John Kay is one of Britain’s leading economists. His interests focus on the relationships between economics and business. His career has spanned academic work and think tanks, business schools, company directorships, consultancies and investment companies. For more details of John’s biography, see the About section.
John’s main current interest is in writing and he publishes a weekly column in the Financial Times. His latest book, Obliquity – how our goals are best pursued indirectly – is about to be published by Profile at the end of March 2010. The Long and the Short of It – finance and investment for normally intelligent people who are not in the industry was published in January 2009 and his major work on the operation of market economies, The Truth about Markets, appeared in 2003 (a US version, Culture and Prosperity, was published in 2004). Two collections of his FT columns are available – Everlasting Light Bulbs covers economic subjects, while The Hare and the Tortoise has a business focus.
Featured Books
Obliquity
Why our goals are best achieved indirectly
John’s latest book is published on 25th March 2010 by Profile Books.
Pre-oder your copy in John’s Bookshop for £10 (incl. p&p to the UK and Europe).
If you want to go in one direction, the best route may involve going in another. This is the concept of ‘obliquity’: paradoxical as it sounds, many goals are more likely to be achieved when pursued indirectly. Whether overcoming geographical obstacles, winning decisive battles or meeting sales targets, history shows that oblique approaches are the most successful, especially in difficult terrain.
Obliquity is necessary because we live in an world of uncertainty and complexity; the problems we encounter aren’t always clear – and we often can’t pinpoint what our goals are anyway; circumstances change; people change – and are infuriatingly hard to predict; and direct approaches are often arrogant and unimaginative.
Check the NEWS section for dates of John’s book signings and talks.
“John Kay is an admirable debunker of myths and false beliefs –he can see substantial things others don’t. Read this book.”
Nassim N Taleb, Author of The Black Swan
“Read this book for pleasure, and indirectly – obliquely – you will gain invaluable insights into how successful decisions are made.”
Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England
Latest Articles
10 March 2010, Financial Times
To learn from mistakes, you must first acknowledge them.
03 March 2010, Financial Times
There is a difference between repeatedly engaging in actions you believe will make you popular, and demonstrating the qualities of leadership that prompt people to vote for you.
24 February 2010, Financial Times
The assertion that depositors in Kaupthing and Landsbanki have a claim on ordinary people who were too prudent to put money there, or did not have any money to deposit in the first place, has little justice or legal basis.
17 February 2010, Financial Times
The true and fair view is subjective, and no accounting principles, however extensive, can cover all conceivable situations.
