MANAGEMENT

A shop manual for business executives, a declaration of the rights and duties of workers and management, a rehash of Drucker's previous work, a rundown on the latest in management thinking — there's some of each in these 819 easy-to-read pages by an expert popularizer of such subjects. As industrialism passes from the business society to the pluralist institutional society, Drucker claims the tasks of management are changing. Profits are still absolutely essential, but now that the post-World War II "management mystique" is gone, the manager must see himself as "a craftsman" and tackle such issues as quality of life, worker motivation, and corporate social responsibility. What makes a manager and what makes top management ("People have indeed a right to expect a serious and competent superior") and what makes optimal organization ("The right answer is whatever structure enables people to perform and contribute") are referenced by examining the success stories of Sears, Roebuck; Marks & Spencer; IBM; a German firm and the Japanese personnel management system. Middle management must be supervised by a tight, independent "executive secretariat" of directors, who need to know how to keep the company the "right size" and beware the pitfalls of multinationalism. At the same time, Drucker recommends "participatory democracy" over "Stalinism" within the organization. Like his much admired variety store, in this vast display the gadgets are mixed with the "real buys." And "value" largely depends on what the customer is looking for.