Summary
Peter Drucker's "The Age of Discontinuity" argues that the late 20th century is defined by radical alterations in economy, polity, and society driven by forces of change. The book identifies four major areas of discontinuity fundamentally transforming contemporary reality: the emergence of new industries from technological explosions, the shift to a world economy lacking established policy or institutions, the rise of pluralistic institutions creating sociopolitical challenges, and the new universe of knowledge shaped by mass education and its impact on work, leisure, and leadership. Drucker offers a blueprint for understanding and shaping a future that is already here, informed by his objective view of both specific and general phenomena.
Key concepts
- Areas of discontinuity — Drucker's four categories of change transforming economy, polity, and society.
- Explosion of new technologies — The creation of major new industries due to technological advancement.
- Change from an international to a world economy — A global economic shift that presently lacks defined policy, theory, and institutions.
- Pluralistic institutions — A new sociopolitical reality presenting political, philosophical, and spiritual challenges.
- New universe of knowledge — The implications of mass education on work, leisure, and leadership.
From the book
Description: The closing decades of the twentieth century have been characterized as a period of disruption and discontinuity in which the structure and meaning of economy, polity, and society have been radically altered. In this volume Peter Drucker focuses with great clarity and perception on the forces of change that are transforming the economic landscape and creating tomorrow's society. Drucker discerns four major areas of discontinuity underlying contemporary social and cultural reality. These are: (1) the explosion of new technologies resulting in major new industries; (2) the change from an international to a world economy—an economy that presently lacks policy, theory, and institutions; (3) a new sociopolitical reality of pluralistic institutions that poses drastic political,…
Snippet: Peter Drucker brings to this work an intimate knowledge and objective view of the particular and general. The Age of Discontinuity is a fascinating and important blueprint for shaping a future already very much with us.