In order to continue my own learning I have recently enrolled as a part-time
doctoral student at Warwick University's Business School under the supervision
of Dr John Mingers.
It was Peter Senge's book THe Fifth Discipline that attracted me to systems
dynamics and reinforced my interest in the Learning Organization. John
Bourgoyne of Lancaster University had created the initial interest for me in
the concept of Learning Organizations during the 80's.
Beer's VSM holds a great facination for me in how it may address the dual
paradox: Organizations must *continue* what they are doing to generate
profits/provide social services (in the case of government) today but begin
the process of *change* so that they will still be around tomorrow; in order
to better manage complexity they need to empower the workforce by accepting
the need for local *autonomy* while retaining *control* of the various
operational units to ensure organizational cohesion. This is the challenge
for a learning organization. The work of Senge et al. goes a long way to
helping organizations achieve this.
I look forward to many interesting conversations.
-- Anthony Gill Phone:+44 (0)1295 812262 Phrontis Limited Beacon House Fax: +44 (0)1295 812511 Horn Hill Road Adderbury e-mail: t2@phrontis.demon.co.uk OXON OX17 3EU U K