The Human Side of Enterprise, Annotated Edition

If someone was looking to move into a position to lead people I would tell them to read this book first. For me, it has tied together all the books that I have read that have built onto Theory Y. It's also amazing to see the impact this book has had on leadership. The annotations will help readers find other books and studies too.

The Human side of enterprise is a forgotten landmark in the history of management-research and thinking, which is very surprising considering it clearly provides an explanation for the pitiful state we find within many organisations today. Maybe it's been ignored because it shines a clear light on the fallacious assumptions many organisational designers and developers have about human beings? Maybe it has been ignored because people in influential positions feel threatened by the perceived loss of power and control any change of assumption might bring?Whatever the reason we are left feeling that the greatest waste in organisations today is the waste in human potential, and this, McGregor points out, is a result of the wrong-headed and unscientific assumptions management have about encouraging the best from people.McGregor's system and research demonstrates clearly that systems designed to control people certainly provide control but we must ask, what type of control and at what cost? - the cost to productivity, innovation, enterprise, society and human fulfilment?It is no mistake the book is called `The Human side of enterprise' and not - The Human side of THE enterprise. We are talking here about the enterprise of humans as a natural instinct, not the organisational enterprise which is an unnatural construct.Traditional management systems are an invention to maintain control over power and resources in an effort to maintain compliance. This creates organisations where everything is forbidden unless permitted and limits the enterprise and potential of human beings.Traditional organisations trying maintain control narrows focus and closes down possibilities hence the need for extrinsic rewards and punishments to make people do what they would not otherwise do. However, enabling the human side of enterprise opens possibilities by designing organisations around assumptions that people will respond to purpose, autonomy and intrinsic rewards because the ends and means are rewards in themselves.This book has been wonderfully brought back into the sunshine and placed in the modern setting by Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Senior Research Scientist in MIT's Sloan School of Management.Creating an enterprise where everything is permitted unless forbidden encourages human enterprise and creates healthier societies.

Puts forth some interesting points.

I'm still reading this text, however, what I've read so far is nothing short of brilliant. Not only is the book brilliant, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld's introduction is a must read. I'll speculate and state this is a text for those who think they've read most of the books and attended most of the seminars on effective management. There's new insight here. I recommend highly for human resources professionals looking for guidance into how to understand the complex dynamics of human relationships in the workplace. Recommend highly.

This book provided some great insight into revolutionary leadership techniques of the time. If you liked this one, check out Mary Parker Follet's Prophet of Management for a more well-rounded overall perspective on similar techniques.

Even though McGregor wrote about the business culture of the 1950s, his book and his most profound insights are still valid today. Even if we understand that our business culture today is grounded in a number of Theory Y tenants, the desire to control performance is always a variable that will drive organizations to Theory X applications.

I thought it was a little stiff and formal- Had good insight to people and why they do the things they do- It kept referring to 'managing' people- You don't manage people, you manage details and time lines while you lead people.

A great book on management and still valid nearly 60 years after it was written. A must read for anyone interested in the field.

Arrivé en un temps record, le livre est bien imprimé, il y a certaines pages collées, mais rien de grave, on les décolles facilement. Du reste, c'est Doug McGregor, Guys, it's the father of the freaking Modern Management !! Un génie de son époque qui, au demeurant, reste encore d'actualité. Intemporel, j'ai envie de crier !!! Allez Bonne lecture les amis.

The media could not be loaded. Received old book at new price..

Crisis came and went over and over again - now is time is to rethink and consider not reinventing the wheel - this book is the Book on the theme.Obvious for the fun of good principles and no action but very effective for the guys of action and commitment.

Douglas McGregor war seiner Zeit voraus. Dieses Buch liefert seine Gedanken und Konzepte im englischen Original sowie erläuternde Anmerkungen und Kommentare. Klare Kaufempfehlung für jene, die sich für Management und den Mensch im Unternehmen interessieren!

英検準1、TOEIC910点くらいですが、難しすぎて疲れちゃいました。いいことは書いてあるので専門家でなければとばし読み程度が無難かと。