Stefan Kühl Boeken

When Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1924, he cited the U.S. Immigration Restriction Act as a model for his racial purification agenda, which barred immigration based on hereditary illnesses and ethnicity. After the Nazis rose to power in 1933, they implemented a eugenics program that mirrored American practices, including forced sterilization and marriage controls. Many American states had already enacted compulsory sterilization laws for "defectives," upheld by the Supreme Court in 1927. This prompted a Virginia eugenics activist to lament, "The Germans are beating us at our own game." In this work, Stefan Kuhl explores the connections between the American eugenics movement and Nazi racial hygiene policies, revealing that numerous American scientists supported Hitler's agenda. He details the history of eugenics in the U.S. and abroad, illustrating how sterilization as a means of genetic control gained acceptance by the early twentieth century. American eugenicists pioneered radical ideas, influencing sterilization laws across many states, which German racial hygienists studied closely. With Hitler's ascent, Germany adopted compulsory sterilization laws inspired by U.S. practices, and American eugenicists took pride in their impact on Nazi policies. Kuhl recounts American eugenicists visiting Germany to study these laws and publishing works that praised Nazi eugenics. Even during the war, they criticized Hitler's totalitariani

Exploring the concept of the rainmaker effect, the book examines how belief in rainmakers fosters unity among followers despite the superstition's lack of tangible results. Stefan Kühl critiques modern management principles often touted for success, such as clear objectives and employee participation, revealing their shortcomings while also highlighting their role in promoting organizational evolution. The work emphasizes the importance of cohesion and continuous learning within the framework of a learning organization.

Organizations play a pivotal role in shaping our lives from birth to death, impacting various sectors such as education, healthcare, and governance. Despite their significant influence, individuals often lack the necessary training to navigate these complex entities effectively, whether as employees, consumers, patients, or citizens. The book explores this disconnect and emphasizes the need for better understanding and engagement with the organizations that permeate our daily existence.

Organizations must navigate the tension between enforcing official policies and allowing members to deviate from rules when necessary. While formal rules provide structure, they can be too rigid for every situation. Tolerance for certain deviations is essential, as long as these actions do not threaten the overall integrity of the organization. This balance is crucial for maintaining effectiveness while adapting to the needs of members and the dynamic nature of organizational life.

The book presents a systems-theoretical definition of strategy, addressing its overuse and vague interpretations in management. It defines strategies as "search programs" aimed at achieving specific goals, allowing for a clearer understanding of strategic discussions. By integrating classical strategic concepts with modern organizational theory, the author illustrates how organizations can develop strategies that transcend traditional purpose-rational limitations, offering a fresh perspective on strategy development.

For projects involving poorly defined problems, traditional linear management methods often fail, as they rely on clear targets and conditions. This book introduces an innovative approach grounded in organizational theory, emphasizing experimentation without fixed conclusions. Evaluation focuses on overcoming stagnation, resolving conflicts, and fostering a shared understanding of new opportunities, rather than merely comparing progress to predetermined goals. It advocates for a flexible structure that utilizes power dynamics constructively, rather than attempting to eliminate them.

This book explains why the often praised Holy Grail of organization, the perfectly functioning company, will never be found. Drawing on central management topics, Stefan Kühl elaborates the paradoxes of modern management and points out the undesirable side effects that arise as a result of striving to achieve optimal organizational structure.

This book shows that the introduction of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) of credit points as a new accounting unit at universities has led to increased bureaucracy and the schoolmaster-style regimentation of Bachelor’s and Master’s courses. It explains how, due to the pressure of having to plan every single working hour of studying in advance, a ‘Sudoku Effect’ is created by the necessity to combine courses, exams and modules in such a way that the points ‘add up’. An unintentional side effect of the introduction of the ECTS, the Sudoku Effect has led to more classroom style teaching, an inflation of exams and fewer choices available to students. It has resulted in such complex and contradictory guidelines for the planning of the curriculum that the values attributed to the higher education reform can often only be realised if the rules for Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes are ignored, or at least stretched, in practice. The book describes how the reaction to this situation is the continuous further refinement of the complicated rules rather than their abolishment.

How - as members, customers, voters or patients - do we deal with Organizations: public administrations; universities and schools; hospitals; prisons; political parties; or the military?The systems theory developed by sociologist Niklas Luhmann is among the twentieth century's seminal scientific achievements.

Das Buch beleuchtet, wie Organisationen unser Leben von der Geburt bis zum Tod prägen und welche Herausforderungen dies mit sich bringt. Es thematisiert die mangelnde Ausbildung der Menschen im Umgang mit verschiedenen Institutionen wie Unternehmen, Verwaltungen und Schulen. Der Autor fordert eine kritische Auseinandersetzung mit diesen Strukturen und bietet Perspektiven, wie Individuen besser mit den Anforderungen und Erwartungen dieser Organisationen umgehen können.