2003 Q1 Book Review
The World According to Peter Drucker
by Jack Beatty
This book is the first biography of one of the twentieth century’s great minds – “the greatest thinker management theory has produced,” according to The Economist. As a reader of several of the 29 books authored by Drucker, you cannot help but to be impressed by his vast knowledge and views on business strategy, leadership development and employee motivation. Drucker’s ideas and books gain authority from his work as a management consultant; for over 50 years he has worked with the challenges of Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, foundations, etc.
Throughout his career Drucker has attempted to keep things simple. He jokes that his ideas “have only one moving part.” As an example he cites the purpose of a business. It is not an organization to make a profit because profit seeking is not the cause of management decisions but the test of their validity. There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer.
This book captures the essence of Drucker’s thought-provoking ideas and is a useful guide to understanding how he approached the writing of several of his books.