Why do widely accepted management theories so often fail in practice? This book offers a rigorous and unconventional answer: because organisations are not machines, but complex adaptive systems.

Drawing on the history of physics and social sciences, complexity science, evolutionary thinking, ergodicity economics, and computational models, the book examines the epistemological foundations of modern management—from strategy and budgeting to employee engagement and decision-making. It challenges linear, predictive, and prescriptive approaches, showing why cause-and-effect thinking breaks down in complex organisational environments.

Rather than offering formulas or best practices, the book reframes business success as an emergent phenomenon shaped by uncertainty, feedback, and evolution over time. It is a critical work for managers, executives, consultants, and thinkers seeking to understand—not simplify—the true nature of organisations and decision-making in an increasingly complex world.

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