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Complex Responsive Processes in Organizations: Learning and Knowledge Creation
The past decade has seen increasing focus on the importance of information and knowledge in economic and social processes, the so-called 'knowledge economy'. This is reflected in the popularity amongst practicing managers and organizational theorists of notions of learning, sense-making, knowledge creation, knowledge management and intellectual capital in organizations and more recently, of emotional intelligence as an important management skill. This insightful Learning and knowledge creation are seen as qualitative processes of power relating that are emotional as well as intellectual, creative as well as destructive, enabling as well as constraining, and the result is a radical questioning of the belief that organizational knowledge is essentially codified and centralized. Instead, organizational knowledge is understood to be in the relationships between people in an organization and has to do with the qualities of those relationships.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 6, 2021
In the opening pages of the book, Stacey discussed the ways that the efficient means of organizing knowledge within an organization occurs. Tacit and explicit knowledge are frequent terms used to describe any exchanges that occur in a dynamic model of information-sharing.
Different theories are explained in different ways but the core concept is that successful interactions between workers occur when they are in an environment where their work and exchanges and creativity aren’t restricted and that open means of communication can develop in a trusted and feedback focused environment. Its hard to measure knowledge assets entirely because of the ever-changing, revolving-door markets that are in place, so leaders and supervisors shouldn’t be so fixed in trying to concretely create quantitative data, but qualitative ones instead to develop a knowledge based models for individuals to discover new pathways in achieving goals (rationalist theory).
It is difficult to argue that components of knowledge obtaining methods are separated and do not work interchangeably to form workplace behaviors and interactions. This coexistence can create very functional or very destructive environments based on how the personnel attribute their pre-conceived views to the environment or social structure. Based on backgrounds, the habituation of all components of individual knowledge comes together to form the system which is always different from other workplace systems. There is not a one size fit all approach to this method. Autopoiseis refers to organizations that their function is mainly to follow the identity of the organization and not to deviate away as this can damage the core of it. Personnel are expected to maintain the status quo with these types of organizations.
Different perspectives on levels of interaction between the natural world, individual behavior, and social behavior are evident. Critical realists argue that these levels are separate of each other and do not converge in making up identity. Opposite views claim that as interactions occur and challenge pre-existing foundations, these too can be subject to change. The former states that it just gets added on to knowledge and identity and can be picked and chosen from. The id, ego, and superego plays important parts in developing individual and group nature. The latter two converge into repression in order to fit social cues created by the pleasure seeking role of the id.
Four positions covered in the initial chapters include psycho, critical realists, institutionalism and social constructionism. The author gives off evolutionary viewpoints but defend criticism of social constructionism so he may in between both positions. The former views highlight that the importance in the individual while the latter two believe the product of the individual comes from the other individuals that they are surrounded by.
Another viewpoint is introduced in the form of structuration theory. It says that the individual and the social are mutually inclusive. The power law states that there are extinction events that occur which lead to attractors being formed and comes together to introduce the stability of attractors. New attractors are not designed but emerge through interaction.
The prisoners dilemma is discussed along with critiques. The concept touches on the basis that competition emerges initially, but cooperative circumstances are necessary to ensure survival. Critiques are also introduced as many human interactions don’t account for a variety of external factors such as status, unstable points, time, emotional constraints, and relationship development.
Symbols and communication in the exchange of facial gestures, bodily responses, tone and language are exchanged in between systems with prior experiences with past encounters. The process of which people put things together is complex but the inclusion of societal norms and cues helps filter out the perceived meanings and intentions and can either create harmony or chaos in these interactions.
Communications take a turn-based style in that in order to exchange stories or knowledge from those stories, those engage must know how to dominate and submit in order to display proper social cues of verbal and non-verbal exchanges. A power struggle could form if misunderstanding occurs constantly within the same individuals or groups, but repetitive interactions could also occur with too much understanding. The power dynamic takes a form where one must exclude the other in order to talk, but include their output as well.
I started losing interest in retention through the middle of the book. The references from other sources, I noted, is pretty dated. The book was published in 2001 but had information from other scientists and their studies going back to 20+ years. Relevant, but not as much as time goes by and people constantly involve their organization skills and structures.
2.5/5
Different theories are explained in different ways but the core concept is that successful interactions between workers occur when they are in an environment where their work and exchanges and creativity aren’t restricted and that open means of communication can develop in a trusted and feedback focused environment. Its hard to measure knowledge assets entirely because of the ever-changing, revolving-door markets that are in place, so leaders and supervisors shouldn’t be so fixed in trying to concretely create quantitative data, but qualitative ones instead to develop a knowledge based models for individuals to discover new pathways in achieving goals (rationalist theory).
It is difficult to argue that components of knowledge obtaining methods are separated and do not work interchangeably to form workplace behaviors and interactions. This coexistence can create very functional or very destructive environments based on how the personnel attribute their pre-conceived views to the environment or social structure. Based on backgrounds, the habituation of all components of individual knowledge comes together to form the system which is always different from other workplace systems. There is not a one size fit all approach to this method. Autopoiseis refers to organizations that their function is mainly to follow the identity of the organization and not to deviate away as this can damage the core of it. Personnel are expected to maintain the status quo with these types of organizations.
Different perspectives on levels of interaction between the natural world, individual behavior, and social behavior are evident. Critical realists argue that these levels are separate of each other and do not converge in making up identity. Opposite views claim that as interactions occur and challenge pre-existing foundations, these too can be subject to change. The former states that it just gets added on to knowledge and identity and can be picked and chosen from. The id, ego, and superego plays important parts in developing individual and group nature. The latter two converge into repression in order to fit social cues created by the pleasure seeking role of the id.
Four positions covered in the initial chapters include psycho, critical realists, institutionalism and social constructionism. The author gives off evolutionary viewpoints but defend criticism of social constructionism so he may in between both positions. The former views highlight that the importance in the individual while the latter two believe the product of the individual comes from the other individuals that they are surrounded by.
Another viewpoint is introduced in the form of structuration theory. It says that the individual and the social are mutually inclusive. The power law states that there are extinction events that occur which lead to attractors being formed and comes together to introduce the stability of attractors. New attractors are not designed but emerge through interaction.
The prisoners dilemma is discussed along with critiques. The concept touches on the basis that competition emerges initially, but cooperative circumstances are necessary to ensure survival. Critiques are also introduced as many human interactions don’t account for a variety of external factors such as status, unstable points, time, emotional constraints, and relationship development.
Symbols and communication in the exchange of facial gestures, bodily responses, tone and language are exchanged in between systems with prior experiences with past encounters. The process of which people put things together is complex but the inclusion of societal norms and cues helps filter out the perceived meanings and intentions and can either create harmony or chaos in these interactions.
Communications take a turn-based style in that in order to exchange stories or knowledge from those stories, those engage must know how to dominate and submit in order to display proper social cues of verbal and non-verbal exchanges. A power struggle could form if misunderstanding occurs constantly within the same individuals or groups, but repetitive interactions could also occur with too much understanding. The power dynamic takes a form where one must exclude the other in order to talk, but include their output as well.
I started losing interest in retention through the middle of the book. The references from other sources, I noted, is pretty dated. The book was published in 2001 but had information from other scientists and their studies going back to 20+ years. Relevant, but not as much as time goes by and people constantly involve their organization skills and structures.
2.5/5
January 3, 2018
A great critical argument that provides a model for complex responsive processes. It does a great job at highlighting the strengths and limitations of, amongst others, social construction and symbolic interaction to arrive at a synthesis that helps us deal with complexity in everyday organizational settings.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews