Profit Beyond Measure: Extraordinary Results Through Attention to Work and People.By H. Thomas Johnson Thomas Johnson may refer to:
Free Press, 256 pages. $30. Periodically, the business marketplace sees books based on applying the ideas of great leaders -- Lincoln or Alexander the Great, say -- to modern corporate strategy. Now, with Profit Beyond Measure, we have a book arguing that the natural world serves as a model for successful corporations. We're not talking about survival of the fittest here. Authors Johnson, a professor at Portland State University in Oregon, and Broms, a Swedish consultant, argue that production success comes from three precepts "that guide all living systems: self-organization, interdependence in·ter·de·pen·dent adj. Mutually dependent: "Today, the mission of one institution can be accomplished only by recognizing that it lives in an interdependent world with conflicts and overlapping interests" and diversity." As examples, they offer detailed analyses of processes at Japanese carmaker Toyota and Scania, the Swedish truckmaker, which the authors say have thrived in highly competitive environments. Johnson and Broms reject "managing by results" and embrace "managing by means." The case studies of the two companies are intriguing in·trigue n. 1. a. A secret or underhand scheme; a plot. b. The practice of or involvement in such schemes. 2. A clandestine love affair. v. , but Profit Beyond Measure bogs down in overcooked language about "protecting the human niche in the ecosystem" and "nature's exquisitely ex·qui·site adj. 1. Characterized by intricate and beautiful design or execution: an exquisite chalice. 2. parsimonious par·si·mo·ni·ous adj. Excessively sparing or frugal. par  si·mo use of matter and energy," to offer but two examples. As a result, there's not much for a real-world corporate manager to sink his or her teeth into.
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