Here's why thousands of readers in business and management turn to Russell Ackoff for innovative and effective ideas:

"Russell Ackoff has probably influenced more managers than any other living person. Two of his books, Scientific Method (1962) and Redesigning the Future (1974), are the cornerstones of much of the theory and methods for systematic analysis of problems in management and planning." --APA Journal

"Russell Ackoff is undoubtedly one of the great masters of this art." [of storytelling as a means of conveying information]. --Omega, The International Journal of Management Science The Art of Problem Solving is.

"A witty, literate, and most of all convincing reflection.. He shines an often bright light into corners where problems hide, showing the manager how to understand the consequences of his own behavior; identify real, rather than supposed, elements of problems; perceive another's aims; determine what is controllable; and deal with other nettlesome factors." --INC.

Table of contents :

BACKGROUND.

Our Changing Concept of the World.

Our Changing Concept of the Corporation.

Our Changing Concept of Planning.

FOREGROUND.

Formulating the Mess.

Ends Planning I: Idealized Design.

Ends Planning II: Design of Management Systems.

Ends Planning III: Organizational Design.

Means Planning I: Formulating Alternatives.

Means Planning II: Evaluating Alternatives.

Resource Planning.

Implementation and Control of Plans and Planning.

Appendixes.

References.

Index.About the author :RUSSELL L. ACKOFF is a Daniel H. Silberberg Professor of Systems Sciences at the Wharton School, the University of Pennsylvania. He received his Ph.D. in the philosophy of science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947. Dr. Ackoff is the author or co-author of fifteen other books, along with over 150 articles published in various books and journals. He also performs research for more than 200 corporations and government agencies, and serves as a consultant for a number of major companies.