Features profiles of the fifty most influential business writers and practitioners and their works. Intended for students and researches, managers and front-line employees, this work serves as an introduction or a reference to the people and ideas that drive business. From the distinguished Charles Handy to the classic Philip Kotler to the outspoken Paul Krugman, and including such visionary leaders as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, The Thinkers 50, based on an international survey of business academics, practitioners, consultants, and journalists, reinforces the powerful influences business and popular culture have on each other. Following surveys that were conducted in 2001 and 2003 (asking the single question: Who is the most important living management thinker?), the 2005 survey is the first to be released with a companion book, applying such criteria as practicality of ideas and international outlook to determine ranking, and featuring colorful, informative, and concise profiles of the 50 individuals whose ideas most profoundly influence business today. Each profile includes information on the subject's background and primary contributions, and lists key publications and web sites. Collectively, they reflect the state of the art in contemporary management thinking and its application, separating the people and ideas with lasting impact from the passing fads. From students to entrepreneurs to seasoned executives, The Thinkers 50 provides a compendium of practical insights on the art and science of management.