"Matrix management," characterized by cross-functional project teams, was introduced in the 1970s as an alternative to less flexible top-down management approaches. It fell out of favor in the 1990s, but has since resurfaced, as the pressure to innovate on ever-faster schedules encourages experimentation in organizational design. Gottlieb, who has studied and applied the principles of matrix management for over 25 years, takes us on a tour of this phenomenon - its evolution, current practices, and future applications. Featuring case studies of successes and failures, he shows readers how to harness the power of the matrix structure while minimizing the conflict, disorientation, and resistance that often accompany the approach. In an environment where every company - large or small, enterpreneurial or established - is wrestling with the question of how to organize for maximum performance, this book will give leaders and managers valuable insights and tools for promoting cultures that reward creativity and team-work while maintaining strong leadership and accountability.