The assignment was to find two best sellers published prior to 1975 and report a professional review and a reader's review and comment on the work's lasting relevance.
Book 1
Drucker, Peter F. The Effective Executive. New York: HarperCollins, 1966.
Search Procedure
You asked for unique and creative methods for searching. I used a Google search to identify some sources that might help me identify some books. My search terms were “best business books of all time”, not knowing that there is a book that uses that phrase in the title. The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, What they say, Why they matter, and How they can help you was published in 2009 by Portfolio and was authored by Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten. The book’s contents are basically book reviews by these authors on each of the 100 books. The book is available at the library where I work, on Amazon.com and on Google Books. From Amazon, I was able to “look inside” and read some reviews and on the Google Books site, I was able to read the list of books in the table of contents, and some of the reviews. Drucker’s The Effective Executive is listed as one of the 100 Best Business Books of all time. While it may or may not have been on a “best sellers list”, I am satisfied enough by the fact that someone had the audacity to list it as one of the 100 best business books of all time, that I am going with it.
Search Procedure
You asked for unique and creative methods for searching. I used a Google search to identify some sources that might help me identify some books. My search terms were “best business books of all time”, not knowing that there is a book that uses that phrase in the title. The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, What they say, Why they matter, and How they can help you was published in 2009 by Portfolio and was authored by Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten. The book’s contents are basically book reviews by these authors on each of the 100 books. The book is available at the library where I work, on Amazon.com and on Google Books. From Amazon, I was able to “look inside” and read some reviews and on the Google Books site, I was able to read the list of books in the table of contents, and some of the reviews. Drucker’s The Effective Executive is listed as one of the 100 Best Business Books of all time. While it may or may not have been on a “best sellers list”, I am satisfied enough by the fact that someone had the audacity to list it as one of the 100 best business books of all time, that I am going with it.
Review Citation
Book Review from Amazon.com is found here: http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Peter-F-Drucker/dp/0060516070
Book Review from Amazon.com is found here: http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Peter-F-Drucker/dp/0060516070
Highlights from Review
Here is a synthesis of several customer reviewers on the page cited above.
Peter Drucker begins this book by pointing out that there is no science of how to improve executive effectiveness, nor any naturally-occurring effective executives. The redeeming point of this problem is, he argues, that executive effectiveness can be learned.
The book’s basic principles focus the executive’s attention on some key skills. These include time management, addressing those things that make a difference rather than unimportant questions, building on one’s own strengths and those of the people in the organization, rather than trying to develop new strengths.
Drucker suggests that we also need to be systems thinkers, getting to the core of the issue first.
Some suggest the best section in the book has to do with executive decision-making, when to make a decision, about what, and what principles to apply. Drucker uses important and vivid historical examples to make his points which aids in remembering the principles presented.
Relevance in 2010
Effectiveness of executives is certainly still relevant. However, when I read this book a few years ago, I found it badly dated. Most of the author’s discussion focuses on skills that today, in my opinion, are learned at a very young age in our fast-paced society and frankly, I was a bit bored with the book and had to skim through some sections to finish it. So, while the skills are still relevant, I don’t find the presentation as useful as it could be for modern executives. I acknowledge, however, that others may find it exceptionally relevant even today. In fact, several reviewers on Amazon, suggested this is the book to read in order to learn how to increase personal effectiveness.
Effectiveness of executives is certainly still relevant. However, when I read this book a few years ago, I found it badly dated. Most of the author’s discussion focuses on skills that today, in my opinion, are learned at a very young age in our fast-paced society and frankly, I was a bit bored with the book and had to skim through some sections to finish it. So, while the skills are still relevant, I don’t find the presentation as useful as it could be for modern executives. I acknowledge, however, that others may find it exceptionally relevant even today. In fact, several reviewers on Amazon, suggested this is the book to read in order to learn how to increase personal effectiveness.
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