Book excerpt: Presenting a new theory of power, a new practice of management and a new theory of social science, this volume: * contradicts the received wisdom that all power corrupts' and presents a power that generates productivity, justice and inquiry; the book also shows, through concrete illustrations, how leaders and organizations can develop in order to use, and encourage others to use, such power. * contradicts the received wisdom that all organizational structure constrains and develops a theory of liberating structure' through which organizations can generate continual quality improvement. * contradicts the received wisdom that social science is purer' the more it is divorced from action and introduces a new paradigm of engaged social science - action inquiry'.