Editorial Review:
"This book will help managers in any type of organization, including nonprofits and the public sector, do their jobs better."-- Michael E. PorterHarvard Business School
Whether you're new to the field or a seasoned executive, this book will give you a firm grasp on what it takes to make an organization perform. It presents the basic principles of management simply, but not simplistically. Why did an eBay succeed where a Webvan did not? Why do you need both a business model and a strategy? Why is it impossible to manage without the right performance measures, and do yours pass the test? What Management Is is both a beginner's guide and a bible for one of the greatest social innovations of modern times: the discipline of management. Joan Magretta, a former top editor at the Harvard Business Review, distills the wisdom of a bewildering sea of books and articles into one simple, clear volume, explaining both the logic of successful organizations and how that logic is embodied in practice. Magretta makes rich use of examples -- contemporary and historical -- to bring to life management's High Concepts: value creation, business models, competitive strategy, and organizational design. She devotes equal attention to the often unwritten rules of execution that characterize the best-performing organizations. Throughout she shows how the principles of management that work in for-profit businesses can -- and must -- be applied to nonprofits as well. Most management books preach a single formula or a single fad. This one roams knowledgeably over the best that has been thought and written with a practical eye for what matters in real organizations. Not since Peter Drucker's great work of the 1950s and 1960s has there been a comparable effort to present the work of management as a coherent whole, to take stock of the current state of play, and to write about it thoughtfully for readers of all backgrounds. Newcomers will find the basics demystified. More experienced readers will recognize a store of useful wisdom and a framework for improving their own performance. This is the big-picture management book for our times. It defines a common standard of managerial literacy that will help all of us lead more productive lives, whether we aspire to be managers or not.
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Customer Reviews
Average Customer Rating: 
Best book on management ever  2008-01-23
I love this book. I also buy it as gifts for friends in the management trade. It's a great book, and so inspiring.
Jargon de-jargonized 2006-07-04
Joan Magretta does a superb job of distilling the essentials of management from the infinite liquid of history, teachings, theory, and practice of the art. This book is especially useful for people who find themselves in supervisory and middle management roles without a grasp of "big picture" fundamentals, helping them to re-orient their approaches, and increasing effectiveness. While not a "Management for Dummies," repeated readings of "What Management Is" will help any manager get and stay grounded in the critical elements of strategy, numbers, and value creation. Good stuff!
Ties all the management fads together 2004-12-16
As a recent master's level graduate, I've had the pain and the pleasure of reading a magnitude of books on management. When I picked up Magretta's book, I wasn't sure whether it would have much value for me since I had read all those other books and was familiar with practically all the theories presented in this book.
As is the case often times in the world, the most meaningful insights don't necessarily stem from some totally new idea but from a reframing of existing ideas. This is the area where Magretta's book really shines. She is able to put a vast number of different management theories into a new and coherent perspective that really gives the reader actual value.
For example, the way she frames extreme differentiation as being a monopoly and absolute cost leadership as being akin to perfect competition illustrates her holistic viewpoint. Despite managers' praise of perfect competition, every manager wants to move his/her company toward the monopoly end of the spectrum and away from perfect competition.
I recommend this book to anyone who's trying to cut through hyped up managerial buzz and wants to grasp the meaningful theories all managers should know.
One of the best business books I have ever read 2004-11-18
Most of the business books try to create new management fads and methods. This book is about common sense in business and management. I recommend this book to every managers from newly appointed to senior executives who are lost in management fads and consulting world's business jargon. Especially this book is healthy reading for technology oriented companies and their managers.
Highly Recommended! 2004-08-05
Those who say, "Good grief, not another book on management," may rest assured that this volume is worth careful study. Author Joan Magretta and collaborator Nan Stone offer advice based on decades of business experience and, yet, they distill the obnoxious "consultant-speak" so common to the field to clearly understandable, conversational terms. While at times they may seem to have a firm grasp on the obvious - investments are risky and managers need to make good choices - their work is fundamentally sound overall, offering practical case studies and real-world examples. This book takes common business concepts such as the "80-20 Rule," shines an insightful light upon them and then advances into more complex ground. We recommend this broad, new perspective on the growing social importance of effective management.
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