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More copies of this ISBNeBook editionsFlavor of the Month: Why Smart People Fall for Fadsby Joel Best
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:While fads such as hula hoops or streaking are usually dismissed as silly enthusiasms, trends in institutions such as education, business, medicine, science, and criminal justice are often taken seriously, even though their popularity and usefulness is sometimes short-lived. Institutional fads such as open classrooms, quality circles, and multiple personality disorder are constantly making the rounds, promising astonishing new developments--novel ways of teaching reading or arithmetic, better methods of managing businesses, or improved treatments for disease. Some of these trends prove to be lasting innovations, but others--after absorbing extraordinary amounts of time and money--are abandoned and forgotten, soon to be replaced by other new schemes. In this pithy, intriguing, and often humorous book, Joel Best--author of the acclaimed Damned Lies and Statistics--explores the range of institutional fads, analyzes the features of our culture that foster them, and identifies the major stages of the fad cycle--emerging, surging, and purging. Deconstructing the ways that this system plays into our notions of reinvention, progress, and perfectibility, Flavors of the Month examines the causes and consequences of fads and suggests ways of fad-proofing our institutions. Review:"Sociologist Best (Damned Lies and Statistics) dissects the dangerous hula hoops of business, medicine, science and education in this light exposition on institutional fads. According to Best, American attitudes toward progress (colored by optimism, competitiveness, a belief in positive change and a fear of being seen as old-fashioned) serve as kindling to the fire of the next big cure, technological revolution, business management secret or teaching method. Best delineates stages of the fad life-cycle ('emerging,' 'surging,' then finally 'purging') and identifies conditions and players essential to creating a successful fad (a problem needs a solution, which is then proposed by originators and pushed by promoters), and though he makes an intuitive and immensely readable case, his book suffers from a dearth of hard data and case studies (the hypothetical 'Dr. Michael' and 'Professor Alice' used to illustrate Best's points feel contrived and simple). Similarly, his five rules for 'fad-proofing' will work well for an individual, but those who adhere to his principles and swim against the tide in a large organization may find themselves reading this book in the soup line." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Synopsis:"A literate, fast-moving, and engaging account of short-lived innovations in contemporary societies. Best is one of the few sociologists who actually has a sense of humor."--John Lofland, Professor Emeritus, sociology, University of California Davis "A well-written, effective, and surely needed examination of institutional fads that should find a wide audience."--Gary Alan Fine, co-author of Whispers on the Color Line: Rumor and Race in America "Flavors of the Month is a marvelous antidote to the infectious bite of the fad bug, and should be required reading for all optimists who believe we can move towards perfection by adopting the latest 'breakthrough paradigm.' If enthusiasm for transforming your organization persists after reading this engaging book, then read it again. Repeat as often as necessary, or until irrational exuberance has dissipated."--Robert Birnbaum, author of Management Fads in Higher Education: Where They Come From, What They Do, Why They Fail Synopsis:Written by the author of "More Damned Lies and Statistics," this work deconstructs the phenomenon of fads through vivid, illuminating and eye-opening examples. Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1. The Illusion of Diffusion 2. Why We Embrace Novelties: Conditions That Foster Institutional Fads 3. The Fad Cycle: Emerging 4. The Fad Cycle: Surging 5. The Fad Cycle: Purging 6. Fad Dynamics 7. Becoming Fad-Proof Notes References Index What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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