The iconic Henry Mintzberg provides a crystal-clear map to the forms and forces that shape all human organizations, synthesizing his fifty years of research.We live in a world of organizations, from our birth in hospitals until our burial by funeral homesIn between, we are educated, employed, entertained, and exasperated by organizations. We had better understand how these strange beasts really work. But where can we go to find out?Welcome to Understanding Organizations . . . Finally! For half a century, Mintzberg has been observing organizations, advising them, engaging them, and escaping themHere he offers a masterful update and revision of his 1983 classic, Structure in Fives.Believing there is one best way to structure organizations is the worst way to do so. A better place to start is by recognizing different species of organizations. Mintzberg identifies seven—personal enterprises, programmed machines, professional assemblies, project pioneers, and othersHe explores these forms a