Essential Drucker

Born in Vienna in 1909, Peter F. Drucker was educated in Austria and England. From 1929 he was a newspaper correspondent abroad and an economist for an international bank in London. Since 1937 he has been in the United States, first as an economist for a group of British banks and insurance companies, and later as a management consultant to several of the country's largest companies, as well as leading companies abroad. Drucker has since had a distinguished career as a teacher, first as Professor of Politics and Philosophy at Bennington College, then for more than twenty years as Professor of Management at the Graduate Business School of New York University. Since 1971 he has been Clarke Professor of Social Science at Claremont Graduate School in California. In addition to his management books, Peter Drucker is also renowned for his prophetic books analysing politics, economics and society. These books span fifty years of modern history beginning with The End of Economic Man (1939) and including The Practice of Management; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Managing in the Next Society; Management Challenges in the 21st Century; The Effective Executive and The Essential Drucker.

"...required reading for management students and practitioners alike ... a highly readable single volume survey of concepts that would otherwise involve reading nearly 30 separate books ...this is an extremely useful and thought-provoking compendium. Read 'The Essential Drucker' and become an instant expert on this most durable of management writers." Alan Fowler - People Management, September 2001 "This is a book for everyone in management." Sidney Callis, Business Executive "This is effectively a whole business library and refresher MBA course in one readable volume that wears its enormous wisdom lightly enough to make good holiday reading. It is stuffed with practical & inspirational advice, as useful to owner-managers of small businesses as to blue-chip board directors or administrators of non-profitmaking organisations" Carol Kennedy, Director

• Part One - Management - Management as social function and liberal art; the dimensions of management; the purpose and objectives of a business; what the non-profits are teaching business; social impacts and social problems; management's new paradigm; information executives need today; management by objectives and self control; picking people - the basic rules; the entrepreneurial business; the new venture; entrepreneurial strategies. Part Two - the Individual - effectiveness must be learned; focus on contribution; know your strengths and values; know your time; effective decisions; functioning communication; leadership as a work; principles of innovation; the second half of your life; the educated person. Part Three - Society - a century of social transformation; the coming of entrepreneurial society; citizenship through the social sector; from analysis to perception.