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The Living Dead
Book

The Living Dead

Switched Off, Zoned Out - The Shocking Truth About Official Life

David Bolchover
Capstone, 2005

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

With wry British wit, David Bolchover skewers life in large corporations and exposes the extent of a phenomenon he calls "the living dead:" the masses of employees who are disengaged from their work, unproductive and unmotivated. Bolchover’s account of his own experience of falling through the cracks of a corporate behemoth is hilarious. But far from being just an amusing caricature of life in big companies, his book is a thoughtful consideration of the economic costs of boredom and inefficiency. He suggests ways that companies - and national economies - need to evolve to address these problems. Corporate leaders interested in fully utilizing their human capital will find this book insightful. And, if you feel yourself slowly turning into a zombie in a business suit, Bolchover offers insight into how to breathe life into your career. getAbstract highly recommends this book to students of organizational behavior and anyone who has ever played computer solitaire at the office.

Take-Aways

  • The "living dead" are underutilized, underengaged or bored employees.
  • To improve efficiency and create wealth, large companies must first acknowledge that they’ve placed some of their employees in stultifying "living dead" positions.
  • With the increasing distribution of opportunity, education and wealth, workers feel skeptical that corporate jobs can offer fulfillment.

About the Author

David Bolchover is a former insurance executive and the author of the best-selling book The 90-Minute Manager, a compendium of advice derived from sports managers. His articles on business and management have appeared in major British newspapers, including The Times.

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