A New Big Book on Wisdom:

Handbook of Practical Wisdom in Business and Management

How do we transition from episteme and techne to phronesis and praxis in the polis? Aside from the obvious (not using ancient Greek words), a new book, the Handbook of Practical Wisdom in Business and Management, was recently released which “enables the reader to locate common ground in conceptions of practical wisdom”(Schwartz et al., 2020). The handbook was co-edited by Barry Schwartz [watch Conversations on Wisdom with Dr. Schwartz here], Caleb BernacchioCésar González-Cantón, and Angus Robson. It includes contributions from such renown wisdom researchers as Robert J. SternbergMonika ArdeltMichel FerrariIgor Grossmann, and the Center for Practical Wisdom’s founder Howard C. Nusbaum, among its 20 chapters spanning topics such as training for wisdom, wisdom measurement, and challenging artificial intelligence with human practical wisdom.

The book divides into 3 sections. The first part delves into the development of wisdom traditions such as Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, Confucianism, and Islam, among others. Part 2 focuses on empirical research and the application of practical wisdom in business and management studies in education, leadership, artificial intelligence, and everything in between. The final part explores contemporary issues and directions for future research in social sciences and education. 

Among the included chapters are a vast range of topics. Howard C. Nusbaum and Tamera R. Schneider present the idea of wisdom as a pro-social force in human life. Alicia Henning and Miguel Alzola tackle 3 concepts of Confucian philosophy (Kongzi, Mengzi and Xunzi) in terms of Aristotelian phronesis in a sociocultural interpretation of wisdom. Kemi Ogunyemi outlines the Yoruba concept of ogbun -good sense, wisdom, and intelligence through a human flourishing lens- in a variety African proverbs. Igor Grossmann’s chapter provides a review on the malleability of wisdom as a launching point for evidence-based training to develop practical wisdom in business. Robert J. Sternberg highlights the need for practical wisdom in the business setting, specifically in the tech industry. He outlines a case of wise leadership in Roy Vagelos and the pressures against wise leadership.

Whether your interests in wisdom lie in religion, philosophy, humanities, or social sciences, the Handbook of Practical Wisdom in Business and Management marries global foundational concepts of wisdom to practical everyday principals. 

Find out more about the handbook here: Schwartz, B., Bernacchio, C., González-Cantón, C., & Robson, A. (Eds.). (2020). Handbook of Practical Wisdom in Business and Management. Springer.