Still Visible

Alfred D. Chandler's The Visible Hand remains a vibrant force in contemporary intellectual life. Born in the heady atmosphere of the so-called American Century, when faith in the powers of bureaucratic administration and large technical systems ran high, the work endures as a transcendent analysis of the nature of modern capitalism. Its provocative assertions regarding the signal importance of technological innovation in promoting organizational change and economic efficiency have stimulated productive controversy since the book's appearance in 1977. They acquire newfound significance in light of recent changes in telecommunications technologies and business organization.