Jean G. Boulton

Cliff Bowman

Peter M. Allen

The book describes what it means to say the world is complex and explores what that means for managers, policy makers and individuals. The first part of the book is about the theory and ideas of complexity. This is explained in a way that is thorough but not mathematical. It compares differing approaches, and also provides a historical perspective, showing how such thinking has been around since the beginning of civilisation. It emphasises the difference between a complexity worldview and the dominant mechanical worldview that underpins much of current management practice. It defines the complexity worldview as recognising the world is interconnected, shaped by history and the particularities of context. The comparison of the differing approaches to modelling complexity is unique in its depth and accessibility. The second part of the book uses this lens of complexity to explore issues in the fields of management, strategy, economics, and international development. It also explores how to facilitate others to recognise the implications of adopting a complex rather than a mechanical worldview and suggests methods of research to explore systemic, path-dependent emergent aspects of situations. The authors of this book span both science and management, academia and practice, thus the explanations of science are authoritative and yet the examples of changing how you live and work in the world are real and accessible. The aim of the book is to bring alive what complexity is all about and to illustrate the importance of loosening the grip of a modernist worldview with its hope for prediction, certainty and control.

Strategic Perspectives for an Age of Turbulence

Embracing Complexity

David Faulkner

Competitive and Corporate Strategy

Essence of Strategic Management

David C. Asch

A collection which is part of the Open University integrated teaching system, this book is designed to evoke the critical understanding of students. There are readings covering the strategic management process, strategy formulation and managing strategic change.

Readings in Strategic Management

Keith Ward

Andrew Kakabadse

Extraordinary performance from ordinary people is a must read for the high performing manager with the ambition to reach corporate leadership status. The book is as practical as it is exciting. How to succeed and which personal qualities are required from those who display the capability for great responsibility, are the themes that run throughout. The book focuses on both the key value adding activities and disciplines for driving through change and the styles of corporate leaders that attract success Extraordinary performance from ordinary people highlights how the leaders of the company, as a corporate team, can adopt and adapt the four value creating styles. It emphasises how to recognise which leadership framework suits the challenges of particular competitive environments. This insight nurtures a confidence to act decisively adopting an approach to communication which harnesses the energies of the organisation to achieve stretching performance targets. It concentrates on how leaders make a difference by what they do. Diagnostic models that show what really works and under which circumstances are core to this book. * Shows how a connected and aligned team can be positively committed to delivering the vision of the business and how to add value in corporate leadership * Provides a practical framework for developing the key leadership roles in any size and type of organization

Value Creating Corporate Leadership

Extraordinary Performance from Ordinary People

This text discusses the concept of complexity. It describes what it means to say the world is complex and explores what that means for managers, policy makers and individuals. The authors cover the theory and ideas of complexity and explore issues of complexity in the fields of management, strategy, economics and international development.

Cliff Bowman

Books

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