Tools for Thinking
Subtitle: Modelling in Management Science
Publisher: Wiley
Published: March 14, 2003
Language: eng
Number of pages: 332
ISBN-13: 9780470847954
First sentence: Our lives are increasingly complex, whether we consider only our individual lives, sharing with our families or working in some kind of organization.
Description: Thinking things through is easier said than done, but there are tools that can help decision-making. Writing from over twenty-five years' experience as a management teacher and consultant, Mike Pidd provides the tools for thinking that will help us to think through the consequences of decisions before we act. Tools for Thinking builds a bridge between the soft and hard OR schools of thought and provides an empirically based framework in which to place them, thus helping overcome the inherent suspicions of both camps. Focusing on modelling as an activity, rather than on models and techniques, the book argues for its relevance alongside intuition, vision and leadership. Above all it stresses that systematic thinking and analysis has a role to play in organisational life. By introducing the model as a tool for thought, Mike Pidd shows how models can be employed to explore possible future scenarios and to make sense of managerial vision. Extensively revised and updated this new edition of Tools for Thinking builds on the success of the original book and shows how both soft and hard approaches can be used in practice.