Chakraborty's presentation of his arguments is closely

reasoned and, perhaps unfortunately, more focused on academic

rigour than is perhaps likely to appeal to a busy managerial
audience (although the passion behind his convictions should
not be underestimated). The combination of detailed theoretical
analysis and the extensive use of practical examples still leaves
to the reader the responsibility of reinterpreting the material in
such a way that it can be of practical use to the operational
manager. In addition, Western readers might nd the language
used challenging at times, though that does not detract from
the importance of the underlying messages for us all.
I would not claim to be able to evaluate the detail of the
arguments used. In fact, I would be surprised if many people
are capable of undertaking an authoritative criticism of this
work, which is probably unique in the depth and breadth of its
analysis of the subject. I cannot recall any other volume that
explores the cross-cultural issues at the core of the values/ethics
debate with greater rigour, passion and authority. It is a
remarkable book, written by a remarkable man, directing a
remarkable Centre. All three deserve to be much more widely
known.

Note
The reviewer personally experienced the work of the Centre for
Human Values in Calcutta by attending a workshop on
`Applied Ethics in Management' (1921 February 1998).

Bruce Lloyd
Principal Lecturer in Strategy, South Bank University,
London, UK

PII: S 0 0 2 4 - 6 3 0 1 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 1 0 9 - 0

New Thinking for the New Millennium, Edward de

Bono
Viking (1999), 289 pp., 16.99
No book by Edward de Bono can be taken other than seriously.
His principal themes are the value of design thinking, serious
creativity and innovation and genuine, no-holds-barred orig-
inality, which de Bono contrasts with the rigid, rock-like pro-
cess of Western logic which proceeds from cause to effect
without a sideways (or lateral) glance, but many a backwards
look. That kind of logic is concerned with what is and what
was, but not with what might be.
De Bono has argued all his professional life that a more crea-
tive approach to life's many problems would not only solve

Long Range Planning, vol 33 2000 151

 them better but would give those involved much greater satis-
faction from the process. It seems, in this book and last year's
Simplicity, that he begins to despair of a more widespread
acceptance of his point of view.
Looking back over the de Bono oeuvre, we can see The
Mechanism of Mind as breaking the mould, and his elegant and
simple technique of lateral thinking and provocation as devices
to break thinking processes free from the shackles of back-
wardsforwards logical thinking. Several books expand on his
ideas and in many he highlights how humour works in much
the same way as lateral thinking. I am RightYou are Wrong,
in which he contrasts water logic with rock logic, told us to let
our thinking go with the ow but to beware of how even water
can cut into the earth and settle into xed channels. Six Think-
ing Hats brilliantly sets out a technique for developing and pro-
gressing, ideally in a group setting, the most original and yet
acceptable outcomes in much less time than other processes.
Simplicity had this reviewer in at least two minds and, remem-
bering the value of being provoked, I gave it the benet of the
doubt and a good review.
With this latest book, there are some insightful and intellec-
tually provocative statements. For example, highly efcient sys-
tems can evolve and adapt so perfectly to conditions that the
least change to these conditions is fatal. Less complex, more
intrinsically adaptive systems survive, just as businesses run
with the goal of survival are likely to be around longer than
those whose aim is prot maximization in the short term.
Logic does not change emotions, but if perception changes
then emotions change: the message being, go for the hearts as
much as the minds. Our brains can only see what they are pre-
pared to see. ``Any new idea that does not raise a howl of pro-
test is probably not a good idea.'' ``The `edge effect' means that
something which everyone agrees is worth doing cannot be
done if the rst step is unattractiveor not in the interests of
those who have to take this step.'' That last point has special
resonance for me, confronted with reforms to the structure of
local government.
Why then am I dissatised with this book? Firstly, the author
has the pretentious and quite unnecessary habit of telling us
that he is writing parts of the book in a variety of exotic sur-
roundings or on board long-haul ights. Secondly, he claims
that there is much that is new in this book. This claim is not
substantiated. However, if you have not read de Bono before
then, as this is his latest book, you can begin here and, on my
recommendation, turn back to the books cited above.

Michael Johnston
Board Member, Yorkshire Forward (RDA for Yorkshire and the
Humber), UK

PII: S 0 0 2 4 - 6 3 0 1 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 1 1 0 - 7

152 Book Reviews and Review Briefs