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Title: The Complexity Advantage by Susanne Kelly, Mary Ann Allison ISBN: 0-07-001400-0 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional Pub. Date: 1999 Format: Hardcover List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (12 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Gaining competitive advantage through complexity science
Comment: This is a very clear presentation of a difficult topic-the relationship of the new field of complexity science to business. It is particularly useful for anyone who is thinking "Complexity science is interesting, but what are the implications for the real world." This book gets off to an outstanding start with the unit "The Main Point: Self-Organization." This indeed is the aspect of complexity science that has the most relevance for business. The authors also are to be commended for being the first book that I know of to relate the concept of memes to the question of how to use complexity science to improve organizations. (According to the Oxford English Dictionary a meme is "an element of a culture that may be considered to be passed on by non-genetic means, esp. imitation." For more information on memes, enter "memetics" in the subject search box on amazon.com.) However, I would have liked to have seen an expanded discussion of memes. I believe the authors missed the opportunity to use the concept of memes to clarify the distinction between the old way of managing and the new way that they espouse. Traditional approaches to management are based on a meme set that can be traced back through Newton to Aristotle. The new approach to management that they recommend is grounded in a new meme set provided by complexity science. The authors initial focus on self-organization is capped-off with an equally brilliant section on "Reducing the Artificial, Designated Power Hierarchy and Enabling Natural Organization." However, the "lists of steps" in the middle chapters are somewhat overdone and in my opinion detract from the main thrust of their book. I'm afraid the casual reader may not fully grasp the importance of what the authors are saying: The traditional organizational hierarchy, in all of its MBA-ish splendor, is essentially unnatural. For it is complexity science, especially self-organized groups, which offers a natural approach to management. No one, in my opinion, has demonstrated they really know how to execute this new perspective within a major organization. The authors' approach is as good as it gets, and it has a real-world feel that is better than that of British complexity science guru Ralph Stacey (Complexity and Creativity in Organizations) or the American gura Margaret Wheatley (Leadership and the New Science). What is clear is that those organizations that figure out how to manage naturally will have a substantial competitive advantage over those who use artificial, unnatural approaches.
Rating: 3
Summary: An interesting read
Comment: This book reveals how complexity theory (CT) can be used in today's complicated organization. However, it lacks the tools on how to achieve what it intends to do. The steps and levels of organization 'maturity' described by author is clear. It has interesting sections and good lessons to teach. The book does not stand on its own. It needs help from other disciplines to put the plan into reality. Perhaps, readers may find more in Theory of Constraints than what is expected in Complexity theory in business world at this point in time.
Rating: 4
Summary: Good information, how to implement?
Comment: Don't get me wrong, I like the book. It is just that it is difficult to translate it into an initiative. Even if I ask members of the team who need to understand the concept and come up with ways to advance the concept, we will be spending time on "I don't understand this line here". My point is that the writing seems to be targeted to the decision-makers who are well-educated or well-read but it would be simply too difficult for the actual implementers - middle managers, task leaders, team members, etc. This is even more apparent at the global scene where English is the second or third language. This is probably why I can buy the brand new hardcopy on sale at a cheap price and the stack remains tall for many days (no one else is buying it).
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Title: COMPLEXITY: THE EMERGING SCIENCE AT THE EDGE OF ORDER AND CHAOS by M. Mitchell Waldrop ISBN: 0671872346 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 15 January, 1992 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Open Boundaries: Creating Business Innovation Through Complexity by Howard Sherman, Ron Schultz ISBN: 0738201553 Publisher: Perseus Publishing Pub. Date: 01 October, 1999 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Weaving Complexity and Business: Engaging the Soul at Work by Roger Lewin, Birute Regine ISBN: 1587990431 Publisher: Thomson Texere Pub. Date: 07 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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