His career has spanned academic work and think tanks, business schools, company directorships, consultancies and investment companies. The process continued during john kay s subsequent journey of continuous discovery and adaptation, application and modification, etc. Leading economist john kay applies his provocative universal theory to a variety of complex systems, including business and communities. Why our goals are best pursued indirectly, by john kay, is published on 25 march by profile books at. To see what he is getting at lets take a look at some examples of important goals best achieved indirectly. Blurb a leading economist charts the indirect road to happiness and wealth. Many people have told me what an enjoyable read john kay s books are, and. As the director, he established the institute for fiscal studies as one of britains most respected think tanks. Trying to approach nebulous targets like profit or happiness directly is a fools path. As research director and director of the institute for fiscal studies he established it as one of britains most respected think tanks. It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.
Why our goals are best achieved indirectly by john. John kay tells a fastpaced detective story as he searches for the surprising secret to successbrilliant. His latest book, obliquity how our goals are best pursued indirectly has just. Mar 22, 2018 in obliquity, john kay argues against my naive fiveyear plan. Jun, 2011 a leading economist charts the indirect road to happiness and wealth. John kay was born on 17 june 1704 in the lancashire hamlet of walmersley, just north of bury. Im fairly certain that i saw and picked up obliquity on a trip through heathrow. John kay, born july 16, 1704, near bury, lancashire, englanddied c. For twenty years, he wrote a regular column for the financial times. It was inspired by an observation of the successful pharmaceutical researcher, sir james black. Nassim n taleb, the black swan economics with style as well as substance stephen bayley, architecture and design correspondent, observer obliquity is a characteristic john kay production. View john kays profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. His yeoman farmer father, robert, owned the park estate in walmersley, and john was born there.
If you want to go in one direction, the best route may involve going in another. The subtitle of the book reveals more than the title why our goals are best achieved indirectly. John kay tells a fastpaced detective story as he searches for the surprising secret to success. John kay is a visiting professor at the london school of economics and a fellow of st john s college, oxford. Financial times how rare is it for an academic economist to write with such clarity, intelligence and courage. Obliquity book summary john kay our goals seem simple when broken down. John kay is a leading economist and visiting professor of economics at the london school of economics, a fellow of st john s college, oxford. About the author john kay is a visiting professor at the london school of economics and a fellow of st. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In a recently published book radical uncertainty, mervyn king and i argue that this elision has led to confusion and policy errors and seek. John kay in obliquity makes a similar point in a more readable book.
It was inspired by an observation of the successful pharmaceutical. His latest book, obliquity, was published by profile books in march. Oblique approaches are most effective in difficult terrain, or where outcomes depend on interactions with other people. His interests focus on the relationships between economics and business. Obliquity, by john kay the independent the independent. Radical uncertainty, suerf policy brief suerf the european. John anderson kay, cbe, frse, fba, facss born 1948 is a british economist. On the cover of obliquity, john kay s new book hardback edition, tim harford pronounces it persuasive. This quirky little book by john kay is about working toward big ideas. Most invention and discovery comes when we realise that the dominant assumption in one market.
The great muckraker upton sinclair had expressed a deep insight into the relationship between the world of ideas and the world of practical men. Using dozens of practical examples from the worlds. The best way to achieve any complex or broadly defined goalfrom happiness to wealth to profit to. I used to tell my colleagues that if they wanted to make money, there were many easier ways to do it than drug research.
This seemingly counterintuitive idea is the subject of john kays very interesting book obliquity. Like the criteria that determine artistic success are ultimately determined by artists. In this post, i intend to build on my reading of the book, adapt a few ideas, and draw implications for platform. Using dozens of practical examples from the worlds of business, politics, science, sports, literature, even parenting, esteemed economist john kay proves a notion that feels at once paradoxical and deeply commonsensical.
I didnt even know whether it was a neologism created by the author, john kay, a professor of economics and regular columnist for the financial times. The main premise is that in many spheres of life, from business to. Yet harfords subsequent column in the ft on march the 18 th, 2010, titled political ideas need proper testing suggested that he is far from persuaded by mr kay s argument. His latest book, obliquity, was published by profile books in march 2010. The best way to achieve any complex or broadly defined goalfrom happiness to wealth to.
In obliquity, john kay an economist of some stature explains why the right path is often less obvious and frequently unpredictable in the literal sense of not being able to. Read obliquity why our goals are best achieved indirectly by john kay available from rakuten kobo. No one will be buried with the epitaph he maximised shareholder value. You might guess that kay thinks profit as a direct goal is overrated, otherwise he wouldnt have much substance for a book on the subject. He is often confused with his namesake, 10 11 who built the first spinning frame. Jan 01, 2011 this seemingly counterintuitive idea is the subject of john kays very interesting book obliquity. Shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world. Strange as it may seem, overcoming geographic obstacles, winning decisive battles or meeting global business targets are the type of goals often best achieved when pursued indirectly. Take small steps and iterate, coursecorrecting along the way.
He is often confused with his namesake,who built the first spinning frame. Guided by obliquity, waters didnt care how long it took or how much i. Oct 23, 2011 this book by the distinguished economist and writer john kay is an extended essay about an idea which is intuitively true. Aug 04, 2016 through my travel to the other side of the world last week, i read a couple of books.
The development of the concepts in this book followed an oblique path from drafts that resulted in an article published in the financial times january 17, 2004. Naturally, it derives from the word oblique, which means slanting, sidelong, indirect. John kay is a leading economist and visiting professor of economics at the london. In this revolutionary book, economist john kay proves a notion that feels at once paradoxical and deeply commonsensical. Robert died before john was born, leaving park house to his eldest son. The son of a woolen manufacturer, kay was placed in charge of his fathers mill while still a youth. A leading economist charts the indirect road to happiness and wealth. Great ingredients meant new logistics, new inventions, and new processes. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. He was the first dean of oxfords said business school and has held chairs at the london school of economics, the university of oxford, and london business school. As john kay pointed out, we can only learn about our objectives and how to achieve them through a gradual process of risk taking and discovery what he calls obliquity. Nassim n taleb, the black swan economics with style as well as substance stephen bayley, architecture and design correspondent, observer obliquity is a characteristic john kay.
John kay is an admirable debunker of myths and false beliefs he can see substantial things others dont. And, in these troubled, confusing times, how desperately we need other dismal scientists to follow john kay s shining example. Behavioural economics, alchemy, customer experience and the. As it turns out, the word has been around since the fifteenth century. Obliquity quotes by john kay meet your next favorite book. Why our goals are best achieved indirectly by john kay. John kay is a leading economist and visiting professor of economics at.
Obliquity muddling through in entrepreneurship platform. He made many improvements in dressing, batting, and carding machinery. Obliquity, by john kay anyone who knows me would probably be shocked to hear ive been reading a book by an economist. Kay also shows us how to acknowledge our limitations, redefine our goals to fit our skills, open our minds to new data and solutions, and otherwise live life with obliquity. Jan 19, 2011 ive come across an author who reinforces this stance throughout his promotion of obliquity. Why our goals are best achieved indirectly by john kay 934 ratings.
Whether overcoming geographical obstacles, winning decisive battles or meeting sales targets, history shows that oblique approaches are the most successful, especially in difficult. Apr 14, 2011 this seemingly counterintuitive idea is the subject of john kays very interesting book obliquity. Id have given this book five stars for its content, except that a couple of chapters seemed repetitive and unnecessary. As defined by his original article predating the recently released book by five years, john kay s main thrust is that. I think its the first one and its been surprisingly interesting.
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