From Peter Drucker To Theodore Levitt: A Look At Vinita Bali’s Essential Reading List
Britannia’s former Managing Director Vinita Bali on books that were ahead of their time, and management lessons from them.
From understanding ‘discontinuous change’ to stay relevant, to marketing intangible products: These are some of the themes that have stayed with Britannia’s former Managing Director Vinita Bali, as she talks to BloombergQuint on management books that have impacted her the most.
“All these books were well ahead of their time, and prophetic. A must read for anyone concerned about people and society and the role of business in creating harmony and inclusivity and sustainable growth,” Bali told BloombergQuint.
1. The Marketing Imagination, By Theodore Levitt
Levitt most assiduously elaborated on the role of marketing...in globalisation of products and services, in innovation, in marketing intangible products and product intangibles. All three books make you stop and think and reflect.
2. The Age Of Unreason, By Charles Handy
Charles Handy talked about the astounding changes in business, education and technology that would transform business, for example, the disappearance of lifelong full time jobs. He talked about discontinuous change that would require different thinking...all of which we are witnessing today.
3. Managing In The Next Society, By Peter Drucker
Peter Drucker in 2002 wrote about the very issues corporations and society are grappling with today, when he talked about the next society in terms if demographics, the significance of knowledge and the future of top management.