Re: Organizational forms LO3116

Michael McMaster (Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk)
Mon, 9 Oct 1995 20:38:17 +0000

Replying to LO3111 --

Barry, consider that the questions might have been asked in the
pre-cambrian era just before the explosion of life forms of that
time.

> Is there really an explosion of organizational forms, or are we simply
> discovering what has been there all along?

I don't know how to respond to the question *as a fact*. As a point
of view, I find it powerful to explore the creation phase rather than
the assessment phase. Is there something new? Is there nothing new?
My interest is in possibility and opportunity - and what I can learn
which contributes to creativity.

> Are the total number of such forms the permutations and combinations of
> humans who are "available" to organize, or does mathematics play no part?
> Are their a finite number of organizational forms?

I think that mathematics, as I understand it, does not apply and that
there is an infinite number of forms. At least the space of
possibility is much to vast to consider or decide by mathematical
means. What I'm interested in is exploring as much of this space as
might contribute to viability.

> Do organizational forms have a relation to the composition of the explicit
> and implicit human form i.e. the physical, emotional and intellectual
> "forms"?

Current organisational forms will have some relationship to existing
forms, beings and social ecologies. But that does not limit in any
great way the possibilities for the next few generations or
iterations. I think the interesting challenge is what theory or
metaphor or other way of "setting out a stall" in the space of
possibility will enable exploration by synthesis rather than
analysis.

--
Michael McMaster
Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk