Gods of Management

What would the world of business be like if it were run by the Greek gods of yore? Would Apollo be the right man at the helm of Acme Widget? What sweeping changes would Athena make if she controlled an ad agency? While this might merely seem like an entertaining concept it also happens to be an extremely valuable framework for understanding management styles and the corporate cultures associated with them.<br> In <em>The Gods of Management</em> best-selling author Charles Handy uses four Greek gods to illustrate for managers the basic approaches they can use in their own businesses. When power radiates throughout the company from a top boss that would be an example of a Zeus or club organization one that investment banks and brokerage firms often adopt for their corporate climates. An Apollo role culture on the other hand results in a stable bureaucracy such as a life insurance company or a firm with a long history of success with a single product. The Athena task environment emphasizes talent youth and team problem-solving as we'd find in ad agencies and consultancies. And lastly a Dionysius existential design exists to let individuals achieve their purposes as in a university or group medical practice.<br> In this thought-provoking volume Charles Handy shows managers how to be aware of the cultural choices they can make to create a more productive and satisfying workplace.