Books are not simply reflections of the culture: In no small way, they are the culture. One can, quite literally, read the battering Western capitalism has taken in the past year in the reflections of management and business authors. “How-to-do-it books poured off the presses in the boom years,” writes Frances Cairncross, management editor at The Economist, in her essay on business-ethics books. “Now, business gurus generally distance themselves a little more.”

The editors of strategy+business applaud this new thoughtfulness, and in this, s+b’s second annual guide to the best business books, we strive to guide our readers to the handful of works that we believe provide wisdom appropriate to this puzzling, critical economic moment. Once again, we’ve set our sights on identifying both new books and old favorites that pose stimulating questions and offer ideas and insights from (and for) business strategists, practitioners, and thought leaders.

Our approach, we concede, is utterly subjective. Some essays cover subjects of perennial interest: management and leadership. But we also sought to identify new topics and works relevant to this particular time, including free trade and globalization, managing in the “new Europe,” the science of networks, and women leaders.

Ten essays, 53 books, 30 works published in 2001-2002. We hope you enjoy … and profit.

Strategy by Chuck Lucier and Jan Dyer
Management by David K. Hurst
Ethics by Frances Cairncross
The Biggest Management Book Ever by Kenneth Roman
Leadership by Bruce A. Pasternack and James O’Toole
Women Leaders by Kate Jennings 
Globalization by Rob Norton
New Europe by David Newkirk
Management's Renaissance Man by Charles Handy
Networks by Michael Schrage
Best Business Books 2001-2002

Reprint No. 02407