In this week's Economist, its Schumpeter column laments the "twilight of the gurus". It suggests that the world of business thinking has become stale and lacks the impact and influence it once possessed.

We disagree. Business thinking is busier, bigger and better. Its influence is now much more profound -- but can't be measured by old fashioned yardsticks.

The Economist points out that business books no longer have the influence they once had when there was a regular supply of business blockbusters like In Search of Excellence and Reengineering the Corporation. This is only partly true. Some business books . . .