Future Perfect : A Startling Vision of the Future We Should Be Managing Now

Asserting that the keys to business in the next century lie in an understanding of today's science and technology, the author presents an array of examples in separate chapters on time, space, and matter, depicting the future perfect mind-set

In our aging postindustrial era, we're witnessing a technological explosion notes Davis, a Boston-based business consultant, and in this short but deeply provocative book he sets out "to give new meaning to time, space and matter in shaping tomorrow's business and organization." Readers will consistently nod in recognition as Davis ticks off what he sees happening today in business management as it has grown from the time of Henry Ford and GM's Alfred Sloan to what he considers the "hello from the future" that the Federal Express Corporationtoday's leading example of the holistic management approach as opposed to the mechanicalis shouting to business leaders. His insights into our already emerging "future perfect" economy of process, information and a host of intangibles made possible by the microchip is eye-opening. Admiring readers will conclude that Davis matches his own description of a certain Pakistani financial wizard"Gandhi in banker's pinstripes." 40,000 first printing; major ad/promo; Fortune Book Club and Macmillan Book Club alternates.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Davis builds on an important vision that structure and style of organizational culture are the result of changes in the external environment, especially in science and technology. He presents examples featuring such high-tech wizardry as holograms, parallel processing, microcircuitry, and genetic engineering, and describes how Federal Express rose to prominence because its founder visualized how technology could be used to achieve overnight delivery. Unfortunately, much of this work trots out well-worn business anecdotes. Recommended only for general collections. BOMC/Fortune alternate.Gene R. Laczniak, Marquette Univ., Milwaukee
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.