Harold L. Wilensky's Books

Organizational Intelligence

Knowledge and Policy in Government and Industry

By: Harold L. Wilensky

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Organizational Intelligence

Knowledge and Policy in Government and Industry

By: Harold L. Wilensky

The prize-winning book Organizational Intelligence focuses on the structural and ideological roots of intelligence (informational and analytical) failures in government, industry, and other institutions. It provides groundbreaking theory and structure to the analysis of decision-making processes and their breakdowns, as well as the interactions among experts and the organizations they inform. In this book, both "organization" and "intelligence" are taken to their larger meanings, not just focused on the military meaning of intelligence or on one set of institutions in society. Astute illustrations of intelligence failures abound from real-world cases, such as foreign policy (the Bay of Pigs, Soviet predictions in the Cuban missile crisis), military (civilian bombing of Germany, Pearl Harbor), financial (AmEx's investment in a vegetable oil guru), economics (the Council of Economic Advisers) and industrial production (Ford's Edsel), as well as many other telling arenas and disciplines. Economic, cultural, legal, and political contexts are considered, as well as the more known institutions of government and commerce. The new Classics of the Social Sciences edition from Quid Pro Books features a 2015 Foreword from Neil J. Smelser, University Professor Emeritus at Berkeley and former chair of its sociology department. He writes that the book remains "one of the classics in organizational studies, and—in ways I will indicate—it is still directly relevant to current and future problems of organizational life. ... What makes this book a classic? It is a disciplined, intelligent, and elegant model of applied social science. ... The text itself, richly documented empirically, yields an informed and balanced account of the decision-making process as this is shaped by the quality of information available (and unavailable) to and used (and not used) by organizational leaders." Reviews of the book at the time it was written similarly attest to the originality and breadth of its interdisciplinary analysis. Amitai Etzioni wrote in the American Sociological Review: "This book opens a whole new field — the macrosociology of knowledge. It is as different from the traditional sociology of knowledge as the study of interaction is from that of the structure of total societies." He adds, "The power of Wilensky's contribution is further magnified by his historical perspective. He studies structures and processes, but not in a vacuum." Gordon Craig wrote in The Reporter that the book's examples from organizations "show a similar tendency to believe what they want to believe, to become the victims of their own slogans and propaganda, and to resist or to silence warning voices that challenge their assumptions.... In his fascinating analysis of intelligence failures and their causes ... in the public and private sectors, Wilensky finds that the most disastrous miscalculations are those which have occurred in the field of governmental operations, especially foreign policy and national security." The book explains how such highly institutionalized actors are vulnerable to informational pathologies. The new digital edition features active Contents, a fully linked Index, linked notes, and proper ebook formatting. It is a modern, quality, and authorized re-presentation of a classic work in social science and organizational studies.

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313

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Quid Pro Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1610272889

ISBN 13

9781610272889

Rich Democracies

Political Economy, Public Policy, and Performance

By: Harold L. Wilensky

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Rich Democracies

Political Economy, Public Policy, and Performance

By: Harold L. Wilensky

In this landmark work, the culmination of 30 years of systematic, comprehensive comparison of 19 rich democracies, Wilensky answers two basic questions: (1) What is distinctly modern about modern societies--in what ways are they becoming alike? (2) How do variations in types of political economy shape system performance? He specifies similarities and differences in the structure and interplay of government, political parties, the mass media, industry, labor, professions, agriculture, churches, and voluntary associations. He then demonstrates how differences in bargaining arrangements among these groups lead to contrasting policy profiles and patterns of taxing and spending, which in turn explain a large number of outcomes: economic performance, political legitimacy, equality, job security, safety and risk, real health, the reduction of poverty and environmental threats, and the effectiveness and fairness of regulatory regimes. Drawing on quantitative data and case studies covering the last 50 years and more than 400 interviews he conducted with top decision-makers and advisors, Wilensky provides a richly detailed account of the common social, economic, and labor problems modern governments confront and their contrasting styles of conflict resolution. The result is new light on the likely paths of development of rich democracies as they become richer. Assessing alternative theories, Wilensky offers a powerful critique of such images of modern society as "post-industrial" or "high-tech," "the information age" or the alleged dominance of "globalization." Because he systematically compares all of the rich democracies with at least three million population, Wilensky can specify what is truly exceptional about the United States, what it shares with Britain and Britain abroad (Canada, Australia, New Zealand) and what it shares with all or almost all of the West European democracies, Israel, and Japan. He gives careful attention to which successful social and labor policies are transferable across nations and which are not. Rich Democracies will interest both scholars and practitioners. It combines the perspectives of political economy (the interplay of markets and politics) and political sociology (the social bases of politics). It will be especially useful in courses on comparative political economy, comparative politics, European politics, public policy, political sociology, the welfare state, American government, advanced industrial societies, and industrial relations.

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Page Count

932

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520928334

ISBN 13

9780520928336

The Welfare State and Equality

Structural and Ideological Roots of Public Expenditures

By: Harold L. Wilensky

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The Welfare State and Equality

Structural and Ideological Roots of Public Expenditures

By: Harold L. Wilensky

Monograph on the determinants of public expenditure for social security and welfare in affluent societys - explores the interplay of affluence, economic system, political system and welfare state ideology, and considers the effect of social structure on divergent spending patterns, particularly in the OECD countries. Bibliography pp. 139 to 147.

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Page Count

174

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520028007

ISBN 13

9780520028005

American Political Economy in Global Perspective

By: Harold L. Wilensky

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American Political Economy in Global Perspective

By: Harold L. Wilensky

This book is a guide to claims about the proper role of government and markets in a global economy. Moving between systematic comparison of 19 rich democracies and debate about what the United States can do to restore a more civilized, egalitarian, and fair society, Harold L. Wilensky tells us how six of these countries got on a low road to economic progress and which components of their labor-crunch strategy are uniquely American. He provides an overview of the impact of major dimensions of globalization, only one of which - the interaction of the internationalization of finance and the rapid increase in the autonomy of central banks - undermines either national sovereignty or job security, labor standards, and the welfare state. Although Wilensky views American policy and politics through the lens of globalization, he concludes that the nation-state remains the center of personal identity, social solidarity, and political action. He concentrates on what national differences mean for the well-being of nations and their people. Drawing on lessons from abroad and from America's own past successes, Wilensky shows how we can reverse our three-decade decline. He argues that, in order to get off the low road, we must overcome the myths of "moderation," the rise of the "independent voter," and a rightward shift of the electorate. He specifies a feasible domestic agenda that matches majority sentiments in all rich democracies.

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Page Count

385

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1107018099

ISBN 13

9781107018099

Rich Democracies

Political Economy, Public Policy, and Performance

By: Harold L. Wilensky

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Rich Democracies

Political Economy, Public Policy, and Performance

By: Harold L. Wilensky

Drawing on data covering the past 50 years and more than 400 interviews with top decision-makers, Wilensky provides a richly detailed account of the common problems modern governments confront and their contrasting styles of conflict resolution.

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Page Count

924

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520232798

ISBN 13

9780520232792

Organizational Intelligence

Knowledge and Policy in Government and Industry

By: Harold L. Wilensky

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Organizational Intelligence

Knowledge and Policy in Government and Industry

By: Harold L. Wilensky

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313

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Quid Pro Books

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ISBN 10

1610272889

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9781610272889

For the Common Good

Essays of Harold Lewis

By: Harold Lewis

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For the Common Good

Essays of Harold Lewis

By: Harold Lewis

Social work literature often reflects powerful ahistorical tendencies. In recent years, these tendencies have produced analyses of social issues that lack awareness of both the contemporary environment and the historical forces that shaped it.

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Page Count

242

Publisher

Psychology Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0415935490

ISBN 13

9780415935494

Book's by Harold L. Wilensky

Organizational Intelligence

Organizational Intelligence

Rich Democracies

Rich Democracies

The Welfare State and Equality

The Welfare State and Equality

American Political Economy in Global Perspective

American Political Economy in Global Perspective

Rich Democracies

Rich Democracies

Organizational Intelligence

Organizational Intelligence

For the Common Good

For the Common Good

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