Competing values leadership: Creating value in organizations

'I recommend this book to anyone wishing to understand and practice leadership. Leadership is often treated in mutually-exclusive categories, such as Theory X vs. Theory Y, managers vs. leaders, transactional vs. transformative, initiation vs. consideration, etc. The Competing Values Framework presented in this book transcends these dualities. It features eight competing but complementary values that are critical for managing today's complex and pluralistic organizations. The framework emphasizes the need for balance among the eight leadership roles, and an appreciation of the context, timing, and contingencies when the leadership roles facilitate and inhibit collective endeavors. I have followed the development and testing of the Competing Values Framework over the years. It makes important contributions to both theory and practice. It stimulates positive learning outcomes for students and managers.' - Andrew H. Van de Ven, University of Minnesota, US. Creating value in a firm is an enormously complex endeavor. Yet, despite its complexity, value creation is the objective of every enterprise, every worker, and every leader. The Competing Values Framework can help leaders understand more deeply and act more effectively. In the first book to comprehensively present this framework, the authors discuss its core elements and focus attention on rethinking the notion of value. They emphasize specific tools and techniques leaders can use to institute sustainable change.