The Little Book of Big Management Theories

Author Name: James McGrath and Bob Bates

Because of the sheer number of theories, it is difficult for overburdened managers to differentiate between great theories and ineffective ones. Unfortunately, even when a manager finds a good theory, it is unlikely to be accompanied by any advice on how to apply it in the workplace. This is where the theory-practice gap arises—managers armed with good management principles struggle to apply them. This book was designed and written to fill this gap and provide assistance.

Many current or future managers who did not have the opportunity to obtain an MBA degree, are faced with a time constraint, and simply want to know the best and most important theories and how to use them;

Those who have studied management sciences, and may know a lot of theories, but find it difficult to apply them in their work

This book is concise, effective, and completely stripped of all irrelevant information. What's left is a description of 101 key management theories that every manager should know. Each theory is summarized and accompanied by advice on how to apply it in practice, in two facing pages. This means it will only take you five minutes to read the theory, understand it, and be ready to apply it—not tomorrow or next week, but right now. All you need to do is try. And if you're worried about making mistakes, remember the following:

The manager's motto: Failure is the price managers pay for future success. The only failure you can be criticized for is not trying.

This book contains only theories that have repeatedly proven their effectiveness in the workplace. Read, understand, reflect, and use these theories, and you will be able to participate effectively in management discussions with almost anyone.