Reviewed by Rodney K. Rogers Case Western Reserve University
This book provides an introduction to the life of William W. (Bill) Cooper. Bill has served several disciplines as a prolific researcher, teacher and area administrator. He is a member of the Accounting Hall of Fame. This volume is a collection of speeches and essays in his honor written by former students and colleagues, expressing appreciation for Bill’s professional and personal influence on them. As such, this volume does not provide a critical perspective as to the significance of Bill Cooper’s contributions; it is clearly appreciative in tone. However, it does provide the reader with a personal insight into the career of Bill Cooper.
The former students and colleagues who participated in this activity came from all eras of Bill Cooper’s career including the undergraduate days at the University of Chicago, graduate school experiences at Columbia University, and faculty and administrative positions at Carnegie Mellon, as well as his current faculty and administrative responsibilities at the University of Texas at Austin. Through these speeches and essays one begins to understand events that have shaped Bill Cooper’s approach to problems. Herbert Simon discussed their time together at the University of Chicago. This was during the Great Depression and such world events as the Spanish Civil War. These events caused people to question the status quo and discuss alterna-tives. Simon posited that the “real education at Chicago was the education of revolution” [p. 10]. Many of the speeches and essays describe Bill Cooper as a “revolutionary” because he looked at problems in new and different ways.
In Cooper’s response to the various remarks, he provides an insight about those factors which influenced his approach to problem solving. He received his formal academic training prior to World War II in an era of “subject matter development.” During this time, Freud, Einstein and Keynes were all proposing new theories. However, his academic career was after World War II, during an “age of great methodological change.” Thus, he was forced to struggle with this new era and apply new methods and approaches to various problems. Cooper’s continuing interest in change is shown by his discussion of the need for research in the area of bureaucracies and how organizations deal with social problems. He proposes development of “flexible” bureaucracies and the need to consider ways to “inject creativity and innovation into large bureaucratic organizations” [p.97].
On the personal side of the subject, the volume contains several “stories” regarding Cooper, such as his early career as a professional fighter.
Several persons present aspects about Bill Cooper’s years at Carnegie Mellon University. During this time he was extremely involved in the development of the Graduate School of Industrial Administration and the creation of the School of Urban and Public Affairs. The approach that Cooper used in these activities sheds light upon his creative approach in shaping and creating new organizations.
Bill Cooper has had an impact upon the accounting profession and this book provides the reader with interesting background information regarding his life and career. One should read the book for what it is, a collection of speeches expressing appreciation of Bill Cooper.
