SOLWorld2024-03-29T14:59:48ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergowhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/357567827?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://solworld.ning.com/group/karlstadgroup/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=2ec0o1cxnfzy3&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSF summit - 'fantasy academic centre' gametag:solworld.ning.com,2010-05-28:2102269:Topic:248952010-05-28T18:19:27.189ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
At the recent 'SF summit' gathering in Malmo (see my report at <span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><br />
</span><p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/3xttyus"><u><font color="#0000FF" size="2"><font color="#0000FF" size="2"><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB">http://tinyurl.com/3xttyus</span></font></font></u></a>), Gale Miller suggested that we start playing the game of 'fantasy academic centre'. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It works like this: Suppose that someone has given us $10 million to set up an…</p>
At the recent 'SF summit' gathering in Malmo (see my report at <span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB"><br />
</span><p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/3xttyus"><u><font color="#0000FF" size="2"><font color="#0000FF" size="2"><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB">http://tinyurl.com/3xttyus</span></font></font></u></a>), Gale Miller suggested that we start playing the game of 'fantasy academic centre'. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It works like this: Suppose that someone has given us $10 million to set up an multi-disciplinary academic centre, probably based at a university, to produce excellent and provocative material in support of the 'SF paradigm' - the framework within which our practice makes sense. Think about</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* What would it be called?</p>
<p>* What kind of people would form the faculty</p>
<p>* What courses would it offer?</p>
<p>* What research would it's graduate students do?</p>
<p>* What publications would it support?</p>
<p>* What conferences/events would it put on?</p>
<p>* What else?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have some initial ideas - will post them below. Please add to the list - after all, it's a FANTASY centre, so you can have anything you want!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cheers</p>
<p>Mark</p> Karlstad Group update SOLWorld 2009 conference Texeltag:solworld.ning.com,2009-05-19:2102269:Topic:149482009-05-19T15:12:17.995ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
Karlstad Group update SOLWorld 2009 conference Texel<br />
<br />
Present: Mark McKergow, Fredrike Bannink, Bjorn Johannson, Eva Persson, Paul Z Jackson, Pawel Walentynowicz, John Tarr, Hans-Peter Korn, Peter Rohrig, Ignas Verschuren, Linda Reyerkerk, Danny Janssen, An Baert, Anton Stellamans, Marianne Inghels, Louis Cauffman, Mario Ronzani<br />
<br />
What's better?<br />
<br />
Connections have been made with people in other intellectual/conceptual traditions:<br />
<br />
Positive Psychology (Paul Z Jackson)<br />
CBT (Fredrike Bannink)<br />
Brain…
Karlstad Group update SOLWorld 2009 conference Texel<br />
<br />
Present: Mark McKergow, Fredrike Bannink, Bjorn Johannson, Eva Persson, Paul Z Jackson, Pawel Walentynowicz, John Tarr, Hans-Peter Korn, Peter Rohrig, Ignas Verschuren, Linda Reyerkerk, Danny Janssen, An Baert, Anton Stellamans, Marianne Inghels, Louis Cauffman, Mario Ronzani<br />
<br />
What's better?<br />
<br />
Connections have been made with people in other intellectual/conceptual traditions:<br />
<br />
Positive Psychology (Paul Z Jackson)<br />
CBT (Fredrike Bannink)<br />
Brain science (Michael Hjerth, not present here)<br />
Discourse microanalysis (Harry Korman, Janet Bavelas, Peter de Jong)<br />
Agile software development/agile project management (Hans-Peter Korn)<br />
Feldenkrais/Alexander technique (Paul Z Jackson, John Tarr)<br />
Improvisation (Paul Z Jackson)<br />
Game theory/conflict management (Fredrike Bannink)<br />
Positive Deviance (a PD person has joined the SOLWorld ning group)<br />
Complexity (Mark McKergow)<br />
Evolutionary Psychology (Louis Cauffman – Univ of Neijmegen, they have a fMRI brain scanner)<br />
<br />
Jenny Clarke has been putting together ideas on 'metathing' – the (newly emerging) field of things of which SF is an example.<br />
<br />
<br />
Possible next steps<br />
<br />
All – keep looking for opportunities to engage people from other traditions in dialogue etc.<br />
All – keep writing and publishing (in InterAction and other places)<br />
Bjorn – seminar next year with Gale Miller, Harry Korman and Mark in Malmo – could be very interesting development<br />
Louis – We could have a Macy style conference – 'colloque de cerisy' format<br />
Marianne – self-organising might be an interesting direction to look<br />
Louis – swarm intelligence is the thing, complexity in dead<br />
Mark – mix of self-organisation/swarn intelligence/complexity might be interesting<br />
John Tarr – parallels with Feldenkrais worth looking at<br />
Make presentation at other people's conferences. Complexity - meeting with Prof Ralph Staceytag:solworld.ning.com,2009-02-20:2102269:Topic:123212009-02-20T09:10:06.213ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
Notes on meeting with Prof Ralph Stacey, Professor of Management and Director of the Complexity and Management Centre at the University of Hertfordshire.<br />
<br />
Thursday 19 February 2009, Radisson Hotel, Tottenham Court Road, London<br />
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Ralph is author of a series of books about complexity and management, notable Complex Responsive Processes in Organizations: Learning and Knowledge Creation (Routledge 2001, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cy8uyo">http://tinyurl.com/cy8uyo</a>). I would recommend this book…
Notes on meeting with Prof Ralph Stacey, Professor of Management and Director of the Complexity and Management Centre at the University of Hertfordshire.<br />
<br />
Thursday 19 February 2009, Radisson Hotel, Tottenham Court Road, London<br />
<br />
Ralph is author of a series of books about complexity and management, notable Complex Responsive Processes in Organizations: Learning and Knowledge Creation (Routledge 2001, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cy8uyo">http://tinyurl.com/cy8uyo</a>). I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-argued positioning of complexity and it's consequences in opposition to 'mainstream' approaches – both classical cognitive and social constructionist.<br />
<br />
Ralph had not come across SF before and asked me to enlighten him. I did so briefly, and he saw quite quickly the possible connections with his own work. As a former group therapist himself he was very quick to pick up on the differences between the language used during the group therapy session (often everyday) with the theoretical and interpretive language used by the therapists afterwards to attempt to understand what was going on.<br />
<br />
His own writings promote the idea of a Transformative Teleology (human action is towards an unknown future which is under perpetual construction by human action itself). He contrasts this with the mainstream thinking of Rationalist Teleology (movement towards goals set by autonomous reasoning humans) and Formative Teleology (the process of unfolding a whole already enfolded in the nature, principles and rules of interaction). Note that neither of the second two allows for the full experience of novelty and surprise that we find in the world, both being a process of either people being in control or people being controlled by an (existing) structure.<br />
<br />
This view is not (unsurprisingly) widely accepted in the world of organisations. (I can relate to that...) Ralph thinks it is SO different to the accepted paradigms and working assumptions of managers and academics that it's way beyond the scope of what is normally considered as 'up for discussion'. However, he is not to be put off, and continues to write and speak with managers about this view. He is not particularly seeking practical outcomes (for which SF might be useful) but to get people thinking afresh about their experience of the world and how it fits or not with the assumptions they make or are compelled to use. He observes that when he speaks to groups of managers within organization, about one third of the participants get very angry, one third are politely interested and one third find it very stimulating and thought-provoking.<br />
<br />
Ralph finds it difficult to get published in the regular management journals for this reason, and has found it more fruitful to do his own series of books with Routledge (Complexity and Emergence in Organisations series <a href="http://www.routledge.com/books/series/Complexity+and+Emergence+in+Organizations">http://www.routledge.com/books/series/Complexity+and+Emergence+in+Organizations</a>). He says he can do and publish a whole book in less time that it takes to argue with peer reviewers!<br />
<br />
We pondered about universities wanting to be 'business facing' and (therefore?) getting caught up in a whirlpool of targets, productivity, trying to produce students who met certain standards...when the very premise of his work is that this is not possible. The act of managers 'setting targets' is a subjugating gesture (he writes about gestures being part of the continuing emergence of gesture-response through which the world is continually remade). It's part of reducing the possibilities – people will then meet the targets, while letting things go in other areas with corresponding unintended consequences. Eg investment banks have targets for 'number of deals' without any stipulation of what the deals should be, which may be a part of the mess we are currently in.<br />
<br />
The opposite of a 'subjugating' gesture? A 'liberating' gesture in the extreme, or perhaps a facilitative or invitational gesture. This has connections with my own current work on the leader as host, where invitations are seen as powerful and important.<br />
<br />
Ralph commented that the impression of SF he had formed during our discussion was different from the one he had from a quick glance at The Solutions Focus book. I am not surprised about that, it's something I have noticed too. The book doesn't quite do it, at least in connection with this rather subtle angle. But our presentations and training do better.<br />
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A second edition of the book Complex Responsive Processes is under way, featuring extracts fo some of Ralph's other books and new material. I'll be looking out for it. Ralph invited me to join with an occasional discussion conference which is organised once a year - this year in Dublin (not a bad place to go!). Following the next (small) steps - created at the Meeting in Vienna 2008tag:solworld.ning.com,2008-06-25:2102269:Topic:46302008-06-25T12:58:45.942ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
<b><br />
Peter Sundman & Ferdinand Wolf will raise the Wiki idea with the EBTA Board<br />
<br />
Peter’s group in Helsinki will discuss links with Spinoza and Pragmatism at their August meeting<br />
<br />
Kirsten Dierolf is editing a Journal of SF<br />
<br />
Kirsten is thinking about writing an article on Harré’s work and its connections with SF<br />
<br />
Hans-Peter Korn will offer SF material to the German Wiki<br />
<br />
Hans-Peter and Mark McKergow are both in contact with Agile Software<br />
<br />
Hans-Peter is attending the upcoming conference in…</b>
<b><br />
Peter Sundman & Ferdinand Wolf will raise the Wiki idea with the EBTA Board<br />
<br />
Peter’s group in Helsinki will discuss links with Spinoza and Pragmatism at their August meeting<br />
<br />
Kirsten Dierolf is editing a Journal of SF<br />
<br />
Kirsten is thinking about writing an article on Harré’s work and its connections with SF<br />
<br />
Hans-Peter Korn will offer SF material to the German Wiki<br />
<br />
Hans-Peter and Mark McKergow are both in contact with Agile Software<br />
<br />
Hans-Peter is attending the upcoming conference in Switzerland on management applications of SF<br />
<br />
Carey Glass will contact local business schools and universities offering dialogue<br />
<br />
Mark McKergow is meeting Paul Cilliers soon<br />
<br />
Gűnter Lueger will attend the von Foerster Society and see what happens<br />
<br />
Ferdinand will connect with the Wittgenstein Society in Vienna<br />
<br />
Gale Miller will e-mail the Loughborough Group proposing a dialogue<br />
<br />
Wolfgang Gaiswinkler will include reference t the Meta-Thing in an article he’s writing<br />
<br />
Sabine Indinger will think about what the work of Viktor Frankl could offer management practice and its relevance to SF<br />
<br />
Jenny Clarke will offer a first draft of an SF Manifesto<br />
</b> Complexity - meeting with Prof Peter Allen, Cranfield Universitytag:solworld.ning.com,2008-06-25:2102269:Topic:46282008-06-25T11:52:23.673ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
Following my meeting in May with Paul Cilliers, he introduced me to Professor Peter Allen, head of the Complex Systems Research Centre in the School of Management at Cranfield University in England. I met him yesterday - notes attached.<br />
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One interesting thing to emerge from the discussion was Peter's idea that SF forms an interesting contrast to the 'sensemaking' view of Karl Weick and others. I am not too well up on sensemaking (…
Following my meeting in May with Paul Cilliers, he introduced me to Professor Peter Allen, head of the Complex Systems Research Centre in the School of Management at Cranfield University in England. I met him yesterday - notes attached.<br />
<br />
One interesting thing to emerge from the discussion was Peter's idea that SF forms an interesting contrast to the 'sensemaking' view of Karl Weick and others. I am not too well up on sensemaking (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensemaking">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensemaking</a>, but I think it's the idea that we have to make sense of a situation to make progress, whereas SF has a focus not on understanding but on observing progress and then using that later (perhaps) to make sense. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Is this an interesting line to follow? Solution Focused Agility in Projects and Managementtag:solworld.ning.com,2008-05-22:2102269:Topic:22902008-05-22T11:27:44.373ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
This in first instance is a place to collect interesting documents about "Agility" and how it fits to SF and how Agility and SF may profit from each other.<br />
For discussions about this topic I prefer to do it in the SOLUTION-List: For me it is much comfortabler to write mails with a mail client compared with the restricted textbox-size in "ning"<br />
AND:<br />
with the list much more persons can follow the discussion in a well known and very simple way directly and not with alerts only....
This in first instance is a place to collect interesting documents about "Agility" and how it fits to SF and how Agility and SF may profit from each other.<br />
For discussions about this topic I prefer to do it in the SOLUTION-List: For me it is much comfortabler to write mails with a mail client compared with the restricted textbox-size in "ning"<br />
AND:<br />
with the list much more persons can follow the discussion in a well known and very simple way directly and not with alerts only.... Draft SF Manifestotag:solworld.ning.com,2008-05-21:2102269:Topic:21722008-05-21T19:42:32.957ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
After the meeting of the Karlstad Group in Vienna in March, I took the small step I volunteered by offering a very first attempt at a draft SF manifesto. Comments welcome.<br />
<br />
Jenny
After the meeting of the Karlstad Group in Vienna in March, I took the small step I volunteered by offering a very first attempt at a draft SF manifesto. Comments welcome.<br />
<br />
Jenny Paul Cilliers paperstag:solworld.ning.com,2008-05-19:2102269:Topic:14702008-05-19T13:23:13.995ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
I attach various papers of interest by Paul Cilliers. These include:<br />
<br />
* From a restricted to a general understanding of complexity, presented at the World Knowledge Forum, 2008<br />
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* The Complex "I", (with T. de Villiers) in The Political subject, edited by W. Wheeler, pp. 226-245, London: Lawrence & Wishart, 2000.<br />
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* Complexity, Ethics and Justice. Journal for Humanistics (Tijdschrift voor Humanistiek), Vol. 5 (2004), nr. 19 (Oct. 2004), p. 19 - 26 (Amsterdam: Uitgeverij SWP)<br />
<br />
There is…
I attach various papers of interest by Paul Cilliers. These include:<br />
<br />
* From a restricted to a general understanding of complexity, presented at the World Knowledge Forum, 2008<br />
<br />
* The Complex "I", (with T. de Villiers) in The Political subject, edited by W. Wheeler, pp. 226-245, London: Lawrence & Wishart, 2000.<br />
<br />
* Complexity, Ethics and Justice. Journal for Humanistics (Tijdschrift voor Humanistiek), Vol. 5 (2004), nr. 19 (Oct. 2004), p. 19 - 26 (Amsterdam: Uitgeverij SWP)<br />
<br />
There is another very good and relevant paper on modest positions in postmodernism (what we call a not-knowing position) which I will post in a reply to this message. Paul Cilliers (complexity) meeting with Mark McKergow, 14 May 2008tag:solworld.ning.com,2008-05-19:2102269:Topic:14652008-05-19T13:18:26.180ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
As promised in Cologne, I met with Paul Cilliers in Utrecht on Wednesday 14 May. Notes of the meeting are attached. I will post Paul's various papers in a separate message here.<br />
<br />
Comments on what you read please!<br />
Cheers<br />
Mark
As promised in Cologne, I met with Paul Cilliers in Utrecht on Wednesday 14 May. Notes of the meeting are attached. I will post Paul's various papers in a separate message here.<br />
<br />
Comments on what you read please!<br />
Cheers<br />
Mark Karlstad Group workshop at SOLWorld 2008, Colognetag:solworld.ning.com,2008-05-19:2102269:Topic:13392008-05-19T08:08:51.989ZMark McKergowhttp://solworld.ning.com/profile/MarkMcKergow
I attach to this post the Powerpoint presentation I used at the workshop. It's also on the secret memory stick from the conference.
I attach to this post the Powerpoint presentation I used at the workshop. It's also on the secret memory stick from the conference.