Thinking in Time (the Uses of History for Decision Makers). This item is unavailable.Thinking in Time (the Uses of History for Decision Makers)

For nearly a decade distinguished scholars Richard Neustadt and Ernest May of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government have taught an unusual and influential course for high-level public officials and their aides, showing them how to make practical use of history in day-to-day decision making and management. And while the pioneering methods they have developed and introduced through their course are based on decision processes in government, their techniques can prove valuable in the upper echelons of business and industry as well. Now, in this long-awaited book, Neustadt and May describe their methods in full.

Two professors of government analyze both political disasters and successes of recent decades to provide telling lessons on how to use history to improve decision-making. A dozen case studies are drawn in pungent detail both from the record and from backstage information gained from top officials. Sadly, the authors can safely assume a vast ignorance of history in Washington and the media. They make painfully clear that attention to particulars matters, that marginal improvement is worth seeking, and that a little thought is useful. They repeatedly spell out how to examine a situation to help decide what to do today to improve the prospect for tomorrow. An absorbing book, this would be of great benefit to those in Washington, if only they would heed it. For most libraries. Milton Meltzer, New York
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.