This book may not have been published if not for the fall of the Soviet
Union, OJ
Simpson, Microsoft
or the popularity of
Scott Adams' Dilbert
comic strip. The above raise questions regarding traditional business
school curricula. Its authors are professors at the Harvard Business
School which published the work.
The audience targeted by the authors is 10 minute managers. Hence, academics may be frustrated by the scarcity of citations or other supporting documentation but business executives should appreciate its brevity. Howard Stevenson, the principal author, suggests that the World Wide Web may be a useful source for deep knowledge regarding the framework presented and he is not far off.
http://www.eskimo.com/~mighetto/lssys.htm, for example, graphically portrays Kast and Rosenzweig's Organization and Management: A Systems and Contingency Approach (1970) model of complex human endeavor that is similar to the framework presented in this book.
In the last 40 years, the body of knowledge regarding decision making has grown vast and it would take several years of dedicated study, the services of many high-priced management consultants or, as suggested in the work, a powerful computer, to obtain the wisdom conveyed. It is a must read for anyone aspiring to management or leadership positions and will be of value to others who wish to judge the decision making capabilities of those whose judgement may -- or may not -- be respected.
The book is somewhat preachy. But in fairness, Stevenson is careful to explain his religious upbringing so the reader can adjust to his tone. Owing to the framework and material involving etiquette and ethics, the work can be used to explain the waning influence of Bill Gates and Microsoft over the computing industry.
The catchy title may be confusing. This is more of an eat lunch rather than a do lunch work. It will be of less interest to salesmen looking for marketing techniques as it will be to those exposed to systems theory such as professionals in biology, medicine or the social sciences. A salesman certainly will gain useful insights from the work, however.
The Functions of the Executive (1938) by Chester I. Barnard, and Robert Tannenbaum and Warren Schmidt's work in the 1954 Harvard Business Review are related presentations from the same business school. Victor H. Vroom and Philip W. Yetton updated the later in 1973 in Leadership and Decision Making from University of Pittsburgh Press. Do Lunch or Be Lunch contributes to the body of knowledge by using examples from today's technology related firms. It also provides amusing anecdotes that are certain to be well received by executives at future business conferences.
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http://www.eskimo.com/~mighetto/lslunch.htm last update August 15, 2000.