Weaving together parables and case studies, and drawing from the new science of complexity, Monks reveals the true character of the corporation as it struggles to reconcile the opposing forces of certainty and uncertainty, the predictable and the serendipitous, the mechanistic and the human. The Emperor's Nightingale paints a picture of the corporation at a crossroads, its future dependent upon its ability to balance the internal drive for maximizing profits with its responsibility to society, customers, employees, and - most importantly - its owners, the individual and institutional investors. Successful companies of the future will be those that learn to manage the ever-changing relationships among these actors and are willing to invest in delivering long-term economic value rooted in the social good.