Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

The Halo Effect

... and the Eight Other Business Delusions that Deceive Managers

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

Much of our business thinking is shaped by delusions -- errors of logic and flawed judgments that distort our understanding of the real reasons for a company's performance. In a brilliant and unconventional book, Phil Rosenzweig unmasks the delusions that are commonly found in the corporate world. These delusions affect the business press and academic research, as well as many bestselling books that promise to reveal the secrets of success or the path to greatness. Such books claim to be based on rigorous thinking, but operate mainly at the level of storytelling. They provide comfort and inspiration, but deceive managers about the true nature of business success.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      In his latest book, financial writer Rosenzweig debunks superficialities and delusions common in today's business world. The author cites what he sees as the biggest problem facing companies today: the so-called "halo effect"--namely the notion that when a company's sales are up or down, the ability of its managers and the performance standards of its workers are viewed as the primary cause. As narrator Jim Manchester attempts to vocally break down the often-complex information that Rosenzweig provides, his linear reading becomes monotonous and repetitive. His flat tone, which registers an overall lack of enthusiasm, is too restrained to keep listeners interested for the duration. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 13, 2006
      This tart takedown of fashionable management theories is a refreshing antidote to the glut of simplistic books about achieving high performance. Rosenzweig, a veteran business manager turned professor, argues that most popular business ideas are no more than soothing platitudes that promise easy success to harried managers. Consultants, journalists and other pundits tap scientifically suspect methods to produce what he calls "business delusions": deeply flawed and widely held assumptions tainted by the "halo effect," or the need to attribute sweeping positive qualities to any company that has achieved success. Following these delusions might provide managers with a comforting story that helps them frame their actions, but it also leads them to gross simplification and to ignore the constant demands of changing technologies, markets, customers and situations. Mega-selling books like Good to Great
      , Rosenzweig argues, are nothing more than comforting, highbrow business fables. Unfortunately, Rosenzweig hedges his own principles for success so much that managers will find little practical use for them. His argument about the complexity of sustained achievement, and his observation that success comes down to "shrewd strategy, superb execution and good luck," may end up limiting the market for this smart and spicy critique.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading