The Age of Irrationality

Name: The Age of Irrationality
ISBN: 9787213048258

Charles Handy / 方海萍Zhejiang People's Publishing House · ChinaApr 2023

4.0

Word count: 98K words
Chapters: 15
ISBN: 9787213048258

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Summary

This is the latest edition of a classic work by Charles Handy, the "father of management philosophy" ranked alongside Drucker. In this book Handy tries to tell people working in organizations why, when they think about how to organize, coordinate, and communicate at work, they may need some "disruptive" thinking—and unorthodox, revolutionary ideas.

Here Handy introduces entirely new concepts such as the shamrock organization, the federal organization, and the 3I organization, anticipating for readers where our work and lives are headed in this age of unreason.

In this age of discontinuity, the only thing that can be foreseen is that nothing can be foreseen.

Editor's review

'The Age of Unreason' is Charles Handy's classic work on the future of organizations and work, newly published in 2023 by Zhejiang People's Publishing House. Handy's approach is not to offer a set of definitive answers but to remind readers that in an age of discontinuity, the only foreseeable thing is the unforeseeable. The book introduces concepts such as the shamrock organization, the federal organization, and the 3I organization, attempting to explain why organizations need disruptive thinking and how individuals can reposition themselves in coordination, communication, and work. Its value lies in offering a management-philosophy perspective rather than an operations manual: reading it is more like a conversation with a consultant skilled at asking questions, helping you loosen assumptions about organization you take for granted. Suitable for managers, working professionals, and readers interested in changes in organizational forms. It is especially illuminating during career transitions or team restructuring, but should be weighed against your own experience.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Managers who need to rethink how teams are organized and how they collaborate
Professionals undergoing career transitions or organizational restructuring
Readers interested in management philosophy and changes in organizational forms
People who wish to break out of conventional thinking and embrace disruptive ideas

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for ready-to-use management tools and operational templates
Academic readers who prefer rigorous data-based argumentation and empirical research
Those new to the workplace who lack organizational experience and may find it hard to relate

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents and the opening of each chapter to grasp core concepts such as the shamrock, federalism, and 3I before going deeper.
After each chapter, write two or three notes comparing the ideas with your own organization's actual situation.
Don't feel you must read it cover to cover; choose chapters relevant to your work concerns first.
Discuss it with colleagues or peers afterward, turning the book's questions into your own.

About the publisher

Zhejiang People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

Zhejiang People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its social science, history and foreign literature titles, covering philosophy, politics, law, economics, culture and history. Among the books in the library catalogue, its foreign literature list includes Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country and The Old Capital in well-known translations, as well as Wuthering Heights; its history list is represented by Dangnian Mingyue's Ming Dynasty series, and its politics list by Zhejiang New Discourse. Authors represented include Yasunari Kawabata, Ye Weiqu, Tang Yuemei, Dangnian Mingyue, Emily Brontë and René Wellek, with Wellek's Theory of Literature (newly revised edition) among its titles in literary theory. Beyond these areas, the press also publishes works on literary appreciation and social culture, giving it a profile that combines classic translations, popular history and academic works. As publicly available information is limited, other details are not covered here.

版权信息
中文版序
第一部分无所不在的变化
第1章非连续性变化
第2章数字中的变化
第3章启动学习之轮
第二部分工作的未来
第4章三叶草组织
第5章联邦制组织
第6章 3I组织
第三部分生活的未来
第7章处处皆组合
第8章革新教育
第9章倒过来的社会
结语以真实的自我面对世界

FAQ

Is this book a practical manual or a work of management thought?

It leans toward management thought. Handy's focus is on proposing concepts such as the shamrock organization, federal organization, and 3I organization to loosen readers' assumptions about organization, rather than providing step-by-step templates. If you expect ready-to-use tools, you may be disappointed; if you are willing to think alongside your own organizational experience, the rewards will be greater.

What exactly does the shamrock organization refer to?

The materials mention that Handy discusses the concept of the shamrock organization in the book as a way to think about how an organization is composed of parts of different natures and how they coordinate. For its specific meaning, refer to the book's discussion; it is best read alongside his concepts of federalism and 3I to form an overall framework rather than memorizing terms in isolation.

Can someone without management experience understand it?

Yes, but the resonance will be limited. The book discusses changes in organizational coordination, communication, and ways of working, largely grounded in organizational contexts. Without workplace or management experience, it is easy to stay at the level of concepts. It is better to gain some team collaboration experience first, or observe how organizations around you operate as you read.

Why is this era called 'unreasonable'?

According to the book's line of thought, 'unreasonable' does not mean people lose their reason, but that in a discontinuous environment, organizational logic and forecasting methods that once worked are no longer reliable, and the only foreseeable thing is the unforeseeable. Handy therefore advocates disruptive, non-rational thinking to reunderstand the future of work and organizations.

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About the author

Charles Handy Author · Irish · 1932–2024

Charles Handy (1932–2024) was an Irish master of management thought, born in County Kildare, Ireland, and a graduate of the University of Oxford. He taught at London Business School and devoted long-term attention to changes in organizational forms and ways of working. He proposed concepts such as the "shamrock organization" and "portfolio career," and exerted wide influence through works including Understanding Organizations, The Age of Unreason, and The Empty Raincoat. The Financial Times called him Europe's "management philosopher." His books, mostly in management and social science, are strongly reflective and often examine, from a broad perspective, the situation of organizations and individuals in times of change. This site holds four of his works, including The Second Curve, The Elephant and the Flea, The Age of Unreason, and The Empty Raincoat, showing a blend of theoretical insight and practical concern.

方海萍 Author

Fang Haiping is an author about whom limited public information is available; three works are currently known, concentrated in the overlapping fields of management and social science. The works she has translated or written—The Nature of Managerial Work, Responsibility Virus: How to Assign Tasks and Take Responsibility, and The Non-Rational Age—all revolve around organizational operation, the allocation of responsibility, and managerial thinking, showing her sustained attention to classic management themes and practical issues. These books are aimed at practitioners and general readers, with clear and accessible language that brings concepts into concrete situations rather than piling up jargon. Because information such as dates of birth and death, nationality, and professional background is unavailable, her personal history cannot be outlined; yet judging from her choice of topics, her writing and editorial work broadly serve readers who wish to understand organizations and responsibility.