A broadly versed intellectual and a prolific writer on the subjects of politics, economics and business, Peter F. Drucker (1909-2005) is the best-known and most influential management thinker of all time. Born in Vienna, Drucker began his professional life in Germany as a journalist. He emigrated to the USA in 1937. Here, Drucker soon turned to academic teaching, research and consulting, producing a total of 39 books over a career spanning almost 70 years. Drucker pioneered ideas such as the concept of the knowledge worker (as early as the 1950s), outsourcing and decentralization. Among the many trends Drucker presaged was the emergence of the information society with its necessity of lifelong learning.

About the editor: Niels Pflaeging is a researcher and advisor on organizational leadership and change. He is a creator of social technologies and founder of the BetaCodex Network. Niels published 11 books, including the best-seller Organize for Complexity.