The Age of Discontinuity

Name: The Age of Discontinuity
ISBN: 9787111759812

Peter Ferdinand Drucker / 吴家喜China Machine Press · ChinaNov 2025

4.5

Word count: 259K words
Chapters: 27
ISBN: 9787111759812

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Summary

After the massive upheavals of the twentieth century, the world economy entered an entirely new configuration, and every country, situated within it, would inevitably be shaped by a range of disparate economic forces. Drawing on his profound observation of social, economic, and business phenomena, Drucker found that compared with the enormous shocks delivered by visible trends, these discontinuities were more likely to shape our business future.

In this book Drucker envisions humanity's passage from an industrial society to a knowledge society; the predictions about the knowledge society made here were later almost all borne out one by one, ample proof of Drucker's extraordinary foresight.

The book gives full expression to Drucker's distinctive way of observing, recording, and analyzing, helping us view the world more rationally, confront the present, and think ahead to the future—of particular value for each person's career choices and for the transformation and development of every organization.

Editor's review

Published in 1969 by management thinker Peter Drucker, The Age of Discontinuity is a forward-looking work whose insights remain startlingly accurate today. Its core argument is that we are moving from a "continuous" era—one in which the future could be predicted from past experience—to an era of "discontinuity" marked by fundamental ruptures in technological, social, economic, and political structures. Drucker does not simply forecast the future; he systematically analyzes the rise of the knowledge society, the transformation of organizational forms, the new role of education, and the limits of government. He foresaw the revolutionary impact of information technology, the formation of a globalized economy, and the emergence of the "knowledge worker" as the core productive force. As an editor, I believe the book's value lies not only in the success of its historical predictions but in the analytical framework Drucker offers—a way of thinking based on observation, pattern recognition, and understanding of deeper meanings. In today's VUCA era, full of "black swan" events and disruptive innovation, rereading this book can help us break free from linear thinking and learn to find opportunity within discontinuity. Its claims—such as that the purpose of business is not profit but the creation of customers—have long since become cornerstones of modern management. Reading this book is a conversation with one of the sharpest minds of our time and a profound sorting-out of the underlying logic of our age.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in management, sociology, and future studies who wish to understand the underlying logic of social change
Business managers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers seeking inspiration for strategy in an age of uncertainty
Knowledge enthusiasts who enjoy deep thinking, are not satisfied with surface phenomena, and aspire to build systematic cognitive frameworks
Followers of Peter Drucker's thought who want a systematic understanding of his early visions of a future society

Not a good fit for

Pragmatic readers expecting concrete, immediately actionable management techniques or checklists
Readers impatient with theoretical, speculative social science and who prefer light narrative

Reading tips

Read this book alongside Drucker's later works (such as Management Challenges for the 21st Century) to observe the evolution and deepening of his intellectual trajectory.
Do not rush; focus on digesting the discussions in Part II, "The Knowledge Society," and Part III, "The Society of Organizations," and relate them to today's platform economy and gig economy.
As you read, note down the predictions Drucker made that have now become reality, and consider which "discontinuities" are unfolding around us, thereby training your own powers of insight.

About the publisher

China Machine Press China · Founded in 1950

In addition to science and technology and professional publishing, the books in our catalog from China Machine Press also reflect a sustained focus on psychology, computing, management, finance and economics, and social sciences. In psychology, the catalog includes works by C. G. Jung and introductions to analytical psychology, as well as applied topics such as stress and health, and addiction and healing. In computing, it features Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (JavaScript Edition). Management and finance titles include Administrative Behavior (4th Edition), The Price of Inequality (Collector's Edition), and This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Commemorative Edition). In the philosophy and history of science, there is The Worldview: The Third Edition. Relevant authors include C. G. Jung, William McGuire, Sonu Shamdasani, and Gabor Maté. Public information is limited; the above summarizes the publisher's profile based solely on the books in our catalog.

版权信息
1992年版序
1983年版序
原版序
第一部分知识技术
第1章连续性的终结
第2章新兴产业及其动力
第3章新创业者
第4章新的经济政策
第二部分从国际经济到世界经济
第5章全球购物中心
第6章提高穷人的生产率
第7章超越“新经济学”
第三部分组织型社会
第8章新多元主义
第9章迈向组织理论
第10章政府的弊病
第11章个人如何才能生存
第四部分知识型社会
第12章知识经济
第13章知识型社会的工作与工作者
第14章成功把学校毁掉了吗
第15章新学习和新教学
第16章知识政治
第17章知识有未来吗
结语
译者后记

FAQ

This book was written over half a century ago—does it still offer guidance today?

It is highly relevant. Drucker explores structural, fundamental trends of change rather than short-term phenomena. The "discontinuities" he identified—knowledge becoming the core resource, social pluralism, the transformation of organizational forms—are precisely the defining features of today's digital, globalized era, and his analytical framework retains vitality beyond its time.

How does this book differ from Drucker classics such as The Effective Executive?

The Effective Executive focuses more on individual effectiveness and methods within an organization and functions as an operational guide. The Age of Discontinuity stands at a broader historical and social level, analyzing the driving forces and direction of epochal change; it is the cornerstone and worldview component of his thought system, with a far wider vision.

Are the book's views overly optimistic or idealized?

Drucker's tone is calm and rational. He points out both the opportunities of the new society (such as the liberation brought by knowledge) and clearly warns of its challenges (such as the disintegration of traditional order, the pressures on education, and the incapacity of government). The overall tone is one of cautious outlook, not utopian fantasy.

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About the author

Peter Ferdinand Drucker Author · Austrian-American · 1909–2005

Peter Drucker (1909–2005) was born in Vienna, Austria, and moved to the United States in 1937. A management consultant, educator, and writer, he is widely regarded as the father of modern management. Through his writing and consulting, he helped establish management as a teachable practice and introduced influential ideas such as management by objectives and the knowledge worker. His major works include The Practice of Management, The Effective Executive, Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, Adventures of a Bystander, and The Age of Discontinuity. His books combine depth of thought with practical concern and span management, social science, and finance. In 2002 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

吴家喜 Author

Wu Jiaxi is a Chinese author of finance and management books about whom limited public information is available; his nationality, education, and professional background are not recorded in the available sources. Two of his works are currently listed: The Era of Discontinuity and The Rule of Turning Defeat into Victory: How Individuals Can Turn Things Around Against the Odds, both commonly classified under finance and management. Judging from the titles and categories, his writing focuses on uncertainty amid changing times and on how individuals can adjust their strategies and stage a comeback in adversity, offering analysis and practical advice to general readers. His style tends toward the practical and readable, combining management ideas with personal-growth topics. Because verifiable information is scarce, a full assessment of his writing and influence awaits further material.