LATROBE, PA – At the beginning of the summer season, Dr. Michael J. Urick, Dean of the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government, published his latest book titled “Bend the Knee or Seize the Throne: Leadership Lessons from the Seven Kingdoms.” He co-authored the book with Mr. Nathan Tong, Associate Professor of Management at Ecole Superieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers (ESSCA) School of Management in Lyon, France. The book was released by Emerald Group Publishing, which is based in England.
Diving into the extensive world of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” series, Urick and Tong used the expansive fantasy as the perfect opportunity to spark discussion around the various types of leadership, power decision making and influence techniques. Through an analysis of the characters and scenarios featured in the series, the book bridges the gap between academic theories of leadership and familiar characters and situations from a pop-culture perspective.
Urick has previously authored four books and co-edited (with Dr. Adam Szpaderski of SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw, Poland) three volumes on leadership. Since 2012, Urick has published over 50 academic papers, book chapters and popular press articles.
“Bend the Knee or Seize the Throne: Leadership Lessons from the Seven Kingdoms” is part of the Exploring Effective Leadership Practices in Popular Culture book series, of which Urick is also the editor. The series currently contains five books that explore leadership in “Star Wars,” “Lord of the Rings,” the Marvel universe and the world of Harry Potter among other popular franchises.
The book is written for aspiring leaders, managers, educators, students and consultants who want to grow in their leadership practices and are also fans of the Game of Thrones series. “Bend the Knee or Seize the Throne: Leadership Lessons from the Seven Kingdoms” is available for purchase at most major book retailers.