On Leadership

In this series of lectures, previously unpublished in English, and here translated from a French reconstruction and interpretation by noted scholar Thierry Weil, leading organizational scholar James March uses great works of literature to explore the problems of leadership. Uses great works of literature to explore the problems of leadership, for example War and Peace, Othello, and Don Quixote. Presents moral dilemmas related to leadership, for example the balance between private life and public duties, and between the expression and the control of sexuality. Encourages readers to explore ideas that are sometimes subversive and unpalatable but may allow organizations to adapt in a rapidly changing world.

James G. March is Jack Steele Parker Professor of International Management Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Sociology and Education at Stanford University. He has inspired generations of students with his work in the study of organizations. His previous publications include Decisions and Organizations (1989), Behavioral Theory of the Firm (Second Edition, 1992), Organizations (Second Edition, 1993) and The Pursuit of Organizational Intelligence (1998), all published by Blackwell Publishing.

Thierry Weil, a former physicist, is Professor of Technology Management at École des Mines de Paris, where he was the Dean of research and graduate studies from 1991 to 1995. He also advises companies and policy makers on the management of innovation. From 2000 to 2002, he acted as scientific advisor to the Prime Minister of France, Lionel Jospin.

Foreword

vii

Jean-Claude Thoenig

Preface

xi

James G. March

Preface

xiv

Thierry Weil

Introduction

1

(12)

Issues of Leadership

1

(5)

Appreciation of Leadership

6

(4)

Queries

10

(3)

Duty, Revenge, and Innocence: Othello

13

(16)

Private Life and Public Duties

13

(3)

Revenge and the Social Order?

16

(9)

Queries

25

(4)

Heresy and Genius: Saint Joan

29

(12)

Exploitation and Exploration

29

(1)

Can Leaders Selected for their Reliability Become Creative Leaders?

30

(3)

Diversity and Unity

33

(2)

Saint Joan

35

(2)

Queries

37

(4)

Ambiguity, Irrelevance, Power, and the Social Order: War and Peace

41

(20)

Organizations, Ambiguity, and Incoherence

41

(3)

The Irrelevance of Human Intentions to History

44

(4)

Irrelevance and the Anomalies of Leadership

48

(4)

The Ambiguity of Power

52

(4)

The Social Order

56

(1)

Queries

57

(4)

Gender, Sex, and Leadership

61

(18)

The Gender of Leadership in Organizations

61

(4)

Sexuality, Organizations, and Leadership

65

(8)

Queries

73

(6)

Imagination, Commitment, and Joy: Don Quixote

79

(18)

Don Quixote de la Mancha

79

(1)

Imagination

80

(3)

Commitment

83

(5)

Joy

88

(3)

Lessons from Quixote

91

(1)

Queries

92

(5)

Plumbing and Poetry

97

(4)

Query

99

(2)

Appendix 1 Intelligence Versus Reason: An Overview of James March's Work

101

(12)

Thierry Weil

Miseries of Reason

101

(6)

Splendors of Reason

107

(2)

Redemption through Enthusiasm

109

(4)

Appendix 2 Mundane Organizations and Heroic Leaders

113

(9)

James G. March

Index

122

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Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials