insights that will liberate them from "new" ideas and allow them to focus on the real job of managing.