The Reality of Now

It is human nature to yearn for predictability and control. Yet it is the nature of people to be unpredictable even when they appear to be under control. What can managers do in the face of this paradox? If human beings are so unruly, can any management structure, strategy or plan truly control, or even fully reveal, what is actually happening within the social world of organisations? Drawing on historical and contemporary theories of social and organisational behaviour, this book reveals why managers need to focus relentlessly on the 'reality of now' - the everyday interactions between people who are driven by their own feelings, motives and relationships. The authors argue that we should learn to embrace the complexity and unpredictability of the social process as an essential ingredient in innovation, creativity and progress. The New Economics Foundation is the UK's leading think tank researching innovative solutions to major economic, environmental and social problems.