Ackoff's collected F/Laws

Ackoff's F/Laws: The Cake. Russ Ackoff's sayings and commentary are frequently mentioned among the various systems thinking networks in which I find myself, but I hadn't taken the time to read any of his writing until now.  This book is a condensation of his thoughts and comments about the world of management - and mismanagement.

While I never had the opportunity to hear him speak, the tone and style of the writing gives me a picture of a wise curmudgeon speaking these "truths about organizations that we might wish to deny or ignore." (as taken from the f-laws website)

Ackoff is big in the systems thinking world, and many of these "flaws" have to do with misconceptions that appear in management. Many of these have to do with creating local optima (peronsal or organizational) that end up seriously damaging the whole system. Classic systems thinking. He doesn't leave many people unscathed: business schools, government, managers, family businesses, …  They are all in there and their typical flaw are there for his commentary.

Have your cake and eat it too with this slim volume of pithy statements.