The Management Myth

Why the 'Experts' Keep Getting It Wrong

By: Matthew Stewart

Narrated by: William Hughes

Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Alongside his devastating critique of management "philosophy" from Frederick Taylor to Tom Peters, Stewart provides a bitingly funny account of his own days in a management consulting firm. Combining hands-on experience with the theoretical underpinnings of contemporary fads in efficiency improvement, empowerment, and strategy, Stewart knows his stuff, and thus he lays bare how consultants really have done very little for the business of others - while making a killing for themselves.

©2009 Matthew Stewart (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

This book is good, an achievement even, but it is missing something

This book is pretty interesting, because the author understands the philosophical ideas of which he speaks. He uses them to analyze and criticize the ideas of a wide variety of management thinkers. And this is quite useful. However, on the whole, he fails to provide a positive alternative. He’s so interested in criticizing and knocking down everyone that his attempt to present something positive in the last chapter comes across as half hearted.

Obviously written by a philosopher

My title is 50% criticism and 50% praise. The main thing this book teaches you is to question dogma and look at things considered scientific in business with skepticism.

My thoughts on this book

This has been the one of the best and most enjoyable learning experiences I have had through my avid audio book career. I highly recommend this read.

Just an empty book with a lot of words

I don't feel like this book provided me any value. there's nothing real that I could take away from it to apply to my life. The stories were shallow and superficial.

Excellent!

A good perspective on the business of management and strategy especially well suited for current graduate/MBA students who will undoubtedly find the authors opinions thought-provoking in challenging the current business education model.

A punch on MBAs' faces

What made the experience of listening to The Management Myth the most enjoyable?

I always had a weird feeling regarding the stuff I "learned" at business school and always had a lot of criticisms regarding general "management theory" and Matthew managed to voice them in a well written and funny way, going through the history of the matter, pointing out their failings and even some positive points, while using his background in philosophy to provide interesting references and contrast to the subject.

I didn't expect to like the book so much but I highly recommend it, for people with business education to get a different non-status quo view and for anybody else as an antidote to "business guru magic".

Excellent

If you are like me and have read most of the business gurus and come away unsatisfied this book is for you. Stewart lays bare the vacuous nonsense and incoherence of much of it. Very enjoyable!

The best yet

The future of management is to unlearn the faulty science of management developed in the last hundred years, go back to the roots of human behaviour as individuals and groups. This means unlearning the look-aid taught in the business schools and aiding multi disciplinary learning for organizations to compete, thrive and build resilience. Matt’s book is a required reading for that. If you are in the world of management or big ticket BS consulting then this book is a must read.

Been recommending this to everyone who’ll listen

I think it’s great. I’m an hour away from the end, and it’s been great — informative and humorous — all the way through. Really shreds some concepts covered in business school in an entertaining way. The author eloquently gives voice to my own less sophisticated and less refined criticism of theories preached to me in my MBA program years ago.

Truth revealed

Once you can get past your biases this book will open you up to the harsh realities.