This book helps undergraduate and graduate students understand Chester Barnard’s organization theory. Barnard’s book The Functions of the Executive is a classic that, along with Herbert Simon’s Administrative Behavior, is often considered to be essential reading for management students. However, it is well known to be difficult and abstract. Offering a systematic overview, this book provides an excellent introduction to Barnard’s organization theory.

Kazuhito Isomura is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at the School of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan. Prior to joining Chuo University, he was an Associate Professor at Fukushima University, Faculty of Economics, and was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He was also a Professor of the MBA program at Chuo Graduate School of International Accounting before moving to the School of Science and Engineering. He holds a B.A., an M.A., and a Ph.D. degree from Kyoto University, Japan. He is a leading expert on Chester Barnard’s management thought, and his research areas include leadership development, corporate strategy, knowledge management, and management history.