Decision and Control：The Meaning of Operational Research and Management Cybernetics

"StaffordBeerisundoubtedlyamongtheworldsmostprovocative,creative,andprofoundthinkersonthesubjectofmanagement,andherecordshisthinkingwithaflairthatisunmatched.Hiswritingisasmuchartasitisscience.HeisthemostviablesystemIknow."DrRussellLAckoff,TheInstituteforInteractiveManagement,Pennsylvania,USA."If…anyonecanmakeit[OperationsResearch]understandablyreadableandpositivelyinterestingitisStaffordBeer…everyoneinmanagement…shouldbegratefultohimforusingclearandattimeselegantEnglishand…evenelegantdiagrams."TheEconomistAwardedthe1966LanchesterPrizebytheOperationsResearchSocietyofAmericaforthebestworkpublishedin1966inthefieldofmanagementsciencethisbookhasbeenregardedasa‘Classiceversince."intheliteratureofmanagementthereisnothingtobecomparedwithit…"OperationalResearchQuarterly"ThissuperbbookisoneoftheverybestIhaveeverreadonmanagementscience."ManagementScience"Abrilliantbook…whichrosefarabovetheruckofjargon-riddenephemera.Thisisastudy—profound,wideranging,witty,gracefulandself-criticaloftheworkingofmanagerialsystems…"TheSundayTimes"ThesheerscaleandscopeofBeersbookwouldrateitmanagementtextoftheyearinanylist"TheStatist"DecisionandControlisamajorwork,bothelegantanderudite."TheGuardian"Beersimaginationandenthusiasmstimulatethosewithwhomheworkstoseekandcauseimprovements…"TheDirector