The path of least resistance for managers : designing organizations to succeed

Science tells us that energy travels where it is easiest to go, and business consultant Robert Fritz borrows from this concept to provide a concrete methodology that managers can put to use immediately to develop their own paths of least resistance toward success. Fritz incorporates four crucial activities — new methods are studied, spread, and adopted; being smart is rewarded; cooperation rather than competition is practiced; and fairness is the standard operating principle — into a comprehensive guide to the structural laws that govern all organizations. He prescribes a direct approach to redesigning an organization's structure to allow positive practices to follow the paths of least resistance. Robert Fritz takes a novel approach to corporate organizational theory by framing his book around the laws of nature. Fritz is especially attached to the law that states that energy follows the path of least resistance, and in this book, he urges managers to utilize this principle in reshaping their organizations. Once you get past this conceptual foundation, however, the advice that's offered here will sound pretty familiar to anyone acquainted with the basics of strategic planning. Form a central vision, create attainable goals, break goals down into smaller steps, assess your results, adjust your strategies: These techniques are all mentioned. But Fritz's adoption of scientific and engineering principles for management purposes, combined with the accompanying charts and examples, make the book an engaging read, despite the less-than-original conclusions. getAbstract recommends this book to executives, managers and individuals who are looking for a new, if slightly theoretical, view of how to organize their companies or their lives Explains the structural causes of success and failure and how to redesign the organization or team for success