A few weeks ago I published on my french blog a note about the latest book by Gary Hamel : “The future of management”. A few days later I received a comment from his french publisher, saying the french edition will be available in april. What surprised me was the title : in France the book will be called “The end of management”.
Ok, the is about both end and future : the end of what we know, and how to successfully embrace the future. But, although both titles are relevant, I don’t think they embody the same message : “the end”implies we don’t know what’s next, something like if our practices are close to death and, since we rely on them, we’re close to death too. The english title is closer to reality since Hamel not only says an era is finishing, he also gives us hints about the future and how to build it.
Perhaps it’s also a way to take into account cultural differences : US people are more positive and think about opportunities, French people often focus on a kind of security that’s disappearing little by little, on what they’re loosing rather than what they may win in the future.
What a pity. I’m affraid using such words is not the best way to make people feel more comfortable with the upcomming and unavoidable change.
I’d like to have your opinion about that ? Not only about the title (even if I’d be glad to have Hamel’s point of view…there’s no harm in dreaming), but also about how you consider the tipping point we’re reaching. Is it the end ? The beginning ? More an evolution than a real end ?
