The author of this book died recently (he was in his 90s) and there was a tribute Global Business programme on BBC World Service in the middle of the night. (Cure for insomnia that actually kept me awake.) Listen here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0053d49
Mr Ackoff made the claim that no one in the west understands how corporations work hence they have an average life of only 15 years. He makes some useful points – and he’s quite funny too in a dry sort of way.