Paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin, one could say that the only certainty in today’s world is death and constant change. A constant feature of business activity in market economies is the unending effort to achieve a competitive advantage, which entails a continual reassessment of established management practices and ongoing reorganization.

In his book The Unbound Organization, J. Goldstein, a business consultant on organizational change and a professor of Management at Adelphi University in the USA, explains how changes occur in businesses. Using concepts from the sciences of chaos, complexity, and systems thinking, the author illustrates the limits of external intervention (which managers prefer) and emphasizes the importance of self-organization for changes in businesses to be accepted and sustainable.

Goldstein's main idea is quite revolutionary: The role of managers is not to impose changes on a supposedly apathetic and inherently recalcitrant organization, but, as catalysts, to accelerate the organic processes of change that are inherent in every organized system. In this regard, managers must create the framework within which individuals can develop their creativity and take initiatives, rather than dictate top-down rules of behavior.

Goldstein, with the knowledge of an expert and the experience of a business consultant, provides numerous examples in order to clarify his revolutionary positions and offers realistic advice to all those (managers, business consultants, public officials) who are concerned about managing change in businesses and organizations.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]