Richard Feynman (1998): The Meaning of it All: Thoughts of a Citizen-Scientist

What is it about?

The book is basically a published transcription of three lectures given by Feynman in 1963. The topics of the lectures are: (1) "The uncertainty of science", (2) "The uncertainty of value", and (3) "This unscientific age".

The text - lecture transcriptions - reads quite fluently and actually is, in my opinion, even more pleasant to read than your average non-fiction book.

Was it good?

Absolutely, no doubt about it. One contributor to this is the spoken nature of the text. However, the second and far more important contributor is the unique style of Feynman. Indeed, one just has to admire how clearly and humbly a great thinker can express his thoughts - and especially how straightforwardly one can just say "I don't know". Actually, for a non-Nobelist reader, it is truly enjoyable and liberating to read that even the best minds don't know or understand a great number of things.

The main take-away for me?

There were basically two main take-aways for me. First, clear and logical pattern of thinking produces quite easily articulable trains of thoughts and conclusions - easy to understand, but difficult to formulate in the first place. This, sadly, is quite rare to find today (or perhaps always). And second, one should more often say quite frankly that "I don't know", because most people don't understand most things, namely those outside their primary domain of expertise.

Who should read the book?

Everyone. Period. And even though the lectures were given more than 50 years ago, 95% of the contents is absolutely current.

The book on Amazon.com: The Meaning of It All

Heli Pietilä (2015): Participation in Strategy: Strategists and Strategy Survivors (Dissertation, in Finnish)

What is it about?

The dissertation reports a (doctoral) research about strategizing, with a public sector organization as a research context.

The study follows the Strategy-as-Practice research tradition whereby any organizational member can be a strategist. Accordingly, the research investigated the agency and experiences of diverse organizational members in a stategizing setting where major contextual and organizational changes had taken place and were still unfolding.

The major outcome of the study is that organizational members have differing degrees of strategic agency - which do not necessarily correspond to formal organizational hierarchy - and those with less or no such agency employ a number of coping mechanisms as a response to this perceived lack of agency.

Was it good?

Yes, it was. Well, doctoral dissertations usually do not read exceptionally fluently when compared to 'general interest' literature, but this particular dissertation was written in such a manner that its academic nature was not exceedingly elaborate. This, of course, is - considering the academic nature of the work - a mixed blessing.

Nonetheless, the qualitative reporting was particularly enjoyable to read because of its authentic reporting and citing practice.

The main take-away for me?

The main take-away for me was the typologization of different coping mechanisms. In other words, organizational members with less or no strategic agency are not just without such potential, but instead follow intentionally different behavioral patterns, or adopt such identity stances.

Who should read the book?

Well, of course any Strategy-as-Practice scholar would benefit form reading the book. However, also other people interested in strategic management and strategic management research would benefit from the section in which this strategy paradigm is reviewed. And finally, the key findings of the study would be good reading for practicing managers in that those provide nuanced understanding about how organizations and organizational strategizing actually work - like Strategy-as-Practice research in general.

The book (dissertation) in PDF format

Marc Levinson (2006): The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger

What is it about?

In the book, Levinson tells the story of the shipping container from its early beginnings (and, to be precise, its precursors), including the thinking behind its "father", Malcom McLean.

Moreover, in a book-long treatment, Levinson is able to discuss quite in depth, e.g., the standardization processes involved in specifying the dimensions of the containers as well as some of the key technical features in them, such as crane fittings.

Nonetheless, perhaps the best discussion in the book concerns the implications of the container, both locally (e.g. shore-side industry) and globally (global distribution of manufacturing and other economic activity).

Was it good?

I really enjoyed the book throughout. Levinson has been able to strike a nice balance between "telling a story" by following some key individuals - mostly Malcom McLean - and offering a more abstract or general discussion of key events and their effects. However, for me the key strength of the book was the "big picture" it painted - what were the mechanisms involved in making the standard shipping container an ubiquitous mode of transportation especially in international trade, and what, in turn, this brought about both on a local and global scale.

The main take-away for me?

There were basically two main take-aways for me. First, establishing a standard, especially one with a global reach, really needs a substantial work, acceptance and investments in multiple domains with which the standard interfaces (and some luck in addition). And second, such a standard can have equally multifaceted implications in equally numerous facets of economic activity. Thus, a standard succeeds or fails in a complex web of activity.

Who should read the book?

I think that the book is of general interest, and is told in such a manner that basically anyone can enjoy it. However, I think that readers with some standardization ambitions, or those involved in logistics, would derive most tangible benefit from reading the book.

The book on Amazon.com: The box