The Fourth Industrial Revolution will transform the global competitive landscape and as such require a radical response from organisations operating in complex, knowledge-based economies. Much like previous phases of economic, social and technological changes, there is an assumption that existing technologies will become obsolete and alternative sources of value creation must be found. These assumptions will create significant opportunities in the next revolutionary cycle, but to take advantage of these will require a new business model and organisational constructs.

In charting the course of structures and dynamics over the first Three Industrial Revolutions, this book offers points of learning that can be applied to the Fourth. It offers a discussion about how organisations have emerged over time and how they learnt to adapt to industrial revolution and economic upheaval. Covering conceptual ideas about organisations as collections of individuals, the book will also highlight the practice of organisation from the First to the Fourth Industrial Revolution with examples across Europe the USA and Asia.

Building on the ideas and concepts in The Making of the Modern Manager, this book explores the changing business contexts through industrial revolutions, the practice of organisation in response to these changes, the theory of organisation and the definition of organisation.

Paul Turner has held Professorial appointments at universities in Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham and Cambridge. His business career included Executive and Director positions in FTSE and Fortune companies, and he was Vice President of the CIPD. A prolific author, Paul has written numerous books including Employee Engagement in Contemporary Organizations (2020), Leadership in Healthcare (2019), Talent Management in Healthcare (2018), and The Making of the Modern Manager (2021), all published by Palgrave Macmillan.